©©RE’S BUBAL WEW-YORKEB. 
forgot to. 
A CHANCE MEETING. 
BY AUGUST NOOX. 
AND so we meet again, old friend. 
Wo meet again with tears; , 
How strange it seems to clasp thy hand I 
Across a gulf of years! , 
We two whose paths ran side by side 
Through boyhood's sunny places, 
Have met again with silvered locXs 
And wearing stranger faces. 
On California's distant shore 
I sought the golden sands : 
You’ve wandered o’er udventurous seas, 
And dwelt in foreign lands. 
Something of rivals in our youth 
Wo wore true friends withal; 
Each coveted the Same fair hand 
At every rustic ball. 
So you liaTe never wed. old friend. 
In all the s uminers flown ? 
Well, little Nellie broke your heart. 
And then she broke my own. 
It was a blithesome morning 
When (list 1 called her bride ! 
Your heart was broken then, and mine— 
Was broken when she died ! 
Well, once again I clasp your hand, 
Release it with a sigh, 
For we may never meet again— 
Good-by, old friend, good-by. 
-*_*_*-■ 
G0S8IPING LETTER FROM NEBRASKA. 
[Though the following has been long-defer¬ 
red, we ure sure it will be read with interest.— 
Ed.] 
Dear Rural:— It is such a bright, pleasant 
autumn day that It quite puts one in a chatty 
mood, and perhaps you will stop a moment to 
listen to a little randomgossip from tills “Land 
of Grasshoppers." 
We have had line fall weather thus far, with 
but few day* of wind, but those few days were 
quite enough. The dust flew in clouds, and 
stray articles from neighboring clothes-lines 
flew about like “wblte-w|nged doves," but, un¬ 
like them, did not return again. But where in 
the world shall we And rdee weather always? 
And aside from these severe winds, piercing 
cold in winter and burning hot in summer, the 
climate is delightful. 
They tell me that when these hot winds blow 
one can cook eggs on the doorstep. Whyshould 
not l believe It, when chairs in the house are 
too hot to sit upon and clothing from your 
bedrooms seems fresh from the iron ? Then [ 
think of putting dishes into ice water for a half 
hour that you may l>e able to eat from them in 
comfort 1 Yet there is so much that Is pleas¬ 
ant that these little troubles are soon for¬ 
gotten. 
There are many very fine people “out West.” 
The standard of society is quite as high here as 
elsewhere. Sohools are as good—some Bay bet¬ 
ter—as they are further cast. We have all the 
advantages of older communities, with eorac of 
our own, of which you Eastern people know 
nothing. For Instance, grasshopper*! Howl 
wish “Daily Rural Life” had been here the 
past summer! Wouldn’t he have enjoyed It? 
Better, I fear, than the owners of the corn 
fields and cabbage heads which disappeared In 
a single day. 
An editor in Omaha ventured to assert that 
he “ didn't believe there were any grasshoppers 
in Nebraska.” Whereupon a friend made a col¬ 
lection of different varieties of the “animal” 
in sufficient number to make a map of South¬ 
ern Nebraska, each town being represented on 
the map by a different kind of grasshopper. I 
did not learn whether the editor waa convinced. 
Did you ever hear of a “drug trwekcry?” 
That’s a drug store. Or a “truck patch?” 
That’s a garden. Or of “pickle vine seed?” 
That's cucumber seed. A fuuny way of ex¬ 
pressing themselves some of these Westerners 
have, I think. 
“ But, really, it’s time to “ put the kettle on,” 
and I must cease this scribbling. t>. v. w. 
Beatrice, Neb., Nov. 10,1874. 
--»-*-*■- 
RESPONSE TO A TIRED MOTHER. 
Dear Rural:—A s I have seen no response to 
a Tired Mother’s request for some general di¬ 
rections enabling her to more easily perform 
househeld duties, I would like to make some 
suggestions which I think have a tendency at 
least toward smoothing things. 
Having spent the Sabbath as a day of rest, 
let Monday be devoted to a general “putting 
to rights.” Let baking enough be done to last 
until toward the end of the week—clothes 
gathered, assorted, mended and put in soak if 
it may be required, thus Tuesday will find you 
ready to make short work of washing in the 
forenoon. By pursuing this plan the clothes 
will, as a general rule, he ready to iron on Wed- 
day. Thursday will thus he left for general 
household work,—sewing and so forth. Friday 
the general baking must again be done. Sat¬ 
urday always brings Its own peculiar duties, 
especially irthe family are church-goers; but I 
love the old New-England custom of my fore¬ 
fathers, of having the Sabbath commence at 
sundown on Saturday evening. When it can be 
avoided do not allow heavy work to be left for 
the last hours of the busy week. This arrange¬ 
ment leaves the afternoon of nearly every day 
for those innumerable little duties which so 
fill th 9 hands and heart of a Tired Mother with 
four little ones. Aunt Molly. 
