LETTEE8  FEOM  BOYS  AND  GIKLS. 
My  Pet  Cat. 
Dbab  Rural  Coubins:— I  am  too  old  to  be  ad¬ 
mitted  Into  your  ranks  and  play  marbles,  Jump  a 
rope  or  roll  a  hoop,  but  I  can  enjoy  your  froUcs  as 
a  spectator,  If  not  joining  In  them  personally. 
But  I  took  up  my  pencil  to  tell  you  about  my 
great  pet  cat.  which  Is  now  lying  fast  aeleep  on 
the  table  before  me.  Ho  Is  a  noble  fellow,  six 
years  old,  and  weighs  sixteen  pounds.  He  meas¬ 
ures  thirty-eight  Inches  from  the  tip  of  hlsnoso 
to  the  end  of  bis  tall,  and  around  the  body  twenty- 
one  Inches.  His  color  is  Maltese  and  wblUs  and 
very  handsomely  marked.  1  call  him  fkjhnolder, 
after  Rir  Van  Wirklb's  dog,  for  we  obtained  him, 
when  a  little  kitten,  at  Sleepy  Hollow,  on  the 
Hudson.  Now  If  any  of  the  Rural  Cousins  can 
show  a  bigger  or  better  cat  than  my  Schneider,  1 
will  tell  them  some  true  stories  of  his  smart  t  ricks. 
— Zacatds, 
Terrible ! 
Mr.  BniTOK:— For  the  first  time.  I  write.  It  Is 
bard  for  me  to  start,  but  1  will  make  an  effort.  I 
have  had  a  very  rough  time  this  week.  1  fell  oil 
of  the  fence,  hurt  ray  arm  and  got  a  general 
bumping.  About  pots.  Some  one  of  the  cousins 
said  he,  she  or  it  bod  a  pet,  cat.  I  think  a  lamb 
would  suit  me.  There  was  one  of  the  Kitral 
Cousins  who  said  something  about  the.  Centen¬ 
nial.  Tell  him  to  go  on.— f.  f.  f. 
®ljc 
ILLU8TEATED  KEBU8. 
C3F"  Answer  in  two  weeks. 
ROMAN  LETTER  PUZZLES. 
Roman  letter  puzzles  consist  of  the  Roman  char¬ 
acters  0, 1,  V,  X,  L,  C,  D,  M.  No  other  letters  can 
be  used.  Please  study  the  following  puzzle,  and 
It  will  seem  quite  easy ; 
What  musical  Instrument  Is  represented  by  66? 
Answer,  Viol. 
1.— What  large  bird  (how  extinct),  an  Inhabit¬ 
ant  of  the  Island  of  Mauritius,  Is  represented  by 
1,000  7 
5.— What  state  of  the  weather  Is  represented  by 
650? 
3.— What  girl’s  plaything  Is  represented  by  600  ? 
pr*  Answer  In  two  weeks.  Alex.  Brown,  Jk. 
MI8CELLANE0US  ENIGMA. 
PUZZLER  AN8WER8.— Nov.  18. 
A  correct  aolution  was  received  from  Miss  Lizzie  8. 
Hume,  N.  Y.  City. 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
PUBUSHEE’S  NOTICES. 
TO  THE  LADY  READERS  OF  THE  RURAL. 
SPKCIAL  OFFER 
OF  RAKE  PLANTS  AND  SEEDS 
Having  a  few  choice  plants  now  growing  in 
the  Rural’s  Experimental  Grounds,  which 
we  think  would  be  desirable  to  some  of  the  lady 
readers  of  the  Rttral  New-Yorker,  we  make 
the  following  offer: 
Those  who,  in  renewing  their  own  subscrip¬ 
tion,  send  ns  an  additional  name  (not  already  on 
onr  list)  with  the  sum  of  f4.90  for  the  two,  may 
select  any  two  of  the  following-named  plants 
and  a  pajicr  of  the  seed  of  the  Molucca  Balm. 
Those  who  reeeivo  these  prominmR  can  divide 
with  their  friends,  or  keep  them  all,  as  Uiey  may 
agree  among  themselves,  as  onr  object  in  mak¬ 
ing  the  offer  is  to  induce  old  Bubscribers  to 
send  us  new  ones,  thereby  increasing  our  list. 
