e dollar" is
made entirely of silver?

It is not. There are 900 parts of pure silver and 100 parts of copper
in the "trade dollar." The copper alloy is added to make the coin hard,
so that it will wear well, as silver by itself would be too soft.

* * * * *

Chicago, Ill.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I, for one, think it is all nonsense about those
"that" sentences. Anybody can put more than eight "thats" in a
sentence; but if he, she, or it, can parse them, I would like to
have them do it. I don't believe it can be done. Let them parse the
sentence in the August number, for instance; and, if they can put
in twelve "thats" and then parse them, why, then, and not till
then, will I believe it. Please put this in the Letter-Box, and
oblige.

C.P.S.

* * * * *

Louisville, Ky.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I thank you very much for the many beautiful
designs which you have given for Christmas presents, and for the
pictures and silhouettes which you have published, from which we
have copied in _tableaux vivants_ and shadow pantomimes. We had
"The Modern and Mediaeval Ballad of Mary Jane" (published in
January, 1877) in our church entertainment, and it "took"
immensely. "The Stalwart Benjamin" and "Lord Mortimer" were cut
from pasteboard, and fastened up by wires, and, of course, no one
knew that they were not people. The "Ballad" was read behind the
scenes.--Truly yours,

KITTY B. WHIPPLE.

* * * * *

Boston.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Papa has bought me every number of the ST.
NICHOLAS you have ever published, and as I have seen several
letters asking you about different things, I thought I would ask
you about something I do not understand. If it is not really known
who wrote the plays "Titus Andronicus" and "Pericles, Prince of
Tyre," what circumstances lead people to think Shakspeare wrote
them?

I have enjoyed you extremely, and as the Little Schoolma'am seems
always to answer such questions, I write to you hoping you will ask
her.--I am your fond admirer,

ETHEL DAVIS.

The Little Schoolma'am says it is not absolutely certain who wrote the
plays you name, but this is about the way the matter stands:

The play "Titus Andronicus" is not now believed to have been originally
written by