CLING TO THOSE WHO CLING TO YOU. 
Cling to those who cling to you ; 
More than half our sorrow’s mads 
When we are ourselves nntruo 
To the light of friendship’s aid: 
But how sweet It ts to own 
Some kind heart to thine heat true. 
After many years had flown— 
Cling to those who cling to you ! 
Cling to those who cling to you; 
Think now those who live apart, 
That sweet solace never knew 
Friendship sheds around Iho heart; 
Who is there that bath not long'd 
Once to And some friend prove true ? 
That your friendships bo prolong’d— 
Cling to those who cling to you! 
Cling to those who cling to you ! 
Every link uf friendship's chain. 
If the heart t>o only true. 
Will forever bright remain; 
Never bo tho first to break 
In the chain the link's that true, 
Never trust and truth forsake— 
Cling to those who cling to you! 
— ■ » ■ .. 
COURTESY VERSUS TRUTH. 
BY MRS. C. S. NOURSE. 
Politeness is apt to bo considered one of 
the grucos of refined life, and by many its value 
as a Christian grace is entirely forgotton, if in¬ 
deed It U not excluded from any place In the 
catalogue, I fancy my friend Mrs. Blunt is 
Inclined to believe it one oT the Devil's baits 
with which to ensnare souls. It Is not an unu¬ 
sual remark witli her that Buch an one is “en¬ 
tirely too sweet,” and she has a mortal aversion 
to those delightful people who really think well 
of everybody, and don’t mind letting them 
know It; alwayssuspeoUngtlmtsoinedeep-laid 
scheme of iniquity is hid beneath too much 
commendation of any one, excepting herself 
of course, for In that caso It Is likely enough to 
be honest becaum It Is true. Mrs. Blunt con¬ 
siders herself tho soul of truth, and in this 
opinion all her friends agree with her, only 
unfortunately they do not find her illustrations 
of that, virtue always to their tastes,—for, like 
most excessively honest people, her pet method 
of convincing them of Its value consists In 
making a clean breast of her opinion of their 
character or conduct. 
Dickens says when people give us a piece of 
their nilml it Is apt to be a decidedly unpleas¬ 
ant “piece;" and if. he might, have added, they 
do it from a sense of duty, its flavor will not be 
improved. It is Mrs. Blunt's peculiarity to 
be continually presenting people with such 
“ pieces," and she considers the ingratitude of 
her friends for her generosity among the pain¬ 
ful evidences of total depravity. And yet this 
lady is really a most excellent person ; if she 
could be brought, to believe that one could be 
both courteous and sincere, she might, become 
a charming comp; n on. She is well read, and 
has traveled enough to furnish her with large 
resources; but one is always somewhat, nervous 
when talklug with her even upon the most 
impersonal topics, for if ut pleasant comments 
suggest themselves she will say what she thinks 
—she never keeps back her sentiments because 
they may not prove palatable to her hearers. 
Oh, no 1 She Is perfectly free from “ the deceit 
which makes some people so popular," and poor 
little Mrs. Bland shrinks back with a guilty 
feeling, to thluk that she can never bring her¬ 
self to say disagreeable things to anybody, and 
a consciousness of weakness that this very 
morning Bhe had such a dread of hurting Brid¬ 
get’s feelings, that she let her go, with a civil 
word, when she was quite sure she had her sil¬ 
ver cream-ladle in her pocket. Poor little 
woman ; she loves the gentle courtesies of life, 
and has never risen to the sublime bights of 
rudeness practised as a virtue. Mrs. Blunt 
smiles significantly when Mrs. Bland Is men¬ 
tioned, and with a deep sigh “ hopes she is sin¬ 
cere." 
How does it happen that nature gives some 
good women such sharp tongues with which to 
wound those they love and those who love 
them ? When 1 hear a woman like Mrs. Blunt 
boast that £ he says “ right out" what she thinks. 
I wonder whether she really never thlDks any¬ 
thing agreeable about her neighbors, for Indeed 
her chief mission in life seems to be to remove 
from the minds of those around her any possi¬ 
ble agreeable delusion that she might be think¬ 
ing well of them. Thera is 3 touo la her voloe 
which intimates “ I knew you expect It, but I 
am net to be betrayed into the weakness of 
flattery." Indeed, there la about this self-ap¬ 
pointed apostle of truth a sort of detective air 
that keeps one on the gut Vive lest the tongue 
be caught tripping among some of the polite 
pitfalls of society, which does not conduce to 
hilarity of spirits. If you give the lady a direc¬ 
tion to some street, or house, beware lest you 
mistake the distance by the quarter of a block ; 
the indiscretion will be immediately pounced 
upon, without mercy, and if you nevec told a 
flb in your life you will be convinced that your 
veracity i 3 no longer Intact. But of all acts of 
temerity, the greatest you oan be guilty of will 
be to relate an aneodote In her prenenoe. You 
may get on well with It, but Just when success 
is imminent the cross questioning will be sure 
to come. 
