Various

“ William shuddered. "There's a plot to aid in his escape."
"That I know well," returned the schoolmaster. "If it were frustrated and he kept safe, you would rejoice—hey?"
"'Twould be my duty," returned William.
"Have you aught against the calling of a spy?" inquired Schoolmaster Anderson.
William reflected. "If it were base to be one," he replied, "my brother George would have been far from it, that I promise you. A spy risks his life to serve his king—"
"Or country," put in Mr. Anderson. "Ay, he is usually a brave, fearless man, and should not be condemned. He can harm no one but his enemy." ”

“ What a valuable thing it is for the pupil to know that Mozart desired to [Pg 387] have the passages flow like oil, and that he was opposed to all decided violations of the time. What a flood of illumination it throws on all music to know the meaning of the three great periods of musical history, polyphonic, classic, and romantic. These subjects are taught to classes by lectures and special teachers; but it is a sufficient evidence of the light-mindedness with which most pupils approach, music that not more than five per cent. of the conservatory students enter these classes. ”

“ Such institutions as the National Conservatory of Music and the New York College of Music have each from 600 to 800 piano students, and there are some thirty smaller conservatories in the city. The number of private pupils is enormous, and one often wonders whether it can be possible that Americans are so fond of music that every family contains a student. The truth is, however, that nine-tenths of the girls who study the piano—I had almost said study music, but they do not do that—are actuated not by a love of music, but simply by a desire to possess an accomplishment. ”

“ Dick and Charlie conferred together in low tones. Should they protest against the pure English of the gay hussars? Something was clearly wrong, though the uniforms seemed right. But no, they would not stop to challenge them.
Up and down the ice the rubber block spun, alternately threatening the well-guarded goal-posts. It was such pretty hockey that the officers on the bank, in the excitement of the game, forgot to chaff their representatives, and only when Charlie, "by playing for his man," had bowled a stiff little hussar clean over, did they give way to unrestrained mirth. ”

“ Several Americans present admitted this test to be perfectly reasonable, and the captain was persuaded to acquiesce. He went up stairs, and returned with the falcon. The door was hardly opened before the bird jumped from the captain's fist and perched upon the shoulder of its long-lost master, rubbing its head against his cheek, taking hold of his buttons and champing them playfully in its beak, and evincing by every way in its power its delight and affection. ”

“ What fusses and frictions are caused by the sort of temper in the top drawer that explodes like a fire-cracker the instant a match of irritation comes within touching distance! What a disagreeable thing a certain sort of smile is, the hateful smile that comes out of the top drawer where vanity and jealousy lurk! When we are about it, we might as well, in our clearing up, burn and get rid of the bad tempers, the crossness, and the suspiciousness which help to make us and others wretched. To be happy ourselves and to make others happy should be our constant aim and effort. ”

“ And the unhappy pupil closes her throat up, as if she had a sort of artistic croup, and tries to force her voice through by main strength. In the mass of pupils in the conservatory there are always twenty or thirty who are studying seriously, with the hope of making artistic careers for themselves. These do not simply study the pianos or singing; they study music, which is a vastly more laborious undertaking. ”

“ Clearing-up seasons are good for the soul, and one's mind and heart are the better for the taking one's top drawer in hand—one's top drawer where she does not keep ribbons and roses and belts and buckles only, but fancies and resolves and notions and dispositions and prejudices. ”

“ When it is possible for you to block the game, do not do so if you have been playing high cards and your adversary low ones, for in that case the chances are that he will be able to "count out." It is dangerous to block your own hand until you have become so skilled in the game as to be able to form some idea of the size of your adversary's hand.
If you hold a double, and one or more with the same number, play it as soon as possible; but do not try to make a number for it, otherwise your adversary, if he be a good player, will see what you are trying to do, and prevent it. ”

“ Paolo accounted for the wonderful music by leading his father to the other end of the hall and pointing to a small alcove behind a pillar, explained that everything spoken or played in that spot would cast the sound directly over to where the violin hung, and that as a boy he had discovered the wonderful echo, and experimented with it more than once. He had driven the nail in the wall years ago, and when he entered the hall upon his return, and saw his father sitting there before the violin, he resolved to try his love by use of that boyish experiment. ”

“ The beginner should practise with the shot for a good period every-day. He should work until he begins to feel tired, but after he has become master of the event—say in a year or so—he need practise but two or three times a week, and he will find that his form and powers are thus best retained.
In England the university athletes put the shot from a ten-foot square instead of a seven-foot circle. This gives them a certain advantage over American athletes, for they get a longer run, and thus more speed, and hence a greater momentum at the end. ”

“ STUDYING TO BE MUSICIANS.
Some agreeable writer, whose name I have forgotten, said that there was no art which had so many devotees as music, and none of which there was such widespread ignorance. If I should say that there must be in the city of New York not less than 50,000 girls engaged in learning how to play upon the piano, I should perhaps astonish some of the readers of this paper, yet it is my firm belief that these figures are much too small. ”

“ Upstairs one young woman is pursuing the uneven sopranos of her way up and down the scale, a boy is playing a violin étude in several kinds of pitch, and a dozen girls are hammering out their semi-weekly allowance of Bach, Beethoven, Weber, Mozart, and Chopin all at once. The teachers—German, Polish, Russian, French, Italian, occasionally American—sit, stand, or pace the floor, according to their temperaments, and correct, guide, and urge gently or excitably as the case may be. ”

