490 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JULY 23 
be very wrong?—I want to break off my engage¬ 
ment.” 
“ Grade I” 
“Are you dreadfully shocked?” I a8k, lightly. 
“ Ileally and truly, It will be the beat thing forme 
to do. I do not love Nr. Vernon, and I do not 
think It will break Me heart.” 
And then, without giving her time to apeak, I 
pour out a voluble explanation. 1 plead my youth 
and inexperience, and tell her, with perfect truth- 
that I find that I have completely mistaken my 
feelings for Cyril. The engagement, has been 
such a Fhort one. and has been kept so quiet, that 
no one need know of It, and 1 end my explanation 
and excuses by asking her to tell Cyril. 
But Mabel shrinks back. 
" No, no,” Bhe say a, hurriedly; “ papa will tell 
him, If Indeed you have decided; but. Grade, have 
you really considered this Well? Have you quite 
made up your mind ? Do you know what a great 
treasure you are casting away? Do you know 
how happy you would have been ? Dear ehlld, 
think well. We, who love you, could wish you no 
happier fate than to be Cyril Vernon's wife.” 
“ But I do not care for him, Mabel, You would 
not have me marry him. If I do not care for 
him?” 
“No, dear ; but-” 
“No buts,” I answer, gaily. “ Oh, Mahel! here 
Is papa—will you tell him, dear? He may be a 
little vexed with me ; and while you are telling 
him 1 will go down atalre.” 
Papa comes In wh lie 1 am speaking, and disre¬ 
garding Mabel’s entreaitng gesture, I leave them 
together. What passes between them I do not 
know; but when papa cornea down, he looks some¬ 
what moved, and kisses me without a word of the 
scolding l half expected to receive, and then he 
goes into his Btudy, where Cyril Is writing letters. 
The interview between papa and his embryo 
son-in-law is a long one; and when they Join us 
at dinner Cyril’s face wears an expression of In¬ 
tense happiness, which shows me that the explan¬ 
ation has been ample and satisfactory, and his 
eyes seek Mabel's with an Impassioned tender¬ 
ness, which tells a tale of love few would be slow 
to read. 
Thus It comes about that, when pleasant Sum¬ 
mer days are nearly over, and Autumn’8 russet 
hues and golden browns are clothing trees and 
hedgerows, there is a pretty wedding at Easton 
Church. Mabel JookB beautiful and queenly lu 
her bridal robes—a far more fitting bride for Cyril 
than I should ever have been—while Ills face Is 
transfigured with an expression of Intense Joy 
which bodes well for our dear sister’s happiness. 
Of course I am bridesmaid, and Jack Edmonds 
is Cyril’s best man. Jack Las passed all his medi¬ 
cal examinations, and Cyril has asked him to 
settle at Vernon, where a clever, rlstng medical 
man cannot fall to make his way, and where 
Cyril has bought, him a practice, which he whis¬ 
pers to me, smiling, is his wedding-present to 
Jack and me, while Mabel’s gift Is the furniture 
of the pretty house they have taken for us. Ah! 
I have let my secret out now. 
Before the Summer comes again there will he 
another wedding at Easton Church, in which 
Jack &Dd I will be the principal performers. 
Mabel and Cyril will be back from their long 
honeymoon under dreamy Italian skies then, and 
in iny present cloudless happluees I sometimes 
glance back to the brief period of my first engage¬ 
ment, and rejotce unfelgnedly and sincerely that 
I once played the part of eavesdropper concealed 
In the conservatory.—T hk End. 
• - ♦-»♦ - 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
I,owl in a Great City. By Amanda M. Douglas. 
BostOu Lea ii Shepard. Umo. Cloth, tl.60. 
An intensely interesting history of a semi-or¬ 
phan, lost la the city of New York. It gives a 
detailed description of ten years or an outcast 
life,—bought by a desperado, and sold to a variety 
actor, who, by means of the severest chastisement 
human nature ever underwent, succeeds in devel¬ 
oping her Into an elegant dance and tight rope 
perrormer. She gets to loving her “ Dick,” who 
turns his cruel treatment into fondnesB and ca¬ 
resses,—dies and again leaves her cast upon a cold 
and unfriendly worid. After several years of se¬ 
vere hardship she again enters the life of an ac¬ 
tress upon her own Independence, becomes recog¬ 
nized by friends who have looked long ana earn¬ 
estly for her, Is restored to the arms or a fond and 
loving father, becomes an heiress and marries the 
man who persistently sought tor her everywhere, 
both In Europe and America. The story Is alto¬ 
gether well written, but at times her episodes are 
too much overdrawn to become real to the reader. 
