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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1877)
UBS. A. J. DOilWAT, Editor and Proprietor. OFFICE-Coa. Fhost & WAsnntGTON Streets A Journal for the People. DevoUd to the Interests of Humanity. Independent in Politics and Religion. Mlve to all Live Issues, and Thoroughly Radical In Opposing and Exposing the "Wrong TERMS, IN ADVANCE: of the Masses. One year- $3 00 1 75 1.00 Six months Three months.. Free Speech, Free Press, Free People. Correspondents wtI ting over assumed sign a. tnres must make known their names to the Editor, or no attention will be given to theft ADVERTISEMENTS Inserted on Reasonable Terms. VOIiTTME "VI. PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, APEIL 13, 1ST"?'. NUMBER 31. communications. EDNA AND JOHN: A Romance or Idaho Fist. Br Mns. A. J. DUNI WAY, AUTHOR OP "JUDITH BEID," "ELLEN DOWD," "ASIIE AJTD HESRT LEE," "THE HAPPY HOME," "ONE WOMAN'S SPHERE," "MADGE MORRISON," ETC., ETC., ETC Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 1876, by Mrs. A. J. Dunlway, in the office ol the Librarian of Congress at Washington City. "Woman's degraded, helpless position is the weak point of our institutions to-day a dls turbing force everywhere, severing family ties, filling our. luylums with. the deaf, the dumb, the blind, our prisons with criminals, our cit ies with drunkenness and prostitution, our homes with disease and death. National Ccn tennial Equal Rights Protest. CHAPTER XVIL Edna was doing everything. As she bad said, her children required all her time and energy to enable her to prop erly care for them, and the extra toil of both brain and body were telling fear fully upon her nerves and temper. But her programme must be carried out The miners were crazy for legitimate amusement, such as can only be enjoyed when there is honorable blending of the feminine element in the different phases of men's social life, and she had prom ised to supply it. They were also in a mood to be highly pleased with anything in the way of en tertainment which Edua could offer. JBut her ambition ran high. To so far perfect herself in her new calling that she might be satisfied with her own ef forts was no slight endeavor. Wean while, to keep John placated and sup plied with spending money, it was nec essary that her pastry cooking should go on without interruption. Mrs. LaSelle was too thoroughly happy as a bride to care, or seem to care, for Edna's further prospects. Tn ere conies a time in the life of almost everybody when the concerns of others amount to nothing. When man and woman are so deepH enamored of each other that they live only within themselves, they are in a state of ec stacy which ought to be pardoned, for certainly it is usually evanescent enough to only cause the concern of friends through fear of its instability. Edna was in a great dilemma. To write her own declamations was a part of herprogramme. Not that she felt that she could not have chosen more wisely had collections from other sources been at her disposal from which to make lit erary selections; but books were a rarity hi Idaho Flat almost as scarce iudeed as tlie women who desired to use them. "John," said Edna, one day, as he came eauntering into the cabin with a maudlin grin upon his expressionless face, "I must have some help in the house, else I shall never be able to fin ish my literary work In time for the benefit." "Let the work go!" retorted John, quite agreeing with Mr. Handel in giv ing advice, if in nothiug else. "But, John, you know I cannot do that. You and all bands must be fed and clothed. Suppose my new expert ment should fail. We must then have something to fall back upon, as you know." "But I don't see how we re to get any help. There are no women to be hired m Idaho Flat." "There's Sue Eandolph, John." "Whatt Do you mean to say that you would bring that creature into the house, Edna?" "She could cook and wait on miners, John. I guess she's as good as her com panion, Jim Young, and you seem to think he is good enough to keep your company, arid a9 an equal rather than a servant, at that." Aunt Judy was fearfully shocked when she learned that Edna had concluded to accept the services of the disgraced and discarded wife of ber husband's son, but Edna very soon settled that question by informing her that her own affairs were her own business, whereat the good lady waxed exceeding wroth, -and be took herself to ber new quarters in high dudgeon, where she lamented for at least a minute over the reprehensible conduct of Edna in presuming to act upon her own convictions of expediency and right, and then forgot all about it In her new-found happiness. "John makes Jim Young his prime associate at the gambling den, and I see no reason why it is not as well for me to give Sue employment as for John to give ber companion in guilt the earn ings of my toil," said Edna to herself. And so It was that the blear-eyed woman became an inmate of buna's but, and was soon her sworn