FIRMNESS AND OBSTINACY. 
LIFE IN GERMANY. 
tinners 
Tiik red-winged merle from bonding spray, 
With graceful pinions poising, 
Pours out a liquid roundelay 
In Jubilant rejoicing: 
The cock grouse drums on sounding log, 
Tilt) fox forsakes the cover, 
The woodcock pipes from fen and bog, 
From upland leas the plover. 
These two qualities are continually mis¬ 
taken for each other, but they are not at all 
alike in reality. Firmness is essential to 
success, while obstinacy may plunge its 
victim headlong into the abyss of failure and 
defeat. Firmness is a persistency of action, 
founded upon a clear and conscientious con¬ 
viction as to the right and wrong of a ques¬ 
tion. Tin obstinate man, on the contrary, 
Prop. W. S. Tyler, in a letter to the Con¬ 
gregationalism thus gives us a peep into the 
domestic life of the Germans in their own 
country: 
You enter a German house, without knock¬ 
ing, through a door which rings a hell, and 
announces the ingress or egress of some one. 
At the foot of the staircase you lind a bell 
handle, by ringing at which you call a ser- 
CONCERNING JEWS 
DUTCH CUSTOMS AND COSTUMES, 
In a recent number of your valuable 
Rural, is an article on “ Street Scenes in 
New York,” by “ Uncle Paul,” in which 
the following sentences occur : — “ Jews 
never marry other than Jews. They never 
In Holland the out-door sports and games 
that were the delight of our English and 
French ancestors, are still kept up. Target¬ 
shooting is very popular, and the most in¬ 
tense enthusiasm and emulation exists 
among young men in regard to it. The best 
shot is quite the hero of the hour, and is 
decorated with insignia of victory, as shown 
in our engraving; and no warrior returning 
from hard-fought, fields is more proud of his 
laurels than our young villager, who has 
just won the prize at the village fete. His 
young wife, leaning tenderly upon him, her 
eyes full of glad pride, — his mother’s up¬ 
raised hand,—his sister’s eager, listening air, 
—his father's calm satisfaction as he smokes 
his pipe —all are highly expressive of the 
general interest which prevails. 
This little domestic scene lias given our 
artist a good opportunity to portray some of 
the curious costumes of Znid-Roveland, 
where the young girls wear a light blue cap, 
bordered with lace, and entirely concealing 
tlieir hair, and ornamented with golden but¬ 
tons and pendants. This cap has a lace cov- 
Thi* speckled trout, darts up tho stream 
Bernoulli Hie rustic brblKi’s. 
Whtlo flocks of pigeons glauce and gleam 
O'er beech anti maple rlilgea: 
The golden robin trills bis note 
A mong the netted shadows, 
Tho bob-o'-lluk, with mellow throat 
Makes musical the meadows. 
The peeping frogs with silver bells, 
In rhythmical ovation, 
Ring out a ell I me of treble swells 
In joyous Rial illation : 
Thu low of ktne Is mingling with 
The song of lark and sparrow, 
And fallow fields are growing blitho 
Reiinutli the plow and harrow. 
The moon nil night, serene and white, 
On lake and stream is glowing. 
While rippling fountains seek her light, 
Through woodland valleys flowing: 
And all night, long a low, sweet song 
Sweeps o'er the misty hollow. 
From marsh and fen. from hill and glen 
From brook,and hold, and fallow. 
It Is the lime of pleasant, things, 
When Love makes up Ills Issues, 
And hearts well up, like hidden springs, 
From rusted cells and tissues 
A time to hear at. break of day 
A silver-chorused matlll— 
A liquid fretwork in crochet 
Oil atmosphorie satin,— 
A time to feast tho soul, the eyes, 
To watch each bird that pusses, 
Amt half surmise that bird* are wise, 
And men are only asses; 
And then to turn and raise the load 
With weary shoulders bonding. 
And take the old, well-beaten road 
That loads—unto tho ending. 
[Oeoiy IU. Stars, in Lipptncntt't Sfngazivr 
THE TANGLED SKEIN 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, 
Farmer's Wife, Cambridge, writes as follows: 
*« I want to know or " Mi.vrwoon" what to do 
with my buff chambroy dress. It Is made with 
a straight skirt, with seven hull'-inoh t,ticks, and 
a deep hem. H has boon worn but a lit tle, and 
never washed, bo it is as good tvs ever. How 
ahould tho waist, bo made, also tile sleeves? 
What kind of a sash shall I wear with it? How 
shall 1 fix my black alpaca? Would a flounce 
,>lght or ten inches deep, with two rullles above 
it, look well? How shall the sleeves and waist 
be made? What can I do with my litl.lo black 
alpaca, sack? It is round at I ho bottom. Can 
It be made to wear Ibis summer? 1 live In the 
country, but I ike to have my clothes look a little 
stylish, and not quite as though they woro tho 
“oast-off" of some undent, lady, ns farmers’ 
wives clothes so often do, though the poor 
things would fain dress Ulw folks sometimes. 
What shall I get for a wrap to wear with differ¬ 
ent dresses? Wbat kind of collars to wear with 
alpaca suit ?" 
