THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
had formerly picked up a little Choctaw in his 
dealings with the Indians of that til he. Tom, 
though having the most kindly feelings towards 
Puts and preferring his society to that of all 
others, was very fond of showing oft his superior 
erudition when an opportunity occurred ovon be¬ 
fore a pretty Hllm audience. 
On the occasion of the presence of a stranger to 
both, Tom repeated a sentence In Latin and .says 
to Petk “give us the English of that it you can." 
Pete did not attempt, It, but uttered, In a tragic 
manner a sentence In Choctaw and repeated the 
challenge, “give us the English of that If you 
Can •” 8. B. P. 
»e fitfniru IStorOr. 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
A Romance, iiy Oko. Macdonald, 
: j. B. Lipplncutt & Co. Paper—8vo. 
Tins, as aro all of Mr. AIacdonai.o’h books, ts 
written with the evident Intention or Instructing 
and elevating, as well as to amuse; and while 
there Is nothing really dldatlc about the style, on 
almost every page is something to arrest the at¬ 
tention and induce thought, Jt Is evident the 
author believes In the hereditary transmission of 
qualities, and that "blood will tell,” for ho endows 
his hero, horn and raised among low and Ignorant 
Asher-folk on the Scottish coast, with ullthe qual¬ 
ities a man of culture and station ought to pos¬ 
sess. The story la well told, although wo t hought 
It, would he easier reading if there were less of the 
Scotch dialed Hi It, and the reader will be anxious 
to know more or “Malcolmn” In his now position, 
from tlio book that Is promised to follow this. 
My Mrs. C. v. Hamilton. Hea¬ 
ton . KbIuh ,v Laurent. Paper -pp. mi. aoo. 
Tub most attractive character In the hook Is 
not the *' Lonnie Lass"—whom, by the way, we 
do not specially admire—but, ORKuory, her lover. 
He is tender, generous, chivalrous, and unselfish! 
As a piece of character-sketching, (mummy is 
Simply perrect. " (’apt.Robert Kidd," the parr a, 
supplies the humorous element In the talc, and 
what with bis mischievous pranks and Ills quaint, 
and not Infrequently Irrelevant remarks, he Is 
droll enough to enliven the gloomiest, story. He 
Is a capital creation, and deserves to rank with 
the raven in “ Hurnaby Radge.” Most of the char¬ 
acters are strong, and all of them well drawn. 
The writer's stylo Is excellent, and, as a whole! 
the work Is vastly superior to the general run of 
novels. 
.lark. Iflobwob Series of Fiction.) Alphmme-n,in- 
dot, tnin*lar«d by Mahv Nbai. ShkiiWOOD. Hus¬ 
ton i Kates A Laurent. CJOlh-pp. 364 i *1.60. 
'l ms is the pathetic story of a poor boy whose 
l.fe Is embittered by the sin and weakness of his 
mother, ills character Is carefully drawn and 
consistently developed. The tone of the story Is 
Pure, ami the author evidently has u high moral 
purpose, although he deals very largely with cer¬ 
tain phases of French morality (which, in our ver¬ 
nacular, means Just, no morality at all.) Ho 
certainly paints In somber lints the consequences 
of sin. We hardly think “Jack" Is equal to“SI- 
donle" m literary excellence, but the fact of there 
having been sold lo.oou copies of it in France, 
proves It to be In as much demand as Its prede¬ 
cessor. 
Four Irrepressibles | Or, The Tribe or Bonla- 
imii; What I hoy Hid-What They Undid. Hus¬ 
ton. Luring. i*p. 177. Paper, dOp.; cloth, $1. 
Ic we knew of any ono aflttcted with melancho¬ 
lia, we should certainly prescribe a dose of this 
jolly little book. The pranks and sayings of the 
tritui are Irresistibly comic, ami the fun has the 
merit of being spontaneous. In spite of the shoals 
or books published lately, In the interest or babies 
and children, aud In which one would suppose all 
possible varieties or children and every conceiv¬ 
able antic had been expatiated on, we have in the 
one under discussion unhackneyed situations, 
fresh dialogue, and original characters. We con¬ 
gratulate the author on this, her first literary ven¬ 
ture, and trust she may feel encouraged to make 
a second attempt. 
Blood, By 8. Weik Mitchell, M. d. 