ally and friend. "There Is one condition upon which we may be a mutual help to each other in all tilings, Sue," she said, as soon as both were alone aud busy. "If there Is anything that will help either of us, I should be only too glad to know what it is and where to find it," was the sad reply. "You, at least, can be true to your self, Sue, for you are not the legal bond woman of the man you detest. Now, ask you, first of all, to begin now the ways of a better life by abstaining from intoxication and licentiousness. The first of these I am legally free from, thank God, and can therefore live above. The second sin I am bound, under the laws of men, to submit to, so I cannot be so good as you can become. Above all else you can be true to yourself. The rest of your redemption will come In time." "But, Edna, I loved my husband. I meant to do my whole duty, and as far as I knew it I call God to witness that I did not shirk it. He wronged me as no man can ever be wronged. He took my earnings and used them to suit himself, and when a plot was laid to destroy me, he cast me off without my baby, with out my earnings, without a character, and left me nothing but starvation or crime. I thought I could have chosen the former, Edna. It seems easy enough to starve when you are not hungry and there is no apparent prospect that you will ever want for food. But when you are Homeless, Hungry, crushed, ana friendless, and some one comes with kindly sympathy to give you aid and comfort whether you would fall if so situated, judge not till you are thus tempted." "Well, Sue," sal-l Edna, pausing in her labors, with ber hands in the pie crust and flour flying in her hair, "I do not mean to reproach you. Hezeklah Bedott made a sage remark when he de cided that we are all poor critters. I begin to feel as though Providence was leading me through my present trials to teach meanimportant lesson. Surely He can do the same for you as for me if we only take proper heed lest we continue lo fall. Do you know how very near I came, in my own idea, to being Hal's wife?" "irAa?"said Sue, pausing over the tub of steaming suds, wherein the greater part of the not over plethoric wardrobe of the infantile Smiths was being cleansed of its daily contact with the clayey mud of Idaho Fiat. "It is true," said Edna, blushing as she acknowledged the humiliating fact. "I knew just as much about men as a pig knows about Latin. Our interviews with men were all taken by stealth, and our curiosity was always ail aflame through novel reading and other non sense." Then followed a long explanation with which the reader is already ac quainted, aud the result was that by tiie time the heavy work for the day was over the two unhappy victims of their own folly and the imperfections of hu man law and custom had decided that their fortunes should be as one hence forth. "You have your children," cried Sue, and oh, that I had mine !" "I only get to keep them through my constant self-stultification, though," was Edna's sad reply. John came in thoroughly indignant. His associates in vice had been afflicted with a spasm of virtue and had been enting their opinions freely in his presence over .buna's new departure from their idea of right in the matter of help in the bouse, and the protector of the family was determined to preserve the respectability of bis establishment at all hazards. Then Edna defied him. For once in her life her will became law, and the preparations for the approaching benefit went on. "Yonder comes Mr. Handel with letter," said Edna, after the domestic storm had cleared away and the two women were left alone with the chil dren. "I haven't heard from home in ages, and I do hope its from mother." The letter was as follows: "My Darling Daughter : How your sor rowing mother's lonely arms are aching for you to-night ! Your father, Solon Rutherford is dead. He had been complaining more than usual for several days, but we did not look for his death, and were wholly unprepared for It. It Is very hard, my daughter, to part with the companion of all my llle's weary years. He never spoke of you after your departure forthe far, far West, yet I am sure he thought of you always, and would have been much happier had you never made the breach between you. But, my precious daughter, this Is no time for reproaches. I know you are paying dearly for your thoughtless lolly. Your brothers and sis ters, nephews and nieces, were all here at the fnneral, but you were missing, darling, and miss you more than ever now that I know you are fatherless and penniless. 