U*;^i^. '•'.:,}. ' y ::!..;. ;:;-.•,'/':,' '.ti,,-V>''i' NEW GAMES AND AMUSE- MENTS NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS For young and old alike. Consisting of original games and ideas invented by the author and Victor J. Smedley BY MEREDITH NUGENT Fully illustrated by the inventors New York Doubleday, Page Sc Company 1905 LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Copies Received NOV 28 1905 r» CopyriirM Entry CLASS a. XXc. No. COPY B. Copyright, 1901, 1902, by The Century Company Copyright, 1902, 1903, by The Crowell Publishing Company Copyright, 1901, 1902, 1905, by The Curtis Publishing Company Copyright, 1905, by Doubleday, Page & Company Published, November, 1905 All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian CONTENTS CHAPTER I. A SoAP-BuBBLE Magician (Story) . , A rose inside of a soap bubble A spinning top inside of a bubble How to place three bubbles inside of one another How to place a lighted candle inside of a bubble ...... How to freeze a bubble How to thrust a knife through a bubble without breaking the bubble How the "salute to the flag" was pre pared ...... How to drop objects through bubbles H. Phil's Second Bubble Show (Story) How three persons or more may blow a giant bubble .... Gas bubble reservoir How to balance a bubble on a goblet How to place a bubble upon a spinning top How to break a large bubble into a num ber of smaller ones ...» Frying a soap bubble .... Soap-bubble lantern display The "steamed bubble" . . . The fairy fleet .... V 3 II II 12 13 13 14 14 15 19 28 28 29 29 30 31 31 31 32 CON TEN TS— Continued III. A Perfect Soap-Bubble Solution . Another soap-bubble solution A word of caution to bubble blowers How to blow a bubble How to make a cornucopia IV. A SoAP-BuBBLE Party (Story) How to blow a pinwheel around inside of a bubble .... Bubbles and noise Bubble resting upon a flower How to place a little bubble inside of a large one ..... Bubbles dangling from finger tips V The "Soap-Bubblers'" First Recep TION (Story) .... Some soap-bubble tricks for experts How to throw bubbles from a wire ring Kittens inside of a soap bubble Two bubbles from same film going in opposite directions The giant letter "S" Large bubble enveloped within a larger one The long twisting bubble The shower of bubbles The boy in the soap-film house Twelve bubbles, one inside of the other VI. A Yacht Race in The Clouds (Story) How to make kite yachts VII. A Circus On a Kite String (Story) Sailing a flag to the skies vi 35 36 Z7 38 39 43 45 45 46 46 47 51 51 6i 62 63 63 63 64 64 64 64 67 71 79 84 CON TEN TS— Continued VIII. IX. XL XII. Parachutes .... , . 85 The giant whirler , . 85 The paper Chinaman , . 85 Sending an umbrella up a kite string . 86 Spin! Whiz! Whirl! (Story) . 89 How to make the plate top • 97 Sailing boats . 98 Revolving disk . 98 Pagoda top .... . 99 Circle of pinwheels . 100 Two tops, one spinning on top of the othei r 100 Boat run by plate-top engine . . 100 Travelling disk ■ . . . . loi Seaside Toys and How To Make Them . 105 An inclined railway 105 Sand-power engine . 106 Seesaw run by sand power . 107 Boat run by sand power . 109 Frolic and Fun With Egg Shells 113 Blossoming egg shells 116 Egg-shell night Hlies 116 An egg-shell candlestick 117 An egg-shell rooster 117 An egg-shell swan . 118 The ''Dewey Arch" 118 An egg-shell yacht 119 Egg-shell fairy lamp 120 Sunshine Toys and How To Make Them 123 The floating pinwheel . 125 The Ferris wheel , 125 Sunlight yachts . . . , 126 Tom's Sunshine Engine (Story) . 131 CON TEN TS— Continued CHAPTER XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. How To Have Fun With Old News- papers .... A newspaper table A newspaper "Brooklyn Bridge "Greek temple" made from newspapers A newspaper chair How To Make a Paper Yacht That Will Sail . Kites Without Sticks (Story) A six-sided kite . A bow kite .... A kite without a tail A Boy and An Old Umbrella (Story) How to make the umbrella windmill Umbrella trolley line . Indoor kites .... "Right in The Wind's Eye" (Story) How to make the boat . A Bathtub Regatta (Story) The baking-powder-can boat Water-power catamaran The candle boat .... Air-propeller steamboat Toys That Run Up Hill How to arrange the running gear which will make all these toys travel How to make the air-line steamboat "Cat on the fence" Organ-grinder and monkey . Home-Made Artillery How to make the house gun How to make the field gun . 141 143 143 145 145 151 161 166 167 168 173 178 179 180 185 187 193 194 195 195 196 199 200 202 203 204 209 210 214 CON TEN TS— Continued CHAPTER XXI. Ships That Sail On The Snow PAGE 217 XXIL Fun With Candle Light . 226 A pretty illustration of an old dea 225 The revolving tower . 226 The candle-hght engine . 226 Paper merry-go-round . 229 The circling arch . 229 The simply made lighthouse . 230 XXIII. Some New Paper Tricks (Story) 237 XXIV. Home-Made Christmas Toys . , 245 Building the subway . . 245 The butterfly circus . 249 Holly-branch merry-go-round . 250 The feathered ballet dancer 250 XXV. Elastic Toys and How To Make Them .... . 253 How to make a tin-can locomotive 253 How to make a trolley car . 255 XXVI. Sculpture For Everybody . 261 Dogwood blossoms 262 A soap candelabrum . 263 The flowery chariot . 265 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Rose in a Soap Bubble Fig. I. Blowing a Bubble over a Rose Fig. 2. Gradually Lift the Funnel Fig. 3. Releasing the Bubble from the Funnel A Spinning Top Inclosed Within a Bubble A Salute to the Flag .... A Frozen Bubble .... Cutting Through a Bubble with a Knife Three Bubbles, One Inside Another, and the Small est Filled with Smoke Dropping Objects Through a Bubble Without Breaking It . . . . A Candle with a Bubble for a Globe A Bubble Full of Illuminating Gas Frying a Bubble ..... How a Big Bubble Breaks into Four Little O Bubble Balanced on a Glass Blowing a Little Smoke Bubble A Fairy Fleet Afloat on a Sea of Bubble-fil A Three-cornered Bubble Steaming a Bubble The Bubble-topped Top Making Bubbles and Noise Resting Upon a Flower Blowing a Pin-wheel in a Bubble Frontispiecf FACING PAGE 8, 10 10 12 12 14/ 14- 26^ 26 28^ 28' 28 30^ 30/ 32 32 46, 46. 46 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued FACING PAGE Bubbles Dangling from the Finger Tips *" First kittens ever inside of a soap bubble!'" Twelve Bubbles, One Inside of the Other Two large Bubbles Springing from the Same Film and Travelling in Opposite Directions . "The giant letter S" . A Shower of Bubbles "An ever-moving, ever-lengthening, ever-varying twisting, writhing shape" Two Large Round Bubbles, One Inside Another A Boy in a Soap-film House .... Large Bubbles Thrown from a Soaped Wire Ring The Flyaway, Under Full Sail, Moving Upward on the Kite-string The Flyaway, with Sail Down, Descending the Kite-string The Chinaman Sails up the Kite-string . "Up with 'Old Glory.'" . . . . "A flight of paper parachutes" "The ascent of a black umbrella" "Coloured windmill more than four feet height" . A Plate-top Boat . m A Whirling Garland A Tin-pan Regatta The Circle of Pinwheel The Travelling Disk A Two-storied Spinner An Inclined Railway Sand-Power Boat and Power Wheel Seesaw Run by Sand-power . Sand-power Engine 46/ 54 54 56 58 58' 60 „ 62 V 70 70 84/ 84. 86. 86 86 96 100 100 106 106 108 108 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued A White Swan Egg-shell Rooster . . . . . Race for the Egg-cup '"Coco" Looking for the Boy Who Made Him Real Mother Goose An Egg-shell Knight on an Egg-shell Horse . "Mrs. Fuzzy-Wuzzy" Going to Market Blossoms .... An Easter Chicken at Breakfast Hull of Yacht . Purest of Night Lilies . Exquisite Fairy Lamps . Dewey Arch .... Candlestick .... Sunlight Yachts The Floating Pinwheel The Ferris Wheel The ''Engine," Showing Fly-wheel and Flanged Driving-wheel The Sunshine Engine Complete Greek Temple Perspective View of Paper Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge Table and Cloth A Newspaper Chair Kites Flown in the House by the ' mill" .... The "Umbrella Trolley-Hne" "The obstinate little fellows just breeze at greater speed" The "Old-Umbrella Motor" Air-propeller Boats :?ciii Umbrella Wind pushed into the PAGE 114 116 116 116 116 118/ 118' 118 118 120. 120, 120 124 124 124 136' 136 I42y 142 142 144^' 144/ 178^ 178/ 188 188- 194 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued A Baking-powder Can Steamboat A Fleet Run by Water Power Boats Run by Candle-light Power The "Climber" in Dry-dock Organ-grinder and Monkey . Launching of the Steamboat "Climber' Game of "Cat on the Fence" A Paper Yacht A Fight with Field Guns A Fierce Battle IndooBS An "Ice-Schooner" "Flying over the snow" An Ice-ship Race Up Hill Sails Reefed — Going Down Hill . A Pretty Illustration of an Old-time Trick A Revolving Tower .... Wrapping-paper Lighthouse Circling Arch Candle-light Merry-go-round The Paper Tower .... A Top Spinning on Floating Paper A Sheet of Wrapping Paper Bearing a Cat Bonfire on Floating Paper The Merry-go-round .... What a Sheet of Writing Paper Will Carry Natty Feather Ballet Dancer The Subway in Complete Working Order Paper Butterfly Circus .... Holly-branch Merry-go-round The Train . . The Locomotive ..... Trolley Car FACING PAGB . 194 . 196 . 196 . 202 . 202 . 202 . 204 . 204 . 212 . 212 . 218 . 218 . 220 . 220 . 226 . 226 . 226 . 228 . 228 . 230 . 230 . 230 . 238 . 238 . 238 . 246 . 246 . 246 . 246 . 254 . 254 . 256 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued FACING PAGE A Bicycle Race 256 Soap Candelabrum ...... 262 Dogwood Blossoms ...... 262 The Flowery Chariot .*.,.. 262 acv LIST OF TEXT FIGURES FIGURE PAGE I -38 2 72 3 ' ' 73 4 86 5 86 Bowl and Disks Forming a "Pagoda Top" . 89 6 97 7 97 Egg Shells 113 8 132 Girders, Steps and Columns .... 142 9 151 10 152 " ^53 12 153 13 ' ^53 H - ' ' ^53 15 154 16 156 17 166 18 167 19 , ^ . 168 20 169 21 * 169 22 .170 23 178 xvii LIST OF TEXT FIGURES— Continued FIGURE PAGE 24 179 25 188 26 189 27 201 28 . 202 29 211 30 220 31 . . . • 227 32 228 Floating Ferris Wheel 230 A Toy Ferry Boat 231 3Z 232 34 247 35 261 36 . 263 37 264 38 265 XVlll A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN Chapter I A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN T T HAD been an evening of continual surprises ; -■- and when Philip entered the room carrying a bowl, two long clay pipes, a bottle filled with a light-greyish fluid mixture, three cornucopias, and a mysterious-looking pasteboard box, not even the wisest among the children could imagine what this part of the programme was to be. Neither were they any nearer a solution after Phil had taken from the box a rose, two dinner plates, a htimming top, a table knife, two door keys, several marbles, and a number of nails. Phil would have been overwhelmed with ques- tions had he not at once eased the minds of his astonished audience by announcing that he was going to show them some new tricks with soap bubbles. "Now watch me!" he continued, after he had about half filled the bowl with the greyish mix- ture. "I will just blow you some bubbles with one of these long pipes." 3 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS Soon it seemed that the air was full of the shining globes. Satisfied with the result of this trial — for the object in blowing these bubbles had been to test the strength of the solution — Philip took one of the cornucopias and blew a bubble so large that the children clapped their hands for joy. He tossed a bubble into the air, and as it slowly descended caught it upon the cornucopia. The next he caught upon the palm of his hand. The next he balanced upon the tip of his forefinger. Still another was caught upon a broad wad of cotton. He held one in graceful poise upon the end of a knitting needle, and proceeded to play battledore and shuttlecock with it. Ten times he tossed this bubble into the air, and ten times he caught it, before the beauty burst. With a cornucopia larger than the one he just used he blew a bubble upon a dinner plate, completely covering it; then he blew another on top of the first, but in such a manner that the two united, forming one immense sphere. Philip thereafter directed his attention to the more striking part of his exhibition, and from this time on his performances were simply amazing. " See that white rose! " he exclaimed, pointing to a beautiful one resting upon a lacquered tray. "Well, I am going to put it 4 A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICtAN inside of a soap bubble"; and in a very few moments the flower was sphered over by a bubble so large and perfect that it seemed as if made of purest glass. Cries of admiration came from all sides on beholding this beautiful sight. The bubble was a gem in colour, and of great size. Carefully timed by a watch, it lasted just twelve minutes and a half! Following this, Phil set the humming top to spinning, and amazed his audience by placing a bubble over that also. While the top still hummed under its many- hued canopy, Philip blew another bubble, and called the attention of those present to the fact that an old adage said that a bubble would burst as soon as pricked. "But here is a case," he exclaimed triumphantly, "where this old adage, like so many others, is proved to be false." Casting the bubble into the air, Philip passed a knitting needle completely through it. To add force to his opinion concerning the old adage, the young magician blew a bubble upon a plate, and then dropped a needle through the top of the iridescent sphere without injuring it in the least. Before the childish exclamations caused by this feat ceased, Philip dropped a pen through the film; there it lay in the plate, sure enough. 5 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS Then he dropped another pen through; then a small key; then a larger key; then two nails; and then concluded the remarkable exhibition by pouring some solution through, after which the bubble broke. It had stood up under this rough ordeal for a little more than three minutes. Certainly the solution was never in better con- dition, but the unusually long duration of the bubbles was due also, as Philip explained, to the temperature of the room. ** All put on your hats and coats," was Philip's next direction, "and I'll show you something about bubbles in a room where the temperature is below the freezing point." It was late in November. As soon as the little ones were assembled in this room, dressed as if for a sleigh ride, Phil blew a bubble very carefully upon a small looking-glass lying on the table. Twenty pairs of eyes were eagerly fixed upon this glistening sphere, in anxious expectation of — almost anything! At the expiration of thirty seconds its bril- liancy was seen to be greatly dimmed, and by the time fifty seconds had elapsed all trans- parency had gone. "There," cried Phil, "is a soap bubble which will last a year, provided the room is kept cold enough, for that soap bubble is frozen!" 6 A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN This performance so delighted the children that Phil covered the glass with a whole array of frozen bubbles; then he broke some with a pencil, and fanned the light pieces of ice, which were like tissue paper, all about the room ! Our young magician now resumed his wonder- ful entertainment in the warmer apartment. He began by blowing a large bubble upon the lacquered tray; then he blew another bubble inside of this first one. "Two," he called out; and next, as if to amaze his audience com- pletely, he blew another bubble inside of this second one, filling it, as he did so, with smoke. "Three!" shouted the children in unison. It would be hard to imagine anything more lovely than these three beautiful bubbles, per- fect in form, and glistening with all the colours of the rainbow. Philip was certainly outdoing himself. He had given his friends many pretty surprises, but none of them had ever come near equalling this one. For a while, after this feat, he just simply tossed bubbles into the air, as if thinking of what he should show next. Even this "inter- mission," as he called it, was not without some strikingly original features; for as one of the 7 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS bubbles came sailing down the performer pierced it through with a large table knife, without inflicting the least injury upon it. He was evidently thinking of the old adage again, for as the next bubble came near to him he pierced it not only with a knife, but with a fork also. Then, holding another bubble upon the cornucopia, he cut through it in all directions; yet still the bubble remained unbroken. Phil then, apparently having decided on the next feat, requested, that the lights be turned out. When the room was in total darkness, he took a candle from the pasteboard box and lighted it. "I am about to show you what I think is the prettiest experiment of all," he said, and began to blow a large bubble upon the plate. The interest, however, was immediately awak- ened when he placed the lighted candle within a lanip chimney; and there was a burst of genuine enthusiasm as he slowly thrust the chimney that held the candle down into the middle of the great bubble. This made a wonderfully pretty sight, and as the rays of the candle light came glinting through the chimney, Philip's face was seen by all to be wreathed in smiles. 8 Fig. 2. GRADUALLY LIFT THE FUNNEL Fig. 3. RELEASING THE BUBBLE FROM THE FUNNEL A SPINNING TOP INCLOSED WITHIN A BUBBLE A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN "I must confess," he modestly said, "this performance is all very simple — so simple that any child here may perform all the pretty experiments I have shown you this evening. Some other time I will take pleasure in explaining to you exactly how it is all done." Although Philip had told the children that the candle-light effect was probably the best of his experiments, his crowning triumph was yet to come. Amid a hushed excitement, he took a tumbler and half filled it with the solution ; then he drew from the pasteboard box a small American flag, which he fastened on a stick supported by a bit of wire so that it floated over the tumbler. Then, putting a long clay pipe into the glass, he called to his uncle, who had been asked in especially for this purpose, to blow plenty of smoke through the pipe. The moment Phil's uncle blew into the pipe there issued from the tumbler an opal stream of wondrous beauty. It consisted of hundreds and hundreds of pure white bubbles, which poured down the sides of the tumbler and upon the looking-glass on which it had been placed. Faster and faster the bubbles rushed out, and higher too they mounted now, until, suddenly, 9 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS it seemed, there burst into view an arch of the most exquisite loveHness. When the pipe was withdrawn the children went into raptures over the fairy-Uke scene; but the prettiest feature was to come. In a few moments one of the httle bubbles broke. A puff of smoke shot forth, forming as it did so a dainty, tiny ring; then another bubble broke, and another ring appeared; then the bubbles began to explode in such rapid succession that it became impossible to count the tiny wreaths. This was the crown of the evening's entertainment. " Hurrah for the United States!" shouted Philip. "This is our salute to the flag. Let us all sing 'America,' " And as the little ones raised their voices in joy- ous chorus, they one and all felt that this was the most surprising evening entertainment they had ever seen. A few days afterward Philip sent me the following account of how he performed his soap-bubble tricks: Before attempting to perform any of these tricks though, read carefully "How to Blow a Soap Bubble," page 38; "How to Make a Cornucopia," page 39; and how to make the perfect solution which enabled Phil to perform his marvellous tricks, page 35. 