358 
THE RURAL 
NEW-YORKER. 
fittrarg Utistrllattg. 
BRAZOS PETE. 
T. A. GEItE. 
“ Say ! ’fore you 6tart another dance 
Just let mt; speak a-w ord. 
For when theinasto’a goin’ 
I mightn't p’r’aps be heard, 
A eick gal's lyin’ in this house 
With fever ;—a»fiil bad: 
And when yon switig them hoofB around 
The noise ’most drives her mad. 
“ I heard you tell her mother 
4 Stuff cotton tn her ears,’ 
And lots ol other druuken gab ; 
Besides, I saw her tours 
When she told me that the doctor says 
The gal HW at be kept sti i. 
Or else what she’s a sufferin’ 
Is!pretty shore to kill! 
“ So X thought I’d come myself this time 
And hint to you galoots. 
That it tii•>t tiddii squawks agin 
Or cornet howls its toots, 
And you go prancin’ round this room 
Like friirhtcnci Texan steors 
When first they’ feel the lasso fall. 
Why, then, it just apjiears— 
" I’ll hev to jine the orchestra; 
I’ll hev to lead the band: 
I play a one-keyed piccolo 
W ith any in the laud; 
And, if I Bound its gamut, while 
I stand beside this door, 
You’ll recognize old Brazos Pete, 
If you never did afore !’’—N. Y. World. 
VIOLET’S WAGER. 
“Done?” Interrogated I)r. Franks, with an 
amused smile. 
“ D ine, 1 ’ replied Ills companion, placing her hand 
laughingly In his. 
“ It is a foolish wager on my part, violet,” con¬ 
clude! the doctor, klsslug her hand with eager 
tenderness; “fori, above all people, know that 
there Is something about you that no one can re¬ 
sist.” 
* * « 4 « < * 
“ You surely are joking, John ? I cannot believe 
It! You would not, without first consulting me, 
go and propose off-hand to a girl I have never seen, 
know nothing about and whom you yourself never 
saw until a few months ago? And,” continued 
Miss Franks, without giving her brother a chance 
of replying, ” to think of you beginning to talk of 
love and marriage and all tnat sort of nonsense, 
when you will be 3fl an your next birthday ! You 
ought to know better t” 
” My dear Emily,” began John. 
44 Don’t * dear Emily ’ me. sir!” Interrupted Mias 
Franks ** 1 can’t be very dear to you when, after 
keeping your house for more than twelve years, 
you treat me In such a manner. However, I have 
no doubt Miss What’s her-namo will attend to the 
messages, study economy, and have your interests 
more at heart than I, who am only your sister, 
have had.” 
44 1 toll you I had proposed, Emily ; but you In¬ 
terrupted me before you knew whether 1 had been 
accepted or not." 
44 4 Accepted or not,’ Indeed!’ ” said Miss Franks, 
satirically. “ Of course, you're accepted-snapped 
at ” 
“ Well,” remarked .John, “ I am sure that, when 
you know my future wife, you will believe that I 
have chosen far my own happiness;" and, believ¬ 
ing that, 1 know you too well to doubt the recep¬ 
tion shn win receive at your hands. And or one 
thing be very sure—I shall never forget your un¬ 
selfishness, your patient striving for my welfare, 
your ever-ready sympathy and loving care.” 
“Don’t talk like that, John," said Mias Franks, 
tearfully; and, taking hts raee between her hands, 
she kissed him Impulsively, and hurtled from the 
room. 
Dr Franks sat down in a rather disturbed frame 
of mind. He loved and respected hla sister, and 
was grateful to her ; she had kept house for 
him since he had been in practice, studying his 
comfort In every way ; aid lie was really sorry 
that she should feel herself personally slighted at 
the first mention of hla approaching marriage. No 
Idea of marriage had entered the doctor's head 
until quite lately, when be had ruilcn desperately 
In love with a niece of a new patient of his; but be 
had thought it better to bB assured that his love 
was rectprocated before taking his sister Into his 
confidence. 
