JAM. 5 
roughly laid, and fastened with large nails, 
which projected from the sides of the spire. He 
cut two pieces or cord and lied loops at each encl 
of both, fastened the upper loops over two pro¬ 
jecting nails, and stood with tola feet. In the 
lower; then clenching the finger a of one hand 
over the rough edgis or ihe sheets of copper, 
raised himself tilt he could hitch one of the loops 
on a higher nail with the oilier hand; lie did the 
same for tlio other loop, and so toe raised one leg 
after the other, and at length ascended nail by 
nail, and stirrup toy stirrup, till toe clasped his 
arms around the spire, directly under the ball. 
Here It seemed impossible to go any further; for 
the ball was ten or twelve feet In clrcurnfprence, 
with a small and glittering surface, and no pro¬ 
jecting nails; and the angel was above the ball; 
as completely out of sight as if It were In the 
habitations of Its prototypes. Rut the daring 
roofer was not disheartened. Raising himself in 
his stirrups, he encircled the spire with a cord, 
which ho tied round Ills waist, and, so supported 
leaned gradually, until the soles of his feet wero 
braced ugainBt the spire, and Ills body fixed 
almost horizontally In tho air. In this position 
he threw a cord over the top or the hall, and 
threw It so coolly and skillfully that on the tbrst 
attempt It fell down on the other stole, Just as he 
wanted It.. Then too drew himself up to his 
original position, and by means of I1I3 cord, 
climbed up t he smooth sides of the globe, and In 
a few moments, amid thunders or applause from 
the crowd below, which at that great hlght 
sounded only like a faint murmur, he stood by 
the side of the angel. After attaching a cord to 
it, he descended, and tho next day carried up 
with him a ladder of ropes, and effected the 
necessary repairs. Rover. 
■ - + ♦»■■■ 
BRIC-A-BRAC. 
BY C. II. K. R. 
DRK 5 S with as much simplicity as possible, and 
endeavor to look as If your dros3 toad been no 
trouble t.o put on. l Have soon ladles exquisitely 
dressed, everything fitting, everything matching, 
no more ornamentation t han was strictly allowa¬ 
ble, every pin in Its place, 11 nd yet the effect of 
the “tout ensemble" was marred by tho extreme 
care that had been bestowed. The exceeding 
exactness, amounting almost to preciseness with 
which every bow was arranged, ctuned one 10 
enter Into a painful calculation or tlui labor be¬ 
stowed. The effect was that of a correct archi¬ 
tectural drawing In linear perspective, which one 
would have willingly exchanged lor an artistic 
Sketch. 
Paradoxical ns It may seem, a w oman to bo the 
perfection of fashion must too a Jlltlo out or it 
To be dressed in every minute particular accord¬ 
ing to the prevailing modo only pluceshcrona 
level with 01 her fashionably-dressed women; but 
let her use toer own judgment, let her make some 
slight innovation, adopt some original idea that 
marvelously becomes lo r, and she becomes a 
fashion herself; her Idea 1 k copied, not always 
with success, for imitations arc seldom success¬ 
ful. 
Woman’s Love.— a French woman will love her 
husband If he Is cither witty or chivalrous; a 
German woman, it ho is constant and faithful; a 
Dutch woman, If ho does not disturb her case and 
comfort too much ; a Spanish woman, If he 
wreaks vengeance on those who Incur her dis¬ 
pleasure ; an Italian woman. If toe Is dreamy and 
poetical; a Danish woman, ir toe thinks that, her 
native country is tho brightest and happiest on 
earth ; a Russian woman, If ho despises nil Wes¬ 
terners as miserable barbarians; an American 
woman, if he has plenty or money; an English 
woman, It ho Is manly, affectionate, and true. 
Idleness Is the Dead Sea that swallows up all 
virt ues, and tue self-made sepulcher of a living 
man. Tbe Idle man Is tho devil’s urchin, whose 
livery is rags, and whose diet and wages are fam¬ 
ine and disease. 
