4®8 
pairing for t|r geiutg. 
A FAILURE.” 
Brown head and yellow head 
Hanging side by Bide. 
Mischief still iu lowered eyes 
Long lashes cannot hide. 
Grimy hands tlmt always 
Hold the pencil wrong, 
hips that laugh and whisper. 
Whisper all day long. 
Hair all ways for Sunday; 
Small coat bnttonless; 
Pockets btilgimr out with 
What—you’d uever guess. 
Bottles with odd stoppers 
Broken patent top, 
JewsUsa'ps, green grasshoppers 
That never more will hop. 
Petrified sweet cookies, 
Taffy mixed with string, 
A choice full line of peanut shells, 
And fifty other things. 
Long rows of empty seats. 
Sunshine on the door, 
Longing looks at windows 
And the open door. 
Two very naughty boys, 
After school is done, 
Listening to the catechism 
Teacher's Just begun. 
“ Genrgle, who’s been naughty f" 
Here the brown head sinks; 
Slowly came the answer 
Through the lips, “ Frank." 
“ Frank, you tell who’s naughty ?" 
Hung the yellow head. 
“ Frank, and tell me truly,” 
“ Georgia is," he said. 
Then the sobsr toucher 
Rules of conduct taught, 
About what small boys ought not 
And what small boys ought. 
After some reflection, 
Half an honr’s. may be, 
To the question " Who is ?” 
Came two answers, “ We." 
Proud and glad, the teacher 
Sent the twain away. 
“ Moral suasion, after all. 
Is the only way.” 
At the open window, 
Affected nigh to tears. 
The teacher stood to watch her 
Penitential dears. 
Soon they run, quick-fingered 
Throwing hats aloft— 
Alas for “ moral suasion 1” 
Says Georgie," Aint Rhe soft ?” 
I Chicago Times. 
• -♦-♦-*- 
GRANDMOTHER’S STORY. 
A Thanksgiving Tale. 
Tell us a story, grandmother !" The speaker 
was one of my four rosy-cheeked cousins, as we 
crowded around the flre-plnce one Thanksgiving 
day. 
“What kind of a story shall it be, my dear/" 
said grandma, as she smoothed the glossy heads 
at, her knee. 
“ Oh, any kind. It don’t matter what; we’re so 
tired of playing," said Joe, speaking tor us all. 
“ Then I will tell you a story of my young days,” 
said grandma softly, an 1 confident that It would 
be Interesting, we nestled up In the corner. I 
often think of that siory now, lor grandmother Is 
in heaven with the angels, but the memory of her 
kind acts and words will always have a fresh place 
in my mind. *• Well, dearies,” she began, “when 
I was a small child, at the lime my story com¬ 
mences, mother and I lived lu the garret of a great 
weather-beaten house In Boston, it tv as a very 
disagreeable place to live in, for nothing could bo 
seen but dirty stone walls and the roofs of houses. 
The rooms were dark and frightful passages led to 
other tenements equally dismal. The eaves of 
adjoining buildings met with ours and left dark, 
dirty alleys between. The buildings were live 
stories high. Yes, dears, It was a hard struggle 
for bread, and during those Hying days of poverty, 
the money mother earned by sewing hardly paid 
for the bread we ate, after paying the rent; but 
God was merciful to us, and In such a way as 1 
shall tell. It was very hard to get sewing to do 
just then, for there were a great many dressma¬ 
kers, besides, mother was a stranger in the city 
whom fortune had cast on rather a hard rock. 
One day chance put her in a way to do some sew¬ 
ing for a rich lady who lived in the aristocratic 
part of the town. The material, gray silk, was to 
be made Into a street sacque, which should be very 
richly embroidered. 
“This cost mother many days or hard labor, and 
when done she very carefully folded It up and 
bade me go straight to the house or the lady and 
deliver the parcel. So, bundled hi toy little shawl 
and hood, I hugged the bundle In my arms and 
took my way t hrough the snowy streets. 