The  plants  and  seeds  offered  are  very  choice,  as 
will  be  seen  in  description  given  below.  The 
plants  will  be  sent  by  mail  free,  and  carefully 
packed  and  forwarded  immediately  on  receipt  of 
subscriptions. 
Abiitilon  Ifowle  He  — The 
best  of  the  A  bidilmia.  Its  flowers  are  large  and 
white.  It  blooms  throughout  the  whole  year  and 
therefore  is  alike  desirable  for  the  conservatory 
or  garden.  Its  growth  is  rapid — small  plants 
attaining  the  bight  of  five  feet  during  the  sum¬ 
mer  monthB.  In  the  fall  it  may  be  cut  hack  to 
any  desirable  size  and  potted  for  the  winter, 
when  it  will  quickly  recover  its  symmetry  and 
resume  its  ever-blooming  habit.  Its  quick  and 
exceeding  popularity  is  a  sulBoient  guarantee  of 
its  merits. 
IVlarfe  I.,emolne.— Among  a  hundred  or 
more  vailettes  of  donble-flowered  FfMrgoniums, 
new  and  old,  this  is  as  yet  unrivaled.  The  indi¬ 
vidual  flower,  of  a  delicate  rose  color,  as  well  as 
the  truss,  are  the  largest  of  their  class.  It  is 
difficult  to  select  a  more  attractive  plant  than 
Marie  Lemoine  when  freely  blooming.  Every 
truss  is  in  itself  a  bouquet.  The  leaves  are  large, 
zoneless,  vigorous.  The  plant  is  compact  and, 
like  AtnitUon  Soule  de  A'eige,  is  invaluable,  either 
for  the  conservatory,  window  or  garden. 
I  AM  composed  of  2l  letters : 
My  8, 10.  t,  4, 0  a  department  of  Government. 
My  16,  U,  U  a  Spanish  title. 
My  20,  6, 8  a  verb  denoting  motion. 
My  12, 16,  21  a  character  in  one  of  Dickens’  novels. 
My  2, 10, 9,  8  the  name  of  a  college. 
My  9, 2,  6, 21, 16, 11  the  name  of  a  noted  author. 
My  12,  U,  IS,  1. 10  the  platform  of  every  sect. 
My  19, 14, 12  is  that  m  which  we  live  and  without 
which  we  can  do  nothing. 
My  whole  are  the  lost  words  of  a  song. 
rff-  Answer  in  two  weeks.  s. 
MTTHOLoeioAL  ENIGMA.— Polsoned  arrows,  without 
which  Troy  could  not  be  taken. 
Geometbioal  Puzzle.— 
cover  wood-work  as  readily  as  a  vine.  Its  growth 
is  so  rapid  that  small  plants  set  out  in  the  spnng 
will  cover  a  space  four  fcot  iu  rhaioeter  by  fall. 
As  a  plant  for  the  sitting-room,  the  little  care 
it  ne^s,  its  perpetual  scarlet  flowers,  oonteasting 
elegantly  with  its  golden-green,  plush-like  leaves 
— its  endurance  of  dry  heat  aud  dust  render  it 
most  pleasing  and  satisfactory.  We  commend 
this  plant  with  confidence. 
Ifloluccrlln  laevi**.  —  We  will  send, 
also,  to  ALL  who  are  cutilletl  to  a  choice  of  any 
two  of  the  above  plants,  a  package  of  the  seeds 
of  the  singular  Shell  Flower,  au  account  of  which 
and  an  engraving  were  given  in  the  Rural  of 
Aug.  17,  p.  117. 
TERMS  FOR  1877,  IN  ADVANCE, 
INCLUDI.NO  POSTAOE,  WHICH  PCBU.SHF.RS  rREPAT, 
IlyHrantsfea  panicnlata 
Iflorn.— So  much  has  been  said  of  this  new 
Japanese  shrub  during  the  past  year  that  little 
need  be  added  now.  It  has  stood  26°  below  zero 
unharmed.  It  begins  blooming  in  early  August, 
coutinuing  until  after  hard  froste.  The  thyrses 
of  flowers,  first  greenish-white,  then  white,  then 
rose,  often  measure  a  foot  in  length  and  twenty 
inches  in  oiremnfereuce.  Every  stem  being  tluxs 
terminated,  the  striking  appearance  of  an  en¬ 
tire  plant  may  be  conceived.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  all 
perfectly  hardy  shrubs. 
