SEPT. « 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Jfctdfys' fjqtfiolio. 
THE OLD LADY'S SONG. 
BY A. E. C. A. 
Time was, when 1 was young and fair, 
Had sparkling eyes and gloss ol hair, 
And cheeks of roseate hut*; 
With peerless lips of crimson dye 
And teeth that might with ivory vie— 
A heart light, warm und true. 
Now 1 am old, and not a trace 
Of beauty’s left about my face 
To tell what once I’ve been; 
The roses from my cheeks have fled, 
The luster of mine eyes is dead, 
My lips are pale and thin. 
My forehead, once so smooth and fair, 
Is furrowed now my raven hair 
Has turned to silver gray; 
My form, of which I was so proud. 
Is now with age und sorrow bowed, 
My heart no more is gay. 
Time was when I was called a belle, 
And flat’ring words—the truth to tell — 
Were ever in my oar; 
Some praised my figure, some my face, 
Some said I sang with such il grace 
’Twus charming tne to hear. 
Noiv I am old,—and where arc they 'I 
Those loo iny friends; no more they stay 
With one whose beauty’s fled 
Whose fortune’s gone—a belle no uinie, 
Who soon must quit Ibis earthly shore 
And mingle with the dead. 
Be warned, young maiden, do not place 
Thy thoughts too much upon thy fueo 
Or on thy form, though tine : 
Thy face ere long will wrinkled he. 
Toy locks become as wlntery, 
Thy form as bont as mine. 
Then, loveiy maiden, do not place 
Thy thoughts too much upon thy face, 
But seek thy mind to store 
With wisdom; 'twill abide with thee 
When wealth la gone, when friends shall flee 
And youth is thine no more. 
- ♦♦♦ -- 
THINGS AS THEY ARE. 
It has always been a little curious to me why 
people are generally so anxious to show otr in 
things they know very little about. When 1 
was a child In school the poorest reader would 
always want the longest piece to read, and the 
one who had no skill In composing would try 
to get »n elegant composition, while perhaps 
the best scholar would have the least to say. 
As I grew older l noticed the same peculiarity 
in every department of life. When you meet a 
person dressed In the extreme id' fashion and 
covered with jewelry, it la no sign of wealth. 
Those who have the most money are usually 
the plainest. The smallest child can under¬ 
stand a highly-educated person when ho talks, 
but it is often necessary to use a dictionary to 
comprehend a superficial scholar. I uotlce 
that those who have the poorest voices will 
always sing the loudest, and those who know 
the lecujt about music will feel the most slighted 
If not Invited to sing. Tho most Indifferent 
preacher will have the longest sermon, arid the 
poorest speaker will talk the most. The least 
successful teacher is ulways giving lessons In 
discipline, and the farmer who can scarce get 
his living will tell how farming ought to be done. 
I know no reason for this, except that, wo all 
want to make a show, and If we have not got 
the real stuff we make use of the sham. It Is 
sometimes very humiliating to those who can 
detect the difference, for “real worth is unas¬ 
suming." Of course there is a great deal of 
good cloth in this world, but in my experience 
there Is much more of “shoddy." Amelia. 
Cayuga, N. Y., 1875. 
We are glad to wolcome Amelia’s return to 
the Rural.) to which she contributed very ac¬ 
ceptably years ago. Her brief, pungent articles 
have the ring of the true metal, and we hope 
she will “come again,” and often.—E d. 
WOMAN’S RIGHTS AND WRONGS. 
I read in the Rural some time ago a piece 
headed “ Woman’s Rights and Woman’s 
Wrongs.” Later came another In defense, 
and then a third, entitled “An Explanation.” 
Welt, it seems to me these writers are not very 
far apait in their Ideas, after all, as it appears 
they are unmarried, and perhaps a little old In 
years, If not In feelings. It maybe they have 
sometimes thought It possible Tor themselves 
to be old maids, which is not a very fluttering 
prospect for any girl. The writers of the above 
mentioned articles agree In this, that when a 
woman remains single, it Is from a wise de¬ 
cision or choice of her own. Well, to speak 
plainly, I do not believe there is one woman In 
a thousand who remains single through choice; 
not because they have not had a chance to get 
married, but there has been s ime other reason 
why they have not. It may have been a very 
trifling one, but the more trifling the reason, 
the more painful perhaps will be the remem¬ 
brance of it. 
