Midnight Watching
If friends stay up to watch the Old Year out, any of the above-named articles may be made by the children for souvenirs. A poem which may suitably be read at this time is Tennyson's "Ring Out, Wild Bells;" also, Longfellow's "The Poet's Calendar." A timely topic for discussion is the never-answered question: When does the new century begin—with January 1, 1900, or 1901? Timothy Dwight, President of Yale College, 1795-1817, wrote some clever verses apropos of the subject when he helped usher in the 19th Century.
ST. VALENTINE'S DAY
Save lace papers from candy and soap boxes and they will prove useful when St. Valentine's Day comes in making Valentines. With these papers and scissors, paste, scrap pictures of flowers, doves, etc., the children will spend happy hours in making these dainty souvenirs. We give a few directions for making some such.
Single Hearts (Red cardboard, lace paper, scrap pictures, scissors, paste)
Cut a heart out of the cardboard and around the edge paste a border of lace paper, fulling slightly and attaching it to the under side of the heart. In the centre of the upper side of the heart paste a pretty scrap picture. This makes a simple but effective Valentine.
Chain of Hearts (Red cardboard, scissors, scrap pictures, paste, red ribbon)
Cut several hearts out of the cardboard, and, after punching holes in the top and bottom of each one, string them together, pasting a scrap picture on each one if that added touch is desired.
Double Hearts (Red cardboard, scissors, paste, strip of red paper)
Cut two hearts of different sizes. Then take a narrow strip of red paper measuring ¼ × 1 inch and fold it into thirds. While still folded attach one end of this paper to the centre of the upper side of the large heart and the other end to the centre of the lower side of the smaller heart. This unites the two, one resting on top of the other, the paper acting as a kind of spring to raise one above the other. Instead of a small heart a scrap picture may be thus attached on the larger heart.