tures, etc., Walter L. Smith, Anna Fulton, Carl Gerstenberg, Carrie Heath, Irene Hickok, Helen N. De Haven, Winthrop C. Swain, and Clinton Brown.

CHAPTERS.

Now that the Chapter Competition is over we have two months to wait before we shall know how it turned out and who wins the book prizes. Meantime those who have competed would do well to get a Century Co.'s price-list and make out a list of what they would like to have in case they should happen to win. That will save time and trouble when the announcement comes, and if it does n't turn out as you hoped, never mind. Perhaps it will next time, and you have at least had the pleasure of trying, and of doing good. Chapter work has been very active this winter, and many new ones have formed. We are rapidly nearing the 500 mark, and the chapters that are formed are nearly all increasing in number, some very rapidly.

Floyd Godfrey, president of 355, suggests that chapters should give the average age of their members, so that those desiring to correspond may select others of suitable ages. This seems a good idea, and if members in future will give their ages, we will make the proper mention.

In writing to the League, chapters should always put their numbers on the letter-head, so that identification may be an easy

No. 324 is doing nicely, and taking great interest in the League and its work. Irene N. Mack is secretary, and says they would like to correspond with other chapters. Address, Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Cal.

No. 347 has changed its meetings from Saturdays to Wednesdays. No. 348 has elected new officers for 1902. "At Christmas we sent things to a poor family, that they might have a merry one. We hope to do better this year than last.'

"

No. 350 is now the "Busy Workers"- a good, suggestive name. Dues, five cents.

No. 366 has doubled its membership.

No. 370 publishes a paper called the "Oriole" (of course 370 isin Baltimore). One of the big newspapers printed an article about it and called 370 the "future literary and artistic circle of Baltimore." And that is likely, for M. Letitia Stockett, whose fine poems have appeared in the League, is the secretary of this chapter. No. 392 has changed its name to "The Cozy Club." The secretary asks if chapters should report every month. No; only when there is something of special interest to the League as a whole. No. 408 reports that each meeting is more successful than the one preceding.

NEW CHAPTERS.

No. 417. "Half a Dozen Chums." Nora Brainard, President; Laura Dean, Secretary; six members. Address, 321 E. 20th St., Baltimore, Md. "Our chapter has been a great source of pleasure as well as profit. The League is a fine thing."

No. 418. "Excelsior." Randall Decker, President; Geddes Smith, Secretary; four members. Address, 18 N. Essex Ave., Orange, N. J.

No. 419.

G. B. Keffer, President; Goldie Stiles, Secretary; twenty members. Address, Deep Valley, Pa.

No. 420. Nine members. Address, Helm, 724 Broad St., Beloit, Wis.

No. 421. Rupert Baker, President; Nellie Furlong, Secretary; ten members. Address, Pomfret Center, Conn.

No. 422. Charles Yerkes, President; Robert Adams, Secretary; nine members. Address, 402 North Grove Ave., Oak Park, Ill. No. 423. "Bainbridge." Leslie Williams, Secretary; six members. Address, 19 Williamson Ave., Bloomfield, N. J. Meetings every Monday.

No. 424. "Pens and Papers." Margaret Chambers, President; Katherine Halsey, Secretary; two members. Address, Crow's Nest, Bronxville, N. Y. "We are

"

"

few, but we hope to do good work." No. 425 "Busy Bees.' Meta Walther, President; six members. Address, 236 East 76th St., New York City. Colors, blue and gold like the button, "which we think beautiful. We are all determined to work with a will."

Grinnell,

No. 426. Robert President; Alice Heydenburk, Secretary: six members. Address, 1606 9th St., Bay City, Mich. Annie Dunn, Presi

No. 427.

dent; Florence Fletcher, Secretary; eleven members. Address, Williamsburg, Iowa.

No. 428. Harry Minich, President; Edward Holloway, Secretary; five members. Address, 2320 North Penn St., Indianapolis, Ind. No. 429. "Columbia." E. Tucker Sayward, President; Laurence Hemmenway, Secretary; seven members. Address, 41 Monadnock St., Dorchester, Mass.

