303 
TO MY HUSBAND. 
Three happy faces press the pillow. 
For now the last Kuod-night is said. 
And all the restless, noisy darling 
Are safely tucked up into bed; 
While just beneath the mantel hanging-. 
Old Santa's favors to receive, 
Three empty stockings plainly tell us 
That this is night, and <Jliristtnas|Eve. 
Three happy faces preps the pillow. 
Bright eyes, fast closed in quiet, sleep. 
While to the (ire’s soft buzz and crackle 
Their hearts a measured rhythm keep; 
While I. upon thy bosom resting, 
Dear love, as in the days of yoro. 
Feel in that strong heart’s happy beating 
A wealth of love unfolt before. 
What though my hand no treasure bringeth 
To give to the, beloved, to-night ? 
Dearer I know these frosted tresses 
Than rarest gem or Jewel bright; 
Dearer the form thine arm enfoldeth, 
The face upturned to thine own, 
Thau all the treasure earth eoDtalnetb, 
E’en of the monarch on his throne. 
Dearer the faces on the pillow, 
The limbs outstretched in childish grace, 
The pulsing hearts, where dimpled fingers. 
Outspread, have found a resting-place: 
The lashes dark, on red cheeks resting. 
The white lids closed o'er merry eyes— 
Ah ! well I know no wealth of India 
Like these, beloved, thou wouldst prize. 
Sweet Christ-child, to man once giveu. 
Now dwellest far in realms of bliss, 
Look down from Thy bright home tn Heaven 
And bless us on an eve like this! 
To us, through Thee, together given, 
Oh ! bless these little ones, like Thee, 
That through the changes of the future 
Their lives may pure and perfect be! 
[Cincinnati Times. 
-♦« » - 
VENTRILOQUISM. 
Some Remarkable Examples of the Strange 
and Diverting Art. 
Perhaps the most familiar of mysterious sounds 
are those practiced by the ventriloquist. Famil¬ 
iar, because almost every country town has been 
visited by ono or other of t huso exhibitors—mys¬ 
terious, because the real source of sound docs not 
correspond with the apparent. It lies within the 
province of the anatomist or physiologist to ex¬ 
plain how it. Is that some men cun speak as If from 
the stomach Instead ni' the throat, and without 
any perceptible uuiwiueoT, of the lips. But the 
person who can do tills, the ventiiloq ulst, may 
make himself a most bewildering deceiver to those 
who listen to hUn. our power of determining the 
exact direction whence a sound comes is less than 
we really Imagine. It Is said that. Haville Carey, 
who could Imitate the whistling of the wind, 
would sometimes amuse himself by exercising 
that art In a public colfee-houae. Borne or the 
guests at once rOBe to see whether the windows 
were quite closed, while others would button up 
their coats as If cold. Sir David Brewster notices 
a ventriloquist, of exceptional skill, St. (illle, who 
one day entered a church where some monks 
were lamenting the death of a brother. Suddenly 
they heard a voice as If from over their heads, be¬ 
wailing the condition of the departed in purgatory, 
and reproaching them for their want of zeal. Not 
suspecting the trick, they fell on their races and 
chanted the lie Protundls. A committee appoint¬ 
ed by the Aeadeinlu dos .Sciences to report on the 
phenomena of ventrlloquLsm went with St. GUle 
to the house of a lady, to whom they announced 
that they had coxae to Investigate a case or aerial 
spirits somewhere In the neighborhood. During 
the Interview she heard what she termed spirit 
voices above her head, underneath the floor and 
In distant parte of the room, and was with diffi¬ 
culty convinced that the only spirit present was 
tho venlrlloqulstlc voice of St. Gille. 
Brewster tells of another master of the art, 
Louis Brabant, valct-dc-chambre of Francis L, 
whose suit was rejected by tho parents of a beau¬ 
tiful and well endowered girl with whom he was 
In love. He called on the mother, after tho death 
of the lather, again to urge his suit, and while 
he was present she heard the voice of her de¬ 
ceased husband expressing remorse for having 
rejected Louis Brabant, and conjuring her to 
give her immediate consent to the betrothal. 
