Various

“ By this time Bonny had regained consciousness, and was wondering, in a dazed fashion, what had happened. "Is it all right, Rick?" he asked, as his comrade bent anxiously over him.
"Yes, old man, it's all right; and the light I told you of is shining bright and clear at last."
"Queer, isn't it, how the poor lad's mind wanders?" remarked Raulet to one of the men. "He thinks he sees a bright light, while I'll swear no one has so much as struck a match. We must hustle, now, and get 'em to camp. Do you think you feel strong enough to set straddle of a horse, son?" he asked of Alaric. ”

“ I am not far from an old man, Mr. Washington, but I retain my interest in youth, and I like to see young faces about me at Greenway."
"Thank you, my lord," answered George, with secret delight. "I shall not let my mother forget her promise—but she never does that."
"There is excellent sport at Greenway, and I have kept a choice breed of deer-hounds, as well as fox-hounds. I brought with me from England a considerable library, and you can, I hope, amuse yourself with a book; but if you cannot amuse yourself with a book, you will always be dependent upon others for your entertainment." ”

“ When they had gone down some ten feet or more, and it became difficult to throw up the spadefuls of the black rich earth, the windlass was placed in position, a basket constructed with the aid of twigs and vines, and the two negroes were set to work hauling the earth to the surface as the white men below filled the improvised carrier. Malcolm's back ached from the constant bending and lifting, but his father labored as might a fireman in a burning house, and Gifford, stripped to the waist and dripping with perspiration like a stoker, delved with the strength of two men. ”

“ George had dismounted from his horse, and with quiet command had got everything in readiness to transport the cavalcade. The Earl, sitting calmly back in the chariot, watched the proceedings keenly. He knew that it required good judgment in a boy of fifteen to take charge of the ferriage of so many animals and men without haste or confusion. He observed that in the short time George had preceded him everything was exactly as it should be—the large boat drawn up ready for the coach, and two smaller boats and six stalwart negro ferrymen to do the work. ”

“ But the moment he loses the heavenly bodies he must feel his way into port by "dead reckoning," which consists of measuring the actual distance sailed by means of the log-line, and of ascertaining the direction by the compass. It is a method subject to errors of many kinds, caused by incorrect registering of the log, by deviation of the compass, and by currents. It is like trying to walk through a room in the dark by counting the number of your steps. So it was not remarkable that Captain Jason Argo looked grave. ”

“ Many of the men were anxious to hear a more detailed account of our lads' recent adventures, but Buck Raulet said:
"Call round this afternoon. We've got something else on hand just now."
When they returned to his picturesque little dwelling the big man led the way inside, closed the door, and said: "Now, lads, sit down and let's talk business. What do you propose to do next?"
"I don't think we know," responded Alaric.
"Do you want to go to Tacoma or Seattle?"
"I don't know why we should. We haven't any friends in either place, nor any money to live on while we look for work." ”

“ The mere learning of a move like palming is hardly interesting unless it avails for some trick. As "The Miser" is not suitable for all occasions, here is a little trick which will answer to show my amateur friend's proficiency:
Place two half-dollar's on a table. Pick up one with the right hand, palm it, and pretend to place it in the left hand. To do this naturally let the tips of the right-hand fingers touch the left hand, and at the same time close that hand and draw the other away. To the general spectator it will appear as if the coin really remained in the left hand. ”

“ If he had been on soundings the trusty lead would have told him where he was, but no machine could plumb the depths now under the Golden Fleece's keel. At six o'clock the Captain went on the bridge again. The fog had disappeared, but the sky was still overcast.
"Hum!" he muttered; "it's enough to make a man give up the sea and go to farming."
Toward half past nine there were signs that the clouds were about to break, and the officers on the bridge made ready to "shoot the sun," as taking an observation is called, at the first opportunity. ”

“ Brilliant performers are much to be desired if they can be backed up by other athletes of average capability; but they are almost useless, so far as a victory is concerned, when all the work falls upon them, for their achievements then practically count for nothing.
In many respects the performances made at the New York State meeting were better than those recorded at the N. Y. Interscholastics on the Berkeley Oval a few weeks ago, notably the high jump and the broad jump—although these figures do not, of course, surpass the New York city records. ”

