The Coming of the Snow.
The cloud* war# oopper-dysd all day,
And ctruggled tn each other'* way,
Until the darkneea drifted down
To the aammcr-foreakon town.
> Said people, paadng in the lane,
I "It will bo enow," or "Twill be rain
And achool-bainu, laoghiug in a row,
looked through the pane* and wtahed for
■tow.
The ewollen cloud* let nothing fall
Bnt gath'ring gloom, that oorered all {
Then oame the wind and ihook hi* wing*,
And curled the dead leave* into ring*.
He made the shatter* move and crack,
And hurtled round the ohimuey-ataok ;
Then he awept on to *hake the tree*,
Until they moaned like winter *eaa.
Soon he went whittling o'er the hill,
, And all the tree* again atood (till j
Then, through the dark, the mow oame
down.
And muffled all the sleeping town.
The keen star* looked out through the
night,
And (leaked the bough* with flake* of
light;
And moving cloud* revealed the moon.
To make on earth a fairy noon.
Then winter went unto hi* throne,
That with a million diamond* ahone ;
A crown of *t*r wa* on hi* head.
And round him hi* rich robe* were *pr *
At morn the bairn* laughed with deligh
. TO aee the Held* and hedge* white ;
-W And folk* said, a* they hurried past,
" Good morning—winter'* oome at laiit"
A Rescue From Cannibals.
A RTORT FOR CHRISTMAS.
Holds came down into the bowels of
the earth to find me, as she usually was
compelled to do. There was uo necessity
for her remaining amid the rust and
roaches, the gloom and interminable
steam, of that cavernous ki'chen floor
of ours on Brooklyn Height*. We had
kept boarders now for years ars'. years,
or perhaps the boarders had kept us, or
it might have been a mutual eking ont
of existence. Bnt I took care of the
cooking, because in that the main
strength of snocess lay, and T didn't
want to keep boarders all my life.
When we began it was to please Bro
ther Bob. He was a well-to-do sales
man then in the city, and used to come
down to the dear old homestead with so
many airs and grace, about him that
we grew to look upon him with a sod of
•ws, and wondered if this prinky
gentleman in the high hat and linen
duster could be onr Bob that used to
- kick all the bottoms ont of the chairs,
\ and never had a whole knee in bin
* breeches ; that robbed the birds' nests,
worried the schoolmaster, was nearly
drowned in the millrace and had his leg
broken by a fall from the bay-rick. No
body would dream be had ever a kink
, , in his leg, now that he had got to be a
commercial man. He was as straight
and tall as the finest of onr scarlet-run
ner poles, and butter wouldn't melt in
his month, he was thst smooth snd
sleek and soft spoken. How surprised
we were when he proposed himself to
go and hear David Devine's first sermon,
holding the hymn book all the way, and
carrying H aide's best abawl on his arm!
I used to be his favorite in the good old
days when he didn't know s snub nose
' from s Grecian one, and Bob found my
carroty hair and freckles much liner
than the silken locks and delicate com
plexion of Hnlda. He nsedtocall Hnlda
a milk-and-water baby, and 1 was the
one he came to in all bis scrapes and
ahort~ooming*. But, somehow, after he
£>t to the city I never eould find much
vor in his sight, and had no relish for
a dead delight. The boy was gone from
me aa utterly as if he lay in the old
church-yard by Bister Betty's side. The
memory of him was far sweeter than any
present delight in his prosperity.
I was always opposed to giving up the
homestead when father and mother died,
and going to the eity to keep honse for
Bob. Bnt Bob persisted, snd won over
Hnlda, as he always did. I think be had
a sneaking design from the first that
Hnlda should win the admiration of one
of hi* employer*—the bachelor member
of the firm of Marley k Brothers. He
oame ont with Bob in one of the vaca
tions, and certainly seemed to admire
Hnlda, as one might say, ravenously.
He ate more in a quiet way than any per
son I ever saw; and it seemed a very
high compliment, in Bob's eyes, that
while he was ssting, his grave, owl-like
eyes were fixed upon Hnlda, though why
I can't aay, aa I always did the cooking.
I used to tell onr young preacher, Davy
Devine, that he couldn't ex|>ect the hot
place would have the terror for me it
had for others, seeing that I was used to
the" hottest corner, and rather liked it.