“It was a crisp cold morning and great nulls at 
steam rose from all the breweries and factories, as 
if the buildings were ready to burst with tfio 
vapor. When I arrived at the lady’s house, and 
saw the name ‘Roberts’ on the silver door-plate In 
great letters, saw the parlors with their golden 
chandeliers and velvet carpets through the win¬ 
dows, and the great table with its snowy cake and 
purple wine, waiting for the members of the 
household to partake of its goodly viauds, I felt 
myself too shy—not good enough—to place my Ill- 
clad feet on the ma tting matte for the rich. Just 
at that moment the tinkling ol music In the room 
above ceased and a lady, with a soft worsted 
shawl thrown over her shoulders, looked out of a 
window. The sweet smile on her face changed to 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
one of scorn as she said, ‘It ain’t them—only that 
beggar woman’s child with my dress.’ I was so 
faint with cold and hunger and so startled at her 
rough tones tout I could have sunk through the 
floor had it not been for a servant who harshly 
relieved mo of my burden with the remark to 
‘clear the path (or my betters.’ ” 
" What did you do then?” said Joe. 
“ I don’t know what made me do it, but I sat 
right down on those marble steps and cried with 
all my might and main. 
“ Presently the door opened and a little boy of 
about my age tripped out of the halL Ills name 
was Henry Roberts, and he was very kind to me, I 
thought, for lje lifted me out of the snow and 
asked what the matter was. 
“ 1 replied that I had had no breakfast and was 
nearly starved. 
“ The lclnd-hearted little fellow then stuffed my 
pockets full or holiday goodies, placed me on his 
sled, drew me out of the gate and then bade me 
good bye. Before 1 was out of sight of the house 
little Henry’s uncle passed by me. ne was very 
finely dressed, while In Uls hand he twirled a gold¬ 
headed cane. I looked at him again and again, 
for he kept ahead of /ne all the way up the street. 
I was looking at him aa he turned the corner, and 
my thoughts had Just returned to mother. I was 
wishing 1 might greet her with a merry thanks¬ 
giving dinner, when I saw a poCket-bOOk rail from 
him. I made haste and picked it up, half resolved 
to keep It, and thus enable my dream of 
good things to be realized; but, elilldren, you 
know Granny Roberts wouldn't steal, and so you 
can easily think of the good spirit which whispered 
In my heart, ‘Do unto others as ye would 
they should do unto you." 
“ I returned It to the rightful owner." 
“ What did he say," cried Joe breathlessly. 
‘“God bless you. my child,’ that’s what he 
said,” answered grandmother, with a mysterious 
light, shining out of her sunken eyes. “ Yes, chil¬ 
dren, God did bless mo, too. He sent an angel of 
mercy to us in a human messenger of ills. The 
gentleman having several hutidred dollars In his 
purso was glad enough to receive It safe and 
sound. He asked me my name aud whereabouts, 
and on hearing of our distress and actual want, he 
brought a goodly supply of eatables (among which 
was a turkey), and went with me to see my 
mother. He secured a little house in a pleasant 
part of the city for us, and mother got all of the 
family sewing to do.” 
“And what became of that little hoy?" said 
Nellie, nestling up to grandma, who seemed dearer 
to her tnan ever. 
“ Why, he lived and got married,” said Tippy, 
who had heard the story before; “ and he married 
grandma, and he Is our dear- Grandpa Roberts, 
right over there in the corner," jumping up and 
giving him a kiss; “ and Grandpa Roberts laughed 
and tossed us on his knee. He Is alive yet, the 
dear old soul, hearty and hale as ever. He often 
tells us of the days when he was young and loved 
grandma.” F . M . A . 
-♦-*•♦- 
i WHAT BOYS SHOULD BE. ^ 
FIRST: Be true—be genuine. No education is 
worth anything that does not Include this, a man 
had better not know how to rend—he had better 
never learn a letter of the alphabet, and be true 
and genuine in intention and In-action, rather 
than being learned in all sciences and in all lan¬ 
guages, to be at the same time false In heart and 
counterfeit in life. 
Second ; Be pure tn thought, language—pine In 
mind and body. An impure man, young or old, 
poisoning the society where he moves with smutty 
stories and impure examples, is a moral ulcer, a 
plague spot, a leper who ought tn be treated as 
were the lepers of old. 
Third: Be unselfish. To care for the feelings 
and comrorta of others. To be polite. To be Just 
In all dealings with others. To be generous, no¬ 
ble, and manly. 
Fourth: Be self-reliant and self-helpful even 
from early childhood. To be industrious always, 
and self-supporting at the earliest proper age. 
