Jfor Mount. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
“ TO THEE ALONE !” 
A LOVE SONG SET TO MUSIC BY H. R. H. PRINCE LEO¬ 
POLD OF ENGLAND. 
Prince Leopold, who preferred to remain at 
Darmstadt with the orphans ot his sister the Prin¬ 
cess Alice rat her than a ttend the wedding of Ills 
brother, the Duke of Connaught In Lent, Inherits 
the artistic tastes of his fathev the Prince Consort, 
and like his brother the Duke of Edinburgh Is a 
passionate musical amateur. He Is something of a 
composer too, and has Just set to music the follow¬ 
ing pretty love song: 
I sat. upon the purple hill 
And watched the world beneath, 
And lnughed at love, as cynics Wi II, 
When one came o’er the heath. 
1 here was no need to say 'twas she, 
> o need of sound or sisn. 
For all the heart leaped out of me 
And murmured, *’ Dir allien 
She spoke—her voice raug silver clear, 
The birds hushed in the grove. 
The earth stood still that I mitcht hear 
The first words of my love. 
Ah woe is me l crossed that heath, 
For she may ne’er be mine ! 
Yet must I bear through life and death 
This motto," Dir allien." 
I fain would speak, yet dare not, for 
Her gentle sonl'S distress; 
What is to me one sorrow more. 
So that she have one loss ! 
Yet I could wish when I am dead 
Her eyes should look through mine. 
And ou my heart engraven read 
This motto, “ IHr allien." 
-♦ » ♦- 
SOME SPRING NOTES. 
BY THE EDITOR. 
Shopping, that pastime so dear to the feminine 
heart, Is fast becoming an art. The “ art ” consists 
mainly in an ability to combine taste and judg¬ 
ment in the selection of goods. To enter a store, 
whose counters overilow with the most exquisite 
tints and materials—silks, woolens, laces and hos¬ 
iery-scattered about hi seemingly boundless pro¬ 
fusion, Is simply bewildering. There la nothing 
displayed which would not be most appropriate 
and pretty under some circumstances, and It re¬ 
quires considerable skill to choose that which will 
yield the most, satisfaction to the possessor. La¬ 
dles who live at long distances from the large cen¬ 
ters ot trade cannot Indulge In the delights and 
fatigues of shopping, but thanks to the courtesy of 
city merchants, they need noton that account be 
deprived ot a sight of the novelties that delight 
their city sisters. The large dry-goods houses fur¬ 
nish samples of their newest sod most desirable 
goods, grails, to all applicants. 1 wish Just hereto 
contradict a statement which appeared lately In a 
leading fashion journal, to the effect that only 
samples of old stuffs were sent out, as houses could 
not afford to cut up new and expensive goods for 
samples. This Is contrary to the truth. New, 
costly and elegant dress goods, as well as the 
plainer grades, arc sent out freely to applicants, 
and no lady who receives samples need fear they 
are other than new. 
Ready-made Costumes. 
Ready made costumes are offered in every 
possible combination of color and material ex¬ 
cept that a union of woolen goods and plain silk 
Is not to he seen. Satin, satluct, d'wtii.w, molre- 
antique and corduroy, have superseded silk as a 
garniture. Street cost tunes are almost Invariably 
made with short walking skirt, over-skirt with 
panier effect anil long jacket. The polonaise Is 
mostly used lor home and reception dresses. 
A brief description of some ot the costumes 
shown me, win serve to give a fair Idea of some of 
the leading styles. Among the more expensive 
goods was shown a charming costume of gray 
camels hair with pi aided shawl drapery finished 
with fringe. The effect Of the shawl overskirt was 
pretty and unique. An olive cashmere combined 
with plaidod silk had a curtain overskirt; which 
style ot overdres bids lair to become very popu¬ 
lar. A very pretty costume was ot blue camel's 
hair trimmed wltu blue and gold striped satin and 
mixed fringe. The Jacket and overskirt were 
trimmed with folds of the sattu, the vest was also 
composed of the same material, and u told of the 
satin ornamented the flounce ot the skirt. A black 
bunting trimmed with French lace, showed to 
good advantage among the gayer fabrics. The 
popularity of bunting is apparently on the in¬ 
crease, and Costumes of it In all colors are shown. 
In lower priced goals were many charming suits. 
Gray, ecru and brown being the leading shades. 
An ecru mohair, trimmed with striped satinet, 
was offered at $15. A gray cloth, trimmed with 
buttons anil ornamented with machlne-stltchlng 
and black ribbon bows, a comfortable dress tor 
traveling, can be had tor $14. A dress ot ecru cam¬ 
el’s hair hail the prettiest decoration imaginable. 
