HOUSEWIFE S DEPARTMENT. 



45 



comprising about 5,000 acres, situated nearly in equal portions on each side of 

 the gap, and embracing both mountains. 



"And it is fiom this point that it is proposed to constrncl a railway, passing Koutlit-rly tlironj»h a 

 tunnel of 800 yards in Icngtli, to be tormod tlirouprii the South or Wig Lick Mountain at its base, 

 tlicnce running soutlnvcstcrly across Williams' \ alley, passing clear of the north extremity of Pe- 

 ters' mountain, so called, and pursuing a very direct course over very favorable ground, along the 

 valley of Clark's creek to the canal on the east margin of the Susquchannah river at Dauphin, 

 eight miles abt.ve Harrisburg. 



'•This railroad has been commenced, and about Sl6,000 have been expended in excavating at 

 the tunnel above mentioned, and in conimi-ncing nnothor tunnel of much smaller dimensions near 

 the Susquclianntdi river. The right of way for the road has been mostly obtained, and the ap- 

 praised value of the portion not released unconditionally is but $!».'')0. The ground at the lower 

 terminus, for a depot and canal basin, has also been secured. The total length of the railroad, 

 from Rausch gap to Dauphin, is nearly 30 miles, and 28 miles from the south side of Big Lick 

 mountain, where the coal veins are first entered by it. The road as located has an inclination va- 

 rying in no part more than a fraction of a foot from seventeen feet per mile, and has no curva- 

 ture of a lens radius than 1,910 feet. Tlie grade line of the road at ilu; canal is 23 feet above the 

 surface of the water in the latter, an elevation sufficient for forming chutes or slides for the more 

 convenient transfer of the coal from the ears to the boats. The ground is so favorable at this point, 

 that basins for the mooring of boats, while loading, can easily be formed on either side of the line 

 of the railroad, for a distance of hall' a mile." 



Farther and fuller notice of this great and promising enterprise will be given 

 hereafter. The more delving we can have in the bowels of the earth, the greater 

 will be the demand for that which Agriculture produces on its surface. 



In all these fields and developments for the employment of capital, there is 

 this comfort for the farmer — that all those to whom it gives cmployraeul must 

 oat his bread and meat and wear his ivool and cotton. 



HOUSEWIFE'S DEPARTMENT. 



THE SILK-WORM'S WILL bt hannah f. oould. 



On a plain rush hurdle a silk-worm lay. 

 When a proud young princess came that way : 

 The haughty child of a human king 

 Threw a sidelong glance at the humble thing 

 That took, with a silent gratitude. 

 From the mulberry leaf her simple food. 

 And shrunk, half scorn and half disgust. 

 Away from her sister child of dust — 

 Declaring she never yet could see 

 Why a reptile form like this should be. 

 And that she vi-as not made with nerves so firm 

 As calmly to stand by a " crawling worm ! " 



With mute forbearance the silk-worm took 

 The taunting words and the spurning look : 

 Alike a stranger to self and pride. 

 She 'd no disquiet from auuht beside ; 

 And lived of a meekness and peace possessed, 

 Which those debar from the human breast. 

 She only wished, for the harsh abuse, 

 To find some way to become of use 

 To the haughty daughter of lordly man ; 

 And thus did she lay a noble plan 



To teach her wisdom, and make it plain 

 That the humble worm was not made in vain — 

 A plan 60 generous, deep, and high, 

 That, to carry it out, she must even die ! 



" No more," said she, " will I drink or eat ! 

 I 'II spin and weave me a winding-sheet, 

 To wrap me up from the sun's clear light. 

 And hide my form from licr wounded sight. 

 In secret, then, till my end draws nigh, 

 I '11 toil for her ; and, when I die, 

 1 'II leave behind, as a farewt 11 boon. 

 To the proud young princess, my whole cocoon, 

 To be reeled and wove to a shining lace, 

 And bung in a veil o'er her scornful face ! 

 And when she can calmly draw her breath 

 Through the very threads that have caused my 

 death — 



When she finds, at length, she has nerves so finn 

 As to wear the shroud of a crawling worm, 

 May she bear in mind that she walks with prido 

 In the windiiig-sheet where the silk-worm died !" 



We can speak from personal knowledge of the excellence of " rice-milk " 

 cooked after the following directions. So delicious a dish do we know it to be 

 that we could wish every housewife, with whom we may ever have the honor 

 to dine, to be made acquainted with it. But the directions must all be exactly 

 followed : 



To Cook Rick Mii.k. — To three quarts of boiling milk,put atea-cupfull of rice which has 

 been carefully picked and washed ; cook it aJovvly, but cotutantly, for fotir boors before tiia 

 (93J 