--- 
GOOD ADVICE TO GERTY. 
Gertrude, yu tell ms yu have been two 
years in a boarding school, and have Just fin¬ 
ished yure edukashun, and want tu kuo what 
yu shrill do next. Listen, ml gushing Gertrude, 
and t will tell yu. Got up in the morning in 
good season, go down Into the kitchen, seize a 
potato by the throat with one hand and a knife j 
with the other; skin the potato and a dozen 
more just, like it; stir up tho buckwheat hat- | 
ter; look In tho oven ami see how tho biscuit 
Jading for ify ||omtg. 
HARRY IN A CLOUD. 
A. STORY 
RHYME. 
BY MARY O. BRINE. 
WHY, what ts.tbo matter with HARRY to-night ? 
His eyes have lost half of their usual glad light; 
There’s a cloud on his brow which should never be 
there. 
And a scowl on the face which I once thought so 
fair 
We'l, now let us see if perchance we can trace 
The cause of this poor llute miserable face. 
First, H auk V this morning at breakfast was late, 
are doing, bustle around generally; i»tep on the And |.. l0ed t i»ro’ hi« toilet at such a quick rate 
cat’s tall, and help your good old mother get ; iy|, u , Ills bonny brown lmir, truth compels us i 
breakfast. Alter hreakfast put up tlm yuufj Was as snarled us Ids temper has been all this 
c hildren’s luncheon for skool, help wash up the Reproof from Papa and Mamma followed nox 
dishes, sweep, put things In order, and Rome- And Harry felt all the more sullen and vexc 
time during the day nit at least two inches and i Thou bright little May looked up langlnni 
a half on sum one ov yure broth era’ little tofile , „ , . ... . 
. . .. , . , . i. ” Pess HAivwir. dot out the w ong side of dc 
woolen stockings for next w.iter. In other w „ llt 9Choo u, rae arrived. mid o«r Barry, y. 
words, make yurcself useful, now Unit yu h.iv Wllfi „ 0 ,, n ,, 3 that no ktss , roin , lts m „ t i u .r ], a , 
hektim ornamental, and il yu hnv onuy time And perhaps for that reason things seemed 
left, after the beds are all made, and thoduks wrong, 
hav been fed, pitch into I he pianna, and make j And Harry was naughty the whole echo< 
tho old rattle box skrcain with tnurlk. Do this long. 
for one year, and sum likely yung fellow in the Ho missed nil his lessons, and spilled all his h 
naberhood will hear ov it , and will begin to And worked himself up hi a terrlbleklnlc. 
hang around yu, and say sweeter things than » ul * be " l 1 ? T** ho “ B . for l th ® resl 
yu ever heard before, and finally will giv yu a He MJlU . )ort .. yo ,.. |IIld .. n , v . In !to ue , y M , t()I1 
chance to keep house on yure own hook. ■In That mamma and Ills sister quite left him alt' 1 
follow ml advice, Gerty, and see if he don t. And so all the day nothing seemed to work rii 
Jonh Billings. And U ARity grew very unhappy towards nigl 
That his bonny brown lour, truth compels us to say, 
Was as snarled as his temper has been all this day. 
Reproof from Papa and Mamma followed next, 
And HARRY felt all the more sullen and vexed. 
Then bright little May looked up laughing, and 
said, 
•' Peas Hawwie dot out the w'ong side of de bed !” 
Well, school-time arrived, and our Harry, you see, 
tvn* so cross that no kiss from liis mother had lie. 
And perhaps for that reason things seemed to go 
wrong. 
And Harry was naughty the whole school-time 
long. 
He missed nil his lessons, and spilled all his ink. 
And worked himself up in a terrible kink. 
Hut when he came home for the rest of the day. 
He seemed to have nothing but cross tilings to say. 
lie snarled ’•yes” and “no,” in so ugly a tone 
That mamma and Ills sister quite loft him alone. 
And so all the day nothing seemed to work right. 
And HARRY grew very unhappy towards night. 
So tliis is tho cause of his sorrowful fnco 
His light, heart has gone—there's a stone In Its place. 
He Is thinking of bcd-tJmc. and what shall he do 
Without tmiuitna’s kisses so tender and true? 
