ANSWERS TO THE ENIGMAS, &c. (On pp. 245, 248.) RHYTHMICAL RECREATIONS. (Poetically arranged). Sweet child there's naught so fair as thee Upon this sinful earth; For oh! I ever love to see Thy pure and spotless mirth. I love to watch your joy-lit eye, The flower, in every hue arrayed, But our Creator never made Aught else so bright as thee. W. H. H. 105.-AN ORNITHOLOGICAL ENIGMA. a. Chatterer. b. Lark. c. Owl. d. Trampeter. e. Peacock. f. Tumbler. g. Booby. h. Nightingale. i. Mocking-bird. j. Sparrow. k. Dove. . Eagle. m. Phoenix. n. Ostrich. 106.-Logic, OdessA, RuM, DaB, PindaR, Aneskoul, LauD, MorninG, EvE, RetoucH, Sligo, ThoU, OxuS, Neptun E-Lord Palmerston, Cambridge House. 107.-a. Bell. 6. To the Sandwich Islands. c. Onion. 108.-Listen, Silent. 109.-Stripe, Sprite. 110.-Cab-i-net. 111-Pot-ash. 112.-Hemisphere. 113.-Cup-board. 114.- The Family Council. 115.-Liver-pool. 116.-Quick-silver. 117.-Soldier. 118.-Stone, Tone, One. 119.-a. Don-caster. b. Gravesend. c. Swansea. d. Darling-ton. e. Camp-ble-ton. f. Shrewsbury. 120.-My whole, a waggoner, received orders to harness a nag into a waggon which was new; he had on a rare green rag of a gown, and when he came near the grange he ran to the nag and cried Woo, Gee, Wo. 121.-Sack-but. 122.-Smart, Mart, Art. 123.-TOWNS IN SCOTLAND ENIGMATICALLY EXPRESSED. a. Stir-ling. b. El (1) gin. c. For-far. d. Kin car-dine. e. Laud-er. f. Gir (a hoop) van. THE EDITOR TO HIS FRIENDS. ADDRESS: 122, FLEET STREET, E.C., LONDON. WHEN next we come before you, you will find the smile of CHRISTMAS beaming through our pages. We are already at work preparing a fitting banquet for the world's ever-welcome visitor will you contribute to our feast? A merry game-a Christmas story-an acting charade laughable conundrums wonderful tricks-puzzling conundrums-you know are amongst the things that Father Christmas demands at our hands, and for any of them we shall be grateful. Dear friends! we call upon each and all of you to co-operate with us in imparting to our next number-our CHRISTMAS NUMBER-a spirit that shall make our great family merry and wise. FIRST CLASS. them on a warm fine day, and let nothing induce you to put them between blotting-paper. Do not put a very heavy weight on tender plants the first day, and you will be successful. [A tried recipe].-LEILA S. Or,-Take two of every kind you wish to keep, lay them inside a sheet of blotting-paper, place them under a considerable pressure, and let them remain during the night. Open them the next morning, remove them to a dry part of the paper, and press them again for the same space of time. They may then be placed in the book intended for their reception, and fastened down with a little gum; or, if large, tacked carefully on the page with some very fine thread, with the alternate sides turned out, and the name written, with such other observations as the collector may think advisable.-[This is the manner in which I have preserved many beautiful floral specimens, and in no case have I had cause to regret my method of doing so.]-G. M. F. G. 58. MAYFLOWER.-TO MAKE ROSE LOZENGES. -To a pound of finely-sifted loaf sugar, put an ounce of powdered gum arabic; mix it into a stiff paste with rose-water, and grind up with the paste a little of the conserve of roses, which gives both flavour and colour: punch the mass into round or oval lozenges, each containing about fifteen grains, and dry them in a stove.EMMA S. P. Alpha.-T. B. Dover.-Emmeline (you did your duty, and we have no fear of the result).-Golconda (we are bound to thank you; we beg you will not be discouraged, though no success attended your efforts).-Lucinda B.-E. Hill (we are glad to think that we come up to your standard in our Pastime; we shall endeavour to make our Christmas Number worthy the joyous occasion).-Catie. -Agnese.-Little Giggie (we like your pictorial efforts; they show an engaged mind).-J. Matthewson (the poem, though pretty, is of too private Or,-To a pound of finely-sifted loaf sugar, put and personal an interest for publication; we an ounce of powdered gum arabic, or tragacanth; thank you).-Marie and Elise.-Rolando (we have mix it into a stiff paste with rose-water, and to mislaid your name and address; furnish us again). which may be added a drop or two of the otto of -William Garbutt. -Kate Leslie. Nellie.roses; or, still better, grind up with the paste Lizzie E. R.-D. M. R.-Narcissa.