The canadian gleaner, 21 décembre 1876, Cahier 2

[" The Conan Ojeaner THE ROBBER YEARS.-cars, ye robber years, ve av ripped me of all my wealth, Tbe things which I Loarded and prized Yo have taken away by stealth.Noiselossly, quietly coming, \u201c Noiselessly gliding away, Yo bavo taken your flight unseon, 0 robber years, with your prey.ye have left your footprints behind, 0 years us yo fled away ; Un tho brow you bavescarred and furrowed, On the head ye have turned so grey.But deeper than those are the traces, Far deoper the sorrow and smart, Ye have left with your pitiless thefts, On a void and aching heart.For ye have an accomplice, O years; 1 know your accomplice\u2014Death.Io has passed so close to me, That folt his icy breath ; He came to my very side, With bis quiet and stealthy tread, And took my treasures up ; In his bony arms\u2014and fled.Where do you hide them, O years ?Where do yo the spoil conceal ?Some place should be rich indeed With the costly treasures you steal, With the countless millions of charms, With tho youth and beauty and mirth, With the loved and loving hearts, Ye have robbed from the sons of earth.() years, yo robber years, There surely will come a day When ye shall be made to restore The spoils yo have carried away ; to the church\u2014a Norman erection, old and quaint enough to charm Dr Dryasdust himself.In the churchyard was a village schoolroom, like a barn, and from thence rushed out daily n small troop of children, chasing the sheep that fed among the graves.Dr Renwick\u2019s was the great house of the place ; rich in tho glories of a gravel entrance and bay windows ; and oh, such an orchard! Nover was seon the like for apples and pears ! But now it looked cold and stately in the gloom of a Decembor night\u2014starry, but moonless.A light covering of boarfrost lay on the green plot, where, in early spring, enowdrops and crocuses pooped out from the grass, looking prettier than they ever do when set in the cold brown mould of a garden bed.A warm light streamed over the gravel walk through the balf-drawn crimson curtains, Any passenger on the road would have said there was mirth and comfort within.And so indeed there was ; for it was the | yearly gathering of the Renwick family, of which Dr James Renwick was now the eldest son.Three generations were met once more in tho eyes of the doctor's aged parents, who lived with him.\"They wore now too old to have the care of an establishment of their own ; and therefore this year the family meeting was held at Dr Ren- wick\u2019s house, whore they were spending the decline of life with their good and dutiful son.yearly gathering of the Renwick\u2019s was not held on Christmas Day.This was partly because old Mr Renwick thought the day Contrary to general English usage, the | A day when at length the reign Of the tyrant, Time, shall be o'er ; Then we shall recover our treasures, And years yo shall rob us no more.too much of a religious festival for frolic and sport.He had come from the land\u2019 where his namesake preached, lived, and! died among his persecuted brethren ; and | though Mr Renwick had been so long in! England, that the memory of the heathery | mountains and braes of his native land was like a dream, still he clung a little to the! ways of his forefathers.Besides, it was on one Christmas Day that death had first crossed his threshold, and carried away their eldest born from the young parents, with! THE DOCTOR'S FAMILY.Ix the country towns and villages of England there is not, from January to December, a merrier festival than the New Year.In London, and in those large commercial towns which ape the Great Metropolis, it is not so.There Christmas, with its accom- pered the old man to his wife with a merry smile.\u2018Don\u2019t talk nonsense before the children,\u2019 answered Mrs Renwick, trying to frown as she wiped her spectacles.\u2018Well, I always thought little Bell was the prettiest of all our children, and she will marry best, though lust, said the proud father.\u201cLittle Bell was a beautiful young woman of seven-and-twenty, whom no arguments could hitherto induce to quit her father\u2019s roof, until an old playmato returned from India, rich in money, and richer still in love, that time could notchange.So lsa- bel was to be married at last.The dunce ended, and the various grandchildren sat down to rest, or walked idly about, arm-in-arm, talking and laughing.\u2018Do you know what a grand ball Aunt Hartford is giving to-night at the Priory ?said Jossio Renwick to her cousin William Oliphant.\u2018I doubt if they will be halt so merry ns wo, nevertheless, with all their grandeur.\u2019 *Who is speaking about Mrs lartford\u2014of my oldest daughter ?' said the grandfather sharply.\u2018Would that she had Leen no daughter of mine!\u2019 \u2018Hush, John, hush I\u2019 whispered his aged wife, laying her withered fingers on his arm.\u2018Jessic only said that there was a grand party at the Priory to-night,\u201d answered young Oliphant, for his cousin had shrunk aside, alarmed at ber grandfather's harsh tone, so unusual to him.\u2018Let hor go with all her pride and her gaieties ! Thero is no blessing on an ungrateful child,\u2019 said Mr Renwick sternly.\u2018When she was born, her mother and 1 rejoiced, and we called her Letitia in our sladness ; but she has been to us a bitter sorrow, and no joy.Do not speak of her, my children.\u2019 The young poople saw that there was deep sadness on their grandmamma's face, and that Mr Ronwick's tone, though severe, was tremulous ; so they did not again mention Mrs Hartford's name.The younger ones wondered; but many of tho elder paniments of plum-pudding and mince pie, is all in all to the holiday lovers.The Old Year steals out, and the Now Year creeps in, like a neglected friend or a poor rolation after its more honored predecessor, glad enough to pick up the crumbs and fragments of the latter's feast of welcome.No one seems to care about the New Year in London.A fow peals rung at midnight by the church bell tell to some wakeful invalid or late reveller that the Old Year with all its hopes and its pains, has gone by for over ; and perhaps next morning some man of business looking over his diary, or some lady glancing at her pictured almanac, remembers the fact ; or friend meeting friend in the street just turns to wish \u2018a happy Now Year; but that is all.Christmas is gore by, with all its feasting and merrymaking ; and no one cares to welcome Now ; Year's Day.But in tho rural districts of England, and throughout Scotland, it is very different.There the festival of New Year's Day is of as great importance as that of old Father Christmas himself.Young people look forward joyfully to \u2018dancing the Old Year out and the New Year in.\u2019 It is held unlucky that the New Year should first dawn upon sleeping eyes ; so in every house all sit up until midnight to let the young stranger in.Then, as the clock strikes twelve, the family ; and guests rise up and go in a mingled and noisy procession to the hall-door, which is opened with formal solemnity by the host ; and thus the New Year is \u2018let in.\u2019 + affairs of tho parish ; it is he to whom all It was New-Yoar's eve in the family of Dr James Renwick.They were keeping it merrily, as befitting the good old times t it was not many new years before this one of 1847 (May blessings attend those whose & tribe of juveniles as various in years, and eves meet this, says the writer in a paren- thesis\u2014wishing to all a happy New Year) ! Bit before we enter Dr Renwick\u2019 mirthtul house, let ns describe ît- exterisr-arl not caUrely froia its imagination, Tho doctors home wis at the en panes of WE IDI Young cousins were dancing tot aiittle village, situated just en the hounds mutsie of a piano and tlate, while the eile of a manufacturing region, yet far enough plage: in the country to mako it pleasant and quiet SUiel coupl A It stood on a turn of Were too happy to dance and laugh with the road, the stcep declivity of which was, the rest, | : \u2018wick, the doctor's youngest and unmarricl withaut being dull, overlooked by its high garden walls.Ovor theso walls many and many a time peeped | sister.children\u2019s curious faces, and\u201d little oe 1 she stood with her betrothed in the shade of vous hands often dropped down flowers and the crimson curtains.Pebbles on the stray passers-by.On the\u2019 other side of the road a raised pathway led e l doctor were also round his table with their ho ; flock, few or many as it might be; =o that bitter tears.1t was many years since; but | cousins knew of their aunt\u2019s great wealth, still they felt to have morrymaking on that suddenly acquired by hor husband's specu- day would be treading in the shadow of à Jations ; and bow with wealth had come sorrow now gone by ; so the day had ever! pride, and with pride coldness and disdain, since beon changed from Christmas to New ; so that at last Mr and Mrs Hartford were Year\u2019s eve.self-cxilod from the family circle, and only Mr Renwick and his wife had been blessed | known by hearsay to the children.with many children.Their quiver was full | After a «cason, tho slight shadow which of arrows ; and they did not murmur at it.poor Jessie's unlucky speech had thrown Out of ten sons and daughters, five WOTS : over the circle passed away.William Oli- with thom that day ; some wedded, with phant, ever thoughtful in those little things children of their own; one was travelling ; ; .