So far as woman’s rights are concerned, we 
all have our rights and out wrongs; none of us 
are perfect, by a great deal. Hut we don’t all 
run mad over the fashions. I don’t object to 
seeing ladies dress richly and tastefully, if they 
are able to afford it. But no good, sensible < 
woman will run her husband or father in debt i 
to keep up with the fashions. A pretty woman i 
does not need many ruffles or puffs on her 
dress ; neither is much ruffling or trimming be¬ 
coming on children's clothes. I would rather 
have a clear, healthy complexion, with round 
and plump cheeks, bright and cheerful eyes, 
natural and pearly-white teeth, sound and 
healthy gums, sweet-smelllng breath, a good 
appetite ami a good digestion, than to have all 
the rolling and plaiting.fluting and pulling, and 
piping, crimping and puckering that can be 
done in any tirst-class dressmaker's shop In the 
City of Now York in a whole year. 
A RtrR.ii, Reader. 
--- . 
WINSOME WOMEN. 
Some kind soul, for the encouragement of 
women who fear that tune will rob them of 
their fascinations, has ransacked history to col¬ 
lect accounts of women who have charmed 
when no longer young. The list, is a long one, 
beginning with Helen of ‘l’roy, who Is suld to 
have been over forty when she eloped with 
Paris, and thus set all Greece by tho ears und 
gave us two of the greatest epics ever written. 
For this action it seems that she could not 
plead youth as an excuse, although we respect¬ 
fully submit, that, the accounts of her age, like 
everything else in her story, are rather apocry¬ 
phal. More reliable are the records which coins 
to us of Aspasla, w hom Pericles wedded when 
she was thlrty-elx, and who, for thirty years 
more, maintained an undlmlnlshed reputation 
for beauty und powers of fascination ; of Cleo¬ 
patra, who charmed Marc Antony when she 
was past thirty and maintained her empire for 
nearly ten years longer, and of Llvla, who at 
thirty-throe won the heart, of Augustus, and 
better still, kept It |o the last. In modern 
history, the famous Diana of Poitiers was thir¬ 
ty-six when she won the heart of Henry II. 
(then Duke of Orleans aud just half her age), 
and she was considered tho first lady and most 
beautiful woman of the court up to the day of 
her death. After her came Anne of Austria, 
Ninon de 1 'BocIob, Blanca Cupelio, Madame do 
Mainlonou, Catharine II. of Russia, Mile. Mars, 
the famous French tragic uctress. and last, and 
perhaps tho most beautiful of them all, Mmo. 
Keen ruler. All of those werv admired and loved 
long after they had passed what is generally 
considered us t he heyday of woman’s charms. 
It Is a noteworthy Tact that a majority of 
these women were either French or lived In 
France and conformed to French manners and 
customs. It Is not probable that this is be¬ 
cause tho women of France are any more beau¬ 
tiful or retain their beauty any longer than 
those lof other countries. Indeod, some trav¬ 
elers have professed themselves utterly unable 
to SCO the beauty of the French women about 
which they had heard so muck. The custom 
In France, which opens the world and all Its 
pleasures, opportunity for con quest Included, 
to a woman only after she Is married, has 
caused French women to cultivate with care 
their charms, both of mind ami person, and to 
preserve them na long as preservation la possi¬ 
ble. Fascination becomes an art worthy of 
their deepest study. To degenerate into the 
“household drudge," uncultivated, uutldy and 
unlovely, which seenra to many of the women 
of the Teutonic races to be tire typo of female 
womanhood after marriage, la furthest from 
their thoughts? The state or affairs which tbla 
custom produces, and of which it la an indica¬ 
tion* is not to be either envied or imitated; but 
could American woman learn from their French 
sisters the art. of being charming, nay, fascina¬ 
ting, up to and beyond middle ago tney would 
be the happier for it. To win hearts is the 
easiest thing In the world; to hold them, one 
of the hardest. The French woman desires to ‘ 
win and hold many; her English or American 
sister Is, or ought to be, satisfied to win and 
hold one. It Is just as hard to do the latter as ! 
the former of thesb things; but upon doing the < 
latter depends the happiness of every woman 
and her family. She who does not put forth 1 
her best efforts to do it must be content to look 
upon her life as a failure. > 
Heading for thq §gmtg. 
