Figs. 266-267.—Ticket Office and Turnstile.
A Ticket Office should be built at the entrance to the yard. This can be made out of two boxes, one set on top of the other, as shown in Fig. 266. Cut an opening fifteen inches square in the front for a window, round the top, and make a guard of wooden strips to fit it. Cut a slot in the counter, fastening a box beneath it in which to drop tickets, and for a cash drawer fasten strips to the under side of the counter, as shown in Fig. 266, so that a cigar-box will slide upon them. To the top of the ticket office fasten a board cut the shape shown in the illustration, and print the word "Tickets" upon it. These letters may be illuminated for an evening performance by boring holes through them and placing candles behind (see Fig. 266).
A Turnstile should be made in front of the ticket office, so that all are obliged to pay their admission fee and pass through the turnstile before entering the tent (see Fig. 266; also illustration opposite page 268). The stile is made with two sticks about forty inches long fastened together at their centres, as shown in Fig. 267. This joint, known as
Halving, consists in cutting away one-half the thickness and the width of each piece so that the remaining portions fit together flush. After nailing the pieces together, bore a quarter-inch hole through the centre, and screw the crosspiece at this point to the top of a piece of two-by-four driven into the ground in front of the ticket office. The crosspiece should now revolve with the screw as an axis.
The turnstile should, of course, have a lock, and an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 266 answers the purpose. Cut a slot in the front of the lower box on a level with the top of the stile for the arms to run through (see illustration), and then prepare four blocks, such as A, B, C, and D in Fig. 268. Screw one end of B and C to the ends of A and fasten block D between the other ends of B and C, after which nail block A to the under side of the counter in the position shown in Fig. 266. Prepare a lever such as is shown in Fig. 269, cut a mortise in the top of the counter for it to fit in (see Fig. 266), and pivot it to the side of the upper box. Place a screw-eye in the end of the lever and another in D, and connect the two with a piece of cord. Figure 266 shows an arm of the turnstile held by the lock, which is released by pushing back the lever. A railing should be built in front of the turnstile to block the passage on that side.
Fig. 268-269.—Lock.
The Side Show should be placed in one corner of the yard. The cages can be made out of boxes with either slats or wire-mesh fastened over the front, and the top or side hinged in place for a door. The animal performers of the circus should occupy these cages before the show commences, and to make the menagerie as large as possible, a few cages may be filled with pets borrowed for the occasion. Several closed boxes should be placed alongside of the cages, and lettered "Lion," "Tiger," or the names of some such ferocious animals as these, and the public should be informed that for their safety the management thought it best not to place these specimens on exhibition.
Animated Animals generally have a place in every circus, and help out the clowns in their end of the performance. The animals are not difficult for handy boys to make, so several should be manufactured for your show. If you can get your mother or sister to do the necessary sewing, it would be well to secure her help.
The Elephant is one of the oldest forms of animated animals, and is at the same time one of the most popular. Four or five yards of gray cambric should be purchased for its covering.
Figs. 270-271.—The Elephant.
The cloth should be cut out like the pattern shown in Fig. 270, the correct measurements being secured from two boys who have taken the position shown in Fig. 271. Fold the cloth along the centre and then sew the dotted lines AA and BB together. Paper cornucopiæ form the tusks, and the ears are made of gray cambric cut the shape shown in Fig. 271, and lined with heavy wrapping-paper to make them stiff.
Two boys are required for the elephant. These must bend forward, as shown in Fig. 271. The rear boy places one hand upon the front boy's back and wags the tail with the other, while the front boy runs one hand through the elephant's trunk and keeps it in motion. Fasten potato sacks on to your legs to make them as large as possible.
Figs. 272-276.—Details of Giraffe.
The Giraffe is one of the rarest of animals, and very few are to be found in captivity. In fact, a large circus claims there is only one specimen in this country, outside of a herd in their possession. So if you make a giraffe, which is not difficult to do, you will have a feature in your show that none but the very largest combines can afford. The animal's head should be drawn the shape of Fig. 272 on a board, and then cut out with the aid of a saw and draw-knife. The jaw, ears, and horns should be cut out separately, the shape of Figs. 273, 274, and 275. Bore two holes in the head at A, slanting them toward one another, and fit in them the pegs cut for the horns. The jaw should be pivoted with a small nail at B on one side of the head, and an ear should be likewise fastened at C on each side of the head. When these portions of the giraffe's anatomy have been put in place, stretch a rubber band from a tack driven in the top of the jaw to another tack driven into the neck (see Fig. 272), and attach another rubber band similarly to each of the ears. These rubber bands will act as springs, causing the ears to wag and the jaw to open and close when the giraffe moves his head.
