543 
THE BUBAL fJEW-YOBKEB. 
AUG. 43 
world. Let’s “ stop and think before we far¬ 
ther go.” 
GIVE THE BOYS A CHANCE. 
I can almost hear the farmer say, “ Oh, I’m 
tired of that. It has been worn out. My boys 
get all the chance they need. They get their 
clothes, and all they can eat, and in winter 
they go to the new school; yes, and they get a 
chance to go to the village every Saturday 
night. That’s all the chance any boy needs.” 
My friend, I don’t know about that. How 
about their room ? Do you let the boys 
“ bunk” all together up in the garret ? Or, 
possibly, do you let them sleep two in a room? 
If so, do you not notice that they quarrel 
considerably ? And that Saturday night at 
the village—what do they do then ? Oh, yes, 
they sit at the tavern and hear the men talk 
politics, weather and crops. But, that is just 
the worst thing they could do. Before long 
they will learn to take their share of the 
drinks. And who mwill you blame for it ? Cer¬ 
tainly not yourself, but just the same if you 
look at it from the first and see how Jack 
pounded Henry the other night for “taking 
too much room” in the bed, and see how Henry 
stayed at the tavern later than usual Satur¬ 
day night because he did not want to go 
home and sleep with Jack before he bad to, 
and so on through various stages, until he 
took his first drink with some of the other 
boys, and at last comes creeping home, and 
crawling into the window over the back shed, 
at one or two at night, with his eyes dim and 
his step unfirm, you will not find so very much 
reason for blaming Henry, who is only a boy. 
The best way to prevent this, (or, if not es¬ 
pecially this, a gloomy and morbid nature, 
which will make him an unhappy man) when 
you find that the boys cannot agree with each 
other, is to separate them by giving each a 
room for himself. You will soon see that he 
will take a sort of pride in the room and try 
to beautify it. Let your wife hunt up some 
old stuff that is not too worn and make it do 
duty as curtains. Let the boy put up a shelf 
in one corner, if there is not a closet, and bang 
curtains in front of it, and you have room for 
a row of nails or hooks to hang his clothes on, 
and a shelf on top for a few books and papers, 
which will be out of the reach of the younger 
children. If you can find a few pictures that 
you do not need in any other part of the 
house give them to your boy to hang up in 
his room. You will soon see that instead of 
going to the tavern and putting himself in the 
• way of other temptations,he will stay at borne, 
and perhaps have one or two of his friends 
up to see “ his” room. 
Let me tell you about my room (for you 
must know that I am but a boy myself), 
which is so cosy that I do not care ever to go 
any where at night, unless it be to get some 
friend to come up and enjoy it with me. I 
have stained the floor with “ Dark Oak Stain,’’ 
which cost me thirty cents. Then I gave it 
two coats of varnish, which raised the 
cost to about 75 cents. My bed, which was 
rather spotted from age and wear, I gave a 
coat of varnish, which made it look like new, 
and did not take more than three cents’ worth 
of the stuff. I made a “shelf wardrobe,” 
which has plenty of room for my clothes, and 
I can put my shoes out of sight on the floor 
underneath. I found stored away, an old 
horsehair rocker, which was despised on ac¬ 
count of being old and “ too common,” but 
which I found to be absolutely the easiest 
chair in the house, and I took it out in the 
yard and beat the dust out of it, and wiped 
the seat, back and arms with a damp cloth to 
clean the covering, while the wood work I 
rubbed well with an oily rag (kerosene is the 
best), to brighten it up. An old, much worn, 
streaked, spotted and scratched washstand re¬ 
ceived a coat of paint, and another of var¬ 
nish, which made it look like wbatwas always 
my idea of ebony. A small mirror hangs 
above it, wfith a card or two on each side. I 
have a few pictures in the room, which 
brighten it more than one would imagine. I 
made myself a low lounge, or couch, of a 
length and breadth ample for even sleeping 
purposes. It cost just one dollar. The wood 
for the sides, ends and lit ad cost twenty 
cents, and the other expense was for castors 
and excelsior, which latter can be dispensed 
with, using hay for stuffing the couch. 
Of course you will say that this is not neces¬ 
sary, and is all nonsense, but you try your 
boy once, and he will soon show you that it 
was the best thing you could have done for 
him. I don’t mean that it is necessary for 
him to stain his floor, and all that, though it 
would not do any harm to let him do so later, 
when you have found that the plan works 
well; but 1 mean, give him a room and a word 
or two of advice as to how to “fix it up,’’ 
and you will not regret it. It will change 
him from a boy whose life is deadened, and 
almost without hope of ever escaping from 
tjie dull monotony of the 0jj|y {’outiue of 
eating, working and sleeping, to a lad with 
energy, life and an ambition to work for larger 
things, as he has worked for his room, to 
make it more pleasant and cosy every day. I 
say, “ try it.” It worked with me. 