Tarleicated  Aaipelopnii*  or  VUie 
heterophyUa  variegatn. — We  d®  not  hesitate  to 
pronounce  this  one  of  the  most  attractive  vines 
in  cultivation.  The  leaves  are  deeply-iobed  aud 
variegated  with  white  and  green,  much  as  Ahu- 
liton  Thomaoni  is  variegated  with  green  and  yel¬ 
low.  From  its  racemes  of  flowers  are  formed 
fruit  as  large  as  currants,  each  one  of  which  is  a 
different  color  in  shades  of  claret,  azure-blue  and 
green.  These  berries,  which  are  first  as  soft  as 
a  currant,  become  finally  as  hard  as  bullets. 
The  pretty  stems  are  also  variegated,  green, 
whitish  and  rose.  The  roots  are  perfectly  hardy, 
and  the  vine’s  growth  so  rapid  that  it  will  cover 
twenty-flve  feet  square  in  a  season.  For  con¬ 
servatory  walls  or  pillars,  for  trellises  or  rock¬ 
eries,  it  cannot  fail  to  please.  It  has  been 
growing  in.  the  Rural  Exfebimental  Grounds 
for  several  years  without  the  least  protection. 
Jernstalem  ArlicliolAe. — Believing 
that  the  Jerusalem  artichokes  are  exceedingly 
valuable  as  food  for  nearly  all  kinds  of  farm 
stock,  we  place  them  among  onr  valuable 
premium  plants.  They  will  yield  more  boshels 
of  tubers  per  acre  than  the  common  potato  and 
we  believe  them  more  valuable  for  feeding  pur¬ 
poses,  besides  the  artichoke  will  grow  vigorously 
where  the  potato  would  fail  entirely.  We  will 
send  one-half  pound  of  each  of  the  Long 
Purple,  and  Round  White,  for  each  new  sub- 
soriber  as  above,  or  one  pound  of  the  tubers  of 
either  variety.  We  shall  store  a  quantity  of  the 
tubers  in  the  cellar  for  sending  out  this  winter ; 
but  those  of  OUT  subscribers  who  reside  north  of 
the  latitude  of  New  York  City,  had  better  leave 
their  plant  premiums  in  our  hands  after  the  first 
of  January  until  early  spring.  We  xviU,  how¬ 
ever,  “  book”  all  orders  received  during  the  win¬ 
ter,  to  be  sent  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 
Achanin  malTawiscas  or  Jflal- 
Tariscus  arboreiis. — ^The  flowers  are 
bright  red  of  a  turban  shape  two  inches  long. 
It  blooms  incessantly  whether  indoors  or  out. 
In  the  conservatory  it  may  be  trained  so  as  to 
glnvln  Copy,  «5.W)  per  Year.  To  Cluhs Five  Coplo*. 
and  one  copy  free  to  Airent  nr  wetter  up  of  Club,  for 
811.26;  8evenOopJeft.andonefroc,fnr816.<«}  Ten  Cop¬ 
ies,  and  one  free,  820— only  83  i>er  copy,  Tbo  above 
rates  inelxule  poxt-ngt  (under  the  now  lawl  to  any  part 
of  the  trnited  SUtoji.  aud  tlie  American  postawo  on  all 
copies  mailed  to  Canada,  On  papers  mailed  to  Kurope, 
by  steamer,  the  poetagro  will  be  85  cents  extra  for  each 
BUbecTlptlon,  Drafts,  Posl-Offiee  Money  Orders  and 
Reyist/ired  lAStters  may  be  mailed  at  onr  ri«k.  C  W  J ,ib- 
eral  Premiums  to  all  Club  Aireuts  who  do  not  take  free 
copies.  Specimen  Numbers,  Show-Bills,  &c.,  sent  free. 
of  tljr  MmIi. 
