♦ 
THE BLUE RIBBON; 
HURAL LIFE AND LOVE 
rCoaclnded from pa-^r 313, this No.] 
Those few days in which John Everdale stood 
side by side with Helen Darrell at the couch of 
the sick and dying had been days of deep suffer¬ 
ing as well as of cheerful work for God and man. 
The old struggle in his heart was aroused injten- 
fold strength by the sight of her noble and un¬ 
tiring ministry—the very toneh of her hand 
and sound of her voice had power to tkrill^him 
to the very depths of his nature, 
A sudden summons to the sick bed [of her 
father’s only sister took Helen from her self- 
imposed task, and she left Shelbyville on the 
evening before Dr. Lashley, refreshed^ and in¬ 
vigorated, came back to his “ work.” 
Helen herself returned in October, on the first 
day of the County Agricultural Fair at, Shelby¬ 
ville. If any one of her accomplishmpute could 
take precedence of another iu her fbther’s eyes 
it was her daring and graceful horsemanship, 
and to please him she consented, year by year, 
to enter the list of lady-riders on the closing 
day of the Fair. 
“I am afraid Wisp wilt be iu poor training, 
papa,” said Helen, as they sat together in the 
porch, on the evening of her arrival at home. 
“ And, by-the-way, have you found a mate for 
Racer yet?” 
“No, unless John Everdale should sell me 
that gray of his. John is goiug to sell out his 
farm and leave—did I tell you ? And sorry I 
am for St, too. There he is now ! I’ll call him 
in and ask him about the gray.” 
Between the gate and the house John'Ever- 
dale steeled his nerves to meet Helen calmly 
and achieved a brave success. If he had been 
less preoccupied with his own emotions he 
might have noticed an unaccustomed tremor 
in her voice. 
“ So you are going away, Johu ?” she said, as 
her father went indoors for a moment. 
“ Yes, I am talking of it,” he answered. " I 
hear that a real city is being laid out at last on 
my Western—I had almost said my Spanish 
estates,” he added, with a laugh that tried to 
be cheery, “ aud who knows of the fortune that 
may be stored for me in corner-lots'? At any 
rate I’m going to look after my own interests 
on the ground." 
“ Why do you go away ?” 
He looked at her with all the hungry, hope¬ 
less yearning of his soul in his eyes. Sure 
enough! Why did he go away)? Could he 
breathe the same air she breathed—be warmed 
iu the same light that shone upon hor, andjyet— 
Dr. Lashley’s chaise stopped at the gate. 
“Helen Harrell,” said John, with a white 
heat smothered In his eyes, and the veins knot¬ 
ted on his forehead as if in some mortal pang, 
“I cauuot — dure not stay!” 
It was not Dr. Lashley, but'youug Harris who 
handed to Helen a note and a little packet, and 
then drove away again. 
“ What is it, Nell dear?” said Square Darrell, 
coming out. 
“ Ouly a note from Dr. Lashley,” 
Helen, speaking rapidly. “ 
heard that I am at home; would call to-night, 
but is sent for suddenly; will be at the Fair 
Grounds to-morrow, and hopes to Bee me wear 
the scarlet ribbon he sends me —his favorite 
color!” Then turning, with a quick lowering 
of her voice, she said, “What is your color, 
Johu?” 
It seemed a cruel taunt, but all John’s man¬ 
liness aud sedf-respect came to his aid as he 
answered, with a smile, “True-blue, Miss 
Helen!” 
The next morning dawned without a cloud. 
From far and near the country people crowded 
to the Fair Grounds. A great throng surged iu 
and about the gayly-decorated booths, aud in 
the cattle-yard the farmers were discussing the 
relative merits of Durham aud Devonshire, Old 
English and Merino. At last the hour appoint¬ 
ed for the riding arrived. The crowd arranged 
itself as best it might, surrouudiDg the course, 
and the judges took their places on the stand, 
John Everdale looked on wearily from a dis¬ 
tance 03 the dash commenced. Nearer and 
nearer came the graceful riders—a little girl 
in a green habit and plumed jockey taking the 
lead; hut just as they passed him, rounding 
the curve, the gray Arab, Wisp, shot ahead with 
Helen Darrell. John’s heart gave a wild leap 
and stood still; but it was not the match¬ 
less face, flushed and eager, that had thrilled 
him so. He had scarcely glanced at the slen¬ 
der figure holding Its seat in the saddle with 
a pliant firmness wonderful to see. There, 
streaming backward from her throat, a single 
dash of color on the black background of her 
riding-habit—not Dr. Lashley’s scarlet token, 
but a ribbon that might have stolen its azure from 
some star-eyed violet in summer meadows. 
