faints’ fpcrrt-Jtalro. 
THE OLD SONG, 
OH, sing again that dear old strain 
My mother sang to me. 
When holy rays of earlier days. 
Gleamed through our threshold tree! 
The suns-et low. In purple glow. 
Crept o'er the .Handed sill; 
She lingered there. In that old chair— 
Mother! I see thee still. 
The low-eaved roof, with mossy woof. 
And creepers trailing o’er ; 
The etory long, the dear old song. 
Beside that oakeu door. 
The eyes that shone, the molting tone 
Of t hat sweet voice still come. 
With slivered hair and plaintive prayer— 
Blest memories of my homo! 
hong years have tied ; the vines are dead, 
And withered that old tree; 
And nevermore, beside that door. 
Will mother sing to me ! 
But golden gleams of hallowed themes 
Will Huger to the last; 
I cherish still, with sacred thrill. 
The ashen of the past. 
Then sing again that dear old strain 
My mother sang to me, 
When holy rays, of earlier days, 
Gleamed through our threshold tree. 
A TALK WITH PARENTS. 
While fanners are consulting and coun¬ 
seling each other in agricultural affairs, and 
their wives in regard to household matters, 
a thought about the children may not be 
amiss. 
Have you been to the school-house to see 
if their -wants are supplied, and if the shep¬ 
herd appointed to lake charge of the little 
flock is faithful ? 1 dare say, if you have a 
flock of Merino sheep several miles away, 
you have made numerous trips to see to 
their welfare. Ihil liow many are waiting, 
.a an uncle of mine used to say when urged 
to visit Ihe school, “ for a day when it rained 
so hard he could not work in the barn.” 
A lady once said to me, “ I cannot hear 
to spend half a day in the school-room. In 
winter it is so close and in summer the sun¬ 
shine pours in at the windows. There are 
uo curtains nor shade trees, atld the walls 
urc so black and disagreeable.” And yet 
her children spend six or seven hours of 
every school day in that, very place! There 
ec some country school-houses that are 
pleasant places, but they are not in tbe ma¬ 
jority, by far. How much trouble would it 
be if all were united in the desire and effort 
m plant shade trees, paint or whitewash, or 
«lo wlmt is needed to make the school-room 
i pleasant and comfortable place ? 
Always he particular in selecting a teacher, 
not so much in regard to price as to capa¬ 
bility. It is a common thing to hear parents 
complain of the manner in which schools 
re conducted, as though they had no share 
in the Maine, whatever. Many teachers 
commence their duties filled with energy 
uni determination to succeed. They get, the 
children interested. The little one goes to 
its mother with a hook, and says, *’ jMa, see 
if I can say my lesson.” The reply proba¬ 
bly is, “Oh, do go away; you are always 
bothering me! 1 must finish this ruffled 
dress by Sunday.” Whose fault Is it, then, 
if that child learns to think of something 
else more than its lessons ? 
Children, if in good health, will he doing 
bometliing. How much more time does it 
bike to guide them aright, (always gently, 
but firmly,) than to let them go, and then 
hy to undo the wrong. A lady acquaint¬ 
ance has the best, governed family I have 
ever seen. Her advice to young mothers is, 
' Show your children how and what to do, 
md be firm, but never scold.” When she 
is well she did not consider it beneath her 
%iity to go out and play with them; and 
u ""\ " lieu she is prostrated on a bed of 
sickness, Oh how tenderly and lovingly they 
care for her. Nothing cau exceed their de- 
'btiou to her. Do those who think it too 
much trouble to bring up a family of cliil- 
'* ren expect such care when their time for 
sickness or trouble comes? Patient and 
tuitliful labor or teaching is always rewarded, 
Clarktowu, Tenn., Sopt., 1871. ' A. S. G. 
-- ■* ■ *■ * ■ 
novelties at the fair. 
tfroin it Country Girl's Reiter. 
New York, Sept. 20,1871. 
*^ Y Dear Molly :—Yesterday we went 
hie Fair of the American Institute, and 
di lots and lots of things we saw time 
fail me to tell. 
ihe hall is prettily decorated, and the ar- 
•• 'ifetnent of color produces a fine effect. 
' a ^0 gaily dressed ladies and children 
■mg about, and the beautiful music, all 
if quite lively. But us to the things 
- a ' 1 " here shall I begin ? Sewing ma- 
. .;; les > ot course, all sorts, and that did all 
vo* , * then a knitting machine that 
; ” turn with your Land—such- Ain it Is to 
'e it go!—and the brisk little thing will 
Hiinlri'' J 6 !>ail of dockings in a day; just 
new" ■. • Do more stock i n g darning, but a 
L pan- it you please once a week. This 
delightful little machine does fancy knitting; 
such a lovely shawl it had just made. 
