of patent extortions, to show interest in this 
question not only by supporting an amend¬ 
ment of the patent laws, but also by con¬ 
tributing to the cost of a test case as to the 
validity of Hie Green patent for this process 
of well-mating. His patent is not on any 
device, lint on the process. Them are up¬ 
wards of 150 patents on various dev ices for 
executing tile process, which cunuot be done 
without liifiliigyig on one or more of these aux¬ 
iliary patents, so that, in addition to the tax 
payable to Green for the process, every well 
owner is liable to be forced to pay another 
tax to one or more of these other patentees 
for the “points,’’ “filters,” “drive-heads,” 
etc., needed to render that “process ” el fac¬ 
tual. The validity of this and all other 
patents is ultimately decided only by the 
United States Supre me Court. The decisions 
of the examiners of patents, of the Commis¬ 
sioner of Patou’s, of the U. S. Court of the 
District of Columbia, and of the U. S. Cir¬ 
cuit Courts, all of which have decided on this 
subject, do not settle the matter. That can 
be done only by the court of final arbitra¬ 
ment—the U. B. Supreme Court. Once that 
has decided, either all harassment from the 
patentees or all objections from the well- 
owners must cease.—To be continued. 
from each colony has been 92 pounds each 
year, most of which has been box honey. The 
80 colonies I had in the Bpring have increased 
to SO and are all in good condition for Winter. 
I have also raised and sent out 83 tested 
queens, which of course lessened the honey 
crop. I noticed with pleasure that each colo¬ 
ny gave about an equal yield of honey. For 
years L have been breeding from those colo¬ 
nies that gave the best results in honey, and I 
am glad to see that, progress has been made. 
When whole apiaries can be made to produce 
as good results as wo ha ve formerly obtained 
from the best stocks, we shall have no need of 
importing bees, as Apis Americana will bo 
the best in the world. In addition to my own 
I have worked this season an apiary of 15 
colonies away from homo, which gave a y ield 
of 874 pounds of box honey and 150 pounds of 
extracted, making a total of 2,274 pounds, or 
151 Vi' pounds per colony. 
Borodino, N. Y. 
THOMS AND ROSES. 
have accounted for his silence. I grew 
alarmed when a. week had gone by ; and re¬ 
solved to call and ask if Mrs. Verner could 
give me a 113 explanation, for he must surely 
be ill. 
As I rode on, I tried to solve the mystery. 
He did not care for writing, and he might 
ha ve little time for it, but lie could have sent 
mo a word, if he were not ill. Ill among 
strangers, and so far away ! Suppose it were 
fever, suppose it were- Sickened by the 
dreadful thought, I urged Diamond to a gal¬ 
lop, eager to see Mrs. Verner praying, hoping 
that all was well. 
When I reached the house, the servant 
looked curiously at me, for I felt, perhaps 
looked, faint with terror. 1 hastened to Mrs. 
Verner, knowing that if anythingwere wrong 
her face would at once tell me. But the first 
glance showed me that it was serene and calm 
as ever. 
To be Continued. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Like aGentleman. By a popular author. Boston: 
Lee & Shepard. Trice, $1.01. 
A book “ written for a purpose,” as the au¬ 
thor announces, and we think for a good one. 
It is a temperance work of a high order, show- 
that champagne makes as much havoc with 
stomach and brain as cheap rum. The char 
actors move in the best society and are 
wealthy; so the darkness of poverty mokes no 
appearance in the story. It is well worth 
reading, and should be in the library of every 
Sunday-school. 
Gold Foil. By J. G. Holland, New York: Chas. 
Serf burr's Sons. Price. $1.25. 
This is a revised edition of one of Holland’s 
best works. The immense circulation of the 
first edition is good evidence that it held a 
lofty place in the estimation of the reading 
public. The \\ ork consists of 28 essays on vital 
truths relating to morals and society and to 
the common life of man. They are replete 
with good counsels, and with “truths that 
have been verified and vitalized by human ex¬ 
perience.” 
Here comes Chatterbox for Xmas, 1881! 
One would think that no improvements could 
be made in it, yet each number is still finer 
and fuller than the one before. In this year’s 
we are treated to a tour around the world, and 
if the little folks will study each picture they 
will learn very much of the customs and char¬ 
acteristics of the people. The reading matter 
is of the kind that suits the young, and will do 
them no harm to read. Published by Estes & 
Lauriat, Boston, Mass. 
MAGAZINES. 
