THE RURAL NEW-YORKE 
IJLeaMiwj for tjft flomig. 
THE MYSTERIOUS DUSTMAN. 
AT night when children’.* bed-time *omes, 
1’vc heard my granny tell. 
An unseen dustman goes his round. 
With ne’er a cart or bell; 
And wbcresoo'r that dustman goes, 
In bright young eyes his dust he throws. ’ 
The children forthwith rub their eyes. 
And strive toltoep them open wide; 
The younger ohpb grow peevish soon, 
And hang abontthelr mother's side, 
She knows what all t hese symptoms mean, 1 
And Bays : “ I see the duslumu's been." 
Nurse eonios: the children wish goodtnight: 1 * 1 2 * 4 * * 7 8 9 10 11 * * 14 
But ere euoh rests within biH bed. 
“ Why can’t wc sec that dustman come?” 
Inquires Borne little puzzled head. 
"Because.’’ says Nurse, with look so wise, 1 
“ The duBt is thrown iuto your eyes." 
[Little Folks. 
PLAYING CARDS. 
While I do not In the main approve ot playing 
cards because of the pernicious uses to which 
they may bo put, yet on tho other hand, prop¬ 
erly used, they are sources of Innocent amuse- 
met. That cards are intrinsically useful as a 
means ot amusement Is evidenced by the manner 
In which they have maintained their hold on 
peopln from remote antiquity. It may be Inter¬ 
esting and instruct!vo to tell you something 
about their history. 
The origin of playing-cards, like the origin of 
moat other things, U Involved In considerable ob¬ 
scurity. One learned doctor maintains with 
much tenacity that seven hundred years before 
the Christian era they Wf re known to the Egyp¬ 
tians—a nation which, like tho Chinese, is gener¬ 
ally adduced, though with doubtful remilts, to 
show us that there Is nothing new under the sun. 
Another authority tells us that they formed one 
of the amusements of the Lydlaus during a great 
scarcity of corn which pervaded their country, 
when, according to Herodotus, they Invented va¬ 
rious games, “ playing a whole day that they 
might not be In want or food, and on the next 
eating and abstaining from play." The famine 
1 •itr-’—"* 
SIc *. Pi*. » 
l isted for eighteen years, and It Is certainly pos¬ 
sible that during this period the Lydians may 
have Invented cards amongst their other sources 
ol diversion!, 
But to descend from the region or speculation, 
tho best ftuiaorltles seem to be agreed that csrfis 
v.<to known Jn the fourteenth century; and If 
the ultimate test of the truth or au opinion be 
the number of Iks advocates, wc may safely follow 
tho popular assertion that they were Invented to 
amuse the madness of Charles the Sixth, the 
Well-Beloved of France. 
In the French figures, from which ours seem to 
have been derived—though the names of the 
spades have come to us through the Spanish— 
curious men have discovered an esotericsignifi¬ 
cation. The hearts, “eceurs,” or “gens de 
chCDUr," seem to them to denote, the chairmen or 
ecclesiastics, .spades, tho French “ piques,” of 
which, ns before mentioned, we have borrowed 
the figure but not the name, were the military 
class. Clubs are the French “trcfles,” trefoil, 
or clover gross—the figure being taken from the 
French, the meaning rrom the Spanish. These 
represented the laboring class, or agriculturists. 
Diamonds are tbe French “curroaux;” the 
ilguro is again taken from the French, and H 
would appear the primary meaning also, which 
is that of a square, or rather rhomboidal flguro. 
These represent the “bourgeoisie,” or citizens, 
whoso dwellings were generally at that time 
“cum lees,” or Inlaid after the Taslilon of mosaic. 
