grafting fur t|t Woitiig, 
THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT. 
I. 
I stood on the stoop at midnight. 
When the gutter was freezing hard. 
And a chorus of howls quite deafening 
Came from the near hack-yard, 
IL 
I heard the (rightful clamor 
From the nearest high woodshed : 
Like a chorus of fifty demons. 
It pierced iuto ms- head. 
ii r. 
And far iu the sleety distance 
Of that cruel winter’s night. 
The music was re-echoed 
From roof-treea clothed in white, 
IV. 
Along the great high fences 
Some wavering shadows lay. 
And the screams that came trom the darkness 
Seemed to rise and bear me away 
V. 
And at those yells, uplifted 
Into the evening air, 
A sickly shudder went through me 
That made me clutch my hair. 
VI. 
How often, 0 how often, 
In the nights that had gone by, 
Had I listoned to that chorus 
Until I wished to die. 
VII. 
How often, O how often ! 
I had wished as I did Just now. 
That I had a brickbat handy. 
To stop the infernal row. 
VIII. 
O for a good breech-loader! 
O for a bushel of bats ! 
To lull them to Bleep forever— 
Those-—cats! [ Puck. 
-+ ♦ » 
JOHN NUBBINS’ DOG SCHOOL. 
When John Gubblns came home from the war, 
with ouly one leg and a great, big hole through 
bis shoulder, he wondered what work there 
could be for him to ao, with only a part of him¬ 
self left,, and that old and rusty. For many days 
he looked down-hearted, and hobbled up and 
down the village street, peering into the shop- 
doors, and over the fences, where holly-hocks 
and lilies stood up like gay young soldiers. 
John Gubblns had a dog that looked enough 
like him to be his own son. Towser Gubblns 
limped on one leg and had one ear half bitten 
off—the work of a bloodthirsty old pig that 
thought he was after her young ones, one day. 
John had taken a great deal of pains In teaching 
Towser, and he was one of the “most knowledge¬ 
able dugs,” as Patsy Burke sa'd, that anybody 
ever knew. Towser could open a door as well as 
auy one. He stood up on his hind legs, held the 
handle by oie tore piw, and struck the latch 
with the other. Open flow the door, and lu walk¬ 
ed Towser Gubblns. Then everybody laughed 
except Towser. 
Sitting In his door one dark day ln^sprlng, poor 
John Gubblns felt very lo w-spirii ed ; his hat was 
old, his coat torn, and his stump of a leg bother¬ 
ed him more than ever, lie said to himself that 
he wasn’tgood for much anyway, and he might 
as well be a clam and done with It. John had no 
wife, so he kept house for himself In a little bit 
of a shell tlmt wasn't much larger than n dry- 
goods box; aud there he did some wonderful 
cooking, a nd a kind ot washing and Ironing that 
would have amazed any child in Belleville. Just 
before he sat down In hts door he had done up 
his breakfast work; that Is, he had wiped off his 
plate wltli a bit of newspaper, had fed a square 
inch of muttou-bone to Towser, and had put his 
army blanket wrong side out and bottom side up 
on his lumpy straw bed. Therefore, John had 
nothing more to do, so he sat down by the dem¬ 
and thought. 
Close in front of him sat Towser, looking up in 
his race, and now aud then cocking up his ears 
smartly, as If to hurry Johu along aud make him 
talk. 
“ Towser/’ said John, “ you're a pretty fair 
beast In your way, aud we’ve got to do something 
to get our bread and mutton; now. suppose we 
teach a dog school v” 
Up jumped Towser, wagged his tall, took a 
little walk around In a place not larger than a 
wash-howl, and sat down In the very same spot. 
It was plain to be seen that Towser liked the 
plan. 
•‘The first thing,” said John, “Is to get our 
scholars, and the next, to keep you from chawing 
them up; for there’s a hit of had blood lu you, 
Towser Gubblns.” 
Up jumped Towser, and putting Ids forepaws 
on John’s one knee, he ran bis tongue out and 
smacked his lips as if he already tasted a terrier. 
