DEC. 20 
Hiaimtcj for % gomtg. 
THREE LITTLE GIRLS. 
Qnce upon a time, three Uttle girls lived In a 
queer, Uttle, old fashioned house, that had three 
little dormer windows looking out to the sunset. 
Three Uttle, merry girls, full of song as a spring 
day, and fair as anemones, their long curls were 
the color at pale com sUlc, aud their three pairs of 
bright eyes were Wee June violets, o, they were 
fair as the fairies! and they lived long ago. Often 
on cold winter nights, when the wind rattled the 
three little dormer windows, would the three Uttle 
girls stand and look out, and away between the 
three slim poplars that kept watch at the garden 
gate, and they would shiver and wonder what all 
poor dead flowers were thinking about, and what 
all the leaves were dreaming ot, or If they could 
thluk at all. Then they would dance back to the 
warm rooms, and bringing their three little, red 
velvet cushioned chairs close to the ancient Art - 
place, they would look into the glowing coals and 
tell all sorts of wild stories aDd dream all kinds of 
queer dreams; then, nestling closely together 
they would sing and read. Oh, such songs as 
they would sing, and such stories as they would 
read—songs that made one think ot the summer 
wind among the Daisies, or ol .Eollan harps at sun¬ 
rise. Why, lu the mld-wlnter night, lit would fair¬ 
ly seem that the robins were singing and the Roses 
blooming; the room grew bright as with golden 
sunshine, and the air grew sweet as with the 
breath of Lilies, and&UU they read on, all the mar¬ 
velous stories of fairies and brownies, all the 
wonderful stories ol knights and ladles. They 
read about the musician who played upon the 
harp with such skill, time even the most turbulent, 
rivers became motlouless and ceased to Uow. and 
all the wild beasts lorgot their prey and stood spell- 
bound Do listen to the rare melodyand all the 
mountains felt a strange thrUl creeping down 
through every crevice about them, on and on 
they read, till their eyes grew dark with wonder 
and the peach bloom deepened on their cheeks. 
They read of the vD'glu who was much too pure 
tor earth, aud when the golden age ceased to be, 
she sought her place among the stars, where she 
ever waits, scales in hand, until the dawn 01 a 
second golden age. They wondered exceedingly 
how she ever performed the Journey and found 
her place among t he stars; but still they read on. 
They read about Hercules the Theban who slew 
the fearful hydra with Its hundred hissing heads, 
and caught alive the stag with Its great horns all 
made of line gold, and how this giant killed the 
dragon that also had a hundred heads and as 
many voices, that lie might gain access ro the gar¬ 
den of liesperldes and bring away the golden 
apples Oil! a whole book could not contain half 
the marvelous stones they read and told; and 
you could never sing half the strange songs they 
sang. 
Tne lire burned low lu the grate, the cricket 
ceased to slug, and Lae winds sped away and It 
was spring Urns, then the three Ultic girls brushed 
their long curls, the color ol pale corn slile, and 
robed themselves In white and you would have 
thought them lairles so ralr w T cre they, so blue were 
their eyes, and so red were their cnecks, so it 
happened long ago when the three pairs of little 
birds with red down on their dainty breasts and 
yellow plumes on their heads came back as they 
always did to build their three little nests in 
the poplars. The three little dormer win¬ 
dows became shaded with great blue Morning 
Glories, and the birds sang for very joy every¬ 
where in all the suuny land. Then when the days 
grew long and breathless the three Uttle girls 
each cried out, “ o the fairies: the mines. 1 go 
to lind them;" so talcing their th ree lit tie hats that 
were made entirely ol grass blades plaited to¬ 
gether and fastened with blue Violets. Away 
they sped to the woods w here the moss was moist 
and spongy beneath their teet, and clapped 
their hands with glee. The winds shouted •• they 
come, they come,” aud all the forest was sweet, 
and vocal. Onward they sped but never a fairy 
crossed their patU. They peeped into the robin's 
nest, they listened to the Insects humming among 
the hushes, and watched the honey bees ily 
homeward with their sweets; they leaned then- 
peach blossom cheeks upon the emerald grasses 
on the river bank, where the silvery lishes were 
flashing in aud out among, the pebbles; they heard 
the babbling of the little waves as they scrambled 
over the limestone ridge, and listened to them as 
they laughed among the round pebbles. At last 
they grew tired and sat very still anil the flowers 
dropped from their lingers and their bauds lay 
quiet lu their laps. 