HOME  NEWS  PARAGRAPHS. 
The  Trunk  Lines  are  still  at  war. 
Troops  are  being  concentrated  at  Waablngten- 
Tllden’s  official  majority  in  ConnecUcut  Is 
lj74S. 
A  naturalized  Chinaman  voied  In  the  Fourth 
Wai-rt,  Han  Francisco,  on  election  day.  When 
challenged  by  the  Inspector  he  took  off  IilB  hat 
and  swore  In  his  vote  like  a  Christian,  The  spec¬ 
tators  were  very  anxious  to  know  how  ho  had 
voted,  but  he  evidently  regarded  it  as  an  Impor¬ 
tant  fiteto  secret  and  answered  no  questions. 
Amertoan  oyst  ers,  beef,  apples,  and  cheese  are 
luxuries  at  the  leading  hotels  and  restaurants  In 
London. 
'I'he  Frestdentll  situation  Is  already  the  monu¬ 
mental  muddle  of  the  century.  Every  day  in- 
erwiscs  lt.s  ramifications. 
A  seminary  for  t  he  religious  education  of  natives 
of  Nonvar  has  been  openeil  at  Madison,  Wls, 
A  Mlswisalppl  women  left  the  cow  that  sho  xvas 
mtlktug,  and  went  right  Into  the  house,  just  be¬ 
cause  a  bear  rubbed  iigalnst  her. 
WllUama  College  will  not  be  represented  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Inter-Coleglate  Literary 
As-soclation,  owing  to  a  lack  of  funds. 
Union,  Ky„  has  a  child  with  a  perfectly  formed 
foot  where  a  hand  ought  to  be. 
Mr.  Mid  Mrs.  Yarborough  were  married  in  Hick¬ 
man,  Tenn.,  eight  years  ago.  They  were  very 
young,  and  their  engagement  and  wedding,  man¬ 
aged  by  their  parents,  was  devoid  of  senilmcnL 
They  were  divorced  a  year  afterward.  This  fall 
they  met  m  Nashville.  Airs.  Yarborough  was  yet 
only  TAventy-four  years  old.  and  hod  growm  hand¬ 
some.  Mr,  Y’arborougU  hod  also  Improved  In  ap¬ 
pearance.  They  fell  In  love;  but  this  time  hex 
parents  forbaxle  the  intimacy,  and  locked  her  In 
her  room.  Ite  got  her  out  through  a  window, 
they  eloped,  were  chased  by  her  angry  latlier, 
were  remarried,  and  now  seem  much  better  satis¬ 
fied  than  when  they  were  united  without  any 
They  are  legally  fighting  for  an  elector  In  Ore- 
The  official  returns  for  Minnesota  show  the  ma¬ 
jority  for  Hayes  to  bo  24,008.  The  three  Republi¬ 
can  Congressmen  are  elected  by  the  following 
majorlUes:  DunnelL  8,945 ;  Strait,  4,?»0;  .Stewart, 
2,040. 
The  official  returns  for  Oregon  give  Hayes 
41,622  votes;  Tllden,  3S,449,  and  scattering,  74 
Hayes's  majority  over  Tllden,  3,07S. 
Gon.  Crook’s  command  reached  Fort  Reno  on 
the  isth  Inst.  Injgood  condition  and  was  paid  off  by 
Major  Stanton.  The  weather  la  severe,  but  the 
troops  are  well  prepared  for  a  Winter  campaign. 
One  hundred  Snake  and  Shoshone  Indians  Joined 
the  command  at  Fort  Reno,  making  nearly  400 
Indian  allies  In  all,  and  the  total  strength  of  the 
command  2,ooo. 
The  Louisiana  Returning  Board  Is  working 
slowly. 
Cheese  lor  export  Is  Uvely. 
Seven  hundred  and  fitty  tliousand  dollars  in 
specie  were  withdrawn  from  the  Bank  of  England, 
Nov.  24,  for  shipment  to  the  United  States. 
