THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ILeaimui for % gomtg. 
CHARLIE’S STORY. 
I was sitting in the twilight, 
With my Charlie on my knee— 
(Little two-year-old, forever 
Teasing," Talk a 'tory, p’ease, to me,”) 
“ Now," I said, “ talk’ me a’ ’tory'." 
“ Well,” reflectively, “ I’ll ’menco. 
Mamma, I did see a kitty. 
Great—big—kitty, on the fence.” 
Mamina smiles. Five little fingers 
Cover up her laughing lips. 
'•Is oo laughing?” ** Yes."I tell him. 
But I kiss the finger-tips. 
And I say, " Now tell another." 
“ Well”—all smiles—” now I will ’mence. 
Mamma, I did sea a doggie, 
Great—big—doggie on the fence.” 
*' Rather similar—your stories— 
Aren’t they, d<^r ?" A sober look 
Swept across the pretty forehead, 
Then he sudden courage took. 
“ But I know a nice, new 'tory, 
’Plendid, mamma! Hear me 'mence. 
Mamma, I—did—see—a— elfunt, 
Great—big—elfunt—on the fence 1” 
[Springfield Republican. 
-- 
LETTERS FHON BOYS AND GIRLS. 
A Nice Letter. 
Uncle and Cousins On this day of good 
cheer and celebration, with the atr warm as In 
lovely September, and the pleasant balmlness of 
Indian summer, 1 send you a letter fraught with 
much “peace and good will," for all our vast 
army of relations. I wonder how all the cousins 
are spending this lovely Christmas day ? Won’t 
some of you write and tell now It passed with 
you ? 
This week the county Institute meets in Wash¬ 
ington, and the “pretty school-marm," and the 
“ masters so cruel and grim,” turn out lu abund¬ 
ance. The ■ tread our streets, looking like so 
many cyclopedias, or Webster’s Unabrldgeds. I 
often wonder If vacation-time Is a holiday to 
them. 
Wu.dFern need not look for me among them, 
for I’m neither “marm” nor “ master" yet. And 
by-the-way, why don’t that young lady give us 
her real name 7 Do you really want to know the 
name of him (her 7} who Is only a “flat" Jump¬ 
ing-Jack ? 
Allow me heie, kind Rural editor, to return my 
sincere thunks for the package of seeds sent from 
the Experimental Grounds. I should have re¬ 
turned thanks, or made acknowledgement soon¬ 
er, hut was unavoidably delayed. The “best 
laid plans” are often made to go la a.different 
way from that we Intend, hence my delay. 
I’m now going for a long walk over the beauti¬ 
ful bills and would like the company of W. F., or 
any agreeable cousins. Will you go along? But 
that cannot he I know, so I’ll content myself 
wlLh escorting t«o very nice little ladles out this 
afternoon. (Exit Jumping-Jack.) Two hours 
later and we have returned. Our walk was grand. 
The sun was slowly sinking In all its traditional 
glory as we started, and we came home in the 
fast gathering twilight. This month of Decem¬ 
ber has been a remarkable one with us, from the 
fact that the weather Is so much like early tall. 
Notone sleigh-ride have we had as yet. But to 
tell something of our walk. We found clover and 
vines'as green as In spring-time; oak leaves, a 
rich brown color, mosses green and tufty, nuts 
fresh aud good, sassafras quite spicy, and many 
things to please the sight and taste. 
As 1 sat on a moss-grown stump, and looked up 
at the vast network of branches at the tree-tops, 
at the beautiful grey of the bark, the haziness of 
the atmosphere, and the beauty all around me, 
there came to my mind Hie line : “ There is a 
pleasure In the pathless woods,” and I fully real¬ 
ized It at that moment: then the cloud pictures 
that we saw, seem U v e great bits of brightness, 
not eas’ly or soon forgotten. And now, cous¬ 
ins mine, that another year is soon to commence 
let us not forsake, ibis pleasant column of ours, 
but endeavor to make It brighter and better than 
ever before. And let us hope that kind Uncle 
Truk may issue a •• Proclamation" again as liber¬ 
al as the flrst one was. And with many good 
wishes for your prosperity, I walk this time 
quietly away. J. J. 
