THE 
MAY IS 
you prospering?” questioned Eliakim in bis 
short, crisp way. 
“Wall, I’m so’s to be waddlin’, Deekin; so’s 
to be waddlin’. Come in, Deekin, come in.” 
“No, 1 ' replied Eliakim. “Is—I moan have 
you any pigs to sell, Brother Drake?” 
“No I hain’t, Deekin. I swan I sold the last 
one this moruin 1 . Dili you want some, 
Deekin?” 
“I wanted to enquire,” was the answer, and 
Deacon Graves turned quickly and retraced 
his steps down the lilac-scented path. 
He was routed, but not vanquished. He 
would combat this new foe of fearful self¬ 
distrust which had risen like a giant in his 
pathway. He would conquer it, and when 
opportunity offered, again seek an interview. 
A couple of weeks had elapsed. The 
weather was unusually warm and sultry with 
frequent showers. Deacon Graves drove over 
to the village store one morning ha his one- 
horse wagon to purchase some codfish and 
black molasses. As he entered the store a 
woman, dressed in a purple print gown and 
big gingham sun-bonnet, turned from the 
counter. As she pushed hack the protecting 
bonnet he saw the sun-shiny face of Desire 
Hopkins. She greeted him pleasantly and 
passed out. A sudden inspiration seized him. 
He forgot the purpose for which he had come. 
He would ask her to ride and unburden bis 
mind on the solitary road. So he hastily un¬ 
fastened “Old Fan” and drove up beside her 
as she was carefully picking her way along 
the muddy street. 
“Will you ride, Sister Hopkins?” said he, 
sitting very erect and bracing himself with 
the reins as again he felt that unaccountable 
feeling creeping all over him. 
“Thank you. It would be a great favor,” 
replied Desire, and she climbed up over the 
wheel aud seated herself beside him. 
Eliakim’s gaze was rivetted on the point of 
old Fan’s ear. 
“How is your mother’s health this Summer, 
Brother Gra ves?” 
“Good,” snapped Eliakim. Quite uncon¬ 
scious of the Deacon’s feelings towards her, 
Miss Hopkins chatted pleasantly of the crops, 
the weather and the church. The Deacon 
answered only in monosylables. His ideas 
would not frame themselves into words. The 
power of speech had left him. A cold pers¬ 
piration broke out on his forehead. He 
grasped the wagon seat and drove at a pace 
which sent the soft mud flyiug in all direc¬ 
tions. His opportunity was almost lost. Only 
a long hill now intervened between them aud 
the place where Desire was now staying. 
Half-way up, driven to desperation by the 
fear that he might lose her, he made a mighty 
effort and began: 
“Sister Hopkius, I have been thinking— 
that this will be an uncommon good year for 
turnips.” 
A little surprised by his manner, Desire 
pushed back Iter bonnet and looked up in his 
face. She saw the agitation depicted in his 
countenance, aud straightway her womanly 
perceptions divined his secret. She blushed 
deeply, but Eliakim’s gaze was fixed on a dis¬ 
tant elm tree, and he saw it not. And being 
a modest woman, she sat silent. 
Her destination reached, Desire Hopkins 
climbed unassisted out of the wagon, merely 
saying: “Thank you, Brother Graves,” to 
which her admirer responded: “You’re much 
obliged, I’m sure,” as he backed his wagon 
slowly around in the narrow road. Disap¬ 
pointment and hopelessness rode side lay side 
with him on his homeward way, and he never 
once thought of the, codfish and molasses un¬ 
til his mother inquired for them when she set 
about getting the breakfast the following 
morning. 
And the busy seasou came on apace. “From 
eai’ly dawn till dewy eve" Eliakim Graves 
labored, patiently and uncomplainingly, while 
his heart ached with its burden of unconfossed 
devotion. The tall form grew gauut and the 
venerable feather-bed could no longer soothe 
its occupant to untroubled slumber. He saw 
Miss Hopkius every Sabbath at church and 
she was always present at the Wednesday 
evening prayer meetings. But his limbs re¬ 
fused to move towards her; his tongue was as 
lead in his mouth when he would have 
spoken. 