“The sparkling story leaves you to your fate. 
Crushed by a witness, smothered by a date.” 
You are glad to escape without having raised 
the least ripple of a smile, and with a broad 
intimation that " facts are better than wit,” 1 f 
I was a bishop f would suggest the Insertion in 
the litany. “ From all people wiio say what, they 
think, good Lord deliver us;" and 1 would 
preach a sermon for the express purpose of set¬ 
ting forth the virtues of people who think what 
they say. There would be no lack of tools, for 
It is hardly realized iiow much is said In the 
Bible about sins of the tongue ; but they are all 
summed up in these words, " If any man offend 
not in word, t lie same is a perfect man." 
When men and women cease to say unkind, 
sarcastic and rude t hings the millenium will 
not bo far off ; but before this state of things 
comes about courtesy will take its real place 
among the Christian graces, as the gracious 
flower of them all—the beautiful blossom of the 
root of love. 
-- 
OUR HOMES. 
Who can tall the worth of a true homo? 
There is nothlog on earth equal to it and, I 
often think, nothing which gives us so truo a 
typo of life In Heaven. Nothing can do what 
home can to elevate and purify tho world; 
nothing makes men so stroug and steadfast, so 
firm in principle and manhood ; nothing makes 
women so true and noble, so gentlo ami woman¬ 
ly, so lovable. ’Tis the puro, happy homes scat¬ 
tered up and down our land, out of which came 
loyal, honest men and women, lu which 0111 
hope lies, and which will do more to free us 
from tho evils and woes of intemperance and 
corruption In their multitude of forms and 
phases titan all the law* and politicians can 
ever do. 
Mako the roots pure and right and the tree 
wjl| be vigorous and healthful. Homes are the 
root* of national life. If these be puro, our 
national tree will cost off all unhealth) growth, 
all corrupt branches and become In time good 
In every part. Woman is the Heaven-appointed 
home-maker, and hero she will find a work 
broader, grander and more beautiful than any 
other, though l would by no moans disparage 
any of her efforts for good wherover and when¬ 
ever made. 
Ho, l say, God bless the homes and their in¬ 
mates, and make them all they are capable of 
becoming—make them many and blossod every¬ 
where. 
•-—-- 
THE REARING OF CHILDREN. 
American men and women aro nervous and 
naturally have nervous children, of slender 
physique and easily excited into precocious in¬ 
telligence, which is considered genius. Instead 
of letting the little creature suck its fist and 
grow fat, it is jumped ami dancod and confused 
and made to repeat like a parrot. The English 
method of placing yonug children In the hands 
of experienced nurses and making thorn respon¬ 
sible la much better. A large, airy nursery at 
tho top of the bouse; a good, oloan, wbolosomo 
Belgian, Swiss or Swedish woman to take charge 
of It; breakfast of oatmeal porridge and milk; 
dinners of roast or boiled beet or mutton, and 
rice pudding; tea of bread and butter, milk and 
fruit, with no confectionery or “pieces" be- 
twsen meals, and no late visits or rides with 
mamma. In such a quiet, uneventful atmos¬ 
phere the baby grows and thrives best, the 
child is subject to loss oxcitoment, and with 
healthy and regular habits lays the foundation 
of an excellent constitution, while the mother 
Is not worn out by its constant presence, or 
made nervous by being constantly harassed 
with giving directions to Ignorant and Inexpe¬ 
rienced nurses. 
* - —. - 
BETTER THAN GOUGH. 
A week or two since a little incident occur¬ 
red at Cape Girardeau, Mo., an account of which 
it is hoped Gough will Incorporate in his lec¬ 
ture: It will point a discourse and add effect to 
the moral. A character noted somewhat for 
loafing around barrooms, was sitting in hia 
usual place of resort, with several comphtriota 
about the card table, killing ttme with the 
pasteboards. Suddenly his wife entered the 
room, bearing a large covered dish, which she 
deposited on the table with the remark, “ Pre¬ 
suming, husband, that you were too busy to 
come homo to dinner I have brought yours to 
you,” and departed. The husband Invited his 
companions to share hts meal and removed the 
lid from the diah, revealing no smoking roast, 
but instead of this a slip of paper—only this, 
and nothing more—on which was written, “ I 
hope you will enjoy your dinner; it i3 thesame 
kind your family has at home.” 
-■ ■ - 
GIVE THE CHILD A LIGHT. 
