Questions and Answers.
John B. Henry: Most emphatically does the Table approve the reading of daily newspapers by boys and young men. They should carefully select what newspapers they read, of course. A choice can be made by asking some man in whom you have confidence what newspaper of your city has the most character, stands for the best in civic and social life, is the best edited. When you get the answer, buy the newspaper named, and read it. Young men—you say you are fifteen—who do not rush through high-school and college, but who take their time for it, who do five or six years' studying in eight years, and read good literature and the newspapers meanwhile, will be farther along at twenty-five, other traits being equal, than those who do four years' studying in three, and confine themselves to classics and cloisters. Don't be in a hurry. Remember the saying, "The heavens are full of days, and all are coming this way."—"Royalty": We do not know the purpose the Czar of Russia has in view in visiting the other capitals of Europe, but it is often said that those whom royalties visit wish they had not them as guests, and often make grimaces over the cost.—"Sport": "Tom Tiddler's Ground" is one of those games with an "it" in it, similar to "wood-tag." Tom has a preserve—that is, a staked-off space. Others in play run on this space and shout. Tom tries to catch one while on his ground. If successful, the person caught becomes Tom.
"Does Mrs. Sangster approve of girls reading the daily newspapers?" asks a Pennsylvania reader. She does, because she thinks girls should make themselves informed on the topics of the day.—Frank H. King wants sample copies of amateur newspapers. He lives at 53 Convent Avenue, New York.—Beverly S. King, 1625 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y., wants original jokes for the Jester.—"Science" asks if there is a real man by the name of "Keeley," or "is the Keeley motor a joke?" Mr. Keeley is the name of a real person. His full name is John W. Keeley, and he lives in Philadelphia. His workshop, where the famous "motor" is, is at Eighth and Master streets in that city. Mr. Keeley has been experimenting since 1872, seeking to invent or perfect a machine that will run itself practically without cost. He is not a searcher after perpetual motion, but claims to be working on scientific principles. Opinions differ whether the Keeley motor is or is not a joke.
"Ambitious" asks how he can obtain a position in a bank or trust company's counting-room. He is willing to begin at the bottom, of course. Go to the president or cashier of said institution and formally apply. Take with you, of course, a letter of introduction if you can do so. If you cannot, have some references ready. Apply at all the places you know of, so as to have the largest number of chances at a vacancy. Apply in person. Letters written to banks in distant places will do you little good. If you chance to have a relative or friend in a distant city, and can ask a favor of him, request him to apply for you if convenient for him to do so. Such positions pay little at first, and generally are to be had only by good endorsements and patient waiting.—C. Arnold Kruckman says it is desired to form, in St. Louis, an Amateur Press Club, to include amateur journalists of not only the city, but adjacent towns of Missouri and Illinois. He will be at Jones College, Fifth Street, between Locust and Olive streets, on Saturdays, and mail may be sent to him there. He hopes to hear from you.—Edgar Hill, 3612 Columbia Avenue, Cincinnati, wants to receive copies of amateur papers, and to join a literary Chapter or society desiring corresponding members.—"Inquirer": The pretty Year Book of the Kearsarge Round Table Chapter, recently described, may be had for twenty-nine cents. Address L. G. Price, 547 Union Street, Hudson, N. Y.—H. Lang: There is no binder for the Round Table such as you describe. The publishers sell the board covers at fifty cents. They are intended to be taken to a bookbinder, with the fifty-two numbers for the year, who makes a perfect library book.
Henry Jones: The Quarantine Station, New York Harbor, is maintained and supervised by the State of New York, and not by the United States Government. The United States leads in number of Sunday-school scholars. In 1893, the latest report at hand, there were about ten million young persons in the schools of all denominations. The country coming next this is, of course, England, which had, in the same year, six millions in round numbers.—John B. Condon: Silver is not mined wholly from silver-mines so-called. Indeed, the last report of the Director of the United States Mint shows that more than one-half of the annual silver product of this country is mined in copper and lead mines, as a by-product.
