WILLAMETTE FARMER: PORTLAND, OREGON, NOVEMBER 25, 8B1 3 ftif lnm trr!ij, Edited by Mr llnrrlot T. Unrhc COUSIN JANE. What do peoplo think of Iter Our Cousin Jano? With a sillow, Bunken cheek ; Ilair with many a silver streak ; Features never made for show ; Eyes that faded long ago ; Brow no longer smooth and fair ; Form bent o'er with pain and caie ; Slighted Cousin Jane ! What do wo all think of her, Our Cousin Jane ? Quieting the children's uoiss ; Mending all the broken toys ; Doing doftly, ono by one, Duties others Ieavo undone ; Gliding rouud the sick one's bed, With a noisoloss foot and tread, Who like her can sooth in pain Useful Cousin Jauo ? What do angels think of her, Our Cousin Jane ? Bearing calmly every cross, Finding gain through seeming loss, And beauty ever bright. In the ridgid line of right : lili Self-forgetting, free from art, J With a loving. Christian heart ; uviug aye tor others gain Saintly Cousin Jane i Would that thinking oft of her Our Cousin Jane Hight our inward vision clear, Totehold the "unseen" near. And in forms of dullest hue, Heaven's own beauty shining through. Keached that land of purest day ; Passed misjudging earth away ; What radiance will she then attain Star-crowned Cousin Jane f Adm Mattik gives us a rather lively ac count of "those chickens of ours," and jet it teems as if it was a little one sided wo rath er think if a farmer wore to take up any other industry pertaining to farming, and "charge up" expenses, he would find himself in the same boat with' "those chickens of ours." Chickens are expected to help themselves to a good extent; to forago for themselves, taking what is ' necossarily scattered, and would bo wastod if not picked up by fowls. The horses waste oats about the bar. More or less grain is scattered in haudling it, and during har vest tlioso chickens will do quite well if they have a field to run in, so that it seems as if it was overdoing it a little to charge them with grain they would do well on the screen ings from tho fanning mill. A sort of stuff is not good for the cow or pigs. There are many reasons why fowls are a nuisance, as Aunt Mattie says, about the porches aud door yards; but our theory is that they should bo raised near tho barn, and not allowed to be near the house. Then it seems as if fifty cents were a good deal to have to pay for bens in tho country that is what we pay in city markets, and it looks as if Aunt Mattie had sharp traders for neighbors. The very fact that chickens and eggs am so high would ' indicate it as a profitable business. Yet we know, too, that there are tho draw backs of "varmints" and hawks; then, too, diseases will carry off many. Our weather is bad, too, leaving only a few months in tho year when it is safe to have a brood como oil. Now, we aro not talking theory, for wo have raised njAny and know all about it ty experi ence; and, as far as that goes, wo have found it profitable, besides giviug tho family the luxuries of fresh eggs and tender chickens, that cannot bo put in tho account of debt and redit. Tjiero can bo nothing more vexing than a lot of hens in a garden, and it's sur prising tho amount of scratching one liou can do in fivo minutes. One must be fixed for it to raise chickens with satisfaction, but it Beeins as if those fix tures ought not to bo put down as expendi tures any mora than in reckoning up the price of the pen for tho pig or tho barn for the horses ; they aro improvements that are as necossary as any other. One can keep twenty five hens on a good farm and not cost a bushel of w heat, and each of these hens are good for twelve dozen eggs during tho year, which would leave some three hundred dozen. Wo don't know how many eggs wo use unless we notice them. We keep an account of groceries, and so ono diy w e looked to seo tho average that wo used a month, and w ere astonished to find that wo had bought five or six dozen overy month, and had thought wo hid been saving, too. This is for a family of six. Now, if this many are used in a city where they are bought, how much more freely aro they used on a farm, where they can bo used without counting? We wish some ono else would give an experience in the matter, and thank Auut Mattie for her excellent contribution. How to Place the Bed. Baron Reichenhach, who has devoted many years of deep study to tho art of bed-making, maintains that you must not always ho on your bed as it is made, under penalty of abridging your life by a great number of years. If, says the Baron, a mere