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ies are incessant. The cadet's life is more than a busy one. So hard is it, that out of one hundred candidates who enter seldom more than fifty graduate.

But a boy of sound body and good constitution, with suitable preparation and good natural capacity, and aptitude for study, industrious, persevering, and of an obedient and orderly disposition, with a correct moral deportment, will not fail to receive the reward of his four years' labor in a commission in the United States army.

THE PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS DIRECT FROM CIVIL LIFE.

The third way a commission is sometimes obtained is by direct appointment to a Second Lieutenancy by the President, who has the power, and exercises it when vacancies occur over and above those filled by cadet graduates of West Point, and by candidate non-commissioned officers from the ranks. In the case of the President having appointed a civilian to fill a vacancy, the appointee is called upon to pass an examination, mentally and physically. The subjects of examination are the common English branches, also history, geometry, surveying, international and constitutional law. If accepted, after a critical and extensive trial he is passed by the examining board, he will receive a commission from the President, either in the cavalry or infantry; and after serving some little time with his regiment he will usually be sent to the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth for a post-graduate course. Surgeons, undergoing a most thorough examination, are appointed First Lieutenants directly into the service, as are often Paymasters and Judge-Advocates with the rank of Major.

SUBSEQUENT SUCCESS.

The highest cadets in class rank, perhaps four or five, go into the Engineer Corps, where their work is mainly among civilians, and their promotion rapid. The Ordnance Corps is filled by special competitive examination of Second Lieutenants of the army; the successful receive the rank of First Lieutenant on entering the corps. The departments of the Quartermaster, Commissary, Paymaster, Judge-Advocate, and Adjutant-General are filled from the lines of officers, giving to the appointed increased rank and pay. There are many special details open to industrious officers; between thirty and forty being selected for colleges; some for military attaches at foreign courts; also others for aides-de-camp to generals; and for places of importance in Washington.

Officers are required to study extensively, and pass examinations for every promotion. The diploma from the Infantry and Cavalry School will entitle the holder to promotion for five years without further examination. The profession of an army officer may not be so remunerative pecuniarily as one of like study and preparation in civil life; but perhaps, with the one exception of the ever-impending danger or prospect of active service, his is as comfortable and satisfying as that of the average professional or business man.

The pay of a Second Lieutenant, whose age varies from twenty-one to twenty-eight, is, in infantry, 6.67 per month, and in cavalry 5 per month, together with advantages of groceries at cost price, coal at about one-half the usual cost, and quarters free.

Thus we cannot help feeling that the young man who strives for success in the army, from the ranks of a private soldier up, will feel amply repaid, particularly if he receives a commission, and then continues to make a good soldierly reputation.

Usually where a son is desirous of entering the army through any open door, his parents immediately inquire concerning his surroundings. Are they favorable to good morals? Are they conducive to a religious life? The answer is that good morals are required at the outset; but of course in barrack life as it is a young man would be likely to be influenced by the example of his comrades. In some companies there could be no fault to find. In others he would encounter much roughness of speech--perhaps as much as in the forecastle of a ship. As to religion there is nothing necessarily hindering, no more than in railroading, in working in large out-door gangs, in manufactories, or elsewhere in the world.

The young man as a Christian is always called upon to resist temptation, and I do not think it harder in the army than elsewhere; for everywhere temptations must be met and overcome. There are many decided Christian officers and soldiers--perhaps as large a proportion as are to be found in other business careers.

A MOTHER GOOSE FAIR.

BY AGNES BAILEY ORMSBEE.

Here is a new idea for a fair in costume for the Fresh Air Fund or some other charity, and one not too hard to get up. Did you ever hear of an evening with Mother Goose and her friends? Well, the idea is to have the attendants of the booths and tables appear in characters taken from Mother Goose's immortal jingles, with the dear kindly old face of Mother Goose welcoming all. To give such a fair the air of a social gathering, it is a good plan to have Mother Goose, the old woman with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, the old man clad all in leather, and poor old Robinson Crusoe receive the guests, being introduced by little Tommy Trot, after Solomon Grundy has taken the tickets as each one enters.

This reception committee should be impersonated by some of your mothers and fathers, who would be willing to lend themselves for the interest they naturally take in the object of your efforts. Or else the older young people might enjoy the ceremony. The costumes would not be hard to make. Mother Goose should wear a short dark red, blue, or brown plain gown, a black apron, a white or gay-colored kerchief, and a white cap with a wide frill. The costume of the musical old woman should be similar, except her cap should be a high conical colored one trimmed with tiny bells. Bells should border her dress and be sewed to her shoe-tops, and her hair should be powdered. A cape, also bell-trimmed, might be substituted for the kerchief. The leather man should wear a coat and hat covered with the heavy paper which imitates alligator-skin, wear high-topped boots, and carry an umbrella in one hand and a cane in the other.

