Tim Chronicles or a Oaiuiicn: Its IVta and its 
Pleasures. By tin- late Miss IIrnkiktta. Wilson, 
author i*r “ Little Tiling*,” With n hripf Memoir by 
James Hamilton, D. 1)., LL. D. Now York Hubert 
Carter it Brothers. 
Wk Wish to call attention to one gratifying and 
noticeable fact, to wit: the rapidly increasing nnmber 
of delightful books on Rural topics, prepared by ac¬ 
complished and appreciative write.rs, and published in 
a style of book-art which indicates how the tide of life 
and love and worship is tending among the cultivated 
classes in this country. The hook before us is a worthy 
memorial offering to the memory of tho gifted woman 
who wrote it. The key to the character of this work 
is best given, perhaps, by tic writer herself, in her in¬ 
troduction. She says—“ Mneb has been written of 
late on small farms and the profits thereof. Reading 
such works is pleasant and tempting, and pometlmes 
one is inclined to wonder whether any profit conldbe 
made out of a shrubbery aud garden of two acres. 
Thus cogitating one day, it came info my head to en¬ 
deavor to record the pleamret of which these two acres 
have been the source-, and surely in this world of care 
and tuii and anxiety, what is a daily source of enjoy¬ 
ment may be counted profitable also. 
1 Pleasures rmwly found are sweet 
When they lie about our feel.’ 
The profit of innocent pleasure is us real and a3 bene¬ 
ficial to the mind as the. profiL of gain is to the purse. 
It is wise and right to take advantage of such simple, 
pure and varied enjoyments as are to be found even in 
a garden of two acre*. ’ 
And nencc this book. The first chapter is devoted to 
the “Pleasures of Work." Among other pleasures 
which the garden brings she says the gratification of a 
healthy love of work is uot the least; and, she asserts, 
“ where this love is not, the sooner it is acquired the 
better, and few pursuits help on tho acquisition so well 
as gardening." And now. reader, hero is an axiomatic 
saying others which is worth remembering:—“The 
true plan for making it (work) pleasant, is to endeavor 
to do it (whatever it is) as perfectly as possible- No 
one was ever yet interested in work whodidii any tony; 
for not only Is the result of such careless 1 abor most un¬ 
satisfactory, so that it is often labor logt, but the work 
itself is insufferably tedious. But. set to with a will, 
resolve and endeavor to do it neatly and completely, to 
make your work look well, to make it finished work, 
and, whether you will or not, you will feel an interest 
in it while doing It, and‘a pleasure in contemplating it 
when done, utterly unknown to the slovenly worker.’’ 
Every worker knows that to be true as gospel—and ev ¬ 
ery sloven may tost Us truth, and acquire a new pleas¬ 
ure in the testing. 
The second chapter is a delightful one on “Trees, 
Evergreens and Shrubs." And how many of our read 
era will have tho memory of a painful perplexity 
revived by the following extract from it:—“ Few things 
are more perplexiug to the lover of trees than the de¬ 
cision sometimes necessary as to which may be cut 
down, either in a dump where they are hindering each 
other s growth, or when a view may be opened out. by 
removal, or light and air admitted to tho dwelling. 
No one who merely looks upon woods and forests ns 
‘timber 1 U> bo marked for felling, can understand Hie 
hesitation, tho alternate changes of plan, the difference 
between the summer thought and the winter thought of 
the owner of a few cherished trees; and it is wise, cer¬ 
tainly, thus to ponder, and look at the (Question on all 
sides; for cutting down a tree is an irretrievable step.’’ 
