thing, so I make one more effort. My father 
has takon the Rural for throe years, and likes 
it very much. But times were so hard and 
money scarce that ho thought ho would have 
to do without it this year. Mother is a cripple 
and has not walked for eight years, and she 
said she would ho so lonesome without your 
patter to read that she got the money unbe¬ 
known to pa and sent you for the paper, and 
also for the Children’* Hour for myself and 
Arthur’s Florae Magazine for my sister older. 
When pa knows that your paper Is coming he 
will bo highly delighted. I am eleven years 
old. I go to school and Tend In the fifth reader. 
We had a nice Christmas tree In the church. 
I received a nice book for regular attendance 
at Sabbath School. I have been to Sabbath 
School pvery Sabbath for the past two years. 
I will not write any more, for fear wluit. I have 
written will go in the waste basket, but If you 
think this worth printing I will write more 
nest tlmo.-NEM.Tn., M. l’., Emporium, Cam- 
eron 1 Pa, 
From a Southern New York Clrl, 
Mu. Editor:—J live on u farm In the south¬ 
ern part of New York. My father has taken 
the Rural for years. As I have become very 
much interested in the boys’ and girls’ letters, 
I resolved to join in vending letters to the 
Rural, hoping that 1 may moot with success. 
This is a very cold night., and If you were bore, 
Mr. Editor, you would Imagine yourself very 
near t he North Pole. I would like to paint you 
a scene of our home circle as it Is tills evening. 
My father has rotlred; my mother sits eating 
an apple and reading tho RURAL; my Bister is 
sewing, and the school teacher reading tho 
Rural and hugging the stove. This constitutes 
our number. In the Rural of Doc. 20, 1873, 
\VTla M. of Maple Grove, Now York, said Miat 
if some of tho farmer girls would write to bor 
through tho Rural she would answer. I would 
like to be one of her correspondents. Adieu 
for tho present.— Flora Horsekeads, iY. Y, 
value than mere dollare and cents—for the good 
accomplished must be lasting, while the mone¬ 
tary gain often proves evanescent.. Of course 
wo shall be glad to hear from ADPIE again, as 
well as from others who wish to aid, through 
our pages, in making paradises on earth—at¬ 
tractive, beautiful, peaceful and happy Homes. 
-[Ed. _ 
SHAN’T AND WON’T 
THE SYMPTOMS OP LOVE 
Coign here, fond youth, whoe’er thou be. 
That boasts to love as well as mo. 
And if thy breast have felt so wide a wound, 
Come hither, and tliy flame approve j 
I’ll teach thee what it is to love, 
And by what marks true pa?sion may be found. 
It Is to be all bathed In tears; 
To live upon a smile for years; 
To lie whole ages at a beauty’s feet: 
To kneel, to languish and implore j 
And still, though she disdain, adore?— 
It Is tu do all this, and think tby sufferings sweet. 
It. Is to gaze upon her eyes 
With oa;or Joy and fond surprise; 
Yet tempered with such chaste and awful fear 
As wretches feci who wait their doom; 
Nor must one ruder thought presume, 
Though but in whispers breathed, to meet her ear, 
It Is to hope, though hope wore lost; 
Though heayen and earth thy passion crossed; 
Though ?d»n wore bright as sainted queens above, 
And thou the least und meanest swain 
That folds his flock upon the plain,— 
Yot, if thou dnr’st not hope, thou dost not love. 
It Ib to quench t.liy Joy in tears, 
To nursu strange doubts ntn: groundless fears; 
If pangs of Jealousy thou lifts not proved,— 
Though she wore fonder nml more true 
Than any nymph old pools drew,— 
O, nevur dream again that thou hast loved! 