magnet exercises an influence on sensitive persons, the eaith'a magnetism must certainly make itself felt on a nervous life of man. Uence, he awaits on the effects of the inhabitant) of tho north ern hemisphere lying with their heads to the north, and those of the southern, with their heads to the south. For travelers with short memories, we may put the rule in general terms: In whatever nomisphere you may be, always sleep with your feet to the equator, sod let your body lie "true as a needle to tho pole." In giving this rule, the Baron has simply told us how to live a hundred years; for the polar direction of the body is, it ap pears of the utmost importance for the proper circulation of the blood, and we have Baron Reichenbach'a authority for stating that many disturbances in the human organisms are sim? ply placing the bolster at the different point of the compass from that it had occupied be fore. Let such as have hitherto been in the habit of sleeping ith thair beads where their feet ought to be, take to heart the example ot the late Dr. Fischweiter, of Magdeburg, who died recently at the age of 109 years, and al way attributed hit long life to his faithful observance of the pole to position of sleeping. The most unhealthy position, we are told, is when the body lies due east and west- Some observers assure us that to sleep in such a pos ture. U tantamount to committing slow sui cide, and that diseases are often aggravated by deviations from the polar posture. THOSE CHICKENS OF OURS. Editor Home Circle: "Now," said Mrs. droy, 'Tnevcr could seo the profit in koepiug chickens. Kvery paper ono picks up now-a-daya seems to have chicken on the brain." " Why, how can you say so. I like chick ens, they are such a help to a farm in many wajs," I replied. "Well, I just wish you would tell mo how or in what way they help," smiled my neigh bor. " I soo you hav e no hens now." "Why nothing easier," I returned. "Let me got my account book; I always kept a record of everything when we had hens. The reason wo havo uono now is bocauso my hus band got tired of them, said they were a nuisance, tore his garden up when running loose, and ate their heads off when kept in runs. I like chickens, but what can you ex pect of a mm ? Thero never was one yet who could see an inch ahead of his nose." "Oh you are provoked about losing your hons.now," laughed my friend. "Let mo see," said I, as I began turning over my book, "perhaps tho best way will bo to tell you all about it. We bought 30 hens and S rooters, at 50 cents each, which amounted to 817 50. Then tho hen house and work upon it cost 810, and the hired man built a chicken run of pickets, which cost 810 more, m all amounting to $37 50. This sur prised me, but then I thought of eggs and nico chickens to oat, and took heart again. We let them run out for a while, but my husband threatened to annihilato the whole band bo cause they destroyed quarter of an aero of corn, leaving not a grain oven for next year's seed. The corn was a quarter of a milo from the hen houso, and they were giain fed, too. Then they began on the cabbage, and ruined a great quantity before we discovered what they were about. During this time we did not get many eggs ; true, our chickens were only ordinary onos, Spanish, Cochin and barn yard mixed. Still they had good care, and I thought they should havo done better. Even what eggs they did produce wore very few of them layed in tho hen house, but we hunted all over the barn for them. Wo had hatched out many broods of chickens, but tho hawks wcro quite bad then and got most of them. Wo found it cost 81 to feed a chicken at all decently for a year ; additional cost, $40 Those hens layed 290 eggs that year, averag ing 25 cents a dozen. We w ere far behind that year on chickens, but I said I knew I could do better if I had good stock. Mrs. Brown had somo Hamburg thickens, which were not pure by any means, but I considered them better than common fowls. She let me take four hens and a rooster to keep through the Summer if I returned her five fowls and gave her half of what I raised from them. I brought them homo and turned them in a run. We had a half Hamburg rooster, which had just been given rae, and he and Mrs. Brown's, rooster fought through tho fence continually. One day our rooster flew over the dividing fenco and h d beaten tho other fearfully, when we discovered them. That would never do, so wo took that chicken home, turning our Hamburg rooster in tho run with the four hens. These have layed 