SEPT, 
©BE’S BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE SPIRIT’S SONG. 
BY CHARLOTTE A. CORONER. 
If I sing, birdies, say, will he listen 
Anil stand as If bound by a spell ? 
If I till all the garden with music. 
Will his spirit come hither to dwell 
For a time, to live in the tangles, 
And wonder what fetters so bind, 
With a charm that is strangely magnetic, 
The strong, active powers of his mind. 
If I loose the gold t hreads In iny bosom, 
And knot them with warbles, will be, 
Who lists to the murmur of grasses, 
Come hither those Unottings to see ?— 
Not kn wing I bade them to bind him 
All o’er, with their gossamer strings, 
Till, in answer, their gentle vibrations. 
Should suy that my darling, too, sings? 
Jf o’er the tail tree tops, an archway 
1 curve from this bright amber tone, 
Which glows like a topaz, suv, birdies, 
Will lie learn what’s concealed in the zone? 
If a ladder I make of the branches, 
As across them my warbles I weave. 
Will his spirit climb up breezes, think you, 
To bunt for the secret I leave? 
Will these rings that 1 twine round the lilies, 
And this chord that 1 braid for the rose. 
Hold captive the soul of my darling 
In a strange sort of weary repose, 
Till I, ns a priestess, can wed them? 
For, birdies, they are part of my heart; 
And If lie but uiarry my flowers, 
Through my songs, shall we ever them part? 
MOTHER’S VISIT. 
“ IT must be that I am growing old,” said Mrs. 
Deane, as she settled back comfortably in her 
rocking-chair for the evening. “ 1 get t ired out 
when night conies, and 1 don't even wish to 
knit. Old, or lazy it must be,” she added with 
a smile. 
Father looked lip from his paper and regarded 
her thoughtfully for a minute. “You want a 
rest. Mary," lie said, “and you must take It. 
Let the girls pack up your trunk, to-morrow, 
and you go over to mother’s and make a good, 
long visit. She thinks wc don’t visit her as 
often as we might, and mother is growing old." 
“Oh but, Horace, how can I leave homo? 
There are so many lions in the way. You mem 
folks don't know anything about the demands 
on a housekeeper." 
“You can manage, can’t you, girls?" said 
father. “You inav get old Mrs, Goodwin to 
work through the day for you. She will have 
to go home in time to get the old man’s supper, 
hut you can clear away the tea tilings easily." 
“Indeed wc can, father, and do tho work, 
besides, without Aunt Polly’s help," said 
Carrie. 
“Mother would bo more at ease about you If 
there was some older head at the helm, so you 
had better engage her. Now, really, Mary, 
what is there to hinder? The ride on the cars 
will do you good, and the rest from care and 
work and the visit will pick you up more than 
medicine.” 
“llut I have nothing really suitable) to wear 
there in town. I am not ready to take such a 
trip." 
“ We’ll help you, mother,” said Cariue. “ My 
coat is nice and new, and you cun take that,— 
see what an advantage it is to be a little mother, 
—your black dress is nice, and so is your velvet 
bonnet. I know we can plan out everything so 
that grandma will ho suited with you,” 
“ My mother Isn’t so hard to suit as you fancy, 
Mary. She will think far more of seeing you 
than of your clothes.” 
It was arranged at fast, and mother’s objec¬ 
tions wore all overruled. She made the visit, 
taking with her the youngest of the llock, to 
the great delight of the aged grand mother, and 
to the lessening of her own muddy about the 
welfare of all at home. The visit was all and 
more than they had hoped for. The entire 
change of scene, food and associations, and 
the rest from labor, made the feelings of “ old 
ago” pass off, and she returned home with a 
new vigor and energy and cheerfulness. It had 
done the girls good, too. They had been thrown 
on their own resources. They had found abun¬ 
dant means of exercising pat ience and forbear¬ 
ance, under the home management of Aunt 
Polly, and had learned, as they never knew 
before, how to prize a mother. That last les¬ 
son was the most, valuable of all. Too many 
never learn it until that mother goes out from 
the doorway never to return. j. e. m’c. 