\"co had i which make the sum of home-happiness, in foreign lands; and threo ha gone the | adroitly brought to his grandfather's chair way of all before them.But tho parents the two youngest of the flock, Mr Walter did not count these lost.Only ono\u2014tho' Renwick's bonnie little girl and boy, and living\u2014had been, and, lo uso the touching the old lady's attention was diverted.Sho words of a father of old, \u2018was not.took Bessie on her knee, and told lienry a Dr James Renwick was the worthy son of fairy tale, and thought no more of hor own a good father, and well did he occupy the [ost daughter.How much good had leen station and fulfil the duties of a country |done by this unnoticed ruse of kind William physician.These duties are very different Oliphant.from a London practitioner.Ina village! Merrily passed the closing hours of the \u2018the doctor\u2019 is an important person, second | ld Year.The children danced again, and only to the clergyman.He has more to do (hen Aunt Isabel was intreated to sing, and than merely heal the bodies of his neigh-| the plaintive music of hor voice changed the bors.If he be respected, ho knows all the laughter into a pensive but pleasant silence.After a miputo or two they all thanked her cheerfully.They did not know\u2014the careless children !\u2014that of all the merry troop around her, Isabel had sung but for one, and toone.After a while the mirth grew noisier ; the light-hearted troop would chorus Aunt Isabel's songs; and so those who could sing, and those who thought they come for advice in distress ; he is tho medi- alor between helpless poverty and benevolent but cautious wealth ; and much good or much evil may he do, as his will leads him.Dr Renwick was a good man, and Lic was accordingly respected.le had married early a wife of like feelings to himself, and they bad brought up a rising family, the eldor branches of whom were now men and confusion of treble, tenor, and bass.But women.'I'wo brothers and a sister of tho there was so much happiness ard harmony in their hearts, that no one cared for a littlo \u201cdiscord, the grandfather and grandmother looked on | Supper came.for \u2018not even love can live upon mr\u201d Aburdan eof mith wae there name, and appearance, as ever clustered among (+ rood thin rs, riv oak round the chair of age since the putrinyial goer nd dit ot : ane duvs.tu 2 ben ie cat true + 4 at 1e.Me and Mis Renwick sut he ete tr pa te paper à : eu Laoking cheerfully aronnd them, Ad 2 IN veo Lue Anti Ger over wiper d coe and bao TT fen advice Dl time quscel > quielely, that only fost dad the happy circle wished long tile to nd pape and radin and arandpapa liad returned thanks in a few touching words, which made then grave in the midst of their fun.when, lo! the clock strack twelve! \u201cWe «hall have another fine son-in-law Ly And now came the grand ceremony, br this time next year, Letty, my dear,\u201d whis- James Renwick rose up with great solem- Lice ond us dt'e 1 whist in an inner room.Cmne ortwo es stolo away into corners : they A Fr où ce Among these was Isabel Rens The old parents looked at her as nity of visage.Nothing made them laugh so much as to soe the mock gravity of merr Uncle James.Bearing a light in hand, the doctor weat to his ball-door, toi- lowed by the whole troop.What a noise aud confusion did thoy make in the narrow old-fashioned passage ycleped the hall! And now, the lights being resigned to tho care of his eldest son, Dr Renwick unfastenod the bolts, and the door flew open, letting in, besides the New Yoar, such a gust of biting January night-wind as nearly extinguished tho candles, and mado the whole party shiver and hasten to the warm drawing- room with great celerity.Just ns Dr Renwick was about to close tbe door and retire also, somo one called him from without.\u2018Wait a minuto doctor, pray.sir, if jou please.\u2019 \u2018Some patient, 1 auppose,\u2019 suid the doctor.\u2018Woll, come in, friend ; it is too cold to stand talking outside.\u2019 The man came in, and Dr Renwick and his untimely visitor retired to the study.\u2018What has become of Uncle James ?\" was soon the general cry, and some of the more daring of the youngsters rushed up and down the house in search of him.He was found in the study alone, but lie looked very grave, and it was no pretence now.\u2018I cannot go up stairs again,\u2019 ho enid ; +1 have to go out immediately.\u2019 The children ontreated, and Mrs James Renwick expostu- Iated, knowing that her husband had no patients on his list likely to roquire him at that timo of night ; until at last grandpapa sent down to know what was the matter.\u2018I am suro there is no need for you to leave us in this way, James,\u2019 said the old man rather quorulously ; \u2018and at least you might toll us where you are going.\u2019 \u2018I had rather not,\u201d said the plain-spoken James Renwick ; \u2018but if you still ask me.father, I will tell you.\u2018Yes ; tell us now.\u2018Well, then, it is to my sister's.Hartford's.\u2019 What business have you with lier ?' cried the angry old man; \u2018what have you to say to the grand party ?\u2019 \u201cThere is no gaiety at tho Priory to-night, \u2018but much sorrow,\u201d answered Dr NMenwick gravely.\u2018Arthur Hartford met with a dreadful accident this afternoon; he is atill inscnsible, and his mother is almost frantic by the bedside of her only son.\u2019 There was a gloomy silenco over the party at these words.Old Mrs Renwick began to weep; but her husband said harshly, She deserves it; and yet l am sorry.1 always heard good of young Arthur.Did sho send for you?\u2018No; only old Ralph\u2014you remember him\u2014came to tell me ; and he begged mo to go, for both Mr and Mrs Ilartford aro almost beside themsolves with grief, and the doctor they have knows nothing at all.\u2019 1 want you.to Mi could, all chimed in together, to the utter! \u2018You shall not go, Jame Nenwick ; no \u2018child of mine shall entor that ungrateful \"woman's doors without being intrented to : do 80,\" said the old man, Dr Renwick had been accustomed all his lifo to render obedience to his father ; often | indeed, to a degree very unusual in a son i who had himself become the head of a fam- lily.Even when the old man's commands \"were harshly and unduly expressed, the { good doctor =eldom showed any opposition, \u201850 strong was the force of habit and of filia® \u2018respect.Therefore he now only raid, i Father, have you thought what you do ir- | saying I shall not go.The boy has no proper assistance ; he may dio and then ' Mr Renwick's stern lincamonts relaxed « litle of their expression, but he made no answer.Then his aged wife took his band, and looking at him with swimming eyes, raid mournfully, John, remember when our own Arthur died twenty years ago: if any once had kept the help away from hin then! Aud Letty was los fire dal See bow i cre awn eae BL Poe 2 \u20ac Cay t ' nude.vo.