DEC. 28 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
827 
THE LONG AGO, 
never named Sir Owen at all—she left him quite 
out of the question; but she talked Incessantly 
of Felix, and always In the moat kind and pity¬ 
ing manner. She deplored his fate; she declar¬ 
ed It was the saddest she had ever known. To 
think that a man so young <^nd so gifted should 
bo burdened with the maintenance of so large a 
family! She feared he would not have the 
strength to manage It. 
They were arranging a wardrobe one day, and 
the beautiful dresses so mysteriously sent for the 
fete lay within it. 
“Violet,” said Mrs. llaye solemnly, “ if I were 
you 1 would put those dresses away out of sight; 
you will never want them again; you will never 
have an opportunity of wearing them.” 
H Mamma, do you think I am going to live in a 
cloister 7” she asked. 
•‘No, my dear, oertalnly not; but I know 
where and how you are going to live. It will be 
!n a small house on very limited means.” 
“ I shall go out at times,” said violet. 
“Yes, but you will not be Invited to such places 
•* I am glad to hear you say so. 1 should like you 
to understand what lielpiDg In this case means. 
Felix will have to keep up Vale House and 
maintain all his step-mother’s family. Jle will 
not, of course, have much to spare for himself; 
henoe he will want all the care and economy 
possible In his liou eho'.d. You 3hould learn to 
cook, to sew, to Iron, to manage a house; for you 
will not he able to keep more than one servant, 
If you manage to do that.” 
“Mammal” cried Violet In dismay, and she 
ralspd her pretty white hands with the pink 
tapering fingers deprecat!ngly. 
“ t am sure of it, violet. I know what money 
Is, and how far It gos. With every man’s band 
against him Felix will have a hard struggle; and 
the only way In which you can help him will be 
by spending as little money as you can.” 
Then wise Mrs. naye left the words to work 
their effect,. 
In the meantime Sir Owen devoted himself un¬ 
ceasingly to Violet. Every day brought some 
lavish gift or other to the Limes—great hampers 
ened, and honest Darcy LoDsdale wore his great 
heart away In sorrowful repining. 
One evening—how well violet remembered it I— 
It was the beginning of July, and the western sky 
was crimson with the setting of the sun, Sir 
Owen rode up to the door. He came Into the 
dining-room, where the family had just partaken 
of tea, and It struck all of them that he was 111 at 
ease. He spoke chiefly to Mrs. Haye, and looked 
but, seldom at violet. 
“ I went to London yesterday,” he said, “ and 
something tempted me Into a Jeweller’s shop. I 
bought some very tine diamonds, and I have 
brought them here for you to see.” 
He took some heavy morocco cases from his 
pocket, and violet looked up with a new light In 
her eyes and a low cry of delight. Few women, 
thought Sir Owen, can resist the temptation of 
diamonds. 
He opened the cases and laid them before her. 
There was a beautiful diamond star, a superb 
necklace, nrooch, earrlDg3, bracelet and rings, all 
with stones of the first water, full or fire, clear, 
brilliant and beautiful. The crimson light of the 
setting sun shone In them and made them so 
dazzllngly bright that It was almost Impossible 
to look at them. 
“ What do you think of them ?” heasked Violet. 
“ I cannot tell you. I did not know there was 
Oh 1 a wonderful stream Is the river of time, 
As it runs through the realm of tearB, 
With a faultless rytliin, and a musical rhyme. 
And a broader sweep, and a surge sublime. 
And blends with the ocean of years. 
How the winters are drifting like flakes of snow. 
And the summers like buds between, 
And the years In the sheaf t s they come and they go, 
On the river’s breast, with its ebb and Its flow. 
As it (dides in the shadow and sheen. 
There’s a magical isle In the river of time. 
Where the softest of airs are playing. 
There’s a cloudless sky, and a tropical olime, 
And a song as sweet as a vesper chime. 
And the Junes with the roses are staying. 
And the name of the isle is Long Ago. 
And wo bury our treasures there— 
There are brows of beauty, and bosoms of snow. 
There are heaps of dust—but we loved them so ! 
Thers are trinkets and tresses of hair. 
There are fragments of Bong that nobody sings. 
And a part of an infant’s prayer : 
There’s a lute unswept, and a harp without strings. 
There are broken vows and pieoes of rings, 
And the garments Bhe used to wear. 
