FIB. 21 
OBI’S RURAL fiIV¥-Y©RIKIB. 
ODE TO THE GRANGERS. 
BY THANK W. LEACH. 
Ye stalwart, sturdy sons of toll. 
Providers for the nation— 
Ye hardy tillers of the soil, 
True nobles of creation,— 
Will ye be ruled by middlemen. 
And triumphed o'er by strangers ? 
Enroll your names with freedom’s pen! 
bwell up the list of Grangers! 
Arouse ye all! throw off the yoke I 
Awake! each gallant farmer! 
Discard the shepherd's crook and cloak ! 
Gird on the warrior's armor! 
Grasp tlrmly now the sword of right— 
We’re used to t«ils and dangers: 
Monopolies will put to flight 
Before the valiant Grangers. 
Ye mighty host, to arms! to arms! 
Come, aid our ranks' expansion ! 
Why ,-hDu.d we drudge upon our farms ? 
Have wo ot earned a mansion? 
But what, care we for vain display ? 
We r * nit lire's true free rangers; 
But we’ll not own the tyrant's sway— 
We’re Jrccdoin-lovlng Grangers! 
Then reuse, ye tollers In tho fields! 
We are not servile vassals! 
With truth en raven on our shields 
We’ll storm I he tyrant's castles: 
We’ll caBt the toes or Justice out— 
Disperse tnc money-changers. 
Then raise one long, triumphant shout 
In honor of the Grangers. 
Then down with railroads and canals 
Controlled by modern Keros ! 
And down with Roman-like cabals! 
Advance, vo gallant heroes t 
We're r.iiiOO* r» of l>'tcld and Farm,— 
Our thrones aie naught hut mongers, 
But justly wields a mighty arm, 
The Brotherhood of Grangers. 
<®ur 
HARRY GORDON’S MISTAKE. 
BY FANNY FIELDING. 
“ T HER ft goes n trim little cruft,” exclaimed 
Harry Gordon to hla friend Fred Willis, 
pointing across tho way where a lady with a 
graceful figure and tastfully dressed was pass¬ 
ing up the street, ft was a 
warm summer day, and the - ____ 
young men w ere seat ed In Gor¬ 
don’s law office, idly engaged 
in puffing their Iragrant Ha¬ 
vanas and in desultory conver¬ 
sation, in which ladles were the 
principal theme. — 
“Yea,” returned Wilms, gaz- 
i ng indolently t hrough the open - — ~ — 
window across the street; “yes, ; _ - 
she Is a graceful woman, and 
dressesa with extreme good - - _ ~ 
taste; milliners always do, I 
guess. And,” he continued A - ' 
slowly, “ if Dame Rumor speaks 
true, she is very sweet on Har- 
ry Gordon, Barrister. How u 5§§Ijjj=g; 
Harry Gordon slowly re¬ 
moved his cigar and lazily puff¬ 
ed the blue rings of smoke from 
his mouth, watching them 
dreamily as they dissolved in 
haze; then, with a self-satisfied v^j 
smile, he answered, “Yes, I 
think I can claim a fair share 
of admiration from the fair 
“And you, Hal, do you re- 
turn the tender passion ?” ''.W'* 
“Well, no, not exactly, al- |f|YT, > 
though I'll admit she pleases WQjfflfyz 
and interests roe more than any j\ 
otner woman 1 ever met. Noth- Jg 
ing serious, however; circum- 
stances forbid that.” ff 
“ How?—w hat do you mean?" 
“Why, she Is poor—depend- fj 
en. ;n ger trade, I take it, for a lii&J&JttS! 
livelihood, l am poor, too— 
have only my profession and 
what practice I can get in this 
oountry town. I am quite am- 
bitlous to rise in the world, and 
cannot jotter my legal pinion- 
with a poor wife.” 
“ Ah, Harry, that reminds 
me of another rumor that was 
going the rounds before Mrs, 
Depress flashed the radiance 
or her charms upon our sus¬ 
ceptible nearts. Said rumor 
had It that you w as engaged to 
the wealthy Miss Bradi.y who X& 
visited our village two years TsjuGgy?' 
ago. Was rumor correct then ? JM|| 
—do you admit the soft im- 
Gordon was silent a few mo- ==* - ■ - 
ments.thon said “ Yes, I sup- r~- ,-J 
pose so ; and, sub ro sa, Fred, I 
will tell you a secret.” Fred 
bowed assent, and Gordon 
continued, “I am going to be -ss'^ss^sr— 
married in September to Miss <-■ -. 
Buadly.” 
Fred Willis opened wide 
his ayes and gave a long, low whistle. “ So 
Mrs. Depress, the pretty widow, is doomed to 
wear the willow. Are you sure you are mak¬ 
ing the right choice, Hal? I remember Miss 
Bbadly as a not very attractive person;” and 
he gave Gordon a keen, scrutinizing glance. 