“ Gifford slipped the stone into his mouth and made a spring for the rope. He slid down it sailor fashion, and one of the blacks followed him. Malcolm hastened to the edge. There they were, on their hands and knees, searching the loose earth, beneath which showed clearly the heavy beams that protected the rest of King Obani's treasure. ”

“ There are songs of home and of country, of love and fame, of heart and soul, of devotion and praise, with their sad and sweet or lively melodies, and with grand old chorals that stir the heart and lift it in worship. ”

“ If you wish to form an association of the graduates of your school, do not hesitate to do so because you are few in number, or because the school is not very well known. Some of the best work is done in obscure schools, and our love for our own girls and our own teachers has nothing whatever to do with the fame of the institution. ”

“ The Oakland High-School athletes have every reason to feel proud of the record they have made on track and field this year. The track team won both the autumn and the spring field days of the Academic Athletic League, and took eight points in the recent Pacific Coast Championships. They have showed themselves to be so strong an aggregation that they can only secure meetings with university teams. ”

“ A little over an hour later the lookout forward reported the Sandy Hook Light-ship close to the starboard bow.
"Hard a starboard!" said the Captain; and as the ship swung round and the light-ship faded away into the mist again, he ordered the vessel to be stopped and let go the anchor. The fog-whistle ceased to blow, and the bell took its place as a warning. The Captain went down off the bridge, and made his appearance at the luncheon-table.
"Captain Argo," said an impatient old lady, "I'd like to know why we are anchored here in a fog out in the middle of the ocean. ”

“ The activity in sport of the Californiana has acted as an incentive to many schools in the middle West. I know this to be true from correspondence I have had with many captains of teams in that section of the country. Foremost among those who have been drawn into emulation of the Oaklanders are the athletes of the University School of Cleveland, Ohio. Comparatively little had been done in athletics there until about a year ago, but since that time a great improvement has been noticeable, and at the University School's field day a week or so ago some very good figures were made. ”

“ In baseball the Oaklanders have as good a record as in track athletics. Their nine this year won every game played, and the contests were not only with academic teams, but also with some of the strongest nines in that section. Two years ago the O.H.-S. had the reputation of possessing the best team of amateur baseball-players on the Pacific coast. So great is the interest in athletics there that the Grammar and Primary schools of Oakland got up a field day on May 23. There was a great deal of enthusiasm displayed by the colts, and their best performances were in the high jump, 5 ft. ”

“ As the mighty tree yields up its life and comes to the ground with a grand far-echoing crash, it is set upon by "buckers" (who saw its great trunk into thirty-foot lengths) , barkers, rigging-slingers, hand-skidders and teamsters, whose splendid horses, aided by tackle of iron blocks and length of wire-rope, drag it out to the "skid-road." This is a cleared and rudely graded track, set with heavy cross-ties, over which the logs may slide, and it is provided with wire cables, whose half-mile lengths are operated by stationary engines. ”

“ Occasionally it would raise one eye like a window-sash, and curious birds would fly forth, and, after fluttering around, fly to the other end of the monster, who would throw open an eye to admit them. As the Slambangaree deposited the boxwood top in Reginald's pocket, it pointed to the monster, and said,
"That thing is a Cariftywhifty."
"What can a Cariftywhifty do?" asked Reginald.
"What can a Cariftywhifty do?" repeated the Slambangaree. "Why, a Cariftywhifty can eat you, and that is what this Cariftywhifty is about to do." ”

“ There is a good deal of sandy riding to Sheffield, and at Sheffield the Berkshire country begins, where you are sure to find good roads; the road is no longer sandy, but is gravel, well laid, and kept in good condition. From Sheffield, running along on the western bank of the Housatonic River close by the Housatonic Railroad, the road is direct into Great Barrington, it being only necessary for the rider to remember that he must keep to the right just out of Sheffield Plain, and instead of crossing the track keep between the track and the river. ”