David made some kind little reply in hia
g pleasant way; and I mnat say my choice
V for Hnlda had always been this hand
some, fair-worded, pure-hearted, God
loving young neighbor of ours. He had
always eared for her since they were
children together; and I knew father and
mother would have been well oontent to
have Hnlda the parson's wife in the old
Dutch church where they had gone to
gether year in and year out, and now lay
resting close by.
Hnlda was little mors than a child,
bnt was taking kindly to the wonderful ly
pleasant wi-fs of Providenoe just then;
and after mother died she along more
and more to me and David. He and 1
used to talk the matter over, even to the
furnishing np of the old parsonage,
never dreaming bnt that all would be
right. It seemed as natural to me as
seed-time and harvest thst Holds shonkl
marry David, and walk np the aids in
her plain silk gown and olose bonnet,
and everybody should aay what a sweet
wife was the young pastor's.
Bnt in the meantime Bob married a
fashionable eity girl, and in the bet see
sons he brought hia wife and children
home. I oonldn't find much fault with
the girl, though I tried to hard ettongh;
■be spent too much time distorting her
pretty hair ont of its natural comeliness,
and pnt as many queer artificial bumps
g, about her as a camel; bnt she bad a win
' some, cheery way with bar, snd I always
had a weakness for beauty, be it in man,
woman or beast: and, besides, she al
ways had a good woH for the young
parson, often Inring Marley away with
her ooqnetry and wiles, so that David
eould have a word with Hnlda.
"He's worth a doaen ot that bald,
blinking Marley," ahe would say, " and
IH do what I can Magda, to foil Bob's
plana."
Bhe waa auoh a good-natured creature
1 wish it had been Qod'a will to aparo
her to her young brood, of which ahe
waa over-fond ; but while thoy wero
three manikins the gay young mother
got oold Mid died, and nothing would do
but we moat go to the oity to keep houae
for Bob. Hulda's tender heart waa
wrung for Rob's widowed and lonely
oondition. but I could see under hia stiff,
hard melancholy a bitter quantity of
worldly forethought and speculation.
I knew what waa coming, and, indoed,
waa prepared for anything. What did
it matter now that the bleaaed old
homestead waa out of our hold ? I had
kept some of the mahogany furniture,
cinch to Bob's disgust, who seemed to
cheapen the riobeet acres we had, and
spoke slightingly of the knots and gnarla
in our dear old apple trees that every
body knew made the fruit all the sweet
er. Boh sniffed wit.!i disdain at my hold
ing the mortgage for my share of the
estate.
" Ready money would be much better,
Magda," he said ; but I had my way,
thank God! And I told Bob up aud
own I wanted it understood that there
was to be no obligation on either side—
Hnlda and I would take the city house,
and he and the three children should
boar. with us. To help along with the
expenses 1 took a few more boarders, aud
still a few more, for one brought an
other. I had a sort of faculty for oook
ing, and if there's one weakness in the
human raoe more prevailing and beset
ting thar. another, it's gluttony. I used
to do my beet to tempt the jailed yet
voracious palate of that yellow dyspeptic
Marley, and gave him many a grim hob
goblin for oompany after he'd left my
sweet Hulda, for I couldn't forgive his
winning her consent to marry him, whon
he knew the core of her" heart was
another's. The coming to the city and
finding out how pretty she was had
turned Hulda's head.
Bob's will and cunning wero strong
and nntiring, and anyway Hnlda gave
np poor David Devine, and agreed to
marry that grim and greedy Marley. I
lay awake at night worrying about it—
my heart was so sore perplexed for poor
David, and wrathful against Bob, and
distrustful of Providence. I grew des
perate and wicked, bnt David stack to
his faith, dear fellow, though be hadn't
strength to stick to the old spot where
he had been so happy and so miserable.
He went ont as a missionary to some of
those cannibal islands, where I wonder
the women didn't eat was so
handsome and so good.
The very name of Marley became an
abomination to me, and I forced a
promise from Hulda that she wouldn't
marry for a couple of years, during
which time I hoped for heaven knows
what that was strange or I
had small donbt bat that poor David was
food for the fishes or the cannibals, for
I had heard no word from him ; bnt I
kept on praying and hoping for a hurri
cane that might sweep every Marley off
the face of the earth. Whenever Marley
took Hnlda out he brought a carriage,
and as it wasn't Bob's way to waste any
luxury, ho used very often to occupy the
spare seat—he aud a sister of Marlev's,
a high-nosed, high-colored, big- toothed
young woman called Judith. I saw
what was coming, and I told Bob he'd
regret it to his dying day, bnt he mar
ried Judith MMley within that year.
