CORE’S RURAL NEVY-YORKER. 
JMqs' {portfolio. 
A MESSAGE. 
BT EBEN R. H1CXKORD. 
Yor are dying, my friend. 
Your life will go drifting, ere breaking of day. 
Toward the shores lying over the shadowy bay. 
And at morn you will see. rising fair through the 
mist. 
The hills which the sunshine eternal has kissed. 
Y T ou are going away. 
You will meet, on the shore that your new life will 
find. 
Dear friends who sailed outward, and left us be¬ 
hind ; 
You will know them, und clasp them, and kiss them 
once more. 
Grown young again there on the Beautiful Shore. 
Oh friend, If you meet 
The woman I loved, on the shore far away. 
Will you give her the message 1 tell you to-day? 
You will know her. I’m sure, by her face that was 
fair 
As the face of an angel, and long shining hair. 
You must tell her, my friend. 
That I miss her so much, since she left me that night 
When the mists from the sea drifted over tny sight, 
And hid her In shadows so dense and so deep. 
That, remembering the time, even now I must weep. 
And tell her for me 
That I wait for the morning, which for her has 
begun, 
When the ways that were severed on earth shall be 
one. 
I snail come to her then, o’er the great, solemn sea, 
And clasp her and claim her,—that tell her for me. 
Remember, my friend. 
Your bark Is already afloat on the tide 
That shall bear you out over the sea wild and wide. 
At morning you’ll see her, and toll her for me 
That I love her and miss her this side of the sea. 
-- 
A “MOVING" TALE. 
BY MRS. HATTIE F. BELL. 
The first day I found my dish-cloth and the 
baby’s rattle-box, and the bread and butter, 
and thought I was getting along admirably. 
But when the Sabbath came, and wo concluded 
to go to church, then my smiles of satisfaction 
and words of s e1f-c ongra: 11 1 atiou were shortly 
changed to looks of bewilderment and expres¬ 
sions of dismay—for, oh ! such a hunting hlga 
and low for our Sunday clothes J It was worse 
than hurtling for hens’nests, by far, and not 
half as successful. 
Finally things began to look brighter, as we 
thought we were about ready, when Io! an¬ 
other obstacle 1 a my way—I couldn’t find my 
shoe! No, don't put an “b" on them—1 ruean 
just shoe, for I had found one of them before. 
In the baby's crib; but now where, among all 
the boxes, band-boxes and bundles that ten¬ 
anted every room, could that ouo lone gaiter 
be? I searched In the black trunk, the old 
brown leather trunk, and the big Saratoga 
trunk, i hunted through the bureau and the 
washstund drawers: 1 opened every closet door 
and peered into every corner; I even opened 
the door of the clock to make sure it had not 
walked in there;—but all in vain. Still the 
question was, " Button, button, who’s got the 
button ” gaiter? But the last hell was tolling, 
and I gave up the search in despair and sat 
down with a sigh to lace up my walking boots. 
I am sorry to record it, but I'm afraid I thought 
more than once during the sermon of all those 
overturned boxes and bureaus, and the poor 
unmated gaiter I had so unwillingly left be¬ 
hind me. 
How did my shoe get lost? Why, I haven’t 
told you, have I? Well, maybe you didn’t 
know we have been moving—tearing up and 
putting down, turning over and twisting 
around four carpets and furniture, I mean,) 
chairs uud crockery, tables and tinware, work- 
baskets and wnsblubs, all in most deliihtlul 
confusion. The first of April, the universal 
moving time, came and didn't move us an inch. 
We watched with great complacency as our 
neighbors ami friends waded by, with the mud 
drip, drip from the wagon wheels, and with 
huge, creaking loads of furniture; and we only 
looked and smiled in blissful serenity, for our 
household was still iu unbroken peace and 
equanimity. Nothing moved us! But alas I 
we could not always thus pursue the even 
tenor of our way! One luckless morning we 
opened our eyes to the unwelcome intelligence 
that that day was moving day for us. Oh ! oh! 
oh! Has it come at last ? 
Wed, give me my wrapper. 
Take off my back hair, 
To move In midsummer it hardly seems fair. 
To move any time 
Brings no visions of bliss. 
But it moves mo to tears on a hot day like this. 
And so we prepared for the siege; and just 
as we were in the most interesting stage of 
proceeding, when every dish was packed, every 
bed taken down, and part of our things moved, 
—when we didn't know whether we lived in 
the house where we used to or the house where 
we were going to—just then, and Immediately 
after the three o’clock train arrived, in walked 
a young indy, all smiles and sweetness, and of 
course expecting a Joyful welcome, as she had 
come to make us a visit! I was almost non¬ 
plussed for a minute; but, woman-like, I soon 
began to ask myself, “ Where shall I put her?” 
