JULY 6 
434 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
that tt is not much cheaper than It Is three thou¬ 
sand miles away; that your dimes have turned 
Into “ short bits,” your quarters Into «two hits”; 
that three "bits” are thirty-seven and a half 
cents, and It takes forty cents to make It; that 
pennies are curiosities, and poor little nickels 
nowhere; If an article is not flve cents it Is 
nothing; If It Is twelve cents It Is fifteen. So you 
buy something at a “bit" a bite and move on. 
“ This is the paradise of boot-blacks, the rain¬ 
less-sky weather from spring to fall rendering * a 
shine’ a good investment. These artists on 
leather have little wardrobes of affairs set against 
the buildings along the sidewalks, furnished with 
easy-chalre and foot-rests, and often carpeted and 
adorned with mirrors and pictures. At the first 
glance, they remind you of the waysldo niches In 
foreign countries wherein some saintly Image Is 
enshrined, but a second look, and the saint Is re¬ 
solved Into a very earthly piece of humuu-ware, 
armed with brushes and French polish, to make 
looking-glasses of your upper leathers. And 
these Mother Hubbard’s cupboards of places are 
as good as a weather-gauge to a stranger, telling 
him that the year la one long genial season, 
neither summer nor winter, but the tonic of the 
one and the glow of the other. * * * 
“ You notice In tho ever-moving tides of street 
life an absence of the rainbow tints and the flick¬ 
ering white of woman's Eastern apparel. The 
hues are soberer. Seldom a day In a whole year 
that fur saeques, shawls and overcoats are not In 
order at some hour between sunrise and bed¬ 
time. It Is July, but see tho fur-trlmmcd gar¬ 
ments and the dark cloaks and the heavy veils go 
flitting along, and the sun just emptying his 
quiver of golden arrows all the while.” 
* JOHN , 1 THE HEATHEN. 
“ You seem to be In the sign of Libra, the Scales. 
There is John, the taper-eyed, with his blue 
shirt and his wapsy trousers, and stubby shoes, 
and his black braid of stub and twist, thirty thou¬ 
sand of him, going about with a springy polo bal¬ 
anced upon his shoulder, and a deep bushel basket 
swung from each end, filled with ‘garden truck.’ 
Libra, tho Scales, catches the spring of that pole 
In Ills knee-joints, and goes teetering about in 
the most outre and monkey Ish manner, if you 
leave the city and plunge into a cannon, you meet 
John with his panniers, a peripatetic pair of 
scales. He Is the only man in the world who 
makes a trunk of a spring-pole. 
“ John always forgets to tnck In his shirt, and 
If he Is well-to-do he wears two, white beneath 
and blue or black without. He finishes dress¬ 
ing where the rest of mankind begin. What 
would you have? He advances backward and 
retreats forward, and falls upward and rises 
downward. He Is the animal man Inverted, sub¬ 
verted, perverted, and everything hut converted. 
Discover how the world always does anything, 
and that Is precisely the way John never does It. 
Thus, the other day he was arrested for stabbing 
a countryman, and where do you suppose he 
struck him ? Why, In the sole of his foot, and 
that Is the Chinese or It. 
“ To me he looks as much alike as a flock of 
sheep. Shepherds tell me they can distinguish 
any one in a flock of a thousand by Its face, but 
John is too much alike for me. I pass him on the 
street, and then lu a minute I meet him. To be 
sure he has changed his shirt and hts shoes, 
hut he has kept his face. He took some soiled 
handkerchiefs of mine one day to wash, which he 
did not return, and his name It was Foo Ling. 
