A TREASURY OF CHARADES PUZZLES, PROBLEMS CHARADES. Vast multitudes who bear the name of Christ This day proclaim, with songs and chantHis triumph over death's keen agony. ings high, Born of the earth, we are man's portion But from that land where glows celestial day No. 27. FOUNDATION WORDS. RATH. A king and queen, of whom, while one was reigning in one country, the other reigned over another. CROSS WORDS. Evil. To shun. A kind of fish. LILLIE W. Wise. My 7, 1, 4, is a substance obtained from ILLUSTRATED REBUS.-No. 33. turpentine. My whole is an imaginary flower. MILDRED NORTON. No. 31. I am composed of 26 letters. My 8, 16, 3, 18, was one of Noah's sons. My 26, 7, 12, 25, 13, 20, is a color. My 5, 10, 18, 17, 15, 2, 21, 4, 5, 19, 22, is the name of a piece of music, and also of a piece of poetry. My 1, 13, 11, 24, is a fierce animal. My 23, 19, 9, is what the flowers could not spare. My 6, 21, 9, is a direction given to oxen. My whole is the title of a piece of music. MAMMOTH CAVE. ANSWERS. 20. CoW. Albino. Nassa U. NaamaN. Orea D. Narcissus. ARITHMETICAL PUZZLE. 21. Suspect a tale-bearer, and trust him not. No. 32. [(sus pecked) a (tail-bearer), and (truss) t (hymn) (knot).] I AM a number composed of three 22. Green-back. figures. 1. When I am divided by my third figure 23. The letter H. 24. Take care of the minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves. I equal 71. 25. A cape. "E-n and E-a received their welcome | Actors frequently bear excellent characters, no 'Young Folks' for October, and in it were pleased to see an answer to their epistle concerning stagebusiness, though rather disappointed at it, fancying they detect a tone of disapproval in it. Now, dear 'Young Folks,' we know that the measure of our iniquity is great in this business; but, alas for the natural depravity of mankind in general and of young girls in particular, we cannot help it, and are not miserable that we cannot, we rather enjoy it, in fact. But you say you do not know precisely what we want, and give us a list. Now, we would like to know about each of those things and very explicitly; but as that would be too much even for the patience of our dear 'Young Folks,'-to whom the patience of Job, as we often think, could not have been a circumstance, -we will content ourselves for the present with asking you to tell us about the behavior and customs of the theatre. Could you tell us also a little about some of the noted actors of to-day? - about their lives, etc., and if actors are not very often good? So, hoping and trusting for an answer in your next number, we sign ourselves, "Yours persistently, but affectionately." If E-n and E-a wish to know about the details of stage routine, we can do no better than to refer them to a book called "Footlight Flashes," written by Mr. Davidge, an old actor. There are enough little topics about scenery, machinery, costume, study, rehearsal, performance, and management, to fill even a larger book than Mr. Davidge's, and so we cannot possibly undertake to discuss them here. One thing is, however, to be ever borne in mind by those young people who, in the ignorance and ambition of their youth, are "stage-struck," that the actor's profession is a tedious and laborious one, seldom very profitable and often very dreary. Of course there are persons of genius who make their way to fame and perhaps wealth; but genius, or even great talent, is very, very rare. Then there are lazy people, who shuffle along, and just manage to support life; but who would be one of these? The actor is no more to be envied than the soldier: for, although some few may be great and known in the world, most must toil and struggle, and suffer, must live and die poor and obscure. doubt, but their path is beset with many tempta- "WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 1868. "Jan. 27. "Since writing the above, my February number has come. My love to Contadina: the date of her letter carried my thoughts back with a rush to my own bright sunny home in Italy. A few years before my birth my mother was ordered to Italy for her health, and it benefited her so much that she stayed until I was twelve, that being a little over two years ago. I was born in Venice, but I have travelled all over Italy. Of all the places I ever was in, I dislike Washington the most. If you could only see it now, you would sympathize with me. It rained yesterday, and the streets are deep mud, with several inches of muddy water on top of it. The people are too cold-blooded. I feel as though I would like to shake them sometimes. My most humble respects to Willy Wisp, and tell him he only excites so much interest because he so obstinately remains incognito; the female sex is proverbially curious In my opinion he is only a conceited young Amer ican. As I have written my ill-humor away, I think I will stop. "Your cross friend." Would that all the ill-humor in the world could be so easily and amusingly disposed of! "A few days ago I had a note from one of my friends asking me to come up to her house. So up I went, and she proposed to make some bread. I had never made any before, neither had she. As we had both read Pussy Willow,' and liked it ever and ever so much, we remembered that there was a receipt for bread in it; so we brought the number down into the kitchen, as we thought, if Pussy succeeded with her first bread, why should First, of course, we sifted and measured the flour; having got it all nicely weighed, what must Sarah do but accidentally hit the pan, and over went all the flour (and our trouble) on to the floor and our dresses. Luckily we were enveloped in large towels, and the cook, being very good-natured, laughed as hard as any of us. The flour being swept up, we measured some more and went on with our work. All that was fun enough, but when we came to the kneading, O, was n't it splendid? Was n't that bread fisted, and punched, and rolled? Every once in a while, in