It consisted of broad box-plalllngs of brown silk, 
about three inches wide, and extending from the 
waist to within lour nr ilva Inches of the bottom of 
the overskirt. The three front scams ooly were 
ornamented with these box- plait lugs, the back of 
the oversltlft being Simply draped, A gray cloth 
suit was tastefully trimmed with blue Batin polka 
dot—vest, cuffs and pipings constituting the 
trimming—and a black camel's hair was made 
most elegant by the addition of striped watered 
slllc. The house which furnished me wit.h Infor¬ 
mation for this article have ou hand always a full 
Hue of mourning outfits—dresses, wraps, gloves 
and bonnets—so that those living out of town need 
experience no delay I u having their mournlng made 
ready, 
. THE RURmL NEW-YORKER. 
Wrappers, Children’s Suits and Worsted 
Shawls. 
A pretty wrapper of French nainsook was made 
In Princess style and trimmed with Italian lace 
and Chinese ribbon; a jabot of the lace and ribbon 
extending the whole lenghth of the back bad a 
very pleasing effect. The bits of brightly flowered 
ribbon peeping out from the folds of lace had an 
exquisitely dainty appearance. Lawn wrappers, 
trimmed with lace around the neck, wrist and 
pockets, and with double row down the front, cost 
from $3 to $<>. 
one particularly pretty wrapper of lawn had a 
flounce edged each side with Torchon la.ee and 
trimmed with bands of insertion, the neck being 
finished wlth a yoke of tucks and insertion. For 
little people there are some charming slips of lawn 
and nainsook. One a French nalusook box plaited 
trimmed wltb Insertions and edgings of Kusset 
lace was offered at $3.75. White lawns trimmed 
with Maltese and Italian lace can bo had in all 
sizes tor children at $3. $v. $5. A pretty little 
Princessofllghtblue silk,cut in points anti trim¬ 
med with Breton lace suitable for child of 6 years 
was shown, price $15. cashmeres In all colors 
piped with silk and edged with lace in all sizes, 
from $10 up. Cheviot Princess dresses with em¬ 
broidery and laco rrom $1. Bunting suits, cutaway 
Jacket, and kilt skirt,, navy blue and cameo from 
$7.23. Stile and worsted suits ecru, same style as 
bunting suits from $1.25. checks, all wool and 
silk and wool from $3. Ptf/ws in Princess style 
with embroidery $3 In two pieces for misses $8.25. 
Cambric slips for children irom 3 to 7 years 70e; 
large sizes in three pieces for misses of 16 from 
$.». cambric suits trimmed with lace or embroidery 
size for 10 years from $2. 
A most charming variety of light worsted shawls 
IS exhibited. The Algerine stripe, satinet, cashmere, 
Woolloouiooloo are a few of the novelties. They 
make a pretty addition to the toilet in summer 
and as they come In all shades from the daintiest 
of blues to the most aggressive of,reds, Including 
many ot neutral tints, ladies need have no fear 
but that their complexion or dress can be “ match¬ 
ed.” In price they range from $2.50 to $ii. 
WitArs. 
The materials used for outside garments are 
silk, camel’s hair imperial cloth and cashmere. 
The most popular shapes are the dolmau and 
the mantle. The dolman Is really a mantle 
with sleeves. Lace, fringe, passeinetitrrir and 
embroidery are trimmings most in use. The wraps 
are all short, some hardly extending below the 
waist line, and even the largest of them fall only a 
little belosv the hips. The fronts are usually long, 
reaching to the knee; but In some instances even 
these are curtailed. Pretty embroidered mantles 
come from $9 to $is. These are simple and elegant. 