So I went out to And him. I succeeded In tUree 
minutes. I .overtook him, and passed him, and 
met him. He had those little wlpers-away of 
tears, as white and square as so many satin Invi¬ 
tations to a wedding, In hie hand, In a towel, In a 
basket, but he said he was not he, and I was 
somebody else. It was a fearful case of mistaken 
identity. The streets were crowded with him,— 
hut alas for Foo Ling, it was fooling he was. It 
was one of his ‘ ways that are dark.’ if the devil 
should have his due, why not John? without 
him the Central Pacific road would have waited 
completion many a long day. Without him San 
Francisco would not be the cleauest-eollared and 
cuffed and bosomed city In America. Its inhabi¬ 
tants are as white around the edges as the brim 
of a Illy. Neither In New York nor Chicago do 
you see faultless linen so universal. A laborer’s 
clothes may be out at the knees or the elbows, or 
any other polut exposed to wear and tear, but he 
Is quite sure to show a bosom and collar Immacu¬ 
late. John is a lauudry. He can wash, Iron, 
crimp and flute lit for an angel. He Is handier 
than Bridget. He Ls master of suds, an artist In 
Btarch, and a marvel to sprinkle. You should see 
him do it. He takes up a mouthful of water as 
your horse drinks, and out tt plays In a spray so 
fine that were It not a breath mistier it would 
float away in a cloud. People have unfortunate 
ways or putting things. They say he Spits on the 
clothes. It is as little like It aa the feathery 
spray of a garden fountain. People visiting 
China, as you and I will, look through tho Celes¬ 
tial markets for rats. They hunt the file-tailed 
rodent like Scotch terriers. They expect to flud 
him hung by the heels to a perch, Just as good 
Christians bestride that same roost with the deli¬ 
cate and lnrantlle hinder legs of Batrachlans, 
which are Iroga, which are tadpoles, which are 
polliwogs, which are the verdant scum called 
spawn. Let us play leap-frog and be happy! Let 
us suffer him to make a bonnebouche of hen’s feet 
while we dispose of the gizzards, and serve up 
his bird’s nests at will while we eat plnfeathery 
squabs with not a bone In their bodies. 
“John is a problem that never got into Euclid, 
e speak s’lghtlugly of him, we despise his effem¬ 
inate look, his lustgnmeant stature, his shirt, hts 
slouch, and the throe root of heathenism in his 
back-hair. Wo scout him altogether. Butsouie- 
ow ho has gotten Into every crack and crevice of 
he Pacific Coast. Like an Invasion of auts, he ls 
everywhere under foot. He ls born into this coun¬ 
try, Jiot one at a time, but flve hundred at a birth 
He has made himself useful within doors and 
without. We eat of his cookery, we wear the 
garments he has kissed with a hot Iron, we ride 
over the railroads he has bullded, and lie upon 
the pillow he has smoothed. Dogs have been 
known to take to cat« Instead of after them, but 
It ls not the rule. Americans have been known 
to love John, but It la seldom. The sight of him 
seems to rouse something of the ugliness that 
lurks In almost everybody. 
“ But hla position and destiny have assumed a 
dignity that commands respect. John has gotten 
Into Congress, and Inspired a virulent hatred In 
the breasts of thousands. They would organize 
him out of existence with the Antl-Coolle Socie¬ 
ties, and tho Caucasian Orders, and tho White 
Leagues. But ho ls here, spring-poles, baskets, 
opium, plg-talls, Idols and alt. He catnu legally. 
He remains lawfully. He labors assiduously. 
The only general sentiment of admiration ho in¬ 
spires Is when he dies and goes to—China. Sensi¬ 
ble men want some of him, but not the five hun¬ 
dred millions behind. Those mighty magnates 
of hot water, the railroad kings, and the mighty 
ranchmen who cannot look upon their ranges In 
a day’s ride, and whose Hooks and herds aro un¬ 
counted—these men, these monstrous and un¬ 
natural products of the Pacific Slope, want all 
they can get of him. They would elude the true 
‘goideu mean 1 of American society, the white 
Christians who toll with their hand3, and leave 
Mld-ises at one end of humanity and heathens 
and slaves at the other—a social state that ls a 
libel on the age, a disgrace to man and a dishonor 
to man.” 
Bits of Talk about Home Hatter*. Bit* of 
Talk for the Young. By H. H. (Square, 
18mo.) Cloth, $1.00. ilted eduea. Boston; Kob- 
evts Brothers. 
We have taken occasion In previous numbers of 
the Rural to speak words of approval of the first 
of above-named books. We have sometimes 
wished It had a different title. “ Bits ” seems 
diminutive. The hook is not large, but it con¬ 
tains more largo thought and good sound common 
sense, than are often found In single volumes of 
any size. And still the title may not be unappro¬ 
priate, tor the book contains forty separate and 
distinct articles, each a treasure in Itself. We 
wish every mother In the land could be so fortu¬ 
nate as to Have opportunity to read this book. 
She would soon find that It was not to be read 
hastily or carelessly, but “soberly, discreetly 
and In the fear of Godand we pity her sincerely 
who can read It without being made better by It. 
We shall be glad, too, tor the children of the 
households where this book ls read; they will be 
blessed and enobled by its Influence. Those who 
read the first will want the other, above named, 
“Bite of Talk for the Young.” A collection of 
twenty-six stories for children. Illustrated—and 
such stories. There isn’t one that the most un¬ 
easy little hoy or girl would’nt keep quiet to 
hear, and ask for another when the one was 
finished. 
Aria* Essay*, No. 3: Labor. The 
New York: A. 8. Barnes & L’o. $1.00. 
Republic. 