I hila<lol|)ll‘a: J. B. Lipplncott it Co. Aluslln— 
A P* *T|» 
Tins work, which Is Intended mainly for physi¬ 
cians, Is an exposition of the author’s method of 
restoring vitality in people of leeblo health. A 
combination or absolute rest, electricity, exces¬ 
sive feeding and massage, (the latter a sort of Im¬ 
proved Swedish movement,) the author claims to 
be the nest treatment for this class of patients. 
The plan seems to us not only feasible, but a most 
desirable substitute for the Indiscriminate use of 
tonics, mineral waters, etc., In which debilitated 
people usually Indulge. 
-♦ »» 
ITEMS. 
The article by Hon. t). a. Wells In the Septem¬ 
ber Atlantic Is one of the most important essays 1 
ever written by this publicist. It treats of Prop¬ 
erty, Titles, and Debts, and of the question of 
their taxability ; and assails the monstrous abuse 
of power by which the same property Is frequently i 
taxed In two States. Every man of means in the 
country will be Interested In this masterly paper. ’ 
The short Stories of the AUantlu this year have l 
all been remarkably striking, and now, In tho ; 
September number appears a story of great, power i 
by Hose Terry Cooko. it is a painful but terribly I 
faithful study of the life and career of a girl com¬ 
mitted In childhood to the tender mercies of the i 
Reform School. The “ Child of the State ” reads ! 
like fact. It Is too sad not to be true. < 
BOOKS VS. WORK. 
In reading an article by a well-known writer 
the other day, we were particularly attracted by 
this sentence: “ The woman who has always an 
uneasy feeling when she takes up a book in the 
day-time, thinking. • Now. I ought, to be mending 
the stockings, or polishing the silver, or arrang¬ 
ing the china closet,* will never In her life be able 
to read with comfort, A book always has for her 
Its associations with wasted lime,” 
That this Is a melancholy and unalterable fact 
Is too certain, and we could easily select an audi¬ 
ence of estimable women to whom wo should like 
GATHERING SEA-WEEDS. 
BY A. a, w. 
tit t> 
' rf • 
to preach a sermon from this text. Hut, like a 
great many better sermons, ours would have no 
weight, for the women to whom it should be ad¬ 
dressed, and those who need to listen to It, would 
be the last to waste a moment, In glancing over 
these lines, or to suppose that wo could teach 
them anything about the proper uses of their 
days and hours. 
" it la all very well to talk about,” says ono of 
this Maternity whom WO knew well. “ You may 
say that wo all have plenty of time for reading, 
but I know better. I know that It takes every 
moment to look after my house and my family, 
aud I couldn’t read without wasting my time 
dreadfully. Of course, l like books," continues 
our friend, with the air of a conscious martyr; 
“ I should enjoy sitting down to read, but when 
would the sweeping and the dusting get done, 
I should like to know ? ” and she whisks her 
duster Into the corner oi the sofa as she speaks. 
Now the difficulty Is that, tbls exemplary house¬ 
wife does not care to read, has no appetite for 
books, and would be wretched If slm was con¬ 
demned to a dally course of reading, evon of the 
“.lightest ” sort. She deludes herself, however, 
with the idea that sin; Is prevented by her crowd¬ 
ing and lndlspenslble occupations from any liter¬ 
ary feasts, and that she is actually hungering for 
them, when she is really-following out her own 
Inclinations most eagerly. 
To the born reader, ihe woman to whom books 
are a necessity of being, who would peruse the 
stalest newspaper rather tUan not read at all—to 
such a one no stress of occupations, no amount of 
A little lad aud a little maid, 
Aud neighbors they lived to tho Hounding so*; 
And playfellows with the waves they played, 
For the Ocean, a Jolly fellow 1 h he. 
Sometimes they played that tho sea wan a atoed 
Timl tunned Ldh mane, and Hiiortlng ran; 
And Mouf.AN Maid he would rule him indeed, 
And ciurb him well, when he grew a man I 
Then they played that tho shining boach wa« a floor. 
That the Sea’H liuumduicpor swept, twice a day. 
And with rubbish and sticks they’d litter it o’er. 
To Bee how dean they’d be swept away, 
Then the Sea would bring them lovely things— 
Strange pebbleH, ami shells all mother-of-poarled— 
In its heart tho shell forever Bings 
The snug of its homo all over tho world. 
And he brought them lobsters, funny and rod. 
Looking uh angry as angry could bo; 
And crabs that walk backward to go ahead, 
And tho slar lish, the oyster's enemy. 
Hnt best of all, were the seaweeds strango. 
Tossed up uu the reaches of bay and cove; 
Some of thorn waiting indeed, '* A sea change 
Into someth iug rich"—a real treasure trove. 