If a child wants a light to go to sleep by, give 
it one. The sort of Spartan firmness which, 
walks off and takos away tho candlo and shuts 
all the doors between the household cheer and 
warmth and the pleasant stir of evening mirth, 
and leaves a little son or daughter to hide lts 
head under tho bedclothes and get to sleep as 
best it can, is not at all admirable. Not that 
the mother means to be cruel, when she tries 
this or that hardening process, and treats hu¬ 
man nature a3 if it were clay to be molded into 
any shape she may please. Very likely she has 
no Idea whatever of the Injury and suffering 
she cause-', or perhaps her heart aohes; but she 
perseveres, thinking she is doing right. 
fading far tty f oiing. 
HIDDEN DANGER. 
A FEATHERY flutter I with wondering eyes, 
1 gli d'd at my window with gladsome surprise. 
A little brown birdie was beating the pane. 
As asking to enter my cozy domain. 
Yes, yos. little birdie. It was very snug. 
With gay oolorcd o.irpct and soft Persian rug : 
And (lowers, and pictures, and books, and all that. 
Rut one thing you saw not and that was tho cat. 
80 if I hurt heeded your Innocent plea, 
YVbut terror ami anguish for both yon and me. 
Thon flyaway, birdie, remembering well, 
In granted petitions great danger may dwell! 
And yon, my dear children, remember It too, 
For peril may lurk where there soems none to you! 
And whon you ovo asking Tor this and for that, 
Just think of the birdie who saw not tho cat. 
UNOLE JONAS AND HIS SWAN. 
BY RUTH LEE. 
Uncle Jona8 Armstrong was remarkable 
In his way, knowing move about the habits of 
ail the birds of our forests, anti of water fowls 
than some educated naturalists. He could tell 
what they lived on, and Just how they build 
their nests and reared their young. 
His father moved Into the wilderness when 
Jonas was a small boy, and as soon as he was 
old enough to use nn axe, ho was sot to work 
cutting and piling underbrush, and. with tho 
help of his brothors, oven foiled quite large 
trees. But this sort of work never suited him, 
and his few holidays were spent In roaming off 
alone in the woods, or on the shores of a beau¬ 
tiful lake which skirted hi* father's farm. Here 
lie studied natural history, and watched the 
beautiful wild fowls that had their summer 
home on the lake boforo so many hunters 
frightened them away. He hated all tho dirty, 
hard work of logging and clearing off land, and 
vowed that if bo over grew to bo a man ho 
would never put boys at such work. After a 
time, he wo* a man, with a utce farm and fami¬ 
ly of his own ; but kept his word, allowing liis 
boys to choose the kind of work wltlob they 
preferred to do; though he never quite forgot 
his early sports, and was callod one of the most 
skilful marksmen In tho town. 
Ono day a flock of awaus flow through his 
Uncle Jonas' orchard, so near the ground that 
a shot from his gun brought ono down and ar¬ 
rested Its flight. Then there was a lively ruce. 
Away went the swan as fast a* it could with a 
crippled wing, and away went Undo Jonas 
after It, over the fences and through the Held* 
until the exhausted bird was caught In the cor¬ 
ner of a rail fence. It fought bravely for free¬ 
dom with It3 well wing, but a stout cord from 
the hunter's pocket soon bound tho captive, 
and It was borne in triumph to the house. 
What an admiring group gathered around 
that swan in the old farmer's kitchen ! It was 
indeed a royal bird, with snowy plumage and 
beautiful arching neck, and measured more 
than seven feet from the tip of one wing to the 
other. Its only injury was a shot through the 
web of the right wlug, and on being released It 
darted around the room, attempting to escape 
through the open fireplace; but, like other 
prisoners, It had to give up at last. 
TJncle Jonas bad a nice pond, fed by a living 
spring, and, taking the precaution to clip tbe 
feathers of the well wing, he took thesplendid 
prize then to bo a companion for wild geese 
and various kinds of ducks. It soon became 
so tame that it would walk up the bank and 
eat corn with the other fowls, as If it had fopen 
accustomed to this food all It3 life. The swan 
was a great curiosity to visitors at the farm, es¬ 
pecially to the children who could throw bread 
on the water for it to catch. 
Perhaps I will tell you some time about the 
other pretty pets that Uncle Jonas kept for his 
amusement when he was tired of farm work. 
- - ■ 
THE SHEPHERD BOY. 
One beautiful spring morning a merry- 
hearted shepherd boy was watching his flock 
in a blooming valley between woody moun¬ 
tain}, and was singing and dancing about for 
very joy. The prince of the land was hunting 
in that neighborhood, and seeing him, called 
him nearer, and said, “What, make’s you so 
happy, my dear little one?” 
