328 A CLUMSY FOOT MAY TREAD THE RIGHT ROAD. day, when, if dry, apply a second coat of the same kind, which must be left several days: finally, apply a coat of varnish over all. 2302. IF THESE DIRECTIONS ARE CAREFULLY FOLLOWED, your glass will never be affected by time or any variations in the weather; it will defy hail, rain, frost, and dust, and can be washed the same as ordinary stained glass, to which, in some respects, it is even superior. 2303. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ENUMERATE the variety of articles to the manufacture of which Diaphanie may be successfully applied, as it is not confined to glass, but can be done on silk, parchment, paper, linen, &c., after they have been made transparent, which may be accomplished in the following manner: 2304. STRETCH YOUR PAPER, or whatever it may be, on a frame or drawing board, then apply two successive coats (a day between each) of diaphanous liquor, and after leaving it to dry for several days, cover it with a thin layer of very clear size, and when dry it will be in a fit state to receive the coat of varnish and the designs. 2305. SILK, LINEN, OR OTHER STUFFS should be more carefully stretched, and receive a thicker coat of size than paper or parchment; the latter may be strained on a drawing or any other smooth board, by damping the sheet, and after pasting the edges, stretching it down while damp (silk, linen, and other stuffs require to be carefully stretched on a knitting or other suitable frame). Take great care to allow, whatever you use, time to dry before applying the liqueur diaphane. 2306. ALL KINDS OF SCREENS, lamp shades and glasses, lanterns, &c., &c., may be made in this way, as heat will produce no effect upon them. The transparent pictures are successful, because they may be hung on a window frame or removed at will, and the window blinds are far superior to anything of that kind that have yet been seen. 2307. INSTEAD OF STEEPING THE DESIGNS in the transparent liquor at the time of printing them, which was previously done in order to show their transparency to the purchaser, but which was practically objectionable, as the paper in that state was brittle, and devoid of pliancy, necessitating also the use of a peculiarly difficult vehicle to manage (varnish) in applying it to the glass, the manufacturer now prepares his paper differently, in order to allow the use of parchment size in sticking them on the glass. The liqueur diaphane, which is finally applied, renders them perfectly transparent. In this mode of operation, no delay is requisite, the designs being applied to the glass immediately after laying on the size, taking care to press out all the air-bubbles, for which purpose a roller will be found indispensable. The designs should be damped before the size is applied to them. This 2308. Decalcomanie. recently discovered and beautiful art consists in transferring coloured drawings to glass, porcelain, china, wood, silk, furniture, plaster of Paris, alabaster, ivory, paper, paper hangings, Windows, tea trays, oil cloth, and all kinds of fancy articles; in short, materials of any kind, shape, or size, provided they possess a smooth surface, can be decorated with Decalcomanie; the immediate result being an exact resemblance to painting by hand. The art itself is simple and ingenious, and while affording agreeable occupation to ladies, it may be made to serve many useful purposes, on account of the numerous objects which will admit of being thus ornamented. 2309. THE MATERIALS EMPLOYED IN DECALCOMANIE are,-i. A bottle of transfer varnish for fixing the drawings. i. A bottle of light varnish to pass over the drawings when fixed. iii. A bottle of spirit to clean the brushes, and to remove those pictures which may not be successful. iv. A piece of beaver cloth about nine inches square. v. A paper-knife and roller. vi. Two or EVERY MAN IS THE ARCHITECT OF HIS OWN FORTUNE. 329 2312. TO ORNAMENT SILK PAPER, OR ARTICLES WHICH WILL NOT BEAR WETTING.-Varnish the picture with the transfer varnish, as previously explained, following the outline of the design, then allow it to dry for an hour or two; when quite dry, pass a damp sponge over the entire surface of the sheet, so as to remove the composition which surrounds the picture, and which may spoil the object. Let the paper dry once more, and varnish the picture again with the transfer varnish; in about ten minutes, place it face downward on the object to be decorated, and rub it with the paper-knife or roller, over the whole of its surface. Finally, moisten the paper with a wet brush, allow it to remain suficiently long to become moist, then strip the paper off. To remove a spoilt picture from any object, dip a soft rag in the essence, and rub it over the surface. three camel-hair brushes. vii. A basin of the design. On the following day, prowater. viii. A bottle of opaque varnish.