IwHf*’ 
THE LAMES' NATIONAL COVENANT. 
ADDRESS TO THE WOMEN OF AMERICA.— 
HOME PRODUCTS TO BE ENCOURAGED. 
A meeting of ladies was held at Washington 
recently, lo inaugurate an important National 
movement. It is proper we should give the 
results thereof in this department of the Rural. 
The meeting was composed of the wives of 
members of the Cabinet, and of Senators and 
Representatives, of well-known authoresses, 
women of fashion, mothers who had lost their 
sons, and wives who had lost their husbands. 
There w r as an earnestness and a unison of feel¬ 
ing in this great meeting, which has never been 
exceeded in this land. 
Rev. Dr. McMurdy presided, and Miss Liz¬ 
zie M. Baker was made Secretary. A com¬ 
mittee of seven, consisting of Mrs. Senator 
Lane of Indiana, Mrs. Ann S. Stephens of New 
York, Mrs. Senator Wilson of Massachusetts, 
Mrs. Loau of Missouri. Mrs, Pike of Maine. 
Mrs. S. A. Douglas and Mrs. Ingersoll of the 
District, was appointed to prepare an address to 
the women of America, and report a Constitu¬ 
tion for the proposed organization. 
A committee of five, consisting of Mrs. Spald¬ 
ing of Ohio, Mrs. Wood bridge of Vermont, 
Mrs. Hughes of Indiana, Mrs. Choate of the 
District, and Mrs. Morris of the Navy was ap¬ 
pointed to nominate officers for the society. 
The committee on constitution reported the 
following which was adopted: 
ARTICLES Or ASSOCIATION. 
ARTICLE I —OF THE NAME AND OBJECT. 
Sec. 1. The name of thi* association shall be the 
Ladies’ National Covenant. 
Sec. 2. The object shall be to nnite the women of the 
country in the earnest resolution to purchase no im¬ 
ported articles of apparel where American can possibly 
be substituted during the continuance of the war. 
ART. XI —OF THE OFFICERS. 
Sec. 1. The officers or the National Covenant shall 
be a President, Vice-President, Corresponding and Re¬ 
cording Secretaries, and an Advisory and Organizing 
Committee of two from each Stale and Territory within 
Federal lines. 
Sec. 2. The President shall preside at the meetings of 
the Covenant, and at the meetings of the Executive 
Committe. She shall provide for a]', vacancies in the 
offices. 
Sec. 3. The Vice-President, in the absence or death of 
the President, shall act in her place She shall be a 
member of the Executive Committee, and shall assist 
•the President in her duties at her request. 
Sec. 4. The Corresponding Secretaries shall enlist the 
press in behalf of the objects of the Covenant, and 
correspond with ladies and societies in various parts of 
•the country, in promotion of the purposes of the or¬ 
ganization. 
The number of Corresponding Secretaries shall be 
ten, which number may be augmented at the pleasure 
of the Executive Committee. 
Sec. 5. The Recording Secretaries shall preserve an 
official record of the names and places of residence 
pledged to the Covenant, and perform such other duties 
as are implied in the nature of their office. 
The number of Recording Secretaries shall be two, 
and this number may be increased ut the pleasure or 
the President, 
Sec. 6. The Advisory and Organizing Committee shalj 
consist of two from each State and Territory within 
the Federal lines, which number may be indefinitely 
increased, by the two members from the State or Ter¬ 
ritory, by appointments, at their pleasure, ol persons 
within said State or Territory, fur the purposes of this 
association in the said State or Territory. This Organ¬ 
izing Committee shall report monthly, as far as practi¬ 
cable, to the President of the National Covenant, the 
number of persons pledged, in their respective States, 
to the Covenant, and make such suggestions as they 
may deem expedient to perfect the success of this 
Society. 
Sec. 7. The Executive Committee shall consist of the 
President, Vice-President, and Corresponding and Re¬ 
cording Secretaries. This Committee shall transact all 
business necessary to the purposes of the League. Said 
Committee shall meet at their pleasure, and adopt any 
by-laws for their government not inconsistent with the 
object of the National Covenant. 
