75® THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
SUMMER AND WINTER. 
Just a bonnet of ioror, faint pink and deop red; 
Juet a note from him, saying—yon guests what it said. 
Just a heart for her keeping, a crown for her life; 
Just a girl whose sweet eyes road through tears the 
word " wife.” 
Just a handful of rose leaves, brown, scentless and 
dead; 
Just a few shaded sheets tied with pale, silken thread. 
Just a memory left her, a thorn in her breast, 
Just a woman who’s waiting. Just waiting for rest. 
CORRESPONDENTS' CORNER. 
I cannot tell how much l have been Indebted to 
the Rural for Its valuable a rticles on every subject 
pertaining to agriculture and kindred branches. 
Its beautiful tales thrill me with delight. “In 
Folly’s Net ” Is now drawing me so strongly, that 
although the sun Is low l am going to the Post 
Offlco (a mile distant) to gel thLs week's liriui,, to 
see how matters stand with poor Jean. I trust that 
she gets otT from Hlalr, that charming scoundrel. 
I have to read the story to my daughters, married 
ladles, who live nearer the Post. Office, every night 
the Rural comes before I bring It home. 
very respectfully, Wm. s. f. 
Reldsvllle, N. C. 
Dkar Miss Riclby Please state what are the 
“Seven Wonders of the World." 
1. The Pyramids of Egypt, begun 1500 B. C. and 
completed io-»« B. C. 
2. The Mausoleum, erected 350 B. c. over the 
tomb of Mausolus, King of Carla, by Artemisia, 
his Queen. 
3. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus, built 552 
B. C. 
4. The walls and hanging gardens of t he City of 
Babylon, which wen 1 constructed by Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar, between non and 606 B. c. 
5. The Colossus of Rhodes, which was a brazen 
statue standing over the entrance to the harbor 
of Rhodes, so large that the vessels sailed bei ween 
Its legs. 
6. The Ivory and gold statue of Jupiter Olympus, 
made by Phidias, 440 B. C. 
7. The Pharos or watch-tower built by Ptolemy 
Phtladelphus, King of Egypt, 280 B. C. It. was a 
tower built of white marble, on the top of which 
fires were kept constantly burnlog. It. stood at 
Alexandria and served as a beacon to sailors en¬ 
tering the bay. 
Miss Faith Ripley.—W ill you or some of the 
lady readers of the Rurai. please, give a recipe for 
dyeing carpet rags a bright red ? 
Hallock Mills, N. Y. Mrs. G. J. G. 
Ans.—U se leaiuon’s Aniline dye. 
Dbar Editor.—W ill you please give me the name 
or a reliable fur house or of a dealer In furs, and 
oblige A. Reader. 
Belfast, N. Y. 
Ans.—M essrs. C. G. Gunther’s Sons, 184 Fifth 
Avenue, New York. 
Dear Miss Ripley.— Will you please give direc¬ 
tions for making air castles and card reclevere of 
cardboard and zephyr? 1 would also like a recipe 
for making apple butter. Everlasting cookies: One 
cup cream, two cups sugar, one-half cup butter, 
two teaspoons cream-of-tarinr, one teaspoon soda, 
two eggs, these will keep one year. Yours truly, 
Troy. Pa. Minnie E. W. 
HER LOVERS. 
My first, ray very fir*t, his name was Will— 
A handsome fellow, fair, with curling hair. 
And lovely eyes. 1 have his lookel still. 
He went to Galveston, and settled there, 
At least 1 hoard so. Ah. dear me -dear me! 
How terribly in love he used to be I 
The second, Robext Hill, be told his love 
The first night that we met 'Twas at a ball— 
A foolish boy ’ He carried off my glove. 
Wo sat out half the dancers in the hall, 
And Oirted in the most outrageous way. ^ 
Ah me! how mother scolded all next day. 
The third woke up my heart. From night till morn, 
From morn till night again I dreamed of him ; 
I treasured up a rose bud he bad worn ; 
My tears and kisses made his picture dim. 