* ceed according to the instructions given 2310. INSTRUCTIONS. Thoroughly in the preceding paragraph. elean and free from grease the article to be decorated; then, having cut off the white paper margin of the drawing, dip one of the brushes into the transfer varnish, and give it a very light coat, being especially careful to cover the whole of the coloured portion, but not to allow it to touch the blank paper; then lay the drawing, face downward, on the object to be ornamented, taking care to place it at once where it is to remain, as it would be spoilt by moving. If the varnish, on its first application, is too liquid, allow the picture to remain for about ten minutes to set. Moisten the cloth with water, and lay it gently on the drawing which has been previously laid in its place on the object to be decorated; then rub it over with the paper-knife or roller, so as to cause the print to adhere in every part; this done, remove the cloth, well soak the paper with a camel-hair brush dipped in water, and immediately after lift the paper by one corner, and gently draw it off. The picture will be left on the object, while the paper will come off perfectly white. Care must be taken that the piece of cloth, without being too wet, is sufficiently so to saturate the paper completely. The arawing must now be washed with a camel-hair brush, in clean water, to remove the surplus varnish, and then left till quite dry. On the following day, cover the picture with a light coat of the fixing varnish, to give brilliancy to the colours. 2313. TO INSURE A SUCCESSFUL RESULT, care must be taken to give a very light coating of varnish to the parts to be transferred. When the varnish is first applied it is very liquid, and must remain ten minutes, the best condition for transferring being when the varnish is only just sticky, without being too dry. 2314. THE FOLLOWING DESIGNS WILL BE FOUND THE MOST ELEGANT AND APPROPRIATE.—English flowers of every variety; bouquets; tropical birds; flowers and fruits in imitation of aquatint; garlands with cupids after Wat2311. TO ORNAMENT DARK - co-teau, and garlands with birds; domesLOURED OBJECTS, such as the bind- tic scenes; pears and cherries, apples ings of books, Russia leather, blotting- and plums, white grapes and plums, cases, leathern bags, &c., the picture black grapes and peaches, plums and must be previously covered with a mix-mulberries; large bouquet of roses; ture of opaque white varnish, taking care not to pass beyond the outline of * The requisite materials, together with designs, and appropriate articles for embellishment, may be obtained from Messrs. A. Marion and Co., 152, Regent Street, London. bouquets of moss roses and pansies; bouquets of small camelias; bouquets of wall-flowers and poppies; bouquets of orange-blossom, medallions, various subjects; birds' nests; Gothic initials and monograms, fleurs-de-lis; borders various. M 330 NEVER WALK ONE WAY AND LOOK ANOTHER. 2315. HERALDIC DECALCOMANIE is ten feet, three hoops are driven in. an extended application of this art, the By this arrangement, a square is arms and crests of persons or families formed, the starting peg leading into being emblazoned in their proper its centre, and the turning peg leading colours according to the rules of heraldry, from it. Where the ground is small, and prepared for Decalcomanie. Armo- the distances may be contracted prorial bearings, thus embellished, serve portionally. Other arrangements of admirably to ornament and identify the the hoops may be made at the disbooks of a library and pictures of a gal-cretion of the players, but the firstlery, to decorate the theme of a banquet, named plan will be found best worthy the invitations to a soirée, and by their of adoption, as it affords the most brilliant colours will give an elegant excellent opportunities for the display effect to the table decorations. of address and skill. 2316. Croquet. This out-door pastime is of comparatively modern creation, and is every day becoming more in vogue. It may be played by persons of all ages and of either sex; but it is especially adapted for ladies and young persons, as it demands but trifling personal exertion, while it affords delightful and health-giving sport. 2317. THE GROUND UPON WHICH CROQUET IS PLAYED is preferably a grass-plot of an oblong form; but an ordinary lawn or expanse of even turf will answer the purpose, so long as it is of sufficient extent for the operations of the game. 2318. THE IMPLEMENTS FOR PLAYING Croquêt are the balls, the mallets, the starting and turning pegs, the Croquêt clips or markers, the hoops or arches. These may be obtained at the ordinary toy warehouses. 