A CORNER FOR CHILDREN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 3 October 1936, Page 11

A CORNER FOR CHILDREN

GARDENS UNDER THE SEA

A long low shore, waving palms, coral reefs, with green wooded hills behind, for all the world like Treasure Island! Bermuda—

We generally speak of Bermuda, but actually there are 3G5 islands in the group—one for every day of the year. This figure includes some which are little more than rocks and are not, of course, inhabited. The group is entirely surrounded by two rows of reefs composed of growing coral. The outer reef lies some nine miles out to sea; the inner only about a mile from the shore. There surely can be no other place in the world where the water is quite such a cool, clear blue, and so transparent. But calm and peaceful as the water appears to be, it hides many dangers. Sharks abound, and from the decks of a liner you can see other fierce, snapping tropical fish, many of them of gorgeous colouring.

But the water also holds Bermuda’s loveliest attraction, and her pride. These are the Marine Gardens where the submerged sections of the coral reefs are covered with submarine plants and vegetation of all descriptions.

You go out to see the gardens in little boats with glass bottoms. Straight down you can gaze, so clear is the water, on to a scene of incomparable loveliness. These strange, slow-waving marine plants are a riot of colour, difficult to imagine. In and out of them glide tropical fish, their colours blending or contrasting with the background as the case may be. But beautiful as is the scene, it is not one of peace, for the small fish prey on the grubs and other diminutive creatures, the larger fish chase the small ones in their turn, while, preceded by his “pilot” the sinister grey length of the shark seeks to devour all that comes his way.

Bermuda is very proud of her Marine Gardens, and few tourists visit the islands without paying a call in one of the glass-bottomed boats and staring down into the translucent water. But these are by no means the only attractions the islands have to offer, for indeed they are a paradise for the holiday-maker and sportsman. Fishing of all kinds, boating, bathing and rambling over the lovely interior—these are but a few of the delightful things which one may do on the beautiful islands. There is one modern convenience, however, which is not allowed—and a wise prohibition it is. There are no motor cars.

EMBROIDERED TEA TABLE SET j Here is an idea for making a pretty | afternoon tea table set of linen. i The cloth, which measures one yard square, is made from a yard of linen of the same width. Half a yard of the linen will make four little table napkins, nine inches square. When cutting out the latter, draw threads horizontally and vertically, nine inches from each edge, and cut along the j lines to give true edges. ' Besides the linen, you will need penny skeins of stranded embroidery j cotton, in emerald, cheerry, royal, j yellow and black. 1 To make the cloth, turn under and | tack a narrow double hem all round, i then sew the hems with running j stitches on the right side, in emerald i green thread, using all six strands in j the needle. Take some red thread 1 and weave it in and out of the green

running stitches, as shown in diagram A. This makes a pretty twocoloured edging. Now take a plate si xinches across, lay it across one corner, and pencil round the upper edge to get a big scallop. Do the same with the other three corners, then lay the plate along one edge of the cloth, pencil round, move it along, pencil round again, and so on—until you reach the opposite corner scallop. Repeat along the other three sides, so that each

( edge is marked off into big scalloped curves. Experiment on a strip of paper the exact length of the cloth, to be sure of getting the scallops the same size. Be careful also to get them straight along the edges. Embroider the curves in emerald green stem-stitch, using all the strands in the needle.

Take a sixpence, lay it above one of the curves, about half an inch up, and pencil round. Move the coin along, a little higher up, and pencil

round once more. Move it along again, a little lower this time, and repeat the pencilling. Do this all round —diagram B shows what a section should look like —and complete each little circle with a ring in the middle and a straight pencil line connecting it with the stem-stitch curve. These circles are to be flowers, growing out of the hillsides represented by the green curves. Work them in buttonhole stitch in the different coloured threads, and complete

each with a satin-stitch centre—black for the red and yellow flowers, yellow for the blue ones. The tea napkins are worked in ex-

actly the same way, but the sgallops are drawn round a coffee cup, and a threepenny bit acts as guide for the flower circles. Press the hems and embroideries well under a damp cloth with a hot iron when you have finished. WENDY’S DRESSMAKER. HEROES AND HEROINES OF LEGEND HERCULES IS REWARDED AT LAST When Hercules had finished his labours, he realised that the gods had no intention of taking him to Olympus in glory, and knew that he must still work. Kings and princes all over the earth begged for his assistance, and he went from one to the other, ridding the woi'ld of terrible monsters, fighting battles, destroying evil. He married the lovely Deianeira, a king’s lovely daughter, and wherever he went he was received with delight. Then, alas, Deianeira became jealous and afraid that she might one day lose his love. Three years after their wedding, a strange thing happened. They were going togetner to a far land when they came to a river over which the centaur, Nessus, carried people, but Hercules waded across, leaving Nessus to carry Deianeira. Suddenly he heard his wife scream. Seeing that Nessus was carrying her away up the river, he shot him with an arrow. As he was drying, Nessus told Deianeira that if she kept some of his blood she would never lose the love of Hercules, and the princess was so jealous that she did this.

Some months later, Hercules wished to make a sacrifice to the gods on Mount Etna, and sent his servant home for his beautiful sacrificial.robe. It was a magnificent robe wnich Deianeira had embroidered for him, but he seldom wore it because he preferred his lion skin. Now Deianeira was so afraid that Hercules would forget her because his life was full of adventure that she thought it was the time to use the charm, which was the blood of Nessus.

