402 
skaOuuj I or tiff jjjotntg 
AMY’S GARDEN. 
HUNKY S. CLUBB. 
In her rambles about the woods that form the 
natural protection from the storms of Lake Michi¬ 
gan, Amy had found many varieties of flowers 
that she prized for their own Intrinsic beauty and 
sweetness, she not only took a groat interest In 
them as botanical specimens, but she valued them 
as pots Just as her sister Jenny loved her pet ani¬ 
mals. Although her herbarium contained many 
choice specimens dried, much of their beauty and 
nearly all their fragrauee were gone after they 
were drlud, so she concluded to transplant as many 
of her favorite flowers, mosses and evergreens from 
the woods to a tittle plot of ground which she se¬ 
lected on the north side of the farm-house for the 
purpose. There was a natural spring of waiter, 
which, running past her garden, gave her a chance 
to rear such of her pets as required a moist local¬ 
ity, while the shade from the luiuse and some or¬ 
namental trees enabled her to rear those plants 
that had been accustomed to tho shade or the 
woods 
Amy had such an ardent love for these beautiful 
forest flowers that she took special pains to trans¬ 
plant them so as to injure their roots as little as 
possible, and she studied tho nature and habit of 
each one by reference to her botany so that she 
placed them In just such a soli and situation as 
was adapted to their growth, in this way she suc¬ 
ceeded In removing plants which arc usually very 
difficult to make live away from their native 
forest or stream. 
Near Amy’s garden t he stream from the spring 
above, w tdenedout so as to form quite a little lake 
and It was Amy's ambition to have the white Pond 
Lily growing In that lake, so she Induced John, her 
elder brother, to go with her one day in a boat, 
carrying with them a garden rake and a hatchet. 
When they rowed to a shallow portion of the river 
which empties into thegreat lake not far from their 
home, they found some Pond Lily roots and by 
means of the rake they raised a root to the surface 
of Che water, it was very large and long. They 
could nor get it all up as It reached a long way In 
the mud at the bottom, so when they had raised up 
apiece about sLx feet tong, they chopped it oil 
with the hatchet and then cut It into itnve pieces 
about two feet long each and carried them home, 
immediately throwing them into their little lake. 
They were soon delighted to sec leaves floating 
on the surface, and ihe next summer there were 
about a dozen beautiful blossoms After that they 
had no further trouble Every year they had an 
abundance of Pond Lilies growing at home. 
In the pond near the centre there was a little 
Island on which Ainy had planted some of her 
choicest flowers and shrubs. Here was a clump of 
wintergi'cons which delighted her every summer 
with the pretty wax-like flowers and In winter and 
spring with red berries nestling so beautifully In 
the dark-green foliage. Near by was another 
clump of trailing Aroutus the flowers of which 
appeared In the early spring and continued several 
weeks, violets also grew on the lslaud In great 
profusion, and when the wind was north the fra¬ 
grance of tire Violets was wafted to the house. 
Around tho shore of the lslaud near the water iris 
or j3lue-llag. grew in great profusion, and when In 
blossom also sent, forth a sweet odor. Among 
Amy’s most cherished ppts were the Lady-Slipper 
and the -Columbine, both of which grew well on 
the Island. 
At one end of the little lake, where the water 
was shallow, Amy had planted the Pitcher-plant, 
and It grew well In the wet place sclee.ted lor It. 
When her young Mends came to see her she would 
gather the curious leaves ot the Plteher-plaut to 
play with, as they very much resemble toy pitch¬ 
ers and would bold water quite as well. 
On the north side ol' the pond Amy planted a 
dozen young Arbor-VRa> trees Horn the forest, and 
they grew luxuriantly, in order to make them 
grow thick she had to shear them, cutting off the 
tips. In a lew years after they were planted they 
had grown so thick that they broke the force of 
the northwest winds and matcher little Island gar¬ 
den much more secure trorn the storms. 
For several years the only way to reach the 
island was by wading on stills as the water was 
about two feet deep, but when the place began to 
look so pretty, as the shrubs and trees grew up, 
there, were so many people that wanted to visit 
the Island to see Amy’s collection of living speci¬ 
mens, that John concluded to build a foot-bridge 
across at the narrowest part, ue built a pretty 
rustic bridge of cedar trees with a rail on each 
side supported by cedar posts and cross-braces. 