128 egs, aud from these-1 raised 40 chickens. I returned the four hens and 23 young half grown chickons, and my noighbor, as she turned them out of the box, remarked, " They are not true to color." It would havo been more of a miracle if they had been true to anything. Perhaps, if I had picked out six chickons and sent them as the entire half of my raising, it might hav e been satisfactory, I believe that is tho usual plan for such things to bo w orked upon. I never was so sorry in my life over anything as I was in being honest over that transaction. " "Oh Fiddlestick," laughed Mrs Groy, "nobody notices what Mrs. Brown sajs ; she must talk about something, jou know." Well, to return to those chickens. We sold 830 worth of them ; then I had thirteen left, of w bich one w as a rooster. Wo kept these another year, costing 813, These began lay ing Feb 8, 18S0, and quit Sept. 24, laying 022 eggs. This was quite good, I thought, for I must confess I was getting discouraged. I set a number of hens, and took great care of them and tho ) ouug chicks, too. In fact my husband and I were actual slaves to those chicken runs. We could not go any where of an afternoon without hurrying home before it grew ccol to houe tho thicks. A coyote broke open one coop, ate the mother Inn and her til teen little ones. The hawks disposed of many more, in spite of our watchfulness. A dozen times I have sttn my husband running at breakneck speed from tho other end of tho ranch because a hawk was after tho fowls. He would get the gun, and after sneaking about for about half an hour, may bo would get the hawk, and may be he wouldn't. We clipped one w ing of eaeh thicken every little while, still thero was not a day that from three to a dozen did not got out. I have watched them, and they litcrallyclimbed out. Sometimes ono would get its head hung be tween two pickets, and tho children, hailing it with shouts of glee, would poke it out with sticks. I think ooys are born cruel. At tho end of this year we had just two dozen chick ens, which we sold for $10. Now ray husband says, 'The first chicken that crosses tho boundary line into this ranch dies 1' " By this time Mrs. Grey was laughing so at my lugubrious face that it was some time be fore she could speak. At last she said, "I told you how it would be. Just add up your several accounts for fun; you may have gained moro than you think." I took my pencil, and after a few calcula tions, slowly read to my visitor the following: " Whole expense for the year, (90 50) whole returns, $58; so we were out just (32 50. Perhaps if we had kept them ou ten years they might have caught up aud bgan to pay. Now we feed all our table scraps to our eow, and she reptyt me with an increase of milk ; anything not suitable for her oar three good cats dispose of readily, I have gained some expenence, I own, still I think a few hens on a place n decided advantage ; just enough of them to prevent tho egctablcs from taking too rank a growth." " You havo no tomatoes put up, I believo!" said Mrs. Grey, to change tho subject I sup pose, for sho saw I felt w ounded. "No," said I, hesitatingly, "tho truth is this : One Spring day I took pity on thoso chickens ; thought it such a cruel shamo to keep them shut up all tho time, oven if wo did givo them frosh grass everyday. So 1 opened tho gate that afternoon, and out they all came. It was a warm day, and tho lid of tho hot-bod was off, so our old rooster and five hens toro it up from one end to the other and ate all tho seeds they could find. We had no tomatoes or melons cither, and my hus band's tobacco plants wcro ruined also Thou that husband of mine amnsod himself all the afternoon throwing stones at my hens. I don't know whether the missiles or his arm gave out first." "It does seem wonderful how much they will destroy," said my friend. "I have know u dozens of people w ho would get angry in a miuuto if we said their chickens did not pay. Even when they keop an estimate of tho cost of feed, tbey never think of putting into that account the value of anv thing they dcstioy, or of the trouble they aro. Neither do they thiuk of tho colds and sore throats they got running out in tie rain unci wot to feod and care for them. They havo to bo housed and fastened up every night just at supper time when all the little ones are fret ting for mother's care. They have to bo let out in tho morning, of course, when tho chil dten are clamoring to be diessed and fed. Then all day long they are more or less trou