Jfadiqs’ fjoittfalto. 
H£E MISSION. 
BT LUCY O. OEDWAT. 
“ I’m of bo use at all t” 
Sighed s lonely flower. 
“ I stand here so Idle 
From hour to hour.” 
She tied her blue bat 
Closer under her chin ; 
‘*0 dear, If 1 only 
Some work could begin. 
“ Could make some one glad, 
Ease some terrible pain, 
I never, no, never. 
Would murmur again." 
A great, shlnlDg blade 
Quickly gleamed in her sight. 
And the poor little flower 
Lay trembling with fright. 
“ O me! this Is dreadful!” 
She oriefi in dismay, 
I’m sure I shall die 
If I’m left here all day!” 
But then she was lifted 
With tenderest care. 
And carried—she never 
Coaid recollect where. 
In a hospital lay 
A poor soldier In pain. 
He sought for relief, 
But he sought it In vain. 
A gentle physician 
Bent over his wound, 
When lo t from the bandage 
There floated a sound. 
’Twas a tiny voice speaking, 
w At last! O, at lust, 
’Mid the terror of battle, 
The cannon’s fierce blast, 
“ My work Is beginning; 
I've not lived In vain. 
For hero I am useful 
And—happy again. 
“ Who’d have dreamed, as I stood 
80 idly that day, 
And fretted foT work, 
It would come In this way! 
" That my tough little stem 
Spun, and woven, should rest 
So softly and sweetly 
Upon this poor breast! 
“ At last I am useful; 
I lessen his pain. 
And I never, no, never 
Will murmur again.” 
Like the flower, we often 
Grow faint-hearted, too, 
But sometime shall surely 
Our work find to do. 
NECESSITY AND ECONOMY. 
BT BOTE EVERMORE. 
It Is too often the case with women as well 
as men that they make little If any attempt to 
economize when they are In a thriving business 
and money Is plenty with which to supply their 
immediate wants—that Is, they do not study 
turn to economize , that they may save twemy- 
flve per cent, here and fifteen and twenty per 
cent, on something else which they purchase 
or consume, until stern Necesaity, the mother 
of Economy as well as Invention, meets them 
face to face. True, almost every family has 
some Idea of economy, vague and visionary 
though they sometimes are, and generally re¬ 
sult in paying the minister of the parish little 
or nothing; keeping Tommie and Jimmie out 
of school and Sammie out of college which 
would fit them for greater usefulness and suc¬ 
cess In life, and Katie from her music lessons, 
while her talents plaluly indloate that In that 
she can attain eminent success ; depriving the 
tired and overworked wife and mother of the 
much longed-for visit “ home, ” which she so 
much needs to revive the drooping spirits and 
lagging energies and for invigorating her entire 
system; stopping the newspapers and maga¬ 
zines whtch had been such a source of pleasure 
as well as instruction and profit to all the fam¬ 
ily leaving them, as it were, almost cheerless 
without them. But with stern Necessity as an 
Incentive to goad them on, they learn many a 
useful lesson which Is sometimes worth almost 
a fortune to them through life. 
Though little we dream it at the time, Neces¬ 
sity is often a blessing in disguise, the hand by 
which our kind Father sends us greater good 
and prosperity. Our after lives are happier, our 
success brighter, c ur achievements greater than 
they ever could have been bad not our latent 
abilities been drawn out by pressing want or 
some other sorrow from which we had suffered. 
To those of a cheerful disposition In health, 
with full possession of all their faculties, it 
could hardly be otherwise, especially with those 
who, ever looking on the bright side, remember 
that our Father does not afflict us more than 
we are able to bear, for out of “seemtng evil 
He produces good,” and to “ every dark cloud 
gives sliver lining,’' Many years ago the mother 
of a very popular writer said to me that her 
daughter “Mart’s early lessons of economy 
while we were very poor, have helped her to 
write a very good story.” 
Among my own acquaintances I could cite 
many instances where young ladies as well as 
young men, without money and without friends 
that could help them, have by their own exer¬ 
tions of body and brain obtained, as It were, 
the highest pinnacle of success in a few years, 
commanding remunerative salaries, aa the most 
efficient always do- And yet they were not ap¬ 
parently “talented” above ordinary mortals, 
unless we except their unttring energy. On 
the other hand, how often we see the really 
gifted ones,—those whose talents, if properly 
exerted, are capable of shaking the world- 
having all the advantages which wealth and 
friendly bands could obtain—gliding through 
life at a mediocre’s pace and in a mediocre’s 
groove, accomplishing little in the world of 
either good or ill. Dear Rural readers, let It 
never be said of one of us that he or she has 
lived as though Life was but an idle dream, but 
let us ever 
“Be up and doing, 
With a heart for any fate— 
Still achieving, still pursuing. 