If, when the darting maid is gone, 
Thou dost not seek to bo alone, 
Wrapt in a pleasing trance of tender woe, 
And tuuse, and fold thy languid arms, 
Feeding thy fancy on her charms, 
Thou dost not love,—for lovo is nourished so. 
if any hopes thy bosom share 
But those which Love has planted tnore, 
Or any cares but his thy breast enthrall,- 
Thou never yet. liis power hast known; 
Love sits on n despotic throne, 
And reigns a tyrant, if ho reigns at all. 
Now If thou art so lost, a thing. 
Here all thy tender sorrows bring. 
And prove whose patience longost can endure; 
■ We'll strive whoso fancy shall be lost 
In dreams of fondest passion most; 
For if thou bast loved, O never hope a cure! 
[ilfrs. Barbauld. 
Shan’t and Won't were two little brothers, 
Angry ami sullen and gruff; 
Try and Will are dear ilttlo sisters, 
One scarcely can love them enough. 
8hau’t and Won’t looked down on their noses, 
Their faces were dismal to see; 
Try and Will are brighter than tobbs 
I n June, and as blithe as a bee. 
Shan’t and Won't were backward and stupid, 
Littlo Indeed did they know: 
Try and Will learn something new dully. 
And seldom are heedless or slow. 
Shan’t and Won’t loved nothing, no, nothing 
So much as to have their own way; 
Try and Will give up to their elders, 
And try to please others at play. 
Shan’t and Won’t eamo to terrible trouble. 
Their story Is too sad to tell; 
Try and Will are now ut. the Infant school, 
Learning to read and to spell. 
EVERY-DAY LIFE 
RY LEAD PENCIL, ESQ 
Tho Use of Slang Words. 
Have slang words any vise ? None that I know 
of, except as indices of vulgar associations or 
want of rellneinent. In the nature of the man 
or woman who uses them. I hoard Jeanrttf. 
say to the young fellow who came to see her 
the other night, and who asked her, “How do 
you do, Miss J eanbtte ?" “ 0,1 am bully." 
Now Jeannttk would not like to be told nor 
to have it Inferred* that, she is coarse of speech 
and vulgar in thought, but that Is precisely the 
conclusion to which most rollned people would 
arrive if they had heard that answer to her 
friend and admirer. 
Going along tho street the other morning 
behind a half-dozen girls on their way to school, 
1 heard one of them say, “ Oh, ho’s just hunk- 
a-dora!" Another said, “Well, 1 don't care, 
but John can knock the spots out of him.” 
Another, “Girls,! do think you are ridiculous; 
I think boys are ull a lot of‘muffsl’ " “No 
matter,”said one of tho first speakers,“I’m 
just gwlne to lay for him." 
Do you suppose those wore Ignorant girls 
from uncultivated families? No! They were 
tho daughters of parents whom 1 know to be 
refined and exemplary people 1 Yot hero they 
were talking In the public streets, in tones so 
loud 1 could not avoid hearing them, just such 
slang ns this! Why do I give this phase of 
Every-day Life? Because I want to forewarn 
mothers (and fathers as well) that tide propen¬ 
sity to use slang words on the part of their 
children needs their attention; and to tell 
young women (and boys too) that purity of 
language or its elegant use, Is an accomplish¬ 
ment, the acquisition of which they can ill 
afford to forego. It is as easy to acquire the 
habit of using correct and elegant words as 
vulgar anil inappropriate ones. Need I say it 
is far better and wiser to do so ? 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS 
A “Lost and Found” Missouri Boy. 
Dear Rural Boys and Girls As the edi¬ 
tor of the Rural was so kind as to publish my 
last letter, I think I shall try again. I prom¬ 
ised to writ© something of my life, but cannot 
think of anything that would Interest you, un¬ 
less It would bo about my getting lost. It was 
tho night before Christmas, IStlfi; the snow lay 
on the ground four feet deep. That day I was 
compelled to go to town, which was eight 
miles distant. It was nearly dark when I 
started home, and, knowing the wolves were 
plenty, I did not lot grass grow under my feet. 
