'0> 
JEALOUSY. 
UV BELL CLINTON. 
There’s a fearful tyrant roaming 
Uj> and down this lltllo world. 
And whuru’or lie <tet« a lodging. 
Thickly, envious darts are hurled. 
Kyea aee through no roue-lit lenses, 
Kars iMJiivoy no well meant word; 
But with anuses all perverted. 
Every ugly panshm'sstirred. 
If ho stops beside the hearthstone. 
He will vont his hitter ire, 
Till upon Its sacred altar 
Fiercely hums unhallowed lire 
Until every tto Is severed 
Which binds heart to kindred heart, 
And from Home's once happy shelter 
Peace will evermore depart. 
Who, that’s seen this evil monster, 
Who, that’s heard his hateful growl,— 
Seen the strife which marks his pathway, 
And His dark and gloomy scowl,— 
Would a moment give an entrance 
To their heart for one so vile,— 
Banning from Its sacred precincts 
Uovo and Charity's sweet smile t 
Oh. he watchful;—he is going 
Up and down the wtdu world o’er, 
And whene'er he seeks admittance, 
Shut in haste tlio bosom’s door; 
l.ost, too late, you sit repenting 
At the folly you may see ; 
For this fearful, roaming tyrant 
Bears the name of Jealousy. 
THE WOMAN QUESTION. 
But. there is one character of the great 
novelist which ever awakens emotions of 
affection and tender sympathy, or perchance 
bids arise mournful memories which inspire 
in our hearts purer and holier thoughts. 
Poor Little Net.i. ! Was there ever a more 
charming picture of innocent, child-lifeV 
What heart so hard as to be able to read her 
simple storv, attractive by its very simplicity, 
without sympathizing with her sorrows and 
mourning for her untimely death ! 
Whether during the long hours of night 
when, alone and unprotected, she was watch¬ 
ing the stars from the window of the Old Curi¬ 
osity Shop; er when hastening away, penni¬ 
less and friendless, from the dangers and 
temptations of the great city; or when sleep¬ 
ing peacefully in the ashes by the furnace lire 
of the iron forger, or when mournfully Hoe¬ 
ing in the silent darkness from Mrs. Jarley 
anil her wax figures to save front disgrace 
her feeble and broken-hearted old grand¬ 
father,—she is ever tho same simple, true¬ 
hearted Little Net.i,, pure as the dew drop, 
trustful atul tntthfril as the angels. She was 
too good for earth. 
Noble Nki.u! No cloud of misfortune 
was ever dark enough to hide from her faith 
the star of hope beyond Ever trusting in 
Providence, looking forward to happiness in 
the future amid the gloom of the present. 
Never weary, ready to undergo every afilic 
c£ 
obts ixntf jtut inters. 
cs^p 
X 
FASHION CHITCHAT. 
BY MINTAVOOD. 
Wlmt the (leuernl Openings Disclosed. 
The last week of March sees Hie unfolded 
treasures of the modistes, shop-keepers and 
merchant princes with as much regularity 
as St. Patrick's Day sees Irishmen. There 
is quite as much aiming at “ position” mid 
“ exclusiveness” among manufacturers and 
importers of wearing apparel, as among the 
people who patronize them. As in Europe, 
the modiste to the empress or other royal 
bodies uses the position for capital, so in our 
Republic the women who arc patronized by 
the “eminent women of the age” display 
that fact as their crowning plume, and gene¬ 
ral admission to view’ their goods is not tol¬ 
erated. Invitations are issued to friends 
and customers, which plan lias more than 
one advantage. 
Out* Worn a n Weakness. 
It may not he solely characteristic of wo¬ 
man, but we hope so. We refer to her pen- 
chant for tmchiwj everything she looks at. 