Bui wo went on, and here was a nice little 
contrivance to fasten up a clothes line. Then 
n griddle for buckwheat cakes; and this is 
such a charming arrangement that I think 
the process of makiug the cakes would be 
quite as interesting as that of eating them. 
And what next? Reversible things ; 
chairs to be opened out. into bed Reads, and 
all I hat. But. among the curious little things 
was a small affair to seed raisins. You put 
in a raisin, down goes the seed, out pops the 
raisin into the dish ready for it, quick as a 
wink. Then here was a household imple¬ 
ment; a hammer, a screw driver, a nut 
cracker, and dear knows what, else—four¬ 
teen tools in one, and all for fifty cents. 
This will he the thing for a present for 
Uncle Ben next Christmas. 
Well, here is a very excellent little thing 
—a medicine dropper. I should hope they 
would come into general use in sickness; 
without any mistake, it gives one drop at 
a time. 
A portable window ventilator pleased me 
particularly. It can be put in and taken 
out, and one can have the good pure air to 
breathe without drafts. How much more 
healthy people would be if they could be 
induced to use this simple blessing. 
The picture gallery, up stairs, had some 
very pretty things—superb photographs and 
excellent chromos. All of Roger’s stat¬ 
uettes are there, and attracted a great deal 
of attention. Several of Vinnik Ream’s 
marbles we saw, too. 
Altogether, it is a very fine exhibition. 
I was a little disappointed, however, to sec 
so few flowers ; but the wax specimens 
made amends—they were perfectly exqui¬ 
site. There was a case, too, with brass 
molds and materials for making Autumn 
leaves in wax. But. 1 must, close, though I 
have not began to tell half 1 saw. 
Jennie. 
-444.- 
A LITTLE JUDICIOUS PRAISE. 
No heart is insensible to words of praise, 
or the- kindly smile .of approbation; and 
none arc utterly above being affected by 
censure or blame. Children are particularly 
sensitive in Ibis respect. Nothing can dis¬ 
courage a child more than a. spirit of inces¬ 
sant fault-finding; and perhaps nothing cau 
exert a more baneful Influence upon both 
parent and child. If your little one, through 
the day, has been pleasant and obedient, and 
you say to him, “ Mv son, you have been 
good to-day,and it makes me very happy;” 
and if, with more than a usually affectionate 
embrace, you say, “Good nigh I, my dear 
child,” a throb of suppressed feeling (ills his 
breast, and lie resolves on .always earning 
such approval. If your grown son or 
daughter have accomplished some difficult 
piece of work, rendering you essential as¬ 
sistance; or have climbed some steep in the 
daily drill of study ; or have acquired some 
new accomplishment, or added grace; or, 
heller than all, have gained the victory over 
some had habit or besetting sin—acknowl¬ 
edge it, see it, praise them for it. Let them 
see hy your added tenderness, the deep joy 
and comfort it gives you. Thus you will 
create a great incentive to right conduct, 
and lay a broad foundation for a character 
which shall he redolent with succulent fruit 
and fragrant blossoms.— Templar's Magazine. 
- 444 - 
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN INDIA. 
According to the Koh-i-Noor, an instance 
of the vicious practice of betrothing a girl 
to more than one person recently happened 
in Khatipore (Mooltan), where two marriage 
processions came at the same time at a 
KluUree’s house to marry one and the same 
girl. The fact was that the father of the 
girl had received money from two persons, 
and had promised her hand to both. For¬ 
tunately the police interfered, and the ex¬ 
pected quarrel between the rival suitors was 
avoided. One of them succeeded in obtain¬ 
ing the girl’s hand by paying to the other, 
out of his own pocket, an additional sum 
equal to that the girl’s father had received 
from him. The unsuccessful suitor died in 
disappointment. 
-444-— 
WOMAN’S HOPES. 
In early youth, perhaps they said to them¬ 
selves, “I shall be happy when I have a 
husband to love me best of all •” then, when 
the husband is too careless, “ My child will 
comfort me;” then, through the mother’s 
watching and toil, “My child will repay me 
when it grows up.” And at last, after the 
long journey of years has been wearily t rav¬ 
eled through, the mother’s heart is weighed 
down by a heavier burden, and no hope re¬ 
mains but the grave. 