'It Is very hard to turn from the clay-cold corpse of your father to confront the realities of a business upset by administrators and ap praisers under a farce called law; but O, Edna, he had hardly been settled in the tomb before the bouse was ransacked from top to bottom for the effects which I have gathered together with Infinite labor during the lastthlrtyyears. Ihe stock and farming implements, the bank ac count, the farming and timber lands, every thing, went Into account, and It was de cided that I, as his wife, was entitled to the use of one-third of all the earnings of our united lifetime, so long as I should remain his widow. I was brooding over the humiliation of such proviso and wondering that even the darkest ages had ever harbored such a law, when will was found, giving the homestead to your eldest brother, and apportioning the other property among the other children, leaving me dependent upon your brother during my natural lite, and cutting you off, as well as myself, without a shilling. "Doubtless your father thought it was forthe best. He never imagined that I was an indi vidual, or thought it necessary to treat me as such. He fancied that he had provided for me well, but oh, It is so hard to be robbed In my old days of Independence and selfhood. True I have a right of dower and might contest the will, but then the lawyers would get the prop erty, and It would bring reproach upon your father's name. "My last hope Is dead. I cannot do anything for you. My bands are tied and my heart is bleeding. Your brother Henry's wife and never could harmonize, and yet I am doomed to live In her atmosphere till death shall take me away from thelaws ofmen Into the Infinite paradise of God. "I cannot weep. My sorrow Is too deep for tears, write to me, darling. Your lonely, stricken mother so longs for your dear pres- ence ! Kiss the poor babies for me, and give love lo Judy and remembrances to John." Edna was as one petrified. I have another duty to live fornow," she said, as the lines of her face hard ened and deep resolve stamped itself in her blazing eyes. "I must live for my mother as well as for my children and myself." "Poor child ! Your bands are tied, and you cannot even look out for your self," thought Sue, as she wiped her swollen eyes and addressed herself to the care of the children. I have no time for the luxury of sor row," said Edna, "and I must concen trate my thoughts upon my work." "Of course your entertainment can not be given now !" said her friend. 'Of course it must be given now, and will furnisli the mental food for which the protectors and supporters of women will pay best." "Then it will be a ballet dance or a minstrel show." Edna blushed with indignation. "You know I did not mean that!" she said, emphatically. "I mean that I must bo gay and cheerful and brilliant and witty, whether I possess the incli nation and ability or not." The evening for the entertainment found the meeting ground filled with an array of expectant miners. Candles sputtered in the moonlight air, and bon fires glowed here and there beside a massive bowlder. John Smith was in his glory. He bad decided from the beginning to be door keeper, if such a person there could be where door was not, and Edna decided therwise to no purpose. Was she not his lawful, wedded wife, and did not her earnings belong of right to the legal head of the family ? To be continued. Mary Olemner on "Washington Society. Slill the women assembled in the Su preme Court looked better than the men. Arter surveying tnera botli, this was my unprejudiced conclusion. The occasion had brought out many grand dames. How splendid they looked with their clear complexions, bright eyes. aud gray hair piled high above their brows, crowned with, roses anil feathers! We needn't go back to Martha Wash ington, to "Dolly" Madison, or any tner ot tuose mucn-iuuuea dames of former generations, to find majesty and beauty. Oh, no: Washington is full of it to-day. Full of women who have forgotten more than their grandmothers ever knew, although they kucw quite enough for their time; of women whose plenum intelligence brightens every charm and makes them equal comrades of thoughtful men. You may not meet them on the street, but you will find them on occasions, and here they were this morning, listening to William M. Evarts, listening to him as if he were a siren. And they weren't all gray- haired. Amid others fairand young sat oue beside her father, a beautitul daughter of New York, her intellectual features aud snlt, almost sad, eyes kind ling with Interest as she leaued her lily face upon ber graceful hand. The daughter of an ex-Governor and ex- Senator, ou ber first youth, was lavished more homage than often falls to the lot of woman. Ouly the rarest woman could have come through thoBe flowery passes to where sue stands, to-day, in the full bloom of womanhood, the constant companion and assistant of her father. the friend of her mother, the teacher of her brother. And her own Ideal knight ' Wearingtbe white llowerof a blame less life" where is he? Somewhere In the universe, surely. Though sailing in her native ether, he may not yet have reached her sphere. Letter to the Cin cinnati Commercial. Death in the Treadle. An emi nent physician, whose atteution bad been frequently called to the effect upon the health of women dependent upon the use of sewing machines, and the prevalence of a certain class of diseases among sewing