fate’ portfolio. 
WOMAN. 
Women there are who say the world is slow 
To recognize the scientific power; 
Wherefore they fill with heat the flying hour. 
And let the hsauty of their sweet life go 
Like water thro 1 a child's Trail fingers. So 
Miirht the tre^ murmur not to be a tower. 
Might envy of the strong storm vex the shower 
That wakes sweet, blossoms and makes brooklet* flow. 
The lady whom I love has no such thought; 
No stolid strength of mind shall make her weak, 
No folly sink her in the sad abyss 
Where these same 6cientiflclouls are caught, 
She knows a kiss befits a lovely cheek, 
Ay, and that rosy lips were made to kiss. 
(Mortimer Collin t. 
TAEMEES’ WIVES. 
Some years ago I was talking with Dr. ghav, 
chief physician In the New York state Lunatic 
Asylum at Ctlca, and ho told mo that, as a class, 
more farmers’wives were brought to that Insti¬ 
tution than people of any other occupation. Ho 
said:—“The reason why t.hla is so. Is that their 
minds arc constantly on one unchangeable rou- i 
tine of work, from daylight In the morning till | 
late at, night —no change —no relaxation —no 
rest." 
Farmers should note this fact, and bo forewarn¬ 
ed belore It is too late, it Is astonishing what a 
vast, amount of labor farmers’ wives perform! 
Many of them get up and have breakfast ready 
before their husbands are out of bed. Then It 13 
work, work, work, till near midnight.; the mind 
all the time being on their duties—how they shall 
supply the meals—how the washing and Ironing 
are to bo done—when can the floors be scrubbed 
—how the children aro to be clot bad and kept 
tidy; and many other things, all combined, are 
enough to break down the strongest woman In 
the land! 
"In no case,” said Dr. Okay, “la It safe to be 
constantly t hinking upon one thing or subject 
and In cases where the brain has become weak¬ 
ened by too great a strain on It, as with students 
and literary men, the remedy is ml and outdoor 
recreations. Then when men are In trouble, a 
constant brooding over It is dangerous. The 
mind should b 3 drawn away from it as much as 
possible. 
Farmers, your duties to your wives are plain. 
Don’t allow them to overwork, to wear out pre- 
mat urely. 1 c is better to leave a few acres less to 
your heirs, and less In bonds or mortgages, than 
to sec j'our wives go down to premature graves, 
with the epitaph, “bled of farm drudgery." 
Linden, N. J. T. B. Miner. 
-» ♦-»- 
CONCERNING STARERS. 
I have somewhere read that staring Is a M lost 
art,” but I am led to believe that there are some 
who understand If In these days. It seems to be 
a part of their nature, and to affect different per¬ 
sons In different ways. 
There is your bold, unblushing starer, who will 
look you out of countenance In a moment. He 
will take in every detail of your Dice, dress and 
appearance, and no amount of dignity you can 
assume will prevent his looking at you as long os 
he pleases. 
Then again there is your Intermittent starer, 
who pauses between the. acts to gain strength to 
look again. Then there Is the nervous starer, who 
will give .you a sharp glance, and then just as you 
think he has forgotten about you, back come his 
eyes, with a sort of spasmodic motion. 
The genteel starer has a sort of unconscious 
way of looking at you. M ill see everything you 
are doing, and still not seem to notice >'ou. If 1 
have got to be stared at, I like that way the best; 
but, to tell the truth, j do not consider It anj' ac¬ 
complishment to be a good starer. Perhaps every 
lady doesn’t feel like me about it; but when I go 
out 1 do not like to have people looking to see 
how my hair Is combed, and whether my “ pull¬ 
back ” sets J ust right or not. Amelia. 
---e-*-*--- 
TWO PICTURES. 
of this horrid wretch, he learned that he was no 
other than the sweet child with golden ringlets 
whom he once knew so well and saw so often 
playing in the streets of.Rome. 
-»-»-•»- 
PRANKS OF A PRINCE. 