10 i»4* A SALUTE TO THE FLAG KEREOfTHJlJG[[\!T A FROZEN BUBBLE A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN A ROSE INSIDE OF A SOAP BUBBLE First pour some of the solution into a plate or tin dish until the bottom of it is covered to the depth of one-eighth of an inch. Then with your fingers thoroughly wet the rim of the plate with the same mixture. Place a rich coloured rose in the centre of the plate and cover it with a small tin funnel. Then begin to blow very gently through the funnel, and at the same time slowly lift it (see Fig. i, page ^S), Con- tinue blowing while gradually lifting the funnel higher, until you have made a fine large film (see Fig. 2). Then, still blowing carefully, turn the funnel at right angles, and release it from the film with a quick upward movement (see Fig. 3). This beautiful trick is so easy to perform that I have seen any number of children succeed at the very first attempt. A SPINNING TOP INSIDE OF A BUBBLE Pour the solution into a plate, and thoroughly wet the rim of this as in the rose tricks Then in the centre of the plate invert a small butter plate. Spin your humming top on this inverted butter plate, lower a funnel over it, and then proceed to sphere the "hummer" over with a bubble in the same manner as in the rose NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS trick. The larger and noisier the humming top used the more strikingly effective will be the trick. HOW TO PLACE THREE BUBBLES INSIDE OF ONE ANOTHER Invert a dinner plate upon the table, and wet the surface of it well with the solution. Then dip a cornucopia into the mixture and blow a bubble upon the inverted plate. After this, take a straw, dip it well into the solution so that it will be thoroughly wet for half its length, and then thrust this through into the bubble until it rests on the centre of the plate. Then blow through the straw very carefully, and you will have made a second bubble. With- draw the straw, quickly dip it into the solution again, and this time thrust it through both bubbles. As soon as it rests on the centre of the plate once more, gently blow, and you will have three bubbles inside of one another. By blowing smoke through the straw as the last bubble is being made, the effect of this trick is greatly heightened. Five, six and seven bubbles may be easily placed inside of one another, and practice will enable you to perform the beautiful trick pictured on page 54, which contains just one dozen bubbles. CUTTING THROUGH A BUBBLE WITH A KNIFE THREE BUBBLES, ONE INSIDE ANOTHER, AND THE SMALLEST FILLED WITH SMOKE A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN HOW TO PLACE A LIGHTED CANDLE INSIDE OF A BUBBLE Wet a short, straight lamp chimney in the mixture, and after a bubble has been blown on a dinner plate in the same manner as in the rose trick, press the chimney slowly down through the sphere until the bottom of it rests in the solution. Keep the palm of your hand tightly pressed over the top of the chimney while lowering it through the bubble. When the chimney is in position place a piece of lighted candle inside. HOW TO FREEZE A BUBBLE This trick is performed in a room where the temperature is below the freezing point (32° F.). The more intense the cold is the better. The bubble is blown with a cornucopia upon an inverted plate or sheet of glass (glass is prefer- able) which has been well wetted with the solu- tion. If the temperature is low enough and the air perfectly still, the bubble will in a very few seconds begin to lose its brilliancy, and within a few seconds more will become perfectly opaque. Then you may enjoy the absurd non- sense of breaking a soap bubble into pieces and fanning the tissue-like pieces of bubble about the room with a fan. Great care must 13 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS be taken not to jar the bubble in the least until it is frozen. The plate, too, should be allowed to get icy cold before it is wetted with the solution. Use the No. 2 solution for this trick. HOW TO THRUST A KNIFE THROUGH A BUBBLE WITHOUT BREAKING THE BUBBLE This very surprising trick is exceedingly easy to perform, and never fails to arouse the enthusi- asm of the onlookers. First dip the knife blade well into the solu- tion — a long narrow-bladed knife is preferable and then slowly pierce the bubble right through as shown in the picture on page 12. The most effective manner of exhibiting this trick is to first toss a bubble into the air from a cornucopia, and then as the beauty slowly descends to catch it on the blade's tip as though you were perform- ing some marvellous feat of magic. HOW "the salute to the flag" was PREPARED A tumbler was half filled with the solution, and the little flagstaff fastened in place with a piece of wire. Then the stem end of a clay pipe was placed in the tumbler, and Phil's uncle blew smoke through the bowl end. The result of this was that hundreds of pretty smoke 14 DROPPING OBJECTS THROUGH A BUBBLE WITHOUT BREAKING IT A CANDLE WITH A BUBBLE FOR A GLOBE r- A SOAP-BUBBLE MAGICIAN bubbles poured out over the sides of the tumbler, and down on to the looking-glass upon which it was standing. In a few minutes the bubbles began to burst, and as each did so it shot forth a perfect wreath of smoke. HOW TO DROP OBJECTS THROUGH BUBBLES Any small object after it has been well wetted with the solution may be dropped through a bubble, as shown in the picture. IS PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW Chapter II PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW THE story of Phil's wonderful soap bubbles spread all over the little New England village; and when he consented to give another exhibition for the benefit of the Lawton Athletic Club, only Masonic Hall was found large enough to furnish the necessary seating accommodations. The bubble show opened with much enthusi- asm. Bubbles were tossed up, were caught again, were pierced, were thrown in all direc- tions. Little bubbles, big bubbles — some twice the size of Phil's head — medium-sized bubbles, all sorts of bubbles, were blown with wonderful rapidity. Bubbles were exchanged, were bal- anced, were twirled around, were treated so harshly, it appeared at times, that one well might have doubted whether these were made from ordinary soap and water. Why, in the game of "exchange" one bubble was tossed and caught twenty-eight times! Then Phil made the audience roar with 19 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS laughter by comically striking a bubble with his felt hat, so that it bounded toward Harry, his assistant, who in turn bounded it back again. Back and forth this bubble was bounded, until the counting children shouted out in unison, "Seventy-three!" when it burst. Now our magician arranged twenty-four pretty gob- lets, while Harry blew bubbles from a sea shell, into the small end of which a hole had been bored. "See," he exclaimed, "how much finer and larger these bubbles are than those blown from pipes; an4 they are more easily blown, too." Then followed plenty of fun, as the boys endeavoured to place a bubble upon each of the twenty-four goblets. Again and again they managed to cover nineteen or twenty of the glasses; but a bubble seemed always to burst before the twenty-fourth was covered. Finally, by wonderful quickness, they succeeded in achieving this feat. Each now took a large funnel, dipped it into the mixture, placed the small end in his mouth, approached the other until the bowls of the funnels were not more than six inches apart, and started to blow. The bubbles slowly swelled out, touched, and on contact united in an instant into one large sphere. Steadily and 20 PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW carefully the blowing was continued, both boys cautiously backing, meanwhile, until a great quivering shape sixteen inches in length had been made. Resting for a short breathing spell, Phil asked one of his friends in the audience to come and help him make a three-cornered bubble. The spectators laughed at this, and they were amused again when the boys, assuming pur- posely comical attitudes, began to blow. Their laughter, however, was changed to wonderment when a great triangular bubble, like that shown in the picture, page 30, made its appearance. Before the loud applause that greeted this gigan- tic bubble ceased, Phil blew a bubble upon a large tray, then he blew another on top of the first; both united. Then he added a third, making the bubble still larger, and fairly electrified his audience by adding a fourth bubble, which joined just as the others had done. Here was a great bubble, indeed, for careful measurement showed it to be four feet around! After a few moments' intermission, Harry took a large yellow humming top and set it spinning upon a shining tray. Suddenly, with- out any announcement whatever, Phil placed a bubble right on the whizzing toy. Round and round the top angrily hummed, surmounted NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS by its dome of iridescent brilliancy. How the bubble retained its position was a mystery ; but there it clung, not only until the top ceased spinning, but for some moments afterward. Phil followed up this success by making a bubble whirl around ever so rapidly upon an inverted tumbler. All eyes were now fixed upon our young wizard as he approached the steaming kettle which had been a cause of so much wonder- ment during the entire evening. "I want you to see how long this bubble will last," he said, after having blown one so that it hung from a cornucopia ingeniously fastened over the steaming spout. "You will notice it is thoroughly immersed in steam," he con- tinued. "We shall have time to show you some other interesting experiments before it bursts, I feel certain." This remark caused much merriment, the audience wondering how long a time Phil really expected this bubble to remain. Our magician, however, was quite composed. He walked slowly to the table, chose a clay pipe, dipped its bowl into the solution, thrust the stem into one end of a piece of rubber tubing, the other end of which was attached to a gas burner, and turned on the gas. As soon as a bubble the PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW size of an orange formed, Phil hurriedly turned off the gas and withdrew the pipe from the tubing, Harry touched its stem with a lighted match, and the result was the pretty effect shown on page 26. The gas bubble reservoir exhausted, Phil fastened the pipe in the tubing again, and almost immediately there arose from its bowl a whole string of bubbles, preceded by one large one (see page 28). Putting the pipe and tubing aside, Phil jokingly informed the open-mouthed young people for the third time that the steamed bubble was still in existence — just as if that fact was not uppermost in every mind! The boys then had a merry time throwing up bubbles and catching them. Phil caught upon his hand four in succession. He deftly balanced some upon the end of his forefinger, and in many instances poked his finger into the middle of one. "Ten minutes!" the audience almost shouted, when that amount of time had elapsed since the bubble had been placed in the steam. Their excitement was only amusing Phil, but he pretended to be perfectly oblivious to it all. He thrust the bowl of a clay pipe well into a large bubble which Harry held on a cornucopia, and then blew a bubble inside of 23 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS this large one; next he dropped objects through a bubble resting upon a plate, as he had done at the previous show; only this time, instead of picking them out again with his fingers, he simply held the plate upside down, and they all came tumbling out without injur- ing the sphere in the least. He played all sorts of bubble pranks; but, do his best, he could no longer keep the attention of his audience from the bubble in the steam. "Thirteen minutes!" they cried. "Thirteen minutes and a half!" "Fourteen minutes!" "Fourteen minutes and a half!" "Fifteen minutes!" "Fifteen minutes and a " Ah! The bubble had burst after lasting exactly fifteen rninutes and a half, while swaying to and fro in the jet of steam. Before quiet was restored Phil secretly dipped a wire ring into the basin of water. As soon as he withdrew it Harry placed four little ships within the circle, and hastily seizing a putty blower, blew the tiny craft about. To the spec- tators these ships looked as though sailing in the air; and they were not helped to a solution of the mystery when the craft suddenly dropped to the floor. For once Phil gratified their curiosity with an encore, the only one he had given so far, 24 PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW and this time, after taking the ring from the fluid, he held it at such an angle that all could see it was covered by a soapy film. Harry then placed the ships in position as before, and away the fairy fleet scudded again. Following this, the boys with wonderful rapidity hung up a row of twenty-five bubbles. The effect was marvellously beautiful, suggest- ing as it did a Japanese-lantern display. From a spectacular point of view this row of bubbles was the most brilliant performance of the evening, and was loudly applauded. "Now," Phil announced to the audience, "we will play a game of soap-bubble football." Ridiculous as this sounded, it did not sur- prise the onlookers in the least, for they were prepared to expect almost anything. Two upright posts were hurriedly placed in position at each side of the stage, each boy took a fan, Phil launched a large bubble into the air, and the fun began. In the opening, luck favoured Harry, and he almost succeeded in fanning the great sphere between the two posts on Phil's side of the stage at the very outset of the game. By quick work, however, Phil sent the ball toward the middle of the stage again, and then fanned it so near to Harry's goal that the latter only by the most desperate efforts saved him- 25 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS self from immediate defeat. Back and forth was the globe blown for a little while, until suddenly it mounted nearly to the ceiling. This gave a decided advantage to Phil, who was much taller than Harry, and by a few well- directed strokes of the fan he soon put the iridescent sphere straight through the latter's goal. "Yale wins!" he cried, pointing to his dark- blue necktie. When the wild applause aroused by this novel struggle at football had calmed, Phil's uncle came from behind the scenes and blew a great smoke bubble. As soon as this was launched Harry started fanning again, only a little more vigorously than in the football game. Never did a soap bubble twist and turn as this one did. Suddenly there was a queer flash of light, and the great bubble disappeared. Yes, disappeared, but only as a large bubble; for floating high above the heads of the boys were to be seen four small smoke bubbles. The great bubble had broken into four smaller ones, and that, too, without a particle of smoke escaping! When the uproar which followed this exhibi- tion ceased, Phil drove everybody into convul- sions of laughter by rolling up his sleeves and placing a large frying pan upon the gas stove. 26 I A BUBBLE FULL OF ILLUMINATING GAS FRYING A BUBBLE • PHIL'S SECOND. BUBBLE SHOW Harry assisted by half filling the pan with the solution, and the hissing noise made in con- isequence was the cause of a shower of funny comments. "Now," Phil began, doing his best to make himself heard, "I am going to fry you a soap bubble." This was altogether too much for the young people. They had been willing to believe anything Phil might say, but when it came to frying a soap bubble — no; that was going too far. True to his word, however, Phil blew a bubble from the cornucopia, and at once placed it right in the middle of the steaming pan. The laughter, bravos and ringing cheers which greeted this performance cannot be described. The people crowded upon the platform and so overwhelmed Phil with congratulations that it seemed as if our magician would have no oppor- tunity properly to exhibit this feature of the programme. When at last he did get a chance again, it was seen that, while the liquid within the half sphere was boiling quite vigorously, it only simmered outside. Among the bubbles which Phil afterward placed in the pan was one which lasted for fully three minutes ; and he was enthusiastically beginning to explain how, by means of a safety valv€, he hoped to make one last an hour, when,- 27 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS with a great shout, the boys of the Lawton Athletic Club rushed upon our victorious magi- cian, lifted him to their shoulders, and carried him from the hall in triumph. HOW THREE PERSONS OR MORE MAY BLOW A GIANT BUBBLE All who take part in this trick should be pro- vided with a tin funnel ; and after having dipped this into the solution and secured a film (see diagram, "How to Cover a Funnel, Cornucopia, etc., with a Film," page 38), start to gently blow. When beginning to blow, the bowls of the funnels should not be more than six inches apart. If the bubbles unite into one as soon as they come in contact with one another, con- tinue blowing; taking care, however, to grad- ually draw the funnels further apart as the bubble grows. Use the second solution given for this trick. ty GAS-BUBBLE RESERVOIR Connect a clay pipe with the gas burner by means of rubber tubing. Then dip the bowl of the pipe into the mixture, and after this is covered with a film turn on the gas. When a bubble the size of an orange has swelled out, turn off the gas, withdraw the pipe from the 28 '^^3^^ 9u® • HOW A BIG BUBBLE BREAKS INTO FOUR LITTLE ONES BUBBLE BALANCED ON A GLASS BLOWING A LITTLE SMOKE BUBBLE PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW tubing, and quickly apply a lighted match to its stem. This is a very pretty as well as a very effective trick. ^HOW TO BALANCE A BUBBLE ON A GOBLET Cover the opening of a goblet with a film (see diagram, "How to Cover a Funnel, Cornu- copia, etc., with a Film," page t,^). Then swell out a fair-sized bubble from a cornucopia, and lower this until it rests on the film over the goblet. Continue blowing until your bubble has reached large proportions, and finally with- draw the cornucopia with a quick upward movement. Great care must be taken in removing the cornucopia not to throw the bubble off its balance. Giant bubbles may be balanced upon an ordinary goblet, when their glorious colourings may be studied to perfection. HOW TO PLACE A BUBBLE UPON A SPINNING TOP Any humming top with a large flat surface will answer for this purpose. After spinning the top pour a little of the solution upon it, then swell out a bubble from the cornucopia; and lower this until the film touches the surface of the whizzing toy. You will probably be unable to place the first, the second, and even 29 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS the third or fourth bubble upon the "hummer"; however, keep on trying so long as the top remains spinning, and between each trial drop the solution on the top's surface. A little prac- tice will enable you to do this trick perfectly. After you have become somewhat of an expert at this performance, thrust a wet straw into the whirling bubble and fill the beauty with tobacco smoke. This trick never fails to arouse a storm of applause from the onlookers, and deservedly, for it is one of the most beautiful of all the bubble tricks. HOW TO BREAK A LARGE BUBBLE INTO A NUMBER OF SMALLER ONES Launch a large bubble into the air from a cornucopia, and fan it up high above your head. Then, as in slowly descending the sphere drops to within about four inches of your fan again, move the latter to right and left with sharp, quick jerks. If this is properly done the large sphere will break into two, three or four smaller ones. The effect of this trick may be greatly enhanced by filling the large bubble with smoke; then this breaks into three or four smaller ones^ without a particle of smoke escaping. 