- Lor She 2006 it iy 1 A Me Re woud \u2018 Met r \u20ac san ntencl; lut -tiil Le his authority, Iwill neither Va LOU GAY, James do as he pleases, 1 will hear no mor of this.Di Renwick stayad uot a moment, le~this father's mood should change, but was gone on his errand of mercy.There was no more merriment for the young people that night | they were ail too deeply touched.The aged couple rom re rae le areuiy voeu SES Es tirod, and the various families departed to their soveral bomes.In an bour all was ujet in the doctor\u2019 house.Mrs James enwick alone sat waiting ber husbands return, and thinking over in her kind beart how this might end.Every other cye was sealed in roposo save one, and that was the aged mother's, On New Year's morning the family met as usual ; Dr James Ronwick looked pale and careworn, but be did not speak of his last night's visit.The grandfather did not allude to it neither, and no one else dared mention tho subject in his presence.At ast the childron soparated to their various avocations, and Mr and Mrs Renwick were Left alone with James and his wife, There was an uneasy silence, broken only by the clicking sound of the old lady's knitting, which she pursued busily though her fingers trembled, and several heavy tears dropped on the work.At last the doctor rose and walked to tho window, observed that it was a gloomy day, and began searching for his gloves.\u2018Before you go out, James,\u2019 said Mrs Renwick, with an evident effort at unconcern, \u2018you might as well say how thut boy is?\u2018You moun poor Arthur ?lle is better.L think he may recover.\u2019 .\u2018Thank God for that!\" murmured the old lady fervently.\u2018Did you see Letty-\u2014Mrs Hartford | wean ?\u2019 asked the father after a pause.\u2018I did,\u2019 answored the doctor concisely.\u2018Dear James, tell us all that passed ?\u2019 whispered the poor old mother.Mr lten- wick turned over the pages of a book, but he mude no opposition ; while the doctor sat down beside his mother and began'to tell his story.\u2018When I reached the Priory, all was confusion, Poor Letty was in violent hysterics, L heard her screams the momont 1 entered the house, s0 I knew it was of no uso asking to seo her.The father, they told me, was hanging over his insensible bay.I sent word to him that I had come to offer what «ssistance I could ; and ho was with me in 3 moment, wringing my hands, and imploring mo to save poor Arthur.I never thought how misery could have bent the man\u2019s proud spirit.Mr Hartford would sow have have knelt to entreat me toj forget the past, and do what I could for his son,\u2019 \u2018And you did; you were successful, James ?said old Mrs Renwick anxiously.\u2018Yea ; aftor atime the boy came to his senses ; he is a fine follow! le knew me directly, and looked so joyfully from me to his father, who bad clasped my hand in Renwick said in a broken voice, \u2018Tell Letty she may come.\u2019 \u20188he will come\u2014she is come! my dear fathor, cried James as the door opened, and Lotty flung herself on her knees before her parents, und was clasped to both their hearts with full and free forgiveness.The erring child was pardoned\u2014and the lost one wae found ! Dr Renwick and his wife went silently away together, and with full and thankful hearts for the good that had been done that day.It was their best reward.There was deep joy throughout the whole of the Renwick tamily whon they heard the news.Some of the younger and gayer spirits thought how pleasant it would be to visit now at Aunt Hartford's beautiful house, ride Cousin Arthur's fine horses when ho recovered.But with more sincerity and disinterested pleasure did the elders rejoice that there was now no alienation to pain their aged father and mother in their declining years, but that they would now go down to the grave in peace, encircled by a family of love.Arthur lartford recovered rapidly under his uncle's care.Ho was indeed a noble boy, resembling, both in person and character, the lost Arthur ; so no wonder that he soon became the darling of the grandparents, The leaves wore hardly green on the trees beforo therc was a joyful family meeting ; for it was the wedding of Aunt Isabel ; and there were now no absent ones to mar the bad returned.\u2018That speech of yours turned out not so very unluekily after all whispored William Oliphant to his cousin Jessio, who bung on his arm ag of old : they were always great friends.No,\u2019 answered the laughing girl ; I dare spoak of Aunt Hartford now without fear.\u2019 \u2018And sce how happy grandmamma looks.' 1 heard Ler say that Aunt Iartford was almost as handsome as the bride, though 1 think Aunt Isabel is much superior.\u2019 \u2018Well, nover mind, William; we are all very happy ; it has all turned out like a fairy talo; and I am sure we can say with truth that this has been for us all a happy New your.TILK MODERN CAIN.1 saw a man Deal death unto his brother.Drop by drop The poison was distilled for cursed gold ; And ia the wine cup\u2019s ruddy glow sat death, Invisible to thut poor trombling slave.He raised the cup, he drank the poison down, Rushed forth into the streets\u2014home had he none\u2014 overpowering gratitude.\u2019 \u2018Aud poor Letty ?again asked the weeping mother.\u2018When she was a little calmer, I went to | ker with Mr llartford.She started at sce- ing me ; but hor husband said, \u2018Letty, you must thank your vrother for saving Arthur's life.\u201d And then she threw herself into my arms, and poured forth such a torrent of thanks, and blessings, and self-reproaches, that it almost made a child of me.Poor Letty ! she is much altered,\u2019 added the good doctor, his voice growing husky as ho looked steadily into the fire.All this time the stern old futher had not uttored a \u2018word.For a few minutes none of the party spoke.At lust Mrs Renwick glanced timidly at her husband, and whispered, \u2018Did she say anything about us, James?\u2018Yes, mother, she asked after you both, said how glad sho always was to hear of you in any way, and wept much when she spoko of you.Mr Renwick lifted up his head; ho had beat Li~ face on his hands lest they should #06 tho working of his features, and said, \u2018What truth is there in that woman's tears, when, not a week since, she passed her old father and mother in the road; she riding in her splendid carriage, and the mother that bore her trudging wearily on foot ; and she never looked at us, but turned her head another way ?Do you think I can forgive that, James Renwick ?\u2018I have forgiven her, John,\u2019 said the old lady.\u2018She is our own child, and she is in troublo ; sho may ropent now for the past.\u2019 \u2018I know she docs,\u201d added James earnestly.She told me how she longed to seo you ; even her husband seemed sorry ; ho speaks kindly to her, though people say he is so proud.\u2019 \u2018And they oxpoct that your mother and [ will go humbly to their fino bouse \u201d cried the still incensed old man, \u2018No, father ; that was not what my sister said.She told me to say that she prayed Fou to forgot the past, and lot her come and #00 you bore, and be your daughter Lotty ounce more.\u2019 Dr Renwick stopped, for ho saw that his father was actuslly weoping.James looked at his wife, and she left the room.For several minutes the old couple sat with thoir hands clasped in silence; thon Mr | Staggered, and fell, and miserably died.They buried him\u2014ah! little recks it whero His bloated form was given to the worms.Once ho had friends; A happy homeo was his, and love was his.His Mary loved him, and around him played ILis smiling children.Oh! a dream of joy Were those unclouded years; and, more than all, happiness of festivity, for oven the sailor |i \u2018Who bound him hand and foot?Who smil- od and smiled While yet the hellish work went on?Who gras His poli health, bis life, bis hope, his a Who saw his Mary fade and die?Who saw His beggared children wandering in the stroets ?.Speak, coward, if thou hast a tongue ! oll why, with hellish art, you slew a man.\u201cWhere is my brother ?Am 1 my brother's keeper?\u201d Ab! man, a deoper mark js on your brow Than that of Cain.Accursed was the name Of him who slew a righteous man, whose soul Was ripe for heaven; thrice accursed he Whose art malignant sinks a soul to hell! In the town of \u2014\u2014 (no matter where) there circulated two local newspapers (no matter when).Now the Flying Post was long established and respectable \u2014 alias bigoted and Tory; the Examiner was spirit ed and intolligent\u2014alias new-fangled and democratic, Kvery woek these newspapers contained articles abusing each other; as cross and peppery as articles could be, and ovidently the production of irritated minds, | although they seemed to have one stereotyped commencoment,\u2014\u201cI'hough the article appearing in last week's Post (or Examiner) is below contempt, yot we have been induc- od,\u2019 &e., &c., and every Saturday the Radical shopkeepers shook hands together, and agreed that the Post was done for, by the slashing, clover Examiner: while the more dignitied Tories began by regretting that Johnson should think that low paper, only read by a few of the vulgar, worth wasting his wit upon ; however the Examiner was at its last gasp.