THE DOG-WOOD TREE. 
Whes spring her flowery mantle spreads arouud, 
And countless blossoms strew the wakening ground; 
"When woodland songster's in their haunts again 
Rouse sleeping Nature with their happy strain, 
The Dog-wood tree just bursting into bloom. 
A crown of snowy whiteness doth assume. 
Again, when summer first begins her reign. 
Reclining ’neath a leafy counterpane: 
"When scorching rays shine from the brazeu skies, • 
And Nature, calmly restful, idle lies, 
The Dog-wood, harmonizing with the scene, 
Is covered with a canopy of green. 
And then when aut umn comes with balmy breath 
To whisper warnings of approaching death; 
When all is brightest just before decay, 
And earth her fruitful harvest store doth pay, 
And when the ripened corn is stacked in sheaves, 
Red berries smile ’neath fading Dog-wood loaves. 
And thus we see, in spring, summer and fall, 
The Dog-wood has some beauty for them all. 
May we, when thinking of its change of dress, 
Learn a sweet lesson from its fruitfulness. 
M. E. B. 
OFF AND ON A BICYCLE. 
A few years ago a man’s funeral was supposed to be 
the end of him. so far as the world in general was con¬ 
cerned. but now it is only the signal for everything he 
ever said, did. or wrote to be dragged from the obscurity 
of private life and spread out as a delicate feast before 
a ghoulish public. Therefore no one will be surprised 
at hearing more concerning Aristarchus. 
Soon after our return from the West, Leander began 
to importune his father for a bicycle; but Aristarchus 
refused on account of his youth, as he was now only 
thirteen. But the entreaties of Leander having put 
into his father’s mind the thought of a bicycle, the 
thought soon grew to a desire, and the desire to a reso¬ 
lution, which was ere long announced to me in an inter¬ 
rogative form characteristic of Aristarchus. 
“Don’t you believe, Cordelia, that a bicycle would be 
the best thing to keep up my health? You know the 
doctor said I must live in the open air as much as pos¬ 
sible, and a bicycle does net cost as much as a horse, 
and requires neither carriage, bam, or food.” 
“ Judging by your friend Dobson’s experience, they 
consume a large amount of clothing and incur some 
doctor’s bills,” I replied. “Mrs. Dobson told me the 
tailor's bills nearly drove them into bankruptcy, and 
you know he sprained his ankle at one time, and put his 
shoulder out of joint another time.” 
“ Oh, but Dobson was always reckless, and then he 
didn’t understand how to manage the thing,” said Aris¬ 
tarchus, in a tone that implied measureless superiority 
over Dobson. 
I made no opposition, for I saw plainly that a bicycle 
was a predetermined addition to our modest establish¬ 
ment, against which I should strive in vain. 
When the steed arrived, Aristarchus made his first 
attempt in the back yard, and we all gathered at the 
door to eliare the sport. It was in the early days of 
bibycle riding and bicycle suits were unknown, so 
Aristarchus wore his usual business suit. He seemed to 
find some difficulty in establishing a balance between 
himself and his steed, so Leander proposed to walk in 
front and lead the animal, but was sternly ordered 
back by his father, who then discovered that Miranda 
Dorothea was seated on the little wheel behind in smil¬ 
ing expectation of a ride, and she had to be dislodged. 
As she got off, the thing started up unasked and went 
half way to t he front gate and suddenly collapsed and lay 
flat on the walk, having thrown Aristarchus into a 
group of rose bushes from which he presently emerged 
with zigzag red lines crossing his face in token of his 
encounter. 
“That was a neat one. father,” cried Leander; “you 
didn’t expect to lie in a bed of roses though, I guess ; 
was it soft?” 
“Stop your nonsense,” growled Aristarchus; “of 
course a fellow can’t ride when his whole family are 
grinning at him.” 
He would not be persuaded to try again, though 
Leander offered to tie him on with a rope, and Miranda 
Dorothea assured him that he would not tip off if he 
rode the little wheel! 
After this he took his rides by himself in the com¬ 
parative seclusion of one of the back streets, and ac¬ 
cording to Iiis verbal reports he was fast becoming a 
skillful rider; but to judge from the dilapidated condi¬ 
tion in which he usually returned to the “bosom of 
his family,” he was acquiring his skill in a costly 
manner. Sometimes he came home minus a hat, some¬ 
times with a torn coat, sometimes, with ragged 
pants ; sometimes he came home with a lame back, 
sometimes with a lame leg, and sometimes with a black 
eye; whether he came home covered with dust or en¬ 
crusted with mud depended entirely on the weather and 
the consequent condition of the streets. But he was 
never dismayed or discouraged ; the power of endurance 
and the cheerful pluck of the man would have done 
credit to the hero of a dozen battle-fields. 
One morning he announced that he should no longer 
confine his perambulations to the back street, now that 
he could ride so well; he would, venture up Broadway. 
As he had the very day but one before demolished anew 
business suit, I may be pardoned for not feeling much 
confidence in his ability to make a creditable appearance. 
He wore on this occasion a new summer suit of navy 
blue flannel which was very becoming to him, and I 
felt an excusable reluctance to having it reduced to 
paper-rags so soon. He started out finely and rode 