The waves were touched with gold and went 
softly by, and the sun leaned low to the West, 
when the three little girls with eyes like pure 
violets heard many little voices. Oh, the woods 
became fllled wdth tiny voices, sweet, as summer 
winds, aud throngs ot fairy folk clustered about 
them, and every tree and every flower became a 
fairy, and every bird and Insect became a ralry, 
and the whole woods were made vocal with rare 
music, when the three little girls opened tlielr 
blue, bewildered eyes, and the world was grand 
and glorious; the trees were all telling strange 
stones—tales ot long ago, when gallant knights 
and beautiful ladies had lingered In their cool 
shadows. They heard the story of the twin i-.hn. 
dren who had sought lu Held and wood for the 
fairies, aud found them at last In every leaf and 
flower. The three little girls wondered much that 
they had never thought of that before; so they 
gathered a handful of the Uttle heartsease at, their 
teet, aud every blossom was a Liny, winsome lace. 
They pressed the flowers to their Ups and rejoiced, 
for they had found the fables. Then a lew crys¬ 
tal drops fell from the li iuged clouds and a rain¬ 
bow spanned the heavens, touching the earth at 
the North aud South, and all was light and glory, 
above and below. The three Uttle girls went, 
hand In hand, homeward. They had learned that 
THE BUBAL «EW-¥©BKEB. 
the woods and fields were full of fairy forms and 
voices; but we must search for them, for they are 
shy Uttle things, and do not force themselves upon 
our sight. We must listen for their sweet tones — 
they are so like the sound of the winds and the 
songs of the birds, that only listening ears can 
detect the sweet, reaching voices. Nevertheless, 
these fairies are flitting about y.nd singing now, as 
of old, teaching the pure doctrines that all should 
be glad to learn. The three Uttle girls went 
homeward, their laces Bweeter than ever before, 
and they sat in the queer uttle dormer windows, 
thinking of the day's adventure, until stars were In 
the sky. Alas. Charlotte E Fisher. 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Helter from one of Ihc Auntie*. 
Dear Uncle Mark :— Seeing that you published 
my letter, I now, according to promise, send you 
some seeds of the China Tree. I do not propose to 
tell you what to do with them, but I would respect¬ 
fully state to you, what I know of the tree, Its pecu¬ 
liarities &c. , &o. 11 Is the hardiest of Sou them trees, 
and next to the “Grape Myrtle” the handsomest. 
It Is almost Impossible to exterminate tills - china 
tree” In the South as so many seeds faU (we call 
them •• China balls’’) that yon can scarcely tell 
where they may not appear. Main St., ol Nat¬ 
chez, Miss., Is bordered on each side with those 
trees aud I suppose all the “ Utile geographers” 
know that the city is built upon a bluff Stun feet 
above the level of the Mississippi River, so that 
upon coming to the top ot the bluff and gazing up, 
it being an up grade, those trees look like a a ream 
of fairyland, when In the spring they are lu full 
bloom. Every fall, or lu early spring, before the 
sap Uses, the old trees are cut down close to the 
stock, so that they look like some ghostly giant of 
a dark night, and their shadows on moonlight 
nights, when 1 was a child, often caused me tear, 
they are such profuse growers, that If they were 
uot yearly cut down close, they would be lu the 
way and look unsightly. After the trees are 
through blooming, those seeds form; each ball kin¬ 
tal ns from four to six seeds, they ought to bu 
planted In fall, and they wbl come up in spring, 
ready for the growing season. Mine that 1 planted 
in our front-yard grew over four feel In one sum¬ 
mer; they will not blossom till they are three 
years old. 
Jn this Northern climate they will need a South¬ 
ern location and protection In winter until they 
become thoroughly \aukeelzed,” lllce J have 
beeu. l wish the children could have seen the 
Magnolia blossoms my sister sent me from New 
Orleans last loll and this spring; they are pure as 
any Lily In their petals, while they are us large 
round as a saucer; the corolla or Urn flower is a 
pure creamy white. Iu by-gone days, when, a 
happy child, 1 played ’noath the shade of those 
stately trees, with not a care to dim the brightness 
ot m.y life, I thought then that the happy days 
were coming; but let me tell you, dear little ones, 
that childhood’s days are the best m life. 1 never 
dreamed then of the -red hand’ of war that was 
slowly and surely coming to overshadow all this 
brightness, and, like an eclipse, was to darken the 
fairest and brightest hopes of many a life me 
peace should once more appear to dispel tne dark¬ 
ness. Hut 1 must cease my rambling, or 1 shall 
be tumbled Into the waste basket., but childhood's 
days always have a charm for me. 1 love to read 
the tetters from ihe children; there Is uo subter- 
iuge, no glosoiug over In tneir composition, and it 
Is refreshing, in this world or ‘-ariinclality,’' to 
rtud something that Is purely natural. My flower 
garden ran wud last summer, as l was not able to 
attend to it, while the Morning Glories stepped lu 
aud look possession; even the shade trees were 
garlanded, and lu the morning it used to look 
lovely; Providence and health permitting, 1 will 
do better next summer, a.i I dearly love flowers, 
l lutend getting some seeds from the Rural, and 
then I shall **go into business’’ on the flower ques¬ 
tion. Rut adieu, aunts, cousins aud all; my baby 
Is clamoring for attention, and as U Is bedtime, 1 
shall say good night aud God bless you to oue and 
all till we meet again. Yours, <Ko., 
Marshall Co., Kas. Mas. Ak J. Galpin. 