Spalpeen.—T ho following explanation of this 
word occurs In a Mg. written, If an opinion irom 
the handwriting can bo formed, between 1130 and 
1740 . It consists ot uoles taken In 1 elution to 
Celtic antiquities and customs during a conversa¬ 
tion between the writer and a “ clergyman In 
Beaumaris, whore 1 was once cast, away In a 
storm.” Tho reverend gentleman Is throughout 
styled “ Doctor,” and his communications on 
Highland dress and games arn curious: — 
“ The poor harvest-men who now pass In troops 
from Ireland to England are called Spalpeens, 
with a show of contempt or disrespect In using 
tho word. Anciently tho word Spalpnen meant a 
hero, u champion, or errant advent urcr, and took 
lt.8 riae lu tho British Isles, from the number or 
younger sons of Irish kings, nobility and gentry, 
who passed In times ot war to England and 
Scotland with volunteers to assist In defending 
those nations from the Invasion of each other, 
but more especially of the Danes, when their own 
country was at rest. Many noblemen and gen¬ 
tlemen are now remaining In bot h kingdoms de¬ 
scended from these adventurers or Np.u poena. 
Spalpeena Dlubllslio is now used, as a synony¬ 
mous pliraso with a clever fellow of strength and 
activity. 
Ir may not b? generally known that the manu¬ 
facture of t, 10 Sevres porcelain Is a government 
monopoly, and has been so sinco 1760. its super¬ 
intendence Is oonildod to the most eminent selen¬ 
ium men of France, many or the ablest artists of 
the country being constantly employed lu Its 
decoration. 
THE RURAL MEW-YORKER 
$or ©tomm. 
[CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
A WEEK. 
BV BENE BLUFF, 
Another six days' work is done. 
Another Sunday is begun: 
Another week I’ve Btrusarled through, 
AgainBt t<unntatinnn old and new; 
Nor always have the victor been, 
When came some trial unforeseen. 
This week, bo eadly like the last. 
Beyond recalling now in past: 
And now that it has hurried by. 
Another coni*R my Strength to try; 
Another week—them may not be 
Another week of life for mo! 
O Jesus, cleanse this slnf id heart, 
Make mo to love that better part 
So well that, guided hy thy hand. 
Through all lifo’s(rials I may eland; 
Safe then, while to thy cross I cling, 
Whato’er the weeks or years may bring. 
TRAINING GIRLS TO A PRACTICAL KNOWL¬ 
EDGE OF SOME PROFESSION 
OR TRADE. 
A. E. S. 
The Jows have lids proverb: “Refuse to give 
your son a trade and you make him a thler.” This 
Is probably an ancient proverb, as the Jews are 
an ancient people and fond of adhering to ancient 
rites and sayings. 
Now, what did the Jews do with their daugh¬ 
ters, those fair descendants of Eve, whose desire 
to bo not only an actor on tbe world’s stage., but a 
prompter to action, haH probably been transmit¬ 
ted t o us all, whether for good or evil. 
They did precisely what wo are ddng at the 
present day. They brought them up daintily, 
taught them a little spinning, and line needle¬ 
work,and as an accomplishment, to play on certain 
musical Instruments as did Miriam, and then 
while yet the strains of the music rang in their 
ears, they were taught to sit down with folded 
hands and wait, each Individual girl of them, 
the approach of the coming man, wUo should 
arise from the East or the North (or any other 
quarter of the globe) to marry her. When ue 
came, she entered Into a life-long contract with 
him to tend his house, rear tola children, and be 
In all things falthlul and dub to him, her lord and 
master, (or which she was to receive food and 
clothing, the latter she might spin—she had been 
taught how for that very purpose—while the 
former she could glean m the Helds and grind In¬ 
to meal between two stones furnlsjed her for the 
purpose. 
Now, this In a modltlml form Is Just what Is be¬ 
ing done now-a-days. Tho education we give our 
'laughter Is designed to make her attractive,— 
not useful. If she falls to attract—and conse¬ 
quently to marry ve h.uvu eorno short of our on- 
deu vo r, and fln<l ours uvea when jogging along 
the down-hill slope ot llte, with a sour old matol 
on our hands. Now, that she Is sour Is our fault, 
not hoi’s. It Isn’t so much that she wanted to 
marry and couldn’t, as that she did not succeed 
In doing the only thing she had studied to do. It 
she hail been taught—as all girls, equally with 
hoys should be—some useful trade or protosslon, 
and at the same time tail,'lit to look upon mar¬ 
riage as something nor, to ba llghtiy esteemed 
should It come to her, nor pined for should it not. 