Learn to labor and to wait.” 
Though trials oppress us sad and sore, let us 
not pine and brood over our troubles until they 
are magnified ten times, as they are very apt to 
be In our own eyes, hut with a brave heart and 
a steady, unwavering faith In God, let us look 
above and beyond, remembering that these 
scenes will hy-and-by pass away and new and 
brighter ones appear, and that we shall be, as 
it were, in a new world for the very Joy and 
brightness which attend us. 
Let us often remember to sing that good old 
hymn, “GOO moves in a mysterious way.” 
These last few lines, though rather a digres¬ 
sion, were Just written on hearing of the sad 
afflictions of a beloved friend and schoolmate. 
- 4-4-4- 
CONTENTMENT AND GOOD LOOKS. 
What is female heauty? In what does it 
consist? It is not In pearl powder, nor in hair 
dye, nor !o Jewelry. It cannot be got into a 
bottle or a box. It is pleasant to lie handsome, 
but all beauty is not In prettiness. There is a 
higher beauty that makes us love people ten¬ 
derly. Eyes, nose, hair or skin never did that 
yet, though it is pleasing to see fine features. 
What you are will make your face ever for you 
In the end, whether nature has made It plain or 
I pretty. Good people are never ill-looking. 
Whatever their faces may bo, an amiable ex¬ 
pression atones for all. If they can be cheerful 
also no one will love them the less because 
their features are not regular or because they 
are too fat, or too thin, too pale or too dark. 
.Cultivation of the mind adds another charm to 
their faces; aad on the whole, if any girl is 
desirous of being liked by the many and loved 
by the ooe, it is more in her power than she 
may believe to accomplish that object. Cos¬ 
metics will not accomplish It, however. Neither 
will fine dress; though a woman who does not 
dress becomingly wrongs herself. Forcodsmiles 
and affected amiability will be of no avail; but 
if she can manage to feet kindly to everybody, 
not to be jealous, not to bo cross, to be happy 
if possible,and toenoouragecontentment., then 
something will oome into her face that will 
outlast youth's roses and gain her not only a 
husband but a life-long lover. 
- 4 » ♦- 
THE TRUE WOMAN. 
The true woman and true wife is pure with¬ 
out being prudish ; her virtue Is not the result 
of training, but the direct gift of God. She Is 
Innocent and unsuspicious, and it never outers 
her heart to Imagine that others are not as her¬ 
self. “To the pure all things are pure,” But 
her heart is tender and merciful. When she 
hears of vice—which she seldom does—she is 
pitiful, very pitiful. Her nature does not par- 
tskeofthe Just judge who condemns, but of 
the Divine Saviour's, who pleads for criminals 
before the awful throne. She weeps tears of 
sorrow that sin has been committed, and would 
be glad if she could bring the sinner from dark¬ 
ness to light. Meanwhile, she never thinks of 
evil unless It Is thrust upon her sight. All her 
paths, If not strewed with rosea, are at least 
free from weeds. Her sky ia always blue, and 
the light of heaven visible. She does not sit in 
Judgment on the actions of her friends, whom 
she believes to be all good and true. Her chil¬ 
dren are not trammeled and fettered ; she be¬ 
lieves in them and their goodness. She does 
not dream of ruling her husband ; on the con¬ 
trary, his wishes have always been ber law, and 
she baa known them so long that every little 
cranny and crank of his character is familiar to 
her; and she lovingly cares that no irritating 
element shall disturb him. Ou his side, be 
repays her goodness by unbounded tenderness 
and a happiness always regained In the atmos¬ 
phere of home. 
- 4-44 - 
SORROWS sober us and make the mind genial. 
In sorrow we love and trust our friends more 
tenderly, and the dead become dearer to us. 
Just as the stars shine out tn the night, so 
there are blessed faces that look at us in our 
grief, though beforethelr features were fading 
from our recollection. 
- 4 » » 
Kind Words are the bright flowers of earthly 
existence; use them, and especially around the 
fireside circle. They are jewels beyond price, 
and powerful to heal the wounded heart and 
make the weighed-dowu spirit glad. 
•- 4 - 4-4 - 
The Two Impressions.— Great men leave two 
different impressions of themselves on their 
• contemporaries—the one the result of their pub¬ 
lic career, the other of their private life. 
Heading for the fiouitg. 
OUR FAIRY. 