Strange that t cannot feeJ the old, old flame. 
When 1 remember Paul—that was his name. 
The fourth and fifth wore brothers -twins at that; 
Good follows, kind, devoted, clover, too. 
’Twas rather shabby to refuse them flat— 
Both in one day , but what else could I do * 
My heart was still with Paul, and he had gone 
Yacht saiUng with the Misses Garretson ! 
He never cared for mo-1 found that out— 
Despite the foolish clinging* of my hope ; 
A few months proved It clear beyond a doubt. 
I steeled my heart ; I would not pine or mope, 
But masked myself in gayety and went 
To grace bis wedding when the cards were sent. 
So those were all my loves. My husband? Oh, 
I met him down In Florida one fall— 
Rich, middle-aged, and prosy, as you know ; 
He asked me—I accepted ; that 1 b all. 
A kind, good son! , bo worships me ; but then 
I never count hint in with other men ! 
IN POLLY’S NET 
(Continued from page 712.) 
CHAPTER XIX. 
CHRISTMAS AT RI.AIR OATES. 
The Invitations to the Christmas festivities at 
Blair Gates had been Issued, and almost all had 
been accepted. A great number of the “ nobility 
and gentry ” In the neighborhood were spending 
their Christinas holidays on t heir estates, and there 
was no good reason tor thorn to refuse the Invita¬ 
tion to biair Gates. Those at a distance accepted 
the Invitation for the three days for w hich they 
Were asked, for the “ rest day, the drest day, and 
the prest day ” of Sir Walter Scott’s time, those 
nearer at hand accepted for the ball only, some to 
pass the night at Blair Gates, others to return to 
their homes. 
Blair Gates was in a state of activity and bustle 
very unumial to It, for Mr. Blair was evidently de¬ 
sirous that, nothing should be wanting In make 
the festivities a great success, and to attain his 
end he spent money lavishly. Decorators, cooks, 
servants, and upholsterers were sent, for to Lon¬ 
don Itself, as if Edinburgh could not rurulsh any¬ 
thing sufficiently recherche. Mr. Blair's own chef 
was already well-known In the county as admir¬ 
able, but be would have his hands more than 
full. 
Jean, herself feverishly anxious though she was 
that, all should pass off we|l, that the skeleton in 
the Blair Gates cupboard should not be discovered, 
that no one should suspect her misery, for her' 
sensitive pride was all In arms at the thought that 
her domestic miseries should be county gossip, had 
hut little (o do. Nhe had given all necessary orders, 
and the housekeeper carried them out in a manner 
which left, nothing to be desired, and although 
Jean felt a strange, unaccountable dislike for 
Emily Brett, she could not help feeling that she 
took a groat deal or trouble from her shoulders. 
Nhe notlcedalso.lt was Impossible not to do so, 
t hat Emily had a cert ain Influence over her hus¬ 
band, that, he never seemed quite at ease under 
the glance of her dark, lustrous eyes, and that her 
manner, outwardly perfectly respectful and suited 
to her station, had occasionally a shade of contempt 
which she did not attempt to disguise. 
Three or four times Lady Sholto and Miss Craw¬ 
ford had driven over to Blair Gates, and though 
they could nothin remark the splendor with which 
Jean was surrounded, the beauty of her house, the 
number and excellence of her servants, the appar¬ 
ent devotion of her husbamd, they had not failed 
to notice also the change In Jean, which, t,hough 
less apparent to others, was but too plainly visible 
to those who had known and loved her in former 
days. The stately cairn which had replaced her 
former bright grace of manner, the absence or the 
once so frequent smile, the complete disappear¬ 
ance of the rxphegteric and brilliance which had 
been so charming, the hectic flush on the fair 
cheek, the hollow circles round the sweet eyes, the 
firmly set curves of the beautiful lips, all these 
things spoke loudly to those who cared for Jean, 
and who saw the suffering she so successfully ldd 
from others. On several occasions when Lady 
sholto called, Mr. Blair had been present during 
her Interview with his wife, and though Jean had 
been sweetly cordial and affectionate, they had 
not. exchanged one word of confidential Inter¬ 
course; but ouce. when Mr. Blair had been obliged 
to go to Glossln for a political meeting, from which 
he could not absent himself. Lady Sholto bad 
driven over alone In her pony carriage, and had 
found Jean In her boudoir ror once In solitude. 