What a dim rent aspect life might wear for her! 
Tho wonder is, considering the way socloiy 
la governed at present, that we have so many 
really contented and useful unmarried women as 
we do. Tho secret of tni9, they have struck out 
from the beaten tracks far enough to 11 nd some¬ 
thing for hands and brain to do. But It Is not 
alono tho girls, who from fate or choice, go 
through life uninatod, to whom a thorough knowl¬ 
edge of some trade or profession would be a 
aouroo ot contentment and profit. Thera are 
thousands of wives with a mere nothing to do, 
who would be glad to labor, and to whom an op¬ 
portunity to eke out tho family incline might be 
afforded, had they acquired t he mastery or some 
special work or business. A woman ha* no more 
God given right to depend upon her husbayid jor a 
living, than he has to depend upon herjor Ms. 
Society stamps woman as the weaker vessel, 
(and so at tho present time she la In some re¬ 
spects), and makes man her provider; but society 
might bear a reconstruction in this respect, with 
advantage to both sexes. 
Women, would gain In self-reliance, not to men¬ 
tion self-respect, and m ui lu respect for her as 
his equal, had she the ability—to use a homely 
phrase—to 44 hoe her own row ’’ in the world, if, 
(>v nature woman is the equal or mau, It by nature 
she is titled to occupy a position between a doll 
to bo petted and played with, and a goddess to bo 
adored, she must carve a way thllher by her own 
device. 
To stand beside a man as his aekowl edged 
equal, it Is not so much that she be equal with 
him physically or Intellectually, as in her capa¬ 
city to win the bread she eats. It la not enough 
that she Is useful, or t hat by the service she ren¬ 
ders she gives a fair equivalent for what she re¬ 
ceives, but she must be able Independently and 
with no resource butwtoat lies lu herself to make 
money. The money-makers are tho Uvv.makers 
and when men and women shall stand side by 
side In ability to provide for themselves and oth¬ 
ers, the ballot for womeu, so much coveted by 
111 any, and yet so far away, may bo had for tho 
asking. 
Ills not necessary that woman should do Just, 
such work os her brothers in every particular, 
but she should learn to do what she does well. 
Skill, not sex, should be tbe test to determine a 
person’s fitness for poslllon. Women, as a rule, 
have thus far been content with simply toeing 
able to perforin what they undertook without 
caring whether they dtol It in the best manner or 
not. One reason for this seems to be tho dispo¬ 
sition so prevalent, to pay women less tlmninen 
for the same work, a be/ fall to see that ta this 
half-way method of doing their work they but 
add to the odds against them in their compe¬ 
tition with tho more atctllea labors ot mon. 
Should tho practice of training girls to the dlf- 
As f sat in the church thinking these visionary 
thoughts and listening to the comments upon Its 
dilapidated appearance, my eyes wandered to 
that part where I knew the plaster had fallen off, 
But the deft handiwork of tho young ladles toad 
covered all defects. Mottoes of maplo leaves gave 
words of welcome; Dine and cedar were Inter¬ 
spersed with tho bright-tinted autumn flowers, 
and the defects were hidden by a bower of beau¬ 
ty. “ Ah." said I, *• there Is something after all 
In a little trimming!" 