And, now, if you care to know how, I will 
tell you some time a way to make a comfortable 
easy, and not at all unsightly couch for less 
than the small sum of one dollar. a boy. 
THE BOYS’ MYTHOLOGICAL CLUB. 
IV. 
When the next meeting night came I went 
to the “ bunk ” as usual. It was dark, except 
for the light from the fire. I sat down on a 
stool in front of the stove, and as I raked the 
bright embers with the poker, built castles in 
the air. I began to think that the boys had 
forgotton about the club, or else had become 
tired of the Mythological tales, when I heard a 
deep gutteral sound at my left. 1 was startled 
and stopped my raking to listen. All was 
dark, except where I sat in the light, and the 
“ bunk ” was quite a distance from the house, 
and I was only a girl, you know, so I really 
became nearly—but not quite—only nearly 
frightened. Then it dawned on me that it 
must be the boys,-so I said (bravely, of course): 
“ Stop your fooling, or I’ll go to the house 
at once.” 
“ Boo—oo —oo,” came the answer in a growl. 
“ Pooh !” said 1, “ That’s Charlie, he needn’t 
try and scare me.” 
“I’m Pluto,” growled he, “and here’s Cer¬ 
berus, ” he laughed, as he dragged Carlo into 
the light. Carlo, however, resented this fa¬ 
miliarity and growled in dead earnest. 
“ Put that beast out,” said I, “and light the 
lamp. I’ve stacks of sewing to do, and 1 ought 
to beat it now, instead of fooling here.” 
“Sue’s got the dumps,” whispered Walter, 
“ and she growls like a bear when she gets 
started, too.” 
“ There shall be war and rumors of war,’’ 
solemnly' repeated Dick. (Dick’s our orator, 
you know.) 
When the lamp was lighted and order 
restored, we began the tale of the Trojan 
War. There are so many long, unj ronounce- 
able names connected with it, that I cut it 
just as short as possible, for there was, I 
thought, no use in giving the boys things 
beyond them, to try and remember. 
Dardanus was the son of Jupiter and Electra. 
He dwelt in Samothrace, but afterwards 
passed over to the adjoining coast of Asia, 
where Teucer reigned. Teucer gave him his 
daughter in marriage and left him his throne. 
Tros, the grandson of Dardanus, had three 
sons, one of whom was Ilus. 
Ilus was directed by the oracle to follow a 
spotted cow, and build a town where she 
should lie down. The cow led him to a hill, 
called the Hill of Mischief (Ate.), w’here be 
built a town named from himself, Iliou, and 
Troy, from his father. On the prayer of Ilus, 
Jupiter sent him from heaven an image of 
Minerva called the Palladium. It was three 
ells long; in one hand it held a spear, in the 
other a distaff and spindle. The safety of 
Troy depended on its preservation. 
“ What’s an ell?” asked Tom. 
“ Well,” said I, “ an ell is a measure, of differ¬ 
ent lengths in different countries, used chiefly 
for measuring such things as cloth. 1 don’t 
know the length of their ell, but an English 
ell is generally supposed to be 49 inches. 
“ Well then,” said Walter, “she must have 
been three time 49 inches high, or, let’s see- 
“ 147 inches,” yelled Tom, “and that’s 12% 
feet. ” 
“ Lightning calculator !” laughed Dick. 
“ What’s a distaff ? ” asked Jack Twigg. 
“Let me see,” mused I, “its the staff of a 
spinning w heel to which a bunch of flax.is 
tied, and from which the thread is drawn. 
Now do you understand?” 
“ Guess so,” said he, “go on, please.” 