| It was not though.It lived and flourished; at least it paid its way, as ene of the heroes of my story could tell.He was chief compositor, or whatever title may be | given to the head-man of the mechanical rpart of a newspaper.fle hardly confined (himself to that department.Once or twico, {unknown to the cditor, when the manus- reript had fallen short, he had filled up the ; vacant space by compositions of his own; \u2018announcements of a forthcoming crop of greon peas in locembor; a grey thrush i having becn seen, or a white hare, or such 'interesting phenomena; invented for the occasion, 1 must confess; but what of that ?His wife always knew when to expecta lille rpecimon of her husband\u2019s literary talont by a peculiar cough, which served as relude ; and, judging from this encouraging sign, and the high-pitched and emphatic voice in which he read them, she was inclined to think that an \u2018Ode to an early Rosebud,\u2019 in the corner devoted to original poetry, and a letter in the correspondence department, signed \u2018Pro Bono Publico; were her husband\u2019s writing, and to hold up her hoad accordingly.He had an interest in the world above.jor 68 1 » fe Tho big \u201cOld Bible\u201d lay upon the stand, | same bouso as the Jenkinses, And he was wont to read its sacred page, | And then to pray: \u201cOur Father, bless the poor, And rave the tempted from the temptor's! art; Save us from sin, and let us ever be United in thy love; and may wo ever meot, When lifo\u2019s last scenes are o'er, around thy throne.\u201d Thus prayed he\u2014 thus lived he.passed, And o'er tho sunshine of that happy home A cloud came from the pit; the futal bolt Fell trom that cloud.©The towering tree | Was shivered by the lightning\u2019s vengetul! stroke, And laid its coronal of glory low, A happy home was ruined ; want and woe Played with his children, and the joys of youth Loft thoir swoot faces, to roturn no more, | ILis Mary\u2019s face grow pale and paler still, Her cyes were dimmed with weeping, and her soul Went out through those blue portals.Mary died\u2014 And yet he wept not.At the demon\u2019s call Ie drowned his sorrow in the maddening | bowl.And when they buried her from sight he sank, In drunlcen stupor, by her new-made grave! His friend was gone\u2014he never had another\u2014 And the world shrank from him, all save Years one; And he still plied the bowl with deadly drug, And bade him drink, forget his God, and die.Io died! Cain! Cain! where is thy brothor now?Lives he still?If dead, still whore is he?Where?In heaven?Go read the sacred page: \u201cNo drunkard ever shall inherit there.\u201d Who sent him tothe pit?Who dragged him down?+ 1 nover could tind out what it was that occasioned the Hodgsons to lodgo in the Jenkins hold the same office in the Tory paper as Ilodg- son did in the Examiner, and, as I said before, 1 leave you to give it a name.But Jenkins had a proper sense of his position, swoets\u2014whether \u2018plum-pudding or mine, pies\u2014I leave such considerations to you; | only beg you not to mind expense, Christ mas comes pat once a year.\u2019 nd again he had ed out f bottom of the first flight of stairs, oat ol to the Hodgsons' door (\u2018such ostentations ness,\u2019 as Mrs Hodgson observed), \u2018You wilj not forget the , my dear?' \u2018I should have liked to\u201d have bad som thing above common, Mary,\u2019 said Hodgvon, as they too made their plans for the ner\u2018 day, \u2018but [ think roast beef must do for uw You soe, love, we've 2 family.\u2019 \u2019 \u2018Only one, Jom don\u2019t want mor roast beef, though, I'm sure.Before oy to service mother and me would hans thought roast beef a very fine dinner,\u2019 * \u2018Well, let's settle it then, roast beef ang plum-pudding ; and now, good-by, Ming and take care of little Tom.I thought |, was a bit hoarse this morning,\u2019 ¢ And off he went to bis work, Now, it was a good while since Mrs Jen kins and Mrs Hodgson had spoken to each other, although they were quite as Touch in possession of the knowledge of even, and opinions as though they did.Mary kngy that Mrs Jenkins despised her for not hay ing a real lace cap, which Mrs Jenkins bad: and for having been a servant, which Mn Jonkins had not; and the little Occasiona| pinchings which the Hodgsons were obliged to rosort to, to make both ends meet, woulg have been very patiently endured by Mary, if she bad not winced under Mrs Jonkings knowledge of such economy.But she hy her revenge.Sho had a child, and Mn Jenkins had none.To have had a chiy oven such a puny baby as little Tom, yy Jenkins would have worn commonest cg and cleaned stoves, and drudged her finger.to the bone.The great unspokon disap- pointmont of her life soured her temper, ang turned her thoughts inward, and made her morbid and selfish, \u2018Hang that cat! he's been stealing again\u2019 he's gnawed the cold mutton in his nosy mouth till it\u2019s not fit to set before a Christian; and I've nothing elso for Jem's dinner.But I'll give it him now I've caught him, that 1 will!\u2019 So saying, Mary Hodgson caught up her husband's Sunday cane, and despite pussy\u2019 cries and scratches, she gave him such 4 beating as sho hoped might cure him of bi thievish propensities; when lo! and behold, Mrs Jenkins stood at the door with à face of bitter wrath.\u2018Aren\u2019t you ashamed of yourself, ma'am, to abuse a poor dumb animal, ma'am, 4s knows no better than to take food when Le seos it, ma'am?He only follows the nature which God has given, ma'am; and its à pity your nature, ma\u2019am, which I've board, is of the stingy saving species, does not make you shut your cupboard-door a little closer.There is such a thing as law for brute animals.I'll ask Mr Jenkins, but] don\u2019t think them Radicals has done away with that law yet, for all their Reform Bill, ma'am.My poor precious love of a Tom my, is ho hurt?and is his leg broke for taking a mouthful of scraps, as most people would give away to u beggar,\u2014if he'd take \u2018em?wound up Mrs Jenkins, casting a contemptuous look on the remnant of 3 scrag end of mutton, Mary felt very angry and very guilty.and a proper reverence for all in authority, | For she really pitied tho poor limping ani: from the king down to the editor and subeditor.le would as soon have thought of; borrowing the king's crown for a nightcap, or the king's sceptro for a walking-stiek, as he would havo thought of filling up any spare corner with any production of his own ; and I think it would have even added to his contempt of llodgson (if that wore possible), had he known of the \u2018productions of his brain,\u2019 as the latter fondly alluded to the paragraphs he inserted, when speaking to his wife.Jenkins bad his wife too.Wives wero wanting to finish the completoness of the quarrel, which existed one memorable Christmas week, some dozen years ago, between tho two neighbors, the two compositors.And with wives, it was a very pretty, a very complete quarrel.To make the opposing parties still more equal, still more well matched, if the [fodgsons had a baby (\u2018such a baby !\u2014a poor, puny little thing\u2019), Mrs Jenkins had a cat (\u2018such a cat! a great, nasty, miowling tom-cat, that was always stealing the milk put by for little Angel's supper\u2019).And now, having matched Greek with Greek, I must proceed to the tug of war.It was the day before Christmas; such a cold oast wind! such an inky sky! such a blue-black look in people\u2019s faces, as they were driven out more than usual, to completo their purchases for the next day's festival.Before leaving home that morning Jenkins had given some money to his wife to buy the next day\u2019s dinnor.