December 25,1S77. 
How We Prepared For It. 
Dear Uncue True:—Y our beautiful present 
reached me last evening. I Rave not had time to 
read It yet, but am very grateful for It. When 
the hustle of getting ready for Christmas Is all 
over, I am anticipating a dellghtrul time In read¬ 
ing it. I wonder If you and the Cousins would 
like to hear me tell of my experience in gettlDg 
ready for ibis blessed anniversary? If others 
enjoy It half as much as I have the doing It, I 
think you will all like to hear about it. We are 
going to have a Christmas tree, and we girls are 
to nave the management of It. The boys get the 
tree and put it In the sitting-room, and then we 
are not going to let them see a single thing till it 
is all ready. Wo have fixed some lovely things 
with the pop-corn—festoons, crosses, anchors, 
and balls; they look very nice, so white and pure, 
In contrast with the dark-green, and they help 
to setoff other things. 
We have made lots of pretty things—not costly, 
but useful and pretty. Grandma has a Dice Bible 
cover, to lay upon the top of her big Bible; and 
we have made handkerchief boxes of perforated 
card-board, wrought with worsted; glove boxes 
to match; letter cases, brackets, love-scales, and 
baskets made of clgar-llghters, little dolls made 
of cotton batting, pen-wlpera, and so many things 
that It would try one’s patience to enumerate 
them all. Grandmother says she thtnks the 
CHRiST-child would be better pleased with our 
gilts U we could make presents to poor little chil¬ 
dren of things that they need to make them com¬ 
fortable; but we had rather, by far, make pretty 
keepsakes tor our dear friends. She knits mit¬ 
tens and stockings for all the little cold hands 
and feel In the village, and I do believe she en¬ 
joys knitting, I wonder If l shall love to knit as 
she does, whan I get to he grandmother? It Is 
very nice to see old ladles knit—they look so com¬ 
fortable and happy—and I do think they enjoy It; 
but I cannot sit still long enough to make stock¬ 
ings grow. 1 like to read the letters from the 
Cousins, and I think Uncle True Is one of the 
best Uncles in the world.—L ilt Lee, Randolph, 
Dec. 22. 
That Delightful Mad-Cap Mollle. 
Dear Cousins one and all, here I am again. 
Perhaps I am Impertinent In coming again so 
soon, and If so I am very, very sorry! Am I for¬ 
given the offense 7 Yes, I see 1 am by tne smile 
on all your faces, the outstretched hands, and olt 
repeated word, welcome! How kind of you to 
greet every onB then, and to make them feel so 
welcome, is It not splendid that we can meet 
and talk together In this way, but would It net 
be far better for all to meet In Uncle True’ssludy, 
and talk face to face. But a wee, small voice 
whispers: O Mollle, Mollle, how you are rambling 
from the topic you came to talk on,, so back to 
the right path you truant. Ilush, hush Solomon 
Sap, none of your grumbling, for I have the floor, 
aud will be hoard. I wonder It there Is a beam In 
my own eye, for If there Is not I would like to pull 
the mote Irom yours, and let you see that we are 
really a Jolly lot ol cousins, and in whose society 
one might And mucU pleasure if they were not 
constantly looking for faults. But sir, your egot¬ 
ism Is reorlut and I challenge you to drop the 
mask and reveal the gentlemanly side of your 
character, (for I know you have one,) and I In- 
one win come over to the enemy's side, give you 
my hand as a flag of truce, and say I’m your 
cousin and friend, will you accept me as such ? I 
would say to ali these girls who are brave enough 
to Join me in that pledge, that I am glad and 
proud to call you cousins, and would like to know 
you personally, and to you, dear Snowflake, 11 
you or anyone else think you can And anything 
Interesting in my nonsensical epistles, 1 shall be 
delighted to receive and answer any number of 
letters addressed to Madcap Mollie. 