But Ills proud little lips, they urn no loth to speak, 
And ask for the pardon his heart longs to seek ! 
Como Imre, little boy. and Jump up on rny knee, 
And we'll fight all that had pride away, you shall 
see: 
Why, how can you sleep If you lie down to-night 
Without an attempt to do that which is right.? 
There lire standing beside you, my hoy. do you know, 
A good and bad spirit.; now which one shall go? 
And which ouu sjiull enter this dear llttlo heart 
That has acted to-day such a troublesome part? 
All! Row that is right! there are tears In your 
eyes— 
I know you are going to do that which in Wise. 
Go ask mamma's pardon, and soon this sweet fueo 
Of all this day’s trouble will lose every trace. 
I’m glad we have found our own HARRY again. 
A UnTrY WfrmiHiJi! ms llgni. nrnn nan gwiir—mere » a mono in ita inauu. 
AiJUUl WEhlttliUo, He Is thinking of be.d-t.ime, and what shall he do 
Without mamma's kissus so tender and true ? 
A wedding must not ho uncheerful; hut it But Ills proud little Ups, they arc no loth to speak, 
must certainly ho solemn to all who roallzo And ask for the pardon his heart longs to seek ! 
what it is. Oil thoono side it is renouncing old Come hoi-e. little boy, and Jump up on my knee, 
ties, promising to begin with faith, and hope. And we'll fight all that bad pride away, you shall 
ntuJ love, a new and wholly untried existence. s, ' 0; „ _ 
On tho other, it is tho acceptance of a sacred Why, h.,wcan you«U*r.if you Ho down to-night 
. ... ^ , . . , t , is#- , rtA . 0 i n UM1 .k Without an attempt to do that Yfblcti Is right? 
in,si, tho covenant to order life anew In auch T , loreiir ,,, lamlln „ yt)U , my boy . d6 you know, 
ways an shall make tho liHpplne*a of two In- a good And bad spirit* now which ono ahull go? 
stead of one. Can such an occasion be fit ting And which ouu sjiull enter this dear little heart 
for revelry ? Is it not wiser, more delicate to That Inis acted to-day such a troublesome part? 
bid only Uio nearest friends to the ceremony, Ab! Row that is right! there are tears In your 
and loavo the feasting and frolic for another eyes 
time ? We are sure there are few girls who, if I know you are going to do that which is wise, 
they reflect or. the aerloiianeBB of tho atop «o ask mamma’s pardon, and soon this sweet fact? 
they are about to take,will not choose to make “'1? 'Ta , 
... . , ... , .. , , I’m glad we have found our own Harry agiiin, 
their loving vow merely within the loving For tliobov tn his place gave us alt so much pain. 
limits of their homo circle. All our bent in- ; And now mamma’s kisses come thick and come fast. 
stincts point to the absolute simplicity and 
privacy of wodding services; only a perversion 
of delicacy could contemplate the asking of 
crowds of half sympathetic or wholly curious 
people to attend the most, solemn of contracts. 
Let there be as much party making, rejoicing 
; and pleasure taking afterwards as hearts de¬ 
sire; lint let tho solemn vows he made in the 
presence only of those nearest and dearest. 
-♦♦♦■- 
MOZART AND THE PRINCESS. 
The rmiBical accomplishments of this great 
composer were so wonderful at the early age of 
six years, that his father took him with him to 
tho principal cities to play in public. 
There is a pretty little French story told of 
him when he visited Vienna. He played be¬ 
fore the Emperor and Marla Theresa, and after 
he had executed several pieces to tho satisfac¬ 
tion of all, tho Empress made a sign for him to 
conic to her. As he descended from tho stool, 
unaccustomed to walk on a waxed floor, he 
slipped and fell. \ little girl sprang forward 
and cried, “Are you hurt?" 
“You arc beautiful,” said Wolfgang. “Will 
you marry mo?” The little girl laughed. 
“ That cannot be, my poor boy?” 
“Why not? We are of the same age?” 
“ But. you are only a poor artist." 
“I shall be great, some day.” 
“ And I am Maria Antoinette, I shall be arch¬ 
duchess.” 
This little girl became tho wife of Louis XIV., 
and the unfortunate Queen of France, and the 
same day that Mozart, having become a great 
composer, was crowned in Vienna, she was in¬ 
sulted in Paris, and two years later perished on 
the scaffold. 
-•-*-*- 
“ AS THE TWIG IS BENT.” 
