THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
'S-taiiinij for % gouii^ 
THE FOREIGNER AGAIN. 
Dear Rural CousinsI n the first place. I wish 
you all a happy aud joyful New Year, and hope 
that you will now make your appearance in the 
columns of the dear old It oral with renewed zeal 
aud strength l The Editors of this unsurpassed 
household aud farming paper have done their best 
to raise the Rural to the highest summit of use¬ 
fulness ; now, dear cousins, let us sustain them in 
their endeavor by contributing what little wisdom 
and experience we may have. Let us all march 
up to the front armed with knowledge, wit aud 
humor, and commence the battle at once, not a 
battle for life or death—we let the older folks do 
that kind of fighting—but one for space lu the 
Rural for our letters. 
I suppose you will be ustoulshed to see this letter 
dated from Clinton County, N. Y„ instead of from 
Switzerland, Europe, i did Intend CO go abroad, 
but have changed my mind and concluded to pro¬ 
long m> stay In America Indefinitely. I have uow 
become accustomed to the climate and customs of 
this country, aud 1 like the people that live lu It so 
well, that I really would prefer to make It my 
future home. To be sure, Switzerland la also a 
very nice country. Having u republican form of 
government much, resembling that of the united 
States, people enjoy almost aa much liberty there 
as we do here. All the fault I can find with my 
living there, Is that the country is too small for 
me. The rarmtug population have lo live too 
crowded, which sometimes produces very disa¬ 
greeable conseuuoue.es. During the lime I have 
lived on this hemisphere, i have learned to appre¬ 
ciate the habits and manners of your people so 
much, that it makes me slilver every time 1 think 
back on the rural life in Switzerland. There peo¬ 
ple do all their work without machinery, and live 
on such a coarse diet —boiled pork aud potatoes i he 
whole year round, and sometimes they don’t even 
get that. They have to work about one-llfth of 
the whole year In the grape-vine fields, just to get 
wlue euougu to satisfy tfielr always dry throats. 
tVlne Is thought so much ot that without It, it 
would be impossible for the farmer to get any 
hired help, uot eveu If he would oiler them double 
wages. 
lu Switzerland, a farmer would think It extrava¬ 
gant and foolish hi keep a horse and wagon for the 
purpose of riding out; lie always walks. If he has 
any produce as butter, eggs, etc., to spare, he tolls 
his wife or daughter to put the same In a basket 
and go to the city to sell it. sometimes a walk of 
over ten miles. Of course, the poor women acknowl¬ 
edge the superiority of the men, and without grum¬ 
bling they place the basket (containing, perhaps, 
thirty or more pounds ol' farm produce; on the 
head, and sometimes another on the arm, and 
march to the city ladeu down like camels, rt 
seems very cruel and hard Indeed, to have the 
women of my country do such hard work, but It is 
the custom and they don’t complain, on the 
contrary, they seem to enjoy that kind of life aud 
remain very healthy, In spite of their hard work. 
i am pretty sure, that If Heliotrope had lived 
there only one mouth with an old, stylish farmer s 
family, she would not think that the “ boys are 
really nice animals,” as she calls them lu her letter, 
i rather think that If she would try to live there 
In American style, the boys would quickly turn 
her out; she would then most likely call them 
horrid animals. 
To spend this winter In a useful and agreeable 
manner, 1 took up the studies of anatomy, physi¬ 
ology and chemistry, and I find them to be very 
Interesting and benefltttng studies, even for the 
farmer. They give so much useful Information 
about tile constitution and organization of living 
beings, and the phenomena which are presented ! 
by life. Tne chemistry furnishes us with the most 1 
direct and certain means of ascertaining wliat a 1 
barren soil wants to make it fruitful, and also what 1 
ingredients are required to adapt it to any kind of : 
produce. I am also trying to make a collection of < 
Indian relics, arrow-heads, stone-axes, etc., but 
they seem to be very scarce in this locality. ( 
But i fear I have exhausted Uncle True's, as 5 
well as your patience. I will therefore close this 1 
long letter, wishing you once more a happy New ~ 
year, full of Joy, usefulness and pleasure, and 
hoping that we all may appreciate the value of our 1 
young years, lu which we must lay the foundation I 
ror our future. My motto shall be: ** Never be r 
idle, and when you work, do lr with a design of S 
usefulness.” Alt revoir done, mon cher Oncie el 0 
•mes chers cousinr / -John Scuwyv f 
Clinton Co., N. Y. 