- 444 - 
The True Woman gives as one reason 
why women should not. vote, that the tongues i 
of women are very nimble and very sharp ; 
the temptation to use them in political strife 
at every family meal during election time 
would be great. 
or Wonmr people, 
> v (*> k 
NUTTING. 
Away, away for a merry day— 
Away, away to the woods away. 
Where nuts abound, 
All on the ground— 
Away, away with schoolmates gay. 
The conning squirrel’s on our track, 
Away Ills store of nuts to pack. 
See, Huts abound. 
Spread over the ground,— 
Good store of nuts we will not lack. 
Laugh as we work—wo can’t keep still. 
While we Our baskets quickly AIL: 
And then we‘11 play. 
We’re all so gay— 
Yea, work, then play with right good will. 
And then for a lunch In the woods away, 
How huiiQru we are after work and play— 
For lunch let's go, 
'Tis watting we know— 
How ouud! O, how Jollv this fine nutting day. 
And then work again till wo have a good store. 
For winter will soon stop us gathering mure. 
We’ll work, work away, 
For nutting is gay, 
And nuts are unite good when nutting is o’er. 
Kenosha Co., WIs., 1871. E. 
-♦♦♦- 
THE TWO LITTLE OLOUDS. 
BY J. O. E. 
It was a very warm day. The sun poured 
its scorchiug rays through the ether with 
such intensity that the air seemed burning 
as from a furnace. The zephyrs forgot to 
play, am! went to sleep. The brook in llie 
meadow had become a mere rivulet, and 
scarcely supplied water to the thirsty cattle 
that ventured from the shade to drink. The 
leaves on the trees drooped languidly, and 
the birds’ song had diminished to a lntsky 
chirp. In fact, every living thing seemed lo 
feel the heat and to show its effects. 
The farmer in the hay field, wiping the 
perspiration from his sun-burned face, said 
to his son, “ It ’pears to me it's prelly hot 
to-day; if we could only get a shower of 
rain it. would eool off things a little.” 
“ Yes,” was the reply, “ it would be worth 
everything to the crops, and mother says the 
garden won’t amount to anything if we don’t 
have rum soon and he stooped to take si 
drink Iroiu the tin pail under the apple tree, 
while ihe tired horses lasted in the shade. 
Within doors all n;as quiet. The farmer’s 
wife had finished .flic week’s ironing, and 
had seated hen*#!!' in the kitchen door to 
“cool off,” when she spied her little girl 
trudging wearily down the dusty load, car 
ryingJnM' books and Dinner, puil* and ns she 
saw the little red face in the white sun bon¬ 
net, she said to herself, “ Poor darling, how 
hot and tired she is 1 1 do wish it would 
rain, and lay Ihe dust and cool the air. The 
cistern is dry, and the well is low ; we shall 
have to bring bur water from the spring in 
the Hollow, I’m ’fraid. I never knew such a 
drouth,” and she thrust her hand again into 
the stocking she was mending. 
A way up in the sky two little clouds were 
floating gaily along in all their fleecy beauty, 
when one said to the other, “ How brown 
the. earth looks. I believe it must he very 
dry down there, for such clouds of dust vise 
into the air.” “ Yes,”said the other,** that's 
just what J was thinking, and 1 pity the 
poor people who have to stay there, when 
it’s so light and Cool up here among the 
breezes. If we were not so small we might 
give them a shower of rain,” “ How nice 
that would be, ” said his companion ; 
“ there’s a great cloud lying over in the 
west, perhaps we might get it to come here 
if the Zephyrs would aid us.” “ Yes, hut it 
would he a long journey for such young 
clouds, and we might make the old one 
angry.” “ Well, let’s try it, for here comes 
a troop of Zephyrs, and I’ll engage their 
services to waft us hither.” 
The other assented, and the two wee 
vapors sailed merrily away on their mission 
of mercy. When they reached the large 
cloud they were greeted by a flash and a 
growl, which caused them to turn purple 
with fear, for they had not yet learned Hie 
storm language of Ihe skies, and it was but 
natural that they should he a little shocked 
when they heard its first accents. They 
were reassured, however, as the mother 
cloud granted their timid request with a 
low mutter, and united with them in making 
a grand thunder-storm. The little clouds 
ran hither and thither in delight, now and 
then hitting each other in their haste, and 
giving vent to loud peals of cloud-merri¬ 
ment, which rolled through the vast halls 
of heaven and reverberated in their far re¬ 
cesses. They had arrived over the farmer’s 
land, when lo 1 in the gladness of their 
hearts they hurst asunder and spilled their 
watery contents on the thirsty earth —a 
cloud sacrifice in the cause of love. 
