Merry's Monthly Chat with his Friends. The Magic Square. WE were wrong in saying, in our last number, that the decision would be given in May. The original proposition, in January, was, to keep it open till June. So that there is still room for further effort. Nothing new has "turned up" during the month past. No further progress is made. Twenty-three squares of 74 is the ultimatum. Who can get the other two? Meanwhile, a little discussion has arisen upon a judicial opinion of ours in April. We intimated, that, if two answers, equally good, should be received, the one first received would be entitled to the preference. This is questioned, as you see below. The matter shall have our profound consideration. There is nothing that we love more than even-handed justice in all our dealings, and you cannot do us a greater favor, than to set us right, when we are wrong. We have a large budget of excellent letters about the square, which we shall probably print, in full, or in part, along with the decision. MAINE, BROOME Co., NEW YORK, DEAR SIR:-The April number of the Museum has arrived, and I see by that, that some one has obtained twenty-three squares, the same number I sent you a few days ago. You think that if that is the nearest approximation, and "if another be sent as good, the one first received should have the preference." I had supposed, from previous numbers, that the question of time would have nothing to do with the decision, and that if two were equally correct, they would staud on the same footing. Is that not so? I obtained twenty-one squares early in March, which I sent to you. I then supposed that was the best that could be done. But in a few days, I obtained two more squares, and, having been mistaken once, I did not send it on, hoping to make the squares perfect. I sent it to you the 1st of April, almost a week before the receipt of the Museum. Had I sent it on as soon as done, I might have been as early as the other one. But it does seem to me, that time has nothing to do with it, according to the terms heretofore MY DEAR UNCLE MERRY:-The Museum has at last came. Here have I labored and worked so hard, and had at last equalled the young Hatchet, when in steps a square, and says most emphatically to my poor ambitious one, sha'nt go to New York." Heigh-ho! B, Mr. Merry, would it be fair to give the first sent the preference? I thought, when you announced the prize, that there would have been some provision made, in case there should be two best. They both worked hard, both came the nearest, consequently, according to your promise, h have won the prize. But enough of this. Thank you, Uncle Merry, for the prize you sent me. They are the oldest volumes of the Musuem i ever saw, and I like them better-the Chat excepted-than those now printed. The reasonthey contain more poetry. But you can't please every one, as you said some time about ten years ago. Thanks, "Little Flora," for your kind thoughts of me. Black eyes would like very much to see one who could have been so well pleased, had she have won a higher prize. Listen to Aunt Sue sympathizing with us? Why, pray? Because Uncle Hiram was pleased to place our solutions below par? Bless you, most worthy madam, we cared not for that, for, rest assured, we consider no man infallible. Allow me to add my welcome to the one you have already extended to "A. B. C." I think we have made a valuable addition to our number, in the person of Miss Alice. What has got into that Bay State ?" I think it will take more than Laura-black-eyed though she be-to "reduce him to a state of civilization." There is one thing I have noticed of late, many of the conundrums have appeared in the Museum before. Now in the present number, eighty-five has been in twice before, though not worded in before. But I must stop. Not without having the same manner. Eighty-eight has appeared first asked you a question, however. We know who Uncle Merry is, and Uncle Parley, (if I may call him so,) but won't you tell us by what other but I won't tell you what my guess was, lest I name Uncle Hiram is known? I have guessed, be mistaken, and Uncle Hiram be so highly honored, he can no longer breathe the vulgar air of the Museum. Won't you tell us? Your constant reader, BLACK EYES. There's a budget of trouble for us, and how shall we manage it? With regard to "old conundrums," please remember that Mr. Merry has been much away from home, Your 66 very modest, aboriginal, down-east nephew," BAY STATE. That poor little fellow, with the hole in his knee, shall be attended to next month. of late, and that Uncle Hiram cannot be ex- | deed, to all collectively, and whether the result, i. e., the sense pulled out, would be visible, pected to read over the whole twenty or although magnified by a glass of uncommon thirty volumes of the Museum, and remember power. all that is in them, so as to prevent any thing from appearing a second time. We keep a pretty fair look out for such things, and will do our best, to have everything fresh and new. "Black eyes" will please take notice, that Hiram Hatchet's name is-Hiram Hatchet, and that it will puzzle even her bright eyes to find an alias for him. If she will send on her "guess," we will search the family Bible, the Parish Register, the Directory, and the College Catalogue, and see if we can make it stick. Poor "Bay State" is in trouble on several points, besides being pointed at by "Black Eyes." He shall speak for himself. But, I tell you what, boys, we must have no fighting, or calling hard names at our table. Leave that to members of Congress, many of whom are below being disgraced by any amount of blackguardism. The Merry boys must never forget that they are gentlemen. BOSTON, April 7, 1856. DEAR UNCLE HIRAM:-I have just finished reading over my last communication to the Museum, and find that your "dev." has shockingly perverted the laws of punctuation and my own marks. For, in the 12th line of the second column of the Chat, you will find an? in the place where an! ought to be; the same thing occurs, though not with so much injury to the sense, in the 4th line below. Reading a little farther on, I must say I was shocked to see how public you made the introduction, and how unfeelingly you spoke of "reducing me to a state of civilization," for all the world, as if 1 were a savage. Ah, well, I suppose, I must forgive you. RENSELLAERVILLE, April 6, 1856. DEAR UNCLE MERRY:-If I may be permitted to call you so, I want to know if I may be one of the Merry family. I dearly love the Museum, and am always watching for the stage the night that it comes. I hope Cousin Hannah will thaw out, so that she can tell us about the Sugar and May parties. I am very fond of the Chat. I like Blue-eyed Minna, and Black-eyed Mary, and Willie Coleman, very much, and I love Aunt Sue dearly. If I may be a "Merry child," you will hear from BLUE-EYED NELLIE. You not only may be, but are, one of us, and always welcome to our Chat. Come as often as you can, and always try to have something to say. LINES WRITTEN WHEN THINKING OF ROSIE, BY A LITTLE LOVE met a fair child, "O Birdie, O Birdie, That sits in a tree, "Your voice is so sweet All that holy day long, There is praise in your song." Love threw down his quiver- PANSY. That's right, Pansy. We want music and poetry sometimes, to enliven our Chat. Whenever the mood is on you, sing, and we will listen. Upon turning the leaf, judge of my surprise at seeing "Know-Nothing's" attack upon me. I suppose he means to include me amongst "those subscribers" who have "abused Willie Coleman so;" if he does, I shall presently consider myself abused. Let me say to him, that if he wishes to take up arms in Willie Coleman's defence, he pays but a poor compliment to that young man's ability to take care of himself. I will not retort upon him, by saying, that the same puller, by which I am accused of havBATH, April 12, 1856. ing lost my sense, must have been applied to himself, for it is a matter of question with me, DEAR MR. MERRY, OR MR. HATCHET:-By the whether the machine could be successfully ap-way, do we belong among the young Hatchets, plied to any one bump of his cranium, or, in- or to the Merry tribe? We do not know how to address our letters to the editors of Merry's Museum. We intended to have sent answers to some of the puzzles in the March number, but delayed it till it was too late; this time we will write early, so that we may be sure to be in season. FANNY AND JANE. Direct as you please, you cannot hit wrong. If you hit Merry, Hatchet feels right on his edge, and feels Merry. If you hit Hatchet, Merry feels it, and becomes sharp or dull, as the case may be. The Hatchets are first cousins to the Merrys, and they are so united in affection and interest, that it does not matter which family you belong to. They have all their good things in common, and you will have a share of all the fun, including cakes, nuts, sugar-plums, and any number of et cetera. MR. MERRY:-Will you permit an humble star of the fifth magnitude to twinkle among the greater lights of your bright galaxy. It cannot boast of any shining qualities, but may, perhaps, fill up some vacant place, and, like certain portions of a picture, unnoticed when present, yet missed, if absent, aid to form one harmonious whole. But, metaphor aside, allow me, Mr. Merry, to introduce myself to you, a stranger, but a warm admirer of the Museum, hoping that the bright, Merry circle, to which I seek admission, will not look upon me as an intruder. And yet I crave your pardon, for thus presuming to swell the number of your already overflowing family. I am aware that I am encroaching upon the rights of others, but the remedy lies in your own hands, or rather beneath your table. Should you, however, consign me to the flames, I shall have the satisfaction of knowing that the blaze of my genius was greater there than it would elsewhere have been. And with this grain of comfort, I will bring my letter of introduction to a close. Two daggers and a star is welcome. If he (?) or she (?) does not make daylight shine through us, and our circle, it won't be for want of proper instruments to do it. CARLINVILLE, Ill., March 28th. UNCLE ROBERT MERRY:-We have just got settled again, after a long trip from old Tennessee to Illinois; the former being my native State, the latter, destined to be my future residence, provided nothing turns up to change my present views. We had quite a pleasant trip down and up the rivers, and over the railroads. Fine scenery presented on either side of the rivers, and vast prairies on either side of the railroads, extending as far as the eye could reach. If I were a poet, I think I could give you a nice piece of poetry about our trip, etc. Nothing facks to complete my happiness but the Museum, so please change my address, etc. Watch, Uncle