At dloner. Miss FrankB was evidently deter¬ 
mined, by an extra display of dignity and cere¬ 
mony, to efface all remembrance of her previous 
weakness; but, after a time, her curiosity over¬ 
came all o' her feelings. 
“ Pray, John, whar is this child’s name?” 
44 Wuat child? Oh, I beg pardon! You mean 
Miss Lloyd—violet Lloyd.” 
Did you say she was seventeen ?” 
41 No,” replied the doctor, smiling; “she is 
twenty-three.” 
“Oh, no matter! It Is very nearly the same 
thing—she is quite young enough to make ducks 
and drakes of your money before you’ve earned It.” 
“ Emily,” said the doctor, more sternly than he 
had yet spoken, 44 1 hardly think It fair, and cer¬ 
tainly very unlike your usual self, to form an opin¬ 
ion of a person you have never seen. I am the 
more hurt at your prejudging violet, as I had 
hoped you would remain with us to help her In the 
m anagement or the house. Of course we cannot 
expect a ‘child ’ like her to know anything of such 
uninteresting though Important matters.” 
• N«, John, thank you all the same,” answered 
Mias Franks, in a moulded toue, without noticing 
the qulzz.cai twinkle In the doctor’s eyes; “ such 
an arrangement would be far from pleasant to me 
or to your futur e wife. I shall take lodgings near 
MAY 28 
at hand, so as to bs of use to you should you want 
me.” 
“ I am afraid Violet will he disappointed. She 
had quite settled that you would retain your own 
rooms, joining us only when you liked.” 
“ I am much obliged to her,” replied Miss Pranks, 
stlfflv ; “but you know I never get on well with 
youDg people.” 
“ At any rate, do me one favor; don’t make any 
arrangements until you have seen her.” 
“I suppose that means that you wish me to call 
upon her very soon ? When Is the wedding to take 
place ?” 
44 We have not yet decided; hut not before the 
Autumu.” 
“Of course you have taken Into consideration 
that a wife, and especially a young wife. Is an ex¬ 
pensive luxury ? Or perhaps Miss Lloyd Is an 
heiress?” 
“I'm afraid not,”laughed the doctor. “Heir¬ 
esses would not, as a rule, reside In-Street.” 
“ In-Street! Do you mean to say that 
there is where Miss Lloyd lives ?” 
“ Why shouldn't she ? The houses are small, ’Us 
true, but the neighborhood Is good; and an aunt 
and niece would scarcely require a larger house— 
In fact, I found them their little house myself, 
about two months ago.” 
“ Two months ago. John ! Why, I thought you 
said they were quite new friends and patients 1” 
Well,” said the doctor, 4 * you can scarcely call 
an acquaintanceship of six months a long one.” 
“Quite long enough,” replied his sister, with a 
grim smile. “Isshe an orphan?" 
“ She la Her father, an officer In the army, died 
only a year ago-six months after his wife. Since 
then violet has lived with her Invalid aunt, who, 
after our marriage, will go to live with frlend9.” 
“ Well,” said .Miss Franks, as her brother rose 
from the table, “ I hope you will not find you have 
made a mistake when it Is too late to remedy It.” 
“ I nopB not," be rejoined, quietly. 
After the doctor had seen hts patients he went, 
accordlsg to promise, to tell Violet how his sister 
had received the news. 
“ I am so sorry,” said Violet, as the doctor—not 
very wisely—gave her a full account of hla slater’s 
disturbed state of mind. “ I suppose It wouldn't 
do for me to call on her first 7” 
“I would not do that, violet: she is ceremoni¬ 
ous, and will, 1 ain sure, come here very soon.” 
“ Then.’’said Violet, lifting her radiant face to 
hie, “ let her come, and 1 will conquer.” 
«*#•*#* 
“ Is my sister In ?” Inquired Dr. Franks when he 
came home to luncheon the next day. 
