42S 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
FES. 24 
Judicious management, bloom the whole year 
round. The corolla Is light crimson, the sepals 
are white, and gracefully curved. It blooms very 
freely. Speclosa Is a good “ stand-by." 
There are no better plants for rooms than the 
Cacti. They are all curious and Interesting; 
some remarkably so. Many produce flowers of 
large size and great brilliancy. Some bloom In the 
night, and others In the day. Tho flowers of the 
night-bloomer last but a tew bours, while those of 
the day-bloomer last from live to ten days. Epl- 
phyllmn truncatum and its congeners bloom in 
early and mid winter. Some of the Phyilocactl 
bloom in late winter and early spring, in spring, 
summer and autumn we have the Cereus and 
others. The nomenclature, however, Is at present 
in a complete muddle. Cereus MacDonaldl is the 
best climbing night-bloomer lor you. All the low- 
growing night-bloomers are good, and all have 
white flowers more or less agreeably fragrant 
There Is only one red-flowered night-bloomer (May- 
nardll), and that Is a hybrid. Of tue Phyilocactl 
that are day-bloomcrs, Ackermanl, Jenkensonl, 
speciosus, roseus and May-fly are among the 
best. The Epiphy Hums are all good, and bloom 
abundantly. Cereus speeioslsslmus (day-bloomer) 
Is simply splendid and C. Matllsoml Is very good. 
For greater variety, add a plant or two of opuntia, 
Mammlllaria, Echlnopsls, Echinocaetus, Aloe, 
Agave, Euphorbia, and many others which £ hat e 
before me as I write. These all require to be kept 
warm, and those not growing may be kept in any 
room till growth begins. The Agaves require tho 
least warmth. 
An Interesting collection ol succulents for a cold 
room may consist of Sempervfvums and Sedums. 
Of Sempervivums, say Lagarit, arachnoldeum, 
arenarlum, tomentosum, heterostochlum, ntlonll, 
Calttornfcum (syn. ealcareum), soboltterum, 
Braunll, flmbrlslum, barbacidum, blrtum, Verlotll, 
hlspidulum. I have many more, but these are 
mostly small growers, and very interesting. Se 
durns are, many oi them, too spreading lor room 
plants; but the following are quite saltable: Acre 
varlegdUun, sexangularum, augheum, Japonleum 
vailegaluin (a beautiful fall and early winter- 
blooming plant),SlcOoldli.HlebQldll varlegatum,car- 
neum variegacuoa, turnatum, Ewersll, Nevii, mon- 
r egalense, albicans, album. These Sempervivums 
and Sedums are all hurdy, aud will do best with¬ 
out lire heat. In a warm room ihey-soon get out of 
shape and lose all their interest. 
A few bulbs, such as the Hyacinth, Jonquil 
Trltelela, Amaryllis, etc., give an additional interl 
est to the window gatden. 'The Cyclamen Is 
another good winter bloomer, and a plant or two 
of the single Chinese Pimrose must not be omitted. 
Ferns may be grown even In a norm room, but 
It must be only moderately warm, not hot. Keep 
them well Watered, Do not omit among Ferns, 
Platycerlum alclcorue, the stag's Horn Fern, 
which grows admirably m a room. A very pretty 
plant to place among them la uoprosma Baueruna 
vanegaLa. it la also one of the moat effective of 
all variegated plants lor aeooi room. Az deas may 
also be put In a north room when in bloom, except 
the Lateiilia type. 
But this list is getting lODg, my tune short, and 
1 must stop somewhere, though many more might 
ba added. 1 will close It, therefore, with the Oalla, 
which, ot course, must uot be omitted from the 
smallest collection of room plants, in the spring 
(about the first ot June or even earlier), put it 
aside where It will get no water, and let It dry up. 
In August turn It out of the pot, shake off all the 
loose earth, and pot It in a sou composed or at least 
half leaf mold. It should be copiously watered, 
especially when In bloom. A word or two about 
Insectii. 
