OCT. 231 
1714 
Ufoafag for for fomig. 
SWING, ROCKER, SWING. 
T.ITTLF. EVIE’S GOOD-NIGHT SONG. 
The evening- hour is creeping on, 
Swiug, rocker, swing; 
The play-day time is almost done. 
Sing, baby, sing. 
Oh, Evie sits on mamma’s knee, 
Swing, rocker, swing, 
A happy little boy is ho, 
Sing, birdie, sing. 
The fire-light glows npon the wall. 
Swing, rocker, swing; 
While evening shadows cover all, 
Sing, baby, sing. 
Through the window pane he sees, 
Swing, rocker, swing. 
The witches dancing merrily, 
Sing, birdie, sing. 
Their bonfires burning clear and bright. 
Swing, rocker, swing, 
While happy, dancing in the light, 
Sing, baby, sing. 
Oh, baby’s e.\ es must go to sleep, 
Swing, rocker, swing; 
Of infant dreams drink long and deep. 
Sing, birdie, sing. 
Oh, colder grows the Winter night, 
Swing, rocker, swing: 
While witches dance by window light, 
Swing, rocker, swing. 
—Maude Meredith. 
THE BLUE JAY. 
Corvus Cristatus. 
This elegant bird, which seems to be peculiar to 
North America, Is distinguished as a kind of beau 
among the feathered tenants of our grove3 and 
forests, by the brilliancy of his dress, the oddness 
of tone and gesture, and his superabundant lo¬ 
quacity. He Is, indeed, a gay fellow, large and 
strong, measuring eleven Inches in length, and, as 
his name would indicate, of a most beautiful blue 
color interspersed with markings of black and 
white In striking and artistic fashion. Ills head 
is ornamented with a crest of light blue or purple 
feathers, which ho can elevate or depress at pleas¬ 
ure, giving the jay its jaunty, defiant air. A collar 
of black passes around the neck in graceful curves, 
and forms a crescent oa the upper part; of the 
breast, chin, cheeks, and breast white; greater 
wing-coverts a rich blue; exterior sides of the 
primaries light hlue; tUose of secondaries a 
deep purple, except the three next the body which 
are a splendid light blue. All these, except the 
primaries, are beautifully barred with crescents 
of black and tipped with white, tall feathers also 
marked with traverse curves of black and tipped 
with white. 
Whim In the early Spring eveby thicket pours 
forth Its harmony, the shrill call of the jay sings 
out conspicuously, lie appears to be among his 
fellow - musicians wbat a trumpeter Is to a 
band, some of his shrill notes somewhat resem¬ 
bling that Instrument, yet, at will, he can Imitate 
thesoug of almost, any other bird, and whether 
his shrill cat-squall is an Imitation of the cat-bird, 
or only one of the varied expressions or his own 
peevishness, I could never quite determine. For, 
like many people, the jiy Is subject to great, rise 
and fall in Ms emottonal mercury; at one moment 
In thehlghth oi bliss chattering sorely, very like 
a duck, to his sweetheart in tho cedar, but. Instant¬ 
ly he discovers your appro ach, he files oil scream¬ 
ing furiously, as though he called all the feathered 
kingdom to chronicle the Insults heaped upon 
him. 
The blue Jay builds a large nest; frequently in 
cedar, sometimes but not often, in an apple-tree, 
lines It, with dry fiberous roots, and lays five eggs 
of a dull olive, spotted with brown. 'The male 
is very careful never to be heard near the nest, 
but makes his visits as quietly and secretly as 
possible, to avoid attracting attention. 
The chief employment of the Jay through the 
Autumn Is foraging to supply their winter stores 
and as they are very fond of chestnuts and acorns, 
corn and all hard seed vegetables, with seeds of 
forest trees, they act the part of useful agents In 
disseminating these seeds, by dropping a part of 
their gleanings as they cross fields and alight on 
fences and hedge rows, to deposit their stores. 
Wherever the Jay has had the advantage of edu¬ 
cation from man, he not only shows his aptness 
as a scholar, but his suavity of manners la only 
equaled by nls art and contrivance aud It must be 
confessed that his disposition for thieving fully 
keeps pace with Ms other acquirements. A lady 
friend became somehow possessed of a young Jay 
which she kept and t amed, teaching him many 
tricks, lie was given the name of “ Ted” to which 
he would answer with the most cheerful alacrity, 
showing the greatest evidence of pleasure when 
petted and praised. If bothered by visitors 
he would rush to Mrs. D. with ruffled plu¬ 
mage and the most laughable cat-like cries. But 
“blood will tell” and though Mrs. D. became 
greatly attached to her pet, yet he sometimes 
proved an annoyance by his passion for theft. 