A funny story Is told of the second son of tho 
Prince of Wales, Prineo George Frederic. lie Is a 
merry little fellow, fond of tricks, and no more 
awed by the majestj' of his Sovereign than most 
lads are of their grandmother. He was oven less 
amenable to discipline a few years ago than he is 
now. and on one occasion, when staying with the 
Queen at Windsor, played her a pretty prank. 
She had a solemn dinner, at which a Grand Duke, 
Mr. Gladstone and lVa u Stanley assisted. At 
dessert tho children wero sent for. When they 
came in Prince George was riotous. Grand¬ 
mamma reproved him. Ho went on heedlessly. 
Grandmamma was again obliged to Interfere. At 
last tho youngster became very obstreperous, and J 
he had to be sent under tho table—a favorite ! 
mode of punishment, it is said, w it h her Majesty 
—whence lie was not to emerge until ho had con¬ 
fessed his sin and promised amendment. He was 
very quiet, to even-body’s surprise; but, when 
challenged, assured his Imperturbable grand- 
[ mamma that lie was not quite good, but would 
bo soon. At last he was sat isfied with his own 
condition, and, to tho amusement, or the guests, 
emerged as naked as he was born, when, after a 
smart chase, he was removed by the servants. 
-- 
UNSELFISHNESS. 
[See Illustration on Page 13.] 
An excellent homily could well be written upon 
the importance of teaching youth to be unselfish; 
but when It Is considered that among tho millions 
of good moral lessons delivered Trom our pulpits 
every Sunday, hardly one In a thousand hits the 
mark, it seems almost a pity to waste valuable 
space for such writing. Presented to the mind, 
however, In the form or an illustration, It takes a 
deeper root, so it la hoped that theent presented 
hero will teach the lesson,—showing, as it does, 
tho manner In which Sammy takes his little neigh¬ 
bor gently by the hand and guides her footsteps 
across the brook, with her heavy top-load or fag¬ 
gots. The reward of a good act Is Immediate In 
the feelings of him who performs It, and this Is 
apparentby tho expression of Sammy’s face, which 
evinces that soft and kindly smile following noth¬ 
ing but a good deed. 
---- 
WHY SHE VOTED. 
A Colorado correspondent writes:—“We had 
tho honor, not long since, of seeing one of the first 
ladles who voted In the United States. She cast 
her ballot In Wyoming, and gave tho following 
reason why she voted at all, laughing as heartily 
as any of her hearers. She said she was standing 
In a store one day whon A large black dog came 
in, holding a basket lu his mouth. It was election 
day and sonic of the men standing around, talk¬ 
ing about the late Women suffrage Act passed In 
the Territory, said .fack (the dog) should bo al¬ 
lowed to put his vote In tf the women were, for he 
certainly had Just as much sense about such 
things. Tho lady said she made up her mind In¬ 
stantly to go to the polls and vote, though she 
1 had no idea of doing so before that man so slan¬ 
dered her sex.” 
.- 4 --- 
, Douglas .Jkrrold worked at a desk without 
speck upon It, using an Inkstand In a marble shell 
clear of all litter, his little dog at his feet. If a 
comedy was in progress, he would now and then 
walk rapidly up and dow-n the room, talking wild- 
J ly to himself, it it were Punch copy, one heard 
[ I him laugh as ho lilt upon a droll bit. And then 
out he would go to tho garden and plucking a 
| hawthorn leaf, stroll thinking down the stde- 
’ walks; then In again and vehemently at work, 
' i unrolling the thought that had come to him along 
, little blue slips of paper. In letters smaller than 
the type m which they were presently to be set. 
- ♦ ♦♦--— 
FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN. 
i)tug for tljc gating. 
A ROMANCE OF CHRISTMAS. 
Sweet Josie stood with thoughtful mien 
Before the glowing anthracite, 
DreaminK a happy ivakinp dream 
She meant to make cr.iuc true that night. 
“ I do not think,” she softly said, 
“ If I should ask, he would refuse; 
And when tho Christinas feast is spread. 
Then Lovo onr cause shall win or lose." 
The spacious mansion shone with light., 
Heart-full of happiness the Uo'st; 
Of all the year fair Christmas night 
Held memories, that moved him most. 
Around tho feast glad faces bourn. 
Low words and laughter idly drift; 
Then rose fair Josie, like somo queen— 
“ My father, I would ask u gift. 