[Matty thanks lor the seeds, auntie; we will 
plant them in the experiment garden at the Rural 
Grounds.—U. M.J 
Uncle Mark:—I will tell jouhow 1 have pros¬ 
pered with my flrst garden. All the seeds 1 plant¬ 
ed grew except the peanuts. The music-melons 
were the nicest we ever ate. The water-melons 
large and good Acme tomatoes extra, i did not sell 
any of them, 1 think It better to supply the table 
with nice fruit thau to have the money for my 
own use. Where the nuts did not grow I planted 
beaus. I had 75 plants of tobacco which is rtpe 
aud ready for sale. I would not use It if 1 were a 
man. Do any ol thecouslns know that snakes grow? 
I was plowing one day and plowed up some eggs 
with a rough shell one and one-halt inches long, 
thinking they were turtle eggs 1 took them into 
the house; but after a little while one of them 
cracked open and a little spotted snake, six inches 
long, crawled out. I have been back to the city 
and staid two weeks, but I like the country the 
•best, lam going to school now. i shall try to 
have a better garden next year. There are large 
persimmons grown here and 1 want some In my 
garden. Gkokuk Shaw. 
Washington Co., Ill. 
Dear Uncle Make:— lam almost 12 years old. 
1 have a piano and have been taking music lessons 
all summer. 1 can play most exquisitely. We 
have not had any school In our district since the 
1st ot June, on account of building a new school- 
house. The work Is going up very slowly but it will 
be exquisitely grand when It Is finished, I wish 
all the Rural Cousins could come and see It. We 
have had a splendid autumn but Jack Frost has 
come and caught all Of our flowers except what we 
took In. We have a greenhouse and It la full of 
beautiful plants. We have an Agapanthus plant 
seven years old. It has never bloomed; can any 
one tell how to make It bloom ? I do uot wish you 
to think we raise nothing but flowers; we raised 
pumpkins that weighed flrty-three pounds; and 
squashes that weighed 41 pounds. 1 saw my other 
letter published, and lr l see this published, too, I 
will write again. Ho good-bye, Uncle Mark. Eva. 
Warren C’o„ O. 
Dear Uncle Mark:— I saw my former letter 
printed, and then thought I would write again. 
We have taken the Rural for many years. I 
always read the letters trom the cousins first. 
Why don’t the cousins write and speak of their 
gains and failures of the summer, (I have none to 
speak of.) Uncle Mark f wish you would tell tne 
how to make Oalla LlUes grow, whether to put the 
pots In pans of water or not. 
I am le, bui I trust my age will not be an objec¬ 
tion to my becoming a member of the Horticul¬ 
tural Club. 'I'hls Is ouly my second letter. 
Yours truly, Maple Leaves. 
t’rawfordsvllte, Ind. 
[Calla Lilies should never be put In-pans or 
water though they should be watered freely while 
in bloom.—U, M.J 
Dear Uncle Make;—I thank you for all those 
seeds you have sent me. The weather was so dry 
that many of them did not germinate. My radishes 
and tomatoes came up well and both were excel¬ 
lent ; the corn came up but did not grow well; 
enough ripened, however, to try again. 1 had but 
few flowers this summer, but expect to uave a 
large collection another year. I have one vine of 
the Jerusalem Apple, two yellow Chrysanthemums, 
two monthly Roses, two scarlet Geraniums, one 
Sword Cactus, and oue othonna crass!folia—a 
basket plant. We received the grape seed and 
planted It according to directions. 
Your niece, Letha M. Abbott. 
Clemont Co., Ohio. 