Or all the elves that are so neat. 
There’s none so fair as Fairy ! 
The patter of her little feet 
Is quick and airy! 
Her cheeks were like the woodland rose. 
Could roses dimple,— 
Nor is there any flower that grows 
More fresh and simple! 
The little wliob Is wondrous wise 
And merry-minded 
When by the sunshine tn her eyes 
My own are blinded. 
Could she but. feel the bltss I steal 
From her sweet laughter. 
The puss would he afraid of me 
For ever after! 
PULL TOGETHER. 
Be quiet, boys, if you are able, 
White I relate a little fable 
About a thrifty mouse and toad, 
That undertook to draw a load 
Together on a dusty road; 
But never stopped to question whether 
Tbelr nainral gifts would work together. 
Thu mouse drew steady on his string,— 
But toady gave ono desperate spring; 
Up went poor mousy like a “ kite,” 
And broke his neck-bone tn the fltght. 
The moral plainly says to all,— 
*■ Pull together or not at alL” 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
A MERCHANT PRINCE’S SIGN- 
What a queer notion It is for a man to have 
two great white stores on Broadway, with no 
sign visiole on either of them. Here i9 Stew¬ 
art’s down-town store, where ho sells goods 
In packegos, and not so much as a letter on It 
to let anybody know It Is Stewart’s. Then we 
go a mile further up and come to the retail 
store, where the ladies go shopping for all sorts 
of things, from a paper of needles to a suit of 
carpets for an elegant new house. Not a sign 
on that either. Perhaps he don’t want peoplo 
to know who keeps store there. 
Bur, stop just one moment. I think I see a 
sign. Yes, there are several of them; one on 
each door—both of the down-town store and of 
the up-town one. It Is a llttlo bit of a sign 
with four small, distinct letters on it. These 
letters do not spell Stewart’s name. They are 
just Stewart, himself, all over. They are 
very fast, and he thought grocery store a splen¬ 
did play. Lucy said she would take all the 
dried apples if he would write It down In his 
book for her, because she had forgotten her 
money. 
When the little grocer had sold all his goods, 
Nellie reminded him that he owed eight oenlt. 
“Why! they didn't pay for the things,” said 
Freddy. 
“You know I asked you to put the dried 
apples down In your book,” said Lucy. 
“Yes," said Freddy, “but I didn't have a 
book and I forgot It, besides; but you might 
bring back the apples, Lucy.” 
“ Oh, no, T can't! I’ve eaten them,” said Lucy. 
Then Freddy found that the candy and nuts 
were eaten up, and that those who had bought 
them had no money to pay for them. 
“ Well,” said Freddy, “ It’s of no use; I tan’t 
pay that eight oents, for I’ve only four.” 
“Why, then, our little grocer has failed,” 
said Nellie. 
“Failed?” said Freddy. “That means that I 
can't pay it?” 
“Yea, that’s it," said Nellie. 
“That is because I did not think about the 
pay when I sold them,” said Freddy. 
When you are grown up a man and have a 
real store, remember these things. Don’t buy 
more than you can pay for. Don't sell other 
people more than they can pay for. Always 
think what you are doing. 
BETTER THAN GOLD. 
We often hear little boys telling of the won¬ 
ders they will do when they grow to be men. 
They are looking and longing for the time when 
they will be large enough to carry a cane and 
wear a tall hat; and not one of them will say 
he expects to be a poor man; but every one 
expects to be rich. Now, money Is very good 
In its placo; but let me tell you, little boys, 
what is a great deal better than money, and 
what you may bo earning all the time you are 
waiting to grow large enough to earn a fortune. 
The Bible says “a good n.ime is rather to be 
chosen than gfeat riche* and loving favor rath¬ 
er than silver or gold." A good name does not 
mean a name for being the richest man In town 
or for owning the largest house. A good name 
Is a name for doing good deeds; a name for 
wearing a pleasant, face and carrying a cheer¬ 
ful heart; and for always doing right, no matter 
I where wo may be. 
“ Push" means Stewart and his business. 
“ Push” is how he got along. “ Push" takes you 
back to the little store where, long ago, Stewart 
began business selling a few tapes and bobbins 
ami calico. “Push” tolls you of the bargains 
he bought when goods were to be had cheap at 
auction, and bow he made the most of them 
and got good prices. “ Push” tells you of how 
he attended to hts business when other folks 
were In bed iu the mornings, and how he wrote 
up ills accounts at night when others were 
spending fcbeir time in costly Jollifications. 