The hoy did not know the prince, and re¬ 
plied, “Why shouldn't I be happy? Our most 
gracious sovereign is not richer than I am I” 
“Howso?" asked the prince; “let me hear 
about your riches.” 
“The sun in the clear blue sky shines as 
brightly for me as for the prince,” said the 
youth ; “ and mountain and valley grow' green 
and bloom as sweetly for me a.* for him. I 
would not part with my two hands for all the 
money, nor sell my two feet for all tho Jewels, 
In the royal treasury. Besides, I have every 
thing I really need. I have enough to eat every 
day, and good warm clothes to wear, and get 
money enough every year for my labor and 
pains to meet all my wants. Can you say the 
prince really has more ?” 
The kind prince smiled, made himself 
known, and said, “You are right, my boy. 
Keep fast hold of your cheerful spirit.” 
Contentment makes one happy and rich as 
the greatest king .—Christian Weekly. 
-- 
THE GARDENER’S LESSON. 
Two gardeners bad their crops of peas killed 
by the Irnst. One of them was very Impatient 
under tho loss, and fretted about. It very much. 
The other went patiently to work at once 
to plant a new crop. After awhile the Impa¬ 
tient, fretting man went to his neighbor. To 
his surprise he found another crop of peas 
growing finely. He wondered how this could 
be. 
“These are what I sowed w’hlle you wero fret¬ 
ting," said his neighbor. 
“ But don’t you over fret?" he asked. 
“Yes, I do, but I put it off till I have re¬ 
paired tho mischief that has been done.” 
“ Why, then you have no need to fret at all.” 
“True," said his friend, “und that’s the 
reason I put off.” 
-- 
THE GOOD FRIENDS. 
“I wish T had some good friends to help me 
on,” cried idle Dennis with a yawn. 
“ Good friends 1 why, you have ten,” replied 
his master. 
“ I’m sure I havn't half so many, and those I 
have are too poor to help me." 
"Count your fingers, my boy,” said tho 
master. 
Dennis looked at his large, strong hands. 
“Count thumbs and nil," added tho master. 
“1 have ; and there wro ten,” replied the lad. 
“Thon never say you have not got ten good 
friends able to help you on In life. Try whnt 
those truo friends can do before you begin 
grumbling and fretting because you do not cot 
help from others. If you are not your own 
friend, it. Is foolish to expect other* t o befriend 
you. Providenco helps those who help them¬ 
selves.” 
-• 
A young gontloman woro his first silk hat 
and smokod his first cigar tiie other overling, 
but he had to glvo up the hat presently—he 
says It made him siok. 
Sllte filthier. 
PROBLEM.-No. 10. 
A tinman has a piece of tin In tho shape of 
an isosceles triangle. The greatest circle he 
oan cut from it will be 11 inches in diameter. 
If ho choose to cut from tho odd remaining 
piece its greatest square the side of it will meas¬ 
ure just 4 inches. Required, the exact size of 
the sheet of tin. 
Scale of figure 15 Inches to tho inch. 
B. F. Burleson. 
Answer in two weeks. 
- *•** — 
HIDDEN RIVERS.-No. 3. 
1. I hear no one but Tom. 
2. Hand mo the cup or tho plate. 
3. Give me the vase, Varner. 
4. The direction I leave you to ascertain. 
3. Po! Tom accounts for all that. 
6.1 am gcln t in ; dust tbe room well, Ann. 
7. Oran, got down from that table at once-! 
8. The first of next May; not before. 
9. You go to church; I’ll remain here. 
10. Lo [ I read you the wondrous tale. 
11. Certainly I shall eo in; not with you, how¬ 
ever. 
12. Ed., I stole them, I confess. 
13. I like the pear, lemon and grap e. 
22BT- Answer In two weeks. 
B. H. O. 
CR0S8-W0RD ENIGMA.—No. 0. 
My first is in spell but not in write ; 
My second is In balloon but not in kite ; 
Mv third is in rat but not in mouse; 
My fourth Is In vulture out not in grouse; 
My fifth is in lend but not in borrow ; 
My sixth Is in rake but not in harrow; 
My seventh i3 in gone but not in go ; 
My eighth Is ih dirt but not in snow. 
My whole isa town in Maine. Minneb B. 
Answer in two weeks. 
--- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Sept. 12. 
Charade No, 5.—Crisis. 
Miscellaneous Enigma No. 5^.—Honesty 
la the best policy. 
Problem No. 8.—The radius of the interme¬ 
diate circle will be a mean proportional to tho 
radii of the other two. 
3 
Or B'D =KD * R’D" 