PLAYING STORE. 
“ Tino-A-t.ivgI” now they have opened the store: 
Never was such an assortment before! 
Mini pies tn plenty, und purcols of sand, 
Pebbles for sugar-plums always ou band. 
“ Plenty of eusromers coining to buy— 
Urowu sugar, white sugar; which will you try V ” 
Paper for money; their wealth, too. Is vast; 
In spite Of the panic, they scatter It, fast. 
Quick little hands tie tho bundles with care : 
Summer’s glad music Is tilling the air— 
Birdies fly over, und wonder, no dnubt, 
What all those gay little folks ore about. 
Sweet rosy cheeks, with vour smiles of delight; 
Dear, loving eyes, that ure winsome and bright, 
Lip* that are pure as the fair morning dew 
Older hearts long to go shopping with you. 
Ited I* the sun In the tops of the trees ; 
Laden with sweets, homeward wander the bees; 
Little feet now have grown weary with play; 
Llltlu bands close up the store for tho day. 
[tieo, Cooper, in Nursery. 
THE LAST DAY OF VACATION. 
A Story for Mothers and Children. 
I1Y itIt.S. UKO. BARTLETT. 
FINGER RINGS. 
Rings, which are now looked on merely as 
ornaments without meaning, except In the 
cases of the wedding and engaged rings, were 
formerly thought to be full of occult slgaiH- 
cance. Certain stones represented virtues, and 
others were famed for their magical value. 
The Poles believe that each month of the year 
is under the lotluem-o of a precious stone, 
which exerts its power over the destiny of any 
person horn during the period of its sway. It 
Is, therefore, customary among friends and 
lovers to make reciprocal presents of trinkets 
ornamented with the natal stones. The fol¬ 
lowing is a list of the stones peculiar to each 
month, with meaningsJanuary — Garnet; 
constancy and fidelity. February Amethyst; 
sincerity. March — Bloodstone; courage and 
presence of mind. April Diamond; inno¬ 
cence. May-Emerald; success in love. June 
—Agate; health and long life. July—Corne¬ 
lian ; contented uiind. August — Sardonyx ; 
conjugal felicity. September— Chrysolite; an¬ 
tidote against madness. October—Opal; hope. 
November—Topaz ; fidelity. December -Tur¬ 
quoise; prosperity. 
- 
Love is described by Simms, In a semi-poeti¬ 
cal style, as “but another name for that in¬ 
scrutable presence by which the soul is con¬ 
nected with humanity.” 
“ Here, here, children ! don’t come in on this 
clean floor, to bring in dirt again," said Mrs. 
Rrkd, as little Tom and Jenny came into the 
kitchen after an hour of play. 
“ But, mi, we don’t, know what to play. Ma, 
can l have my host doll ?“ 
“ I want something, ma, to draw in my cart.” 
“ ‘ Ma! ma!' Dear mo! I get so tired of your 
everlasting cry of ’ ma ' that I sometimes wish 
I was an old maid like Miss Mason, and had 
never got married !" 
“ And do you wish pa was gone, too ?" asked 
Tom, fixing his large, dark eyes on his mother's 
face. 
" No, dear, I don't wish that any of you were 
gone," and Mrs. Reed glanced with a look of 
contrition at Mis. Merrill, who had come in 
for a moment’s chat; then she sat down, laying 
on the table the half-wiped plate, and drew her 
children toward her, “ No, my dear children, I 
don’t reuily get tired of you, but I have so mauy 
things to do. Just think of all the loaves of 
bread to make and all the dishes to wash, and 
just look at that window thickly covered with 
sand. That window," repeated Mrs. Reed, 
turning to Mrs. Merrill and pointing to a 
small window whoso sill was on a level with 
the ground, “ is a constant plague. Only yes- 
terijlby It was washed clean, and that little dash 
ol ruin lust night covered It again with sand." 