Sec. 8. The time and place of the meetings or the 
National Covenant snail be determined by the Presi¬ 
dent, with the advice and consent of the Executive 
Committee. 
ART. III.—OF THE PLEDGE OR COVENANT. 
The Pledge or Covenant shall be as follows:—“ For 
three years, or for the. rear, we pledge ourselves to each 
other and the country, to purchase no imported article of 
i WParel." 
OFFICERS ELECTED. 
President— Mrs. Gen. Jas. Tatlop.. 
Vice-President —Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas. 
Re.c. Secretaries- Mss Rebecca Glllis, Mss Virginia 
Smith. 
Cbr. Secretaries— Mbs. M. Morris, Mrs. B. fe. French, 
Mrs. S. Bowen, Mrs. II. C. Ingersoll, Mrs. Z. Robbins, 
Mrs. Prof. Henry, Mrs, Chittenden, Mrs. Capt. Ridden, 
Miss Williams, Miss Matilda Bates. 
ADDRESS TO THE WOMEN OF AMERICA. 
In the capital of our country we have this 
day organized a central society for the suppres¬ 
sion of extravagance, the diminution of foreign 
imports, and the practice of economy in all our 
social relations. To this society wc have given 
the name of “The LatHas’ National Covenant.” 
Its object is a good and generous one, which 
should inspire a spirit of patriotism worthy of 
women who are the glory of a great nation. 
For this society we have an example and prece¬ 
dent at once august and encouraging. 
In 1770, the women of Massachusetts, actuated 
by the same impulse that inspires us, assembled 
in the City of Boston, as we have met here, and 
resolved to serve the country by an effort of 
self-sacrifice far greater than we are called upon 
to make. 
On the Oth of February, 300' matrons, each 
the mistress of a household, met as wc do now, 
and signed a pledge to abstain from the use of 
tea, the greatest luxury of the time, und the 
very life of all the social gatherings for which 
our New-Eugland ancestors were 80 famous. 
Three days after, twice that, number of bloom¬ 
ing young girls met in the same place and signed 
like pledges. From that brave assemblage of 
women non-importation societies sprang up, that 
produced an effect upon the mother country al¬ 
most equal to that created by the success of our 
revolutionary armies. During all the terrors of 
the war those noble women held firmly to their 
pledges, and by their earnestness awoke the sym¬ 
pathy and co-operation of every sister colony in 
the land. The spirit thus aroused extended it¬ 
self to imported goods of all kinds, and every 
hearthstone was turned into an independent 
manufactory. Thus it was that the flax-wheel, 
the hatchel, and the hand-loom became sublime 
instruments of freedom in the hands of Ameri¬ 
can women. The house mothers of ’76 not only 
kept their pledge of non-importation, but with 
their own hands wrought from the raw material 
the garments which clothed themselves, their 
husbands, and children. The pledge which 
they took and kept so faithfully evoked not only 
great self-sacrifice, but hank liani toil, such as 
tlie women of the present day scarcely dream 
of. nad they not endured and labored while 
their husbands fought, we should have had no 
mighty Union to pray and struggle for now. 
•We, the women of 'fit, have the same object 
to attain and the same duties to perform which 
were so nobly accomplished by the women of 
’76. Shall we not follow their example, and 
take up cheerfully the lesser burdens that the 
welfare of our country demands? They gave 
up the very comforts of life without a murmur; 
can we refuse when a sacrifice of feminine vani¬ 
ty is alone required? Can we hesitate to yield 
up luxuries that are so unbecoming when the 
very earth trembles under our feet from the 
tread of armed men going down to battle, and 
almost every roof throughout the land shelters 
some mother lamenting the. son who has fallen 
gloriously with his face to the foe, or a widow 
whose husband lies buried 60 deeply among the 
masses of slain heroes, that she will never learn 
where to seek for his grave ? 