She disliked the trouble of housekeep
ing, so he brought her to board
with me. They took a suite of rooms
on the second floor, and before ahe hail
been in the house a month she began to
raise Cain, as I knew she would. Of
which I was very glad. I should have
been sorely disappointed if she bad
forced me to love ber, as did the fond,
flighty first wife of Bob ; for to hate the
Marleys had become my soul strength
and tonic during the days of endless
labor and weariness of body and soul.
The spite I bad against the whole
Marley race, that bad spoiled my
Bob for me, and wheedled my sister
into a perfidy that broke the manly
heart of David Devine—the spite I held
for them one and all kept life in me
when I should otherwise have fainted
by the way. Bob saw that we couldn't
live and took a furnished
house down the street; for Bob was
a big man now, aud one of the partners
of Marlev k Brothers ; but before Judith
went awav she gave me what ahe called
a piece of her mind. By the grace of
Lfcaven it so happened that Hnlda said
one little word or two in my defense,
when the termagant turned upon her,
and, among other insnlts, accused her of
entrapping her brother into a marriage.
Hnlda did not reply, but there was
something in ber face that frightened
Judith, she tried to eat the misehiev
one words, but I knew that the Marley
link was broken. Poor Bob took up his
wife's quarrel, though one oonld see
this second honeymoon of his had rather
a bitter flavor. I felt sorry for him and
the three poor little stepchildren as
they went soberly down to their fine new
house.
I had Flu I<l A to royaelf now, and will
confess that I left no stone nntnrned to
accomplish my nnrpoae. I spared
neither her toilers age nor bia inflrmi
tiea, and repeated, with many a ahy ex
aggeration, the taont of Jndith. Ho all
poor MArley'a entreaties, and the threat*
and wrath of Bob, were nnable to mend
the mischief of one woman's tongue.
Hulda gave np Marley, and settled down
with me to old-maidenhood and the
dreary monotony of keeping boarders.
Ereo Hulda was post middle-age when
ahe came down to me that morning on
the kitchen floor. As I said, there was
no necessity tor Haida's remaining
cnwng the mat and roaches, the clatter
of the dishes, and the bnstle of the blaek
serving maids. I bsd kept Hnlda the
lady manager of the house, Her laeea
were real, while mine were any two
penny cheetery that oune to band ; ahe
rustled in her silks, while I got abont in
a gingham gown; bat we woHted togeth
er, Hulda and I, and the time had oome
now when we oca id shake the dost end
•abee of this drudgery from oar feet.
It was growing hot for that season of the
▼ear. I had beae thinking all the morn
mg of the budding larches oat oa the
old homestead, and the tender green of
the willow slips down by the meadow.
It seemed to me I could beer the young
lambs bleat, and catch the milky breath
of the cows ae they shewed their early
cud. It might have been the steam of the
boarding-bonse breakfast that dimmed
my eyes as I whispered to Holds:
" It's all settled. Tiie boarders mast
be told to-day. We're rid of all this din
and drndgery. I've paid the last cent
on the homestead, and it's ours, dearie,
to have and hold forever."
" And shall we live there alono, Mag
da I" she said—"only you and 11"
" I shall take Ohloo to help abont the
honse," I said : " bnt as to living alone,
that's what I thought we'd been work
ing and praying for. You eertninly
don't want to take any boarders along 7
Mrs. Post wants to bring her sick uul y
out for the rammer, and that yoang
student on the second floor back is pes
tering me to spend his vacation with ns;
bnt sorely, Hulls, yon wonld not begin
onr new life with boarders f"
" No, Magda, no," she said, with that
little melancholy, deprecatory, exasper
ating smile of here ; and as she went
away she left the germ after her of rather
a bitter misgiving, whioh ripened into
full maturity when we got settled in the
old homestead, with all onr honsehotd
gels abont ua. These deities wore a
rnefnl and rusty air. There was some
thing ont of joint. It woe Time himself,
no donbt. The tall clock in the oorner
didn't tick in the old choery way,
bnt pnt Hnlda in mind of some weary
jingle she bad rend, with the one refrain
of "Never, forever—forever, never."
I never oonld see, myself, the rse of
reading rhymes—either they are too
silly or too grave- bnt Hnlda bad always
been what they called romantic. I be
gan to hate the approach of a moonlight
night, for she would sit out-of-doors
and run the riak of the ngne ; and when
the air grow chill enough to have
a comfortable fire on the hearth,
Hnlda spoiled it all by begging me
not to light the lamps, and there
she would sit in a blindman's holiday.