“ "'here can she stay?” ” How shall 1 get any¬ 
thing for her to eat?” But time settles all 
things, and when the supper hour came !t 
found us in our new home, laughing and chat¬ 
ting around the tea-table as merrily as though 
our minds had never been milled by a single 
misgiving or shadowed by a single doubt. And 
when, two daj’s later, I kissed my friend good- 
by on the front piazza, stie said she had en¬ 
joyed her visit most heartily. 
I said Time settles all t ilings, hut ft really did 
seem as if he nevor meant to settle us—for 
•twus only yesterday I nailed down the last 
piece of oil-cloth and put up the mosquito 
screens. So T will say. If I have got to move let 
mo move with the crowd and not wait until 
my next door neighbors have moved and set¬ 
tled, and gone off visiting for the summer, or 
else sit, at home in their shady parlors, in their 
cool, dotted, muslin gowns, peeping through 
the blinds and laughing to soe me washing the 
chamber windows such a hot summer day. 
But bang up my wrappers 
And fri* tnv front hair. 
And bring mo my afternoon fixings to wear; 
For I've moved and I'm settled. 
And now you sec I 
Can laugh when tho next load of movers go by. 
P. 8.—I found rny gaiter one pleasant day 
when I was “ settling," upstairs in a milk-pan, 
safely covered over with my prettiest sofa 
tidy—the results of hiring “ experienced help ” 
in moving time. 
-»♦ » 
FLINGING 8HAD0WS, 
We hitvo no more right, to fling an unneces¬ 
sary shadow over the spirit of those with whom 
we have to do, than wc have to fling a stone 
and injure them. Yet this flinging sha dows is 
a very common sin, and one to which women 
arc particularly addicted. Oh, what a blessing 
is a merry, cheerful woman in a. household! 
One whose spirits arc not affected by wet days, 
or little disappointments, or whose milk of 
human kindness does not sour in the sunshine 
of prosperity. Such a woman in the darkest 
hours brightens the house like a little piece 
of sunshiny weather. Thy magnetism of her 
smile, the electrical brightness of her looks and 
movements, Infect every one. The children go 
to school with a sense of something great to be 
achieved; her husband goes Into tho world in 
a conqueror's spirit. No matter how people 
worry and annoy him all day, far off her pres¬ 
ence shines, and lie whispers to himself, “At 
homo 1 shall find rest.” Ss day by day she lit¬ 
erally renews his strength and energy, and if 
you know a man with a beaming face, a kind 
heart and a prosperous business, in nine oases 
out of ten you will find lie has a wife of this 
Kind. For nothing is more certain than that 
the man who Is married must ask his wife for 
permission to be happy and wealthy. Blessed 
is he who hath a cheerful wife ; the world may 
be a “ valley of strife " to him, but his home is 
a land of Beulah, a heaven of rest and quiet; 
and his life is made up of cheerful yesterdays 
and confident to-morrows .—Golden Aye. 
■ - ♦> » — 
REPOSE THE SECRET OF POWER. 
A peaceful life la most likely to be a full 
one, with finer and keener sensibilities; better 
related to beauty and poetry and all higher 
mutters; more dignified and self-respecting. 
Kepose is tho secret of power Hi persons, pic¬ 
tures, statues, architecture, books, and nature, 
as if it were a means of retaining as well us 
disclosing life; and health demands a frequent 
pausing to restore the balance of tbe system, 
and keep up perfect circulations. 
The night, if spent In healthy sleep after 
proper evening hours, reduces the world's 
chaos, and we are new every morning. 
Who does not know tho magic of a brief 
pause in the midst of the worst confusion ? A 
calm of five minutes will iuvite back our 
vagrant ideas and powers. 
So tho home should be like a hush and a 
lullaby in this headlong, whirling, noisy, furi¬ 
ous and distracted world of the nineteenth 
century—a nook apart from the thoroughfares— 
a grot or bower under the sky, where the beau¬ 
tiful spirits of the air will hover and dance. 
Its atmosphere should be a little oriental and 
cheering, as if exhaled from poppies and bal¬ 
sams. 
- 
THAT’S WHERE SHE MADE A MISTAKE. 
A ludicrous scene was witnessed on a Rens¬ 
selaer and Saratoga train the other day. A 
newly married couple entered the car and took 
a seat. The husband wanting to smoke, left 
his wife and went Into the smoking-car. The 
bride began to doze, and while she slept a 
stranger entered the car, and as it was crowd¬ 
ed, quietly took his seat beside the young wife. 
Shortly she began to nod, and doubtless im¬ 
agining that her husband was still in bis seat, 
gently reclined toward the stranger, and soon 
her head fondly nestled on his breast. At ibb 
juncture the husband entered. He stood in 
mute astonishment In the aisle until the lady 
awoke, and, realizing the situation, drew back 
in amazement, suffused with blushes. Stranger 
explained, husband was satisfied, and wife tried 
hard to appear unconcerned .—Troy Times. 
