C. O. P.—1. The famous liberty bell still hangs in the corridor of Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, although it is proposed to take it to Chicago to exhibit during the Columbian Exposition. No proposition has ever been made to melt it and recast the metal into two smaller bells, as such a proceeding would justly be regarded as little short of sacrilege. 2. There are many kinds of pigeons, but only two kinds—the common pigeon and the turtle dove—have been tamed. All the fancy breeds now raised come from the common pigeon, which is descended from the wild rock pigeon or rock dove. The carrier pigeon is a special breed, larger than the common pigeon, with a long, slim neck, with a piece of naked skin across its bill and hanging down on each side. Carrier pigeons have been known from the most ancient times, especially in the East.
F. C.—1. By the census of 1890, the Indian population of the United States, exclusive of Alaska, is set down at 249,273. Of these, 133,382 are at schools or on reservations, under the control of the Indian Bureau; 66,289 are included in the five civilized tribes of Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks and Seminoles; the pueblos of New Mexico contain 8278; the Cherokees of North Carolina and the Six Nations of New York number 6189; Indians taxed or taxable, 32,567; and the remainder are prisoners of war or in jail for state offenses. 2. Admission to the Columbian Exposition has been fixed at fifty cents, for young and old. 3. The London-Paris telephone is open to the public on week days from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M., and the charge is two dollars for three minutes’ conversation. The distance by wire is nearly 170 miles. 4. The nearest telephone office in your city will give you distances and rates. 5. Your handwriting is plain and legible.
Napoleon I.—1. Although Napoleon Bonaparte is still idolized by the French nation and has elsewhere many ardent admirers it is now generally conceded that all his deeds sprung from personal ambition and that he had little of that love of country which characterized Washington. No one can call him a patriot; he was a soldier imbued with the love of conquest, and as such was merciless and even cruel. In his private life he was by no means a model, and his divorcing Josephine for State reasons has been generally condemned. He was perhaps the greatest soldier that ever lived, at any rate dividing the honors with Julius Cæsar, but many greater men have lived, if we may define greatness as that which confers the most good upon mankind. 2. If a boy could have the personal tuition of an expert civil engineer he could learn the profession, but the easiest and quickest way is to take a college course and then go to work as an assistant.
An Old Subscriber.—When training for a bicycle race, the rider should first get his stomach in good condition. He should begin the exercise easily, and work up day by day as his strength and agility increases. He must indulge in plenty of wholesome food, but never touch pastry or tobacco in any shape. Having got into good condition, he should decide what distance he proposes to race, and turn his whole attention to it, never striving to become a long and a short-distance rider at one and the same time. Two or three trials of speed, at forty or fifty yards distances, should be made every day, after getting in fair form, slowing up gradually each time. Then he should finish up the day with a run of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards at three-quarter speed, and so on, day after day, until the stipulated distance is covered at full speed. The same method should be pursued in training for a foot race, boat race or swimming contest. On the day of the race, if the contest occurs in the afternoon, the only exercise should be a gentle ride for a mile or two.
Darkey.—1. Architects’ assistants are paid salaries in accordance with their experience and skill, which varies greatly. 2. Government postage-stamp mucilage is not for sale, but can be easily made as follows: Gum dextrine, 2 parts; acetic acid, 1 part; water, 5 parts. Dissolve in a water bath and add 1 part alcohol. 3. William H. McKinley is an American. 4. We do not advertise periodicals of any kind in this department. 5. Detective agencies are private affairs, except those connected with the police department of various cities. The salaries are not by any means munificent, and are earned by a vast amount of privation, exposure and hard work. 6. There are now built or in commission 24 armored vessels, 11 unarmored vessels, 4 gunboats and 4 special class vessels of the new navy, and 59 iron and wooden vessels of the old navy, of which 30 are in commission. 7. Major Andre, on August 1, 1780, wrote “The Battle of Cow Chace.” It was in three cantos, and was a parody on the English ballad of “Chevy Chace.” 8. On the 1st of June, 1785, John Adams was introduced by the Marquis of Carmathen to the King of Great Britain as first ambassador extraordinary from the United States of America to the Court of London. 9. A considerable portion of the United States yet remains to be surveyed, but no portion remains unexplored. There are doubtless large tracts of forest and mountain land which are in primeval wildness, but the general topography is known. In Alaska, however, there are thousands of square miles which have never been visited by a white man, mainly in the interior; in fact, with the exception of a strip of sea-coast and the lands bordering on the Yukon River, all Alaska is terra incognito.
Louis Granat.—Read “Some Points About West Point,” No. 12, Vol. 7 Golden Days.—C. B. Golden Days has never published directions how to make a star puzzle out of wood.—Curiosity Shop. See “Leaf Skeletonizing” in No. 39 Vol. 13.—S. W. Sir Moses Montefiore died July 28, 1885.—F. P. B. Electro-plating was described in No. 23, Vol. 11, and in answer to “Gualy Dids,” No. 38, Vol. 13, a method is explained of electro-plating without a battery.—A Reader. The ever-recurring question as to which goes faster, the top or the bottom of a wheel, was answered in Our Letter Box, No. 31, Vol. 13, in reply to “Three Boys.”
Several communications have been received which will be answered next week.
