Various

“ War, carnage, and sacrilege; priests and friars preaching in city streets or by country road-sides to thronging crowds; thousands of travellers of all ages starting on a long and toilsome journey, many of them dying from its hardships ere they reach their destination; costly ships, loaded with soldiers and passengers; kings leaving their thrones and peasants their hovels, all impelled by the same motive; great armies going into battle bearing the cross on their shoulders; money and blood poured out like water for years to win from infidel hands a place dearer than life. ”

“ For nothing is so much prized by most girls as a room of their very own, and a middle daughter, particularly such a middle daughter as Grace Wainwright, has a claim to a foothold—a wee bit place, as the Scotch say—where she can shut herself in, and read her Bible, and say her prayers, and write her letters, and dream her dreams, with nobody by to see. ”

“ It frequently happens that players who are not strictly amateurs get on amateur teams. We hear of this continually. It is always very hard to find out whether the Captain of the team or any of the other players were aware at the beginning, or at any time, of this player's actual standing. It is impossible to prove whether or not such knowledge existed. But if you make the penalty for such infringement of the law so severe that every Captain and every player will make it his business—for his own sake—to know all about every other man on his team, you will be purifying sport at a rapid rate. ”

“ The queen is ready to give audience. Just wheel my chair a little to the left, so that I can catch the last of that soft pink after-glow."
"And were you really entirely unprepared, Grace," said the girls later, "and didn't you ever for a single moment notice anything whatsoever we were doing?"
"Never for one instant. I missed my Tennyson and my French Bible, but thought Eva had borrowed them, and in my wildest imagination I never dreamed you would furnish a lovely big room at the top of the house all for me, my own lone self. It doesn't seem right for me to accept it." ”

“ A great deal. It has been my business for centuries to make people love. Here are seven fine valentines for Miss Steele. That's your name?
Miss Steele. Yes, but it is twenty-five years since I had a valentine. (Muses.) Robert, my friend, sent me one. I have it somewhere. But that seems ages ago. I never acknowledged it, and he misunderstood my silence. He went away, and my heart has been closed to love since. Boy, let me see these valentines. Why, they are from my seven naughty girls—Alicia, Ada, Georgie, and even Mollie! What exquisite designs! These things grow more beautiful every year. ”

“ Are we of the number who refuse to set unkind gossip going, and of whom it may be said, in the beautiful words of the Bible, "On her tongue is the law of kindness?"
To decide never to allude to our neighbors and their affairs in our every-day talk would be silly as well as impossible. Neighbors and friends are part of the outside family which composes the community, and a community is made up of all the families who reside within its boundaries. We are interested, or we ought to be, in whatever happens to our friends and townspeople, both of good and of evil fortune. ”

“ It is naturally taken for granted that any one riding a bicycle from Philadelphia to Washington is in no great hurry. If he were, he would possibly think of the railway. Consequently, unless the time occupied on the journey is a wager (in which case the wager might just as well be laid over the long route) , the wheelman is probably out for pleasure. And one of the greatest pleasure creators, so to speak, in the bicyclist's world is a good road. Hence, if you are going by bicycle from Philadelphia to Washington, you will do well to go the route given during the last six weeks. ”

“ The referee is judge of the ball, and decides when it is in play, to whom it belongs, and when a goal has been made. He also appoints the time-keeper. The umpires are the judges of the men, call fouls, notify offenders, and have the right to disqualify players. A foul called by one umpire may not be questioned by the other. A great deal of responsibility thus rests upon the umpires, for it is in their power to keep roughness out of the game, and to see that science rather than brute force becomes the chief road to success. ”

“ Another reason why basket-ball has become popular is that it may be played upon any kind of a ground, in-doors or out-doors, in a gymnasium, a hall, a back yard, or a ten-acre lot, on a dancing-floor or a stubble field. I have seen the game played in a room 12x20 feet, and I have known it to be played on a football field. Furthermore, it is allowable for any number of men to join in a game, although the regulation number of players for a team is five on a side. Where a match is not being contested the number on a side may be increased to the capacity of the field, and two balls may be used. ”

“ This feeling has arisen from the fact that the High-School and Latin School of Cambridge are two separate and distinct institutions, presided over by separate officials, and yet the scholars of the two schools join forces in athletics, and appear upon the field with teams made up from the strongest and best material to be found in both bodies. In years past, when the participation in out-door sports was not so general among the student body as it is now, there may have been good reason for allowing these two schools of the same town to join forces in athletics. ”

