MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
(Biramtioiml Dr^uirtmnit. 
BY L. WETHER ELL. 
PUNCTUALITY. 
The want of a scrupulous regard for tho 
duty of punctuality is a great and growing 
evil both among adults and children. There’ 
isjnot, perhaps, an organization in civilized 
society that does not sulfer more or less 
from this evil. Irregularity is bad any¬ 
where—and nowhere worse, perchance, than 
in school. 
Every school has, or should have some 
fixed hour for commencing its daily exer¬ 
cises. The teacher in winter should be in 
his school house half-an-hour at least, before 
the hour fixed upon for beginning school, in 
order to see that every thing is in readiness 
for the day’s work. When the clock strikes 
the hour of nine, if this be the hour for 
opening school, the signal should be given 
by the teacher, and every pupil should 
go immediately to his place of study for 
tho day. A portion of Scripture should 
then be read by the teacher for the instruc¬ 
tion, meditation and improvement of all 
—after which the Divine blessing should be 
invoked. Then, every pupil being in his 
place, the teacher enjoys a favorable oppor¬ 
tunity for imparting general instruction, 
such as may be adapted to the improvement 
of the school. 
Instead of this, however, it not unfre- 
quently happens that the teacher is tardy, 
and the pupils are more irregular than the 
teacher—thus more than verifying the truth 
of the old saying, “As is tho instructor, so 
arc the pupils,” and more especially so, 
when the teacher fails to come up to the 
common standard of moral rectitude. No 
school where irregularity of attendance in¬ 
stead of punctuality prevails, can accomplish 
the good that it would under the former 
state of things. The Scriptures may be 
read, but few are there to hear—if the Divine 
blessing and guidance be invoked, but few 
are there to join—and these few have their 
attention distracted by the coming in of the 
tardy. If instruction, counsel, or admoni¬ 
tion be given those who are in the greatest 
need, are not usually there to be benefited. 
Recitations are interrupted by coming in 
late, for it is with children in school as it is 
with adults in church ; if any one comes in 
late all who arrived in season must just look 
round to see the person who is tardy—and 
some it has been more than intimated, are 
late to church in order to attract attention. 
No parent, whatever may be his habits, 
should allow his children to go late to school 
or church. The children not only suffer an 
irreparable loss, themselves, but are tho di¬ 
rect agents of robbing others of time and 
opportunity for improvement. This is 
worse than stealing the purse—for time and 
opportunity are better than money, and 
when lost cannot be recovered, though 
money may bo, and often is. 
IIow many of the numerous parents who 
read the Rural are careful to see that their 
children aro sent to school in season, so as 
to arrive at the school house a little before 
the hour of commencing school ? An in¬ 
stance may occur once or twice in one’s 
whole life where tardiness may havo been 
unavoidable—scarcely more, if due atten¬ 
tion be paid to the duty of punctuality, by 
teachers, parents and children. 
Let every boy and girl who reads this, re¬ 
solve never to be tardy, and then always 
put forth corresponding efforts and he or 
she seldom, if ever, will be guilty of offend¬ 
ing any by want of punctuality. 
Though we were trained up to regard the 
habit of punctuality as a religious duty, we 
have, since we commenced teaching, suffered 
from a lack of it in others, beyond tho pow¬ 
er of any tongue to describe. Punctuality 
is no more than a common Christian duty. 
Let no one allow himself to be called a Chris¬ 
tian, that habitually neglects tho duty of 
.punctuality, or permits it in his children. 
PLEASURES OF CONTENTMENT. 