No. 430.

Lena Armstrong, President; Blanche Allen, Secretary; twenty-two members. Address, 229 Chapel St., Norfolk, Va. No. 431. "Hill and Plain." Roger Briggs, President; Howard Curtis, Secretary: five members. Address, Box 146, Stratford, Conn. "We would like to communicate with other chapters. Our colors are red and green." No. 432. "Busy Bee.' E. H. Porter, President; J. N. Du Bary, Jr., Secretary; three members. Address, 2105 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, Pa.

THE St. Nicholas League awards gold and silver badges each month for the best poems, stories, drawings, photographs, puzzles, and puzzle-answers.

A SPECIAL CASH PRIZE. To any League member who has won a gold badge for any of the above-named achievements, and shall again win first place, a cash prize of five dollars will be awarded, instead of another gold badge.

Competition No. 31 will close April 20 (for foreign members April 25). The awards will be announced and prize contributions published in ST. NICHOLAS for July.

VERSE. To contain not more than twenty-four lines, and may be illustrated, if desired, with not more than two drawings or photographs by the author. Subject, "School's Out."

PROSE. Story, article, or play of not more than four hundred words. It may be illustrated, if desired, with not more than two drawings by the author. Subject, "Jack's Fourth of July." May be humorous or serious.

PHOTOGRAPH. Any size, mounted or unmounted, but no blue prints or negatives. Subject, "Early Spring."

DRAWING. India ink, very black writing-ink, or wash (not color). Subject, "A Heading for July.'

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PUZZLE. Any sort, the answer to contain some word or words relating to the season.

PUZZLE-ANSWERS. Best, neatest, and most complete set of answers to puzzles in this issue of ST. NICHOLAS. WILD-ANIMAL OR BIRD PHOTOGRAPH. To encourage the pursuing of game with a camera instead of a gun. For the best photograph of a wild animal or bird, taken in its natural home: First Prize, five dollars and League gold badge. Second Prize, three dollars and League gold badge. Third Prize, League gold badge.

ADVERTISING COMPETITION No. 10.

THE advertising competition in no way interferes with regular League competitions. Members may compete in both. See advertising page 9.

If

RULES FOR REGULAR COMPETITIONS. EVERY contribution of whatever kind must bear the name, age, and address of the sender, and be indorsed as "original" by parent, teacher, or guardian, who must be convinced beyond doubt that the contribution is not copied, but wholly the work of the sender. prose, the number of words should also be added. These things must not be on a separate sheet, but on the contribution itself—if a manuscript, on the upper margin; if a picture, on the margin or back. Write or draw on one side of the paper only. A contributor may send but one contribution a month-not one of each kind, but one only. Members are not obliged to contribute every month. Address all communications: THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE, Union Square, New York.

READING ALOUD AND LISTENING

IN SILENCE.

SOME persons like to listen to reading and others prefer to read to themselves. At times, in the same family, we find children belonging to each of these classes. This paragraph is meant to help both. If you like to listen to reading it is well to help the reader, and the reader can be helped if you will follow a few simple rules-some don'ts and some do's-while you are acting as audience:

Don't keep moving; it distracts the reader, and prevents you from giving full attention.

Don't ask questions in such a way as to stop the reading every few moments. In prose this is trying, but in poetry it is inexcusable.

Don't exclaim and make comments that take the attention of others from the book.

Don't tell "just what is coming," in order to show your cleverness or the stupidity of the author. You will not reach the author (unless he happens to be the reader also), and you may make other listeners feel slower-witted than yourself-not a pleasant experience to them.

so that he might make for you a chart directing your journey; and in the same way you need guidance in order to visit the book world. Young folks do not fully know the great variety of reading that is open to them to-day, and many spend their reading hours among volumes that bring them little delight, whereas they might instead find books exactly to their taste; for young folks differ widely in their likings.

BOOK-PILOTS.

MANY grown people are ready and eager to help you to find the reading you will most enjoy. Many of you are wasting time upon poor books when better books of the same sort are ready to your hands. There is hardly a kind of reading in which excellent books are not to be found. Do not read the second-rate or third-rate books because you think there are none better. If you like adventure, find out the best books of adventure; if you care for history or the lives of great men or women, go to some older reader and tell him or her the sort of books you like best.

