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What to do and how to do it; the American boys handy book

Daniel Carter Beard · 1920 · Scanned text · Free in the US

108,912 words · about 7 h 38 min to read

Period artwork: Interior of the Bodleian Library, 1845
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About this book

Author
Daniel Carter Beard
Language
English
Published
1920
Length
108,912 words · about 7 h 38 min
Sections
55 reader sections
Text
Scanned text, read from page scans by OCR; may contain errors
Rights
Public domain in the United States

 

Contents (55)
  1. Preface To New Edition about 2 min
  2. Preface about 3 min
  3. Chapter I. Pagb under 1 min
  4. CHAPTER XI. D'^EDGE, Tangle, and Trawl Fishing , . ... $fi under 1 min
  5. Chapter XIX. Pagb under 1 min
  6. CHAPTER XX. How TO Rear Wild Btrhs— Continued i8a under 1 min
  7. CHAPTER XXI. Home-Made Hunting Apparatus, Etc 188 under 1 min
  8. CHAPTER XXIII. Traps and Trappings ; 2og under 1 min
  9. CHAPTER XXV. Practical Taxidekiv^x for Boys 232 under 1 min
  10. CHAPTER XXVI. Every Bo^ a Decorative Artist , vl under 1 min
  11. CHAPTER XXXI. The Winged Skaters, and How to Make the Wings „ . 286 under 1 min
  12. Chapter XXXV under 1 min
  13. Chapter XXXVI under 1 min
  14. CHAPTER XLI. Life Instilled into Paper Puppets, and Matches Made of Human about 1 min
  15. Chapter I. Kite Time about 19 min
  16. Chapter II. War Kites about 5 min
  17. Chapter III. Novel Modes Of Fishing about 8 min
  18. Chapter IV. Home-made Fishing Tackle about 7 min
  19. Chapter V. How To Stock, Make, And Keep A Fresh about 16 min
  20. Chapter VI. How To Keep Aquatic Plants In The House Or Flower-garden about 2 min
  21. Chapter VII. How To Stock And Keep A Marine Aqua- Rium about 6 min
  22. Chapter VIII. How To Collect Fof Marine Aquarium about 3 min
  23. Chapter IX. Knots, Bends, And Hitches about 15 min
  24. Chapter X. The Water-telescope about 2 min
  25. Chapter XI about 9 min
  26. Chapter XII. Home-made Boats about 42 min
  27. Chapter XIV. Novelties In Soap-bubbles about 4 min
  28. Chapter XV, Fourth Op July Balloons With New And Novel Attachments about 23 min
  29. Chapter XVII. Bird Singers, Etc about 6 min
  30. Chapter XVIII. Bird Nesting about 6 min
  31. Chapter XIX. How To Rear Wild Birds about 11 min
  32. CHAPTER XX. HOW TO REAR WILD BIRDS— Continued about 10 min
  33. Chapter XXI. Home-made Hunting Apparatus, Etc about 14 min
  34. Chapter XXII. How To Make Blow-guns, Elder Guns, Etc about 8 min
  35. Chapter XXIII. Traps And Trappings about 15 min
  36. Chapter XXIV. Dogs about 31 min
  37. Chapter XXVI, Every Boy A Decorative Artist about 6 min
  38. Chapter XXVII. Snowball Warfare about 13 min
  39. Chapter XXVIII. Snow-houses And Statuary about 4 min
  40. Chapter XXIX. Sleds, Chair-sleighs, And Snow-shoes about 5 min
  41. Chapter XXX. How To Make The Tom Thumb Ice-boat And Larger Craft about 4 min
  42. Chapter XXXI. The Winged Skaters, And How To Make The Wings about 11 min
  43. CHAPTER XXXII. 'ir^^yiffffw^ |i» about 21 min
  44. Chapter XXXIV. The Boy's Own Phunnygraph about 7 min
  45. Chapter XXXV. How To Make Puppets And A Puppet-show about 10 min
  46. Chapter XXXVI. Puss-in-boots under 1 min
  47. Act I. Scene I about 3 min
  48. Act II. Scene I about 4 min
  49. Act III. Scene / about 3 min
  50. Chapter XXXVII about 11 min
  51. Chapter Xxxviii. Hdw To Make The Dancing Fairies, The Bather, And The Orator about 5 min
  52. Chapter XXXIX. How To Make Various And Divers Whirligigs about 9 min
  53. Chapter XL. The Universe In A Card-box about 3 min
  54. Chapter XLI. Life Instilled Into Paper Puppets, And Matches Made Of Human Fingers about 59 min
  55. Index about 12 min

Continue:

Preface To New Edition

The exceedingly kind reception given the first edition of ;his book by the public and the whole press of the country is most gratifying to the author ; but what pleases him still more is the knowledge that he contributes to the pleasure of the boys of America, the boys who soon will be the men of America, upon whom will rest the destiny of this great country.