“ Sometimes the man who turns the crank becomes tired, and the audience is surprised to see the ripples go by fits and starts. For this reason an electric motor is better, or a steam attachment, if such a thing can be had in the theatre. The moonlit sky above the waters may be improved by the addition of a few twinkling stars, and these are easily enough produced by hanging large spangles on bent pins. The slightest tremor of the drop will cause them to shake, and the flashing of the light which they reflect produces the illusion of twinkling. ”

“ There is one little corner of the top drawer which is more important than any other. It ought to be labelled "Conscience." Here we should be careful that we never leave a single thing in confusion. Where we are in doubt whether an action is right or wrong we must settle it by the light of conscience, and our decision will be influenced by our general habits of thinking and doing, and by our every-day habit of asking our Heavenly Father's guidance for each hour of life. ”

“ Let me say right here to the beginner, always use a 16-lb. shot. Shun a 12-lb. shot as you would a shuttle-cock. If you feel you are not strong enough to use the regulation weight, do not under any consideration go into training for the event. Wait until you are strong enough. There is plenty of time. The shot is an event that only strong and well-developed young men should indulge in—and if you feel you are not strong enough to handle sixteen pounds, you had better devote your energies to some other branch of athletics. The man who works with a 12-lb. ”

“ A put is counted a foul if the competitor steps over the front half of the circle or on the board before the measurement of his put has been made—and the foul counts as a trial. Therefore be sure to remain in the circle until the field judge has measured and registered your put.
The careful athlete will always spare his right arm as much as he can. For instance, when he picks up the shot he will hold it in his left hand, and he will do the same while he steps into the circle and gets his footing. ”

“ Life in the music schools of New York is by no means as picturesque as life in the art schools, so charmingly described by Mr. Ralph; but it is interesting, and it has a remarkable jargon of its own, quite unintelligible to the non-musical person. The girls—the boy students are very few—flock to the New York schools from the entire surrounding country. Every morning train brings them from Newark, Paterson, Elizabeth, Yonkers, Tarrytown, Nyack, Greenwich, and other outlying towns and cities, where, indeed, good teachers may often be found, but not the advantage of conservatory systems. ”

“ The Drawing game is played like the Double Sixes, save that when a player is blocked he must draw another card, and continue to do so until he can play. He who plays out first, or, in case of the game being blocked, he who has the smallest number of spots wins. This game really requires the most skill, since a player must remember all the cards, and try to form some idea of what remains in the pool and what his adversary holds. ”

“ The Matadore game has more of the element of chance in it than any other. Each player draws three cards, and he who holds the highest plays first. After that the next player can only go when his domino, added to the one previously played, will make seven. Those cards having just seven spots on them, and the double blank, are called matadores, and may be played at any time, regardless of spots. There are, of course, but four matadores—6-1, 5-2, 4-3, 0-0. If one cannot play, he must draw until he can, or until but two are left, when no more can be taken. ”

“ In fact, the Interscholastic Sport Department is constantly giving suggestions in training for one particular event or another. Bicycle-training is practically the same as the preparation gone through by a man who is to run in the longer distances. Of course the principal part of the work is wheeling constantly day after day for certain distances, depending on the event for which we are training, gradually increasing speed or distance as the event is a short distance or a long tour. Muscular development and lung-power are required, and these must be practised by constant gymnasium work. ”

“ A German Duke is said to have wept bitterly when his favorite falcon, falling to the earth with a heron in his talons, lost both of its eyes in the encounter which took place on the ground.
Lovers of dogs insisted that the hawk came to the "lure" only—the "lure" being the feed which constitutes a part of the training—and was never actuated by an affection for its master. But lovers of falconry declare the falcon to be capable of warm and lasting affection. A Colonel Johnson, of the Rifle Brigade, was ordered to Canada with his battalion. ”

“ At the next inter-collegiate contest he put the shot 44 feet, which he considered a lucky performance—and it was—although before training for the hammer event for the same contest he had put over 45 feet.
To become successful in this event requires long and persistent work, just as in hammer-throwing. Shot-putting is a great science to develop, and it usually takes several years before an athlete can really become proficient in the event. The beginner must first strengthen his arms, giving particular attention to the development of the triceps and deltoids. ”

“ The correct attitude for getting across the circle on this hop is crouching. Then, as soon as your left foot touches ground, you bring it swiftly backward, throwing the entire right side of the body forward; and you turn half around, so that the right shoulder will be in the exact direction in which the shot is to be put. After the impetus upward has been given by the legs and body, shoot the arm outward with all the force at your command, the motion being just such a one as you would make with the clinched fist against the sparring-bag. ”

“ Moonrise is produced with a sky drop, cut out between the clouds, as in the case of the sunset just described, and a "moon-box." This moon-box is simply a box with a circular hole cut in one side of it. Over this hole is pasted a piece of white muslin, and inside the box is a light. The box is placed behind the muslin sky drop, with the hole against the drop. The light is turned on, and the moon is drawn slowly upward by wires. Of course the illuminated face of the moon shows through the muslin, and disappears when it passes behind the thick canvas clouds. ”

“ Now Uncle Simon's young friends can come to the rescue. What do you say, boys, shall we form ourselves into a skating brigade, pile the wood on these sleds that you forgot to take home, and carry it down the river to Uncle Simon? All in favor say 'Aye.'"
The response to this appeal did not come at once. The boys thought this rather a tame ending to their contemplated sport.
"One good turn deserves another," said the General, persuasively. [Pg 380] "Remember that Uncle Simon has helped most of you out of some difficulty. ”

“ Most of the noted pianists are compelled to teach in order to make a living, for concert engagements are not numerous. Their devotion to their art is the result of a deep and absorbing love for it, which must be its own reward. ”