Wanted a Sister for Adoption. 
Dear Rural : I am quite a small boy. I like 
to read t he letters. 1 had a real good laugh on 
the verse about the treeses and the cowses. I 
guess the hoy t hat wrote It laughed too. I live on 
a beautiful hill near the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
My papa has a nice little horse, and 1 like to ride 
horse-back, but strange to say, as soon as 1 mount 
his hack, and tell him to go forward, he will turn 
to go to the barn again. Can any ol my Rural 
cousins tell me what to do? lie minds all hut 
me. 1 have a nice kilty too, and lour years ago 1 
had a nice sister. s>ho is an angel now, I miss 
her very much. My mamma says she would like to 
adopt a nice little girl about ten years old to All 
my sister’s place. She must be smart and know 
something of music, and l say pretty too, for I 
want her to go to school with me. If any one 
who reads this knows of such a hoile girl, won’t 
they please to lot us know where to find her, 
This la the first letter 1 have wrlten to the 
Rural. If I see this In print it will make me 
want to write another one, better I hope. From 
your little friend, Archie M. Morris. 
Westjleia, N. J. 
The First Snow. 
Dear Rural and Cousins All :—I see now, as I 
sit before my western window, the gentle snow¬ 
flakes coming slowly to the ground, to remind us 
that we are once more enfolded In winter’s cold 
embrace; and now for the skates which I aways 
love to use whether it lathe fashion or not. Slay- 
krofoonceit has once more made his appearance 
on the field or action, alter having so success¬ 
fully tried to expel Young Editor No. i, and 
others Irom our ranks. Snowflake s way of 
spending the long evenings Is very well for a 
time, hut all study' is tiresome. I was somewhat 
surprised to hear Wild Fern say that she flrst 
thought me a boy. 
I had the pleasure of visiting the great sum¬ 
mer resort. Lake Moboulc, this autumn. It was 
a lovely day, and a more pleasant place I never 
saw in the mountains, and oh ! how I love to sail 
on the lake’s deep waters, 
As it ripples and brinkles, and dimples and twinkles. 
Beneath the bright lances the sunset has thrown. 
It Is needless to add that a small party of four 
enjoyed themselves climbing over the rocks and 
searching through the caves. I will now close 
by wishing you all a Happy New Year. Adieu. 
lVYRKST, N. Y, Ivy. 
A New Arrival. 
Dear oousins— one and all—how are you? I’ve 
arrived here at last, (It Uncle Truk will let me 
stay,) and I am very glad to see you. I have been 
a long time on the way, but you know “ It is bet¬ 
ter late than never.” I have often t een tempted 
to write and take arms against—not a “sea of 
troubles,” but .Solomon Sap, Slayerofconckit, 
etc. They probably never would have recovered 
from the attack, aud they may thank their stars 
that I pass them by on the ocher side this time. 
1 agree wllU Snowflake, In regard to being so¬ 
ciable. Slayerofconceit had better be careful 
in giving others too good a “chance to shoot,” as 
he may retire from the field wounded In spirit as 
well as conceit. 1 am one of the girls that like to 
skate, though I do not lay claims to beLng an ex¬ 
pert. Now, Cousins, do be lenient, and not Judge 
me by this flrst letter. 1 may not know anything, 
but please give me a fair trial. Tremblingly I 
await your verdict.—N. N., Buffalo, N. Y. 
(Tbc f Uglfr. 
ILLUSTRATED REBUS, 
\ ' ' 
rw Answer In two weeks. 
MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 9 letters * 
My 9, 5, 6. «, 8 4 a woman's name. 
My 5, 3. 2 an animal. 