The Atlantic Monthly for December 
contains, Chapter’s It, 12 of Dr. Breen’s Prac¬ 
tice, Origin of Crime in Society Shu kespenre 
and Berlioz. The Portrait of a Lady ; The 
Parting of the Ways ; The Habitant of Lower 
Canada ; British State Assassins and the De¬ 
fence of Insanity ; Hester Dower; Socialists 
in a German University ; At Canterbury ; 
Caste in American Society. Pyrrhus Ring ; 
East of the Jordan and other books of Travel; 
Buddha and Early Buddhism ; The Contribu¬ 
tors Club; Books of the Month and Mark 
Twain’s New Departure, which so far as the 
author is concerned is fully verified in the 
writing of the book. We quote, “the same public 
is called upon to welcome its old favorite in a 
new guise as the author of a tale ingenious in 
conception, pure and Immune in purpose, artis¬ 
tic in method, and with barely a flaw, refined 
in execution.” The article upon the “Defence of 
Insanity,” will be read by the public just now, 
witli unusual interest, also that on “Origin of 
Crime in Society.” We thus acknowledge, 
Scribner’s, Harper’s Lippiucott’s, Appleton’s 
Magazines for December. They are full of 
the choicest reading, and it seems to us never 
were better. 
for XUomtiL 
CONDUCTED BY .MISS KAY CLARK. 
IMPROMPTU DECORATIONS AND 
ADORNMENTS FOR CHRIST¬ 
MAS. 
MRS. 0. S. JONES. 
Last year owing to an unusual amount of 
church decorative work, we found our feet 
upon the very threshold of Christmas eve and 
no preparations made for the customary home 
beautifying, upon which the enjoyment of its 
inmates so greatly depended. 
Loving hearts and ready fingers can accom 
plish a vast amount of this homo-brightening 
however, mid for the benefit of some other 
“house-wife” or “housemother” similarly 
situated we will describe some of the means 
to which we resorted in our emergency, es¬ 
pecially as wo believe them to be novel and 
yet capable of imparting a vast amount of 
beauty and brilliancy. 
There are many ways of getting up im¬ 
promptu adornments from materials within 
reach or readily obtained, and which afford 
more real satisfaction than costly and stud¬ 
ied arrangements, for inasmuch as Chi istmas 
festivities are “ but for a season,” it must ap¬ 
pear to the wise and conscientious expender 
of household finances, that to use inexpensive 
yet tasteful adornments is not only sensible 
but a duty, as thereby we may have the more 
for “ sending portions to those tor whom noth¬ 
ing is prepared.” Besides the usual cordons 
festooned round walls and windows nothing 
imparts such a genial feeling as a silent, but 
no less pronounced welcome, impas ted by 
cheery mottoes and words of greeting, and 
the hall as the “ entrance-chamber ’’ to the 
hou-e, should at once speak its mistress’ effort 
as “on hospitable deeds intent,” easily effect¬ 
ed in this case by simple but striking imita¬ 
tions of illuminations ill the genial WEL¬ 
COME, or old-wold SALVE, in colors; yet 
bringing “ The pine tree, the fir tree and the 
box together to beautify the place,” and us¬ 
ing evergreen frames and a large proportion 
of green, in varied shades, on the lettering, 
scrolls or other tracery. Cut large ornamen¬ 
tal letters from card hoard, or taking a long, 
narrow strip of the same mark them out upon 
it; then cover with flat sprigs of evergreen or 
leaves, such as laurel, box or liollv, making 
distinct Hues of color with “ everlastings,” 
Autumn leaves, scarlet berries or any legiti- 
m ite Christmas material. Thus each letter 
will stand out boldlv from the ground, and 
from a distance will appear like some hand¬ 
some illumination. 
Another pretty fancy is also to thus form 
the name, monogram or initial of the house¬ 
mother and place it either upon a covered 
frame, securely fastened against the back of 
her table-chair and rising sufficiently to ap¬ 
pear above her head; or against the wall be¬ 
hind her; in the latter casa appearing in form 
of a plaque and made by covering a large cir¬ 
cular piece of wood (such us the lid ofacheese- 
box) with putty or clay, upon winch while 
plastic fasten mosaic designs as a grounding 
with suitable border, and the name MOTHER 
or her monogram in the center. With colors 
carefully arranged this can be made a strik¬ 
ing ornament. 
There is nothing more attractive in room 
adornment than the ever graceful hanging- 
basket, which is most easily made and with 
inimitable beauty in this hasty adorning of 
the home. 