You will have more or less ol these, according to 
the care you give your plants, You need have but 
few at any time, only you have got to make a good 
light lor it; in fact, to •* light It out on this line ’’ 
all winter. You will have Green aud Black Aphis, 
Ited Spider, Mealy Bug, Scale, and perhaps a com¬ 
parative stranger, tho Black Tiulps, the worst of 
them all. It fortunately happens that In hiding 
one you mostly destroy the others. The remedies 
offered for sale are numerous; many oi them very 
expensive, and some ot them totally uuiic to be 
used In a room, on the whole, i know of nothing 
better for your purpose man carbolic soap, espe¬ 
cially that form ot it kuown as Buchan's carbolic 
Disinfecting Soap. It is cheap as well as good. It 
should be dissolved hi warm water, if made too 
strong it Is apt to Injure the delicate new growth. 
Experience will soon teach you how strong to 
make it. T he plants should os wasnea or syringed 
with It. Let it dry on. it will kill all the Insects 
above named, if tnoruughly applied. Tohaccoaust 
Is a good remedy for the Green I ly and Bed spider. 
If you prefer, you can save a tubful ot strong soap¬ 
suds on wash day, and give the plants a good bam 
in It. 
If your “ old man ” smokes, utilize him, and put 
a plant before him with every pipe. The novelty 
ot the thing will amuso him at Urst, but he will 
probably Ure of it after a while. Keep him at It, 
however. Keasou and wrestle with him. Tell him 
how baa It Is f or the bugs, and how good tor the 
plants. Keep him down to it. in the end he will 
either give upsmoklug, or take to the work kind¬ 
ly, with the consciousness that at last he Is doing 
some good In the world, a lieu your turn will 
come. Take him In your arms and kiss him, and 
he will be the happiest man alive. T here Is too 
much smoke that does no good in the world. 
In concluding thes: iambling remarks. I will 
just say that 1 do not ml vise that any one should, 
as a beginning, take all the plants above named. 
The list is presented to select from you might 
begin with the Culla, Ltbonla, Lopezla, Choro- 
zema, Lose, Fuchsia, Begonia, Hyacinth, Selagl- 
nelia, coronllla, i’radeseanlla, a few Cacti, or as 
many as your table will hold without crowding, 
ana increase the number with other tables as 
your kno-vledge and iasic increase. All the plants 
i have named are good for your purpose, and you 
can select such as you can most readily get. If 
you can do no better, begin with a single plant. 
litfrarg Uliscfilang. 
WILFUL’S OHEISTMAS EVE, 
CHAPTER II. 
(Concluded from page llu.j 
“Are you implacable. Miss Barton?" he asked, 
gently. • I can assure you It was solely to spare 
you embarrassment that Sidney withheld bis 
rank.” 
Still harping on his frleDd : 
“It does not signify," she said, coldly. “It, is 
useless rebelling against the fate that has made 
me the ward of a woman who has no sympathy 
with me. How far Is it from here to the nearest 
town? and when will the roads be passable ?” 
“Very soon, i fear; to Ear t,ham the distance Is 
about live mites. Why do you ask?" 
“Because I am very much inclined to run 
away," she answered abruptly, and left him 
searching Id vain for a clue to .her strange 
speeches. 
He discovered It In the course of the day, for 
Mrs. Lockwood whlsjiered It In hts ear, assuring 
him Leila’s repugnance was only assumed. De¬ 
lighted to U ud the game in her own hands, Leila's 
guardiau paid assiduous court U> the Viscount, 
ptnued her ward to her side In spite or the girl’s 
efforts to escape, and began to take steps to bring 
about the match which was to relieve her of her 
willful charge, and enable her t.o proudly say that 
she had done her duty by her. 
Norman Lee would have, smiled at the lady’s 
strategy, If he had hot wen with mingled dismay 
and astonishment that Viscount Alleyne was 
a willing listener to all her pretty speeches, and 
appeared eagu-to conciliate the pouting Leila. 