These essays originally appear ed In the Inter¬ 
national Review'; the title "Atlas” being de¬ 
signed to Indicate that the essays are contributed 
by writers from both hemispheres. The subjects 
are chosen with a view to elucidating the absorb¬ 
ing problems of present Interest, and It la only 
necessary to see the names of the writers in con¬ 
nection with the questions discussed, to be war¬ 
ranted In seeking, in these dlscoures, edifying 
and useful iaform&tlon. Among the essays 
classed under the above title In No. 3, are “ The 
Working Classes In Europe ” by Thomas Hughes, 
M.P„ “Labor in England” by Thomas Bras- 
sey, M. P., “ Grangerlsm ” by Dr. Francis Whar¬ 
ton. “The American Republic" by Gen. Franz 
Slgel, “ Indian Citizenship ” by Gen. Francis A. 
Walker, “ The Chinese Question ” by Dr. E. D. 
Mansfield, etc. 
The Gospel Recording: to Luke. With Notes, 
Comments, Maps and Illustrations, by Rev. LY- 
man ABBOT. New York: A. 8. Baines A Co. 
Price f l.oO. 
This admirable work will be of the greatest 
service to Sabbath-school teachers and Bible-class 
scholars Nothing which could possibly help to 
a clearer understanding of this gospel, either in 
the way of commentary or of Illustrations has 
been emitted. The book reflects great credit 
both on the editor and on the publishers. 
Tho Rending Club. Geo. M. Baker. Boston 
Lee A Shepard. 
Mr. Baker makes It his aim to give such selec¬ 
tions as have not as yet appeared In other com¬ 
pilations, and be offers the present volume with 
the assurance that those who are seeking for 
something new, cannot fall to be satisfied. The 
author has shown Judgment and taste in the se¬ 
lections given. 
Putting ill’s Newspaper directory for 1878 ls 
strongly hound and printed on fine, coned paper. 
The Information Is concise and well arranged for 
easy reference. The prefatory remarks on adver¬ 
tising are cogent and, well digested, would save 
many a man’s money. There la a blemish, how¬ 
ever. In an evil moment the editor thought It 
advisable to put some pictures In the book. Two 
are good; the remainder about equal the high art 
that adorns dead walls, olrous posters, etc. 
Freshman & Bro’s advertisers’ Manual, toned 
paper, cloth covers, has been received, it has 
been bandied about, with parrot-Uke Iteration, 
that a man can spend a fortune In Injudicious 
advertising, and In the end have plenty of adver¬ 
tising and no results, if such a man were to 
profit by the condensed, practical advice set torth 
In the manuals, Injudicious advertising would be 
a worn-out phrase. We commend the Fresh¬ 
mans and their manner of doing business. 
#ot ®omeit. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
(surnamed the American flamingo), we publish 
the following description of the toilet worn by 
h m on the occasion of his first appearance since 
his return from Rome, at Saint Patrick’s Cathe¬ 
dral, In this city ; 
NUMBER NINE TO NUMBER ONE. 
Weld, Marian, fair eldest sister, 
I’ve come. You aro sorry. I know, 
For I’ll yell like the other eiKht babies, 
Now grown to a down-sloping tow. 
And I’U hiccup and stare and fall over, 
And tear every novel and note, 
I’ll grab at your ear-rings »ncl bracelet, 
And twist off the tie at your throat. 
I’ll wake up at six in the morning. 
And cry to get up and be dressed. 
When poor little mother is weary. 
And need’s ev’ry moment of rest. 
I’ll hit little Ann, if I choose to, 
I’U take Kitty’s doll by its clothes. 
And I’ll hammer it over the fender 
TUI it hasn’t a scrap of a nose. 
I’ll make the cat dance m yonr basket, 
And tangle your knitting and wool,* 
I’ll muss up my father’s shirt-bosom; 
And give Tommy’s white hair a pull. 
I won't have to be whipped for it either, 
As you were. You poor " Number one.’’ 
You got all the discipline over, 
Whik£I come in time for the fun. 
For the mother, yon see, is so weary, 
And tired of nine little cares, 
And papa too busy to inind us 
Whilst struggling with business affairs. 
But then, when your heart is nigh broken, 
And weary and worried, yon cry, 
I’ll come with my own little apron 
To wipe off' the tears from your eye. 
And putting both fat arms around you, 
I’ll kiss your soft, velvety check, 
And I’ll teU you I'll try to be better, 
As plain as a baby can speak. 
And then, “ Namber One," you will hug me. 
You know, to your warm, loving breast, ’ 
And will never tell mother your trouble, 
But leave her to health-giving rest. 
And if I wilt down in the summer. 