“ This morning Ur my mother's hand 
You laid a bracelet richly rare; 
And scarcely you would understand 
That I for Jewels did not care. 
“ This morning gold and love you sent 
To many a home where they are scant; 
■What I then said I really meant— 
Money is not the think I want. 
" But if you would make Josie gay 
And all her happiness bring back, 
Make life one long fair holiday. 
Then give her freely—Cousin Jack." 
Just for a moment one could see 
A shadow fall on every face; 
Then said the father, " I agree: 
Tho man must surely have somo grace 
" That Josio loves so tenderly. 
I'll take him on your word, my dear, 
Bid him come home from oversea, 
And we will make him welcome hore. 
" Then friends make room, I have a guest 
Who must no pleasant welcome lack. 
Of Christmas gifts this Is tho best— 
Come in and bring in Cousin Jack !” 
They met llio sun-browned youth with Joy, 
And Josie took, with grave delight. 
The band of the brave sailor boy 
Who came to her that Christmas night- 
I Harper’s Weekly. 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
A Trifle Too Severe. 
■ 
Pictures themselves have sometimes a curious 
history. The story of the two pictures at Flor¬ 
ence Is old, but not worn out. An artist at Rome 
saw often, playing in the street near his window, 
a child of exquisite beauty, with golden hair and 
cherub race. Struck with the loveliness of the 
boy, he painted a picture of him and hung it up 
la ins studio. In the saddest hours that sweet, 
gentle face looked down upon him like an angel 
of light. Its presence filled the soul with glad¬ 
ness and longings lor heaven, which its purity 
sjonbollzed. “If ever I find," said he, “a perfect 
contrast, to this beauteous face, I will paint that 
also, and hang It on the opposite wall, and the 
one I shall call heaven and the other hell.” 
Years passed. At length. In another part of 
Italy, In a prison he visited, looking In through 
the grated door of a cell, he saw the most hideous 
object that ever met his sight—a fierce, haggard 
fiend, with glaring eyes and cheeks deeply mark¬ 
ed with the lines ot lust and crime. The artist 
remembered the promise he had made himself, 
and immediately painted a picture of this loath¬ 
some culprit, to hang over against the portrait of 
the lovely boj\ The contrast was perfect : the 
two poles of the moral universe were before him. 
Then the mystery ot the human soul gained an¬ 
other illustration. He had two pictures, but they 
were likenesses of one and the same person. To 
his great surprise, on Inquiring Into the history 
The Enrolling Clerk of the Colorado House of 
Representatives Is a woman. 
Some lovely imitation jewelry is made of tiny 
feathers that gutter Uke gems. 
A henpecked husband declared that the longer 
he lived with his wife the more he was smitten 
by her. 
Henry Rivers has been arrested In Vermont 
for having eight wives. As though the crime 
wasn’t punishment enough! 
A bloodthirsty editorial would have appeared 
In a country paper the other day, but the editor’s 
wife took him by tho ear, led him into the back 
yard, and he sawed Just twenty-three sticks of 
wood before dark. 
Mrs. Landkr, the tragedienne, resides In Wash¬ 
ington. She has a cottage on Capitol UUi, where 
she draws around her a choice circle of friends, 
most of whom are ladles. Mrs. L. has two prom¬ 
ising young sons. 
Mbs. Piatt, the poet, has not of her own voli¬ 
tion sought literary distinction. She has not 
made writing a profession, nor studied poetry as 
an art, nor composed verses with the direct de¬ 
sign of publication. She writes when the mood 
la upon her, and at such Intervals of leisure as 
she can spare from the cares and duties of do- 
! nestle life. Some of her best pieces were written 
spontaneously and published without revision. 
Her volumes of poems have been published at the 
! wish of her husband. 