He hung over her chair, reminding her of their 
childish intimacy, laughing good-liumoredly at 
her pettish replies, and refusing to be discour¬ 
aged by them. The more she rephlsed him, the 
more desirous he appeared of winning her good¬ 
will. 
Was his Interest In her reviving already? and 
was he not only wJUIng but eager to woo the 
bride his parents had selected for him v Norman 
Lee found hlmseii wrestling with ileroe jealousy, 
and Gertrude, whispering to her father that her 
head ached—she might ha ve said her heart—went 
off to bed. 
In vain did Lord Alleyne remind bis companions 
that It. was Christmas Eve, and Unit they ought 
to spend it right, merrily, in vain did he repeat 
that they ougnt to slog all tlielr favorite songs 
and glees, for it was the last evening they would 
spend at the farmhouse, as the roads were now 
reported passable, and vehicles had been engaged 
to carry them on the morrow to the Priory. Mrs. 
Lockwood assented to all he said, but mirth can¬ 
not he forced. Leila would not sing, Norman 
Lee’s mice was husky, Mr. Lockwood was duff 
without, his daughter, and at an early hour they 
all retired, glad that the long, tedious evening 
was over. 
Everyone went to their several apartments but 
Normau. Long alter the lire had died out aud the 
lights were extinguished, he was still standing 
with folded arms in the bay window of me de¬ 
serted parlor, looking out at the night. Never at 
this festive season oi the year had Ms thoughts 
been such gloomy ones-never had he felt so lone¬ 
ly; and he wrestled long with his disappointment, 
belore he determined that It was Ms duty, as an 
honorable man tx> return to his quiet, home In a 
southern county, aud see Leila Barton no more 
till she was the wife of Ms friend. 
But wMle he mused, a light, step came swiftly 
down me stairs, the outer door was unbarred, 
softly closed again, and a solitary roinale form 
flittered away in the darkness of the cheerless, 
trosty mldulght. 
lie heard me sounds, blit attached no importance 
to them, till, as he was slowly ascending to Ms 
own chamber, Gertrude Lockwood, wrapped In her 
travelling cloak, suddenly stood before hfm. 
“ Where is Leila v ” she gasped. “ She stole from 
the room while I slept; her hat and Ulster are 
gone. Oh l Mr. Lee, what dues It mean ?” 
TUe threat he had regarded as meaMngless 
when it was uttered recurred to his mind; the 
footsteps hitherto unheeded were remembered 
with a shudder, oh! why had he listened to them 
like one In a dream ? Leila had gone. The deli¬ 
cate girl had braved the bitter cold and the dark¬ 
ness, and wandered forth, none knew where. 
lie rushed to the door by which she had depart¬ 
ed, and tried, with the help of Ms lamp, to trace 
her footsteps, and ascertain what route she had 
taken. Bui the snow was rrozen too hard to re¬ 
tain any impression ol them. He strained Ms eyes 
to discover some trace of her, but long since she 
had vanished, and not a sound broke the terrible 
sUenee that reigned around. 
.she had asked Mm In what direction lay the 
town; was it tMtner sho had gone ? she did not 
know-poor, Impetuous cMld—how the partial 
thaw that had sot In on the previous day had occa¬ 
sioned a flood that carried away me support of a 
trail bridge she would have to cross. 
With mad haste he hurried over the moorland, 
praying Heaven that he might be able to over¬ 
take her belore she attempted to cross the river; 
but when he reached Its hanks, she was nowhere 
to be seen, and the bridge had been wholly swept 
away! 
Had she too been engulfed In tho dark torrent 
whirling and eddying at his feel ? The thought 
was loo horrible to be dweit on, yet he could not 
but feai* that tills must have been Leila Barton's 
fate. He shouted her name till the echoes took It 
up and repeated It; but. to no purpose! At last, 
halt-frenzied with grief,lie began to retrace Ms 
Steps to tbe farm, to arouse Lord Alleyne and Mr. 