By and by a rumor came floating on the 
hazy, fruit-scented, autumn air to the effect 
that Judge Watson (a portly, pompous widow¬ 
er with seven children/ was paying attention 
to Desire Hopkius; and Deacon Graves himself 
caught the Judge “casting sheeps’eyes” over 
into the corner pew where Desire sat, re¬ 
splendent in a new blue velvet bonnet with 
purple pansies. And the Deacon, half beside 
himself with love aud fear, was powerless. 
And so the weeks went by, and Thanksgiv¬ 
ing Day was at hand. There was to be a 
donation party at the house of the minister 
and eveiybotly was invited. And, of course, 
everybody went aud took bis wile, mother, 
sister or sweetheart, as the case might be. 
And Desire Hopkins was there, and so was 
Eliakim Graves, also Judge Watson. For a 
time the company sat bolt upright around the 
rooms, conversing in whispers as though the 
occasion were a funeral. 
Then a merry youth out in the great kitchen 
proposed a game of “suap-and-catch-’em” and 
soon a large ring was fonned in the spacious 
room. The sound of flying feet and shrieks 
of laughter woke up the cotnpnuy in the other 
rooms and one after the other edged out to 
“seethe fun.” Soon, nearly all were partici¬ 
pating in the lively game, and “Needles Eye” 
and forfeits were proposed. In the course of 
the latter game Desire Hopkins was found 
guilty of misdemeanor and sentenced to “goto 
Rome,” and her companion on the journey 
was to be none other than Deacon Graves, 
who had persistently kept his seat in a corner. 
When Desire, in obedience to the rules of the 
game, walked modestly up to him. holding 
out her plump hand, Eliakim, though he would 
gladly have goue with her to the Antipodes, 
if he might, silently shook bis head. No per¬ 
suasion could move him, and he sat grimly in 
his chair and watched Desire as she made the 
journey with the odious Judge, and after¬ 
wards saw him lead her to a seat on a sofa and 
sit down beside her. 
The sight was too much for the Deacon; he 
grew desperate. Something must be done 
immediately or all was lost. He rushed out 
into the open air to cool his fevered brain and 
devise some plan to get the start of the 
Judge. 
As he walked up aud down the long lane 
which led to the barn, his eye fell upon the 
Judge’s fine gray horse hitched in an open 
shed. 
A bold idea suggested itself to the almost 
despairing mind of the Deacon. He unfast¬ 
ened the halter, threw it carelessly over the 
horn of the saddle and struck the spirited 
animal a blow which sent him flying out of 
the yard aud up the road toward his home. 
Then he walked into the house, aud standing 
in the door of the parlor, said in a loud, full 
tone: “Judge Watson, your horse is loose! 1. 
As the Judge, filled with dismay, started 
quickly aud left the room, the Deacon coolly 
crossed it and took the seat by Desire's side, 
which had just been vacated. He had con¬ 
quered the giant at last and was perfectly 
cool and self-possessed. 
“Sister Hopkins,” said he, in his crisp, 
abrupt way, “I want a wife. Yoai suit me; 
w ill you have me?” 
And Desire Hopkins, who had been consid¬ 
ering the matter ever siuee that revelation 
had come to her during their ride on that 
sultry June morning, answered: 
“Yes, Deacon Graves, I will.” 
LIZZIE CLARE. 
FOR, OR AGAINST HOME COMFORT. 
The decoration crazo had seized the three 
Selby girls, and when the parlor overflowed 
and father persisted that there was enough 
anil to spare of trumpery in the dining-room, 
they turned on the overflow to the spare room. 
Walls, mantel and brackets were soon full, 
and the cry was “still they come.” To cap 
the climax, one of the girls bought a second¬ 
hand scroll-saw of a mother who coaxed it 
away from her lioy for some valuable consid¬ 
erations in the way of mince pi© and dough¬ 
nuts for nutting excursions. And now the 
decorative business began in earnest. 
Abby “could learn scroll sawing if a boy 
could,” and learn she did. Presently the old 
clock had au open-work border; then the pic¬ 
tures were all adorned; a wall cabinet screwed 
on between the windows to hold more 
placques and cups of Susy’s painting, and all 
she could not dispose of elsewhere found a 
resting place in the spare room. Crochet and 
needlework were Louisa’s strong points, and 
something in her line fluttered from every 
chair, mantel and window curtain. 