I began to get tbe rickets myself; and
thongb I wouldn't have owned to it for
the world, was sorry I hadn't brought
ont with me Mrs. Post and her baby,
and the young student on the second
floor back. For one thing, I hadn't
enongh to do. Chloe did all the kitchen
work, Hnlda attended to tbe bedrooms,
and the cooking that was left to me
wasn't worth mentioning. it was
enongh to break one's heart to see the
dishes come and go untouched and an
tasted. I wonld almost have been glad
to see that greedy Marley oome in for
one hearty meal. There was nobody to
brew or bidie for : nobody to mend or
make for ; and, ah me t what a bitter
cry I had one day when I stnpidly stum
bled into Bob's snnggery np under tbe
eavee of the garret, and saw there the
broken fishing rods, the old rabbit
batches, tbe bird traps, kites, marbles,
and heaven knowa what and all ! I
couldn't get the boy ont of my mind,
and began, now that I bad pfenty of
time, to think that I might have been a
little hard myself, and grew to wonder
ing abont tbe children of Bob's first
wife that I'd given over to the clutch c.f
Jndith Marley without one word to cheer
or comfort.
The hard northern winter ramo on
apace. All the little brooks froze tight,
the ten ier green of tho larches and wil
lows bad given way to red snd gold,
and at last there was no color or sub
stance left them bnt their skeleton
branches against a Iradi-n sky. The
anow came down in whirling drifts, and '
day in, day ont, the clock ticked the .lair
fnl refrain. I got ont
bnt pnt it away again— tar who would
inherit my handiwork ?—and made np
my mind we'd have no Christmas dainties
that year to stare na dolefully ont of
countenance. Poor Gbloc was getting
dyspeptic already with overfeeding, and
even Lor wool didn't tighten np in tbe
old vigorous way.
It was the third day before Christmas,
when a storm set in of hail and anow and
aleet, so that it was all we oonld do to
get the dnmb creatnree abont tbe place
housed and fed. When all was done, I
set Uic logs to biasing npon the hearth, I
and happily kept a warm drink in tbe
ashes for Chloe, who was still fussing
abont tbe kitchen. The wind roared
aronnd the honse, swinging the branches
of the trees against tbe weather-board
ing ; and said I, " Hnlda, God save any
poor creatures at tbe mercy of this storm |
to-night I"
" Amen I" said Hnlda.
At that moment we both beard some
thing like a human voice strained to tbe
utmost, and Hnlda started to her feet.
" Be qnict, Hnlda," I said, myall far
from easy ; " it'a only the shrieking of
the wind."
But again we heard the voice, and
again we heard my name. I reached for
my cioak and hat, and bnckled on my
rubbers, while Hnlda stood trembling
by, when anddenly the door flew open,
and a great oust of storm ami sleet came
pelting in, driving before it a man and
some yonng children be was huddling
before him like sheep in a tempest.
They were blinded with the storm and
half frozen, bnt the boy dragged his sis
ter by tbe hand, and poor Bob held the
youngest child in hia arms.
" Don't yon na, Annt Mag 7" said tbe
little fellow. " I'm Bob, yon know.
The wagon all broke down, and we're
jolly glad to got ho-ome." Here the
little man began to cry, for his brave
heart WM over burdened, and the ohild
in Bob's arms took np tbe refrain. Bob
himself was white aa tbe snow ontside,
and seemed dazed and bewildered.
"Bee here, Mag," he stammered ont,
" I've brought the chi' Ven to yon to
board for awhile. Everything's at sixes
and sevens in tbe city; Marley A
Brothers have gone to smash; but I'll
get something in the way of a clerkship
again, and pay tbe children's board, yon
know; they shan't be a burden to yoa,
Msg."
A buidcn I It didn't seem mneb like
s burden. Much a glad oommotion aa
those little ones created, Hnlda and
Gbloe putting dry clothes on them, end
tricking tbem ont es if for a beby mas
querade. The hot posset was poured
down their little throats, and a bounti
fvtl tapper was given tbem of hot milk
and bans.
"There'll be something grand for
breakfast," I said, looking upon them as
greedily as aver Jioor Marley did npon
Holds. How the old kitohen echoed
with their romps and capers I They
were all handsome, every one of them,
with Bob's fine make end build, and
beautiful eyes like their pretty dead
mother's
"Bob," I said, choking yearningly
over tbe thought, "if yon 11 give them
to me, the whole three. 11l apeoo my
whole life in making them happy; and
after I'm gone, they shall have the
homestead and every penny I've got in
the world."