ble. Farmers' wives, as a rule, hive more than enough work to do as it is, without tak ing so many uunecessary steps after the clu'ckins. Thin of all troublesome times that of getting young chickens to roost in the hen house is tho worst of all. I have tried the newspaper plans, but they don't work as well as ono might suppose. Night after night I havo carried them in baskets and in my apron to tho hen bouse till I felt nioro like wringing their seeks than trying it again. Of all stupid things the chicken loads tho list. I am de cidedly ot your husband's opinion. I use corn starch instead of egs in cooking, and you have no idea how nicely it works. I havo a horror of chickons. Peoplo talk of pigs being dirty and not fit food to be eaten. If they can find me anything genorally used as food that is less dainty about what it oats than a chicken, I shall be willing to confess myself in the wrong. A pig is a dainty animal com pared with a chicken. How many farms one visits where the hens are permitted to range at their own sweet wills. They sun themselves on the well curb, on tho porches, and if not closely watched are in the kitchen, evon upon tho tables. I have been positively disgusted, and w ould not have eaten a meal in such a house for anything. The yards were full of unsightly pitfalls made by the hens dusting themselves bah, why continue tho doleful strain, night will soon bo here, and I must hurry homo," She departed as the shadows fell, and left me musing over our conversation, Au.NT AlATTIE. Hood River, Oregon. OUR HOUSE. We found a littlo mouso in our room the other day. Wo found him several days be fore, or rather he found us, for ho got ac quainted with the premises and made himself perfectly at homo without any invitation. Ho gnawed his way into a large closet, and there he must have set up housekeeping. In that closet there were boxes of dried prunes and plums, and Master Mouse had good living, for our plums are choice eating and ho kept warm there, because he had all our Winter clothes to fall back on. When ho grew lone some aud wanted society, he watched for tho closet door to open, and slid out quietly, and took a glide around tho corners of the room. There was tho caniry bird for company and for music, for canary sings "like a night ingale." Mouse soon scraped acquaintance with tho paper bag in which canary seed is kept, and it was wonderful to see how ho would worm around after it, and discover when we put it to get it out of his way. Our room is warm and comfortable, and Mouse grew to liko it and not to bo afraid of us in the least. Ho amused us by tlimbing up auy place in tho room, ami, no doubt, with a little encouragement, would have made a nice pet, but mice are not always nice; and while one might bo tolerated, we found thero would be a lot mora waiting his report to come in, and possess tho clobot, and eat our plums aud piuncs. So one evening Aunt Hetty put her hand on the seed bag when Master Mouse was lunching there, and had linn prisoner. Now Aunt Hetty is wonderfully fond of pet, and wu watched to see if her sympathies would prevail in tho little chap's favor. But the good damo happens not to like the smell of mice, and she can "smell a mouso" out in no time; so while she held tho prisoner waiting, she revolved the matter, and concluded to dispense with the further attention of our lit tlo friend, and took him down stairs, and let him carefully out iu the front yard. You see she didn't want to sentence him to capital punishment, after tasting of our hospitality as it were, for hadn't he slept In the pocket of her Winter coat J and hadn't he lived royally on canary seed and petite prunes? Of course, we couldn t murder the little chap, but after all, it was rather rough on him to turn him loose on all Portland's outdoors of a cold, rainy November night, aud tell him to hunt bod and board. I think he will look back on the few, halcyon days spent with us, as long as be lives u the ne jjm ultra of existence the best thing he ever knew. I confess to feeling a little sorry for Mouse, and I certainly with him well, bat then, you know, Aunt Hetty can't abide the smell of mice, and so the little fellow had to go and be went out in the cold, I hope, with pleasant recollections, Yocu Uxclx. 