VISITING THE SICK. 
BY MAY MAPLE. 
“You are just the one to visit the sick-room 
—your cheerfulness has almost given me a fresh 
lease of life,—said a dear friend, who bad been 
confined to her room and bed, for long, dreary 
weeks, by wasting disease. 
i the one to visit the sick to do them good. 
1 was astonished mid rebuked at once. 1 had 
almost invariably absented myself from the 
invalid's apartment, making, perhaps, an occa¬ 
sional call, and. if nevtnaanj, “ sitting up " for a 
night, that the members of the afflicted family 
might obtain needed rest. And with these, I 
considered my duties to invalids ceased. I had 
left all the exertion of amusing and comforting 
sufferers to those who “ had a gift that way.” 
I had never lifted or unfolded the “napkin,” 
to see how many “talents” were entrusted to 
my keeping. 
On this particular occasion, I had accompa¬ 
nied some ladles calling upon tin's mutual 
friend, and when we were about taking our de¬ 
parture, she had said “Don’t go now, Mary: 
it will be no lonely for all to leave at once.” Of 
course I remained, and all the more willingly 
from the fact that I was much attached to her; 
I iiad spent many pleasant, hours in sweet con¬ 
verse with her and her lovely family. 
Observing that she was inclined to low spirits, 
and was frequently In tears, I began to “ cast 
about me” for some subject of conversation 
that should lead tier thoughts from self. There 
stood the piano, but dosed and heaped high 
with accumulating work. T regretted my in¬ 
ability to call forth tho sweet melodies, for t 
knew that she was passionately fond of music, 
and was never happier, in days of health, than 
when tilling tho halls with rapturous, soul-stir¬ 
ring melodics. 
Upon Inquiry, 1 found t he members of the 
family, who were fair performers, were either 
too busy with domestic cares, or wore partak¬ 
ing of her low spirits, and thus the instrument 
had not been opened for weeks, 1 took the 
sowing from the hands of the eldest daughter - 
I could use the noodle if I could not Unger tin* 
keys—and Insisted upon her taking her seat at 
the piano. Tho dear girl made many apologies, 
because she was out of practice. Rut her effort 
cheered til© sick arid weary mother, and was 
also a pleasant recreation to herself. Then 
there was a story in the last paper, which was 
read and commented upon until “tea” was 
announced ; and thus an hour had slipped by, 
and the invalid acknowledged her thanks for 
the slight exertion 1 had made, with tho words 
that open I his sketch. 
On my way homo 1 pondered upon her words; 
and tho saying of an ancient poem came throb¬ 
bing with powerful weight upon my heart—'“ 1 
was sick, and ye ministered not unto me.” How 
few individuals have but one talent loft in their 
charge! Vet there are many who have at least 
one gift laid away in a “ napkin,"—left to tho 
rust and mold of years, and when the “ Master 
of the Vineyard " calls for his own, with usury, 
ho finds tho “gift" depreciated in value, and 
has good reason to turn away with a “sad 
countenance.” 
Every gift, whether groat or small, is given 
for us to improve; and woe be to us If we be¬ 
tray our trust. , 
-- 
IS SHE IN YOUR VICINITY 1 
She must be on her travels somewhere, and 
will call on you for a consideration. We refer 
to the woman who sells tho recipe for moles on 
your face and corns and bunions on your foot. 
She is so lady-like, so sensible, so unobtrusive. 
She only sells as a favor to you. But ladles 
liked to do so sensible a lady a favor, as well as 
themselves, so they bought. It. It was only a 
dollar a bottle, and fifty cents more if you took 
two. The mole and tho corn would disappear 
in two weeks. Has any one seen that estimable 
woman ? For tho ladles think there must be a 
mistake in the mode of the liquid application. 
They would like to ask her a question about it. 