•• Down!” said John, “ and let’s go and hunt up 
our academy.” 
So out they went, John hobbling along with ids 
one leg and crutch, and Towser running and skip¬ 
ping on three legs as gracefully as he could, for 
fear the village dogs would laugh and say he 
made a dreadful “botch” of It. All day long 
they walked the town, John and Towser Gubblns, 
and next morning lour of the village hoys came 
to John's little house to talk about the new school 
for dogs. 
Tommy Watson had a pink-eyed, soft, white 
poodle, which wore a blue ribbon around her neck, 
and drank weak tea with sugar in It. She was 
washed every day, and always cried when her 
ears were rubbed. 
What this dog could learn John did not know, 
but he told Tommy that, judging by her looks, 
she wouldn’t be able to open doors and cllrnb lad¬ 
ders like Towser, because she looked too lady¬ 
like. However, Pinky Watson joined the class at 
twenty cents a week. 
Next came Harry Nelson's dog—a soher-looklng 
Spltzberger fellow, fond of his ease, and more 
than fond of Ice. He had been known to lie down 
on a piece in front of the kitchen door, aud stay 
there until tlie ice melted and the water ran 
down the path to the garden. However, Spltzy 
joined the class, too, and was to be brought every 
morning at nine o’clock precisely. 
Then carne Neddy Fowler’s greyhound, a long- 
legged, Halit-brown fellow, wltn a sharp nose, 
and a body that was all breast and no stomach. 
Johu thought he would be a credit to the acad¬ 
emy, so lie took Lueth at fifteen cents a week, in¬ 
tending to make a tlght-rope performer of him. 
Then arrived Walter Lester, leading a long, 
low-bodied dog, with splay Iceland great bulging 
ayes, whose name was Turk, and who looked as 
ir all he cared forwaa to eat and to sleep. Old 
John did not care io undertake Turk, for he was 
sure lie would never learn anything, and would 
have to be whipped quite frequently. But Wal¬ 
ter loved Turk dearly, so John couldn’t say “ no,’’ 
ana Turk Lester entered the school at twenty 
cents a week, and the privilege of being whipped 
for the good of his class. Then the boys all went 
away and left their dogs In charge of John and 
Towser Gubblns. 
That the scholars might see what a dog had 
learned, and so not be discouraged, John first 
showed what. Towser could do. The learned dog 
walked across the lioor on two legs, opened the 
cupboard door aDd helped himself to a bit. of 
meat; whereupon all the dogs opened and shut 
their mouths In a hopeful manner, and looked as 
ir they might learn that much very soon. Then 
Towser jumped through John’s arms, hack and 
rorth; then lie turned round and round on his 
hind legs, while John whistled a tune; and that, 
all the dogs knew, was dancing. Then Towser 
put his t'orepaws against the wall, and turned his 
head down and shut his eyes. There he stood 
like a stone until John shouted "A-men!” and 
then he leaped up and down, uutll John gave him 
a peace of meat, and said he was “the plousest 
dog which lived.” 
Just as Mr. Gab bins expected, the poodle did 
not know anything whatever; and the moment 
John t ried to make her stand on her hind legs, 
(which almost any dog cau do,) she whined, and 
sniffed, and cried, and drew herself all up Into a 
ball, and linally crept under the cupboard, while 
Towser, with his waving tall and great big eyes, 
stood close by, ready to seize her the moment she 
came out, 
John thought he would try the Spitz next; so 
Spltzy stood up and begged for his dinner, and 
Jumped over a stick very nicely. So far, so good. 
Then John culled Lueth, the greyhound; who, 
not liking the looks or things, took one long leap 
over the table, and out of the window, and retired 
home without delay. Johu reached to the door, 
but the scholar was out of sight; so he went hack 
and put a big black mark against the name of 
Lueth Fowler. 