Hiram, I'll send you a barrel of apples next fall, that will make you a great deal sharper. Your Illinois friend, W. P. MCMILLAN. Send us that poetry, Mac. It is in you, and ought to come out. I see it in your eye. For the apples, I'm on the watch already, my edge anticipates the influence, and even Uncle Robert, at my side, seems to feel a new edge coming over his smooth features, as he thinks of the cozy times we shall have next winter, around the great family fireside. NEW YORK, April 5th, 1856. Don't, Black-eyed Mary, don't! For gentle mercy's sake restrain your murderous design. The war is over, peace is declared, and yet, in direct violation of the laws of nations, you have opened your batteries, aimed a deadly shell at the enemy's camp, and what is worse than all, directed your fire against the wounded of the previous battle. Is this right? Is this just? Truly, fair adversary, you seem bent on my total little avail If you sarve me thus. annihilation, and I fear Russia salve will be of Mr. Merry, you are wrong. I can't fight my afraid. That dreadful explosion of last year has own battles, for I-I'm afraid. I confess it, I'm grizzly bear, than a pair of black eyes. I am so unsettled my nerves, that I'd sooner face a afraid to fight, and furthermore, I won't fight! There, my position is "defined." Say what you will, crow over me like a victorious Shanghai, or jeer me for running away from the petticoats; I care not. "I'll rise superior to your base assaults." Mary A. Clarke's suggestion is good. Alas, of B. E. M. did not, at the same time receive that it came too late. Alas, too, that the fingers such a pinch as would incapacitate her from working further mischief. Mr. Merry, I entreat you, interfere in this matter. I know that you will side with the helpless. Protect me from the attacks of this what shall I call her? Mrs. MacStinger was not more appalling to the sight of Captain Cuttle, than is the monthly onset of cruel Mary to Mr. Merry, Uncle Hiram, Aunt Sue, I invoke your aid. Assist me, and you shall have the grateful thanks of-your friend in distress→→ WILLIE H. COLEMAN. me. Mary, it won't do for you to be always at mischief. We shall send Uncle Hiram out to give you a private lecture, and-but really, Mary, why should you, because your eyes happen to be black, imagine you have a right to give all the boys black eyes too! Be a little reasonable, pray. You see how Willie's nervous system is affected. We don't mean to intimate that he affects anything. We believe his affection is honest, sincere, and honorable. Please use him a little more gently. Strange how colors change! Red used to be the hue of war, now it is black. Black republicanism, black democracy, black slavery, and "Black-eyes," are exceedingly bellicose just now. MT. CARROLL, Ill., March 14th. MY DEAR MR. MERRY:-I am eleven years old, and take the Museum, and think I shall like it as well in eleven years more. Long may it live! We have had busy times in our little town of Mount Carroll, preparing for our school examination. My mind has been terribly exercised between two great things-my lessons and my new broad cloth suit (in which I was to flourish on the occasion)-but my mother says she hopes I will pass a good examination, as it would be disgraceful to be dressed finely, and not know my lessons. She says it would look as though more attention had been paid to the outer than the inner man. So, to prove to you that my arithmetic has not suffered in consequence of the new suit, I will send you the answer to Miss Mary T.'s question. I cannot sign myself by the romantic title of "Black-eyed," "Blue-eyed," or "Hazel-eyed," as my eyes are of the indescribable color of a boiled gooseberry. I therefore remain your ardent admirer, GOOSEBERRY-EYED JAMES. Your mother is right, James. The dress of the mind is far more important than that of the body. As for your eyes, the color may be describable or not, but, if you use them well, and look well to your mother's advice, you may be "gooseberry-eyed," but nobody will call you a goose. By the way, speaking of eyes, wonder if "Williams," who advertises in the Museum, a plan for preventing the eyes from growing old, can do anything towards changing their color. BOSTON, Feb. 7th, 1856. MR. MERRY, DEAR SIR:-It appears to me that you don't have many communications from Boston. I don't know whether this is because you have few subscribers here, or whether the Boston boys and girls do not write well enough. It is because no one else from Boston has anything to say to you that I have dared to write. Yours truly, BOSTON BOY. 70. No one has ventured an answer, and that of W. F. O., sent with the question, is mislaid. 71. Mar-ram-arm.-Cousin Sue.-L. E. P. A. B.-Fanny and Jane.-G. B. D.-C. C. C. 72. L. A. D. says:"From your remarks on have to say is, unless the rest of the Merrys and this, I conclude you think it very easy. All I Hatchets have better luck than I have had, they will work a good while, and then not solve it. Any one can guess the answer." L. A. D. did not understand us. We did not mean to imply that his question was "too easy," but that x and y had already raised such a storm in the Museum, that it required a bold leader to bring them into the field again. The result has proved that we were not alone in regarding them as dangerous characters, for nobody has dared to attack them, so as to give the solution. |