If she laid down her thimble a moment Ted’s 
bright eyes discovered It, and Upping his head 
with a serio-comic look, he straightway deposited 
it in some out of the way nook or corner, the pedal, 
of the sewing machine being Ms chosen place, 
and any article too largo to be driven through 
the Iron belting, was industriously hammered and 
pounded with his strong bill, by the hour. 
If caught thieving about the farmer’s barns or 
corn-fields, tbe Jay darts noiselessly away, as 
though conscious of hla crime aud detection. 
But the jay luinter Imitating the call will draw 
about him numbers ol jays, and, 11 sharp and 
wary, Is sure ol his aim. 
These birds seldom associate In any considerable 
numbers, except In September and October, when 
they visit, In flock s numbering from a dozen to 40 
THE BID E AL MEW-VOBMER. 
to 50, the groves ol oak In search ol their favorite 
acorns, and, right here let me say, where there 
are oak forests, there will also be a great profusion 
ol jays, and one can hardly Imagine the pleasure 
to be derived for an idle hour spent lu watching 
these bird-theatricals, 1 have In mind a hammock 
swung between two oaks In a grove by tbe side or 
the Mississippi river, where as the early autumD 
days come, flocks ol these brilliant saucy fellows 
darted In ana out. chattering, fluttering their 
brilliant colors about the dark green of the glisten¬ 
ing oak leaves ; holding a brown acorn so flrmty 
and closely to the Umb with one foot, wMle with 
the sharp bill they cut the soft, shell, aod devour¬ 
ed the meat, and If by chance a piece fell to the 
ground the birds would drop after It so suddenly 
as to give one tbe Impression that They had lalleu 
dead, and all the time utterly indifferent to the 
hammock and Its occupant, evidently consider¬ 
ing them a friend and admirer, or of too little con¬ 
sequence to he alrald of. Blue jays are more 
numerous In the West, probably because of their 
fondness lor acorns. 
As a mark against the jay I am sorry to ad¬ 
mit that It Is universally believed that this brave 
haudsome fellow sometimes so demeans Mmselt 
as to rob the nests of other birds; but I will not 
say he does do it, for, through our orchard and the 
oaks surrounding It, were scattered nests of many 
other birds, which the jays never seemed to 
“ molest or make afraid.”' but we all lived together 
like a happy family, lu perfect harmony, 
Maude Meredith. 
-A-*-*- 
A NEW PUZZLE CRAZE. 
“ Having already reduced myself to a condition 
of almost helpless Idiocy by attempting to solve 
the fifteen puzzle, my mind has finally collapsed 
under the following one, which has been furnished 
to a New HampsMre newspaper by ‘ a gentleman 
of our city,’ who claims that It Is a complete mind- 
wrecker : 
A 
A 
A 
B 
B 
B 
* The object ol the puzzle,’ says the gentleman, 
‘ Is to place three articles of a kind on the lines 
marked A and three of a kind on the B lines, with 
a blank line between. Take, for Instance, silver 
and gold coins. Place tho silver coins on the A 
lines and the gold pieces on the B. Now change 
the gold pieces to the A lines, and vice versa, by 
advancing directly forward, either moving to the 
next unoccupied lines or jumping a coin over one 
other (and only one other at a time) ot the oppo¬ 
site kind, continue until the silver and gold 
coins have changed places and are in regular or¬ 
der, one above the other. There can be no retreat¬ 
ing—the moves must all be made forward. ” 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Dear Uncle Mark:— My Dolly Dutton corn and 
Surprise Musk-melon are treasures, and when on 
the table each person seems to tty to see which 
would praise them most. Last year the pigs de¬ 
stroyed nearly all the corn, but left me a poor little 
ear or two, which I planted hint Spring and every 
kernel came up, I guess, and there were so many 
ears on each stalk, and it, was so early and sweet, 
all were praising It. 1 have saved plenty of seed 
for next year. The musk-melon, our folks say, is 
rightly Darned ; It Is so beautiful when cut, and 
so delicious to eat. I do not like musk-melon. I 
didn’t have a very good place for them, only three 
plants came up. 1 planted them between some 
potatoes, but as soon as I could l pulled out the 
potatoes, and put some manure around my plants 
and watered them through the dry weather, they 
grew fast, and had a few melons. We have 
had but two, but my mother has thrown away all 
the seed she had saved ot other kinds and we are 
going to raise none but theso another year, I 
planted part ol the okra seeds and they came up ; 
but one morning I went out to see them and they 
were gone. I guess t he cMckens must have eaten 
them up. l will try them again next year. My 
pinks are just lovely yet, and phlox and mignon¬ 
ette are too pretty and sweet entirely for frost to 
kill. I want to thank you again lor your kindness. 