Fig. 277.—The Giraffe's Tail.
Paint the head, making the features as nearly like those of a giraffe as possible, and, when the paint is dry, mount the head on the end of a six-foot pole.
Fig. 278.—The Wild Man and the Wild Horse.
The covering for the body is made out of a large piece of tan cloth with brown spots marked upon it, as shown in Fig. 276. It is not necessary to give a pattern for this, as the illustration clearly shows how it should fit over the two boys who form the body, and hang from the headpiece. The neck should be stuffed out with excelsior. A short and a long stick should be nailed together, as shown in Fig. 277, and cloth should be sewed to the end of the short stick for the animal's tail. Stuff the tail with excelsior and fasten unravelled rope to the end, as shown in the drawings. The long stick should be held by the boy who forms the rear of the animal, so that by means of it he can manipulate the tail (see Fig. 276). As shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 276, the boy in the front portion of the animal holds the end of the pole supporting the animal's head.
Fig. 279.—Framework of Wild Horse.
An animated animal very often brought into a circus ring is the two-legged
Figs. 280-282.
Wild Horse, owned by the Wild Man of Borneo. This breed of horse is shown in Fig. 278. A framework is necessary for the body, and this is best made as shown in Fig. 279. Cut two four-foot strips for the side-pieces, fasten them two feet apart, with a barrel-hoop at either end and arch barrel-hoops over the back, as shown in the drawing. The head (Fig. 280) is made in the same manner as that of the giraffe, the jaws and the ears (Figs. 281 and 282) being cut out separately and pivoted in place similarly to those of the giraffe. Paint the face, marking the eyes and nostrils, and make a mane and tail of unravelled rope. Having finished the head, mount it upon a short stick and fasten this to a crosspiece set in the framework, as shown in Fig. 279, bracing it with an upright fastened to another crosspiece. In fastening the various pieces of the framework together, it is well not only to use long enough nails to clinch, but also to bind each joint with wire or cord to make it stiff.
Fig. 283.—"Jocko."
Purchase brown or black cambric for covering the framework. Tack it to the wooden strips, leaving an opening in the top for the rider to stand in, and allow it to hang to the ground as shown in the illustration, so as to conceal the feet of the rider.
The Wild Man should wear an old slouch hat and a hunting jacket, and should have a pair of false legs fastened to him, so that while his own are inside the framework, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 278, they appear to be astride. To make the false legs, cut off the legs of an old pair of long trousers, stuff them with excelsior, and fasten a pair of shoes to the ends. These legs should be fastened to the hips of the rider. The framework should be held to the rider by means of ropes tied to the side strips, as shown in Fig. 279. These should be long enough to cross the boy's shoulders in the same way as a pair of suspenders.
Fig. 284.—Jocko's Hat.
A Monkey's Make-up is shown in Fig. 283. The boy who is most apt at making a monkey of himself should be selected to take the part of this animal. In the first place he requires a red suit, which may be made quickly by sewing red cloth over an old coat and a pair of trousers. Cover the legs with a pair of tan stockings, and slip the feet into a pair of large gloves. The face and hands should be colored, and for this purpose buy some brown grease paint. In rubbing the paint over the face, leave a circle of white around the eyes and mouth, and make a brown mark each side of the mouth to give it a broadened effect. A tight-fitting cap should be made of cloth as nearly the shade of the brown paint as possible, to hide the hair. Figure 284 shows the monkey's hat, consisting of a tomato-can covered with red cloth, which is fastened around the monkey's chin by means of an elastic cord. A piece of rope can be fastened beneath the coat for a tail.
The Ring Master should wear a high silk hat, a stand-up collar, and a pair of boots, besides being supplied with a long whip.
Fig. 285.—The Clown's Make-up.
