DOUBLE CROSS-WORD ENIGMA.

IN witless, but not in mad;
In naughty, but not in bad;
In sandal, but not in shoe;
In crimson, but not in blue;
In barking, but not in howl;
In nestling, but not in fowl;
In shouting, but not in cheer;
In lucid, but not in clear;
In moving, but not in pause;
In motive, but not in cause;
In fennel, but not in bush;

In urging, but not in push.

Con this well, and then remember

Two pleasant times in each November.

From 1 to 9, a Swiss coin made of copper; from 2 to 9, certain days in March: from 3 to 9, water serpents; from 4 to 9, mischievous sprites; from 5 to 9, meadows; from 6 to 9, belonging to the goddess of revenge; from 7 to 9, certain kinds of drink; from 8 to 9, blunders.

Outer square (from 1 to 8), to pronounce with a hissing sound. Middle square (dots), an instrument attached to the wheel of a carriage, to measure distance in traveling. Inner square (stars), the longest year. "L. LOS REGNI."

THE answer to the rebus inclosed in the circle is one of Poor Richard's maxims.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER NUMBER.

BURIED GULFS AND BAYS. 1. Bonavista. 2. Fundy. 3. Boothia. 4. Tampa. 5. Paria. 6. Panama. 7. Naples. 8. Onega. 9. Venice. 10. Donegal. 11. Bengal. 12. Obe.

HEXAGONS. Across I. 1. C. 2. Sap. 3. Vapor. 4. Axile. 5. Noted. 6. Nod. 7. L. II. 1. H. 2. Tag. 3. Bulls. 4. Idiot. 5. Nobby. 6. Rue. 7. T.

DIAMOND. 1. P. 2. Hog. 3. Caird. 4. Hansard. 5. Poisonoak. 6. Grandly. 7. Droll. 8. Day. 9. K.

HALF-SQUARE. 1. Carpet. 2. Ameer. 3. Rent. 4. Pet. 5. (H)er.

6. T. CROSS-WORD ENIGMA. Buttercup.

ILLUSTRATED NUMERICAL ENIGMA. Latin quotation: "He who begs timidly courts a refusal." Quotation from Herrick ("No Bashfulness in Begging ");

"To get thine ends, lay bashfulness aside;
Who fears to ask doth teach to be denied."

EASY TRANSPOSITIONS. I. Spare, pares, pears, spear, parse, reaps. II. Mites, smite, items, emits, Times. HOUR-GLASS. Across: 1. Directorial. 2. Improvise. 3. Saltant. 4. Twist. 5. Ope. 6. R. 7. Pet. 8. Assai. 9. Pimento. 10. Extension. II. Recontinues. Centrals, Totipresent; from 1 to 2, Distortions; from 3 to 4, letter-paper. WORD-SQUARES. I. 1. Remast. 2. Elater. 3. Masora. 4. Atoned. 5. Serene. 6. Trades. II. 1. Darter. 2. Averse. 3. Resets. 4. Trevat. 5. Estate. 6. Restem.

ILLUSTRATED PUZZLE.

Hickory, dickory, dock;
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

THE names of those who send solutions are printed in the second number after that in which the puzzles appear. Answers should be addressed to ST. NICHOLAS "Riddle-box," care of THE CENTURY Co., 33 East Seventeenth street, New York City.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE AUGUST NUMBER were received, too late for acknowledgment in the OCTOBER number, from "Edipus," 13- Bella and Cora Wehl, Frankfort, Germany, 11.

ANSWERS TO ALL THE PUZZLES IN THE SEPTEMBER NUMBER were received, before SEPTEMBER 20, from "B. L. Z. Bub"-Maggie and May Turrill - San Anselmo Valley-"Betsey Trotwood "- Hugh and Cis-Fanny R. Jackson-Francis W. Islip.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE SEPTEMBER NUMBER were received, before SEPTEMBER 20, from Ned L. Mitchell, 1-"Multum in Parvo," 2- - Marguerite and Clifford, 1-L. M. D., 2- Rosy L. Witte, 2- Effie K. Talboys, 7- Avis and Grace Stanton Davenport, 4- Paul Reese, 7-"Chingachgook," 2-Jeannie M. Elliott, 7- L. Caroline Harding, 1-Mary Adelaide Sloan, 5- Alice S. Allen, 3"The Carters," 10- Carrie C. Howard, 6-Gertrude H., 1- - Katie, Jamie, and Mamma, 10- - Reggie and Nellie, 9-J. H. S., 2Harry V. R. Livingston, 4-" Whiskers," 1- Miss A. B., 1- Weston Stickney, 1-" Pepper and Maria," 6-F. D., 6-Emma St. C. Whitney, 6-Louise Lesene, 1- Oscar and Charlie, 1-" Family Efforts," 1-Emma W., 1- N. E. T., 2-No Name, Rye, 5-Harrison Allen, Jr., 1-H. E. H., 5 -- Daisy and Mabel, 6- Fred. A. Hamilton, 3-Meg and Jo, 1- Edith L. Young, 3-Lillie and Ida Gibson, 7-Appleton, H., 8-The Family at Gmünden, 8-George Habenicht, 1-Louise Joynes, 3-Judith, 8-Thomas W. Kimball, 4-Ednah Golding, 3-Laura Hollis Olmstead, 6-Peggy, 1-W. C. Selover, 9-Maud and Katie Bradley, 6- Katie R., 4Willie Tompkins, 1-Joseph J. Collins, 4-Charles P. T. Tuckerman, 7-Addison K. Smith, 4-" Ajax," 5-Charlie Wilson, 4Willard K. Purdy, 4-Estelle Whiting, 7-Mary S. E., 1-"Sheppard Family," 9- Gregory R. Shorey, 2- Alice K. Burton, 6.

THE Christmas-day was coming, the Christmas-eve drew near;
The fir-trees they were talking low, at midnight cold and clear.
And this was what the fir-trees said, all in the pale moonlight:
"Now, which of us shall chosen be to grace the Holy Night?"

The tall trees and the goodly trees raised each a lofty head,
In glad and secret confidence, though not a word they said.
But one, the baby of the band, could not restrain a sigh:
"You all will be approved," he said, "but oh, what chance have I?

“I am so small, so very small, no one will mark or know
How thick and green my needles are, how true my branches grow;
Few toys or candles could I hold, but heart and will are free,
And in my heart of hearts I know I am a Christmas-tree."

The Christmas angel hovered near; he caught the grieving word,
And laughing low he hurried forth, with love and pity stirred.
He sought and found St. Nicholas, the dear old Christmas Saint,
And in his fatherly kind ear rehearsed the fir-tree's plaint.

Saints are all powerful, we know, so it befell that day
That, axe on shoulder, to the grove a woodman took his way.
One baby-girl he had at home, and he went forth to find

A little tree as small as she, just suited to his mind.

Oh, glad and proud the baby-fir, amid its brethren tall,
To be thus chosen and singled out, the first among them all!
He stretched his fragrant branches, his little heart beat fast.
He was a real Christmas-tree: he had his wish at last.

One large and shining apple with cheeks of ruddy gold,
Six tapers, and a tiny doll were all that he could hold.
The baby laughed, the baby crowed to see the tapers bright;
The forest baby felt the joy, and shared in the delight.

And when at last the tapers died, and when the baby slept,
The little fir in silent night a patient vigil kept.

Though scorched and brown its needles were, it had no heart to grieve.
"I have not lived in vain," he said. "Thank God for Christmas-eve!"

VOL. XIII.-6.

No. 2.