YEARS ago, the writer was invited to deliver a lecture before a number of friends. Being at a loss for a subject, he concluded to take no subject, but simply to draw some large cartoons in chalk, and entertain his audience by developing pictures before their eyes. Naturally, as the pictures grew they suggested explanatory remarks, jokes, incidents, and stories; in short, there was so much talk mixed in with the pictures that, as the entertainment had no other name, it came to be known as "Chalk Talk."

Ten years of travel through the United States, and much pleasant visiting among young people, with unusual opportunities of observing their inclinations and latent talents, suggests the idea that many only need a little direction to be able to amuse themselves and their friends by "Chalk Talks" of their own.

Of course, it is not the purpose of this article to give a systematic lesson in drawing. There are already plenty of good works on this subject, and we desire only to stimulate the fancy and creative faculty by giving practical hints in the use of charcoal and chalk.

Every family in which there are young people should have a blackboard of some kind. They may be bought of all sorts and sizes, or they can be manufactured at home. A piece of smooth board, covered with two coatings of liquid slating, sandpapered when dry, will give an excellent surface; but the best is the lapinum cloth. This comes prepared for writing on both sides, and by covering a smooth board of the requisite size with a layer of paper upon its face, and then tacking the lapinum over the paper, the result is as soft and pleasant a surface to draw on as could be desired. Having prepared the board and furnished our

behind him-all beautiful curves. Now see the awkward learner, and notice how angular are the positions which he assumes. Examine the tracks left by his skates.

Again, take the horse as an example: What a beautiful animal when in good condition, and how soft the curves which constitute the outlines! But when we draw the horse with straight lines and angles, we give at once the impression of awkwardness and debility. We may also illustrate the different character of curves and angles by the features of an old man and those of a child.

After learning to draw simple outlines, the en

It really makes little difference what outline we choose, but to illustrate further let us examine another figure and some of the possibilities it presents, which can be seen on the next page.

We may even take the alphabet, thus: "A is for Artist," and with a few strokes of the crayon we have the artist himself.

"B stands for Butterfly," and with a little addition we have the butterfly.

"C stands for Caterpillar," and so on.

Thus we could go through the whole alphabet, transforming the letters into odd representations of the objects they stand for. But we need the room

tertainment can be made much more interesting by introducing transformations of various kinds. In order to do this, we may select some outline that will admit of a number of changes. Here, for example, is a form which suggests nothing in particular, and is apparently without interest; but, by exercising a little ingenuity, we can easily make from it, as you see, a number of funny things.

for other things, and if too much is told there will be nothing left for the ingenuity of the reader to accomplish.

Much amusement may be derived from queer illustrations of Mother Goose rhymes, and the interest could be greatly increased by the introduction of transformations to suit the changes of the story. For instance:

There was a man in our town,

Who was so wondrous wise

He made himself a big balloon, To sail up in the skies.

Draw on the board an outline of the balloon.

Before he made his final trip,

He thought he 'd try it first; But ere he got up forty rods,

The horrid thing it burst!

kind will answer the purpose, but the largest sheets of buff manilla paper are the best. The surface is just right to take the charcoal and chalk easily, and it is tough and not apt to break or tear, besides being cheap. A dark buff color

is the best shade to select, because it will show the ⚫ white chalk as well as other colors. It is true that quite a life-like picture can be drawn in brilliant colors on the blackboard, but it is much easier and generally more effective to use paper for rapid drawing in many colors. The secret of rapid and tell- . ing work lies in the knowledge of just what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it. There must be no hesitation. The study must all be done before any exhibition is attempted. But it is much easier to determine what you wish to do than how you are to accomplish it; therefore, a few

general hints on the subject will not be amiss. Recollect that the aim of a "Chalk Talk" is to produce a finished effect with the fewest possible lines in the shortest possible time, so we must not needlessly waste time in the introduction of the different colors. We will suppose that we have the paper nicely tacked on the board, and the chalks (ordinary school chalks, assorted colors, are as good for the purpose as any others) and charcoal at hand. We will begin by illustrating the rhyme:

"This ugly wight would ne'er go right:
Would you know the reason why?

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He follows his nose where'er it goes,
And that stands always awry.'

Selecting a piece of red chalk, hold it so that the side-not the end—will be against the paper.

tint does not take the exact shape of the head to be drawn. We next seize the white chalk, and with a stroke lay in

the collar. Then for the coat. If we desire a blue coat, by rubbing with the side of the blue chalk we produce a mass of color about the shape we desire; and we finish with brown

trousers. Now a little patch of brighter red on the place where we intend to make the nose, and we are ready to complete the illustration by simply drawing the outline with charcoal over the shades we have produced.

An amusing transformation in different colors can be made from a fruit-piece. Here, for example, are an apple and a pear. Colored in red and yellow, with a touch of green near the top, they make a very pretty picture; but the caricaturist is

not satisfied with this result. He must get ahead of a pear in some way; so he puts in a pair of eyes with white chalk, draws dark circles around them with his charcoal to make them stand out brightly, then adds a nose and mouth, and he has changed the pear into a head. The apple must not be neglected, so it assumes the features of a funny baby. The spectator will be puzzled to understand what is going to be done now; but the artist himself knows very well, and, by adding appropriate bodies, causes the design to become apparent— or a parent." In the same manner, a sugar-bowl may be transformed into a first-rate Chinaman. A story might be told about a weasel and an egg. First draw the egg in outline (see next page), shading it along the bottom edges with gray chalk, and putting a little white on the top of the larger end, to give it the appearance of roundThen introduce the weasel, and tell how he tried to suck the egg, at the same time draw

ness.

shell. Then bring the story to a satisfactory termination (showing how wickedness is punished) by introducing the bird, which appears prematurely from his shell and takes summary venge

ance upon the sly thief to the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel."

Now we have had enough suggestions for transformations to put

the reader upon the track; but we would warn him that these transformations can not be conceived in a moment, but must be designed and practiced until the artist becomes

perfectly familiar with all the details, and knows just what lines and what chalk he will use from the beginning to the end. A very good exercise will be found in placing five points or dots upon the

board, in any position, and then trying to so draw a human figure that each extremity will touch a point

a point for the head and one for each hand and foot. We present a few examples on the next page. As soon as the student is skillful enough to draw a passable figure, a