18G7. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



103 



expected to cut and fit and to use the most im- 

 proved machines, and to dress hair lor the 

 morning, evening, and court costume as well 

 as for the drive ; to iron well, to read, write, 

 cipher ; to speak French and German, and, if 

 possible, to have travelled. Thei-e is still 

 another function of a lady\s maid which is sup- 

 posed to be a modern introduction, but which 

 is, in fact, merely a revival of an ancient cus- 

 tom. We must be able to paint in pastel, not 

 indeed after nature, but upon her. To beau- 

 tify our mistresses we must redden the cheeks, 

 put antimony upon the eyelids, pastel upon the 

 brows, introduce belladonna into the eyes in 

 order to enlarge the pupils, paint blue veins 

 upon the temples, and use ninon paint and 

 pearl-white upon the rest of the skin. We 

 must change the hair to a reddish-brown by 

 means of a corroding material or of "palma 

 vecchio" which is now used in preference for 

 that purpose ; and we must be possessed of 

 great skill in applying all these ingredients, as 

 their use is universal with the old as well as 

 with the ^oung. 



TWO LITTLE PAIRS OF BOOTS. 



Two little pairs of boots, to-night, 



Before the tire are drying, 

 Two little pairs of tired feet 



In a trundle bed are lying; 

 The tracks they left upon the floor, 



Make me feel much like sighing. 



Those little boots with copper toes I 



Thej' run the livelonsj day I 

 And oftentimes I almost wish 



That they were miles away 1 

 So tired I am to hear so oft 



Their heavy tramp at play. 



They walk about the new-plowed ground, 



Where mud in plenty lies, 

 They roll it up in marbles round, • 



Then bake it into pies ; 

 And then at night upon the floor 



In every shape it dries. 



To-day I was disposed to scold ; 



But when 1 look, to-night, 

 At those little boots before the fire, 



"With copper toes so bright, 

 I think how sad my heart would be 



To put them out of sight. 



For in a trunk, up stairs, I've laid 

 Two socks of white and blue; 



If called to put those boots away, 

 O God, what should I do ? 



I mourn that there are not to-night 

 Three pairs instead of two. 



I mourn because I thought how nice 

 My neighbor " 'cros^s the way," 



Could keep her carpets, all the year, 

 From getting worn or gray; 



Tet well I know she'd smile to own 

 Some little boots to-day I 



"We mothers weary got and worn, 



Over our load of care ; 

 Yet how we view our little ones 



Let each of us beware ; 

 "What would our liresides be to-night, 



"Were little boots not there. 



There is no sauce in the world like hunger, 

 and as the poor never want that, they always 

 eat with a good stomach. 



oixtlis ptpitrtment. 



VERY PROUD TO-MTGHT. 



It was a cold night in winter. The wind 

 blew and the snow was whirled furiously about, 

 seeking to hide itself beneath cloaks and hoods, 

 and in the very hair of those that were out. 

 A distinguished lecturer was to speak, and not- 

 withstanding the storm the villagers ventured 

 forth to hear him. William Annesley, but- 

 toned up to the chin in his thick overcoat, ac- 

 companied his mother. It was difficult to walk 

 through the new-fallen snow, against the pierc- 

 ing wind, and William said to his mother : 



"Couldn't you walk more easily if you took 

 my arm?" 



"Perhaps I could," his mother rephed, as 

 she put her arm through his, and drew up as 

 close as possible to him. Together they 

 breasted the stonn, the mother and the boy 

 who had once been carried in her arms, but 

 who had grown up so tall that she could now 

 lean on his. They had not walked far before 

 he said to her : 



"I am very proud to-night." 



"Proud that you can take care of me?" she 

 said to him with a heart gushing with tender- 

 ness. 



"This is the first time you have leaned upon 

 me," said the happy boy. 



There will be few hours in that child's life 

 of more exalted pleasure than he enjoyed that 

 evening, even if he should live to old age, and 

 should, in his manhood, lovingly provide for 

 her who watched over him in his helpless in- 

 fancy. It was a noble pride that made his 

 mother love him, if possible, more than ever, 

 and made her pray lor him with new earnest- 

 ness, thankful lor his devoted love and hope- 

 ful for his future. There is no more beaut&iil 

 sight than affectionate, devoted, obedient chil- 

 dren. I am sure that He who commanded 

 children to honor their father and mother, 

 must look upon such with pleasure. May He 

 bless dear William, and every other boy whose 

 heart is filled with ambition to be a blessing 

 and "a staff" to his mother. 



STE.ENGTH ATfD SAGACITY OP THE 



ELEPHANT. 



M. Phillips, an Eastern traveller, relates 

 that one day he went to the river, at Goa, a 

 Portuguese settlement in India, and in a dock 

 near to the river side a large ship was build- 

 ing. He saw a plot of ground near, covered 

 with heavy beams ready to be used for this 

 purpose. He watched and saw the men fasten 

 the ends of a beam with a rope of great 

 strength and thickness ; this rope was carried 

 to the elephant employed to assist the Avork- 

 men. The animal conveyed the rope to his 

 mouth, and after twisting it round his trunk, 

 he drew the beam without any conductor to the 