Some years have quietly slipped by since the first edition ot this book was published. Monad, the little dog whose portrait adorns Chapter XXIV., no longer accompanies his master, "seated in front of the sliding-seat of a shell," on his rowing expeditions, but is content to lie on the door-mat and sleep away the summer days. The German carp, described on page 52, still "browses all day upon the mossy surface of the rocks" in the same aquarium it then occupied, but, unlike the dog, it shows no signs of old age ; best of all, wherever the author travels, he sees some of the American Boys' Handy-Book suggestions carried out by the boys, either in the kites soaring overhead, the Man Friday or Crusoe rafts moored by the lake or river side, the home-made aquariums in the north windows of dwellings, or in the very toys patented and sold by enterprising ii Preface to New Edition.

dealers upon the streets of the big cities. It is worth writing a book to see these results, and with the hope that this revised edition may contain something new or useful to the boys, the writer dedicates it to them.

As it has been demonstrated that there are great numbers of "old boys" among the readers of this book, all of whom clamor for more material on woodcraft, it appears only just that some attention should be paid them, especially if this can be done without interfering with the vested rights of the younger generation. This reason, combined with a desire to help perpetuate a detailed account of what must, in a short time, inevitably become a lost art, has induced the writer to add the description of the manufacture of the birch-bark and dug-out canoes.

Trusting that these additions will not be resented as an intrusion by the younger readers, and that they will be of interest to the older ones, they are offered as, in the author's opinion, the best and most practical contributions to woodcraft that he has found since the AMERICAN BoYS' Handy-Book was first published..

Preface

Unless boys have materially changed their habits in the last few years, it matters little what the preface of this book may contain, for it will be *' skipped ** without a passing glance. Still, in the estabHshed order of things, a preface, even if unnoticed by younger readers, is necessary to enable the author to state his purposes in undertaking the work, and to modestly put forward his claims on public attention.

It is the memory of the longing, that used to possess myself and my boy friends of a few years ago, for a real practical American boy's book, that has induced me to offer this volume.

The sports, amusements, and games embraced in this book are intended to reach the average American boy of any age, not too young to fly a kite or too old to enjoy a day's good fishing.

The book is based upon personal experiments and experiences, and is free, as far as lay within my power to make it, of foreign or technical terms or phrases.

Well do I remember the impracticable chemical experiments, necessitating professional skill and the use of compliiv Preface.

cated and expensive apparatus, the impossible feats of leger* demain and the time-worn conundrums, riddles, and games that help to make up the contents of the boy*s books of my youth.

Unfamiliar and foreign terms, references to London shops as places to procure the articles mentioned, glittering generalities, and a general disregard for details are the marked characteristics of the books to which I refer.

Never shall I forget the disappointment experienced, when after consulting the index, I sought the article on paper balloons and found only the bare statement of the fact that balloons made of paper and filled with heated air would ascend. If I remember aright, the whole description occupies less than four lines.

Although the greater portion of the contents of the present volume has never been published before, some of it appeared as short articles in the St. Nicholas Magazine ; and the directions and descriptions then given have been tested by thousands of boys throughout the United States, and, judging from the letters I have received, with uniform success.

Of course, such a book cannot, in the nature of things, be exhaustive, nor is it, indeed, desirable that it should be. Its use and principal purpose are to stimulate the ihventive faculties in boys, to bring them face to face with practical emergencies when no book can supply the place of their own common sense and the exercise of personal intelligence and ingenuity.

Many new ideas will suggest themselves to the practical, ready-witted American boy, many simplifications and improve

Preface.

ments on the apparatus here described ; but it is hoped and expected by the author that the directions here given, as far as they go, will be found intelligible and practicable.

Nor is the volume, as is too often the case with this class of books, only to be made use of by lads with an almost unlimited supply of money at their disposal.

