THE BLESSING.
Not to the man of dollars,
Not to the man of deeds;
Not to the man of cunning,
Not to the man of creeds;
Not in neglect of duty,
Not in the monarch’s crown
Not at the smile of beauty,
vometh a blessing down.
But to the one whose spirit
Xearns for the great and good ;
Unto the one whose storehouse
Yieldeth the hungry food ;
Unto the one who labors,
Fearless of foe or frown;
Unto the kindly hearted,
Cometh a blessing down.
-8Selected.
FIRST GRIEF.
L. A. NORTH.
We receiver a very extraordinary
message the other day, or perhaps we
should say it was made extraordinary
from the fact that it came from the
very last person we ever expected to
hear from. Would you not think it
strange if y ou received a direct message
from one of those beautiful Summer
creatures we call dragon-flies? Well
we did, and we cannot resist the temp-
tation to tell youn about it.
Those of our young people who are
fond of reading the Children's page,
will remember a little story that was
written expressly for you. It was pub-
lished in our issue of March 29th, 1890,
and called The Little Coward. In this
story were mentioned two darning
needles who were the unconscious cause
of frightening a little girl and thus
came te title of the story, The Little
Coward. We were very pleased to
know about these two dragon-flies
—very plrased indeed—and we think
ou were too, but we did not expect to
To of them again. So you may im-
agine our surprise when we received a
very queer but interesting letter from
the eldest the other day. It was
signed, Libellula and per The Her-
mil, Libellula we find is the sur-
name or last name of Mr. Dragon Fly,
or as some learned people say the scien
tific name. And in making farther in-
all alone in the woods and devotes him-
self to the study of insect life. He is
able to understand all the little crea-
tures do, and what is more wonderful
it was who interpreted the letter Mr.
came to be at the bottom of the letter
too.
It seems that Jack was very fond of
all about them. One of his pilgrimages
after curiosities in insect life resulted
rather unfortunately for Mr. Dragon
Fly aod his young companion. Jack
caught the young one and carried it
home in triumph. Of course Minnie
and Luln must see and admire and then
the beautiful fly was condemned to
death by slow torture, about which you
may kuow something. A large pin
was run through his
ver of dead eompanions—there to kick
and flutter tall he died.
In the meantime Minnie and Lucey,
their vision.
“Oh,” said Mionie, in a startled
tone.” That must be Jack's dragon fly.
How did he get loose?”
Both ran into the house to find Jack,
and scquaint him of the loss. The boy
his paste-board to see how the insect
could have got loose.
shouted to the girls,
you did it to fool me.
dragon fly, dead as a door nail.”
was the reply.
backwards and forwards in front of the
little
seemed as if he was in trouble ana
wanted Minnie and Lulu to help him.
aa said they.
im?”
same time.
after the gauzy graceful thing that just
then flew before him.
There ensued quite a chase. But
Mr. Dragon Fly was not quite as easily
caught as his young companion who
transformed from a pupa into a lovely
creature with wings. At each pause
Jack made, the fly alighted as if for a
rest too and employed this time in
glaring angrily with his large bright
eyes, at his pursuer. But sas soon as
ever Jack made another dart, off it
would go again sailing up into the air
in a graceful indifferent manner that
was really too tantalizing. At last poor
Jack gave it up in disgust,
When be returned Minnie and Luoy
were attentively watching something.
“What's there?” he asked all out of
breath.
“It's that dragon fly again,” was the
reply.
Yen there it was. It seemed bound
to follow snd haunt them, and was try-
ing with all its might to attract their
attention. Once or twice it came near
enough to brush Lulu’s hair and once
it lighted on Mianie's dress, but all
their efforts were useless in trying to
capture it, They were very much in-
terested but did not know gnite what
10 make of it.
“Do yon remember how muoh afraid
‘we were of dragon flies, a little while
ago,” said Lulu,
“Yes,” said Minnie. “But if I had
only known how were 1
OT oo Thartiae. oat
o goes. 1
do believe he want's to tell us some
thing, only he doesn’t know how.”
. * » » v *
“Jack! I want you to come here,
ey p gh 4 a becvorion,”
“You're 8 6
ie Jack I is tone; and
busy
as he gpied an open journal on Min.
nie's lap.