--• 
It is sometimes the privilege of the lover to 
be, at one and the same time, in two situations. 
When beside hla mistress tie may also be beside 
himself. 
Reading for the jgoung. 
BABY-LAND. 
How many miles to Baby-Land ? 
Any one can tell; 
Up one flight. 
To the right: 
Please to ring the boll. 
What can you sec In Baby-Land ? 
Little folks in white. 
Downy heads, 
Cradle-beds, 
Faces pure und bright. 
What do they do In Bahy-Latid ? 
Dream und wake and play. 
Laugh and crow. 
Shout aud grow : 
Jolly times have they. 
What do they say In Baby-Land ? 
Why, the oddest things; 
Might as well 
Try to tell 
What a birdie sings. 
Who is tho Queen of Biihy-Land I 
Mothor kind and sweet; 
And her lovo, 
Born above. 
Guides the little feet! 
[George Cooper, 
-- 
A BIRD SONG. 
A little bonnle. bird l know, 
With breast more soft than eider down ; 
A dress she wears of dappled brown. 
And sings with sweeter tone, I trow— 
Ah ! sweeter far this birdie sings 
Than all the birds that summer brings; 
And yet her song Is only this : 
** 1 love you, pupa!"—then a kiss. 
Not toudorest soug of nightingale. 
Nor sparkling trills and gurgllDg gush 
Of Joy rrorn velvet-throated thrush. 
Or brilliant pipe of mottled quail, 
Nor tuneful plaint of whip-poor-will 
Thu measure of her song can fill; 
A nd yet her song Is only this: 
” I love you, pupa !”—then a kiss. 
- — ^» m 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
From a Russian Boy now In Virginia. 
Dear Editor of the Rural: —I’npa him 
taken your paper Tor tho Inst four year , anil 
we find a great deal of Interesting reading mat¬ 
ter in it. We arc living on a plantation in 
Virginia, and it lies parallel of the Blue Ridge 
Mountains and In full view of the Peaks of 
Otter. I have a brother In Russia now. Father 
is an engineer and had Ur«<l in Russia for eight¬ 
een years, and then came to this country and 
bought a plantation four years ago. And last 
March the Russian Company sent a cable mes¬ 
sage for pa to come back to Russia immedi¬ 
ately, and take charge of a railroad near St. 
Petersburg, the capital of Russia. Mother and 
four of us boys remain In Virginia, but ex¬ 
pect to leave tills autumn for Russia. Russia 
is a very (Inc country. We like Virginia very 
much, for it is a very healthy glimate. I was 
born in Russia, and all tbe family speaks the 
Russian language. We are going to sell our 
plantation. Dear Editor, I have one great 
favor to ask you; that is, that you will put 
your portrait in the Rural New-Yorker, I 
have a great many photographs, and would 
like to have yours to tukc to Russia with me, 
for we want to see the man who is so kind to 
little boys and girls. But I am afraid my letter 
is too long, so good-by. -Colcmuus Smith, 
Thaxtotis , Bedford Go., Fa. 
From a New Brunswick Girl. 
Mr. Editor:- I like the letters from aomo of 
your boys aud girls so much that I wanted to 
write one myself, f live in the country, and 
my father has taken the Rural for some years. 
X like it very much. I was delighted with 
Jessie J.'S letter. I agree- most cordially with 
her In her opinions about Young Bach. I 
think that ho has needed a “ settler ” (please 
excuse the phrase) for some time, and 1 think 
he has certainly got it. It make me almost en¬ 
vious to read about the fruit that some of the 
boys and girls arc enjoying. Here wc have not 
even had strawberries. I wish Mad Cap would 
write again.—H ollyhock, SackvUlc, N. It. 
From a Michigan Boy. 
Mr. Editor:— We have taken your paper five 
years, and this is the first time f ever attempted 
to write for it. I am twelve years old. Pa 
owns 120 acres of land, and also carries on a 
blacksmith shop. We have twenty-five chick¬ 
ens, one pair of Guinea fowls, three cows, two 
horses aud ten swarms of bees. I have two 
brothers aud two sisters. We all go to school. 
I want to know through your paper the man¬ 
ner of stuffing birds to make them the most 
natural. The Michigan .State Fair will be held 
ten miles from here, and pa expects to take 
several kinds of fruit, vegetables and honey, 
and I want a case of birds. If you think it 
worth while you may publish this.— Parley C. 
Thomas, Hemlock (My, Mich. 
A Church Society for Young People. 