The kings are said, moreover, to represent, and 
in fact, la French cards, bear the names of the 
grout heroes of tho JewtBh, Grecian, Roman and 
German dynasties—that Is, David, Alexander, 
Cinsar, and Charlemagne. The queens arc 
Rachel, Judith, Dallas, and Arglne—tho last 
rame being supposed to be an anagram for 
“ regin,V no queen of the name of Arglne being 
known. Tiietio In the transcendental system re¬ 
present beauty, piety, wisdom and hereditary 
right.. The knaves or “ valets "—terms which In 
toth languages have fallen from their high 
estate and original signification -were the com¬ 
panions of tho kings. Tho two names, Uogier, 
Ltblro, were those, we are told, of famous knights 
of the period. Another reason for assigning a 
French derivation to our cards Is the frequent 
“ fleur de 11s ” which occurs In the garments of 
tbe so-called “court cards.” 
Thus wc sec that while our cards, In all cases, 
follow the French 111 figure ouly, our “hearts,” 
and wc may say “diamonds," follow tho French 
In name; while our clubs and spades are Horni¬ 
n'lly corrupted through the Intervention of the 
Spanish. 
Gorman cards of the seventeenth century have 
these suits: “bells,” “ licartB ” or “red,” “green” 
or “leaves," and “acorns." They appear as 
fruit, upon a tree, like a genealogical tree, having 
Its toots sometimes In a flower-pot, sometimes In 
a gentleman's bead or stomach. In some cases 
the device has a very curious appearance. The 
seven of acorns Is represented by a tree bearing 
seven specimens of that fruit symmetrically Ar¬ 
ranged ; ou the left-hand side of the tree, appar¬ 
ently enjoying the acorn’s shade, a shepherd is 
seated on a hilly ground shearing a sheep with 
an Immense pair of shears; on the right. Is a 
portion of a residence, probably belonging lo the 
shepherd, with three windows and mi adjoining 
bush. The seven of bells shows, likewise, seven 
bells hanging.upside down. The curious fruit 
arises from a tlower-pot, containing, It, would 
seem, a rose-tree, from u Bower of that descrip¬ 
tion being seen in the center. 
The hells and acorns are not peculiar to German 
cards. They are also seen In the modern Portu¬ 
guese cards; but. they do not seem to exist in 
other nations. 11 la very dlthcult. to establish any 
plausible connection between these names and 
those of the French, to which it Is most probable 
they were anterior. Tho first certain notice ot 
cards In England occurs In the time of Edward 
the Fourth. On the application of the card- 
makers, an Act was than made against the Im¬ 
portation of playing-cards (A. D. 1403). 
A row words on cards in China. They in com¬ 
mon with everything else, appear to have been 
known very early in that enlightened “center 
of the universe." There Is a tradition that t hey 
were devised for the amusement of the ha rem of 
Beun-ho, in H20. Cards are called In Chinese 
“che-pae," which, being interpreted, means 
paper-tickets. Those most, commonly used are 
called "tsecn-wau clie-pno," a thousand times 
ten thousand paper-tickets. Notwithstanding 
this name of legion, the pack ouly contains thirty 
cards—three suits of nine cards each, and three 
superior, or as we call them, court cards. The 
names of these cards area “thousand times ten 
thousand,” “the red Dower,” and "the white 
flowerthe suits are shells or money, cakes, and 
chains. 
Flga. 1 and 2 represent, tho shells or money. Fig 
8 Is one of the suit Of chains, and Fig. 4 Is a court 
card. Fig. 5 Is a fac-slmlle of the oldest card ex- 
tant^-a Queen of Hearts. Fig. 6 is the old German 
Three of Bells. The size of the Chinese cards la 
very nearly the same as t hat of t he Illustration 
given, exclusive ot a narrow margin or white 
paper. 
With respect to tho first of the common names 
ace, deuce, and tray, much learning has been ex¬ 
pended. The douce and tray are tho Latin cardin¬ 
al numerals, two and three, coming through the 
French. 
Tbe invention of chess is generally allowed to 
have preceded that of cards. Fere Menestrler, a 
learned Jesuit, who has written voluminously on 
the subject, distinguishes them as the game of 
war and t he game or peace. Uncle Truk. 
--. 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
A Sly Pus9. 