I welve Is the least common denominator of sev¬ 
eral numbers, halves, thirds, fourths, sixths and 
twelfths—so that It Is very much used In working 
fractions. 
1 rorn Jacob's twelve sons came the twelve tribes 
of Israel, about which so much has Been written. 
Our Lord chose twelve disciples to establish fils 
church, and the number must have been con- 
sldered Important, because Matildas was cfioseti 
to take tile place of Judas, in ( lie Revelation of 
st 'John we read of the number of them which were 
sealed-twelve thousand from each tribe, making 
144,000 from all t he tribes of Israel. 
in the description or the heaveuly Jerusalem 
we read that the wall had twelve gates, and at* 
the gates twelve angels, and names written there¬ 
on, which are the names of the twelve tribes of 
the children of Israel. And the wall of the city 
had twelve foundations, and In them the names 
of the twelve apostles. The measure of the city 
was twelve thousand furlongs. The tree of life is 
topicsented as boating twelve manner of fruits, 
and yielding her fruit every month. In the Bible, 
then, twelve Is an Important number. 
Bong ago, in England, a woman had several hus¬ 
bands in succession OH suspicion was excited, 
and a man married her on purpose to unravel the 
mystery. He watched closely till one night, while 
he pretended to be asleep, she melted some lead 
aud came over to pour it into Ids ear. when he 
sprang up and prevented her from adding him to 
her list of departed husbands. 
An Investigation was commenced. Twelve men 
were chosen to look Into the matter. The bodies 
of the burled husbauds were taken up and exam¬ 
ined. She had poured lead Into their ears, and 
the metal was found In their heads, of course the 
twelve men deckled that she had killed them all- 
Ihat was the thst trial by Jury. Ever since when 
a crime has been committed and some one is sus- 
pccied and arrested, he Is tried before twtilvt of 
his fellow countrymen, and they decide upon Ills 
guilt or innocence. So twelve figures in every 
tilal, and no one is condemned to prison or death 
except by a verdict from t welve of ills country¬ 
men, 
So we find twelve an Interesting number in 
many ways .—Demorest’s Monthly 
-♦- 
SOCIAL LIONS. 
A native of Ukaranga asserted that in the vil- 
lage.nexr to thatlu which lie lived the people were 
on most friendly terms with the lions, which used 
to walk In and about the village without attempt¬ 
ing to injure auy one. On great occasions they 
were treated to honey, goats, sheep, and ugah, and 
sometimes at these afternoon drums as many as 
two hundred lions assembled. Each Hon was 
known to the people by name, and to these they 
responded when called. And wlrnn one died the 
inhabitants of the village mourned for him as for 
one of themselves. This village was reported to be 
situated on the shores ot Lake Tanganyika, not 
very distant from Jumah Merlkaul’s house; and 
lie also told me that the friendship between the 
natives aud the lions was coinmouly spoken of, 
but lie had never been present at one of the gath- - 
erings. The Manauga, however, asserted that he < 
liad often witnessed this friendly Intercourse be¬ 
tween man and beast, and brought several of his 
tribesmen to testify to the truth or ills statement. 
Certainly, if this be true, our most famous lion- v 
tamem have yet something to learn from the na¬ 
tives of Africa .—Across Africa, 
- 44 * 
WHY HE WAS THERE. 
NUMBER TWELVE. 
MARY B. LEE. 
an illustration of the conservatism which former¬ 
ly pervaded the Russian army is given In the fol¬ 
lowing anecdote told by Bismarck: 
one day l was walking with the Emperor of Rus¬ 
sia lu the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg when 
coming upon a sentinel In the center of a lawn i 
took the liberty of inquiring why the man was 
placed there. The Emperor tUd not know; the 
adjutant did not know; the sentinel did not know, 
except that he had been ordered there. 
the adjutant was then dispatched to ask the 
officer of the watch, whose reply tamed with the 
sentinel’s “ Ordered.” curiosity awakened, mil¬ 
itary records were searched without y ielding'any 
satisfactory solution. 