For here they found tho soa-rack dun. 
Which yields a medicine rare and ilear, 
And without whoso Iodine, the Sim 
Could not take your photograph, my dour. 
And they gathered the channeled fuous, too, 
Whoso ashes tho useful soda yield; 
And many an rdlblo grass that gruw 
On Ocean's hidden ami boundless field. 
Olive-green, yollow. and gray, and red, 
Ami some that bits of coral bear; 
These last tho fanciful Floiia Baid 
Were tresses of some mermaidon’s hair. 
The lung, green tresses the mermaids comb 
In tlioir shining caverns under the sea. 
And dock so to lure the mermen home, 
From tlioir rollicking roving, wild aud fr*e. 
How do I know what tho children said 
As they gathered tho soa-weeds down by the sea 7 
O ! tho silent, white sea-gulls overhead 
Listened, aud came, and told it tu me 1 
It la well t,o urge a course of reading on all 
young women, to strive to cultivate, as far as 
may lie possible, the love of literature, but after 
all is said and done, the fact remains that some 
people always will prefer brooms to books, and 
when the doeline of physical strength or other 
causes make their accustomed tasks Impossible, 
It Is Idle to hope that Intellectual tastes can bo 
created to fill up the void or to beautify tho life. 
—Intelligencer. 
— - ■ ♦ 
STORIES OF RINGS. 
In speaking of wedding rings, we learn that 
these important symbols have not always been 
manufactured from the precious metal, gold. We 
aro told that In lieu of a Hug the church key has 
often been used ; and Walpole tells of an Instance 
where a curtain ring was employed. The Duke of 
Hamilton fell so violently in love with the 
youngcrof the celebrated Aliases Gunulng, at a 
party In Lord Chesterfield’s liuuso, that two days 
after he sent tor a parson to perform the mar¬ 
riage ceremony; but as the duke had neither 
license nor ring, tho clergyman refused to act. 
Nothing daunted, Hamilton declared " he would 
send for tho archbishop.” At last they were mar¬ 
ried with a ring of a bed curtain, halt an Hour past 
twelve at. night, at Mayfair Chapel. Forgetful 
bridegrooms have been reduced to greater straits 
than this even; in one Instancu a leather ring had 
on the spur of tho moment to be cut out or a pieeo 
of kid trom the bride’s glove. A tragic story of a 
forgotten wedding ring is told m the “ Lives of 
sewing or housework will quite crowd out tho 
tasto which is part of herself. “ l wonder how 
you get time to read," said one to a specimen of 
this latter class. " You might wonder more If I 
did not get time to read," wins tho answer, and It 
told t he whole story. 
The difference Is, after all, not In the lives or 
the training, but, in the people. To one woman a 
book Is a friend, wooing her to closer acquaint¬ 
anceship, to another it Is only a tiresome pretext 
of amusement,, gladly relinquished for more con¬ 
genial employment. 
Not,a the diversities in tno manner of reading, 
too—the Intent, absorbed forgetfulness of ono 
reader—the restlessness, tho straying gaze, tho 
easily diverted attent ion of the other—and doubt, 
If you can, which finds delight and rest, In 
books. 
the Lindsays." When ho should have been at 
church, Colin Lindsay, the younger Earl of Ilal- 
carrcs, was quietly eating his breakfast In night¬ 
gown and slippers; when reminded that Maurttla 
of Nassau was waiting for him at the altar, ho 
hurried to church, but, forgot the ring: a friend 
present gave him one, which ho, without looking 
at, placed on the bride’s fl rigor. After the cere¬ 
mony was over the countess gbineod at her hand 
and beheld a grinning death’s head on her ring. 
Sho fainted away, and the omen made such an 
Impression on her that on recovering she declared 
she wasdostlnod to die within a year; a presenti¬ 
ment, that probably brought about Its own fulfill¬ 
ment, for in a few months the careless C’olln was 
a widower. 
— - 
HILLERN’S PHYSIQUE. 
The Boston correspondent of tho Han Francisco 
Call has learned some Interesting facts about 
Bertha lllUerii, the pedestrian. Many a woman, 
he writes, lias, envied Miss HUlern's form. She Is 
ahout five feet three Inches In bight, Is straight 
as an arrow, has a fine head, and broad shoul¬ 
ders, a good-sized waist,—sho don’t Believe in 
tight lacing,— and her limbs are fully developed. 