Frightened and alarmed, she consented. Brabant, 
deeming it desirable to behave liberally In the 
marriage arrangements, but not having much 
cash at command, resolved to try whether his 
ventriloquism would be as efficacious with a 
money-lending banker as It bad been with the 
widow. Calling on the old usurer at Lyons, he 
managed that the conversation should turn upon 
the subject of demons, specters, and purgatory. 
Suddenly was heard the voice of the usurer’s 
father, complaining of the horrible sufferings he 
was enduring in purgatory, and saying that there 
was no way of obtaining alleviation except by his 
son advancing money to the visitor for the sake 
of ransoming Chrlsttans from the hands of the 
Turks. The usurer was terrified, but too much in 
love with Ids gold to yield at once, Brabant went 
next day and resumed the conversation, when 
shortly afterwards was heard the voices of a host 
of dead relations, aU telling the same terrible 
story, and all pointing out the only way of obtain¬ 
ing relief. The usurer could resist no longer. lie 
placed 10,000 crowns in the hands of the unsus¬ 
pected ventriloquist, who, of course, forgot to pay 
THE 
HEW-Y0BMER. 
failing for flic goirnti, 
It over for the ransom or the Christians, either lu 
Turkey or anywhere else. When the usurer 
learned afterward how lie had been duped, he 
died of vexation. 
WHO ANY GIVEN PERSON MAY MARRY. 
It doesn't require any astrologer, or medium, 
or gipsy with a dirty pack of cards. It is very 
simple, lies in a nutshell, and can bo expressed in 
a very few words. The plan Is this: Ir ,i girl ex¬ 
presses a fondness for majestic men with largo 
whiskers, make up your mind she will marry a 
very small man with anno, ir she declares that 
“mind” Is all she looks for, expect to see her 
stand before tho altar with a very pretty fellow 
who has just sense enough to tic a cravat bow. 
If, on tho contrary, she declares she must, have a 
handsome husband, look about for the plainest 
person In the circle of her acquaintances, and de¬ 
clare “ that Is the man,” for It will he. Men are 
almost os bad. The gentleman who deal res a wife 
with a mind and mission marries a lisping baby, 
who screams at the sight, of ft mouse, and hides 
her face when she hears a sudden knock at, the 
door. And tho gent leman who dreaded anything 
like strong-mindedness exults In the fact that Ids 
wife Is everything he detested. If a girl says or 
one, “ Marry him 1 I’d rather die 1" look upon the 
affair as settled, and expect cards to the wedding 
of these two people. If a man remarks of a lady, 
“Not my style, at all,” await patiently tllG ap¬ 
pearance of his name In the matrimonial column 
in connection with that lady’s. And If any two 
people declare themselves “friends, and nothing 
more,” you may know what will come next. 
-♦-*--*- 
THE GOOD SHOULD BE STRONG. 
Howevkh admirable may be the sentiments of 
temperance hymns, It cannot be denied that In 
the elements of music and poetry they rank far 
behind the drinking songs and choruses which are 
heard at. colleges and on the stage. At a meeting 
of the Greenock School Board a report was adopt¬ 
ed recommending “that In the selection of songs 
and hymns for l.he schools a few songs tn praise 
of temperance lie included, with a view to the 
sent iments they contain being Impressed on tho 
minds of the children.” Four temperance songs 
arc accordingly to be Included In a list of songs 
and hymns tor use at the board schools, but an 
opinion was expressed by one member of tho 
board that the temperance songs selected wore of 
too “ wishy-washy " a nature; and another mem¬ 
ber emphatically objected to them, lie did not 
wonder that, the temperance cause was so weak 
in tho world If the songs lie had seen were to be 
regarded as representing the advocates or the 
movement,. These English critics arc undoubted¬ 
ly right. Temperance songs are tho stupidest m 
the wholo range uf English hymnology. Water Is 
a good thing, but there ought not to be too much 
of it, iu temperance music. 
■--♦♦♦- 
THE WIFE. 