At last an old serving-man was routed out, who 
remembered hearing his father relate Hiat the Ein- 
press Catherine II., one- hundred years ago, had 
found a snowdrop on that particular spot, anil 
given orders to protect It irom being plucked. No 
other device could be thought of tlum guarding It 
b,v a sentinel. The order once Issued was left In 
foice for a century. — youth’s Cornua nion. 
THE TEN QUESTIONS. 
Number twelve plays an important part In the 
Bible, lu history, and In ailtlunetie, as well as in 
every-day life and business. 
What so common aa a dozen handkerchiefs or 
napUns, or wha tever the article may be ? It comes 
natural to think of various articles In dozens. Of 
course, dozen is another;\ray of saying twelve; 
twelve units make one dozen, twelve dozen one 
gross, twelve gross one great gross. 
Then, although the moon travels round the 
earth thirteen times In one year, making thirteen 
lunar months, the year is divided into twelve 
calender months and the sun appears to pass 
through one constellation each month, so we 
have the twelve constellations oflhe ecliptic or 
zodiac, or twelve signs in a circle. 
Then vve have twelve pence In a shilling, Eng¬ 
lish money, which has only gone out of use in this 
country of late yearn. We used to hear of shil¬ 
lings and pennies, and buy goods at a shilling or 
two shillings a yard as If we lived under the Brit¬ 
ish fiag. 
We have also twelve luctes In a loot; twelve 
ounces in a pound Troy and apothecaries’ weight. 
Though it is pleasing to see that the Cousins 
have been so Interested in my questions, and an¬ 
swered them very tally, as a general thing, i am 
sorry that so many have not been more prompt 
will) their answers, l am receiving answers now 
by the half hundred, which ought to have been 
here a week ago, and, of course, are eutlrely too 
late. Many, no doubt, are excusable, as the malls 
have been delayed in several parts of the country 
ou account of the heavy snow-storms; but. others 
huvi. spent too much tune In making up their 
minds, and consequently have lost their chance 
for competition, l am sure, however, they will be 
more prompt another time. Uncle True. 
—--- 4 4 4 - 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS, 
some JV'ew Cousins. 
Dear Uncle True:—! suppose you win call us 
the new cousins, for pa has Just commenced taking 
j our paper, and I hope you will be our uncle too 
I heard graudma read Lilly Lee’s letter, and she 
said she wished the girl cousins would tell her In 
Uncle True’s paper what they received for Christ¬ 
mas presents, and how they made those they be- 
I stowed on others. I will tell you first who we are. 
My name is Katie Mills, and l was five years old 
last Thanksgiving. .My little sister’s name is Fan¬ 
nie. she was a holiday present, and was three 
y ears old after Christinas. We got a good many 
Christmas presents. Grandma gave us each a new 
slate, so we can write and make pictures, she 
gave us also a hook and a box of handkerchiefs 
each. I’apa gave us some picture books aud sliver 
spoons, and 1 got a writing-desk besides. Mamma 
remembered us by giving us something to keep us 
"'arm, and she also gave me a testament. Besides 
this we got some dolts from t he Sabbath school 
Christmas-tree, lam afraid there are some Uttle 
girls who didn't get any Christinas presents. Wo 
ought to bo real youd hide girls, wheu God Is so 
good to Now, Uncle True, I don't know as you 
will thluk my letter good for anything, but 1 am 
going to send It. Katie and Fannie Mills 
Livingston Co., N. Y., Jan. 11,1ST9. 
Dear Uncle True and Cousins:—I am another 
relative and hope I may conic Into your circle; my 
lather has taken the Rural for a number of years, 
and Hike It very much. I am eleven yearn old and 
live about eight miles above Bingliampton. I do 
not go to school this winter, for I have to stay at 
home and help mother do the work. I guess 1 will 
not write more at present, but ii this Is published i 
will try to do better another time. Y'ours truly, 
Binghampton, Jan. 11 , ism. Clara Meauer. 
[You are all welcome. Next time I hope Clara 
will not forget to tell us In wliat state she lives; 
there are several Blnghamptous In the United 
States.— Eds.j 
teblratli Heading. 
®bf 
DECAPITATIONS. 
1. Decapitate a city of Germany, and leave a 
city of Arabia. 
2 . A city of Spain, and leave a field. 
3 . Mountains of Cape Colony, and leave the pres¬ 
ent time. 