1 have a rich neighbor who is always so 
busy that he has no leisure to laugh; the 
whoTb business of his life is to get money, 
and more money, that he may still get more 
and moro money, lie is still drudging on, 
saying that Solomon says, “The diligent 
hand maketh rich.” And it is true, indeed; 
but he considers not that it is not in the 
power of riches to make a man happy, for it 
was wisely said by a man of great observa¬ 
tion, “ That there be as many miseries be¬ 
yond riches as on this side of them.” Wo 
see but the outside of a rich man’s happi¬ 
ness; a few consider him to be like tho silk- 
worm, that, when she seems to play, is at tho 
very same time spinning her own bowels; 
and consuming herself. And this many rich 
men do—loading themselves with corroding 
cares, to keep what they have already got. 
Let us, therefore, be thankful for health and 
competence, and, above all, for a quiet con¬ 
science.— Isaac IVaft on. 
Teacii a child to think for himself, by 
which he can learn how to learn, which is 
the cream of all instruction, w-hether in 
•school or not. 
A TEACHER’S ;MONTH, Etc. 
Messrs. Eds :—In No. 8 , present Vol. of 
Rural, “Teacher” requires me to review 
that portion of my article in No. 5 relating 
to teachers. This I have cheerfully and 
promptly done, and also re-read his, but I 
am unable to discover from his very appro¬ 
priate remarks, what he desires me to 
1 review. If he alludes to my remarks upon 
! the time established by law or custom for a 
j teacher's month, or rather the want of an 
established lime, I reply by saying : My ob¬ 
ject is. and was, to draw from Editors or 
“ Teachers,” or any source possessing it, the 
correct knowledge of what constitutes a 
teachers’ month, and what days belong to 
him that he may know when our reports are 
correct and legal, and that uniformity may 
exist upon that subject throughout the 
State, which I am satisfied is not now the 
case. I may be referred to the State Su¬ 
perintendent to decide [this question, but I 
am, I hope, well understood to prefer that 
th c people should decide important questions 
in this nation of growing intelligence and 
republican principles, rather than confide 
too much to one man, unnecessarily. If 
there is no definite law upon the subject— 
which I thus far have not been able to find 
—let us have the_ most equitable and best 
established usage. If there is law, let us un¬ 
derstand and abide by it. 
If reference is made to my expression of 
“promiscuously obtained material of which 
teachers are manufactured,” I would say, in 
tho kindest feeling, that no disrespect is en¬ 
tertained for worthy and correct teachers, 
but to show their material is variable, (judge 
ye whether reliable.) I give a specimen of 
the manufacture of a talented graduate from 
one of our institutions for that purpose.in 
tho enjoyment of a portion of tho “ State 
bounty.” 
In putting out words to his spelling class • 
he pronounced chandler “ handler,” and 
chancel “ hansel.” 
Now, if tho teacher intended to convey 
the definition of the word to the pupil by 
tho manner of pronunciation, he was very 
happily gifted with rare talents, as the child 
must readily understand that a chandler, 
was a handle maker, and chancel was a place 
for /canseling-sins, but, unfortunately in this 
case a few of the class had been well trained 
at the good old fashioned spelling schools, 
(now superseded by tho the “osophy’s,” 
singing, and childish declamation, &e., &c.,) 
and could spell, and understood the defini¬ 
tion of chancel, but could not spell “ lcan- 
cel,” and the result was a disgust and want 
of confidence which very naturally retarded 
the progress and success of the school. 
I hope “ Teacher ” will not consider me 
as one pretending to mark a path for teach¬ 
ers to pursue, as I desire to remain in these 
days of unprecedented progress, in my own 
proper sphere, a humble learner—for, altho’ 
in the days of Webster’s Spellling Book 
and Dwight’s Geography, and log School- 
Houses amongst the tall trees, I reigned 
“lord supreme” over a band of happy, 
“corn-fed” boys and girls, I am now far, 
far behind a popular education, and only 
ask to know the just and legal rights of my 
brother Farmers and Tax-payers generally, 
and that those now receiving education may 
obtain that which is correct and practical, 
and of paramount advantage to themselves 
and tho country they are destined to influ- 
enco and govern. Trustee. 
School District. Feb. 20, 1832. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
The Students’ Series. By ,T. S. Denman. New 
York : Pratt, Woodford Co. 