History of Woman Suffrage. By Elizabeth 
Gaily .Stanton, Bussti B. Anthony, .Matilda J. Gave. 
Complete in two volumes. New York: Bowler & 
Wells, Publishers. Price, doth $5; slieep, (f.ti.BU. 
The first volume is now published, the second 
will appear In due time. This la the outgrowth of 
an endeavor which has claimed the attention or 
the authors tor many years, and also of many oth- 
ers In a more subdued manner. A faithful survey 
of the suffrage movement is comprehensively re¬ 
lated. Brief personal sketches of women who 
have been practically Interested In this work la an 
attractive feature. Fine Steel port raits are Inter¬ 
spersed, thu8 enhancing Its value. A short chap¬ 
ter is devoted to “Woman In Journalism.'’ The 
progress of woman in a general sense; state laws, 
and much Information bearing upon matters dis¬ 
tinctive of, as well as combining with suffrage, 
has received consideration. Those indifferent to 
ts particular subject will And enough within its 
folds to guarantee a glance at least. Letters from 
distinguished authors, among them Horace Greeley 
and George william Curtis, have been selected 
for its pages, 
Li«lil fluid life- For Sunday Schools, Prayer and 
and Praise Metstiiure. By B. M. McIntosh. Boston: 
Oliver Ditson and Go. Price 36 cts. 
Light and Life has been very carefully prepared 
by Mr. McIntosh, and creates a very favorable Im¬ 
pression on first sight, by reason not only of the 
bright, clean cut appearance of Its pages and title 
cover, but by the unusual excellence of Its con¬ 
tents, which have been especially chosen to give 
to Sabbath School teachers and Bcholars an en¬ 
tirely fresh collection ot hymns and tunes, either 
original or selected, which will add a pleasing 
change to tliclr work and exercises. The title Is 
very apt, and the Illustrated cover representing a 
missionary ship sailing Into the harbor of a sav¬ 
age hamlet In the Southern Seas, la admirably ex¬ 
ecuted. and la suggestive The motto verse: 
Eight and Gil t- to all he brings. 
Risen withiMulinirin bis wjtnr«; 
Hail, thou Heaven-born Prince of Peace ! 
Hail, thou Son of Righteousness I 
<ili;iiilii«n in <|ie Held of Art. By Ednah D. 
Cheney. Boston, hoe & Btaenard. 
Thl8 book Is written In a very pleasing style 
and allows much thought and research. The 
opening chapter Is devoted to a discussion of art 
m general and this is followed by some! 6 chap¬ 
ters, In which la traced 1 he history of art from Gio 
B C. down to modern times, giving us glimpses 
of the progressive Bteps, and pen pictures of the 
men who, like Ar gelo, have exalted It to Its proud 
position 1 It Is a book which will prove interest¬ 
ing to every lover of the beautiful, and will be a 
valuable aid to the student of historical art. 
A I.cmmoii in I.ove. Hound Robin Rories, No. 2 
Boston: ,Tnmop It. Osgood 4: Co 
a New York lawyer is the hero of this enter¬ 
taining novel. Two women are recipients of hla 
Interest; with one he forms an engagement while 
his keenest interest is in the other. The striking 
polntBOt the story are the manner In which the 
hero Is disentangled from bis unenviable position, 
and the unfolding of the characters. A famous 
lawsuit, rival incidents, Ac., give to the story 
freshness and spirit. 
BRIC-A-BRAC. 
There was a young fellow of Milton. 
Whose collar it would keep a wiltin’; 
The wanner be got 
The freer he “ Bwot:” 
“ Be .labors," said he, ” I'jn a miltin’.” 
A young lady was married in Louisville the 
other day, and a newspaper account ot the event 
was headed, “ Mated In May.” The New York 
Graphic supposes that “ Joined In .Tuue” and “At¬ 
tached In August” will be the fate of those who 
come later In the season It Is to be hoped that 
“ Separated In September” will be needed In no 
case. 
Her lips were like the leaves, he said, 
By autumn’s crimson tinted. 
