Most city people have very little “Yes, that is the charm of it. The 
opportunity to get acquainted with Na- old days ! Some reviewer pointed it out, 
ture through the medium of gardening, and then I saw how the whole thing 
Dwelling in a wilderness of brick and was animate with the light that never 
stone, as they do, it would not be strange was on sea or land. Over every page 
if all love of Nature were entirely ob- shines the halo that youth and all its 
literated. Hut it is not so, as an inci- pleasures wear to eyes that are looking 
dent noticed one morning recently, well back.” Mary held her needle suspended 
illustrates. In City Hall Park there is, as she talked She continued medita- 
every spring, a large bed of tulips which tively, “ It does not seem to be so much 
are replaced by other flowers latex*. The that youth is anything so ecstatic and 
tulips had faded, and two men were altogether lovely—young people seldom 
busy removing the bulbs. Not a very see it that way—but somehow the back- 
intei*esting operation, certainly ; very ward glance turns all to gold, and it is 
much like digging onions. Yet, of the under the gi*ace of the backward-falling 
throng of men and women hurrying to look that Du Maurier materializes his 
business, there was a crowd pausing a sweet, tender story.” 
few minutes to watch the bit of garden- “Oh, that is why middle-aged men 
ing going on. What a blessing it is find Trilby so fascinating, isn't it ?” 
that there is that little bit of greenery cried Clara. “ I had noticed that the 
and flowers in the midst of the busy few young men whom I had chanced to 
city, to remind the toilers that God pre- hear mention reading it, showed little 
pares pleasure for us as well as woi*k. enthusiasm. Miss Peck holds that ‘Tril¬ 
by’ is essentially a moral book. Should 
you be at issue with her on that point ?” 
The correct thing in the baby line “ Miss Peck ? She is the teacher of 
just now, has been decided by the news- elocution from Boston, of whom you are 
papei’s to be a set of triplets. There- so fond; the one you said would be so furi- 
port is that President Cleveland set his 0 us if she knew I thought her prim V” 
seal of appi’oval on three youngsters questioned Mary, and added, “ Well, to 
who ai*rived the same day in a Westei’n the p Ure all things are pure. It is a 
household, by sending a money present clean story in spite of the stain upon its 
to the parents on being notified that the heroine, but I shall not recommend the 
names Frances, Ruth and Esther, had book to my young nieces and nephews, 
been bestowed on the gii*l babies. (Make Trilby would be such a very bad model 
a note of the fact that the infants who f or a girl to pattei*n after. Even had 
are commanding so much attention so s j ie possessed every virtue, any girl who 
early in life are pi’ospective women.) tided to be charming in Trilby’s way, 
Now letters are pouring in to the Presi- would make such a lamentable failure 
dent from all parts. When the returns G f it ! Trilby had a way that made all 
are all in, the count is likely to exceed s ] ie did charming ; but the same things 
any report the census may have in re- i n any other girl, would be too bad for 
gard to triplets. The President will no words.” 
doubt be more cautious in the future in “Quite true,” said Clara ; “but I do 
expressing his opinion on domestic hap- no t suppose that any girl except you or 
penings. He was never judge at a baby me5 ever thought of making another 
show, or he would have known better person a model for herself in character 
than to show favor to any baby without or behavior. I had almost forgotten 
the law to protect him from envious bow we used to study people, and try to 
mothers. _ form ourselves after them. I scarcely 
think it was ever a good plan.” 
A MORNING CHAT. “ Other young* people may not do it 
T. MARTIN’S YOUNG LADIES consciously, but I believe that they are 
SCHOOL had closed for its Easter influenced more than they or their par- 
vacation, and Miss Clara Fitield, teacher ents suppose by the characters they meet 
of drawing, painting, and the history of * n rea ^ anc ^ * n kooks, 
art, was spending her two weeks’ leisure “ in rea i life, maybe ; but in fiction 
in the country, beneath her ancestral w hy» Mary, few of them read much but 
roof. Her older sister, Mary, had for a the lightest sort of fiction, and those 
short period, bidden cooking classes and who do devour novels, never give them 
domestic science adieu, and was also en- a thought after they close the book cov- 
joying, with the zest that a complete ers * 
change of occupation nearly always “ ^ ou are talking about city and town 
gives, the old, well-remembered round of gi r l s >’ objected Mary. 1 he best read- 
home tasks and ways. Together by the ing i s done in country homes. Don t you 
east window in the sitting-room, the two remember that Mr. Howells recognized 
sat sewing and chatting, steeped in that that fact once when in the editorial 
blissful content that only homecoming chair ? 