The chapter on “ Spring ” is full of fresh, swect.hints 
—among them many practical ones—and as we read We 
can almost realize (be “ rustle of wood land uyuiphs,’’ 
and the fragrance “ bestrewn by floral fairies.” Here 
is a practical hint for the ladies, which we hope will be 
embodied In tholr floriculture this spring. " Even in 
the lowliest plots, great additional pleasure may ho 
derived from a harmonious arrangement of color?, aud 
.much additional interest in planning the best Piet hod 
of getting these flowers together which contrast we 1 
in color, and bloom at the same time." Talking if 
contrasts of colors in a flower border, she says:—“I 
remember an accidental contrast of these colors (yel¬ 
low and blue) that was exceedingly pretty, though It 
was formed by a large dandelion which had got rooted 
in a border of gentians, where its bright yellow stats, 
mingling with the vivid expanse of blue, made such an 
attractive show that the intruding weed was suffered to 
remain till tho flowers had faded ” 
But we must close *>ur before breakfast reading of 
this book, promising our readers to return to its pleas¬ 
ant pages with them again. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS MADE AT SANDWICH, STATE OE ILLINOIS. 
ABSTRACT — INT. K. BA.XjJL.OTJ, OBSERVER. 
Latitude 41° 31'. Longitude SS° 31'. Height of station above Sea, live hundred and seventy-five feet. 
1863. 
Jan. | 
Ff.b. 
Mahoil 
April. | 
May. 
| June. | 
July. 
Aug. 
Sbi-t. 
| Oct. j 
Nov. 
| Dec. 
Thermometer.Monthly Mean. 
31.65 
28.21 
35.1/7 
| 51.43 
| 02.70 
| 67.63 
72.74 
j 73 
62.16 
45.09 
39.28 
j 30.0! 
Highest Degree. 
Lowest Degree. 
Range. 
Warmest day. 
Coldest day. 
Cloudiness, 10 being perfect cloudiness_ 
Winds.North. 
North-East. 
East. 
South-East... 
South . 
South-West. 
West. 
North-West. 
Total of each Month. 
Prevailing Winds. 
Force of Wind3. 
Weather.Fair days. 
Cloudy days. 
Total of each Month. 
Rain. 
Rain and Snow. 
Snow. 
Amount of water in inches. 
Annual Results. 
60 
53 
I 83 
i ~ 10 
| 62 
53 
85 
15 
43 
29 
43 
27 
It 
13 
7 
38 
47 
21 
92 
60 
15 
95 
60 
95 
45 
35 
17 
12 
50 
16 
.30 
87 
38 
49 
16 
19 
73 
22 
60 
56 
51 
54 
61 
16 
23 
13 
29 
5.99 
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N AV | 
S 
1 AV 
| N E 
AV 
| N W 
N K 
W 
S I 
AV | 
s 
S 
1.99 
2.16 
1 2 ' 71 
2.03 
1.85 
1.42 
1.49 
1.38 
1.56 
1.64 
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1.98 
6 1 
6H 
1 7H 
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31 1 
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4.44 
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8.78 
1.27 
4.28 
7.50 
3.06 
6.02 
0.35 
6 
6.7 5 
18< V.i 
1862 
1S61 
1860 
1809 
50.74 
48.5U 
49..SO 
49.51 
48.88 
95 
98 
98 
OS 
100 
-10 
—18 
—10 
-23 
—21 
105 
116 
JOS 
121 
121 
Aug. 16 
Aug. 5 
Auer. 7. 
July 15 
July 17 
Feb. 1. 
Jan. 13. 
Jan. 31 
Dec. 23 
Dec. 31 
4.33 
4.93 
5.18- 
4.41 
4.88 
26 
22M 
21 
2835 
31 
37 
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an 5 ? 
