Harper's Round Table, June 25, 1895 Part 10

=FREE=--Palmer c.o.x's, =The Brownies' Discovery=--Ill.u.s.trated.

TARRANT & CO., Chemists, New York.

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The Eight Numbers of the Franklin Square Song Collection contain

1600

of the Choicest Old and New Songs and Hymns in the Wide World.

Fifty Cents per Number in paper; Sixty Cents in substantial Board binding; One Dollar in Cloth. The Eight Numbers also bound in two volumes at $3.00 each. Address Harper & Brothers, New York.

Prize Story Awards.

The Round Table offered a First Prize of $50, a Second of $25, and a Third of $25 for the best original stories written by authors who had not pa.s.sed their eighteenth birthday. There was no condition about the kind of a story required, but appearance of ma.n.u.script, spelling, construction, character, and plot were to be considered. Stories were required to contain not more than two thousand nor fewer than one thousand words. There were a few under five hundred contestants, some of whom were as young as ten, and in one case seven years. Many stories were extremely clever, considering the ages of their authors.

The First Prize is won by a Knight who lives in Delaware. His name is Henry S. Canby, aged sixteen. A Knight, also from a Southern State (South Carolina), won the first prize in the Table's previous story contest. The Second Prize is won by a Lady. She is thirteen, and lives in Minnesota. Her name is Nancy Howe Wood, and the t.i.tle of her story, which will be published in order, is "An Exciting Game." The story standing third is "Joey's Christmas." It reached us bearing no name of the writer, although it said it was intended for this contest. Owing to this oversight by the author we cannot award it the Third Prize. We will, however, give the author, when found, an extra prize of $10. Will he or she write us? The Third Prize is awarded to the story standing fourth. It is "The Beverly Ghost," by Jennie Mae Blakeslee, aged fifteen, a resident of New Jersey. The Table congratulates the winners.

Stories by the following authors are specially commended, the order of that praise being indicated by the order in which names are printed: Upton B. Sinclair, Jun., Frances Chittenden, Constance F. Wheeler, Edith den Bleyker, Alice E. Dyar, Mande Newbolt, A. D. Parsons, Oliver Bunce Ferris, Agnes Barton, f.a.n.n.y Fullerton, Joseph B. Ames, Helen H. Hayes, Louis E. Thayer, George Clarkson Hirts, George W. Halliwell, Jun., Janet Ashley, Ray Bailey Stevenson, Edith Eckfield, Gay Hugh Leland, Helen L.

Birnie, Virginia Louise De Caskey.

An Old Civil War Veteran.

Living here is the oldest cavalry horse of the civil war. He belongs to Sergeant B. F. Crawford, Company C, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, who captured him in Virginia just after his owner had been shot from his back. He was then eight years old. Now he is forty, as black as coal, save for some gray hairs in mane and tail, and still fond of martial music, especially on Decoration day, the local parade of which he always forms a part. Last year he went to the National Encampment of the Grand Army at Pittsburg, but he is too feeble to go to another. "Old Ned" is his name, and he is a universal favorite. His greatest war service was his three days at Gettysburg, where he was in at the beginning and finish, and didn't get a scratch.

HARRY MOORHEAD.

NORTH EAST, PA.

Care and Food of Fresh-water Turtles.

Several members ask about the care and food of turtles--really fresh-water tortoises. They should be kept in a tank or vessel, with some sort of an island upon which they may crawl when tired of swimming.

The best food for them is fresh animal food--flies, worms, or very tiny live fish. If a live fly is put on the water so that it will kick, the tortoise will come up and get it, as he will not be so apt to do with a dead one. A worm may be dropped in for him once in a while; but as these are sometimes hard to find, he may be fed with bits of meat, raw or cooked. As a rule, tortoises will not eat vegetables or bread, though these will not hurt them. They can go for a long time without food, but it is better to feed them every day.

A Jaunt Up Mount Macedon.

One fine day in December a few girl friends and I thought of walking from Woodend to the top of Mount Macedon and back again. The first part of the road leading to the Mount was smooth, and the shade thrown by the eucalyptus-trees was very pleasant. As we got further on it became rather hot, and we were glad to rest and eat our luncheon in a cool spot about half-way up the Mount. Lilac Walk is a beautiful spot at the top of Mount Macedon, and is so called because wild lilac blooms there in profusion. The trees, which are tall, interlace and form arches, which almost shut out the sun.

The Camel's Hump is the highest peak of Mount Macedon. It was a very steep climb, but we were rewarded for it. We could see around us miles and miles of beautiful country, with here and there a tiny house among the trees. On a fine day you can see Port Phillip Bay, which is over forty miles distant. On our way back we saw a beautiful place thickly covered with ferns, with a tiny stream running through it. We did not feel very tired when we got there, although we had walked fourteen miles. I intend forwarding you next time a brief description of the Hanging Rock near Woodend.

EVELINE WALLACE, R. T. L.

TASMA, MORELAND RD., W. COBURG.

What Shall Our Badges Be?

The Founders decided the Order is to have a new badge, to be made in two styles. One is to be of silver, or at least of some material that may be secured at a low price, say ten cents, and the other of gold, or gold and enamel, to cost as much as fifty cents, perhaps; certainly little if any more. A score or more Founders suggested that designs be submitted.

Very good. Now where shall we get the designs? Do members wish to give us some? If so, send them in. Draw them in either India or wash, that we may reproduce them.

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Here is the top of what is said to be the original King Arthur's Table.

It is preserved in the cathedral at Winchester, England. The figure is that of Arthur, and the names are those of the original Knights. It was suggested that the badge be a reproduction of this, but if the entire table-top be employed designs will be so small they cannot be read.

Besides, we Americans hardly want to wear badges bearing a figure of royalty, do we? Why not use the rose in the centre--the rose is historic--and vary the inscription around it?

In making designs, be careful to consider the time and nation. One member sends us a design in which appears the fleur-de-lis, which is French, not English. The sword, ancient pattern, the red and white rose, the cross, other than the Latin--all these may be used. Of course we will keep the "K. L. O. R. T." If need be, the words could be spelled out: "Knights: Ladies: Order: Round: Table." Let us have your designs at once. Any who wish may submit them. The two or three best will be published, if made so we can reproduce them. Possibly an artist can select the best features of several and combine them. So send along your ideas.

How to Plan a Gala Evening.

For July or August there are few entertainments more novel and delightful than out-of-door ones. Why not have some in aid of the School Fund? Or they might be partly in aid of the Fund and partly for the benefit of a Chapter. The way to begin is to get together from six to a dozen friends, and then write to us for particulars.

Here is briefly what we shall recommend, but be sure to write, because we can give you more explicit directions than we have s.p.a.ce for here. We shall give you t.i.tles of some very funny farces and pantomimes, similar to those that college students give as burlesques, and which any company of persons of any age can learn and render with very little trouble and with certain success. We shall also tell you how to build a rustic stage out of doors, to arrange hemlocks or spruces for "scenery," etc. A good way is to charge a fee of twenty-five cents, and give, after the stage entertainment is over, a plate of ice-cream free. You will have plenty of fun--and help a good cause, and perhaps yourselves. Write us, sure.

A Natural History Bit.

There are a great many violets about here, and the ones we have the most of are the swamp violets and the little ones that grow in the fields.

The swamp violets are a very light purple with darker lines on the lower petal. There are from two to twenty violets on one plant. They grow in the woods and in wet places. The white violets also grow in the woods.

They are very much smaller, and are entirely white except the lower petal, which has purple lines. They are very sweet. I have never seen more than seven or eight violets on one plant.