“ A still more practical use of the pneumatic tire and other bicycle features, especially for a city paved with asphalt, were demonstrated by some of the tricycles for delivering parcels or carrying baggage of any light kind. One, a picture of which is given with this article, was for invalids—for use in the parks of a city. Indeed, why should not nursery girls ride around on tricycle baby-carriages, with places for the babies in front or behind? And why should not old ladies who are timid about horses go out in little bicycle landaus and broughams? ”

“ Miss Steele. When I want any of your interference, Miss Thurston, I will ask for it. Georgiana Thompson, go back to my room, and don't bring me a pink, or gray, or black shawl, but a white one which is in the left-hand corner of the upper drawer in my bureau. And if you don't want to spend to-morrow in your room, with bread and tea for your dinner, you would better bring me the right thing this time. Do you hear? (Exit Georgiana.) She must enjoy running up two flights of stairs. I declare it's most annoying.
Alicia. Perhaps, Miss Steele, Georgiana is color-blind. ”

“ Having been a member of the Sub-Freshman Class of the College of the City of New York does not debar a scholar from competing.
The game of basket-ball is a comparative innovation this winter, but in many sections of the country it has sprung into great popularity. In New England, especially, is this the case. The reason for the game's success is that it offers to those who wish to keep in training during the winter months an ideal recreation, affording a greater variety of exercise than any other kind of gymnasium work. ”

“ Once or twice we almost let it out, but she suspected nothing, and we glided over the danger as over ice, and hugged ourselves that we had escaped. We meant it for a surprise.
First of all, of course, the place had to be thoroughly cleaned, then whitewashed as to the ceiling, and scoured over and over as to the unpainted wood. Archie Vanderhoven and all the brothers of both families helped manfully with this, and the two dear old doctors both climbed up stairs every day, and gave us their criticism. When the cleanness and the sweetness were like the world after the deluge, we began to furnish. ”

“ These are talks with my own girls, and I follow the paper with very loving and wistful thoughts as it goes on its way to them, wondering and hoping a great deal about them, hoping that they are making the best possible use of life. There is something splendid in being young and a girl, with the bright years before her, each fairer and fuller than its predecessor. ”

“ By removing all the players who were in company with the guilty man they get rid of the possible good with the surely bad, but they make room for new material that will certainly profit by the lesson given to its predecessors. It seems to me that if this year there is found on any New York interscholastic baseball team any player who has no right to play, as was the case last year, the wiser method will be to blacklist the whole team rather than to expel the school from the association. ”

“ Everything about it is much like any bicycle of to-day, except that runners instead of wheels are used. There is a rear wheel which is fitted with a tire of spikes that catch the ice through a slit in the rear runner, and in this way the "icecycle" is sent ahead. When a good velocity has been attained the rider can shift this spiked wheel by a movement of his foot in such a manner as to raise it off the ice and allow the machine to coast. But an icecycle must be a very slippery affair, and rather inclined to slide in any direction, as easily sideways as forward. ”

“ Never say that Eleanor is proud, or Edith is vain, or Marie has no taste, or Lulu has the temper of a wasp, or Charley's word is not to be depended on. When you cannot honestly utter a kind word, then be silent. ”

“ It is evident that basket-ball is a game capable of great scientific development. It is by no means child's play. It is a sport in which team-work counts fully as [Pg 367] much as in football, and where individual brilliancy must become secondary to concerted effort. This very season, in several important games, the value of team-play has been made evident, and its superiority has been conclusively shown. Basket-ball is certainly a game to be favored. It is the ideal competitive sport for gymnasium recreation ”

“ If you have worked properly you will have a perfect matrix. The fish being supple, you take it by the tail and get it out.
Your mould may be dry, but you want it drier. It may be left twenty-four hours and put in the sun, or, if you want to hurry it up, you can place it in an oven, but not in too hot a one.
You have now gone as far as I used to go when I began to take the casts of medals. You want to go beyond that, and get a perfect fish, and you have the mould. It would never do to pour liquid plaster into a plaster mould. The new mixture would stick fast to the old one. ”

