i 
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I  was  very  much  pleased  with  samples  of  work 
shown  me  that  had  been  done  at  the  Klnder«ar- 
ten  schools.  They  were  pieces  of  thick  while 
paper,  Ihrrniifh  which  were  holes  made  with  a 
pin.  In  tUo  shape  of  dOKS,  horses,  birds  and  dow¬ 
ers.  Some,  after  being  thus  pricked,  were  worked 
In  and  out  With  worsted,  making  a  complclo  out¬ 
line  of  the  figure.  Several  of  these  were  beauti¬ 
fully  wroughU  the  color  being  so  nicely  select¬ 
ed  that  they  were  really  (UUto  appropriate,  aiid 
pretty.  One,  however,  a  well-forraod  horse,  was 
embroidered  with  scarlet,  which  dlil  not  harmon¬ 
ize  (lultc  as  well  with  nature  as  the  wuirlct  cher¬ 
ries  and  green  leaves.  It  occurred  to  me  that  this 
work  wotild  look  nicely  on  wall  pockets,  In  frames, 
on  cloth  for  cushions,  tidies  and  covers.  To  put 
on  cloth,  ptn-prlck  the  form  Into  common  paper, 
cut  out  and  use  a.s  a  pattern  tor  eiuung  the  dif¬ 
ferent  colored  cloths,  then  sew  on  a  solid  back¬ 
ground.  I  saw  a  stufid  cover  made  of  black  cloth, 
upon  which  ilowers  .and  llgurcs  cut.  from  prints 
were  sewed,  that  was  reiilly  artlsllc.  The  sowing 
was  over  and  over,  with  thread  tin!  color  of  the 
dgure,  so  us  to  .show  the  stlb’hes  as  little  as  pos¬ 
sible. 
In  speaking  of  .voiir  pets,  please  Co  not  merely 
name  what  they  arc  and  liow  many,  but  write 
the  best  «lesi'rlptlon  you  pri.ssibly  can  ol  their  size, 
color,  age,  dlsposIMon  ami  pet  name.  It  will  en¬ 
able  us  m  SCO  them,  while  the  pracllce  of  thus 
I  writing  Is  an  admirable  one  for  you.  Von  have 
1  all  probably  heard  of  the  flilnese  eurvlng.  Let 
me  tell  you  of  an  oval,  ligbi,  yellow  whitish 
wooden  iibite,  calleil  a  "pteiiire  plate, "  that  I 
have  seen.  The  llgurcs  were  iMlsed.  ami  f-eeined 
at  drst  slgl^l  glued  mi,  but  e.xamliiliig  lUem  care¬ 
fully  1  round  tlie  plate  to  be  of  one  solid  pH  oo  of 
wood.  ThI.s  plate  was  divided  into  sky,  laud  and 
water;  at  the  top  of  the  plate  lii  the  .sky,  birds 
were  Hying,  on  the  land  were  trees,  houses  and 
cattle,  while  In  Iho  water  was  a  boat  with  a  man 
in  it,  Huch  ininlnture  Hjinclmen.s,  and  so  well  pro¬ 
portioned  were  they,  that  It  was  really  a  plcii.slng 
and  UTiUpie  ornaraeni.  .Many  would  hardly  sup¬ 
pose  Masloir  fjhlnaman  so  skillful,  hut  It  shows 
what  can  be  done  by  them  In  that  line.  SVe  may 
be  equally  skillful  In  ccrl alu  things.  What  those 
things  are  1  leave  tor  tho  Cousins  lo  Udl, 
Ithaca,  N.Y.  '"bb. 
Hyacinths,  and  this,  and  that,  until,  heartily 
wearied  and  disgnstod,  wo  took  our  leave  ns  soon 
as  there  was  a  pause  to  her  chatter ;  and  the  last 
words  that  sounded  In  our  ears,  ns  we  went  medi¬ 
tatively  down  tho  walk,  willi  all  the  gladness  and 
elevation  token  out  of  us,  wore : 
“  Mrs.  Smith,  I'm  golu’  to  send  for  some  Tube¬ 
roses,  next  week ;  don’t  you  want  td  send  ’long 
an’  get  some,  too 
SOMEBODY’S  DARLING, 
1VAUMI.Y  tuck’d  in  Httlo  bed, 
Someliody’s  darlinif  lay ; 
Golden  curls  around  her  head. 