Dear Rural:— For some time back I’ve read 
everything that has appeared In your columns, 
and the more I sen or your paper the better 1 like 
It. Tills JuvenUo corner Is by no meana bad, even 
now, yet It might you know, bo improved a great 
deal by just, a touch of original Ity, once lu a while, 
among the loiters. Each writer seems to have 
road a dozen bygone effusions and then to have 
modeled fils or her own effort.on what my brother 
Sam calls a "general average.” From girls of 
course nothing else could reasonably bo expected; 
but boys should be ashamed always to follow a 
leader, and that only an average one. Mighty 
little interest In gushing girlish assurances, week 
after week, that somebody agrees with somebody 
else about something of no Interest at any time; 
still less to learn that some tiny soul is happy In 
the possession of a long-eared rabbit, a kitten 
with claws, or a doll that has never had the 
whooping-cough. These peculiarities aro not so 
very strange as to excite a keen Interest oven in 
the most sympathetic little idiot. The wrangle 
among the boys and girls about the literary tal¬ 
ent of the sexes Islnteresting only In the evidence 
their letters give towards deciding tho question 
they are contending about,. As these letters aro 
all samples of their predecessors, the girls are far 
ahead of the boys In the sprlghtllness, piquancy 
and polish ot tho Imitation, for a Caucasian boy 
Is never so imitative as a girl, a Chinese or a mon¬ 
key. Now, If all the cousins anxious to see them¬ 
selves m print were to relate their own obser¬ 
vations of the habits and peculiarities of their 
favorites—animal or vegetable—or to tell any¬ 
thing unusual connected with them, this end of 
the Rural would be more Interesting and cer¬ 
tainly not less amusing. A spicy account of the 
special causes that have endeared each pet to Its 
owner, would also be entertaining aa well as 
novel. I’ve a number of pets myself and have 
studied them thoroughly, but modesty—and es¬ 
pecially space—forbid roeto be the first to exem- 
j^tty my own suggestion.— Solomon Sap. 
A Voice from the Pacific. 
Dear Mr. Editor:— Having never seen a letter 
from this part of the country In your paper, I will 
write one, aa I would like to Join the band of 
cousins. I have been a constant reader of the 
i Rural for a number of years. I like the children’s 
department very much, especially the Girls' anti 
Boys’ Letters. We live on a farm—or ranehe, as 
It Is called here—in the California coast range of 
I mountains. We live on the east side of a moun¬ 
tain, In a very pleasant place, and aro entirely 
sheltered from tho coast winds. We seldom have 
any frost. Hnvo Madeira Vines, Roses, Gerani¬ 
ums—both double and single—Verbenas, Petu¬ 
nias, Fuchsias, and other flowera still In blossom. 
I was born In Pennsylvania, crossed the plains In 
a wagon with my parents when 1 was two years 
old. Mother and I have been back once; we went 
and came on an ocean steamer. We think this 
the brat climate In tho world. It has been so 
warm yet that we haven’t had a fire in our sit¬ 
ting-room. The applo trees have not shed thdr 
leaves; grass and grain are quite high. We live 
two miles from the town of Bodega. We go to 
school there, my little sister and I. We have a 
horse and saddle for both to ride. I think the 
cousins would laugh If they could see how the 
country children come to school here; somo come 
five miles —sometimes there bring three on a 
horse. We have two teachers and one hundred 
scholars. As my letter la gcttlrg so long, 1 guess 
I win have to close. 1 may write again and tell 
the cousins something about, this country and the 
bigtrce3.— C. A. G., codcga, Cal., bee. 10 ,1ST0. 
Recruits for Big Cousin. 
Dear Rural :—l have been thinking of again 
writing to you, but was afraid to do so. I live In 
the old county of Leeds, twelve miles from Brock- 
vllle, which Is at tho footot the Thousand Islands. 
I have a very nice lot of fowls to winter, a nice 
Ayrshire lidfcr and a liorso to attend to; all to 
bo done after school. Hotv 1 should have liked to 
have gone to the Centennial, but, l could not. 
Papa and my brothers went, and wo have long 
stories rrom them about the wonderful things 
they flaw. The boys say “Uncle Sam Is a big fel¬ 
low and still growing.” They also say they saw 
some very nice Yankee girls, aud as we have no 
sisters, papa and mamma aro depending on us 
tobrlug some of these girls home, and then wo 
will have slaters; w ill not that bo nice! 