women, has come to the conclusion that "a majority of women who make their living by the use of the common sewing machines, with the crank motion treadle, are sutTeriugfrom some disease incident to the sex, that oiteu terminates fatally, or may leave them contirmed Invalids, with little hope of again enjoying the happiness of periect neauu. ut z,uuu women inter viewed, only thirteen were found to possess perfect health." Tbe trouble, he assures us, is caused by the monot ony of the crank motion, which causes the leet to move a uniiorm distance, af fecting the limbs and lower portions of me uouy aiiKe every revolution, and al ways acting on the same muscles with no variation. This process, carried to fatigue or excess, and long continued must result m disease of the most sens! tire organs affected. The crank motion as used in sewing machines, causes a similar action of tbe muscles to that of jumpitig as compared to walking. Both leet are made lo move at once In a given direction, as in the former, while in the latter one at a time. Jummne fatigues at once, while walking is tbe most healthy and invigorating exercise known; aud it is observed to produce less fatigue on uueven than on level ground, by varying the motions from necessity. A marvelous overdress, once made for the .Empress iugenie, is now on exhi bitlon at A. T. Stewart & Co's. It is a combination point gaze, point d'Aleu con and Venice point, held together by the finest conceivable net; it meas ures five and a half yards in length, the depth iu front Is one and a half yards tapering to one yard at the back. Its actual cost, it is said, was $22,000 in gold, its present valuation being 100,000. Miss Brandou, tbe novelist, writes 1 cramped position on a bit of card-board bejd in ber lap. She wears a tailor's thimble to keep ber finger from being inked, and her handwriting is as heavy as a grenadiers. Mrs. Hayes is a devout, old-fashioned Methodist. She kneels in prayer and loins the congregation in singing, Sn attends class-meeting, and performs all tbe acta of a good church member. OUE WASHINGTON LETTEB. To the Editor of the New Northwest : The old questions which aggravated Grant during tbe last few years of his administration, and which he left as a legacy of thorns to torment the execu tive couch of his successor, have again loomed up, and in such a manner that decisive action becomes necessary. The Southerners are growing greatly exas perated over the delay in settling the mixed affairs of tbe dual-governed States. They claim that it will be a breach of good faith to recompense their generous and tranquil acceptance of tbe erdict of tbe electoral tribunal with the recognition of the unpopular carpet baggers, Packard and Chamberlain, af ter tbe tacit and verbal assurances given by both the out-going and in coming Presidents and the chief leaders of the Republican party, that the South should be allowed to settle its own gubernatorial and State affairs, that United States troops should be with drawn, and that honor, amity, and peace should be the hand-clasp extended by the North to tbe South, it seems to them (tbe Southern people) rather strange that so much hesitation and un certainty should surround a pacific set tlement of their matters. The Republi cans, too, in their turn urge that suffi cient evidence is now accumulated utt er tbe united effort of the various House and Senate committees who have on several occasions personally investi gated the subject to justify prompt ex ecutive action. Nevertheless, a com mission has been resolved upon, headed by Vice-President Wheeler, and com posed of five or seven members, to leave Washington next week and explore through Louisiana and South Carolina the "ways that are dark and tricks that are vain" to the Southern question peculiar." To the general public, however, this high joint commission proves quite acceptable, leading them to hope that from their united labors mutual satisfaction will accrue to both parties. Many States have been made out from the prominent lists of legisla tors, all of whom will, however, have to take back seats, as, on later considera tion of the question, it was decided un wise to select any member of the Senate or House for places on the commission, for the reason that Congress might eventually have todecide upon tbe mat ter, and hence it is regarded as certain tbatall appointments will be made from outsiders. The extreme Republicans insist that no man selected ou their side shall be tiuctured with liberalism In any form, and the Democrats want champions equally prouounced in their favor. These extremists have beset the President and Attorney-General at every turn, while the liberals, conservatives, and Democrats are bounding him at each step, and he is kept going like a foot-ball between the ultra and liberal leaders. It is safe to say that bis sym pathies are with the latter class, yet he could see but one way, a commission to relieve himself from the incessant in trigues and protests. In this