THE BUBAL HEW-¥0B9CEB. 
SIGH NOT SO FOE SUMMER WEATHER. 
Sigh not so for summer weather, 
For the hot sun and the blaze. 
Of the bloom upon the heather; 
Sigh not so for Bummer weather. 
And the glory of loot days. 
Winter holds a friendly hand. 
With a quaint book of romance. 
Written in old Wonderland, 
While the fairies, hand in hand. 
Join their laughter with the dance. 
There are flow’rs of purest white 
In his book, and you may find 
Pictures painted in the night. 
When the land with snow was white, 
And the trees were bent with wind. 
Many ballads of the brave, 
Many legends of the lust, 
Many Bongs for love to save. 
Sung in castles of the brave. 
That have crumbled into dust. 
Sigh not bo for summer weather. 
For the sun and gTeenwood ways; 
Let us go along together, 
Thankful for the winter weather, 
And the promise of new days. 
DIANTHA DERRICK; 
OR, THE POOR-HOUSE GIRL. 
BY MAY MAPLE. 
“There goes my best ctaeeny cups and my per- 
servo dish, I deelaro, Diantha Derrick, if your 
carelessness Isn't enough to provoke a saint. It’s 
well for yon that rny hands are In the dough, for 
you'd certainly get your ears boxed. Such work 
I never did see. only day before yesterday ’twas 
that you broke half a dozen saas plates. I Just, 
wonder who you s’pose Is going to ‘low such care¬ 
lessness. I’ve a good mind to send you hack to 
the poor-house, where you belong;" and Mrs. 
Hardly stopped to take breath and prepare some 
more powerful Invectives, while Diantua gath- 
ered up the broken bits of 
china from the kitchen 
floor with t rembling bands 
and streaming eyes. 
Poor child 1 She had been 
extremely unfortunate In 
breaking dishes during the 
few weeks that she had 
been a member of the 
Hardly family. Bntlt. was 
scarcely to be wondered at 
that tho dishes fell from 
her trombllng grasp; tor 
constant fear does not be¬ 
get confidence in one’s a- 
bUlty. No matter how in¬ 
significant the mishap, It 
was 3ure to call forth a fu¬ 
rious charge of harsh 
words, lollovvcd by some 
severe punishment. 
“You needn't, throw 
them away," said the sharp 
voice of Mrs. Hardlv, as 
the girl was about to pass 
out of the kitchen, “ some 
of them can be mended 
with some paint, sediments 
and made to do (111 l can 
git, some more; them but¬ 
ter and eggs that we've 
saved to get you a new 
summer gown, will have 
to go to replace the dishes 
you’ve broke since you’ve 
been here. I guess my lady 
’ll wait till she can bo more 
keerful 'fore 1 spend my 
money to get fine things 
for her to wear.” 
Not a woed did Dlantha 
utter during all this storm 
of words, liut the tears 
fell rapidly as she thought 
how hard it was to be 
scolded for accidents that 
she could see no way of 
avoiding. There were 
three little romping chil¬ 
dren to scatter their play¬ 
things about the floor, and 
no matter how often they 
were picked up and put in 
the “play-corner," they 
were just as often brought 
out. On the present oc¬ 
casion she had stepped 
on a little spool-wagon, 
which had caused her to 
stumble, and in trying to 
save herself from [ailing 
she had dropped the dishes 
she was carrying to tho 
pantry. She had put the 
toy out of the way not five 
minutes before, but busy 
little hands had put It 
down again ready for any 
emergency. Now she must 
not only endure the scold¬ 
ing but must be severely 
punished—for the loss of a 
new •• summer gown” was 
a severe disappointment. 
She had not a single dress that was fit. to wear to 
a neighbor’s house, the best one being made of 
an old faded brown calico belonging to Airs. 
Hardlt. 
“1 might, as well have staid Ln the almshouse as 
to have come here," murmured iuantha, a few 
moments later; “ I certainly should have received 
more kind words, and as for clothing, there Is 
nothing to choose. To think that I, a girl fifteen 
years old, should endure all this humiliation: In¬ 
deed, lil bear It no longer," and a new light flash¬ 
ed up Into her brown hazel eyes as a thought of 
asserting her own rights, was Indistinctly Im¬ 
pressed upon her mind. Slio grasped the long 
stems of green currants, which she had been sent 
to pick for the dinner pie, with a determined en¬ 
ergy ; and when they were tossed Into the pan, 
they made a musical Jingle that was a bright 
prophecy to the sorrowing but determined girl. 
