Harper's Round Table, May 21, 1895 Part 13

Her star of good-luck went steadily down, She lost her life when she lost her crown; But they served her fondly till all was o'er, These four of a name, these faithful four.

--The Four Marys of Mary Queen of Scots.

35. We are boon companions and nearly inseparable. We take interminable journeys together, travelling over almost incalculable distances; always work together, and take our vacations at the same time. We may be found in every civilized portion of the globe--useful alike in the king's palace, the peasant's hut, the Indian's wigwam, the hospital ward, and the ship at sea. Yet in some respects we are entirely different, for while I can adapt myself to every situation with perfect ease, my companion is very set in his ways, but together we bring order, comfort, and beauty wherever we go. After the labor of years and he is laid aside, my work remains to cheer and gladden many hearts, sometimes preserving family history which would otherwise be forgotten. And yet, marvellous to relate, we have neither hands, feet, head, nor body.--Needle and Thread.

Nos. 12 to 17 were quotations from the poets, and their answers are: 12.

Sir Walter Raleigh, on the snuff of a candle; 13. Pope; 14. The Serenade. J. G. Percival; 15. War Song of Revolution, John Neal; 16.

Youth and Age, Richard Dabney; 17. The New Roof, Francis Hopkinson.

Contestants were asked to name the works in which the following characters appear. Answers are here given: 19. Froth, Measure for Measure; 20. Shallow, Merry Wives of Windsor; 21. G.o.dfrey Ablewhite, Moonstone, by Collins; 22. Edmund Gray, Ivory Gate, by Besant; 23.

Gwendolen Harleth, Daniel Deronda, by Eliot; 24. Blind Muriel, John Halifax, Gent., by Miss Mulock; 25. Grant Munro, Sherlock Holmes, by Doyle; 26. Christine Ludolph, Barriers Burned Away, by Roe; 27. Princess Irene, Prince of India, by Wallace.

These questions were asked. Answers are here after each:

29. A book wherein the heroine's name is not once mentioned.--"Rutledge," "She." 30. What famous character is it who, whether in doors or out, summer or winter, always keeps a glove on one hand?--M. Hamel in Mrs. Edwards's "Hand and Glove." 31. What one was it who always offered his left hand to his friends because of the guilty deed done by the right?--Eugene Aram. 32. Name the fellow who, in a famous book, stands chewing the rust from his fingers. When he reaches home he will probably find his wife "prayin' agin'" him.--Jerry Cruncher. 33. A character in another book who was the first to ride on horseback from New York to San Francisco.--Willard Glazier, John C.

Fremont, John Brent. 34. The book wherein one person calls upon another, and receives an answer, though they are miles apart.--Jane Eyre, Peter Ibbetson.

In No. 33 it was found that authorities, equally credible, differed.

Hence the question was dropped, and no matter what was the answer it was counted correct.

The prizes were $25 divided, but $10 to first. The amount awarded is slightly increased. The highest honor goes to George Peirce, who is a Pennsylvanian, aged 12. He answered correctly all but two of the questions. Second prizes of $2 each go to Lois A. Dowling, of New York (Rochester), and John H. Campbell, Jr., of Pennsylvania (Germantown); and third prizes of $1 each to the following: Harry Nelson Morey, New York; Henry S. Parsons, Ma.s.sachusetts; John J. Clarkson, Helen J.

Curley, and Martin Henneberry, Illinois; Charles A. Urner and Frank A.

Urner, New Jersey; Pierre Freret, Louisiana; Edmund T. M. Franklin, Virginia; Kathrine S. Frost, Ma.s.sachusetts; Edith L. Warner and Edith C.

Sanders, Maryland, and Mae Sterner, Pennsylvania.

Some Questions for the Founders.

Now that our Order has been so conspicuously honored as to have a great journal named for it, there arise a few questions for the Founders to vote upon. First, the Founders and all other members are asked to note that although the whole paper is named for their Order, that Order has not a less but a greater place in it, and, instead of a few pages being devoted to them, now the whole paper will seek to give them everything necessary to their growth in that "goodlye felloeship, worthie knowledge, and chivalrie up to date" which form the grand basis of our union.

The questions to be voted on are these:

1. Shall we abolish or retain the eighteen-years-of-age limit?

2. Shall we have a new membership certificate?

3. Shall we have a new and different badge?

The reasons for bringing up these questions are: A great many lament the arrival of their eighteenth birthday, when they can no longer be members. They ask to remain in the Order, and suggest that all compet.i.tions be limited, as heretofore, to the eighteen-year-age limit.

To the latter we agree, promising to always limit the age to eighteen years, as heretofore, and offering, if the Founders agree thereto, to have a compet.i.tion for those above eighteen years. If it succeeds, to have compet.i.tions for both ages, as opportunity offers. What say you?

Again, it is necessary to drop the name "Young People" from our certificate. In doing so why not have a handsomer one, and call it a "patent," which is a better name than "certificate." It may be printed in the Order's colors, yellow and blue.