“Did Lulu and I ever tell you how
two darning needles frightened us once,
and how she was braver than I and
walked right past them?” questioned
Minnie,
“Walked right past them,” roared
Jack with smothered laughter. “Why
they won't hurt you. [J eatch ‘em, and
hold 'em ever so long.”
“We're not a bit afraid of them now"
explained Minnie, ‘but then was dif-
ferent.” And, she added, a little con-
temptuously, ‘‘girls aren't expected to
be like boys anyway.”
*‘No; that's so,” assented Jack.
ahead.”
“Well we were,” continued she, and
there was quite a little pantomine about
going past to get some water. But
when Lulu got back safe with it, didn't
we feel ashamed of ourselves!”
It was on Jack's lips to murmur, “I
should say so,” but he thought better
of it,
“Well now, I thought nobody knew
about that but just ourselves, and here
it is 1n this paper, written in a regular
story, and I was reading it.” Minnie
tossed the paper over to him,
“What dy'e mean?” said Jack, look-
ing at the paper at his feet blankly.
“Pick it up and see.”
He did so and read the story while
Mirnie stood over him. *““Whew,” he
whistled as he came to the end. “I
wonder who put it in? And it tells all
about it and the dragon flies too. |
say Min, we've had pretty mnch to do
with those darning needle fellows late-
ly."
Just at that moment a buzz made
them both start. It was the same dra-
gon fly. But he buzzed in a different
manner, and said in as plain a way as
he could: ‘I've struck an idea. Good-
bye.”
*® - » ® - »
“Go
The dragon fly flew a long, long way
until he came to a beautiful wild wood,
where flowers and plants were crowded
and hidden away from all their lovers,
by the jealous shade of wonderful trees.
ness and would not let his discomfort
In the centre of the wood was a small
primitive dwelling and here the fly
He had come to see The
language and the
And this is how, in
The
his
his fly language, he addressel
Hermit:
“Dear Mr. Hermit: I am very un-
happy. I onoe hada bright companion
and play-fellow. But a little boy canght
him one day and now heis gone from
me forever. I am lonely. If 1 only
back again, | would love
But 1 fear he is dead. 1
oy know and also his
he was younger. If he had been
There is a paper who told the little
If it would only tell it
how unhappy we all feel when one of
us is in bondage, 1 do not think he
would molest us again.
This 18 now we came to receive a lot-
Of course it is very nice to make an
pleasure or instruction. But we could
not find it in our hearts to let Mr. Dra-
done so.
It shows you that insects can feel the
loss of a brother. How much more can
we! You cannot be too kind to your
brothers and sisters for some day they
A Musical Alphabet,
A for Andante, which means rather
slow,
B 1s a Bar, we must count as we
C for Crescendo, get loud by
0,
=
grees,
D for Da Capo, repeat if you please.
E for the Exercise, played day by
day.
F stands for Forte, as loud as you
may.
G Graziose, in soft, singing style.
while.
I 1s the Instrument, skilfully made.
J for our Joy when we hear it well
played.
K for the Keys, black and white as
you know.
L is for Largo, most solemn and
slow.
M for a Minim, just two in a bar,
N for the Notes, what a number
there are!
O stands for Opera, a musical play.
P for the Pedal, use cautiously pray!
Q stands for Quaver, in a bar there
are eight,
R is a Rest, count one while you
wait,
8 is a Semibreve, to it count four.
T is a Trio, three voices, no more,
U Una Corda, or played all in one.
V for Vivace, a time full of fun.
W for Weber, whose musio is fine.
X for Excel, which just means to out-
shine.
XY is a Youth, who can play some nice
things,
Z is aZither with many sweet strings,
Selected,
2
i
3
I
a
it
!
:
g
252
i
r
E
g
i
The Sleep of The Garden,
EE. M. HARDINGE.
A sleeping garden, so it seems, could
exist nowhere save in fairyland. Tt
must sufround the palace of the Sleep-
ing Beauty. We can fancy that the
gardener is napping and snoring while
his idle tools lie rusting behind a great
dusty cobweb, The spider dangling
in it is dreaming of iat flies. The
grasshoppers, erickets, and katydids
are all silent. The butterflies hang
motionless on the plants, like brightly
colored leaves, and the usually busy
ants and bees have gone home to slnm-
ber away a well-earned vacation. The
Jonecek on the balustrade sits motion-
ess beside his motionless shadow,
The birds’ little heads are all tucked
under their wing and filled with visions
of ripe cherries.
