Harper's Round Table, July 9, 1895 Part 9

Don't cut envelope stamps to shape. Cut them out square, leaving a good margin on all sides.

Don't handle your stamps any more than you can help.

Don't buy rare stamps from any but responsible dealers. Some counterfeits resemble the genuine stamps marvellously. No one not an expert could tell them apart.

Don't buy Chinese locals, "Seebecks," and other philatelic trash, which is made purposely for sale to stamp collectors.

Don't expect to get something for nothing.

FRANK P. HELSEL.--The U. S. 12c. 1872 issue is worth 15 cents. The 50c. green Mauritius 1880 issue is worth 60 cents, unused; 85 cents, used. The "U.S. Post" is the 1864 issue; worth 15 cents.

W. L. L. P.--Most of the Heligoland stamps sold are reprints. They are worth 3 cents each. Originals are worth from 15 cents to $5 each.

JAMES H. CREIGHTON.--The two stamps are the 3c. 1861 and 1872.

They are sold by stamp-dealers at 1 cent each.

J. A. M.--There is no premium on the 1872 U. S. 1c. coin.

R. F. B.--The U. S. 2c. stamp bearing a representation of a horseman is the 1869 issue, worth 8 cents used, 25 cents unused.

J. DUFF.--The coin-dealers ask $1.50 for good copies of the 1877 trade dollar. There are several varieties of the 1801 and 1797 copper cents worth from 25 cents to $3 each, according to condition. There is no premium on the Canadian coin.

G. G. BEATTIE.--Write to any stamp-dealer whose address you find in our advertising columns. We cannot give addresses in this Department. The German coin mentioned has no premium.

HARRY RILEY, Brunswick, Maine, wants to correspond with some members of the ROUND TABLE living in Central or South America.

Most of the Hamburg stamps in alb.u.ms are reprints. When the word "cancelled" is printed on a stamp it cannot be used for postage.

It is simply a "specimen" or fac-simile. The Hong-Kong stamps mentioned by you have not yet been catalogued.

G. KNAUFF.--Many thanks for calling my attention to the three varieties of the present 2c. U. S. (1) The variety in which the horizontal lines run across the triangular ornaments in uniform thickness. (2) That in which the horizontal lines between the outer and inner lines of the ornaments are deepened. (3) That in which the lines are entirely missing between the outer and inner lines of the ornaments. All three were known, and in addition there is the variety showing a flaw in the forehead. This is sometimes found strongly marked; in others it is more or less distinct. I advise philatelists to collect all these varieties, as well as all the shades of color, which are almost innumerable.

LAURA WELCH.--Both the stamp and the embossed envelope were used by the War Department for several years. This use has been discontinued many years. The stamp is worth 5 cents, the 1c.

envelope, if on white paper, is worth $2.50, if on amber paper $35, if on manila paper 5 cents

L. P. DODGE.--The stamp you describe is one of the German locals which are not collected in this country. There are many counterfeits of the New Orleans Confederate local. It is impossible to say whether your copy is genuine or counterfeit without examination.

H. R. C.--The present blue Special Delivery is collected as a new variety. The Sedang stamps are worthless. Your complaint will be investigated if you will send the Stamp Editor your full name and address.

F. E. WELSH, JUN.--"Regular" perforations cut out little circles of white paper between each stamp on the sheet. "Pin" perforations are simply holes punched into the s.p.a.ces between the stamps without removing the little circles of white paper. Saw-tooth perforations are simply cuts into the s.p.a.ces between the stamps somewhat like this--v v v v v v. When the stamps are torn apart the margins look just like the teeth on a saw. The Columbian stamps are rapidly advancing in value. The 8c. Sherman has dropped in value during the past year from 4 cents to a 1/2 cent each.

JAMES F. ANDERSON.--The stamp you describe is the New Orleans local. It is worth at least $1.50.

A. W. DUNCAN.--The 1830 half-dollar is not at a premium.

R. B. H.--The 3c. green U.S. is worth 1 cent.

F. LOCKE.--The 1853 dime is worth face value only.

GEO. H.--We cannot answer questions regarding dealers in this column.