“ No, air,” answered the servant; “ I was to ask 
you not to wait for her, as she might be rather 
late.” 
The doctor had just sat down to hts solitary 
meal, when Mr. Shaw, a neighboring practitioner, 
was announced. 
“Sorry to disturb you, Franks," said he on en. 
terlng; “ but 1 must ask you to come at once to 
-Street.” 
“To-Street!” echoed the doctor In alarm 
his thoughrs at once flying to the one person that 
Street contained for him, “ What number ?” 
4 * No. 17. A lady has met with an accident; and, 
Franks, I am sorry to say It Is- 
“Not violet?” Interrupted Dr. Franks, rising in 
agitation. 
“Goodgracious!”thought Mr. Shaw, “Who 
would have thought he could be so fond of that 
stiff backed sister of hts? My dear fellow,” he 
continued aloud, 44 Miss Franks will do perfectly 
well if she Is kept quiet. It appears that Bhe was 
crossLng - Street and was knocked down 
by a cab. some one In the crowd recognized her 
as Dr. Franks’ sister; and a lady who was passing 
insisted on her being taken to her house, where, I 
fear she will have to remain for the present.” 
On reaching-street the door of No. 17 was 
opened to them by a neat housekeeper, who asked 
Mr. Shaw to step Into llie drawing-room for a 
moment and then mysteriously beckoned Dr. 
Franks away. Entering a little snuggery, with 
which he seemed quite familiar, he was greeted 
by a warm clasp of soft bands and a kiss. 
“Oh, John, I’m so glad you have come! Mr. 
Shaw says that, though your sister Is not seriously 
hurt, she ought not to be moved; and aunt won’t 
hear of the attempt being made.” 
44 Well, darllDg,” said the doctor, reassuringly, 
“ I will get a nurse for her, and-” 
44 You stupid old John 1 Do you think I would 
let any one hut myself nurse her ? But I have not 
told you half, yet. The fortunate part of the af¬ 
fair Is, that she doesn’t know who I am. She 
asked me, just now, la whose house she was. I 
gave her aunt’s name, so she Is under the Impres¬ 
sion that I am Miss Matthews " 
»• capital!" cried the doctor. “ Let me see her 
at once.” 
He then proceeded to the drawing-room, and 
afterwards went with Mr. Shaw to look at the pa¬ 
tient. He found there were no serious Injuries; 
but Miss Franks had sustained a severe shock, and 
It was decided not to attempt to remove her. Al¬ 
though forced to admit the wisdom of the decision 
she was made terribly peevish by It. 
“ I shall be a burden In a strange house,” she 
began, as rood as Mr. Shaw left the brother and 
sister alone—” and all through your Miss Lloyd, 
I was on my way to see her, when that wretched 
cabman drove right over me—I believe he did it 
on purpose. And now, John, I trust to your mak¬ 
ing arrangements concerning a nurse for me; and 
If the owners of the house can spare me this room 
until I can be moved, that Is all I want. I must 
be under no obligation to them, mind; for atten¬ 
tion or nourishment, or anything of that kind. I 
merely wish to be left alone.” 
44 1 will see to everything,” replied the doctor, 
'• but I am afraid theje will be a difficulty about 
the nurse, for tne young person I saw down stairs 
seems to have quite made up her mind to attend 
upon you herself.” 
44 What “young person’ do you mean? Miss 
HatthewB ?” 
"Oh, is that her name?” said the doctor, care¬ 
lessly. • 
“ Yes, It Is, sir; and I think you might speak 
more respectfully of people who have been so kind 
to your sister," 
" I am afraid you misunderstood me, Emily 
The girl appears very well-meaning and good-na¬ 
tured ; hut 1 don’t like the Idea of her having en¬ 
tire charge of you. She seems such a child.” 
