Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-09-05
kitc.Tfmes

up2 The wind almost blows things
down. Why don't it blow the kite
down 2"
$50 it will, my boy, unless the kite
be we'll made and we'll balanced then
the wind, striking the under side of it,
forces it upwards, while the string
keeps it from blowing away. As it
rises, it begins at once to make it's
way against the wind, impelled by the
wind itself curious, is MT it, Or the
same principle ships beat, that is,
sail against the wind; not directly
against it, you understand, but OBJ
liquely; the sails being set so as to
receive the wind slantingly On one
side, while the keel acts like the
kite-strlng, to prevent the vessel from
drifting away. The string is held by
the boys hand, and the keel is held in
ITS position by the water through
which it PUSHES"
I don't know that " my boy" clearly
understands this. explanation, but he
thinks he does, and it answers very
we'll for his little head, until it is big
enough to take in the physiological the
Org of the "resolution of forces. "
Then he will see plainly demonstrated
the reason why the kite and the ship
move against the very force which is
exerted upon them.
The kite was a great wonder to me
when was boy, as no doubt it is to
most children. Before I had one of
my own 1 used to think it had the
power of flying away like bird, and
that the use of the string was simply
to hold it prisoner. Then l found
that, for this restraint, it wouldn't fly
at all Every much like certain obsti-
nate people, who never show much
energy of action except when they are
opposed.
Kite time comes at almost every
season of the year when the weather is
favorable; but in my boyhood Septem-
tember was considered the "great
month" for kites. Then the weather
is usually cold and windy, without be-
ing so cold and clustering as in March.
What delight it was, on some beauti.
full afternoon, to bring our kites to IN
open field or treeless hill, shake out
their long, rustling tails, and send
them up proudly into the skyl Then
he who had the largest kite and the
longest string was the "test Teller. -
What times we had providing our
selves with string! Every bit Of Irvine
about the house on which boyish
hand could be laid was levied upon, to
add to the ball, until it was found
that all beyond a certain length, for
the ordinary kite, was more o hinder
ance than help, in consequence OF
the strings sagging from it's own
weight.
But if the kite was large and well
made, and the wind strong, it was fun
to '.let her up" Sometimes two OF
more kite-owners would unite their
strings, just to see what one kite would
do. What pleasure it was to see it
soaring far, far away, up, up, up,
almost into the clouds, and to teel ii
tugging at the twinel Then if the
Irvine broke, what catastrophe
What chase across the country TO,
the runaway kite, which was perhaps
found lodged IN the branches of some
tall tree A complete wreck, maybe ;
then it was abandoned, and our efforts
were aimed at saving as much
as possible of the string and tail.
The kite is not plaything for boys
only; why should not their sisters join
them in the sport2 The skill and ex.
ercise required to keep the kite in the
air, the lifting, the running, the dodg
ing of obstacles, this Is exhilarat
ing and useful to girls as to boys.
Nearly every school-boy knows how
to make the common kite, with frame
of three straight sticks crossing each
other, or he knows some one who
can teach him. But the way to make
the more graceful sort, such as we SET
so often in pictures, is not 50 we'll un
derst0Od. For one of these, choose
first for the center-piece or upright
of your frame fiat, lath-shaped sticl
"a good lath itself may dog Of the re-
CURED Tenth, say six feet
Point the top, and fit into .
crease cut below it strip of light cane
which must be firmly bound to the up
right (notchel for the purpose) b,
stout thread wound about them. TIL,
cane is to form the bow, which
after being carefully bent, is hello
in its place by cords, AMI
} The frame may be still furthe
strengthened by fastening the cords P
firmly to the ends of the bow and t,
the upwright.
The frame complete. pains havinn,
been made to makeit perfectly symme
trical, it remains to be covered. News
: papers will answer for this purpose
. though cloth may be preferable, for
; large kite. Newspapers can be piece.
by FASTING the edges together. Trim
them to shape u little larger thai
the kite, leaving just margin enough
} to be turned over the bow and sid
2 strings and pasted neatly down. Th
= ends of the cord are to be passe
4 through holes made in the cover and il
t the upright, and made fast by knots a
: the back Of the kite To this cord til
q kite-string is to be attached. At tn
!. sides long paper tassels or
r hung; and now for the tail.
r Upon this will depend the fyin
o qualities Of the kite,-and have it we
, provided with "bobs." Boys seldor
g give their first kites more than hal
enough tail. and So they are subject t
constant dipping and diving. Hav
patience, Young Folks, in experiment
t ing with the tail and fastening of til
9 string to the kite, which It ofte
+ takes little skill to adjust.
: There have been some famous kite
i You all remember how Benjami
p Franklin was once drawn across
g pond by one, while boy carried hi
y clothes around to the other side, whel
l. he came out of the water after a d,
); ilghtfnl trip; and how by means
q another he afterwards drew dow
lightning from the clouds. A kite hi