Various are the discarded articles which 
may bo “pressed into service” anil perform ef¬ 
fective work in this particular branch ; pans, 
bowls, goblets, lamp and gas shades, bird¬ 
cages, and indeed many articles connected 
only with certain households may be disen¬ 
tombed and appropriated to this especial case. 
Thus in one house, where called upon to aid 
in such impromptu dressing, we found several 
old gas-chandeliers which, when entirely cov¬ 
ered with green, made wonderfully beautiful 
supports for our hanging baskets, consisting 
of five repaired vegetable dishes, painted 
green and varnished with glue, upon which, 
having used our supply of moss, we covered 
with line shreds of shaded wool, supplied by 
ravelling green Brussels carpet, the lovely 
shades of which gave an imitation of moss so 
rich and vivid that all who examined it were 
deluded. Indeed, we know of no better imi¬ 
tation of velvety moss than this. The large 
central basket and four smaller, suspended 
from theurms and pendant ornaments by wire 
handles, passed through the China ones, when 
filled with white paper lilies, pink roses and 
buds and evergreens, with outside tracery of 
graceful grasses and ferns, were lovely; while 
above, u circle of candles fastened on tin sock¬ 
ets, formed it into a brilliant chandelier sus¬ 
pended over the table. Old bird cages, re¬ 
versed and filled with shavings, likewise 
form baskets as pretty as they are peculiar. 
Moss, flowers and plumes of grasses intro¬ 
duced between the bars and covering the top 
have a charmingly airy appearance. 
We cover mantels, brackets and shelves with 
white muslin, edged with evergreen sprays 
and lines of ivy, laurel or holly leaves above. 
The lambrequins, curtains ami portieres we 
cover with white muslin, applying the border 
ing m waved lines and in some cases intro¬ 
ducing lijies of vivid scarlet braid or Autumn 
leaves between. 
Beautiful snow-white baskets are made by 
boiling and scraping Cattle horns, then 
forming card-board foundations, sewing the 
scrapi' gs on in rows, each one covering 
the stitches of the preceding. For such im¬ 
promptu ocea-i< >lis t hese are not only appro¬ 
priate, but extremely lovtly in appearance, 
especially when filled with clear pink, deep 
crimson or brilliant sea riot blossoms. A sprink¬ 
ling of frosting adds vastly to the pretty ef¬ 
fect. 
In the dining-room the buffet or side-board 
is an important point, inasmuch as upon it 
HONEY REPORT FOR 1881. 
G. M. DOOLITTLE. 
Winter seemed loath to give place to Spring 
so it was April 2Ufch before our bees had a 
chance to fly to any amount. At this time 1 
found the severe Winter had made sud havoc 
with the little laborers, and above half of 
them were unable to respond to the roll-call, 
while many colonies w ere so weak as to be of 
little value unless united with others. When 
I had finished uniting I found 1 had just 8 U 
colonies left to commence the season with. 
May 1 st pollen came in quite pit ntitully from 
elm and soft maple, and’t he bee season of 1881 
was fairly commenced. Golden Willow 
bloomed May 12 and invited the bees to a 
feast of new honey, an invitation they were 
not slow in accepting. On the 21st the odor 
of apple blossoms filled the air, and prepared 
for the bees anotuer banquet. The month of 
* May was very warm and consequently white 
clover commenced to bloom about the 1 st of 
June—nearly 15 days earlier than usual. I 
expected much from this source as it was un¬ 
commonly abundant (owing to the steadily 
cold Winter); but I was doomed to disap¬ 
pointment, tor on the 5th the weather 
changed and the morning of the tith found 
everything white with frost. Cold, wet 
weather followed with more frost, and not 
till the 29th <iid the weather become favor¬ 
able so the Dees could work to any advantage. 
By this time the clover bloom was nearly 
past; but we succeeded in obtaining a small 
surplus just at tbo last. 
Basswood opened July 8 aud yielded very 
sparingly for about tight days. Basswood is 
our maiu dependence for a honey crop, but at 
its close this year wo had taken scarcely a 
box of honey, and feared the honey season 
was to be a failure in this locality. Red clo¬ 
ver had failed to blossom here for some years, 
so I was quite surprised in the lutter part of 
the basswood season to seo the fields growing 
bright with bloom. As the bloom increased 
and continued, we began to hope we might yet 
obtain some surplus, but had no expectation 
of the yield we really obtained. The few 
acres of teasles within reach of our bees com¬ 
menced t.oyield honey, and the 17th of July 
fouud the bees rushiug out of their hives and 
hastening to the fields of red clover and 
teasles at a rapid rate. This was kept up for 
about 10 days, wuou the honey yiold gradu¬ 
ally came to an end. Acres of buckwheat 
were white with bloom the latter part of 
August, but no surplus was obtained Thus 
the season of 1881 was ended; for wo have no 
Fall flowers. It is now four years since we 
obtained any surplus from buckwheat, so 1 
conclude that a yield of honey from that 
source (iu tins locality) is the exception rather 
than the rule. 