Well then, Laomedon succeeded his father 
Ilus. He had several children, among whom 
was Priam, who succeeded his father. Priam 
married Hecuba. They had a great many 
children, among whom was Paris, or Alex 
ander. Before Paris was born his mother 
dreamed that be was a torch which set all 
llion in flames. Priam sent for one gifted 
with prophecy and the interpretation of 
dreams, to learn what this might portend, and 
he declared that the ne:ct child born to them 
would be the destruction of his country. He 
recommended that it should be exposed; and 
accordingly, the babe, as soon as it came into 
the world, was given to a servant to be left 
upon Mt. Ida. The man obeyed his orders: 
but curiosity leading him back to the place 
five days afterwards, to see what had becomo 
of the poor little fellow, he found a bear en¬ 
gaged in suckling it. Being struck with such 
a sight, he determined to take the child home; 
he reared it as his own, and named it Paris, 
When Paris grew up he distinguished himself 
by his strength an4 POUl'fige in repelling 
robbers from the flocks, and the shepherds 
called him Alexander (Man-aider.) He 
married the nymph CEnone, whom Rhea had 
taught prophecy. Being shortly after recog¬ 
nized by his father, he, at the instigation of 
Venus, sailed to Greece and carried off Helen. 
CEnone warned him in vain of the fatal con¬ 
sequence of his enterprise. 
“Who was Helen?” asked one of the boys. 
Helen was the twin sister of Pollux, and 
daughter of Leda. She was noted foi her 
great beauty, which was said to be unrivalled; 
and all the princes of Greece came a-wooing. 
Tyndareus, Leda’s husband, was uncertain 
what to do, fearing to make a choice. At 
length, Ulysses, one of the suitors, thinking 
he had but a slender chance of success, told 
him that if he would engage to obtain for him 
the hand of his neice, Penelope, he would re¬ 
lieve him of his embarrassment. He gladly 
consented, and Ulysses then told him that he 
bad only to exact an oath from all the suitors, 
that in case of any violence or injury being 
offered to the fortunate candidate, they would 
all aid in procuring him satisfaction. They 
readily swore; and then Tyndareus declared 
that he accepted Menelaus, King of Laced ce- 
Qion or Sparta, for his son in-law. 
A short time after, Paris came to the house 
of Menelaus, in Laconia. He was received 
with the gieatest kindness—a hospitality he 
ungenerously repaid by stealing the affections 
of his host’s wife. Helen fled with him to 
Troy; and Menelaus, instantly calling on his 
former rivals to aid him in the recovery of 
his wife, they began to assemble in all parts 
of Greece. Menelaus and Ulysses went to 
Troy and demanded the restitution of Helen; 
but Priam, the king, sw r ayed by his affection 
for Paris, his son, whom he now loved, re¬ 
fused to give her up, aud the Greeks prepared 
to invade his dominions. All the valiant 
chiefs from all parts of the surrounding coun¬ 
try assembled. The chief command was giv¬ 
en to Agamemnon. King of Mycenae; and the 
number of ships collected exceeded a thousand. 
“Whiw!” whistled Tom, “All that fuss 
over a woman !” 
“ Mamma’s the only’ woman I’d fight for,” 
said Dick. 
“ You’re young yet,” said Charlie, with a 
great air of superiority. “Wait till you 
grow up and we'll see.” 
“ Go on please,” said Jack, as he edged 
closer to the fire, so I went on. 
While the Greeks were preparing to set 
sail, Agamemnon chanced, when hunting, to 
kill a hind sacred to Diana. The goddess in 
her wrath sent an adverse wind, and the 
fleet was unable to stir. An oracle declar¬ 
ing that the goddess could be appeased only 
by the blood of one of the children of the 
offender, Agamemnon was obliged to send 
for his daughter, Iphigenia. W T ben the maiden 
arrived at the camp, she was led as a victim 
to the altar of Diana ; she knelt down and 
the priest struck her with a knife ; but found 
to his surprise thj|f it was a hind he had slain, 
for the goddess, relenting, bad snatched the 
maiden away, and substituted the hind in 
her place. She carried her off and kept her 
to officiate at her altars. 
“ What’s a hind ? v asked Jim. 
“ A hind,” said Charlie, “ is a female deer. 
I knew that much myself.” 
All impediments now being removed, the 
fleet set sail. The Trojans led by Hector, 
came down to oppose their landing. The 
landing, however, was finally effected, and 
the Greeks drew up their ships on the beach, 
and erected huts and booths for themselves 
along the shore. The war continued for ten 
years, for the Trojans were powtrfully as¬ 
sisted by all the surrounding countries. In 
the 10th year Apollo sent a plague among the 
Greeks in punishment for an insult 
Agamemnon had offered to his priest, 
This produced a quarrel between Aga 
memnon and Achilles, the bravest chief 
in the Grecian host. Achilles, refusing to 
take any farther part in the war, success was 
on the side of the Trojans. Shortly after this 
Hector was slain, and the Greeks seemed to be 
on the winning side. It was not, however, 
very long before Achilles died, and Ajax, an¬ 
other brave Greek, slew himself because be 
could not possess the arms which Vulcan had 
made for Achilles. Their two bravest war 
riors now being dead, the Greeks began to 
despair of taking Troy. 