And when I look around at fanners’ homes, and 
see their hard-working wives and daughters, 
some of whose lives seem to mo so unlovely, with 
such grand opportunities; when I know that the 
ferent trades and professions become general, we 
should soon have very few drstltuf e widows eat¬ 
ing the crusts of dependence. To lose one’s hus¬ 
band would not be then, as It too often Is at pres¬ 
ent, the very death-blow to all hopes of a com¬ 
fortable living for wife and children. No woman 
No. l A Cravat or Gros-Grain Sii.k and Lack. 
can afford to be the wife of a poor man, who has 
not something in the form or trade or profession, 
to fall back upon In case of need ; ami as the rich 
man or to-day may make the poor man of to¬ 
morrow, this assertion applies with equal truth 
to all women, no matter whatever their rank in 
life. But It may bo urged by some In opposition, 
that t he various trades and professions are al- 
reody overcrowded. This may be true at the pres¬ 
ent time, especially lu large cities; bnl If the men 
who hang In Idleness about, tbe streets of these 
cities, cared enough for work to seek it. In the 
rural towns and villages, they would not seek It 
long and earnestly without, lludlng It.; and even If 
they should venture past tho t,own3 and villages, 
and should take up for t hemselves a home among 
the “free homesteads"of tho West, society would 
be none the loser, anu they themselves certain 
gainers. For these Idle, always-out-of-work me¬ 
chanics nover would have a home of their own 
unless It wsa given them. 
Parents, give your daughters a chance to learn 
a trade ; or, If their tastes and your means will 
admit of It, a profession. Have them set about It 
as soon us 1 hey leave the school-room. Give them 
1 hem Vie most thorough training In whatever 
brunch of labor la chosen, und teach them to re¬ 
member this motto, then and always : •* There 
Is always room at tho top.” 
-*-*■-♦- 
A LITTLE TRIMMING. 
ANNJK L. JACK. 
I WENT down town, the other day, with a com¬ 
fortable but old-fashioned hat on my head. It 
was one ot those soli, gray fells that are always 
In style If properly trimmed; but tbe changes of 
fashion disturb me so slightly that whether the 
feathers and velvet were worn back, or front, or 
sidewise, seemed a matter of small Importance. 
Not so with my companion, who surveyed it with 
a sparrow-like gaze, and politely suggested that I 
should cover as much as posslhie with my veil. 
Ou our return scissors were called into requisi¬ 
tion, and a little time with needle and thread—a 
taking off here und puktlug on there, making 
beru a bow and there a loop—transformed my 
dowdy hat into a neat and not to be criticised 
head gear. “Ah,” said I, as l put It on. “ there is 
a great, deal done by ’a little trimming.’ •’ 
Many u time have l thought of this in the gar¬ 
den when. In autumn, the superfluous branches 
are cut from the gooseberry and currant bushes, 
leaving them shapely and tidy; when one would 
t hink the grape culturlst was destroying his future 
crop, so closely doos ho prune tho twisted vine; 
when over-grown rose bushes are deprived or 
dead, unsightly wood, and the clumps or peren¬ 
nials are di vided to ornament otht r corners of the 
garden; when wo cut down the shekel’s of plum 
aud cherry, and lop and trim our apple trees till 
the ground looks like a net work of branches, and 
tho trees are straight and even,—I think to my¬ 
self, as I notice the change, “ What a difference, 
and alt tho work of a short lime and ‘a little 
trimming.’ ” 
I went to a church “ social” not long ago. it 
was In a country village where the people are not 
rich In this world's goods, aud all work hard to 
gain an honest living. The subject under discus¬ 
sion was the bulldlug or a now church, aud I 
thought how llttlo the white-handed speakers— 
who in their hearts had no sympathy with man¬ 
ual labor—knew of the struggle for n comfortable 
livelihood through which many farmers have to 
piss, and how few hi this ctlmato attain until 
pasted middle lire, a freo unmortgaged home. 
God bless the farmers! who toll and sow and reap 
that, other people may eat; but reader, 1 long to 
see tho day when those hard, suu-burned, toll- 
stained hands shall hold their own os a power In 
the laud. 
women of this generation are molding the rnpii 
of the next OCntury, and “as ye. row, ye shall 
reap,” 1 feel inclined to utter a note cf warning. 
“ Better keep one cow less, and have less lucking 
to your skirts, If It robs you ef time for Intellec¬ 
tual Improvement. The lessons learned weekly 
In the pages of the kpral, go to teach us this 
need, m order that we may keep up to the limes, 
be even with the men and women of our day who 
lead the van In progress and refinement.” 