The boudoir was a beautiful room. Lady Flor¬ 
ence saw at a glance (hat no room at Sholto Halt 
or at Glen Ivor Itself could compare with It. TUe 
bangings were of Mu* palest cream-colored satin, 
dotted here and there with bunches of blue con¬ 
volvuli borders of the same were embroidered on 
the curtains aad carpet,, f'ltjrjiwe of blue Sevres 
were let Into the wood of the piano ; the chairs 
were of the softest, most luxurious deserlpilon. 
and on a couch amid all this splendor lay Jean 
huddled up In an attitude of misery, from which 
she started up with a little cry on perceiving her 
visitor. 
“ Don't move, dear," said Florence, coming for¬ 
ward; and kneeling down beside her, she took the 
poor aching head upon her bosom, and for once 
Jean let her grief have full sway. 
“You will not toll Archie?” were her first words, 
when she was calm enough to speak. "It would 
make him so wretched. And now, oh | Florence, 
tell me what 1 have wanted to know so long—how 
Is he ?” 
“He Is weU," Lady Sholto said, softly, smooth¬ 
ing hack the bright hair with pitying lingers. “He 
Is quite well again, he tells me, and Jeanle will 
you be glad or sorry, dear? he Is coming buck to 
us for Christ mas." 
“I am glad he Is to be w.ih you," Jean said, 
softly. “ Do not let him think of me as miserable, 
Florence, it would make him so unhappy, and it 
would prevent him forgetting, and I want him to 
forget.” 
And during Lady Sholto’s visit, Jean sat with 
her head resting on her shoulder, speaking a few 
words now and then, once or twice breaking into 
sobs, which she repressed, and holding her friend's 
hand In a clasp-a close, feverish clasp, which said 
more than words. 
“Oh! think,” she said once, In an accent of 
heart-broken despair—‘Think all my life has to 
be lived yet, Florence, and 1 am married to that 
man.” 
And Lady Sholto went from her with tears In her 
eyes and sorrow at her heart; the words had said 
much; the tone In which they were spoken had 
said much more. 
The day fixed for the ball at Blair Gates was the 
2Sth of December, and the guests were to arrive on 
the 26th and 2Tth Mr. Blair had fixed the day 
wisely, for on Christmas day people rarely leave 
their own homes, and for the firet day of the year 
the Duchess of Glossln had lBsued Invitations for a 
bull and amateur theatricals, to which, or course, 
the Blairs had received Invitations, and on Christ¬ 
mas day they were to dine at a great house In the 
neighborhood, which enabled Joan to refuse a lov¬ 
ing little note of Invitation from Ills wife which 
Lord NholLo hud brought her himself for Mint day. 
She bad not. been ouoc to sholto Hall since the day 
she bad left It, as Mr. Blair's wife; alio was not 
strong enough for that j et. And during all that 
stately, dreiuny ceremony at Merlyti Castle, her 
thoughts were with the party at sholto Hall, the 
happy Utile family party on which her folly and 
Imprudence had cast such a heavy shadow. 
on the 26tli and 2Tt.h December, Blair Gates was 
pervaded by a very pleasant bustle and animation, 
and many arrivals had broken In upon the usual 
stately decorum reigning there. Guests from a 
distance were arriving In rapid succession, and 
having been courteously received by the " laird” 
and his young wife, were shown tip to their rooms, 
while their equipages were taken round to the 
stables and coach-houses, which presented a scene 
of crowd and bustle which soon extended to t he 
hospitable mansion Itself, and to the bedrooms, 
and dressing-rooms where lady’s-maids w e un¬ 
packing boxes and dress-baskets, and vai were 
laying out dress clothes and opening dr ing- 
cases. 