Dear MR.|Enmm : I wrote to your paper a few 
weeks ago, and being very ktodly received by the 
Cousins, I concluded that I would follow the old 
motto, and " try again." In one of your papers 
was a letter from Slayerofconcelt, and he spoke 
in such a manner of all tho girls in general, and 
a few that write to your valuable paper In partic¬ 
ular, Uiat be aroused my Ire. But upon letting 
my anger cool, I happened to tliink of tbe good 
old maxim, that “Barking dogs are not apt to 
bite,” so I do not feel very much afraid of him. 
And now, dear Cousins, I am Puss by name, ana 
Puss by nature, and It depends upon circumstan¬ 
ces whether I am a scratching puss or not. But 
H Slayorofconeelt, happens to como around to t.he 
town where I live, I will thou show whether I am 
a scratching Puss or not. 
Before 1 close, l would like to remind him that 
“ charity begins at home,” and tUat I would try 
and be quite certain that T did not have any con¬ 
ceit, before I went to rooting out that branch of 
evil from other people. —Pussy Cat, La Porte, 
Indiana, 
Not Satisfied. 
Dear Rural: Hoping that I shall be accepted 
as one ol the coustos, I now write to the Rural. 
The last tune I wrote, Uncle True got my letter, 
but I hope he will not get this one. l think that 
In the last Rural there was quite a saucy cousin. 
She gave her immo as Barney BlackstOlie. 
1 would like to know who likes the continued 
story by the name of Pauline ? I am sure I don't. 
I agree with E. G.. about Solomon Sap being Im¬ 
pertinent. I will be thirteen a week from to¬ 
morrow. I can sew, and do.some housework, but 
I don't, intend to brag about myself and have all 
the cousins laughing at me. I think Sluycrot- 
concelt as bad as his name, I havn’t seen one leu 
ter In favor of him. What do you say girls, do 
you not agree with mo 7 i guess l have said 
enough, and I dare say B. B. thinks so too. Does 
any ono know tho verses of “ Over The Hill to 
the Poor House 1 " It so, l would bo obliged to 
any one who would send them to me through tho 
columns or this hlvlily prized paper. Please print 
t his, and oblige— Hiujiflykr. 
[The poem Is Will Carlton’s, and It will give me 
pleasure to print it for you, at Bomo time in tho 
near tutu re,—IT. t.j 
Ecclesiastes; Or, The Preacher. 
The spring time la a beautiful season when the 
trees and Helds are green, when the flowers are 
a-bloom, and all nature Is radiant. 
But what a change there is wrought within a 
rew weeks. Bleak December days appear. The 
forests are sere and gloomy. The flowers are 
goue. So It la with man ! In youth and middle 
age they are all activity. But, In a few years 
what a change is wrought 1 The harvest comes, 
the work is ended, and where, oh were, is mortal 
man 7 
He has been carried to tho dark and silent 
tomb, whence no weary traveler ever yet 
returned to bring the tidings thereof.— Sabin. 
Is His Fashion. 
As Is my fashion to do In other places, 1 step 
boldly In here, and speak a few words to you. 
It appears to me that If It were not for piecing 
bed quilts, and cutting one another up, and fault¬ 
finding, a good many of the cousins names’ I see 
every week In the Ruua i. would not appear there. 
But I like t,o read them very well, just to see who 
gets the worst of It. 
And every week some new one steps In, to meet 
with a very different reception to what he ex¬ 
pected. Perhaps I am not alone In my views. 
Perhaps you will not call me cousin.— Criticism. 
iaftktfr DLatriitjj, 
fitglfr. 
MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 75 letters: 
My 49,15, 27, 2, 7,19, 8, 33, 47 ,10 unlawful. 
My 6, c, 58, io, 40, 4, 3, 43 a musical arrangement. 
My 81, 13, 21, 53, 43, 0, 4, 49, 12, 27, 49, 18 the time 
of the year when a plant pula forth Us 
leaves. 
My 30, 25, 24, 80 , 29, 35, 40, 71, 82, 22 an owner of 
land In fee simple. 
My 62, 75, «4, u, li, so, 84, 55, 42 one oddlctad to 
adulation. 