** Some people autumn leave* preserve 
By pressing them,” she hinted. 
The inclining of the gen tie bint 
The lover did discern: 
And so he clasped her round the neck. 
And glued his lips to ber'n. 
A Western writer thinks that If the proper way 
to spell tho Is •* though" ate is “ eight,” and hots 
is “beaux,” the proper way to spell potatoes is 
“ poughtelghteaux.” 
Sweet, flowers ! that from your sunny nooks 
Give welcome to the vernal eim! 
How Joyous, as each bright eye looks 
Aloft, doth »eeiu the life begun. 
How eloquent ye seem of days 
When lovers near your haunts will chance, 
And she your dainty forma will praise, 
And he up budded cliffs will prnuce, 
And get—much verdure on bis pants. 
-Yonkers Gazette. 
An O3hkosh mother was remonstrating with her 
daughter for refusing what the former considered 
an eligible offer of marriage. “ It’s no use talking 
to me,” exclaimed the recalcitrant maiden, “j 
won’t never marry no man who scratches a match 
across the basement of his pantaloons.” 
ALL THK SAMK. 
The soap fat man’s familiar face 
Is now no longer seen; 
All kitchen grease finds a new place 
lu Oily margarine. 
Seeing is not always believing—you may see a 
man, and yet not believe him. 
John Phoenix, the humorist, being one night at 
the tneat re, fancied he saw a friend some throe 
seats in front of him. Turning to his next neigh¬ 
bor, he said : “Would you be kind enough to touch 
that gentleman with your stick?" “ Certainly,” 
was the reply, and the thing was done; but wheu 
the Individual thus assaulted turned round, Phoe 
nix saw he was not the man he took blin for, and 
became at once absorbed in the play, leaving his 
friend with the stick to settle matters with the 
gentlemau In front, which, as he had no excuse 
handy, was not done without considerable trouble. 
When the hubbub was over, the victim said: “You 
told me to tap that man with my stick ?” “ Y r es.” 
“ And whatdld you want?” “Oh 1" said Phoenix, 
with extreme gravity, “ I wanted to see whether 
you would tap him or not.” 
Wivee of great men oft remind u« 
We may make their dress sublime: 
Eighty ahilllngB for a bonnet 
Knocks a check-book out of time. 
and the wheat are the good? “Yes.” “Why.” 
replied the practical Tommy, “ its the wheat that 
gets thrashed ; the tares don’t.” 
Once he sang of maidens, 
Sweet and Jolly maidens. 
Now he Is a cynic, 
Cynic, cross and cold; 
Just beeanRc when smitten 
He reeieved the mitten, 
He must think that nmideriH 
Are all flirts and bold. 
IT IS UNI.UCKT. 
To fall out of a third-story window on Monday. 
To meet a red headed woman on Tuesday (espe¬ 
cially If you owe her anything.) 
To break a fiu mirror on a Wednesday. 
To dream you see red suakes or green monkeys 
on Thursday. 
To get bung on Friday. 
To lose $2 so on Saturday. 
Or to get locked up on Sunday. 
Paste this In your hat. 
FAMUO.NAlil.K NURSERY RHYME. 
Old Mother Hubbard 
Bangs in my cupboard. 
Very .-esthetic in tone: 
What shall I wear. 
When its threadbare, 
And the new fashion is gone?”—Punch. 
BEFORE AND AFTER. 
“ Women before marriage want nothing but 
husbands, and when they get them they want 
everything else,” said an old bachelor. “ now 
different It Is wlih you," retorted a lady. “ When 
a man gets a wife he just settles down contented, 
feeling that he has secured the best blessing that 
heaven could bestow.” 
•-+ ♦ ♦-- 
THE TIME HAD COME. 
Three or four years ago when there was a grip 
on the potato market, there lived near an Interior 
village lu this mate a farmer named Peters. He 
raised good crops, paid his debts, and was down 
on rings of all sorts, The price or potatoes kept 
going up and up and the old farmer was uneasy, 
lie came Into the village every evening to see 
how the market stood, and although be never sai l 
much It was evident (hat he would hurst his hoops 
pretty soon it t blogs continued on In that way. At, 
length the climax came. One evening tho old 
man and his son had a warm corner In a grocery 
when a citizen entered with a newspaper in his 
hand and said: 
“This New York Dally says that the price of 
potatoes Is certain to advance again before the 
week Is out.” 