Lockwood, that they might help him to search lor 
the lireless form, which was ail he hoped to re¬ 
cover. 
One of the viscount’s dogs, a retriever, which 
Leila had often patted and played with, had fol¬ 
lowed him, and was still at Ms heels when he left 
me river; but on reaching a coppice by tbe wav- 
slde, the dog bounded towards It, barking and 
whining, as If to Invite him to follow. 
Could Leila be there ? Had she heard his steps 
as he pursued her, and turned aside to avoid him ? 
Again he called her by name, entreating her to 
answer him, while he went hither and thither, 
seeking her in vain. 
Rover had gone In pursuit of a hare he had 
startled from Its form, and Norman Lee, sick at 
heart, and thoroughly discouraged, was groping 
his way out ot the copse, when he stumbled over 
the stump of a tree, and putting out his hand to 
save himself, it came In contact with the deathly 
cold face of a woman ! 
It wasLeJlatbe had found her, but bow? No 
bream was fluttering on the pale lips to which 
he pressed Ms own; her head fell helplessly on 
Ms shoulder, and she was all unconscious of Ms 
frantic endeavors to arouse her. He pulled off Ms 
coat and wrapped It around her; he raised her In 
his arms, Intending to carry her to the farm; but 
be had not strength to do mis. and was almost In 
despair, when lie remembered that there was a 
woodman’s shunly in the copse that could not bo 
at any great distance. 
Thither he bore her Joined on the way by tbo 
now penitent. Rover, faying the. helpless Leila 
on the ground, and making the animal crouch be¬ 
side her, Norman Lee quickly gathered together a 
heap ot the dead leaves and broken branches, and 
set light to them with the aid of t ho fuzees he had 
In his pocket. 
As the blaze mounted higher, and flickered on 
the rigid features of the young girl, hope revived. 
He would not believe that she was dead, and ho 
chared her hands till, to Ms unutterable Joy, her 
eyes began to unclose, and she could hear the ten¬ 
der voice that bade her live for his sake, and could 
no longer doubt that sho was loved as fondly as 
she wished to bo! 
it was fear (hat had caused her to swoon; She 
had discovered mat she was being pursued, and 
while attempting to conceal herself lnthe wood, 
had struck her head against the limb of a tree 
with such force that she remembered no more. 
“Did Lord Alleyne send you to seek me?” 
she asked, when she was able to sit up* sup¬ 
ported by the arms that tenderly embraced her. 
" Did I need sending ? Would I not freely lay 
down my life in your service, Leila?" 
“ Yet you advocated Ms cause. It was tbe 
thought that I had been deceived In you that drove 
me away. I meant to go te an old servant in Lon¬ 
don. and get her to Mde me till I was of age, and 
could set my guardians ftt defiance.” 
“ Do you still think you cannot trust me, Leila ? 
If you knew the agony of mind I endured when 
I reared that you were forever lost to me-” 
There was no need to say more, and the lovers 
sat in raptuous silence, till Leila whispered: 
“ This has been the saddest Christmas Eve I 
have ever spent.” 
‘ But, love, It la already glvlDg place to a brighter 
dawning l And, hark 1 I can hear steps and voices. 
Miss I<oekwood has sent her father and Sidney to 
our aid, and me light of our Are has guided them 
hither.” 
“ Whatever made that willful little creature run 
away?” viscount Alleyne Inquired of Ms friend, 
when they were all safely housed again, and Ger¬ 
tie, crying and rejoicing over me recovered Leila, 
had led her away to take some repose. 
“ Was It not your fault? yours and Mrs. Lock¬ 
wood's?” retorted Norman Lee, indignantly. 