When the wife of a great prince, whose hus¬ 
band was absent at the siege of Troy, was urged 
by her friends to put on her royal robes and be 
cheerful, she answered:—“ My husband is under 
the walls of Troy: shall T adorn my hair while 
he wears a helmet? Shall 1 dress in new robes 
while he carries arms? No! my raiment shall 
be like his hard labors, and in sadness will I pass 
the time of this mournful war.” 
Patriotism is beautiful in all eyes, and was 
shared alike by the lady of classic story and the 
mother of the Revolution, clad in her homespun 
dress and steadily performing more than house¬ 
hold duties. Compare the spirit of these women 
with the reckless extravagance which has mark¬ 
ed the duration of this terrible struggle for the 
Union, and the contrast is indeed humiliating. 
Still the women of America are not unworthy 
of their ancestors. Thoughtless they may be, 
and luxuriously extravagant from long habits of 
prosperity, but cruel ami Unjust never! Appeal 
to their reason and gentle feelings, and the wo¬ 
men of this day will prove themselves capable 
of as noble deeds as ever marked the struggles 
of the Revolution. Convince them of the evils 
their thoughtlessness is producing, and the 
remedy is certain. 
It has not been sufficiently impressed upon 
them that the encouragement of extravagant 
importations is injurious to the public good. To 
impress this vital truth upon the women of the 
Union, we have entered into this solemn cov¬ 
enant, not only pledging ourselves to a general 
system of economy in our persons, but holding 
it as a duty to impress upon others how unwo¬ 
manly it is to make outward display a para¬ 
mount subject of thought, when the nation is in 
the throes of a Rebellion, such as the world 
never saw. Gathered here in the center of the 
nation, a handful of women, intent on a siugle 
object, anxious only for the good of the country, 
we appeal to the patriotism and intelligence of 
our sister womc-n throughout the length and 
breadth of the land. Let it be well understood 
that every ounce of gold that goes from the 
country det racts from the pay of the soldier that 
is fighting for our salvation, and diminishes the 
wages of our sister-women who toil for their 
bread into a miserable pittance that scarcely 
suffices to keep them from starvation. The 
precious metal that flows from this country to 
Europe for the luxuries we do not ueed increases 
the price of gold here, depreciates the value of 
our national currency, and helps to sweep the 
necessaries of life beyond the reach of the work¬ 
ing man. 
It is a painful truth, for which we shall yet 
learn lo blush, that the importations of the most 
expensive goons manufactured in Europe have 
been far greater during the war than at any time 
in the history of our country. The Importa¬ 
tions lust week at the New York Custom House 
alone amounted to $5,000,000, and all that week 
—which will yet find its ignoble record in his¬ 
tory— the streets of Washington were blocked 
up with weary soldiers, marching through mud, 
ruin, or dust, down to the Army of the Potomac, 
which now lies with bated courage waiting for 
the carnival of death, which is almost flinging 
Its crimson shadow over us. 
For the good of our country and the honor of 
mu sex, let us redeem ourselves from this re. 
proach of wanton extravagance. Let ua prove 
by cheerful retrenchment, that the women of 
the country are not so wedded to luxurious self- 
indulgence that they can not fill a glorious j.age 
in the history of this war, and yot retain all that 
is retiring and beaut iful in womanhood. In all 
humane works they have proved themselves 
Charitable, kind and munificent. Let these 
comprehend that self-abnegation will accomplish 
more than works of charity, and they will not 
be less earnest to sacrifice than they have been 
to act. 
It must not be said of us that we have been 
willing to give up our husbands, sons und broth¬ 
ers to light or die for the Union, and yet re¬ 
fuse to renounce our laces, silks, velvets and 
diamonds. That thought would cover us with 
shame before the nations of the earth. No! our 
women of the Union only lack knowledge of the 
means by which they can prove themselves true 
help-mates of the heroes who are lighting our 
battles. 