Well, 1 was about six miles from home when i 
heard the musical sound of the wolf so musi¬ 
cal, Indeed, It made tho hair stand on my head. 
I toll you, boys, I was scared. I put ray horse 
down to ids best. After 1 Imd traveled long 
enough, as I supposed, to reach town. Imagine 
my surprise to find myself hack where I had 
find heard the howl of the wolf. Again I heard 
the howl of a wolf. I got toy horse into the 
road and gave him the reins, and in about 
twenty-five minutes 1 was landed at a neigh¬ 
bor’s, threa miles from home. After getting 
warm I wont, on homo. I tell you, boys, if you 
havo never been lost you dOJFf know how it 
feels. As I know I havo now made my letter 
too long, and don't believe the editor will 
accept it, I will close .—Sampson, Carthage, Mo., 
Jan, 14, 1874. 
From n Massachusetts Boy. 
Dear Editor:— My father has taken your 
paper for four years, uud I see so many letters 
written by the boy^ and girls t guess 1 must 
write one. 1 wish all the Ilttlo boys and girls 
of Uic Nkw-Yorker a happy Now Year; and I 
wish the editor would put Ills portrait in the 
paper for a Now Year's present. My letter Is 
getting pretty long, I guess, so I shall have to 
stop.— Walter B., South Adams, Mass. 
A PLEASANT EPISTLE 
Aboutthe Rural and Making Homes Happy 
CHINESE PROPOSALS OF MARRIAGE 
Waste nothing—neither time, money, nor 
talent. 
Always tell tho truth; you will find It easier 
than lying. 
I e wo seize too hastily, we may have to drop 
as hastily. 
Experience is a torch lighted in the ashes of 
our delusions. 
When a gentleman feels desirous of taking 
unto himself a wife, he sends to tho paternal 
head of some family containing daughters, for 
specimens of the sizes of their feet, with the 
prices attached. One foot is. valued at perhaps 
two thousand dollars, tho next smallest at five 
thousand, and so forth, according to tho mar¬ 
ket, After tho foot (or the lady to whom It 
belongs) is chosen :;h© is sent in a sedan chair 
to the Intended husband's house; he meets her 
at the door, looks Into tho vehicle to take a 
view of the fair one; and. If she suits hia taste, 
he admits her. As soon as she passes bin 
threshold, she becomes his lawful wife; but If 
lie likes not tho lady, he shuts the door, and 
she Is carried whither she came. 
dear Old Rural?—M any times havo I been 
prompted, to writ© a few words for your paper. 
You wonder with I am that 1 should address you 
so familiarly, but 1 claim It my privilege to call 
you “ Dear Old Rural," for fully 10 years ago, 
if you turn back to your subscription Hut, you 
will find upon the list my father's name; and 
for some years you were a faithful visitant and 
a welcome one. to our household circle. I was 
a little girl then, but there was always attract¬ 
ive reading for the young, and many beautiful 
sent!menta caught ray ©ye and heart and laid 
foundations for many littlo hopes and antici¬ 
pations which have budded now and the blos¬ 
soms are sweet. There is such a blending of 
sorrow and happiness in this world. Again 
the Rciia l comes regularly to me; hut now the 
dear horns circle Is broken ; futlicr’s gone, and 
we aro scattered, but the precious memory 
prevails and Is rovlved In your presence, like 
that of an old friend. 
I cannot forbear adding to tho many sugges¬ 
tions that have been given in your paper rela¬ 
tive to tho beautifying of homes, I think if 
we aro permitted to enjoy in the heart n fore¬ 
taste of heavenly joy, it is in the love anil har¬ 
mony that blond In home-life, and anything 
that contributes to draw the golden cord of 
Love more closely around us should bo encour¬ 
aged. Yes, make homo beautiful and attract¬ 
ive. Men and women are both better for pleas¬ 
ant surroundings—and sometimes only a little 
thought and exertion are necessary to secure 
these. In cultivating the flower* that give 
such an air of cosiness mid pleasure to the 
arrangement of our rooms, let us ho mindful 
of that rare plant. Cheerfulness, that, only with 
a Ilttlo attention gives such fragrance and Mis 
the home life with richblo.fzoms, whose round¬ 
ed leaves never wither or fade. Just a word 
for “ flowers at t,he tabic,” and wo hope we 
shall remember to keep boquata fresh for our 
dining-room next, summer; these littlo ways 
of speaking to the heart are so often neglected, 
and fall in a great endeavor. 