\u2018My doar, I wish for turkey and sausages.It may be a weakness, but I own I am par- mal as bo crept up to his mistress, and there lay down to bemoan himself; she wished she had not beaten him so hard, for it cer tainly was her own careless way of never shutting the cupboard-door that had tompted him to his fault.But the sneer at her little bit of mutton turned her penitence % fresh wrath, and she shut thé®door in Mrs Jenking's face, as she stood caressing her cat in the lobby, with such a bang, that it wakened little Tom, and he began to cry.Everything was to go wrong with Mary to-day.Now baby was awake, who was to talko her husband's dinner to the office?She took the child in her arms, and tried to hush him off to sleep again, and as she sung she cried, sho could hardly toll why,\u2014s sort of rouction from her violent angry feelings.She wished she had never beaten the poor cat ; sho wondered il his leg was realiy broken.What would Lor mother say if she know how cross and cruel her little Mary was getting?If sho should live to beat her child in one of her angry fits?It was of no use lullabing whilo sho sobbed s0 ; it must be given up, and she must just carry her baby in her arms, and tako him with her to the office, for it was long past dinner-timo.So she pared the mutton carefully, although by so doing she reduced the meat to an infinitesimal quantity, and taking the baked potatoes out of the oven she popped them piping hot into her basket with the et-cwtoras of plate, butter, salt and knife and fork.It was, indeed, a bitter wind.She bent against it as sho ran, and the flakes of snow were sharp and cutting as ice.Baby criod tial to sausages.My doceased mother was.Such tastes are hereditary, As to the, all tho way, though she cuddled him up in her shawl.Then her husband had made things, suet for the brown ! bleache from b quaint daugbt Christn Farmer made i out of sausage used Lo «Des: elt.© remem «ages 8 à sma ever he [veal mother towneD And till the again cottage in the and its laurol the b: and a: to ma like à along but ex Mo lifting that hurt h worse Fa fright his ga ask fo daugh who a absent lies.the at aid f El but ju her af and h ran to case à \u2018He he'il « it, anc he co too fu lath \u20ac bless baby.staten ing a was \u20ac] \u2018Oh love, And r of hot mindi five li] \u2018Me some done and b run fc him, 3 Thi tioned sick a and r Mrs snu havin \u2014 mines you ; | Christ.m t cloge ations.u will some.dgson, à Dex: for ys, © than | went , have and 3 Ming ht Le 3 Jen.each uch in 8 and knew hav.h Mery siona| bligod pou p kings © had 1 Mn child, n, Mn , Caps, Inger disap OF, and le her \\gain ! nasty Chris.s din- aught p her LEN uch a of his d be- vith a I'am, im, ag en he ature is a beard, 28 not à little w for but] awa D Bill, Tom.or tak.people d take ling a of a ruilty.s ant | there vished t core never mptod it her nee fo n Mrs 1g her hat it Cry.Mary as to office?ied Lo sung 2 801 lings.poor realiy if she Mary at her y sob- must | take long ition duced y, and oven basket lt and y bent snow criod up in made elite for » potato pie, and (literary ba Po an) his bay got so much the potter of bis mind that be looked rather jack at the cold mation.Mary had no tite for ber own dinner when she arriv- again.So, after she had tried feed baby, and be had fretfully refused to Io foe bread and milk, she laid him down usual on his quilt, surrounded by playthings, while she sidled away, and shopped guet for the next day's pudding.Early in he afternoon 8 parcel came, done up first in a paper, then in such a white, grass- bleached, sweet-smelling towel, and a note from ber dear, dear mother; in which gaint writing sho endeavored to tell her daugbter that she was not forgotten at Christmas timo; but that learning that Farmer Burton was killing his pig she had made interest for some of his famous pork out of which she had manufactured some sausages, and flavored them just as Mary 10 like when she lived at home.\u2018Dear, dear mother I' aid Mary to her- seit, \u201cThore never was any one like her for remembering other folk.What rare eau- ages she used to make! Home things have a smack with \u2018em, NO bought things can over have.Set thom up with their sausages.I've & notion if Mrs Jenkins had ever tasted mother's she'd have no fancy for them town-made things Fanny took in just now.And s0 she went on thinking about home, till the smiles and the dimples came out again at the remembrance of that pretty cottago, which would look green even now in the depth of winter, withits pyracanthus, and its holly-bushes, and the great Portugal Jaurol that was her mother's pride.And the back path through the orchard to Farmer Burton's; how well sho remembered it.Tho bushels of unripe apples she had picked up there, and distributed among his pigs, till he had scolded her for giving them sotnuch green trash.Sho was intorrupted\u2014her baby (I call him a baby, because his fathor and mother did, and because he was so little of his age, bat 1 rather think he was cigbteen months old,) had fallen asleep somo time before amoug his playthings; an uneasy, restless sleep ; but of which Mary had been thankful, as his morning's nap had been too short, and as she was so busy.But now he began to make such a strange crowing noise, just like a chair drawn heavily and gratingly along a kitchen-floor! His eyes was open, but expressive of nothing but pain.\u201cMother's darling?said Mary, in terror, lifting him up.\u2018Baby, try not to make that noise.Ilush, hush, darling; what's hurt him?But the noise came worse and worse.\u2018Fanny! Fanny! Mary called in mortal fright, for her baby was almost black with his gasping breath, and she had no one to ask for aid or sympathy but her landlady\u2019s daughter, a litte girl of twelve or thirteen, who attended to the house in her mother's absenco as daily cook in gentlemen's families.Fanny was more especially considered the attendant of the upstairs lodgers (who paid for the use of the kitchen, \u2018for Jenkins could not abide tho smell of meat cooking\u201d), but just now she was fortunately sitting at her afternoon\u2019s work of darning stockings, and hearing Mes Hodgson's ery of terror she ran to her sitting-room, and understood the case at a glance.\u2018He's got the croup! he'll die ns sure as fate.Little brother had it, and he died in no time.\u2018The doctor said he could do nothing for him\u2014it had gone too far.Ifo said if we'd puthim in a warm bath at first it might have saved him ; but, bless yon! he was never half so bad as your baby.\u201d Unconsciously there mingled in her statement somo of a child's love of producing an effect; but the increasing danger was clear enough.\u2018Oh, my baby! my baby! Oh, love, love, don\u2019t look so ill; I cannot bear it.And my fire so low! There, I was thinking of home, and picking currants, and nover minding the fire.Ob, Fanny! what is the fire like in the kitchen ?Speak.\u2019 \u2018Mother told me to screw it up, and throw tomo slack on as soon as Mrs Jenkins had done with it, and sol did.It's very low and black.But, oh, Mrs Ilodgson! let mo run for the doctor\u2014I cannot abear to hear him, it\u2019s so like little brother.\u2019 Through her streaming tears Mary motioned ber to go; and trembling, sinking, sick at heart, she laid her boy in his cradle, and ran to fill her kettle.Mre Jenkins, having cooked her husband's snug little dinner, to which he came home ; having told him her story of pussy\u2019s beating, at which he was justly and dignifiedly (*) indignant, saying it was all of a piece with that abusive Examiner; having received tho sausages, and turkey, and mince- ples, which her husband bad ordered ; and cleaned up the room, and prepared everything for tea, and conxed and duly bemoaned her cat (who bad pretty nearly forgotten Oh, Mrs Ilodgson, his beating, but very much enjoyed the petting), having dono all these and many other things, Mrs Jenkins sat down to get up the real lace cap.Every thread was palled out separately, and carefully streiched : when, what was that?Oatside, in the street, a chorus of pipiog \u2018children\u2019s voices sang the old carol she had heard a hundred times in the days of her youth: \u201cAnd was & walking he heard an angel sing, \u2018This night shall be born our heavenly King.He neither shall be born in housen noe in hall, Nor in the place of Paradise, but in an ox's stall.He neither shall be clothed in purple nos in pall, But all in fair linen, as were babies all : He neither shall be rocked in silver nor in gold, But in & wooden cradle that rocks on the mould, \u201d kc She got up and went to the windew.There, below, etood the group of groy black little figures, relieved against the snow, which now onveloped everything.