We often hear mothers wondering why their 
daughters are 6o indolent, or Ignorant of 
household matters, or so careless In their hab¬ 
its. They complain, and scold, and fret over St, 
. but they make no attempt to teach them any 
better. The fault lies with the mothers them¬ 
selves ; Instead of training their girls to habits 
of industry and neat ness, instead of instruct¬ 
ing them in household WEiys, they have allowed 
them to grow up without any training at all. 
Girls are not going to learn these things of 
their own accord; they must he taught from 
the time they are.old enough to learn how to 
be neat and Industrious. Train them carefully 
in household ways; teach them how to make 
puddings, and cakes, and pickles, and pre¬ 
serves; show them how to be tidy about a 
house, how to do everything in the neatest 
manner. Teach them both by precept and ex¬ 
ample; it. is worth tho trouble; for. instead of 
having drones and slatterns about, you, you will 
have well-trained and useful helps. 
—-— : - 
Tite hair of Miss Mary C. Haskins of Danbury, 
N. H., is 53X inches long. 
Anti all the (lark clouds have passed over at lust. 
OUR BOARDER. 
BY MRS. C. H. CRESWELL. 
When he first came to us I did not like him 1 
at all. I thought, him ugly and Ill-favored ; but 
I did not. know him then,—I did not know how 
perfect a gentleman he was. Ho was weary, 
too, that night travel stained, and seemed dull 
and inert. I was sure l should never like him. 
But after a few days, when I became more 
thoroughly acquainted with him, I began to 
realize what he was in reality and to appreciate 
Ids many excellent qualities. 
As I said, he proved himself to bn a perfect 
gentleman, heing proud, stately, and truly 
high-bred in character and deportment. He 
was also graceful in his movement-T; In fact, 
altogether, there was a peculiar style about 
him ; but I must confess that I thought he car¬ 
ried his head rather high, which was occa¬ 
sioned, perhaps, by his having a long neck, 
much longer than is generally allotted to man¬ 
kind. Some silly people have ridiculed him on 
this account; but we, who have grown accus¬ 
tomed to his very few failings, like litm >n well 
that we should exceedingly regret his departure 
from us. 
Although not of the clerical profession, he 
always wears the same suit of-Mack, which Is a 
perfeot. fit; in fact, he has hut tho one suit win- \ 
ter and sunyner, from which you may infer 
that he is not blessed with the riches of this 
world; no, poor follow 1 and although he has 
been with us over two years ho has never paid 
a ccint for his board—In truth, we consider our¬ 
selves fully recompensed by his services, which 
are many and diversified. But one thing I must 
confess in regard to him Is, although his morals 
seem to be all that one could desire, and ho 
goes to church regularly every Sabbath, I am 
very much afraid that none of those beautiful 
and Interesting sermons to which we so delight 
to listen ever do him the least bit of good. 
Yet we always thought him amiable and ac¬ 
commodating until one day, contrary to my 
advice, my husband desired his assistance In 
plowing the vegetable garden. I must say I 
never saw any man so angry in my Iffo as he 
was. His indignation was terrible. He threw 
himself into a perfect fury. His black eyes 
flashed fire, Ids nostrils dilated, and he tore 
around that garden In an alarming fashion, 
dragging my husband after him, until I became 
much frightened. Strange to say, mad as he 
was, ho never spoke a word I It seemed as if 
he couldn't.. 
Since that incident, the thoughts of which 
often make me smile, onr friend’s behavior has 
been remarkably gentlemanly, and care has 
been taken not to permit the history of that 
day to repeat itself. Bearing the name (al¬ 
though, I believe, no relation) of the great poet 
Longfellow, he is naturally proud of it, I 
presume. Although our boarder, he does not 
eat atourjtable; he has to be both served and 
lodged separately. He eats out of a manger 
and sleeps in a stable. Ho is, if you have not 
already discovered it, our favorite horse. 
Brooklyn, L. I., Feb., 1875. 
-♦-*-*-- 
DON'T CAPTURE THE SNOW-BIRDS ! 
To “A. II.'’—Whan I read your letter in tho 
last number of our favorite paper I really 
thought my eyes must havo deceived me. A 
boy—and apparently an intelligent one— of 11 
years of age inquiring how to rapture our pretty 
little snow-birds .'--the happy, merry llttlo 
thlDgs that we so love to see flocking round our 
homes and ehoering us through tlio snows of 
winter with their pleasant chirping when tho 
other birds havo left us, and that wo so gladly 
feed and welcome to our homes and out¬ 
buildings I Cun It. he that, any boy who rendu 
the Rural New-Yorker, which always in its 
teachings Inculcates the duty of humanity and 
kindness lo Goo'screatures, can bo so thought¬ 
less and so cruel ns to wish to deprive of their 
liberty the birds that so enjoy it? 