But the flowers—what do they do?
And what goes on in the kitohen-gard-
en? Can one see, even in fairyland,
slumbering bean vines or dozing on-
ions?
Strange to say, we need not journey
to enchanted lands to find such things
as these, I oan see garden-beds (well
named) full of sleeping Flanta any
summer night in my suburban garden
of plainest prose, where ill weeds flour-
ish, and mosquitoes bite, and the tax-
gathe er troables, and street Arabs
break through and stesl.
The portnlacea drowses first. Its
saucersbhaped flowers close at sunset,
taking the aspect of opening buds.
They worship the sun as devoutly as
any Parsee of old, and have no real
life except in his presence. ‘'o-morrow
morniog, if his face is hidden, the por-
tulacea will not have the heart to un-
furl a single blossom, bat
cheer np and don festal array to do
him honor. After the portalaccaflowers
are settled for the night the leaves
grow sleepy, and gradually they take
their nocturnal position.
the stalks of the plaut and to each
other. ‘Pusley,” the portulscca’s dis-
reputable and vulgar cousin, also keeps
Shortly after sunset it,
and thus it
dreadful energies for
another on my fHower-
beds,
onslanght
bed-time for the clover leaves. The
two side leaflets of each
proach each other face to face, till
they take the position of the covers of
Then the upper and
bends forward till it
other pair.
little sleepybeads
seems to express devotion rather than
central leaf
their
folded
with
their
offering
heads bowe
Vesper prayers,
low over
All through the summer wo may see
belated dandelions lingering in the
rrass, but at nightfall they vanish.
Each flower has closed and has drawn
its green outer garment over its yellow
nner dress. They now look like
buds, and are undistinguishable from
the surrounding grass and leaves,
Though they have contrived to gather
they do not follow the proverbial rule
They are early
to bed to be sure, bat by no means
early to rse. The blossoms are not
o'clock, even in sunny weather, while
It is »
Petty sight to see a field full of dande-
ions wake up under a bright spring
sun.
other, as stars do at nightfall
The grapevine aod the wistaria are
late up o' nights. Perhaps, living in
and
fairly settled for the night till much
later.
middle, so that they form shallow cups.
As we look up at the boughs of the
vine, ater the folinge has taken its
nocturnal position, we
white under surfaces
of the leaves,
excessive heat. One ex-
soft and limp-—and their crisp firmness
is a surprise. They crackle like stiff
srnly to be twisted into any other
selves chosen to take. his eurions
stiffness scoms to be a characteristic
of all sleeping foliage.
The common locust settles down
early. The end leaflet of the long
clnster hangs like a plummet, and the
the ground and dangle in two rows
back to back.
Geranium leaves at night seem to
twist themselves into deep cups to catch
and hold the dew,
Bat some of the dwellers in my gar-
den wake and watch while others are
fast asleep. The honeysuckle grows
more alive and alert as To closes in.
The fresh flowers open soon after sun-
sot. They are slender vases, filled to
the brim with perfame, which is shed
forth upon the night air. Their sweet-
ness is mute invitation to the hamming
bird hawk-moth, the vine's chosen
friend and messenger. While twilight
yot lingers we may see him among the
flowers, beginning his night of revelry.
ly sure of a good sup.
#0 slend-
o flower is
all day to-mor-
51s
i
i
£
2E25k
open at evening, and live for a night
und a day. Many, indeed most, deep-
throated flowers are nocturnal. Their
nectar oan be drained only by insects
with very long proboscides. Buch in-
sects are large and conspicuous, and if
they flew by daylight they would soon
fall a prey to birds or other enemies,
The day-lily's lover, like Romeo, must
pay his addresses by night for fear of
the Capulets, who would impale him if
they conld catch him-—not on 8 sword,
but on a beak or abig pin.
