THE COUNTRY CHURCH- Tb->re wore no cushioned pews therein, No finely frescoed ceiling— These teach uo plainer .•■in is sin, Nor deeper Christian feeling: But through the church's pensive shade The summer air came stealing From o'er the hills whose outlines made Gaunt dromedaries kneeling. I see the crowds that gathered then While funcy's pastward winging— riain country folk, but women and men With faith divinely springing. There Deacon Hays would lead in prayer, Ike Fite would iead in singing— And "Happy Day" wont straight from there To Heaven's shores up-ringing ! And one perhaps who has forgot Her old-time boyish lover— Her face still haunts the hallowed spot, As ere a dream was over, While 'mong the colder city's ways He wishes, of her, He held the dead love of those days Thought's (lagers now uncover. —Will T. Hale. J Tf.a sioHjfaijsuitor. J "My dear boy," observed a certain negligent young man to a certain other negligent young man, as they were both engaged in the laborious opera tion of sitting under a shady tree, subsequently to a particularly heavy country dinner. "My dear boy, "said he, "do you know that I think that you are—excuse me —a little of a fool?" "Know it? Certainly," responded the other toiler; "why shouldn't I ? That is your common run of thought, aud as you take care to express it a dozen times a day I am tolerably used to it. lam not surprised, I assure you. But what have I done now?" "Done? Nothing. Doing every thing. You are playing the mischief with your after-happiness by allowing yourself to get in love with your 'oliarmer,' as you are pleased to call her. Suppose you marry her. She will lead you the life of a servant. She has ten times the money you can lay your hands upon, and, so far as I can see, is n maiden who would love fondly to rule the roost. She is self willed, witty, high-tempered and exact ing. Aud between your stupid good nature and beautiful laziness, and her touch-and-go style, with her fire and push, you will come out pretty fine, old boy, pretty deuced fine." "Upon my word, I'm half inclined to think you're right. Not a sudden conversion, by any means, but I've been dreaming that she has more pluck in a single day than I've had since I was born. Aud this won't do, you see; can't bear to be made to do anything, or think of everything, aud she would always be nagging at my habits and lazy friends. That would be misery indeed. My dear friend, you're handsomer than I; take her off mv hands. She'd be willing, 110 noubt." "Well," drawled the other," "I don't mind. Egotism aside, you'll pardon me, of course, if I say that I think we might get on better than if j yot> were in my place. But I can't I stand any flirtations from you, of course. You'll have to quit moonlight drives aud boating, and that stuff, of course, eli?" "Certain. As you like. It is too 1 hot to talk. Suppose you hunt her lip; she'f. playing croquet or some j such rubbish behind the house; do go, my boy, for I'm horribly sleepy." Upon this, nothing loth, the first, conspirator dragged himself upon his feet, and lounged away to begin his toil of capturing the handsomest and richest girl in the country round libout, and immediately after he was lost to sight this identical handsomest and richest girl stepped from behind the tree, with flashing eyes, aud con templated the second conspirator with sublime wrath. He, however, smiles upon her blandly. "100 hot to get up to receive you, my love. There, don't fly off in a fury, for I knew you were there, but I couldn't stand the trouble of getting you alone in any other way. There's a shawl or something; fetch it hero, and sit down and take lry head in your lap. Come." "Indeed, sir," quoth she; "indeed, sir, your impudence is beyond every thing, I—" "Yes," yawned the prostrate hero; "I e.-.pect it is. But you wouldn't have me get up to get that shawl, would you?" "It is not a matter of a shawl, I as sure you," said the handsomest girl, with a fine drawing up of her figure; "but I demand to know why you pre sume to talk of me in the manner I was forced to ova-hear." Here she dug her parasol deeply into the ground, and looked savagely upon the poor culprit before her. The poor culprit laughed. "A trick of war only, my gem. I wanted to tickle his vanity. He is a consummate dandy,and you area con summate beauty, and I am a consum mate lazy-bones; so, there you have It, if you'll only take the trouble to find it out. It's a bore to explain." Whereupon he spread a handker chief over his face. Here the parasol came iu use to drag it away and throw it off