Wo made a two thousand dollar camel-hair 
shawl, exhibited at Stewart’s, our special 
For. some reason the above three words 
have been haunting us ever since we were 
conscious that something must be written 
for this number of the Rural. The 
“Woman Question” with us is not whether 
she shall vote or not, hut whether her iu- 
fllienee for good shall lie seconded and sus¬ 
tained by mankind. If a woman, out of the 
purity of her heart and life, says to her 
husband, “ Don’t drink whisky ; don’t chow 
and smoke tobacco; don't gamble; don t 
waste your earnings in riotous living; regard 
the happiness and comtort of your family, 
and derive your chief joy from their joy and 
respect, and from a pure life,” why should 
not a man respect and heed such words and 
honor the motives which prompt them? 
“The Woman Question” to which we 
urge attention is Ihis question of influence. 
If a woman’s Influence is exerted in the in¬ 
terests of wickedness and licentiousness, of 
course it should Vie resisted. But if a man’s 
own conscience and consciousness toll him 
that the wife, mother, sister or friend is right, 
ami is seeking his elevation In every respect 
by her Counsel, why should he not heed her 
or them? It is not weakness to yield to 
such Influence. It is manly and honorable. 
It is a weak and unworthy nature which 
resists and resents such counsel. 
We write this because, we know something 
about the nature ol men. We know that 
few men, comparatively, are frank to ac¬ 
knowledge, even to themselves, the benefits 
they derive from obeying the purer instincts 
and quicker perceptions of women who are 
ministers of ri^ncment to them. And there 
is too large a class who are so blindly per¬ 
verse as to boldly and openly boast of their 
disregard of woman’s influence, and that they 
cast aside as unworthy their notice the beau¬ 
tiful pearls which wonum's love, purity and 
truth east before such swine. We write to 
urge our male Ruual readers not to disre¬ 
gard these monitors and their monitions, 
whenever the heart, Urn hotter nature of the 
man, indorses them as true. Do not he weak. 
Do not let false pride, or an inexcusable ob¬ 
stinacy, prevent tho enjoyment of the per¬ 
fume which such flowers emit. Do not re¬ 
ject the disinterested counsels of those whose 
lov« and affection alone prompt their utter¬ 
ance. Be manly. Be worthy of such love. 
Do not he brutes. 
tion, to brave every danger, that she might l \ *«, about, a lay figure, the 
save her loved and innocently-erring grand- pnee marked in large letters on a placard, 
father from his besetting sin. 
Sweet Little Nei.i. ! Never a purer, bright¬ 
er flower bloomed here below, and by the 
fragrance it breathed forth into the world’s 
mephitic atmosphere, and the beauty to 
which it gave! birth, made the world better 
and happier. 
Dear Little Nell! Wo all love her, and 
feel that although she existed on earth only 
in tho imagination of tlm great artist and 
word painter, she bus not lived in vain. The 
history of her life has awakened many a 
noble thought, many a lntty aspiration, has 
lifted many a soul nearer to 1 leaven and the 
angels. 
Among all the glowing and beautiful de¬ 
scriptions to he found in the works of Dick¬ 
ens— and his admirers will bear testimony 
that there are many such— no one is marked 
by deeper feeling or more touching pathos 
than the “death of Little Nell.” 
Good-by Nell! Long may the story of 
thy loving life and peaceful death bless the 
world, and teach us to live more like thee— 
more like the pure spirits of the departed! 
L. Halsey. 
-- 
MATOII-MAKING. 
A nice way of overcoming bashful sern- 
plcs lias been found in North Carolina. At 
a recent, wedding, a guest proposed that one 
man in the company he selected to act as 
President; that this President should he duly 
sworn to keep secret all communications that 
should he forwarded to him in his official 
capacity; that each unmarried gentleman 
and lady present should write his or her 
name on a piece of paper, and under it place 
the name of the person they wished to 
marry; then baud it to tho President for 
inspection, and if any lady and gentleman 
had reciprocally chosen each other, tho 
President was to inform each of the result, 
and those who had not been reciprocal in 
their choice were to he kept entirely secret. 
After the appointment of the President, 
LITTLE NELL. 
Among the many wonderful creations of 
the greatest of living novelists no one has 
gained for him warmer friends or more 
enthusiast!* admirers than the heroine of 
Old Curiosity Shop,— Poor Little Null. 