A  revolution  has  broken  out  in  Lower  Califor¬ 
nia.  Jose  Moreno  ha.s  collected  a  force  and  issued 
pronunclamenteR  declaring  himself  Governor.  He 
has  Imprisoned  Gov.  Vlllagrana  andhls  Secretary. 
Rodrlquea,  seized  the  Custem  House  at  Rio  J  uana, 
deposed  viuagranu's  Collector,  and  restored  Co- 
ballar,  who  Wiis  removed  some  months  ago. 
Many  Mexicans  have  entered  Lower  CaUIonila 
from  California  and  Joined  Moreno. 
The  Canadians  evidently  tear  that  the  Fenians 
meditate  on  Invasion.  The  Canadian  Govern¬ 
ment  has  scut  Peter  Smith  of  St.  Armand,  P.  Q., 
Quartermaster  of  the  sixtieth  Battalion  of  Cana¬ 
dian  Volunteers,  lo.ooo  rounds  of  musket  cart¬ 
ridges  so  that  he  may  bo  Ui  readluess  to  distribute 
them  te  the  battalion  should  It  become  necessary. 
!  '  There  are  90,000  tens  of  icc  yet  unsold  on  the 
liennebec. 
Now  that  Tweed  And  Woodward  are  among  us, 
I  tremendous  disclosures  are  impending. 
DEC.  2 
Additional  particulars  of  the  attack  on  the 
.Tames’  boys.  parUolpante  with  the  Younger 
brothers  In  the  Northfleld  Bank  robbery,  have 
been  received.  The  attack  was  made  on  Wednes¬ 
day  nlgbt  by  Sheriff  Groom,  of  Clay  county,  and 
four  men.  It  was  very  dark  and  rainy.  The  posse 
went  te  the  borne  of  tbe  boj%  four  miles  from 
Kearney,  knowing  they  were  There.  Frank  was 
seen,  and  as  he  saw  the  posse  about  the  same  time, 
he  fired  a  shot  in  the  air  as  nslgnal  for  Jesse.  The 
Sheriff  and  one  man  fired  at  Frank  without  effect,, 
when  he  returned  the  fire  hitting  the  tree  behind 
which  the  Sheriff  was  conceaU'd.  The  boys  then 
mounted  ihclr  horses  and  got  away  shouting, 
“  Come  Oh,  you  sons  of - The  Sheriff  pur¬ 
sued,  and  on  'rhursday  saw  them  at  Cummings 
place,  fourteen  miles  from  Liberty,  hut  could  not 
overtake  them.  Nothing  has  been  seen  of  them 
since,  though  men  are  scouring  the  country.  Ed. 
Miller,  a  brother  of  Clel,  who  was  killed  at  North¬ 
fleld,  and  a  man  named  Hoffman  are  supposed  to 
have  acted  as  spies  for  tbe  James’  boys,  who  are 
known  to  be  working  their  way  north. 
FOREIGN  NOTES. 
SEMI-BUSINESS  PARAGRAPHS. 
I'HKBB  is  more  trouble  In  Mexico.  Nothing 
whatever  Is  known  about  the  plans  of  General-ln- 
Chlet  .Martlnez-Canipos  regarding  the  campaign. 
It  appears  that  the  Government  purposes  to 
keep  his  movements  and  plans  as  secret  as 
possible,  and  some  people  even  assert  that  the 
General  has  warned  i  he  newspapers  not  to  publish 
anything  without  his  special  pcnritsslon.  He  has 
thus  far  established  no  headquarters,  but  Is  pay¬ 
ing  flying  vtslte  In  the  towns  called  Clnco  Villas, 
where  It  Is  reported  that  he  is  dealing  Hummarlly 
with  suspected  and  convicted  Insurgents,  Reiiort 
says  he  has  ordered  a  large  number  to  bo  shot  In 
Clenfuegos.  He  expects  to  clear  the  cinco  Villas 
of  rebelH  in  two  months  and  will  then  pursue 
them  beyond  La  Trocha.  Recently,  while  Gen 
M.art.;nez.t’.amp08  was  on  a  nillway  train  running 
between  Kagua  and  Las  Cruces  the  car  coutalulog 
ills  whole  ctjulpage  was  totally  dt*slro.vert  by  fire. 
