Harper's Round Table, August 27, 1895 Part 8

In other matters of sport the Californians are just as progressive as they are in their desire to come East. They have recognized the justness of the Round Table's advocacy of uniformity in field and track programmes, and are trying to adjust the A.A.L. list to the university schedule. They have already adopted a 440-yard run, which they did not have before, and at an early meeting of the executive committee on athletics a motion will be made to use a 16-lb. hammer instead of a 12-lb. weight at the coming games. The shot is already a sixteen-pounder.

THE GRADUATE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STAMPS]

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 as far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

One of the greatest "finds" in the history of stamp collecting has just been made in Kansas City. The letters of an old firm were about to be destroyed when the attention of a stamp-collector was called to them. He immediately bought the entire lot of letters for a small sum. Among the lot were about one hundred letters each bearing one or more of the rare St. Louis stamps issued in 1843, and remaining in use until 1847. The 5c. stamp has. .h.i.therto brought from $150 to $200 at auction; the 10c.

about $75, and the only copy of the 20c. in the market was sold in 1894 by the veteran dealer J. W. Scott, usually called "the father of philately," to a collector in Bangor, Maine, for $1500. This gentleman, it is said, refused an offer of $2500 for the stamp.

In this new lot are a number of pairs of all three varieties and several strips of three. The immediate result will probably be lower prices on all three St. Louis stamps, but the demand will probably fully equal the supply.

FRED.--No premium on the English s.h.i.+lling, 1817.

J. HALL.--Very few gold dollars were ever coined, and many have found their way to the melting-pot, or have been practically destroyed by conversion into bangles. Hence the dealers ask from $1.50 upward for all U.S. dollars in gold.

H. STEVENS.--It is impossible to give anything more than a rough estimate as to the number of stamp-collectors and dealers, or the value of the stamps now in existence in alb.u.ms, or the amount of annual business done in stamps. I hope to give some statistics on all these points in a future issue.

M. C. W.--It would be very difficult to explain the differences in the Brazils and Guatemalas without ill.u.s.trations, or within the narrow limits of this column. I congratulate you on your "find" of Wurtembergs.

R. B. HADDOCK.--The 1864 and 1866 2c. coppers are quoted by dealers at 10c. each for "good," and 50c. each for "fine."

PHILATUS.

AN ASTUTE SEA-LION.

It has always been a question in the minds of naturalists whether or not animals have any means of conversing or of communicating to one another more than the most elementary ideas of danger, hunger, and affection. It would seem from what lately happened at Lake Merced that seals, at least, must certainly have the powers of description and persuasion well developed. Lake Merced was at one time a favorite resort of fishermen from San Francisco. The trout that were pulled out of its quiet waters were said to be the best, but so much angling was done that the trout finally disappeared, and only carp were to be caught. Then the fish commissioners decided to stock the lake with muskallonge, in the hope that the latter would destroy the voracious carp, and eventually afford good catches themselves.

Lake Merced is not very far inland from Seal Rock, and in some manner an old sea-lion found his way from the ocean to the quieter waters beyond.

He tasted of the carp and enjoyed his meal, and being a genial sort of a sea-lion, he returned to the rock, where he must have told his friends of his adventure. He must have told them, and he must have organized a picnic party, because the next night a number of seals flopped their way into Merced. Everything was just as the old lion had represented, and the band decided to remain.

Soon afterwards some employes of the commissioners drew a net across the lake to see how the muskallonge were getting on. The seals, now permanent residents of the lake, laughed loudly, after the fas.h.i.+on of their race, and waved their flappers at the net-men as if to encourage them to keep on and find out how many muskallonge were left. For the muskallonge had got to the last dozen or so of carp, and the sea-lions had gobbled the muskallonge, and only a few cat-fish were found in the lake.

The seals are still in Merced, but there is a firm conviction in the minds of those who live near by that unless the lake is stocked again the greedy fellows will return to the rock in the sea.

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS.

Highest of all in Leavening Strength.--Latest U. S. Gov't Report.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Royal Baking Powder]

Arnold

Constable & Co

Camel's-Hair

Chudda Shawls,

75c. to $3.50 each.

Worth from $2.00 to $10.00.

Broadway & 19th st.

NEW YORK.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT of the award on

=GILLOTT'S PENS= at the CHICAGO EXPOSITION.

=AWARD:= "For excellence of steel used in their manufacture, it being fine grained and elastic; superior workmans.h.i.+p, especially shown by the careful grinding which leaves the pens free from defects. The tempering is excellent and the action of the finished pens perfect."

(Signed) FRANZ VOGT, _Individual Judge_.

Approved: { H. I. KIMBALL, _Pres't Departmental Committee_.

{ JOHN BOYD THACHER, _Chairman Exec Com. on Awards_.

HARPER'S PERIODICALS.