TeaCh them that all honest, work la honorable, 
and that an idle, useless life of dependence on 
others « disgraceful. 
When a boy has learned these four things, when 
he has made these ideas a part of his being—how¬ 
ever young he may be, however poor, or however 
rich—he has learned some of the most important 
things he ought to know when he becomes a man. 
—Home Arte. 
-- 
LETTERS FROM BOYS AND GIRLS. 
Deak Uncle Make : — You have already so many 
nieces and nephews that I am afraid you have no 
room In your great, generous heart for poor little 
me; but. your goodness encourages me. My big 
sister is a subscriber to the Rural, and 1 love to 
read It. 1 have quite a number of house plants, all 
my own, and among them Is a nice Wax Riant, but 
It. does not bloom. Will you tell me how 1 can 
make it bloom? I will not tire you with a longer 
letter this time, but. If you will receive me Into the 
family, 1 may write again. Your affectionate 
niece, Theresa hooajl 
Richland Co., Ohio. 
[\ our plant will thrive best, in u soil composed of 
about throe parts of loaf mould to one part of loam 
from decayed sods, well mixed together, with the 
addition of some sand and pieces of charcoal, to 
make it porous. The pot. should be well drained 
and not be too large; a pot about six Inches across 
Is suitable loi’ a plant with three to four feet, long 
vines. The vines should bo tied to a trellis or led 
along a post in the greenhouse, it. is a render 
plant, and as a house plant should, aa nearly as 
possible, receive the treatment, required for the 
well-being of hot-house plants, Lhat is, a moist, at¬ 
mosphere, an even temperature of eo n to 65° during 
winter, plenty of bud without being burned, and 
leaves kept clean and fresh. Care should be taken 
also that it at no time is infested with injurious 
Insects. Do you give your plant such treatment ? 
If not, endeavor to do so, and perhaps It will 
bloom.— Uncle Make.] 
Dear Uncle Mark :—I am very glad to say that 
the radishes you sent me came up splendidly, and 
all goes well with them, only I find, in common 
with Ml'. Butterworth, who mentions It In a recent 
letter, that there are some little Insects that make 
small holes in the leaves. We have five Grape¬ 
vines. but, one of them has been badly eaten by 
some ugly caterplUais. Papa put some Scoth 
snuff on them and they have now almost entirely 
disappeared. 1 have two little slstors, who will 
soon be large enough to join our club. Iam very 
sorry Uncle True has given up the tour through 
the “ sunny climes" that ho contemplated 
making; I wanted so much to go with him. T 
notice that a great majority of the letters are from 
the girls, and between you and mu, Uncle Mark, I 
think, too, that the girls write the nicest letters— 
some of them are real Interesting. How is this, 
boys, will you allow the girls to carry off the 
laurels ? Dear me, how long my letter is I With 
many thanks tor the radish seed and sweet corn 
you have Bent me, I remain your affectionate 
niece, Lizzie E, Blair, 
Dear Uncle Mark and Cousins:— I wrote a 
letter for the Rural a few weeks ago, which was 
published, and so I have concluded to write again. 
I would like to be a member of the Horticultural 
Club. I have been quite interested in that soci¬ 
ety, and wish it to be a success. I have two sis¬ 
ters and two brothers, and each one of us has a 
flower garden, wlilch we take great Interest in, 
and a great many of our flowers and plants are in 
bloom now. We also keep two vegetable gardens, 
wblch are both looking well at present. I guess 
that Frizzle-Top means business, to judge by her 
letter of some time ago, and I hope she will write 
again. Where is Jumping Jack? i fear he has 
got the blues and “gone West.” I cannot interest 
the cousins any longer, so I will close with my best 
wishes for the Y. H. C. 
Slayerofconceit’s Successor. 
Marlon Co., Oregon. 
Dear Uncle Mark : —I received the radish seed 
and sweet corn you sent me all right, and T thank 
you for them. I sowed the radish seed, and It 
came up very nicely. I have sold eight bunches 
of them and have given mamma a good many to 
use. I soaked the sweet corn all day and planted 
It July 4th. There were 8o kernels} of corn, aud It 
Is up nice. My premium corn Is as good as papa’s, 
f hope T will beat him. I have a patch of melons, 
and if you will come up I will give you some to 
eat. i sold five more bunches of radishes to-day. 