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205$ 
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7«JS 
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5755 
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53 1 
4755 
64?$ 
76 
365 
337 
365 
366 
365 
S AV 
N AV 
AV 
NAV 
N W 
1.83 
1.77 
1.42 
1.51 
1.88 
10955 
8255 
ss 
7255 
si hi 
255’ 
254J5 
277 
£93=5 
28151 
365 
327 
365 
366 
365 
69 
74 
74 
85 
75 
6 
12 
6 
12 
10 
25 
28 
24 
23 
19 
53.06 
58.41 
58.37 
35.09 
48. £S 
Remarks.— This Meteorological Report is interesting from its being sent from a Western State, and a little west of Chicago. The Report is pretty 
full for 1863, and gives general results also for the. four preceding years. The Report is derived from about 20,000 observations, and contains no smaii 
amount of labor and effort. It is from such careful, daily, and regular observations that important conclusions in Meteorology must ultimately be 
obtaiued. The author intends to continue and increase the proper appliances. lie must interest many readers.—c. d. 
m 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
COLD. DRY ASHES DANGEROUS. 
Babble Brook Songs. By J. H. McNauguton. Bos¬ 
ton: Oliver Ditsou As Co. 
Thmrk are a few satisfying poems in this little book. 
There are many which, for some reason—perhaps our 
own fault—we fail to appreciate. There is an affecta¬ 
tion about them that repulses There Is a gTeat differ¬ 
ence, in the effect produced, whether we sing from tho 
heart, whether our songs are the overflowings of a 
perennial fountain, or simply babblings caused by a 
desire to babble, regardless of ability to do so well, A 
true pool never labors to write! He writes because ho 
cannot help It I lie sings because the spirit in him must 
be vocalized. Wc know nothing of this author. We 
have written just what his book has suggested to ns. 
It is not without merit in some of its contents. Biff 
he should have waited a dozen years before undertaking 
to make a book. It is not one that wo should buy for 
our own reading. For sale by Steele & Avery; 
price $1. 
-— 
Cuwos Cave. By J. T. Trpwbkidgk. Boston: J. 
E. Tilton & Co. 
This story of the early phases of the rebellion, the 
scenes of which are laid in East Tennessee, we can 
cordially commend to our readers. It will prove of ab¬ 
sorbing tutercst to them. The characters in it are 
drawu with wonderful skill aud faithfulness; ami It 
contains dramatic pictures, vivid ami instructive. It 
Illustrates, with a truthfulness which all whohavo ever 
lived in the South ninst concede, the character of the 
different classes of Southern people, begotten of and 
developed by the institution of slavery; and shows 
precisely what material, in the shape of deluded and 
degraded followers, the leaders in this rebellion had to 
use in promoting their own unscrupulous schemes. 
We have road no story of this w ar that equals U In 
interest 
-»♦» - 
The Laws and Piuncipi.ks nr Whist. Stated and 
Explained, aud its practice illustrated on an original 
system by means of hand? played completely through. 
By Cavendish New York: D. Appleton A Co. 
It is unfortunate, perhaps, for the publishers of this 
work, that (he writer hereof does not know one card 
from another. Hence the Laws of Whist are entirely 
beyond his comprehension. 
—.-«+■*— 
Blackwood.— We have received from the publishers, 
Messrs. Scott & Co., Now York, the February number 
of this Magazine. The following is the Table of Con¬ 
tents —Tony Butler—l’art V ; The Royal Academy 
Reformed; Cornelius O’Dood upon Men and Women, 
and other Things in General; Witehhampton Hull; 
Chronicles of Carltngford—Part IX; A Ride through 
Sutherland; Charles the Bold. 
Cold, dry ashes will ignite and become one 
solid mass of fire. I find that a very great many 
old and experienced men are ignorant of the fact 
that dry, cold ashes will take (ire by having hot 
embers inserted in them, and become oue solid 
mass of tire, and set on lire barrel, box, or what¬ 
ever wooden thing contains them. 
Now, ignorance on this subject exposes the 
ignorant to losses by five. I have no doubt that 
many houses have been burned by ashes being 
put away with lire in them, and no one could 
imagine how the building took lire. I was 
about forty years old before I knew that ashes 
would take tire and burn over; and 1 had, per¬ 
haps. as good an opportunity to leant it as almost 
any one. It was but yesterday I had a friend 
near sixty years old stopping with me ov er uight. 
