1950-05-06 — Page 12

12

STORIES

PUZZLES

HOBBIES

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1950.

The BOYS and GIRLS PAGE

AN INSTALMENT OF THE CHILDREN'S FRIDAY SERIAL ABOUT KIDNAPPERS

Search for the Caravan

For new readers.

Jailan, Dick and Anus 2

27. ing with their cousin Merge for short and bee dog Invo Strange thinks

Tor Agus an trea ransacked a valuable selesite Cirotzr'a patirt longing inter, have been studieu, Geurga and Timmy toe bere kidnappra. Now Die les explored time ragama girt ralled do, who has been mixr gs in Be Hap penings, Sim boas feranser to

feust

Ja to dare father's muruyan, where score le imprisoned

She is wonte

We Just come out from the fritge and be held of her. Makre

ay in front of the

a friend of her fallier's.

CHAPTER 14

bg

have taken un-but at least we can go by the map,“

"Yes, I think we will," call Julian. Come on, then. Quick march!'

THEY all hurried up to A

WAY

bus did apparently go quite near Havens Wood, and was

Everyone got out at Ravens Market. Julim asked his way to

the place where Jake due in five minutes' time. had caught hold of Jo. ubsolutely Thore nothing to be seen except a few broken twigs in the hedge there. No Jake, no Jo, There was not a sound to

There's Ripsies. be heard, either. Not scream from Je, not a shout hordes of Biem there!" from Jake. It was as if both

7

Dick suddenly stopped and filted his hand.

Ravens Wood. "There it is," sald

Kone down-away "Simmy's the conductor painting down the

This time but the caravan hill to where treen grew thickly there," she said, "I never saw in the valley. "It's a big place. Don't get lost! And fook out for door was shut so maybe she was

at the

Jo

usually instle"

"Thanks," said Juli, and the fnd faded into the hedge three of them set off down the and disappeareil.

Bur-

hill into the valley. They caine to the wood.

a

Calendar: a tough job

By Dan Murdoch

THEN we hang up our

WHEN

new calendars, we seldom think of the long, interest- ing story about how they came into being. Inventing a good calendar has been one of mankind's toughest jobs, and it's still being im proved upon.

The earliest men figured time quite simply-so many "suns," "moons," "snows," and "sleeps." But as life got civilined it became more complicated.

more

At first, a day was reckoned from

A sunrise. sunrise to month from one new moon to the next, A your clapsed every lime the sun reached a certain But there three-time measurements didn't position in the sky.

at evenly into one another.

AG YET A PERFECT CALENDAR HAS NOT BEEN FOUND ~ We TRY M STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT BY GIVING TO FEBRUARY AH EXTRA DAY BACH, FOURTH YEAR (LEAP YEAR)

CRAFTS

GAMES

JOKES

for mankind Teen Time

THAT MA KO OLDER

EARLY MEN WEREN'T! BOTHERED WITH CALENDARS→ THEY THOUGHT IN TERMS

OF GO MANY SUNST MOONG, GHOWS, ETC.

WITH CIVILIZATIONS, THE QUESTION OF AN ACCURATE CALENDAR BECAME A PROBLEM, IN ENGLAND, IN 1752, PARLIAMENT ORDERED #DAYS SKIPPED

FRIENDS, ROMANG. COUNTRYMEN! WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING

ABOUT THEGE

GVON MONTHO

LATG

MAKE EVERY YEAR

LEAP YEAR

a whole month. Thus we hoped to correct The "lipplug" pro

a

4-0-35,

that skipping for "caping"

and

THE ROMANS WERE SUPERSTITIOUS - THEY WANTED TO OIVE THE MONTHS AN UNEVEN NUMBER OF DAYS - IT WAS CONSIDERED UNLUCKY FOR A MONTH TO HAVE AN EVEN NUMBER

A month was 20 days and a 12 fraction. A year was

363 months and a fraction, or

nys and a fraction. And even trouble

an even number of couple of days in order to werks, and down the Krown-ups can have on

weeks. Others say our holidays THEY walked

stretch out two other months. bath, which wound about with fractions,

went-confused and shift ton inuchs within the week- calendar took the carly

So It

New Year in on Dick squeezed through "1. # proper wood," ald

centuries to dicover

confusing. At one time, Europe sometimes the hedge and into the field Anne. "Nothing but trees and through the trees, following the

But the "leap" or "skip" also followed a new calendar figured Saturday, sometimes it's on Tues I should think clear spaces. Sometimes the trees makers was there trees and trees.