Your little nephew, Jay B. Lampman. 
Greene Co., N. Y. 
[Since this was written Master Jay has sent me 
a discouraging account of how a strong wind broke 
down a portion of his corn.—U. M.J 
Dear Tnolk Mark ani* rural Cousins:—as I 
do not see any letters from the cousins In this out- 
of-the-way part of the world, I thought l would 
let you know that the stonns have not blown all 
the people out of this place yet. I received a pack¬ 
age of the sweet corn, and was very glad to got It. 
I have planted part of It and kept part for next 
year, should this not grow. 1 would like to know 
whether the bee-hive shown tn the Rural of July 
5th Is patented, and how long cheese should be left 
iri the press and when It would be tit. for use. 
Your nephew, Jayuawker. 
Meadow Brook, Ivans. 
[The hive Is not patented. Cheese should remain 
in the press SO to 48 hours. It catt be used In five 
or six weeks by those who are fond of new cheese. 
—Ed.] 
Dear Unolk Mark This Is my second attempt 
In writing lor the Rural. I saw my other letter In 
print, and I thought I would try again. I love 
flowers very much. I have a few things In the gar¬ 
den ; they are tomatoes, citron, pop-corn, all of 
wlilch I am going to sell. I have planted some 
lemon seeds and would like to know If the lemon 
tree must be grafted to bear fruit ? Please enter 
my name on your Horticultural Club list. I will 
try and not trouble you loo much . Good-bye. 
Ingham Co., Mich. Henry Welfare. 
[Seedling lemon trees are a long time lu getting 
Into bearing, besides, the fruit Is not likely to be 
of much value. The best way Is to bud your trees 
when they are three or four years old. Read what 
was said about buddlug last week. UnoleMark.) 
Dear Uncle Mark:—I have been reading the 
letters from the boys arul girls for some time with 
much interest. I would like to become a member 
of the Horticultural Club, if you will let me know the 
charges, but if there are none, please count mo as 
a member. We have taken your paper for almost 
twenty years, and like It, very much. 1 am twelve 
years old, and go to school when there Is school. 
As I am afraid this Is getting too long, i will 
close, hoping that, it will not, find the way to the 
waste-basket. Laura Turman. 
McLean Co., ill. 
[All who read the Rural are entitled to member¬ 
ship In the Horticultural Club without any charge 
whatever. But In order to maintain a good .stand¬ 
ing, members must do good work at gardening, 
and send occasional reports or what they are doing. 
Uncle Mark.] 
Dear Uncle Mark:— I have been reading the 
boys’ and girls’ letters In the Rural for some time, 
and as l wish to become a member of the Horticul¬ 
tural Club, 1 tlmughL t would write and ask you to 
please put my name on the liBt, 1 am a boy 14 
years old. My father has taken the Rural ever 
since I can remember, aud berore, too. 1 am very 
fond of poultry and 1 have raised r>3 chickens this 
summer, and also some turkeys. I like gardening, 
also. Well, enough for this time. Wild Tom. 
Chelsea, Mich, 
alilratjj llraMng. 
BE STILL. 
(Psalms, 46—10.) 
“ Be still, anrl know that I am God.” 
The way la dark and wild. 
Through which thou goest, my child; 
I canuot promise thee a utornilesB path, 
For lightning'* Heath 
And thunder’s roar, the pilgrim’s Journey hath. 
“ Be still, and know tliat.1 am God." 
The. elements are mine; 
It is a hand divine 
That quiets the whirlwind in its awful course: 
The mystic force 
Of hail and tempest find iu me their Rource. 
“ Be still, and know that I am God.” 
In danger’s hour Vie ea m; 
This is thy secret balm, 
To know thut thou art safe when I command: 
Then only stand, 
And see deliverance by my mighty hand. 
“ Be still, and know that I am God; 
Ask not the reason why 
1 weave such mystery 
Through all the warp of thy frail life below; 
For thou shalt kuow. 
And need tbeplan in heavens bright glow. 
“ Be still, and kuow that I am God." 
Through storms and fears be still .- 
Only thy part fulfill; 
And as thou walkest I will shelter thee; 
Thy foes shall flee, 
Aud thou slmlt journey all the way with me. 
