MR. AND MRS. CLEVER WATCH THE TREND 
OF THE TIMES. 
R-5. CLEVER laughed over her book at inter¬ 
vale, so spontaneously that Mr. Clever smiled 
in rfsponse to the fun, though he had no idea as to its 
character. It was the week before they meant to go 
to the Fair. 
“ Eh ! what is it, Mathilde ? ” as the laughter again 
bubbled forth. 
“ Tnls description of the manse in ‘The Little 
Minister ’ ‘The manse stands high, with a sharp eye 
on all the town Every back window in the Tene¬ 
ments has a glint of it, and so the back of the Tene¬ 
ments is always better behaved than the front. * * 
And Beaitie spoke for more than himself when he 
said, “ Dagon that manse ! I never gie a swear but 
there it is glowering at me.” ’ ” 
“Dm! who is the fellow that is responsible for all 
that? Understands human nature toLerably well.” 
“His name is Barrie; and they say this was the 
book ot last year.” 
Bf th adrir* ss themselves to their read ; ng again. 
Presently Mrs. Clever: “ Listen to this, Solomon, 
about calling the minister. ‘ Looks like a genius, 
does he?’ says the Doctor. ‘Well, then,’ said he, 
‘ dinna vote for him, for my experience is that there’s 
nae folk sic idiots as them tbat looks like geniuses.’ 
“ * Sai,’ Lucy said, ‘ it’s a gude thing we’ve settled, 
for I enjryed sitting like a judge upon them so muekle 
that I sair doubt it was kind o’ sport to me.’ Here's 
another bit: 
“ ‘ I cannot help,’ said the Egyptian with dignity, 
1 your not liking my face.’ r l h u n, with less dign ty, 
‘ There is a splotch of mud on your own, little minis¬ 
ter ; it came off the divit you flung at the captain ’ 
“With this womanish revenge she tripped past him. 
It was not the mud on his face that distressed him, 
nor even the hand that had flung the divit. It was the 
word ‘ little,’ Gavin's shortness had grieved him all 
his life. There had been times when he tried to keep 
the secret from himself. In bis boyhood he bad soughu 
a remedy by getting his large comrades to stretch him. 
In the pulpit he looked darkly at his congregation 
when he asked them who, by taking thought, could 
add a cubit to his stature. In his bedroom he has 
stood on a footstoo' and surveyed himself in a mirror, 
So the E, yptian had put a hairpin into his pride ! ” 
“ Is it a novel, Mathilde ? ” 
“ A novi 1 pure and simple, Solomon. Yet not so 
simpie, that it is not quite tne cleverest thing Ive seen 
lately.” 
“ Read on a little, and lets’ see bow it pans out ? ” 
Mrs. Clever read on about the little minister’s 
quarrel with bis conscience over the gypsy’s cloak, 
and its final re-appearance in Thrums as two pairs of 
Sabbath bree s for James and Andrew Baxter; next 
about the minister’s first memorable sermon against 
women, introduced by Waster Lunny's dispute with 
his wife about Sabbath shoon, and his struggle with 
Ezra. 
“Him tbat is forced by a foolish woman to wear 
genteel hastic-sided boot , canna forget them till he 
takes th m off Whiur’n the extra reverence in wear¬ 
ing twa sizes ower sma’? ” 
“It mayna be mair reverent,” suggested Birse, 
“ but it’s grand, and you canna expect to be baith 
grand and comfortable.” 
I reminded them that they were speaking of Mr. 
Dishart. 
“ You will find my text,” he says, in his piercing 
voice, “ in the eightn chapter of Ez-a ” 
“And at thae words,” said Wasce r Lunny, “my 
heart gae a louo, for Ezra is an unco ill book to find ; 
ay, and so is It ith.” 
“I kent the books of the Bible by heart,” said 
Elspeth, “ when I was a sax year-auld.” 