a very ecstasy of delight, we would give our separate little cushions a tiny toss in the air, but very careful, I can tell you, to catch them again. Then we put our bread away to rise. "The next morning I went up again, and we gave the bread a shorter kneading, then let it rise an hour, and finally it was stowed away snug and warm in the oven. The baking was most exciting we would go into the parlor, begin to practise one of our duets, but the thought of bread being so strong, we would break off in the middle of the piece and rush into the kitchen, open the oven door just a little mite of a crack, and, seeing it rising so beautifully, we would go back to our practising again. How many times this was repeated, I am sure I could not tell you; but what I do know is, that at last our two loaves (for we only took half of the receipt) were done, and, as the cook said, it was the 'most beautifullest bread ever seen, Our cook said that she could not make as good bread herself, but in her own secret heart I guess she thought she could, as I know she can. "But I have tired you, I am afraid, with what was very interesting to us, but is not to you; so, with many thanks to Mrs. Stowe, much happiness to yourselves, and a long life to the Young Folks,' "Yours truly, "MAMMOTH Cave." Alice D. Pussy Willow's story is not all told yet. Brownie. It is a fanciful way of showing how the children would manage things if they could carry out their own little dreams. Greenie. Don't be afraid, is the best cure for bashfulness. Make one bold start, and going on will be easy enough. M. D. F. Just such a question as yours has been answered here already. Hautboy. "Sc." in the corner of a wood-engraving stands for sculpsit, "engraved."— The rebuses will not quite do. Potomac. If you read the advertisements you will find out about the premiums. Fannie F. If you think that we shall give any opinion that will disagree with that of your parents, you make a great mistake. It is your first duty, while you are a child, to conform to their wishes and meet their views. Croquet Mallets. If you wish a guide to croquet, we must refer you either to the pamphlet (by Sheldon & Co., of New York, we think), or to published under authority of the Newport club that of Captain Mayne Reid. Ethel. If Webster is the authority for spelling in the school which you attend, you can certainly conform to the rules of the school in respect to such words as centre. But you are still free, of course, to do as you like away from your class. If your parents prefer-rightly, as we think to write centre instead of center, you can easily do so too; but in your school exercises you should follow the established custom of your teachers. J. W. C. Probably not. Emma and Laura. "Oliver Optic's" real 'name is William T. Adams, and he lives at Harrison Square, in Dorchester, Mass. John. Of course you may help yourself in making out the Shakespearian puzzles by reference to the play. It is for that reason that we name the scene you cannot be expected to have Shakespeare by heart. Mary S. P., F. B. E. (many thanks), B. Liss, I. J. B. (of the Rocky Mountains), Banny Buds, Sweet Clover (you were favored, indeed, to have so many Christmas gifts), J. L. N., P. W. S., Rebel, Evol, Alice M. R. (not yet, dear !), Clara (subject too long), L. M. C., Starr, Samuel M., Agnes B., H. V. H., Flora, Barley Brewster, A. B. Cash, Tubbs (good boy !), M. H. T., Ross Gray, Deshler W., Snow-Bird, Tom-tit, J. B. M. S. ("blot" is spelled with only one t), Enella (did you ever see a shadow "stretching a mile in length"?), Madge Wildfire. Thank you for your long letters and your offers of "Evening Lamp" material, one and all. Some charming child-pictures have reached us, both pen-and-ink sketches and photographs, for which we cannot find a place, but which we do not like to return without a word of thanks. There is a sweet little "Baby May," from New Jersey, and a "Lucy May," from Pennsylvania, and a delightful "Little Botheration," from Connecticut, and a "Little Boy," from distant Nebraska, and ever so many more, to whom we can only give an uncle-and-auntly kiss, and a snug corner and gentle rock in the Letter Box, before sending them back to the shelter of their own cradles. We only wish the sheets of our magazine were wide enough to tuck all the babies cosily in that come wandering to our sanctum from far and near. We could quote many a bright saying from the rosebud lips of our tiny visitors, if their mammas were willing; but we are not quite sure of this. A certain little "Birdie " wants to know the "real name of the lady who wrote the 'Prudy' books, so that she may ask her to write some more." We think that "Sophie May" does not wish to have her true name known to the public, but we will tell her that "Birdie " lives in Michigan, and considers her books "the nicest she ever read"; and if she asks us, we will tell her, also, whose "birdie" it is, that she may herself give the desired information, if she will. M. W. J. T. Trowbridge is the "right name." Your verses are creditable for a beginner. Tell your brother that he must have grown old a little too fast, if he has lost his relish for childish simplicity. We hope that we shall never lose ours. Espiègle. Thank you for showing the story. Syntax. Your rebuses are almost good enough. It is customary, but not necessary, to send the FeO, SO3. "Good Old Times" is finished. whole sheet, if a letter is written on two pages only; in formal or elegant correspondence the whole sheet must be sent; in business communications it is well enough to economize in your paper. J. W. You have the legend right, but it may reasonably be doubted whether there is any more truth in it than we gave in our answer to Tiny Tim. LAST month's puzzle when translated reads, "Sweets to the sweet." Now, what do you say to this one? If you wish for help, you may find it in the play of Henry VI., second part, Act III., Scene 3. |
