MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
“  I  have  one  1  will  let  yon  have  free.  If  you  will 
put  up  the  fencPHon  the  place,"  aalrt  Koalclns. 
"  Where  Is  It?"  iiskert  the  liuaker. 
“  It’s  on  the  Akin’s  fann,"  was  the  reply. 
‘<lf  thee  will  let  It  at  that  rate,  tluie  must  have 
let  It  get  out  of  repair." 
“  It  Is,  Indoed  1  cannot  leave  the  store  to  look 
after  it.  The  house  Is  poor,  and  the  family  that 
lived  In  lt>  last,  were  too  shiftless  to  buy  wood,  80 
they  burnt  up  all  the  fences;  In  fact,  I  would 
l  ather  sell  It  than  rent  It.” 
“tVlmt  will  thee  take  for  It?”  Inquired  the 
(Juaker. 
“  It  cost  me  $1,1500.” 
“  Yes;  but  thee  paid  in  goods,  and  charged  thine 
own  price  for  then).” 
••  To  be  sure  I  did.  Akin  could  not  get  trusted 
lun'^vbere  else,  and  1  tell  that  T  was  running  a 
great  risk  lu  letting  him  have  goods,  so  I  charged 
accordingly;  Just  as  anybody  else  would  have 
done  under  the  clreuinstaneeK.” 
“  Hut  thee  has  not  told  me  what  then  will  take 
for  the  place.  I  w  111  give  thee  $800  for  It,  If  that 
Is  an, 5  objed,  to  thee.” 
Hoskins  I  liougbl.  long  enough  over  the  matter 
to  conclude  that  the  Interest  of  |8i)0  was  far  better 
for  him  than  a  farm  for  the  use  of  which  he  real- 
lz>'d  warcely  a  nythlng,  and  at  last  said,  •*  You  can 
have  It." 
‘‘Vniy  well,  Hoskins;  thee  can  make  out  the 
deeds  to-morrow,  and  thee  shall  have  thy  money, 
By-thP-hy,  does  thee  know  what  has  become  of 
Daniel  Akin?" 
'•No;  he  has  not  been  In  the  vlllago  for  more 
than  a  year;  at  any  rate,  I  have  not  seen  him.” 
Wo  may  here  tell  tho  reader  something  that 
Hoskins  did  not  know.  Tho  Quaker  had  that  day 
received  a  Idler  from  Daniel  .4kln.  stating  that 
ho  was  ill.  the  mines  luml  at  work  and  sticking  to 
his  motto,  “Not a  drop  more.  Daniel;”  that  ho 
had  laid  up  a  tew  hundred  dollars  and  desired  him 
1.0  Inquire  what  the  place  ho  oni.m  owned  could  he 
houglit  for. 
Mr.  Kdgerton  ha<l  taken  the  method  above  men¬ 
tioned  to  dud  out  tho  views  of  Hoskins  respecting 
the  place;  so  conlldcnt  was  ho  that  Daniel  Akin 
would  come  home  a  sober  man,  with  money  in  his 
ivs'k#!t,  that  he  had  ventured  to  puirhase  the 
pIiHu-,  to  keep  for  him  till  his  ril  urn. 
Ho  wrote  to  Akin,  Informing  him  what  he  had 
done;  and  al)ont  three  months  after  he  recelvr^d  a. 
lett.pr  from  him  stating  that  he  had  sent  by  express 
#.'.n0  lu  gold  to  a  banker  In  New  York,  with  orders 
to  H('ll  It  and  remit  tue  procecd.s  to  him,  to  go  to¬ 
ward  the  money  for  the  farm. 
Hold  at  that  time  commanded  a,  high  premliun, 
and  the  |5an  bc<;ume  $him)  before  they  rouohed  tho 
hands  of  friend  Edgerton.  Akin  requested  him  to 
draw  up  a  deed  giving  the  whole  property  to  his 
wife  Mary,  to  have  It  duly  recorded  and  left  with 
the  register  of  deeds. 