condition he may be likened to the unfortunate Scotchman with a "bee iu his bonnet." The selection of ex-Governor Brown, of Tennessee, for a place on the commis sion shows the calibre of the men who are to determine the vexed problem. The commission will, as the Cabinet, be composed of men of different political biases. SPEAKERSHIP. Next to aud in a measure dividing in terest with tbe above all-absorbing theme of conversation is the new Speakership. Though there are several Southern Democrats who would like this honor, it seems probable that none but a Northern Democrat will be se lected, the others being unable to con centrate sufficient votes to secure a ma jority. Of those who stand tbe best chance are Randal), Cox, and Sayler. During tbe last month of Congress Raudall offended all classes by tbe at tempted impartiality of bis rulings Like the fable of the old man aud bis doukey when tbe father first rode, then tbe son rode, then they both rode, and finally they carried the beast themselves on their shoulders, and lost him in crossing a stream, yet could satisfy no one, aud were minus their donkey iu the end, so Mr. Randall, in his attempts to please every one, offended all. Next to bim Mr. Cox stands, having been de feated only by thirteen votes at the last session. Mr. Sayler will also make a diligent fight; yet the Speakership is a thankless task, and brings more heart burning and gives more umbrage than any other office In the gift of our Con gressional Bolons. Little Sonset Sammy deserves well, as be and his-brave, sweet wife have fought for tbe honor valiantly and it is not improbable, as the result of his present Southern drumming tour, that be will turn up here on the day the House meets in extra session in June next, with more votes at his back than any of his competitors. GENERAL MATTER. The policy of dividing the "solid South" by inserting a heavy wedge in tbe slight Democratic split now visible is being vigorously pursued. Yet much of tbe successful working of this scheme depends upon tbe final decision ren dered in tbe matters of Louisiana and South Carolina. All the available statesmanship enrolled in tbe Demo cratic ranks will be needed if the ma jority desire to "hold their own" in the next House of Congress. Tbe meshes of political tactics are being interlaced with a tension so keen and delicate that both parties will have to come before tbe country with clean records and on their very best behavior. The Germans have lately been circulating this "city of magnificent distances," paying their respects and congratulating tbe Presi dent on the honor and consideration dis played for their race by the appoint ment of Mr. Schurz as a member of his Cabinet. Secretary Schurz has also been busily employed receiving delegations of bis Teutonic brethren on the same behest. The colored people have likewise responded to tbe demands of politeness and called upon the Presi dent In bodies, expressing their pleasure at one of their number being so recog nized and represented. And now the Irish, as we predicted, have risen en masse, requesting they shall not be overlooked in the national apportion- .ment of pickings. It only remains for poor Lo" to demand bis share, and then the Grand Sachem's power now will be complete. Think of it! A pro cession of American nationalities, Boys n Blue, Boys iu Green, Boys in Schurlz, Boys in Blankets, and Boys in Ebony marching along with the occasional Boys in Gray falling into line to the music of the Union and the Red, White and Blue. OFFICE-SEEKERS. The hundred thousand unarmed vot ers are still here, and to tbem is added hundred thousand women who cannot vote, but who can hold office. Each of tbis vast throng is duly provided with credentials showing their fitness, and they besiege the White House and ex ecutive departments with their impor tunity till poor human nature is nearly distracted. No matter bow many of tbis army fall on tbe way, others take their places and labor quite as earn estly. Felix. Washington, D. C, March 23, 1877. "Wood Carving for Women. The average woman is tbe problem of the nineteenth century, and if there are 'superfluous women" in tbis sublunary puere, you may be sure sue win become one. There are so many girls, line, sweet, noble young women, too, who are not yet especially strong on any oue point ot literature, science, or art, who are yet too fine and high and thoughtful o be content with the outward life of ordinary borne and society, and do not possess that divine name of genius which shapes to itself a life. A possi ble inflorescence of characterstirs within them. They have a high, though some what vague ideal of a "nobler life that once seemed possible," but just how to transmute the clay ot dreams to the white, shining marble of enduring re sults, they kuow not. To every thought ful girl comes this critical period when in some glorihed vislou she sees before her the "woman she had dreamed," the woman she expected to become, while yet, " Standing with reluctant