From your niece, Bertha h. 
Orange Co., N. Y._ 
Dear Uncle Mark and Rural Cousins :—I don’t 
know whether 1 am a cousin or not, as I never 
wrote to t.be Rural before, hut my papa takes the 
Rural and my ma sends there ior seeds. Now I 
have Just thought why can’t I send to the Rural 
lor a name for my little baby sister, she is six 
months old, but she has no name, so 1 am going to 
ask the cousins to propose some names to choose 
from. She Is lat and lair and has dark blue eyes. 
I think she is quite old enough to be one ol tho 
cousins, lor she likes flowers, and I must teach her 
gardening as soon as she is old enough. I wish 
the cousins would send in the names soon, and 
Uncle Mark, may be you have some nice ones to 
propose ? lam twelve years old aud go to school, 
lam going to watch the Rural to see when to 
send lor the seeds It Is going to offer. I wish I 
could get some or the magnolia seeds of last year 
lor I want a grand, old magnolia tree some day, 
aud want a seed to start It from. 1 must stop or 
tMs will go Into the waste basket, and then baby 
will get no name. Your affectionate niece, 
Seneca co., onto. Mary B. Walker, 
Uncle Mark :—My mama takes the Rural. She 
thinks It Is a splendid paper and 1 love to read It 
especially the letters trom the cousins; I am a 
little girl eleven years ol age, and I have a little 
sister nine years old, her name Is Violet, we both 
want to j oln the Horticultural Club, even mama 
says she would like to be one ol the cousins, but 
she is afraid Uncle Mark don’t take such old peo¬ 
ple as she. I love flowers dearly, we live In the 
country, but we have no home to call our own, lor 
my papa Is very poor. Sister and I raised $10 
worth of chickens last year, this year we only 
raised a few. I go to school, study arithmetic, 
geography, grammar, writing and spelling, and 
read in the fitch reader. Now, Uncle Mark, 1 wish 
you would remember me when you pass the seeds 
around, and I will try and do the best I can with 
them. From your new cousins, 
Macdie and Violet Terry. 
Prophetstown, 111. 
Dear Uncle Mark :— I had splendid success 
with my seeds, which you sent me. I sowed the 
pinks In a box and have twenty plants in blossom. 
The rest were sown in the beds and are very pret¬ 
ty. The hollyhocks, wlflch we received In 1879, 
delighted us all with their beautiful flowers. We 
live about five miles from the city of London, Out. 
Pa has two large fish-ponds, In wlflch are a 
great number ot trout. I had almost forgotten my 
grape vines. We sowed the seed In a box directly 
after receiving It. It staid about a mouth without 
making Its appearance, when we put It out ot 
doors. About the middle ol May 1 wanted to put 
some slips In this box and found two vines, which 
are about eight Inches high now. 
Your loving niece, Sadie B. Vining. 
DkarUnule Mark Tho seeds you sent us grew 
finely all ol them, except the okra, which by mis¬ 
take was plowed up by the hired man when two 
Inches high. The melon bugs were determined to 
take all of our vines, but we saved a few. The 
Surprise is the most delicious musk melon I ever 
ate. We had beautiful phlox and portulaca all 
colors, splendid double pluks, floe variegated cox¬ 
comb and a nice bed of mignonette, besides many 
other flowers. Frank’s radishes were very fine 
from seed you sent last year, but Ids corn did not 
fill well as It was planted In a row apart from 
other corn. Two of Uls grape seeds came up. 
Thanking you very much. M. Nellie B. 