" Tea, yes," said Bob, who bad never
ceased shivering, and was now as hot
and red as he had been white and oold,
"I'll pay their board, Magdn ; this is
only a temporary trouble. I hope to get
a clerkship, quite a lucrative clerkship ;
but little Bob will never get through
the storm—never I Keep hold of your
sister. Bob," cried my poor brother, in
a loud voioe, " and keep the tail of my
coat Arm in your other hand ; don't let
go, my son, for God's sake, Bobby—
don't let go 1"
He got upon his feet, and seemed to
be plodding through the storm, and as
he made his way to the kitchen doOr I
oot red him on up to bed in his own old
room, that I had kept aired and com
fortable to lighten my own aching heart.
When the morning dawned and the doo
tor could get to us, poor Bob was wild
in delirium; the only words he muttered
or called aloud were about bonds aud
bills, dollars and fractions of dollars.
His long white fing6r* seemed to hold a
pen, and scratch, scratch the weary fig
ures upon the counterpane till my eyes
and braiu ached for very pity.
For two wretched days and nights he
struggled with this sordid misery, the
fiend of oommercial fret and disaster
never letting go his grip; bu* Christmas
morning dawned clear and bright, and
before the eastern sky had quite lost its
glory Bob fell into a deep, untroubled
sleep. How white aud wan be looked 1
How thin and blhodless were the once
busy fingers that now lay limp and still I
At noon-time the sky was all one blaze
of cloudless sunny blue, and to keep the
room dark I strove to fasten an extra
shawl over the window. Hnddenly I
heard Bob whispering my name in snch
a strange voice that I got down quickly
and went over to the bedside, and was
puzzled to bear a low laugh from his
trembling lips.
"May Mag," he whispered, "don't
let mother know. I crept in through
the window, and left some of my pants
on the gooseberry bushes below ; you'll
patch 'em up, won't von, Mag 7 And
keep mum al>out it. Much a lark as we
hid last night 1 Dave Dcvine and I
painted the deacon's bono white and
red ; but keep mum, Mug— not a word
for your life !'
I kept mum. God knows I couldn't
speak. I had got my boy Bob back
agaiu, but there was a sore tagging at
my heart-strings. Tho doctor came snd
lingered long, then be turned to me— j
"My work is doue," be said. "I was
afraid from the first it would be useless ;
a higher and better work has begun.
There is some one down stairs—a stran
ger in tin so parts, bat no stranger to
von or me ( or this dear lad lying here.
I wouidu t like to bring a new face i
among you just now, but this one will j
do. Bob," he ssid, leaning over my ;
p< >r brother—'• Bob, here is an old
friend to pray with us on this dear day
that Christ was born."
Then there came into the room a man
with brown akin and lusty growth—his
hair was almost white, but his eves bad
a familiar loving glow dear to Urn olden
time. I did not care to question who ;
be was or whence he came, but kuelt
silently at the bodaide while be prayed.
Bob s lips moved, but only with some
boyish memory, snd hour after hour
went by. Toe day was at last waning : j
I was uloue with my brother. I beard j
the light breathing of his children, and
mine now, in the room close by ; the low
voices of David and Hulda reached me
once in a while from the lower floor. I
might have boen a hard and bitter
woman, but as at last the day went ont
and took Bob with it, I felt a grim de
light in my sore and aching heart that
he was beyond the reach of the Mar leys.
—lfarjtcr'i Magazine.
The Home Circle.
The long winter evenings are here, ■
and the question of family amusement
and recreation is therefore s practical
one. There are many idess aud opinions
what gsruee it is widb and morally right ;
for chihlren to play ; and on these and i
kindred points, people of equal intelli- 1
genco and goodne** will differ. But
upon one point there need be t;o differ
ence, and that < each family there ,
shonld be som rt of an entertainment
provided for the children. DAoks,
music, muds, checkers, puzzles, not to !
forget unt-crscking snd spple-estlng ;
take yonr pick, friends, seconding to ;
yonr conscience snd the degree of ig
norance God hea left you in ; but pick j
some of them or invent something,
equally good as a duty you owe to yonr i
children. •
One of the very boat games that can
be introduced into a family of children
is oh ess playing. As a eon roe of mental
discipline it belongs to the higher
branches of mathematics. The slowness
with which it most needs be played, if
it is played well, makes it a game that
lasts the evening ont, and often several
evenings. The chess-board and chess
men are comparatively inexpensive.