“What.?” exclaimed Peters, “ another advance 
in ’taters?" 
“ Yes, the Lord only knows what is to become 
of the poor If this potato ring Isn't bursted.” 
The farmer arose, buttoned his old white over¬ 
coat clear to hts Ohio, brought hts flat down hard 
on the cheese box and sternlv said: 
“ The time has come! I've stood It—and stood 
It, as long as lean, and now I’m going to act I 
George we’ll go home and get ready to throw flfty- 
8lx bushels of peacbblows on the market tomor¬ 
row, ana bust that wicked ring all to thunder.”— 
Wall Street News. 
Joi fi&mueu. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
A MOTHER’S DIARY. 
Morning ! Baby on the floor, 
Muklnv for tho lender; 
Sunlight seems to make it sneeze; 
Baby ” on a bender?” 
All the spools u punt and gone, 
Chairs drawn iuto file. 
Harnessed strings all strung across. 
Ought to make one smile, 
Apron clean, curls «noo' '. i top blue 
(How these charms will dwindle) 
For I ralher think—don’t you— 
Baby " is a swindle ?” 
Noon! A tangled, silken floss 
Getting in blue eyes; 
Apron that will not keep clean 
If a baby tries! 
One blue shoe untied, and one 
Underneath the table; 
Chairs gone road, and blocks and toys 
Well as they are able; 
Baby In a high chair, too. 
Yelling for hiB dinner. 
Spoon iu mouth ; I think—don't you— 
Baby “ is a sinner ?” 
Night! Chairs all set back again, N 
Blocks aud spools in order; 
One blue shoe beneath the mat 
Tells of a marauder; 
Apron folded on a chair, 
Plaid dress torn and wrinkled 
Two pink foet kicked pretty bare 
Little fat knees krlokled; 
In bis crib, and conquered, too. 
By sleep, blessed evangel. 
Now I surely think—don’t you 
Baby “ is an angel 
-♦ • » - 
CONCERNING FARMEK’8 DAUGHTERS. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER 
centlve, Is not worth much to the average Amer¬ 
ican of either sex. We all lack the moderation 
and contentment of disposition that characterize 
the people ot older countries. While we al90 
have not reached certain methods of work that 
are an outcome of older civilizat ion For Instance 
In Europe, the manufacture of butter la almost ex¬ 
clusively In the lmtds of women, and in France 
hutter making is made such a speciality by women 
that consumers in making their purchases 
ask for eertalu brand =t—for the butter made 
by certain women who have aohlevea a rep¬ 
utation for the excellence ot their butter. But In 
this country with Its enormous production of but¬ 
ter and cheese, the manufacture and ?ale ot both 
are carried on In the name of men, and rn many 
large dairies the entire work is done by men. Al¬ 
though women have been quick to take advantage 
of many new opportunities for work during the 
past few years, yet In certain ways, particularly 
available to country women—ways which might 
be made pleasant, proQtable and full of interest— 
they have been peculiarly slow in making efforts. 
For a farmer’ ^daughter, to make butter, pack it 
in a tub, and send it to market to be dumped with 
numerous other tubs and sold In the lump, is a 
work that ts cammonplace enough; but if she ap¬ 
plies herself to the making of a distinctive quality 
of butter, which In shape and braud has Individu¬ 
ality like herseli. and which must, soon win a 
good repute among buyers, then the maker ot it 
does her work to a new eoag. She has made a 
puce tor herseir, aud gats first class pay for her 
work. In the city of Philadelphia, ami probably 
in other cities atso, there are. many families who 
pay from 75 cents to It 00 per pound tor their but¬ 
ter, whatever the market prices may be—being 
supplied with a certain brand of the article which 
they know to be always tlrst-cluss, and t his quali¬ 
ty of butter rarely can be had in the markets. 
No better lime, could be had, t han the present 
day of oleomargarine and butterloe. for women to 
turn t,hetr attention to butter making in their 
own names and right—give their buuer a stamp 
ofthelr own de3lgn, and la their personal behalf 
make a place for It and nil It so well that 
there will be a conttnous and growing demand 
for it. The French women send their hutter to 
their customers In small baskets, something like 
a strawberry basket. The butter, which la un¬ 
salted, and made fresh every day or two, Is 
wrapped In a piece of muslin thoroughly soaked 
In st rongly salted water and the butter remains 
In the w t salted cloth until used up. 