Turk Lester was next called up; but, on being 
told to stand t p, he sat down all In a heap; and 
so like a great coward, that John got a stick and 
gave him a hint that echool-teachlng was strict 
business, and he had better mind his master. But 
the moment John struck Turk, he showed lus 
teeth aud growled, and when he took him by hts 
forepaws and told him to walk along, “left- 
right,” “ left—right,” Turk flew at the school¬ 
teacher and tore his coat. This was too much Tor 
Towser Gubblns. He leaped from his place by 
the closet, and talcing Turk Lester by the neck, 
he gave him a fearful thrashing. 
The Spitz dog barked with fear, and the poodle 
under the cupboard cried aloud. It was Bedlam 
at the academy. John with Lis slippery wooden 
leg, had the greatest trouble trying to get the 
dogs apart; and when he did, he saw that Turk’s 
nose was bleeding, and his tail was bent to one 
side, and he was the worst-looking dog he had 
ever seen la many a day. The poor fellow crept 
behind the door, nor would he eat a cold pancake 
that John had been saving for a week; but there 
he crouched, crying aud trembling for fear of 
Towser. 
It was nearly noon now, and John Gubblns was 
getting tired. “This won’t do,” said he; so he 
took a stick and poked the poodle out from under 
the cupboard. Out eame poor Flaky, squealing 
and all drawn up In a cowardly bundle, and It 
so enraged Towser Gubblns to see a dog behave 
In such a miserable maimer, that he at once fell 
upon poor Fluky aud shook her until her tall 
nearly dropped off. John shouted at Towser, 
but Towser thought he was cheering him on, and 
saying “sic ’em—sic 'em;” so the harder he 
shook, HU at last the foam ran out ot Towser’s 
mouth, and Pi uk.v’s voice was not to be heard. 
Then John Gubblns got frightened; so lie took 
his crutch and beat Towser untli he dropped poor 
Pinky Watson, who lay like a willed fluff of wool 
upon the floor. Just as if she were dead. John 
took her up and bathed her head, and wet her 
nose, and rubbed her paws, just as he saw some 
people do when a lady fainted away one day, and, 
by and by, PliTky “ came to.” And how sorrow¬ 
ful she did look! John offered her a cup of water 
and a cold potato, hut Pinky only whined as ir 
nothing could do her any good; and so she kept 
perfectly still, brooding over her troubles. 
Towser sat close by, looking at poor Pinky as If 
he wouldn’t be that kind of a dog for all the 
world—so gentle, but so very weak. 
When twelve o’clock came at last, John Gub- 
blns let all the dogs go home; hut he took Towser 
by the collar and whipped him soundly, and 
afterwards he shut him up. ” * * 
“I've made up my mind,” said he to Towser 
that night, “ that nobody can do a money-mak¬ 
ing business with such a dog a3 you are; but 
somehow or other I haven’t the heart to kill ye, 
and nobody will take ye as a gift; so wo’ll go 
along Just as we were, old hoy, a couple of poor 
old cripples, hogging a living from folks that’s 
better off. 
And so there wasn’t any school for dogs In 
Belleville after all; and Johu and Towser Gub¬ 
blns never got rich, hut they lived together and 
enjoyed life comfortably.— F. //., in Domestic 
Monthly. 
--♦- 
OUR CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES. 
Some one proposed we should give an account 
of the good limes we had Christmas and as our’s 
was a “new departure” from the old stereotyped 
Christmas Tree, I thought. I would venture tu 
tell you about it. It was at the churcb and was 
for the benefit of the Sabbath-school scholars, 
but. all who chose took part in It. lam not sure 
though but some would have chosen to take pres¬ 
ents that did not get them. 
There was a platform erected at one end of the 
church, and a house, made by milling a frame¬ 
work of boards together, and covering with ever¬ 
greens, placet on the platform. There was a 
chimney, and the roof appeared to be covered 
with snow, which had fallen In flakes at the side. 
On close inspection this proved to be cotton 
batting. Some liny posts were put up around the 
platform and strings of pop-corn were festooned 
around them to represent a fence covered with 
snow. They were supposed to be Santa Claus’ 
premises. 
After some very line singing of appropriate 
pieces, and the recitation of several essays by t,ho 
little people, a committee or little girls was ap¬ 
pointed to vl-.lt Santa Claus. They rapped at the 
door but received no answer. Happed again but 
still no one appeared. They consulted among 
themselves and concluded to go around the house 
and see If his reindeers were gone. 