Yucca fllamentosa, or “Adam’s needle
and thread,” conspicuous in many gar-
dens in latter June, is another night-
flower. lt begins to breathe forth an
odor st dusk, not sweet, but fresh, pun-
gent, and peculiar, and thisgrows more
and more powerful as darkness increas-
es. The flowers, which have hung half
shut all day, like drooping bells, change
their attitude and aspect. The petals
draw backwards, the blossoms open
widely and become great six-pointed
stars. The yucca has an air of alert
expectancy which is more than life-like
—almost human. We cannot help re-
gretting the Sianp ointment that we
fear awaits her. h
{cing himself among the Mexican
utiles.
great tropical mnight-moth. We can
fancy that she shivers a little in our
chill gorthern dawn, and says to her-
self, like Mariana, “He cometh not”
—and then as sunrise reddens all the
east, “He will not come.” As the
night wanes the blossoms lose their star-
like form, and daylight finds them
drooping bells once more, dangling in
limp dejection. They sre not always
thas disappointed.
capsules formed and ripened, ;
by aid of pollen brought to the pistil
by some large and rare nocturnal moth.
| all,
tell the time; an idea sportively used
by Jean Paul Richter in one of the
Fruit and Thorn Pieces.’
was to be marked by the opening or by
the closing of some blossom.
might havo a garden which should pre-
| sent frequent and lovely changes, but
| the flowers are not accurate timekeep-
ers. It would be disastrous to regulate
dinner by the clock-garden, or to try to
catch the train by it. Thesleeping pnd
waking of the flowers is governed by
many other causes besides the flight of
time, The state of the atmosphere the
amount of dew-fall, the brightness or
dimuness of the skies, may all effect that
beautiful mystery the sleep of plants,
Yet darkness is not its cause, for the
twilight which lulls one blossom to repose
rouscs another into intense life. As the
butterflies go to rest moths begin
to flit, and beetles come droning out of
a thousand holes and corners, lighted
to their revels by the fireflies.
Through the still air there may drop
down to us the soft calls of migrant
birds. Guided by their God-giving in-
stincts, they are travelling on, league
after league, between the dusky tree.
tops and the stars
After all, it is a mere figure of rhet.
oric to speak of the “sleep of the
earth.” Shoes Nature has no sooner
hushed one set of children to rest than
sho begins to attend to the needs and
to superintend the labors and frohos of
many more.
Nizht is full of life as beautiful ana
intense as that of the day, and as une
known to many o! us as that of anoth
er planet.
“He sees when thelr foolsteps falter,
When thelr hearts grow weak and faint;
And listens to each complaint?
He bids them rest for a season, for the
Pathway is grown to steep:
And folded In fair green pastures
He giveth His loved ones sleep,
The Cerman Woman's
The German woman is apt to be mod-
est in regard to her own attainments,
Modasty.
of eight and eighteen a stately process
{ her,
| In fact, except for the dead lan
{ and higher mathematies, she has during
| this time about the same mental i
{as her brothers, and frequently the
| same masters and professors. In his-
| beyond rather than behind the Ameri.
: can girl of the same age.
{| After marriage the household
drudge, so often oited in sketches of
German life, exists of course (is she
wholly unknown in Ameriea?), bat the
companionably charming snd elegant
woman also. She knows Eaglish not
as we pretend to know foreign lan.
guages but speaks it fluently; she is
musical, has always lived in an art at
mosphere, dresses well, entertains sat-
isfactorily, and takes her =n sn dis
cussion of questions of the day.
Bat she is not mentally ambitions, not
conscious of the slightest intellectual re-
sponsibility, writes Blanche Willis How
ard. Sheis passive, timid, conventional
to the verge of cowardice—above all,
overshadowed by the appallingly pro-
digious learning of the C man,
i Tu upon of Japdn 0s
arly ugly person ot 35, or
hus boars the name of Mutay Hito.
x
a —————
Current Fashions.
1f our readers desire to be in the ex-
treme of fashion, they will have all their
underwear to matoh, even to the skirts
and corsets which must also match the
color of the dress, when the under-
clothiug is eolored. It 1s, indeed, ad-
missible to have the nusderclothing of a
lighter shade, as light blue under dark
blue; mauve under violet; cream under
tan, ete. If black is worn, the under-
garments may be either violet or bleck.