Satchell asks where a complete United States sailor's uniform can be had. Inquiry at the navy-yard in Brooklyn brings the information that none will be sold there, and the only way to obtain a uniform made by the government tailor is to buy it from some sailor at private purchase. Tailors near the yard say they cannot furnish uniforms. But a leading New York furnisher tells the Table, upon inquiry, that costumers have these uniforms, or that any tailor of your city can make them. The cost in summer-weight goods will be about $16; in winter-weight, $24. The shirt may be bought ready made; the trousers should be short-waisted, close-fitting, and lace in the back. The size at the knee for an average man of, say, five feet nine inches tall, should be seventeen inches; at bottom twenty-one inches.—The Advocate, an amateur paper published by M. J. Bowen, Station B, Boston, Mass., wants sketches, verses, and fun to fill its columns.—Fred B. Ely should apply to his member of Congress for information about entering the Naval Academy. Entrance cannot now be had till next year at best, and not then unless there be a vacancy from his district. The examinations are on the common branches only, but are very rigid on them. The physical test is also severe.
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.
The Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing reports that the sale of stamps during the past year was as follows:
| Postage-stamps | 3,025,481,467 |
| Special-delivery stamps | 4,666,270 |
| Postage-due stamps | 19,348,714 |
| Newspaper stamps | 5,505,672 |
In addition, the bureau made the following stamps for internal-revenue purposes: 36,044,732 sheets of Tobacco, Liquor, and Playing-card stamps; 214,000 sheets Custom-house stamps, besides a vast quantity of United States bonds, bank-notes, certificates, etc.
Crime and philately were formerly strangers to each other, but the growing value of stamps is reflected by the criminal statistics of to-day. In one number of the Stamp-Collectors' Fortnightly, published in England, I find the following items (I omit details): 1. The trial of Aubert and Margaret Dubois for the murder of Delahaef, committed to obtain possession of Delahaef's stamp collection. The man was condemned to penal servitude for life, the woman to three years' imprisonment. 2. The trial of two young men in Liverpool for stealing stamps from dealers. 3. A similar case in Aberdeen. 4. A similar case at Bournemouth. 5. Two other cases at London.
In addition, a large part of the paper is taken up with the Sydney Bulletin's article on the "unauthorised and scandalous" trading in postage-stamps by post-office officials; the sale of 5-peseta stamps at Gibraltar, which could not be obtained at the post-office, as practically the whole stock had been sold to one man; and to a review of the Nova Scotia remainder mystery. The author comes to the conclusion that the Nova Scotia stamps (cents issue) had best be left alone by all collectors. Then there is a review of the silly article which appeared in a New York paper a short time ago, in which the failure of a large mercantile house was ascribed to the neglect of business by the head of the house while he pottered over his collection of postage-stamps.
A. C. Tarr.—Dealers ask $1.50 for early gold dollars, and $2 to $2.50 for the later dates; half-dollars, silver, 1828, 75c.; 3c. silver pieces, 10c. for early dates, 50c. to $1 for late dates; but coins must be in "Fine" condition. Ordinary circulated U.S. coins are worth face only.
W. T. Howell.—The 50c. blue and black U.S. Revenue are very common, and can be bought at 2c.
G. G. Morse.—The prices quoted were for unperforated stamps only. Those with perforations are, as a rule, of little value. As there are hundreds of varieties, it is impossible to give a list, but would advise your purchasing a stamp-catalogue, which prices U.S. Revenues of all descriptions. No idea as to value can be formed without examination.
J. D. Duff.—As the button fad is rapidly dying out, this Department can not advise regarding them.
W. E. Shreve, Ridley Park, Pa., wishes to exchange stamps.
B. B. Meggs.—The 1897 catalogues will probably all be published during the month of December or early in January. The prices vary from 10c. to $1.50; but 50c. will be the price of probably the best one.
Amateur.—Addresses can not be given in this column, with the exception of readers of the Round Table who wish to exchange stamps.
Philatus.
At all grocery stores east of the Rocky Mountains two sizes of Ivory Soap are sold; one that costs five cents a cake, and a larger size. The larger cake is the more convenient and economical for laundry and general household use. If your Grocer is out of it, insist on his getting it for you.
The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti.