THE RURA1 NEW-YORKER. 
FES. 22 
idUa&itu) for tjjr |)oturq 
TO THE SONS OF THE FARMER.-No. 1. 
liorus and back of these was a semi-circle of nine 
more, which were much larger and very sharp. 
From the middle horn on his head to t he end of 
his tall a distinct white stripe extended straight 
through the middle of his hack. 
KKV. A. W. JIANOUJI. 
Which Is better for the farmer’s sons, to go to 
the city, or to remain on the farm ? 
In discussing this ijuestlon my sincere desire 
is in give the best counsel that I can. 
First, while you are t/miry, it is best, for many 
i iqujons, to remain on the old home-plantation. 
There your character w in he formed more safely, 
and Is almostsureh.be purer when It Is formed; 
for the country la comparatively Tree from many 
of the most seductive and dangerous vices of the 
town. Even those who never yield to the temp- 
tuLions to grosser vices in the city, arc, at least, 
so familiarized with multiform wickedness that 
the heart is tainted and sadly liable to lose its de¬ 
ckled abhoronce of that which the pure should 
vehemently despise, it requires sou ad, established 
character to pass uninjured through the peculiar 
traps and pitfalls Tor the. young In the cities. And 
let ii, be remembered that character Is Indispensa¬ 
ble to true happiness, true bouor, true success of 
any good kind, in life. 
•Stay In the country till your tastes are devel¬ 
oped. Rural simplicity is eminently favorable to 
a Just appreciation of the Innocent, substantial, 
unostentatious privileges and enjoyments In 
life. The city subatltuies Lho specious, the arti¬ 
ficial. the exaggerated, the. delusive, the dazzling, 
the sensational, the Intoxicating, for the plain 
realities of the country. With pure and simple 
taste.,, you may hnd rich entertainments almost 
any vnere; but, with tastes corrupted and luiiamed 
you cannot bo contented Unless you art) engaged 
lu extravagant indulgence?, running Hastily on¬ 
ward and downward to ruinous dissipation. 
Stay on the farm till the habits arc thoroughly 
formed. Virtue has not such ilurce opposition In 
cue country, as In the town. It Is easier to 
foun good habits, and harder to form many 
of lho worst habits, In country, than lu town, 
t.arly habits are almost destiny to the young. 
v *®g»e vice will, if pursued, surely destroy the 
character, the peace, anil the usefulness or any 
one. i ou may conclude that you are vory dif¬ 
ferent from the unfortunate young men who have 
become tile victims of the many fascinations of 
piuv.dimg evils In cities; but that conclusion was, 
doubtless, In the minds of many whoso early his¬ 
tory has closed lo darkness, shame, and tears. 
1’our fearless presumption is proor of your danger. 
Hut stay on Lho farm while young, for there you 
have an Independence which Isl.lghly favorable to 
the development of true maulluoss of character. 
At any, at. least, or thu boys ftud young men who 
nisli to Urn towns and beg themselves Into some 
kind of a clerkship arc subjected to a dally experi¬ 
ence that smacks most unpleasantly of the very 
essence Of servitude. The will of the employer la 
tin- master of the employed. The duties required 
of one by an employer who has an Indexible sys- 
li.'in in the work of those whom he employs, and 
wliu studies to Control alt so that he may accumu- 
Jaic pro tits, are generally' such as virtually to en¬ 
slave those who are bound to perform such tasks, 
the highest type of American character demands 
the generous UiUuencea of mutual respect, sym¬ 
pathy and love between the employer and the em¬ 
ployed. Resides, the pay In respectable work In 
toe city is generally small for a long time, while 
Hie expenses unavoidable hi city lire rapidly and 
continuously consume Lbe meagre wages. How 
rew young men in elites are able to lay by an v 
thing as gain -os capital for any business! 
stay on the farm till you have learned the regu¬ 
lations and principles Involved in trade-Ufe. There 
will be abundant opportunities to learn these at 
homo if you studiously avail youraelf or them. 
Wall, till you have acquired a knowledge of human 
nature. There are many'‘sharpers’’ and deceiv¬ 
ers In large cl I lea. They are apt to victimize those 
who are Inexperienced in the ways of the world 
ami who are unable lo detect at once the wiles of 
the cunning and unprincipled, 
Rlay on the farm, for you are needed there, while 
i be places that you would occupy la the oily arc 
elLher Idled already or are eagerly sought for by 
other applicant?, There are so many young men 
rushing to the town that employers can find plenty 
to 1111 all the places they have at unproduibly low 
wages. 