feet. Where the brook and river meet, Womanhood and childhood lieet." A day comes when she starts to the sudden consciousness of womanhood; when she realizes that the crudities and ncorapleteuess pardonable in the girl, are unpardonable in the woman; and now, uuless a strong purpose Is hers, she win lapse into an automatic woman hood, "I meant more," she will some times say with a sigh, remembering the Ideals she lett with her girlnood, "X ex pected to be more," and then turn again to the common outward life, ignoring the liner possibilities that yet exist for her. Every new field of labor opened to woman is a pledge of a higher life for her, of safety, growth, and an independ ence that does away with tbe necessity of making the years ouly a pontoon bridge to matrimony. The fields of la bor opened to women have been too few. aud It is therefore the more eagerly that we welcome this new aud desirable work for women offered in the art of wood carving. The Safe Side. When the occupant of a business place on Michigan avenue was yesterday asked why he didn't haug out a llag in memory of Washing ton, he replied: 'What do I know about Ueorge Washington ?" 'Why, you have read of him, haven't you V" "Hut everybody knows that Wash ington was a great and good man," pro tested the first. "I don't kuow about that. I've heard a good deal against him since I came to Detroit, and I'm not going to run the risk of oiiending some of my best cus tomers by waving any flags around I'm just starting in here, and I dou't want to make any bad moves." "But sir, but" "Please go on," interrupted tbe busl uess man. "If people hear you jawing around my place they'll think I'm a politician and Keep clear of me. I'm neutral in pontics and you can't force me into the Washington ring no sir.' Detroit Mree JTess. Admiral Goldsborough, who has just died, used to be one of the most genial of men, and bis wife was a charming woman. The latter years of their life were, however, very gloomy, for during them they mourued the death of two children Lieutenant Louis Uoldsbor ough, U. S. A., and Miss Lizzie Golds- borough-rwho died from rapid consump tion, wituin two years ot each other. lust before the close of the civil war. After their death tne gallant old sailor aud his wife became more reserved, and their house was closed. Sidney Smith wrote of a Miss Mark bam : "In carving a partridge, I anlnaViort hoi- with crrnvv from hpmi tn u.uuU.u Uw. - n - j - - foot; and though I saw three distinct ri lis or animal juice trickling uown ner cheek, she had the complaisance to aver that not a drop bad reached her. Such circumstances are the triumphs of civil ized nie." The man whose wife cut up bis ulster during tbe soft spell for carpet-rags, is by no means tne man wno laugns. - Women. "What!" said Bartle. with an air of disgust. "Was there a woman con cerned ? Then I give you up, Adam." "But it's a woman you'n spoke well on, Bartle," said Mr. Poyser. "Come, now, you canna draw back; you said once as women wouldna ha' been a bad invention if they'd been all like Diuah." "I meant her voice, man I meant her voice, that was all," said Bartle. "I can bear to bear ber speak without wanting to put wool in my ears. As for ther things, 1 dare say she's like the reft o' the women thinks two and two'll come to make five, if she cries and bothers enough about it." "Ay, ay !" said Mrs. Poyser: "one 'ud think, to hear some folk talk, as the men war 'cute enough to count the corns in a bag o' wheat wl' only smell ing at it. They can see through a barn door, they can. Perhaps that's the rea son they can see so little o' this side on't." Martin Poyser shook with delighted laughter, and winked at Adam, as much as to say tbe schoolmaster was in for it now. "Ah 1" said Bartle, sneeriugly, "the women are quick enough they're uick enough. They know the rights of a story before they hear it, and can tell a man what bis thoughts are" before he knows 'em himself." "Like enough," said Mrs. Poyser; "for the men are mostly so slow, their thoughts overrun 'em, an' they can only catch 'em by the tail. I can count a stocking-top while a man's getting his tongue ready; an' when he out wi' his speech at last, there's little broth to be made on't. It's your dead chicks take the longest batchin'. Howiver, I'm not denyiu' tbe women are foolish: God Almighty made 'em to match the men." Match !" said Bartle; "ay, as vinegar matches one's teeth. If a man says a word, his wife'll match it with a con tradiction; if he's a mind for hot meat. bis wife'll match it with cold bacon; if he laughs, she'll match him with whim pering. She's such a match as the horse-fly is to th' horse; she's got the right venom to sting bim with the right venom to sting him with." "Yes," said Mrs. Jfoyser, "I know what tbe men like a poor soft, as 'ud simper at 'em like tbe pictur o' tbe sun, whether they did right or wrong, an' say thunk you for a kick, an' pretend she didna know which end she stood uppermost, till her husband told ber. Tiiat's