30 A FAIRY FLEET AFLOAT ON A SEA OF BUBBLE-FILM A THREE-CORNERED BUBBLE PHIL'S SECOND BUBBLE SHOW FRYING A SOAP BUBBLE Cover the bottom of a frying pan with the mixture, and when it begins to simmer place a bubble upon the liquid. In a few mo- ments the water within the bubble may be seen to boil vigorously, while the water outside of the bubble film will be still gently simmering. soap-bubbLe lantern display From a piece of cardboard cut a number of disks about two inches in diameter. Pierce centre of each disk with a short piece of wire. Bend one end of the wire so that the disk cannot slip off; form the other end into a large hook. Wet disk thoroughly in the mixture, place a bubble upon it, and hang up. THE "steamed bubble" Fasten a cornucopia above the steaming spout of a kettle. Then turn the spout aside and hold a basin of the solution to the cornucopia so that the opening of this may be covered with a film. Blow slowly until a bubble measuring about four inches in diameter has swelled out from the cornucopia, and then quickly plug up the smaller opening of the cornucopia to prevent the bubble from decreasing in size. Now turn 31 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS the kettles spout so that the issuing steam will completely envelop the hanging sphere. Bubbles immersed in steam will last for a very long time, much longer indeed than Phil's "fifteen-minute bubble." THE FAIRY FLEET Make a stand of copper wire, as shown in picture, page 30. Cover this with a film (see diagram showing how to cover a funnel cornu- copia, etc., with a film, page 38). Make tiny ships of wood shavings with tissue-paper sails; place them carefully on the film and blow about with a putty blower. 32 m WM-M$'tffS!M , Q w a. On o H W m m « HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT SOAP- BUBBLE SOLUTION Chapter III HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT SOAP- BUBBLE SOLUTION T70R the especial benefit of my readers I will -■- now give the recipe for making this solution, which I invented originally for Mr. David Belasco to be used in his dramatisation of "Du Barry." However, on account of the length of that play, the intended bubble scene had to be abandoned at the last moment. Fill a quart bottle half full of distilled or soft water, and sift into it four-fifths of an ounce of pure Castile-soap powder. Allow the powder to thoroughly dissolve, then add one-third of a pint of pure glycerin, mix thoroughly and let stand until all bubbles have disappeared. Use the solution in a temperature of 65° or 70°. After the solution has been used a few times, or if it fails to produce satisfactory bubbles, it may be freshened up by adding a little more glycerin. With this solution gorgeous bubbles 35 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS can be made which will last from five to thirteen minutes. By heating the water in the first place, the solution can be made in a very short time. ANOTHER SOAP-BUBBLE SOLUTION Here is another and more quickly made solu- tion. Rub ordinary soap into a bowl of water until a heavy lather has formed on the surface. I'hen remove this lather, as well as all tiny bubbles, and proceed to test if the solution be satisfactory as follows: Blow a bubble four or five inches in diameter with the cornucopia, but don't release it. Of course if a bubble this size cannot at once be blown, the solution is much too weak, and more soap must be added imme- diately. However, if a bubble at once makes its appearance, hastily dip your forefinger into the solution, and then proceed to slowly thrust the wet finger through and into the bubble hanging from the cornucopia. If the bubble breaks as soon as your well-wet finger touches it, add more soap to the solution. If the bubble does not break when you thrust your wetted finger right into the middle of it, the solution is in perfect condition and ready for use. The first solution is by far the more satisfac- 36 A PERFECT SOAP-BUBBLE SOLUTION tory, as this produces bubbles which will last for a surprisingly long time. A WORD OF CAUTION TO BUBBLE BLOWERS Now let me state, once for all, and as emphat- ically as I can, that the presence of bubbles — no matter how tiny — either on the surface of the solution or clinging to the opening of the cornu- copia or other instrument chosen for the blowing of bubbles, is always preventive of successful results. The reason so many bubbles burst before being launched into the air is because of the presence of tiny bubbles either on the surface of the solution or clinging to the cornucopia itself. Once a suitable solution is made, don't on any account irritate it. How- ever, most people will insist on stirring it up, no matter how frequently warned not to do so. For some reason or other, prob- ably because of tiny bubbles adhering to the cornucopia, a bubble will burst before being launched into the air, and then the careless one will take a sort of revenge, as it were, on the solution itself, and stir it into froth. Then you may be sure his bubbles will keep on bursting right along, especially as his steadily growing impatience leads him to stir more viciously after each failure. Remember that under no cir- 3 7 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS cumstances can the solution be benefited by stirring; on the contrary, such action is always disastrous. HOW TO BLOW A BUBBLE Dip the opening of the cornucopia or funnel lightly into the solution, and on withdrawing 'it slowly turn it at right angles (see diagram, Fig. i). If you look you will ijl' '""-, see that the opening ris covered over with a shiny film. Then \ start to blow gently _ ^^^ ! through the smaller Fig. I. How to Cover a Funnel, end of the COmU- CoRNUCOPiA, Etc., With a Film . ^ copia. However, be sure that you blow, and not draw in breath. Ninety-nine beginners out of a hun- dred will draw in breath instead of blowing, which at once destroys the film. It is a good scheme to start blowing very gently before the cornucopia touches the lips. After you have carefully blown the first breath into the bubble, place your tongue firmly over the small opening, of the cornucopia, draw in a long breath, and then blow again into the bubble. Continue blowing into the film until you have produced a fine large bubble, and then release this from 38 A PERFECT SOAP-BUBBLE SOLUTION the cornucopia by jerking the latter away from it with a short, quick movement. A very few trials will enable you to make enormous bubbles in a surprisingly few moments. It is a good idea before beginning this fun to rub soap on the large opening of the cornucopia, both inside and outside. / HOW TO MAKE A CORNUCOPIA Take a piece of stiff wrapping paper of the desired size and paste it thoroughly on both sides. Then roll it up into the shape of a cor- nucopia. Wind thread around it to prevent unrolling, and, remove this when the cornucopia is thoroughly dry and hard. As cornucopias made in this way last for many months, it pays to make them very solid and carefully. Be sure, however, not to use them until thoroughly dry and hard. These cornucopias may be made of various sizes. A very convenient cornucopia for all-round use is one that measures ten inches in length, two inches across the larger opening, and slightly less than a quarter of an inch across its smaller opening. 39 A SOAP-BUBBLE PARTY Chapter IV A SOAP-BUBBLE PARTY TF YOU boys and girls want an evening of real -^ fun just give a soap-bubble party. The beauty of such parties is that they can be given at any time of the year, and are as provocative of jollity on a warm evening in September, when you may blow bubbles on the piazza, as on a cold winter night, when you can assemble your guests in the house. In giving a soap-bubble party every effort should be made to provide appropriate settings for the bubbles. The more elegant and beau- tiful the settings the more jewel-like the bubbles will appear. They look perfectly exquisite on delicate glassware and against rich-coloured backgrounds. Avoid, as far as possible, the use of white tablecloths, white plates, etc, as these reduce the beauty of the bubbles to a min- imum. The table or tables should be decorated tastefully though brilliantly, and a chair provided for each guest. In front of each chair should be 43 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS placed a shallow dish or plate of the solution, some straws, a funnel, a cornucopia and other necessaries for the evening. Then, too, it is a good idea for any one intending to give a soap- bubble party to practise the soap-bubble tricks previous to the night on which the entertain- ment is to be given, so as to be in a position to amuse the invited guests. The chief bubble blower should occupy a seat at the centre of the table with a programme be- fore her, while the other participants should follow her lead and do just as she does. In this way a lively competition is induced by the endeavours of each bubble blower to outdo the others. A good programme for a soap-bubble enter- tainment is the following list of tricks: Rose inside of bubble. Spinning a top inside of bubble. Large bubbles balanced on goblets. Four or five bubbles inside of one another. Piercing a bubble with a knife. Hanging up a row of bubbles. Bubble resting upon a flower. Bubbles and noise. A little bubble inside of a large one. Blowing a pinwheel in a bubble. Bubbles hanging from finger tips. Placing bubble on spinning top. 44 A SOAP-BUBBLE PARTY Competition to see who can blow the largest bubble. It always adds to the fun and interest if prizes are offered for the most skilful handling of the bubbles. The pinwheel inside of the bubble, bubble resting upon a flower, bubbles and noise, a little bubble inside of a large one, and bubbles hanging from finger tips, are some new bubble tricks Phil invented after he had given his first exhibitions, so I will print directions for doing these, as follows: HOW TO BLOW A PINWHEEL AROUND INSIDE OF A BUBBLE. Fasten a paper pinwheel to a short stick of wood, and attach this to the centre of a dmner plate with sealing-wax; then, after covering the bottom of the plate with the solution, proceed to place a bubble over the pinwheel as in the rose trick. As soon as the funnel is withdrawn, quickly dip a straw into the solution, gently thrust it through the bubble and then blow upon the paper wheel, when it will rapidly revolve. BUBBLES AND NOISE To make bubbles and noise, dip the end of an ordinary tin horn well into the solution and 45 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS after withdrawing it blow gently until quite a large bubble has been formed. Then four or five loud blasts may be sounded on the horn without injuring the bubble in the least. This is a very funny trick, which never fails to arouse roars of laughter. A large fish horn may be used for this purpose with splendid effect. (^BUBBLE RESTING UPON A FLOWER Dip a dahlia or other stiff-petalled flower — an aster of a brilliant colour, for instance — into the solution and then with a cornucopia blow a bubble upon the top of it. This is one of the simplest and prettiest of all the soap-bubble tricks. HOW TO PLACE A LITTLE BUBBLE INSIDE OF A LARGE ONE A little bubble may be made to appear within a large bubble by blowing a fair-sized bubble from a cornucopia so that it will hang suspended. Then dip a straw into the soapy water, push the wet end of it through into the hanging bubble and blow very gently. Almost immediately a small bubble will fall from the straw, and as soon as this happens blow with slightly increased force, when the little bubble will whirl around and around inside of the larger bubble, as shown 46 A SOAP-BUBBLE PARTY in the illustration (page 60) . By blowing smoke through the straw a little smoke bubble may be made which will add a great deal to the effec- tiveness of this trick. ^ BUBBLES DANGLING FROM FINGER TIPS Dip all five fingers into the solution, so that from each finger there hangs a drop of the mix- ture. Take a straw, which has been dipped into the solution, place the wet end of it against each finger tip in turn, and gently blow, and so form a bubble on each finger tip. 47 THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" FIRST RECEPTION Chapter V THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" FIRST RECEPTION SOME SOAP-BUBBLE TRICKS FOR EXPERTS THE "Soap-Bubblers' " reception was a success from the start. The Soap-Bubblers — but recently organized, with our old friend Phil as Head Bubbler, Harry Baker as Chief Cornucopia, the minor Bubblers occupying minor odd-titled positions, as well as all Bubblers occupying no positions at all — had resolved that the ancient and hon- ourable amusement of blowing soap bubbles was sadly in need of reformation ; and, further, that it was their mission to reform it. Thus it came to pass that on this blustery late November evening the interior of Masonic Hall presented such a scene of brilliancy as had rarely been equalled within its historic walls. Never shall I forget the fairy-like transforma- tion which followed the signal for all Bubblers to begin ' * bubbling. ' ' The magician's wand had SI NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS hardly fallen when there arose forty-seven large bubbles from forty-seven golden cornucopias, held in the hands of forty-seven rosy-cheeked boys and girls standing by twenty-four little oblong tables. A cry of dehght swept round the hall, and forty-seven more bubbles arose, and still another shower of the iridescent spheres glittered in the surrounding brilliancy before the Bubblers settled down to the business of the evening. For this occasion every member had prom- ised to perform at least one bubble trick, and to perform it well; so that when Eddie Stark showed a top spinning within a bubble, and Minnie Sargent — seated opposite — a beautiful rose within another, it was only an indication of the wonderful success which was to character- ise the entire performance. Freddie Wilder did fully as well at the table allotted to him, while "Little Victor" cleverly dropped all sorts of objects through some beautiful bubbles blown by Frank Burt. Charley Tefft had a table all to himself, and by his funny tricks with the solution kept the onlookers in a constant roar of laughter. At another table Arthur Taylor joyfully fried bubbles to order; and near by was a delighted crowd looking at the "bubble- topped top." 52 THE ''SOAP-BUBBLERS'" RECEPTION I cannot tell you of all the many things I saw during the first hour — which seemed scarcely ten minutes — of this marvellous entertainment, except to refer to George Wingate's attempt to beat his own record of nine bubbles inside of one another. This achievement, from a Bubbler's standpoint, was the most important event of the early evening, and just before the intermis- sion they crowded themselves into George's immediate neighbourhood just as he had suc- ceeded in raising his record to eleven. He now had one eleven, three tens, and any number of nines and figures below that number to his credit, yet he determined to do better. He started off again by placing six bubbles with wonderful rapidity, but in putting in the ninth some broke. His next trial was still more unfortunate, as he failed on the fifth. The next attempt opened splendidly, and bubble inside of bubble was blown until eight had been scored quickly enough; then, with remarkable precision, he placed in three more, equalling his own best record of eleven; and finally, amid tumultuous applause, succeeded in putting in the twelfth bubble. There was much rejoicing and hearty con- gratulation during the twenty minutes' inter- mission, and then Bubblers and spectators 53 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS seated themselves in readiness for the principal part of the performance, which was to be given by Phil. The idea had spread, somehow, that the Head Bubbler would treat them to another surprise, although what the nature of this would be not any of the Bubblers knew, excepting Harry Baker and a few assistants. Promptly at nine Phil stepped on the platform, and was greeted most cordially. I failed to hear his opening remarks, as I was seated in the rear of the hall; but, whatever they were, every Bubbler boy jumped to his feet and shouted for joy, and every Bubbler girl jumped to her feet and waved her handkerchief. Amid the uproar, I learned that Phil had announced that he would show the Bubblers how to make large bubbles without blowing them! The pandemonium in- creased when six Bubblers, with Harry Baker leading, formed in procession and walked on to the platform, carrying between them two large galvanised-iron pans (each measuring nine feet in circumference), five children's wooden hoops, a number of copper and brass rings ,^ two shining pails full of soap and water already mixed, and — think of it — not a pipe, tube or cornucopia of any kind ! No wonder the audience shouted ; no wonder the Bubblers waved aloft their gilded 54 FIRST KITTENS EVER INSIDE OF A SOAP BUBBLE TWELVE BUBBLES, ONE INSIDE OF THE OTHER THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" RECEPTION cornucopias. If Phil was not going to do some- thing wonderful, what were all those pans, hoops, and copper and brass rings for? Why- did he appear without a single cornucopia? After a few words explanatory of the evolution of the soap bubble from the clay-pipe stage to its present one, Phil dipped a wire ring into the solution, and, gently sweeping it before him, cast off a bubble fully twice the size of his head. Every Bubbler boy gave a cry of srxtisfaction at this, and it looked as though all che Bubblers might fling their golden cornucopias on to the stage, when the master of the soap and water tossed off five large bubbles in succession, not only from the same ring, but from the same film! Almost immediately Phil's assistants — there were five of them — followed his example, and from that time on the stage was continually- aglow with the brilliant spheres. Harry Baker now came forward with the club's two kittens, and set them on a dry block of wood resting in the centre of one of the large nine-foot pans — now filled with soapy water. Before the animals could move, Phil quickly- lifted a hoop from the pan, and in a twinkling covered both kittens over with a glorious bubble. "First kittens ever inside of a soap bubble!" 