All that I loach In tills article Is that you should 
stay on the farm at least until you have reached 
your ma turity. I n this series of articles I may ad¬ 
vise as to the course you should 
youth Is past. 
On each side of tills stripe were four black spots 
which were round and underlined with bright yel¬ 
low. Each side or his body was edged with two 
rows of sharp white spines, and the mouth, which 
seemed lo boa allt from one side or the head to the 
other, was surrounded by sharp little thoniH that 
reached to the back of his head. I wish you could 
have seen him think. Sometimes ] put him Into a 
basin of warm water, when lie would drink till he 
bloated out like a rubber ball. When l llrst hud 
him I was at a loss to know where to put him, but 
one day papa brought, borne a wooden box with a 
sliding pane of glass In the top. This I partly tilled 
With soft white sand, froggy liked Ids dominion 
very much and showed his approval by burying 
himself in the sand, as was probably his cus¬ 
tom In his native country. After T had kept him 
about two months I begau to think It was time ho 
.should out hour* tillbut all my efforts to make 
ldm eat wore fruitless. One day I had been to 
Church, and coming home I found him In the grass 
by the door. He started to run, and, ;belng afraid 
he might get away, I ran after ldm us fust as 1 
could and dually caught him, though with great 
clllllculiy. on another occasion there seemed lo 
be something thy matter with my little pet, and I 
thought ho was going to die. Hut Imw great was 
my surprise one morning to nod him in a new 
skin and us chirp as ever. Tito old one which he 
had crawled out of lay on the sand beside him. 
The skins that came off from Ids little hands were 
so soft and white that they looked like little 
gloves, and I kept them for a long time. My frog 
lived only about six months; In ad Unit time he 
scarcely tasted a morsel of rood. Occasionally lie 
would lick some fat pork or lard, or he would 
scramble around after files among mamma’s house 
plaids, but the ides seemed mot e likely to eat him 
up than he to eat them, if any of my young cous¬ 
ins have a brother In Texas, I ad visa them to send 
at once for one of these curious uoimala. It Is 
worth the trouble to own such a curiosity. Per¬ 
haps I ncic True can add something to this letter 
about homed frogs. We all enjoy the young folks’ 
column of the Rural very much, and I want to 
see some letters in it from all of my cousins, 
Fiia.sk in M. HHOOKS. 
This letter Is very Interesting, Indeed; I only 
wish that all the cousins would tell us about their 
pets as Frankie lias done. To give you a better 
Idea of a "horned frog" | have taken pains to 
procure a picture of olio, though It may not bo ex¬ 
actly like the pci Frankie had, as there arc several 
species, and they vary somewhat In slzo and ap- 
pearauco. 'J im fact Is, It, Is no flog at all, but a 
lizard, which is quite common In the southern 
Slates, 'travelers camping out where these uid- 
mais arc numerous arc sometimes annoyed by their 
seeking shelter lu the folds ol the blankets, and by 
.> our friendly midst. To-day one year ago I wrote 
you, and then of a beautiful walk that, Is yet 
precious to memory. Now the earth Is white with 
“ermine too dear for earl," and the wind keeps 
time with the falling flakes In a lune most, lively 
nod gay. And as wo cannot go walking this 
l hilslmas-tlme, ray two companions -the golden- 
haired maiden, and she of the nuubrown tresses— 
and I, quietly spend the day ln-doors. When the 
cheer or the day Is over, and the delicious dinner is 
only a remembrance, I hunt out my good gold pen, 
which has lain Idle so long, and write another 
letter. Hut what, shall It be about tills Mine? 1 
have spent many weeks of Hie pastauttunn-Ume 
In visiting and sight-seeing, and shall I tell “itliuio 
something- of that? Niagara Falls, In all ihelr 
rushing beauty, were most tjellgliirul. The city or 
buffalo, with Its broad, clean streets, was a pleas¬ 
ant place to spend a few weeks. The *■ band o’ 
urease," or, In explanatory words, that part of 
western Pennsylvania where petroleum is ob¬ 
tained, was a constant wonder and enjoyment. 