The next question to settle is about the booths. These should be rather small, so that there can be quite a number of them, and so that the articles for sale could in a measure be also in character. The slight wooden frame of the booths and their counters or tables should be hidden under drapings of cheese-cloth, cotton cr?pon, silkolene, or tissue-paper, each one being of single or harmonizing colors, pale lemon color and heliotrope, pink and blue, orange and black, being especially showy by electric or gas light. For the special decoration there should be placed high on the front of each booth a placard, being a characteristic quotation descriptive of the booth and its contents. This is an excellent chance for a handy boy or girl to do some fancy lettering. Supposing the central booth should have this rhyme:

"There was an old woman tossed up in a basket Ninety times as high as the moon; And where she was going I couldn't but ask her, For in her hand she carried a broom.

"'Old woman, old woman, old woman,' quoth I, 'Whither, O whither, O whither so high?' 'To sweep the cobwebs off the sky!' 'Shall I go with you?' 'Aye, buy-and-buy.'"

I am sure your friends will excuse the pun in the last line, and, what's more to the purpose, will take the hint. Trimming the booth and displayed on its counter you must have brooms of all sizes.

You see there is a multitude of simple things you can make yourselves that will be appropriate for this booth, and much that will be contributed easily and willingly, and, best of all, they will be articles that every one will be glad to buy. I think the secret of success in such a fair is not to have too costly articles for sale. It is astonishing how quickly dollars grow from dimes, quarters, and halves, and how easily these small coins slip out of friendly purses. The chief young lady in charge of this broom booth should be dressed to represent the famous old woman, and each of her helpers should wear miniature brooms made of a few broom-splints and a toothpick for badges.

Another booth should be decorated with pictures of our tabby friends, corresponding to the jingle, "I love little pussy, her coat is so warm," while its contents should entice buyers with a display of animal toys of every kind--cotton flannel elephants dear to childish hearts, dogs, pussies, a whole flock of Mary's lambs, horses, and mechanical bears, if you should be so fortunate as to have the latter donated.

A third booth should be devoted to dolls dressed in every style and paper dolls, both of which are always saleable. Who ever found a little girl's heart so full that it would not admit one more doll-child to the play-house family? This booth could be draped with butterflies and festoons of the stars and stripes, and have for its motto,

"Hush, baby, my doll, I pray you don't cry."

"Daffo-down-dilly has come to town In a fine petticoat and a green gown,"

is a charming verse for a flower, which the smiling faces of girls in costumes representing flowers will yet further decorate.

"Handy Spandy Jack-a-Dandy Loves plum-cake and sugar-candy,"

should be the jingle for the candy table, and the boys and girls can exercise their ingenuity in appearing in character--one a chocolate cream, another a striped stick, another a pink peppermint, and so on. But whatever you do, do not forget the little kindergarteners in your households. They are so proud of their bits of work, and would be so glad to give something for the poor sick babies. Take the mats and sewing-cards, and make them into sachet-bags, pin-trays, blotters, cornucopias, needle-books, "scratch-my-backs," with ribbons and fringed papers. Let the verse over these childish offerings be,

"I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, O, it was all laden With pretty things for thee,"

and trim the booth with the paper chains, stars, and the like; also the work of the little ones.

In order that such a fair as this shall be a success and not wear every one out, you must divide yourselves into groups, with an older lady or ladies to direct your work. If you belong to the broom booth, do not change your mind and try to be a flower-girl at the last moment. If you are lucky enough to have given you, or to make something suitable for the needle-work table, turn it over to that group, and do not dictate how it shall be placed. Give your attention to making your own booth a success. It is wise to ask some one who is older to take charge of the fitting up of the booths. He can manage better than you, especially if a carpenter is employed, and you can pour forth your soul on the decorations. There are plenty of characters in Mother Goose's jingles for every one to have one appear in, but it is no harm if there are several of a kind. "Betsy Brooks and Tommy Snooks," "The butcher, the baker, the candle-stick-maker," "Three wise men of Gotham," "Father Graybeard," "Tommy Grace with the pain in his face," are groups which can appear together, and by acting in character and repeating often the jingles that belong to them, add to the fun.