The rain began to fall in large drops, and 
as it increased to a steady pour the dry sur¬ 
face soon exhibited a different aspect. The 
air became pure. The stream in llie meadow 
increased to a rushing river, and two tiny 
brooks ran down the road where but an hour 
before the childish feet had pattered in the 
burning dust. The birds cleared their throats 
aud warbled a few notes of gratitude from 
their loving hearts, and all the tired animals 
looked grateful for the shower. The farmer 
and his son had come into the house with 
the water dripping from their garments, and 
agreed that the rain was a blessed thing and 
had come just in season ! The mother de¬ 
clared “ it seemed to her almost like a special 
providence.” And the little girl, who had 
been resting after her long walk on ‘'mother’s 
bed,” awakened by the kiss of a balmy 
zepliyr upon her cheek, called out from be¬ 
tween the pillows, “ Mother, hasn’t, it been 
raining?” “Yes, dear.” “Oh, I’m so 
glad,” she murmured, and the zephyr fanned 
her to sleep again. 
Two little clouds lmd caused all this hap¬ 
piness by the faithful performance of their 
mission. Let ns, like them, seek lo do kind 
deeds, which, although they appear trifling 
to us, yet may yield a harvest of joy when 
conferred upon others;—then shall we have 
learned a profitable lesson from the fable of 
the rain clouds. 
•-4 ♦ » 
DEAD OR ALIVE ? 
“ These dogs are dead,” you well may say: 
Add four lines more, they’ll run away! 
- 444 .- 
CHARLIE’S LETTER. 
My name is Charlie, and I haven’t any 
other name, because I’m a dog. 1 am a 
young dog now; hut when I was u very 
little fellow, 1 had long, curly hair, and 
every one said 1 was very pretty. But 1 
got lost one day, and a big, bad mail took 
me to a stable and tied me up; and because 
I cried ho used to whip me; my pretty hair 
got all matted and dirty beside. 
But one day I pulled my head through 
the rope, and got away. I ran about the 
street, and it was very hot, and I was dread¬ 
fully thirsty; then some bad boys, instead 
of giving mo some water, threw stones at 
me. I cried and howled, they hurt me so, 
and then they said 1 was mad ; but a lady 
came along, and she talked to the bad hoys, 
and patted mo on my head, and said 1 was 
a good dog. So l ran along after her, and 
when she went into a house I stayed close 
hy the door, and pretty soon she let me 
come in, and she gave me some water and a 
nice home. 
Then i was a very happy dog. My mis¬ 
tress told me I must not touch the canary 
bird, and 1 didn’t want to,—but I did like to 
jump up on the center table, and take a nap 
on I lie bed, but my mistress told me no, and 
made me mind. 
I have bad a great many things happen 
to me. One day 1 got lost, and it took me 
a week to find my way home again. And 
one day a man caught, me and cut my hair 
all off close, and a bad hoy spoiled one of my 
ears. Bo, now, every body says I am a very 
ugly dog, because my legs are so long, but 
I’ve got a good heart, and my hair will all 
grow again ; and now 1 write this letter, be¬ 
cause there are so many bad boys where I 
live. My mistress wants to hear of some 
nice hoy, in the country, who would like to 
take me to live with him. Charlie. 
Any answers must bo written to “Dog 
Charlie,” care Rural New-Yorker. 
- 444 - 
AN ITEM FOR BOYS. 
It is not necessary (bat a boy who learns 
a trade is compelled to follow it all his life. 
Governor Palmer of Illinois was a country 
blacksmith once, and began his political 
career as a constable iu Macoupin county. 
A circuit judge in the central part of Illi¬ 
nois was once a tailor. Thomas Hayno, a 
rich and eminent lawyer of Illinois, was 
once a bookbinder. Eraslus Corning of 
New York, too lame to do bard labor, com¬ 
menced us a shop boy iu Albany. When 
he applied for employment first lie was 
asked“ Why, my little boy, what can 
you do?” “Can do what I am bid,” was 
the answer that secured him a place. Sena¬ 
tor Wilson of Massachusetts was a shoe¬ 
maker; Thurlow Weed a canal boat driver; 
cx-Governor Stone of Iowa was a cabinet 
maker, which trade the late Hon. Stephen 
A. Douglas also worked at in his youth. 
Large numbers of men of prominence now i 
living have risen from humble life by dint, 
of industry, without which talent is as use¬ 
less as a gold coin on a barren island. 