New patents would be issued to all old members who cared to ask for them. Once more, what say you? Still again, our badge, adopted in the early history of the Order, has met some objections. It is five pansy leaves, bearing the letters "K. L. O. R. T." A Founder living in Winchester, England, described for us once, you remember, what is claimed to be the original Table used by King Arthur and his Knights of the Holy Grail, still preserved in Winchester Cathedral. This Founder suggests a badge that is a fac-simile of the top of this Table. He sends a print of it, with the ancient names, etc. The letters "K. L. O. R. T."

can be retained. It is necessary to have badges low in price, since many ought not to afford expensive ones, and therefore we shall need to retain silver for their material. It will be possible, though, to procure gold ones for those who specially order them. For the third question, we repeat, what is the Founders' pleasure?

Founders of the Order are the 5000 original members. Those who have not pa.s.sed their eighteenth birthday are asked to write us frankly. A postal card will do. We shall be governed by your votes. We may add, for the benefit of all, that our Order is to have a great many attractive offers during the next twelve months. The "feast" is to be a rich one, and we hope every one of you will remain around the Table and enjoy it.

Round Table Chapters.

No. 693.--The Thaddeus Stevens Chapter, of Philadelphia, Pa. Its meetings are held on Thursday of each week. The initiation fee is one dollar. Horace S. Reis, 910 North Broad Street.

No. 694.--The Quannapowitt Chapter, of Wakefield, Ma.s.s. Charles Wait, George Tompson; Ralph Carlisle, president, 9 Summit Avenue.

No. 695.--The Columbus Chapter, of Columbus, Ohio. Carl B. Harrop, Edward E. Stoughton; George Crable, 1289 Highland Street.

No 696.--The Kirk Munroe Chapter, of Nuttallburg, W. Va. E. Jackson Taylor, John Nuttall, Jun., Nuttallburg.

No. 697.--The Kes-Kes Kick Chapter, of Yonkers, N. Y. J. Fowler Trow, Jun., Mary Van Rensselaer Ferris. Its meetings are held on Tuesdays.

Chapter address, 488 Warburton Ave.

No. 698.--The Admiral Benham Chapter, of Fort Adams, Newport, R. I. Its officers are Stephen C. Rowan, Elizabeth Schenck, Lee Simpson, Anna Greble; Carol H. Simpson, care of Lieutenant Simpson, Fort Adams.

No. 699.--The Thomas Edison Chapter, of Bangor, Me. Fred H. Pond, Arthur A. Thompson, Myrtle D. Fox, Nellie M. Fox, Bangor.

No. 700.--The Oliver Wendell Holmes Chapter, of Eau Claire, Wis. George D. Galloway, Eau Claire.

No. 701.--The Sheridan Chapter, of Philadelphia, Pa. Martin S. Poulson, John M. Smith, Oland King, George Frey, Lydie Holmes; Reese Baker, Section C., Girard College.

No. 702.--The Kirk Munroe Chapter, of Auburn, Wash. J. French Dorrance, corresponding secretary, Box 17, Auburn.

No. 703.--The Keystone Music and Literary Chapter, of Harrisburg, Pa. R.

Donald Jenkins, Stanley G. Smith, H. Stanley Jenkins; Louise N. Miller, Harrisburg.

Want Corner.

A corresponding Chapter is one whose members are widely separated and whose affairs are conducted by mail. There are several such, dear Lady Alice Cowly, but it is found very difficult in practice to maintain the interest. Keeping members together in spirit who are hundreds of miles apart in body is no easy thing to do.

Ralph Leach, Stoughton, Ma.s.s., is interested in athletic sports. He will enjoy the TABLE more than ever, then, for it is to have more news about sports than ever before. Anne Bliss wants to know why the Table cannot have a "Students' Corner" to help members in their school-work; "a geometrical diagram, scientific experiments, meaning of new words--anything. I am sure such a Corner would be very helpful." We heartily agree with Lady Anne. Shall we have a new corner, or will the Want one do? Let's have your questions. The TABLE desires to help you in all ways that it can. Consider this a Students' Corner, and use it as such. We can find somebody to answer your questions. Or perhaps you can answer each other's questions. How would that do for some questions, at least?

Here is one now. Maude Wigfield asks: "If a heavy vessel, such as the cruiser _New York_, were to go down in mid-ocean, could it overcome the enormous pressure of the water, and sink to the very bottom, or would it reach an equal density before it did reach the bottom. Remember that some of the compartments would still contain air." Let us have opinions.

Give us the pressure per square foot at certain ocean depths, and the pressure the war vessels are built to withstand. The _Elbe_, which went down in the North Sea a few weeks ago--that is on the very bottom of the sea, is it not?

Herbert Benton lives at 1208 East Seventh Street, Kansas City, Mo. He asks how best to put plants into a herbarium. Will some one give us a morsel upon it? We can find the information from books, but much prefer the personal experience of some member. Tell us all about flowers and plants for herbariums. He also asks for the solution or mixture in which writing may be placed upon tissue-paper, the initial letter lighted and the writing burned out, without injury to the rest of the paper. We had the formula of the solution some time ago, but cannot now find it. Can somebody help us to it again, for Sir Herbert's benefit?

Carolyn A. Nash lives in California and asks for more time for sending puzzle solutions on account of the distance to be travelled by the mails. The present series of puzzles is exceptional, dear Lady Carolyn, and the dates of closing could not be made different, nor can they now be changed. In future contests the Pacific coast members shall be given more time. Augusta C. Grenther and Charles Stuckel are two of the more than twenty members of the Sangster Chapter who attend one school at Germania, N. J. The Chapter meetings are held at the school on Fridays.

It wants correspondents, and to exchange flowers and minerals.