And, tooth-cutting, wimper and pine, 
Don’t I know how your tenderest touches 
Are waiting^for small ** Number Nine ?” 
Ah! if I should Blip out of trouble. 
To the bright other side of tho sky, 
And yonr arms that are tired, were empty, 
Don’t I know how you’d sorrowing, cry ?’’ 
It's queer how they love us—wee babies— 
It don’t seem as tho’ we could pay; 
And yet, how the anus close about us 
To keep the dark Shadow away .' 
Just wait a few years, sister darling. 
I’ll grow up as quick as I can; 
And then—won’t I smooth the rough, places 
For yon, when I've grown up a man ? 
[Ethel Lynn. 
•» » -- 
A PARISIAN BEAUTY’S REVENGE. 
An English marchioness, resident in the legiti¬ 
mist faubourg, and avoiding the Napoleonlte 3 as 
low, gave parties on a grand scale, To one of 
these an English lady took, uninvited, a pretty 
French woman, a friend of the Empress. The 
pretty woman made herself conspicuous by her 
prettiness and flirtations, but the Marchioness 
found out who she was, and was disgusted. She 
said to her; 
“ I am so conscious of the honor you have done 
me in visiting me that I dare not expect a repeti¬ 
tion of the unexpected compliment.’’ 
The pretty woman grew pale, but smiled and 
ordered a cavalier to go for her carriage. The 
pretty woman was clover, and finessed a revenge. 
She bribed the Marohloness’.rem/ue de cha ni.br e to 
give her the list of the guests invited for the next 
party. Armed with this she prepared a circular 
note which she dispatched to each ot the Invited 
late in the afternoon of the following day i—“ The 
Marchioness presents her compliments to So-and- 
so, and regrets that a domestic calamity will pre¬ 
vent her, Ac.” She then went to a great Mad 
Doctor, representing herself as the daughter ot 
the Marchioness, and acting with the consent of 
the ladyship’s family, she represented that her 
mother, the Marchioness, was afflicted with in¬ 
sanity, and her madness was lu the delusion that 
she was always having great parties. For In¬ 
stance, it Monsieur, the Doctor, went to her lady¬ 
ship’s hotel that evening he would find her dress¬ 
ed in great splendor, with the saloon illuminated, 
adorned with flowers, and buffets covered with 
refreshments. 
The doctor went, on the understanding that he 
was to obtain the proper police authority to tak* 
the Marchioness to a MaLson de Sante In the event 
ot the representation made to hi in being confirm¬ 
ed by bis own observation, lie arrived at ten in 
the evening. He was the first, the only guest. 
And though the Marchlonessdld not remember his 
name she took it tor granted she had luvlted blm, 
and was profusely civil. His manner puzzled and 
his questions startled her; lunaoy became more 
clear; she was at last offended and rang for her 
servants. At t he same time he made a proper 
Intimation of his police authority; and the end 
ot the story ls that she was taken off by the doc¬ 
tor in hysterics and detained as a prisoner in his 
asylum until the whole truth came out. All Paris 
was in roars; and the pretty flirt was a heroine 
forever. Protected by her august friend, she 
escaped retaliation—a British marchioness ls too 
grand for wit. 
The cardinal’s soutane was of lustrous watered 
red silk, the train flowing yards behind. This 
garment was gathered at the waist with a broad 
g rdle ot red silk, with heavy gold tassels. Over 
the soutane was a surplice of fine lace. A chasu¬ 
ble of embroidered cloth of gold fell from his 
shoulders. In the center of the cross embroider¬ 
ed on the chasuble, aud surrounded by rays of 
gold, was a pelican, feeding her young In her 
nest, signifying the motherly care of the Church 
for her children. About the collar of the chasu¬ 
ble was the pallium—a distinctive mark of the 
cardinal s state—woven by pious nuns, whose 
cloister ls within the shadow of the Vatican, from 
wool shorn from lambs by priestly hands, on the 
anniversary of their patron saint. On the cardi¬ 
nal's head was the berretta. His hands were in¬ 
cased in red silk gloves, crosses of golden em¬ 
broidery being on the backs. On the third Anger 
of his right hand was the signet, a sapphire, en¬ 
circled with diamonds. On hts feet were sandals 
of red kid, with crosses of gold, being embroidered 
at the Instep. Behind the cardinal was a row of 
pages, in white soutanes, bound with red silk, red 
silk sashes, and lace surplices. Two of them bore 
on silken cushion the cardinal’s miter, and the 
others held his triple cross of gold, set with many 
jewels, ms golden crosier, and his missal, bound 
in crimson velvet and gold. F . k. 