Pope

Gregory XIII day, and so on. Easter, too, can beyond. Nobotly

second neglected exact hours, minutes, out by

In 1940, seemed imporsible for a coravan your lastest-to split

her colonies, shift a whole month. few enws #gets very thick in the middle were in clote together that it exactly how long a month and

was England either, except a

-like a forest.".

to no between, But the wheel-accuracy, Because the fractions seconds. The "slipping" who looked at him in

ruts showed that caravans did go didn't pile up very rapidly, no slowed up, but not stopped. Be- though, stuck to the old calen- Faster came on March 24, but in une paid attention to the frac-ides, no two autions had the dar. After 203 years, the two 1913 : came on April 25. This prise, their tails whisking.

down the path.

or calendars were 11 days apart, year it was April 9, BOON Jame

and the confusion in 1752, the English government

Governments are still orguing out noi worse. Every few hundred decided to "skip" these 11 days,

from over itions for a "better" calen and jump everybody

14. Many dar. One suggestion calls for 13 2 to Sept. years, new calendars were tried and

actually months, each with four even calculations. Emperors, popes, ut. Scientists worked out new

ople thought they'd

Su and parliaments added months, lose 11 days out of their lives, weeks of 20 days. That would

give us a year of 304 days. revolu- tion. dropped them again, then added and wanted to start a

we'd have an extra day each Another

mix-up at about year, to be a world holiday called this time involved New Year's "Leap Day." In this entendar, It had always been cele- Jan. 1 would always be on a Day. into the DOPULAR superstitions also rated in the Spring, but now it Sunday. Every other holiday too

would always como the mixing was decided to make it Jan. 1. Romans More headaches, of course! Stub day of the week every year.

lot easier to figure were horn foiks kepi celebrating the would be a

salaries, birthday,

back Dick, there.

"There's a little cope at the end of the field," called "I bet they're I'll go and sep." He ran across the field to the copse. But there nobody there either. Beyond

Was

They came to a clearing where there was little gipsy camp.

tions at Arst, But it was They fell silent. The wood was pretty clear to everyone Three rather dirty-fonking cara-

slood together, and crowd of brawn they children Very quiet. There were no birds the years weren't coming

cilher too sort of a singing, and the branches of the right. They were were playing come

Julian looks were so thick that there shurt, or too long. The calendar Kaze with a rope.

was a kind of green twilight were getting out of gear. Seoul * quick look at the

winter when I would be

caravans.

All had their doors open.

of Dick "We don't know her untidy name," said Julian.

the copse War 11 row huddled-up cottages. looked along the roiv, exasperated.

"I suppose Jake's taken her to one of those," he thought, angrily, "Probably lives dire! Well, he won't let her go, Qui'n certain. 1c most likely guesses that she's in with us now. Poor Jol"

round theITL

new ones.

*

part in up.

The even numbers wanted

" on Bttle way in front should be summer and everyone "Can't we ask if anyone known and warn you if I hear or see would be mixed up.

caravan Is anywhere

anything," said Dick. Julian uod- As holidays began to run if Jo's about?" aid Anne.

ted to him and he went on around the

Усат vatli they father's ahead, peering round the trees spped right buck

when he came to any curve in proper season all over

played a again, the wheel-rut path. Jullan began

thought to think of what they would do people decided they had enough things

ideat unlucky. They when they reached the caravan. Ile was pretty certain that both

or months to have 31 days, not 30, New Year on April 1. The rest out interest, be Every so often, we'd add

mocked them, called them fools, and so on. George and Timmy would skip a few extra days, or even So they whittled February down and that's how April Fool's Day found locked up recurly inside.

marted.

"But we

n

would

وائد

it'n

caravan drawn by a horse called that a girl called Blackie, und

it with her father Jo lives in said Anne.

"Yea. I'd forgotten the horas," sald Julino. He went up to an woman who was stirring oki something in a black pot over a

tre of sticks.

it

"If we can undo the door and let them out, Timmy will do the rest," he thought. "He's as good ar three policemen! Yes-that's the best plan."