In  his  letter  he  said “  If,  perchance,  I  should 
ever  break  my  resolution,  I  shall  have  secured  a 
homo  for  my  wife  and  children.  I  prefer,  however, 
that  they  should  not  know  anything  of  this  for  the 
present.  II I  live  to  come  home,  I  wiu  give  Maiy 
tho  deeds  with  my  own  hands:  If  not,  you  can  do 
It.  Now  that  the  farm  is  bought,  you  h.id  better 
stock  tr,  for  l  atm  stick  to  my  motto, '  Not.  a  drop 
more,  Daniel.'  ” 
Annthor  year  passeil  away.  By  this  time  friend 
Edgerton  had  stocked  tho  farm  with  young  cattle 
and  sheep,  the  fences  were  put  in  repair,  and 
everything  but  the  house  wore  a  tidy  oppcnrunco. 
Another  remittance  came,  which  paid  tor  all  the 
stock  and  left  an  overplus  with  whlOi  to  repah* 
the  house.  Carpenters  wore  busy,  and  vUlngers 
who  happened  to  pass  that  way  found  that  exten¬ 
sive  repairs  were  going  on ;  still  no  one  pi*e«uraed 
to  question  tho  Quaker  with  respect  to  his  phxns. 
Those  ropah's  completed,  fimnipuc  (oimd  Its  way 
Into  Ihe  house.  A  yoke  of  oxen  were  soon  ou  the 
farm.  The  villagers  were  astonished  to  soo  the 
Quaker  driving  an  elegant  horse  and  riding  in  a 
new  bugg.v.  He  rocel  veil  this  short  note  one  day : 
"I  have  arrived  all  .safe  and  sound.  Please  go 
and  get  Mary  aud  the  cblldron.” 
Erlend  Edgerton  rotlo  over  to  tho  next  town  and 
called  on  Mary's  father,  and  invlteii  her  and  tho 
children  to  go  homo  with  him  and  make  n  visit. 
The  Invitation  vvas  accepted  and  they  rettu-ned 
with  the  Quaker  to  his  house.  On  the  altevnoon 
of  tho  next  day,  he  said : 
**  Marj',  T  want  to  go  to  Mic  rallwoy  staUon.  Thee 
and  tho  I'hlldren  can  .stay  with  Amy.” 
He  went  down  to  the  station  and  fetched  Daniel 
and  loft  him  at  his  oiwn  house,  where  ho  had  pre¬ 
viously  conveyed  some  provislona,  and  whero  ho 
was  to  pass  the  night.  It,  w'as  dark  when  friend 
Edgerton  ronohed  his  homo. 
Next  morning  friend  Edgerton  said  to  Maryt 
“  Mary,  I  suppose  theo  has  heard  1  have  bought 
th.v  old  placflV  I  have  got  It  fitted  up,  and  tho 
children  shall  ride  over  afl-er  breakfast  and  see  It. 
T  think  thee  will  like.  It.” 
They  rode  over,  and  .Marv  was  surprised  to  sco 
the  changes  which  had  taken  place.  They  looked 
over  the  lower  rooms  first;  and  over  the  mantel¬ 
piece  m  the  Blttlng-rooiii  w.is  a  frame,  and  Under 
Uie  glass,  in  large  gold  lettera,  were  these  words : 
“  NOT  A  DKOJ*  MOKK,  DAMEI,  1” 
Mary,  on  reading  t  hese  words,  said,  “O,  frtend 
Edgerton,  It  Daniel  could  have  said  these  words 
and  stuck  to  them,  this  beautiful  place  might 
have  sun  been  his.” 
“  Then  thee  don’t  know  where  Daniel  is?” 
asked  the  Quaker. 
“  No,  I  have  not  heard  anything  of  him  for 
more  than  three  years.” 
“  Thee  would  like  to  see  him,  would  thee 
not  7" 
“O  yes,  Indeed  I  should." 
f  “  Let  ns  walk  up  stairs.” 
S  As  went  up  the  front  stairs  Daniel 
slipped  down  the  hack  ones  and  took  hla 
^ !  stand  In  the  front  room, 
klnd-hearfed  Quaker  before  mentioned.  Tie.  stop¬ 
ped  his  horse  and  heard  distinctly  the  language 
Daniel  u.spd.  As  he  closed  his  sollloquj  ,  he  turned 
and  saw  Thomas  Edgerton,  who  .said: 
“  Daniel,  dot's  thee  mean  to  keep  thy  vow?” 