55 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS Harry Baker announced, just as the little kits started to wade about within the iridescent dome. Phil sphered them over a second and even a third time, when the pussies, excited by their uproarious surroundings, offered decided objec- tions to being imprisoned any more. Then Bubblers and audience were treated to an exhibition of what were perhaps the largest bub- bles that have ever been made. Harry Baker was especially fortunate, and, at the end of, a very exciting contest with Phil, succeeded in sphering the pan over from brim to brim ! Real- ise, if you please, that this bubble measured over nine feet in circumference! Phil followed up this feat of Harry's by launching from the large hoop a round bubble measuring fully six feet in circumference! Compare this giant in size with the bubbles you have been used to blowing from clay pipes. As one Bubbler hilariously remarked, this was "more like a balloon show than a bubble show." Not the least noticeable fact was that the bubbles often measured twice the diameter of the rings from which they were thrown. Remarkable, too, was the ease with which both boys picked u^ the films with their hoops. These hoops, measur- ing from thirty to thirty-four inches in diameter when thus filmed over, flashed like disks of 56 THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" RECEPTION waving gold. Phil slowly revolved one of these golden disks upon the tips of his fingers, and a moment later the audience were enthusiastically applauding another of our magician's startling surprises. Here were two large elongated bub- bles, springing from the same film, attached to each other in the centre, and yet travelling in opposite directions, as shown in the illustration (page 56). There seemed to be no limit to Phil's store- house of wonders, and the spectators, who up to this time had been so very vociferous, settled down to a state of mute astonishment. "What will he do next?" was on everybody's lips Though somewhat fatigued, the wizard of the soap and water adhered strictly to business, and now requested the audience to give their closest attention to his next performance. With a small ring in his left hand, and one twice the diameter of this in his right, Phil slowly advanced to the edge of the stage, where he covered both of the wire circles with a film. Then, from the smaller ring, he tossed a bubble high up above his head, and as the sphere slowly descended, he made a sweeping movement with the ring in his right hand in such a manner that he com- pletely enveloped the small bubble within a second and much larger one. For a moment 57 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS the Bubblers looked at each other in perfect amazement, and then broke forth into heartiest applause. Phil responded with an encore, and again a bubble, imprisoned within another, swept its way across the stage. As I fixed my eyes upon these glittering spheres, I noticed the imprisoned bubble strike upon the bottom of the larger one and bound up again. This it did a number of times. Phil might have spent the remainder of the evening in repetition of this beautiful achievement, but, as Harry enthusiastically announced to the audience, there were more tricks to come. More tricks? What else could be done? Fairly beaming with satisfaction at the success of his double-bubble trick, Phil took a large hoop and, dipping it in one of the great pans, withdrew it covered by a film. Then he held the lustrous disk well up in front of him and started to blow. Had our magician been in league with the spirits of the mythical North, he could hardly have produced a result more weird and fantastic. Starting from the hoop, first slowly and then almost shooting forth, was an ever-moving, ever-lengthening, ever-varying, twisting, writh- ing shape — such a form, in fact, as might have found existence in the imagination of Edgar 58 A SHOWER OF BUBBLES AN EVER-MOVING, EVER-LENGTHENING. EVER-VARYIKG, TWISTING, WRITHING SHAPE." THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" RECEPTION Allan Poe. When Phil and Harry, together with their assistants, gave themselves up fully to this exhibition of monsters, the stage looked as though peopled by one of the hobgoblin races. Sometimes great bubbles, five feet in circumference, would snap off the end of these soap-bubble dragons, and sometimes a number of very small ones. In length they varied from two to eight feet — that is, measurement in a straight line. Could all the windings and twist- ings have been taken into consideration, they would have been found far longer. Phil now turned his attention to the hoops and rings again, and drew forth storms of applause by some wonderful "film tricks." One in particular, the giant letter S, was espec- ially brilliant. It looked like a serpentine tongue of flame, and the manner in which Phil whirled the flashing light above his head fairly thrilled the audience. Placing the ring aside, he picked up a curiously made wood and wire framework, and, after covering it with film, swished it through the air with a long, sweeping movement. The result was a whole shower of bubbles — single, double, and triple bubbles! This display was very effective, and had to be repeated ever so many times before the Bubblers were satisfied. 59 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS "Leroy Kimball!" now shouted out Harry B aker. ' ' Leroy Kimball ! ' ' And a minute later there walkea on to the stage the youngest, shortest, and j oiliest Bubbler in the club. Everybody knew Roy, and as the little fellow blushingly stepped on to the square block of wood set fast in the middle of the big pan, he was greeted with loud cheers and cries of "What are you going to do there, Roy?" Phil promptly began to answer this volley of questions by lowering a hoop over the little Bubbler until it lay immersed in the pan of soapy mixture. "Oh!" cried the Bubblers in unison, "Phil's going to put Roy in a soap bubble!" And the excited audience rose to their tiptoes. Amid a profound silence Phil started to lift the hoop ; but after raising it a short distance, the film broke with a peculiar noise, sounding like "w-h-e-e-p." "W-h-e-e-p" went the film again, "w-h-e-e-p, w-h-e-e-p." Suddenly there was a swish, a flashing gleam of silvery light, and Leroy Kimball, the jolliest of the Bubblers, looked smilingly upon the audi- ence from within a soap-film house! All of the bubble tricks performed by Phil on this occasion, with the exception of the first one, the throwing of bubbles from a wire ring, require 60 VI ,^ THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS'" RECEPTION expert manipulation; and beginners should not attempt to do them until after they have become very proficient in performing all of the bubble tricks referred to in the previous articles. The solution Phil used in making these won- derful bubbles, is the second solution given on page 36 — the solution without glycerin. However, in producing the giant bubbles pictured, this solution has to be in just a certain condition, a condition which is almost elusive. For instance, the same solution which will produce such marvellous results at one time may fail when used a little earlier or later. The solution from which Phil made his great bubbles lost all of its marvellous qualities for producing such splendid results after it had been used for thirty minutes. However, after one has become thoroughly familiar with the making of soap-bubble films, the condition necessitated may almost be "felt," as it were, by placing a small hoop in the solu- tion and repeatedly lifting it for a foot or more. HOW TO THROW BUBBLES FROM A WIRE RING Make a ring of wire five inches in diameter, allowing the twisted ends of the wire to form a convenient handle, and bind the whole circum- ference with strips of old muslin. Then, after rub- 61 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS bing it thoroughly with soap, dip the bound ring well into the solution so as to cover it with a film. Now, with a firm grasp on the wire handle, swish the ring through the air from right to left, or vice versa, starting it slowly and gradually increasing to con- siderable speed. As the ring progresses the film will belly out ; and after this has attained a goodly size, deftly turn the ring over at right angles, without once stopping the sweeping movement of your arm, and a bubble will fall from the ring, just as is shown in the picture on page 62. Any- body can perform this trick after a little practice. Wire rings very much larger than the one referred to may be used after you have become an expert at this performance. The five-inch ring, though, is a very good size for beginners. KITTENS INSIDE OF A SOAP BUBBLE A large shallow pan, nine feet in circumference, was filled with solution to the depth of two inches. After this a child's wooden hoop, of slightly less circumference than the pan, was lowered into the solution. Then in the centre of the pan a block of wood was placed, and on top of this the kittens. As soon as the kittens were in position, Phil grasped the hoop with his wet fingers and lifted it with fair quickness, horizontally, high over the animals' heads, and 62 LARGE BUBBLES THROWN FROM A SOAPED WIRE RING THE "SOAP-BUBBLERS"' RECEPTION then suddenly turned it to a perpendicular position, when the bubble dropped, as it were, from the hoop. Before beginning this trick Phil bound the hoop around its entire circum- ference with strips of muslin so that not a particle of the wood could be seen. Then he thoroughly soaped this with a large cake of soap. TWO BUBBLES FROM SAME FILM GOING IN OPPO- SITE DIRECTIONS A hoop bound with muslin was covered across with a film and then slowly revolved between the finger tips of both hands, as shown in picture page 56. **THE GIANT LETTER s" A wire ring bound with strips of muslin was dipped into the solution, and when covered with a film was swished through the air, as illustrated in the picture on page 56. LARGE BUBBLE ENVELOPED WITHIN A LARGER ONE Phil used two wire rings bound with strips of muslin for this trick, one much larger than the other. He covered both with a film ; then, hold- ing a ring in each hand, he first tossed a bubble from the smaller ring, and with the larger ring caught the smaller bubble, as it were, within the 63 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS larger film. The smaller bubble was caught just as one catches a little fish in a scoop net. THE LONG TWISTING BUBBLE Phil covered the hoop with a film, then, hold- ing it up in front of him, blew right into the cen- tre of the shiny disc. The blowing was started very gently, but as the film increased in length Phil blew with all his might. THE SHOWER OF BUBBLES Phil used a framework of wood and string for this purpose. He dipped the framework into the solution and, after it was covered with a film, swished it through the air, with the result as shown in the picture on page 58. THE BOY IN THE SOAP-FILM HOUSE Roy stood on a block of wood in the centre of the pan of solution, and Phil lowered a hoop over the little Bubbler until it lay immersed in the mixture. Then Phil suddenly lifted the hoop high above Roy's head, and the little fellow "looked smilingly upon the audience from within a soap-film house!" TWELVE BUBBLES, ONE INSIDE OF THE OTHER To do this trick, see "How to Place Three Bubbles Inside of One Another," page 12. 64 A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS Chapter VI A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS The fifth race to the sky and return will be sailed this afternoon at three o'clock, wind permitting. By order Harry Barnes, Fred Moore, Regatta Committee. A WILD cheer greeted the posting of this ■^ ^ announcement. The rains of a week had given way to sunshine, the breeze was fresh at ten knots an hour, and every boy in the Green Hemlock Hotel just danced with excitement. * ' Hurrah ! Flyaway will win sure ! " " No ; Mro- liteV "It's Whirlwind'' s race easily!" and "How about Lightning?'* were the ecstasic ex- clamations which now noisily swept through the quiet mountain retreat. The actual "first cause" of all this commo- tion was a case of malaria. "Yes," the doctor had said ; " Will Dyer must give up his boats and live for a while in the mountains, far away from ponds and waters of every sort. ' ' A pretty sen- tence to pass upon an enthusiastic yachtsman, 67 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS and commodore of the Junior Bay Yacht Club at that! You should have heard Will's account of his first week's experiences in this land of promise: How, with a boat under his arm, he climbed uphill, slid downhill, scrambled over boulders, plodded across pasture lots, and crawled under fences in search of a greater sea than a watering trough and something less of a landlubber than a farm hand. ** That's a pretty ocean!" he would scornfully conclude pointing to a wild vista of old stumps, stunted spruce trees, and gray rocks. "A fine course to sail a boat over!" A sea gull in a gilded bird cage would have been hardly more out of place, yet what was our commodore to do? He cared nothing at all for baseball, said croquet was tame enough for girls, and that kite flying hadn't any "go" to it. Something, however, he must find more exciting than breathing still mountain air; and the chance accident of wit- nessing a "messenger" sail up a kite string fur- nished a clue to all he could desire, for the cir- cular bit of paper had not reached its destination before Will bounded to his room like a deer, where, excepting for meals, he stayed the remain- der of the day. The next morning Commodore Dyer was actually flying a kite, and just as the other boys 68 A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS were wondering at this unusual performance, something was seen to shoot up the kite string for a few feet and swiftly descend again. What this something was could not be made out from the broad piazza, beyond the fact that it car- ried a sail; and by the time the boys — ^who ran tumbling over each other — reached Will's side the mysterious craft had ceased its journeyings and lay in a heap on the ground. Early next morning Will was kite flying again, and those boys fortunate enough to be about had the pleasure of seeing a beautiful little yacht sail up the kite string the whole length of it, and then lower its sails and return to its owner again. Six weeks later the notice mentioned at the beginning of this article was posted in the cor- ridors of the Green Hemlock Hotel. Meanwhile practically nothing had been talked of but kite yachts. It was the theme for all day and half of the night, for girls as well as for boys, and the old mail driver was so loaded with* orders for cardboard, copper wire, string, etc., that he would gladly have sought refuge in a distant clime. Nor did the older people escape the yachting fever ; for, besides organizing the Green Hemlock Yacht Club, with a list of fifteen yachts in commission, they had purchased a beautiful silver cup to be awarded the winner of a series 69 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS of races, and it was the fifth race for that trophy which was to be sailed this very afternoon. Flyaway, Will's boat, had already placed two victories to her credit, Mrohte two, and Whirl- wind one. The other boats, although having plenty of adherents, could hardly be classed with these for speed. It is just five minutes of three. Everybody is at the starting point, and every available yacht- ing cap and blouse is donned for the occasion. Bang! goes the gun. Instantly fifteen yachts fly before the wind amid a wild pandemonium of fish horns and cheers, and waving of flags and handkerchiefs. MroUte, with her immense sail, quickly takes the lead, but Flyaway is a good second. On they all speed before the freshening breeze, with their sails of every hue. Higher and higher they mount, too, until so far away that it is impossible to tell which is leading. * 'jErolite! " * ' Flyaway! " " Whirlwind! " * ' Light- ning!'' are the cries ; but no one can surely name the leader until the outer stake is reached. ''Mrolite!''' scream the boys and girls around Jack Barnard, whose hand suddenly jerks for- ward as his yacht strikes the stake. The sails of this boat fall almost immediately, and she is returning on the downward trip. Another yell. 70 } p o Q §2 < O I— I > o w CO J H Q H A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS « Flyaway' s sail has dropped like a flash. The leaders are racing for home! Every boy and girl is jumping excitedly ; the old people are waving handkerchiefs and shouting. "It's Mrolite!''' "It's Flyaway!'' are the cries from every side. Onward they come with ever-increasing speed. Flyaway is gaining, and no mistake. Her sails are more compactly folded, thus offering less resistance to the wind than Mrolite's. Still the latter appears to lead. Now they come in plainer sight. If Mrolite is leading it is only by a few inches. * 'Mrolite! " " Flyaway! ' ' ' '^Ero- lite! " " Flyaway! ' ' * ' Flyaway! " " Flyaway! ' ' And amid a deaf- ening roar of cheers and fish horns the swift little boat wins the cup. HOW TO MAKE KITE YACHTS Cut out two pieces of stout cardboard, each twenty -three inches in length , in shape as shown in Fig. 2, A, and sew their outer curves together with very strong thread. Then tack two strips of wood, one five and the other five and one-half inches in length, crosswise inside of the boat. The. longer one of these strips fasten in position about eight inches from the bow, and the shorter one six inches from the stern of the boat (see diagram, Fig. 2). Now cut out two circular 71 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS pieces of wood each three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and attach to both sides of these, with seaHng-wax, a stiff cardboard disk one and one- half inches in diameter (Fig. 2, B). After this take two strips of tin, half an inch wide and six inches in length, and punch six holes in each of them, one near the ends, the next half an inch higher up, and the next one and three-quarter inches from the ends. After- ward bend these tin strips into shape, as shown in Fig. 2, B, and fasten wheels in position with small wire nails. Now cut out two blocks of wood, each three inches square and one inch thick, and shape them with a penknife so that they fit snugly into the ends of the boat. Then affix these blocks to the ends of the strips of tin, as shown in Fig. 2, B, and at the pointed ends of the blocks fasten stout wire loops so as to prevent the kite string from slipping off the wheels. Fasten these blocks in the boat with tacks, as shown in 72 Fig. A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS diagram, Fig. 2, and cut a hole in the cardboard bow for bowsprit to pass through. Make a stout mast forty inches in length and pass it through the bottom of the boat until one foot of it projects below the keel, then fasten it with string to crosspiece one inch from the cen- tre. Tie the slender topmast in position and flace a small wire ring at its base (Fig. 2, C). In a slender bowsprit twenty inches long make an incision as shown in Fig. 2, D, then pass the bowsprit {e) through the hole in the bow of the boat until the end rests under the crosspiece (/, Fig. 2, D). For the yard-arms two sticks, one twenty-eight, the other twenty-four inches in length, are required. To the centre of the shorter one (g. Fig. 2) fasten a circle of wire large enough to slide up and down the mast easily (see Fig. 2, C). Tie the lower yard-arm to the mast about two inches above the body of the boat. Place the upper yard {g) in position, and tie a long piece of thread to it, which should pass 73 Fig. NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS through the ring on the mast. Make a tissue- paper sail twenty-five inches in height, twenty- eight inches in width at the bottom, and tapering to twenty-four inches in width at the top. Paste the edges of the paper over a Hght string, leaving a few inches of this hanging free at the corners so as to fasten the sail in place. Then tie the sail to the ends of the yard-arms, haul it up, and make a knot in the lower end of the hoisting string. Now slip this string with the knot under- neath and into the excision in the bowsprit (Fig. 2, D), and the sail will remain standing. Fasten guy-ropes from the ends of the yards to wire loops in the stem of the boat (as shown in the picture of the boat sailing up the string). Stones tied to the lower end of the mast will serve as ballast. Stout wire fastened to the base of the mast and curved backward will give greater power to weight. The amount of ballast necessary can be ascertained only by trial. The bowsprit should move back and forth at the gentlest touch, and the thread which holds up the sail should fit the incision in the bowsprit so lightly that it will be released the instant the bowsprit strikes the cardboard disk. This disk of cardboard, about fifteen inches in diameter, should be fastened, in the manner shown in the diagram (Fig. 3). about thirty feet from the kite. 74 A YACHT RACE IN THE CLOUDS When the yacht sails up the string the bowsprit {e) will strike the cardboard disk so that the hoisting thread will be instantly released by being pushed against the crosspiece (/). As soon as the thread is released the sail lowers itself at once and the boat returns downward upon the string. 