“ Child!” cried Miss Franks. 44 A more beautiful 
woman I bave never seen ; and she’s ffve-and- 
twenty If she’s a day. But there; I suppose yon 
have no eye6 for anyone but that baby-faced chit 
you are going to marry. Had you seen how that 
* child,’ that 4 young person,’ has managed every¬ 
thing slDce I was brought In, and how she has 
cared for my comfort In everyway, you would 
scarcely sneer at her and call her • a child V ’' 
" I am sure.” replied Dr. Franks, with a gravity 
that did him Infinite credit, •* I am exceedingly 
obliged to her, and will thank her personally when 
I go down.” 
Miss Franks was seated la a lounge-chair In the 
cosy bedroom given up to her by her young hostess 
who had been reading aloud, but, fancying her 
companion seemed Inclined to doze, had let her 
book fall from her hand, and was gazing into the 
fire, which. In spite of the BOft air of fast approach¬ 
ing Spring, had b 3 en lighted for the Invalid. 
Miss Franks, however, was not asleep, hut was 
looking, with halt-closed eyes, at the picture the 
fitful blaze lit up with rich, artistic coloring, 
Violet's rounded figure was shown to perfection 
by the unstudied grace of her attitude as she 
leaned hack In her low chair, her hands clasped 
behind her head. Her rich dark brown hair gTew 
low on her broad fore-head, her soft, hazel eyes— 
in sunlight blue, at night black—seemed ready to 
brighten to a smile, ready, too, to darken to a 
grave and tender sympathy. Miss Franks, though 
naturally ashy woman, was quite at home with 
her lovely, cheery young hostess, and even al¬ 
lowed herself to be scolded and pelted by her to 
an extent not a IHlIo amusing to the grave doctor. 
With an impatient, sigh, the invalid broke the 
silence. 
“ Really, M13S Matthews, I can’t allow you to 
give up so much of your time to me.” 
“Nonsense, Miss Franks,” replied Violet, start¬ 
led from her reverie. “ What have f to do ? Aunt 
sleeps halt the day, and her maid Is within call; 
besides making myself useful will keep me out of 
mischief, as Dr. Franks Bays," 
“ It Is very impertinent of him,” observed Miss 
Franks; " but I must say he has been most atten¬ 
tive to me. I’m sure l have told him over and over 
again that I do not need two visits a day; but he 
will come. I only wish he came to see some one 
else.” 
"What do you mean?” asked Violet, Inno¬ 
cently. 
“Oh, never mind, dear! I won’t think of the 
subject-It Is a most painful one tome. Perhaps 
I may tell you some day, It you care to be bored 
with my troubles.” 
To he continued. 
-- 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
flimd-booh of English Synonyms. By L. J. 
Campbell,B oston: loo ft Shepard. 
T his valuable little hook will be found acceptable 
to beginners of literary work and also of much use 
to those of greater attainments. It has an appen¬ 
dix showing the correct uses of prepositions; also 
a collection of foreign phrases Repetition of 
words may be happily avoided and the proper use 
i r prepositions; correct rendering and translation 
of foreign expressions learned, by reforence to this 
compact edition of knowleage. 
-- 
MAGAZINES FOR MAY. 
The Atlantic Monthly.— Contents : Some Per¬ 
sonal Recollections of Carlyle; Rabbi Ishmael; 
The Marryrdom of an Empire ; The Portrait of a 
Lady. XXV -XXVIII; Three SonnetB. l. Nativity 
II. Circumstances III. Providence; Study of an 
old Southern Borough; Reminiscences of Wash¬ 
ington. XIII. The Fillmore Administration, 1350- 
63; Friends. A Duet. XI. Xfl; Eugene Scribe; 
Lawn Planting for Winter Effect; Dementer’s 
Search; Correspondence wltn a British Critic; The 
Head of Medusa, and other Novels ; The New Edi¬ 
tion of Gilchrist’s Blake; The Contributors’ Club ; 
Books of the Month. 