-Boanerges a little of the conserve of roses. Punch into (we mark progress, and are pleased to state it).-round lozenges, about fifteen grains each, and Caledonia (here also).-Abelard.-Oyster Catcher. dry in a stove.-J. S. -Nil Desperandum.-Avalanche.-Cut-and-Comeagain, SECOND CLASS Aline.-Eliza.-Arthur.-E. L. Ady (we are always glad to hear from you, for it always brings information for our " Please Inform Me?"-Mary Anne.-Jane R. (we thought you would find it so; you are over grateful).-Violette.-Anna Grey (our number to print is so great that we cannot afford more time for the answers; we regret your continued indisposition).-Vesper.-Roberta (we had considerable difficulty in deciphering your note; pray think of our engagements, and spare us future complaint).- Edward. - Gipsy King (anything for Christmas parties will be particularly welcome, and we hope you will not forget our next number).-Agnes.-Eva.-Geraldine.-Tiny Tim.-Fannyboy (you have lost your place, but it is not easy to maintain).-Juvenile (by no means). -S. R.-Poor Richard.-Caleb. QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 57. B.C. H.-PRESSING FLOWERS.-Flowers can be well pressed by being put between blotting or bibulous paper, on which a weight must be placed. We have generally used the former, but either will do.-VEsper. Or,-Place them between new writing-paper, which must be changed every two days until the plants are quite dry. Be very careful to gather 59. NEW SUBSCRIBER. TO MAKE PAPER FIREPROOF.-To do this, it is only necessary to dip the paper in a strong solution of alum-water, and when thoroughly dry, it will resist the action of flame. Some paper requires to imbibe more of the solution than it will take up at a single immersion, and when this is the case, the process must be repeated until it becomes thoroughly saturated.-G. M. F. G. 60. MAY FLOWER.-TO MAKE BARLEY SUGAR. Take a sufficient quantity of clarified sugar in that state that on dipping the finger into the pan the sugar which adheres to it will break with a slight noise; this is technically called "crack." When the sugar is near this point, put in two or three drops of lemon-juice, or, if you do not happen to have a lemon in the house, a little vinegar will answer the purpose, which is to preas it is termed, take it off instantly and dip the vent its graining. When it is come to the crack, pan into cold water to prevent its burning. it stand a short time, and then pour it on a marble slab, which must be previously rubbed with oil. Cut the sugar into small pieces, when it will be ready for use. Some persons like the flavour of citron, and where they do, a single drop will suffice for a considerable quantity.-G. M. F. G. Let Or,-Take three pounds of loaf sugar, dissolve it in one pint of water, boil it over the fire until it becomes clear. Take off the scum. When half boiled, add one tablespoonful of vinegar to each pound of sugar. Fry it with water in a bason, by dropping a little in with a spoon. When it is brittle it is enough N.B. The barley-sugar is to be poured upon a marble slab, and when cool, cut it with scissors and twist it.-C. S. 61. INVALID.-MEASURES.-The medicine measure you refer to has been recently introduced; it is made of porcelain, and will be found useful for domestic purposes. A glance at the accompanying TABLE SPOON. DESSERT SPOON diagram will explain its nature; it is a kind of double cup, which may be used either side upwards, as required. 62. H. JACKSON.-SEDAN CHAIRS.-They were first introduced in London in 1634, when Sir Sanders Duncomb obtained the sole privilege to let, use, and hire a number of them for fourteen years. The first one was seen in England (says Hume) in the reign of James I., and was used by the Duke of Buckingham, to the great indignation of the people, who exclaimed, that he employed his fellow-creatures to do the service of brutes. In 1694 they were taxed. Gay says:"Let not the chairman with assuming stride, Press near the wall and rudely thrust thy side; The laws have set him bounds; his servile feet Should ne'er encroach where 'posts defend the street." An Irishman once got into one of these vehicles to go to a wedding, and finding the bottom out, was hurried through the mud and dirt. When set down, and asked how he liked it, he said, "Why faith, I might as well have walked but for the name of the thing." ORIGIN OF 63. HENGIST. THE PHRASE "SPICK AND SPAN NEW."