fledgelings know. “ Well, yes,” Clara admitted ; “ and to 
“No, I seem to find every year, less m y mind, one of the best things to be 
and less time for reading,” Clara was sa i ( l l° r the realism so dear to Mr. llow- 
saying, as she deftly turned a hem. ells s heart is that the more romantic 
“But for ‘Trilby’ I found time, of and certainly more charming way of pre¬ 
course. You wrote me how interested senting life, instilled false theories and 
you were in it. Du Maurier is certainly kred expectations in the young, that 
a charming writer.” the actual could only painfully destroy. 
“Charming!” assented Mary; “read- Now that you speak of it, I recollect how 
ing ‘ Trilby ’ affects me as much as deeply impressed I was by certain books 
watching a great actor does; I forget ^ rom the Sunday-school library which I 
that it is perfect art and only sense it as read when I was about 14. I hey were 
reality. The place in my mind that probably a great help to me, especially 
those ‘three, dear, clean Englishmen’ some of Mrs. Whitneys books, and 
hold is alongside the people I have others by * Pansy. "W hat were some of 
known and heard talk, rather than the characters in fiction of whom I used 
with other characters in fiction.” to be so fond ? 
Clara laughed. “I guess we all feel The older sister smiled. “You cer- 
about as one of our girls confessed to me tainly did not get Mrs. Burnett’s 
that she did, and could envy Trilby her ‘ Through One Administration ’ from the 
th ree gallant lovers. Usually a woman Sunday-school library,” said she ; “but 
counts herself fortunate if one such I think its Bertha Armory influenced 
man falls to her share. But wasn’t you a good deal. I used to notice when 
Trilby a rare creature ! If only one you were reading and rereading the 
could have known her in those old studio book, that you were learning to disguise 
days, with her droll milkman’s call, and your feelings and control your moods, 
her astonishing rendering of ‘Ben Bolt.’ ” No doubt, the example of your heroine’s 
brave, cheerful ways really helped you “ I expect one of them to be filled : it 
during that year you spent with the shall be beautifully decorated with flags 
Glovers. You used to sit by the hour and flowers.” 
evenings, you know, and listen to old “ Then at noon there is your bountiful 
Mr. Glover’s tiresome talk, and actually dinner in the park, with the band dis- 
make both him and his wife believe you coursing sweet music at proper intervals, 
were interested. Mrs. Glover finally Is that all ? ” 
found out that you disliked his egotism “ Oh, no ; in place of the boomerangs, 
as much as she did, and I am convinced there shall be a historical or poetical 
that the example of patience and cour- pageant, wholly American, mind, which 
tesy which you set for her, was really shall so impress itself upon the people 
the beginning of the more harmonious that they will never forget its meaning, 
domestic relations into which they have Take, for instance, the marriage ot Pris- 
finally settled. “ But if young people cilia and John Alden; what could be 
wish models,” Mary added suddenly, “ I more beautiful than the bridal proces- 
recommend to them young Mr. Davis’s sion wending its way to the little house 
‘ Princess Aline.’ There is one for either in the woods; Priscilla mounted upon 
sex and both, representing fin de siecle the snow-white steer covered with a 
perfection and good breeding.” crimson cloth ; John Alden walking at 
Clara’s hands rested idly on her lap its head, and the wedding guests follow- 
and her eyes studied the hill line far ing in quaint Puritan costumes? Then 
beyond the window. “ Life is curious,” when they have reached their destina- 
she mused. “ Dow far in the past it tion, which shall be an ample stage in a 
seems ; yet it was but four years ago leafy grove or lawn, let some one recite 
that I was taking a sort of second girl’s that part of Longfellow’s poem contain- 
place at Mrs. Glover’s. I had almost ing the wedding scene ; let many songs 
forgotten how dreary and homesick a be sung; then when the people would 
girl could be.” turn homeward, let God’s benediction be 
“ But you never let any one at home implored upon our country.” 