This series as far as published, consists of 
the Student’s Primer, designed as a First 
Book to aid Parents and Teachers in giving- 
instruction in the first principles of the art 
of Reading—First Reading-book, containing 
easy and progressive lessons in words of one 
syllable—Second Reading-book, containing 
exercises in words of one, two and three 
syllables—and the Third Reading-book, com¬ 
posed of interesting, instructive and pro¬ 
gressive lessons in Prose and Poetry. Of 
the “ Student’s Primer” tho late David P. 
Page, Esq., Principal of the Normal School 
at Albany, said, “ It is the best system I ever 
saw for teaching the first principles of read¬ 
ing.” We are using this series in school 
and find it well adapted to the capacity of 
the young. 
The Student’s Speaker, another book by 
the same author and publishers, contains a 
new collection of original and selected pieces 
of prose, dialogues and poetry—designed to 
furnish suitable exercises for declamation in 
schools, and at public examinations. 
Also, by the same publishers, Olney’s 
Quarto Geography, for families and schools. 
We commend this work to both parents and 
teachers as an excellent elementary book on 
Geography. For sale by Wanzer, Beards¬ 
ley & Co., near the Arcade. 
Mother ! What comfort there is in tho 
name which gives the assurance of a love 
that can neither change nor fail. 
THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR- 
THE ALLIGATOR. 
The habits of the North American alliga¬ 
tor are described with great accuracy, and 
in a very amusing manner, by Mr. Audubon. 
“ One of the most remarkable objects con¬ 
nected with the natural history of America, 
that attract the traveler’s eye as he ascends 
through the mouths of tho mighty sea-like 
river Mississippi, is the alligator. There, 
along the muddy shores, and on the large 
boating logs, these animals are seen lying 
stretched at full length, basking and asleep, 
or crossing to and fro the stream in search 
of food, with the head only out of the water. 
It is here neither wild nor shy; nor is it the 
very dangerous animal represented by travel¬ 
ers. But, to give you details that probably 
may not be uninteresting, I shall describe 
their more private haunts, and relate what 
I have experienced and seen respecting them 
in their habits. 
“ In Louisiana, all our lagoons, bayous, 
creeks, lakes, and rivers, are well stocked 
with them; they are found wherever there 
is a suliicient quantity of water to hide 
them, or to furnish them with food; and 
they continue thus, in great numbers, as 
high as the mouth of the Arkansas river, 
extending east to North Carolina, and as 
far west as I have penetrated. On the Red 
river, before it was navigated by steam ves¬ 
sels, they were so extremely abundant that, 
to see hundreds at a sight along the shores, 
or on the immense rafts of floating or strand¬ 
ed timber, was quite a common occurrence, 
the smaller on the backs of the larger, groan¬ 
ing and uttering their bellowing noise, like 
thousands of irritated bulls about to meet 
in fight, but all so careless of man that, un¬ 
less shot at, or positively disturbed, they re¬ 
mained motionless,suffering boats or canoes 
to pass within a few yards of them, without 
noticing them in the least. Tho shores'are 
yet trampled by them in such a manner, 
that their largo tracks are seen as plentiful 
as those of sheep in a fold. It was on that 
river, particularly, thousands of the largest 
size were killed, when the mania of having- 
shoes, boots, or saddle-seats made of their 
hides, lasted. It had become an article of 
trade, and many of tho squatters and strol¬ 
ling Indians followed for a time no other 
business. The discovery that their skins 
are not sufficiently firm and close-grained 
to prevent water, or dampness long, put a 
stop to their general destruction, which had 
already become very apparent. The leath¬ 
er prepared fronfthese skins was handsome 
and very pliant, exhibiting all the regular 
lozenges of the scales, and able to receive 
the highest degree of polish and finishing. 