---— 
A ROLLING STONE GATHERS NO MOSS. 
This proverb is only the assertion of a fact that 
ls not very remarkable. Moss lsby no means a 
necessary adjunct to a stone. The mossy con¬ 
dition ls not the normal state of a stone. The 
moss ls no more necessary to to the stone than 
the stone ls to the moss; Indeed, the stone ls 
more stone-like without the moss than with it. 
So, a craving-knife that Is kept In active use 
gatners no rust. So, an Individual who has 
moved about over the face of the globe, and 
borne the attrition of life Is free (or ought to be) 
from the many prejudices which cllug to and 
choke the growth of one who has spent his life 
on the side of some obscure hill, seeing no one 
but some dozen persons similar to himself. I 
have seen some of these mossy creatures so com¬ 
pletely covered by this vegetable growth, as to 
be themselves little better than plants. They 
could not see or hear, or comprehend anything 
beyond their circle. Let the moss grow over the 
decayed trees and barren places, but let tbe 
rolling stone keep on, on, bright and clear, and 
free from all incrustation. i L 
WOMEN HELP IN MONTANA. 
The days of John Chinaman In Montana are 
numbered so far as his services lu the kitchen 
are concerned. Already he has given way to the 
Industrious and economical women cooks just 
airived In Helena from St. Louis and other points 
below. The advent of a goodly number of these 
tidy housekeepers by the “Big Horn " and “Rose¬ 
bud " is only the precursor oi others that are to 
follow, seeking the remunerative wages offered 
in Montana. For economy and cleanliness one 
good woman cook Is worth to any household a 
whole generation ot Chinamen. Those who have 
already arrived have found agreeable employ¬ 
ment In private families at thirty dollars a month. 
From letters received it is believed that every 
steamer that arrives at Benton will bring other 
additions to this desirable and profitable Immi¬ 
gration of women help.— Helena, Mont., Herald. 
—--- 
GOOD NEWS F OR HO USEKEEPERS. 
Celluloid has been put to Ingenious uses, but 
Its usefulness promises to be yet more widely ex¬ 
tended. The Paterson (N. J.) Guardian states 
t hat a factory at Riverside, bolted and barred to 
keep out all curious Intruders, has been for some 
time engaged in the manufacture of celluloid 
cuffs, collars and other articles heretofore made 
of linen or paper. The GuardUm say s“ it will 
ruin the laundry business and rob Monday of all 
Its horrors for married men, for wnen this mate¬ 
rial gets soiled, all that ls necessary is to hold it 
under the hydrant, or shake tt In a pall of water, 
and then dry It with a towel, the same as one 
would wash a slate or a plate. Despite Its dura¬ 
ble character, the material is said to he as plia¬ 
ble and comfortable to the wearer as linen, which 
tt so closely resembles as to deceive the most 
thorough expert." 
Prkttv Hanging Baskets can be made of oys¬ 
ter or peach cans, by removing one end, and cut- 
tlug them In strips one-third of an inch wide, 
leaving one-half of an Inch at the bottom. Press 
it the shape yo i desire, and clinch the ends at 
the top over a strong wire, several inches larger 
in circumference than the bottom of the can. 
Paint it green, and when dry Line it with green 
moss from the wool's or with cultivated moss 
from the garden. FUlwitU good, rich soil and 
plant therein Kenilworth Ivy, Strawberry Gera¬ 
nium, or some other pretty trailing vine. Sus¬ 
pend It at the window by a wire or tiny chain. 
This is Indeed a “thing of beauty,” if kept In a 
thrifty condition. Hang It over and In a pall of 
rain water occasionally to water the moss. 
Julia M. W. 
•- *-»-* - 
KISSES. 
THE MAN IN SCARLET. 
It is usual for the press to chronicle the cos¬ 
tumes worn by ladles on great occasions, and 
when one of the sterner sex elects to appear In 
public In silk attire, It seems but fair that he 
should also receive some recognition of his taste j 
In millinery at the hands of newspapers. As a 
matter of Justice then, to Cardinal McCloskjsy | 
Eight baslal dlversltlesof kisses are mentioned 
in the Scriptures:—TUe klssot Salutation, Sam. 
xx. 41; Valediction, RlUh.il 9; ReconiTlatlon, 2 
Sam. xlv. 30 • Subjection,Psalm 11,14; Approba¬ 
tion, Proverbs, li; Adoration. 1 Kings, xix. is; 
Treachery, Matt. xxlv. 49; Affection, Gen. xlv. 
15. There are some other kinds of kisses which 
young ladles receive over gates o’ moonlight 
nights, which the scrlpturee do not mention-- 
neither do the young.ladies. 