The  cause  of  tbe  fire  la  not  given.  The  cjir  also 
contained  iunmunlllon,  which  exploded,  but  It  Is 
said  no  damage  was  done.  The  arrest  and  im¬ 
prisonment  of  suspected  Cabans  continue,  >>ome 
of  the  arrested  persons  are  lawyers;  the  greater 
part,  however,  arc  workmen. 
The  Hngllsli  In  India  are  complaining  bitterly 
that  at  a  time  when  tJie  public  works  are  stopped 
for  want  of  money,  and  the  Government  fears 
the  loss  of  a  tenth  of  It.s  revenue  from  tlie  decline 
In  silver,  two  and  a-half  million  dollars  arc  to  bo 
spent  in  the  ceremonial  at  DellU  in  honor  of 
Queen  Ylctorla'a  assuming  the  title  of  Empress. 
China  has  Its  big  Tjees  as  well  as  California. 
About  thirty  miles  from  Nikko  begins  the  longest 
avenue  or  shade  trees  in  the  world.  I'heae  treea 
are  sugl,  or  cedar,  and  are  from  five  to  seven  feet 
in  diameter  at  Ihe  base,  and  tower  without  a 
branch  for  fifty  or  eighty  feel,  and  then  lift  their 
heads  forty  or  fifty  feet  higher.  They  number 
thirty  thousand,  and  were  planted  after  the 
foundation  or  a  snrme  two  hundred  ana  fifty 
years  ago. 
some  French  geographers  are  agitating  the 
establishment  of  an  observatory  on  the  top  of 
Mont  Plo  IX.  In  the  Apennines  to  serve  as  the 
center  of  European  meteorology.  'They  propose 
to  build  a  mctalUo  chapel  on  the  summit  to 
which  visitors  will  be  conveyed  from  tbe  foot  of 
the  rock  In  a  captive  balloon. 
Au  Idea  of  tbe  prodigious  zeal  with  which  the 
fine  art-s  are  followed  In  France  may  be  gained 
from  the  fact  that  the  roll  of  students  In  the 
Paris  Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts  for  the  present  season 
comprises  over  l,soo  names— 560  painters,  800 
sculptors,  and  480  architects. 
It  is  stated  that  Russia  has  contracted  with  a 
German  firm  for  tho  construction  of  3,600  torpe¬ 
does. 
The  Czar  has  renewed  his  peaceful  assurances 
to  the  Ausirlan  Embassador. 
A  Cosssmk  army  of  30,000  men  Is  expected  to 
enter  Servla. 
The  Sultan  has  abolished  slave  trade  through 
out  the  Ottoman  Empire. 
The  Duke  dl  Galllera,  the  benefactor  of  Genoa, 
Is  dead. 
The  correspondent  of  The  Dolly  News  at  Pesth 
says  a  telegram  from  Lemberg  reports  that  even 
ordinary  passenger  traffic  on  the  railway  between 
Klew  and  Odessa  has  been  stopped.  Russian 
troops  are  being  removed  from  the  Austrian 
frontier. 
The  departure  of  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas  to 
assume  oommand  of  the  army  In  Southern  Russia 
has  been  postponed. 
The  Times  says:— A  private  telegram  states 
that  war  fears  are  Increasing  all  over  the  frontier 
of  Cape  Colony.  Native  affairs  oa  both  sides  of 
the  British  borders  are  very  unsatisfactory  and 
are  becoming  erlllcal. 
The  Erie  Is  about  to  sue  the  Lake  Shore  for 
discriminating  In  rates  against  It  In  favor  or 
the  Central, 
The  Empire  State  has  Justified  Its  name.  It 
polled  for  President  more  than  one  million  votes 
Frank  Miller’s  Leather  Preservative  and 
Water  Proof  Blacking  received  the  highest  and 
only  award  at  the  Centennial  Exhibition. 
The  RimAL  Nbw-Yorkkk  wants  good  local 
agents.  Address  Rural  Pub.  Co.,  78  Duane  8t. 
Frank  Miller’s  Harness  Oil  received  the  high¬ 
est  and  only  award  at  the  Centennial  Exhlhlton, 