Tills little lake with Its garden, Island and 
bridge, its Pond Lilies, Its wild flowers, ferns, and 
mosses at various points on Its banks, and Us over¬ 
hanging trees, formed a very attractive spot, and 
being In sight from the highway was admired by aU 
who passed by, and was ilie scene of many a joy¬ 
ful hohvfor a my and her young friends and school¬ 
mates who desired to pay her a visit. 
Nqt hing delighted Amy more than to have a par¬ 
ty of her companions assemble under one of the 
old forest trees within sight of her garden and 
have a nice talk about flowers, she never tired or 
telling them about the different r pedes and show¬ 
ing them how to leU the name ot a flower by dis¬ 
secting it and referring to the. botanical class- 
hook. They often brought her flowers from the 
woods to test her ability, and were always sur¬ 
prised to see how quickly she could tell the family 
to which It belonged, and usuaUy give Its common 
and Latin name without a. reference to the botany. 
Amy, by these attractions or natural beauties 
which she thus cultivated and delighted to Bhow to 
her friends, naturally became the center or a 
charmed circle. All the very best young people of 
the vicinity delighted to spend their leisure time In 
her pleasant home and garden. The Influence and 
THE RURAL 
NEW-YORKER 
sweet companionship of flowers acted charmingly 
on her disposition, and gradually developed in her 
that sweetness and gntce which delighted her 
friends. Without auy direct, effort at moral or re¬ 
ligious Instruction, her personal influence was 
such as to lead others unconsciously to themselves 
Into the ways of Wisdom. And “ her ways are 
ways of pleasantness, and all her patlis are peace.” 
THAT PARTY OF TRAVELERS. 
At long Intervals after the suggestion of an 
imaginary voyage to Europe, I have received a few 
queries as to the cost ol hooks, etc, which have 
shown me the impracticability of my lit tle plan. 
Clearly the libraries of my young relatives are 
not as well stocked with reference books as they 
could wish: and, as nothing was more foreign to 
my Intention than the desire that my young 
Mends should Incur auy but a nominal expense 
in the purchase of a guide book or two. I fear, to 
prosecute our scheme would he paying too dear 
tor ihe whistle, it was the consideration, ot ex¬ 
pense, l am now persuaded, that 1ms deterred all 
but a tew from subscribing to the play, as it is, 
so row have expressed their willingness to go 
abroad tills summer (In Imagination) tnut 1 think 
It best to rest the matter right here, and sec IT 
some other expedient may not bo devised for our 
amusement, l Shrewdly suspect, moreover, that 
Lucie Mark has so surely engrossed you lu the 
discussion and cultivation of partl-eolorfed rad¬ 
ishes and oilier rural and Horticultural delight s that 
your time during the summer will be fully occu¬ 
pied. There Is such a poetic charm about the 
contemplation ol a cabbage, and such real money 
to be extracted front tne garden, us may well 
affect ihe moral and material sides ol your na¬ 
tures ; and to these pursuits, under your pains¬ 
taking instructor, l commend you heartily. 
Later, when It will have become Inconvenient to 
work outol doors, we will hit upon something at¬ 
tractive for the long winter evenings In which 
all may Join. Meantime I shall, myself apply 
ior a position lu the “ club,” as becomes a true 
uncle, or Uncus Thus. 
-- 
A WISE DOG. 
W hile we sometimes see men acting like brutes, 
we oi ten see brutes slum Ing intelligence almost hu¬ 
man. Animal msunet us it is called seems closely 
akin to reason at limes. A li lend Ol mine Mrs. B. W. 
ol Ml,. L'. had a line intelligent dog, also a pet 
canary of which she was very fond, in caring 
for the bird, she left one of the seed cups ajar and 
the bird seizing the opportunity, turned the cup 
and made his escape. Many times during the day 
she exclaimed. 
••My poor bird, my dear Utile bird. Oh, if I 
could only find my bird again.” 
l’rinoe heard ihe words, wagging his tall as if to 
say, “1 understand you.” 
Near nightfall, Mrs W. accompanied by her 
husband and the faithful dog walked toward a 
wooded ravine near the house and she again 
spoke oi her lost bird. Prince looked up Into her 
face and then hounded off returning with the 
lost bird which he laid at Mrs. A Vs feet. She 
screamed, thinking the bird dead when away It 
flew again. The dog followed and soon returned 
with a yellow and black wing protruding from 
his mouth. The htrd ho carried carefully In the 
hollow of hls jaw, and again laid It at his mis¬ 
tress feet, 'i hls time the bird seemed to be 
quite dead, and .Mrs. VV., alter fondling it awhile, 
laid It in Us cage. W hen she returned a short 
time after, the bird was hopping about merrily 
from perch to perch, while Prince was seated as 
quietly a.s though entirely unconscious that he 
had done any thing at all remarkable. Yet hls 
achievement proves that dogs understand language 
though they cannot talk. How he caught the 
bird remains a puzzle. M ns. E, J. Richmond, 
UNCLE TRUE JOINS THE CLUB. 