-Butler, in his "Hudibras," says, "Mr. Ray observes, that this proverbial phrase, according to Mr. Howel, comes from spica, an ear of corn; but rather, says he, as I am informed from a better author, spike is a sort of nail, and spawn the chip of a boat; so that It is all one as to say, every chip and nail is new. But I am humbly of opinion, that it rather comes from spike, which signifies a nail; and a nail in measure is the sixteenth part of a yard; and span, which is in measure a quarter of a yard, or nine inches; and all that is meant by it, when applied to a new suit of clothes, is, that it has been just measured from the piece by the nail and span. 64. L. S. A.-MUSCULAR EXERCISE. - Much care should be taken in setting down the feet. Let the outer edge of the heel first touch the ground, and the sole of the foot bear and project the weight of the body. The length of step is at taking long steps, out of proportion to the to be determined by the length of limb. Efforts power of motion, are always ungraceful. Reck oning from heel to heel, or toe to toe, the length of a military step, at drill march, is thirty inches, which is considerably more than the length of ordinary steps in walking. The length of step at a moderate pace, of a man five feet nine inches high, is usually twenty-four inches; and this will be found a convenient length to acquire the habit of using. The motion of the arms to and fro, in cadence with the movements of the legs, greatly helps the locomotion, and is advantageous in exercising the muscles of the shoulders, and ex• panding the chest. The motions of the arms, however, should be on a moderate scale, the hands not swinging through a greater space than eight or nine inches before and behind the leg. The practice of working forward the shoulders and swinging the arms at a great rate is most odious. It may be added, that the art of comporting the hands, keeping them down, or from meddling with the person, is one very necessary in polite behaviour, and should be acquired by all young persons, before bad habits are confirmed. 65. MARIA.-LACE.-The first lace made in this country was of the sort called Brussels point, the network being formed by bone bobbins on the pillow, and the pattern and sprigs worked with the needle. Such appears to have been the kind portraits of Vandyke in the reign of Charles I., worn by the higher ranks, as is evident from the and of those painted by Lely and Kneller, in the succeeding reigns of Charles II., Queen Anne, and George I. 66. A. Z.-PHOTOGENIC DRAWING.-This term has usually been applied to representations of various objects upon paper imbued with some of the salts of silver. If a piece of paper be dipped into a weak eolution of nitrate of silver, carefully dried, and preserved out of the contact of light, it remains white; but if exposed to light, it gra dually becomes discoloured, acquiring a brownish or grey tint, and ultimately blackens, the depth of colour depending upon the intensity of the light, and duration of exposure. 67. M. H.S.-VARNISH TO COLOUR BASKETS.Take either red, black, or white sealing-wax, whichever colour you wish to make. To every two ounces of sealing-wax, add one ounce of spirits of wine; pound the wax fine; then sift it through a fine lawn sieve until you have made it extremely fine; put it into a large phial with the spirits of wine, shake it, and let it stand near the fire forty-eight hours, shaking it often; then, with a little brush, brush the baskets all over with it; let them dry, and do them over a second time. 68. QUERY.-STATIONERY.-This term given to all the materials employed in the art of writing, is derived from the business of booksellers having been anciently carried on in stalls or stations. silk and crape, stepped lightly from the ting carriage and entered the shop. Her deep-toned musical voice inquired of the o busy little man, in the dirty, greasy jacket, who was carving the brisket at the counter, whether she could speak with Bessy Lee?.10 shop one day, when the outside was brightened and by brilliant snow, lying an inch on the pavement, that yesterday lank with London mud, a small age drew up, creating quite a among the eager diners on halfpork, or hard red boiled beef, etceteras to match, and deserts of pies. Over the partition tops and the corners of the narrow tables the curious faces of working deniof neighbourhood, while from a t, where