Work alone makes men bright, and it does 
not alone depend on the kind of work you 
have to do whether you rise or not. It de¬ 
pends on tiow you do it. 
-4-» » -- 
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS. 
“ During my long commercial experi¬ 
ence,” says Girard, “ I have noticed that no 
advantage results from telling one’s business 
to others except to create jealousy or compe¬ 
tition when wo are fortunate, and to gratify 
our enemies when otherw iso.” He was never 
known to disregard this theory in all his 
protracted career as one of the greatest and 
most successful of merchants. 
Hon. Peter C. Brooks of Boston, who left 
one of iIn- largest, fortunes ever amassed in 
this cornury, on being asked wlmt rule he 
would recommend tonyoimg man as most 
likely to secure success, answered:—“ Let 
him mind his own business; ” and to a sim¬ 
ilar inquiry, it has been said that Robert 
Lenox of New York, well remembered as 
ono ot the most distinguished murc.ha.nis 
ever known in that great, city, once an¬ 
swered:—“ Let him be beforehand with his 
business.” One answer seems to include the 
other, as no man can be beforehand with his 
business unless he minds it, 
-♦♦4- 
THE “SILVER RULE.” 
You all know the golden rule:—“ I)o unlo 
others as you would wish t hem to do to you.” 
Here is a rule which is almost a part of the 
golden rule, hut which we will pul hy itself, 
aud because of its value, cull it the “ Silver 
Rule.” “ Think and say all you ran of the 
good qualities of others ; forget and keep silent 
concerning their had qualities T You cannot 
conceive how much such a course will hight- 
en your own happiness, and raise you in the 
esteem of your mates. Did you ever think 
any more of a hoy or girl because he or she 
found fault with others? Never call your 
schoolmates or playmates ugly, or cross, 
neither to their faces nor behind their backs. 
If they are ugly, or stingy, or cross, it does 
not make them better lo talk or think about 
it, while it makes you love to dwell upon 
faults of others, and causes your own soul to 
grow smaller, and you become like the foul 
bird that prefers carrion for food. Rathei* 
tell all the good you can, and try to think of 
some good quality. 
44 4 
TEMPERANCE FABLE- 
The rats once assembled in a large cellar 
to devise some method of Safely getting the 
bait from a steel trap which lay near, hav¬ 
ing seen numbers of their friends and rela¬ 
tives snatched from them by its merciless 
jaws. After many long speeches and the 
proposal of many elaborate but fruitless 
plans, a happy wit, standing erect, said : 
“ It is my opinion that if with one paw we 
can keep down Ihe spring, we can safely 
take the food from the trap with the other.” 
All the rats present, loudly squealed as¬ 
sent. Then they were startled by a faint 
voice, and a poor rat, with only three logs, 
limping into the ring, stood up to speak: 
“ My friends, I have tried the method you 
propose, and you see the result. Now let 
me suggest a plan to escape the trap. Let it 
alone." 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
KEEPING TO ONE THING. 
We earnestly entreat every young man 
after he has chosen his vocation to stick to 
it. Don’t leave il because hard blows are 
to be struck, or disagreeable work perform¬ 
ed. Those who have worked their way up 
to wealth and usefulness, do not belong to 
the shiftless and unstable class, blit may be 
reckoned among such as took off their coats, 
rolled up their sleeves, conquered their pre¬ 
judice against labor, and manfully bore the 
heat aud burden of the day. Whether upon 
the old farm where our fathers tolled dili¬ 
gently, striving to bring the soil to produc¬ 
tiveness; hi the machine shop or factory, of 
the thousand other business places tlmt in¬ 
vite honest toil and skill, let the motto ever 
be, perseverance and industry. 
-444-— 
Cause and Effect.— One kernel is felt 
in a hogshead; one drop of water helps to 
swell the ocean ; a spark of tire helps to give 
light lo the word. You are a small man 
passing amid the crowd ; you are hardly no¬ 
ticed ; hut you have a drop, a spark within 
you that may be felt through eternity. Do 
you believe it? Set that drop in motion, 
give wings to that Spark, and behold ihe re¬ 
sults! It may renovate the world ! None 
are too small, to feeble, too poor, to he of 
service. Think of this, and act. Life is no 
trifle. 
-4-44*- 
Every beginner in life should try early 
to ascertain the strong faculty of his mind 
or body, fitting him for some special pursuit, 
and direct the utmost energies to bring it to 
perfection. 