Cedar Mills, Minn. 
Dear Uncle Mark :—I want to thank you lor 
the seed you sent me. I planted them late In an 
open bed and all did well except my pinks ; they 
came up well but did not grow well, they have had 
two blossoms on them. My phlox and portulacas 
have been beautiful all Summer. My favorite ol 
my phlox was a pale buff one. I did not save any 
seed ol my musk melons. I planted tnem and the 
vines were very nice, but they did not bear. Mel¬ 
ons ol all kinds In this country were nearly a com¬ 
plete failure tMs year. Uncle Mark, I am very 
much obliged to the cousins for writing to me. I 
have enjoyed their letters so much. From your 
niece, Alma Allen. 
Russellville, Ala. 
Dear Uncle M ark I deserve to have my name 
stricken rrom the cousins list lor not having writ¬ 
ten before. 1 received the seeds you sent me and 
thank you very much for them, l planted the 
phlox and pink seeds in a box soon after their re¬ 
ceipt, and transplanted them to the garden as 
directed, the pinks are the most beautiful T have 
ever seen, the most ol them being double. The 
phlox have been In blossom tor over two months 
and are very pretty. The coxcomb and migno¬ 
nette look very nicely ; the portulacas are very 
handsome, they are of different colors from my 
others, there being some w hlte ones among them. 
Your nephew. Burton D. Niles, 
Sherburne, Chenango Co., N. Y. 
Dear Uncle Mark:—I am a little girl twelve 
years old, I would like to join the Horticultural 
Club. This Is the first year my lather has taken 
the Rural, and we all like it very much. The 
seeds my lather received from the Rural did not 
all come up. The mangolds did not amount to 
anything. I would like to send that cousin In 
Iowa a stone from Illinois If she will pay the 
postage, as 1 have quite a collection. From your 
niece. Frankie Noble. 
Mt. Carroll, III._ 
Dear Uncle Mark :—My lather has been taking 
the Rural lor 13 years so you see we are old 
friends, In tact, I was about two years old when 
my lather first took It. Will Uncle Mark and the 
Cousins receive me as a member ol the club 7 I do 
not see any boy’s letter from tMs part ol the coun¬ 
try. I hope not to be forgotten In the free seed 
distribution. J am truly yours. 
Dallas, Texas. Michael J. Rbvkkchon. 
Dear Uncle Mark :—My papa takes the Rural 
and he reads me the cousin’s letters. I would like 
to join your club 11 you will let me. I go to school 
every day; I have got a dog, kitten, and some 
flowers. 1 like to hoe In the garden. I hoed all 
the Cow-peas you sent with the Rural. I am five 
years old arid have one brother. Your nephew, 
Nova Scotia. Ira Lee Dbarmond. 
Dear Uncle Mark :— I am a little boy thirteen 
years old and would like to join your Rural 
Club. Mother has some Iris plants which please 
tell her how to care for this Fall. 
Taylor Co., Iowa. Truly, Willie Wtnklky. 
jThe Iris Is perfectly hardy and requires no pro¬ 
tection during the Winter, although a coarse 
mulch benefits plants ol ail kinds.—U. M.j 
Uncle Mark :— I would like to join the Horti¬ 
cultural Club. I am very much Interested In the 
culture ol flowers aud vegetables, and have a lew 
beautiful plants that are blossoming beautifully. 
1 would like to have many flowers, but do not 
have time to care lor tho m. Yours very truly, 
East Randolph, N. Y. Little Bear. 
Dear Uncle Mark and Cousins I am 14 
years ol age. I am very much Interested in the 
CousIds’ letters, and have often thought I would 
write too. We have several kinds ol flowers, asters 
balsams, pinks, pansies, petunias, zinnias and 
several other kinds. Ella Patrick. 
Jefferson Co., N. Y. 
affoaij) Ifofootg. 
KINDNESS. 
Kindness licrht of pleasure lends, 
When pale Grief her shadow sendR 
O’er the soul; 
When the storms of life defy, 
IV hen the loud waves sweep on hipfh, 
’Twill console. 
It will comfort, heal, and soothe. 
By its soft I'.arpHses move 
Our heart’s pain, 
As the kiss of evenimr showers 
Bids the Summer’s drooping’ flowers 
Smile again. 
Simple,small, its acts may be, 
A kindly word in charity, 
A look of love. 
