of Moore's poem. The historical facts
concerning the beautiful Nourmahal are very meagre, but a few glimpses
into her life are given in the notes to the "Vale of Cashmere," the last
story in _Lalla Rookh_.

* * * * *

W. CLARENCE.--To make a kite, the sticks must first be tied
tightly and firmly together in the centre. A string is then put round
the outside. The end of each stick should be notched to hold the string
in place. The paper, which should be thin and tough, is now pasted on. A
tail of pieces of paper or cloth tied at intervals in a string must be
fastened at the bottom to balance the kite in the wind. The length of
the tail depends on the size of the kite.

* * * * *

W. F. B.--O. N. T. is simply a trade-mark, and stands for "our
new thread."

* * * * *

E. L. C.--There are so many French magazines, it is difficult
to say which is the best. The _Revue des Deux Mondes_ has a high
literary character. Jewett's Spiers's French-and-English Dictionary is
the best for ordinary use. Translating is not often remunerative.

* * * * *

"PATRIOTIC BOYS."--Scholarships, subject to certain conditions,
can be obtained at nearly any college in the United States.

* * * * *

JOHNNY P.--The long-bow was the English national weapon in
early times. It was originally used by the Norse tribes, and was brought
into Western Europe by Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, a direct ancestor
of William the Conqueror. When the Normans invaded England they carried
the long-bow with them, and as the Saxons had no weapon so powerful,
they readily adopted it. The proper length of the long-bow, which was
made of yew or ash, was the height of the archer who used it. The
largest ones, however, were six feet long, and as the arrow was always
half the length of the bow, the longest arrows measured three feet,
which is just a cloth yard. They were therefore given the name of
"cloth-yard shaft." The arrows were made of oak, ash, or yew. They were
tipped with steel, and ornamented at the other end with three gray goose
feathers, from whence comes the name of "gray-goose shaft," usually
applied to those arrows which were shorter than the cloth yard measure.
The arrow or bolt of the cross-bow, or arbalast, was also tipped with
steel, and varied in length according to the size of the cross-bow.