A novelty Is the lace. Ilchu; It resembles the old- 
fashioned Bertha.” The foundation Is netting 
embroidered with braid; French lace, fringe and 
satin bows complete the pretty garment which 
sells tor $12.50. A grenadine wrap, trimmed with 
three rows ot pill Red lace, and a jet beading, with 
long tabs In trout, made a ladylike and tasteful 
wrap. Cashmere trimmed with plaited French 
lace, and pipings and bows of satin; aiclllenne 
silk, tlnishcd with deep, tlcii fringe and a pro¬ 
fusion of handsome lace; light cloth ornamented 
with grass irlugo, imperial cloth with crimped 
fringe, French lace and hows as a garniture; 
and camel's hair, trimmed with silk and Hinge, 
are a tew of the many elegant designs In wraps 
which are to he seen. The prices range from 
ys to $39. some very rich garments come, of 
course, much higher. The walking jackets, mar¬ 
vels of simplicity and stylishness arc made In 
diagonal cloths, uitnuiecl with buttons only. They 
are deservedly popular. The price ranges from $s 
to $13. A hint now to the judicious, cloaks and 
wraps carried over from Lest season, can be pur¬ 
chased at one-third the price previously asked for 
them. The material used lsot the best. The head 
and front o( their offending Is simply that they are 
not the very latest novelties. A little a'teratlon 
will, however, transform them Into the most rash- 
ionable of garments. A wrap of this class, com¬ 
posed of cashmere, beaded passementerie, and 
moss trimming is now offered at $17, price last 
year $13. children’s cloaks are made ot camel’s 
hair or other soft cloths In ecru or gray, and trim¬ 
med with bows and buttons. There are two styles, 
walking eoatand sacque, sizes from four to fourteen 
years. For four years, price $2 and $7, according 
no style chosen. For fourteen years, price $l and 
$9. Ulsters are made In a great variety of fancy 
mixed cloths, and small checks as well as plain 
cloths. They are abundantly well supplied with 
pockets, that heretofore ueglected Item In woman¬ 
ly attire. The comfortable and useful ulster comes 
at from $3 to $ 12 . 
The Inexorable compositor announces that my 
space is *• used up.” l shall therefore have reluet- 
autly to postpone tor another week the discus¬ 
sion of millinery, woolen goods, cambrics, organ- 
dtues, lawns and hosiery, l shall also publish quite 
an elaborate article on silks, plain and colored, 
da masses, satins, &0., with full list of prices. 
Thanks are due Messrs. Lord A. Taylor for their 
courtesy in supplying me with Information as to 
styles. In reply to questions, they stated that 
samples of all goods were furnished to applicants, 
and that out-of-town orders for ready-made gar¬ 
ments could lie promptly and satisfactorily tilled 
If parties ordering would state bust ancl waist 
measure, length of sleeve, and limit of price they 
are willing to give. 
Mr. G. A, Sata, writing In the illustrated Lon¬ 
don News, of the “ higher education of women," 
holds.that if clover girls were “ taught to paint on 
porcelain, to model lu clay and wax, to turn, to 
carve, and especially to draw on wood, t hey would 
bo a hundred times better employed and fifty times 
nearer the possibility of earnlug from three to ten 
pounds sterling a week than In ‘spanking’ the 
piano,” 
LETTERS FROM A COUNTRY GIRL.-No. 12. 
MARGARET B. HARVET. 
DOME STUDY. 
Over and over again do we read very kind, sym¬ 
pathetic articles addressed to women who are 
burdened with many cares, advising them to make 
some little effort, whatever happens, to keep up 
with the times and Increase their knowledge. 
The writers or most ot these fully recognize the 
difficulties which will be likely to beset any woman 
who undertakes to follow their advice, and Indeed 
they are many—so many, that some of our tolling 
slaters think such exhortations of little value. 
Perhaps some are not of much, fair friends, to yon; 
but if they have done as little as inspire within you 
a desire tor broader culture, they have accom¬ 
plished a great deal, for the desire Is half the 
battle. I do not hesitate to say that this is a sub¬ 
ject upon which It Is almost Impossible to write 
too much. 
In attempting to talk, as I want to, about study¬ 
ing at home, 1 shall present to your consideration 
a few thoughts upon which we may all ponder 
with profit. First of all, the duty of everyone of 
you Is to yourself as an Individual soul, and all 
your duties to others grow directly out of your 
right, perform tnce ot this one. it Is incumbent 
upon you to make every effort to ennoble yourself 
to take care ot your health, to have a proper pride 
In your appearance, to feel that It is .vour primary 
obligation to be a lady, to take Into account every 
factor which can aid In giving as a result a beau- 
tul. refined, cultured woman. So, then, It must be 
your work to hold subordinate to your higher de¬ 
velopment, every toll and care and anxiety, and to 
determine that you will be to your dear ones a 
creature whom they can love, not only because 
she Is their very own and their best friend, but 
also because they can take a rational pride in her 
as one who lias conscientiously tried to make the 
best of herself. We read often of hard-working 
mothers who “slaved their very hearts out" for 
their families, only to be despised by them at last, 
and then follows a long string of commentaries 
upon the ingratitude of childreu. Well, I say, 
those same mothers could not hare expected any¬ 
thing else, for It. was all unnatural. Any ordinary 
set ot growing young people—newly-fledged.ladies 
and gentlemen—would twenty rather see 
their mother, with her pretty drcsaSgracerul man¬ 
ners and intelligent conversation, entertaining 
visitors around a simply-spread table, than to have 
her dowdy, worn and Illiterate, seated with them 
at a sumptuous repast And I cannot blame them. 