“Yes,  friend  Edgerton,  I  do.” 
“  Thee  has  promised  a  great  many  times  thee’d 
drink  no  more.  AYhat  makes  thee  think  thee  win 
keep  thy  vow  this  time  7” 
“I  know,  friend  Eilgcrion,  I  have  often  vowed  1 
would  drink  no  more.  But  non  I  feel  different 
from  wliat  I  have  fell  before;  my  lieartls almost 
broken  and  I  feel  my  wcukneas;  and  T  believe  Hod 
will  help  me  this  time.” 
“God  grant  that  ll  may  be  so!  Daniel,  get  In 
and  take  a  seat.  Thee  must  he  hungry;  go  homo 
with  me," 
On  the  way  the  Quaker  drew  out  of  him  all  that 
has  boon  wiltlon,  and  lu'  ad  vtse<l  him  (o  go  to  Cal¬ 
ifornia.  He  fold  him  to  go  to  .New  York  and  work 
his  way  round  the  Cape.  He  decided  to  do  so.  The 
Quaker  kindly  promlHed  to  turnlsh  him  with  suit¬ 
able  clotnlng. 
“Thee  would  like  to  see  Ihy  wife  and  clUklreu 
before  thee  goes?" 
“  I  should— hut  they  have  become  .'«i  estranged 
from  me;  If  I  went,  perhaps  they  would  not  be¬ 
lieve  me.  I  think  It  wotiUl  he  hotter  they  should 
not  know  whei'e  I  am.  I  want  to  surprise  them 
and  hope  to  do  so  hy  comuig  hack  a  sober  man, 
and  with  motiey  enough  te  make  them  •omfort- 
able.  I  prefer  lhat  you  and  .vour  wife  should  he 
the  onJ.v  persons  In  tlie  place  who  shall  know  where 
I  am  or  what  I  am  doing.” 
Thus,  while  riding  toward  the  quiet  farin-house 
of  the  Quaker,  the  whole  thing  was  arranged. 
When  they  reached  the  farm  tho  horse  was  put 
into  tho  barn,  and  they  entered  the  hOTi.He.  As 
they  seated  tliomsclvos  hofore  the.  fire,  the  Qnaker 
said  to  his  wife : 
“  Amy,  thee  ci'n  put.  on  another  plate,  Diuiiei 
will  stay  with  us  a  few  days,  and  then  he  Is  going 
to  Oalltornla.’’ 
The  good  Quaker  f'dt  conlldenl,  Daniel  would 
keep  his  word  this  time.  At  the  end  of  ii  feu  days 
everything  wu.s  in  readlnejis.  Tho  old  horse  was 
hamessod  and,  befori'  daylight,  Daniel  Akin  was 
on  his  way  te  Mm  railway  stm ion.  Ho  had  not 
boon  in  t  he  village  sltiec  the  night  when  the  words, 
“  Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel,"  wore  utloroU.  H(!  was 
missed  from  his  cu-stemary  haunts;  hut  It  was 
siipposofl  ho  h:ul  gone  on  a  spree,  and  so  nothing 
vviis  thought  ot  Ids  absence.  No  inquiries  were 
made,  for  all  wore  glad  that  he  wa.s  mtssliig  and 
carod  not  for  hIs  roturu. 
He  had  been  gone  somewhat  more  than  a  ytair, 
when  tho  Quaker  was  In  the  store  of  Hoskins  and 
wished  to  hire  a  pimtiu-o  tor  the  corulng  season. 
I’VE  BEEN  THINKING, 
I’VE  been  thinking,  I’ve  been  thinking, 
What  a  glorious  world  were  this. 
Did  folks  mind  their  business  more. 
And  mind  thotr  neighbor’s  less , 
For  mstance,  you  and  I.  my  friend. 
Are  sadly  prone  to  talk 
Of  matters  that  conoom  us  not, 
.And  othere*  follies  mock. 
I’ve  been  thinking  if  we  begin 
To  mind  our  own  affairs. 
That  possibly  our  neighbors  might 
Contrive  to  manage  theirs. 
