



Produced by Chris Curnow, Emmy and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)






[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic
text is surrounded by _underscores_.]



A COMPANION VOLUME

TO

The American Girl’s Handy Book.

[Illustration:

What to do and How to do it

THE AMERICAN BOYS HANDY BOOK.

BY

D.C. Beard.

New-York

Charles Scribner’s Sons.]

    _NEW EDITION._

    1 Vol. Cloth. Price, $2.00.

    WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
    DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR.




How to Amuse Yourself and Others

THE AMERICAN GIRLS HANDY BOOK.

    BY

    Lina Beard
    and
    Adelia B. Beard

    NEW YORK

    Charles
    Scribner’s
    Sons

    1893




    COPYRIGHT BY
    CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
    1887




PREFACE.


“I DO wish some one would write a book like that for girls,” is the
remark we have frequently heard when a new book of sports for boys
has made its appearance; but it was not until the publication of the
“American Boy’s Handy Book” that it occurred to us to write a book for
the American boy’s neglected sisters, which should be equally original
and practical.

In the “Girl’s Handy Book,” which it has been our endeavor to make
peculiarly American, we have sought to introduce original and novel
ideas, and by their aid to open new avenues of enterprise and enjoyment.

One of our objects is to impress upon the minds of the girls the fact
that they all possess talent and ability to achieve more than they
suppose possible, and we would encourage a belief in the truth of
the remark said to have been made by a famous Frenchman: “When you
Americans undertake anything you never stop to ascertain if it be
possible, you simply _do it_.”

We desire also to help awaken the inventive faculty, usually
uncultivated in girls, and, by giving detailed methods of new work and
amusements, to put them on the road which they can travel and explore
alone.

We know well the feeling of hopelessness which accompanies vague
directions, and, to make our explanations plain and lucid, we have
ourselves, with very few exceptions, made all of the articles, played
the games, and solved the problems described.

The materials employed in the construction of the various articles are
within easy reach of all, and the outlay, in most cases, little or
nothing.

We scarcely deem it necessary to point out the fact that in supplying
healthy, sensible work and amusement for leisure hours, employment is
given whose whole tendency is to refine the tastes and ambitions of our
American girls.

A few of our chapters are taken from articles which were written by
us for, and published by, the _Youth’s Companion_, _St. Nicholas_,
_Harper’s Young People_, _Golden Days_, and _Wide Awake_.




CONTENTS.


                                                                    PAGE
  PREFACE                                                            iii

  SPRING

  CHAPTER I.
  FIRST OF APRIL                                                       3
    First of April Party, 5; Mirror Tableau, 6; Noah’s Ark
      Peep-show, 8; The Supper, 10.


  CHAPTER II.
  WILD FLOWERS AND THEIR PRESERVATION                                 13
    Transplanting Wild Flowers, 14; Cut Wild Flowers, 15;
      Sending Flowers by Mail, 15; Preserved Flowers, 16;
      Pressed Flowers and Leaves, 18; Leaves and Ferns for
      Decoration, 19; Color of Flowers Changed, 19: Natural
      Wax Flowers, 20; To Freshen Cut Flowers, 20; Crystallized
      Flowers, 21; How to Preserve the Perfume of Flowers, 21;
      Spring Flowers in Winter, 23; The Four-leaved Clover, 23;
      Several Methods of Preserving Flowers, 24.

  CHAPTER III.
  THE WALKING CLUB                                                    27
    Rules to be Observed, 31.

  CHAPTER IV.
  EASTER                                                              33
    Easter Customs in Other Lands, 33; Easter Egg Games, 36;
      Easter Egg Dolls, 39; Humpty Dumpty, 42; Miss Rolly-poly,
      45; Mandolin, 47; Maple-wax Easter Eggs, 49; Bonbon Box,
      49; Easter Cards, 50; Little Quakeress,