My 07, l, 40, 75, 17, s, 51, 4, 23, oi, 52 a military ad- 
* venturer. 
My 28 , 38, 20, 87, 46, 63, 50 to that, place. 
My 44, 60, 70, 65, 0, 20,72, 51, 58, 54, 49 pertaining to 
the healing art. 
My 59, 57, 68, 69. 12 a tax. 
My 73, 74, 60,40,19, io, 3,41, 27 transgression. 
My whole is a text of Scripture. 
Sir Answer In two weeks. Little One.. 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 
1. uoi us. The food of love. 
2 . looi near A. A province of Asiatic Turkey. 
8. 550 O yes N. R. A celebrated painter. 
4. l Turk. A Siberian river, 
o. 650 near U. A town In England, 
o. so bee. A German river. 
7. doo a burn. A Scotch town. 
8. 50 an ago. A city Of Illinois. 
9. 801 enter. Singularity of disposition. 
10 . 600 W. took so. A town In England. 
11. 67 ore. A French entomologist. 
12.61 reason. A character in “Love’s Libor 
Lost.” 
18 . looi not. A play of Shakspeare’s. 
14. 650 ah the brews. A Prussian town, 
jar Answer In two weeks. Mattie.. 
•- -- - 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Jan. 19. 
ENiaMA.-Sprlng. 
A MOTHER’S PRAYER. 
Father of Heavm, our strong Defence, 
My children see; 
Tbou hast given them to me. 
And taken their earthly father hence, 
Keep them in Ohrist-llko innocence. 
Anti lift their hearts to Thee! 
Dear Bavlour, everlasting Son I 
My only boy 
Is on my heart a care and Joy; 
Teach him Ulto Thee his race to run, 
And for Thy glory, blessed One, 
His talents to employ. 
O Elder Brother; may Thy love 
The slaters twain 
Keep pure from every earthly stain ! 
Send down Thy Spirit, Heavenly Dove, 
Truth, hope and Joy In Thee to prove, 
And lii Thy grace maintain 1 
O Triune God, by faith oonfessed. 
My children three 
I long to consecrate to Thee, 
That finally. Thy mercy blest 
May bring them to Thy perfect rest. 
Eternal Trinity I 
GOD’S BOOK INFALLIBLE. 
It Is Impossible for God to He (Tit. 1, 2); there¬ 
fore every statement, made by God must of abso¬ 
lute necessity be Infallibly irtie. 
Upon the authority of the Lord Jesus, the Old 
Testament Is Inspired. 
1. Jesus frequently mentions some of the writers 
by name. Iri Mark x. 3-8 He speaks of Moses; In 
Matt, fill, 14,15, of Kanins; in Mark xlli. 14 of 
Daniel; In Luke xx. 41,42, of Daniel; and He 
also quotes others as furnishing the words of 
God. (See Matt,, xll. 7, xxvl. 31 ; Murk xll. 26, 27.) 
2 . Jesus orten asked Ills hearers, “ Have ye not 
read?” (Mate. xlx. 4) “What Is written in the 
law? how reailest thou ?’’ (Luke x. 20) lutlmat- 
Ing had they searched the ScrlptureB they would 
have known the will or GDd. 
8. Jeans divided the Old Testament Into three 
pails, viz.—the law of Moses, tho prophets, and 
tho psalms (Luke xxlv. 44,43). He opened the 
understanding of the disciples that they compre¬ 
hend the Scripture; consequently the whole of 
tho Old Testament must have been Inspired by 
God, or It, may bavo been supposed that they 
would have comprehended Its meaning without 
supernatural aid. (See also I Pet. 1. io.) 
4. Jesus asserts that lie came to fulfill the law 
and the prophets (Mull, v. 1 7). If sinful man 
were the originator or the law and tho prophe¬ 
cies. Jesus, who ta perfectly holy (Acta lv. 27), 
would not have come to fulfill them; hence God 
inspired each and every prophecy. 