So  th'cd  after  ])lay ! 
Is  dreaiuB  I  found  a  won*lrou8  land. 
Radiant  with  roaea  on  each  hand. 
No  Kraseea,  tw-es,  nor  Bhrnbs  wore  Uiere, 
But  roues  blossominsr  everywhere. 
Great  velvet-potaled  blooina  were  these; 
ll«d  mltlionB  trembled  in  each  breeze. 
They  swept  toward  the  horizon’s  verge 
In  many  a  splemlid  ample  serge; 
They  spread  on  all  sides  one  intense 
■Monotony  of  magniflcencc. 
Then  suddenly,  where  my  pathway  ran, 
Loomed  tlift  vatnu!  presence  of  a  man. 
And  in  his  clasp,  with  strange  delight, 
1  saw  Olio  daisy,  ghminerlng  wliite. 
Sill'll  daisies  bloom  In  alcuder  sprays 
By  ihrimga  among  tlnno's  nieiidowed  Avays. 
Yet  all  my  srml.^at  this  Avierd  hour, 
J.eanod  out  to  that  one  simple  flower. 
l-'or  ehnsitlly,  di-Iieately  fair. 
And  better  still,  supremely  rare, 
ft  wore  a  pastoral  charm  so  sweet. 
This  lovely  lissom  Marguerite, 
That  seeing  it  was  like  dear  repose 
To  me,  whose  Avhole  heart  loathed  a  rose. 
l/l.irptir’s  Magiiziiif, 
THE  HOUSE-PLANT  MANIA 
wiis  riOK  j:vx:xxino  j 
ONE  pl»’as.ant  spring  day,  when  our  hcari«  were 
filled  with  Mie  gladneas  of  reviving  Nature,  with 
gratitude  to  the  groat  t'reator  and  a  good  deal 
clevatod  above  the  coiomon  and  prooalc  In  gen¬ 
eral,  .Mrs.  SMITH  and  1  culled  upon  our  new  neigh¬ 
bor,  Mrs.  JAitvis. 
“  What  a.  hcautiful  d:iy remarked  Mrs.  Smith, 
who  was  favored  with  a  previous  acquaintance ; 
“  It  Is  really  cheering  after  tho  scA'cre  weather  wc 
have  bad.” 
•‘lliive  you  seen  my  Fuchlas?”  replied  Mrs. 
.t AKA  IS,  Yaukee-llke.  ••  Kvery  br.anch  Is  loaded 
with  buds,  aud  I’m  Avatchlng  Avlth  the  greatest 
anxiety  for  the  flr.-.l  blossom.” 
“Did  you  attend  the  lecture  last  evening?"  I 
asked. 
“No,  I  did  not;  I  hardly  dure  leave  the  house 
In  the  evening  for  fear  the  fire  might  gel  down, 
and  there  might  be  a  cltange  in  the  Aveather  and 
my  plants  would  get  chilled;  it  turns  cold  so 
dreadful  sudden  this  lime  o'  year.  Do  look  at  that 
Gerariiiiin,  Mlsss  Geum  ask  1  isn’t  It.  lovely  V 
“Have  you  read  Bkvants  last  iTOcra?”  asked 
Mrs.  Smith. 
“  Dear  mo.  no ;  my  tune’s  so  taken  up  with  my 
housework  and  the  care  of  ray  plants  that  1  don’t 
get  a  ehanen  to  look  at  a  book  or  paper  irom  one 
Aveek’s  end  to  another.  Just  see  that  Ivy,  Mrs. 
s.AiiTii ;  Isn’t  U  growing  splendidly 
“  You  have  so  many  plants,  they  must  be  a  great 
care  to  you.  with  your  poor  health.” 