The party from Sholto Hall, which Inc ded 
Captain Murray, who, as Ida's Jin nee, was sp tid¬ 
ing Christmas at the Hall, were only to arrive on 
the morning or the 28t,h, and spend one night at 
Blair Gates, and as the time lor their arrival drew 
near, Jean’s nervous anxiety was almost over¬ 
whelming. Would the Earl come? was the ques¬ 
tion which she had been asking herself for t he last, 
few hours incessantly. Ho had accepted the Invi¬ 
tation; but Jean half hoped, half feared that he 
would at the last moment, devise some good excuse 
for changing bis mind. 
Fortunately for her she yvas kept fully occupied 
by the claims of her guests upon her time and 
attention, tlielr admiration for Blair Gates seen 
for the first time since the complete renovation 
which Mr. Blair bail effected on Ills return there 
was outspoken and sincere, and several of her 
lady guests complimented Jean smilingly oil her 
beautiful home, all of which admiral Ion ami com¬ 
pliments Mrs. Blair accepted with a cold, smiling 
grace, which matched the smiling hauteur on her 
face, the languid Indifference lu the weary, brow n 
eyes. And at night In their dressing-rooms, over 
the hair-brushing operations, young ladles dis¬ 
cussed that "beautiful, proud Mrs. Blair,” and 
said, envlouslv, what a happy woman she was to 
possess such a home, and such a handsome, de¬ 
lightful husband, who was everything that was 
perfect. How could they guess, those girls, who 
from the nurseries were brought up to think that 
riches, position, and an eligible establishment 
were the chief end and aim of existence, that the 
woman who possessed all these things yvas more 
miserable than the most miserable collier’s wife 
In the district? 
How could they guess from that cold, smiling, 
Unpenetrable face that her heart was dead within 
her, dead to all hope and Joy, alive only to grief 
and suffering? How- could they tell that In those 
calm night hours, when they lay smiling In tlielr 
sleep, dreaming of a lime when they, too, should 
have a husband and a home, that alone in her 
chamber Jean Blair was struggling against a 
despair which grew hourly more terrible—more 
awful? Many aud many a morning when Collins 
entered her mistress’s nx.un, she would find her 
lying where she had rallen In the exhaustion suc¬ 
ceeding her terrible passion and long night of 
tears, stretched white and shivering on her bed or 
on the floor, half disrobed, with her lialr falling 
about her. an her wild eyes dry and glittering as 
they had been when she faced her own sorrow, 
until the light, or the breaking day hurl crept In ai 
the casement, and found her hushed at last by ex¬ 
haustion. Many aud many a morning bad Collins 
lifted up the slender form, cold aud shivering from 
the long exposure, ami laid It on the lad, with 
tears In her own honest eyes and tender, pitying 
words, her heart bleeding for her mistress's awful 
sorrow; and once, when the maid had come Into 
her room In the night, hearing the rapid, restless 
pacing to and fro. Jean had umied to her and 
flung herself Into her arms In such a passton of 
heart-breaking (cars that any sympathy was grat¬ 
ifying. 
"Oh! hush. Miss Jeanle. dear," the woman had 
said, tenderly. " If the master were to come In, 
what would be think 7" 
“ Do you think that, he does not know that my 
heart. Is broken ?” Jean moaned through her white 
lips. *’ He knows—oh! Collins, If 1 could die!” 
“Hush! Miss Jeanle,”Collins repeated—“hush, 
my dear, my poor .dear! Happier days will come 
by'-and-by.” 
“ Happier (lays!” said Jeau, bitterly. “ Happier 
days can only come to me when he tiles!" 