Just then a couple of tiny boys, dressed with 
tall paper hats and grotesque costumes rushed 
from behind the house aud wanted to know 
what they wanted. The little girls said they 
wanted to see Santa Claus. The little hoys said 
that Santa Claus had been out all the night, be¬ 
fore and could not be disturbed. He was asleep. 
(This w;is Christmas night.) 
Little girls: “The children of Falrtleld have 
not had their presents, and he must come and 
bring us some,” They rap at the door again and 
after a time Santa Claus sticks bis head out of 
the chimney. They all shouted “ Santa Claus!” 
especially the spectators who were not expecting 
this. 
Santa Claus asked them what they wanted, 
that they should wake him up when he was so 
tired. 
Little girls: “Why, the children of Fairfield 
have not had their Christmas presents I” 
Santa. Claus asked his boy attendants If there 
were any presents lert and they said only a few, 
so he called to the Fairies to bring him some. 
Some tiny little girls, dressed as fairies, came 
from the house bringing presents, and Santa 
Claus read the names attached to each gift, as 
larger girls, dressed In white, carried It to the 
person for whom It was Intended. 
Ono thing I had forgotten In its proper place. 
Sauta Claus asked the little girls where the chil¬ 
dren’s stockings were, “ Why they are on our 
feet,” was Lin? reply. “Can't you take them off 
so I can put the presents In them,” said he. 
“ Why, we can’t go barefoot, please give us the 
presents in our hands, this time.” 
We really had a vtry nice, enjoyable time, and 
I think the older people enjoyed It as much as the 
children. We took pains t hat none of the children 
were slighted, but each one received some sort of 
a present. Loretta. 
ENIGMA. 
village maid and lover meet 
By my shady, cool retreat; 
I’m what timid people take 
When they chance upon a snake; 
In a gun, in many a lock, 
You may find me In the clock; 
Painted, ever young and fair, 
Fragrance greets me everywhere; 
Of a rat-trat part am I; 
in a bed concealed 1 lie; 
With velvet couch or easy chair; 
I am deceptive—so beware! 
fxr- Answer In two weeks. Bell. 
■4 ♦♦- 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.—Jan. 5. 
Illustrated Hebus.—T he sea, the sea, the open 
sea. 
miscellaneous Enioma.—Z ephaniah. 
Word-square Enigma.— 
HAVE 
ABEL 
VEAL 
ELLA 
Pyramid puzzle.— 
w 
SHE 
G K E E N 
L E l> A N T O 
CONSTANCE 
Acknowledgments. — Solutions have been re¬ 
ceived from M. H. HaiRh, Utica. N. Y.; 11 Our Baby,” 
Montlcello, Iowa: H. W. Church, Cincinnati, Ohio: 
Herbert G. Bell, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
abliatfj Waiting, 
AT THE BAR. 
“ Who speaks for this man f ’’ From the great white 
Throne, 
Veiled in Its roseate clouds, the voice came forth; 
Before it stood a parted soul alone. 
Aud rolling- east and west and south and north. 
The mighty accents summoned quick and dead: 
“ Who speaks for this man, ere his doom be said ? ” 
Shivering he listened, for his earthly life 
Had passed iu dull, unnoted calm away; 
He brought no glory to its dally strife. 
No wreath of fame, or genius' tiery ray ■ 
Weak, lone, unsifted, quiet and obscure. 
Born in the shadow, dying 'mid the poor. 
I.o, from the solemn concourse hushed and dim. 
The widow’s prayer, the ox-phan’s blessing rose. 
The struggler told of trouble shared by him, 
The louely, of cheered hours and softened woes; 
And like a chorus spoke the crushed and sad, 
” He gave us all he could, and what he had.” 
And little words of loving kindness said. 
And tender thoughts, and help in time of need, 
Sprang up like leaves by soft spring showers fed, 
In some waste cornei-, sown by chance-flung seed 
In grateful wonder heard the modest soul, 
Such trifles gathered to so blest a whole. 