And of these and other places visited, much might 
be written, as die weeks ( was absent rrom borne 
were very crowded ones, and it seems I bavo much 
to bill; but that Inevitable "time and space,” so 
well known In editor’s sanctums, frowulngly wurn 
me to move on. Hut I must not forget mentioning 
the lovely carriage drives over the almost moun¬ 
tainous roads of the wild territory; and, again, 
the lovely salts on the moon-lit waters of the 
beautiful Niagara River. While in Canada, 1 one 
day fell to thinking about that pleuaanl writer, 
Mrs. Jack, of course, Jack Ls to my name, but, 
"the question is,” iv/-« we b« considered as In any 
way related ? He that as It may, as the result of 
my thinking r was wondering just wherein the 
Dominion Uvea the author of those cheery "Whiffs 
lrom Canada.” Hut bow J do tarry by the way! 
Co and ] were out lu the dalry-roorn the other day 
losee the beautiful frosted cob-webs that hung In 
falry-Uke festoons above the great stone trough, 
the spiders had boon at work just before the 
•• cold snap " c&me, and Junk frost (any relation v) 
found splendid subjects upon which to try his 
skill, ’J he rafters, shelves, and even the crane In 
the old-time fire-place, wore wreathed lu delicate 
whiteness by Lho frost. A feather wing Unit hung 
against the wall was daiulUy touched by a fringe 
more beautiful and soft than older-down, and my 
companion playfully—not suggestively—remarked 
on Its appropriate lltuess for a bride. It was In¬ 
deed beautiful, '1110 days have been bitter cold 
ones with us lately, yot they bring us beauty In 
the shape uf frost works, pleasant evenings round 
the UroBlde, and rides over the ever “ beautiful 
snow.” 
unu thing more and 1 am done, our poor 
plants! How they have suffered 1 Hut we, 
among the more fortunate, saved In part our 
treasures rrom the grim FrosUUng, and now lovely 
white primroses cheer us with star-like blossoms 
and sweet perfumes. Wishing to you all, my dear 
1 datives, much protlL and pleasure for U10 new 
year, 1 bid you all an affectionate good night. 
Jtr.uriHo Jack. 
PREACHING HONESTY. 
We do not think I hat IJiere has been any hesita¬ 
tion on the part of orthodox ministers about 
teaching, lu a general way, that men ought to be 
honest. The fact t hat, religion must include mo¬ 
rality is asserted by them strongly and frequently. 
The great luek has been n careful and minute ap. 
plication of this truth to the affairs of uvery day. 
Men must not only be told that they ought to bo 
honest; they must, also be told what hotiesty Is. 
A close and faithful application of the moral law 
te flic business of life needs Often lobe made. II. 
Is in tails, u In anything, that modern pulpit 1 ms 
failed. 
GEOGRAPHICAL ACROSTIC. 
1. A town of New York. 2, A lake of Mlnneaota 
•i. A river of Arkansas. 1 . A river of I’ennsvlva- 
nhi. 5. A city or Peru. 0. a city of France. 7 . 
Mountains of Labrador, s. a mountain of Hollvla. 
11. A city of France, m. one ol the Shetland isles. 
11. A river of New Hrunsvvlek. 12. a lake of Flor¬ 
ida. Initials form a noted place In the Old 
mlulon. 
1 ) 0 - 
i r/- Answer in two weeks. 
Little One. 
If the average minister, for example, should un¬ 
dertake to preach on the Eighth (.’oiainaudmout, 
lie would be likely, llrst, to give a careful exegesis 
of Llic text, referring to other scriptures which 
support its teachings, and showing how in all the 
legislation of Moses the rights of property were 
protected; in the llrst place he would cuter into 
some philosophical investigation of the origin of 
property rights; then ho would show how Christ’s 
law of love secures obedience to tlie eighth com¬ 
mandment, and a genuine respect for the rlghlsof 
property; and finally he would Impressively ex¬ 
hort his hearers to remember t he injunction of the 
decalogue, and never to interfere with the prop¬ 
erty tights of others. All this Is curious and en¬ 
tertaining, of course, to minds trained lu abstract 
speculation ; and, graced by an Occasional illustra¬ 
tion drawn from nature or from history, and by a 
few neat literary references, It may be made very 
pleasing to tlw auditors. The trouble Is that It 
does not coinc quite close enough to the " business 
and bosoms" of those who listen. 
