zed man; and the
rest of his armor amounted to at least one hundred and fifteen
pounds more. The head of his spear weighed eighteen pounds,--as
heavy as six three-pound cans of preserved fruit,--and this he
carried at the end of a long and heavy shaft!

Think what might happen if a man equally big and strong should live
among us now, and insist on taking part in our games and sports! If
he joined a boat-club, a curious six-oared crew could be made up,
with him at one side and five other men opposite. And just imagine
him "booming along" on a velocipede! If he joined the champion Nine,
and hit a ball, where would that ball go to? If he called for a
"shoulder-high" ball, wouldn't the catcher have to climb a
stepladder to catch behind the giant? And if he threw a ball to a
baseman, wouldn't he be apt to throw it clean through him?

Probably no one can answer these questions, but they are
interesting, all the same, to yours sincerely,

R.V.D.

* * * * *

Lancaster, Pa.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Can you please tell me whether there are
fire-flies in England or not? We have had several discussions, and I
would like so much to know.--Yours truly,

AMY.

According to all accounts within our reach there are in England no
fire-flies like those of the United States. But there are glow-worms
there, and, sometimes, the male glow-worm (which has wings), has been
called a "fire-fly." It belongs to a branch (genus) of the family
_Lampyridae_, which is also the family of its fire-fly cousins, but it is
not shaped quite like them, and bears a different scientific name.

* * * * *

Philadelphia, Pa.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I have seen so many little stories written by
girls of my age, that I thought I would write also--about iron. It
is a very useful metal, without which we would be very much at a
loss. Without iron, we could not cook very well; we could not build
such houses as we do, because the nails are made of iron, and some
of the tools; nor could we have gas, for the gas is conveyed through
the different parts of the houses and city by iron pipes. Nor could
we have steam-boats, for the machinery which makes them move is made
of iron. The buckets which we have to carry water in have iron
hoops. The doors have iron locks. The ink with which we