“ The usual motion of the alligator, when 
on land, is slow and sluggish; it is a kind 
of labored crawling, performed by moving 
alternately each leg, in the manner of a 
quadruped when walking, scarce able to keep 
up their weighty bodies from dragging on 
the earth, and leaving the track of then- 
long tail on the mud. as if that of tho keel 
of a small vessel. Thus they emerge from 
the water, and go about the shores and the 
woods, or the fields, in search of food, or of 
a different place of abode, or one of safety 
to deposit their eggs. If, at such times, 
when at all distant from the water, an ene¬ 
my is perceived by them, they droop and 
lie flat, Avith the nose on the ground, watch¬ 
ing the intruder’s movements with their eyes, 
which are able to move considerably round, 
without affecting the position of the head. 
Should a man theil approach them, they do 
not attempt either to make away or attack, 
but merely raise their body from the ground 
for an instant, swelling themselves, and is¬ 
suing a dull blowing, not unlike that of a 
blacksmith's bellows. Not the least danger 
need be apprehended; then you may either 
kill them with ease, or leave them. But, to 
give you a better idea of the slowness of 
their movements and progress of travels on 
land, when arrived at a large size, say twelve 
or fifteen feet, believe me when I tell you, 
that having found one in the morning, fifty 
yards from a lake, going to another in sight, 
I have left him unmolested, hunted through 
the surrounding swamps all the day, and 
mot the same alligator within five hundred 
yards of the spot, when returning to my camp 
at dusk. On this account they usually trav¬ 
el during the night, they being then less 
likely to bo disturbed, and having a better 
chance to surprise a litter of pigs, or of land 
tortoises, for prey. 
“ The power of the alligator is in his great 
strength : and the chief means of his attack 
or defence is his large tail, so well contrived 
by nature to supply his wants, or guard him 
from danger, that it reaches, when curved 
into half a circle, his enormous mouth.— 
Woe be to him who goes within the reach 
of his tremendous thrashing instrument; for 
no matter how strong or muscular—-if hu¬ 
man, he must suffer greatly, if he escapes 
with life. The monster, as he strikes with 
this, forces all objects within the circle to¬ 
wards his jaws, which, as the tail makes a 
motion, are opened to their full stretch, 
thrown a little sideways, to receive the ob¬ 
ject, and, like battering-rams, to bruise it 
shockingly in a moment. 
“Tho alligator, when after prey in tho 
water, or at its edge, swims so slowly to¬ 
wards it, as not to ruffle the water. It ap¬ 
proaches the object sideways, body and head 
all concealed, till sure of his stroke; then, 
with a tremendous blow, as quick as thought, 
the object is secured, as I described before.” 
ANECDOTE OF A WREN. 
Eds. Rural :— Two or three years since, 
a pair of wrens mado their nest in the 
shrubbery that shades the piazza of ono of 
your Wheatland subscribers, and for amuse¬ 
ment his daughters determined to try the 
effect of kindness on their feathered neigh¬ 
bors. They began by dropping crumbs on 
the piazza, and afterward inducing Mrs. Chip 
to eat from the hand, teaching her to come at 
their call. At length they were able to amuse 
visitors by parading the winged matron 
around tho parlor, perched on the hand and 
eating from it. One day the elder Miss F. 
had thrown herself on tho bed in her room, 
when sho heard Mrs. Chip at the open win¬ 
dow. She lay still and saw the bird exam¬ 
ine the various parts of the room where it 
was accustomed to find her, until at length 
it discovered her retreat and perched itself 
on her pillow, calling for crumbs which the 
young ladies carried for it in their pockets. 
She fed it and away it flew to its nest. But 
while Mrs. C. was rejoicing at the develop¬ 
ment of her “children in the wood,” the bird 
was discovered by a cat, tho mortal enemy 
of its race. 