All apparatus described are either to be constructed of material easily obtained by almost any boy without cost, or by a very small outlay.

The author would also suggest to parents and guardians that money spent on fancy sporting apparatus, toys, etc., would be better spent upon tools and appliances.

Let boys make their own kites and hows and arrows ; they will find a double pleasure in them, and value them accordingly, to say nothing of the education involved in the successful construction of their home-made playthings.

The development of a love of harmless fun is itself no valueless consideration. The baneful and destroying pleasures that offer themselves with an almost irresistible fascination to idle and unoccupied minds find no place with healthy activity and hearty interest in boyhood sports.

Contents

SPRING.

Chapter I. Pagb

Man Kite, 5; The Woman Kite, 9; A Boy Kite, 11 ; Frog Kite, il ; , ^ The Butterfly Kite, 13 ; The King Crab Kite, 14 ; Fish Kite, 15 ; The Turtle Kite, 16; The Shield Kite, 18; A Star Kite, 19; The Chinese Dragon Kite, 19; The Japanese Square Kite, 21 ; The Moving Star, 21.

CHAPTER XI. D'^EDGE, Tangle, and Trawl Fishing , . ... $fi

A New Sport, 86 ; The Tangle, 88 ; The Trawl, 88 ; How to Make a Bake- Pan Dredge, 89 ; A Tin-Pail Dredge, 90 ; How to Make a Broomstick Tangle, 91 ; The Old Chain Tangle, 91 ; Hints and Suggestions to Amateurs, 91; The Use of the Tangle,. 93.

Contents. ix

Chapter XIX. Pagb

Robins, Thrushes, Wrens, and other Small Buds, 171 ; Squabs, 172; The Cow Blackbird, 172; Wrens, Sparrows, and Finches, 173; The Bobolink, 173; The Catbird, 174; Robins, 174; The Brown Thrush, or Thrasher, 175 ; The Wood Thrush, 175; Bluebirds, 176; The Summer Yellowbird, 176; The Bluejay, 177; Humming-Bird, 177.

CHAPTER XX. How TO Rear Wild Btrhs— Continued i8a

The Crow, Hawk, and other Large Birds, 180; The Hawk, 182; The Hawk as a "Scare-Crow," 183; The Hawk as a Decoy, 183; Owls, 184; Sea Birds, 184; Strange Domestic Fowls, 186.

CHAPTER XXI. Home-Made Hunting Apparatus, Etc 188

Spearing Fish, 188 ; How to Make a Fish Spear, 188 ; How to Make the Torches, and Jack-Lights, 190; How to Make the Boomerang, 190; To Throw a Boomerang, 192; The Miniature Boomerang, 193 ; The Whip- Bo%v, 194; Throw-Sticks, 195; The Bird Bolas, 196; The Elastic Cross-Bow, 197.

CHAPTER XXII. How TO Make Blow-Guns, Elder Guns, Etc ao>a

To Make a Blow-Gun, 201 ; Squirt-Guns, 202 ; Elder Guns and Pistols, 203 ; The Spring Shot-Gun, 205.

AUTUMN.

CHAPTER XXIII. Traps and Trappings ; 2og

Rats, 210; The Paper Pitfall, 211; Jug Trap, 212; The Mole and How * to Trap Him, 213; The Figure Four, 214; Mole Trap, 214; TheToll-

. gate Trap, 215; The Partridge Snare, 217; Set-Line Snares, 218; Thb Sprmg Snare, 219; Hen-Coop Trap, 221,

Cof^ccenfs. xi

Chapter XXIV. Pagb

How to Choose a Dog, 224 ; How to Train Dogs, 226 ; To Teach a Dqv to Retrieve, 227 ; Pointers and Setters, 228 ; Pet Dogs, 229.

CHAPTER XXV. Practical Taxidekiv^x for Boys 232

Skinning, 233; Stuffing, 236; A New Manner of Preserving Fish, 239/ Design for Sketching Aquarium, 241 ; Preserving Insects, 242 ; Mors* Insect Box, 243 ; The Lawrence Breeding Box, 244 ; Spiders, 245 ; How to Make Beautiful or Comical Groups and Designs of Insects, 245; Marine Animals, 246.