I told him dry, cold ashes would take tire and 
bunt. He said ho never knew it; one thing he 
knew, he had a box of ashes once, and they 
were all on fire. He poured on several pails of 
water; the ashes flew and made a great smudge, 
lie. could not put them out, and the box burned 
up. He never thought of how they got on tire; 
it was a new idea to him. I have tried to make 
this thing known in the community where I 
have lived. 1 find there is great, ignorance on 
the subject, and have been desirous to have in¬ 
formation on the subject given in the public 
prints, but have waited iu vain. 
If any one disbelieves that dry ashes will take 
fire by inserting hot embers into them, let him 
take an old tin pail of dry ashes, or, to be more 
thoroughly convinced, a nice wooden pail full 
of ashes and introduce a few hot embers into the 
ashes, and 1 think iu less than forty-eight hours 
he will be thoroughly convinced by the destruc¬ 
tion of his wooden pail. The ashes may uot al¬ 
ways take lire ami burn over, but I think they 
will not often fail. Chas. M. Fowler. 
Bristol, Wis., Jan., 1804. 
SICKNESS NOT CAUSELESS. 
A COUNTRY WITHOUT. A REPTILE. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
ASSOCIATE TO BUY. 
Goods in largo quantities aud original pack¬ 
ages, can be bought at wholesale rates, or at the 
same prices the country merehaut pays. You 
want sugar; your neighbors want it. Then 
buy it by the barrel or hogshead, and divide it 
equally among those interested and furnishing 
the money. If six families want ten pounds of 
tea each, it amounts to about what is usually 
called a chest. Why not buy a chest, then, and 
divide it among you according to cost? If six 
families want two broom? each, that makes one 
dozen, an original package. When brooms 
retail at two shillings each, they can generally 
be bought for eighteen shillings per dozeu. 
Farmer’s tools can be bought for twenty-five 
cents on a dollar less by the dozen or largo 
quantity than they can singly. A few neigh¬ 
bors dubbing together can just as well save the 
usual retail profit as uot. In order to purchase 
to advantage, commission sonic man of integrity, 
who is a judge of the goods to be bought, to 
make the purchases and divide up the goods 
among those interested. Let him go to some 
town as here goods are sold at wholesale, aud 
seek out some houses whose reputation for fair 
dealing is undoubted, aud there purchase all 
that is needed by the club. The wholesale 
prices are now published weekly and daily in 
all the leading papers, so no wide awake man 
need be greatly at loss to know whether he is 
being dealt with fairly. We have known neigh¬ 
bors to make quite a saving by associating to 
purchase articles of necessity for the farm and 
the household. Perhaps these hints will be of 
some service to those about to purchase home 
supplies. L. L. F. 
Rolling Prairie, Wis. 
There can never be a disease without a 
cause; and almost already the cause is in the 
person who is ill; he has either done some¬ 
thing which he ought not to have done, or he 
has omitted something which he should have 
attended to. 
Another important' item is, that sickness does 
not, as a general thing, come on suddenly; as 
seldom does it thus come, as a house becomes 
enveloped in flames on the instant of the fire 
first breaking out. There is generally a spark; 
a tiny flame, a trilling blaze. It is so with dis¬ 
ease, and promptitude is always an important 
element of safety aud deliverance. A little 
child wakes tip in the night with a disturbing 
cough, but Avhicb, after a while, passes ofl‘ and 
the parents feel relieved; the second night cough 
is more decided; the third it is croup, and in a 
few hours more.darling is dead! 
Had that child been kept warm in bed the 
whole day after the first coughing was noticed, 
had it been fed lightly, and got abundant warm 
sleep, it would have had cough the second 
night, aud the day after ’.vTfid have been well. 