Alas, poor Mrs. Chip—sho returned no 
more with food for her hungry babes, the 
the care of which henceforth devolved upon 
her bereaved companion. The body of the 
deceased was rescued from the clutches of 
the destroyer, and honorably interrod by 
her sorrowing friends. Should you ever 
call on them, you may be permitted to see 
the stone dedicated to the memory of “ Poor 
Chip.” s. s. l. 
CRANES ON THE TEXAS PRAIRiES. 
In traversing, during the winter months, 
the vast prairies of Texas and the south w-est, 
you frequently realize all the solitary gran¬ 
deur of Zahara—the eye aches through the 
weary stretching distance—not an object!— 
one little cloud holds with the sun the bluo 
heavens above—beneath and around you, 
the grass !—the brown waving grass ! — 
away !—with its dreamy undulating surface, 
it widens, widening till blended in a hazy 
meeting with the sky, the infinite seems just 
begun, and boundless spaco yet stretched 
before you. You begin to feel strangely and 
hear your heart beat very loud. It seems 
awful to be the only thing alive to breathe 
within this vast expanse—the world seems 
dead—a parched blank with only one warm 
vital centre in your own breast. You gasp 
for companionship — anything ! — anything 
that moves and has a being, for it is crushing 
thus to stand alone before tho God of this 
dumb, moveless nature ! When suddenly a 
hoarse cry, “ Kewrrooh ! Kcwrrooh ! Kewr- 
rooh!” strikes through the rarified atmos¬ 
phere, stunning you like a pistol-shot close 
to the ear ! 
You turn ! They are the cranes!—your 
heart bounds from tho shock with a gush of 
joy—you are no longer alone ! There they 
are—half a mile to t he right—see the snowy 
phalanx ascending into view over yon wave- 
liko undulation of the prairie — with very 
stately stride, uttering that loud and thump¬ 
ing cry. while their long necks cross each 
other against the _ horizon, weaving in and 
weaving out, making strange figures on the 
bluo, as they huddle, stalking to and fro con¬ 
fusedly at sight of the forlorn wanderer. 
How stately and how beautiful they are— 
tall as a tall man — tho dazzling white of 
their plumage heightened by tho black pri¬ 
mary coverts of the wing !—their motions, 
how picturesque and gracefully solemn! 
What a surprise! how they bring the real 
earth back to you again! That wild note 
has startled you before with its sudden roll¬ 
ing croak, but upon far different and distant 
scenes. 
Education is a better safeguard of liberty 
than a standing army. If we retrench tho 
wages of tho schoolmaster wo must raise 
those of the recruiting sergeant.— Edward 
Everett. 
Itiblmtl; Hrahings. 
For the Rural New-Yorker. 
NOT EYING. 
BY IDA FAIRFIELD. 
Think not that I am dying. 
For life’s warm current swells, 
With giant pulses through these veins. 
And lengthened being tells. 
I know disease hath lain her hand 
Full heavy on tny brow, 
But though it bear me slowly down, 
It will not crush me now. 
Think not that I am dying. 
Oh ! dry tint bitter tear, 
This heart so full of human love. 
Will live (or many a year. 
And many too, of yon bright ones, 
Must pass from earth away, 
Ere yet this frame will sink beneath 
The touch of slow decay. 
Think not that I am dying. 
E’en though I sometimes sigh, 
To lay my head on some kind breast, 
And calmly thus to die. 
But life hath weary years in store, 
Aud much of pain for me, 
And I must struggle, ere I win, 
That bright eternity. 
FOLITENESS OF PAUL. 