Gordon laughed nervously and said .—“True, ] 
her personal attractions are rather limited, but 
her monetary charms overbalance personal de~ | 
fects; yet I sometimes wish the fortune be- j 
longed to Mrs. Depress, for I believe she loves 
me and thinks her love returned, and I am suro I 
I could love her if I allowed myself to indulge 
the tender sentiment." 
“ Well, HARRY Gordon, you are more heart¬ 
less and worldly-minded than I gave you credit 
for! 1 do not know which is to be pitied the 
most.—the woman you love and won't marry 
because she is poor, the woman you don't love 
and will marry because she is rich, or yourself 
who thus heartlessly sacrifice yourself and oth- 
| ersto gratify your ambition. But I really think 
1 you wrong Miss Bradly most, for she probably 
loves you and thinks the sentiment returned.” 
“ Don't put the case so strong, Fred. I shall 
make Miss Bradly a true, loyal husband. She 
is good and 1‘ntolligent, aud I believe I could 
have loved her If Mrs. Depress had not crossed 
my path; but that llttlo romance must be laid 
away among the things that have been.” 
“How much is MIsb Bradly worth?” asked 
Fred. 
“ Ten t housand dollars, with the accumulated 
interest of the last five years—quite a fortune 
for a oountry lawyer; but remember, Fred, 
not a word of this conversation to be repeated 
and my marriage to be kept secret until I am 
married and bring ray bride home. Ha, ha I I 
would like to see Mrs. Dupress when she hears 
of It. Won’t she bo taken back a little? f 
guess so.” 
Kind reader, l must majto a slight digression 
hereto introduce tho lady (whose name seemed 
so pat on the tongues of the young gentlemen) 
more particularly to your notice. Something 
moro than a year previous to the opening of my 
story Mrs. Depress, a widow, young and beau¬ 
tiful, came to the remote village of L-aud 
opened a milliner shop. She was, as f Just said, 
young, apparently not more than twenty or 
twenty-one years of age. Many wondered at 
her being a widow arid so young. It was said 
she came from Rochester, where she had learn¬ 
ed her trade—that she was widowed In a few 
months after her marriage, and being left pen¬ 
niless was obliged to resort to dressmaking and 
millinery to support herself. How these re¬ 
ports reached the village no one knew, for Mrs* 
Du press never spoke of her past life to any 
one. She dressed in deep mourning; but that 
did not detraot. from her beauty, for every arti¬ 
cle of her dress displayed exquisite taste, from 
the daintp widow’s cap above hea abundant 
brown tresses to the neatly-fitting gaiters that 
encased her slender little feet. Sim was rather 
above t he average hlgbt, with a finely-rounded, 
symmetrical figure, lithe and graceful In all 
her movements; dear, fair complexion, with 
rosy checks; finely chiseled featuaes; large, 
liquid hazel eyes; a small mouth, whoso cherry 
lips were always parting In a smile, displaying 
white, pearly teeth. Befitted, but very social, 
with the rare tact of pleasing all, old or young, 
rich or poor, she was soon a special favorite in 
all social circles and im acknowledged leader 
in all social gatherings. From her first ac¬ 
quaintance with Harry Gordon she had 
shown a decided preference for his society— 
always consulting him in whatever business 
matters she needed assistance or advice, and 
always evincing pleasure at meeting him. He 
was greatly flattered by her undisguised par- 
t, lallty for him. The admiration of a beautiful 
and accomplished woman like Mrs. Dupukss 
was very gratifying to hla self love. In his 
heart he acknowledged her the most charming 
woman he had ever met; “ but, slm has not the 
tin," he would whisper to himself with a sigh. 
Time passed on and every day found Harry 
Gordon at the pretty cottage of Mrs. Depress. 
Now it was In the morning to carry a bouquet 
of wild flowers which ha had gathered in the 
woods while the dew was still upon them, be¬ 
cause he had heard horsay how much she loved 
such flowers, regretting that she had not titno 
to go to t,lm woods to gather them. Then it 
would be to read her some poem which he 
thought sho would admire. And again, in tho 
evening, to sing with her, as she had a Unely- 
cultlvated voice of great, power and sweetness. 
All those little attentions Mrs. Duprerb re¬ 
ceived with graceful humility, always thanking 
him for being so kindly thoughtful for her 
pleasure. This was convincing proor to Gor¬ 
don that tho lovely widow adored him, and he 
began to feel a pleasure In the disappointment, 
it would be to her—his marriage to another; 
but all this time he had never dared to breathe 
one word of love to her. There woe a some¬ 
thing about her that forbade all approach to 
the tender theme. 
About the middle of September Gordon left 
town to visit some friends in the Eastern States, 
he said, but really to be married. Ho had beon 
THE FROLICKSOME KITTEN. 
gone some two weeks when one morning Nel¬ 
lie Hartwell burst into Mrs. DEPRKSS'sshop, 
all out of breath, exclaimingOh, Mrs. De¬ 
press. what do you think they are saying?” 