My dear boy, lot mens a friend entreat you, 
instead of capturing those Innocent little crea¬ 
tures, who lore and enjoy their freedom as much 
as you do, l o feed them during tho long, cold 
winters, and make thorn love instead of fear 
you. Always lie kind and merciful to those 
who cannot defend themselves or plead their 
own rights, and never capture birds or rob thorn 
of their nests. Cousin Clara. 
--- 
LEARNING TO COUNT. 
Some shrewd teacher thus closes a lesson to 
his pupils:—“Now, children, suppose we take 
a lesson In counting as far up aste.u; and to 
help you remember the figures, I will give you 
a rhyme Tor every one. Then to make you more 
firm in your Band of Hops principles, tlio 
rhymes will be about toelotalism. Say them 
after mo: 
“ Number one, tho beer-shop shun; 
Number two, nor drink nor brew; 
Number three, a teetotaler be ; 
Number four, keep drink from tlio door; 
Number five, abstain and t hrive; 
Number six, lo teetotal (lx; 
Number seven, bo to temperance given ; 
Number eight, don’t ho caught by tho bait 
Number nine, a mocker is wine; 
Number ton, be teetotal then." 
-- 
BOYS, THINK OF THIS! 
Boys,' did you ever think that this world, 
with all its wealth and woe, with all its mines 
and mount,ains, oceans, seas and rivers, with 
all its shipptng, its steamboats, railroads and 
magnetic telegraphs* with all its millions of 
grouping men, and all the science and progress 
of ages, will soon lie given over to tho boys of 
the present age—boys like you? Bclievo It and 
look abroad upon your inheritance, and get 
ready to enter upon Us possession. Tlio presi¬ 
dents, kings, governors, statesmen, philoso¬ 
phers, ministers, teachers, men of the future— 
| all are hoys now. 
HISTORICAL ENIGMA.—No. 1. 
I am composed of 108 letters: 
My 10,13, 41,20,12,10, 31, 23, 5,1, 7 was a general 
of Alexander. 
My 30,15, 35, 17, 2, 33, 13, 44, 4, 6, 61, 18 the fourth 
King of ltome. 
My 59, 37,11, 78,14, 40, 55, 17, 28, 20,22, 61, 41,19, 25 
a surname of Hercules. 
My 52,34, 74,1ft, 50. 57, 20, 63 a grammarian of 
Pontus. 
My 21, 100, 27, 3, 70, 53, 62, 80, 85, 10, 107, 94 a son 
of Oratlan. 
My 58, 6,65, 54, 42, 82.9,33, 11,10, 75, 85, 10, 13,1, 
64 a Roman emperor. 
My 70,78,24,30,41, 68, 84, 45,108, 5, 10,1,38,10, 4, 
51, 93, 30, 54,13, 60, 98, 73, 30, 89, 20, 62, 1, 2 a 
Mycene bishop. 
My 88, 96, 79,97, 13, 6, 92, 10 a Byzantian maiden 
beloved by Pausanius, King of Sparta. 
My 46. 104, 50, 31, 4, 81 a king of Lycia. 
My 8, 67, 103, 6.101 a bishop of Salisbury. 
My 66,10,78,20,90,91,4 an emperor of tho Turks. 
My 99, 95, 105,102, 7 a king of Lydia. 
My 106, 11, 6,12, 23.5, 1, 7 a son of Lycurgus. 
My 71,69, 83,18,4 an American painter. 
My 87.86,20,91, 44,95, 77,12, 26. 41 an antiquary. 
My whole !s what the Emperor Trajan said 
while presenting a sword to an officer of the 
Guards. Little One. 
53^” Answer in two weeks. 
DROP LETTER PUZZLE.-No. 1. 
L-o- n-t -h-u -p-n -h- w-n- w-e- i- i- 
r-d, -h-n -t -i-e-h -i- c-l-r i- t-e -n-, 
w-e- I- iu-v-t- 1-8-1- a-i-h-. O. L. 
%ST‘ Answer in two weeks. 
--- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.—Feb. 6. 
Illustrated Rebus No. 3.—Mistakes some¬ 
times Inflame men against each other. 
Miscellaneous Enigma No. 3.—what is law¬ 
ful is not always honorable. 
Hidden Colors No. l.-l. Red ; 2, Drab; 3, 
Yellow ; 4, Orange ; 5, Brown ; 6, Gray. 
Central Puzzle No. 1.— Maryland. 
Problem No. 3.—Two men and three boys. 
