He first whittled out a cylinder, which exactly fitted the circular hole; then he cut it off, so that its length should be the same as the diameter of the square (see Fig. 2). Now, by putting this sideways into the square opening, it fitted it perfectly. Lastly, leaving the base of the cylinder undisturbed, he cut away from either side until he had a shape like Fig. 3, which, when looked at from another point, presents the appearance of Fig. 4, and would, of course, perfectly fit the last and triangular opening.
A slate is one of the most useful presents which can be given to a child. Long before the little hands can fashion letters, or the infant mind comprehend them, the baby fingers can make marks and scratches upon the smooth surface and derive considerable amusement from the exercise.
As the little one grows older, these meaningless scrawls gradually change to more intelligible forms, and then it is that the “Tit-Tat-To,” so very old, and yet so delightfully new, to every little girl or boy in their turn, comes into play.
This game is played on a figure similar to the above, made on an ordinary slate. The players alternately mark in the figure, the one a cross, and the other a nought; he who first obtains a row, either horizontally, perpendicularly, or diagonally, wins the game, and calls out the following rhyme:
“Tit-Tat-To, my last go; Three jolly butchers all in a row.”
The object of each of the players is equally to obtain such a row and to prevent his opponent from obtaining one.
This game—which is sometimes called _Birds, Beasts, and Fishes_—is instructive as well as interesting to children who have some slight knowledge of natural history. It is played as follows: Two boys take their slates, and each writes down the first and last letters of the name of some bird, beast, or fish, first stating whether it belongs to the air, earth, or water, or from which category the name is selected, and puts a cross for each of the intermediate letters. For example: James writes upon his slate T × × × r, and remarks, as he passes it to his companion, “the earth.” Charles selects a bird and marks upon his slate as follows: E × × × e, saying, at the same time, “the air.” They exchange slates, and each tries to guess the name of the beast or bird indicated, and fills up the blanks accordingly. It is evident that those indicated above are respectively tiger and eagle.