“ Push” tells you of the erection of one great 
store after another, of the building up of the 
most magnificent business on the continent, of 
securing the whole product of immense mills, 
of purchasing vast quantities of merchandise 
in other countries, of driving out competition 
in many and many a quarter and. In a word, of 
making an immense fortune. Boys, if you want 
to get along In the world, remember Stewart’s 
sign. You must 
But remember too, that the heaping up of an 
immense pile of this world’s wealth is not the 
only thing worth pushing for. There are many 
poor fellows who have got all the wealth any 
reasonable person could hope for, who are the 
moat miserable mortals on earth. Push your 
work so well and so wisely that you will not be 
pushed aside and downward when you “ strive 
to enter through the straight gate ” into the 
kingdom of everlasting wealth.—The Christian- 
at-Work. ^ ^_ 
THE LITTLE GROCER WHO FAILED. 
The following, though Intended for the young 
folks, will also convey a very useful lesson to 
children of a larger growth : 
“ Mamma,” cried Freddy, “ I will play grocery 
store.” 
After a great deal of counting, Freddy found 
that he had seven pennies. 
“Not much capital," said sister Nellie—she 
was grown up. 
“ What’s capital ?” asked Freddy. 
“ The money you have to buy your goods with 
—that is your capital." 
Freddy bought tea, coffee, white sugar, beans, 
salt, pepper, flour, meal, candy, nuts, soap, 
dried apples, crackers and starch. But all these 
cost fifteen cents, and Freddy had only seven 
cents. 
Freddy arranged his Btore and put out his 
sign; and just then all the older brothers and 
sisters came home from school, so that Freddy 
had plenty of customers and hi3 goods went off 
®he |ju2zler. 
HISTORICAL ENIGMA.—No. 2. 
1 am composed of 90 letters: 
My 2, 3, 4, 40, 11, 1, 38, 6, 16, 10, 21 one of the Ar- 
gonauts. 
My 18, 9, 15,14, 8,30, 29,26,12, 26,17, 20,47 the sis¬ 
ters of Phaeton. 
My 14, 32, 7, 28, 54, 90, 42, 45, 23 a king of Bactrla. 
My 21,27, 87, 70,53,60, 48, 60,65, 56, 77,22, 49, 56,67, 
39,11,25,40,60,78,21ft Byzantine historian. 
My 35,19,36, 8, 43, 15 a festival In honor of Eros. 
My 52, 24,25,33, 62, 59, 68 a Bon of Carmente. 
My 5, 64, 73, 72, 26, 81, 41, 67, 47 a surname of 
Jupiter. 
My 31, 65, 76, 79, 12, 57, 21 an author of the age of 
Trojan. 
My 80, 84,11, 83, 74, 46 a king of Mysla. 
My 63, 76, 88, 68, 3, 82, 1, 15 a nymph who waited 
on Juno. 
My 51, 86, 55, 9, 89, 21, 8, 88, 68, 61 an officer of 
Alexander’s staff. 
My 13, 57,11, 71, 27, 65 the wife of Claudius. 
My 87, 56, 85, 38, 78,69, 37 are two articles of la¬ 
dles’ wear. 
My whole is what the Emperor Antoninus 
said to Scipio. 
Answer in two weeks. Little One. 
- M l 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC.-No. 3. 
1. A musical pipe. 2. Impervious to the rays 
of light. 3. Waging war, 4. To cover by wrap¬ 
ping or folding. 5. The name of a famous bridge 
at Venice, over the grand canal. 6. A princi¬ 
ple obtained from tea. 7. To be mixed. 8. A 
shade ; a screen of trees. 9. Pertaining to 
Rhodes, an Isle of the Mediterranean. 10. One 
of modern times. 11. The ancient name of buI- 
phate of iron. My Initials form the name of a 
celebrated poet; my finals the title of one of 
his poems. L. w. R. 
Answer In two weeks. 
DIAMOND PUZZLE.-No. 2. 
1. A CONSONANT. 2. Encountered. 3. A re¬ 
ward of merit. 4. An advocate of confedera¬ 
tion. 5. Late. 6. A song. 7. A consonant, 
jy Answer In two weeks. Azile. 
--- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-May 22. 
Illustrated Rebus No. 9.—All's well that 
ends well. 
Miscellaneous Enigma No. 10.—“A thing 
of beauty Is a Joy forever.” 
Choss-Wobd Enigma No. 6.—Arkansas. 
Word-Square Enigma No. fi.— 
FETCH 
E D I L E 
TIDAL 
CLARE 
JUNE 5 
CORE’S RURAL 
-YORKER. 