Remember, then, that your duty to your chil¬ 
dren. begins with your duty to yourself. That you 
may not st int them of What they can reasonably 
require of you, you must never lose sight, of the 
tact that mmcl is superior to matter—your mental 
development and theirs must Transcend every 
physical consideration. Body is servant; soul, 
master. The master must find opportunity for 
receiving the Uouor due to his position, even If lie 
thereby must occasionally order a suspension or 
the labors of hJs servant. 
a little knowledge. 
You believe all this, and have decided to accom¬ 
plish so tie.'thing’. W hat 2 The nuistery of any one 
art, or language, or science, or even general lllera- 
t tire.’ Very well, if you havo deckled, you proba¬ 
bly will. But, generally speaking, 1 .would not 
advise you to determine all at once. You will 
probably Hod It far more difficult than you had 
anticipated, and so grow discouraged aud give up 
altogether. The better plan Is to be modest and 
gay that you will be content with learning a little, 
and as you find your field widening, you will be 
better able to say what you will undertake in 
earnest. Y ou will make an effort, not because you 
ever expect to paint a woaderful picture, or spend 
years abroad, or make any great discovery, or ac¬ 
cumulate a vast library, but because you wish to 
add sometlilng to your general culture. And the 
smallest amount ot study will enable you to do 
this. 
You have been told many a time, perhaps, that 
“A little learning Is a dangerous thing," and 
you hear a great deal of talk about “ a mere smat¬ 
tering ” and “ a very superficial knowledge.” Well 
—but some of my blends believe that “ Half a loaf 
Is bettor than no bread.” When all Is said and 
done, what does the wisdom of all mankind amount 
to, but "a little learning?” And then, too, does 
not every one at first, have to acquire "a mere 
smattering "and “a very superficial knowledge” 
of anything before he can go any further? And, 
even stopping at. t hat point, does he not know a 
little more than he did before ? And does uot a 
little fact or circumstance which we do know, often 
help us wonderfully In what we do not, throwing 
light on a dark place, and aiding us to discover 
what, perhaps, wo otherwise never should? Be 
sure ot a “ little,” at any ra te, aud then go on and 
“drink deep,” iryou can. 
HOW TO STUDY. 
Just, flow you will study depends upon yourself, 
but If you try, you will find t hat you can wring as¬ 
sistance out of the things around you. And this Is 
far different from having any certain hours set 
apart for your books, which only a very extraor¬ 
dinary woman. I believe, can do and keep them 
unbroken, if she has any' other interests. Take as 
many hours—full, precious hours—as you can, but 
don’t despair it you never can find one. Listen a 
little. If you will, t o a few passages from my owu 
experience. 
When 1 was very young au old copy of Mrs. Lin¬ 
coln's Botany for Beginners accidentally roll into 
my hands. The system taught In It had been su¬ 
perseded. but l did not know that. For months t 
could think and talk of nothing but Botany; and 
In toy morning walk to the village seliooL and my 
evening errands after the cows and down to the 
spring-house, 1 would pause for an instant to 
gather u “specimen,” just' as you do to pluck a 
wild-rose or daisy which pleases your fancy. An¬ 
alysis took the place of tatting, and as a child, I 
learned many, many names which I never had to 
274 
unlearn. As I grew older I procured suitable 
works—Mrs. Lincoln’s latest edition, Coultas, Dar¬ 
lington and Gray—and continued my researches. 
Instead of excursions merely for pleasure, I had 
my “scientific explorations.” I never felt that 
my Botany took an Instant of my time, and to day 
1 believe I am “pretty well up” In the Flora of 
my own district. 
To learn my French conjugations. I had the book 
lying wide open on the end of the ironing-board. 
Ev ery time I crossed the floor to change an Iron, I 
glanced at the page long enough to take In one 
tense, and this I repeated, over and over to myself, 
until 1 needed to change my Iron again. I did not 
give up this practice till I knew them all. And the 
law of association Is sb strong that I cannot see an 
ironing-board now, without involuntarily runnlug 
over in my mind, “ J ’at, lu as, n a." And my iron¬ 
ing was not spoiled, either,—1 always had the repu¬ 
tation of doing It beautifully, even if I never could 
believe tnat “towels and dish-cloths ought to look 
just as nice on the horse as ruffled petticoats.” 