“O,  dear;  1  gues-s  they  are.  Why,  I’ve  got 
rnore'u  a  hundred  dilTerent  kinds,  and  I’ve  lugged 
them  about  this  winter  until  my  back  and  sides 
ached  so  It  uid  scorn  as  though  I  couldn’t  stand 
It.  They  must,  have  air  an'  sunshine,  you  know, 
an’  I'VQ  just  carried  them  from  one  window  to 
another,  an' every  pleasant  d.Ty,  when  ItAvasn’t 
too  cold,  I’ve  t-aken  them  out  on  tho  porch.  You 
see  we’re  living  In  the  illnlng-room ;  It  lay  more 
to  the  south  and  Avas  better  for  my  planw  than 
t  he  sitting-room,  an' we  couldn’t  afford  to  keep 
up  a  tire,  night  an’  day,  In  both,  so  avc  .just  moiled 
111  here.  There  Isn’t  any  bedroom  off  this  room, 
an’  .’dr.  Jahvis  an’  the  ehlldreii  didn’t  like  It  much 
going  to  bed  an'  sleeping  In  the  cold,  but  I  told 
cm’  I  guessed  they  could  stand  It  it  1  could,  lUi'  1 
didn't  mind  It  so  long  as  I  kuoAV  my  plants  were 
Avarm  an’  wouldn  t  freeze.  I  do  believe  my  Calla 
Lily  Is  going  to  bloom.  It  looks  to  mo  as  though 
there’s  a  bud  starting.  You  just  come.  Mrs.  .Smtiti, 
an’  sec  It  you  don’t  think  that's  a  bud.” 
“  Y  ou  have  children,”  I  remarked. 
“O  yes,  t.Avo;  a  boy  and  a  girl.  Let  me  see: 
Wii.i.iK  Avlll  bo  seven  next  October,  an’ Bessie's 
most  flvo;  they  go  to  school  every  day,  when 
there  is  school,  an'  I’m  always  sorry  when  It’s 
out.  They're  so  inlsclile.vous  l  have  to  watch 
them  every  mimito  they're  In  the  house,  or  I 
do  believe  they'd  doslroy  every  plant  I'A-e  got. 
They’re  not  bad  children,  you  know,  but  they’re 
so  full  or  play  they  turn  everything  upside  down ; 
an’  then  they  a-sk  so  many  questions.  It’s  enough 
to  bother  the  life  out  o’  me.  Isn't  that  Heliotrope 
doing  finely  ?  It’s  groAvlng  the  best  this  spring  It 
ever  has.  1  <io  love  It;  It  Is  so  flagrant.” 
“Aren't  your  children  rather  young  to  attend 
school,  and  couldn't  you  find  some  way  of  amus¬ 
ing  and  Instructing  them  at  home?”  1  ventured 
to  suggest. 
o  yes,  1  might  It  I  only  hud  Ihe  time;  taut  I'm 
so  busy.  Wliy,  I  liUA'cn’t  sc  ii’i'Cly  been  out  of  the 
house  since  we  came  here,  not  even  to  go  to 
cnurcU.  .Ml’  there  was  poor  .Mrs.  Johnson,  who 
died  last  week,  an’Avho’s  been  sick  all  winter; 
she  used  to  be  a  schoolin.Ate  and  dear  friend  of 
mine,  an’  Mr.  Jarvis  said  l  really  ought  to  go  an’ 
see  her,  an’  1  did  mean  to.  bhe  used  ui  send  word 
tome  that  ItAvouW  do  her  so  much  good  to  see 
me;  but,  poor  Avomau,  she  died  betorc  I  could 
find  time  lo  go.  O,  I’m  so  proud  oi  my  tiy-itinrhs ! 
aren't  they  beauties?  i  counted  hftv  blossoms 
on  one  stalk,  this  morning.  They  ought  to  do 
well,  for  I  (to  beUeve  I’ve  spent  as  much  as  an 
hour  every  day.  waicliing  an’  tending  ihem,” 
So  slip  rattloil  on  about  ber  Ku  ihstas,  and  Geru- 
nUinik,  and  tine?, and  Lilies,  and  Helloliope,  and 
Little  cheeks  like  roses  red, 
SAA'eet  luiiKhina  eyes  of  bine, 
SniUinK  mouth— you  miicUt  have  suid. 