4r,I M fWWll? THE BEST THAT I CAN. "I cmnot do much," said a little star, "To mike tho dark world bright I My silv ery beams cannot struggle far, inrougn tlio routing gloom ot night I it I'm only part of God's great plan, nd I'll cheerfully do the best that I canl" But! And "What is tho uso," said a floecy cloud, "Of those few drops that I hold ! Thny will hirdly bend tho lily proud, Though caught in her cup of gold 1 Yet I am part of God's great plan, So my treasures I'll give as well as I can !" A child went menly forth to play, But a thought, like a silver thread, Kept winding in and out all day, 1 hrough the happy golden head ; Mother siid : "Darling, do all jou can 1 For you aro a part of God's great plan I" Sho knew no more, than the gleaming star, Nor the cloud with its chalice full I How, why, and for what, all strango things were? She was only a child at school I But she thought, "It is part of God's great plan, That even I should do all that I can I" So she helped a younger child along, When the road was rough to the feet, And she sang from the heart a little song, That wo all thought passing sweet ; And her father, a w cary, toil-w orn man, Said I, "I, too, will do the best that I can." Our bestl Ah I children, the best of us, Must hide our faces away, When the Lord of the vineyard comes to look At our task at the close of day I But for strength from above, 'tis tho Master's plan, We'll pray, and we'll do the best that we can. OUR LETTER BOX. Wo have spoken of it before that we teemed to hav o so many littlo friends in Washington Territory; what can be the reason ? We must say that thero ate a groat many bright boys and girls in our sister across the Columbia, and the first letter that comes to hand is from two "neighbor girls" away over in Spokan county. They speak of tho spelling school which they havo two evenings in a week. This letter shows the benefit of such a school, for ov ery word is correctly spelled, and the wiiting shows practice and care. Tho greater part of the letters which come to tho Home Circlo aro to be criticized in this way, showing incorrect spelling, sometimes of very short and common words. It would bo well for cv cry one who sends letters to keep a copy at homo, and thon when the letter is printed, compare the two. Wo know that it is not always the children's fault if they do not spell well, but the fault of teachers and of the directors of schools, who do not seo that attention is paid to this most important study. In country neighborhoods where there are but few amusements for young people, a spelling club would be a capital thing a good plea for getting young folks together. Spending an hour or so in chosing Bides and "spelling down." After that there are plenty of ways of getting througli the rest of the evening in a happy way. Young folks have light, happy heart, full of lifo and action, and thero should bo care taken by older onos that they shall havo in. uocent amusements furnished them. Some old poople aro apt to forget how they felt when they were young, and wonder why young folks aro so giddy now-a days, expecting to seo old heads ou young shoulders. Throo letters, all come from Pleasant Home, it must bo rightly named, as the spirit of the letters go to show a happy family, aud three Iivo boys in it will surely grow up to be lion orablo men. Eben answers Daisy's question. Wo are glad some ono did so, for it is a nice idea to have something of this sort to givo a kind of a text to write about. Many who would like to write for Circlo hardly know what to say, and a question would draw out the timid ones. Coley is six years old, and S. E. must take good care of her pet cat to bco how many years sho can keep her. Edwin writes from Pleasant Home too. Wi wonder if there aro many places of that name, Wo hear of many who liko to read this letter column. Ono lady writes to us that sho read last week's letters to her littlo boy, not quite three years old, and that sho was surprised to see that ho understood and sce-inid perfectly delighted to have them read to him. So you all must see what god you are doing, and you must try and write interesting letters, and taking care to do it just as well as you know how. Some may say, "what shall I write about?" Why write just as if you were talk. ,ng to your sister or friend about things that happen every day. Tell the smart things jour dog tan do. Any observing boy or girl will notice intelligence of all domestic animals, and could tell stories about them. We once, when a little girl, standing under a bird cac'c, feeliug sorry for the liitle prisoner, when tho canary flew down from his perch, and with his bill pioked up a piece of tho paper that was on the bottom of his cage, dropping it out from between the