what a man wants in a wife, mostly; he wants to make sure o' one fool as' 11 tell bim he's wise. But there's some men can do wi'out that they think so much o' themselves a'ready an' that's bow it is there's old bache lors." "Come, Craig," said Mr. Poyser, jo cosely, "you mun get married pretty quick, else you'll be set down for an old bachelor, an' you see what the women till think on you." "Well," said Mr. Craig, willing to conciliate Mrs. Poyser, and setting a tigh value ou his own compliments, "I ike a cleverish woman a woman o' sperrit a managing woman." "You're out there, Craig," said Bartle, dryly; "you're out there. You judge o' your garden-stuff on a better plan than that; you pick the things for what they can excel in for what they can excel n. You don't value your peas for their roots, or your carrots for their flowers. Now, that's the way you should choose women; their cleverness'll never come to much never come to much; but they make excellent simpletons, ripe and strong flavored." "What dost say to that?" said Mr. Poyser, throwing himself back aud look ing merrily at his wife. "Say!" answered Mrs. Poyser, with dangerous lire kindling in her eye; "why, 1 say as some folks tongues are like the clocks that run on strikiu', not to tell you the timeo' tbe day, but be cause there's summat wrong r their In side." George Eliot. Singing in the Family. Cultivate singing iu the family. Begin when the child is not yet three years old. The songs and hymns your mother sang, bring them all back to your memory, aud teach them to your little ones; mix them altogether, to meet the similar moods, as in after life they come over us so mysteriously sometimes. Many a time aud oft, in the very whirl of bust ness, In the sunshine and gayety of the street, and amid tbe splendor of the drives iu a park, some little thing wakes up the memories of early youth the old mill, the cool spring, the shady tree by the school-house and the next instant we almost see again the ruddy cheeks, the smiling faces, and the merry eyes of schoolmates, some gray-headed now, "most lie mould ering In the grave." "And the song your mother sang" springs unbidden to the Hps, and soothes and sweetens all these memories. At other times, amid the crushing mishaps of business, a merry ditty of the olden time pops up its little bead, breaks iu upon tbe ugly train of thought, throws the mind into another channel; light breaks in from behind tbe cloud in the sky, and new courage is given to us. The honest man goes singing to bis work, and when the day's labor is done, his tools laid aside, and he Is on his way home, where wife and child, and tidy table, and cheerful fire-side await bim, lie cannot but whistle or sing. Occident. A young man fresh from college was recently boasting in a private social gathering of tbe various methods of "ponying" and said the girls in Vassar did this. Upon inquiry ot a student now pursuing ber studies there, she thus replies: "iTou ask about ponying. I never .myself knew of but one instance of it and the contempt in which the girl was held was so general, I thought ponying could not be. 1 Know it does not pre vail here to the shameful extent it does iu all men's colleges. One reason, I think, is that girls are not so charitable to each other's short-comings as boys are; not so loyal to each other; hence there is more danger ot being 'sac upon as tbe girls say, which is popularly sup posed to be an unpleasant process. On the other band girls are more true to themselves. Most ot us come here to learn, not to waste our time and money." Ex It was Tom Moore, the gifted author of tne "t'eri and Jfaradlse," who tirst wrote up tbe girl of tbe Peri-odd. Kate Field is one of tbe regular staff of the London iaommer. The Amusements of the Bich. True amusement is of two kinds, viz: active and passive. The active and weary man and woman those who ex haust every day their vital energies in work take naturally to passive amuse ment. A lady of our acauainfance. en gaged daily in severe intellectual tasks, says that nothing rests her like seeing other people work. For tbis she goes to tue theater, and tbe play upon ber emotions there rests, and recreates her. Indeed, It is the emotional side of tbe nature, and not the active, which fur nishes play to those who are weary with the use of their faculties. This fact cov ers the secret of the popular success of what is called emotional preaching. People who have been engaged all the week in exhausting labor of any kind do not take kindly to a high intellectual least on eunuay. They want to be moved and played upon. Tbis rests and interests them, while the profound discussion of great problems in life and religion wearies aud bores tbem. Thev are not up to it. They are weary and aueu in mac pare oi tueir nature which uch a discussion engages. The emo tions which have been blunted and sup pressed by their pursuits are hungry. So every form f amusement that truly meets tueir wants must be emotive, and must leave