not unlike the flowers they are so fond of cultivating. But they have learned 

 more ; the eifeet of these influences does not sto]) here. They would not harm a 

 single flower unbidden ; neither touch any of the tempting fruit which surrounds 

 them, unless directed. They know that they will share it when it has fidly ma- 

 tured, and already look forward to the beautiful pictures, the fine dwarf pears, 

 the rich clustering grapes, will afford them in their natural perfection, uudefaced 

 by them or anybody else. They love pictures, they appreciate them, and know 

 full well that bunches of grapes deprived of half their berries, do not afterwards 

 present a very desirable aspect. At least, but a bad picture. 



Such is but a meagre description of the influences of our country home upon 

 ourselves and family. Morally, its effects are as obvious, if not more so, than 

 physically. It inculcates and cultivates a sense of taste and propriety which we 

 find of inestimable value in our intercourse at home or abroad. But how does 

 this apply to some of our friends that occasionally honor us with a visit ? Let 

 us draw a sketch from life and see. Let the season be autumn. 



The summer is well advanced, and a fine prospect of half-ripe fruit decorates 

 our trees and arbors. All presents a fine prospective, and all are looking forward 

 with high anticipations and gladness, especially to the ripening of the newly added 

 varieties. It is a fine, sunny day, and the family is honored with a visit of some 

 half-dozen ladies. In the absence of the husband, the wife seats them comfortably 

 in the parlor, and entertains them until the big hours of noon draw nigh. Din- 

 ner is to be served, and cannot be done by proxy, and, taking circumstances in 

 consideration (for the visit was unannounced), requires rather busy hands to be 

 in time ; for, in the country, we dine in the middle of the day, and not in the 

 afternoon. 



The company is left to itself for the moment. But time drags heavily with 

 them, though surrounded with mental food and amusement — all that could be 

 desired ; for the company boasts of an acquaintance with all these matters. They 

 break up, and start on a ramble through the gardens. They ask no questions. 

 They seem perfectly at home. They seem to require no guide, preferring to go 

 on their own hook. 



They advanced but a short distance ; their attention was attracted by a dwarf 

 pear-tree. This was a new and rare variety. It bore a few this year, for the first 

 time — the first fruit looked forward to by the proprietor, after bestowing four 

 years of careful attention. The fruit looked somewhat tempting. It was plucked 

 and tasted by them. It was found unpalatable. Another is tried, and another, 

 and all found equally unripe, and are heedlessly and carelessly thrown away, as 

 though there was no reason for disappointing them. 



But the depredation does not stop here. They seem to act as though they were 

 in the wild woods, and entirely unobserved. Yet the little boys were taking 

 observations, all the while, from one of their hiding arbors. .Though surrounded 

 with flowers of beauty and fragrance, this seemed to make but little impression 

 upon their cultivated minds (?). But the ornamental grape arbor seems to ofler 

 new and better attractions, and thither they repair. 



The fruit hung in its grandest beauty, in rich clusters, just on the verge of 

 assuming the amethystine hue of ripening. The temptation was greater than the 

 first (especially to such as have learned more of everything else than "lead us not 

 into temptation.") It proved irresistible, and, for the time, all moral law of 

 propriety was lost sight of. Down came the fruit, and all accessible bunches 

 having berries with only a purple Hush, were picked ! 



The actual value of such an amount of fruit, and much better fruit than th 

 considered as nothing ; but the almost unsurpassable beauty of the arbor, 