4. An Island near Niphon, and leave turmoil. 
5. A city of Arabia, und leave a cave. 
o. Part of Arabia, and leave God's best work. 
T. A Persian plateau, and leave a verb which 
means scanipered. 
s. a city or Siberia, aud leave a Jewel, 
u. A city ot India, and leave a city of Italy. 
10 . An Isthmus of the Bay of Bengal, and leave 
uncooked. 
11. A cap* of Australia, and leave in debt. 
12. A bay of Australia, and leave to listen. 
13 . one of the Suudu isles, and leave a city of 
India. 
14. one of the Hebrides, and leave a lady’s name. 
15. An Island of Oceanic a, and leave tools. 
io. A town ou the isle of Man. and leave a fish. 
IT. A town of Ireland, and leave a pronoun. 
18. A town of lreiaud, and leave the edge, 
lit. A lake of Ireland, aud leave to question, 
co. One of the Cliauncl isles, and leave a vessel 
of old. 
21. An isle of Scotland, and leave to kill. 
22 . A lake of Scotland, and leave a pronoun. 
23. One of the Shetland Isles, and leave a meas¬ 
ure. 
2 - 1 . a city of England, and leave a lady’s name. 
i3“ Answer In two weeks. Balto. 
HIDDEN NOVELS BY BULWER. 
1. Out, la rein, zlllah. 
2. lie forbade Amy novel-reading. 
3. I saw Feuge near a mine. 
4. Wilt ho disown Edward? 
5. According to the gospel Ham was branded, 
o. The cast rang Estory’s doom. 
T. These are the last days of pomp, Ellguru. 
s. "j'is the hour when night and morning meet, 
u. Ravers are brewers, on Lucerne St. malt 
ravers dwell. 
10. Do uot brag, Nescora! 
11. Patsuld, “ Misther Thee! axTonsy.” 
Vi. Do search, Paul; cJIH or down upon the 
strand. 
13. It is TliepU Grims of-, the Rhine wine in¬ 
spector. 
14. Adelaide Vereux is here. 
zsr Answer lu two weeks. Dk. 
--- 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMA. 
, THE NEW COMMANDMENT. 
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye 
! love another; as I have loved you, that ye 
also love oue another.” In His last Interview with 
His disciples, before He suffered, Christ spake very 
tenderly on this point, and He accompanied His 
words with the^prayer that they might all be one; 
and It was a prominent theme lu the Epistles of 
the Apostles, and especially so In those of John, 
the disciple whom Jesus loved. 
There are Important reasons why the disciples 
of Jesus should love one another. They are all 
disciples of the same loving Saviour. They are all 
members of the same fatally, of which Christ la the 
Head. They are all born or the same Spirit. They 
have the same great object for which to live—the 
promotion of the kingdom ot the Redeemer. They 
have similar joys and sorrows. They are all trav¬ 
eling on together to the same blessed home In 
Heaven, where they wilt forever dwell, and uni te 
In the same rapturous sougs, and participate In 
the same delightful pleasures. 
They owe it to their Savior, who bought them 
with Ills own precious blood, that they love one 
auother. Nothing will please Him better; nothing 
will honor His religion more, and tend so much to 
Its advancement In the world. “ By this,” He said, 
“ shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye 
have love one to another.” Thus should ills reli¬ 
gion be advanced, and men be led to tblnk and to 
speak well or It. 
But, on the other hand, nothtng so much brings 
dishonor upon religion, and hinders Its progress, 
as the want of brotherly love, and a spirit of ani¬ 
mosity on the part of the professed friends or 
Christ, Whenever such Is the case, the enemies 
of religion take notice of it, aud make the worst 
of It. They eat the sins or the disciples ot Christ 
as they eat bread. They make them an excuse for 
the neglect of religion, and soul-destroying Is the 
effect upon them. Next to more love to Christ, 
more love to ills people should be striven for. 
“ Lovo is the g-oldou chain that binds 
The happy bouIs above,— 
And he's an heir of hoavou who finds 
Uis bosom glow with love.” h. s. 
[“ Observer.” 
--- 4 - 4-4 - 
CHEERFULNESS. 