An incalculable amount of human suflering, 
and many lives would be saved every year, 
if two things were done uniformly. First, 
when an\ tineoruPortable 1 \eellng is noticed, 
begin at once, trace the course of it and avoid 
that cause ever after. Second, take means at 
once to remove the symptoms; among these, the 
best are those which are most universally avail¬ 
able and applicable, as rest, warmth, abstinence, 
a clean person and pure air. 
When animals are ill they follow nature’s 
instinct, and lie doAvn to rest. Many a valuable 
life bus been lost by the unwise efforts of the 
patient to ” keep up” Avhen the most fitting 
place Avas a Avarm bed and a quiet apartment. 
Some persons attempt to “harden their con¬ 
stitutions” by exposing themselves to the cause 
which induces their Bufferings, as if they could 
by so doing get accustomed to the exposure and 
ever hereafter endure it \a ith a great amount of 
impunity. A good constitution, like a good 
garment, lasts the longer bv its being taken care 
of. If a linger has been burned by putting it in 
the fire and is cured ever so well, it will be 
burned again as often as it is put in the fire; 
such a result is inevitable. There is no such 
thing as baldening one’s self against the causes 
of disease. What gives a man a cold to-day, 
will give him a cold to-morrow, and the next 
day aud the next. What lies in the stomach 
a heavy weight to-day, will do the same to- 
morroAA, not in a less degree, but in a greater, 
and as avc get older, or get more under the influ¬ 
ence of disease, lesser causes have greater ill 
effects: so that the older ato get the greater 
need is there for increased efforts to avoid hard¬ 
ships and exposures, and be more prompt in 
rectifying any “symptoms,” by rest, Avarmth 
and abstinence. 
Society 
draAvs tho 
a strong 
is 
virtue 
solution of books. It 
out of what is best Avorth 
reading, as hot water draws the strength of tea 
leaves. 
Capt. Hardy, R. A., writes an interesting 
letter to the Field neAvspaper, commenting on a 
statement that in Newfoundland there is not 
a snake, toad, frog, or reptile of any sort; nor 
any squirrels, porcupines, mink, or mice. 
Capt. Hardy says:—“Besides the above-men- 
tioued deficiencies, I found, Av’nen visiting Ncav- 
foundland last summer, several others. It was 
midsummer, and the fire-flies were scintillating 
in myriads in the warm evenings over every 
swamp in Nova Scotia; here not one could be 
seen, nor Avas there another pleasing summer 
visitor of our neighboring provinces—the night- 
hawk. Considering the immense portion of this 
which is claimed by bogs and swamps, I think 
the absence of all reptiles very curious; and 
plodded long and often round the edges of ponds 
and sAvamp>, hoping to see some little croaker 
a header from the bank; and by sunny slopes 
in the woods, where, on the mainland they 
might lie seen at every other step, in search of 
snakes, but in vain. I believe seme of our com¬ 
mon green-headed frogs Avere recently trans¬ 
ported to this island and turned out into a swamp 
such as Avould be a grand residence for them at 
home, but in a few days, alas! they all lay stiff 
on their backs. In fact, Newfoundland seems 
to be destined to remain as it hoav indubitably 
is—a country without a reptile.” 
AN INSECT SAMSON. 
Every one who has taken the common beetle 
in his hand, knows that its limbs, if not remark¬ 
able for agility, are very powerful; but I was 
not prepared for so Samsouian a feat as that I 
have just witnessed. 'When the insect was 
brought to me, having no box immediately at 
hand, I was at a loss to know where to put it 
until I could kill it; a quart bottle full of milk 
being on the table. I placed the beetle for the 
present, under that, the IioHoav at the bottom 
allowing him room to stand upright. Presently 
to my surprise, the bottle began to move sIoavIv, 
aud glide along the smooth table, propelled by 
the muscular power of the imprisoned insect, 
and continued for some time to perambulate the 
surface, to the astonishment of all aa ho witessed 
it. The av eight of the bottle and its contents 
could not have been less than three pounds and 
a half, while that of the beetle was about half 
an ounce; so that it readily moved a weight 
112 times exceeding its oaau. A better notion 
than figures can convey will be obtained of this 
fact by supposing a lad of fifteen to be impris¬ 
oned under the great bell of St. Paul, Avhich 
Aveighs 15,000 pounds, aud to move to and fro 
upon a smooth pavement by pushing within. 