It Is astonishing to see how well a man may 
live on a small Income, who has a handy and in¬ 
dustrious wife. Some men live and make a far 
bettor appearance on six or eight dollars per 
week than others do on JltLeeuor eighteen dollars, 
fl’he man does Ids part well, but Ills wife Is good 
lor nothing; she will even upbraid ber husband 
for not living hi as good stylo as her neighbor, 
while the fault Is entirely tier own. Ills neighbor 
has a neat, capable and industrious wile, and tbat 
makes the d Iff or once. So look out, young men, 
before you go Into matrimony. It is a lottery In 
which most men can only buy one ticket—and If 
that turns out a blank, your whole life had better 
be a blank too. Luckily, no one need go into the 
wedded state with his eyes shut, as Is the case 
with lotteries—and we judge all who are sensible 
enough to use their optics, may draw prizes. 
--- 
WOMEN. 
In selecting a husband, at 17, a woman desires 
good looks; at 25, good habits; and at 30, the 
man. 
The patter of little feet, and the patter of tho 
summer rain, are the sweetest music In the world 
of nature. 
A woman received the gold medal of the Cali¬ 
fornia Rifle Association ror the best shot at a 
thousand yards. 
To make a girl love you, coax her to love some¬ 
body else. If there be anything that a woman 
relishes, It Is to be contrary. 
The rage for ostrich feathers Is said to be Just 
as great among the savages of Africa and Australia 
as tt Is among women of civilized countries. 
President White of Cornell University, admits 
that the lady pupils average 10 per cent, hotter on 
the examination papers than the young mem 
An old Scotch woman recommended a preacher 
who arrived at tho kirk wet through, to get at 
once Into the pulpit:—“Ye’ll be dry enough 
there." 
IT Is amusing to see a gentleman with a fur hat 
pulled down over his ears attempt to raise It to 
salute a lady. Ills movements are about as grace¬ 
ful as those of a pig on Ice. 
A doctor recently gave the following prescrip¬ 
tion to a sick lady" A now bonnet, a cashmere 
shawl and a silk dress." The lady. It is needless 
to say, entirely recovered. 
“ It Is very difficult to live,” said a w idow with 
seven girls, all In genteel poverty. “ You must 
husband your resources,” said a sage friend. “ I’d 
rather husband some of my daughters,” answered 
the widow. 
STAYING WITH MAMMA. 
Please, dearjmamma, to play down hero 
This morning let me stay— 
I will he vnryjgood, indeed, 
And quiet, if 1 may. 
If yon will give me down my box, 
Mamma, from off the shelf, 
I won’t tease while you write or read, 
But quite amuse myself. 
I’ll build a terminus of bricks 
Under this large arm-chair. 
And run my little railway-train 
Up to the platform there. 
And then I’ll lay my puzzle out. 
And try to make it right— 
Perhaps you’ll look at it, mamma. 
When I have done it quite. 
Then, if Flu tired of all my toys. 
Why 1 can have a look 
At the nice, pretty, colored prints 
In my largo picture-book. 
And when it's time to clear away, 
I think, mamma, you’ll say 
I kept my word, and did not tease. 
And was not in the way. 
-♦ ♦ ♦- 
LETTERS FROM BOY8 AND GIRLS. 
Uncle Mark, Look OutS 
Dear Rcrai. :—As you so kindly printed my first 
letter, I will try again, asking ir I may be admit¬ 
ted as a Cousin. I read the letters In the Young 
Folks' Department with great interest, especially 
those from uncle Mark. About piecing bed- 
qutlta. I think It Is a very good way to use up 
pieces. I have made two and am now piecing an¬ 
other ; tt will take about 3 ooo pieces. I heartily 
agree with Young Artist In thinking that It 
would be a good plan for every one to write about 
making fancy ornaments, «c„ and will therefore 
prove my assertion true by telling the Cousins 
how to make a very pretty ornament, which I 
hope will prove satisfactory to any one wishing 
to try It. Take a piece of /.Inc and cut it Into nar¬ 
row strips (but leave It all attached together) and 
bend and twist It Into different shapes; then put 
It Into a largo glass Jar and till It up with soft 
water; next dissolve. In It what you can purchase 
for live cents of sugar of lead; after a short time 
the sugar or load terms Itself on the zinc. It should 
not be moved very often, but when done so, should 
bo carried very carefully. I am very fond of mak¬ 
ing fancy work, and could tell the Cousins how to 
make quite a number of other fancy articles, and 
may perhaps, at Home future time, hut will not 
now, l hope nl liers will do so T as I have tried to do 
my best, although It Is such a poor little best. I 
wish Cora A. L. would write again and toll all 
about ber flowers. 1 am very tend of flowers; we 
have quite a variety of house plants, among them 
an Oleander and a double, red Horse-shoe Gerani¬ 
um, which I think are very pretty, and also some 
out-of-door plants. We have some vines which I 
also think are very pretty; they arc the Wild Cu¬ 
cumber and Madeira.— Myrtle. 