Nearly every family can afford them.
And the beat of all, perhaps, is the fact
that it can be played in concert in a .
family of fonr children; father and two
of tho children taking one aide, mother
and the other two children taking the
other tide. After the tea things are
cleared sway they can gather to the
table feeling that before them is a whole
evening's entertainment, of the highest
order. We have known a single game
played thns between six people -throe
against three where both sides were
equally matched, snd as a result the
game wsa played cautiously, to last three
snooessivo evenings, snd the excitement
and pleasure to grow stronger snd keen
er still, to the culminating check mate.
One of the good things in connection
with chess playing is, that it mnst be
played with the help of all the delibera
tivi 'sanities. Haste, impatience, reck
less smartness will easily bo brought to
recognise themselves in their trne light
at the chess-table, The reckless aud
hot-booded player will soon be taught
to realise what a fool his impatience
makes of him. If there is anything that
can pnt the brakes on feveriahness, snd
teach a wagging tongue the admirable
art ol reticence, it Is the discipline of
thlft magnificent game. The game is
rmdfly understood in its rudiments, and
has this farther excellent quality about
it, that it never " wean ont," as the
saying U.— Gulden Rut*.
FARM, (JAItDKN ANN HOUSEHOLD
Mattll rrwHa fr 1 '•■ Birr llmt.
Complaints are made that onr farmers
isolate their families from many enjoy
ments of city or village li's, and neglect
to provide those luxuries of the garden
that lighten the heart snd in vigor üb; the
stomach; a choice collection of which
delicacies one might well travel some
distance to partake at the home of a
friend, as some writer has intimated.
Hnoh complaints are well founded, and
farmers are to be censured, if, as some
imagine, our farmers are independent
and burdened with leisure hours. Bat j
this happy condition being simply a
dream of the poet or a burlesque on
struggles for existence, let us not berate
the patient husbandman; for no class is
so badgered, harassed and driven, new so
poorly paid for their toil. The care of
farm fences, buildings and lire stock,
long journeys to market over horrible !
roads; relentless storms, the fickle sea
sons, and conntless never ending drudge
ries, assail the farmer at every turn; '
and lo and behold I it is discovered that
his fruit garden, his flowers, bis lawns,
do not compare favorably with those of
his city brothers. The nomns of many
of onr farmers are indeed barren of the ,
ohoioe varieties and species of small •
fruits; bnt the farmer's heart beats kind
ly toward those dependent npon his
efforts, and AS he becomes more familiar
with the better varieties, and appreciates
their valne for home use, and learns how '
easily they may be grown, he will pro
duce them. In fact, our well-to-do !
farmers are, of late, introducing these :
comforts quite liberally.
Mmall fruits are a great attraction to '
aoy place, but no country borne is com
plete without them in almndauce from
June to Jannary. They are not only i
toothsome aud healthful, hat arc possess
ed of great Iw-auty. Downing says that
" fine fruit is the most perfect anion of
tho awful and beautiful that the earth |
knows." As much pleasure may be ob- ;
tained by wandering through a garden
of strawlxirries, raspberries, blackber
ries, currants, gooseberries and grapes
nrnler good culture and treatment, when
in bloom and frnit, as from many flower
gardens. We are apt to overlook the
beauty of these naefnl plants, and bestow
onr admiration indiscriminately on those
that have their being for beauty alone.
If we desire we may train most of tbe ,
small fruits in forms of beauty, greatly
enhanced when bearing their luscious
burdens. For instsnoe, the Black Cap
raspberry may l>c mads to oover a trellis, ,
or may be trained low, and as round
headed as a hay-cock, or transformed
iuto a uniform and trusty hedge-row. |
Mhonld we see the currant *iu fruit when
strolling for wild flowers, we shonld feel
that wc had discovered berries of great
lieanty. Like blades of grass, apple
blossoms and annscts, currants are too
familiar to receive general admiration.