\u2018For old sake's sako, as she ph it, she counted out a halfpenny apieco for the singers, out of the copper bag, and threw them down below.he room had become chilly while she had been counting out and throwing dowh her money, so she stirred her already glowing fire, and sat down right before it\u2014but not to stretch her lace; like Mary Hodgson, she began to think over long-past days, on softening remembrances of the dead and gone, on words long forgotten, on holy stories heard at her mother's knee.:T cannot think what's come over me tonight,\u2019 said she, half aloud, recovering herself by the sound of her own voice from her train of thought\u2014My head goes wandering on them old times.I'm sure more texts have come into my head with thinking on my mother within this lust halt hour than I've thought on for years and years.I hope I'm not going to die.Folks say, thinking too much on the dead betokens we're going to join \u2018em; I should be lothe to go just yet \u2014such a fine turkey 8s we've got for dinner to-morrow, too!\u2019 Knock, knock, knock, at the door, as fast as knuckles could go.And then, as if the comer would not wait, the door was opened, and Mary Hodgson stood there us white as death.: \u2018Mrs Jenkins !\u2014oh, your kettle is boiling, baby, for the love ot God ! He's got croup, and is dying!\u2019 wooden inflexible look on her face, that (be- twoen ourselves) her husband know and dreaded for all his pompous dignity.kettlo is wanted for my husband's tea.Don\u2019t be afeared, Tommy, Mrs Hodgson won't venture to intrude herself where she's not desired.You'd better send for the doctor, ma\u2019am, instead of wasting your time in wringing your hands, ma\u2019am\u2014my kettle is engaged.\u2019 Mary clasped her hands together with passionate force, but spoke no word of entreaty to that wooden faco\u2014that sharp, determined voico ; but, as sho turned away, she prayed for strength to bear the coming trial, and strength to forgive Mrs Jenkins, Mrs Jonkins watched her go away meck- ly, as one who has no hope, and then she turned upon herself as sharply as she ever did on any one else.\u2018What a brute I am, Lord forgive me! What's my husband\u2019s tea to a baby's lite?In croup, too, where time is everything, You crabbed old vixen, yon!\u2014any one may know you never had a child\u2019 She was down stairs (kettlg in hand) before sho had finished her self-upbraiding ; and when in Mrs Ilodgson\u2019s room she ve- jected all thanks (Mary had not the voice for many words), saying, stiflly, I do it for the poor baby's sake, ma'am, hoping he may live to have mercy to poor dumb beasts, if ho does forgot to lock his cupboards.\u2019 But she did everything, and more than Mary, with her young inexperience, could have thought of.She prepared the warm bath, and tried it with her husband's own thermometer (Mr Jenkins was as punctual as clockwork in noting down the temperature of every day.) She let his mother place her baby in the tub, still preserving the same rigid, affronted aspect, and thon she went upstairs without a word, Mary longed to ask her to stay, but dared not ; though, when she left the room, the tears chased each other down her cheeks faster than ever.Poor young mother! how sho counted the minutes till the doctor should come, But, before he came, down again stalked Mrs Jenkins, with something in her band.\u2018I've seen many of these croup-fits, which, 1 take it, you've not, ma'am.Mustard plaistors is very sovereign, put on tho throat ; I've been up and made one, ma'am, and, by your leave, I'll put it on the poor little fellow.\u2019 Mary could not speak, but sho signed her : grateful assent.It began to smart while they still kept silence; and he looked up to his mother as if seeking courage from her looks to bear the stinging pain ; but she was softly crying to see him suffer, and her want of courage reacted upon him, and he began to sob aloud, Instantly Mrs Jenkins's apron was thank God! Lot me Liave the water for my ; Mrs Jenkins turned on hor chair with a! \u2018I'm sorry 1 can\u2019t oblige you, ma'am; my | up, bidipg ber face: \u2018Peepbo, baby,\u201d said \u20ac, as merrily as she could.His little face brightened, and his mother having once ; Rot the cue, the two women kept the little follow amused until his plaister had taken t.\u2018He's better,\u2014oh, Mrs Jenkins, look at his eyes! how different! And he breathos quite soitiy-\u2014' gl Marys oko thus the (octor entered.oxamined his patient.was better.we y oaily _ \u2018It has been a sbarp attack, but the remedies you have applied have been worth all the Pharmacopæia an hour later.\u2014I shall send a powder,\u2019 &c., ke.Mrs Jenkins stayed to hear this opinion ; and (ber heart wonderfully more easy) was going to leave the room, when Mary seized her hand and kiased it ; she could not spoak her gratitude.Mrs Jenkins looked affected and awkward, and as if she must go upstairs and wash her hand directly.- But, in spite of those sour looks, she came softly down an hour or so afterwards to ses how baby was.\u2018 \u2018The little gentleman slept well after the fright bo had given Lis friends; and on Christmas morning, when Mary awoke and looked ut the sweet little pale face lying on her arm, she could hardly realize the danger be had been in.When she came down (later than usual), she found tho household in a commotion.What do you think had ha ppened ?Why, pussy had been a traitor to bh best friend, and eaten up somo of Mr Jenkins's own especial sausages ; and gnawed and tumbled tho rest so that they were not fit to be eaten! There were no bounds to that cat's appetite! ho would have eaten his own father if he had been tender enough.And now Mrs Jenkins stormed and cried\u2014\u2018Hang the cat!\u2019 Christmas Day, too! and all the shops shut! \u201cWhat was turkey without sausages ?' grutlly asked Mr Jenkins.\u2018Oh, Jem! whispered Mary, \u2018hearken what a piece of work he\u2019s making about rausages,\u2014Î should like to take Mrs Jen- | king up some of mother's; they're twice as + good as bought sausages.\u2019 \u2018I see no objection, my dear.Sausages do | not involve intimacies, else his politics are what I can no ways respect.\u2019 \u2018But, oh, Jem, it\u2019 you had seen her last night about baby ! I'm sure she may scold me for over, and I'll not answer.l\u2019d even make her cat welcome to the sausages.\u2019 The tears gathered to Mary's eyes as sho kissed her boy.\u2018Better take \u2018om upstairs, my dear, and give them to the cat's mistress.\u201d And Jom chuckled at his saying.Mary put them on a plate, but still sho loitered.\u2018What must 1 say, Jem ?I never know.\u2019 \u2018Say\u20141 hope you'll accept of these sausages, as my mother\u2014no, that's not grammar ;\u2014say what comes uppermost, Mary, it will be sure to be right.\u2019 So Mary carried them upstairs and knock- od at the door; and when told to \u2018come in\u2019 sho looked very red, but went up to Mrs, Jenkins, saying, \u2018Pleaso tako these, Mother mado them.\u201d And was away before an! answer could be given.! Just as Hodgson was ready to go to, church Mrs Jenkins came downstairs, and, called Fanny.In a minute the latter enter- | ed the llodgsons\u2019 room, and delivered Mr and Mrs Jenkins's compliments, and they would be particular glad if Mr and Mrs Hodgron would eat thew dinner with thom.\u2018And carry baby upstairs in a shawl, be sure, added Mrs Jenkins\u2019s voice in tho passage, close to the door, whether sho had followed her messenger.There was no discussing the matter, with the certainty of every word being overheard.Mary looked anxiously at her husband.Sho remembered his saying he did uot approve of Mr Jonkins's politics.\u2018Do you think it would do for baby ?ask- | ed he.\u2018Oh, yes,\u201d answered she, cagerly ; I would wrap him up so warm.\u2019 \u2018And I've got our room up to sixty-five already, for all i's so frosty,\u201d added the voico outside.Now, how do you think they scttled the matter?The very best way in the world.Mr and Mrs Jenkins camo down into the Hodgsons\u2019 room, and dined there.Turkey at the top, roust beof at the bottom, sausages at one side, potatoes at the other.Second courso, plum-pudding at the top, and mince pies at the bottom.And after dinner Mrs Jenkins would have baby on her knee; and he scemed quite to take to her; she declared he was admiring the real lace on her cap, but Mary thought (though she did not say so) that he was pleased by her kind looks and coaxing words.Thon he was wrapped up and carried carcfully upstairs to toa in Mrs Jonkins's room.And after tea Mrs Jenkins, and 1 Mary, and her husband, found out each other's mutual liking for music, and sat singing old gless and catches, till I dea't know what o'clock, without one word of politics or newspapers.Before they parted Mary hud coaxed pay on to ber knoe; for Mra Jenkins would not part with baby, who was sleeping on her lap.