CHAPTER XXVI. Every Bo^ a Decorative Artist , vl

Shaac/w Pictures — Photographic Paper — How to Enlarge or Reduce a Picture, etc., 248 ; How to Enlarge or Reduce by Squares, 250; How to Make a Camera for Drawing, 252.

WINTER.

■ CHAPTER XXVII.

Snowball Warfare m^

How to Build Snow Forts — How to Make Shields and Ammunition Sleds, 257 ; How to Build the Fort, 258 ; How to Make an Ammunition Sled, 260 ; How to Make the Shield, 261 ; Rules of the Game, 262 ; A Snow Battle, 264; How to Bind a Prisoner without a Cord, 267; Company Rest, 267.

CHAPTER XXXI. The Winged Skaters, and How to Make the Wings „ . 286

Bat Wings, 288 ; The Norton Rig, 288 ; The Norwegian Rig, 290 ; The Danish Rig, 291 ; The English Rig, 292 ; The Cape Vincent Rig, 293 ; A Country Rig, 294.

CHAPTER XXXH.

Winter Fishing — Spearing and Snaring — Fisherman's Movable

Shanties, Etc 296

Smelt Fishing and the Smelt Fisher's House, 297 ; The Spearsman's Shanty, 3CX) ; Snaring Fish, 301 ; Spearing Fish, 302 ; How to Build a Fishing House, 303.

CHAPTER XXXIII. [n-Door Amusements 305

Bric-k-Brac, or the Tourist's Curiosities, 305 ; Mind-Reading, 309 ; A Literary Sketch Club, 310.

Chapter XXXV

How to Make the Stage, 323 ; The Scenery, 323 ; The Old Mill, 325 ; Puss, 325 ; Corsando and the Donkey, 327 ; The Royal Coach, 328 ; Carabas, 330; How to Work the Puppets, 330; Stage Effects, 3315 How to Make a Magical Dance, 332 ; How to Make a Sea Scene, 33*.

Chapter XXXVI

Puss-lN-BooTs. Dramatized and Adapted for a Puppet-Show 33<|

Act I., Scene I., Landscape, with Tree, Bridge, and Mill at one side, 334; Scene II., Woods, 336; Act II., Scene I., King's Palace, 337; Scene II., High-road, 238; Act III., Scene I., Interior of Ogre's Castle, 341.

Contents. xiii

CHAPTER XLI. Life Instilled into Paper Puppets, and Matches Made of Human

Fingers 37f

To Light the Gas with your Finger, 373.

CHAPTER XLIL

Iome-Made Masquerade and Theatrical Costumes 374

The White Man of the Desert, 374; "The Fourteenth Century Young Man," 375 ; The Mediaeval Hat, 376 ; The Wig, 377 ; Eyebrows, Mo.ustache, and Beard, 377; The Doublet, 377 ; Trunks, 378; Tights, 379} To Dress, 379 ; The Baby, 379 ; How to Make a Handkerchief Hoodj 380.

xlv Contents.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FOUR SEASONS

SPRING.

PAGB

Thousands of Kites, 383; The Tailless Kite— Holland Kite, 384.

Fishing 386

The Goose Fisherman, 386; The Pistol Reporter, 387; The Floating Tie-Up, 388.

SUMMER.

Slab Canoe, 389; How to Build a Birch Bark* Canoe, 390; Indian Birch Bark Canoe, 392; A Canvas Canoe, 406; The Dug-out, 408; How to Build a Siwash Canoe, 408.

SoAP-BuBBLES 410

Paper Fireworks 410

Parachutes, 412; Paper Whirligigs, 413,

Home-made Hunting Apparatus 414

AUTUMN.

Decoys 421

Duck Decoys, 421; Snipe and Plover Decoys, 423.

Taxidermy 423

*• Uncle Enos " Banjo 425

WINTER.

Snow-shoes 4^8 spring.

The American Boy^s Handy Book.

Chapter I. Kite Time

It is a pleasant sensation to sit in the first spring sunshine and feel the steady pull of a good kite upon the string, and watch its graceful movements as it sways from side to side, ever mounting higher and higher, as if impatient to free itself and soar away amid the clouds. The pleasure is, however, greatly enhanced by the knowledge that the object skimming so bird-like and beautifully through the air is a kite df your own manufacture.

I remember, when quite a small boy, building an immense man kite, seven feet high. It was a gorgeous affair, with its brilHant red nose and cheeks, blue coat, and striped trousers.