He went back to the others

Dick suddenly stopped and "Can you tell me if there's lifted up his hand in warning, at they had a low-voiced con-

wood drawn by He peered round the hole of ference in the lane. "Let's tell caravan in the

horse called Blackle?" the police now," begged Anne, asked politely. A girl called Jo big tree, and then turned and

"No. Let's get to Ravens Wood lives in it with her father. We ourselves," said Dick. "We know want to see her,”

ke

nodded excitedly.

of this kind of nonsense.

We invented

a new

Mr. Punch Was All Upset

-It Was. Someone's Birthday, He Was Sure

By MAX TRELL

(MODAY, Teddy

said Mr Punch to the Stuffed

Bear,

and

"He's found the caravan!"Mary-Jane the rag-doll, The old woman blinked. She said Anne, and her heart beitan | General Tin the tin soldier where It Is. We wouldn't be took an iron spoon out of the ita usual thump-thump-thump of today in somebody's birthday. able to go the way Jo would put and waved it to the right.

These Paper Butterflies

:

Really Fly

EAL. butterflies

Ꭱ.

do

warm

like

weather and so paper models which we're going to make. When you entice them away with a piece of warm paper they

fly up from the table as if they were alive.

A group of half a dozen makes an interesting: display.

The butterflies are cut from very thin tissue paper. They should be not over an inch la width or length for best effeck The wings should be marked with the familiar spots of the butterfly and be sure to colour the top of the wings a bit darker When than the undersurface. finished, bend the wings up

ACTUAL

SIZE

FOR cut our

THE FLYING

BUTTERFLIES

slightly as though the butterfly to take to their wings. So do were poised for flight.

not hurry the paper rubbing but stroke it with the palm of one -hand quickly and with ns much

pressure as you can give it

PECULIAR POWER

excitement.

I'm sure of it! But whose birth- today it is I can't seem to re-

member

sold Julian "Stay here," Anne, and went on quietly to Join Dick. Anne crept under a bush. She didn't like this dark, silent wood with the green light all round. She prered out, watch-Ar ing the boys,

Teddy said he was pretty sure wasn't his birthday.

"What date is your birthday?"

Punch asked Teddy

"The 25th of Septober I think,"

Dick suddenly seen the said Teddy.

Here General Tin interrupted was small, badly caravan. It

that voice to say needed painting, and appeared in a gloomy

*The No fire burned there was no such date, quite deserted,'

Septober."

I never heard of the month of intently

asked.

most

outside. No Simmy was sitting most days a month can have whose birthday ly (t?" Funch anyw

about. No1 even 31. So it can't be the 35th of ywhere Blackie the horse was to be seen.

The boys watched for a few minutes, not daring to Septober," said Mary Jane, & I've got to get him--or her—a i

There was "You must mean September," speak.

present." absolutely (lo sound or move she said to Teddy. ment from the tiny clearing la which the caravan stood.

HONEY

(**

were rested

By this time Mr Punch's wife, "Or October," sald Mr Punch.

Judy, who was in their little "But whose birthday is today? hoe on the other side of the Is it yours, Mary-Jnne?**

Shook Her Head

was

amo

It

Another suggestion is to shift holidays to Monday or Fridny This would give us a "long" break up & weekend, and not

the middle. WE have calendar trouble working-week in

enjoy holidays more, and nowadays, too. To correct "slipping" backward, we add n we'd save lots of wear-and-tear day every four years. But this from stopping and starting work- actually puts us a trifle ahead, so ing activities. we have to omit three leap years

One thing wrong with all these In the about every 400 years.

new calendars is that they'd in- year 4000, we'll have to start terfere with our religious life- omitting another leap year every regular Sabbath observance, and 4000 years.

the traditional holklays -uf.cer- It's taken us about 8,000 years tuin religions. Churches of all to do it, but we've now got a faiths, there

therefore, oppose changes calendar that works almost. of this kind. The arguments pro Experts say we'll "slip" only one and con will no doubt rage on for day every 20,000 years or 0. many years to come. But argu- Not bad!

But some people still ments over the "best" kind of aren't saticiled.

calendar are an old, old story Businessmen, for instance, with the human race. And after would prefer months of the same all, the one we have isn't so bad, length. They'd like every manth even if we do have to correct it

have the same number of once in awhile.

to

Things to Make With *Materials at Hand

1. Fold a Zin.square

DO-IT

By Dale Goss

PIN

of PAPER

ON

about

Purse

times.