The cheapness ot good literature, of family 
papprs and clioleo magazines, breaks down any 
barrier that may have been In tho way, and yet 1 
know families who take but two papers, a dally 
and a weekly, and own all the year round that 
“ they Und no time to read.” The lack Is not In 
time, but the way of spending It, and (00 many 
of tho hard-working men and women even ot this 
age ignore the fact of their mental needs, whllo 
ministering so bravely to tne physical necessities. 
Culture and refinement are the necessary “trim¬ 
ming " 10 many a beautJful but homely lire, that 
has In It, much to be admired, but is wanting In 
these elements. And all that la required ot ihe 
farmer Is, so to elevate his profession In tho eyes 
ot other workers, that his atrt ng. firm hands win 
be a market honor, to glvehls children advantages 
to lit them for any sphere. ;*nd add beauty ot tree 
and shrub and household adornment, to his 
home. 
No man or womuu Is too b ’sy or too old to 
study, and every winter to odd to ihetrknowb-dge 
by the pursuit of some branch of natural science, 
or political economy, or history. Books of all 
prices and to suit all tastes make these mines 
easy for us. and tend to elevate our lives. These 
studies will Leach us to revere and honor the 
Creator more while learning of ills works, on this 
wonderful earth, and to kuow and admire the 
clever men who have written, for our benefit, 
while In our lives these lessons will be for all 
time “a little trimming.” 
-- 
NEEDLE BOOK. 
This needle-book Is made on a tounda tlon of 
two pieces of cardboard, covered with blue silk or 
satin, and measuring three Incheti In diameter. 
The outer sides of t lm case are ornamented with 
embroidery, worked with blue and white purse 
silk, a narrow tatted edge, also worked with blue 
purse sl’k, Is placed round the edge. Three leaves 
of white cashamere, pinked at the edges, are 
sewn Inside, and the uvo covers are sewn toget h¬ 
er, and tied with blue satin ribbon. Those who 
cannot tat can substitute a simple crochet edge. 
- *++ - 
A SUGGESTION ABOUT OLD MAIDS. 
Ip they have all h d their sny nbout “Old 
Maids," 1 should like to pm In a word. A com¬ 
mon term of reproach to apply to a single woman. 
Is to call her a •” gosslpplng. meddling old maid.” 
It. Is true too often, but. Is It not .1 ease ot talent, 
misdirected which, ir rightly employed, would 
make this same person useful and honored? 
A woman of nrdluary turn of mind who has pot 
married aud has no especial business to which she 
Is obliged to attend. U apt to rail Into liahlls of 
news gathering and become dlsagreeahte. It Is 
quite a3 orten truu (f married ladles who have 
small families and plenty 01 time on their hand3, 
and who, It they had a dairy of ten cow?, and as 
many children as John Roubrs' wife, would tmike 
excellent, members r.t society. Plenty ot enforced 
occupation would cure these same meddling old 
tnulils of thetr disagreeable traits. Who doubts 
that Amur Carey, tr site had married, would have 
made one ot tho noblest ot women ? It is not the 
mere fact or married or single life that deter¬ 
mines character— It is natural disposition and the 
clivutmstaucea that surround us! b. c. d. 
In reply to a number ot Inquiries as to what 
whs meant by the “ flow” In article on “Opaline 
Painting,” the author kindly sends us the follow¬ 
ing: 
The “now” la a kind of varnish—the same, I 
believe, as used by photographers for flow lug 
their negatives. 
The moving to and fro over the latnp is t-lmply 
to dry It, aud is accomplished by holding the. glass 
between the thumb and lingers; the heat must 
not be enough to affeet the hand unpleasantly. 
1 find the better way is to pour on the “ tlow” so 
as to w holly m>\ or 1U0 picture, and then pour it 
off before drying, in fm.snav the pmetss may 
be gone through with iwice.lt necessary, to In¬ 
sure the laving on of an even and good him of 
How; but the that, must be thoroughly dry before 
the second coating Is put on. It is several months 
since I painted my list picture, which to-day Is 
apparently as perfect as when finished. 
Mrs. j. K. S. 