She Saw a Stuffed Ox. 
Dear Rural cochins:—I have not written for 
a long time, but 1 think It very kind lu the Editor 
to print my llrst letter, so l thought I would come 
again. I agree with Gypbey bell about piecing 
quilts. 1 do not think it la wasting time, but, what 
are wo to do with the small pieces that arc left, 
and when cold weather comes, what should we 
have to keep us warm In bed? 1 have pieced two. 
I agree with I). B. about asking questions. My 
question Is, Which Is the oldest town In tho United 
States, and In what part of It is it situated 7 1 ex¬ 
pect some of the Cousins who have not been to 
the Centennial, would like to know what I saw 
there. I saw a woman’s head, face and shoulders 
made out of butter; a Largo stuffed horse, with 
harness on, and put to a horse-cart, with a man 
holding It: and also saw a very large stuffed ox. 
It was the largest I had ever seen. It came from 
New York. There were a great many other tilings 
which I saw. 1 think F. M. O. must have a very 
pleasant home with her grandmother—if she Is 
making her home there. 1 would like to have her 
tell me something more about their home, and It 
she know hows to sew fancy work for the parlor 
or sitting-room or chamber. Why not tell us 
something about them? Good-by ter this time. I 
hope to come again before long.— Gertrude M. W. 
From a Native American. 
Dear Uncle Truk, and Cousins All:— If you 
will claim tho relation with a little Indian, l 
should like to Join your circle, as many of you say. 
t have never seen anything In your Rural from 
our Territory. I thought that perhaps you would 
give me a welcome. I presume, like my “pale- 
faced cousins,” I should tell you something about 
myseir. To begin. I am ten years old; have been 
to school but three months. 1 can read and spell. 
I live with my uncle and aunt. Uncle Is a Cnoc- 
taw and aunt is a Cherokee. My father and moth¬ 
er are both dead. 1 am very well contented; my 
friends allow me to do as 1 please, so long as I 
please to do right. Have never pieced a quilt, but 
lean sew and knit, lean milk ft cow too, and 
ride a pony. I have two ponies and a saddle. As 
for pets, I have a rabbit. We do not live In a wig¬ 
wam, like our graud-parents did, but have a pleas¬ 
ant farm and a good house, with many comforts. 
My little cousin and I have a nice little roc m to¬ 
gether. We have a good prospect ter peaches. 
The “ boys” are out gathering up cattle. We will 
soon have a lot full of pets—as soon as they drive 
up the cows and calves. I love flowers and every¬ 
thing that Is pretty. I love to read the Rural. 
May I come again?— Lizzie K. 
Too Bashful by Half. 
Mr. Editor:—1 have been contemplating for 
some time writing to the Rural and claiming 
Coustnshlp, but Oh dear me ! It, does seem as ir 
wo might dud something more Interesting to 
write about than quilts. To bo sure, they are fine 
enough In their way (especially on a cold night), 
but It seems to mu that the Editor must be tired 
of hearing about them, so let’s glvo them a rest. 
I liked 8 la v euokuon e kit’s letter very much. I 
hope sho will not let. her enthusiasm lag, so that 
by-and-by Echo will answer where to her name. 
That’s right, W. 8., wake tUo boys up! They 
need It badly enough, and I'm thankful they have 
queer notions enough to not lined waking up. 