he feasted alone in stared the sweeper of a lucrarossing, when the elegant figure of la Randal, robed in the richest black He had no time to talk, and called for "Missus," who did not come at once. While Miss Randal waited for her, he went on with great energy cutting and arranging gossamer slices of meat skilfully, so as to cover as much ground as possible, on willow-pattern plates that appeared to have seen hard service. "Missus" came. A short fussy little woman, as dirty as everything else about the place, but smart withal. "Lady wants Bessy Lee," said her active partner, hardly able to spare time to get the words out, pointing with his carving knife dramatically to the dark staircase outside. "This way, mem, upstairs; it's our busy time. I'm half-fagged to death with the cooking. I can't trust any girl with it; I'm a regular galley slave to the roasting and the biling, let alone all the penny pies. This way, mem. Stop! Hark! the men are up there It gave me quite a turn when they brought that nasty-looking workus coffin through the shop. It's the first time any of my lodgers was buried by the parish. I don't mon likeness. Ah, he was clever, had a good edication, for he was br up a gentleman, though a great scan The short, fussy figure bustled in little parlour pervaded, with a st odour of boiled greens, and Isabella lowing, saw hung on the wall, ack in a penny black frame, a pencil of Bessy taken in one of her few h moments. She was much changed as her landlady observed. Under at all like it. It's unpleasant to my cus-portrait was written, in Mickle's tomers' feelins." "Who is it that is dead?" "Old Mrs. Lee. I thought you might have known her, for they say she has been respectable in her younger days. She was not of the common sort, anybody could see; but, lor, it's a curious world; up to-day, down to-morrow." "I am a stranger; but Bessy has been recommended to me as a good girl, much distressed, and needing my assistance." "Yes, she's only one of a many as sinks to the grave afore their time, through over-work and under-pay. As to her goodness, lawk, I don't know as she 's any better than scores beside." "But you think her thoroughly deserving, do you not?" "Well, she's got the character of being "good as gold.' That was a name given her by one Mickle, a good-for-nothing lodger of mine,-you may have heard of him? دو "Indeed I have; my name is Randal." "Oh! I ask your pardon. Of course you must know enough of that worthless fellow. Between you and me, mem, he's broke that girl's heart. He made a great deal of her, but the scamp was a deceiving of her all along. I saw through it. I warned her. Yet, even now, she won't hear a word agin him, but goes off in a dead faint if she hears his name spoke amiss. Mind, I don't say there was ever anything wrong in Bessy. Not a bit of it. A modester, meeker cretur never come in a house. If you'll just step into my parlour an instant, mem, I'll show you her pictur, which Mr. Mickle drew one afternoon in our shop, when the bustle of the dinner was over, and there was only him and her with us. We all think it an uncom some flourished style, GOOD AS GO The words had evidently been d off with unction, and were not wi power over the heart, considering mysterious fate of the writer, and sorrows of the original of the sketch The landlady proceeded to the s talking rapidly of her own chari deeds to her lodgers, and to the especially, but adding—“ Flesh and 1 couldn't bear it no longer. Out must have gone, on account of the and dinners they owed me, if Mickl not sent a sovereign to them whe went away. But Mickle ought to sent it to me; he owed enough. W he got the money I can't say, for Il he had none at all the day before b here." "Who brought the sovereign' quired Isabella. 66 Why, the Secretary, Mr. Field so Mrs. Lee told me." The stairs were dark, for the stai window was veiled with yellow dirt layer on layer of cobwebs, pendant the relics of a fog-coloured blind, white calico. On the first landing a little chik huddled up in a hopeless sort of w a corner, its eyes red with crying, it grimy and bruised. Isabella stopp Why do you cry ?" "Mother's out; there ain't no fr no bread, there ain't." "His mother makes artificial fi for the shops-starvation work to a lot of children on," observed the lady, adding, with her usual philo "But she's no worse off than bei bours. Get up Dick, and don't le a noise there!" |