Pleasure and pain mingle strangely at the con¬ 
templation of the article Uncle True sent me for 
this week's Issue ; pleasure at the honor conferred 
upon the Horticultural club In permitting It to 
count so venerable and distinguished a personage 
a.s Uncle True among Its members, and pain at the 
abandonment of hls projected imaginary voyage. 
1 had no small thought or Joining the party also, 
and anticipated a great deal of Instruction and 
amusement from the trip, liutlu this ease, ml tho 
enjoyment, proved to be In the anticipation and 
none Whatever In participation. Uncle True has 
concluded to remain at home, and he apprises ua 
of hls desire t,o join the Club, lie is as welcome 
as lie is unexpected. There Is a poetic charm in 
the cultivation of plants and rural pursuits, which 
I fear he has not been aware Of until lately, and as 
yet, hls tastes in that direction are very crude. Of 
all plants, he seems to And the greatest expression 
of beauty in that humble but useful species of tbe 
cruciform, the cabbage, probably caused by hLs 
love lor sauerkraut. But, young horticulturists, let 
us show him hls mistake, and point out to him 
real beauties of the floral tribe that will send a 
thrill of ecstacy through hls kind, old heart, and 
awaken a love for horticulture that, though it 
comes late iu lire, may still bo a source of enjoy¬ 
ment to him through the rest of his years. 
Uncle Mark. 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
Uncle Mark ano Cousins My sister and I 
wish to join the Horticultural Club, if we are not 
too late. 
We have never had a vegetable garden, but 
Anna has a number of house plants, aud 1 have 
cultivated a few flowers. Last season I had a bed 
containing the plants, the seeds of which 1 got 
from the Rural’s Free seed Distribution, and 
Pansies, Phlox, Balsams and Asters. This sum¬ 
mer I have a bed for the seeds we received this 
year, and some others, and the last year’s bed for 
self-sowing sorts. I have set out a number of 
cun-ant slips, but only about, halt ot them lived on 
account of the lack of ralu. How can I start to¬ 
mato plants without the use or a hot-bed ? 1 have 
tried several times, but bave always railed. 
I Intend to collect some caterpillars this sum¬ 
mer, for the purpose of watching their transfor¬ 
mations. When they are butterflies, what shall 1 
reed them ? 
Our Swiss Cousin’s and Hawaii Nei’s letters 
were very Interesting. Why do you not write 
again, cousins ? I have not seen a letter from you 
In quite a wlffle. 
1 think Hawaii Nel Is a missionary's daughter, 
but some think It Is some one who lives In the 
United States and who writes as though she lives 
In the Sandwich Islands, to make it more inter¬ 
esting. 
Please put my sister's name, Anna Wise, on tlie 
list., also mine. With many good wishes for the 
Club and members, 1 remain your friend, 
Cortland Co., N, Y. Lenoka Wise. 
[You can start tomato plants without tbe use of 
a hot-bed In a pot or box filled with light soli and 
put In a southerly window of a room with an even 
temperature. The plants must have all the light 
they can get. Of course It la too late for this year. 
It Is a good Idea to collect caterpillars and watch 
their transformations. I wish that, all of flic 
cousins who are Interested in natural history 
would do the same thing. Iu this way much can 
be learned about entomology that otherwise would 
remain a mystery to you. M ake a breeding cage out 
of a small box or box frame that has neither top 
nor bottom. Tack a piece of wire gauze over one 
opening of the box so the prisoners within may 
get plenty of air. and on the opposite side, fit a 
pane of glass to serve as a cover, so you can read¬ 
ily look in. Now put. the box on the side, or what 
was the side before the top and bottom were re¬ 
moved, but which will now serve as the bottom, 
and, as many Insects pupate in the ground, put 
two Inches of dry soli in the box and your breed¬ 
ing cage is complete, I n this cage put your cater¬ 
pillars; keep them well supplied with fresh 
leaves of the kind on which they were found. Put 
down in your note book the date when you con¬ 
fined them, how they looked, how many legs 
they have, and their stripes, dots and other mark¬ 
ings. Note also the dates when they spin their 
cocoons, how long they remain In the pupa state, 
etc., with such remarks and new facts as you may 
deem of interest. You will thus learn much of an 
exceedingly Interesting and useful study, and a 
new Held will be opened for your observation and 
reflection. Butterflies require no feeding— Uncle 
Mark.] 