When Dr. Lashley made his way through the 
crowd, mounted on his handsome black, and 
laid his hand with ill-concealed vexation ou 
Helen’s embroidered bridle-reins —the prize of 
the day’s success—she bowed her thanks, but 
said:—“I have another escort, Dr. Lashley!” 
aud so rode out from the inclosure with John 
Everdale at her side. 
Not a word was spoken; but, as if by instinct, 
they turned aside into a more unfrequented way, 
and as the trees of the grove shut out all curious 
glances behind them, they turned aud looked 
into each other's eyes. 
“ I love you, Helen! it is all I can do,” said 
John Everdale, simply. 
A bright blush spread over Helen Darrell’s 
upturned face. She touched Wisp quickly with 
her riding-whip, and as Johu looked after her 
wonderingly, backward on the breeze came the 
refrain of an old ballad : 
“ 1 And I’ve no heart to give him, 
For he has it now I’” 
[Harper's WeeUy. 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
LITTLE CHILDREN LOVE THE SAVIOUR, 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker, 
LOUNGINGS — No. I. 
Little children love the Saviour! 
Love His words, and keep them too, 
Once he lived ’mid earthly sorrows, 
He was once a child like you. 
Think of all His love and meekness,— 
Rage His bosom never stirred; 
Words of anger and contention 
From his lips were never hoard. 
Now lie reigns above in glory, 
Whore no grief uor pain may ho, 
But His gentle voice still pleadoth— 
• “ Little children come to me.” 
Porter, N. Y., 1367. a 
LOOKING EASTWARD. 
Holiday-time again! And, sehool-boy like, 
a hat is high in air, and a long sigh of'relief 
springs into existence. Tbegyear has beguujto 
robe herself ill soberer garb, when once more I 
put aside the old desk and its surroundings. To 
brush away a few of the cob-webs of this round 
of days — to “make believe a great deal,” and 
think it does just as well as the reality—to grow 
out of servitude into ordering myself—to catch 
the bright fancies which respite whispers arc all 
round me, aud butterfly-like, will be hovering 
over my path — all these, aud more, shall bo at¬ 
tempted, and —well — the way is not long to 
the great Depot. 
It takes some time to get fixed—and just a 
little way oil', in the other train, I sec a wedding 
party of Mends setting off on their journey—of 
pleasure aud of life together. In the quiet 
thought of a friendly heart, although not always 
externally real, do we 
“ Hear the mellow wedding bells — 
Golden bells I 
What a world oT happiness their harmony foretells !” 
and we waft a “ Good apoed ” to these two, who 
have clasped each other’s hands, and looked into 
each other’s faces, and felt in their souls, 
“ Where thou goest, l will go —for ever. Amen. 
And as God Uveth, not even death shall hence¬ 
forth part thee and me." 
A world of happiness!— Ah, what will be the 
soundiug of the bridal bells in their years to 
come —will they grow jangled with the harsh¬ 
ness of discordance, or still keep time and tune 
to the heart-music that is cbordiug within? 
— I do not know whether I should have 
cared to visit the Virtuoso’s Collection, which 
Hawthorne has so quaintly described. If by 
chance. I had strayed in, where the Lost Man 
kept, the door, and Salathiel exhibited the 
strange wonders, I think I should have hesi¬ 
tated, even as did the dead Story-Teller, to have 
looked into the magic glass which imaged each 
one’s to-morrow. For we need no long looks 
ahead to fit us for the betternees boyoud. We 
should take our lives as they come, waiting for 
the end in humble hope,—not trespass over the 
stile to Doubting Castle, where wo must keep 
peering iuto looking-glasses till we go mad. We 
forget that our futures look always backward, 
and think the mask they wear to bo their own 
face, till midnight comes, when the spell is 
broken, and we see the countenance which the 
shadow had hidden. 
And so when we sit looking toward sunset, it 
is with expectation and disappointment, with 
doubt and trustfulness, our moods changing 
with the hues and the blendings of the sun’s 
declining path, which no poet’s pen, no painter’s 
pencil, can image for us. More splendid, more 
answered* stately, more kindly in his departure than at his 
He has but just coming, the kiug of day seems whispering to 
desponding hearts of the bright to-morrows he 
will bring, soothing with hope of existence that 
never is, but always shall be. 