If she is on her travels in your vicinity with her 
mole and corn recipe, you will ask her. She 
was to be in this place again in five months, 
says a local paper, but we doubt if she comes 
so soon. She is too sensible. 
-- 
EDUCATION OF WOMEN. 
Commenting upon the fact that not one 
woman was saved on the fated Atlantic, al¬ 
though many had the same chance of life as 
tlie men, an exchange says:—“Tho strength of 
women at the crises of their life depends on 
their physical culture while children. Let 
parents be no more ashamed of their girls’ 
brown faces and fists than of their boys’. Lot 
them train and clothe thorn so that they can 
run and climb and care for and protect them¬ 
selves. Let them take them with their brothers 
into tho harvest field. A boy is not ashamed of 
work ; no more should be a girl. The refine¬ 
ment that shuts a girl out of God's sunshine, 
and allows her no rougher work in-doors than 
to embroider worsteds, or tap ivory keys, or 
dust a marble mantel, is refining her off of the 
by* of tho earth to give place to the daughters I 
of the servants of the kitchen.” 
Hiding for the gomtg. 
BEAUTY AND STUDY. 
No girl should be indifferent to her personal 
appearance. God meant woman to be attract¬ 
ive, and it is one of her duties to carry out this 
design. But that dress is to bo all is more than 
we can believe, .lust, because wo love to see 
girls look well, as well as to live to some pur¬ 
pose, we would urge them on such a course of 
reading and study as will confer qualities which 
no modiste can supply. 
A well-known author once wrote a pretty 
essay on the power of education to beauty, 
that it absolutely chiseled the features; that ho 
has seen many a clumsy nose and pair of thick 
lips so modified by thought awakened and 
active sentiment, as to be unrecognizable. And 
he put it ou that ground that we an often see 
people, homely and unattractive in youth, 
bloom in middle life into a softened Indian 
Summer of good looks and mellow tones. 
LITTLE CHATTERBOX. 
TnEY oall me “ Little Chatterbox;” 
My name is little May; 
I have to talk so much, because 
I have so much to say. 
And oh ! 1 have so many friends— 
So many ! and you see 
I can’t help loving them, becauso 
They every one love me. 
I love pupil and my mumma 
I love wy sisters, too; 
And if you’re very, very good, 
I guess that I’ll love you. 
But I love God the best of all 
lie keeps me all the night; 
And when tho morning comes again, 
Ho wakes me with the light. 
1 think it Is so nice to live; 
And yet If I should die, 
The Lord would send his angels down 
To take mo to the sky. 
•-- 
FROM OUR YOUNG NATURALIST. 
Dear Cousins All;— I have so much to tell 
you I don't know where to begin. I have been 
rock-bunting, for some time past, in Central 
Mew York, and I want to toil you of some things 
I fouud there. 
Tho next morning after my arrival, armed 
with a hammer and chisel, I started for tho 
ledge, which was on the brow of a high hill. 
The rock is known ns Marcellas shale, and be¬ 
longs to the Hamilton Period, I found a large 
number of npirifera, also some beautiful shells 
called {janter<rpodn. I was congratulating my¬ 
self ou my good luck, when, on breaking open 
another stone, ! found, to tny groat joy, a largo 
fossil called the <)i thoceruliir. I’crimps some 
of my little cousins wonder what such a long 
name as that means. Well, the Orthociratite 
was a mollusk which lived in a Jong, straight 
shell, which was divided Into a great many 
chambers; ofttimes as many as seventy. 
Steele, In Ills work on Geology, says"These 
were formed to accommodate the growth of 
tho animal. As it increased in size, It moved 
forward in Us shell; and, extending its shell at 
the larger end, partitioned off its new quarters 
from the rest by a shelly wall." So, in time, a 
series of chambers was formed, each larger 
than the last. A membraneous tube connected 
the different chambers, passing from the ntol- 
lusk in the largest cell to the smallest room at 
the other end. It Is supposed that the empty 
cells acted as a buoy to float the heavy animal. 