“Oh, ma, lot me and Jenny wash the win¬ 
dow,” pleaded Tom. “ Wo will help you to do 
all the work 
“Oh, you will got yourselves all wet; but per¬ 
haps that won't hurt you," said Mrs. Reed. 
"And, Tom," chimed In Mrs. Merrill, “ after 
tho window is washed, bring your cart over to 
my house und 1 will give you some roots of blue 
myrtle to plant before the window. It will 
take some little time for the myrtle to grow to 
a full, thick mat of grean, but when It Is grown 
the rain will fall right down among the leaves 
and the sand won't get splashed up on the 
glass. You can also plant some Tiadoscantla 
among the myrtle, which will grow quickly; 
but that will die when the frost oomes. Then 
If you like, at the edge of the bed you can put a 
row of those pretty round stones you had In 
your cart yesterday.” 
“Oh, yes," said Tom, ” and then I can use my 
spade, ami my cart, and ail my things I Gome, 
Jenny." 
An hour after Mrs. Reed glanced at the win¬ 
dow. Two happy little faces were peering in. 
“See, ma, see!” and Tom showed Die root* he 
had brought. 
“ Don't get too tired, my children.” 
“Oh, no, ma! we love to do It. We are going 
to fix tho window for you so nice!” 
“Dear, dear children," said Mrs. Reed to 
herself, reproachfully; “how can I ever get 
out of patience with them? I do wish 1 ooulil 
let the work go somewhat and devote more 
time to their little pursuits and pleasures ; but 
here it Is the last day of vacation; and then 
there are so many thing* to teach tfce children, 
—to Interest them In the plants;and the birds : 
to toll them how the squirrel keeps house down 
in its snug little hole, and how the ugly worm 
1s transformed Into the pretty butterfly. No, 
no, J must nut teach them that worms are 
ugly; I must show them that caterpillars, and 
toad*, and all creatures are as GOD made them, 
and that they are made through His goodness to 
enjoy their own little life. Surely It Is better to 
leave the work sometimes that l may teach 
all this!” 
These thoughts were not forgotten, and the 
vacations that followed brought many happy 
hours to the mother and the children. 
■-*-*-♦-- 
“DON’T MUSS.” 
BY MAY MAPLE, 
berries, that T found in tho woods when on my 
way home from school, -and I only wanted a 
piece of dough, like what she was mixln’, and I 
would have had a splendid dish for Dolly’s 
dinner. 
But she couldn’t have mo “niussln’ ’round.” 
I was goln' to have such a nice time, the other 
day, all out of everybody’s way. 1 carried all 
my boxes of playthings Into the parlor. Mam¬ 
ma wasn't ‘speetin’ comp'uy till nex' time, and 
she didn't want mo botherin' 'round, 'cause 
she had so much to do. She had to Iron a great 
lot of ruffled dresses and things for the girls to 
wear to Myrtle Hoyt's “swaroe,” and bake a 
heap of frosted cake for somebody’s picnic, be¬ 
sides gcttln'dinner for all us young uns, and 
pa and the hired men. 
So, as I said, I thought I'd have a good time 
all by myself, ami not have mamma BColdin.' 
After f had ahut the hull and parlor doors, 1 
took “ Fraxlnella ” and “Cora Aclntha” out 
of t,heir cradle box and put on them their best 
white dresses, scarlet sashes, ruffles and neck 
ties,-and they looked just sweet enough to 
kiss! I inude them sit down on the sofa, and 
wrapt those white things that were on the sofa 
pillows about ’em, and then told the little clears 
to be very careful of their new lace shawls 
while I got dinner. 