In Finland, a far-away couutry to quote, there 
arc traveling dilry-malds and dairy scnools. The 
dalry-malds, or traveling teachers, were first ap¬ 
pointed In 1808 officially, and as they were paid 
from the public treasury every Inhabitant had a 
rlghtto claim Instruction trom them. So much 
Interest was awakened by the dairy-maids In 
hutter and cheese making, that the government 
founded dairy schools, and school were also 
founded by the owners of prlvite dairies with 
women to teach the practical part of the work. 
There are but eight pupils alio wed In each school, 
and after a caurau of two years they piss a final 
examination berore the members of the Agricul¬ 
tural Society. During the two years the Instruc¬ 
tion consists of autmvl physiology, tending or 
animals In general, treatment or the corn :non dts - 
eases of the cuttle, the use ot the thermometer, 
different, methods of cooling milk and their effect 
upon the formation ot cream, the treatment of 
cream, making ot butter, the rnanuficture of 
cheese from skimmed and unskimmed milk and 
finally book-keeping by simple entry—In fact a 
thoroughly learned b uslness, which In this coun¬ 
try is taken up and carried on in a most un¬ 
learned and haphaz ird fashion. 
Each dairy school receives from the State an 
annual subsidy ot 2,4 W Finnish marks In addi¬ 
tion to hutter, cottage cheese can he made; where 
there la fruit In abundance, young larmerines 
ought to be able to mike a local reputation for 
their Jellies, preserves, Bplced and canned fruits, 
nome prepared articles have a tlivor and dellc- 
lousness that are never found In goods put up at 
factories, and there are always consumers of sum • 
clently refined and dainty tastes to buy these 
superior articles, Bo with certain cakes and pas- 
trlea. Poultry ralalng Is very proil,able, aud all 
occupations that bring one In contact with do¬ 
mestic animals and with nature have a healthful 
cheerfulness and wuoleaomeneaa about them that 
should make sweet and happy the life of any 
woman engaged In them. 
If young country women want work to which 
t uey can put their brains as well as their hands, 
there is no place so advantageous tor thorn as ihe 
country, especially, lx tuey live in the region of a 
thriving town or on the Une of railways, so that 
markets for tuelr wares are available. To build 
up a business otany sort requires patience, pluck, 
perseverance and real capability. Before leaving 
the farm for the Bhop, or " store’’or factory, I 
would earnestly advise all discontented and am¬ 
bitious girls to fi •at see what they can do with the 
menus they have at hand, 
If parents have money to “start the boys” in 
life, they should do so equally with the girls, in¬ 
dependence and seir reliance are as necessary for 
women In this land of changing fortunes as for 
men, while work with a purpose in it, is necessary 
to the hast and truest happiness. And It farmer’s 
daughters can establish a place for themselves by 
their work on the rarm -work with abn and am¬ 
bition In It—they can do no hatter, tor Ufa la the 
country Is, beyond alt question, of the best possi¬ 
ble good to a human being. But a great many 
are exceedingly slow In finding It out. 
WOMAN’S BSST WORK 
Many different topics have been discussed In 
the Woman's Deportment of the Rukai, New- 
Yorker -economy, etiquette, the fashions, etc.— 
hut among ail the good, energetic and Intelligent 
women who write those articles, not one, 1 think, 
has brought forward the subject which of all oth- 
Sunday-school teachers have amusing experi¬ 
ences, In explaining the Gospel for the day, not 
long since, the subject being the “ tares and the 
wheat,” the children were much Interested 
therein. In closing. I said; “ Now, remember, 
the tares represent the bad people, and the wheat 
the good ” Tommy who had been an Intent 
listener, opened hts great blue eyes and Bald ; 
" Miss Jenkins, you say that the tares arc the bail 
Although the matter rarely, If ever, finds its 
way Into print, It Is nevertheless true that there 
Is as much discontent among the daughters, as 
among the sons of rarmers, but owing to the cir¬ 
cumstances with which they are environed and 
their greater 1 \ck of venturoaomeness, it is not 
often that a girl breaks away from the home life 
of the farm and turns to the city, or “ goes West” 
to seek her fortune. 
Every occupation t evoid of peraonal l.u- 