“ All this Buck Raulet told them; but he did not add that he had been obliged to pledge his own wages for whatever bill they should run up at the store, in case they should fail to work it out. The big-hearted "faller" was willing to do this, for he had taken a great fancy to the lads, and especially to Alaric. "That chap may be poor," he said, "and I reckon he is; but he's honest—so are they both, for that matter; and when a boy is honest, he can't help showing it in his face." ”

“ There is no hauling on sleds, no vast accumulations of logs on the ice of rivers or lakes, no river driving, no mighty jams to be cleared at imminent risk of life and limb—nothing that is customary in the East. ”

“ Not a star peeped out in the course of the night, and the Captain, running wholly by dead reckoning, was an anxious man. Toward morning he had the lead hove every half-hour, and his wisdom was shown by the result of the soundings, which proved that the Golden Fleece had over-run her reckoning by eight miles—quite enough to cause disaster if near land, or dangerous shoals. The latter was the case, for the Nautucket Shoals were not far away. The weather continued to be thick and "dirty," and Captain Jason Argo was constantly on the alert. ”

“ When the celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and stars—cannot be seen, then begins grave trouble for the navigator. As long as these are visible, by observing their altitudes above the horizon with the sextant—an instrument designed for that purpose—and by some simple astronomical calculations, he can ascertain the latitude and longitude of his ship, and thus know just where he is and which way to steer in order to reach his port. ”

“ If you cannot raise much money, you may still be able each year to do something for your school—add books to its library, or a beautiful picture to its drawing-room, or in some way show your attachment to the dear old school. ”

“ Withdrawing that hand, he turned it, palm outward, toward the audience, and then took the hat with it again, this time keeping the fingers outside. In the mean time he had palmed the four or five remaining coins, for it is as easy for the practised conjurer to palm six as one. These coins he proceeded to "catch," one at a time—which requires considerable practice—and threw each visibly into the hat. This last move set at rest any suspicions which might exist that he had been using one coin throughout the trick. ”

“ The sounding-machine consists of a heavy lead on the end of a very long piano-wire wound round a cylinder. With this a sounding can be taken while a vessel is going ahead at the rate of twelve or fifteen knots, while with an old-fashioned deep-sea lead line it is necessary to stop. An indicator on the side of the sounding-machine shows how many fathoms of wire are out, and there is a crank for winding it in. ”

“ These tiny dwellings were constructed of sweet-smelling cedar boards, split from splendid great logs, absolutely straight-grained and free from knots. Walls, roof, floor, and rude furniture were all made of the same beautiful wood. Some of the shacks had stone chimneys roughly plastered with clay, others boasted small porches, and one or two had both. Buck Raulet's had the largest porch of any, with the added adornment of climbing vines. ”

“ The Clinton High-School team also challenged the Milwaukee team, but their invitation for a dual contest was not accepted. The Iowa Association is the only one, I believe, of the Western interscholastic leagues that has joined the National I.S.A.A., and for this they deserve great credit. Their action and enterprise will no doubt be of the greatest benefit to sport in that region, and will serve to place the Iowa schools in the front rank of scholastic athletics. ”

“ In palming proper, a new coin with a sharp, milled edge is the best to use, as the milling helps to hold it in place, but for this trick well-worn pieces of money which have become quite smooth are necessary. ”

“ VI.—Do not throw your torpedoes at the poor little cats that wander forlornly about. The poor little cats are so soft that the torpedoes merely hurt them, without going off, so that neither you nor the cats can possibly enjoy the fun of it. ”

“ It is a coin with a tiny hole drilled through it near its edge. A human hair or a bit of fine sewing silk is run through this hole and formed into a loop. In this way the coin is hung from the thumb. When the performer wishes to "catch" it, a slight jerk brings it to the front of the hand, where he seizes it; and as he puts it into the hat he lets it swing to the back of the hand, which can then be shown empty.
FIG. 5.
A very good trick, somewhat akin to palming, is done with five half-dollars. ”

“ When the Iowa State H.-S.A.A. held its first field meeting last year this Department criticised the schedule of events, which contained a number of acrobatic feats not usually recognized as track or field events. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that I notice a change this year. The Iowans are certainly a progressive set of athletes, as has certainly been proved by their sending a team to the National games of last Saturday.
Clinton High-School is the leading institution in athletics there at present. ”