75 A CIRCUS ON A KITE STRING Chapter VII A CIRCUS ON A KITE STRING 'VTO wonder all faces were upturned upon -^ ^ that memorable afternoon. What Amer- ican boy wouldn't turn his face upward on see- ing a whole troop of Chinamen careering wildly across the blue sky, especially when that bit of blue sky happened to be hovering above our beloved Pine-tree State? Was this a Boxer invasion, and were those great whirlers some new diabolical means of annihilation? Those showers of parachutes, and weird umbrellas, and flags, sweeping through the heavens — what did it all mean ? Well, the newspapers explained it fully the next morning, and then, for the first time, the inhabitants of one of the largest cities in Maine learned that right in their midst was a real "up- to-date" club of Yankee boys with Yankee ideas and a Yankee way of doing things. Singularly enough, I had frequently observed these very boys when walking through State Street, and 79 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS had often stopped as a flood of light streamed through the open doorway of their club house, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the "goings on" in the "sanctum"; but, beyond the silhouetted figure of a member hastily entering, my glimpses were always fruitless. Fortunately, however, I happened to stroll down State Street upon the very day the circus was to be given, and when opposite the club house I found the sidewalk there blocked by boys in all stages of excitement. Some were dancing and wildly tossing up packages of bright tissue paper; others were hilariously waving flags and yelling at the top of their voices. Curious-looking frameworks were bobbing out of the club-house doors like so many giant- legged spiders, and, oh, such a number of um- brellas followed after — which was puzzling indeed, as the weather was exceedingly fine. Kites there were of all' kinds, and funny-looking windmills, and disks, and great paper China- men, and bunting — everywhere. After every club member was so enveloped with packages as to be hardly discoverable, the multitude swarmed up Charles Street and into the fields beyond, where the boys set to work so vigorously that in a surprisingly few minutes kites seemed suddenly to spring up in 80 A CIRCUS ON A KITE STRING every direction. What a bewildering time then there was for a while! The little kites zig- zagged all through the air, as if so glad to be out that they just couldn't help bumping into everybody and everything. The four- and five- foot kites tugged frantically at their strings, as though begging to be anywhere out of reach of their entangling little brothers, while the tailless kites, big fellows some thirteen feet in height, rose majestically, like great eagles, and as though wholly oblivious of the flying rabble all about them. On they all sped, big kites, little kites, bow kites, coffin kites, tandem kites, tailless kites, stickless kites, paper kites, musHn kites — all sorts of kites — until the heavens seemed to tremble with the fluttering mob. When finally chaos gave place to some sort of order, and the little kites had ceased to harass their more dignified relatives, a chorus of "ah's" swept over the fields, and on looking up to the right I saw twenty pretty parachutes sailing high in the sky straight to the city beyond the Penobscot. A hearty cheer greeted the next flight of parachutes, which were released a moment later, and the din became almost deaf- ening as shower after shower of the tissue-paper balloons burst into the sunshine like glittering jewels. Many of these were so exquisitely ^ 8i NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS poised that in place of falling they steadily soared higher, and must have travelled long distances indeed ere reaching Mother Earth. Before the last shower of parachutes had faded in the distance, the boys set to work busily on the mysterious-looking windmills, and five min- utes later a most gorgeous spectacle broke into view. Just think of twenty-two brilliantly col- oured windmills, more than four feet in height, decked out with long streamers of bright bunt- ing, revolving up a kite string! Just imagine twenty -two great Catharine wheels whizzing up into the heavens, and you may form some idea of the glorious sight which blazed through the skies on this fine afternoon. Faster and faster the great whirlers whirled as they rushed into the perspective, until when arrested by the "stopping-knot" they whirled faster than ever. The joy of the excited crowds now knew no bounds, and it seemed as if the boys would go frantic when two and even three whirlers went whizzing up the same string at the same time. After a brief lull in the excitement, occasioned by drawing the kites in so as to free the strings from the great whirlers, the fun started in livelier than ever; for the kites had hardly reached the sky again when a loud roar of 82 A CIRCUS ON A KITE STRING laughter announced the ascent of a whole cloud of black umbrellas. There was something so irresistibly comical about these umbrellas that one could not help laughing, and when they fled to the heavens as though more scared than scared witches, pandemonium reigned complete. Now there was a scurrying to and fro and a scene of intense animation, as the multitude speedily resolved itself into excited little groups, where they kept bobbing up and down like corks in a fish pond. In the centre of each group was an extravagant paper Chinaman, flapping his long sleeves and behaving as ridic- ulously as other folks. Unbelievable as it may seem, these gorgeously tricked out fellows were being put in readiness for a trip to the sky. But, oh, how slow they were in starting! At last the signal was given which sent the Celestials off, and then what a lot of bowing and scraping there was! They bowed to the right, they bowed to the left, and then they bowed back- ward and forward. They shook their large sleeves and flung out their long queues, and glided up into space with all the elegance born of their Eastern civilisation, so many dim and dusty centuries old. When an altitude of such height had been 83 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS reached that one might easily imagine the China- men to be looking into their own beautiful Flowery Kingdom, there was a thrilling scene which made every patriot's heart jump for joy and pride. How or why or where none knew, but before any one realised what was happening, an army of American flags rose through the heavens as if in pursuit of the barbarian horde. In an instant all was babel and confusion. The chil- dren danced and shouted. They seized banners and bunting and umbrellas and windmills, and waved them like mad. Strains of "My Coun- try" arose on the air, and as the shadows of evening crept o'er the cool earth it but height- ened the brilliancy of a magnificent sky ablaze with the hues of "Old Glory." Every bright Yankee boy may have a circus of his own by carefully studying the illustra- tions printed with this article and the directions given. SAILING A FLAG TO THE SKIES The disks are of cardboard, in the centre of which is inserted a spool. The light stick from which the flag is suspended is fastened to the ends of the spools where these project inwardly beyond the disks. 84 A CIRCUS ON A KITE STRING PARACHUTES The parachutes are made of square pieces of coloured tissue paper, and to each a small card- board figure is attached. A small twist is taken in the top of the parachute, to which is attached a thread. To the other end of the thread a pin bent at right angles is fastened. Make a number of loops in the kite string about six feet apart, and to each loop suspend a parachute. Para- chutes are released by shaking the kite string vigorously. THE GIANT WHIRLER This is made of light sticks, wrapping paper and string. The picture (page 86) shows exactly how these are put together. Decorate with long streamers and varicoloured tissue papers, so as to present a brilliant appearance as it revolves high in the air. THE PAPER CHINAMAN In making the Chinaman pictured on page 84, sticks half an inch square were used — four sixty- two, one twenty-eight, and one fifteen inches in length. These were bent and then fastened in position with stout string, as shown in the diagrams (Figs. 4 and 5). Then the framework was covered with paper, and on top of this were 85 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS pasted loosely large sheets of coloured tissue paper, blue for trunk and sleeves, and red for legs ; the head was of cardboard fourteen inches high, with features marked on with black paint. This was fastened to the backbone with Fig. 4 Fig. 5 tacks. The feet were of cardboard and the "pig- tail" of dark cloth. The flags were of yellow tissue paper, decorated. A ballast of stones sufficient to balance the figure was used. A series of tandem kites were used for this large figure to sail up on. SENDING AN UMBRELLA UP A KITE STRING Wires are fastened to the handle and the ferule of the umbrella and hooked over the kite string as shown in the illustration (page ^6). d>6 p w o o < O h4 W P^ - ^~. \ \J ^L-:.-. ■ ^J ^ KITES FLOWN IN THE HOUSE BY THE "UMBRELLA WINDMILL THE "UMBRELLA TROLLEY-LINE' A BOY AND AN OLD UMBRELLA an inch thick and eight inches square, with a hole bored through its centre of sHghtly less diameter than the umbrella stick. A circle of long wire~ nails is driven in on each side of the block (see diagram, Fig. 23). Fig. 24 Fasten this block securely to the umbrella stick with a nail. The windmill rests on wooden sup- ports tied to the window sill both inside and out. A little block of wood nailed to the tip of one support holds the point of the umbrella in place. Carefully follow the picture in working, and you will not go wrong. UMBRELLA TROLLEY LINE The cars are cigar boxes with pill-box wheels. The trolley line is twine with knots tied in it at 179 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS intervals of an inch. The trolley is of copper wire and attached to trolley line and car, as shown in diagram, Fig. 24. Shoe boxes with upright sticks and spools on them support the trolley line. Upright sticks are fastened to shoe boxes with sealing-wax. The power cord from the umbrella windmill is connected to the upper of the two spools seen on the box nearest the win- dow. A row of small wire nails is driven into both of these spools, and at such an angle as to form a sort of picket fence. Pass strings around centres of these. The cars travel quickly. INDOOR KITES These kites are made of very delicate sticks covered with tissue paper. The upright sup- port for the "kite flier" is one and one-half feet in length and carries four delicate sticks, each measuring four feet in length, which are tied to it, as shown in picture. Half way up the upright is fastened a pulley just like the one on the umbrella windmill, with the exception that this one has only one ring of nails. The upright sets in a stout pasteboard box which is securely fastened to a small table. Flatirons may be put on top to hold it steadier. In the middle of the bottom of the box a spool is fastened with 180 A BOY AND AN OLD UMBRELLA sealing-wax, and directly over it there is a hole in the cover. The upright is passed through this hole so that its pointed end rests in the spool. A piece of stout twine connects the pulley on the wind- mill with that on the kite flier. The largest kites are one and one-half feet in length, the others much smaller. When starting, hold up the kite which is to first pass over the cord. The others will rise into the air of their own accord. These kites as they circle around look most effective. The illustration shows arrangement of kite flier and kites. i8i RIGHT IN THE WIND'S EYE Chapter XVII "RIGHT IN THE WIND'S EYE" TT was a glorious day. The breakers booming -*- across the Sculpin Shoals wore the whitest of whitecaps; the cloudlets swept through the sky in a golden chase, while the waters which hurled themselves against the weed-clothed foundations of Hunter's Head thundered and flung far the jewelled spray, as if in restless im- patience for the contest to begin. "They're off!" suddenly shouted a group of excited boys and girls on Knowlton's Point; and by the time I had climbed to that same vantage ground the long-looked-for struggle was well under way. Now, of all the boat races that I've ever seen this was the queerest, and even to-day I am unable to tell you whether it was a sailing match or otherwise. To be sure, the contesting boats were moved by the wind; yet, on their outward journey at least, they did not sail with the wind on any point; instead, they sailed directly i8S NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS against it! And who ever heard of a sailboat sailing against the wind? No; clearly these could not be classed with sailboats at all, if but for this one reason alone; and then, too, about a foot in front of each bow the water was churned into foam by a small propeller, which whizzed around as if for dear life. "Why, they were propeller boats!" the majority of you will say; but did any of you ever hear of propeller boats going by wind power? On the other hand, I'll admit Sir Thomas Lipton himself would be astonished to hear of sailboats going by propeller power. Perhaps some of you bright boys and girls will be able to solve this problem, and decide whether this might fairly be called a sail- ing race or not. But to return to the race itself. The wind had now freshened to half a gale; yet, instead of the little boats being blown shoreward, as one. might naturally have expected, the obstinate fellows just pushed into the breeze with greater speed. Yes; the more the wind endeavoured to blow them back, the more they forged ahead against it! Soon when the sounds of cheers and fish- horns announced that the leader had started for home, there was another surprise. It was not because she had turned the stake boat first, i86 ''RIGHT IN THE WIND'S EYE'' for in fact she hadn't turned at all, but was returning in her own novel fashion — which was backward, and entirely of her own accord. The surprise was that the sails, which up to this time had whizzed round and round ever so rapidly, had suddenly ceased to revolve at all, so that the propeller boat of' a moment ago was transformed into a sailboat in every sense of the world. Now, in place of resolutely buck- ing against wind and wave, she joined forces with them, and fairly flew over the ruflled seas. Onward she came, amid a babel of noise, right into the rocky cove at my feet, where I at once clambered down to see what manner of craft she was. When, a few minutes later, the victor was slowly drawn from the water, I carefully noted her simplicity of construction; and in order that all of my boy readers may make one just like her, I have appended the following detailed instructions: HOW TO MAKE THE BOAT Take a piece of board two feet long, eight inches wide and one inch thick, and draw a pencil line along its entire length, and in the centre. On this line, an inch from one end, bore a hole three-eighths of an inch in diameter nearly through the board. Half an inch from 187 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS the other end, and on same pencil Hne, put in a deHcate screw eye that has an inside diameter of three-eighths of an inch, and then cut your board into the shape of the boat as shown in illustration (Fig. 25). Now take a stick nine inches long and half an inch square, and put a screw eye — same size and kind as one mentioned previously — into one Fig. 25 end of it. Shape the other end of this stick so that it will fit tightly into the hole already made in the boat, and then round it off so as to make it slightly thinner at top than at bottom. The shaft is a straight cylindrical stick thirty -nine inches long, three-eighths of an inch in diameter in the middle, and tapering slightly toward each end. On one end fasten with plenty of sealing- wax six delicate sticks each seven and three- 188 -y'-/-^^ 'RIGHT IN THE WIND'S EYE'' quarter inches in length, taking care to set them all evenly and at the same distance apart. Now pass the shaft through the screw eyes until it projects one foot beyond the bow of the boat. Hold in this position and then, while slowly turning it, put sealing-wax around it, each side of the forward screw eye. These sealing-wax shoul- ders (if I may call them such) should be perfectly smooth and a quarter of an inch apart (see pic- ture) . After this take six pieces of stiff writing paper six inches long and four and a half inches wide, and cut each into the shape shown in the diagram of the windmill (Fig. 26) ; fasten these to the spokes with sealing- wax at exact angle, as shown in the picture of the boat. The blades of the screw are made of three thin pieces of wood, each three and a half inches by two inches, with edges sharpened. Place the blades — with sealing-wax — in the shaft at equal distances apart, and at the same angle 189 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS as the papers on the windmill. The two little upright sticks which support the spool are one inch and a quarter high, two inches apart, and fastened with sealing-wax to the bottom of the boat, six inches from the stern. Afterward burn holes through these supports with a heated hatpin. Tie the end of the stout cotton to an empty- spool and wind this spool with as much thread as it will carry; then thrust a hatpin through the supports and the spool, as shown in the picture, and fasten the loose end of the cotton to the shaft. On starting the boat, point it directly toward the wind, when the little screw will at once begin revolving rapidly. As soon as the thread is all unwound from the spool the windmill will cease to revolve, and the craft will sail gallantly back to the shore from which she was started. 