upon the grass, while the perpe trator of the outrage looked in dignantly downward. "Sir," she began, with much calm ness though her eyes sparkled as if the were a burning volcano inside. "Sir—" "My love." "Sir. I own that I have been foolish enough to suppose that iu a person fit to be my husband there would be at least some lingering spark of manli ness, and—" 'Love, that was foolish ! It was, Indeed." "And some faint atom of spirit. That there would be some energy thut would show itself on some great occa tu>r>, even if it was usually concealed by other habits. Now, I have been Yj.ilishlv led into becoming engaged to you, and I hoped that all might coma out all right—but—but," here the voice began to break a little and the lips to tremble, but they both calmed almost instantly; "but now that I can not help thinking that you will be ut terly worthless to the world and to everybody in it, I now say that I desire to consider our engagement broken." There was a trifling silence, during which the parasol prodded the earth vigorously, aud the party addressed pretended to gape, but presently spoke: "Excuse the slang, if I say that's pretty rough!" "How much worse would it be for me, a girl who loves spirit and vigor, to be harnessed to a hulking fellow, who can do almost nothing but sleep, whose labor is playing billiards and whose aspiration is to smoke better cigars than all his friends. I feel ashamed to think that I ever looked upon you with even forbearance. If you could only show some scar, or show some work done in this great world, or show that you even give some of your wealth to charity or the relief of suffering, or even had the pluck to knock down the stable boy, I might perhaps think better of you,for I can't love a man whose weapon is a laugh, and his defense aud argument a stretch and a yawn." After all this the most beautiful girl must needs go into hysterics, or, rather, an hysterical fit of weeping, which prevented her from seeing the scarlet flush creep into the face of the discarded youth, who still ufl'ected to be unconcerned. They both remained silent for some, and, indeed, many moments, and both became aware of an approaching storm, but neither cared togo away, aud, indeed,partially forgot that it was so close, until a whirring cool breeze rushed through the leaves about them. Still they re mained quiet, both perfectly calm, he without a sign of his old habit of laughing, and she resolute aud a little white in the face. Presently he roused himself, and, without u word relating to the subject then before thein, looked about at the threatening weather. He offered her his arm,but she drew away and motioned him togo 011 alone. He did not move neither did she. It became rapidly darker, aud shelter was some 400 yards of!'. "Come," said he,finally, "don't you think we had better go?" "I will not go with 3-011, for I feel that I have quarreled with you. Go on alone and I will follow." "No, I will follow you, or else I shall stay." "Then stay!" It became darker and darker, aud soon the rain burst upon them, and inkv-black clouds were rising iu the horizon. The lightning was terribly near, and he looked at her rather nervously, and perceived that her woman's nerve was yielding under the frightful noise about them. "I must insist on your going, for you are drenched, and this place is particularly dangerous; the tree is very tall and stands quite alone." She trembed as a new burst of storm broke upon them, and shrank from him further inward toward the trunk. "No," she gasped. "I feel quite safe here. Go yourself. I shall not stir." "But you must!" cried he,decisively and approaching her. "Must!" She gazed at him in aston ishment, while a thrice terrible burst broke upon them. He looked about, lilted with dread, and upward at the huge, towering shaft above him, and then at the girl before him. "Come," cried he again, but fine withdrew from him. Another burst broke in rattling thunder from the clouds above them, aud the earth seemed to tremble under their feet. He dared wait no longer, but rushed upon her, aud seized her and fled, in spite of her angry struggles and screams. It lasted but a second; she had a sense of torrents of rain beating on her upturned face, and of tierce winds sweeping about her, and of strong arms encircling her, aud he had a sense of a beautiful burden, a greater strength, and then all became suddenly jagged, torn aud distorted. There was a vision of splitting, of white fire and bluish flame, and a feel ing of rocking and stumbling, and p. great upbearing of all about