The specimen which I found was broken, a part 
being gone, but what was left was a few inches 
in length, and about an inch gild a-half in di¬ 
ameter. Tho divisions were very plainly mark¬ 
ed. and, as It was the only one I had found, I 
was careful to put it in a safe place in my col¬ 
lecting valise. 1 afterward found two more in 
tho shale on the hill, but smaller specimens, 
l spent that day and the next in my search 
for fossils, and made several additions to my 
“Cabinet.” Whoa these specimens were all 
packed, i had a rather heavy box, I can tell 
you, for it contained about one hundred and 
fifty fossils. After 1 had packed these, I went 
a few miles to quarries of the Hamilton proper, 
as this group is termed; and if this finds Its way 
into the Rural, I will tell you of something we 
found there. Young Naturalist. 
-- 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
From Wild Rose, the Indian Girl. 
I am having a pleasant vacation away here in 
Choctaw Nation. I became acquainted with a 
Choctaw lady who inv ited me to spend vacation 
with her, which I accepted, as I have for a long 
time had a desire to visit this tribe. I have 
been among several different tribos, and in dif¬ 
ferent nations, and among some wild tribes. 1 
have seen I Heir young warrior.-, painted and 
equipped for the war path. I think it is partly 
the women’s fault that the men are so wild and 
savage; If they return to their lodges wdthout 
scalps they are looked upon as cowards, and re¬ 
ceive a oold greeting from their .squaws. 1 find 
the Choctaws mode of living is much like my 
own tribe. The men devote most of their time 
to hunting, but all raise ponies and cattle,which 
they sell to white traders. Some of the women 
make baskets. I visited tho Ladies’Seminary 
on examination day, which is largely attended 
by young ladies from different parts of the na¬ 
tion. The principal is a white man - a mission¬ 
ary; the assistants are native ladies. We at¬ 
tended church on Sunday, which met under the 
trees ill the woods. The pastor was a native 
and spoke in his own language, which L do not 
understand. He baptised two little boys—twins; 
they were about five years old. They had very 
long hair and had on no clothing, except little 
clouts. I am going to school one more term, 
then away to my home in tho wild woods.— 
Wild Rose. _ 
A Little Reader. 
Dear Rural;— We all like your paper very 
much, and every week look forward anxiously 
to its coming. We all learn a great deal from 
it. Pa says ho could not get along without it. 
I am twelve years old, and live on a farm. I 
have to work pretty hard, yet I enjoy it, for In 
the evening, when the work is done, I can sit 
down arid read. I have road Josephus’ Works, 
Mr. Greeley’s and Mr. Abbott's History of 
the War, the History of the Revolution, the 
History of England, the Naval History, the Lives 
of Generals Washington, J ackson and Gra nt, 
and many other books. I like to read history 
very much. Would you bo so kind as to tell mo 
what history* would be the most useful and en¬ 
tertaining, and oblige— Willie D. M., Delaware 
Co., N. T. 
Bust-ing His Crandmother. 
Dear Rural:—I am a little boy and we livo 
ou a farm. 1 go to school. I like my studies 
very much. T have a box of tools and make all 
sorts of tilings for my sister to train vines on; 
I also try to make statuary. I have a bust of 
grandma that pa says is quite good, but the 
clay’ lias dried and cracked and is now falling 
to pieces. 1 have an ambition to be a sculptor, 
but don’t know the primary principles. Would 
the Rural be so kind as to give the informa¬ 
tion of what I can get and where to get it.— 
Johnie, Ml. Vernon, Ohio. 
A Young Poultry Keeper. 
I AM what you might call a. young poultry 
keeper. Last April I got ninoteen hens, and 
have raised over sixty chickens; have sold 
some, and now have eighteen liens and forty- 
seven chickens left. I intend to get me a, copy 
of tlic People's Practical Poultry Book. We 
havp taken the Rural New-Yorker tor a groat 
many years, and my mother says she can’t got 
along without it.—M. L. D., Sherman, N. Y. 
ve fJ filter. 
BIBLICAL ENIGMA—No. 3. 