My 4, 9, 3,3, 6 to occur. 
My 9, 7, 3 part of the body. 
My 4, 5,1,2 a condition of the air. 
My 9, 2, 6, 3 a pile. 
My 4, 7, 2 to hasten. 
My 7, 6, 6, 6, 2 empty. 
My 3, 7, 6, 2 a kind of tree. 
My whole Is a man's name. 
isr Answer In two weeks. s. c. 
WORD-SQUARE ENIGMA. 
1. A verb ; spelled another way, It Is a part of 
anything. 
2 . The name of one of the flrst men mentioned 
In the Bible. 
3. The name of a certain meat. 
4. The name of a girl. 
t-sr Answer In two weeks. Onondaga. 
PYRAMID PUZZLE. 
1. A consonant. 2. A pronoun. 3. A color. 4. 
A Grecian gulf. 5. A Swiss lake. Centrals form 
a grain. 
g i* - Answer in two weeks. Md. 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Dec. 22. 
Word-square Enigma.— 
vase 
ARID 
SIDE 
EDEN 
^abbatb Efabing. 
“ POST HOC EXILIUM.” 
After this exile ; not while groping here 
In this low valley full of mists and chills. 
Waiting and watching till the day breaks clear 
Over the brow of the eternal hills— 
Mother, sweet dawn of that unfitting sun, 
Show ua thy Jesus when the night, is done! 
After this exile ; when our toils are o'er, 
And we. poor laborers, homeward turn our feet ; 
When wo shall ache and work and weep no more, 
But know the rest the weary find so Bweet: 
Mother of pity, merciful and blest, 
Show us thy Jesus in the “ Laml of Rest.” 
After this exile ; winter will be past, 
And the rain over, and the flowers appear, 
And we ahull see in God'B own light at last 
AT we have sought for in the darkness here ; 
Then, Mother, turn on us tby loving eyes, 
And show us Jesus—our eternal prize! 
A GODLY ENTERPRISE.' 
There have been some redoubtable scientific 
scoffers of the efficacy of prayer, notably Tyn¬ 
dall and Huxley, but precisely In their own 
country Is established an enterprise that ought, 
surely, to confound them. About Ally years ago 
George Muller was a theological student at 
Halle, Germany, and was as regardless of true 
religion as the twleve huudred and sixty other 
young men there gathered together. But, at 
last, it pleased Go© to alter Ms life, aud he found 
the Lord. Soon, thereafter, he went to Eng¬ 
land as a missionary to the Jews, but after la¬ 
boring for months among this people, relinquished 
the task, and turned his attention to the Gen¬ 
tiles. This act severed his connection with the 
society under whose patronage he was working, 
and he was left In a strange land without 
friends or resources. Now, the question was 
what to do? He thought —“if 1 only seek 
to labor for the Lord, If 1 act only as be¬ 
comes a servant of Jesus Christ, my gracious 
Master will surely care about my temporal neces¬ 
sities.” “ If ye shall ask anything lu my name, I 
will dolt." And relying Implicitly on this prom¬ 
ise he took no thought of the morrow, simply 
praying to the Lord to relieve his wants. From 
that time to the present those prayers have been 
answered, and in the most extraordinary man¬ 
ner. At no time has Mr. Muller had any salary 
or emolument for his labor. Occasionally all the 
provisions In the house were exhausted, In addi¬ 
tion to the money having melted away. 
Finally bis attention was directed to the home¬ 
less children roaming the streets, and after earn¬ 
est thought and prayer he Judged God would bless 
his efforts in their behalf, and on March 5th, 
1834, was commenced the work that has since 
grown to such glorious proportions. The be¬ 
ginning was exceedingly small. The Income of 
the first year amounted to only $ 620 . 