them free to rest in those faculties which are weary. On tbe other band tbe young who are brimming with animal life and who fail to exhaust it in study, call for ac tive amusements, and they must have them. And here the parent is in danger of making a great mistake. Unless a boy is a milk-sop, be must do some thing or die. If he cannot do something in bis borne, or in tbe homes of his companions, he will do something eise- wnere. it is only within a rew years that parents have begun to be sensible upon this matter. Tbe billiard-table, which a few years ago was onlv asso ciated with dissipation, now has an honored place and the largest room in every rich man's bouse. The card-table, mat once was a synonym or wicked ness, is a part of a rich man's furniture, which bis children may use at will, in the pursuit of a harmless game. A good many manufactured sins have been de throned from their fictitious eminence and put to beneficent family service on behalf of the young. Athletic sports, such as skating, boating, shooting, ball playing, ruuuiug aud leaping, have sprung into great promineuce within tbe past few years amusements of just tbe character for working off tbe exces sive vitality of young men, and develop ing tueir physical power. This is all well a reform in the right direction. Much of this is done before the public eye, aud the presence of young women, which tends to restrain all tendencies to excesses and to dissipation. rue activities of young women take another direction, aud nothing seems to us more hopeful than the pursuits in wuicii tuey eugage. The rich young woman in these days, who does not marry, busies herself in tasteful and In tellectual pursuits. Tbe reading club, the Sbakspeare club, the drawing class. and kiudred associations, employ her spare time; and now there is hardly a more busy person living than the rich young woman who is through with her boarding-school. The poor, who sup pose that the rich young woman leads an idle life, are very much mistaken. The habits of voluntary iudustry now adopted and practiced by the young woman ot America, in good circum stances, are most gratefully surprising. Oue of them who is not so busy during tne winter mat sue reauy needs a recu perating summer, is an exception. Our old Ideas of the lazy, fashionable girl must be set aside. They are all at work at something. It may not bring them mnuey, but it brings what Is much bet ter to them the conteut that comes of an earnest and fruitful pursuit. It may take the form of amusement, but it re sults in a traiuing for self-helpfulness and industry. go, while not much can be done for tbe adult in tbis matter of amusement, much is done for the young, and much that will help to give us a generation of older men aud women, who will not be content with tbe poor business of kill ing time. For it must be remembered that while the young women "assist" at tbe athletic games of young men, the young men are indispensable to tbe in tellectual associations of tbe young women. They meet together, and stim ulate and help each other; aud it does not seem possible that either party should ever subside into those time killers who bauut the clubs established for meu, or those jaded women who drag themselves around to dinners and lunches and thronged assemblies. Dr. Holland, in Scribnerfor March. Education of Women. The seven teen universities of Italy are now open to women. So is the narboune in France. Switzerland, Sweden, and Norway propose to throw open the doors of their highest educational Insti tutions to women. Jsut in America, where it is boasted that women are treated with more consideration than in any other country, women are yet ex cluded from the advantages of instruc tion in many or the best colleges and universities. Harvard has gone so far as to consent to measure their educa tional growth occasionally, but tbe privileges of Harvard the advantage of actual study and training within its walls is not yet conceded; but the day is not far off when educational inequal ities will be done away, aud women have, what they are entitled to, equal chances to demonstrate their capacity forthe highest professions. Cincinnati Commercial. A Close Vote. None are better aware than Woman Suffragists of tbe fact that no revolutions succeed at first, and that it is only by years or centuries of struggling that the events of the world have been brought about. Tbe vote of the Bhode Island Legislature upon Woman Suffrage 26 to 25 shows that the movement is full of vitality, and that tbe time is not fardistant when thesuflrageof women will be recognized in the United States as an accomplished fact. Rhode Island now presents a good field for tbe agitator. The next vote may carry the day. In about three weeks more it will be time for every fond husband to bint that his wife ought to take a trip to ber childhood home for the season. The "Orphan's Home" established by tbe Good Templars at Vallejo, Cal., has seventy-two inmates and costs about 510,000 annually.