The Clown's Suit is best made out of red and yellow cheese-cloth, this material being about as cheap as can be bought for the purpose. The suit consists of a pair of baggy trousers or bloomers, with elastic around the waist and ankles, a loose coat with large buttons, a collar, a skullcap, and a hat. Make the buttons out of red cheese-cloth and stuff them with cotton. The coat may be made of red and the trousers of yellow cheese-cloth, or both may be made of yellow with red polka dots sewed on to them, as shown in the illustration of his costume (Fig. 285). The collar is made of white cloth, lined with paper to make it stiff, and should be pleated around the neck to form a ruffle. A skull cap should be made out of white cloth to hide the hair. Make a peaked hat of stiff paper, and cover it with red cheese-cloth.
The Back-yard Circus.
When making up for a performance, the clown should powder his face, neck, and hands with magnesia, and draw expression marks upon his face with burnt cork, as shown in Fig. 285.
The Attendants for the elephant and giraffe should wear old bath robes or gowns, and have turbans made by twisting a piece of red cheese-cloth about the head.
By visiting any circus and closely watching how things are managed, it ought to be a simple matter to get enough
Ideas for a Performance that can be carried out with the animals and performers described in this chapter. The clown should, of course, have his usual supply of jokes, which he can get out of the comic papers, and should do his best to annoy the other performers. He should make himself
A Slapper, consisting of two sticks with a block slipped between at one end. This will produce a great deal of laughter among the audience, for when the slapper is struck against a performer the ends of the sticks strike together, making a loud, cracking noise, and one would hardly believe that a stinging blow had not been dealt. The clown attempts the tricks of the other performers, but always fails or gets them very badly mixed.
A startling feat to be announced upon the programme will be
Looping the Hoop on a Giraffe.—This stunt is performed by the elephant, who is given a number of barrel-hoops, which he tosses by means of his trunk over the giraffe's outstretched neck. The elephant and giraffe should always be entered in a race, which will prove exciting, inasmuch as your specimens will be evenly matched.
The monkey may do almost anything and be amusing. Swinging upon a turning-pole, teasing the animals, boxing with the clown, and climbing a rope, are all his specialties. Then he should have
A Chariot within which to ride around the ring. This can be made out of a soap-box, as shown in Fig. 286. Cut down the sides, as in the illustration, attach two shafts to the bottom, and mount it upon a couple of small wagon wheels. When this has been done paint the wood a bright red, and cut stars of different sizes out of gilt paper and glue them all over the outside.
Fig. 286.—Jocko's Chariot.
The ring master acts as manager of the performance, and should use his whip unsparingly upon the animals, to force them into obedience.
If a boy can turn upon a turning-pole, an apparatus such as is described in Chapter XVIII may be set up outside of the ring.
Before performances, the entire circus—animals, acrobats, and showmen—should parade about the neighborhood in circus attire. We always made the
Parades a feature of our circuses, and found them not only great sport, but the best kind of advertising. The animal cages should be placed upon wagons decorated with flags. Head the procession with a couple of drummers, and have two boys march in the rear carrying signs advertising the show.
The Advertising Signs may be painted with bluing upon large pieces of manila wrapping-paper, and should be tacked on wooden stretchers mounted on poles.
As most boys probably know, the first Fourth of July celebration took place in 1775, following the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. When the old bell rang forth the result of the meeting of the Continental Congress, citizens gathered in the streets and displayed their great joy by shouting, beating drums, and firing muskets. The news spread very rapidly, and great rejoicing reigned everywhere. It soon became a custom to celebrate annually this famous event, and it should be every boy's privilege to have a rollicking good time upon this day, making as much noise as he pleases.
When the average boy has bought a few sky-rockets, Roman-candles, and cannon-crackers, for the Fourth, he generally finds, to his sorrow, that he has run out of pocket money. It is then that he is very apt to want to try his hand at making pyrotechnics. There are many publications which describe how amateurs may manufacture Roman-candles, sky-rockets, nigger-chasers, and such pieces, but it is hoped that no boy will venture to carry out any such experiments, for, with the greatest of care, unforeseen accidents will occur which may result disastrously to him. At the same time, there is no economy in it, for the apparatus and materials will generally cost him more than to buy the fireworks ready made. This is also true of colored lights, for which there are many simple formulæ, but none of which can be made up as cheaply as the powders can be bought already prepared.
There are, however, many things a boy can make for the Fourth that are perfectly harmless, such as fire-cracker cannons and home-made set-pieces, besides different schemes for firing crackers and fireworks that he can carry out. The suggestions offered on the following pages will be found interesting, and they will probably suggest other ideas to the inventive boy.