BriKht  unRPlB  round  her  fleAv. 
Tiny  hands  are  erinnpled  tight 
ruder  her  rosy  checks. 
Mother  softly  shades  tho  light. 
Tliat  through  the  AvindoAA-  streaks. 
.SlOAA'ly  treading  nv  the  aisle, 
yomebody’s  ilnrllng  nioA'cs, 
AA'ith  dOAA'iicast  eyes  mid  happj'  smile, 
And  near  her  all  she  loves. 
Sun-rays  stream  through  painterl  glsss, 
A  happy  bride  Is  she ; 
Around  her  stand  hev  village  class, 
SomebiMly’d  darling  to  see. 
Hnsli !  O  bush !  trend  softly  noAv, 
Angels  are  in  the  Aiay, 
AA’hitc  and  sllll  tis  untrodden  snow, 
Somebodj's  darling  lay. 
AVeep  not,  weep  not  so  for  her. 
To  her  can  come  no  111; 
Surrounded  by  God's  loving  care. 
And— SomelKidy’s  darling  still. 
"  I  think  not,”  said  Mrs.  smitii,  decisively, 
“  I’m  sick  O’  house  plants,”  to  herj.elf. 
So  am  I,  In  Mrs.  Jarvis’  house,  and  In  CA'ory 
other  house  where  they  supersede  liusband,  chil¬ 
dren,  homo  comfort,  and  cvoryihlng  else  In  the 
houA'cns  above  or  the  earth  beneath,  even  lo  the 
God  who  created  them.  Gerai.oink  Germane. 
-  -  ♦  -  — 
THE  STORY  OF  A  RUSSIAN  PRINCESS. 
That  truth  Is  decidedly  stranger  than  fiction, 
tho  subjoined  narrative  from  a  correspondent  of 
tho  Courier-Journal  fully  altesLs : 
What  do  you  thluk  of  .a  Russian  princess,  a  gen¬ 
uine  article,  Avlth  her  name,  coat  of  arms,  etc., 
sumped  even  on  her  stockings,  serving  in  the 
capacity  of  cluimbcmiald  at  a  geiiUcman'8  house, 
bringing  up  a  fellow's — ibis  fellow’s— early  cup  of 
coffee  and  gr.TCPrully  shuffling  down  stains  with 
Ills  boots?  HOav  would  that  tit  Into  your  pipe  for 
a  quiet  smoke  7  I  will  tell  you  a  talc  stranger 
than  Qcll'jii.  In  the  Ilrsl  place  1  must  give  Incre¬ 
dulity  a  gentle  tap  on  the  head  as  a  hint  to  he 
quiet  by  premising  that  Russian  princesses  In 
their  native  land  arc  as  tlilek  as  leaves  In  V'alam- 
brosa.  This  particular  princess,  who  had  cut 
some  caper  or  other,  resulting  In  .a  policeman’s 
order  tor  her  to  move  on,  came  to  this  country. 
She  here  roll  In  love  with  a  thoroughbred  si;alla- 
wag  and  married  him.  He  was  an  expeditious 
young  man.  and  he  went  through  her  money  and 
diamonds  like  beans  through  a  tin  horn.  As  the 
diamonds  melted  away  they  came  down  In  life  by 
going  up  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  attic.  At 
LtsI,  one  morning  after  breakfast  out  of  tho  melt¬ 
ing  of  the  last  carring,  the  young  mnn  arose,  em¬ 
braced  hl.s  wife,  shed  one  tear  on  her  throbbing 
bosom,  and  bolted.  He  went  off  with  another 
name  and  took  to  keeping  school  at  a  salary  of 
forty  dollars  a  month.  The  princess  took  an  en¬ 
gagement  as  chambermaid  In  a  private  family  at 
ft  a  week  and  no  half  benefit,  eighteen  months 
rolled  around,  at  the  end  of  which  time  sho  treed 
her  man— tho  vagrant  husband.  She  went  into 
court  and  demanded  a  share  of  the  pedagogue's 
salary.  The  scallawag  pulled  out  a  deccee  of  di¬ 
vorce  obLiraed  somcAvliere  In  the  AVest.  But  tho 
LETTERS  FROM  BOYS  AND  GIRLS 
READ,  MARK.  LEARN  AND  INWARD¬ 
LY  DIGEST. 