know,” interrupted Mary. “ That was “ Bravo, little wife ! You have left 
part of the smiling endurance you had little for me to plan.” 
set yourself to master, I suppose. But if “ You may train the milk-white steer 
you had not earned your board, I do not for his part in the programme.” 
see how you could ever have studied at “Now,” said the prudent wife, “we 
the Art League ; and without that train- will say nothing of this until next spring, 
ing, you could never have gone to teach when the people begin to talk of the 
at St. Martin’s. If you had not gone to Fourth ; then we will produce our pro- 
St. Martin’s, you would not have known gramme, and convert the committee to 
Miss Peck, and if you had never met our way of thinking.” 
Miss Peck, it is not at all probable that “ If we can,” assented Mr. Dudley, 
you would ever have become acquainted Just as they were sinking to sleep that 
with Theron Huntoon.” night, Mr. Dudley roused up enough to 
“I do not know that there is any rea- say sleepily, “ You forgot the fireworks 
son for considering my acquaintance in the evening, Mehitabel.” 
with Mr. Huntoon anything so culminant “Sol did,” she assented as sleepily, 
as you suggest.” Clara spoke a little “Of course there must be fireworks in 
sharply, and quickly resumed her needle, the evening.” 
setting her stitches with celerity and June came, and one Sunday evening, 
precision. from the pulpits of the two churches of 
Mary subdued the smile that tempted Oakville, this notice was read : “ All 
the corners of her mouth, and demurely persons who are desirous of celebrating 
asked advice about the width of the ruffle the Fourth of July in this town, are re¬ 
sile was about to cut. quested to meet in the town hall to- 
pkudence t. PRIMROSE. morrow evening to appoint a committee, 
_ etc.” Silas Dudley and his wife were 
among the first to arrive, and talked 
AN AMERICAN "FOURTH." earnestly with each new arrival ; so, by 
(concluded.) the time the meeting opened, those pres- 
FTER tea, when Farmer Dudley had ent were in favor of observing the day in 
finished his chores, and everything such a manner that the tendency might 
had been made comfortable for the be to elevate and instruct, rather than 
night, the two sat down to frame a pro- to degrade and debauch those who par- 
gramme for the next Fourth. “There are ticipated in it. 
two things we will be sure to give them: Mrs. Dudley’s programme was carried 
plenty of music, and a free dinner,” said out almost to the letter ; only one church 
Mrs. Dudley. was opened, but that was filled to over- 
“ A free dinner for such a multitude flowing. The dinner was a perfect suc- 
as that will be sure to draw, will be a cess. Strong tea and coffee were fur- 
great tax upon the good housekeepers of nished to those whose nerves seemed to 
the town ! ” observed her husband. demand a strong drink ; lemonade and 
“ Yes ; but everybody who comes will ice cream were indulged in by the juve- 
be asked to contribute some eatable to niles. Ail were orderly ; there were no 
that dinner ; these, in the hands of a fighting, no rowdyism. But when the 
competent committee, will insure its quaint Puritan procession appeared, with 
success. The churches shall be open at the beautiful Priscilla mounted upon the 
half past 10 in the morning; in them shall snow-white steer in his gay trappings, 
be given a service appropriate to the John Alden at its head, cheer after cheer 
day ; prayer shall be offered, appropri- rent the air. The people rapidly fell 
ate songs rendered, the Declaration of into line, and gathered about the stage 
Independence read, and an oration de- when the procession reached its destina- 
livered.” tion, listening open-mouthed to the 
“ Do you expect your churches to be beautiful poem and the home songs that 
filled?” followed. Then the benediction was 
Highest of all in Leavening Power.— Latest U. S. Gov’t Report 