Impress it upon them that in discouraging ex¬ 
cessive importations and adopting goods manu¬ 
factured at home they keep gold iu the country, 
reduce the rates of exchange, and establish con¬ 
fidence in the Government, and t hey will prove 
how far patriotism can rise above feminine van- 
ily in the hearts of American women. 
Iu order to invoke this spirit of self-sacrifice, 
it is important that the great object of the cov¬ 
enant. we have made should be broadly circulated 
and thoroughly understood. It discourages 
profligate expenditures of any kind, recom¬ 
mends the use of domestic fabrics wherever 
they can be substituted for those of foreign 
make, and advises simplicity of attire, both as a 
matter of policy aud good taste. It asks the 
great sisterhood of American women to aid in 
this reform before it is too late. Thank God! 
science has given us the means of reaching thou¬ 
sands on thousands in a single hour. While we 
make this covenant, the thought that thrills our 
hearts may tremble in fire along the telegraph, 
and awake kindred inspiration throughout the 
entire land. By every means of communication 
in our power, let us urge the necessity of prompt 
action. In every town and village throughout 
the Union, some woman who loves her country 
is implored to establish au auxiliary society and 
forward the names of the ladies invited to act 
for the State in which her duty lies. We ask 
simultaneous action, earnest work, and generous 
self-sacrifice at the hands 0/ our sister women. 
With their ardent help, a work will be accom¬ 
plished bo important in its results, that the wo¬ 
man who shares in it may, hereafter, leave the 
emblem of our object as the richest jewel that 
she can leave lo posterity. 
ADVISORY AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEES. 
Maine —Mrs. Vke Prcsldeui Hamlin, Bangor; Mr- 
Senator Lott M Morrill, AngaMa; Mis. Representative 
Sweat, Portland ; Mrs Representative Pike, Calais; 
Mr,. Representative Blaine, Augusta; Mrs. John A. 
Rice. Foxerofl. 
New 1/ampr.hire -Mrs. Senator Hale, Dover; Mrs. 
Senator Clark, Manchester; Mrs. Representative Rol¬ 
lins, Concord- 
Vermont —Mrs. Senator Foote, Hittland; Mrs. Rep¬ 
resentative Baxter, Derby Line; Mrs Representative 
Wuodbridge, Vergcunes; Mrs. Representative Morrill, 
Stratford 
Massachusetts.— Mrs. Senator Wilson, Natick; Mrs. 
Mai. Geti Bailer, Lowell; Mr- Harrison Gray Oils. 
Boston; Mrs Representative Eliot, New Bedford; Mrs 
Gen Lander, Lvnn; Mrs. Representative Amea, North 
Easton. Mrs. Alley, Lynn. 
Rhot.tr Island. —Mrs. Representative Jenckes, Provi¬ 
dence. 
Orninrcticui —Mrs. Senator Dixon, Hartford; Mrs. 
Senator Foster, Norwich; Mrs L. 11 Sigourney, Hart¬ 
ford, Mrs Representative English, New-Havcn. 
New York — Mrs. Ex President Fillmore, Buffalo; 
Mi- Senator Harus, Albany, Mrs Senator Morgan, 
New York Citv. Mrs Gov. Seymour, Albany; Mis 
Anna > Stephens, New York City; Mm Repreeeutu 
t;\e St**bbins. New \ urk City! Mis. Gen. McClellan, 
Kew Yot a City; Mrs. Gen. Proliant, Now York Oily. 
New Jersey. —Mrs. Sett n tor Tut Eyck, Mount Holly; 
Mrs. Senator Wright, Newark 
Frwwsiifvaaio.—M ia Senator Buckalew, Bloomsbury; 
Mrs J \V Fimey, Philadelphia; Mrs Bishop Potior, 
i’ lilailelpbia; Mrs. S. J. ilnle. Philadelphia; Mis Judge 
Kelley. Philadelphia . Mis- Senator Cowan, Greens 
burgh; Mrs. RepresentativeMoorhend, Pittsburg; Mrs. 
