Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/313

 Popular Science Monthly

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��Russian Hole- Ball From Bessarabia — once a province of Turkey, but now a part of Russia — comes this interesting game. It is one of the few ball games which may be played in the snow and is suitable for from 3 to 10 players. For the ball the Russian boys use a frozen snowball, but a tennis ball or

��The Law of Retribution in the Insect World

��even a stone will serve as well.

As shown in the illustration a number of holes are made in the snow, large enough to hold the ball. These holes are placed in a straight line and spaced 3 ft. apart. There should be as many holes there are players, each player having a number. The holes are numbered i, 2, 3, 4 and so on. The take-off or throwing line, is drawn across the snow 10 ft. from the first hole, and at right angles with it. There the players line up.

Player No. i stands on the line and en- deavors to throw the ball in one of the holes. If the ball falls in hole No. 3 the player scores three points, and player No. 3 takes his turn at tossing the ball. If the ball lands in hole No. 2, it scores two points for the thrower, and it is No. 2's turn to toss the ball. The game is sometimes played by score — the player who first wins fifty points winning the game; but it may be varied by setting a time limit of say fifteen min- utes, the winner being the player scoring the most points during this time.

��The which

��Testing the Quality of Leather Belts with Vinegar

PLACE a small strip of the leather belt in strong vinegar and if it is of good quality it will not change except to turn a darker color; but if of poor quality the fibers will swell and become gelatinous.

��ONE day on entering his study an old gentleman noticed that there was some powdered sugar spilled on a window sill. He was about to brush it off when he saw that an ant was running around the little heap. "Ah!" said the gentleman, who had a scient'fic turn, "I wonder if that ant is a scout?" After a few more turns, the ant sudden- ly wheeled awa\- from the sugar, ran to the outer edge of the sill and disap- peared over the edge. "Probably he has gone to carry news of his dis- covery," said the ob- server to himself. "Here is a chance for a little experiment." He double rim fox trail over then brushed all the sugar off

the window sill, rubbed the place with a dampened cloth, then wiped the spot over with a little am- monia, so as to leave no trace or odor of the sugar. Then he drew up a chair and sat down to watch the result.

Before very long a large party of ants appeared, lead as he believed by the one who had made the discovery, and was not content to enjoy the feast alone. They advanced to the promised land and then confusion began. They ran hither and thither, searched all about, gathered in a group and then — fell upon their guide and slew him. That was long ago, but the man who tried the experiment could not get it out of his mind. Here an honest hard- working, unselfish ant, who did not even pause to enjoy the treasures he had found, who hastened away to report his find for the public good, was deceived, betrayed, martyred — merely to answer a foolish scientific inquiry. Surely it was a case where virtue was not its own reward, where innocence was a victim. — Tudor Jenks.

���the chase is carried on

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