4.70 
AMERICAN AaRICULTURIST. 
[Decjc^ber, 
the water is, we suppose, somewhere in the bottom of the 
wagon. Then the locomotive, what an odd affaii it 
seems, with the cylinder up in the air; and the unfortu- 
nate engineer exposed to the weather and the cinders- 
just compare this with the poorest train that is now 
run, and yon will see that in railroad matters some im- 
provement has been made within less than half a century. 
Xlte itIocIiaiiic:tl I^onkey. 
Annt Sue and others have something to say about 
Christmas presents which girls may make for their 
friends, 3'ouiig and old, but they liavu not provided for 
the boys. Those boys who can work with carpenter's 
tools, or with the nice little bracket saws, such as we 
figured some mouths a^'O, can make miuicrous useful and 
ornamental articles fur their motliers and others, and 
they hardly need any suggestions, but the smaller boys 
would like to make something. A very amusing thing to 
give a younger brother or sister, is what we have called a 
"Mechanical Donkey,'' and we think we can show you 
so plainly how to make it. that you will need but little 
help from an older person. The 
materials needed are : a piece of 
thin paper; a piece ofcard orthin 
paste-board (some business or 
show-card, or thin paste-board 
box, such as are generally throi\-n 
away at the country stores) ; a bit 
of wood ; a piece of string ; a 
small weight of any kind, and 
some paste or gum. In llie first 
place take your tliiu paper, (com- 
mon note paper will do, or any 
other kind that will show the 
narks through it>. nnd lay it npon 
the diagram, and with a pencil 
copy the outlines of figure 1. 
These lines will show through 
most kinds of writing paper, and, 
if the first you tiy is not thiu 
enough, you can hunt up some 
piece that will let you see tlie 
lines ; copying in this way is called 
"tracing,"' and in tracing you 
must be careful that the paper 
does not slip, else j'onr drawing 
will be all wrong, and you must 
begin over again. Hold the paper 
in place with the fingers of one 
hand, while you use the pencil 
with the other. After you have 
traced figure 1, go on and do the 
same with figures 2 and 3, ob- 
serving to put the dots for holea 
just as they are in the diagram. 
Now with paste or gum, fasten 
these tracings upon your stiff 
paper or card, and let them dry. 
It will be bettor to put a weight, 
such as a heavy book, upon them, 
80 that they will dry flat. When 
dry, cut out the pieces, following 
the lines exactly ; you may find it 
better to use a knife than scissors, 
at least for the place under the 
belly, using a smooth piece 
of board to cut upon. Having cut out the parts, they are 
to have holes made with a small awl or a large needle, 
just where the dots are. The head and legs are then to 
be put on as in figure 4, which shows the rear side ; the 
head is fastened to the body by its upper, and the leg by 
its lower hole ; use a coarse thread, or very fine cord, 
making a knot at one end. then, when through the holes, 
secure liy a large knot on the other side, tied close up to 
the piece. To make the animal stand, fasten on a flat 
stick, as in a, figure 4. You can put in a couple of tacks 
from the other side, or gum on two pieces of beiiL card, 
as shown at &, in the figure, putting the stick between 
them, and winding a thread around the card and stick, or 
by gntnniing them to the stick. Place this stick upon the 
edge of a shelf or table, and tlicu put a book or something 
heavy on the end of it, the donkey will stand. To set 
him in motion, you will need a piece of coarse thread 
from half a yard to a yard long, make a knot in one end, 
pass the other end through the hole in the neck, and 
through the hole in the leg, and make a knot there bO 
that it will not slip out, as sei-n in figure 4. Now if you 
pnll the string, and all works right, up will go the head 
and the leg, and when you slacken it down they will go 
by their own weight; if the parts work well, youthen 
can apply the " ii»otivc power," which is a small weight 
fastened to the string, as shown in figure 4. Tall this to 
one side and let it swing, just like the pendulum to a 
clock, and first the head will rise and then the leg, the=c 
parts going up and down in tlie most amusing manner. 
The size of the weight will depend upon the thickness of 
the card, and the case with which the parts move, and 
you will have to make several trials ; if the string is 
short the motion will be qniclcer, and if longer, slower. 
If your card is white, you can make the eyes, nostrils, 
the shading around the head, ears, legs, and elsewhere, 
with a pencil, as shown in figure 5, but if you have colors 
and know how to use them, you can paint the animal of 
the proper color. If it does not work at first, have 
patience, and try to find out where the trouble is, and 
remove the cause ; if properly made it will work, for we 
always try such things before giving them to you. If you 
can draw, you can make other animals in the same man- 
ner, such as a bird moving its head and tail. 
Iinpudc^Ei.4!e Re1>uk:ed. 