2319. ARRANGEMENT OF THE HOOPS.-As much of the interest of this game depends upon the arrangement of the hoops, it is essential that they should be fixed in the ground on definite principles. In the first place, the starting peg is driven in at one end of the ground, and the turning peg is driven in at the other extremity. From each of these pegs a space of twelve feet intervenes; here a hoop is fixed; another space of ten feet intervenes, when a second hoop is fixed; a space of eight feet then succeeds, and at this point is formed what may be termed the base, on each side of which, at a distance of twenty feet, and succeeding each other at intervals of 2320. THE GAME CONSISTS in striking the balls from the starting peg through the seven hoops to the peg at the opposite extremity. The balls are then driven back again to the starting peg. 2321. THE GAME MAY BE PLAYED by any number of persons not exceeding eight. A larger number protracts the intervals between the several turns, and thereby renders the game tedious. The most eligible number is four. If two only play, each player should take two balls, and when as many as eight play, there should be two sides or sets. 2322. IN PLAYING THE GAME, each player takes a mallet, ball, and Croquet clip of the same colour or number, the clip being used to indicate the hoop at which, in his turn, he aims. The division into sides, choice of balls, mallets, &c., is determined by the players among themselves. 2323. LAWS OF THE GAME.-In Croquêt, as with many other sports when first established, there exist differences of opinion on certain points of practice. We have consulted numerous treatises on the game, and find Jaques's "Laws and Regulations of the Game of Croquêt "* to be one of the most practical and straightforward manuals extant. It is to this work that we are mainly indebted for the following Laws of the Game: i. On commencing, each player must place his ball within a mallet's length Engravings." Jaques and Son, 102, Hatton +"Croquêt, Illustrated with Diagrams and Garden, London. BETTER GO ROUND THAN FALL INTO THE DITCH. of the starting peg in any direction, and his opening stroke must be to pass through the first hoop. ii. The players on each side are to play alternately, according to the colours on the starting peg, and the order in which they play cannot be altered during the game. iii. Each player continues to play so long as he plays with success, that is, so long as he drives his ball through the next hoop in order, or croquets another ball. iv. When a player strikes his own ball so as to hit another at a distance, he is said to roquêt it; and, having thus hit a ball, he must then, as it is termed, "take the croquêt," which is done as follows:-He lays his own ball against the other so that the two touch; he then places his foot on his own ball, which he strikes with his mallet; this will drive the ball with a momentum and in a direction most desired. doing this the player should press his foot on his own ball... 331 from the game by pegging, or, by not doing so, remain in. In this case he is called a rover," and will still have the power of croquêting consecutively all the balls during any one of his turns. x. When a ball roquêts another ball, the player's ball is "dead," and "in hand" until after the player of it has taken the croquêt. Hence it follows that if it cannon from one ball to another, or from a ball through its own hoop, or from a ball on to either of the pegs, none of these subsequent strokes count anything. If, however, a player cannon off a ball which in the same turn he has croquêted, and then runs off it and makes a stroke, that stroke counts. xi. A player whose ball is roquêted or croquêted through its hoop in order, counts the hoop. xii. A player must hit his ball fairly In-not push it. A ball is considered to be fairly hit when the sound of the stroke is heard. A ball is "pushed when the face of the mallet is allowed to rest against it, and the ball propelled without the mallet being drawn back. v. A player must move the ball he croquêts. He is said to "take a stroke off" when he places his own ball to touch the croquêted ball very lightly, so as to leave it, when croquêted, in nearly the same position; but in doing this the croquêted ball must be perceptibly moved. vi. No ball can croquêt, or be croquêted, until it be passed through the first hoop. vii. Any player missing the first hoop takes his ball up, and, when his turn comes again, plays from the starting place, as at first. viii. A player may croquêt any number of balls consecutively; but he cannot croquêt the same ball twice during the same turn, without first