“ When she saw that, in spite or the unconcealed 
repugnance, you were easily Incited to press your 
attentions upon her, and lend yourself to the un¬ 
womanly scheming of that hateful woman, can you 
wonder at her delicacy taking alarm. 11 was t hen, 
Uiat Imagining herself friendless, poor cMld, she 
fled.” 
“ stop a minute; you have quite misunderstood 
me!" cried the viscount. “ I was civil to Mrs. 
Lockwood solely because I love her stepdaughter. 
It was to try If I could learn from Miss Darton 
whether Gertrude Lockwood is disengaged that I 
hung about her chair In the evening ?” 
“Gertrude Lockwood!" 
“ Yes, yes, my old playfellow, Leila is a charm¬ 
ing Utile creature ; hut she lacks the repose of 
manuer, the pure red and white complexion 
the-” 
“ That will do I” cried Norman Lee, grasping his 
hand and shaking It vigorously. “ Accept my 
heartiest congratulations, old fellow, our mis¬ 
takes are at an end, and I foresee that we shal 
both be very happy in our choice." 
Ana so they were. Mrs. Lockwood protests 
aguiust her ward accepting the hand of an oh 
scare country parson; hut for once Leila’s willful 
ness stood her in good stead. There was a doubli 
wedding early In me ensuing autumn. Genera 
Froyle gave away me brides, and their bride 
grooms have faithfuffy promised to return frorr 
the Continent and jiresent themselves at the Prio¬ 
ry In time to share the rejoicings t.o he held then 
In their honor next Christmas. 
THE EYE-OPENER. 
John and George Patty and G. F. Blythe, pro¬ 
proprietors of the Patty House, Fond-du-Lac, Wls., 
were arrested on the TOth, charged with a lottery 
scheme to dispose of the hotel, valued at $ 10 , 000 , 
and extra Inducements amounting to $n>,ooo. The 
special agent who made me arrest says they had 
already sold tickets amounting to f-t7,ooo, and that 
tUo scheme not only violated tho law, but was 
rraudulcnt, Inasmuch as the property was greatly 
over-estimated....Tho Northwest, and probably 
other parts of the country also, Is being iloodod 
with circulars, etc., principally from CMcago. pro¬ 
mising enormous profits from small—or large- 
sums forwarded to shysters there to he used as 
margins In speculations In grain. This Is Just the 
same old dodgo practised here by the “ put and 
call” swindlers, and exposed In me Rural a few 
weeks ago. and this fresh device is carried on either 
by the old sharpers or rascals of the same stripe... 
Seed swindles are now in order—the Hull-less oats, 
tbe branclng corn, marvelous wheat, etc., etc., all 
coming from old Nick knows where, and all worth 
extravagant prices ...A snide hog cholera cure 
company out West has copied an endorsement of 
another similar fraud, and the fpllows have fallen 
out. Nat Peratneter and John McLean are the 
copied Indorsers—A “bug” exterminator hum¬ 
bug recipe Is being hawked about out West which 
may be recognized as containing as one of the In¬ 
gredients a so-cent package of Nye’s Bug Exter- 
minator..,.Tha Supreme Court of Iowa has de¬ 
cided-a gainst the verdict ol the District Court- 
mat when a promissory note given to a llghttng- 
rodman, a patent-right agent, or other traveling 
swludlcr, has been atbenvards raised to a larger 
amount, the Innocent giver is not liable for more 
than the amount of the original contract. . Potter, 
Wright A Co., “ Bankers”, M Wall St, do a “ put 
and call” businesslike the swindles of the same 
kind exposed at length In Rural of Jan. 17th. 
Kenneth Albro, a rich old Texan cattle man un¬ 
acquainted with me tricks of city sharpers, came 
to New York last week with $125,onn In registered 
bonds, which ho carried in an old satchel, but 
while he was going up the Wall street entrance of 
the Treasury building two men foo)ed|liim by drop¬ 
ping a pocket-book, knocklog him down when he 
stooped to pick It up and making off with his 
bonds. He has advertised for their return, and 
another advertisement signed “Tommy " says he 
can have them for $25,000 cash. Albro offers $ 15 , 000 . 