Dear Rural Cousins :—It will afford me great 
pleasure If you will receive me In your circle I 
should like to ask, what has become of all the boys 
and girls who used to write. Y. B. and Nlayer-of-con- 
eelt, for Instance. Well, girls, I can tell you, that Is, 
it you care to know. They have been fascinated with 
some pretty race, and, as the old saying Is, jumped 
the broom-stick. Most of you tell about your pets. 
I do not have auy except my flowers. Flowers and 
books are my favorites, and 1 do not care much 
about anything else. 1 like to do housework of all 
kinds. Perhaps t will Join your Horticultural Club, 
or at least write, and let you know wliat success 1 
have this tall. If life and health are spared, i should 
like to ask what the expense will be for books for 
the imaginary voyage. Also where 1 can get roots 
or seeds of the T railing Arbutus and what will t hey 
cost. I wish you all good-night. Old Maid. 
Hillsdale Co., Mich. 
[Read what Uncle True has to say concerning 
the voyage. Tbe Trailing Arbutus grows wUd In 
New England and many other parts of the United 
States. It Is very pretty, but somewhat difficult 
to make It grow. Woolson <fc co., Passaic, N. J., 
offer established plants at 30c. each. 
Uncle Mark.] 
Hear Uncle Mark 1 hope I may be allowed to 
Join your circle. I like the letters very much. I 
wrote once to Uncle True, but he threw It Into the 
waste paper basket, 1 suppose, l go to church 
whenever I can; I heard two sermons last Sun¬ 
day. Uncle Mark, you must publish this. I can 
work lots; I feed horses, cows, sheep and chickens. 
I hoe, pull Gorn and pick cotton, 1 am cousin 
Snow Flake. 
Uncle True had no doubt a good reason for 
throwing Snow Flake’s letter In the waste-basket, 
and, as Snow Flake neither gives her name, tbe 
place where she lives or even the state, so 1 have 
no idea whether It Is a snow-flake Horn “ Green¬ 
land's icy mountains,” or some other cold place, I 
must say, that 1 am tempted to do the same. I 
will take this occasion to ask all who write to me 
to give their full name and address. ( shall not 
publish their real name If they do not wish me to, 
but I must, nevertheless, have name and address, 
several who have applied tor membership in the 
Horticultural Club have given me only their in¬ 
itials, and others have neglected to give their ad¬ 
dresses. Of course, i can send no seeds or plants to 
them, the same as I do to all other members. 
Uncle Mark. 
Dear Uncles and cousins:— Hurrah! we are 
better off than I supposed, we have two uncles 
instead of one. Uncle True, In case you make your 
grand r.our to Europe this summer, 1 want to en¬ 
gage my passage If you will take a cousin with as 
Utile luggage a3 1 have. J have McNally’s system 
of geography, but In our very small store of books 
we have no book of travels. As we live on a farm 
and never know what It is to be out of work, I will 
not have as much time or money to spend for 
books as I wish I had. 1 love to read and study, 
and want to learn all I can. Will you take me? 
Cousins, where are you ? I miss your letters In 
the Rural. Write and brighten up the corner. 
We received the flower seeds all right—many 
thanks to the Rural for them; not knowing how 
to plant Balsam seeds, I planted the smallest 
seeds as I would Pansies, In a box In the house, 
some of the larger ones I planted in a bed In the 
door yard. Crab Apple. 
Crawfordsvllie. Iowa. 
Dear Uncle Mark : — I take great Interest In 
the Rural. I have just planted a flower-gar¬ 
den and lots of plants have come up which, I 
am sorry to say, are weeds. My Pansies I raised 
In a pot. and transplanted them Into the bed after 
a cool i tiln, but 1 forgot to put paper over them 
and the hot sun dried them out and killed some 
of them. They were choice seeds too, and I’m real 
sorry. I ha ve got a collection among which Is the 
homed rrog, or which you published an account 
some time ago. Are any of the Cousins Interested 
In collections ? If so, I would Hite to ask any of 
them living In California, Texas, or any distant 
Htate, that would like to exchange a small package 
of specimens, lor things from this place, to Imme¬ 
diately fnrorm me of their address, that t may 
press a sufficient quantity of (lowers. 