They all thought what a blessing it was they 
had such a careful housekeeper as mother, to 
do the sweeping and dusting in the midst of 
so much labor-making finery. They believed 
in a division of labor. They imido the nick- 
nacks and she took care of them. There are 
many modern households which divide the 
work that way—the more the pity. 
The transient guests who enjoyed (?) the 
hospitality of that spare room never forgot 
the occasion. Summer or Winter, when you 
entered it, the chill, dank air from a sepulcher 
seemed to greet you. The blessed out-door 
air and sunshine must lie resolutely shut out, 
for it would fade or make havoc with some 
of the airy finery. One must move about as 
he would in a crowded china store to avoid 
disaster to some work of art it had taken long 
and patient toil to make. “Overdone” would 
have been an appropriate motto to hang on 
the wall. The whole would answer for a 
museum or bazaar, but was not comfortable 
for a living room. The subject quite lately 
up for discussiou at the woman’s Club— 
“Snrosis”—in New York is an appropriate 
one for many young ladies of to-day to 
thoughtfully ponder. “Do the present inter¬ 
ior decorations of our homes promote comfort 
and hapiuess, or discomfort aud needless ser¬ 
vice?” was the substance of it. though not the 
precise words. The overdone style is certainly 
not productive of that, most blessed quality iu 
any household—home comfort. olive. 
“FIGHTING THE ENEMY.” 
I took up a book this evening and read the 
title, “Fighting the Enemy.” Now I do not 
know what enemy it refers to, as I have not 
read the story, but it started a train of 
thought. Have we not all enemies, even in 
these peaceful days? Certainly we have to 
contend with OUT inclinations sometimes and 
subdue them, now hard it is to make our¬ 
selves perform our duties always all house¬ 
keepers will acknowledge; oh! what a fight 
we have to shake off the enemy when the 
monotony of our work appeal's to disturb the 
tranquility of our souls. Why should we call 
it monotony? It is an enemy who whispers 
the suggestion. Let us conquer him. 
At other times we are troubled because we 
cannot have all the conveniences and luxuries 
in our homes which we think we should so 
much appreciate. Why do we not make the 
very best of what we have? Because our foe 
—discontent—is attacking us. Let us crush 
him! Shame on us! we have unnumbered 
blessings to lie than Id'u I for! Have 
you not in visiting large cities 
noticed how those who are deter¬ 
mined to “make a display” are 
tormented with a groat number 
of enemies which we, who live in 
the country can keep at a dis¬ 
tance? Think of the fathers and 
mothers who sacrifice themselves 
that their sons and daughters may 
enter and keep a fair standing in 
fashionable society! Oh! if only 
they would conquer the enemy, 
vanity! their children would be¬ 
come more noble men and women; 
the daily papers would contain 
fewer accounts of dishonest trans¬ 
actions by those who will not des¬ 
troy this giant evil. Once I 
thought if I were an artist I 
would paint a large picture of a 
vast army moving along the dusty 
highway, tired and heated. By 
the roadside should be a fallen 
warrior—large and handsome, but 
fallen, not killed—utterly dis¬ 
couraged by the long march. I thought that 
to be a type of human life, and that the weary 
one should receive a large share of sympathy, 
because of all he had to contend with. But 
now, there should be a companion picture; 
the fallen soldier must rise and press on, until 
the enemy is subdued, for it is much grander 
to conquer thau to yield an inch to our des¬ 
pair. After a while we shall lay aside our 
weapons and take up our palms. Then shall 
we rejoice if wo have unflinchingly performed 
our work and kept down our adversary; 
fighting under our great Captain who bids us 
follow His lead. s. s. 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AO.NKS E. M. CARMAN. 
HOUSEKEEPING IN CALIFORNIA.—VI. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
One of my Oakland acquaintances who has 
employed a good many Japanese in her 
kitchen—one at a time—entertained me one 
day with some of her experiences. She finds 
the Japanese more intelligent thun the 
Chinese; but not so interested in their work. 