—Frofessor Ooss, 
ftalitirj Urt tlif fffltuwj. 
Antidote for Poison.—T hefolloAving may 
prove of much value, worthy at least of being 
cut out and preserved. It is inclosed in a letter 
to the London Times , from Dr. James Ed wants, 
a prominent London physician. He says: 
1 Inclose a simple, safe and accessible pre¬ 
scription for tho aa hole range of acid aud corro¬ 
sive poisons, and which, if promptly used, aa ill 
almost invariably save life:—Mix tAvo ounces of 
powdered chalk or magnesia, or 1 oz. ol' wash¬ 
ing soda, aa itli a pint of milk, and swallow at 
one draught : then tickle the back of the throat 
Avith a leather or the linger, so as to produce 
vomiting. Afterwards drink freely of hot milk 
and water, and repeat the vomiting, so as to 
thoroughly Avasli out tho stomach. Any quan¬ 
tity of chalk or magnesia may bo taken Avith 
safety, but soda in large quantities is injurious. 
1 may add, also, that the narcotics being 
excepted, milk alone is antidote for almost all 
the poisons, and especially if followed by 
vomiting. 
- - 
Every vital thought isgiveu pleasure in run¬ 
ning, waking, loving, contending, heLping—is 
valor dealing gayly with the homely old forces 
and needs. 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
THE DISCONTENTED SCHOOL-BOY. 
BY SOPHIA C. GARRETT. 
” Oh, Mother! must I go to school to-day 
said James Broayu as he came into the home 
one cold morning. •• I'd give live dollars if I 
could stay at home and skate. The pond is as 
smooth us glass, and it is capital skating- Now, 
mother, say I may have a grand skating time 
this tine AVintry day, won't you ? l’ve gone to 
school so steadily that I’m tired, aud want a day 
to skate and rest my mind. It will make me 
dull to be always at my books, and you know 
father often says that 
• All work and no play 
Makes Jack a dull boy.' 
I’m sure l feel as dull as an owl now, and a few 
runs across the poud would bring me around 
right side up for study very soon.” 
His mother smiled, and said, “ Does not father 
say. also, 
• All plav and no work 
Makes Jack a mere toy?’ ” 
“Well, that may be true enough,” added 
James, “but my skates are rusting, aud I Avaut 
to brighten them to-day.” 
•"Cannot you skate 
Saturday ?” 
“ On Saturdays there are so many 
on the ice that a felloAv does not have 
a fair chance to dash ahead without 
running against some stupid chap 
and tripping him down. Last night 
a few of us boys thought if vve could 
Hay out of school to-day and have a 
grand time skating, we could study 
like judges for a month to come. 
Say, mother, Avhat's the reason you 
and father Avant me to go to school 
every day ? The Woodley boys 
say their folks let them stay at 
home whenever they please, and 
F RANK and Pet er Gr a y often stay 
out to skate. Other boys don’t have 
to get up as early in the morning to 
feed the cattle and sheep, and saw 
Avood, as I do, aud then I go off to 
school when the scholars along the 
way are only at breakfast. I think 
I might play aAvbile before starting 
f or school instead of working at the 
wood. If all the scholars would go 
as early as I, we could have a fine 
play before school begins. But I 
get to the school-house long before 
others come, and that is dull busi¬ 
ness.” 
“Take your new book, your 
Christmas present, with you this 
morning and read in it before school. 
You Avill have a quiet time for read¬ 
ing, and feel as happy as you would 
if others were there to play with 
you. You do not go too early if 
your school commences at 9 o’clock. 