“ It is surprising how much that is true and loving and beautiful we can find to say of all our friends, if we determine that we will be like the princess in the fairy tale, out of whose mouth, whenever she opened it, pearls and rubies dropped. ”

“ The city of Washington is perhaps the finest city in the United States for bicycling, and it deserves to be given a place in this Department simply on account of its asphalt streets, to say nothing of its importance as the capital. In the better parts of the city, towards the west and the north, almost every street is asphalted, and where asphalt is not used, macadam or some smooth block pavement of one kind or another is. ”

“ There has been a great deal of complaint both in London and New York of the way in which a certain class of shopkeepers try to force their wares upon passers-by. One man, a traveller, has managed to get the better of one of these shopmen, a clothing-dealer, who had a way of almost dragging people into his place. ”

“ With an effort William managed to compose himself. "What is this young man imprisoned for?" he asked, in a whisper, of the jailer at his side.
"For stealing a watch," was the reply. "He tried to escape, and has been wounded slightly in the arm. He appears to have been a likely youth, and 'tis a shame that he should have fallen so, for he has some learning." The man shook his head pityingly.
William did not hear the last words. It appeared to him that a bright flash came and went before his eyes, and again he grasped the bars of the doorway. His brother George a thief. ”

“ The first man does the steering, and the gear on his chain is very small. The second man's gear is larger, the third's larger still until the sixth man has a huge gear, something like 125 or 150. The speed that can be obtained on this wheel, or rather the speed that is said to be obtainable, is something too great to set down in type until it is actually recorded as having been done; but there is a story afloat that a wager has been made to build a track alongside the New York Central road, in order that one of the six-man bicycles may race with the Empire State Express. ”

“ Cupid. I can bring you some valentines for your tea, if you like.
Miss Steele. Well, do. Select pretty ones, regardless of cost, and bring them to me. [Exit.]
Cupid. You see, that's just in my line.
Mollie. Somebody fan me! Salts, camphor, quick! Invited to tea by Miss Steele!
Cupid. Don't you think my plan worked famously.
Laura. How did you do it?
Cupid. Well, my aunt—she's the lady that was selling valentines—was awfully worried because you girls were going to send a hideous old comic to your teacher, and I suggested that we substitute our kind—the love valentines. ”

“ The wrong and the mean thing is to tell little trivialities which are personal affairs, as if they had to do with society. To observe that Martha Newcome is so stingy that she wears her old cloak when the whole town knows she could afford another, but won't do it; that Elias Judson makes his boys get up in the morning and work in the field without their breakfast; that the people over the way spend their whole time going about, and goodness knows they cannot find time to mend their children's stockings, etc. ”

“ When you are riding along level ground, and do not touch the "brake," the gear is at 80. Soon you come to a hill. Then by pulling the "brake" handle up half-way the gear of the wheel is changed from 80 to 60, and thus you can go up hill, slower, to be sure, but much easier. After reaching the top of the hill you pull this rod up close to the handle-bar of the wheel, and the gearing is thrown off entirely, so that the bicycle will coast down hill without turning the cranks. Of course the rider can keep his feet on the pedals all the time. ”

“ It had a system of cranks which permitted a man to ride with a gearing of 100 as easily as the ordinary wheel carries him along with a 60 gear, but of course he covered much more ground at every revolution. Still another machine had a frame in the shape of a triangle, instead of a diamond, with the seat at the apex, and one wheel at each end of the base. It was a strange-looking affair, but, of course, it could be built much lighter than the ordinary bicycle, while the frame is said to be stronger. Still another and very interesting novelty was a bicycle for use on the ice. ”

“ Let us consider basket-ball merely as an in-door game for the present. It is probable that wherever the game may be taken up it will be played in a gymnasium. The floor should be well cleared of all apparatus, and if there is a running track around the building the baskets may be hung upon it, or, if there is no track, they may be suspended from the wall, ten feet above the ground. ”

“ If it seems too thin you can add more plaster. You ought to make a mixture of about the consistency of a thick batter. You stir it in order to get rid of the air bubbles. To make good casts is a regular business. The ornamentations of ceilings are made with plaster; and asking some of the workmen what they did when mixing the plaster, they said, "the great secret is to mix the composition slowly."
When I worked away as a boy, making casts of medals, I knew nothing about taking casts of fish. In the United States National Museum at Washington there are many casts taken from the actual fishes. ”