More anon, If you deem this worthy. Pros¬ 
perity attend you, Rural, and accept many 
good wishes from Yours, truly, 
S wanton, Vt., Jan. 30,1874. Adptk A. 
The appreciation of the Rural which is op¬ 
pressed by our fair correspondent—we are sure 
she must be both fair and good—is grateful to 
its Founder. We frequently receive similar 
expressions of regard for the “Dear Old Ru¬ 
ral,’’ und we trust its contents and character 
in the past render them worthily bestowed. 
Re that it may, the consciousness that the 
Rural was doing good in its efforts to enter¬ 
tain, instruct, and Improve the various mem¬ 
bers or tho family circle, -and also proving 
beneficial through its teachings on practical 
subjects,—hat often, while In sickness or cast 
down, stimulated us to renewed efforts to ren¬ 
der the paper increasingly acceptable and val¬ 
uable. Indeed, such consciousness 1 b, accord¬ 
ing to our estimate, of incomparably greater 
From an Alabama Clrl. 
Dear Rural:—I have not written a letter in 
some time but hope you will excuse me, for I 
havo boon very busy spinning. I havo nothing 
of much interest, to tell you about thin time. 
Jack Frost, as you all know, has taken away all 
the flowers, and the hawks and owls have 
taken away nearly all my chickens. The spring 
i.j fast, approaching, when the flowers will 
spring out of the earth and be as pretty as 
ever. Already the hyacinths are beginning to 
bloom, and the jonquils aro putting up their 
buds. The bird?, will soon return and build 
their nests and sing sweet songs. II. will not 
be long before we will have little chickens to 
attend to, and so many littlo jobs to do that 
are but play. I am almost up with Florence 
Ford, for I havo a patchwork quilt with five 
thousand pieces in it. 1 fully ugroe with her 
about living in dirty cities, where (lie sun never 
shines and all is dark and dreary, 1 hope she 
will write another letter. Cora must not for¬ 
get to write again; also “Sunday School 
Scholar,” and all others. 1 hope none will for¬ 
get the valuable paper. There has been suoh a 
panic, rughig and money so scarce that I havo 
taken up the old trade (spinning), and found 
it very agreeable work. It is easier to spin 
than to do a great many other things people 
have to do.- -Lizzie L., Carrollton, Ala., Jan. 17. 
TFe arc always glad to receive contributions 
for this Department. 
ILLUSTRATED REBUS.-No. 5 
WOMEN PERSONALS. 
Tiialberg’s daughter Is a vocalist of extras 
ordinury powers. 
Nilsson has met with ;t wonderfully enthu¬ 
siastic reception In 8t. Louis. 
Women aro now allowed to sit in the par¬ 
quets of some of the Faria theaters. 
A M aine woman sued a saloon-keeper for 
“ the loss of her husband's society.” 
A basbIO.vARLE young lady in Boston de¬ 
mands $100 iii pin money per month. 
Mrs. Minis of Lee County, Gu., cultivates 1,000 
acres of cotton and 500 acres of corn. 
The season Is abounding In balls for various 
objects—“ but the greatest of these Is charity.” 
Lady IJurdett Ooutts Is leading the crusade 
against cruelty to animais in England. 
The first lady graduate from Cornell Univer¬ 
sity, wan Miss Emma S. Eastman of Worcester. 