Her feet are perfect aud quire small, requiring a 
two-and-a-half dress shoe, although her walking 
shoes are considerable larger. Her stoeklngH for 
her long walks are carefully selected, and with¬ 
out seams, aud In putting them on great, care Is 
exercised to avoid folds and wrinkles. They uro 
supported by elastic straps attached to suspenders 
over the shoulders. Her walking shoes are Of 
soft goatskin, laced high about tho ankle, aud 
with broad and firm soles and low, broad heels. 
Tho Shoes arc an inch longer than the foot, and 
allow it all possible freedom. While on the track 
she relies entirely on beef tea, and the raw yolks 
of oggs for nourishment, and seltzer and prune 
water re quench thirst. Solid food sho cannot 
take during the protracted effort, Ono of her 
heartiest laughs Is when she tells or a girt, re¬ 
ceived from a gentleman in Providono of a pack¬ 
age of candy “ to cheer her on the last mile of her 
long walk." Sho Is, in (he opinion of medical 
men who have examined her, unusually free rrom 
Physical defects, notwithstanding her long walks. 
At the close of her recent walk of three hundred 
and fifty miles In sLx days she was eareruliy «x- 
amlned by alx well-known physicians or this city 
and they pronounced her lungs In a sure of 
healthy and abnormal activity. Her respiration 
was from twenty-three to twenty-six, and her 
pulse was only eighty-six. When off duty Miss 
Hlllorn spends her tlmo In making oil sketches. 
— ♦ ♦♦-- 
MEN MOST SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING 
WOMEN’S HEARTS. 
Women, and, curiously enough, often tho no¬ 
blest and tho best, aro attracted by men whose 
successes as heart-breakers have passed Into a 
proverb, and, far from comprehending all that 
the name Implies, they are apt to think that somo 
special virtues and excellences must adorn a man 
who Is so universally yielded to and adored. Well, 
occasionally they are right; there was reason In 
tho victories of Julius Cesar and Sir Philip .Syd¬ 
ney, two great men, re whom women were no less 
dangerous than they themselves were re women, 
and in this perhaps lay the great, secret of tho 
charm they exercised over the fair sex, that tho 
attraction was mutual; but, on the other hand, 
wo arc filled with marvel as wo read of tho bril¬ 
liant successes of such men as tno gross and re¬ 
pulsive Pietro Arotlno; the hideously deformed 
aud ribald Scarron; of the reckless dare-devil sol¬ 
dier Trouok, wlm, in spire of ugliness of tho most 
positive kind, was as splendidly successful In 
every assault of love as of arms; of the lufamous 
John Wilkes, ai once tun most rrlghtful and dis¬ 
solute man in England; or of Afarshal do Riche¬ 
lieu, over whom that famous duel between Ales- 
dames de Pollgnae and do Neale was fought In 
the Bols de Boulogne, and for whom those lovely 
young Princesses do Charolalsand de Valois pull¬ 
ed caps, ana intrigued and sacrificed themselves, 
to be rewarded (as was his way of rewarding all 
the women who so fondly and truly loved him) 
when the time Tor scrying him had gone by, with 
absolute Indifference and neglect. — “ Cherry 
Ripe,” in Temple liar. 
-*-♦»•- 
WOMEN’S PROGRESS IN EUROPE. 
Women are forging right ahead In England, as 
In this country. The Senate of the University of 
London lately heard a petition oi 200 doctore 
agalust tho granting of medical degrees to wo¬ 
men, tlxelr protests being grounded avowedly on 
the fear of competition. The Senate coueluded 
to go on with Its dugree-grantlng, however. The 
chief prize in Applied Mathematics and Mechan¬ 
ics In the University, was won tins year by Alios 
Ellen M. Watson, over a hundred or so young 
men; she has also won the Aleyer de Rothschild 
scholarship of $260 per year. When Prof. Clifford 
called out her name for the honor, he Bald here 
was the finest mathematical mind ho had ever 
met with In a pupu or eltucr sex, and that a few 
more students like her would raise the young uni¬ 
versity above tho older Institutions. And yet Altos 
Watson to young and pretty. She was not the 
only woman to win distinction In the college; for 
Prof. Huxley’s daughter, Marlon, took tho first 
prize In art, Alisa Constance d'Arey the first In art 
anatomy, and Miss Grme, sister of Prof. Mason’s 
wife, gained the Joseph Hume scholarship in ju¬ 
risprudence. The Parts faculty of medicine have 
given a doctor’s diploma to Zenalde Oukenoff, a 
young Russian woman, at tho same time compli¬ 
menting her highly on her scientific attainments. 