The tiling that is needed Is that the command, 
“ Thau shall nut steal,” should be translated Into 
the terms of modern commercial life. It ought to 
is 1 shown, to begin with, that cheating Is stealing; 
f hat every transaction In which by deceit or con¬ 
cealment or misrepresentation a man obtains 
money or other values that be eon Id not have ob¬ 
tained tr be had told the truth, ls a direct Infrac¬ 
tion of the eighth commandment; that, lie who 
gains an advantage by telling a lie or by hiding 
the truth lu a commercial transaction, Is just as 
really a thleiyn the sight of God’s law, as ho who 
picks his neighbor’s pocket. 
Then, It ought to bo shown with equal distinct¬ 
ness that the commandment rorblds all violations 
or the law of trust, lie who appropriates to Ills 
own uses property entrusted to him for sate keep¬ 
ing ls a thief, lie who risks in private speculation 
the property which has been placed In his hands 
for spoellle purposes Is a thief. The boy who 
spends 1 be money of Ids Sunday-school class, or of 
hl.s bull-club, for his own purposes, breaks tbo 
eighth commandment. He muy Intend to replace 
lho money thus taken ; he may think he knows 
Just where lie will obtain it; but this gives him no 
• lglit to take It. Every penny of it ought to bo sa¬ 
credly kept, that he may give at any moment an 
exact, account of hl.s stewardship. 
Such distinct, application of the HIble law of 
honesty in the affairs of.every day are always 
needed, nnd ir the pulpit has fulled at all, It, has 
probably failed just here. It Is not only true as 
a venerable pastor says, that, wo have not made 
enough of honesty, it Is also true that, we have not 
made it so plain as we ought to have done what 
honesty requires and forbids. Hpeclilo and ele¬ 
mentary teaching from the pulpit on this point 
would be timely and serviceable.— NuiuUti/ After¬ 
noon. 
-- 
THE “ONE-CLASS” PLAN. 
pursue when 
IThc Rev. A. VV. Mangmn or the University of 
Noitli i urollua will contribute a series of articles 
entitled To The sons of tbo Farmer for Lite Youth's 
Department of the Rijical. Wo recommend every 
farmer’s boy In the land to road these articles — 
Eus. 
A HORNED FROG. 
Madison, .Jan, 19th, 1879 . 
Leak Cousins : How many of you have over seen 
a horned frog? When 1 was about eleven years 
old my brother went to Texas and for a long time 
1 did not hear from him. Finally ihure came 
through the mall a little box addressed to me and 
marked •- horned frog." 1 was totally Ignorant as 
to what 1 -horned frog” might be, so 1 decided 
not to investigate lho matter until 1 got home. 1 
was made to wait, however, until l had eaten my 
■supper and then lho box was opened. The reptile 
leaped out on the Hour and set-mod quite lively 
(and who wouldn't need a little exercise after rid¬ 
ing from Texas to Wisconsin In a hook-and-eye 
box ?) J kinking that many of you perhaps have 
never seen a horned frog, I will try and describe 
one to you. Mine was about live inches long to the 
tall and had a pale yellow color. He had the shape 
of a lizard and acted very much like one, only he 
never climbed. Right over hla eyes were two 
1 cason 01 their prickly skins, they are not very 
comfortable bedfellows. I here Isa real Hog, some¬ 
times called the horned lrug rrom Its having a 
small horn over each eye, but It Is only found In 
Sou 11 1 America. 
There are many points or difference between a 
liog and a lizard, of which the most prominent are 
(hut the frog while young lives In the water and 
breathes by means uf gills like a lisli; t lie lizard 
breathes by lungs from its birth. The frog has no 
tali In the adult, or full-grown state; the lizard re¬ 
tains Its tail through Its whole life, even If il. Is 
broken oil by accident, a new one soon grows out. 
rue hind logs or therrogare well developed, and 
being used lor leaping, are much longer and 
stronger than lira fore limbs; the lizard’s legs are 
simply usoii for oroepln^ ami running. 
1 hose learned men known as naturalist# unit 
many other points of difference, but those men¬ 
tioned are enough to tell them apart. It will la- 
very interesting for any of my young relatives, 
who are not already familiar with the miw-t w 
procure a few frog-eggs, put them in an aquarium 
or some small pood, ami closely watch their de¬ 
velopment. T he transformations that take place 
through the babyhood and youth of the frogs will 
be a wonder to you. 