“So did I,” said Waster Lunny, “ and I ken them 
yet, except when I’m hurried. Tnere was a kind of 
competit’on amang the congregation who would lay 
hand on it first. Ay, there was Ruth when she wasna 
wanted, but Ez-'a, dagon't, it looked as if Ezra had 
jumped clean out o’ the Bible ! Ay, you may scowl at 
me, Elspetn, but as far ba>‘k as I can mind Ezra has 
done me. Many a time afore I start for the kirk, I 
take my Bible to a quiet place and look Ezra up In 
the very pew I say c»,nny to mysel’ ‘Ezra, Nebemiau, 
Esther, Jib,’ which should be a help, but the moment 
the minister gives out that awful book, away goes 
Ezra like the Egyptian.” 
“ The minister had the face of one using bad words,” 
said the post. “ He didna swear, of course, but that 
was the face he had on.” 
“ 1 missed it,” said Waster Lunny, “ for I was in full 
cry after Ezra, with the sweat running down my face.” 
By this time Mr. Clever was so interested that it 
was difficult to tear him away from the Little Minister 
for needed repose. Together they laughed over the 
deft raps at common failings given by the author. 
Together they stood in the glen and saw the marriage 
over the tongs revealed by the white glare of the 
lightning ; together they held their breath over the 
abduction of the half-made wife ; together they 
struggled through the awful storm with Gavin. 
Together they exultfd when Babbie’s good fortune, 
and the love which Rjb Dow and Lang Tammas bore 
the Little Minister kept all knowledge of evils befall¬ 
ing from Gavin’s mother, and brought about the 
happiest culmination of the breathless rush of events. 
Together they sympathized with the quiet dominie 
whose life tragedy lay behind and about the other 
happier tale 
“ I say, that’s immense,” was Mr. Clever’s character¬ 
istic comment at the close. “ I never before thought 
a novel worth the time spent on it. When you have 
anything else as good, count me in.” 
“ I see Mr. Barrie has a new book just out, ‘ A 
Tillyloss Scandal,’ I think is the title. I wonder if 
you wouldn’t like that ?” said Mrs. Clever insinuat¬ 
ingly. MYRA V. NOBYS. 
A HAPPY HOME. 
F the strength of the nation Tes in the homes of the 
land ; if woman is queen of the home, it follows 
that she occupies a very important place in the cata¬ 
logue of human responsibilities. Does she occupy it 
well ? 
For the most part, yes : the home is kept tidy, the 
fare good, and the comfort and welfare of every mem¬ 
ber of the family are diligently sought. But are these 
fruits of her love never frost-bitten ere gathered, or 
snowed under later by giving vent to annoyance from 
petty worries along the way ? We must confess that 
they sometimes are. But where is the remedy for 
this drawback of nerves unstrung by overreaching 
care ? I believe it to be in the discernment of duty ; 
for, indeed, much that is superfluous passes for duty. 
The ballot is not necessary to a much needed reform 
in this line Custom-bou^d and fashion-swayed—how 
few exercise the judgment God has given them, or 
acknowledge the supremacy of the divine will to these 
chief rulers ? Are we afra’d to let go of our care and 
cast it upon Him who careth for us, for fear He will 
desert us if we should be “ a peculiar people?” Oh, 
this vanity and vexation of spirit! Let us cast those 
ruffles and their train into the “ sell-rags,” and let 
aching shoulders, weary fingers and strained nerves 
rest. In the pursuance of nobler things we shall find 
that vanity is not the most appetizing food for the 
mind. 
Leaving the domain of fashion, there are other bur¬ 
dens to be dispensed with, even in the humble sphere 
of farm life. Smooth the wrinkles from your brow, 
and leave them in the sheets, towels, etc., if necessary. 
Save some of the starch for your spinal column, in¬ 
stead of using it all in the wash, necessitating damp¬ 
ening and harder ironing. Dispense with every-day 
table linen for easily cleaned oil-cloth—’tis no crime. 
Frost tbe cake with smiles. Brighten your minds, in¬ 
stead of scouring the potware—cleanliness is all that’s 
necessary in this line. In these, and in maDy other 
ways, sacrifice superfluities for conveniences, and do 
less, with better grace. 
Having thereby gleaned precious moments for rest, 
or change, other means, also, may be considered 
which will contribute to the alleviation of care. Have 
convenient places for articles, and cultivate order in 
your family ; it will make each member more self-re¬ 
specting and resppeted. Perhaps it would save un¬ 
necessary reference thereto to have household regula¬ 
tions written down (under the heading of ‘ Gentlemen 
and L iaies at Home,” or something which will give 
prominence to and elicit self respect, rather than sub¬ 
jection), and with a cheerful smile and word, to pre¬ 
sent ti em to each child (and, privately, to husband, 
too, asking him if he will not, with you, set the good 
example.) 