She thought a high-priced Chinaman—$80 a 
month—the best servant one could anywhere 
secure. The Japanese come to this country to 
lie educated; the Chinese to muke money. My 
friend explained that, the reason she hail had 
so many Japanese was owing to the fact that 
as soon as they earned a little money they 
went to school. Shortly before, she had em¬ 
ployed Rieraike upon condition that she should 
teach him how to work, aud ho was to remain 
with her for a year. She spent almost one en¬ 
tire week in the kitchen teaching him how to 
cook, and soon after he came to her with a 
sorrowful countenance. “I am grieved to in¬ 
form your loveliuess,” he liegan, “that I have 
conferred to Sanometer, anil he tolls me that 
I must go to school immediately” (Sanometer 
was a leader or adviser of the Japanese); “aud 
that I must sacrifice my body to my country’s 
good.” Iberaike was quite a bigh-toned 
Japanese, too much so for kitchen work, 
aud he had great ideas of serving his country. 
His successor Kou knew nothing ol’ vvoi'k, anil 
evidently did not wish to. He read John 
Stuart Mill, aud talked learnedly on political 
economy. He spike some French and was 
very desirous to go to France. His mistress 
asked him one day why he did not study med¬ 
icine, as good physicians were needed in Japan. 
With a scornful toss of his head he said: 
“Woman can study medicine.” 
For some time this lady had a Japanese 
servant named Mori, who had been at school 
considerably and wrote very amusing English 
letters. Oue time ho was ill anil had to go to 
au hospital, aud he sent her news of himself 
on a postal card: “My sickness not well now.” 
Again, in trying to supply his place for his 
employer, ho wrote: “Dear Madam, Pleace 
you take this boy, who his name is Yahemtna 
as Japanese name, but you call his name 
Gorge, I will remember your kindness, es¬ 
pecially I thank you that you tolled me this 
words: ‘You try to become a good man.’ 
This your kind word coast me more million 
dollars”—meaning worth more, etc. Again he 
wrote, “I bape anxiously to know how your 
families are in this warrae weather. Is Mr. 
B. healthy working on his business? Also 
your daughters and sons? I bail begun to 
study my lessons at the last Tuesday. In my 
lessons, Greek and Latin are very hard, but I 
am trying to learn them slowly. I have sen 1 : 
you Gerge at the last Friday, but he is uot 
a boy who I promised you. It is Masuda who 
I promised you to work iu your house after 
me. When I leaved your house at the last 
Friday, Masuda could not go to you for some 
Design for Marking Towels. 
business, and Masuda sent me Gerge. At that 
day Masuda promised Gerge that Masuda 
must go to you after Gerge worked two weeks 
in your house. 1 think Gorge wish to go away 
from you by the reason which I written 
above. If Gerge leave your house, then my 
friend Masuda who I promised you, will take 
work iu your house. Masuda is a nice and 
smart boy, but be cannot understand English 
well. Please you tell him how to do every 
thing, and you can pay him what you think, 
£2 or £2,50 a week in first week. If Masuda 
can uot work in your house, you go aud fiud 
another school-hoy in Japanese Gospel Society. 
I think you can find some nice school-boy 
there.” 
In discussing housekeeping,’East and West, 
this lady—Boston born a nd bred, but who has 
long lived on this coast—said that housekeep¬ 
ers ou the Pacific Slope did not wear them¬ 
selves out with household cares as did those in 
the East—their housekeeping was less fine and 
there was more dirt in the corners! They 
were, however, cleanly in all essential things, 
but had reached the point of knowing what to 
do and what to leave undone, and did not 
worry ovor non-essentials. As thero is far 
lews of the kind of economy practiced here 
that Benjamin Franklin enunciated in the 
now trite axiom: “Take care of the pennies 
aud the dollars will take care of themselves,” 
than in the East, another kind of economy is 
practiced, that saves time and strength—two 
factors that many of us undervalue. Instead 
of “eternally darning” stockings for the hoys, 
mothero buy the cheap hosiery and discard it 
when the holes become formidable. A dozen 
pairs of stockings at 10 cents a pair will last a 
long time for even work and play wear, and 
PijSffUaufflusi gulmtiisittfl. 
When Baby wan sick, ire £»ve her Oaatorla, 
When alie was a Child, she cried for Castoria, 
When she became Mias, the clang to Castoria, 
When «he had Children, aha gave them Caetoria, 