him, and then a dashing to the earth, and then a stillness and death-like quiet. The sun was shining when he awoke again, and there were kind faces about him, and among the rest, thu< of the first conspirator. "Ah, old boy, it was pretty tough, he's all right, but a little dazed. The lightning knocked the tree to shivers, aud you got away just far enough to be knocked over you* self." "What does she say?" whispered the other. "Not mnch, but, from what I see, there's 110 chance for me." "No, I don't think there is, for I think I'll keep her myself,if sliethiuks that I turned out any better than she thought—aud if she'll have me." "Aud she will," spoke up auother voice, gently, on the other side, "for you've got a scar and one I shall always be proud of. Hurry and get well, lazy-bones, and then—" It was all completed properly, of course, and the second conspirator turned over many new leaves hence forth.—New York News. A Scrubbing Service. The vicar of St. Lawrence's church, Birmingham (England), recently an nounced a "scrubbing service," aud invited the congregation to assist in the work. Soap, water and scrubbers were provided. The service lasted from 3 o'clock until 9.30, by which time the interior of the church pre sented s glossy and shiuing auce. HELPS FOR HOUSEWIVES. Cottage Cheese. Scald buttermilk, drain over night, scald even quantity of sour milk, mis the curds, season with cream, salt and sage, and pepper if desired, work wel ! and pack, and it is ready for use. This makes a good rich cheese whicb any good housekeepar can make in • few minutes. Pork Pies* Well dry two pounds of flour,minc( half a pound of suet, and put botb with hnlf a pound of butter and a lit tle suit into a saucepan to heat; when quite melted turn these ingredient! out of the vessel, mix them to a stifl paste, and lay the dough before th« lire, covered with a cloth, until re quired for use. Chop up four pounds of the neck of pork very finely, and season it with white pepper, salt, and one dessertspoonful of powdered sage. Divide the paste into rather small pieces, raise them in oval shapes, til! each with the minced meat, and balce the pies in a brisk, quick oven. Peanut Saiid\viclic»», a New Table Fad. That there are fads in edibles as well as in ijhilanthropy. dress, and manners is proved by the advent of a new sandwich. This new delicacy, which is a peanut sandwich, is deli cious, easily made and inexpensive. It will take the place of the salad sandwich at wedding receptions, tea-*, etc. The peanuts for the filling are skinned, chopped very tine and mixed with rich mayonnaise dressing. It is then spread on thin slices of bread, coated with just a susificion of butter. Of course, any nuts may be substi tuted for peanuts, which are mentioned merely as being tho least expensive. —Deinorest. lSeaten BiaeuitM. Rub a tablespoonful each of buttet and lard in a quart of Hour, add a level teaspoonful of salt, and then with the hands mix in sufficient milk to form a rather stiff dough; Hour the moulding board, put the dough on it, flour the roller, and beat the dough out flat; fold it repeatedly, and beat it flat again and again until it blisters or air bubbles are abundant, which will be after about a half hour's beat ing, tear off pieces of the dough as large as an egg, mould them in the hands to the size of a small biscuit, prick each one on top with a fork, place them- in a buttered baking pan, and bake them a light brown in a moderate oven. —Juliet Corson. Fillet of White Fish. Take a white fish when fresh and iirm, cut the two slices from the back bone; then, holding them flat on the table, slice them in the flat way again with a very sharp knife to make thin, broad pieces. Cut these in strips, double them as you place them in the buttered baking pan, and have the boned side up and lean one against the other until the pan is full. Chop half a can of mushrooms, four young on ions and a handful of paisley together and strew them among the fillets, also ill-edging off salt and pepper, some bits of butter and the liquor from the can of mushrooms. Bake about half an hour, basting twice with a little light colored veal gravy; serve. Xoite: The remaining mushrooms can be used for omelet for breakfast or sauce. Take remaining mushrooms, crush to a pulp, add a teaspoonful of salt, cover with a quart of water, let stand 2-t hours, drain. To the liquor add eight cloves, JO peppercorns and all spice; boil gently 30 minutes; bottle and cork when cold. This ought to make a pint of catsup. This will keep for a long time. Hou*eliul