The same way with my Latin paradigms. When 
I had on hand that most, useful and necessary, but 
at the same time, most tedious and trifling employ¬ 
ment of darning stockings, 1 elevated It by having 
the grammar on the stand beside me. As I worked, 
I recited aloud what I had read an Instant before, 
just as with the French, and so, too, does every 
pair of mended hose sing, “Amo, awns, aw at .» 
And so far from slighting my needle, T felt then 
that 1 could afford to give more time to it, and the 
darning done under these circumstances looked as 
even and regular as Java canvas. And the whole 
while 1 was teaching, just In the lew minutes in¬ 
tervening between breakfast and “ tram-time.” I 
would ruu my lingers up and down the keys, not 
attempting to practice any port ton of a “piece,” 
for just a simple scale, persevered in, Is rar better 
than nothing at all, and does one a great deal of 
good giving freedom. 
You must not think- about studying you must do 
it. While you are questioning and cogitating. “Had 
I better ? ought I not do something else ? While 
I am learning that rule I might be finishing .Jes¬ 
sie’s apron, etc.,’’ the opportune moments have 
gone. If you were thirsty, you wouldn't stop to 
say, “Ought. I get some water now? Couldn't I 
get along without? Mightn't I be doing some¬ 
thing else?” Y ou would take up your bucket in 
an instant, without the slightest parley. Yet you 
wouldn’t. In an aggregate of your time, count the 
minutes you had spent in going to and from the 
pump. And this Is the way In which you must 
study. Wherever yon feel like It, open your book, 
as a matter ot course, on the very Instant, without 
stopping to consider, and,—that Is, If you are ju¬ 
dicious,—you won t lose anything which you can¬ 
not easily pick up again. 
Have a book always on your bureau, on your 
centre-table, on your mantel-piece, on your kitch¬ 
en-dresser. Run to the piano, even If you stand at 
it. while you are waiting for the kettle to boll or 
the dust to settle. Look up a little fact as you at e 
dressing to go out, think over It during your walk, 
and on your return verity all the suggestions tt 
has given .you. while you are putting away your 
things. Take a book In your satchel to read lu the 
wattlng-room at the depot—read in the cars, even, 
unless the characters or the scenery about you 
form a far more interesting study, as they often 
do. Associate oue name aud one date and one 
event with another, and all with a certain article 
of furnit ure, or corner ot your place, so that you 
cannot think of one without all, and then build 
upon these until you have a whole series constitu¬ 
ting the very skeleton of some particular branch 
ot human knowledge. A thousand little devices 
will present themselves to you-the only caution 
I can give Is, don’t encroach upon your needed 
rest, or upon the attentions your family require. 
You have all heard of F-lihu Burrltt, the learned 
blacksmith, who mastered thirty languages by 
having always a book upon his forge. Perhaps 
you do not know quite so much of Miss Grace 
Anna Lewis. Her home Is right In the wilds of 
Pennsylvania, three miles out In the country from 
Klmberton, a lit t le place so remote that tt, holds 
communication with the outer world by only ope 
or two trains a day, through I’hrenlxviile, Itself a 
small town twenty-eight miles from Philadelphia. 
She has lived here almost all her life, with no 
more opportunities than any country woman has. 
Y"ef she to day. Is the greatest, living authority on 
birds In America. No one need be Ignorant. 
in the columns ot the Rural a short t ime ago, 
was given as much as I can tell you of the Boston 
Society to Encourage Studies at Horne. The year¬ 
ly fee. as you remember, isiwn dollars; courses on 
different subjects are inarked ratt a nd help Is gh en 
by correspondence, l think II, a very good Idea 
for a woman to connect herself with this associa¬ 
tion. Plans of study will be sent, her by those 
experienced, far better than she could have made 
for herself, and her feeling obliged to write a 
monthly letter containing a report of her progress, 
will give her, from time to time, a present, definite 
object, for which to work. 
What has been done, can be done. 
-- 
A HINT FOR FORGETFUL ACTORS. 
We commend to amateur actors who are troubled 
with bad memories, the happy Idea of our friend 
C. Though still a young man, he was to play the 
father, and the daughter chanced to be a vrry 
ltandsome woman, so when he forgot his part, he 
could t hink of uothing better than while holding 
his “ child” to say : 
“ Kiss your father.” 
And each time when he felt that his memory 
was about to fall, he would save himself by crying 
out: 
“ t ome to my arms, my child.” 
The husband of the “ daughter ” said that he 
thought that the “ author repeated himself very 
orten.” 
Maud Miller, daughter of Joaquin Miller, has 
made her first appearance in a speaking part on 
the stpa-a ju Oregon, 
