Page:Bassetts scrap book 1907 03-1909 02.djvu/34

252 events the writers often set down a date like this: "Jan. 26, 1730-1"?

Ans. — It is called "double dating." In the change from Old Style to New Style in 1752 the first day of the year was changed from March 25 (Lady Day) to Jan. 1. In citing dates of events occurring between Jan. 1 and Mar. 25, and between 1582 and 1752 we give the date as it was then and as it would be now. Jan. 26 in 1730 has its equivalent as Jan. 26, 1731, as we compute time at the present day.

Degrees of Frost. — What is meant by so many "Degrees of Frost" in speaking of temperature?

Ans. — The term is used in England. Seldom in America. By the Fahrenheit scale the freezing point of water is thirty-two degrees above zero. Zero is the temperature of a mixture of ice and salt. This was the greatest degree of cold known to Mr. Fahrenheit. When a man speaks of "degrees of frost" he means so many degrees below thirty-two, water's freezing point. In "zero" weather we have thirty-two degrees of frost.

Piece of Eight. — What was the "Piece of Eight" used in Colonial times? What was its value?

Ans. — In Colonial times, when the word "dollar" was Americanized, its equivalent was a Spanish "piece of eight," or eight reals. Up to that time monetary accounts had been kept in reals. The value of a piece of eight was about a dollar.

See if you can tell. Send answer on a picture postal.

Who is the man? He was born at Cincinnati, O.,