As therefore Jesus said to Ills disciples In the 
storm, “ Be of good cheer,” so say I to you. Be of 
good cheer always and everywhere, In your dark¬ 
est nights and deepest griefs, and in the wildest 
winter weather. When the United States fleet 
stood off the coast of North Carolina, the water was 
Doubled arid exceedingly tossed, by reason of a 
great wind that blest, and It was night; but as the 
waves rose la their rage, they became phosphor¬ 
escent, and changed the stormy sea Into a sea of 
glory; so your brightest joys should leup up out of 
the very sorrows of your souls. 
The bird that soars the highest builds her nest 
upon the ground; and the bird that sings the 
sweetest sings lu the night; and wheu we are 
sinking down In the dark depths, by the grace of 
Gcd, we may rise above them and soar away, 
higher than the skylark, up luto the brightest 
shining of the sun of righteousness, singing, as we 
soar, sweeter than the nightingale. Although the 
fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in 
the vines; the labor of the olive shall fall, and the 
fields shall yield no meat; the tlock shall be cut 
off lroiu the fold, and there shall be no herd In the 
stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, l wilt joy 
In the God of my salvation. The Lord God Is my 
strength, and he will make rny feet like hinds’ 
feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high 
places (Hub. 111. IT—19).— Alexander Dickson in 
“ Beauty for Ashes.” 
My first Is hi April but uot lu May, 
My second tc lu night but not in day; 
My third Is In dumb but not In mute, 
My fourth is in harp but not hi lute; 
My fifth Is In wooed but not in won, 
My sixth is in moon but uot In sun ; 
My seventh is In w ood but not In fuel, 
My eighth Is In fight but not in duel; 
My ninth Is In name but not in Morgan, 
My whole Is In splendid organ. 
Answer in two weeks. Lida. 
-♦♦♦ 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Jan. 11. 
Miscellaneous Enigma. —"It is far better to die a 
porter in the tear oi the Lord, thau a courtier in the 
lear oi t/ie devil. 1 
Fractional Puzzle.— Victor Hugo. 
Charade.— Handsome. 
Cross Puzzle.— 
o A B l e 
S TEAR 
S H E A T ff E 
SHOUTED 
T A P S’ T 
STOIC 
SIRUP 
B E T T O 
Central Puzzle.— Portsmouth. 
Double Acrostic.— Initials, Draco; finals, Solon. 
Transposition.— 
Man works from sun to sun, 
Hat woman’s work is never done. 
COMPROMISING WITH CONSCIENCE. 
A good many people are inclined to settle the 
question of public amusements by a cowardly 
compromise with conscience. They wish to be 
considered opponents of theatrical exhibitions, and 
so they draw the Hue in favor of minstrel shows, 
where most likely, a company of vulgar comedians 
retail all the questionable Jests of the season. Or, 
again, they consider their pledges as church- 
members violated by a visit to a circus, but deem 
opera-going an Innocent and commendable prac¬ 
tice. Now, whatever position be taken concern¬ 
ing play-houses, U is plainly the Christialn’s duty 
to look sharply at the moral quality of tho average 
opera. One of the most famous of modern operas 
Is devoted to the exploits of a fallen woman of the 
worst class. Last week three thousand Philadel¬ 
phians crowded the Academy of Music to listen to 
the first recital of the story or another woman of 
the same sort. Is a tale or vice not the less dan¬ 
gerous when surrounded by all the allurements 
of the musical art ? Plainly, there Is a gross In¬ 
consistency In that choice which rejects the thea¬ 
ter merely because it Is a play-house, aud accepts 
a lewd opera because it la a musical performance. 
It Is useless to banish the corrupt old English 
dramatist Irom our libraries, so long as the music 
of equally corrupt modern Italian composers lies 
on the piano. 1 1 . is not yet time* to foiget the good 
example or that American singer who refused, a 
few years ugo, to enact the part of an abandoned 
character, and lost her pruicsalonal engagement 
In consequence.— Su nday-school Times, 
- - ^ ^ 
We wish it to be distinctly understood that we 
do not endorse all the religious Ideas published In 
this column. Our object Is to give matter which 
will stimulate our readers to study questions of 
conscience aud conduct for themselves.— Eds. 
- 4 - 4 -*- 
As all lights cannot make up the want of the 
light of the sun, so all temporal comforts can not 
make up the want of one spiritual comfort. 