Then I took all my dishes and they were 
such nice ones, too,—a great, large sugar-bowl, 
with the bottom broken, and a teapot ju.,t like 
new, only the spout was missing, anil whole 
tots of broken cups and plates, with the pret¬ 
tiest pictures, and oh! I can’t tell h</w many 
nice things. I spread 'em all out on tho oenter- 
talde, with some fried cake and pie that Josie 
gave me “ If I’d keep out of the way with inv 
noise." I’d got my dinner most fixed when I 
observed that Fruxlnella had got some sauce 
on her new lace shawl that 'longed to the sofa. 
8o of course I must got some water and wash 
it out, and then f thought I'd rineh (rinse) out 
some other things while t was 'bout it. 
I'd just got the lace shawl partly washed 
when mamma rushed into tho parlor to see if 
things were all in order, for “Mrs. Wqitare 
ROGERS was Jest gettin’ out or her carriage.” 
Seein' me, she ’sclaliued, " Oh, Daisy ! you lit¬ 
tle niusser! I’ve a good miml to give you the 
worst whlppin' you ever had 1” Ami r thought, 
she'd shako my clothes and head off o’ me. She 
gathered up all uty pretty things and tossed 
them out of the window, Fraxie and Cora with 
the rest, and 1 was aeut to the back chamber, 
where I cried as loud ub I could till I went to 
sloop on the door. 
Oh, dear mo ! I wish I could be like the bird¬ 
ies and fly away up In the sky nud have all my 
playthings there. Then I could have lots of 
room ami I could “muss" as much as I liked. 
Or, If I lived with auntie, she'd let me make 
pies and bread In her scalloped tins. Such nice 
times as Cousin CiiKURVand I have when we 
go there! Bile Isn't a bit arrald we shall muss 
up tho room. We oau play with all sorts of 
things as much and as long as we like, orOy we 
must put them all away when we get through. 
SCfte fuller. 
HIDDEN MOUNTAINS. 
I. I shall ever esteem your brother. 
a. Uza 1 Lot us go out to Central Park. 
J. I love children, and especially If they are 
good. 
4. in Vermont blanc-mungo Is unknown. 
5. I first saug him a lay, and then a hymn. 
II. An Indian prizes his scalps, 
7. Did you ever see snow, Don Carlos ? 
8. Are your foot wet, Nannie? 
I*. Ho clasped a necklace round her wrist? 
10. Why can't A. Brian vote? 
H. I had two cats killed by a cruel boy. 
J;b My bird has begun to molt. 
13. ItwBI not bo long ere bustles go out of 
style. 
14. I was stung by a hornet. 
Answer in two weeks. Little.One. 
- ■ -- 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMA,—No. 7. 
My first Is In atone but not lu rock, 
My second Is in watch Iml. not In dock ; 
My third is tu valu hot not In proud, 
My fourth Is In rain but not In cloud ; 
My firth Is In noble but not In wise. 
My sixth Is In present but not In prize; 
My seventh Is lu shame hut not In sin. 
My eighth Is |r hide hut not In skin. 
My whole Is a town In the State of New York. 
SAY* Answer in two weeks. 8. c. 
That’s what ma al'aya says when I want, to 
do anything. “ Don’t muss," or, “ I can’t have, 
you muesin’ ’round." I wanted to make plea. 
I had just got my berries all picked over; they 
were beautiful ones, wlntergreeri and aquaw- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Aug. 28. 
Hidden Birds No. 2.— I. Grouse. 2. Sparrow. 
3. Linnet. 4. Dove. 6. Lark. fi. Crane. 7 
Swan. 8. Robin, fi. Greenfinch. 
Cross-Word Enigma No. 5—Abraham Lin¬ 
coln. 
Diamond Puzzle No. 3.— 
A 
8 17 M 
MOTTO 
.1 A G O N E T 
H I G If 0 DOWN 
PECULIARI T Y 
A U T O B I O O R A P H Y 
PREROGATIVE 
IGNORANCE 
MALARIA 
MaPLE 
SHE 
Y 
Probiem No 2_7*2a7685826582. 
PROBLEM NO. Z. } 2.3078120461542. 
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