Many persons favor black for under-
wear to the exclusion of sll other col-
ors, an idea which may seem stranze at
first, but it is a fancy that grows upon
one, it is said, and “improves by age”
as has the fashion of wearing black
stockings.
However, this statement is to our
mind somewhat doubtful, for what is
or ever can be so beautiful, so becom-
ing and so healthful for underweur as
snowy white,
One might possibly tolerate colored
underwear when traveling, though in
the present day of modern conven-
| iences and rapidity with which work is
| done, even that is unnecessary.
For these undergarments the finest
{ muslin or white cambric is used with
| trimmings of lace and colored ribbons,
not narrow as formerly but often an
| inch or an inch and a-half wade.
Embroidery 1s also freely used.
A very pretiy chemise has a low,
| rounded neck trimmed with lace i1nuser-
| tion and edging, the same trimming
| being put around the armholes.
| Through the open insertion is ron rib-
{ bon an inch wide which is tied on the
| shoulders and in front, in bows. The
fullness in front is gathered at the top,
and drawn in at the waist line by a
{band of close, narrow tucks. The
drawers, night-dress and corset cover
completing the set were trimmed in a
| similar manner,
Another chemise, made of fine linen,
| has the front cut rounding, but very
{low and without fullness, just large
| enough to pass comfortably over the
| head.
The neck and armholes have a facing
two inches deep.
On the upper and lower edges of this
| facing are several rows of corded stitch-
ing, and between thetwo sets of stitch
ing is worked a row of button holes, all
roand, about an inch apart,
Through these button holes is run a
dainty, light-blue ribbon tied in a
pretty bow in front; the low neck in
front is filledein with a pleating of lin-
en lawn drawn straight across the chest
with narrower ribbons,
Drawers are finished with a series of
fine tucks separated by rows of em.
broidered insertion, and a mffle of
embroidery, or lace insertion and edg-
ing
which were so ungraceful.
The prettiest drawers are those with
half way round the bottom, and finish-
ed with bows of ribbon, thus forming
on the outer side a larg puff. The tops
of these garments are wade with a yoke
front and draw strings in the back, but
those baving a pointed yoke both in
front and back are much superior, as
they fit like a glove, thus plod os those
uncomfortable bunches and wrinkles
which cause all outside garments to fit
so badly.
Corset covers are made separately,
or in combination with a skirt, They
are cut low in the neck, or if high in
V shape, front and back, and the open-
ing edged with lace or embroidery.
Some, are entirely without sleeves
others, have a very narrow sieeve,
rounded on the top, also edged with
Ince or embroidery,
| Skirts show but slight alterations;
{at the top they have a plain, flat
yoke reaching below the hips, the bot-
| tom trimmed with severed series of
| tuoks, embroidered insertion, and
flounoe embroidery, or a trimming of
| Ince. Some have only one, deep flounce
of embroidery reaching two thirds the
! depth of the skirt.
n style of make and trimmings,
night dresses matoh the other garments
| of the set.
Many are made to fasten on the side,
‘in order that ornamentation of the
front may not be interfered with,
All underwear this season is pro-
| fusely trimmed with ribbons of various
| oolors run through the rows of inser-
| tion.
The nse of ribbons, in different
{ widths, is one of the marked features
{in many garments for grown people,
‘and also for children, for children’s
| fashions are, usually, only modified
| opies of those worn by their elders.
! Berge, flannel and stockinet are the
materials most used for bathing suits,
| although many are sesn in black and
! colored silks and in cotton goods.
| In choosing serge a wiry ynece should
| be selected, for 1% will not hold water,
‘and flannel should always be well
' shrunken.
Navy and light blue are the colors
most favored, with collar, cuffs, belt
sand borders of plain white, or white
with trimmings of blue.
Combinations of solid colors and
stripes are employed in some suits, but
for quiet tastes are a little too
nounced. Dark maroon combined
pretty and ef
fective snit, while black is worn chiefly
by those in mourning.
There is not much change observable
in the style of these garments, the
waist and drawers being in one Risne
which is drawn into shape by a belt.
the full, separate
skirt, resching just below the
and buttoned on the belt. The sleoves
HORSE NOTES,
«The horas race from right to left
at Monmouth Park, just the reverss of
the usual way.
~Ayoodale has been engaged to ride
for the Seroggan Brothers the remain
der ot the season.