As you may imagine, I was nervous with anxiety and excitement to see it fly. After several experimental trials to get the tail rightly balanced, and the breast-band properly adjusted, and having procured the strongest hempen twine with which to fly it, I went to the river-bank for the grand event.

My man flew splendidly ; he required no running, no hoisting, no- jerking of the string to assist him. I had only to stand on the high bank and let out the string, and so fast did the twine pass through my hands that my fingers were almost blistered.

spring.

People began to stop and gaze at the queer sight, as my man rose higher and higher, when, suddenly, my intense pride and enjoyment was changed into something very like fright.

The twine was nearly all paid out, when I found that my man was stronger than his master, and I could not hold him !

Imagine, if you can, my dismay. I fancied myself being pulled from the bank into the river, and skimming through the water at lightning speed, for, even in my fright, the idea of letting go of the string did not once occur to me. However, to my great relief, a rr.an standing near came to my assistance, just as the stick upon which the

Japanese Square Kite. ^^j^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^

came dancing up from the ground toward my hands. So hard did my giant pull that even the friend who had kindly come to the rescue had considerable trouble to hold him in. The great kite, as it swung majestically about, high in the blue sky, attracted quite a crowd of spectators, and I felt very grand at the success of my newly invented flying-man ; but my triumph was short-lived. The tail made of rags was too heavy to bear its own weight, and, breaking off near the kite, it fell to the ground, while my kite, freed from this load, shot up like a rocket, then turned and came headlong down with such force, that dashing through the branches of a thorny locust-tree, it crashed to the ground, a mass of broken sticks and tattered paper. Although the sad fate of my first man-kite taught mc

Kite Time.

CD

Fig. I.

to avoid building unmanageable giants, the experiment was, on the whole, satisfactory, for it proved beyond a doubt that it is unnecessary to follow the conventional form for a kite to make one that will fly.

Man Kite.

To make this kite you will require four sticks, some rattan and some paper. In regard to his size, I would suggest that the larger the man is, the better he will fly. Now let us suppose you are going to make this fellow four feet high. First, cut two straight sticks three feet nine inches long ; these are to serve for the legs and body ; cut another straight stick two and one-half feet in length for the spine, and a fourth stick, three feet five inches long, for the arms. For the head select a light piece of split rattan — any light, tough wood that will bend readily will do — bend this in a circle eight inches in diameter, fasten it securely to one end of the spine by binding it with strong thread, being careful that the spine runs exactly through the centre of the circle (Fig. I). Next find the exact centre of the arm stick, and with a pin or small tack fasten it at this point to the spine, a few inches below the chin (Fig. 2). After wrapping the joint tightly with strong thread, lay the part of the skeleton which Skeleton a«d_Frame of Ma.

spring.

IS finished flat upon the floor, mark two points upon the arm sticks for the shoulder-joints, each seven inches from the in tersection of the spine and arm-stick, which will place them four teen inches apart. At these points fasten with a pin the two long sticks that are to serve for the body and legs (Fig. 3). Now cross these sticks as shown in diagram, being careful that the terminations of the lower limbs are at least three feet apart ; the waist-joint ought then to be about ten inches below the arm-stick. After taking the greatest pains to see that the arm-stick is perfectly at right angles with the spine, fasten all the joints securely. Upon the arms bind oblong loops of rattan, or of the same material as the head-frame. These hand-loops ought to be about three inches broad at their widest parts, and exact counterparts of each other. The loops for the feet must approach as nearly as possible the shape of feet, and these, too, must be exactly alike, or the kite will be " lopsided," or unequally balanced. Now cut two sticks three inches long for the ends of sleeves, and two others four inches long for bottoms cf trousers (Fig. 4) ; fasten the two former near the ends of the arm-stick, and the two latter near the ends of the leg-sticks, as in the illustration. The strings of the frame must next be put on, as shown by the dotted lines (Fig. 5). Commence with the neck, at equal distances from the spine, and about seven inches apart ; tie two strings to the arm-sticks ; extend these strings slantingly to the head, and fasten them to the hoop, one on each side of the spine, and about five inches apart. Take another thread and fasten to the top of cross-stick of right arm, pass it over and take a wrap around the spine, continue it to top of cross-stick upon left arm, and there tie it. Fasten another string to bottom of cross-stick on right arm, draw it tight and wrap it on spine four inches below intersection of arm-stick, p.ass it on to the bottom of cross-stick on left arm, draw taut and fasten it. Tie the body-string at the right shouJ der-joint, drop the thread down to a point exactly opposite the termination of spine upon the right leg, take a wrap, and draw the line across to point upon left leg exactly opposite, bind it there, then bring it up to left shoulder-joint and tie it. For the trousers fasten a string at a point on right arm-stick, eleven inches from the intersection of spine, extend it down in a straight line to inside end of cross-stick of left limb and fasten it there. Tie another string at a point one inch and a half to the left of spine upon right arm-stick, extend it down in a straight line to outside end of cross-stick of left limb. Go through the same process for right leg of trousers, and the frame-work will be complete.