IF Alt THE BANKS IN N fW YORK 
FAILED, THEIR FAILURE .wouldnot 
INFLICT SO GREAT A LOSS ON, | 
THE NATION AS THE FAILURE OR , I __ 
DAIRYING FOR A SINGLE YEAR.’/ , 
Ex* Go Y, S e v m a //. tr ~ r- a n * 
- % % rHE EARk 
THE EXPORTS OF AGRICULTURAL TURES,,f 
PRODUCTS FOKTHE YEAR END- "'GIVES \ 
/NG July I.IS7S wese*59M7S:S/3.” j DERMFc 
•President Hayes.-'" 
THE WEALTH" OF THE COUNTRY / 
l/.IN UVE STOCK CAM BE INFERREDpg=E=-_ 
I WHEW IT IS KNOWn THAT IT RE- f^£=|=__ 
pomes ONE MILCH COW TO 8? BT *-' 1 
ir .SUPPLY THE WANTS OF EVE RY BWTE8MTI«L 
STEVEJAIHABITANTS.”Gfen-BuHertJ ? AIW 1 
THE FARMER INC 
RESOURCES OFT 
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ADDRESSES .BV 
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m of mass. * 
ll J AND, 
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MAIMS 
- address by 
tESlDENT 
MAYES 
WHY HAVE THE POLITICIANS OP LATE TAKEN TO) PBAISING FARMERS AND FARMING SO FRANTICALLY I 
There are hands that are waved when the fairy shore 
By the mirage ia lifted in air. 
And wo sometimes hear thro’ the turbulent roar, 
Sweet voices heard in the days gone before, 
When the w ind down the river is fair. 
Oh t remembered for aye bo that bleased isle, 
All the day of life till night: 
When the evening unman with its beautiful smile. 
And our eyes are closing in slumber awhile, 
May that greenwood of soul be in sight. 
WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. 
# __ 
CHAPTER XV11I. 
(Continued from page Sli.> 
“ A dreary future,” said Mrs. Haye, “a dreary 
future 1 I oannot tell you liow sorry I am for 
Felix, Violet." 
For Mrs. Haye was true to her tactics. She 
as Garswood—It Is out of the question: poo 
Felix could neither visit nor receive such people. 
And now tnat wo are speaking of It, violet, l 
think It would he just as weU if you would try to 
learn a little of domestic work. You have been 
foolishly brought up, I am arrald.” 
•* Why should I learn to work, mamma 7” she 
asked, lookiug at her hands, so white, sodeltcale. 
“ I am sure Felix will uover like to see me work¬ 
ing.” 
“He will not bo able to help it. poor fellow 1" 
Mrs. Haye said pltylDgly. “But you must look 
your future lu the face, violet; you cannot spend 
all your lire In waiting for him—waiting until 
your hair grows gray, and your youth ouly a 
dream; and, if you marry him. It must be to 
help him.” 
“ So I will help him, mamma,” she replied, 
“ That Is quite right,” said Mrs, Haye serenely. 
of game and fruit, of vare foreign wines, of flow¬ 
ers—and Violet said nothing of them before Felix, 
because she saw he was hurt that he could not 
do tho same—and during that period the girl’s 
ruled was tortured, aud harassed by doubts and 
fears. 
It was such a chance to miss. Bhe might bo 
Lady Chevenlx of Garswood; she might be the 
wealthiest woman lu all the county; and yet she 
had elected to be nothing all her lire but a mere 
domestic drudge. When Sir Owen came over 
and Insisted upon driving her out, she would say 
to herself that luxury was a necessity for her, 
that she could not live without It, that she must 
have It. Then Eve Lester would spend a day 
with her, aud would talk to her wlta such noble 
simplicity, such simple grandeur, of the life be¬ 
fore her, that sue felt uhe loved Felts more than 
ever. At Vale House however, the oloud deep- 
anythtng in the world so beautiful i” she cried 
“How much are they worth?” asked Mrs’ 
Haye. 
“ I have paid more thousands for them than I 
should like to tell you,” sir o.ven replied, laugh¬ 
ing; “and I would pay as many more to please 
the same person for whom they are intended 
Miss Haye, wlUyou try them on? I should like 
to see the effect.” 
But Violet’s hands trembled as she tried to 
ratt-e the glittering gems from their velvet beds 
“ Let me help you,” he said. 
The next momeat he was standing by her side. 
He placed the brilliant star in her golden hair, 
and she felt that he lingered far longer than ha 
need have doue over it. 
“What wonderful hair you have!” he said. 
‘•How beautiful it is 1 The diamonds are not 
good enough for it.” 