—Captain Plethkor, a Buesian Cos.
sack, recently completed the task of
riding 5438 miles on one horse,
-J. H. McCresry has left the Hongh
Brothers, and wow one of the brothers
is Lalning the horses himself,
~ Salvator was named for a favorite
butler of the father of Mrs, J. B. Hag-
gin. Tenny is from David Tenny Pul-
8 for,
~ Landmark, by Volunteer, popu-
larly known as Park's Volunteer, died
recently at Cold Bpring Farm, near
Syracuse, N. Y.
-The stallion Electioneer is improv.
ing in condition, aod it is believed he
will be nu shape to resume his stud
duties next spring.
—Sounol will aot swert to lower a
record at Detroit, neither will she be
sutered In a ruce, The only race
talked of for h r is with Axtell.
--A. J. Alexander, Spring Station,
Ky., bas bought from Heunry Fry,
York, Neb,, the bay mare Jeanie June,
foaled 1584, by King Alfonso, dam
lene, by Glenelg.
-—Major Batchelor, of North Caro-
ina, has a wager with Frank Herdic
(rat Pamlico, the young stallion owned
liy the former, will get a record as fast
a8 2.20 this season,
~Messrs, Obden Bowie and Edgar
M. Johnson have resigned from the
Board of Stewards of the Saratoga As-
sociation on account of the reinstale-
ment of the horse Ballston without
‘heir sanction,
i =—George Oyster 18 dead, He was)
| years old, by Voltigeur, dam Amanda
Warren. He was a very promising
colt, but did not fulfil expectations,
winning only one race out of eleven
since August Belmont purchased him,
~The pacing horse is to bave a dtud-
book, and a society called the Natienal
Association of Pacing. Ho sefBroeders
has been duly organized, The first an-
nual meeting of the association was
held June 26 at Cincmnati, The of-
ficers for the ensuing year are: Presi-
lent, F. B. Buford; Secretary, J. W.
Neal; Registrar, T, C. Parsons, znd
Lreasurer, F. G. Germyn.
-Bookmaker Thomas F. Wynna,
one of Del.acy's clerks, indicted for
pool-elling in New York city, was
tried in General Bessions on Monday,
June 33th, and found guilty Judge
Martine said that as it was the first
wpviction under the law be would not
{ sentence him to imprisonment, but im-
posed a fine of $350, Wynue’s counsel
fied a notice of appeal.
—The annex to the club-lhouse at
the track of the Belmont Driving Club
18 now in course of erection. It will be
50 feet long, 33 feet wide and three
stories in height. The old club-house
is 40 feet long and 33 feet wide, so the
length when the annex is finished will
| be 9) feet, The cost of the new struc.
| ture will be about $10,000. The par-
| lors will be located on te second floor,
| while the third will be taken up by bed-
rooms,
—Ed. Greer, the noted Tennesse
horse trainer, has on his Maury county
farm an astonishing 2-year-old colt out
of Ambassador, The youngster is the
property of a St. Lous gentleman, who
sent it to Geer to be trained for trot-
ting. Geer thought he saw in the colt
promise of great things as a pacer,
and obtained permission to so train it
to pace. A few days ago on a mile
track the colt made a quarter in 354
seconds and the full mile in 2.331
~The most prolific union in the
breeding of trotling horses was that of
| Messenger Duroc and Green Mountain
Maid, they producing Elaine, 2.20;
Prospero, 2.20; Dame Trot, 2.22; Elista,
2.2324; Mansfield, 2.26, anda Autonio.
2.25%. About the most striking is that
of Admiral and Black Flora, with four
representatives, for the reason that
neither sire nor dam ever produced a
2.30 performer with any other coup-
ling; the fastest average belongs to the
produce of Bashaw Golddust and Rou-
lette, 2.147, and the fastest average for
trotters aione to the Produce of Ken.
tucky Privce and Flora Gardner,
2.154.
~The result of the Wallace robbery
was that both young Robert Wallac
and his accomplice, 1. B. Lowits, were
sentenced by Judge Martine, to eight
years and eleven months in State's
prison at bard labor. In regard to
young Wallace his Honor said that
influence had been brought to bear
upon him fo be lenient, but in view of
vy Es uel VR