“ Be still, and know that I am God.” 
'Twill lie enough for thee, 
Safe in my throne with me— 
Star-crowrwd thy head, within thy hand a palm— 
To sing thy psalm, 
When storms of earth end in eternal calm. 
-- 
THE DANGERS OF RETURNING PROS¬ 
PERITY. 
The period ol' financial distress has been sore 
and long. It. has already come to a close. Men 
of business are not reaping the large profits to 
which they have been accustomed, but they are 
prospering, and It is idle to talk about bard times. 
We need now to anticipate years of plenty, and to 
fortify ourselves, as best we may, against the tem¬ 
poral and spiritual dangers they will bring. Al¬ 
ready speculation begins to abound; and, ir we do 
not. err, there Is destined to be a fever of gambling 
in mining and railroad stocks such as we have not 
known heretofore. Our summer resorts are being 
again crowded with persons able to lead a life of 
extravagauee and display. The various lorrns of 
betting are becoming more popular than ever; 
aud the throngs of people eager to stake money on 
every horse-race, every base-ball game, every re¬ 
gatta, every walking-match should lead the Chris¬ 
tian to redoubled prayers. No careful observer will 
doubt that many professed followers of the Lord 
are slipping into customs of the greatest peril. 
Perhapsat.no previous time In the history of the 
American churches has there been such need to 
guard our people from the temptation to Interest 
themselves, as spectators, and, alas, that there 
should be occasion to say it I as betters, at the va¬ 
rious sorts ol matches that have become so popu¬ 
lar. The period or financial depression ha 9 been 
one, on the whole, of spiritual prosperity. Church 
debts have been paid. Extensive revivals have 
been granted lu all parts of the country. A more 
serious spirit has taken possession of the people, 
and extravagance In expenditures, aud the army 
of evils wlilch follow In Us train, liave been made 
unfashionable. It Is true that many business 
men have been guilty of dishonorable failures; 
but their Iniquity existed before; and the hard 
times dkl but give them an excuse to exhibit It. 
The same thing may be said of those communi¬ 
cants In the churches who have disgraced their 
profession by frauds which they could not conceal; 
their exposure and their expulsion from the broth¬ 
erhood, painful though they were, have resulted 
in Its purification aud strength. 
Ir Is natural for us to rejoice at the return of 
temporal prosperity. Yet it Is possible, if we are 
recreant to our duties as disciples of Christ, that 
we may live to sigh for the spiritual fervor of the 
years of temporal adversity. Let us guard better 
the doors ol the church, that unworthy persons 
may not enter. Let us watch bettor for the souls 
of those who profess to follow Christ, that they 
may not enter Into temptations before wliloh they 
shall succumb. Let us keep our churches free 
from debt. Let us discourage extravagance In 
dress, especially on the Sabbath, and in God’s 
house. Let us warn the people falLhiully against 
the perils of bett ing. Let us strive to keep alive 
the fires of earnest and simple plet. 7 , such as shall 
thaw out the glittering snows of worldllness which 
are already falling heavily. Thu perils or the Im¬ 
mediate future are those of prosperity lu carnal 
things, and these dangers uro graver and more in¬ 
sidious than any others.— watchman. 
-- 
HUMILITY. 
Christianity does not set men at any work of 
mere resolution, saying, “Come, now, let us be 
humble;” that would but multiply the endless 
specimens or useless suif-mcrtiricatlou. But true 
Christianity puis men face to face with the hum¬ 
bling taeis, Uie great realities of Goa and Uls 
truth, aud then humility cornea upon the soul as 
Uarkntss comes on the face of the earth, not De¬ 
cause the earth bus made up Its mind to be uark, 
but because it has rolled Into the- great shadow. 
It Is the narrowness of our life Uiat makes us 
proud. You merchants would be proud of your 
successful business If you saw nothing beyond It: 
and you men and women proud of your splendid 
houses if you looked no further. But if you could 
only see God forever present In your life, and Jesus 
dylug for your soul, and your soul worth Jesus 
dying for, aud the souls of your brethren precious 
in ms sight, and the whole universe teeming with 
work lor trim, then must come the humility of the 
Curiatlan. To that humility lot us devote our¬ 
selves, for In a humility like that alone Is psace.— 
Phillips Brooks, 