As a result of the season’s operation, I have 
taken in comb honey 8,817 pounds, and of ex¬ 
tracted, 718 pounds—iu all, 4,085 pounds, or 
an average yield ol' 181;* pounds to iho colo¬ 
ny. 1 had only one really good stock in the 
Spring and concluded to work that for extract¬ 
ed honey. To give the reader a knowledge of 
the yield from each source, 1 will give the re¬ 
sult iu pounds as taken from the different 
sources. Willow gave pounds; apple, 
19/^ pounds; white clover, 58^ pounds; bass- 
woe l, 97 pcnlii Is; red clover and Learies, 282 
pounds, making in all 418 pounds, 
For the past nine years 1 have kept a cor- | 
rect account with the bees, and I find, by 
looking over the same, that the average yield 
(Continued from page 818.) 
CHAPTER XIV. 
True to his promise, Brandon came the 
evening after I had parted from Nevil. When 
1 heard his voice 1 felt sorry that lie had come, 
and could not help the rush of color to my 
cheeks, the tears filling my eyes. But neither 
in look, tone nor manners wa s there the slightest 
change: and if this cost him an effort;, there 
was no visible sign Of* that effort; and his 
serene composure restored me to myself. 
He stood beside aunt Dorothy, mending 
some broken article in her work box, and atthe 
same time talking to her, whilst 1 gazed out at 
the garden feeling profoundly grateful to him 
for not reminding me of yesterday, until he 
broke in on my thoughts. 
“Aunt is saving, Kate, that gravity is infec¬ 
tious, and you have caught it from me.” 
“ Well, my dear,” said auut Dorothy, “ you 
have been very grave lately. I suppose Bran¬ 
don wants to make you a student like him¬ 
self.” 
“ One wise Lovel is enough," he said; “ and 
at present the wisdom of the family is cou- 
centi’ated in me.” 
“Is it really wise to bury yourself over 
books V said auut Dorothy,“ until you look 
old and worn ? But then you live like a her¬ 
mit.” 
“ My deeds upon my head, aunt Dora. 
Though I am a hermit, I am as free as air, 
and as empty." 
lie crossed the room, and leaned on my 
chair, looking down at me as he spoke. 
“ So Nevil has gone, Kate ?” 
“Yes; business of some kind called him 
away.” 
“ You will have his letters to look for, and 
I suppose lie will soon return. No news from 
Edith? 1 thought she was to come this sum¬ 
mer ?” 
“She may have changed her mind- 
Who’s this ?” 
For a moment I thought it was Nevil coming 
for a second good-bye, but us the new-comer 
advanced, 1 recognized Edgar Dana and 
shivered. 
“Are .you cold ?” said Brandon, quickly. 
“Oh, it is nothing ! Is he—do you-” 
All too conscious of my confusion, I 
stopped, and Brandon for a moment gazed 
steadily at me, then turned to welcome 
Edgar, who had by this time been admitted. 
Ho was greatly embarrassed, and as it w as 
the first time he had met my kinsman since he 
had told me that story, I did not wonder; in¬ 
deed, it was an uupleasant position for us 
both, oven though Brandon were unconscious 
of it. 
Edgar did not remain very long, seeming 
remarkably anxious to get away. 
“Oui ways are tbo same,” said Brandon; 
“shall we go together, and the walk will be 
less lonely f” 
*• I_a—1 go the other way,” said Mr. Dana 
coloring. “lliko walking alone—don’t let 
me disturb you.” 
“ Could you tell when a person disliked you, 
Kate ?” asked Brandon, when he had gone. 
“Yes; I think so. Why?” 
“Nothing; only I have the same instinct.” 
lie stayed some time w ith us, and when he 
did go ho said good night kindly, and the sor¬ 
row of yesterday, and the fear of to-day, left 
me. 
This Summer week would have been to me 
quite happy but for one thing—the inevita¬ 
ble one thing wanting in all human happiness 
— I had had no letter from Nevil. The mys¬ 
terious silence puzzled and distressed mo not 
a little, because he had promised to write, 
and he must know how anxiously I should 
wait for bis letter. What couldibmean ? Was 
be ill ? Had some accident happened? We 
had not parted coldly or angrily, or I might 