When the little ones llrst come into the world, 
they arc shaped much like Halms aiul breathe by 
gills like these. The head rapidly grows larger 
ami gets but or all proportion to the body- (he 
limbs are developed, the hind pair llrst, tho'gllls 
disappear, and flually the I,all Is absorbed and the 
fiog rakes to the land os its dwelling place only 
~ tlje water to bathe aqd to bide from 
in the absence of Uncle True these few remarks 
CROSS-WORD ENIGMA. 
Mv first. Is In Arctic but not In London, 
My second Is In < 'ape May but not m Hunterdon: 
My third Is in Hlalr but not In Yates, 
My fourth is In Charlevoix but not In Gates; 
My fifth Is in .somerset but not lu Lucas, 
My sixth is in Franklin but not In Cass, 
My seventh Is lu Clinton but not In Upas. 
My whole form two counties of Maryland. 
S Answer In two weeks. Halto. 
DIAMOND PUZZLE. 
1. In cities. 2. An article. 8 . Public pleasure- 
grounds. 4 . Shunned. 5 . a holiday, e. chroni¬ 
cles. 7. Christened. 8 . Sorrowful. 9. in 
tries. 
B A uswer lu two weeks. 
coun- 
Nkll. 
triple ACROSTIC. 
Kvkkv bow and then somebody starts up with 
the revival of a long-ago exploded notion, and 
mils It. a new Invention. One of the latest, fancies 
In 1 his line Is •* the one-class plan,” or tbo proposal 
lo have but a single teacher for an on lira Sunday- 
si kool. 1 bis Is the old plan which the modern 
Sunday-school displaced. The catechetical exer¬ 
cises of former days were conducted in that way. 
Children’s service? down to the present time have 
had the same form. Hut, the small-class system, 
whereby each scholar can receive the personal In¬ 
sulation of a teacher, Is an csaciitiul feature of 
t he modern Sunday-school. Without this feature a 
Sunday-school is no) a Sunday-school; 11 cannot do 
Its distinctive work lor the scholars individually. 
As Dr. Duryea Once effectually put It, " The sick 
soul needs not a lecture on medicine, but a pre¬ 
scription.” Unless t he ptiytdbun can reel his pa¬ 
tient’s pulse, and question him as to his feelings 
and needs, he cauuot prescribe for him to ad¬ 
vantage.— s; .S'. Ttvu'H 
1. 
rug 
form fruits. 
B Answer in two weeks. 
An animal. 2 . belonging to an empire. 3 . A 
•1. Sooner than. Prlmals, centrals and duals 
THE GOLDEN VIRTUE OF SILENCE. 
Mu. 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Feb, 6. 
IlmUEN CuUNTIKK Ol- New Vn«„ 
are made by 
Uncle Make. 
JUMPING JACK REAPPEARS. 
Rural Relatives:— From the depths of that 
supposed "dead silence” I rise; or, with more 
nom He,Hume-tat precision, Jump once again Into 
UlBMOAJa Kniuaia.—L ut UH nut wfcury )n whI doiiiu* 
lor in duo h«uHou wo hIihII reap if we limit not. 1 
AdUOMTic*. I’Uo Lord will provide. 
. 
Pyramid Puzzle. 
1C 
1> A N 
PUNCH 
PI N (i E It S 
JESSAMINE 
LUMUIE It rooms 
Juxtaposition 
unceremoniously 
Name Puzzle.—S lyismiUiU. 
'1 0 know when to s|»eak and what to say are sil¬ 
very virtues, certainly; but nothing, after all, 
compares with the golden virtue of silence It Is 
always among the possibilities or talk that you 
may do some mischief, that .you may Indict a 
wound, that you may be misunderstood, it Is safe 
lo kui'ii the lips closed, especially when you am 
tired, or hurt, or Indignant, - p.y thy words thou 
Hlmltbe Justified, and by I by words ihou shall be 
condemned.” How often dp we repent ol' the hasty 
speech almost as soon us ff is uttered; but His 
then too late to recall It, when It has gone, like a 
barbed arrow, Into (Jiu heart uf a friend. Self- 
control Is one of the rarest of graces; yet it ls 
an Impossibility to do anything lu life which shall 
be high, or hemic, or noble, without It, - Better 
Is he that rulotff lid uplrli than he that taketh a 
city.” Ohrlettan at Work. 
God loves to see a poor Christian shut his closet 
uooi\ aiul then open lib bosom and pour out lily 
#oul before him. 