O ye, by circumstance's strong fetters hound. 
The store so little, and the hand so frail, 
Do but the best you can for all around; 
Letsymj athy be true, nor courage fail; 
Winning among your neighbors poor and weak 
Some witness at your trial hour to speak. 
[AM the Year Round. 
TREELESS JUDEA. 
The only trees one meets are the olives, which 
however, are by no meansplentlfnl In Judea, and 
mostly old and stunted-looking. In Samaria we 
saw several considerable plantations of them, but 
yet tUat country Is al3o sadly deficient of trees. 
Where now Is the oak tree on which Absalom 
hung by his bushy locks? There Is, I believe, 
only one remaining sufficiently large tor this; 
and yet we read that the “ Wood of Ephratin,” 
where be was defeated, destroyed more men than 
did the sword. And where Is the sycamore tree 
upon which Zaccheus climbed 7 I doubt If there 
he one such within many miles; and yet we know 
that Jericho was once richly clothed with trees 
and verdure, a nd called the “ City of Palms." In¬ 
deed,that Palestine generally was once extremely 
fertile, and ricb In woods and verdure. Is evident 
from the meaning of many of the Scriptural 
proper names - * There Is along almost 
every utile water-course a number of what are 
called tree3, but they are generally willows or 
mere copses of brush wood. A tree ot any de¬ 
scription, of size sufficient to make an oidlnary 
beam for building purposes, Is quite a rarity- 
such are only to be found miles apart. The vine, 
so much alluded lo lu the Bible, Is somewhat 
rarely seen; but that It was extensively grown is 
evident by the traces of terraces upon the steep - 
est hills still abundantly visible. Then, as to the 
flowers—" The Ktae of Sharon” and the ’* Lily of 
the Valley” cannot be found. There are many 
wild flowers certaluly, but generally they grow 
out of a “ dry ground.” and have, with very good 
blossoms, almost no green foliage. “ Thorns and 
briers” are abundant, but very little foliage also, 
and seem useful only for burning. ’The ng-trees 
even are few and far between, and the orange, 
apric-ot, and almond still more so. The fields are 
not enclosed, except Id some rare cases, where a 
wise husbandman has gathered the loose stones 
Into piles around his border. Hedges are rare, 
but when seen they are generally Termed of large 
cacti covered with dust, and having in the twi¬ 
light a somewhat weird look. Cultivated lands 
In Judea are very rare, aud even in Samaria are 
much covered with stones, making ploughing 
with the miserable piece of crooked wood, a very 
superficial operation. We felt surprised and 
ashamed oftener than once to see our dragoman 
(who frequently rode considerably In advance) 
lead bis followers right through a field of grow¬ 
ing corn, without the slightest compunction, or 
any consideration for the husbandman, merely to 
save a few minutes' time In going to see some t b- 
ject, or reach some desired path. The Inhabi¬ 
tants seem so accustomed to submission under 
any and every Turkish oppression that no com¬ 
plaint or opposition was offered .--The East . by IF. 
Y. Marlin. 
THE HISTORY OF CHURCH PEWS. 
In the early days of Anglo-Saxon and some of 
the Norrnan churches, a stone bench running 
round the Interior of the church, except the east 
side, was the only sitting accommodation for the 
visitors. In 1819 the people are represented as 
sitting on the ground or standing. A little later 
the people Introduced low, three legged stools 
promiscuously over the church. Soon after the 
Norman Conquest wooden seats were lutroduccd. 
In I3s7 a decree was Issued in regard to the 
wrangling for seats, so common that none should 
call any seat In church his own except noblemen 
or patrons, each entering and holding the on9 he 
Aral found. From 1540 to 15$o seats were more 
appropriated. In icos galleries were-Introduced, 
aud as early as 1014 pews were arranged to afford 
comfort by being balzed or cushioned, while the 
sides around were so high as to tilde the occu¬ 
pants—a device of the Puritans to avoid being 
seen by the officers, who reported those who did 
not stand when the name of Jesus was men¬ 
tioned. 