useful  and  ornamental  Avork.  Of  course  the  girls 
will  naturally  take  to  uecdlo,  knitting  and  crochet 
work,  wmio  the  boys  will  tend  Ui  telling  us  ol 
what  they  have  done,  or  are  doing,  Avlth  knife, 
hammer  and  saw. 
It  13  AA'ondorful  hOAv  much  and  hOAV  Avell  some 
boys  will  do  with  a  common  pocket  knlle.  1  have 
a  pair  of  pincers  that  avIU  open  and  close,  rivet 
and  all  cut  from  one  piece  of  wood,>bout  four 
Inches  long  and  an  Inch  or  so  thick.  Many  have 
admired  them,  because  they  are  not  only  cut  from 
one  piece  of  Avood,  but  are  so  well  finished.  Tho 
making  of  n  pair  of  wooden  pincers  Is  not  so  much 
in  Itself,  as  the  skill. acquired  In  using  the  knife, 
the  applying  one’s  self  to  doing  something,  and 
the  consciousness  of  your  recreation  being  not 
alone  harmless,  but  beuellclol  to  you  In  years  to 
come..  .My  Impression  isilial  boys  will  tlnd  pat¬ 
tern  makers  01  fools  Avouderfully  skillful  in  the 
use  of  the  knife. 
The  dreams  of  love,  to  continue  true,  must  not 
take  too  visible  a  form,  nor  enter  Into  a  too  con¬ 
secutive  history;  they  m'lsi.  float  la  a  misty  dis¬ 
tance;  the  soul  In  whlt.-h  tliey  hover  can  no  longer 
think  of  the  laAVs  ot  existence ;  it  inhabits  another 
Avorld ;  it  forgets  Itself  In  the  ravishing  emotion 
AVlilch  troubles  It,  and  sees  Its  Avell-lovcd  visions 
rise,  mingle,  come  and  go,  as  In  summer  we  see 
the  bees  on  a  hlllslopo  Iliiller  In  a  haze  of  light, 
and  circle  round  and  round  the  tIOAvei’S.— Toiae. 
His  Weak  Side. 
Wem.,  boys  and  girls,  here  I  come  again  to  make 
you  another  short  visit.  Perhaps  you  may  think 
a  .storm  visit  not  always  agreeable,  but  I  hope 
mine  will  be,  for  I  am  not  the  kind  ot  a  storm  you 
Imagine.  My  signature  Is  taken  from  a  mait-of- 
war  of  that  name  In  tlic  War  of  lsl‘2,  so  don’t 
think  I  have  come  among  you  to  make  a  noise, 
for  that  Is  not  my  Intention.  I  have  no  particular 
reason  for  calling  myselj  alter  this  venerable  ves- 
std ;  I  have  irisd  to  show  my  colors,  and  if  none  of 
you  like  them,  compel  me  to  strike  them.  1  am 
vei'y  ranch  obliged  to  Dki  i.e  l-r.  K.,  for  that  last 
A  fiENTLEMAN  Is  R  TCrcr  thlug  than  some  ot  us 
think.  Which  of  us  can  point  out  many  such 
in  his  clrclp— men  AvUose  alriAH  -are  generous; 
whose  truth  ts  constant  and  elevated;  who  can 
look  tho  Avorld  honestly  in  the  face,  w  1th  an  equal, 
manly  sympathy  lor  the  great  and  the  small? 
We  all  know  a  hundred  whose  coats  arc  well 
made,  and  a  wjorn  wiio  have  excellent  mnDnera, 
but  01  genllemeu,  bow  many  ? 