There is nothing in the poorly written books. that has not been much better done by greater writers; and there are parents, teachers, libra

science who will tell you how to reach the best

THE NEW WORLD OF BOOKS.

It is not so many, many years ago that large portions of the world were unknown to civilized mankind, but to-day comparatively little is entirely unexplored. At the same time with the widening of our knowledge of the earth's surface there has been a great increase in the imaginary world into which books carry us as ships carried old explorers. Only those men and women whose business it is to know the world of books understand the extent of our new possessions. If you wished to become acquainted with the lands of the earth, you would go to the geographer or to the traveler

And the best reading is the wisest investment. A great book can never be used up; there is always in it new food for the mind, new pleasure. The best books are called "best" because they have been most enjoyed. There is no sense in wasting time on inferior books when there are so many more good books than you will ever find time to read.

Many letters come to this department telling of books children own and have read; and their lists are, for the most part, well chosen. But very few of our readers write for advice as to books on certain subjects or of certain kinds. Let us know what sort of books you prefer,giving a few examples, perhaps, and we will ask our older readers to act as your guides into this great new world of books modern days. and modern ways have made for us all.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I was reading your article about humorous books, and although I cannot give you a list of them, I know of two which I consider very good.

One of them is "The Hoosier Schoolmaster," which gives in a very thrilling manner the experiences of a young man who went in a back-country town to teach the district school.

The other one is "Being a Boy," by Charles Dudley Warner, and gives so well the life of a New England boy on the farm.

Perhaps some of your other readers can tell of some more books like these which they have enjoyed as I have these two.

Some of my favorite authors are: Laura Richards, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Louisa May Alcott, Martha Finley, Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney, L. Meade, Sir Walter Scott, and Henry W. Longfellow.

I enjoy the ST. NICHOLAS very much, but especially the Books and Reading department.

Your friend and reader,

have been received in this department, and await mention, comment, or printing. Even if your letter is not printed, you will often find that it has suggested items for the department. All the letters are carefully read and considered, but of course only a very few can be shown to other readers. Of book-lists, in particular,

Glass.

To these may be added:

Vice Versa, Anstey.

Inside Our Gate, Brush.
The Colonel's Opera-
Cloak, Brush.
Rudder Grange, The Ting-

Sullivan.

but these lists inform us continually of the tastes and likings of our readers. We wish to mention in this department only books that are

FAVORITE

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: My library comprises two hundred volumes, all of which I have read and enjoyed. Having tried several different systems of arrangement, I have finally concluded that the most satisfactory one is to range them in alphabetical order on the shelves. Thus Miss Alcott's books come first; closely followed by Elbridge Brooks's and Frank Chapman's; at the end Barbara Yechton's and Miss Yonge's works are seen. Probably the method of grouping books on one subject together is more convenient for extensive libraries, but I have so few books on one subject that the first mentioned way is more satisfactory.

All of my own especial books are placed in a book case, with four movable shelves, in my room. The books are protected by a glass door from the dust, which keeps them looking fresher and newer. Your sincere friend,

RUTH FORBES ELIOT (age 13).

WHO are your favorite ILLUSTRATORS. picture-makers for books?

We have seen many lists of favorite authors, but there has been almost no mention of the artists who make your story-books so much more alive. If you have never noticed the names signed to the pictures (some young, and old, readers Overlook these!), look at them now, and let us know your favorite illustrators.

JOLO, SULU ISLAND, P. I. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: My father is an army officer. We are stationed here among a very curious people, so I thought that your readers would like to know a little about their manners and customs.

The island of Sulu is in the Sulu Sea, and the town of Jolo is on the sea-shore. It has a white wall around it, with loopholes in it, and at every corner are blockhouses. Before the Americans came, these were very necessary, for the Moros and the Spaniards were always fighting; but they are friendly to us, and we can go all over the island without any danger.

About half a mile outside the walls there are four blockhouses, which, in Spanish days, were full of men; but now there are only a few men in each, to see that Moros do not steal government property.