Dickens’ great fault is Ids prononess to 
dwell upon the delineation of tlm various 
phases of low-life, and of vulgar characters 
rendered interesting by their eccentricities or 
attractive by their originality. Ilis pictures 
are skilfully drawn, boldly colored and true 
to life; but we often wish that lie had chosen 
a less somber, less mournfril, or less terrible 
scene to place upon his canvas. 
An introduction into the household of 
Mr Pecksniff, or Mr. Dombey, gives us a 
glance at the dark side of human nature as 
clouded by tlm shadows of selfishness or 
envy. The delineation of life in an alms¬ 
house or el unity-school opens to our gaze 
still lower depths of depravity, and fills us 
with detestation of the wretches who, to 
further their own selfish and sensual ends, 
will doom to a lingering death, or a life of 
misery and suffering, the unfortunate inno- 
♦ cents intrusted by a too confiding public to 
their tender care. Tlm history of" Sikes, 
and the death of Nancy, in “ Oliver Twist,” 
thrill us with terror. 
and another one read “Please do not han 
die.” Every nine women out of ten laid 
their hands on it the first thing, notwith¬ 
standing. Learn to look at things with your 
ei/ea. Many a dainty, delicate-fingered wo¬ 
man sees lmr choice and delicate l/you.u 
handled by her “friends” in a perfect terror 
of fear. Tl. is casting pearls before swine. 
Learning to keep your hands off what it 
is not needful for you to touch, and teaching 
children the excellent manner, will ward off 
a great deal of trouble. 
OptiitiitffN. 
Madame Harris, of 9 Brcvoort place, ex¬ 
hibited Homo elegant, dresses, both of her 
own invention and Parisian importation. A 
salmon colored silk, part of a bridal trous¬ 
seau, is worthy of mention. The skirt was 
fot'Cd in front, and the full back breadths 
formed a great train which was finished at 
lie bottom in deep points. A knee-deep 
flounce bordered tlm front breadth, braided 
with a. double frill of white Spanish blonde, 
tho lower one falling over a row of white 
satin parallelograms two mclies long, with 
the corners turned under, forming points on 
both edges. Oval billions an inch long, 
formed of silk and while cord, were placed 
at regular intervals down both scums of the 
front width- 
rim waist, round, square neck in front 
and hack, and bordered with blonde and 
satin points. Tho sleeves, “ Pompadour,” 
ulhix “Marie Antoinette," with a deep 
flounce of Spanish hloudc, headed with satin 
pointed parallelograms. At the hack, a 
pcpluui, reaching from the side seams and 
tapering to a point like ono side of a beech¬ 
nut, was bordered in a similar manner, with 
the broad Hash of silk forming three, loops on 
each side, and falling from tlm apex in halt 
yard lengths with fringed ends. As the 
bride had fair neck and shoulders, the only 
extra dress for tlm neck was a necklace and 
locket. Price, $800. 
A mourning walking suit of black gros 
grain was trimmed with plaiting of black 
grenadine. Tlm straight plaiting, half- inch 
communications were, accordingly handed 
up to the chair, and it. was found that twelve folds all lying the same way, is most lash- 
young ladles and gentlemen had reciprocal humble. Around tho bottom of the skirt 
choices, mid eleven out of the twelve matches 
were solemnized. 
-4-*-*- 
OUR SPICE BOX. 
“ I don’t admire ladies’ cuffs,” as the hus¬ 
band said when his Avife boxed his ears. 
Love is better than a pair of spectacles to 
make everything seem greater which is seen I one row of the pluilhig, which ran around 
were three rows of grenadine plaiting, three 
inches in width and meeting each other. 
The top i'oav Avas broader and stitched an 
inch from the top. The upper skirt, with 
much fullness at, the hack, was bordered 
with one row of the plaiting, and looped at 
each side Avith a how and sash-like ends. 
The short, loose basque was bordered Avith 
through it. 
A tombstone in Maine, erected to the 
memory of a wife, hears the inscription :— 
“ Tears cannot restore her; therefore l 
weep.” 