Few vines are more ornamental for j
home grousda (ban tbe grapea; and
when tne " bloom dusted " clusters j
swell and ripen iu tbe autumn sun, we
may rest with content beneath their
shadows. Hundreds of dollars expended
in architectural display may not add so
much attraction to a country lome as :
will the old grapevine, trailing from a I
rustic arbor about the gables. How well ;
we remember tbe vines that twined their
tendrils about the homes of our child - j
hood. F..miliar scenes and former ac- j
qu.iintanno may hav been forgotten. !
bit 'he old vines cling to onr memory !
in all their beauty and frnitfnlneas. Li t j
us plant tbe small fruits shout onr '
homes. They will promote health and j
oontentmrnt, and do mnch to brighten
life's toilsome journey.— Ex.
Ilw la Da Ike Vmmitf Waafclaa.
The clothing for the week's washing
being duly assorted, it is well to plaoe
coarse and badly-soiled articles by them- ]
selves in warm snda to soak nntil yon
are ready for tbem. Then take "the
colored clothes, wash, rinse and starch, j
and hang them ont to dry; flannels,
also, sbonld t>e disposed of in the early '
part of the day. These done, proceed
to the white clothe*. A little soaking 1
in as warm ands as can be conveniently
managed is undoubtedly a help, and
with that and tbe washiug through two j
soda, kept as clean by renewing as yonr 1
supply of wster will admit of, brings
tbem ready for scalding (not boiling). I
One should never have less than three ,
tnba to nso in a family washing, and |
fonr are better. Into the deepest tub
yon hare throw the garments as they i
are washed from the rood snds. slink- J
ing tliem loiwtlv, and robbing a little '
soap where there is any indication of its j
bung necJel. When the tub is nearly >
full, or yon have all the cl dhing of that 1
class in, ponr over it boiling water in i
which a little soap has been dissolved,
nntil Uioy see well covered with tho
water; then oover the tnb with a blan
ket or whatever will hold the steam
until yon can bear the hand in to wash '
he clothes ont of this water. As this is
tbe lsst of the washing every part
should be carcfally examined and have
whatever rubbing may be necessary;
wring lightly, as the snds helps the
bleaching, and spread on the grass,
where the sun will fall on tbem tbe rest
of the day, and keep them wet by an '
oocarional sprinkling from a garden
watering-pot. This scalding has to be
repeated if yon hare more than one tab
fnl of clotine. With the coarsest and
most soiled articles there is no objection
to boiling for a few moments, bnt 1
would advise taking from the boiling
water into fresh, ob an ends before put
ting oat on the gram. This part id the
washing can he aoeomplisbad and every
thing cleared np by one or two oYlook
where there is a good large wash. As
the clothe* should be left out to bleach
all the afternoon, this part of the day
can be utilised, if yon are hiring by the
day, In having the* calicoes ironed. As
late aa yon ran conveniently do so, have
the clothes taken from the grass, still
keeping the eratoe and fine ones sepa
rated, aud pnt to soak la a liberal supply
of clear water. The next morning have
Uiem rinsed from this water, or one
aligfaUy blued after, tf dried under
favorable circumstances they will look
so white and smell so delightfully pare
and 'fresh it will be a pleasure to wear
them, and yon will have the comfort of
knowing yonr clothes wear ont instead
of washing ont—a much slower bat
more satisfactory process.—American
AgriemttwriM,
(law rrm ISM NM>T.
By not taking one or more good
papers.
Keeping no aooount of farm opera-
Hons, paying no attention to the
that "a atiiob in tirn save* nine," te
rcgaid to Mowing grain and
seed at the proper time.
Leaving reapers, plows, cultivated,
etc., unsheltered from the rain and Use
beat of the sun. Moro money is lout is
this way annually than moat peraooa
would be willing to believe.
Permitting broken implements te be
scattered over the farm until they are ir
reparable. By repairing broken imple
ment* at the proper time, many doUara
may be saved—a proof of the assnrthm
that time is money.
Attending auction sale* and purohaa
ing all kinds of trumpery, because, in tbe
worda of the vendor, the articles are very
cheep.
Disbelieving the principle of rotation
of crops, before making s single experi
ment.
Allowing fences to remain unrepaired
nntil strange cattle are found gracing in
the meadow, grain fields, or browsing
on the fruit trees.
Planting fruit trees without giving Uw
trees half tbe attention required to
them profitable. Orjlman't Rural
World.
An Artfal Rascal.
A unique and thorough rascal baa
lately been on trial in a Hruaaela court.