Dear Editor:—T have been very much In¬ 
terested in tbe young people’s letters, so 
thought I would write about a society that we 
young people have. First, I will say 1 am more 
than eight years old, but I wished to tell tho 
girls about our society, thinking perhaps they 
would like to start a similar one. All the 
young girls of the Church meet once in two 
weeks at each others' houses. We go between 
the hours of two and three. The roll is called 
to see if all are present; then we commence 
our work. It is mostly of worsted work and 
wax flowers. At live o'clock we put away our 
work, each rolling hers In a napkin with her 
name upon It, and the president of tho society 
puts all away. Then wo have refreshments; 
after which we play games, and many of us 
play on the piano and sing. Then wo each pay 
our ten cents, tho next place of meeting is ap¬ 
pointed, the good-nights are spoken, each one 
going home with cheerful, happy heart, think¬ 
ing thutso much morels done Tor the Sunday 
School. I hope the young people will think 
this a pleasant, profitable pastime, and may he 
they will be disposed to adopt one. And now, 
dear Rural, and my young friends, adieu.—N. 
lb, Ithaca , JV. F. 
Another Letter from the Deaf Boy. 
Mr. Rural: I have beeu trying to find time 
to write you another letter, but have been very 
husy taking care of my poultry and going to 
school. I mean to be a poultry dealer; I have 
read so much In your paper that it was 
profitable, and then f like it too. I mean to 
send for one of your books on poultry as soon 
as r can afford it; maybe t can this fall If f got 
any premium on my chickens. I have received 
some letters, and I cannot answer them only 
through t he Rural, Tor they did not send their 
address. One man wrote me a letter and sent 
a circular of Whipple's Home School for Deaf 
Mutes. He was very kind to send it, but 1 am 
not a deaf mu to. I am deaf yet, but I can read 
tho lips now with anybody, it they talk plain, 
f also received a Jet ter from some one In 
Brooklyn, telling me where i could get white 
mice ; many thanks for it. And some one sent 
me a patuplflet ail about Iowa, with which I 
was much pleased ; I do not. know who sent it, 
but if ho takes tho Rural ho will know that I 
received it. I will atop. Tor this letter is long 
enough.— Willie A. Hoyt, Galway, N. Y. 
From an Ohio Clrl. 
Mr. Editor*—I haveboen reading the young 
folks’ letters, and thought I would try and 
write. We have boon taking your paper for ton 
years, and could not get along without It, at 
least I think so. I think Dew Drop bus a 
pretty good opinion of herself. I have a little 
pony I ride a good deal. I call him “ Bon.” I 
live on a small farm, about one mile from the 
city ; it is a very pleasant place. I have a 
piano and have taken two terms of music les¬ 
sons. 1 play trio organ for Sunday School in 
the country. I would like to bear from Wild 
Rose again; she has not written for a good 
wiiile. Tills in my first attempt, to write for 
publication.— Annie, Pleasant Hill, Ohio. 
®he filthier. 
W» are always ylad to receive contributions 
for this Department. 
RIDDLE.—No. 2. 
My first’s a fur that's highly prized ; 
My second, where gamblers realize ; 
My third, where fruits and flowers abound; 
My fourth, a stone found underground; 
My fifth is found in stream and lake; 
My sixth, where courts their convicts take ; 
My seventh is always without end; 
My eighth, a poem by Homer penned; 
My ninth, a bird of much renown; 
My tenth, a man who wears a crown. 
Taken together, I'm the theme 
Of every honest spinster's dream ; 
And when, her dream to realize, 
I stand before her downcast eyes. 
No Joy she ever felt before 
Half equals what she sees In store. 
Answer in two weeks. Rex. 
-♦♦♦ — — 
MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA-No. 3. 
I am composed of nine letters : 
My 1, 4, :i, 3 and 1* is a bird. 
My 2, 5, 4 and 6 is a winged Insect; 
My 7, 8 and 4 Is a girl’s name ; 
My 2, I, 3 and 9 is often encountered at sea; 
My 6, 9 and 4 is a pleasant beverage; 
My 8,7,3 and 9 is a river in Africa; 
My 8, 9, 4 and 8is what ail girls should be ; 
My 3,1. 5 and 4 is a rod's name ; 
My 5, 4, 7 and s b used in building. 
My whole is a flower often mentioned inverse. 
1 ST ’ Answer in two weeks. Maize. 
» M -- 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMA.—No. 3. 
My first is in lake but not in love ; 
My second in lark but not In dove; 
My third Is in talk but not in say ; 
My fourth is in April but not In May ; 
My fifth Is in currant but not Jn fig; 
My sixth is in hog but not in nig; 
My seventh is in life but not m death; 
My eighth ia in riches but not in wealth. 
My whole is one of the United States. 
Addie and Hattie. 
IW Answer in two weeks. 
PUZZLER ANSWERS-July 18. 
Cross-word Enigma No. 2.—Intemperance. 
Riddle No. 1.— Monkey. 