Thus the war raged ; at one time the Greeks 
seemed about to win ; then again the Trojans 
seemed to be the more powerful. At last Paris 
is wounded by’ a fatal arrow. Recbllecting 
the words of bis deserted CEnone—that she 
alone could cure him—he causes himself to be 
borne to her dwelling on Mt. Ida. He implores 
her compassion, but she is deaf to his en¬ 
treaties, and he returns to llion to die. But 
when CEnone heard that he was dead, her ten¬ 
derness revived ; and secretly quitting her 
abode she traveled through the night to the 
mountains. With the pibrning she reached 
Troy, and beholding the burning pyre of 
Paris, flung herself into the flames and was 
consumed with him whom she loved. 
The fatal day of Troy was now at hand. 
The Greeks, by the advice of Ulysses, and 
with the aid of Minerva constructed a huge 
horse of wood, within which the bravest of 
the warriors concealed themselves. Then, 
feigning to depart, they burn their huts aud 
booths and sail away for an isle close by. A 
Greek named Sinon remained behind, and 
throwing himself in the way of the Trojans 
when they came forth next morning from the 
city, told them that the horse was sacred to 
Minerva, and would be the preservation of the 
city if they admitted it. Laocoon maintained 
that Sinon was an imposter, and was about to 
burn the horse, when Minerva struck him 
with blindness, but he still persisted in his re¬ 
monstrances, when two enormous serpents 
came out of the sea and devoured his two 
children. Struck by this, the Trojans drew 
the horse into the city. In the night Sinon 
displayed a lighted torch (the appointed sig¬ 
nal) and opened the fatal horse. The war¬ 
riors descend, the fleet returns, the gates are 
opened, the Trojans massacred in their sleep, 
and the city taken. Deiphobus, the bravest 
of the remaining sons of Priam, who had mar¬ 
ried Helen after the death of Paris, is slain by 
Menelaus. Troy is no more ! 
“And what became of Helen?' 1 asked the 
boys in a breath. 
“Oh! she became reconciled to Menelaus 
and sailed home with him,” said I. “The 
story of their homeward voyage is quite 
interesting, too.” 
“ Tell us about it,” said they. 
“ No, no more to-night,” I replied. 
“ I wouldn’t have been such a fool if I had 
been Menelaus,” said Jack Twigg, “would 
you boys?” 
“ But you’re not Menelaus,” said Charley, 
“and no Helen would ever have you, so don’t 
preach.” 
“What will you tell us next?” asked the 
boys. 
“Don’t know,” said 1, “Let everyone try 
and .find out something about any god or 
goddess, and we’ll have a general discussion. 
If you can’t find out anything much, I’ll take 
up whatever I take a fancy to.” » 
“Good night! Good night!” resounded 
from all sides. 
“ He! he! he /” growled Charley. “That’s 
my fiendish laugh, you know.” 
“If you’re Pluto; you’ve no business in 
heaven,” said the other boys, and, catching 
him, they hustled him up to the house in spite 
of his resistance. 
DOHA HARVEY VROOMAN. 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
A good name is rather to be chosen than 
great riches; and loving favor, rather than 
silver and gold. 
We believe that no simpler teaching can be 
found than that which our Lord himself has 
given us. If we err at all in preaching to 
adults, it is in the direction of obscuring the 
simple teaching of our Lord with our profound 
verbosities and subtle philosophies. 
He who never fails in an undertaking is, 
usually, of a soul so narrow that it can be of 
little consequence to the world whether he 
succeeds or does not succeed. 
“ The common problem, yours, mine, every one’s 
Is—not to fancy what were fair In life 
Provided that it could be—but finding first 
What may be, then find how to make It fair 
Up to our means.” 
•• Love, hope, fear, faith—these make humanity, 
These are its sign, and note, and character.” 
“Measure your mind’s hight by the shade it casts.” 
Harmony in life, like harmony in music, 
depends upon our being in accord with our 
neighbors. 
Righteousness depends upon righteous read¬ 
ing, righteous thinking, righteous eating and 
righteous drinking. 
It is a great deal better for a Christian man 
to encourage his fellows in well-doing, than 
to punish them for wrong-thinking. 
The thoughts which are hidden are the 
most precious. The shells which the sea rolls 
out on shore are not its best. The pearls have 
to be dived for.. 
When Baoy was sick, we gave her Castoria, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castoria, 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria, 
When she had Children, she gave them Castoria 
