nd a most
energetic crowd of boys, eager, and intensely excited over a game. The
streets and pavements are all marked over with strange diagrams, each
one of which tells of a conflict. "Tip Cat" is always popular, but
played, as a rule, in the morning; so also is "Kicking the Stick or
Can." When the sun is hot they get on the shady side and play "Long
Branch" and "War." Later on they have the "Hopping Game" and "Spread the
Woman." Then when night comes--and it is not night, for the streets are
as light as day because of the electric-light or gas--they dart about as
detectives and robbers playing "Relievio."

It will be observed that they play what men do. You may often hear an
imitation of the fire-gong, and see boys rush out before an imaginary
wagon and engine, and go through the motion of having a fire. Children
are rescued, the dead are laid out, medals are awarded for bravery. When
the Ludlow Street Jail robbers escaped, the boys devised a jail, and the
three noted robbers were impersonated, and escaped. The jailer was in
dismay. Detectives and police went forth, climbing on tops of houses,
over fences, eagerly searching for the men. And they were successful, be
it said to the honor of the boys.

[Illustration: BASEBALL.]

Of course they play baseball. What boy does not? These East-siders have
not the green diamond--if they had they would roll over the grass, pat
it in love, sit down and look at it a long time before they would play
ball upon it. I have taken children to the Park, far up to the Bronx,
where everything is delightfully free, and they have sat down and rubbed
the grass, and petted it as a child will a tender animal. But they have
their ball games and get excited over them, although the diamond is on
stone, and not two feet square.

They are always at something, and less frequently in mischief than one
would think. They are divided into crowds, each street or block has its
gang, and woe be to him who dares encroach. They have chosen leaders
whose command they obey. There is a vast deal of honor among them, and I
am not sure but that he is somewhat better than the lad that hangs
around the country store or goes swimming, in the mill-pond of the
village.

The following are some of the summer games that engage his attention and
keep him out of mischief:

BASEBALL.

[Illustration: H. R.--Home-run. 3 B.--Three-Base Hit. 2 B.--Two-Base
Hit. 1 B.--One-Base Hit.]

Construct a square having four sq