Bliss, Ene; Mrs. BroomaU, Media 
Xteteunwr.—M» Rcprt&entattve Smithcre, Dover. 
Maryland. —Mrs, Senator Johnson, Baltimore; Mrs. 
Representative Davis, Baltimore; Mrs. Representative 
Thomas, Fronksville, 
Virginia. —Mm. Judge Underwood, Alexandria. 
Ohio. —Mrs. Senator Wade, Jefferson; Mrs. Senator 
Sherman, Mansfield; Mis. Governor Brough, Colnni 
bun, Mrs. Judge Stoner, Cincinnati; Mr-. Platt, Ctn- 
i nuaU; Mrs. llepfc-entalive Cox. Columbus: Mrs. 
ISepiest taltw Garfield, Hiram; Mrs Representative 
Schcurh, Dayton; Mrs Bi-hop Mcllvartc, Cirudiiiniti; 
Mi's. Representative Spalding, Cleveland 
Kentucky- —Mrs. Governor Bruuleitq, Frankfort; 
Mrs. Joshua Bell- Danville; Mro. danutorDavis, Paris; 
Mrs. Representative Smith. Covington; Mis. liupre 
Tentative Teaman, Owensboro. 
Indiana —Mrs. Senator Lane Crtwfordsville; Mrs. 
Senator Ilendrlcks, Indianapolis; Mrs. Gov. Molten, 
Indianapolis; Mrs McKee Dunn, Madison; Mrs. Rep¬ 
resentative Orth, Lafayette; Mrs- Judge McCullough, 
Fort Wnyne. 
Illinois. — Mrs. Senator Trumbull, Chicago; Mrs. 
Gov. Yates, Springfield; Mrs. Gem. Grunt, Galena,Mts. 
Representative Arnold, ChiCago ; Mis. Representa¬ 
tive Woshburnc, Galena; Mrs. Representative biuurl, 
Springfield. 
Missouri. —Mrs. Senator Brown, St. Loms, Mrs Rep¬ 
resentative Blow. St- Louts; Mrs. Representative Loan, 
St Joseph, Mrs Representative Knox, St. Louts; 
Mrs Representative Loyd, Springfield; Mrs. Judge 
Wclla, Jefferson City. 
Michigan.— Mis Senator Chandler, Detroit. Mrs. 
Senator Howard, Detroit Mrs. Representative Kellogg, 
Grand Rapids, Mrs. Representative Baldwin, Pontiac. 
louia- — Mrs. Senator Harhm, Ml. Pleasant; Mrs. 
Senator Grimes, Burlington; Mrs RepresentativeKaa- 
son, Des Moines; Mrs Judge Miller, Keokuk. 
Wisconsin. — Mrs. Senator Doolittle, ltacine: Mrs. 
Scnalor Howe, Green Bay; Mrs. Governor Lewis, 
Madison. 
California. —Mrs. Senator Mc.Doiigull. Sau Francisco; 
Mrs. Senator Ouuncsa, Sacramento; Mrs. Ex-Senator 
Latham, San Prune!r-co- 
Minnesota.—hire. Senator Ramsay, St. Paul; Mrs. 
Senator Wilkinson, Mankato, Mrs. Representative 
Dotiuelly, Minneapolis; Mrs. Representative Wiudom, 
Winona. 
Oregon .— Mrs. Senator Nesmith, Salem; Mrs. Sena¬ 
tor Hiirdiug, Salem. 
Xanscn —Mrs- Senator Lane, Lawrence; Mis. GeD. 
Kearney, Leavenworth; Mrs. Armstrong. 
Wert Virgina. —Mr»- Senator Willey, Morgantown; 
Mrs. Representative Brown, Kings wood. 
Nebraska.— Mrs. Representative Daily, Peru. 
Colorado. —Mrs. Gov Evan*, Denver; Mrs Gen 
Slough, Denver; Mrs. Repje.-ehtatlve Bennett, Denver. 
Dakota.— Mrs. Representative .Jayne. 