bars. Curiosity caused mo to look to seo wha was on the scrap, aud this is all that was ou it : "I am to wretched." Now was not that strange to happen so. Who will tell the next stor ? Kah Portland, Nov. 14, 1881. Editor Home Circle : I have not written for a long time, so I thought I would write and answer Dattey's bible question, " Who was his father's favor ite, and had coat of many colors, and his brothers pnt him in a pit.') If you will look in the book of Geaesii, the ,19th chapter, you will find it was Joseph whose father gave hun the coat, and his brothers put him in a pit, when there came by some Itlunaelites, who drew him up and sold him for twenty pieces of silver, when be was taken into Egypt. I hope yon will all take the trouble of finding it, for it U quite an interesting story. I think it is a very good plan to atk such question!, as perhaps tome of us will be able to answer them, which will also help us to remember them. Where I attend Sunday school there aro catechisms for children as soon as they can read, then higher ones until they aro able to read the bible Daisy says she goes to school every Sunday ; that is right. I hopo she has t pleisant teacher, and likes her as well as I do mine. Wo have an excellent school at Mount Tabor this Winter. Our teachers' names aro Mr. and Mrs. Humphry. I like them very much. I should like to hear from Miss Maud and Gracio Burford again I will close, wishing tho Farm kr success.. Eddik Price. Pleasant Home, Nov. 12, 1881. Editor Home Circlo: As I have never written to any paper, I am quite at a loss to know what to say. As most of tho boys and girls tell of their pots, 1 will tell of mine. I hav c a dog that chases tho cows and hogs away. I used to havo more when I lived at home. I am going to school. I tike the teacher very much. I like to go to school iu tho country better than in town where I used to live. lam living T.ith my brother at Pleasant Home, Oregon. Ho has gono to Hn Francisco on business? Ho keeps a store here. My uncle keeps tho post-oificc. My father is iu the medicine business, I took a trip up tho valley and saw all the little towns and large fields of wheat and oats. Well, I w ill close, and I hope my letter will not go in the waste basket. I will write again, Edwin C. Mcrray. Grand Mound, Nov. 6, 1881. Editor Home Circlo : Ab IJiavenever written to your paper, I will write now. I am going to school this Winter. I love to go to school. I have two miles to walk. My brother killed four ducks yesterday, I have three brothers and five sisters. Our aunt and cousins aro hero on a visit. I havo been away from homo two mouths thjs Summer ; I camo homo threo weeks ago. My sister Clara is staying with my aunt Emma. They aro both coming over here in about tw o w eeks. Wo live ou a farm 0 miles from Centrovillo. We lovo to 'cad the letters from the young folks, and ask them all to write often. I havo a pet cat; her name is Coley; she is six years old I will close. Yours affectionately, S. E. Uoiikutm. Svavule, Spokane Co,, W. T., Nov. 6. Editor Home Circle: We aro two girls, and livo about six or seven miles from the littlo village of Spangle. We don't see many letters from tho counties of Polk and Lane in the Homk Circle; wo would like to hear from there. We have spelling school twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday nights, and expect tt continue all Winter. Wo haven't any day school. Wo milk two cows each and cook, wash dishes, make beds, sweep tho floors and do all kinds of chores. We had quite a snow storm, and it hailed and rained this evening. Wo thought Winter had. como. If this bo printed wo will wnta again. Hoping to hear from Emma of Hoscburg, Katie S. and Mollio Bond, we will sign our names as two neighbor girls, 11. and V. Pleasant Home, Or., Nov. 8, 1881. Editor Home Circle: As many boys and girls seud you letters every week, I thought I would send you one also. I am a littlo boy nearly 10 years old. I go to school aud study five different lessons. I have a good teacher, and like to go to school, I havo four brsthers and ono littlo sister not two mouths old ; she is the most cunning little baby I ever saw. Iliad a pet lamb, but sold it to a drover last week. My brother and I each had pet lambs, but we sold them because uncle Charlie sold his band to a drover. Next Spring we boys are going to have a yoko of oxen ; then we can help father clear land. Our place is iu the timber and is hard to clear. My uuclo Jiles is Prcsidput of the Literary Society, and our