“ I’ll do tho best 1 can, but I’ll not bo scolded 
for every trine nor punished for every accident; 
and I in ill have books to study, tiino to use them, 
and decent clothing. And by-and-by I’ll step out 
of this treadmill. I will not bo a goose all my 
days and waddle about ln some dirty pond, or old 
back kitchen, which is just as bad. Tho eagle 
soars high above the clouds. I. at least, can rise 
above tho station of mald-or-all-work, and I 
and the well-formed foot of DIaktha came down 
upon tho velvety green swarl with a firmness 
that was quite ostoundlog considering what a 
meek, quiet body it, had helped to carry about. 
Mrs. Hardly had taken Diantua Derrick from 
the almshouse, as before hinted, where sho had 
been kept for something over a year. She was not 
robust ln health and strength and, for l his reason, 
had been retained by the matron longer than was 
usual for girls of her age. No one desired to add 
to the cares of her family by taking a feeble pau¬ 
per beneath her roof. 
But Mrs. Hardly had taken a sudden fancy to 
the browneyed, pale-faced girl, believing that she 
could save many steps by taking care of the chil¬ 
dren. So sho had won t ho consent of her case- 
loving husband to adopt the girl Into tile family. 
“You know, .Josun, It wtll be a real deed of char- 
' Ity to got her away from that place and bring her 
up as she ought to be and will be, If she comes 
here," said Mrs. Hardly ; and there was a pecu¬ 
liar smoothness in her voice as sho complacently 
smoothed down the folds or her gingham apron 
and rolled up her work preparatory to retiring. 
The following day Diantua found herself in 
Mrs. IIakdly’s not well-arranged kitchen. The 
maple tree at the west window was Just opening 
Its garnet buds, and tiny green leaves were peep¬ 
ing out, as if to assure themselves that soft, balmy 
spring had really come. For the first few days 
she did not And her duties arduous. The care of 
the children was a real pleasure, for she soon 
taught them to love her and by her gentle, win¬ 
ning ways, managed to got along with them with¬ 
out the least trouble. 
This Mrs. Hardly perceived, and having a jeal¬ 
ous disposition and an exceedingly narrow mind, 
she began to fear that tho children would love 
the •* poor-house" girl bettor than they dtd their 
mother. So she was called away from tho chil¬ 
dren and made to perforin t he more difficult parts 
of tho household work. 
Here Mrs. Hardly watched her so closely and 
scolded her so frequently for her petty mistakes, 
that Diantua lost all hope of pleasing her mis¬ 
tress and, as wo have already learned, lived In a 
state of constant fear of the coarse - minded 
woman. 
When Diantua entered the house with tho cur- 
ranta, after coming to a better understanding wit h 
herself, Mrs. Hardly began another tirade be¬ 
cause Diantua had been gone so long. But she 
was quite taken by surprise, when the girl drew 
herself up In the most dignified manner and said; 
•• Mrs. Hardly, 1 think we lmd better coma to a 
better understanding. I’vocome to the conclu¬ 
sion that If you want my help, I’ll rlo tho best I 
can to please you. But til not bear to bo scolded 
at all the time, nor endure punishment for una¬ 
voidable accidents. If you will take back tho 
threat you made a little while ago about the dress, 
and get me some plain, substantial clothes, a few 
books such as arc used ln school, and allow me to 
study evenings after tlio work Is done, I'll Bt,ay 
and help you to the best of my ability. If you 
can't agree to these conditions, i’ll go." 
“ Uolgbty-tolght.y! what airs some folks can 
put on 1 Where on alrth did you find so much 
dignity, and when did you learn all that flno 
speech? It fairly takes my breath." 
This was a sort of bravado on the part of Mrs. 
II Audi. v; mr, truth to tell, a new respect had 
arisen ln the mtud of the taskmlstress for the fair 
young girl who had mind enough to assert her 
own rights. 
Diantha made no reply, but stood quietly by 
TOMMY AND THE KITTENS. — (See page 71).) 
tho table, waiting tor a decision. Mrs. Hardly 
had no Intention of making a verbal one if It 
could be avoided; but In this she was disappoint¬ 
ed. After waiting several minutes she Bald, ln a 
slightly conciliatory volco, “Why don’t you go 
about making the pies for dinner? It Is late now." 