The dropped pocket-book Is an old dodge, played 
frequently on those who look like countrymen, es¬ 
pecially at the ferries from the railroad terminus 
In Jersey City. it. is also practiced extensively in 
other large cities. 
Jot ©loutra. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
BABY’S WALKING MATCH. 
Hurrah ! Baby’s on the track ! 
Got the word to “ Go!” 
Strength of limb ho doos’nt lack. 
Toddling to and fro. 
Mother is a Judge so true; 
There's no doubt he'll win; 
See the rretty belt of blue. 
Round his waist to pin. 
Many strides he has to take 
In the shade and sun; 
Many miles he has to make 
Ere the match be won. 
Bravo! Up and down he goes, 
Holding fast to chairs: 
Rosy fingers, rosy toes. 
Pretty 3ittle airs. 
This is but the first wee match, 
Just his speed to try 
A much bettor gh 
Walking by and by. 
Here he comes, the proud, wee chap. 
Beating all the others ! 
Now he takes his final lap; 
But that lap is mother’s! 
—A” F.. Independent. 
■ -- 
FASHIONS IN LACE GOODS. 
Tinted Snow-Flakes.—Fichus.—Medici Ruff_ 
How to Rejuvenate a Partly-worn Dress. 
Toilet accessories lu the way of ribbons, arti¬ 
ficial flowers, and laces-moro particularly the 
latter—designed for neck and sleeve ornament¬ 
ation, take greater prominence eueb succeeding 
season, it seems not unlikely that woman's fond¬ 
ness for “fine linen" (freely translated, “laces”) 
will, at. no distant day tempt her to make lithe 
principal Item of her costume and to subordinate 
heavier materials, however rich, to a mere back¬ 
ground for tho display of tngeMous devices lu gos- 
samer-Uke fabrics. Even now lace perches on her 
head, nestles at her throat, falls In soft lines from 
sleeve andgiovo-top, peeps from slippered foot and 
appears In a bewildering array of jabots and 
flounces over tbe body of the costume. 
The eagerness with which novelties In lace goods 
are welcomed, stimulates those manufacturers 
who cator to the caprices ot the world of fashion 
to continuous effort, of bringing out new designs 
and materials with which beauty shall enhance 
Its loveliness and plainness sorten ungraceful out¬ 
lines and harsh features. No fabric of tMs class, 
however, met with greater popularity than the 
Snow-flake tulle,introduced tMsseason. Itlssug- 
gestive, as to design, ot dot ted Swiss-that favorite 
of other days, wMoh has of late years boon dropped 
from the category of available dress materials, and 
relegated to window, and dressing-table service. 
The Snow-flake Is however, much more dainty 
In effect and is not conllned to white, but comes In 
the greatest variety of tints, and colors; pale blue, 
pink, lavender and cream, being leading shades. 
It combines charmingly wltbsilk,'and seta-com¬ 
prising caps or turbans, heart-shaped neck-pieces 
and cuffs—are shown of It In combination with silk 
and edgings 01 some one of the fashionable laces. 
It is also extensively worn simply twisted about 
tbe neck and brought down to the waist In those 
Shroud-like vests-so suggestive of undertakers’ 
wares—which It Is, one of the fashionable vagaries 
of tbe hour to wear. 
This tulle shares the popularity of French fig¬ 
ured mull, Swiss and variegated pougee as a 
basis for many graceful and beautfful destgus for 
throat,, head, hands and arm garniture. There Is 
a partial tendency to return to (he less elaborate 
style 01 ruff', and In the Medici Huff, the extreme 
of simplicity Is reached. A plain standing ruff 
around the neck, extending down the front to the 
walst-llne and that la all there Is of it 1 One misses 
tho riotous Jahat, with Its wealth of edgtDg, bright 
with tiny bows or clusters of flowers and In coir- 