Or wide in sympathy, each one 
Angels love to look upon 
From above. 
As the sunbeam carries light. 
Life and beauty in its flight 
Thro’ the air; 
So, true kindness from tho heart 
Doth perform a sunbeam’s part 
Everywhere. 
• » » » — - 
“ OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” 
A blind old beggar, with his hat in his hand, 
Neglectedby tbe pasBers-by, 
I noticed shyly at the corner stand, 
With moisture falling from liis sightless eye; 
A child came by— a laughing little creature— 
With joy and iunoceuce iu every feature, 
Skipping forth gaily to tho apple stand. 
She saw the beggar aud became less gay; 
Then flung the bit of silver in her hand 
Into the old man’s hat and ran away. 
- 
PLYMOUTH ROCK 
Of all spots ou the American continent Plym¬ 
outh Rock is, religiously and historically, the 
most Interesting and sacred. Here is the source 
and spring or America’s greatness, the beginning 
and the basts of her history. Plymouth Rock, the 
memorable landing-place of the Pilgrims is cov¬ 
ered with a massive gTanlte canopy, in the upper 
part ot which are deposited the bones, gathered 
from the neighboring hill, of several who died 
during the first year. The place will ever be re¬ 
garded with interest as holy ground by their de¬ 
scendants all over the States, and Indeed by all 
lovers of Christian lreedom. 
Pilgrim Uall, in front of which is a portion ol 
the rock on which the Pilgrims landed, contains a 
museum of relics ot the “ Mayflower.” Here, 
among other things. Is a copy of the Indian 
Bible, translated by John EUot, the apostle to the 
Indians, who arrived In 1630 learned the Indian 
language, reduced it to writing, translated the 
whole Bible into It. wrote the whole. It is said, 
with one pen. and had It printed and published by 
the year 1661. It was the first Bible printed in 
America. A copy was sent to Charles II., aud 
Richard Baxter says of It, “ Such a work and fruit 
01 a plantation was never before presented unto a 
king.” The marvel is all the greater when we re¬ 
collect that the Indians at the outset were hostile 
to the settlers. EUot went among them, showed 
them kindness, won the good-will of some, became 
their Mends and sought their protection during 
Philip’s war in 1675. The language, however, ol 
his version is extinct, aud only one person now 
living can read it. 
Burying Hill commands an extensive view, and 
was an outpost or defence in Lhe early days ol the 
settlement. Uereare the graves ol William Brad¬ 
ford the Governor, Allies Standlsli, and others. 
The fairest and most durable memorial, how¬ 
ever, ot the Pilgrim Fathers Is the civil and reli¬ 
gious liberty of the United States. 
“ Aye, call it holy ground, 
The soil where first they trod. 
They left unstained- what there they found, 
Freedom to worship God.” 
-—-—-. 
AIany people wonder why the Old Testament 
has been handed down to us ; why It did not per¬ 
ish with the generations lor which It was written. 
There are great highways in the Bible through 
which one may go and gather the great tunda- 
mental truths; there are also the by-pat lis, the 
canons, and gulches, and mountain fastnesses 
where one can And truths and beauties ot the 
rarest and most precious kind. As the gold Is 
hidden In the quartz, and the diamond In the sand, 
so God has hidden la the unattractive portions ol 
the Scriptures some of the richest treasures to re¬ 
ward those who have the patience to seek aud dig 
them out.—P. S. Henson. 
Tub preacher’s words had power because they 
accorded with Ms thoughts, had reality and 
depth, because they harmonized with the Me he 
had always lived, it was not mere breath that 
this preacher uttered; they were the words ol life, 
because a lire ot good deeds uud holy love was 
melted Into them. Pearls pure and rich had been 
dissolved into the precious draught. Hawthorne. 
- ♦♦ ♦- 
Tub characters ol Christians differ, it is the 
peculiarity of the life of the Saviour to impart 
different gilts, and a different selection or gifts to 
different believers, so that while all haye a family 
likeness to the Master, yet they are not “ like to 
like,” but “ like in difference.”—Charles Butcher, 
D. D. 
If thy thoughts should, like the laborious bee 
go over the world lrotn flower to flower, from 
creature to creature, they would bring thee no hon¬ 
ey or sweetness home, Bave what they gathered 
from their relations to eternity.—Richard Baxter. 