Harper’s Magazine— Contents: I Held Love's 
Head While ItdldAke; Music and Musicians In 
New York; “ AprlUe,”a poem; Athens; Decora¬ 
tive Pottery of Clnclnatl; The Indian Girl, a poem; 
Anne, a novel; The Return Message, a story; The 
Market Bell, a poem; Camp Lou; TheUnexpected 
PartlDg of the Beazley Twins: Thomas Carlyle; 
George Elliot; The Speaker’s Ruling; Contrast, a 
poem; Two, a poem; A Laodicean. Book the Sec¬ 
ond, Dare and Havlll; Editor's Easy Chair; Edit¬ 
or’s Literary Record; Editor’s Historical Record; 
Editor’s Drawer. 
The American Naturalist.— Contents: The 
Endocranlum and Maxillary Suspensorlum of the 
Bee; Myaarenarla In San Francisco Bay; Tho 
Squid of the Newfoundland Banks In its Relation to 
the American Grand Bank Cod Fisheries; The 
Brain of Embryo and Young locust; Editor’s 
Table; Recent Literature; General Notes; Zool¬ 
ogy; Entomology; Anthropology; Geology and 
Palaeontology; Geology and Travels; Microscopy ; 
Scientific News; Proceedings of scientific So¬ 
cieties ; Selected Artloles in Scientific Serials. 
Lippincott’s Magazine.— Contents: Granada 
and the Alhambra; Zoologicalourloslcles; Craque- 
O’-Doom; The House of commons; in Searoh of a 
Soul; Oyster culture; Pringle’s Flat; Two Lives ; 
The Indiscretions of Madame Jaubert: The Truth 
about Florida ; A Lucky Misfortune , Our Monthly 
Gossip ; Literature of the Day. 
North American Review— Contents t Centrali¬ 
sation tn theFederaYOovemment: The Old Version 
and the Npw; The Nerds of the Supreme Court; 
Utah and Its People; Shall Americans Build Ships? 
The Life-Saving service; The Ruins of Central 
America, Part 'Vir; What Morality Have We 
Left? 
Scribners’. 8t. Nlchol as. The Yeung scientist 
American Antiquarian Journal, Anp'etons’ Jour¬ 
nal. Musical Herald. Coley’s Lady’s Book are 
among receipts, contents of which are not given. 
The character of the prrrtuottons Is as well sus¬ 
tained as usual. Lateness of insertion will not 
warrant more extended notices. 
-♦» » 
Sixty eight towns and cities of the Republic 
made last year weekly death reports to the Na¬ 
tional Board of nenlth. wbteh. after aggregating 
and tabulating them, has published the results, 
’these show that Vallejo, cal. was the healthiest 
place reputed lb 1SS0, and Norfolk, Va . the un- 
heaPbte.st. The average life in Ihe former town 
is set down at S3 C years-certainly an extraordi¬ 
nary fleiire—and hut 1 person In eaeh l ooo of the 
population—the entire number of the Inhabitants 
is about 9 000—died there of consumption. The 
average life in Norfolk was 77 ti years ; and l per¬ 
son out of each 741 died of consumption The en¬ 
tire population of the os towns was 7 359 937; the 
the average duration of life In them was 44 5 
years ; deaths or consumption, 1 to every 370. and 
from acute pulmonary disease. 1 to evpry s29 Or 
out of every 100 deaths 24 4 were from pulmonary 
causes, 14 of them from consumption, and 104 
from acute affection of the lungs. Four of the 
healthiest, cities were Yonkers, In this State av¬ 
erage life 70 years; Omaha, Neb . average 68 
years; Utica average 67 » years; lOokuk. Towa, 
average 67 1 years. Four of ihe unhealthlest 
cities were Jacksonville, Fla , (probably the In¬ 
valids who go there and die In Winter were in¬ 
cluded), average 35 years; Vicksburg, Miss., 
average 34 8 years; Charleston, S C\, aver¬ 
age 313 years: Savannah, G&„ average 30.6 
years. In Boston the average life was 42 5 years; 
deaths from consumption, i in 246; from acute 
lung diseases, l In 326 In New Y'ork. average life 
was 37 years ; deaths from consumption, l In 254 , 
from acute lung disease. 1 In 314. In Philadelphia 
average life was 47 S years; consnmntton. 1 In 314; 
acute lung disease. 1 in 841 In Cincinnati, aver¬ 
age life was 47 8 years; consumption, l In 346 ; 
acute disease, 1 in 494. In Louisville, average life 
was 47 4 years ; consumption, l In 300 In Chicago 
average life was 4S years ; consumption, l tn 693 . 
