330 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[Septembeu, 
(coPYraonT secured.) 
A GRAND MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT. — Desit/nea and engraved for the American Agricnlturist. 
Oiir artist attended a cat concert a few nigfits ago, 
and has given tlie .above spirited sketch of tlie scene. It 
was held on the roof of a .slied near his window, lie 
could not see the jierformers, for it was pilch dark, and 
so lie was gnicleil entirely by sound in making the jiicture. 
lie says they sang in a vci y feline, manner, tiiough lie 
could not understand the words. Tliat, however, is fash¬ 
ionable—almost all opera singers perform in the same 
way, sotliat nobody can tell what they are singing about, 
and it is only now and tlien that ctiurch clioirs talk Eng¬ 
lish when they sing. Some may laugh at the idea of 
cats making music, but tlie cats themselves think it very 
fine; they are quite like most other singers in this also. 
Spicy licltci* a l*ictare. 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist : 
I was soinewliat amused, but more vexed, to see tlie 
pictures of tlie “ irnfortunale Boy,” and tlie ‘‘ Fortunate 
(till,” in the July number, of the Agriculturist. I am 
a boy myself, 12 years old ; have brotliers and sisters— 
quite a number—and I attend a school, numbering sixty 
scholars, of all ages between six and fourteen,—boys and 
girls of cour.'e. I liave observed tliat tlie girls as often 
liave tlieir faces drawn awry as the boys, notw'ithstanding 
wc always give tliem the best places in tlic sclioolroom, 
tlie smootliest part of the play-grouiul, aiui never go 
above ttiem in spoiling,—w hen we liave a lie.ad and foot 
1o the class, even if they miss all the words. In winter 
we draw tliem to and from school on our sleds, or shovel 
nice, hroad paths for them. We are very liappy to do all 
this and feel more than repaid when we receive a bright 
smile, or a pleasant ” thank you ” from one of these lit¬ 
tle ladies. But, Mr. Editor, what vexes me is the con¬ 
struction that will be placed upon sucli pictures by those 
whose liabits or tempers do not lead tliem to associate 
with cliildren, and whose memory is so defective that 
they do not recollect wdien they were “ Boys and Girls 
together.” I am afraid lliey will judge that boys are 
always so bad as to invite all the imps of mischief around 
them, while the dear little girls are so sweet, that it em¬ 
ploys all the angels to take charge of their goodness 1 
IIow can that little girl help smiling with so many bright 
beings hovering near to whisper happy tlioughts ? And 
how can tile boy, who is just as pretty and good as the 
girl,—when lliey are both let alone,—help breaking his 
toys, and screaming with real pain, when so many little 
imps are tugging at liis eyes, nose and mouth, and blow¬ 
ing fire and smoke in ids face ? I believe they hurt liirn 
worse than a rousing ear-ache or a dozen whippings. I 
am sorry for liim. If the boys were a little worse tlian 
girls it would be no wonder ; for tlicy liave so much more 
to vex them. But they are not. They are often sent to 
bed, in a dark room, wlien in the best part of their story ; 
they are made to wait when company comes, and if there 
is no pudding left for them, it is ” no matter, they are 
only boys.” They must run errands, give the sidewalk 
to any body, and if tliey liave a pet in the shape of a dog 
or bantam rooster, whose attainments in vocal music are 
their especial pride, they are not allowed to exhibit them, 
but must put themdn a coop in some out-of-the-way cor¬ 
ner, while the girl can have her noisy canary or even a 
dirty kitten in tlie house. In short—the girls are iieitod, 
—tiie hoys arc snubbed. If your pictures were both boys, 
or lioth girls, I would not liave troubled you as it is I 
am yours for Equal Rights. 
[Our young correspondent is more than welcome to 
our columns—we like those who can think for themselves, 
and will allow all to liave their “say,” (if we liave room) 
if lliey can say it as well as lids lad. By his own account 
of how he treats tlie girls, he acknowledges that he thinks 
a little more of tliem than of the boys, which is quite 
natural and pleasant, and he can hardly blame other 
people for doing the same thing—especially as boys have 
the best chance to push their own w.ay through tlie world. 
Perhaps some of tlie girls, or some other boy would like 
to say a word on this question ; we promise fair play.) 
SometlEing’ Mesitlc.*; BloMcy WaBite«l. 
A Frenchman of immense wealth fitted np a most 
gorgeous palace in Paris. A gentleman who obtained 
leave to visit it, relates,that upon entering the dining room 
he found a table magnificently laid out. “ Your master,” 
he observed to the maitre d’ liolel, “ makes wonderfully 
good cheer.” “ Alas, sir, my master never sits down to 
a regular dinner ; a single plate of vegetables is prepared 
for 1dm.” ” Here, at least, is food for the eye,” said the 
visitor, pointing to tlie pictures. “.41as, sir, my master 
is nearly blind.” “ Well,” resumed the visitor on enter¬ 
ing iinother room, “ he compensates himself by listening 
to good music.” “Al.as, sir, my master has never heard 
the music wliich is played here ; he goes to bed early in 
the hope of snatcliing a few minutes’ sleep.” “But at 
all events he enjoys tlie pleasure of walking in that mag¬ 
nificent garden.” “Alas, sir, he can not walk.” In a 
word ; for all purposes of enjoyment, the millionaire 
was the poorest of the poor. 
A LiTTLL GIRL, wlio niailc veiT ficquoiit use of the 
word “guess,” was told by her teacher to say “presume,” 
Presently, one of Mary’s little playmates coming up to 
her remarked : “ I tliink your cape very pretty, and my 
mamma waiitsyourmamma to lend the pattern, because 
she’s going to make one like it.” “ My inanima has no 
pattern,” was the prompt reply, “ she cut it by presume.” 