The store toy cannon and cap-pistol are exceedingly dangerous for boys to use, and were all cities to pass laws forbidding their sale, as in the case of a great many of the larger cities, thousands of young lives would be saved from the terrible accidents resulting annually from celebrating with these toys.
In Fig. 287 is shown
A Fire-cracker Cannon with which a boy can have a great deal of fun and at the same time with no danger of injury. Cut the two gun-stocks similar in shape to Fig. 288, and the two wheels four inches in diameter (Fig. 289), after which bore holes in the gun-stocks at A, and in the centres of the wheels, through which to run the axle. Procure a baking-powder can and make a couple of holes in the sides for the axle to run through (Fig. 290), and one in the bottom of the can the size of a fire-cracker fuse. Cut a conical piece of wood about two inches long and nail it to the outside of the can cover as shown in Fig. 291.
Figs. 287-291.—A Fire-cracker Cannon.
When the various pieces have been thus prepared, place them together as shown in Fig. 287, and slip a piece of heavy wire through the holes made in them, and bend over the ends of the wire to hold the wheels in place.
To fire the Cannon, place a cracker in the can with the fuse projecting through the hole in the bottom, and fit the cover over the can. Then light the fuse. The exploding cracker will force off the cover, which is the projectile, and hurl it a considerable distance in the direction the cannon has been pointed.
A Toy Mortar may be made similarly, with the exception of the carriage or mortar-bed. Figures 292 and 293 show the details for this, which is different from a regular mortar, one end being enclosed for an ammunition box. Make a cover for the ammunition box to prevent sparks from igniting the packages of crackers, using pieces of leather for hinges. As shown in the section drawing (Fig. 293), the mortar-bed is mounted upon a small board, being held in place by means of a short screw, which makes it possible to swing the mortar around in any position desired.
Figs. 292-293.—A Fire-cracker Mortar.
These cannons and mortars will furnish sport not only for the Fourth, but for any other day of the year, as they can be used by a crowd of boys in
Mimic Battles, with paper soldiers. The boys should divide into armies, and construct their fortifications about twenty feet apart, planting the guns upon the works and placing the paper soldiers behind. All paper soldiers knocked over are out of the game, and the side first completely killing the enemy's garrison is, of course, the winner of the day. These battles are always very exciting, especially toward the end, when there are but a few warriors remaining. In order that the projectiles may fit all the cans, it is necessary to have them all of the same size.
Fig. 294.—Another Toy Cannon.
Another Toy Cannon that is simple to make is shown in Fig. 294. For this, buy a short piece of glass tubing at a drug-store and have the druggist seal one end of it. Then secure a good-sized cork and cut a hole through the side large enough for the tube to run through (see A in Fig. 294). Cut out a pair of wooden wheels about three inches in diameter, and fasten them to the ends of the cork with a pin or small nail. Make the cannon shafts four inches long, point one end of each and stick them into the cork at B and C. The open end of the tube should be at D and the sealed end at E.
To fire the Cannon, slip a match into the open end of the tube with the head toward E, and hold a lighted match at the closed end. As soon as the heat ignites the phosphorus, the match will shoot out of the open end of the tube.
Fig. 295.
Firing Fireworks from Kites presents a novel feature for a Fourth of July celebration, the aërial display making a very pretty spectacle, and the boy who sets off his fireworks in this manner will have something different from the rest of the neighborhood.
Figure 295 shows the manner in which a Roman-candle can be attached to a kite-string. A piece of punk about an inch and one-half long should be bound to the fuse of the candle, and as the fuse is rather short it is necessary to cut through the paper bound around it, and set the punk into the end of the candle, as shown in the drawing. Attach a piece of twine two feet long to the other end of the candle, and then, after getting your kite up, attach the end of this string to the kite-string and light the punk, being very careful in doing so not to ignite the fuse of the Roman-candle. After attaching the candle and lighting the punk, let out the kite-string as rapidly as possible, so that by the time the punk has burned down to the fuse end, the Roman-candle will be well up in the air. As soon as the candle begins to explode, shake the kite-string so as to make the balls shoot into the sky in different directions.
A Pack of Fire-crackers with a piece of punk attached to the fuses may also be suspended from a kite-string and fired in mid-air.
Other fireworks may be set off similarly, and colored lights produce a fine effect.