Dear Uncle Mark:— I have been thinking of 
joining the club for a long time. I live lu the 
country and read the letters from the cousins with 
Interest every week ; 1 am also very much In¬ 
terested In the culture of flowers. J have quite a 
variety of Geraniums. Will you please tell me 
why my Carnation don’t bloom and what I shall 
do with it. Please put my sister and my name on 
the Horticultural Club list. 
Yours respectfully, Allik. 
Main St., Richmond, Va. 
[I really do not know why your Carnation 
should refuse to bloom. Do you take good care of 
It?—U. M.J 
HIDDEN SOUNDS. 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
D. D. 8—Philadelphia, 
cents. 
Lindsay and Blakiston, 50 
This Uttle hook, the seventh of the American 
Health Primers, gives concisely the best and most 
useful Information of the teeth, of any work we 
can cite. Dr. White, who Ls authority on the sub¬ 
ject, has presented twenty chapters of excellent 
matter regarding the physiology and treatment of 
the teeth. The discussion of the mouth, anatomy, 
dentltlou, cte., are clearly Illustrated, and are the 
preliminary essentials to a scientific knowledge of 
the teeth and the best methods for preserving 
them. His statements, which are accurate and 
logical, should be accepted by all. For young 
people the value or this work is inestimable, as It 
cautions against abuse and advises hygienic modes 
for treating disease. Carles, toothache, tartar, 
nervousness, food, the health as affected by the 
teeth and the teeth by disorders, are especially 
mentioned as attending topics. AU should pos¬ 
sess this useful hook. 
FiUtrim’a Pro«re*H. By John Bunyan. With a 
Memoir of Banyan, aud Macaulay's Essay on tlio 
Pilgrim’s Progress. Freely illustratod. Boston: 
Houghton, OsRood & Co. 
The publishers present this old-time favorite In 
a new. appropriate and tasteful dress. The clear, 
large type, the many explanatory notes and the 
Illustrations make the reading of it pleasant and 
Instructive. A colored plate of Christian at the 
Gate adorns the Ill’st page. 
Chas. Scribners’ Sons’ Like and Work ok Gil. 
beet Stuart was from the flrst received with an 
exceptional interest, which the book, both In Its 
literary and artistic sides, fully Justifies. As a 
biography, it deals not only with the painter, but 
with Stuart's brilliant social life as the Intimate of 
halt the celebrities of his time ; and the personal 
reminiscences of his daughter, Miss Jane Stuart, 
at whose request and whose aid Mr, Mason has 
written, add special value to these anecdotes of 
her lather’s friends. As an art publication, the 
publishers believe that the volume stands alone In 
faithtul reproduction of a painter’s works. Messrs. 
Goupil & Co. have prepared the majority uf the 
plates In Paris by their photogravure process, and 
have produced the most careful aud beautiful 
specimens of this work yet. used for book Illus¬ 
trations—to which they are here applied for the 
flrst time In this country. The richness of Stuart’s 
coloring is conveyed wit ha truth which has hither¬ 
to been impossible In any form of print. Reside these 
plates there Is an admirable engraving In pure 
line by Burt, of the “Gibbs Washington,’’ con¬ 
sidered by connoisseurs the best of Stuart's Wash¬ 
ingtons, and now for the first time engraved; an 
etched fae-slmlle, by Duthie, of Stuart » pen-and- 
lnk portalt of hlmseir; and an engraving by Cole 
of Miss Goodridges miniature of the artist. 
1. See the scores by Ella’s baud. 
2. His name is Hiram Juralda. 
. How hale uncle looks, 
4. I bo other causes exist, 
5. Ho went to “ Davy Jones’ locker.” 
«. she was crossed In love. 
7. Air. Wolsten holm trees I want. 
S. On the hay fields of grain perished. 
9. They woo desperately. 
10. Kiscoll in silence wept. 
U. Dick, on the Mt., deserted us. 
12. Home one wrote V In Kyard'a new book. 
18 . It staug I erneslly assure you. 
14. Mi's Curr, I tucked It as well as 1 could. 
15. 1 found inastlc ore. 
16. The quartette was formed of Callb, Oguen 
and two boys. 
17. This ape looks wild. 
is. nave a cucumber, Landon? 
19. At Alta ma had a spasm. 
20. Use allegro no more. 
21. Maje suits me to a “ t.” 
BT Answer In two weeks. Little One. 
Mr. Herbert H. Smiths' Brazil, published by 
the same house, is by no moans an ordinary book 
of travel, though It has all the qualities which 
make the literature of travels attractive. Mr. 