“ Mrs. Duprees looked up carelessly from the 
hat she was trimming and said j—“ What Is who 
saying, Nellie,— whom do you moan by theyl” 
“ All of them -everybody 1 They say Harry 
Gordon has gone to get married, and I don’t 
bolievo it at all.” 
” Why, N ei.i.ie, I do not see anything so very 
improbable in that., do you?” said Mrs. De¬ 
press, smillingly “He Ih old enough to get 
married, is he not ?” 
Nellie looked at her In astonishment. “ Can 
It be she dues not care for him, after all, oris 
she only acting?" NF.Li.fF, usked herself. “Well, 
if it Is not Improbable, f don't believe it, for I 
don't think Hal Gordon would take such a 
sneak-thief way to got married. Besides, we 
all thought he was going to marry you,” blurt¬ 
ed out impulsive Nf.li.ie, coloring at her own 
temerity. 
“Mel marry me?" exolaimod Mrs. Dupress, 
in amazement, and dropping the hat she had 
just held up to look at. “ Why, Nellie, what 
ever put that idea 1 nto your head ? I was afraid 
he had made an impression on the heart of my 
little friend Nellie, but 'tls me instead;” aud 
her clear, musical laughter rang like a ripple of 
melody through the house, and Nellie was 
forced to keep her company, because, as she 
said afterwards, she could not, help It, 
“Because," said Nellie, when sho could 
speak, “he. always seemed fond of you, and I 
believe now he loveB you better than any one 
else." 
“ Nonsenso, Nellif, 1 I think very highly of 
Mr. Gordon as a friend, but no thought, of lov¬ 
ing him or his loving me ever entered my head 
' or heart, and l am suro never did his. If he has 
gone to get married without circulating the 
news Tar and wide beforehand, 1 honor him 
for it; it proves that he can keep his affairs to 
himself.” 
“ Well, if you do not care for him I had as 
soon he’d be married as not, but still I don't 
believe the report,," replied Nellie. 
“Thank you, darling; so you were troubled 
for me, was you V Well, don't worry any more, 
for I assure you I am heart-whole In that quar¬ 
ter,” and again she laughed merrily.” 
About the middle of October Mr. GORDON re¬ 
turned, bringing bis bride with him. By none 
was he welcomed more heartily than by Mrs. 
Dupress. He met. her on the street tho day of 
1 his return, and the frank cordiality of her man¬ 
ner, tho evident sincerity with 
- -which she congratulated him, 
rather nonplused Gordon, and 
the first moment ho was alone 
with Fred Willis he asked: 
“ Well, what did Mrs, Durhess 
fSri. say when sho heard I had gone 
to b e married ?” 
u I have not seen her myself, 
but they say sho took the nows 
very coolly, and commended 
fjlw- yOU * or ,<nowir, K enough to 
keop your :i,r< ’ ,r ' to yourself.” 
’ WBmm “Pure girl, isn't she?—but 
//Mfcrvv sho can’t fool me,” replied 
Gordon. 
v* jf ' “No," retorted Fred, dryly, 
- but it Is just possible you have 
iPfly made a fool of yourself, Harry 
- 3 “ How?—In what manner? I 
. think my oholco a judicious 
y. . ”0h! Well, 1 am glad you are 
t f-ASgp so well satisfied, but I thought 
'RjT most mon would prefer a bun- 
dred thousand dollars to ten 
" What do you moan, Fred ? 
What are you driving it ?” 
“ Nothing, only they say Mrs, 
' Depress is worth a hundred 
thousand dollars.” 
* ,’gjuSHl “The furies she Ih? Who says 
\ Vso?—who are they?" exclaim- 
Vflwsffi Gordon, turning pale and 
' springing to his feet. 
APSffSj “ Everybody says so. The old 
'.\JSsSI family lawyer has been here, 
1 and he says it Is true. There is 
/ Jpjplg|gg some mystery about It—some- 
thing about a peculiar will 
p.—\ -Jj[ made by an uncle of hers—and 
they say she has been hiding a 
long time in consequence of 
some conditions In the will, 6o 
^ she could get the property from 
PM someone who had no right to 
it. I tell you, Hal, she can 
|%fY - - ^ keep her affairs secret, if any 
== -r one can. Just think how hard 
she has toiled since sho has 
] been hero.” 
- ' 1 Gordon made no replj’; 
amazemont kept him silent. 
When alone, he brought hla 
clenched list down vehemently 
upon the table. “ Fool—despi¬ 
cable fool that I have been! 
What a terrible ml&tuke I have 
made. To think that Mrs. De¬ 
press and her money and her 
glorious beauty might have 
been mine la maddening, and 
six months ago I was free to 
- —__ have sought her hand. Oh, it 
is to bad.” 
The next morning Gordon 