_In the circular recommending the enterprise 
to the Community It was distinctly stated that 
the living God, Himself, was the patron of the In¬ 
stitution, and to nim alone should the founder 
look for aid tnd comfort. Thus was begun one 
day-school, one Sunday-school and ono adult 
school, but before a twelvemonth had passed the 
day-schools had Increased to six. In the second 
year the work was enlarged: a significant Incident 
led him to enter on this last venture. Visiting 
poor members of the church one day, he was 
pained to see their extreme necessities, and 
thinking over It he exclaimed, “Oh! that It 
might please God to give me more means for my¬ 
self that 1 might give more," and scarcely had 
the words been uttered when the mall brought 
$300. After having prayed for helpers, suitable 
premiums and $5,000 to begin the orphan work he 
rested calm aud content, feeling sure his prayer 
would be answered. The next day came t wenty- 
five cents, then came a piece of furniture. Two 
days after $500 was received from a poor working 
girl. Mr. Muller tried to dissuade her from 
giving this half ot a legacy to which she had Just 
fallen heir, as she was la bad health, and could 
earn but $1 per day. She Insisted, saying that 
she had well weighed the matter, and rather 
than the orphan work should not come to pass 
she would yield up every penny she possessed’ 
Further donations coming in, he was in a position 
to hire a house. 
Everything was now ready—allbut the orphans. 
Mr. Muller appointed a time when he would be 
In the vestry t,o receive applicants. The time 
came, but no orphans came with it. After two 
hours he said to himself, “ 1 have prayed for 
everything but I have never asked God to send 
me orphans." He had taken for granted that 
orphans were about the most plentiful product of 
the British Isles, and articles that would surely 
come without praying for them. The next morn¬ 
ing, after a night of serious prayer the flrst 
orphan was applied for, and during the month 
forty-two were added to the first arrival. 
The Institution grew apace, another house was 
rented and yet another, and another until It be¬ 
came advisable to build for himself. After earn¬ 
est communion with God, Mr. Mulcer felr. called 
upon to build a house suitable for non orphans 
and assistants. This would cost $76,000. He had 
just $7. lie prayed for 33 days without visible 
result, on the 24tli came a check for $5,000, aud by 
degrees the entire sum filtered In. 
Au anecdote concerning the purchase ot the 
land happily Illustrates what Mr. Muller wishes 
to enforce. He had called twice to see the land- 
owner, alternating between his house and count¬ 
ing-room. We give Mr. Muller’s words, " Now,” 
I said to myself, “ shall 1 go again to the house of 
this merchant, or shall 1 wait until to-morrow ?’ ” 
It appeared to me “Here is the Unger of God”; 
for I was told I should surely find him at 7 P. M. 
at home; then I am told I Should surely find him 
at the counting-house; I go there and he has Just 
left. The hand of God is In this, and the best for 
me Is to wait unlll to-morrow.” lie Uldsoaud next 
morning the owner said, “ I have heard, slr f 
about you. You wish to buy land for an orphan 
home. During the past nigh’ I lay awake, I 
could not sleep, T said to myself, It this gentle¬ 
man comes for the land you must sell It to him 
for 1600 , Instead of $ 1,000 an acre.” And so the 
work progressed. Five orphan-houses were 
built at different, times, accommodating 6,250 
orphans, besides 114 schools were rounded, In¬ 
structing lo.ooo pupils. 
Not one cent of the great amount of money re¬ 
quired to build and conduct these Institutions 
was solicited, When money was required earn¬ 
est prayer seemed to bring It. It was frequently 
the oase that there was not money enough in the 
exchecquer after breakfast to pay tor the suc¬ 
ceeding dinner. Yet never was a meal delayed, 
and never was a cent borrowed, if any more 
convincing proof 1s needed of the efficacy of 
prayer, there must be skeptics Indeed! 
* Two addresses relative to the Orphan Homes on 
Ashly Down, Bristol, England, and the other objects 
of The Scriptural KuowleVo Institution for home 
and abroad. By George Muller, New York: A. S. 
Barnes & Go. 