in San Francisco, average lire was 51 8 years; 
consumption, 1 in 295. In New Orleans, average 
life was41.3 years; consumption, 1 in 2r>6 Jn St. 
Louis, average life was 52.5: consumption l In 447; 
Next to lung disease, diarrheal disorders were 
most fatal. In every 100 deaths from all causes In 
the 68 towns, 10 were from those aliments, and 
there was l death therefrom In eacn 436 of the in¬ 
habitants. 
- » ... 
BRIC-A-BRAC. 
Iv’e a letter from thy dad. 
Baby mute, baby mine. 
He is feeling;awful bad. 
Baby mine, Baby mine. 
For tho place be didu’t get, 
He is coming back, my pet, 
And lie’ll stay at homo, you bet, 
Baby mi no. 
Bjornson’s publisher: BJirnstone Bjornson, 
the Norwegian poet. Is writing a new broK of po¬ 
ems. We have the contract ror print ng it, and 
have ordered seven hundred pounds of tower case 
“ j’s” for an emergency. One of the poems reads: 
" MJeet mje bjy mjooulight. mjy djoir, 
Ojt tjbo n.ligfit a,Hr yjou njeed hj iva nj:> fJear, 
YJou mjay IJUluk tibia ij- Hjwfuliy qjneor, 
Bjut Uniat BJorstone Bjonisou, mjy djeur.” 
wilheluij wilij setj thtj abovej to music.—Gate 
City News. 
in the spring-time. 
In tho spring Ihe gentle tom cat 
Takes his station on the shed. 
In the spring the thoughtful farmer 
Puts his oninti seed to bed. 
In tho spring the gladsome sunshine 
S ends fresh hope into the sad. 
In the spring a prudent person 
Buys himself a liver pad. 
In the spring the little song birds 
With their music fill tho glen. 
In the spring the busy housewife 
Snauks the boys and sets the hen. 
In the spring the bees are bumbling, 
Full of business uie the ants. 
In the spring the average young man 
Buys two pairs of striped pants. 
ERK1LS Ok HOUSEKEEPING. 
Have you paid the milk bill ? The wood is out. 
The stove wants fixing. The night-key la broken. 
The front door bell wire is loose and the bell won’t 
ring. Get some cat’s meat. That cat hasn’t had 
anything fresh for nearly two days. She won’t 
eat cooked meat. The poker la broken. Get some 
screw hooks ror the cupboard. We must buy a 
new clothes line The salt Is out- Mark’s last 
butter was bad. Must buy somewhere else. Get 
some wlrp, oxaljo acid, bug powder, a d nut¬ 
megs. Shall we buy a new parlor carpet? The 
old one’s getting faded. Want a new stewpan. 
The teapot leaks. Send for the furniture man aud 
find out how much he asks ror re-covering the 
sofa. Buy a new market basket. The old cat has 
four kittens. How many shall we drown ? We 
suspect our hired girl of stealing the tea. That 
last, half pound went very quickly. Schnapps, the 
grocer, will persist in giving us coffee which has 
been ground too long and lias lost Its flavor. 
Change him. Somebody’a stolen the aau- box’ 
again. Fifth In three weeks. Get a paper of 
tacks. Mrs. Doe borrowed our tack hammer a 
month ago and has never returned It. The canary 
bird Is sick. JBuy a ball of twine, Blx small Ecrews 