But our faces are set Eastward to-day—this 
mellow day of September remembrance—a few 
of us throwu together for a dozen or so rail- 
hours’ ride. The others are in pursuit of their 
business —I have left all mine behind. The 
others are expecting the hurry and bustle of 
traffic — 1, Id the rest of quietness, am expect¬ 
ing nothing — save to meet a friend or two — to 
drift In and out, of one or two great cities, one 
or two loving homes—one or two of nature’s 
audience-halls. 
My fellow-travelers are tolkiug politics —dis¬ 
cussing the fate of the finances, arguing that the 
last news from the other side of the world, (a 
considerable of which reaches us before the 
events take place —In point of time—) is unfa¬ 
vorable for a long couliuuanee of present rela¬ 
tions, and, my dear sir, if not, what then? So 
their drone grows fainter, and through the 
shadow of nature I look out far beyond — even 
to where is no twilight, but perfect day,—no 
autumn, but beautiful summer,— no sorrow, 
but quiet happiness — for ever and ever — to 
them that shall overcome. And twilight deep¬ 
ens, aud the night's sentinels, one by one, take 
their station on the parapets of heaven, guard¬ 
ing the way we know not now, but trust we 
Bhall know hereafter. 
We all feel drowsy and “turn iu.” A sleep¬ 
ing car is a very comforting institution. If one 
cannot wholly forget himself, he can rest and 
doze, aad feel better fitted for another day, than 
if he had been where he must needs keep com- 
l>aoy all night with Forty-Winks and his 
friends, embraced by wooden arms, and embrac¬ 
ing wooden backs. The night may be long — 
but thought aud quiet draw round the curtains, 
and we go “through without change of cars,” 
over the great Hudson Bridge, and down be¬ 
tween the North River and the high hills, that 
with the first streaks of dawn, seem looklug at 
us in snpremest unconsciousness. 
Traveling is apt to show all sorts of qualities. 
It is hard to be always even-tempered, especially 
when jarred iu the car, tossed iu the steamboat, 
jolted in the stage, day after day. Yet why 
should the citadel be left ungarded, save when 
the inclination takes us to watch,— for it is ever 
in hours that we think not that the eneinv 
ORIGIN AND SEALS OF 'THE STATES, 
something over eighteen thousand,—of which 
about three hundred are “Gentiles,” and all 
others “Saints,” (Mormons.) Two dally papers 
minister to Its edification; one—“ The Videttc ” 
—representing the former sect, and the other— 
“ The Telegraph”—being in the Interest of the 
latter. Beside these there 13 a weekly journal 
which is the organ properof the Mormon Church. 
The city is pleasantly situated, and is laid out 
with much regularity. All the streets arc wa¬ 
tered by little rills, one on each side—a feature 
peculiarly uovel and attractive. 
In a former number of the Rural we gave a 
portrait of Briouim Young, the famous Mor¬ 
mon leader, and an illustration of his residence 
aud grounds. We now give a representation of 
a portion of the city wherein Mormouism holds 
high carnival. 
Salt Lake Is naturally a place of considerable 
importance. It is the center from which a large 
section of Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and 
Colorado radiates, and bids fair to continue, as 
at present, the largest city between 8t. Louis 
and San Francisco. Its population numbers 
NUMBER TWELVE 
THE SEAL OP CALIFORNIA. 
California — the “Golden State”—was pro¬ 
claimed United States Territory iu 184fl].by 
Commodore Stockton, who wrested tho’thon 
capital, Los Angelos, from the Mexicans. I 11 
1850 it was admitted Into the Unlou as a State. 
It has an area of 15.5,500 square miles, or 99,520,- 
000 acres. Of this, 11,023,400 acres are lit for 
cultivation. According to the latest census the 
population numbers nearly 000,000. Almost 
every nationality is represented. The State is 
wonderfully prolific lu mineral and agricultural 
products. The soil in the valleys Is tuiusuully 
rich, and corn, potatoes, and nearly every variety 
of grain yields abundantly. Fruit — especially 
grapes — is much cultivated. The climate, 
though variable, is peculiarly fine throughout 
much of the State. No other couutry has so 
cool summers and so warm winters. Earth¬ 
quakes are quite frequent, but do little damage, 
being light. 
