QUESTIONS.

COMMONWEALTH. Why is the term Commonwealth applied to Massachusetts and to no other state? CONCORD, N. H.

J-E-R-K-S-. Can any one give a minute history of the peculiar manifestations called "Jerks," supposed to have originated about the year 1796, or 1797, in Bourbon county, Kentucky, among a religious sect called "New Lights." Was that the origin of this very strange affection of this class of people, and how long has it existed since; and is it at the present time known to exist anywhere? Shall be glad to have all there is known about the same.

M. O. WAGGONER, Toledo, O.

HYERONIMUS. A clerical appearing old gambler, at a county fair, in Indiana, had a booth erected in which he open up a game called "Hyeronimus." At different places on a counter extending around the booth, were the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The old fellow sat in the center, and from a box threw three dice. The players put their money on such numbers as they chose. It a number upon which the money was laid was thrown by the gambler, the player was paid the the amount of his bet; if not he lost. If doublets were thrown, he was paid two for one, and if threes were thrown, three for one. What were the chances against the player? Explain the process for calculating them. I have seen half a dozen solutions, and no two of the answers alike. Q., Terre Haute, Ind.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND HIS SON. Some twenty years ago, a newspaper published an account, the authorship of which was attributed to Bishop White of the Protestant Episcopal church. It stated substantially that the Bishop was lodging at a public house, and after retiring for the night, became incidently the listener to a conversation. A father and a son, the former a "whig," and the latter a "tory," at the outbreak of the American Revolution, had each conveyed his property to the other, to save it from confiscation, with the implied understanding that the one belonging to the successful party should afterwards restore to the other his part. In the dispute which the Bishop overheard it transpired that the two were there, and the son was pleading with his father to make the promised restitution, which the latter refused. Next morning the Bishop learned that his fellow lodgers were no other than Dr. Franklin and his son Goveror Franklin of New Jersey.

This story has the plausible characteristic of being in keeping with Dr. Franklin's Yankee thrift; but in most other respects, is hardly creditable. Can any of your readers give light, or the truth?

A. W.