Nigger-chasers shot into the air by means of a cross-bow, such as is described in Chapter XVII, present another novelty.
Japanese Lanterns hung from kite-strings are also a pretty sight, and, while they give somewhat the same appearance as fire-balloons, they are lasting and can be saved for another year.
Fig. 296-297. Schemes for Attaching Lanterns to Kite-strings.
Fig. 298.—A Shooting-torch.
After procuring a number of lanterns of different shapes and sizes, fasten candles securely in them so that there is no possibility of them igniting the paper. Figures 296 and 297 show two ways in which the lanterns may be attached one below the other. The first method (Fig. 296) consists of pins stuck through the bottoms of the lanterns and bent over into hooks, while in the second (Fig. 297) a small hole is made in the bottom of one lantern and the wire handle of another is slipped through this hole and looped over a burnt match.
Before sending up the kite with these lanterns, make a number of small loops in the kite-string where you wish to hang the lanterns, and provide the handle of each series of lanterns with a pin-hook, as shown in Fig. 297. Then, when everything is in readiness, have one of your friends hook the lanterns to the loops while you attend to letting out the kite-string. Of course the smaller the lanterns are the greater number you can hitch in place, and if you use a team of kites you will find that they will carry a number of strings of lanterns.
A Shooting-torch, such as is shown in Fig. 298, is a scheme that is simple to carry out. It consists of a stick about eighteen inches long, with fire-crackers bound around it with wire, and the fuses twisted together, as shown in the illustration. It is fired in the same way as a Roman-candle.
Fig. 299.—A Final Set-piece.
After firing all of your fireworks, you should have
A Final Set-piece with which to close the exhibition. A good scheme for such a piece is shown in Fig. 299. Mark out the letters upon a board, and, with a quarter-inch bit, bore holes about one half-inch apart along the outlines of each letter. Then cut enough sticks of punk two inches long to fit all of the holes, and put them to soak in kerosene. The oil makes the punk burn much brighter than it would in its dry state. When the punk is thoroughly soaked, stick the pieces in the holes. A candle will be found most convenient for lighting the punk.
Nail the board to a tree or post, and place several cannon-crackers in holes bored near the bottom of the board. After allowing the punk to burn for a short time, light the cannon-crackers and blow up the set-piece as a grand finish.
Halloween, or the eve of All Saints' Day, has been observed since the beginning of the Christian era. In very early times, ghosts, demons, and spirits were believed to rule the universe on this evening, and any one who ventured upon the streets after dark was doing so at the risk of his life. For companionship, as well as protection, it was customary for large numbers of friends to spend the evening together; and these gathered around the fire-place, and passed away the time drinking cider, cracking nuts, eating apples, and telling ghost stories.
While the superstitious fears of Halloween have almost entirely disappeared, the evening is generally celebrated in the same manner as in the past. This is the only evening on which a boy can feel free to play pranks outdoors without danger of being "pinched," and it is his delight to scare passing pedestrians, ring door-bells, and carry off the neighbors' gates (after seeing that his own is unhinged and safely placed in the barn). Even if he is suspected, and the next day made to remove the rubbish barricading the doors, lug back the stone carriage step, and climb a tree for the front gate, the punishment is nothing compared with the sport the pranks have furnished him. There is, of course, such a thing as boys going too far with their Halloween fun and getting into malicious mischief, but the cautious boy is not likely to cause any serious trouble by his actions.
Figs. 300-301.
A Magazine Bean-blower.