The motto ou the seat was well chosen. “1 
have found it,” is its signification, and as nearly 
everything has been fouud there it has peculiar 
fitness. 
BLACK WALNUT TIMBER 
“up town," near where the aristocracy.hold 
high carnival, where it is almost “away from 
the roar and dust,” iuto the country —of purer 
air, greener earth better life. I catch myself 
making mental memoranda, and yet wonder 
who of us realizes plannings, always, whose life- 
current runs iu the channel ke would have dug, 
or to the ocean he sees in the far dim distance ? 
Ah, beginnings may all be alike — the ends all 
differ. 
“ From the sumo cradle's side— 
From the same mother’s knee,— 
One to long silence and the frozen tide, 
One to the Peaceful Sea.” 
A few years ago mahogany and rosewood 
were considered the only timber fit for fashion¬ 
able furniture. More recently manufacturers 
have discovered that American native timber Is 
just as elegant aud susceptible of as high a pol¬ 
ish. This is especially the case with the black 
walnut. The trade in this valuable wood Is 
growing yearly, aud there are no signs of the 
curtailment of the snpply. The Toledo Blade 
says of the black lumber business at that point: 
“A few years ago, when the movement of black 
walnut lumber was but a tithe of what it has 
been for two years past, it was predicted that the 
supply would soou be exhausted, but it is shown 
by the receipts and shipments In 18613-67, to 
date, that there are no more indications of exhaus¬ 
tion than when the prediction alluded to was 
made. In 1806 the quantity of black walnut 
lumber received and shipped was largely in ex¬ 
cess of any previous year, aud astonished not 
only strangers, but our own citizens; but the 
increase this year to July 18th. is ns great as 
was that of 1866 over previous seasous." 
HONOR YOUR BUSINESS. 
EDITORIAL DUTIES. 
Mr. Hunt, in a volume on the “Fourth Estate,” 
thus sketches the peculiar duties of the journal¬ 
ist:—“ The man who once becomes a journalist 
must almost bid farewell to mental rest or men¬ 
tal leisure. If he fulfill* his duties truthfully, 
his attention must be ever awake to what is 
passing in the world, aud his whole mind must 
be devoted to the instant examination, and dis¬ 
cussion, and record of current events, ne has 
little time for literary idleness, with such Liter¬ 
ary labor ou his shoulders. Ho has no days to 
spend on catalogues, or iu dreamy discursive 
researches in public libraries. He has no months 
to devote to the exhaustion of any one theme. 
What he has to deal with must be taken up at a 
moment’s notice, be examined, tested and dis¬ 
missed at once; and thus his mind is ever kept 
occupied with the mental necestity of the world’s 
passing hour.” 
THE SEAL OF OREGON. 
Oregon was the twentieth State admitted into 
the Unlou. The name was long applied to all 
the great region on the Pacific coast claimed by 
the United States. In 1840, by treaty with Great. 
Britain, the United States abandoned all claim 
to country North of latitude 40 J , and thus the 
name came to signify much less. In 1.858 there 
was another cutting down, and six years later 
another. At this time—1859—it became a State, 
with an area of 80,000 square miles. It borders 
upon the Pacific ocean, aud has a sea coast of 
nearly three hundred miles, Portland being its 
chief seaport. The Columbia River Intersects 
it, and affords inland navigation over one hun¬ 
dred miles. The surface of the country is for 
the most part rugged and mountainous, though 
the valley of the Williamette, one hundred and 
twenty miles long by thirty miles wide, is rich 
and arable, and the climate is variable. Oregon 
was long known only as a region for fur traders, 
and not until 1860 did the Hudson Bay Company 
relinquish their trading post at Fort Vancouver, 
Wheat, oats, potatoes and apples are now raised 
with success, anil are the chief exports. The 
I population in I860 was 53,464. 
A Romance of the War. —The Milwaukee 
Wisconsin works up quite a story about a Mil¬ 
waukee soldier iu the First Regiment named 
Lyman, who was struck with a speut ball at 
the battle of Falling Waters, aud laid up (or a 
few days, when he was tenderly nursed by a 
young Virginia girl of fifteen, for whom he 
formed quite an attachment, which was recipro¬ 
cated, she being strongly Union in her feelings. 
She was an orphan, however, and her guardian 
told her the day she married Lyman he would 
give her property to the Southern Confederacy. 