“Do you wish mo to stay on the conditions I 
named?" inquired Diantha. 
"Seems to me you’re gettln’ mighty pertikler. 
I’d like to know where you’d go, onless you went 
back to tho poor-house; a u:l I should think a great 
girl like you would be ashamed to live Uiere. If 
It warn’t that l'm ’spectln' all of iSiah’s folks hero 
this week, I’d say you might, go. As 'tls, I ’sposo 
I'll have to keep you and make a lady of you.” 
This was enough. Diantua knew that hence¬ 
forth there would bo less scolding and raoro com¬ 
fort, and sho had put her feet on the first round 
of t he ladder that reached upward. Airs. Hardly 
would treat her with some show or respect, at 
least for a time. 
Two days later she was pleasantly surprised at 
receiving a present of a new dress from Mr. 
Hardly. To be sure, It was only a rose-colored 
print; but It was a treasure to Diantha, who 
could Scarcely remember wearing anything so 
pretty. “Tills dreas Is for tho little girl who Is 
willing to do the best she can." said Mr. Hardly ; 
and then Diantha knew he had been a listener to 
her llitlo speech. 
WeekH and months glided by, and although 
Diantua was obliged to work hard from early 
morning often till late Oi night, yet she did not 
complain so long its Aire. Hardly controlled her 
“ unruly member," which she did not always do. 
Autumn days camo, and the gathering ln of 
fruit, and vegetables was tho most neepssary work 
to be done. As bands were scarce, Diantha was 
sont out to assist ln picking up the apples ln tho 
orchard. 
Out. In tho golden October air, among the fall¬ 
ing leaves and tinted fruit, Diantha felt that she 
must be very near the gates or the beautiful gar¬ 
den Of Eden. How She reveled In day-dreams 
beneath tho hazy blue sky! What beautiful cas¬ 
tles sho did build, and how nho filled them with 
the good, the true and beautiful of the land ! and 
was she not a very queen among them all, lov¬ 
ing and beloved 1 And alt tho time she was only 
the “ poor-house” girl, and her fingers were busy 
In gathering up tho creamy and rose-tinted balls 
into the groat brown basket, or tossing them Into 
heaps on the crisp orchard 
grass. Ah! those days, 
blissful of heaven, were 
remembered long years 
alter as precious gems ln 
the grand, mosaic casket 
of time. 
Tho evenings were get- 
ing longer, and Dian¬ 
tha was allowed to bring 
her books down to the sit¬ 
ting-room. Now she began 
to fully appreciate the 
pleasure of Mr. Hakdly's 
presence. He was a good 
scholar, and the books Di¬ 
antha had commenced to 
study were of hl3 selection. 
It was ho who assisted her 
to a bettor understanding 
of knotty problems and 
gave her lessons ln Gram- 
mar that, were of life-long 
benefit. She was extreme¬ 
ly ambitious and made 
rapid progress, and Air. 
Hardly delighted to see 
her overcome the difficult 
I obstacles with which her 
mind grappled, and to wit¬ 
ness the triumphant light 
of her hazel eyes at each 
ncwdlscovcry. Itwasdur- 
lng these evenings of study 
that Arrs. Hardly camo to 
the knowledge that Dian¬ 
tha Derrick, the poor- 
house girl, was growing 
positively beautiful. 
Health glowed In her 
peach-bloom cheeks; the 
large, hazel eyes were like 
deep wells filled with ani¬ 
mation, brilliant as pre¬ 
cious stones; while the 
rich wavesof golden brown 
hair went curling and 
glimmering over a neck 
white as milk-foam. Her 
well-rounded, petite form 
was graceful as the willow 
swept by the gentlest 
breeze, fa her palmiest 
days Mrs, Hardly had 
never been half so fair. 
Her education was exceed¬ 
ingly limited, and now she 
began to wonder why Jo- 
si.Mi hardly had chosen 
her for Ids wife, when ills 
own mind was so well cul¬ 
tivated, and he had such a 
fondness for books and 
was so well fitted to mln- 
| gle with cultivated minds. 
And as sho watched tho 
teacher and pupil day aft¬ 
er day and evening after 
evening, tho thought camo 
to her that it was possible 
for hor husband to have 
| more than an ordinary In¬ 
terest In the little servlng- 
mald. The more she al- 