Who can imagine a greater lump of earthly 
bliss, reduced to a finer thing, than kissing 
the only woman on earth in the garden 
of Eden ? 
• 
“ Excuse me, madam, hut I would like to 
ask why you look at me so savagely V” “ Oh I 
1 beg pardon, sir! 1 took you for my 
husband.” 
The following typographical error shows 
tho vast importance of the comma. At a 
banquet this toast Avas given:—Woman— 
without her man, is a brute. 
Martha,” said James, “what letter in 
the alphabet do you like best?” Martha 
didn’t like to say, but the young man insisted. 
the neck, over the top and around the 
wrist of the sleeves. Another of steel gray 
silk had a four inch bias flounce cm the 
bottom, above which was a broader one, I ho 
upper odgo cut in broad, deep curves, so that 
when applied it defined a festoon which was 
headed with points of silk and a full nich¬ 
ing of black lace. Pompadour sleeves, a 
corset Avaist, which is a revival of antique 
days. It has five seams in the back, and the 
skirt is gathered full and sewed on the hot 
tom of the waist, which reaches about three 
inches below the*hips. The front breadth 
was cut plain and seemed an extension of 
the waist fronts. A black silk was made 
the same, with niching of black lace over 
lying a rotv of Avliite guipure, at the sleeve 
flouncing, and the trimming running around 
the neck and down the fronts to simulate an 
open waist. 
A unique Avalking suit Avas of bright choco- 
“ Well,” was her final answer, as she dropped hue satin, with tunic and basque of yellow 
her eyes, “ l think I like U best.” foulard, trimmed Avith plaiting of the same, 
Our lives should he like the day, more beatVd with piping of satin. A changeable 
beautiful in the evening ; or, like the summer, silk was trimmed with plaitings of grena line 
aglow with promise; and like the autumn, of same: shade, upper skirt grenadine and 
inch-Avide tinted ruttle of white Swiss, which 
was edged with narrow guipure. The, upper 
skirt was of Swiss, edged with guipure, 
rounded up at the hack nearly to the waist, 
and caught together with a blue bOAV, AVith 
ends finished with folds and broad guipure. 
The basque, of silk, was close fitting, with 
rever8 collar, and fronts of skirt turned hack. 
A lovely flowing Bwlss dress avos shown, 
with an embroidered ten-inch flounce, above 
which were rows of Valenciennes insertion 
between putt's of BavIss. Thu waist was cor¬ 
respondingly trimmed to simulate a square 
neck; the sleeves were (lowing, and the sash 
of blue and white, ribbon. 
Croquet Suits. 
Borne imported croquet suits were of cbene 
poplin, nearly white, the lower skirt edged 
with a niching of the same. The upper, in 
deep points, followed with an in-woven hor¬ 
din' of hrocho design. Tho short, loose- 
fitting, belted down basque, bordered Avith 
niching, whlch-wcnt over top of sleeve, and 
round the throat and wrist. The distinguish¬ 
ing feature of Madman's wraps was the 
small flowing sleeve which she demonstrat¬ 
ed, beyond cavil, was really more elegant 
and stylish than the close fitting one. 
Wraps in Uniicrnl. 
Black gros grain is the standard material, 
il is a notable coincident to find two alike in 
style and shape. The close waist fitting body 
is most in vogue, Avith much trimming about 
the shoulders. Hoods and porclinu or round 
capes are disappearing, although so very be¬ 
coming to many figures will undoubtedly he 
much patronized. In suits, the skirt, of the 
basque, (though why thus called wo know 
not, ns will not you if you consult, your 
French lexicon,) is short, and worn with a 
sash. The more dressy ones have longer 
skirls, plain in front, buttoning straight, down, 
diagonally, or like Boston streets, with the 
hack in much plenitude of perpendicular 
pull's, looping, and hows and ends of sashes. 
There are undoubtedly patterns for all these 
queer tilings, blit It would be easy to think 
a fashionably walking-muted woman was 
draped with a whole piece of dry goods, 
puffed and looped and festooned hi succeed 
ing tiers to her waist. The “Watteau” back, 
(a breadth or two falling in fullness from the 
neck and entering into the skirt below the 
waist,) prevails to some extent in both wraps 
and dresses with tall, slender women. 