The lovers have patiently waited, however, visit¬ 
ing occasionally, and frequently exchanging let¬ 
ters, and at last the young lady has reached her 
twenty-first birthday, and ts beyond her guardi¬ 
an’s power, and young Lyman has gone to Vir¬ 
ginia to claim his long promised bride. 
The Other Side. — Ouce in a happy home a 
sweet, bright baby died. Ou the eveuing of the 
day when the children gathered round their 
mother, all sitting very sorrowful, Alice, the 
eldest, said: 
“ Mother, you took all the care of baby while 
she was here, and you carried and held her in 
your arms all the while she was ill; now, mother, 
who took her on the other side?” 
“ On the other side of what, Alice? ’’ 
“ On the other side of death; who took the 
baby on the other side, mother, she was so little 
she could uot go alone ? ’’ 
“Jesus met her there,” answered the mother. 
“It is he who took little children into his arms 
to bless them, and said “ Suffer them to come 
unto me aud forbid them not, for of such is the 
kingdom of heaven! ” 
Manufacturing Lightning.— At a late soicn- 
entiiic re-union in London a machine for gener¬ 
ating electricity, worked by an eight-horse steam 
engine, was exhibited. “The electric action 
developed by this power, through the iuterven- 
tion of immense magnets aud nearly twenty 
hundred weight of copper wire, was so tremend¬ 
ous a 3 to burn bars of iron like sticks of wood, 
producing a light too vivid and intense to be 
looked upon. Electric beacon lights are likely 
soon to supersede all others, as the calcium and 
magnesium lights have already, to some extent, 
superseded oil. The one lately established at 
Cape Grisnez, ou the coast of France, flashes 
light across the British Channel and for some 
miles beyond the English shore-line. There are 
now three electric light-houses in Europe—two 
in France and one iu England—and the suprem¬ 
acy of electricity over every other artificial illu¬ 
minator seems in a fairway of being demon¬ 
strated beyond all cavil.” 
Chattanooga.— Chattanooga is situatedon the 
Tennessee River, 480 miles from its month, aud 
with 1,000 miles of river navigation above it on 
theTennessec and its tributaries. The Tennessee 
drains 43,000 square miles of territory, only 8,000 
miles less than the area of the whole State of 
Tennessee. This territory includes North Ala¬ 
bama above the Muscle Shoals, and twenty-six 
counties of East Tennesee, containing a popula¬ 
tion in 1860 of 300,135. There are 800 miles of 
the Tennessee River proper navigable at the 
present time for first-class steamers, while but 
330 miles can be navigated by boats from St. 
Louis on account of the Muscle Shoals. 
Mother. —Young man! Thy mother is thy 
best earthly friend. The world may forget thee 
— thy mother never; the world may persecute 
thee whtle living, and when dead, plant the ivy 
aud the nightshade of slauder upon thy grassless 
grave, but thy mother will love and cherish thee 
while living, and if ahe survive thee, will weep 
for thee when dead, such tears as nonejaut a 
mother knows how to weep. Love thy mother! 
Alaska. —The trade of our newly acquired 
Alaska, in 6kins aud furs, in 1866, amounted to 
§1,500,000. These furs consist of sea otter, seals, 
blue and white foxes, mink, inuakrat, beaver, 
and bears. Heretofore whalemen have uot been 
allowed to land for business purposes ou any 
part of the territory. This restriction is of 
course removed by the treaty. Fishing and fur 
companies ate organizing on the Pacific coast. 
In San Francisco, the North Pacific Fur Compa¬ 
ny, with a capital of §L,000,000, has recently been 
organized. The charter ia liberal, in its provis¬ 
ions, and is in the hands of some of the best 
business men ou the Pacific slope. 
Life’s Brevity.— At best, life is not very 
long. A few more smiles, a few more tears, 
some pleasure, much pain, sunshine and song, 
clouds and darkness, hasty greetings, abrupt 
farewells—thou our little play will close, and In¬ 
jured and iojurer will pass away. Is it worth 
while to hate each other ? 
Despair makes a despicable figure, and de¬ 
scends from a mean original. 'Tis the offspring 
of fear, of laziness, aud impatience; it argues a 
defect of spirit and resolution, and oftentimes 
of honesty too. 1 would uot despair, unless I 
saw my misfortuo recorded in the book of Fate, 
and signed and sealed by necessity.— Collier. 