Thus far it would be possible to have the fair in a private house, if any one is so generous as to offer hers. But if you can have a hall or chapel you can offer yet greater variety. Arrange to keep seats in the centre of the hall, and have tableaux and songs for an hour. If it is possible, drill those of you who can sing, or perhaps some singer would volunteer to accompany the tableaux. Otherwise ask some one who reads nicely to recite the words appropriate to each tableau. "Little Bo-peep" appears as the curtain rises, looking for her sheep, while "Polly Flinder" will make two tableaux, one for each two lines of the rhyme. "Georgie Porgie" should appear kissing a tiny girl, and, in the second, running away when a group of school-girls come in sight. "Seesaw, Margery Daw," is another pretty tableau. "Bobby Shaftoe" should show his faithful little maid waiting for him, while the second one shows Bobby's return. When this is done by two yellow-haired children it is effective. "Old King Cole and his fiddlers three," "Little Jack Horner," "Simple Simon," "Ba-ba, Black Sheep," "Little Miss Muffett," "Tom, Tom, the piper's son," and "When I was a bachelor," are all capable of being arranged in tableaux. There are two editions of "Mother Goose" published, with the words set to music, and with pictures that would give suggestions for costumes.

Of course a fair without refreshments is a good deal like plum-pudding without currants and raisins, and even here Mother Goose comes to our aid. What do you say to "Jack and Jill" drawing the lemonade at the well in small pails, and then pouring it into glasses? Would it not add to the fun if part of the evening Jack's head should be mended with brown paper? "Little Tommy Tucker" must not be forgotten, and should have a stand to himself, where he can sing for your supper, and offer sandwiches of every sort neatly wrapped in waxed paper and fancy crackers. Close at hand "Mary Morey" should give you a chance to tell her story while you drink your chocolate and eat your sandwich.

A pretty booth should have for sale fancy cakes, loaves, and buns, while its attendants should ring a bell, and sing, "Hot cross buns," etc. "Little maid, pretty maid, wilt thou be mine," etc., is an appropriate legend for the ice-cream corner, while "Sing a song of sixpence," with as many waiters as may be in black dresses and red sleeves for blackbirds, would add a finishing touch to the evening with Mother Goose, if it is thought best to undertake a hot supper to coax the nimble sixpences for the poor children's holiday.

My own opinion about this editorial is that the young man who wrote it did not realize what he was saying. I don't think he meant to convey the idea which his words clearly state. But even if he did not, he has done a great wrong to the schools of this city, and the Association under whose name these dreadful fallacies are published should interfere at once.

FOUR FOOTBALL TEAMS.

The four pictures in this number represent teams from widely separated districts of this broad country of ours. The St. John's Military Academy eleven, of Delafield, Wisconsin, is one of the prominent school teams of the West. The Cheltenham team is a member of the Philadelphia Interscholastic League, and although this season has not been successful from the point of view of victories, it has served to develop excellent material that ought to be heard from next year. The St. Mark's eleven is a champion team, having defeated its old-time rivals from Groton 6-0 on November 9th. The victory was earned through superior team-work and generalship. The Groton players averaged heavier, but were not the equals of the Southboro' men in scientific work. The Friends' School football team, of Wilmington, closed the season with a victory over its especial rival, the Swarthmore Grammar School, November 8th. The score was 4-0, and the game was as exciting as the figures show. The best playing was done by Brownfield, S. G. S., and by Pyle, Neary, and Warner, F.S.

The season that has just ended in Boston has been the best in almost every respect that the League has had. More good individual players and better team-work have been developed than ever before. The teams have been much more evenly matched, and the spirit shown by each school, by the Captains and players alike, has made the season very interesting and satisfactory. The reason for this is that this year every team in the League was out for the championship. Heretofore it has generally happened that one or two teams have developed good football early in the season, and the others, contented with winning one or two games, have allowed the championship to go, almost by default, to one of the better teams.

But this year a different feeling crept into the League. Every team played every game to win. The consequence was that the usual one-sided games, with scores of thirty or forty to nothing, have been missing. Instead, every game has been hard played and interesting, and the attendance at two of the games, at least, has reached up into the thousands. The heavier teams, which used to go into a game relying upon their mere weight to win, have been forced to learn how to play scientific football, and the lighter teams, instead of going on the field beaten before the game began, have discovered that science and sand are worth more than bluff and brawn.

The scores of this year's games show very justly how close the season has been. Twenty-four points are the most that have been scored in a championship game, and in this game the points were divided 16 to 6. The worst defeat was that of Cambridge High by Brookline High, 18 to 0. One game resulted in a tie, neither side scoring, and four games have been won by the score of 4 to 0. The champions, instead of a record of 100 or more points won and none lost, managed this year to get through with 56 won and 14 lost. Boston Latin, who are tied for second place, won 14 points and lost 14.

The one feature of the year that is to be regretted was brought into conspicuous prominence by this very closeness of the games. That feature was the poor umpiring that occurred in some of the games. One or two of the schools resorted to the trick of securing officials who could be relied upon to give them an advantage of decisions. Cambridge Manual was the worst offender in this line, and Hopkinson the most successful. Hopkinson owes one of its victories to an exceedingly unjust decision made by a referee whom they had appointed. All the other teams, however, seemed very anxious that impartial and competent men be secured; and that honesty is still the best policy is exemplified in the case of English High, the champions, who were more in earnest about good judges than any other school.