Every boy who has used a bean-blower knows that the beans swell when held in the mouth, often to such an extent that they will not go through the opening, and clog the tube. Figure 300 shows a scheme for a
Magazine Bean-blower, which does away with this difficulty, inasmuch as with it the beans are not put in the mouth. The drawing shows a section taken through the centre of one the writer has before him, which works admirably. This bean-blower will cost you just two cents, the price of two of the regular nineteen-inch tin tubes sold in the stores. To these add a large ribbon-spool, which can be had for the asking at almost any dry goods store, some glue, and a sheet of writing paper. Place the spool in your bench-vise, and bore a quarter-inch hole in the centre of the side of it (see A, Fig. 300). This hole should be on a slant, and extend only into the hollow part of the spool, as shown in the drawing. When this has been done, take one of the tin tubes and cut off two sections of it, one four inches long and the other three and one-half inches long. This is easily done by filing through the tin on one side with a small file, and then bending the tube back and forth until it breaks. Place the end of the four-inch tube in the hole bored in the spool at A, gluing a strip of paper around it to make it fit tightly (see B in Fig. 300). A piece of paper smeared with glue should be wrapped around the other end of this tube in the form of a funnel, as shown in Fig. 301. Press the paper around the end of the tube, as shown in the section drawing, Fig. 300, and use plenty of glue upon it to make it stiff. Glue a strip of paper around the short tube, and stick it in one end of the spool, as shown at C, Fig. 300. The little wooden mouthpiece that is furnished with bean-blowers nowadays should be slipped over the other end of the tube, as shown in the drawing. Now take the second bean-blower, and glue it in the other end of the spool, as shown at D. The bean-blower is now complete. To operate it, hold the spool in one hand, and, after dropping a number of beans or peas into the magazine, place the palm of the other hand over the top of the paper funnel, and blow until the tube is emptied. It is necessary to close the opening in the top of the magazine, or the beans will blow out of it instead of from the end of tube D. Dried peas always work better than beans in a bean-blower, as they are round and never clog the tube.
Fig. 302.—A New Style of Tick-tack.
The loud drumming noise of a tick-tack rattled upon a window is enough to give any one the cold shivers, and if the guests of a Halloween party are gathered about the fire-place, telling weird ghost stories, this unearthly noise is sufficient to give even the bravest heart a conviction that the house is haunted by supernatural beings. The writer and his friends used to make
Fig. 303-304.
Details of Crank for Tick-tack.
A New Style of Tick-tack, such as illustrated in Fig. 302, which claims several advantages over the ordinary kind. In the first place it has a crank arrangement which does away with the long string that is everlastingly becoming entangled, and only one boy is necessary to operate it where two are required with the old-style affair. Again, by having the tick-tack upon the end of a long pole, second-story windows can easily be reached with it. For the making of this tick-tack, procure two large spools, some heavy cord, and a long pole (perhaps you can borrow your mother's clothes-pole for the occasion). With a knife cut notches in the flanges of one spool, and fasten it to one end of the pole, driving a large nail through the hole in the centre of the spool into the pole (see Fig. 302). Place the other spool in your bench-vise and saw it in two pieces, as shown in Figs. 303 and 304, so that A is one-half the size of B, or one-third of the length of the spool. Cut a strip of wood about six inches long, bore a hole near one end a little larger than a sixteen-penny nail, and nail the strip to the end of spool A so that the hole comes exactly over the one in the spool (see Fig. 303). Attach spool B to the other end of C by means of a nail driven through the hole into the strip. The crank is now completed, and should be fastened to the lower end of the pole by means of a nail driven through the hole in A. It will be seen that this tick-tack is a simple piece of apparatus. The crank at the lower end of the pole is turned and revolves the notched spool at the upper end. To keep the cord from slipping on the pole, a little resin should be rubbed upon it, and it might be well also to rub a little upon the spools.
Fig. 305. The Clockwork Tick-tack.
A Clockwork Tick-tack, such as is illustrated in Fig. 305, is another good idea, and one that can be carried out with a few minutes' work. Remove the works from an old alarm clock, and fasten them with wire or cord to the end of a pole, as shown. Attach a cord to the striker, and make it long enough to reach to the other end of the pole. Make a loop in the end of the cord, and drive a nail into the pole over which to loop the cord to keep the striker in check. This tick-tack is worked by placing the end of the pole close to the window-glass, with the striker toward the glass, and slipping the cord off its nail. The striker is controlled entirely by the cord.
The Goblin-man (Fig. 306) is easily made out of such material as you can most generally find about the house. The framework for the body of this ghostly creature is shown in Fig. 307, and consists of a pole about four feet long with the centre of an eighteen-inch crosspiece nailed across it. In order to fasten these pieces firmly together, they should be halved as shown in Fig. 267, Chapter XIX. The arms consist of two sticks (A and B in Fig. 307) fastened together at right angles with small iron braces, and screwed in place near the ends of the crosspiece, as shown in the illustration. Holes should be bored through the arm pieces in order that they may work freely on the screws. Place a small screw-eye in each arm at B, and attach a short string to it. A short stick should be nailed to the four-foot pole about eighteen inches from the lower end, so that the boy who carries the framework can rest it upon his shoulder.