Idaho — iAn. Representative Wallace. 
RESOLUTIONS, 
On motion of Mrs, Ann ts. Stephens, it was 
resolved that the badge of the National Covenant 
shall be a black bee, with wings enameled, ac¬ 
cording to nature, worn with :t tri-color ribbon, 
a little in front of the left shoulder. 
On motion of Mrs. Ingersoll, it was 
Resolvd, That while, us the wivus and daughters und 
women ol America, we are ready and determined to 
practice self-denial fur the benefit of the country and 
our bcx. wc. earnestly request tbc men of America also 
iu abstain from the use of imported articles, especially 
wlr.es, liquors, and Cigars. 
On motion of Mrs. Morris, it was 
Resolved, Thai the women in the nation, sympathi¬ 
zing with the great object of this society, be and hereby 
ure”fnvited to copy the Covenant, record their own 
name-* thereto, and obtaining us many signatures as 
possible, forward the number (not the names) so ob 
tinned to the Committee of I heir State. 
Where love has once obtained influence, any 
seasoning, I believe, will please.— Plautus. 
Written fur Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
A WELCOME TO MAY. 
nitna’s a welcome, lovely May, 
Coining on this vernal day 
From the South land, Tar away. 
Welcome, with thy radiance fair, 
With thy soft and balmy air 
Breathing fragrance everywhere. 
Childhood glad, and Patriarch old, 
Matron grave, and Manhood bold, 
Proffer welcome myriad fold. 
Not alone the words of men % 
Welcome thee to us again; 
List, the voices in the glen 
Song-birds with melodious humming, 
Aud the pheasant loudly drumming, 
Join lo celebrate tby coming. 
Earth, and sky, and surging sea, 
Rolling ever, rolling free— 
AU unite to welcome thee. 
Now 1 closo my humhle lay, 
Singing, in a friendly way, 
Thou an welcome lovely May. 
Ann Arbor, Mich., May, 1864. N. m. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
SOILED PAGES. 
There are a dozen books in our library, 
which, if you take down with a careless hand, 
will fall open at some page containing a favorite 
thought or piece. Aud there you will notice 
the leaf—or leaves, for there may be many such 
places in some volumes—is marked and soiled, 
as if by the tender tread of loving tiugerb over 
the page. These leaves, soiled by the frequent 
perusal, are found iu volumes of all norts and 
hizes; but mostly in those books that you can 
hold in your hand, that you can put in your 
pocket, that can ride up the mountain with you, 
go with you into the woods and along the 
meadow brooks,—such as you take out to walk 
with you, when the day itself seems but a min¬ 
iature edition of summer, done up in the “ blue 
and gold” of the &ky and sunshiue. 
These are the books that nestle so cozily in 
the grass, as you lie in the shadow of the old 
oak by the hillside, and translate the storied 
scene from the sweet poet's pages to the green 
valley below, and let your thoughts float off on 
the shadows of the clouds, while 
<< Jnuo comes with her roses your shoulder to look 
over, „ „ , „ 
And breezes arc turning each leaf of your hook over. 
There is Spenser, aud that sweet page where 
Una fair shines in a flood of light among the 
checkered shadows of the tree; and there is 
Suakspkahk, and that is full of soiled leaves, 
where all the graces of that master mind flowed 
forth in one sweet speech. There are soiled 
leaves in By RON and Bryant, Wordsworth 
and Whittier, and you know not where to 
stop if you begin to enumerate. Our poets are 
full of them, and so are Irving, and Dickens, 
and Bronte, and those rich classics which we 
have turned over a hundred times, and always 
to the same beautiful stories. Sir Thomas 
Browne, The Arabian Nights, the immortal 
Vicar, Rassolaa, Robinson Crusoe! What visions 
of soiled pages do these names call Up, and 
words that seemed to drop in through our eyes, 
and fall iu golden syllables on our hearts. 