190 A BATHTUB REGATTA Chapter XVIII A BATHTUB REGATTA A CERTAIN small boy had been reading the life of Robert Fulton. The tale of the first steamboat had fascinated him, and he put down the book full of the enthusiasm of invention. He wanted very much to go and do likewise. Half an hour later his mother heard a great splashing and swishing in the bathroom. He had found that the long marble tub made an excellent river. In his imagina- tion it became the glorious Hudson, and, being a practical boy who liked to tinker, he thought he had found a way to combine the pleasure of a game with his love of making things. So he set to work manufacturing a boat. This con- sisted of a baking-powder can resting upon four hatpins stuck into a fiat piece of wood. Small, lighted candles placed under the can, which was filled with water, generated steam. A proud moment it was for the boy when this miniature steamship puffed grandly up the 193 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS river with marble banks. This achievement satis- fied the young inventor for a day or two, and then he cast about for other problems, and decided not to stop short of a fleet. One by one the tiny ves- sels grew till he had made three other boats, each of which had a different motive power. The second ran by waterpower, the third was run by candle-light power, and the other, which was really a clever piece of work, had an air propeller. The following week the boy held a grand bathtub regatta, to which he invited his friends. The marvellous boats, the skill with which they were made, and the unique devices by which each was run, quite captured the youngsters. It is for the benefit of children who couldn't be there that this little description of the boats is given. The boy with a love of tinkering will find material for many days of work and pleas- ure. Tin cans, copper wire, smooth pieces of board, strong paper and some sealing-wax are about all that are really necessary. THE BAKING-POWDER-CAN BOAT The boat is' of wood, one foot long, five inches wide, one inch thick, and hollowed out. Hat- pins are stuck into the sides of the boat and fastened together where they cross with light copper wire. The boiler is a small baking- 194 AIR-PROPELLER BOATS A BAKING-POWDER CAN STEAMBOAT A BATHTUB REGATTA powder can with a hole driven in the bottom of it with a stout needle. Fill the boiler one- third full of water, and then put on the cover, after first placing a piece of cotton cloth over the opening. This is to make it steam-tight. Be sure to get the boiler in the centre of the boat. The more candles placed under the boiler, the faster the boat will travel. WATER-POWER CATAMARAN The boats are one foot long, and each half is held two inches apart by light sticks fitting tightly into holes made in their sides. Fasten two sticks, notched on top, in place for the hatpin axle to rest on. Make the paddle- wheel of four delicate wooden blades, and fasten to the axle with sealing-wax. The water-box is of cardboard, made water-tight with sealing- wax. The box rests on four light sticks of wood, and placed so that the paddles just escape it when in motion. The hole in the bottom of the box should be one-eighth of an inch in diame- ter. Excepting where specified make all fasten- ings in sealing-wax (see the illustration). THE CANDLE BOAT The boat is one foot long, three inches wide, one-fourth of an inch deep, and hollowed out. 195 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS The masts are one foot in height. The sails are of writing paper, the lower ends of which are fastened to the mast with sealing-wax. Small pieces of lighted candles, placed in position as shown in the illustration, furnish the motive power and a swift-moving boat. AIR-PROPELLER STEAMBOAT The boat is fourteen inches long, five and one-half inches wide, one inch deep, and hol- lowed out. Use the largest size baking-powder can for the boiler. Paste strips of paper one inch wide around the can, to prevent steam escaping from beneath the cover. Make one hole in the side of the can with a darning needle, and a larger hole for pouring water into the boiler. Make a wooden plug to fit tightly in the large hole after the boiler has been filled. The propeller is three wooden toothpicks, to which are attached pieces of light paper. The steam wheel should be made of tough paper and fastened to a straight piece of wire. The illustration shows the arrangement of the mechanism so plainly that further description is not necessary. Ten little pieces of candle placed beneath the boiler make the propeller whiz. 196 A FLEET RUN BY WATER POWER BOATS RUN BY CANDLE-LIGHT POWER TOYS THAT RUN UP HILL Chapter XIX TOYS THAT RUN UP HILL T TERE is a chance for lots of fun — a chance •^ -'- to make a boat that will travel uphill, that will travel from your back garden to the second or third story window of your house and that will travel as prettily as any boat you ever saw. If you are not fond of boats you can make for yourself the funniest kind of a funny cat, and then send this travelling up and down hill, or back and forth across the yard, or along the street, or even to the highest windows of the house. If you do not care for boats and cats, and prefer something else, there is the funny Italian organ grinder, with his cardboard mon- key, and these, too, will travel wherever you wish. Unless I am much mistaken, however, all you boys will be just delighted with that air-line steamboat, for it has two pinwheel paper screws in the stern of it, and as the steamer makes its numerous trips back and forth these revolve, 199 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS oh! ever so rapidly. Simpler toys were never made, so all try and see what you can do. HOW TO ARRANGE THE RUNNING-GEAR WHICH WILL MAKE ALL THESE TOYS TRAVEL First procure a cigar box ; if you cannot con- veniently get one, make a box for yourself out of wood, which will answer fully as well. Bore four holes in the cover of the box, and four holes in the bottom of it — near the corners and about one and one-fourth inches from each of the sides. Be sure that holes are parallel to each other and of sufficient diameter to allow the head of a thin one-and-one-fourth-inch wire nail to pass through. After you have carefully bored these holes, cut a narrow slit in each end of the box — from top to bottom — one-fourth of an inch in width. Then take four spools — which should be of the same size, and slightly shorter in length than the inside depth of the box — and plug up the holes of these tightly with wooden pegs. After whittling off the projecting ends of these pegs, drive thin one-and-one-fourth-inch wire nails into the plugged-up spools, allowing half an inch of each nail to project, so as to serve for an axle. Now place the four spools inside the box, allowing the wire-nail axles to protrude through TOYS THAT RUN UP HILL the holes in the bottom, and close the lid, taking care that the upper nail axles pass through the holes in the cover. If you are now sure that the spools work perfectly free and do not touch the sides of the box at all, nail down the cover. The diagram (Fig. 27) shows '',"---.. the arrangement of the -=^=^^v- '" ^^ - , spools exactly. To set the i^^^^^^^S®^ box in motion, pass the '^\/^f ^^^B^ ends of two long strings ^ - ~-J through one of the slits '^" ^"^ so that these will drop between both sets of spools and out through the slits on the lower side. Then, to test whether your box and spools are properly arranged, proceed as follows; Tie the ends of the two strings that issue from out one side of the box to the top of the door, and close together. Next, go with your cigar box to the far end of the room — the strings should easily reach that distance — :and holding a string in each hand, pull both perfectly taut, then suddenly move your hands wide apart perpendicularly, straight up and down. As soon as you do this the box will shoot up to the top of the door so quickly that you will be surprised. By placing your hands together the box will return again. The illustration of the boy and girl playing "Cat on the Fence" shows perfectly the method of making the box travel. NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS HOW TO MAKE THE AIR-LINE STEAMBOAT First, arrange your cigar box and spools as just described, then fasten a stick six inches in length across the middle of the upper part of the box with small nails and sealing-wax (see the illustration of steam- boat). Fasten cardboard sides for your boat to the tips of this stick and to the lower corner of the box with sealing-wax. After drawing the card- board together in the front and rear, fasten these to each other with sealing-wax. Each card- board side should meas- ure twenty inches in length and seven inches in depth. The tops of each side should be cut with a slight curve inward, and the lower parts cut well away in the front and the back (see the illustration of the steamboat and the diagram (Fig. 28). A match box will serve admirably for a pilot house, and this may be fastened in position with sealing-wax. A smokestack of heavy wrapping paper is also fastened in position with some sealing-wax. The two propellers are paper pin- FlG. 28 ORGAN GRINDER AND MONKEY LAUNCHING OF THE STEAMBOAT "CLIMBER' TOYS THAT RUN UP HILL wheels, fastened to the ends of short sticks, which are in turn attached to the steamboat with seaHng-wax. Be sure to place these propellers in such a position that they will not interfere in the least with the strings. Decorate the boat with streamers and flags, and paint the name Climber on its side. These boats may be made to travel from the back yard to the second-story window by fasten- ing the ends of the strings which come through the bow to the "blind catch." If convenient, it would be well to fasten the upper string that comes from the stern of the boat tightly to the top of the clothes post in the yard. Now, by pulling down hard on the lower string that comes through the stern the boat will travel with mar- vellous rapidity from the ground to the second- story window, with its screws just whizzing around. A few trials will enable you to become quite expert in sending this boat up the string. The string itself should be of the strong, hard, smooth variety. "cat on the fence" Two pieces of pasteboard cut the shape of a cat, or somewhere near that shape, and fastened one on each side to a cigar box — which already contains the necessary machinery — is practically 203 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS all there is to the making of this interesting toy. Be careful, though, to bore holes through the pasteboards for the axles of the spools to pass through. This cat may easily be made to travel a hundred feet and return by suddenly and strongly pulling the hands apart as shown in the illustration. You can make your cat as funny as you please by painting it with various colours, and by fastening broom straws to its head for whiskers. ORGAN GRINDER AND MONKEY Cut out of cardboard a man, minus both arms, and fasten him to the organ — which should be a small cigar box fitted with the necessary spools between the slit and the outside edge of the box. The right arm is made of two separate pieces of cardboard. Punch holes through these two pieces, and fasten them together at the elbow with thread. Also punch a hole through the cardboard shoulder, as well as through the upper part of the arm, and fasten both together loosely, but securely, with thread. Make the left arm of cardboard, and fasten to the shoulder and to the top of the organ with plenty of sealing-wax. In making this toy use a piece of stout wire, two and one-half inches in length, instead of a wire nail, to serve as an axle for the upper rear 204 #• TOYS THAT RUN UP HILL Spool. Where this wire projects beyond the box bend it into the shape of the crank on a hand-organ. SHp the cardboard hand over the end of this crank, then drop on the tip of it a httle lump of sealing-wax, so as to prevent the hand from slipping off. The monkey is cut out of stiff pasteboard. Circles of wire are fastened to the hands and feet with sealing-wax, so that the creature may easily slip up and down the string. A very stout piece of wire should be used to connect the monkey with the man or organ. Pass the upper string only through the rings on the monkey's hands and feet, then drop both strings through the box as previously described. If properly made this is a most amusing toy. In making all these objects carefully follow the illustrations, and you will not go wrong. It is great fun at a party for young folks to have all the boys and girls try their hand at making these toys. It is easy to get the mate- rial together, and it adds to the fun if a prize is offered. 205 HOME-MADE ARTILLERY Chapter XX HOME-MADE ARTILLERY TTURRAH, boys, here's some fun! A chance -*■ -*- for you all to make cannons for your- selves! Easy? Why, all you have to do is to get some heavy sheets of wrapping paper, paste these thoroughly, then roll ^them into long cylindrical tubes. That's easy enough, is it not? The gun carriages, too, are made without any more difficulty, a soap box and barrel-head wheels serving for the "field gun," and a paste- board support and wheels for the "house gun." The best thing, though, about these wrapping- paper cannons is that they shoot just like those great guns you have seen in forts. True enough, the cannon balls used are only hollow rubber balls or bound wads of newspaper, but then they may be thrown quite a considerable distance, and when sailing through the air they look for all the world like the large iron ones. 209 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS Just for the fun of it, try and see what you can do. Follow the directions carefully and you will be enabled to enjoy the sport of sham battles in the garden, mimic battles on the dining table, and lots of fun generally. First begin by making the " house gun." Un- less otherwise specified, make all fastenings with sealing-wax. HOW TO MAKE THE HOUSE GUN Paste half a large sheet of heavy wrapping paper thoroughly on one side, and then roll it into a long tube, tapering at one end. Roll very neatly. The tube should measure eighteen inches in length, three inches in diameter at the larger end, and two inches at the smaller end. Wind the string around it to prevent unrolling, and put aside to dry. While the cannon tube is drying make the "shot thrower." Cut from the stoutest card- board a disk one and three-fourths inches in diameter, and bore three holes in it at an equal distance apart, near its outer edge. Then cut out a strip of pasteboard one inch wide and six inches long, roll this in the form of a napkin ring one and one-half inches in diameter, fasten the overlapping ends securely together, and then as securely fasten this ring to the cardboard disk (see 210 HOME-MADE ARTILLERY the diagram, Fig. 29). Now take three narrow elastic bands — each measuring three and one- half inches in length — and thrust one end of these through the holes around the edge of the disk. Knot the ends of the elastic afterward, so as to prevent them from slipping out, then thrust three short pieces of string — of equal length — through the same holes; tie these securely to the disks, also tie the loose ends together, and add another piece of string one foot in length just where these intersect (see the illustration of the " shot thrower," Fig. 29). The illustration here given of the "shot thrower" isthat forthe "field gun." The " shot thrower " for the "house gun" is like it in all respects, with the exception that only three elastic bands are used for the propelling power in place of six for the "field gun." The measurements just given for the disk, etc., are especially for use in the "house gun." Of course, these 211 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS measurements would have to be very much enlarged for use in the "field gun." Now trim off the ends of your cannon, if it is dry, with a pair of scissors, drop the "shot thrower" into its large end, taking care to keep the free ends of the elastic bands hanging down- ward, then pass a three-inch length of tape through each band, and fasten the ends of these to the outside of the cannon's mouth (see the diagram of the "house gun," Fig. 29). Cut out a disk of cardboard three inches in diameter for the breech, punch a hole through its centre, fasten a small spool to it in the same place, pass the end of the long string attached to the shot thrower through the holes in the disk and the spool, and afterward tie to the end of the same string a little stick of wood. Then fasten the breech to the cannon as shown in the diagram. Now for the gun carriage. Make two wheels eight and one-half inches in diameter, of heavy pasteboard, and fasten spools to these for hubs; make a delicate wooden axle eight inches in length, pass it through the wheels and spool hubs, and put a bit of sealing-wax on both ends of the axle, to prevent the wheels from slipping off, and another bit of sealing-wax on the axle just inside the wheels, to prevent these A FIGHT WITH FIELD GUNS A FIERCE BATTLE INDOORS HOME-MADE ARTILLERY from slipping too near the cannon. Cut out two strips of cardboard fifteen inches in length by three inches in width, join together for fully half their length with sealing-wax, punch holes through the tips of the unjoined ends, slip these over the projecting pieces of wood on each side of the cannon, rest the cannon on the axle, and fasten the strips to the same very securely with sealing-wax (see the diagram of the "house gun," Fig. 29). Now with a penknife cut an almost complete circular slit in the cannon, beginning two inches from its breech, leaving only one-half inch uncut to serve as a sort of hinge for the paper flap. Your cannon is now completed. Cannon balls for this gun may be made of wads of newspaper tightly bound with string. When ready to fire, lift up the paper flap, pull back the firing string as far as you can, place a paper ball into the shot holder, aim carefully, then let go the string. Before beginning to fire take care that the shot thrower is held in position quite taut by the little piece of wood on the end of the firing string. If loose, wind up the string on the stick until it is taut. On no account allow the elastic bands, the tapes inside the cannon or the firing string to sag in the least. 