And neither of the two women knew ihat in the 
dressing-room wit bln, quick ears were drinking In 
poor Jean's despairing woids, and that she would 
have to pay a terrible price tor them. 
Yea, that was the happy, blessed M rs. Blair these 
girls euvlrd, seeing her In her diamonds and laces 
at the head of her table, cold, smiling, serene! 
Ah! we all live two lives, some one says, it was 
true, at least, of Andrew Blair's wife - one life was 
calm, passionless, cloudless; the other. Ihe real 
lnuor life, racked wiih misery, tortured by pain, 
until Jean wondered that, her brain did not give 
way. 
It was impossible but that her suffering should 
’eave outward marks, The fever of her mind 
kept her eyes bright, glittering with fever, and 
her cheeks bright with one vivid rod spot, which 
made her look well; but she grew dally thinner, 
the circles deepened her eyes, lines came Into the 
fair, smooth brow, and the dry, hurnlug Ups had 
a sad droop pitiful to see. 
Dally Collins remarked how rapid the alteration 
was. how slender and frail the small white hands 
were becoming, how languid each movement , 
and sometimes the maid Thought, with tears, Unit 
the death for which she craved would not be lung 
Incoming, that the suffering which never gave 
her one moment's resplte-evon her sleep was 
troubled and haunted now with dreams of the 
past and visions of Uie present would wear her 
to her grave. 
It was just before luncheon that the Shollos 
came—Lady sholto, Ida, and Captain Murray in 
the barouche, his lordship driving over In Ills mall 
phae oa Lord Ivor. 
•• Give me some water,” she said, hoarsely, to 
Collins, who was watching her anxiously. “ I am 
faint.” 
But the faintness was quickly conquered, and 
Jean went elamly down stairs to receive her 
guests, with the feverish lustre In her eyes, the 
hectic flush on her hollow cheek. 
Mr. Blair was waiting in tfoe jiali, aad a number 
of his guests had followed him, ostensibly to see 
the Sholtos, really to see bow Mrs. Blair would 
meet her old love. In her heart Jean blessed 
tlielr curiosity, It roused all her pride, and 
neither step nor voice faltered as she went for¬ 
ward to meet them. 
“Ah! Florence—ah! Ida.” she said, with her 
quiet smile, “ Did you find it very cold driving? 
Your lordship is heartily welcome,” she went on, 
giving her hand fo Lord NhOlto, and then pass¬ 
ing on to the Earl. 
Ills hand was unsteady as It touched hers; but 
though her fingers were cold as death they neither 
shook nor t rembled. 
The greeting was a verp brief one. Lord Ivor 
turned quickly away to shake hands wit h some 
friends, while Jean went forward to Captain Mur¬ 
ray, and gave him her hand, saying a few gentle 
words of congratulation In her soft., sad tones—not 
cold when she spoke to him which made Ills own 
voice rather husky as he answered, and they all 
went in to luncheon together. 
The meal was a gay one. informal as luncheon 
should bo everywhere, especially at a country 
house; but gay, although the mistress of the 
house said lit Mo. SHU she smiled often, and a 
pair of sad gray eyes, which often went to her 
lace from Their station, at the other end of the 
table, saw that the smile was unutterly sad and 
forced. 
Ida was by her side, looking very bright and 
pretty In the new found happiness other lover and 
her engagement,, and Jeau spoke to her once or 
twice In a low, gentle tone, saying something 
Which made her smile and give a happy glance 
down to Captain Miu ray's end of the table. 