Then there are other books that do not show 
themselves in the library, that have soiled 
pages—aye, leaves where tear-marks may be 
seen, and line, delicate pencil marks that had a 
meaning once, when feet, that walk the earth 
no more, made footsteps "mong the daisies. 
The Hymn Book falls open with soiled leaves, 
hearing comfort, as wc sing, with tears in our 
eyes, and a vision of what we hoped heaven 
would be, slowly uulolding itself to our inmost 
thought: 
“ There shall no tempests blow, 
No scorching, noontide heat; 
There shall be no more snow, 
No weary, wandering feet;’’ 
And we turn to find other pages, full of poetry 
and promise, beauty aud blessing. We find 
soiled leaves at every favorite hymn, and think 
—as we remember how a fair, white hand used 
to hold the pages open with ours, aud a bird¬ 
like voice that went up to the choirs above, one 
fall when the forest leaves were red and yel¬ 
low— that to one has been fulfilled the promise, 
that 
“ Thoushalt walk in pure, white light, 
With kiugs and priest-* abroad; 
And thou snail summer high iu bliss, 
Upon the hills ol God.’’ 
So we shut the hymn book, and lay it on the 
music book, itself full of soiled leaves, whose 
pencilllngs call up warm Sunday afternoons iu 
the little church, where sleepiness held sway 
inside, and sunshine outside, and music spread 
its bencdlclte on the air, while our hearts went 
up to the throne of our Father in prayer. 
But no book has so many soiled pages as the 
Bible, the great one that our grandfather used 
to read, und t he one that used to charm us so 
with its pictures, while our hearts grew great 
with wonder as he t.old of the better land. Our 
mother’s Bible is full of soiled leaves, and a 
prayer seems folded down in each leal. The 
w arm, soft hand on our boyish brow lias left its 
gentle pressure there still, and the same hand 
has traced these lines, and sought strength, and 
counsel, and comfort, from GOD’H own book. 
And here, where a soft lock of dark brown 
hair, with just the least wavy gleam of sunshine 
in it, falls out, we read, “Buffer little children 
to come unto me,” and anon the leaf flutters 
over, and our eye sees the words, ‘"Blessed me 
the pure iu heart;” while we think of the child 
whose brow wore that curl In the years agone. 
ii There is no flock, however watched and tended, 
But one dead lamb is there; 
Thera Is m> fireside, howeooYr defended, 
But hath one vacant chair.’’ 
We open to the psalm beginning, “The Lord 
is my shepherd,” and again the low, soft tones 
of our mother call to us from the shadows of 
other years, and the white walls of jasper and 
the shining doors gleam above the dark valley, 
as wo hear her say. “Though 1 walk through the 
valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no 
evil, for Ibou art with me, thy rod and thy staff 
they comfort me.” The beatitudes arc soiled 
pages, and where comfort, is found, finger tracks 
have been made, and tearful eyes have looked 
for hope. 
Our own Bible has its pages dimmed by use, 
and falls opeu at the ninety-first psalm, as if on 
purpose to assure us that “no evil shall befall 
us.” Then, too, there are glorious promises 
from llim that is Alpha and Omega, that we 
may dwell in the city where is no night, and 
which hath no need of the sun nor the moon, 
for the Lord God is the light thereof. There 
is one page that lias the marks of tears, as well 
as the traces of fingers, and we think how we 
have stood by the open grave as the last sad 
words of the service were said, and felt how 
the silver cord of our friendship had been 
loosed, the golden bowl full of the wine of life 
had been broken, the pitcher at the fountain, 
the wheel at the cistern, and the spirit had re¬ 
turned unto GOD who gave it, and left us thirst¬ 
ing for human love. There is a lock of hair in 
our Bible that has a golden flash in its silky 
braid; 
“ But this long, waving, silken curl; 
Al>, this you must uot share; 
You never’knew the uugel girl, 
That gave tins golden hair; 
My beautiful, inv blessed one; 
And she, too. passed away; 
I tried to sav • Toy will be done,’ 
But it was haul to say.” 