F. M. A. Brooks. 
Madison, Wls. P. O., Box 1113. 
Dear Uncle Mark:—I amahttleboy out here 
lu Oregon. 1 would llko to Join the Horticultural 
Club, for 1 mu fond ol flowers and like to work 
among them. I have a flower bed of my own In 
which is a double Hollyhock plant that is about 
five feet each way. Pa says It is crowding my 
other plants too much, so that 1 must have a larger 
piece of ground. My mother has some nice plants 
from the Hollyhock seed she received from the 
Rural. There are a great many pretty wild flow¬ 
ers here, I have planted many or them In the yard, 
such as Violets, .Mlmulus, Lobelias and one other 
klud I would like to know the name of. When It 
blooms I will send you a flower and leaf. If 1 can 
press them nicely enough. I could write a great 
deal more about the flowers, but 1 am afraid this 
Is too long already. Your young Mend, 
Linn Co., Oregon. Angus M. Smith. 
— — -- ■♦•4 - 
A tattle girl, on examining some Bible pictures, 
had great difficulty In remembering which were 
angels and which were men; In explanation, her 
mother told her that those with wings were 
angels. Showing the same picture to one of her 
young friends a few days later, Ida remarked, 
‘•These are angels, TOttle, don't you see tlie 
feathers ?” 
THE STILL HOUR. 
Men often give In the hope of receiving again; 
their charity is bread, cast upon the waters that 
they hope to llnd somewliqre after (or perhaps, 
before) many days. Of charity that has not paid, 
many bitter complaints are heard. But God’s 
ways are uot our ways. lie gives in the hope of 
giving more. That Is hls object in giving. 
“Grace ior grace," grace «/>o?i giace, Lslils me¬ 
thod ; one gift Is sent to make room lor another. 
As one day’s dew and sunshine enables the flower 
to take more dew and sunshine the next day, so 
all God’s spiritual gifts enlarge the spiritual 
nature to the end that more grace may he bestow¬ 
ed. ir we have received any good t hing from him 
it Is not a sign that he wants anything from us: It 
Is a token that he wants to give us something 
more. 
When tlie two disciples, walking with Jesus to 
Emmaus, drew near to the village whither they 
went, Ills said that " lie made as though he would 
have gone further; hut. they constrained him, say¬ 
ing, ‘Abide with us. for It Is toward evening and 
the day is far spent.’ And he went in to tarry 
with them.” Did he not wish all the while to tar¬ 
ry with them ? Did ho not know that he should 
tarry with thorn? Why, then, did lie “make as 
though" he would go further? Was not this In¬ 
sincerity ? Did he not by actions, which are said 
to speak louder than words, declare that to be hls 
wish and purpose which was net hls wish and pur¬ 
pose ? .such a small criticism as this might easily 
enough be made, not only by those who seek to 
discredit the divinity of Christ, but also by quite 
another class of teachers, 'there are those who 
will not own that Christ ever accommodated Ills 
teaching to the defective knowledge ot those to 
whom lie spoke. But does not every wise teacher 
continually do this ? Docs he not keep back the 
knowledge that he might give them with no effort, 
because he knows Unit It Is better for them to llnd 
It by searching for It? 
An acted Ignorance, an assumed curiosity on the 
part of the teacher, often stimulates a pupil more 
than many exhortations to study. It Is an over- 
nice scrupulousness that would condemn the whole 
social, lo method of teaching. No other method 
gives such great zest to learning. And something 
like this Is seen 111 tills case. Jesus does mean to 
tarry will) these disciples; hut ho does not mean 
to stop without an invitation, because he knows 
that their pleasure in entertaining him will he far 
greater If he 1 h their invited guest than H he iu- 
vltes hlmsoir. Ho wants thorn to have the reward 
that Comes from the proffer and the exercise of a 
kindly hospitality. From this point, we get a wide 
outlook over the whole held ot prayer. God olten 
withholds gifts that lie wishes and Intends to give 
us, simply because he knows that It will do us 
good to ask tor them, it Is not hls purpose but 
our relation to him that Is changed by our prayers. 
—Snn il a {/ A.flrt'iinon. 
-- - - • 
Submission to the will of God, with experience 
of hls support In pain, sickness, and affliction, Isa 
more Joyous and happy state than any degree of 
health or worldly prosperity.—A dam. 
In prosperity many* have forgotten God, who, In 
adversity, have thrown themselves Into hls arms. 