His name is Eugene TKindt Roods
beeke, a young man who a few veers
ago started in life as a clerk in the Bank
of Belgium. The crime he is charged
with is having embezzled or stolen no
less than 64,600,000. He bad not beea
long in tbe bank before be found a weak
spot in its system. When securities
were deposited there no accurate note
wss taken so as to enable them in each
case to lie exactly identified with UM
names of the owners. It is related in
the T'Uj/raph (London) that this young
man, with a salary of f.BOO a year, had
sole charge of these securities, amount
ing in value te many million pounds
sterling. When he wanted money, be
merely took scrip or any valuable secur
ity deposited in the bank. Whea a de
positor asked for tbe delivery of scrip,
he blandly handed him scrip similar in
kind and amount that had been deposit
ed by somebody else. As nobody took
note of the numbers of their shares, and
as the bank kept no reoord of anything
bat their amounts, nobody knew on
withdrawing his property that what he
got was not identical with wbst he
lodged. One day tho bank was startled
by an eminent financier who complained
that 1,358 shares of railroad stock be
longing to bim, the numbers of which
he had noted, hail, without his knowl
edge, been taken from the bank and da
posited in another establishment of
which he was a director. But the young
clerk managed to recover tbe shares sad
return them to the financier as if noth
ing had tieen wrong in the transact**.
B wall did he defend himself before the
directors and so artfully dwell on tfca
record of the tank, thst instead of hav
ing his aooounU examined he was arv
oorded a vote of tbrnks. Rut he did
not deem it wise to re main in the bank,
and took flight, intending to come to
New York. At Liverpool he was cap
tured with f1,000,000 of other peoples
monev iu his carpet bag. It never oe
eurred to his worthy chief, remarks the
Tilrgraph, aa odd that a clerk with
$BOO a Tear could live like a lord and
enjoy life with tl.e prodigality of a
pnncr; that be could have a town house,
a rural villa, a picture gallery, a box at
the opera, a racing stable, and all sorts
of expensive Injuries. Belgium is a
cheap place to live in, and bis chief
seems to have though, that his clerk had
a genius for thrift, and could make the
iuo une of a beggar go as far a* the reve
nue of a king.
A Teaching Scar la a Vw Torfc Govt
In tbeae dor a of frequent marital dis
turbance and conjngal infelicity, whea
the course of married life eeem* to have
been transferred from a pav. d street to
a oorduroj rciad with eery disagreeable
holes in it, it is pleasant to read of in
stances in which affection triumphs over
the worst obstacles, and forgivetb all
, and eudoreihingstb the worst, A ease
of this sort occurred in one of oar can its
last Saturday night. A young and
pretty woman was brought b< fore the
judge for being fonnd helplessly intoxi
cated in the street. The judge hesitated
to send sncb a woman to the island, and
asked if any one in the court knew her,
A yonng man thereupon came forward,
and, in a voice low and hoarwe with
emotion, said : " Bho is my wife. air.
It is not her first offense, and, God for
give me, I had determined to let her
suffer this time. I find ray love few her
will not allow of myqnietly wring her
pur." ' od, however much she may de
serve it. Forgive her, your honor, as I
now do. She baa been, and will par
haps again be, as good a wife as ever
man was blessed with." lire judge
pronounced the woman free, and turned
his fsee to ooncea) hia emotion. The
two went their way, with bleedings fol
lowing tbem, a hundred times happier
than most people who parade their do
mestic miseries in the divorce courts.
.Such episodes do something to keep oar
faith in hnmsn nature. Love is a good
thing to have ic a family after alL—
i iVft/ York Kxprts*.
How llp Hat the Vmn.
The IFMbMmm telle thin nrna
stealing story of a young man who stood
before a presbytery in Scotland ukiog
ordination. Principal Robinson m
moderator. The young man was rigid
ly examined, and aaked to pruanh. The
elimination and the aarmon were hot*
satisfactory. The candidate ntirri
and tbo moderator said : " I feat r M
palled to nt that the eermon whir* the
young man baa preached ie not big own.
It to taken (rem an old volume ml ser
mons lone out ol print WW* ha
found it Ido not know. I supposed
the only oopjr of the vulnma to be found
was in my library, and the candidate baa
had no aeoaaa to that" The yonng m*n
waa called in and ashed if the sermon ha
had nreeefaed waa hit own. •• No." ha
frankly said. " I waa prawsad for tiara,
and oonM not make a eermon In Maaon.
The amnion I preached waa one which
I beard Principal Robinson preach soma
time ago. I took note* of it and "H
it ao well that I wrote it oot from mem
ory, and Irnve Btwrhod it to-day.-
Ssar 1 *** ** noia#