\u2018When you're busy bring him to me.De, now, it will be a real favor.I know you must have a deal 10 do, with another coming ; let him come up to me.I'll take the reatest of cares of him; pretty darling, ow sweet he looks when he's asleep!\u2019 When the couples were once more alone the husbands unburdened their minds to their wives.Mr Jenkins said to his\u2014-Do you know, Burgess tried to make me believe Hodguon waa such a fool as to put paragraphs into the Examiner now and then; but see he knows his place, and has got too much sense to do any such thing.\u2019 Hodgson said\u2014\u2018Mary, love, | almost fancy from Jenkine's way of speaking (vo much civiler than I expected), he guosses J wrote that \u2018Pro Bono\u2019 and tho \u2018Itose- bud,'\u2014 at any rate, I've no objection to your naming it, if the subject should come uppermost ; I should like him to know ['m a literary man.\u2019 Well! I've ended my tale; I hope you don't think it too long; but, before 1 go.just let me eay one thing.If any of you have any quarrels, or mis understandings, or coolness, or cold shoulders, or shyness, or tiffs, or miffs, or huffs, with any one olse, just make friends before Christmas, \u2014you will be so much merrier if yon do.I ask it of you for tho sake of that old angelic song, heard so many years ago by the shepherds, keeping watch by night, on Bethlo horn Heights, THE PLEASURES OF FARMING, Dovnriess many who read the above heading will shrug their shoulders and say that such pleasures may be talked about, but are seldom oxperienced by the man who gets his living by tilling the soil.As we lift our eyes from this page we look out upon green fiolds of grain, luxuriant pastures and heaps of manure scastered over fields that aro soon to be plowed and planted with corn, and all these give us ploasure, prosent and prospective.In tho graux we sce the golden butter and the rich cream that is to smother the crimson strawberries and delicious raspberries, soun to tind thoir place upon our table.It requires no groat strotch of imagination to seo golden pumpkins, squashes and melons rising from those dark heaps of filth which go term manure, whilo the bursting buds\u201d and blossoms of fruit trees givo promiso of many a fonst be.foro the sounson closes or tho yonr is gone.There is plenty of bard work to be dono before all these things are secured, but the man who looks upon the dark side only and takes no pleasure in his business is certainly unfortunate.Tho successful man, with ncarcely an oxcoption, is the one who puts his whole soul and energies into the work which he has in hand.No matter whether he is a lawyer, merchant, minister or far mer, his success in a great measure dopends upon the pleasure bo takes in his business or profession, Tuero is no royal road to wealth or to fame in this country; all depends upon a man's industry and careful attention to whatever he has in hand.There are no laws or customs which exclude any one from pleasant occupations ; therefore, overy man is freo to choose for himself, and suc- i cess or failure depends more upon the capacity of the individual than upon circumstances, As regards tho words success and failure we do not consider them as synonymous with wealth or poverty ; for a man may bo eminontly successful and at the samo time bo extremely poor, and vico versa.Somo of the most noted men that ever lived, and those who enjoyed the most pleasure through lifo wero nlways poor in purse.Wo are fur from wishing to deprecate the love or desire to accumulate wealth, but we do protest against considering it tho chief promoter of\u2019 happiness.This is tho idea which we wish to impress upon our farmers who think they havo, and indeed do have a hard lot in life, mainly because the pleasures which might bo enjoyed to-day are put off to some unknown time in the future.The grasping disposition of our people probably has much to do with their unhappiness.The farmer purchases moro land than he can cither cultivate with profit or pay for, even if there are no failures in.his crops.The idea that cash capital is required to work a farm with profit, even after it is paid for, seldom enters into tho calculation of our farmers.If a man has a thousand dollars or ten thousand, and desires to purchase a farm with it, he expends the c¢n- tire amount in land, reserving nothing for working capital.This is about on a par with a man who would invest all his capital in paying rent in advance on a store, and bave nothing left with which td purchase oods, Now, the farmer who is in debt must get out ; better sell one-half or two-thirds of his farm and have the romainder clear of all on- cumbrance than continue this gambling system of betting on the weather and futuro price of grain.Reduce expenses by cutting off interest on mortgages, labor and implements required to raise crops, the price of which is an uncertainty, and then commence putting what is left in order, taking pleasure in the abundance of good things which surrounds us.Let quality! until thoy bad almost become extinct, 1 about the number of birds they have killed and eggs thoy have eaten, but that isa thing of the past.They are now watched by the farmer most accurately until the young are hatched ; they are then taken from their mother ; the eggs that are not hatched are taken home and generally put under blankets to completo the incubation.They are generally sold when a week old for £10 each to thoso farming with them ; they are become tho standard instead of quantity.| from the garden ; they are housed at night, Keep none but the best of animals, and give them the best of care, so that it will be a pleasure to see them grow, work or yield the natural product of the food consumed.and are put out during the day when the sun is warm, When a mouth old, they are \u2018taken out by a boy to the fields, on a pasture | peculiar to the country, to the age of two Instend of raising ton bushels of corn per | ycars, and will feed about the homestead acre mako each acre yiold ono hundred, and pursue the samo system with all crops, thereby doing away with tho necessity of large farms, especially for men with little capital.Follow this line until you reach the fruit and vegetablo garden, not forgot ting tho flowers, which are the unmistakable signs of refinement in every home which they surround.This is no fanciful sketch of impossibilities, but plain, practical truth, which it would be well for every farmer who is em- barrased financially and finds no pleasuro in his occupation to heed, and the sooner he begins to puts these hints in practice the quicker will be able to enjoy his posession, whether great or small.THE MARKS OF A GOOD COW.She's long in her face, she's fine in her horn, She'll quickly get fut without cake or corn, She's clean in her jaws and tull in her chin, | She's heavy in flank and wide in her loin.She\u2019s broad in her ribs and long in ber rump, | A straight and flat back without e\u2019er a hump, She's wide in her hips and calm in her eyes, She's fino in her shoulders and thin in her thighs, Sho\u2019s light in her neck and small in Ler tail, She's wide in her breast and good at the pail, She\u2019s fine in hor bone and silky of skin\u2014 She's a grazier's without and a butcher's within.Ammonia, or, as it is generally called, spirits of hartshorn, is a powerful alkali, and dissolves dirt and grease with ease.lt is recommended very highly for many domestic purposes.[For washing paint, put a teaspoonful in a quart of moderately hot water, dip in a flannel cigth, and with this simply wash off the wood work ; no scrubbing will be necessary.