Mr

2.Cut

3.Piniton

oll corners!

playroom cooking dinner, came out in her white apron, and sat Mary-Jane shook her head down on a stool next to General

little rest. and said her birthday was on Tin to take

What's all this talk July 4th. "So il can't be today,"

birthday?" she said. she said.

"General Tin," said Mir Punch;

"Aher, my dear," sold

"Is your birthday today?"

The "It must be your birthday, sir."No," said Judy.

WINDOWS and door

shut. The shafts crookedly on the ground. whole place seemned deserted. Julian "Dick," whispered Jast

"Sinuny doesn't seem to be about. 37.15 Is Our chance! We'll creep over to the caravan and look into the window. We'll attract George's attention, and ret her out as soon as we can. Timmy, too."

Tin

"Oh no," mak General My birthday

Chrisunna is on Day. So it can't be my birthday unless today is Christmas Day," he added. "Is it?"

"Dear me," shed Mr Punch; dear, dear me."

Knart and Hunid now noticed that Judy was winking to them. to her because They went over

It isn't," said Mr Punch. "That's what I thought," said she seemed to want to tell them When they reached General Tin, sounding quite something.

the turned and whis- her side, gloomy again.

pered

something to them. Then Just then Knart and Hand, doesn't bark," "Funny he

Shadows, came sald Dick, also in a

into the all of them smiled. whisper, the

"Well," gald Judy the next mo. "suppose he can't have heard playroom. "Congratulations!" Mr

that one or ment in a loud voice to Mr. Well-shall we get over to Punchi sald, hoping

sure it's the other of them would smile Puncli; "if you're so the caravan now?"

They ran quietly to the title and say: "Thank you, Mr Punch, somebody's birthday today. I caravan and Julian weered for remembering." But neither think you ought to get some sort It of them did. All they did was to of present for him or for her

Then, when right away. was too dark inside to see any-look aritonished.

"Mr Punch thinks it's your ally remember whose birthday thing at all.

"George!" lie whispered. birthday today," said Teddy.

Us.

Now place the butterfles in a row on the table. Then take a

Now when you hold the sheet sheet of brown paper about six

of brown paper over the butter- hy eight inches and heat

Mies they will fly from the table thoroughly in an oven or near a

Leels and smuggle up on the underside through the dirty window. When the paper slove. quite hot, put it on the inble of the warm electrified sheet. and rub It vigorously

For a different effect, if you for 01 least one minute being careful want to see the butterflies Rap-

to rub the paper in one direction ping around in the air, tother "George! Are you there?"

only.

each to a board by means of a very thin plece of thread about

NEXT WEEK:

Anno

-(London Express Service}

It is this rubbing process that four inches long and watch tho Docan't Like Adventures! atives

the paper peculiar butlerfiles try to fly up to the power of getting the butterflies magic brown paper.

BRONCHO BILL

BILL, OUR SHERIFF'S OUT OF COM- MISSION FER A SPELL

AND--

Confident Crook

BUT WHAT CAN

THE SETTLEMENTS FULL OF CROOKS AND

WE WANT YOU TO TAKE

HIS JOB FOR A WHILE

A NEMY ORGANIZED GANG IS LED BY ONE BLAZE GORMLEY ~

NOW

it is, you will have it to give."

A Prcsont

you

Mr Punch was getting more and more upset. "I know it's somebody's birthday today. I'm

While Judy wng saying this, sure of it. I've got it marked on Knarf and Hanid were quietly my calendar: BIRTHDAY. TO- DAY. And whoever's birthday it and General Tin, and whispering going to Teddy and Mary-Jane

By Harry F. O'Neill

OUR CHANCE, {MEN! THIS WATERIN' PLACE IS A PUSH-OVER ***

something to all of them. It must been something amusing, have

because all of them instantly smiled and said to Mr Punch loudly: "Yes, got the present! Get it right away!"

So finally Mr Punch got a pre- sent: a beautiful pencil-box with twelve pencils, an ornger, rubber six clips and ten red bands. This will do for a he or he said. "But which het Which she? Oh dear, if I only

knew.