6. Jesus resist ed each temptation lu Mm wilder¬ 
ness by quoting from the writings of Moses 
(Dout,. vllL 8, vt. 13) and from the psalms (Pa. xcl. 
11 . 12 ). 
(I. Jesus gave to tbe Scriptures an exulted posi¬ 
tion, ns was Ills custom (I.uke lv. 19); and lie 
both lienrii read, and Himself did read, the word 
of God In the synagogue. 
Now for a few general proofs. 
“All Scripture Is given by inspiration of God” 
(2Tim. Hi. 18 ); “when ye received the word of 
God which ye heard of ns. ye received It not ns 
the word of men, but us li is In truth the word of 
God ” (I Tliess. II. 18). See also 2 Pel. I. 21, l Uor. 
11.18, Rom. xvj. 20 , i it. l. a. 
Mention of Individual writers who were Inspir¬ 
ed: Moses, Deut xxxl. 19,84. 26: Isalali, Acts, 
xxvtll. 25: Ezekiel, chuo. 1. 8; Jonah, 2 Kings xlv. 
20 ; lluggul, chap. 1. 13; Zccburluh, Ezra v. 1 ; 
David, 2 8am. xxltl. 2; Jeremiah, chap. 1. 9; 
Amos, chap. vlt. 8, 14,15; Hosen, chap. I. 1.2; 
Micsb, Jer. xvt. is: prophets generally, i Pet, I. 
lo, 12; all or St. Puul's epistles, 2 Pet. ill. 19: 
John, Rev. 1.1-8, 19. 
The Bible Is both complete and sufficient: “ If 
they hear not Moses and ihe prophets, neither 
will 1 hey bo persuaded t bough one rose from tlio 
dead ” (Luke xvl. 81). 
Names or the Bible. The Holy Scriptures (Rom. 
1. 2); God only is holy (Rev. xv. 4), therefore He 
lii the Divine Author. The Book m the Lord (Isa. 
x.vxlv. 10). The Scriptures of truth (Daw x 21). 
The word or God (Hob. lv. 12). The Scriptures 
(John v. 39). 
The word of God Is pure (Ps. xll, 6, cxlx. 140; 
Prov. xxx. 5). God only Is holy; therefore Ho 
must bo the originator or pure words. 
Nothing may be added io the word of God, nor 
token therefrom (Rev xxll 18,19: Prov. xxx. 0; 
Deut. lv.«. xll. 82); Jehotaklin, king of Judah, 
was punished for burning the roll (.Ter. xxvl. 29- 
81). Let us be thankful that In our day we pos¬ 
sess a complete and free Bible. 
BASH AN. - SHEPARDS LEADING THEIR 
FLOCKS. 
“ As we sat and looked,” writes tbe gifted au¬ 
thor of “ the GhmtCltles of Bashftu,” “ the silent 
UlllRldes around us were In a moment filled with 
life and sound. The Hhepherds led their flocks 
forth from the gates of the city. They were in 
lull view; and we listened to them with no litt.lo 
Interest. Thousands of sheep und goals wete 
there, grouped lu dense contused masses. The 
Hhepherds stood together until all came out. 
Then they separated; euch sheperd taklug a dif¬ 
ferent path, and uttering,aa he advanced, a shrill 
peculiar call. The sheep heard them. At first 
the masses swayed mid moved, as It shaken by 
some Internal canvulfdon ; then points struck out 
In the direction taken by (he. shepherd; these 
became longer and longer until the confused 
masses were resolved into long living - streams, 
flowing after their lenders. The sight was, per¬ 
haps one ot the most vivid Illustrations which hu¬ 
man eyes could wHness of that beautiful dis¬ 
course of our herd, recorded by John: “lAnd tho 
sheep hear the shepherd’s voice; and becalloih 
his own sheep by name, and leadeih them out,; 
and when ho DUltelh forth his own sheep ho 
goetli before them; and tho sheep follow him; 
for they know Ids voice. And a stranger will 
they not follow; for they know hot tho voice ol' 
strangers’ (John x. 8-5)." 