One of the unpleasant features of many of last year's games--the darkness that interfered in the second half--was done away with this season. That was because the Captains were sensible enough to see that short halves of twenty minutes were much better than the full thirty minutes, and because all the teams were willing to make an effort to begin the games early enough so that they could be finished about sunset. The result has been most satisfactory. No disputes have arisen from this cause, and the spectators have not crowded on to the fields to add to the delay of the game. Another of last year's unpleasant features--the bitterness between some of the teams--was lacking. While the rivalry was much more intense, the feeling was much more friendly. The disputes that have arisen have been settled most amicably, and the meetings of the Executive Committee have been free from the recriminations that have heretofore characterized them. Everybody seemed to be working for this "era of good feeling," Captains, managers, players, and graduates all lending a hand to smooth over any petty troubles. One bit of courtesy will bear mentioning. When two teams were playing, the players of the other teams were always furnished tickets to the game free of charge.

All the teams have been managed in a very business-like manner. The schedule was made out carefully, and was very just. The arrangements about securing grounds, providing police, advertising, and the other details necessary to a successful game were promptly and well attended to. Altogether, the season must please the Harvard football management and the Boston Athletic Association, under whose joint patronage the League is conducted. Harvard must see in the League a great and reliable feeder for her Freshman and 'varsity teams, and after a few seasons like this one the university will be able to place more reliance than ever on the preparatory schools.

English High must feel an immense amount of satisfaction in winning the championship after such a hard struggle. The fast gait that they struck early in the season they kept up to the last game. They played the game as never before. Quick starts, hard interfering, sure tackling, a spirit of "do or die," and just the right amount of confidence in themselves; their Captain and their coach carried them through the season, and earned, as a reward, the custody of the silver bowl. The team was excellently managed, nothing being left undone that could help the team to victory, and the support the boys received from the school and the graduates was very flattering.

Boston Latin, who came so near defeating the winners, deserve the greatest amount of praise for the season's work. They started out in September by beating Andover--a feat never dreamt of before by a Boston school--and tying St. Mark's. That gave them an idea that they could win the championship. It was the first time the school had ever had that idea; as usually they have been contented with finishing near the foot of the list. They put in some hard practice, and succeeded in making third place. This is a remarkable feat, considering that they went through the season without a coach. The only instruction they had was from their Captain, who devoted an immense amount of labor to his team, and was rewarded by gaining the admiration of every boy in the League, and seeing Boston Latin finish better than it had ever finished before.

Hopkinson's team this year was remarkable more for its even, steady, plucky playing than for its stars or brilliancy. They pulled out more than one game by displaying their sand at the critical moments. They played excellent team-work, and, thanks to a very competent coach, were up to all the latest tricks of the game. They had more luck than any other team, and that accounts for their standing second.

Brookline won the junior championship last year, and, by defeating Newton, earned the privilege of playing in the senior league. They were counted as winners by a great many wiseacres; and indeed started in with good football. But they were really outclassed. They were the lightest team in the league, and averaged the youngest in years. They found the season too hard for them. This, together with their losing the services of a valuable coach, caused a marked falling off in their play. Their backs and ends were, taken together, the best set in the League, and they had at one time the best interference; but their defence was not always reliable, and they were sadly in need of a quarter-back who could do something besides pass the ball.

Cambridge High and Latin, with the best team they have had for years, are tied for last place. They were very much hampered by restrictions imposed by their school committee, and by unnecessary interference on the part of the masters. To this they attribute their poor showing. They undoubtedly had material for a fine team, and it was being handled in a most careful and vigorous way. Their Captain was the sort of fellow who gets an immense amount of work out of his men, and puts all kinds of ginger into them. After beating Hopkinson and Boston Latin, they were looked upon as the only team that could possibly beat English High. But before that decisive game the school committee got in its work, and the little nerve left to the players was lost when the Executive Committee of the League deprived them of their two victories, on protest.

"The matter was brought up, but as soon as they found out that a National Association was to be formed they dropped it. They would rather have their State meet, and then send a team to the National meet. They will do nothing towards the formation of such an association till they find out whether they can join the National Association or not. It will cost but little more to go East, and they are all willing to go. The Clinton Association will, if they can become members, send one of the best teams that any Iowa High-School can produce. They have already engaged Mr. Moulton, the veteran trainer, who has handled Crum so well in his running-work this year. The school means business; they have the entire support of the business men of the city, and have a course of entertainment laid out which will bring them in ample means to pay all expenses."

Unless something unforeseen prevents, the All-New York Interscholastic Football eleven will be announced next week.

THE GRADUATE.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

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