, but never one which
required so little material, labor and time, and which gave such
satisfactory results, as the one illustrated herewith. It was
erected in our back yard one afternoon, the materials being
furnished by an accommodating lumber pile, and a little junk, and
it has provided unlimited pleasure for "joy-riders," little and
big, from all over the neighborhood. It looks like a toy, but once
seat yourself in it and begin to go around, and, no matter what
your age or size may be, you will have in a minute enough thrill
and excitement to last the balance of the day.

The illustration largely explains itself, but a few dimensions
will be a help to anyone wishing to construct the apparatus. The
upright is a 4 by 4-in. timber, set 3 ft. in the ground with 8 ft.
extending above. It is braced on four sides with pieces 2 in.
square and 2 ft. long, butting against short stakes. The upper end
of the post is wound with a few rounds of wire or an iron strap to
prevent splitting. The crosspiece is 2 in. square, 12 ft. long,
strengthened by a piece 4 in. square and 5 ft. long. These two
pieces must be securely bolted or spiked together. A malleable
iron bolt, 3/4 in. in diameter and 15 in. long is the pivot. On
this depends the safety of the contrivance, so it must be strong
enough, and long enough to keep firmly in the post. Drive this
bolt in a 3/8-in. hole bored in the post, which will make it a
sufficiently tight fit. Make the hole for the bolt very loose
through the crosspiece, so that there will be plenty of "wobble,"
as this is one of the mirth-making features of the machine. Use a
heavy washer at the head. The seats are regular swing boards,
supported by a stout and serviceable rope. A 3/4 -in. rope is not
too heavy. One set of ropes are passed through holes at the end of
the crosspiece and knotted on top. The other set should be
provided with loops at the top and slid over the crosspiece, being
held in position by spikes as shown. This makes an easy
adjustment. Seat the heavier of the riders on the latter seat,
moving it toward the center until a balance with the lighter rider
is reached. A rope tied to the crosspiece about 2 ft. from the
center, for the "motive power" to grasp, completes the
merry-go-round.

Put plenty of soap or grease between the crosspiece and upright.
Be sure to have room for the ropes to swing out at high speed,
with no trees or buildings in the way. The "wobble" mentioned will
give an