Make a Spanish llouneeof tho hem find lucks 
of your chamhray dross, out ling off the bottom 
fourteen inches. Let oul two or three of the 
tucks lo give sufficient length to the skirt, If 
need he. Gore t he upper part, and put two nar¬ 
row initios just, above the flounce. Make a 
blouse or Garibaldi Waist, heart-shaped throat; 
emit, or Uowing sleeves: large how ut Lite back. 
If you have enough, make a short eacque, or skel¬ 
eton wrap to wear with it. Trim all with ruffles 
of the same. Your suggestions are good about 
tho alpaca. Make the waist plain, sleeves coat, 
with puffs from shoulder to elbow. Cut your 
little sample straight around the bottom, and 
trim all with ruffles or ruches of the same. A 
black silk wrap is most serviceable for all sorts 
of dresses. Linen collars are always suitable for 
alpaca dresses. Lace and ruffs of muslin are 
also worn, 
v hchool Girl, fifteen years old, with blue eyes 
and dark brown hair, wants to know how to 
dross her hair most bocotni ugly, and what colored 
ribbons to wear in It. It Ithnsu bit of curl in 
it, wear it short until nearly out of school. Girls 
braid their hair, crossing and colling it at the 
back; rolling it. under, “Jenny Lind" fashion, 
under a net. Another pretty style for small 
faces, is to part the Imir down the hack, leaving 
out a slip at the top; roll each side over long, 
huge “rats," straight back from the face, and 
fasten the ends under at the back. Curl, braid 
or crimp the slip left out, to fall over tho space 
ni the back where the two rolls meet, or nearly 
meet. Over all, wear a net. Blue, pink oreher- 
ry ribbon. 
Carrie .Me.— Information lias already been 
given how to make spring dresses. Double 
skirts an- worn. Trim your gray poplin with 
the same, m with silk or satin tho same shade 
for binding the bounces. Follow suggestions 
heretofore given. The number of .yards re¬ 
quired for a silk sacquw depends upon how you 
make It. Three and a-hulf yards of wide silk is 
considered a full pattern. Cut to partly lit the 
ligiirc, is more scylish than the full, loose'style. 
Flowing sleeves. Should advise a sarquo Instead 
of shawl. He sure amt have it fit well. Hut have 
wraps like your dresses, if possible. As to your 
other request, some photographer might be able 
to supply you. 
Bells F. CJ.—Sent you samples as desired. 
Charles Dhisiitore.—A lew simpletons con¬ 
tinue to part their hair in the middle. It is not 
fashionatde, however, among men. Button-hole 
bouquets continue to be worn to some extent. 
It is n pretty, refreshing fashion, and does not 
indicate snobbishness. Strong perfumes are not 
in good taste. 
Millie, -White grenadine shawls are not par¬ 
ticularly fashionable. They cost from £1 to |8. 
Out your black and white dress short., with 
gored skirt, and trim with the same. From 
three to three and a-half yards is the ordinary 
width for a short-trimmed skirt. Make a Met- 
terulch mantle of your circular cape by belting 
down the back and front, by a belt passing 
through the cape under the arms, leaving the 
fall over the arras loose, simulating u flowing 
sleeve. The “prevailing style of outside gar¬ 
ments for this summer" is so divided and sub¬ 
divided that no one style prevails, and it is to be 
hoped that no one style of any garment (except 
dresses being nh<>rt) will be ad lie rod to by every¬ 
body. Fichus arc considerably worn, and are 
shown in Llama lace, costing from *11 to $20. 
Skeleton overdresses,sleeveless, half-long belted 
down earaquea, and tight-fit ting garments with 
open fronts, bouffant, looped-up back skirts, are 
each and all worn. Mintwood. 
DUTCH GUS r rOIVIS AND (JOSH'TJ IYIJli'.iS 
vant, who conducts you to a parlor or recep¬ 
tion-room on the next floor, which you enter 
by knocks. You will find Ihe parlor and 
the best rooms in the house adorned with 
beautiful pictures on the walls, and elegant 
lacc curtains at the windows, but probably 
without any carpet. Tho floor, however, is 
tessdated with beautiful patterns in various 
colors, and varnished, or at least it is scoured 
till it is as white as the driven snow. The 
amount of lino linen which a German house¬ 
keeper has, and which she is not reluctant to 
show her guests, is fabulous. 
This is partly a mark of gentility and part¬ 
ly a matter of necessity, for tho Germans 
have but three or four washing days in the 
whole year. And the baking of the black 
bread of the peasants is as frequent as tlieir 
washing. The Germans in the country, anti 
in such cities as Gottingen, keep early hours, 
breakfasting at eight or earlier, dining at one, 
and usually going lo bed as early as ten, 
We attended a concert of most delightful 
music, but it began at live P. M. and closed 
at seven in the evening, In short, the child¬ 
like virtues of simplicity, candor, natural¬ 
ness and heartiness which have almost died 
oul in fashionable American society still ex¬ 
ist in Germany, in all their primitive perfec¬ 
tion. When we parted from our hostess she 
embraced my wife, and kissed lier repeated¬ 
ly, as if she had been a sister or a daughter, 
and did not even let her husband depart 
without a share in this hearty benediction. 
attend any other than a Jewish church." 