I am composed of 120 letters: 
My 01, 33, 4, », 7, 85,20, 11, 3, lfi, 13, 89,10 was one 
of I ho four cities of the Gibeonitoa. 
My «, 18, 40, 31), 19, 104, 118, 112,120, 102,101,112 is a 
kind ol' tree. 
My 10, 98, 119.109, II1, 40,72, 108,51 was olio of the 
sons of Othrdel. 
My 85, 15, 47, 40,73,8(1, 58, 57, 78, 91, 71, 09, 105,70, 
89. 19 was a place of very great antiquity. 
My 113, 51, 8, 32,20, 54, 27, 55, 70, 107 is a thicket. 
My 21,51, 17, 77, 43, 9, 92 Is the tree from which 
the zackuin oil comes. 
My (id, 5, ;R, HI, 14, 04, lfi is a bird formerly called 
dayyuli, allied to the buzzard. 
My 3s, 1,30,80, :>u, a plant of the genus kinkayon. 
My 10,10,1 lo, 52, 23, 3, 22,107, a species of oraciie. 
My 43, 18, 30, 81,110, 7, 82, 104, 2, 9, 50 is a book in 
the Bible. • 
My 120, 88, 111, 51, 74, 37, 23, l, 1, 117 was a kind of 
wood of the genus quadrivalvis, highly 
prized by tho Greeks. 
My 87, 29, 90, 100, 09, 79, 75, 108, 25, 71, 114, 08 is a 
lot of people collected together. 
My HO, 108,10. 7. 107, 90, 95, 107 was one of the 
most ancient of the cities of Syria founded 
by Uz. 
My 97, 99, 104, 10, 85, 115, 7,99 43 is a quadruped. 
My 00, 21, 42,117, 10, 44, 31, 05, 41 was an Ethio¬ 
pian eunuch in the service of KingZedokiah. 
My 115, 57, 81, 51, ill was the children ol' I’harez. 
My 1113,104,93, 120, I, 11;5,51,120, 59 is agriculture. 
My 24, 119, 54, (17, 11)0, 03, 108, 45 is a part of tho 
body mentioned by Ezekiel, 
-My 02, 1, 106, 8, 7, 21 was the third of the 11 vo 
daughters of Zolopholuid. 
My 10,09.52,90,50, 51, 94, 83, 115, 10 was one of 
tho sons of King Haul. 
My whole is part of a verse from St. Matthew. 
ZST Answer in two weeks. J. A. Cox. 
-*♦«-- 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMA—No. 5. 
My first is in David but not in Saul, 
My second is in Timothy but not in Paul; 
My third is in Rachel but not in Jane, 
My fourth Is in Abel but not in Cain ; 
My fifth is in Mary but not in Nell, 
My sixth is in Eva but not in Belle ; 
My seventh is in Charlie but not in Will, 
My eighth is In Arthur hut not in Phil; 
My nluth Is In maiden but not in beaux, 
My tenth i j in water but not in snow ; 
My eleventh is in diamonds but not in gold, 
My whole is a ludicrous sight to behold. 
SST" Answer in two weeks. d. d. h. 
-- 
S0.UARE-W0RD ENIGMA.—No. 4. 
1. An animal never found in Ireland. 2. An 
ancient city. 3. A bachelor who put off getting 
married so long that no one would marry him. 
4. A commancement. Harry B. Strong. 
Answer in two weeks. 
-♦♦♦—-- 
PROBLEM.—No. 9. 
Find two different isoceles triangles such, 
that their perimeters and areas shall be both 
expressed by the same numbers, S. G. c. 
S2T“ Answer in two weeks. 
- * ■■ * ■*■ - 
PUZZLER ANSWERS. - Sopt. 6. 
Biblical Enigma No. 2.—If any man thirst, 
let him come unto me and drink.— John, vi. v. 37. 
Illustrated Rebus No. 5. — Lot another 
man praise thee. 
Crosb-Word Knigma. No. 4—Glen View. 