A party of collegians on board a steamboat were 
amused at the staid and somewhat quaint appearance of 
an old member of the Society of Friends, whom they 
forthwith began to criticise with more freedom than 
good taste. At last one of the most forward of the party 
volunteered to " draw out " the Quaker for the amuse- 
ment of his friends, and, amidst their suppressed laugh- 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC, 
Tlie initials and finals form the names of two musical 
instruments. 
1. A young animal. 2. Horizontal. 3. An animal. 4. 
A city in Pennsylvania. 5. Bislionorable. 6. A lake in 
New York. 7. A man's name. 8. An animal. 9. A 
dweller. Herbert J. K. 
DECAPITATIONS. 
1. Behead a woman, and at once 
A man is left in place. 
2. Behead a portion and you have 
Science or subtle grace. 
3. Behead " to gratify,'' and then 
A sort of contract's left. 
4. Behead a solitary one, and lo! 
You leave one as bereft. Star Statb. 
CONCEALED BIRDS. 
1. Oh ] ma, can't you take !Mac away, he teazcs me. 2. 
We went as far as "Montank Point. 3. Tlie mules went 
with us all the way. 4. We were nearly turned over at 
the top of the hill. 5. Huiry, Nell, or you will be left. 
6. Will you lend me a dollar. Kate, for a day or two ? 7. 
Althougli nt first jet black, it eventually turns white. 8. 
The deep snow renders the roads impassable. Mattt. 
SQUARE WORD. 
1. A mistake. 2. Spacious. 3. Clothed. 4. A Greek 
letter. 5. A mount in England. Sallie. 
THE MECHAmCAL DONKEY. 
ter. struck up a conversation with him. which was 
speedily turned to religious matters. "I don't believe 
much in the Bible,'' said the collegian. "Does thee be- 
lieve in France?"' asked the Quaker. *'YeB, I do. I 
never saw it, bat I have plenty of proof that there is 
snch a country." '• Then thee doesnot believe anything 
nnlcss thee or thy reliable friends have seen it ? " " No ; 
be sure I don't." *'Did thee ever see thy own brains ? " 
"No." "Does thee believe thee has any brains?" 
Amidst the titters of his companions the graceless stu- 
dent turned on his heels and walked off, a sadder if not 
a wiser man. * 
ANAGRAMS OF SHAKESPEARE'S CUARACTEKS. 
1. Count Osteh. 6. Lady Clare Nowis. 
2. Priorv Cook. 7. Helt's hog. 
3. In Cabal. 8. MadCateBlUv. 
4. Mr. I. Dana. 9. Karl Inire. 
5. Poet Clara. 10. Roger Dyb. Ellen M. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMAS. 
1. I am composed of 15 letters : 
My 11. 14, 2. 8, 5, 3, 10, is a daring fellow. 
Mvl5. 9. 4. 7. 1, is holv. 
My 15, 12, 6, 1.3, is to adapt. 
My whole is a lovely flower. Mary C. Graves. 
2. I am composed of 14 letters : 
My C, 3, 10. 9, 14, is a girl's name. 
Mv 1. 2. .^. is a dwelling. 
My 4, 11. 13, 14. is a fish. 
My 7. (i, 12. is irenerally pleasant to hake. 
My n, s. is a pronoun. 
My whole is a city of Europe. Ella G. 
CHARADE. 
My first, of a house is two-thirds, 
My second part of (or a) wheel, 
My third (in sound) not. far away. 
My iuurth is not far from the heel. 
My whole is a disguise, unknown 
Like riddle, till the answer's shown. Qciz. 
PUZZLE. 
Take the last two letters of a certain lake and the first 
two letters of a town, and transpose the letters into a 
sea. Capt. John W. W. 
transpositions. 
(Fill the blanks with the same words transposed.) 
1. I heard the animal under the . 
2. The had to go through three . 
3. Which fruit do you prefer, or ? 
4. I saw the away under a bush. 
5. Tlie name of the was , he used to 
about a good deal. 
6. Y^ou should buy things at - 
- with ' 
reat . 
C. M. E. 
POSITIVES AND COMPARATIVES. 
(Example: Let, letter.) 
1. To in'asp.— a Roman. 5. A body of water, — a 
2. Ended,— a shepherd. prophet. 
3. A stick,— to roara. 6. An organ, — anger. 
4. An emblem,— an animal. 7. A number, —a trades- 
man. Bessie. 
answers to puzzles in the OCTOBER NUMBER. 
Positives and Compaeatives.— 1. Horse, hawser. 2. 
Side. cidiT. 3. Clove, clover. 4. Psliaw, shore. 5. Home, 
Homer. 6. Oh! our. 7. Corn, corner. 8. Fie, fire. 
Numerical Enigmas.— 1. A rolling stnno gathers no 
moss. 2. •• Brotiier the sun Is going dowti." 