Bat we are runn ; ng into detail. Every homekeeper 
knows best how to win each member of the family, 
and that is tbe idea which I would impress—that we 
win, and not wield, authority; whatever course 
may be pursued, let it be followed pleasantly, for a 
fault-finding air is “so apt to bring out self-defense, 
even in an unjust cause.” 
It will be well to remember, also, that regulations 
should be of a general nature, few and comprehensive, 
relating to neatness, order and duty in all of its bear¬ 
ings ; for as to matters of taste or aptness, you cannot 
stamp your personality upon those who have any of 
their own. A consideration of this individuality will 
also lead to a charitable interpretation of what other¬ 
wise would be taken for willfulness ; and while real 
defects are to be faithfully labored with, they should 
not be treated as faults, but as disadvantages. 
Taking everything into consideration, is not this 
oil of pleasantness obviously necessary to the perfect 
working of any household system ? What does the 
most perfect one profit, if, after all, the object sought, 
a happy home, is not gained ? What advantage is the 
snowy linen whose first accidental stain is to be 
stamped by reproof upon a loving heart ? What 
success is the flaky bread, rendered indigestible by a 
frown ? What avails the hour of rest made restless by 
regret ? What warmth, the downy bed, to the chilled 
heart? What availeth even the prayer, “forgive our 
debts,” if we have not forgiven our debtors ? 
Then “does it pay to find fault ?” I ask you who 
are the wise keepers of houses, and the dear keepers 
of homes, does it pay ? There are heavy burdens to 
bear all day—manifold cares from the rising to the 
setting of the sun, blunders made by those who should 
have known better, many a thing to annoy ; but there 
is no blight more deadly in its tendency nothing tbat 
can more surely distui b the harmony of home, nothing 
that will recoil more quickly upon yi.urself, than this 
habit of fault-finding. Not that propriety should not 
be required, but that it may be a tribute of the under¬ 
standing to the calm law of duty, ratuer than wrested 
by the whirlwind of confusion, that carries dismay 
and accomplishes but disorder. Oh, this chronic habit 
of peevishness ! If over-work is its cause, sacrifice 
things of less value to a s^eet temper. 
Nor is this id vice applicable to women alone. If 
husbands would heed tne divine injunction to “love 
their wives and be not bitter against them ;” if child¬ 
ren would “obey” and “honor ’ their parents, and if 
they were not ‘ provoked to anger ;” if servants would 
“obey in all things,” and “masters give unto servants 
that which is just and equal” as w<Gl as women be 
taught “to love uheir husbands, to love their children,” 
there would be little occasion to find fault, for at the 
door of provocation does fault finding often lie. J. u. 
EXHIBITION FURNITURE: FOR SALE. 
N an adjoining county an elderly couple, having 
accumulated a sufficiency of this world’s goods, 
built on a sightly situation a beautiful large house 
that was an ornament to the town. Bub the blinds 
to the front of the house were always closed tightly, 
and it was only at the back that the establishment 
looked inhabited. It was there that callers came as 
tbe most likely place to find the old lady. Sbe would, 
if you wished, show the parlor, with its Brussels 
carpet and upholstered furniture ; but would you 
dare to sit down on one of those chairs and admire 
the carpet ? O no! you must back to the kitchen 
to finish your visit on ordinary chairs. 
Recently the old lady died. A neighbor assisted in 
preparing her for the coffin, and‘asked the husband 
where the wife should be “laid out,” He suggested 
the little bed-room off the kitchen. Thcrepiy was: 
“ No ! she never sat down in her parlor, now she 
will lie in it.” 
Thro 1 * 7 open your front windows—give your house 
a cheerful look. Let not the impression of passers- 
by be that there is sickness or a funeral within. It is 
only through the heat of summer that a blind need 
be closed in the daytime. Are the rooms of your 
house too good for you ? 
The old lady's parlor furniture is for sale, but there 
are moths in it. I. m b. 
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Highest of all in leavening strength. 
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