Traveling Suits 
are mostly of poplin in neutral shades, with 
trimming of bias bands, edged with a fold 
of silk or brain of darki r shade. 
IAfomliiu Dresses, 
in cambrics or calico mu made tvitli a loose 
sack waist, Avith seam in hack and under 
each arm. Tlio skirt is a wide flounce, with 
lit Lie fullness in front, and joins the bottom 
sack waist half way from the knee to tho 
waist. Flat while braid an inch ivide heads 
tlio flounce, dell lies tlio applied pockets, top 
and bottom of loose coat sleeves and edge 
of belt. 
(JliiLlreu’s Suits, 
of pique , are made mostly r/abridlu , and with 
deep circular capes. Bretellm , (a narrow 
band running over the shoulder and down 
the scams each side of the shoulder, half the 
length of the skirl,) and bottom of dress 
and cape, ends of sleeves mid pockets, are 
much trimmed with narrow, flat., white 
braid, Many of these suits are edged in 
deep points, finished with embroidery cotton 
in button hole stitch. Bright sashes are worn 
with them. These suits are inexpensive, 
tasteful, and will wear forever. 
Aarons 
for children are made Avith yokes, the full 
skirt belted down; with high fronts running 
in bretelles over the hack to the belt. But 
none is so sensible ns the high-necked, long- 
sleeved gingham one. Borne fancy ones are 
of Swiss, ornamented with much luce inser¬ 
tion, through which runs narrow green, blue, 
or pink ribbon, with t he sides daintily looped 
with rosettes of ribbon. For larger people, 
the ruffled bib apron is yet worn, with “ va¬ 
riations,” one of which is to cut the bib and 
pockets in ono piece, the pockets running 
down like fish hooks from the bib, diverging 
al the centre. Black silk ones are orna¬ 
mented with needle embroidery in black, or 
colors, Avith ruchiug of satin ribbon, in vari¬ 
ous colors, and with narrow pinked or 
wile res rutiles, lathe rage for embroidery, 
avo hope t lio girls will not abuse their eyes, 
neither abandon reading. 
I'uruMoli* 
are small, and the nearly square shape w ith 
narrow gores of the same or contrasting 
Color at the corners, promises to he much 
carried from its uniqueness. The small, 
round “loquotte” luts a joint in the handle, 
which converts it into a fan. The ornamen¬ 
tation is of tho same material as the covering, 
put on in ruffles and puffs The handles are 
of curved Avood, and expensive enough. 
Japanese (foods 
in every department of merchandise are very 
fashionable. Poplins at thirty-seven and a 
half ecnls, and silks (melcado) of silk and 
linen at one dollar and fifty cents are used 
MiJbbutlj Ucubing. 
‘ , P 1 ' 
OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 
i 
Ovur ami over again, 
No imUlor which way 1 turn, 
I always Htul in the Book of Life 
Homo lotmon I have to learn, 
i must lake my turn at tho mill, 
1 must grind out tho golden (train, 
I must work at my tu,.k with n resolute will 
Over and over attain. 
AVe cannot measure tlio need 
or even tho tlufest flower, 
Nor cheek the How of the Koldun stunts 
That run through a hIiikIu hour. 
But t.ho mornlnK ilows must fall; 
And tho sun and summer ruin 
Must do their part, and perform It all 
Over and ovor again. 
Over and over lignin 
The brook through the meadow Hows, 
And over and over iikuIii 
T ho ponderous inlll-wheol goes. 
Onoo doing will not suffloo, 
Though doing ho not in vain, 
And a allowing, ralllnn us nnco or twice, 
May come if wo try again. 
The path that 1ms unco been trod 
Is never so rough to tho l'oet •• 
And tlio lesson we onuo have learned 
Is neverso Hard to repeat. 
Though sorrowful tears may fall. 
And the heart to Its depth bo driven 
AVith storm and tempest, we need thorn all 
To render us moot for Iloavou. 