After the soiled loaf that bears the text that 
says so sweetly, “God is love.” and, “He that 
loveth is born of God,” the book falls open 
where a little stream of blue ribbon winds 
through the page, soiled by frequent finger¬ 
marks, where the apostle speaks of love in its 
name of charity: that love that is the perfection 
of life, that love that bearcth all things, hopeth 
all things emlureth all tilings, and never faileth 
in this life or the next. O, divine eulogy on the 
only GOD-1 ike portion of man's nature, bond of 
hearts in time and eternity, that makes Edens 
iu our desert, and heaven in this vale of tears! 
“ Strong Son of God, immortal Love, 
Whom we that have not seen thy face, 
By faith, and faith alone, embrace," 
Teach our hearts with thy wisdom, and fill us 
with thy love. When in life we feel that 
“ Silence, against which we dare not cry, 
Aches round ns like a strong disease and new, 
Come Thou, sufficient Christ, and fill the void.” 
Not alone in books are there soiled pages; 
there are teaves iu Memory’s sheaf that are 
worn with the footprints of our thoughts, springs 
of love where we wander back to drink sweet 
draughts, and feel the same old thrill that used 
to warm our youthful hearts, from the commu¬ 
nion of loyed scenes and dear lost forms. 
“ Spots amid the storms 
Of life, to which return the wearied soul, 
When baffied, driven backward from it« goal.” 
Lovingly do we trace hack on these soiled pages 
the names of all we loved, aud read them 
through tho mist of tears; 
“ And we almost hear through the turbulent roar, 
Hwcct voices wc heard in tue days gone before,” 
But. never more to welcome us till the crystal 
gateway shall open to our souls. 
All through our fields and forests, our moun¬ 
tains and valleys, are soiled pages of Earth’s 
broad volume— 
** Spots which love hath hallowed with its forms 
• Of holy beauty,” 
Where the sunset shadows call up ever-remem¬ 
bered faces, and the crystal laughter, the tender 
words, the silent stir, the breathing hush, the 
gentle footfall of the departed, are with us. 
Gentle eyes look lovingly down upon us from 
the stars, golden tresses float on the evening 
air, spirit hands clasp ours, and the soiled pages 
of life’s book are glorified iu the light of love. 
Aisach. 
OUR CONTEST. 
We would uot for a moment undervalue the 
great cause iu which we are now fighting, nor 
will history forget to store it among her choicest 
philosophies; but we mean to say that there 
will always attach a transcendent interest in our 
military history. Considered apart from this, 
the peninsular campaign, with its cliequetcd 
fortunes, will be a great study for all iuture 
ages. Tho siege of Vicksburg will challenge 
the admiration of men as a military feat, when 
Ciudad Rodrigo and Budajos are forgotten. The 
capture Of Fort Wagner and the. doleful sounds 
of the “Swamp Angel,” throwing fire and con¬ 
sternation Into Charleston, mark au epoch in tin 
history of war. Gettysburg is greater than 
Waterloo, iu action and result; aud the brilliant 
movements at Chattanooga give new lessons 
both in strategy and tactics. To have partici¬ 
pated in these is great glory, now and forever, 
aud when peace comes, there will be no greater 
claim to place, power and renown than for a 
man to be able to say, “ I Was in the Army of 
the Potomac;” “I was with Grant at Chatta¬ 
nooga;” “ I was with Gill more at Charleston;" 
and there is glory enough for all. There neu! 
be no envy, no fear, no bickering. Imptirtial 
history will do justice to all, aud that justice 
will be great aud enduring glory.—Army ana 
Navy Journal. 
The records of life run thus:—Man creeps into 
childhood; bounds into youth; sobers into man¬ 
hood; softens iftto ago; totters into second child¬ 
hood, and stumbles iuto the cradle prepared toi 
him. 
. — -" — - 
Joking.— Never risk a joke, even the leaM 
offensive in its nature, and the most common, 
with a person who is not well bred, aud P'* 
sussed of sense to comprehend it. 