There are five hundred soldiers in Jolo, about as many Chinese, some East Indians, quite a few Filipinos, and some Moros; but most of them live in villages outside the walls.

The houses of Jolo are very funny. The lower floor is used as a store, and the second story is where the people live.

We live above the commissary. Our house is nice. The sides are made of sliding shutters, which can be pushed back so that the house looks like a large veranda.

Only one house in Jolo has glass window-panes; but some have a milky-white shell which lets in a little light, though you cannot see through it.

The streets are wide and made of white coral sand, and along the sides are great cocoanut, mango, and jackfruit trees.

The Plaza de España is right under our windows. There are three parks in Jolo; in one of them is a birdhouse, in which are many different kinds of pigeons and parrots. All the parks are filled with sweet-smelling shrubs, among which are jasmine and frangipani.

The Moros live in huts, built upon piles which often extend into the sea quite a distance.

The men wear very tight trousers, an open jacket, and a bright-colored turban and sash, in the folds of which they carry a betel-nut box made of brass, and thrust through at one side a big barong or creese, a kind of sword.

The women wear loose trousers, a tight jacket, and a bright-colored sarong over all.

The Sultan lives at Maibung, about twelve miles from here. His name is Hadji Mohamed Jamalul Kiram. He has two brothers, one Dato Atec and the other Rajah Mudah, which is a title meaning Unripe King. Rajah Mudah will be the next Sultan, as the Sultan has no children.

When the Sultan comes here on an official visit, he wears very fine clothes-white broadcloth trousers with a gold stripe at the side, a black broadcloth coat trimmed with gold lace, and a gold belt and valuable sword. I saw him once. Pinned on his coat were large pearl and diamond ornaments, and on the front of his goldembroidered cap were five diamond stars and a big aigret of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. He has lots of attendants; one carries an umbrella, another his barong, and a third a silver box.

The Sultana is the Sultan's mother, and is a very important person. Her name is Inchi Jamela.

When she comes to Jolo she rides on the shoulders of

a Moro, and another with a long-handled green umbrella protects her from the sun, and her women follow behind. It is a very curious sight to see her and her attendants, with their bright and funny clothes, come into Jolo. Your affectionate reader,

NATHANIEL MCLEAN SAGE.

1345 COMOX STREET, VANCOUVER, B. C. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I have been taking you for seven years.

I have been in bed twenty-one weeks. I hurt my leg some way and have had to lie on my back all that time. I do a great deal of reading and enjoy you very much. I collect post-cards. I only started last year and have about forty. If any of your readers would like to trade I would gladly do so. If any of them will send me an American one I will give them a Canadian Of course any other of any country will be gratefully accepted or traded. Hoping to see this in print soon, I remain, your sincere friend,

one.

FAIRBURY, NEB. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I am fourteen years old, and have taken your magazine for about six years. The stories I like best are "The Story of Betty," "Denise and Ned Toodles," 19 66 Quicksilver Sue," "Pretty Polly Perkins," and "The Frigate's Namesake."

I know that all those that have read "Denise and Ned Toodles" would like to hear about my little Shetland pony.

A year ago last fall, one evening in September, father told me to come to the door and see what was there. I jumped up- for father is always surprising me- -and ran to the door, and there was a little black Shetland pony and buggy. His mane is very white and thick, and his tail is very long. There is a white star on each

side of his neck.

As quick as I saw him I thought of "Ned Toodles," for he resembles him so much, and when father asked me what I was going to name him, I said, "Ned Toodles," so he has gone by that name ever since.

He is very strong, and one time he tried to run away with me, but I held on, and of course I thought of Ned Toodles when he ran away with Denise. Hoping you will publish my letter, I am, Your loving reader,

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: This is my first letter and I hope to see it printed.

I was much interested in Edith Knowles's letter, and I thought some of your readers might like to know about my home. I live on a peninsula; on one side is the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other is the Indian River. We go across the river in a boat. It does not get very cold down here.

I live on a pineapple plantation. I am twelve years old. I remain, your devoted reader, CAROLENA W. STARCK.