New Ideas for American Boys; The Jack of All Trades

Book excerpt: "New Ideas for American Boys" by Daniel Carter Beard is a sports and amusement book for boys. According to the author's knowledge and belief, there is not a thing described in this book that has not been proved practical by the experiments of himself or some boy[vi] or boys. It is the object of the author, in the chapters devoted to animal life, to teach the boys to look upon all animals with the same thoughtful kindness with which they might view their own undeveloped brothers. Excerpt: "Bird's-Nests in Washington's Coat. All boys know that Washington loved his country, but few know that he was a bird-fancier. That the father of our country loved the native birds is attested by the fact that they built nests in the wooden wrinkles of his sleeves and in the hollow ends of the roll of parchment which he held in his hand. His favorite bird was the red-headed woodpecker. He had it on the brain, and although each year a brood of little red-headed birds were hatched in his head, the dear old patriot never made a wry face, but with a benign smile he gazed over the roof of the livery stable across the street."