-♦♦♦- 
LAY PREACHING. 
Aaiong tlm many vexml questions of the 
day, that of Lay Preaching Ls not. least. 
It is one to he thought over, and prayed 
about, and held ever in the mind. Yet, not, 
avo opine, in just the light in which it; is 
most generally regarded. Whether neigh¬ 
bor Smith has a right to go up into the pul¬ 
pit and publicly declare Christ's Gospel, or 
whether, being gifted In speech, though not 
regularly ordained to the ministry, it is his 
duty to do this, vve do not consider of the 
highest importance. Our idea, of Lay 
Preaching goes beyond this. 
Neighbor Smith preaches, in any event. 
Thu ministry of good is not confined lo tho 
desk mid the surplice. This would he a 
sorry world indeed if wo never heard a ser¬ 
mon except in the stated service of live 
sanctuary. There are countless thousands 
who cannot appreciate a sweet, heart search¬ 
ing, uplifting truth when it comes to them 
clothed in elegant, rhetoric and embellished 
by the graces of oratory, who yet receive its 
impress through a kindly word, a Christian 
deed, or a, sympathetic smile. The most ef¬ 
fective discourses are not always those of 
the reverend sermouizer whom wo listen to 
from week to week. 
Rightly regarded, Lay Preaching is a plain, 
every-day habit; and it is good or had, just 
as we choose to make it. It is not a general 
question of theory; it is a personal, living 
idea of fact. Whether avc will or no, avo 
preach. Though we say, individually, “ I 
am of the laity; it is not for me to proclaim 
Truth,”—Ave preach. Bitting silently in the 
conference meeting, or wandering idly up 
and down amid our fellow-mon, we preach. 
Neighbor Smith pays two hundred dollars a 
year toward tho support of a minister, and 
the minister is an eloquent,, zealous servant 
of the Master; but we see Smith go about 
from day to day in tlm control of his im¬ 
mense business, coming closely in contact 
with many hundreds of men who seldom 
hear a Set sermon, and we suspect he docs the 
most effective preaching in his own person. 
Is it, then, so light a thing to lie of the 
laity ? Gan we complacently fold our arms, 
as we sit. in our pews of a Sunday, and men¬ 
tally settle the question of Lay Preaching 
by aaylfig, — “No; I'm not, responsible; L 
haven’t a call to preach?” Perhaps if we 
study the matter diligently we shall see new 
light. 
rich with the golden sheaves, where good 
works and deeds have ripened on the field. 
basque of silk. A blue silk was flounced 
with two narrow bias ruffles, edged Avith au 
for walking suits, and warranted to “ wear 
and wash and never wear out ” by the mer¬ 
chants. They come ouly in subdued shades. 
THE LONELINESS OF CHRIST. 
Dtd you ever think of that correction of 
Christ where He spoke of Himself as being 
alone, and instantly said that, lie Avas not 
alone? You Avill find in the Beilin gallery 
one of Raphael’s pictures of tho Madonna, in 
which there is au exquisite seizing of one of 
the most fugitivo passages of lime. Thu 
Mother lias a hook, and she is reading, and 
the child is putting its hand in her bosom ; 
and she has the expression of being absorbed 
in the book, and yet of having siitliciently 
noticed the child to look lip at it I h r expres¬ 
sion is caught just at that subtle moment of 
tint j when she is thinking of tin- hook AVhich 
she is reading, and yd is not quin-, thinking 
of it, but is thinking of the child. The whole 
picture presents that thought, and you see it 
clearly. And where Christ speak:-: of Him¬ 
self in this instance, it is one of those • ulitle 
transitions avIuto lie is thinking of llimself 
in His relation to the world, and lie speaks 
of Himself as being alone, and yet instantly 
lifting llis thought to God, says, “Not 
alone.” This sublime discrimination, Iioav 
full it is of menu ing, and comfort, and con¬ 
solation to us iu our various relations of life. 
-- 
Have you learned to know you arc 
ignorant? This is God’s way of making 
wise; he bids you ask wisdom, and promises 
to give. 