They keep their eyes open. Oh yes, do “give It 
to them good;" but pray tell why didn't you set 
the example ? You see, girls, he was too t.lrnd,— 
needs waking up, doesn't ho7 Mow don’t have a 
had opinion or him. Tho idea or i hlnklng Young 
Teacher an old maid! 1 think more likely that 
you. Rocky Mountain .tok, ore One of those nice 
boys who think there Is no ono like themselves, 
and would Uko to have all the girls think so too; 
but someway the sensible girls seem to bo think¬ 
ing altogether different. Boys are tho silliest 
things, anyway. They say they dlsplse a girl that 
will flirt; but do you suppose on that account 
they will stop flirting with her? No, Indeed! not 
for a moment. Now I’m not one of tho flirting 
kind, but 1 would Uko very much to know which 
Is to be despised most—a male or female flirt?— 
Bashful Cecil. 
Down South In Coorgla. 
Dear Mr. Editor:—! thought I would write 
you a letter, as 1 have never seen one from Ore on 
County, Ga„ for I don't think there Is anyone 
taking your paper about hero but my father, and 
this Is Ills llrst year. We have rood them bofore, 
for I have a good and kind uncle living Hi Spald¬ 
ing County, Ga., who sent us some or Ids old ones 
three years ago, and again last winter. 1 like 
them very much, especially the letters from tho 
young people. I went to church yesterday at 
White Plains, about seven miles from here, and 
heard a very good sermon preached by the Rev. 
.1. II. Kilpatrick. 1 think he Is the host man I 
ever saw. lie la a Baptist preacher, and I am a 
Baptist, too. lie baptized mo, and that Is ono 
reason I think so much of him. We have a small 
Sabbath-school at Smyrna, but a little way from 
here. Our song-book 1 h small, but good. The 
name of Ills “Melodies of Praise,"and lthassome 
splendid tunes lu it. t think I am getting too 
lengthy tor the first time. 1 will write about my 
quilts and flowers next time. 1 will try and do 
better next time.— a. b. s. 
la He Savage? 
Dear Rural Boys:—I t Is no use In arguing 
with the girls; they will have the last word, any¬ 
how. Young Teacher and Allib T. remind me 
of that old but true saying : 
" When Gud thin world did make, 
He made man the strongest; 
But to atone for woman's wrongs 
Made woman's tongue the longest." 
I think Allik T. had better not say anything 
about criticising, tor It Is evident she did the best 
her abilities would allow. I quite agree with Ed. 
No. 2. The reason Allik T. says he will not be 
very popular, Is because there is so much truth 
In what he says about the girls.— Young Farmer. 
A Busy Ctrl. 
Dear Cousins; As l am not acquainted, It 
makes mo shy about writing; but I hope wo shal 
become acquainted with each other in time. I 
live on a farm In one of the most delightful coun¬ 
tries I ever saw. 1 have been to Iowa, Illinois, 
ludlaxia, Missouri and nblo: but Michigan beats 
them all. 1 was In Ohio, attending school, last 
winter, but am not going this spring. Mother Is 
not able to do anything, and my oldest sister 
Flora la away, Diking music lessons, so I am kept 
busy from morning till night. 1 have two sisters 
and two brothers at. home, all younger than my¬ 
self. We milk three cows and are raising three 
calves, and also have a pet lamb.— Jennie 11. 
A Cood Suggestion. 
Dear Rural:— 1 arn now at my home In Brook¬ 
lyn, and having promised to write to you again, 
I now take tho opportunity. I agree with Belle 
E. F. In regard to Storm’s letters, and think them 
splendid. Do you not think It would be better to 
devote the time which is spent In cutting and 
piecing quilts to study and other duties ? Fur the 
present, I think It would do to drop qullteplccing 
and take up another subject—for instance, home 
amusements. Let some of tho cousins write and 
tell us what they do to occupy and pass away, 
pleasantly, the long winter evenings.— fi.oy. 
Cood Peta. 
Dear Rural:—I have read all the cousins’ let¬ 
ters In the Rural for a long time, but 1 have not 
been able to screw up courage to write a letter 
before. The cousins almost always toll about 
their pets. My peta are plants. 1 have a great 
many house plants, and I have one beautiful 
largo red Illy that Is budded now, and when It 
comes out there will bo four lilies on one stalk. I 
heard a dear little robin chirping this morning 
for the llrst time this spring. 1 hope that you 
will let mo be a cousin. If 1 see this letter pub¬ 
lished, perhaps I will write again.— Annie L. W. 
Another New Cousin. 
Dear Mr. Editor I am a farmer’s daughter. 