213 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS HOW TO MAKE THE FIELD GUN The "field gun" is made in almost precisely the same way as the "house gun," except that it is larger, that the gun carriage is made of a soap box with barrel-head wheels, while two barrel staves support it on the ground. Also, the disk of the shot holder is made of wood, the propelling force consists of three pairs of heavy elastic bands, and the tapes attached to the ends of these are thrust through slits made in the sides of the cannon instead of outside the cannon's mouth, as in the "house gun." Follow the illustrations carefully and you cannot go wrong. For cannon balls use hollow rubber balls. In conclusion fasten the large field guns to the swivel boards on which they rest by pasting a number of strips of paper entirely around them and the board. Always wait until the cannons are thoroughly dried and hard before using. 214 SHIPS THAT SAIL ON THE SNOW Chapter XXI SHIPS THAT SAIL ON THE SNOW TF YOU boys want to have lots of fun on those -^ bright, crisp winter days when the snow is covered with a hard, shiny crust, and the tem- perature is just low enough to give the air a pleasant, stinging sensation, make yourselves a "snow ship." It is not at all a difficult ship to build; in fact, it is the simplest ship that ever was built, and constructed solely of those materials found plentifully about every house. A few sticks, a few strips of cardboard, a paper or muslin sail, and there you have it! Will they sail? Well, you boys never in all your lives saw ships sail so swiftly as these do. The trouble is they sail too well, too swiftly, and require to be weighted in order to keep them down to a moderate pace. Why, if the wind is blowing at the rate of thirty miles an hour, the boats will travel at the same speed; or if at sixty miles, they will still keep up with it. "Flying over the snow" better expresses 217 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS their movements than ' ' saiHng over it . " Indeed, unless the breeze be very light, it is nearly always necessary to make them carry weight, just as a horse does when he proves to be too swift. If you don't weight them, the chances are that they will be out of sight before you realise what is happening. My, but what a pretty picture it makes when a whole fleet of these snow ships rushes up to the top of a snow- covered hillside! The effect is^ as though a whole lot of witches were riding their broom- sticks in a wild endeavour to escape from this world as soon as possible. The illustrations on page 218 show so exactly how the boats are constructed that detailed directions are really not necessary. And, too, they can be varied so much in the making of them that I'll wager every bright boy will wish to adopt some novel ideas of his own. For instance, in the illustration of the "completed snow ship" a pasteboard box is used for a hull — if I may call it such — through which the cross sticks, the horizontal stick and the mast are run. This pasteboard box serves admirably for a boat measuring three, four or five feet in length, but if you boys wish a much stiff er and a much larger boat, a soap box will serve the purpose better. Then, too, the shoes of the 218 AN "ICE-SCHOONER FLYING OVER THE SNOW SHIPS THAT SAIL ON THE SNOW boat shown in the illustration are made of cardboard, and I am almost certain that in building a real large boat you will discover that barrel staves or other easily acquired materials are preferable in every way. I see no reason why one of these boats should not be built large enough to carry passengers, and that, too, without much difficulty. Fancy flying across a long stretch of country at the rate of twenty or thirty miles an hour! It's enough to make one dizzy to even think of it. In making the boats as here illustrated, make them three, four or five feet in length, or even very much smaller if you wish, say one or two feet in length. Cut holes in the sides and top of your pasteboard-box hull, for the cross stick, long, horizontal stick and mast to pass through. Fasten these sticks firmly together — inside the box — with string or wire, and then slip the cover of the box down over the mast and fasten it securely to the box with plenty of sealing-wax. Also put on a very liberal supply of sealing-wax around each stick, close to the box, so there shall be no wabbling. In the diagram (Fig. 30), A shows the arrange- ment of the box, sticks and where to put on sealing-wax. A wooden crosspiece is fastened near the top of the mast. Fasten it with string if 219 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS you should wish the sail to always remain up, but with a wire ring if you should desire to raise or lower the sail often and quickly. The sail may be made of paper or muslin, of any colour, and shaped like those shown in the illustrations, or different if you prefer. A stout cord is fastened from the top of the mast to the farthest end of the long, horizontal stick. The shoes are made of cardboard, rolled up at Fig. 30 ^ each end, and tacked to a piece of wood about two inches thick, which is placed on top of them. For the shape of this piece of wood and the arrangement of the shoe generally see B in diagram. Weights to prevent the boats from travelling too rapidly may be fastened to the top of the rear shoe, to the pasteboard hull, and even in the box hull itself. The illustration of the "ice schooner" shows the construction of its wooden framework so accurately that I need only mention that the shoes for it are made of bent pieces of tin. Be sure that the tin touches the ice its entire length, and also that it is moderately sharp. Sails may be made of paper or AN icp:-ship race up hill SAILS REEFED— GOING DOWN HILL SHIPS THAT SAIL ON THE SNOW muslin, and fastened in position as shown in the illustration. In racing the snow ships, a good plan is to race them up a long, steep hill. At the top of the hill boys should be stationed, whose duty it is to announce to the boys at the bottom of the hill the winners of the flying contests, and also to lower the sails, fastening them snugly down, so that the boats will travel down the incline of their own accord. See the illustration of the boats with sails reefed returning down hill. For a real, all-round, exciting, healthful sport, these boat races on the snow would be hard to beat. 221: FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT Chapter XXII FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT T>RILLIANT in effect, of the simplest mate- -*--' rials, and easily made by anybody, are the objects here pictured. There is a lighthouse with real red and white flash lights, a fairy-like "merry-go-round," a "candle-light engine," a "revolving tower" and a number of other pleas- ing combinations of light and movement, and just the sort of fun for boys on a winter's night. Pieces of lighted candle furnish the motive power, and when all other lights are extinguished dull indeed will he be whose enthusiasm is not aroused. A PRETTY ILLUSTRATION OF AN OLD IDEA Cover the bottom of a dinner plate with water to the depth of an eighth of an inch, or a little more. In the centre place a small piece of lighted candle. Then take a tumbler and lower it, in an inverted position, quickly down over the lighted candle. As soon as the inverted 225 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS tumbler rests on the plate the water with the candle floating will at once rise in the tumbler as shown in the picture. The taller the tumbler used the more effective will be the trick. THE REVOLVING TOWER The cylinder is made of wrapping paper ; half- way up its sides delicate sticks are attached with sealing-wax, and over each stick is drawn half a sheet of writing paper and set at the angle as shown in the picture. On top of the cylinder is a circle of cardboard, and to this is fastened with sealing-wax a delicate wooden upright, to the tip of which are attached two small cross- sticks. Over these cross-sticks draw on pieces of paper at the angle shown in the picture. When the cylinder is completed cut out a circle of paper, float it in a large pan of water, and care- fully place the cylinder on this. It is well to attach it there with sealing-wax. Set the candles in position as shown in the picture, and these when lit will cause the whole to revolve beautifully. Tissue-paper streamers and other decorations greatly heighten the effect. THE CANDLE-LIGHT ENGINE The uprights for the flywheel and the walking- beam are straws. The walking-beam is of straw 226 A PRETTY ILLUSTRATION OF AN OLD-TIME TRICK A REVOLVING TOWER WRAPPING-PAPER LIGHTHOUSE FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT and the driving-rod and piston are split straws. The fly-wheel is of stiff writing paper, about seven and one-half inches in diameter, to the inside and centre of which is fastened a small circle of card- board. The axle for the fly-wheel is a "vStickpin," and this rests on small needles inserted into the up- rights (see picture. Fig. 31). Before put- ting the axle in posi- tion slip on the flanged wheel, which may easily be cut out of stiff writing paper (Fig. 32). Then press the axle into the circular piece of cardboard, taking care that it does not project through the other side of the fly-wheel. One of the pictures shows the back of the engine. Place sealing-wax on both card- board and stickpin at the point of contact ; also put a little sealing-wax on the flanged wheel where the stickpin perforates it. The cylinder for the piston to work in is made of writing paper and the straws of the engine are fastened to each other with very fine needles. The crank con- 227 Fig. 31 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS necting the driving-rod with the fly -wheel is a bent pin. The power plant which makes the engine run has a knitting needle upright, to the top of which a small square piece of cardboard is attached with plenty of se aling-wax. and on top of this straws are fastened, also with plenty of se aling-wax. Over the straws Fig. 32 half sheets of writing paper are drawn at angles as shown in the pic- ture. The knitting needle is held in place by a Wooden upright, from the top of which projects a piece of cardboard with a hole in it. The lower point of the knitting needle also rests in a hole made in a piece of cardboard. Before dropping the point of the knitting needle in the lower hole force over it a slice of cork having two rows of pins stuck in it, as shown in the pic- ture. An advantage may be gained by fastening three fine needles to the cardboards so as to form a small triangle over each of the two holes for the knitting needle to revolve in. The more 228 CIRCLING ARCH CANDLE-LIGHT MERRY-GO-ROUND FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT candle-light used the faster the fly-wheel will revolve. If convenient build both engine and power plant on pieces of glass. Two discarded nega- tives of photographs will answer admirably. The power plant is connected to the engine with a piece of thread allowed to hang rather loosely. PAPER MERRY-GO-ROUND Cut out a circle of paper like that shown in the picture, and to this attach with a little sealing-wax creased uprights of writing paper. Uprights may be easily cut out of a piece of writing paper after it has been folded over and well creased with a pair of scissors. Be sure they all, when stood up, are at the angle shown in the picture. Now float the circle of paper in a large pan of water, and under each upright — not too close — set a small piece of lighted candle, when the whole will revolve beautifully. Two uprights are sufficient to make the circle revolve, but the addition of more of them greatly adds to the effect and rapidity of the revolutions. THE CIRCLING ARCH The arch is cut out of a pasteboard box, and then pasted over with paper. To the sides light 229 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS sticks of wood are attached with seahng-wax, and over these are drawn half sheets of writing paper. These papers should be placed at angles as shown in the picture. On top of the arch a delicate wooden upright with two cross-pieces is fastened in place with sealing- wax, and over the cross-pieces more papers are drawn and set at angles as shown. Set the arch on a large circle of floating paper, and place bits of lighted candles in position as shown in the p i c t u r e . The raore gaudily the arch is decor- ated with stars, coloured papers, streamers, etc., the more effective the whole will appear. The arch may be rested on a circle of wood instead of paper if desired. Floating Ferris Wheel THE SIMPLY MADE LIGHTHOUSE Roll Up a large sheet of heavy wrapping paper, crosswise, into a slightly tapering cylin- der, and fasten with mucilage or glue. A sheet of thin, dark-coloured cardboard answers still better. Trim both ends of cylinder with scissors. About two and one-half or three inches below the 230 THE PAPER TOWER A SHEET OF WRAPPING PAPER BEARING A CAT FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT ^mm A Toy Ferry Boat top of cylinder cut narrow oblong holes in three sides for light to flash through; half an inch below these cut two slits a quarter of an inch wide, one on the right and the other on the left side of the cylinder. Cut out a strip of stout tin a quarter of an inch wide, make a dent in its centre for a needle point to rest in; pass this strip through both slits, and bend down each projecting end closely against the cylinder. Now cut a hole in the back of the cylinder and as near to the top as possible, an inch and one-half wide and an inch high. Also cut a hole in the back of the cylinder, and close to its base, through which to pass a small piece of candle later. In a shallow pan of water, and so that it rests on the bottom, place a large wooden block, or a small pan inverted, and on top of this stand the cylinder. If desired the cylinder may be fastened to the foundation with sealing-wax. Now whittle out six delicate wooden spokes, all of the same length, and insert these at equal dis- 231 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS Fig. 33 tances apart into a slice of cork. To each spoke attach a triangular-shaped piece of paper with mucilage, and when dried bend these slightly upward at an angle as shown in the diagram (Fig. T,T,). Then suspend with mucilage from each set of two spokes a strip of thin red paper. The diagram shows how this wheel is made. It should be of such dimensions that it will go through the top of the cylinder without touching its sides. Complete the wheel by sticking a short, straight hatpin through the exact centre of the cork. It would be well to file the head off. After this cut out a circular piece of cardboard, to serve as a cap to the lighthouse, and through the exact centre of this pierce a small hole. Now lower the wheel down through the top of the cylinder until the point of the hatpin rests in the dent made in the tin strip, and then in placing the cardboard cap on top of the light- house allow the upper part of the hatpin to pass through the pierced hole. The lighthouse being completed, place a short piece or two pieces of candle through the lower 232 FUN WITH CANDLE LIGHT hole in the back of the cyhnder and Hght them. Immediately the wheel will begin to revolve and red and white lights will alternately flash out from your lighthouse. If the wheel does not revolve at once, carefully examine to see if it touches the sides of the cylinder at any point. If it does touch, remedy the defect. If it does not, turn up triangular papers attached to spokes at a more acute angle, and it may also be neces- sary to make both holes in the back of the light- house larger. Cover up the foundation on which the cylinder stands with sand, small stones and shells, as this adds greatly to the realism of the whole. Stonework may easily be marked on the lighthouse with ink. Do not place more than one piece of candle in the lighthouse unless necessary. 233 SOME NEW PAPER TRICKS Chapter XXIII SOME NEW PAPER TRICKS "VJOTHING is more interesting than the way -^ ^ in which our preconceived notions about the physical world are overturned by experiment. It used to be assumed that a heavy body would fall faster than a light one, until some wise soul tried it and discovered that all bodies fall at the same rate. And I fancy that if questioned most people would say that a sheet of paper would not float for any length of time on water, and certainly would not bear any weight. But experiment proves the contrary. Indeed, the number of things that can be done with floating paper will not only surprise old people but will furnish amusement for children. A sheet of ordinary writing paper, if properly adjusted, will float for an apparently indefinite period. Four half-sheets which I floated by way of a test were as dry on the upper surface after having been on the water for ten days as when I first placed them on the liquid. 237 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS But what surprised me most of all was to learn the weight these floating papers can carry. One day while I was experimenting with them I rather carelessly placed a large wooden spool on one of the half sheets, expecting, of course, to see the paper go to the bottom immediately. This did not happen, however, and my aroused curiosity prompted me to add greater weight. Recklessly I laid my four-bladed penknife on top of the spool; to my astonishment the paper still remained floating; and even when I placed on more freight, in the shape of four one-cent pieces, it obstinately refused to sink. Desirous of learning the exact carrying ca- pacity of a whole sheet of floating writing paper I first placed a stiff piece of cardboard in its centre, and then proceeded to load it with the numerous articles shown in the illustration (page 238). That a sheet of paper should float for ten days was surprising enough, but that it should float under such a weight was nothing short of mar- vellous. Continuing my experiments along this line, I placed a piece of wrapping paper thirty by forty inches on the surface of the water. On this paper I first laid two slender sticks length- wise ; on these sticks I placed a large tin bowl, and on top of this bowl I seated my pet cat, 238 BONFIRE ON FLOATING PAPER THE MERRY-GO-ROUND .