“To mix the blood of any other people in 
their veins is, in their estimation, to render 
them unworthy of God's especial regard.” 
Now, if “ Uncle Pai l” will visit Macon, 
we will convince him mat lie is, for once, in 
error. We will introduce him to two (at 
least) worthy and influential citizen dews, 
one of whom is the proprietor and owner of 
one of our first-class hotels; the other a 
merchant, comfortable in the possession of 
considerable property. Christian wives,— 
estimable ladies, and zealous members of 
Christian churches in our city,—with seve¬ 
ral “ brilliant gems,” the offsprings of happy 
matrimonial alliances, adorn the family 
circles. The husbands are often seen gal¬ 
lanting their wives to their chosen church, 
and occupying tho same pew. The wives 
as often are seen accompanying their hus¬ 
bands to the synagogue. Parents and chil¬ 
dren all move along harmoniously, and 
some Christian families might improve their 
domestic felicity by emulating the example 
of these dexpiml Jem. 
In regard to the religious education of the 
children, 1 understand that all that was pre¬ 
viously arranged, so that no “ family jars” 
occur on that score. 
Perhaps “ Uncle Paul,” should he make 
that visit, would find a different class of 
Jews from those with whom he has hereto¬ 
fore had intercourse. For it must be ad¬ 
mitted that tho Jews of Macon, as a class, 
rank among our best and most valuable 
citizens, arc exemplary in their walk and 
conversation, honorable in their dealings 
and management of business, social and 
agreeable in intercourse with their fellow 
men, and always among the first to render 
assistance when persons or property aro 
overtaken with distress or disaster. And I 
have come to the conclusion, by the expe¬ 
rience and observation of nearly three-score 
years, that the prejudices connected with 
our early Christian education, in regard to 
those possessing other religious beliefs, were 
erroneous and unjust; and when visions of 
the early clock peddlers and wooden nut¬ 
megs of my native Sl ate appear before me, 
I think that I can afford to exercise a little 
charity towards others. E. C. Bulkley. 
Macon, Ga., 1870. 
-- 
Man has two chambers in his heart—the 
one for himself, the other for a friend ; but 
*lhe latter had far better be empty than filled 
with that which is false. 
THE MAJORITY QUESTION, 
An English clergyman was lately endeav¬ 
oring to prove that doers of good are always 
in tho minority, and by parity of reasoning, 
that the conservative party, being in the 
minority, were right. To illustrate, he said : 
“ Paul was in the minority, but who was 
right? Peter was in a minority, but who 
was right?” The reverend orator was liter¬ 
ally “sat upon,” when some one in the gallery 
shouted: “Judas Iscariot was in the minor¬ 
ity, but who was right?” Tho effect was 
laughable. Tito lecturer was struck dumb, 
for some minutes could not utter a word, and 
the audience roared. 
SOCIAL CURIOSITIES 
“ Do you think,” asked Mrs. Pepper, “ that 
a little temper is a bad thing in a woman?" 
“Certainly not, ma’am,” replied a gallant 
philosopher; “ it is a good thing, and she 
ought never to lose it,.” 
“ Come here, my dear,” said a young man 
to a little girl, to whose sister he was paying 
his addresses, “ You arc the sweetest thing 
Oil earth.” “ No, l am not,” she replied, 
archly, “ sister says you aro the sweetest.” 
We Once knew an unhappily married and 
rather unsophisticated female, who remarked 
pathetically about her marriage, that “If 
she had thought as much about it before as 
she had since, she never would have done it,” 
Who could have been guilty of perpetrat¬ 
ing the following ? 
" Beauty has claims, for which she flgbt» 
At case, with winning arms; 
The women who want women’s rights 
Want, mostly, woman’s charms.” 
A lady wished a seat. A portly, hand¬ 
some gentleman brought one and seated the 
lady. “ Oh ! you’re a jewel” said she. “ Oh, 
no,” he replied, “ I am a jeweler; I have just 
set the jewel.” 
“Ma,” said a little boy, “has aunty got 
bees hi her mouth?” “No, my dear; why 
do you ask ? ” “ ’Cause Captain Jones 
caught hold of her and said lie was going to 
take honey from her lips; and she said. 
“ ‘ Well, make haste,’ ” 
THE NEW CRIME, 
“Mark Twain” writes about the new 
crime, “ insanity,” as follows: — Insanity 
Certainly is on the increase in the world, and 
crime is dying out. There are no longer 
any murders — none worth mentioning, at 
any rate. Formerly, if you killed a man, it 
was possible that you were insane—but now 
if you kill a man it is evidence that you are 
a lunatic. In these days, too, if a person of 
good family and high social standing steals 
anything, they call it kleptomania, and send 
hint to the lunatic asylum. If a person of 
high standing squanders his fourtune in dis¬ 
sipation and closes his career with strychnine 
or a bullet, “ temporary aberration” is what 
was the trouble with him. And finally, its 
before noted, the list is capped with a new 
and curious madness in the shape of whole¬ 
sale adultery. 
The keynote of good breeding is B natural, 