And at this instant everybody in the room shouted, "It's your Happy birthday, Mr Punch! birthday to you!" Mr Punch was certainly surprised. He loved his birthday present, and he LOVED the b'rilay cake that Judy, without letting anyone know, had just finished baking. But ho couldn't imagine how he could have forgotten his own birthday.

inhalf two

RED FELT and to make atamundit. *

O O O

6. Cut in.

circle of BLUE FELT.

circle.

4.Pin it on GREEN FELT and cuta circle &in wider all around thanted circle,

5. Cut 3 leaves of green felt.

FORT BLUE FLOWED

7. Cut in. circle OF YELLOW FELT.

FORYELLOW CENTER

SLIP

COIN

8.Sew small SAFETY PIN on back of green circle.

9. Sew flowers and leaves on red circle. 10.Sewred circle on. top of green. Leave

Lin. opening at top.

Rupert and the Dragon Pills--22

eaving the buildinga on one side the great creature lands and Rupers slides off his back on to the cocky surface of hull. **Gracious,} don't much like the look of this place." he mutters."We must get Then he turns to back at once."

By Bess Ritter

IF you stain your clothes with luk, the spots can be re- moved by washing the garment That is, with warm soopsude.

If the writing fuld is the non- permanent kind. If it isn't, rosk the stained portions in ordinary milk for 24 hours. Finish by laundering.

4

A Jigsaw puzzle party is fun lo give. Prepare conventional invitations, then cut each ono lato n gsaw puzzle before plac- ing it in the envelope. Arrange to have a card table set up for every four people. Have a com- plicated jigsaw puzzle on each. As soon as all the guests havo arrived, let them and places and start working out the pieces. Blow

whistle

fvo minutes 11

signal for ono person from each inble to switchi to another one. Keep this up all evening. While your guests

BJ

every

te busy, ply them with

cake. Make sure each

is cut into Jigsaw and arranged

s

persons who happen

shanca Tha

to be alt-

ting at the table where the very first puzzle la actually completed AUSTLA should be rewarded with inex-

pensive prizes. It the evening

when

young happens, finish off the party by zle records," playing gsaw puzzle Simply move the needle from place to place after starting a "platter" on the machine, Have your guests guess the titles.

수

Don't feel badly if you're told sharply: "You can't have an in- xicase in your, allowance. Why o you need it anyhow?" Tell your parents: "I don't need the cash. But the gang does. They'ro always doing something I can't afford."

ALIBI IKE "MOTHE

[OTHER.

1

would have come home earlier if it hadn't been for Alice. Yackety- sho ynk-yak-you know how

is."

"Oh-oh," said her brother Bill, looking up from his home- work, "so you've caught the disease too, I always knew it was contagious."

and grinned.

DON'T BE

ONE

"What on earth are you talk- ing about?" Alice demanded.

"Allbi-itis," BILI answered

Blaming others for our shorteam Ings might well bo Bkened to A disease.

10

ALIBI IKE

וותי

Begin

your Cure o Fore pore

pro-

il

to weakening pro- portiona

gresses

Of course, It is never easy to

square your shoulders and take the consequences of something foolish that you did. It is hard numit personal weakness, But after the confession is made and the pualshment taken, you can face yourself. Honesty and courage have given you stature! You are on your way to bo- coming a personality rather than a noncity.

Alibi Ikes fool no one. Their very excuses are proof of their weakness. Alibis at any time constitute, poor sportsmanship. A champion will have none of them.

Thelma Conrad is a 7-year- old girl who has been building model acroplanes for only a year,

Λ

meet was held in Ohio and Thelma found herself matched against 20 boys all older than she was. No alibig for Thelma. She didn't back out. She took -her tiny

plane and called it aloft for nine minutes. And Thelma emerged with tops in honours and a victory over 20 boys!

Rainy-day game

RUMPUS ROOM SHUFFLE

UCE

CHECKER MARKERS

and is well up out of reach. When he looks for the per dragon he is past in time.to see it scuttle over the edge of some boulders and disappear into the dark crevice. "Well, those two both seem to know

in where they are.” cries Rupert. "But where are we ?' ALL SIONTÓ AÏSERVED.

And that the dragon has taken off

5

10/10

20

With checkers and a plece of chalk you can make a good shuffleboard game

the rumpus room or the basement. Mark of a triangle as shoron the diagram and flip checkers from a distance of six feet.

f

1