B. W. LEAVITT.--The 50c. revenue-stamps mentioned are sold by dealers at 2 cents each.

C. C. c.o.o.nER.--The 1c. blue 1861 is worth 3 cents; the others are worth 1 cent each.

PHILATUS.

THAT SLEIGHT-OF-HAND PERFORMANCE.

BY CHARLES M. SHELDON.

It had been a very dull winter at Colby, and when we college boys came home for our Christmas vacation we determined we would liven it up for the village.

As it happened, curiously enough, a funeral was the cause of the lively time that followed our determination.

Old Father Colby, one of the original settlers, had died the week before, leaving a wife and three orphaned grandchildren in the old homestead, and, as it turned out, very dest.i.tute. So the idea occurred to us to get up a benefit entertainment, and turn over the proceeds to the widow Colby and her family of grandchildren.

The idea took with the neighborhood. And we at once rented the Town-hall, and proceeded to bill the village and every barn in the towns.h.i.+p with the notices of our performance.

There were three of us: Tom Chandler, Jonas Willitts, and myself, Peter Samuels. We were the only village boys who had ever been to college, and we were the envy of all the farmers' boys and the admiration of all the village girls. So we made the most of our brief vacations to get into public notice.

We determined to give a sleight-of-hand performance. Tom sent down to Boston for materials, and we all practised diligently, keeping everything as secret as if we were in a conspiracy against the United States.

Our announcements, which were scattered all over the towns.h.i.+p, were certainly very attractive. They read as follows:

"Extraordinary Performance to be given at the Town-hall, Colby, December 20, 18--. Marvellous Feats of Prestidigitatorism! The Egg and the Handkerchief! The Watch Mortar and Magic Pistol!

"The Handkerchief that will not Burn! The Pudding in the Hat! The Inexhaustible Bottle! And Numerous other Marvels and Mysteries lately Imported from India and the East!

"The above Unrivalled Performance will be given for only 25 cents admission. Proceeds to be devoted to Benevolent Cause. Doors open at 7.30. Performance to begin at 8. Come early and avoid being turned away.

No reserved seats. Carriages may be ordered for ten o'clock."

We debated some over the last line on the handbills, but finally decided to let it go in. It made the bills look more cosmopolitan and did no harm.

Tom and Jonas were to be the princ.i.p.al performers. I was general ticket agent and business and stage manager. We all had our dress suits with us, and, of course, we wore them when the time came.

Well, that was the largest crowd that ever came to an entertainment in Colby. There hadn't been anything going on all winter. Most of the young people had never seen any sleight-of-hand tricks, and all the old people turned out to help Grandma Colby. Before eight o'clock the hall was jammed. Every seat was taken, and people crowded into the broad aisle and sat on the platform, and stood up all around in a black fringe against the wall.

We had rigged up a curtain in front of the narrow platform, and at eight o'clock, when the hall was so full that no more people could get into it, the curtain was pulled aside by Peter Samuels, the stage director, and revealed the Magician's Home.

The first trick on the programme was "The Egg and the Handkerchief."

Jonas was behind the table acting as Tom's a.s.sistant, while I was stationed just out of sight behind a fold of the curtain, ready to step in at the right moment, for the trick required the use of three persons.

It was simple enough, and yet Tom's blunder at the start led to the ridiculous accident which was the first of a series that made that sleight-of-hand performance a thing for Colby people to reckon time from.

The trick was, first, for Tom to produce an egg from Jonas's month by rapping him on the back of his head, Jonas already having been provided with a guinea-hen's egg secreted in his mouth for the purpose. Then, when the egg appeared, Tom was to pretend to place it in a handkerchief, really subst.i.tuting for it a china egg of the same size, and slipping the real egg into a little pochette of his dress-coat. What he did, however, was to drop the real egg into the handkerchief, because, as he afterwards said, the china egg stuck in his pochette, and he could not get it out. The next part of the trick was to gather up the four corners of the handkerchief and whirl it around rapidly, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, keep your eyes on my a.s.sistant yonder." At that point I stepped out, holding on a plate a very nice-looking sponge-cake previously prepared. Then Tom was to say: "I will now cause the egg in the handkerchief to pa.s.s into the cake. Watch closely, ladies and gentlemen."