An old poet has quaintly called Jesus 
“tho first true gentleman that ever breath¬ 
ed.” Paul’s politeness, too, must not be over¬ 
looked, compounded as it was of dignity and 
deference. It appeared in the mildness of 
tho manner in which he delivered his most 
startling and shattering messages, both to 
Jews and heathens; in his winning reproofs 
—tho “excellent oil, which did not break 
the head;” in the delicacy of his allusions 
to his claims and services; and, above all, 
in tho calm, self-possessed and manly atti¬ 
tude he assumed beforo tho rulers of his 
people and the Roman authorities. In tho 
language of Peter and John to their judges, 
there is an abruptness savoring of their 
rough fisherman life, and fitter for the rough 
echoes of the Lake of Galilee than for the 
tribunals of power. But Paul, while equal¬ 
ly bold and decided, is far more gracious.— 
He lowers his thunderbolt before his adver¬ 
sary ere he launches it. Ilis shaft is “ pol¬ 
ished” as well as powerful. Ilis words to 
King Agrippa—“I would to God that not 
only thou, but also all that hear me this day, 
were both almost and altogether such as. I 
am. except these bonds ’’—are the most chiv¬ 
alrous utterances recorded in history. An 
angel could not bond more gracefully, or 
assume an attitude of more exalted courtesy. 
THE PEACE OF GOD. 
There is an external peace that Christ 
has secured to tho believer, a peace in his 
relations of God, to his law, to tho judg¬ 
ment, and to the eternal world. Ho is our 
peace- having slain by the cross an enmity 
subsisting between the sinful flesh and tho 
violated law, lie has reconciled us to God, 
and lias preached peace to them that were 
afar off. But “the peace of God” is an in¬ 
ward peace, an internal tranquility of tho 
soul. It was this of which the Savior spake 
when in his last interview with his sorrow¬ 
ing disciples before tho crucifixion, he said, 
“ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give 
to you; not as the world giveth—a brief, 
fitful, superficial, uncertain, and ever limi¬ 
ted composure— not as the world giveth, 
give I to you; let not your heart be troubled, 
neither let it be afraid.” The peace that 
Jesus gives is an entire freedom from 
trouble and fear; freedom not only from 
danger, but from tho apprehension of dan¬ 
ger: freedom not only from want, but from 
that solicitude which is awakened by real 
or imaginary need—a state of full, constant, 
undisturbed tranquility—that passeth all 
understanding. 
DEATH. 
Wiiat woes are caused by death in this 
world! They are seen everywhere. The 
earth is “arched with graves.” In almost 
every dwelling, death has been doing his 
work of misery. The palace cannot exclude 
him; and he comes unbidden into tho cot¬ 
tage. lie finds his way to tho dwelling of 
ico in which the Greenlander and the Es¬ 
quimaux lives; to tho tent of tho Bedouin 
Arab, and the wandering Tartar; to tho wig¬ 
wam of the Indian, and to tho harem of tho 
Turk; to the splendid mansion of tho rich, 
as well as to the abode of the poor. 
That reign of death has extended near 
six thousand years, and will travel on to 
future years; meeting each generation, and 
consigning the young, tho vigorous, tho 
lovely, and the pure, to dust. Shall that 
gloomy reign continue forever? Is there 
no place where death can be excluded?— 
Yes: Heaven —and the object of tho Re¬ 
deemer is to bring us there.— Albert Barnes. 
What Withers, Blooms Again. — A deli¬ 
cate child, pale and prematurely wise, was 
complaining on a hot morning, that tho poor 
dew-drops had been too hastily snatched 
away, and not allowed to glitter on the flow¬ 
ers like other happier dew-drops, that live 
the whole night through and sparkle in tho 
moonlight, and through the morning on¬ 
wards to noon-day. “ Tho sun,” said tho 
child, “ has chased them away with his heat, 
or swallowed them up in his wrath.” Soon 
after came rain and rainbow, whereupon his 
father pointed upwards. “See,” said ho, 
“ there stand the dew-drops, gloriously re¬ 
set—a glittering jewelry in the heavens, and 
the clownish foot tramples on thorn no more. 
By this, my child, thou art taught that what 
withers on earth, blooms again in heaven.” 
Thus the father spoke, and knew not that 
ho was speaking pre-figuring words; for soon 
after the delicate child, with the morning 
brightness of his early wisdom, was exhaled, 
like a dew-drop, into heaven. 