We’ve  faults  enough  st  home  to  mend- 
It  may  be  so  of  others ; 
It  would  seem  stningo  if  it  were  not. 
Since  all  mankind  are  brothers. 
Oh  !  would  Uiot  we  had  charity 
For  every  Di»n  aud  woman ; 
Forgivenees  in  tho  mark  of  those 
We  know  ”  to  err  ia  human 
Then  lot  us  bnniHh  jenlousy— 
Let's  lift  our  fallen  brother ; 
And  as  wc  Journey  down  life’s  read, 
Do  good  to  one  another. 
NOT  A  DROP  MORE,  DANIEL 
or  am  1  sober?  1  am  sober.  ‘Not  a  drop 
more,  Daniel.'  Did  Hoskins  think  a  di-op 
would  hurt  me?  No;  hut  my  money  waa 
gone.  He  has  got  all ;  got  everything  1  had 
—even  tho  Bthlo  my  mothor  gave  me.  He 
has  got  the  IxioM  which  tny  wife,  with  her 
own  earnings,  bought  for  .Tennle.  ‘  Not.  a 
drop  more,  Daniel.'  Daniel,  what  say  yon 
to  that?  I  soy  so,  too.  i  once  hart  good 
clothes,  hut  now  I  have  nothing  hut  rags, 
‘  Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel,'  till  I  have  clothes 
again  as  gijod  as  when  Mory  and  1  were  mar¬ 
ried.  1  once  had  a  good  watch ;  hut  that, 
too,  19  gone :  'Not  a  drop  more.  Daniel,’  nil 
I  have  another  horse  and  buggy  as  good  as  I 
once  had.  I  onco  had  cows  tlmt  furnished 
my  family  with  butter  and  choeee,  hut  Hos¬ 
kins  has  got  them.  ‘  Not  a  drop  more,  Dan¬ 
iel.’  till  those  cows,  or  others  as  goofl,  are 
mine  again.  I  once  had  this  wallet  full  of 
hills ;  but  now  not  a  cent  have  I  got.  '  Not 
a  drop  more,  Daniel,’  till  this  wallet  la  well 
flUed  again." 
By  this  time  he  had  reached  the  place 
where  he  foi’merly  resided,  and  leaning  up 
against  the  fence,  he  mused  a  long  time  In 
silence.  He  viewed  the  desolate  place  hy 
the  light  of  the  moon,  and  his  eye.s  ranged 
over  the  house  and  farm,  onco  hts  own.  Ho 
then  said  to  himscK;  Once  i  owned  this 
house  and  farm.  Here  I  was  horn.  Hero  my 
father  and  mother  died.  1  was  the  pride  of 
their  hearts;  but  I  brought  down  their  gray 
hairs  tvith  sorrow  to  the  grave !  Here  1  began 
my  married  Hie,  and  all  that  heart  could  wish 
was  mine.  Here  MaiT  and  l  took  comfort 
together  till  Hosklas  came  and  opened  his 
rum-shop,  and  now  he  calls  It  his.  In  that 
south  room  my  chUdron  were  and  there  my 
Jennie  died.  O.  how  sorrowful  she  looked 
when  she  saw  me  take  her  boots  and  start 
for  the  store  to  pawn  them  tor  rum,  while 
she  lay  sick  upon  the  bed.  And  then,  how 
she  heggod  for  me  never  to  strike  her  mother 
again !  I  can  see  her  now— her  pale  face, 
her  wasted  form;  but  she  cannot  come  to 
me  again.  And  O,  my  wi  te,  how  shamefully 
I  abused  her !  it  was  not  your  Daniel  tlmt 
did  It.  NO,  It  was  Hosktn’s  accursed  rum! 
No  wonder  you  were  taken  from  mehy  those 
who  loved  you  and  would  not  see  you  abused. 
They  won’t  have  me  In  the  house;  they 
won’t  let  me  live  with  you.  ‘  Not  a  drop 
more,  Daniel,’  till  this  house  is  mine 
again.  ‘Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel,’  till 
these  broad  acres  arc  again  in  ray  po3ae3.slon 
and  the  wHe  and  children  that  are  living  are 
in  yonder  rooms  and  we  are  a  happy  family 
once  more.  '  Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel.’  Help 
me,  my  God.  till  all  these  things  are  accom¬ 
plished!  I  thank  you,  llnskins,  for  these 
words.  I  shall  not  forget  them.” 