Therefore she sprinkled the colourless blood over the magnificent robe, thinking it would cause Hercules to love her for ever, and gave it to the servant

When Hercules received the garment, he threw it over his shoulders and immediately he felt that he was on fire. The robe stuck to his skin and burnt him. He shouted in agony and people rushed to Mount Etna. When Deianeira, his wife, saw his terrible state, she knew that the poisoned robe was the revenge of Nessus, and that nobody could do anything against it. “Let me die, for I cannot bear this agony,” cried Hercules. He piled up trees, spread his lion skin over them, lay down upon it, and begged the people to set fire to his funeral pile. Then a wonderful thing happened! As the first little tongue of fire darted from the trees, a rainbow was flung down from heaven, and Iris, the messenger of the gods, and Mercurj with wings on his feet, ran lightly to Hercules, holding out their hands.

He rose up, splendid, gleaming like gold, stronger and more beautiful than he had ever been, and the people saw the immortal Hercules, the greatest of all the heroes, walk up the rainbow to Mount Olympus to dwell for ever with the gods. BILLY BOYS’ WORKSHOP A TOY CATAPULT GLIDER This interesting toy can be made from a piece of thin stiff cardboard and a length of model aeroplane elastic. You will also require two pieces of wood for the inclined platform. On the piece of cardboard, seven inches long and six inches wide, carefully mark out the shape of the glider to the.dimensions given in diagram A. Mark the dotted lines exactly as indicated, and, with a pair of scissors and a sharp penknife, cut all round the outline. After cutting the two slots an easy fit for a match stick, bend over the sides of the glider on the dotted lines 8.8., then bend over the wing C. Fix the rear edge with a little adhesive where indicated at D, and glue a match stick in the slots in the sides, as shown in the last diagram. Make the platform from a piece of planed wood, about twenty inches long and nine inches wide. Underneath one edge of this, nail a piece of wood three inches wide. The ends of the rubber strand forming the catapult are fixed down near the edge of the platform by two drawing pins, the other ends of the rubber being looped round a match stick and bound with fine thread.

To fly the glider, place the match stick in the sloping slots in the sides of the fuselage, pull the glider back as shown in the top diagram, then

release it, when it will be shot forward and glide for a good distance. If the toy does not glide properly when released, alter the angles of the wing tips and tail by slightly bending them till the correct inclination is obtained. THE HUT CARPENTER. TINK’S CROSS WORD PUZZLE * Solution to last week’s puzzle:— ACROSS 1. A young fox—(Cub). 3. Occupy a chair—(Sit). 5. Part of a whip—(Lash). 6. It is worn with a collar—(Tie). 7. Girl’s name—(Eva). 8. This pain may be felt in the head or a tooth —(Ache). 11. A short excursion—(Trip). 12. Another word for you—(Ye). 13. A tree—(Elm). 15. A number—(One). 16. Belonging to you—(Your). DOWN 1. Small houses —(Cottages). 2. Noise a 3 down makes from “table” —(Bleat). 3. See previous clue—(Sheep). 4. Some 1 down have them on the roofs—(Thatches). 9. Shed tears —(Cry). 10. Hurry—(Hie). 14. Belonging to me—(My). 15. Conjunction—(Or). Clues for this week: — ACROSS 2. One who goes into the water. 5. Metallic substance. 6. An account book. 10. Marry. 12. A number. 13. Before. 14. Aid—or it may be “beat.” 15. A cask. 17. Part of the .verb “to be.” 18. Is unable to. DOWN 1. A spider makes it. 2. More courageous. 3. Same as 1 7across. 4. Short for Edward. 7. A drinking vessel. 8. Compass point. 9. Come back. 11. Historical period. 14 plane. 16. What the batsman did at cricket. SWEETS-MAKING CORNER SIMPLE TURKISH DELIGHT Put half an ounce of leaf gelatine to soak in half a teacupful of cold water for an hour, or until the gelatine is perfectly soft and has no edges or lumps. It is better to place it flat in a dish and pour the water over it. When the gelatine is quite soft, drain away any water which may be left. Put one pound of loaf sugar into a saucepan with a quarter of a teacupful of cold water, stir till the sugar has melted, and boil for five minutes. Have ready the strained juice of

one large lemon. Remove the saucepan from the fire, add the strained gelatine to the syrup and stir till it has completely melted. Add the lemon juice, colour the mixture pink with a few drops of cochineal, and pour into soup plates which have been rinsed in cold water but not dried. Chopped nuts may be added to this delight, which should be cut into squares when cold and rolled in icing sugar.

CAMERA HINTS Never expose a film to strong light. Even when it is tightly wound round the spool, light will creep round the edges and cause fogging. This being so, it is well to unload and load your camera in a dark place. Always remember to turn the film round as soon as you have taken a picture, so that the camera will be ready next time you see something worth taking. When you have finished a spool, take it out at once and put in a new one. Don’t waste films on dull days, especially if you have a box camera. Save picture taking for bright days, or give long exposures when the weather is dull. When doing this, find a convenient support and allow one second in the open and five seconds under trees. Never force the shutter lever hard down. The gentlest pressure is quite sufficient and does away with any tendency to shake the camera and blur the picture. Do not point the camera upwards when taking a picture of a tall building, but stand back until you are able to get the whole in, with the camera quite level. Do not leave a loaded camera lying in the sun. Put it in its case, or' cover it with a newspaper or rug, 1 so that the light will not get to the unexposed films. If you want really good snapshots, you must take care of your camera and films. See that the light is behind your shoulder, and do not take portraits when the sun is very fierce, or your subjects will blink and spoil the pictures.