^^ WHAT A SHEET OF WRITING PAPER WILL CARRY SOME NEW PAPER TRICKS which weighs just five and one-half pounds ! The result was that pictured on page 230. More in a spirit of mischief than anything else, I started a bonfire on one of the floating sheets, and although the flames burned fiercely they did not even scorch the paper. Returning to the weight test again, a delicate tower of writing paper eight feet in height was made and set upon four sheets of writing paper. It floated beautifully, and I ascertained that the actual weight of this tower could have been easily sup- ported by a single sheet, but four were necessary to keep it balanced. Later on I spun a humming top on a half sheet of floating note paper, in the centre of which was placed a piece of cardboard, with the almost certain knowledge that its peg would puncture the cardboard; but my almost certain knowledge was rudely shaken, for the top whirred round and round until it stopped of its own accord and without accident. I continued to make new experiments. One of the most interesting and instructive was that of constructing a tiny windmill, placing lighted candles beneath it to create wind artificially, and floating the whole on the water. All the tricks I have here described and illus- trated may be successfully performed by anyone 239 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS who will use a little care, and I can assure you that it is a most delightful way in which to enter- tain children at an afternoon or evening party. It will be readily seen that the designs do not by any means exhaust the possibilities of amuse- ment to be had in this direction. Rather they are intended to serve as suggestions and to act as an incentive to the discovery of other nov- elties quite as interesting and as easily performed as these. When floating the paper it should be carefully done, so as not to allow water to creep over the edge, or the frail raft will begin to sink at once. Before spinning the humming top make a slight indentation in the cardboard for the peg to rest in. To make the candle merry-go-round, fasten hoods of writing paper to a slice of cork, and then place this on top of the upright sticks. Fasten the lower end of the stick to a piece of cardboard, and set this in turn upon a circular piece of floating writing paper. Make all fasten- ings with sealing-wax. Place candles in position as shown in the illustration, and it is all ready for use. The paper tower is eight feet high, and rests upon four sheets of floating writing paper fastened to each other with sealing-wax. The 240 SOME NEW PAPER TRICKS upright posts between each story are composed of two sheets of writing paper rolled the shortest way, fitted into each other and held in position with sealing-wax. Cross-pieces are single sheets rolled like uprights and curved at each end with scissors, so as to fit. On top of each set of columns lay a sheet of paper for the next story to rest on. Make each section separately, so it can be placed upon the lower one without any difficulty. 241 HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS TOYS Chapter XXIV HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS TOYS H ERE are some home-made Christmas pres- ents that are really easy to make: BUILDING THE SUBWAY The principal articles needed in the making of this subway are a piece of board three and one- half feet in length and ten inches in width, a large-sized shoe box or a wooden box of about the same dimensions, a smaller box to serve for the salt reservoir, and four sticks, each measur- ing twenty inches in length. Fasten the sticks to the outside of the larger box, and then, after setting this in an upright position, place the smaller box — which is to serve as the salt reservoir — on top of it, and secure it there with three or four touches of sealing-wax. Bore a hole one-fourth of an inch in diameter down through both boxes, one on each side, and at a distance of two and one-half inches from the exact centre. It is through these holes that the 245 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS salt will fall into the wheelbarrows of your sub- way workmen. Now bore two holes, each one inch in diameter, in the long board, four inches from the top end and two and one-half inches from either side of it. One-half inch from the top end of the board, and just two and three-fourths inches from each side of it, fasten with plenty of sealing-wax two up- right wooden pegs of slightly less diameter that an ordinary lead pencil, so that when wooden spools are slid over them later on they will revolve without friction of any kind. After this, take two strips of cardboard, twenty-seven inches in length by one-half inch in width, fasten these lengthwise, one on each side, from the top of the board downward and at a distance of four and one-half inches from the sides of the board. This half-inch-high guard will prevent your workmen from colliding with each other. Now arch the board over for two feet or more of its length with stout wrapping paper, so as to form a tunnel, and fasten this in place with tacks. Set the board in the inclined position as shown in the illustration, so that the two holes in its upper end will be exactly under the two holes bored in the salt reservoir. When this is done, take two pieces of stiff cardboard or paste-" board, eleven inches in length by three and one- 246 NATTY FEATHER BALLET DANCER THE SUBWAY IN COMPLETE WORKING ORDER PAPER BUTTERFLY CIRCUS HOLLY-BRANCH MERRY-GO-ROUND HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS TOYS half inches in width, and fasten one on each side of the lower part of the incline with tacks (see the illustration). Now place the two curved strips of cardboard which you see on each side of the lower part of the incline in position with sealing-wax. Each of these strips measures eight inches in length and about one-half inch in height, and guides the wheelbar- rows to and from the dumping grounds. The men and wheelbar- rows are made as follows: The wheelbarrow is a matchbox with one of its sides partly cut off and turned down. Fasten the cut-off piece to the other side of the box, so that both under sides will match. Through these lower pieces the back axle is passed, which may be made of stiff wire four inches in length or a hatpin cut to this re- quired length. An ordinary pin serves for the front axle. As you will see by the illustration and diagram, this wheelbarrow has three wheels, which are of cardboard, one and one-half inches in di9,meter, and fastened firmly to the 247 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS axle with sealing-wax. The diagram (Fig. 34) also shows perfectly how the wheelbarrow is put together. The workman is simply cut out of cardboard and fastened to the wheelbarrow, by passing the slits which have been cut in each hand over the handles of the wheelbarrow. To conclude, fasten a piece of stout thread to the back of one of the wheelbarrows while it is resting at the bottom of the incline, run the other end of the thread straight back of the two spools at the top of the incline, and fasten the loosened end to the back of the other wheelbarrow, which should have been previously placed directly under one of the holes through which the salt is to fall from the salt reservoir, and directly touch- ing the spool. Be sure the thread is perfectly taut. Fill the salt reservoir to the top with salt, and as soon as the wheelbarrow at the head of the incline is loaded it will immediately start to run to the bottom of the incline, where it will empty the salt automatically. As the loaded wheel- barrow rushes down the incline it pulls the emptied wheelbarrow to the top of the incline to get its load of salt. This species of perpetual motion will continue so long as the salt reservoir is kept filled withsalt,. 248 HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS TOYS By means of pieces of bent cardboard you may make your power house at the head of the incHne as architecturally interesting as you desire. When salt is not falling into the wheelbarrows it should fall through either of the holes bored in the upper part of the incline. THE BUTTERFLY CIRCUS The butterflies are of light cardboard covered with various coloured crepe tissue papers. These may be made of all sizes; the large ones shown in the illustration were six inches in length. When the butterflies are all prepared, fasten them to long, curved wires by thrusting the tips of the wires through the wings ; see the illustration. The wires are then stuck in and suspended from a large cork and through the centre of this cork a hatpin is inserted, so that when the point of this pin rests on the smooth end of a stick, which should be fastened in an upright position to the top of the Christmas tree, the circle of butterfly will balance perfectly. In placing the butterflies on the wires, incline them considerably in one direction. The heat arising from the lighted tapers will cause the butterflies to fly around and around in beautiful style. 249 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS HOLLY-BRANCH MERRY-GO-ROUND Four Sprigs of holly are stuck into a cork, through the centre of which a hatpin has been previously driven. Near the top of the hatpin a small cork may be seen, in which four light sticks are stuck, and over these sticks are slipped square pieces of paper placed at slightly inclined positions. Near the end of each holly branch a little candlestick with a candle is attached. When the candles are lighted the " holly -branch merry-go-round," with its lighted wax tapers, will revolve very prettily indeed. THE FEATHERED BALLET-DANCER Long chicken feathers are stuck into a cork as shown in the illustration, so that each feather is turned slightly outward and all in the same direction. The head is a wad of newspaper, on which features are marked. Upon the under side of the cork a long straw is fastened. This is slipped over a hatpin, which has been previously tied to a stick fastened in an upright position to two of the branches. The lighted candles make the dancer revolve very comically. 250 ELASTIC TOYS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM Chapter XXV ELASTIC TOYS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM T TERE is a whole lot of fun for you boys and •*- -*- girls, and unless I'm very much mistaken you'll all think so yourselves after you have made some of these elastic toys. Why, just think of it, all the toys here illustrated are so simple to make that every boy and girl can easily make others like them. They are toys that will move, too. Begin with the "tin-can locomotive," for that is the simplest. Make all the fastenings with sealing-wax. HOW TO MAKE A TIN-CAN LOCOMOTIVE The boiler of the locomotive is a baking- powder can, the rear wheels are covers of the same, the cab is an oblong tin box, the smoke- stack is a spool, and the forward wheel is another spool. Cut along the lower edge of the tin-box cab, and turn up the tin for three-fourths of an 253 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS inch and at right angles to the plane of the box. Bore two holes in the sides of the cab for the knitting-needle axle. Bore a hole in the centre of wheels, slip the axle through the holes in the cab, slide the wheels over the ends of this and fasten securely to the axle. Fasten the boiler to the cab, resting the back of it on the turned-up tin. Fasten two pieces of cardboard to the forward part of the boiler and bore a hole through the lower ends of these. Plug the holes of the spool to be used as the front wheels with wood, place between the cardboard strips, and stick ordinary pins through the holes in the strips and in the centre of the plugs for axles. The headlight is supported on a square of card- board fastened to the boiler. Carefully fasten a piece of elastic in position as follows: Tie one end around the centre of the axle inside the cab, pass the loose end through the long, narrow opening in the lower part of the cab, and fasten it with plenty of sealing-wax to the front end of the boiler; see diagram for way to arrange the elastic. The elastic should be as long as from the front of the boiler to the axle. An elastic band cut in two at one end or a number of small elastic bands tied together will answer admirably. To set the locomotive in motion, turn the tin wheels backward until quite a lot of the. elastic 254 ELASTIC TOYS is wound up on the axle, then holding the wheels firmly, set the locomotive on the floor, when it will travel for a distance of twenty-five feet or more. Cars are made of match boxes. HOW TO MAKE A TROLLEY CAR * The upper part of the car is an inverted box of light cardboard, ten inches in length, with windows and doors cut in it. The wheels are of cardboard or pill boxes, two and one-half inches in diameter, and are set inside the car. Holes are bored in the sides of the car through which to pass the knitting-needle axles (see the illus- tration). The wheels inside should be fastened firmly to the axles with sealing-wax. Now^take a box cover of the same width as the box but four inches longer. Cut holes in it through which to pass the wheels, and also punch holes in its sides for axles. Before going farther tie a piece of elastic eight inches long to the centre of the front axle. Place the inverted box in the cover, allowing the tips of the axles to pass through the holes in the sides of this, and fasten together with sealing-wax. Bend the sides of the cover projecting beyond the front and the rear of the car body to form steps. Pass the loose end of the elastic under the rear axle, and fasten to the extreme rear of the car (see illus- 25s NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS tration). The trolley is of cardboard. The trolley wheel is a slice of cork, with cardboard disks of larger diameter fastened to it. Use an ordinary pin for the axle on the trolley wheel. Place the lower end of the trolley through a slit in the top of the car, and stick a pin through it crosswise, so that it rests there. Fasten the pin down with sealing-wax. The trolley line is of thread. Be sure to pass it under the trolley wheel. To make the car go, wind up the elastic on the front axle by turning the wheels back- ward. The bicycles and their riders are of stiff card- board. The illustration shows how these are mad^. The diameter of the large wheels is five inches. The uprights on each side of the large wheels are three inches in length. The upper ends of these are fastened to narrow, curved strips of cardboard seven inches in length, on the lower ends of which small wheels are placed. The wire axles through the large wheels are three inches in length, and bent as shown in the illus- tration. First fasten the body of the bicyclists in position on the cardboard uprights, and then loosely attach the joints with pins. Fasten the bicyclists to the tips of a slender eighteen-inch stick, as shown in the illustration. The elastic power to run the bicyclists is in a cardboard box 256 A BICYCLE RACE ' ELASTIC TOYS between the two. A knitting needle is stuck through the box, one end of a piece of elastic is fastened to it, and the other end to the box. To make the bicyclists go, hold them and turn the box around and around, which will wind up the elastic. 257 SCULPTURE FOR EVERYBODY Chapter XXVI SCULPTURE FOR EVERYBODY X^. T?VERY woman and girl has here an oppor- -*--' tunity to make lovely things in sculpture. Talent is not re- quisite, nor study in art schools necessary. There is no dirt-making clay to handle, no expensive wax to buy, no intricate modelling tools to learn the use of. A few cakes of white soap, a teaspoon and a penknife are all that is needful for the creation of a veritable fairyland r.-^fc-^ XJ. /OWUvvA."t)L M ' ll P Jjr^ M m 'JK^^ H^H i^ |n p—A •JPf SOAP CANDELABRUM DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS THE FLOWERY CHARIOT SCULPTURE FOR EVERYBODY You will need a soap mixture, and this is the way to make it: Place a number of fine soap shavings in a tin pan and just cover them with water. Set this upon the stove and keep it there until the soap is melted, then take it off, and when the solution thickens until the con- sistency of glue is reached it is ready for use. This mixture is used to fasten the parts of sculp- ture together, to fill up all interstices, and is generally useful and convenient. A SOAP CANDELABRUM To make the candelabrum, fasten a block of wood three and one-half inches square by six and one-half inches in height to a piece of board. Around the block place four cakes of soap (A, Fig. 36). These should measure about four inches long, two and one- half inches wide and one and one- half inches thick, and be fastened securely to the board with "soap mixture." Then place corner pieces and 263 / V \ - > WOOD BLOCK < A .^ _. — »^ Fig. 36 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS lower steps in position, as shown in the diagram, and the base is complete. Start building pedestal by fastening large roses (A, Fig. 37) to base; use sharpened matches as pegs for this purpose (see B, Fig. 37). Fasten small roses on top of large roses in same manner, and the pedestal will be completed. Roses will present a better ap- pearance if separated from each other and from base with thin slices of soap fastened in position with "soap mixture" (see diagram). After this cut out a hexagonal piece of soap (C, Fig. 37) and fasten it to the top of the block. For the column, use a pasteboard roller about twelve inches high and one and one-half inches through and paint it white. Bore a hole com- pletely through the middle of tube and insert a curved piece of wire, which should be firmly secured with sealing-wax (D, Fig. 37). Upon each tip of wire fasten four small soap petals with sealing-wax. Entwine a string festoon of flowers gracefully around the column, securing both ends with sealing-wax. Fasten the column m 264 Fig. 37 SCULPTURE FOR EVERYBODY place upon a hexagonal piece of soap with the "so^p mixture" or with sealing-wax. In conclusion, cover up all exposed sealing- wax and wire with white paint; also paint the board upon which the candelabra stands jet black, which will greatly add to the effect. Can- dles may be fastened in place with "soap mix- ture." THE FLOWERY CHARIOT The foundation of the flowery chariot is made by fastening a block of wood six inches long, two inches wide and one and one-fourth inches high securely to a stand. Slice two cakes of soap in half (A, Fig. 38). Place three slices upon the wooden block, and fasten the whole together with " soap mix- 4K. ture." When the mixture has hard- ened carve out these slices in shape as shown by B, Fig. 38. Next place a whole Fig. 38 cake of soap, from which a step has been previously cut out, upon the rear of this (C, I'^ig- 38), fastening it in the same manner as shown in B, Fig. 37, and afterward afhx smaller rose, as shown in Fig. 38. Now 265 NEW GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS cut out six thin, narrow slices of soap and fasten them with mixture to body of chariot, as shown by dotted Hnes (C, Fig. 38). Keep these in place with pins until the mixture hardens, and then shave down until the whole presents the appearance as shown by D, Fig. 38. For decora- tion, fasten single petals to chariot with mixture or pins. In front place a flower composed of petals joined together with mixture ; around , this flower entwine a long string festoon as shown in the illustration. For wheels, cut out four circular pieces of soap, two large and two small stick matches in centre for axle, and decorate these with delicate petals. The daintiness of this chariot can hardly be imagined by the person who has never seen any of the beautiful articles that can be made from ordinary white soap. When placed against a dark background it looks wondrously beautiful, Rich, dark backgrounds and strong light and shade, properly placed, heighten the effect of these soap sculptures very materially. t66 3l|77-3 lr,l,SK!i!,X O"" CONGRESS «;;?il iliiifiiiii »tMi(l^