For the covering of a kite of this size I have always used tissue paper ; it is pretty in color and very light in weight. Paste some sheets of tissue paper together, red for the trousers, hands and face, blue for the coat, and black, or some dark color, for the feet. Use paste made of flour and water boiled to the consistency of starch. Put the paste on with a small bristle brush, make the seams or over-laps hardly more than one-fourth of an inch wide, and press them together with a soft rag or towel ; measure the paper so that the coat will join the trousers at the proper place. When you are satisfied that this is all right, lay the paper smoothly on the floor and place the frame of the kite upon it, using heavy books or paper-weights to hold it in place. Then with a pair of scissors cut the paper around the frame, leaving a clear edge of one-half inch, and making a slit in this margin or edge every six or seven inches and at ec^ch angle ; around the head these slits must be made about two or three inches apart to prevent the paper from wrinkling when you commence to paste. With your brush cover the margin with paste one section at a time, turn them over, and with the towel or rag press them down. After the kite is all pasted and dry, take a large paint-brush, and witb black marking-paint, india ink, or common writing fluid, put ii the buttons and binding on coat witii a good broad touch. The face and hair must be painted with broad Hnes, so that they may be seen clearly at a great height. Follow this rule wherever you have to use paint upon any kind of kite.

The breast-band, or ** belly-band," of the man kite should

be arranged in the same manner as it is upon the common hexagonal or coffin-shaped kite with which all American boys are familiar ; but for fear some of my readers may not quite understand I will try and tell them exactly how to do it. First, punch small holes through the paper, one upon each side of the leg-sticks just above the bottom of the pants, and one upon each side of the arm-stick at the shoulders.

Run one end of the breast-band through the holes at the bottom of the left limb and tie it fast to the leg stick ; tie the other end at the right shoulder. Take another string of the same length as the first and fasten one end in the same manner at the bottom of the right leg, pass the string up. crossing the first band, and tie the end at the left shoulder. Attach your kite-string to the breast-band where the two strings intersect in sucb

Fig. 6, — Frame of Woman Kite.

Kite Time.

a manner that you can slide the kite-string up or down until it IS properly adjusted. For the tail-band, tie a string (to the

leg - sticks) at the bottom of the breast-band and let it hang slack from one leg to the other.

Attach the tail to the cent

Fig. 7.— Foot of the Girl.

tre of this string.

The ^Voman Kite, though differing in form, is made after the same method as the man kite, and with the aid of the diagram any boy can build one if he is careful to keep the proper proportions.

Remember that the dotted lines in each of these diagrams represent the strings or thread of the framework (Fig. 6). Use small, smooth twine on large kites, and good strong Fig. 8.-Comic Girl Kite. thread on the smaller ones.

A very comical effect can be had by making the feet of the woman kite of stiff paste-board, and fastening them on to the line which forms the bottom of the skirt with a string after the manner here illustrated (Fig. 7), allowing them to dangle loose- \y from below, to be moved and swayed by each motion of the lO spring.

kite, looking as W it was indeed a live woman or girl of _ the Kate Greenaway \ style, dancing and kicking in the clouds.

Fig.8 shows agirlkite with feet attached.

The costume given in the illustration may be varied according to fancy, with the same framework. A Dolly Varden or a Martha Washington costume can be made.

A blue OversUirt and waist covered with stars, and a red and white striped skirt, give us Columbia or a Goddess of Liberty. Attach the breast-band in the same manner as upon the man kite. Let the tail-band hang loosely below the skirt. By a slight modification of the frame of the man kite you can product

A Boy Kite

that will create an unlimited amount of fun whenever he makes his appearance in his aesthetic Kate Greenaway suit. By carefully following the construction according to the diagram (Fig. 9) the average boy will find little difficulty in building a twin brother to the kite in the illustration (Fig. 10).