Smith has studied the Amazons and the Brazilian 
coast with a thoroughness that makes Ills volume 
an authority perhaps without a rival In Its special 
field; but he has made his description so vivid, and 
so communicates his own enthusiasm to the 
to the reader, that the Information he gives is 
mastered unconsciously, and is never dull. He 
looks at the scenery of the great river with so 
strong an appreciation of its beauty, and conveys 
so well the Impressions made by the great Amazons 
forest, that only occasional passages remind us he 
also studied the region with the skill ot a trained 
naturalist. In the same way, the Wool the people, 
both In the country and the towns, la so well de¬ 
scribed from the traveler’s and resident's points 
of view, that only Mr. Smith’s excellent chapters 
on Rio de Janeiro and his account of the Brazilian 
myths recall the amount or political and scientific 
knowledge of which the reader has also hud the 
benefit. Mr. Champney’s illustrations complete 
the value of the book. 
ACROSTICAL ENIGMA. 
My flrst, If you will see, is with each dear friend 
we meet. 
Ary second came with me, we will find on Seventh 
street. 
Our cousins’ club looks sadly out without my 
third In the chair. 
My fourth I saw hut yesterday In a laughing 
maiden’s hair. 
My fifth was also mingled with the pretty ring¬ 
lets free. 
My sixth Is often near my home, It ne’er de¬ 
serted me. 
The fanner needs my seventh with my eighth to 
fill his barn. 
Aly whole came, all dear readers, and very soon 
we’ll learn. 
Ifiir-Answer in two weeks. Mary Waley. 
-*♦«- 
A HOUR GLASS PUZLLE. 
Sudden; Moving awkwardly; Agreeably; A 
woman of the Bible; A hole; A consonant; Satis¬ 
fied appetite; Fart of u, spur; To walk carelessly; 
Celerity; Lovers. Centrals form a city of Wales. 
iv ~Answer in two weeks. l. o. 
-»♦» 
PUZZLER ANSWERS.-Dec. 6. 
Maltese Cross:— 
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Centrals form “ Suspended ” aud “ Wandering." 
Hidden Vegetables.— I. Cress; 2. Greens; 3. Spin- 
aeh; 4. Cauliflower; 5. Endive; 6. Gherkin; 7. Gumbo; 
8. Garlic; 9. Cymliu; 10. Shallot; 11. Ultra. 
Aobobtjcal Enigma.— EMILY MAPLE. 
- 4 ♦-»- 
MAGAZINES FOR DECEMBER. 
Likpincott’s Magazine for December has a 
varied list of contents, the most noticeable feature 
being the number of articles descriptive or life and 
manners at home and abroad. “Among the Bis¬ 
cayans,” by George L. Catlln, our consul at La 
Rochelle, gives a graphic account, with illus¬ 
trations, of the old Spanish seaport of Bllboa. “ In 
the Backwoods of Carolina,” by Louise coffin 
Jones, presents a contrasted picture of the primi¬ 
tive and amusing aspects of American life In a 
mountain region remote from railways and the 
usual lines of travel. Wirt Hikes describes the 
“ English Coffee Palaces" recently established by 
the Duke or Westminster, Lord Shaftesbury, Mr. 
Gladstone and others, to attract the working 
classes from the “ gin palaces” and ordinary pub¬ 
lic houses. “The city of the simple,” by Helen 
Campbell, deals with a subject of constantly in¬ 
creasing Interest and Importance, the proper treat¬ 
ment of the Insane, and contrasts the common 
method pursued In the pest asylums both of 
Europe and America with the system Instituted 
at Gheel, In Belgium, which Is a colony ot lunatics 
subject to no oonhuement or restraint. Another 
paper deserving of careful consideration Is a de¬ 
scription of the “Advantages and Disadvantages of 
a Foreign Education for Young Republicans,” by 
a writer who compares the teaching In our public 
and private schools with German methods of In¬ 
struction, as well as to Indirect iufiueuecs of social 
habits and surroundings on undeveloped minds. 
Dr. Charles W. Dulles nas a snort practical puper 
on “ 1 omening, ami How to treat it.” L. Lejeune 
criticises the “ impressionasr school of Palming,” 
and M. Mather contributes an entertaining histori¬ 
cal sketch entitled “Monsieur le Charmaut.” 
“ Aimed,'* by G. H. Fierce, which la concluded In 
this number, Is a simply told but deeply pathetic 
story. The •' Monthly Gossip” and literary notices 
are as bright and readable as usual. 
The new volume begins with the next number, 
and In It will be commenced a new serial story, 
•‘Adam and Eve,” by the author of “ Dorothy Fox.” 