A tender-hearted wife at Scranton sold her 
false hair to buy her husband a silver-headed 
cane. 
Miss Harriet Augusta S mith of Wisconsin, 
is added to tho list of heroic women who have 
shot a hear. 
Miss A. Chknkkv succeeds Miss Julia G. 
Rowe as librarian of the town library of Mon¬ 
tague, Muss. 
Miss PRANCES Power Cobbe is now regular 
preacher io tho Unitarian Chapel at Clerken- 
weil, London. 
The monument which Disraeli has erected to 
the memory of bis wife bears the simple epi¬ 
taph, “ O dulcts conjux." 
A young lady in Boston has worked tho 
twelve apostles in worsted and sold them for 
enough to buy an organ. 
The Rev.Mrs. Fanny IT. Roberts, a Univer- 
saliat elergyworaan at Ivittory, Me., had the 
satisfaction, tho other day, of uniting her son 
and Miss Katie Gerry in marriage. 
Tom Benton left two daughters besides Mrs. 
Fremont. One of these, Mndamo Bolleau, Is 
now living In > Paris, her husband being in 
prison for his part in tho El Paso Railroad 
affair; the other, Mrs. Cary Jones, ‘a teaching 
school in San Francisco. 
MURDER. 
THE F T. 
HYPOCRISY 
en-'ty; 
£37“ Answer in two weeks 
MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA.—No. 8 
I AM composed of 12 letters : 
My 3,2,10,4, 7 is a girl's name. 
My 12,0, 6, 5 Is an article of food. 
My 1, H, 8 is th’e nick-name of a city, 
My whole w as a Roman emperor. x. - 
|3?“ Answer in two weeks. 
From a Nebraska Boy. 
Mr. Editor: -I thought l would like to 
write a short, letter for tho Rural. I live away 
out in Buffalo county, Nebraska, In Platte Val¬ 
ley. Thore is no timber here, except a few 
small trees along tho river. All we can so© 
this time of tho year is dry grass and buffalo 
skulls. The people here aro all homesteaders; 
no one has been hero over iwoyeurs. I aro go¬ 
ing to tell you about a little animal we call 
Jack Rabbits. They aro three tlrnoB as large 
as those in tho Eust. The iirst one we saw was 
out. walking on the bluffs. When we were go¬ 
ing down into one of tho various ravines, up 
jumped a big rabbit just before us, and bound¬ 
ed away Ilk'- a deer. Wo thought from tho de¬ 
scription that was a Jack Rabbit. A few weeks 
ago wo went hunting for them. We took a 
team; they are not afraid of horses. They 
come out of their holes to sun themselves. We 
could drive within a few paces of them, and 
then we would shoot them. Wo killed twelvo 
that day. If you like this letter, tho next time 
I will write about the Pawnee Indiana. We 
take the Rural and like It very much. I am 
eleven years old.— Harry S., CroweUton, Neb., 
Jan., 1874. _ 
From a Pennsylvania Clrl. 
Mr. Editor:— This is the fourth letter 1 have 
written you, and only one have I seen in print. 
I feel almost discouraged, hut I was taught 
that perseverance would accomplish most any¬ 
PRGBLEM-No. 5 
Suppose a rule tivo l’cet long is placed upright 
under a window to hold It up; now, if the lower 
end of the rule bo drawn out one foot at the 
bottom, howmuchwill the window ho lowered? 
5^” Answer in two weeks. S. G. Cagwin. 
WORD-SQUARE WANTED 
To read up and down, horizontally back and 
forward, and down diagonally from left to 
right. q. e. d. 
CSf Answer In two weeks. 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Jan. 81 
Word-Square No. 3. 
GROW 
ROVE 
OVER 
WERE 
Illustrated Rebus No. 4.—One to-day is 
worth two to-morrows. 
Geographical Cross-Word No. 1.—Ararat. 
Problem No. 3.-851,337.6096 acres. 