Stl^l another strange looking kite can be made by using a piece of pliable wood bent in a circular form for the body, and allowing the leg-sticks to protrude above the shoulders to form short arms, the spine extending below the trunk some distance to form the tail to a

Frog Kite.

It is not worth while to build one less than two feet high. Let us suppose that the particular batrachian we are now about to make is to be just that height ; in this case the leg-sticks must be each two feet long, and as you will want to bend them at the knees, these points should be made considerably thinner than the other parts of the sticks. The spine must be about one foot seven inches long, or a little over three-quarters of the length of the leg-sticks. Place the two latter one above the other, lay the spine on top of them, and see that the tops of all three are flush, or perfectly even. Then at a point eight inches from the top, drive a pin through all three sticks, carefully clamping it upon the other side where the point protrudes. For the body, take a piece of thin rattan two feet five or six inches in length, bend it into the form of a circle, allowing the ends. to overlap an inch or two that they may be firmly bound together with thread by winding it around the joint. The circle will be about eight inches in diameter. Take the three sticks you pinned together and lay them on the floor, spreading them apart ia the form of an irregular star, in such a manner that the top of the spine will be just half-way between the tops of the leg-sticks and about five inches from each ; when you have proceeded thus far place the rattan circle over the other sticks ; the intersection of the sticks should be the centre

Fig. II.— Frame of Frog Kite. Fig. 12.— Frog Kite.

of the circle ; with pins and thread fasten the frame together h. this position. The lower limbs will be spread wide apart ; the^. must be carefully drawn closer together and held in position b^ a string tied near the termination of each leg-stick. Cross-sticks for hands and feet may now be added, and the strings! put on as shown in Fig. ii. This kite should be coverec with green tissue paper. A few marks of the paint-brush wL

Kite Time.

give it the appearance of Fig. 12. The breast and tail-band can be put on as described in the man kite.

The Butterfly Kite.

Make a thin straight stick of a piece of elastic wood, or split rattan ; to the top end of this attach a piece of thread or string ; bend the stick as you would a bow until it forms an arc or part of a circle ; then holding the stick in this position tie the other end of the string to a point a few inches above the bottom end of the stick.

At a point on the stick, about one-quarter the distance from the top, tie another string, draw it taut, and fasten it to the bottom end of the bow.

Take another stick of exactly the same length and thickness as the first, and go through the same process, making a frame that must be a duplicate of the other. Then fasten the two frames together, as shown by Fig. 13, allowing the arcs to over-

FiG. 13.— Frame of Butterfly Kite.

Fig. 14.— The Butterfly Kite.

lap several inches, and bind the joints securely with thread. The hf ad of the insect is made by attaching two broom-straws to the top part of the wings where they join, the straws must be crossed, the projecting ends serving for the antennae or^

H

Spring.

as the boys call them, the ** smellers " of the butterfly. Nov» select a piece of yellow or blue tissue paper, place your frame over it, cut and paste as directed in the description of the man kite. When the kite is dry, with black paint make some marking upon the wings similar to those shown in the illustration, Fig. 14 ; or, better still, cut out some pieces of dark colored paper in the form of these markings and paste them on, of course taking care to have one wing like the other (Fig. 14), as in nature.

The King Crab Kite.

Fig. 15.— Frame of King Crab, FiG. i6.— King Crab Kite.

The king, or "horse shoe crab,** is familiar to all boys who live upon the coast or spend their summer vacation at the sea* side. It IS a comparatively simple matter to imitate this crustacean in the form of a kite ; in fact, all that is necessary is a slight modification of the old-fashioned bow kite to which a pointed tail must be attached. This tail can be made as shown in the illustration (Fig. 15), or may be cut out of a piece of paste-board and joined to the kite by a paper hinge ; this will allow the tail to bend backward when the wind blows against it, giving it a natural appearance ; the kite and pointed tail, which is part of the kite, should be covered with yellow paper. If you think that you do not possess sufficient skill with the brush to represent the under side of the crab, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 16), you can, at least, paint two large eyespots some distance apart near the upper end, and then your kite will represent a back view. Attach the breast and tail bands as on an ordinary bow kite.

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