It is a pity your schoolmates come so late, as 
that is disagreeable for the teacher. I am glad 
a on can go in time,” said bis mother, “ and hope 
you will profit by it.” 
” I like school Avell enough, mother, but I 
wish the term Avould close before cold Aveather 
is over, and all the ice thaAved aAvay. I should 
like if it Avas out now, mother. It takes a great 
while before we are done going to school, don't 
it? Hoav nice it would be if people could be 
educated Avnthout going to school year after 
year for ever so long. I \vish some body would 
find out a neAV aativ of getting a great deal of 
learning in a year or two, don’t you. mother?” 
“ That i? an old Avish, James, but there is not 
a more rapid way of getting an education than 
l, y o°i n g 70 school regularly, and getting your 
lessons well. No boy becomes a good scholar 
without liking school and its duties. If you 
allow yourself to feel discontented now, because 
you must go to school, yon will not learn as 
much as if you Avere anxious to go. When 
vacation comes you will become tired of work¬ 
ing at home, and Avish there was school again. 
Your mind will be filled Avith dislike for present 
duties. Thus a habit wi 11 be formed which will 
affect you seriou.?ly in after life. When a man, 
you will be changing from one kind of business 
to another, thinking each new employment will 
suit you better than the last. I will tell you a 
short story to illustrate what 1 have said to you 
about doing our daily duties faithfully and 
cheerfully. 
Do you remember the poor man that stayed 
ah night here three weeks ago, James? In his 
boyhood he was a playmate of your father’s, 
aud had a good opportunity for going to school, 
in autumn, Avhen husking corn, he Avould get 
tired and long for school to commence, iu order 
to get away from Avork. After going part of 
the term, study Avould become irksome, and he 
Avould loug quite as eagerly for vacation. Many 
a day Avas spent by him skating and hunting 
with idle companions, while his parents sup¬ 
posed him to be at the school-house. When 
nineteen years of age he was apprenticed to a 
a carpenter, he having a ta>te for that business. 
He aa':is an ingenious lad, and used to say ’be 
could turn his hand to anything.’ He made 
rapid progress in this noble trade while its 
novelty lasted. When that was gone, he grad¬ 
ually became careless in doing his work. Some¬ 
times, Avhen his employer was absent, he would 
slip ofl to the tavern to see Avhat ay as going on 
there. He saav gentlemen drinking liquor 
there, and thinking it manly to do so, copied 
their example, and thus became addicted to the 
vice of intemperance. 
"He loitered often at a blacksmith shop near 
by, and becoming tired of being a carpenter, 
thought he Avould like to be a blacksmith. His 
fondness for this trade avas of brief duration. 
When summer came. Avith its bright days, he 
said the shop av:vs too hot and noisy to suit him, 
and away he went AAitk kisjishing rod, leaving 
his customers to await his return, or get their 
work done at another shop. Other trades were 
tried, but none avas thoroughly learned. He 
only wanted to work when he felt like it, and 
could get. the highest wages. He rambled from 
place to place, sometimes working a few days, 
aud then spending months in idleness. Totally 
disregarding the present time as the period for 
iaitliful labor, lie has vainly hoped future years 
would open to him ucav avenues for gaining 
Avealtk without toiling for it. You saw him 
three Aveeks ago, av hen he called here and begged 
a night ? lodging. Had he formed good habits 
in youth he might now be enjoying the comforts 
ot a happy home instead [of being a wretched 
wanderer. Now, my boy,-learn from this story 
to be contented to perform your present duty 
cheerfully, and never think of play unless it is 
at the proper time.” 
James, said, "Oh, mother, forgive me fo 
being so foolish! I believe you aud father kno • 
Avliat is best for me, and I will always do as yu 
direct,” and off he run to school Avith a kapiy 
heart. 
Give the hour to folly and you set back the 
dial-hand of destiny; you are so much bdiiud 
your privilege iu every following hour. 