After luncheon the men went to the billiard room 
to pass the long afternoon, for It was snowing 
heavily ; the women scattered to various occupa¬ 
tions ; books, work, gossip, music, aud periodicals 
were brought tnlo play, one or two went to their 
rooms to have a nap between whiles, and wake up 
rresli lor afternoon tea and flirtation in the grand 
old ball, where It was generally served, and where 
the men would ccmo. dropping in from the blUlard- 
roorn, and tnbagle by-and-by. .Jean sat In the 
drawing-room, with her calm, proud face, not 
making even a pretence of work; but talking as 
much us was necessary, and holding Lady Sholto’s 
hand closely In her own. Twice she was disturbed 
by the arrival of more guests, and once when the 
fmebess of Glossln had concluded a panygerlc on 
Blair Gates and Its master, which she thought 
highly pleasing to her hearer, and to which Jean 
listened with her cold smile and the weary indif¬ 
ference In her eyes, Lady sum to saw her rise, 
clutching at her throat ftfi tf something stifled her, 
and leave ihe room. In a few moments she re¬ 
turned, calm, smiling, Indifferent as evor. 
None of the gentlemen, save Capt. Murray, who 
was still too much In love to voluntarily exile him¬ 
self Cor a whole afternoon from his divinity’s side, 
came Into the drawing-room during the afternoon; 
but when afternoon tea was served on the oaken 
table, drawn up close to the blazing log fire on the 
hearth In the great hall, with Its antique armor 
ami elltna. and groat bear-skin and tiger skin rugs, 
they sauntered in, and the Indies woke up from 
their sleepiness and brightened and sparkled. 
The stimulant of male society Is wan Led by many 
women to make them brilliant. 
It was a pleasant scene. Lord Ivor coming in 
from the smoking room wit h his host, and c aptain 
Murray thought how pleasant It was In the 
strange, dusky, half-lights, for the firelight, alone 
Lllumined the groups gathered round the table. 
The graceful forms of the women In their pretty 
warm-colored winter drosses, with Jewels on their 
slender lingers and white wrists; the men, bend¬ 
ing wllh taetle compliment and oflen unmeaning 
flattery over their chairs, handing tea in tue deli¬ 
cate Sevres cups, and bread and butter, aud maca- 
roous. Pretty girts were smiling and blushing, 
Ida and Captain Murray lu a settle near the chim¬ 
ney corner were talking in under tones, secure as 
they Imagined, in their dusky corner, the fire was 
blazing up royally, casting old shadows and play¬ 
ing fuutoatic trleks with the armor on the walls 
and the deep stained glass windows, and Jean, In 
her long, simple, failing velvet dress, with soft 
laces at her throat anil wrists, was standing, a 
tall, slight figure. by the table, listening to the 
Duke oi Glosslii’s rather stupid conversation, with 
her abstracted smile, and the firelight falling full 
oil her face. 
How beautiful she was; beaulIful more beauti¬ 
ful now thau sbe had been In the days of her 
happiness. The fair face looked as if earven In 
stone, save lor t he lire In the great, somber, wist¬ 
ful eyes, her white hands were loosely clasped 
before her, on one of them she wore her wedding 
ring, her only one; she hail ornaments of dead 
gold In her hair, at her throat and wrists, and a 
girdle of the same round her waist. 
The Earl's eyes went to her with longing, pity¬ 
ing admiration, Mr Blair's with some pride and 
triumph, if Jean were I6ss beautiful thau Emily 
Brett, she possessed that natural distinction and 
that proud grace of high breeding which can 
never be attained by any amount ot study or pa¬ 
tience. 
“Does your lordship go lu for tea?” s.ld his 
host, carelessly to the Earl. “1 never do, except 
at breakfast, and even then 1 must have my own 
particular brew made lu a separate teapot. Go 
ro Jean if you do, she will be pleased to give you 
a cup. Nhe may think your example will convert 
me." 
lie sauntered away as lie spoke, and Lord Ivor 
went slowly across the room to Jean’s side, many 
admiring glances followed him os he went, and 
the Duke gave him his place with u slight bow, 
and took himself off. The Karl was looking pale 
anil worn; but there was a smile upon his Ups as 
he bent his handsome, fair head and asked If he 
might have some tea. 
Jean gave him some, holding out the little fragile 
cup with rather trembling hands. As she tendered 
it to him their lingers met for one Instant, and tak¬ 
ing it from her the Earl turned away with an 