teacher is Vice President. I wish the Far. Mk.it success From an Oregon boy, W. A, Siinienh. Pleasant Homk, Or, Nov. 1, 1881. Editor Home Circlo; I thought I would send you ft lctier. I am 7 years old and go to school, I rend in tho Third Utadcr and study arithmetic and Kpell ing. I livo 18 miles from Portland. I nee- largo bands of cattle pass our houso about" every week. I have ono largu yellow lit ji, a real pet; sho is three years old, and is so tame I can catch her any time I want ty; sho rained ten clucks thin Summer, and they are mine. My big brother has a trap pet for quails, but he has not caught any yet. This is my first i tter, Iliad better not wrtu any moro Good by, Mr. Elitor. Your little friend, .C, W, 8TtinrM. Pikahant Home, Or, Nov. 10, 1881. Editor Home Circle: This is the first time I ever wrote jou ft letter. I like to read the lctttrs from the lit tle boys and girls. My uuclo takes the Farmer, and my father tent a club for your paper. .Sometimes my father keeps the Kjt illice. We live over in the valley 18 miles, near the foot hills. I go to school aud study geography, arithmetic, writing, spelling ami reading. Our teacher went to Sandy to fish one Saturday, aud my brother and I thought it would be hue sport to go with him and get a nice mess of trout, so hooks and lines were soon found, and olf wo started to spend the day ou Sandy, When wo got to the river we boys stayed at one place to fish, and our teacher wnut a little ways below us. But wo were sadly disappointed, for wo never even got a bite. To our great surpriso we saw largo bear tracks iu the Band in the trail we went to the river. We all concluded we were not ou a bear chase, for we Lad nothing with us but a pocket-knife, aud the safest place for young fishermen was at home; so we started up the bluff lu a hurry, well satisfied with our day's ramble, Jf my letter don't find the waste basket, I will write again some time. I am a friend to the Kahmku. J. B. S. The Peruvian Syrup has cured thousands who were suffering from dyspepsia, debility, liver corntjlaints. etc. Pamnblets free to anv addrun, Seth W, Fowles & Sons, iioaton. Aunt Louisa's Pudding. "Ono two three four fire I O, what beiutiest Which biddy do jou think laid 'n! I'm almost certain sure it was dear old Fluffy, Bless her hoart I Isn't sno just the darbngest " "Whew! Milly. You quite take my breath away. But have a carol Those eggs ate not cobble stones." Tho warning camo too late. Crah!went the eggs gathered in Nellie's white apron. Sho had, without thinking, leaned against tho bar rel that held the nest, in her effort to discov er additions to her store. "O Lenny I Do you think Aunt Sice will scold awful?" cxclaiinod Milly, looking rueful ly down at her apron. The yellow lluiel was already oozing through the pretty barred mus lin. "I dare say you'll catch it," Lenny replied. There was not n sp.uk of sjnipathy in his tones, jet Lenny was not a bad boy. Milly did not quite understand what her cousin meant w lion he said she would catch it, but she felt that it was something to bo dreaded. Two great rouud tears gathered in her eyes. "I wish papa would come and fetch mo home," sho cried. "Who would ever think tho unstj' eggs could smash so easy! 0 dearl what shall I do?" Just then tho pleasant voice of Aunt Louisa was heard at the kitchen door, calling, "Como, dear, bo quick I I'm waiting for tho egg9. Tho pudding will be spoiled if jou don't make haste." "And I do so love Aunt Sice's pudding!" cried littlo Milly. Choking back n sob, sho answered, "I can't come, Aunt Sico! I'm awful!" She had dropped her apron, and its sticky contents wero streaming down to her very toes. The soft laugh that greeted her as Aunt Louisa discovered the w of ul plight she was in at once reassured her and put her at her case. "Am I not a funny pudding, Aunt Sico? I hope you w on't get Irightencd and givo mo to tho beggar man, liko Mrs. Tom Tmiirtb did, you know !" "Run, Lenny," her aunt cried playfully, "and see if thero happens to be n beggar pass ing!" Then she caught Milly up in her big calico apron and ran with her to the houso. There alio was soon inado as clean and svv cet as ever. Lenny found a new nest of eggs and Aunt Louisa's pudding turned out a famous one. Our Liitle Ones. Tho Indian Scholars' Exhibit. Tho Forest Grovo training school for In dians lnailo a crcditablo exhibit of tho work manship of its Indian students, both girls and bojs, at tho Mechanics' Fair iu Portland last week. Coarso leather shoes of first class