He  had  become  so  much  occupied  with  his 
thoughts  and  spoken  In  a  tone  so  loud,  that 
he  had  not  noticed  the  wagon  which  had 
reached  the  road,  in  which  w.ns  sealed  i  he 
When  they  return¬ 
ed,  Mrs.  Akin  noticed  a  stalwaH  mau  ^Uln(^- 
Inglnthe  room  "Uh  his  bad:  to  tho  door, 
and  started  hack  for  on  instonl.  The  Qnaker 
said: 
“  It  Is  a  friend,  Mary.” 
Daniel  turned  around  ;  but  In  the  man  with 
the  hea\’3'  heard  and  mustache  Mary  did  not 
recognize  her  husband.  Daniel  advanced  to 
the  step  5vherc  Mary  was  standing  and,  In  a 
voice  tremulous  with  emotion,  exclaimed : 
“  Don’t  you  know  me,  .Mno'?” 
We  leave  thi'  reader  to  Imagine  what  tho 
meeting  was.  Friend  Edgerton  said  he  must 
go  and  see  Amy  and,  addressing  himself  to 
Mary,  said : 
“Mary,  this  house  and  farm  ,ire  thine. 
Daniel  has  got  the  papei-saud  win  give  them 
to  thee.  Thee  can  stay  as  long  uH  thoc-llkcs  ; 
thee  will  live  happily  once  more,  roi'  that- 
pointing  te  the  frame  over  the  mantel-plccc 
—‘Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel,’  Js  Ids  motto 
now,  iitid  will  he  us  long  as  he  lives." 
Daniel  and  ids  wife  fell  on  their  knees  be¬ 
fore  the  Lord.  Their  prayers  were  mingled 
with  rnony  tears;  but  in  their  nmiro  lives 
those  prayers  were  found  to  be  answered. 
Several  years  have  passed  atv-jy  since  the 
above  events  occurred  and  Daniel  Akin,  now 
an  earnest  Christian  man,  still  sticks  to  his 
motto,  ‘  Not  a  drop  more,  Daniel 
TEAMP!  TEAMF!!  TEAMP 
Hb  was  travol-stalncd  and  weary,  and  his 
eyes  hod  a  far-off.  wistful  look,  as  though  ho 
knew  that  rest  was  not  tor  him  below,  let 
his  tired  heart  crave  It  never  so  much.  .And 
as  he  humbly  asked  the  lady  of  the  hourte 
tor  a  morsel  of  food,  his  venerable  appear¬ 
ance  and  evident  want  aroused  nil  her 
womanly  generosity,  and  she  presently  set 
the  poor  tramp  down  to  the  remains  of  the 
family  dinner. 
“Poor  old  man  I”  she  murmured  sympa¬ 
thetically,  as  she  saw  him  lean  hack  In  1;  13 
chair,  leaving  his  food  untouched  on  Lis 
plate,  “  he  is  too  weary  to  eat”— and  the  ask¬ 
ed  him  If  he  felt  111. 
“  Not  exactly,  mum,”  was  the  answer  In  a 
humble  voice ;  “hut  mos’  people  cooks  their 
roast  beet  till  It’s  overdone,  an’  overdone 
beef  don’t  genlly  agree  with  me,” 
“Y’hav'nt  got  any  AVoo.ster  saui.-c,  hevo 
ye?”  eonllnued  the  mendicant:  “I  mos’gei;- 
’rally  itse  it  wUoii  heef  an'l  cooked  to  .suit 
inf.” 
MISS  KITTIE’8  KITTY 
Hut,  dear  !  what’s  the  use  1  If  you  Bjielt  ah  the  day 
1  could  not  make  out  the  sniall  mew  that  you  "ay. 
Don’t  struiofle  aud  kick,  or  I’ll  give  you  a  pat 
I’m  going  to  te.ach  you— bo  trj'  and  B|>ell  e.\  i'  j 
