488 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Oct. 



pine splinter, because the mistress was a careful 

 soul, and saved the candle-ends to light Henry to 

 bed.) He advanced with surprising rapidity in his 

 studies, and what wonder ? Ardent, persevering ef- 

 fort was never unsuccessful. When the spring came 

 he was quite master of the Latin grammar, and was 

 beginning to read in this language with some de- 

 gree of ease. The summer, with its wearisome 

 round of duties, could not damp his desire for 

 knowledge. Every spare moment was carefully 

 seized and sedulously employed in his favorite 

 study. 



The winter came again, and with gleeful heart 

 Henry bounded away to the village school. On 

 the way a classmate overtook him; one who had 

 often jeered him for his bashfulness, and plain, 

 homespun attire, and who, with every advantage, 

 had uninterruptedly pursued his studies. 



"Ha, ha, how are you, Hal ?" said he ; "don't 

 you wish you could read all that ?" triumphantly 

 holding up a Latin Reader, and spreading his palm 

 complacently over the open page. Henry kept his 

 own counsel, and together they proceeded toward 

 the school-house. 



Soon after the opening of the morning exercis- 

 es, the class in Latin was called to the recitation 

 bench. 



"Henry," said the master, "I think you will not 

 be able to go on with the class you were in last 

 winter, you must fall back with the beginners." 



"I should like to enter the Virgil class, Sir." 



"Virgil class ! Nonsense, boy, you could not read 

 one word. Just let me see now," opening the book 

 and placing it in his hand. 



"How far shall I read ?" 



"As far as you can," replied the master, with a 

 sharp twinkle of his gray eyes, and an involuntary 

 sarcastic smile. 



Henry commenced unhesitatingly to read, and 

 had turned the first, second and third leaves before 

 the master had sufficiently recovered from his sur- 

 prise to arrest him. 



"Stop, sir ! Where did you learn all this ?'' 



Henry told him where. Taking him by the arm, 

 the master led him to the centre of the room, and 

 placing his hand upon his head, said ; 



"Attention, boys ; here is a hero ; a greater con- 

 queror than was Cajsar or Napoleon. Give him a 

 round ; three times three, now." 



Cheerily, heartily, rang out that applause, pene- 

 trating the farthest recesses of that time-worn 

 building, making the windows fairly shake again. 

 What a proud day was that for Henry ! How his 

 neart leaped and almost bounded out of his bo- 

 som — how the boys shook hands and envied him — 

 how the girls nodded and blinked their pretty eyes 

 at him ; he has not yei forgotten, and although at 

 the ])resent time the laurels of a country's regard 

 are clustering thick about his brow, he often says, 

 "That was the victory of my life. It was at former 

 Howard's I learned to labor unflinchingly for a giv- 

 en end." 



Children, this is no fane; sketch. Such a lad as 

 1 have described really existed, and from his exam-' 

 pie may we not learn to plant for ourselves elevated 

 standards, and never give over until we have mas- 

 tered every obstacle and reaohed our aim ? 



It is not always lessons to be learned, or wood- 

 piles to be demolished or rebuilt. There are bad 

 hearts to govern, vicious inclinations to restrain, 

 selfish dispositions to be overcome ; many, many 



wrongs to be righted. There is room for a life 

 long labor in our own hearts. Up then, my young 

 friends, with a strong purpose of life. Shrink not 

 at the sight of difficulty. Remember that "where 

 there's a will, there's a way," and that perseverance 

 is a sure guaranty of success. — JV. Y. Independent. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



For the New England Farmer. 



FRUIT PIES. 



I have seen a statement going the rounds of the 

 papers, and yours amongst the rest, I think — that 

 fruit pies should never be made with an under 

 crust. Now I want to tell you my plan, which I 

 think far better, and much more convenient than to 

 dish out with a spoon. I often make both crusts 

 of the same, and consider them much more healthy 

 to set before my family, yes, and company too, than 

 a fashionable crust, though it does not look quite 

 as nice. Take sour milk and cream, with a little 

 salt, and saleratus enough to sweeten, mix quick, 

 roll thin, and when ready to put the fruit on, set in 

 the stove oven, till it has time to rise, and bake 

 slightly — then proceed in the usual way. Cream 

 of tartar may be used as a substitute for sour milk ; 

 and a little butter, or lard, for cream. 



H. Barlow. 



Black Lace. — The brown hue, frequently per- 

 cej)tible in black lace, if occasioned merely by dust, 

 may be removed by the following simple process : 

 Steep the lace in porter which has stood long 

 enough to become slightly stale. Dab it about in 

 a basin until perfectly soaked ; then press out the 

 liquid by squeezing, carefully avoiding wringing, 

 which would tear or fray the lace. After stretch- 

 ing it to its proper width, pin it out to dry. This 

 will be found preferable to the use of gum-water 

 for imparting to the lace the requisite degree of 

 stiffening or dressing, and will make it appear as 

 beautiful as when new. 



To Clean Kid Gloves of any Color. — Take 

 white soap and make a very thick "lather" with a 

 soft brush, such as gentlemen use in shaving, and 

 put the glove upon the hand ; cover it with the 

 "lather" and rub it off quickly with a clean flannel 

 till it is dry. Repeat the process till the glove is 

 clean, being careful that it is done so quickly as 

 not to saturate the kid, and "it will look as nice as 



Preserved Fish. — When the Russians desire 

 to keep fish perfectly fresh, to be carried a long 

 journey in a hot climate, they dip them into hot 

 beesivax, which acts like an air-tight covering. — 

 In this way they are taken to Malta, perfectly 

 sweet even in summer. 



Holes in Pies. — Persons who are in the habit 

 of making pies during fruit season, should not make 

 a hole in the top of their pies. By leaving the 

 crust whole the juice is made to boil quicker, and 

 thus the fruit is well done without the crust bemg 

 burnt. The same result applies to meat pies. 