work manship, tho work of boys from 14 to 20 years of age, aro show n. Tho names of tho shoe makers whoso work is on exhibition aro Bcnj. Miller, Frank Mcncham and Sammy Ashue. Alongsido their work n pair of native moc casins are displayed. A set of jack stiaws, which are miniature) oors, knives, forks, lad ders, etc., are displayed, being tho Vtorkof Bcnj Sliattuck.au Alaska boy 12ycaisold, w ith a jack knifo. A wash stand of Oregon fir is shown by Augustus Kant 7, and a hand some toy bureau. Niigcn Kautz, nged 10, ex hibits a bureau mado by himself of Oregon fir, which is really a good picco of workmanship. Although held together by nails, not one is visible. Tho IfaiuTlis aro clear imitation's of clam shells, and tho whole is prettily or namented with scroll work. Other exhibits aio: A neatly darned sock, by Kato James, a . complete dress by the girls of tho sewing class, a patchwork quilt mailc tiy two opokan girls and a variety of toys and small articles, all showing taste and skill An exhibit of ar ticles from the blacksmith shop at tho train ing school will be added to this interesting collection this wick. In the absence of Capt. M. C. Wilkinson, last week the exhibit was brought down from Forest Grov o nml arranged by Mrs. Wilkinson. On 8a tin day 75 children of the school tamo down to visit tho fair, and wcro in attendance in tho afternoon and even ing. They were tho guests of the various .Sunday schools of the city. 'Die girls weie housed in tho hascment of tho Couicgatinnal church, the bojs in tho Prtsbjttrinn church, and they took their meals together nt tho Methodist church. Their pn seiieo was an in teresting feature of the fair Satmdaj' evening. lltlUoloi o Imhjiemleiit, Autumn Sown Flower Seeds Movt peoplu havo observed, no doubt, that self-sown seeds, that is, Heeds that havo drop ped fiom tho growing plants of tho previous season, sometimes proelucu the strongest and most healthy plants that bloom the moat free ly, 'I his is true of tc.vci.il kinds, and particu larly of those that sillier uudci exposure to our midsummer suns. Tho reas n is that eelf sown seeds got a very healthy growth in tho .Spring, vegetating na soon us frost is gone, and aro good sized plants nt the time wu usually put tctels in tho ground, ev n if they do not Htart in the Fall. They thus mature and (lower during tho cool wiather of Spring. Thu claikus, and iicinophil.is, and annual larkspurs aro noted examples. '1 heiu aio also Fcvcral varieties of haiely annuals that do well with Spring sowing, that will bear Ail tuiuii vowing iu tho open ground and reward us with only Spiing llmvcis. hunt uIjkhuiii and white candytuft w ill giv a lis nbuuilaneu of white for early cutting if Kovyi in Autumn. In n shady soil thu puittilatos may he sown us Autumn with good tuciess. Seeds of bien in lis and perennials, if nowii tally enough to Sroducu strong littlo phutH will flower next uinincr) pausing ami Chinese) pinks, though they bloom thu first Siiliiiuci if sown in thu Spiing, will niako iiiueh stiougti plants and flower inoie fret ly and earlier if young plinU aio grown in the Autumn. All lnnly plants the picomaa, hollyhocks, delphiniums, per ennial phlox, day lily, iliccuti.i, and plants of a similar uhaiacter, ludicd, all that will en dure our Winters, should lu planted iu tho Autumn, if possible, us they thin git a good Htart iu the Spring.- JumtH I nil Ferrets Ihu full grown ferret is about fourteen inches long, uuel is noted for its great strength and bolduess. J'errvts are bred quite exten sively in Europo for hunting rabbits, rats and mice. Though regarded as a domesticated animal, tho ferret is far from docile, aud never shows an affectum for those that care for it. Thu natural instinct of thu annual is so strong that it does not need to be trained to attack its prey, though practice im proves tho animal hi its work, thu chief gain being lit allowing tbenieiejves to be moro readily caught. Tho ferret isulwajs uiuuled to prevent it from killing its prey ; if this precaution is not takeu, it will suck tho blood of its victim, and fall into a sleep from whlc it will not arouto until the food is digesd. When sent out muzltd the ferret will -luru after the hunt to receive food. It " '"to burrows of the ralbts, for w hicb r""l the ferret teems to have a natural eomlty, ami drives the tiiniil creatures on' '",f "'"y are caught iu nets and snare -' 'or "," I"""l'o. A farut will t,u rii', bouseof rats anJ mice; and it it for this pur f l" " that the animal ' " "' '