The Rural of Nov. is has a letter from Bio 
Cousin that, suits me exactly. Ho asks how many 
boys will quit using tobacco until they are twen¬ 
ty-one. Ho may count on myself and brothers, as 
papa has set us tho example. There Is not, a 
pipe or tobacco about the house, and papa says 
tobacco causes thirst that induces one to drink 
whlsk 3 r , and we know that Is a terrible thing to 
do. Wo hope Bui Cousin may got, lots or recruits, 
and that wo may hoar lrom him again. Yours 
sincerely—a twelvc-year-old Canada boy— Ever¬ 
ett K. HLANOnARfi. 
Impudence Looking for a Mentor. 
nALLoo, boys! here I am. I Intended to say 
again, but I will take that back. lu fact, I have 
been watching your movements this summer and 
Imagined I was on board all the time. But I will 
tell you what, you had Setter stop t he ship and 
pull mo on as one of your cousins and throw over¬ 
board that Women’s Rights’ advocate, adklk W. 
Ot course wo would hit Just right when she went 
over and wo began to call “ Man overboard 1” To 
tell the truth, I would not have said a word about 
the girls, but they have been trying to pick quar¬ 
rels with the boys in tho beginning of tlielr let¬ 
ters, and then just before finishing up, would 
turn arouud and nsk each other such questions 
as, “How shall I piece my bed-quilt?” “Will 
somo one please tell rno how 1,o shorten my pie¬ 
crust 7” " I have noticed for the last two months 
back t hat iny geranium does not come up as fast 
as It should. Please prescribe." There is Just 
one thing aboutIt, and that la that tho girls are 
, somewhat light lu the upper story. But there Is 
no use of my dwelling on this subject any longer, 
i and l presume I have said too much already. 
A Cood Reason. 
Dear Mr. Editor:—I wrote a letter some time 
ago but I did not see It, published, so I have not 
had courage to write until now. I would not have 
written now, but I see more letters from the girls 
than from the boys, t think the girls are trying 
to have It, all to themselves. Now boys come on; 
do not get discouraged; work, and we will beat 
them yet. I arn a Good Templar, and hope you 
are too; it you aro .not, I advise you to become 
one. My father was tho first, subscriber for your 
valuable paper in this town. We like It, very 
much. Hoping to seo this tn print 1 remain yours 
—k. k. r. 
[Occasionally letters are lost; and again, owing 
to tho large numbers received, they cannot bo 
printed promptly. I trust my young friends wil! 
bear this In mind and not become discouraged 
because they do not see their letters in the Rural 
almost Immediately after posting them.—U ncle 
True.]_ 
From L. A. P. 
Dear Rural:—As 1 have written ono letter to 
the Rural and the Editor was so kind as to print 
It,, I thought I would try again. I presume many 
of the cousins visited tho Centennial, but I pre¬ 
ferred making a visit to Syracuse with my mam¬ 
ma, aa I had never been to the city before. I 
found a great many Interesting things. I had the 
pleasure ot riding through the Castle grounds and 
viewing that elegant structure, tho only one of 
tho kind tn America; also seeing the salt-works, 
which were very interesting tome. I saw the 
ponderous wheels that worked the pump3, boiling 
the salt,, and many other things of interest that I 
will not mention. My father has taken the Rural 
about five years. I like to read the Girls’ and 
Boys' Letters very much. I am afraid, If I write 
much more, this will go Into the waste-basket.— 
Lillian A. P. 
“Only 14 Yeara Old!” 
Dear Editor :—I thought I would write to you. 
I am a young girl, fourteen yearS old. My name 
Is Hattie D. Jacous. I go to school. I think a 
good deal or my Sunday school teacher. I have 
not missed any Sundays during the year In Sun¬ 
day school. Wo have a society, and we call it 
the Society of Little Women. Our day school 
closes this week. Your friend— Hattie. 
This Concerns Uncle Mark. 
I think I am young enough to ask silly ques¬ 
tions. I want to know just exactly how old you 
arc, Uncle Tuck, now tell me the truth. If you 
are an old man, l want to ask lot3 ot questions. I 
am awful afraid you are a young man, or maybe 
a girl or an old maid! Now I am going to ask a 
Bible question: Who was It that climbed a tree 