sending his own ball through the next hoop in order. ix. Instead of aiming at his hoop or another ball, a player may strike his ball towards any part of the ground he pleases. When he has made a complete circuit from the starting peg back to the starting peg he may either retire xiii. A player may play in any attitude, and use his mallet with his hands in any way he pleases, so that he strike the ball with the face of the mallet. xiv. When the ball of a player hits the starting peg, after he has been through all the hoops, whether by his own play, or by being roquêted (subject to the provisions in law x.), or by being croquêted, he is out of the game, which goes on without him, his turn being omitted. IV. The clip is placed on the hoop through which the player is next going. The clips are to be changed by the umpire, and are decisive as to the position of a player's ball; but if the umpire forget to change a clip, any player may remind him before the next stroke. Should there be no clips, a player is entitled to ask any other player how he stands in the game. xvi. A player stops at the peg; that is, having struck the turning peg 332 TRUST NOT THE MAN WHO PROMISES WITH AN OATH in order, his turn is at an end, and even though he should roquêt off the peg, it does not count. When his turn comes round again, he plays his ball from the spot it rolled to after pegging. xvii. A ball is considered to have passed through its hoop if it cannot be touched by the handle of the mallet, laid on the ground from wire to wire, on the side from which the ball passed. xviii. The decision of the umpire is final. His duties are to move the clips; to decide when balls are fairly struck; to restore balls to their places which have been disturbed by accident; and to decide whether a croquêted ball is moved or not, in doubtful cases. 2324. TERMS USED IN THE GAME. -Roquêt.-To hit another ball with one's own. Croquet.-To strike one's own ball when in contact with a roquêted ball. Wired.-To have the ball in such a position that a hoop prevents the stroke which is wished to be made. Peg.-To "peg " is to strike either of the pegs in proper order. Dismiss.-To "dismiss a ball is to croquêt it to a distance. 2325. Habits of a Man of Business. A sacred regard to the principles of justice forms the basis of every transaction, and regulates the conduct of the upright man of business. He is strict in keeping his engage ments. Does nothing carelessly or in a hurry. Employs nobody to do what he can easily do himself. Keeps everything in its proper place. Leaves nothing undone that ought to be done, and which circumstances permit him to do. Keeps his designs and business from the view of others. Is prompt and decisive with his customers, and does not over-trade his capital. Prefers short credits to long ones; and cash to credit at all times, either in buying or selling; and small profits in credit cases with little risk, to the chance of better gains with more hazard. He is clear and explicit in all his bargains. Leaves nothing of consequence to memory which he can and ought to commit to writing. Keeps copies of all his important letters which he sends away, and has every letter, invoice, &c., belonging to his business, titled, classed, and put away. Never suffers his desk to be confused by many papers lying upon it. Is always at the head of his business, well knowing that if he leaves it, it will leave him. Holds it as a maxim that he whose credit is suspected is not one to be trusted. Is constantly examining his books, and sees through all his affairs as far as care and attention will enable him. Balances regularly at stated times, and then makes out and transmits all his accounts current to his customers, both at home and abroad. Avoids as much as possible all sorts of accommodation in money matters, and lawsuits where there is the least hazard. He is economical in his expenditure, always living within his income. Keeps a memorandum-book in his pocket, in which he notes every particular relative to appointments, addresses, and petty cash matters. Is cautious how he becomes security for any person; and is generous when urged by motives of humanity. Let a man act strictly to these habitsever remembering that he hath no profits by his pains whom Providence doth not prosper-and success will attend hir efforts. 2326. Taking a Shop or Place of Business. If you are about to take a place of business, you will do well to consider the following remarks: 2327. SMALL CAPITALISTS.-Let us take the case of a person who has no intimate knowledge of any particular trade, but having a very small capital, is about to embark it in the exchange of commodities for cash, in order to obtain an honest livelihood thereby. It |