[For taking grease spots from any fabric, use the ammonia nearly pure, then lay white blotting paper over the spot, and iron it lightly.In washing laces put about twelve drops in a pint of warm suds.To clean silver, mix two teaspoonfuls of ammonia in a quartof hot soap- | suds.Put in your silverware and wash it, using an old nail-brush for the purpose.For | cleaning hair-brushes, &e., simply shake the brush up and down in the mixture of one: teaspoonful of ammonia to ono pint of hot, water ; when they aro cleansed rinze them in cold water, and stand them in the wind ; or in a hot place to dry.For washing} finger-marks from looking-glasses or win- | dows, put a fow drops of ammonia on a moist rag, and make quick work for it.If: you wish your house-plants to flourish, pus a few drops of the spirits in every pint of | water used in watering.A teaspoonful in a basin of cold water will add much to the!- refreshing offects of a bath, Nothing is better than ammonia water for cleaning the hair.In every caso rinze off the ammoria with clear water.To which we would only add, that for removing grease spots a mixture of equal parts of ammonia, and alcohol is better than alcohol alone ; and for taking out the red stains produced by strong acids in blue and black clothes there is nothing better than ammonia.The following recipe is asserted to produce a cement of very superior character for uniting stone and resisting the action of water.It becomes as hard as stone, is unchangeable in the air, and resists the action of acids.It is made by mixing together 19 pounds sulphur and 42 pounds pulverized stoneware and glass.This mixture is exposed to gentle heat until the sulphur melts, when the mas.ix stirred until it has become with the poultry.After that they have to bo kept in paddocks.The birds commence laying about the age of three and four years.They are attended to the same as wild birds, but when we find g hen has more oggs than she can cover thoy are placed in incubators, whoro it is interesting to study the process of incubation, Birdsaro kept solely for the feathers, They are plucked every cight months, and will average at each plucking £10 worth of feathers after the first plucking, which are chicken feathers and are not so valuable.INSCRIPTION ON A WATCIL, Little monitor, impart, Some instruction to tho heart ; Show the busy and the gay Lifo is hasting swift away.Follies cannot long enduro, Lifo is short and death is sure.Tlappy thoso who wisely learn \u2018Truth from error to discorn : Truth, immortal as the soul, And unshaken as the pole, Erpa's Cocoa.\u2014GRATEFUL AND CoMFORTINO\u2014\"\u201cBy à thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the opurations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-select- ed cocon, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavored beverage which may save us many heavy doctors\u2019 bills.1tis Ly the judicious use of such articles of dict that a constitution may be built up until strong enough (o resist every tendency to disease, Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around u- ready to attack wherever there is a weak point.We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame)\u2014Civil Service Gazette.Sold only in packets labelled-\u2014\u201cJaves Errs & Co, Homæo- pathic Chemists, 48, Threadneedle Street, and 170, Piccadilly, London.\u201d EXCHANGE BANK OF CANADA, VALLEYFIELD ACENCY.Interest Allowed on Deposits.TNRAFTS issued on Montreal and New York.United States currency bought and sold.D.B.PEASE, Agent, Valleyoeld, Aug.18.JAMES MELDRUM, Jr., Coal MERCHANT, No.32 WELLINGTON STREET, MONTREAL, AS constantly on hand all kinds of Smith and Foundry coal of superior quality, Giri , Jy antrea if ~~ 7 } Corner Notre Dame and Place d\u2019Armes, Imparts a thoroughly commercial cducation, and offers superior advantages for preparing young men for business pursuits.The course includes Bookkeeping in all its forms, Commercial and Mental Arithmetic, Correspondence and Penmanship, The progress is rapid, and the results beneficial and practical.Special instruction in French and Shorthand.For full information apply at the College, or address TASKER & DAVIS.Montreal, Oct.17.H'érory OF KING WILLIAM II, by Historicus of Belfast.Price 50 cents.sale at Gleaner Office.sent by mail on receipt of price.ORGANS! ORtuG ANS! thorouzhly homogencons, aud is then run ito moulds and permitted to endl, When require for u-o it is heated to VIS degrees Fahrenheit, at ao Lich temperature it melts, and may be cmploved in the usnal manner.At 230 degrees Fahrenheit it becomes as hard as stone, and preserves its solidity in boiling water.OsTRicH Farming \u2014A correspondent ot tho London Times writes: «Taming the ostrich and making it a domesticated bird has only been attempted of lato years ; formerly they used to run about wild on the plainy of South Arica, They werg shot by | Hour Prachi on the crime med vice so pre valent in the world, | Parents wentd do welll in view of the arproaching Eres an admit 3 Ge that ee Sdleee to make atta tive sel beanie! is pedi tive of Lang winter evenings, to cov for thelr rovitirs Îne teresting and instruc ive amntsenn nt, suchas books, papers, music, &e,, &e.And what ean be better than one of those beautiful Parlor Organs manufactured by the Smith American Organ Company of Boston, Mass, and a sample of which can be seen at my photograph rooms?For sweetness of tone, beauty of finish, and economy in price these instruments stand unrivalled, unexcelled, and ursnrpassed, Dr.Fergusson of Franklin Centre Las consented to Act as my Agent in that vicinity, Those about to purchase will find à sample at his office.JOHN H, GILMORE.the traders and natives for their feathers | have often heard my native servants talk fod on lucorne, clover or any grass stuff For, ANADA AGRICULTURAL INSUR- ANOB COMPANY .\u2014Heud Office 180 St.James street, Montreal, Capital, $1,000,000, Officers, Wu.Anous, President ; A.Dessanpiss, BLP, Vice- President ; Kpwano H.Gorr, Managing Director and Secretary ; J, 11.Sata, Chief Inspector ; J, P.Cox STABLE, Assistant Secretary, ADVANTAGES OFFERED.\u2014Tt is confined by its Charter to insure nothing more hazardous than Farm Property and Residences.It pays all losses caused by fire or damage done by lightning, whether fire ensues or not.It insures Live Stock against death by lightning, either in the building or on the premises on the assured.It refuses Mills, Shops, Tanncries, Stores, Hotels, and other extra hazardous property, and makes a #pecialty of Farm Property and Dwellings.It is not subject to heavy losses by great cone flagrations, and affords a certain guarantee to those it insures.It is a purely Canadian Institution, its business is confined to the Dominion, and is under the management of men who have devoted many years to this peculiar branch of Insurance, and understand thoroughly the requirements of the Farmers as a class, T.K.MILNE, Agent at Huntingden for the District of Beaubarnols .CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY.HE \u201cMINIMUM\u201d System of Assurances has just been adopted Ly this Company, where, by a partial application of the profits, rates of premium are charged Lower than have ever before been offered for Life Assurance.The following are the rates for Assurances of cach $1,000, with profits upon the rystem referred to: .ANNUAL .ANNUAL AGE.PREMIUM.AGE.PREMIUM.a1 $12 80 39 $23 80 22 13 10 40 24 70 | 23 13 50 41 25 60 24 14 00 42 26 50 8 14 70 43 27 49 j 2 15 20 44 28 50 27 15 80 45 29 60 Li 16 40 46 30 60 | 29 16 90 47 31 60 | 20 17 50 48 32 70 ; al 18 10 49 34 10 | 38 18 60 50 35 70 | 3 19 20 51 37 60 34 19 80 52 39 60 ith 20 40 53 41 70 38 21 10 51 44 00 | 27 22 00 55 46 40 38 22 90 The above table, and a full explanation of the | \u201cMinimum\u201d system are published, and may be had upon application.A.G.RAMSAY, | Managing Director, ! General Agent for Province of Quebec, R.POWNALL, Agent for Huntingdon, W.W.ConneTT ; Agent for I.HILLS, Secretary: \" Athelstan, J.BRADNER.| Canada Life Building, * 182 St.James street, Montreal.} Oct.16, 1876.THE ECLIPSE TEA STORE.CHOICE FAMILY GROCERIES AND | i \u2014 { | : MEDICINES, | FIYEAS, Coffees, Spices, Fruit, Flour, Salt, Fish, Soap, Tobacco, Cigars, Oils, Kssences, Notions, Garden Seeds, &e.Customers will find an extensive assortment of the finest new crop Teas very cheap, Best house in Huntingdon for TEA.opinion, Huntingdon, May 25.Public GEO.Q.ONEILL.THE SASH, BERTIE : land.Patent wheels FURNITURE FACTORY P the undersigned has Leen for some time, and is now undergoing Tepain first-class order.completed ay He is now prepared to exogute all werk in his tag with ry and asc BEF\u201d Good seasoned timber of all kinds on hand, Conatanciy A, HENDER5oy » Huntingdon, June 8.NEW CARRIAGE SHOP AT HELEN, \u2018WM.G.McKAY, Proprietor, li Having secured te ve vices of Mr J.J.Lag.CE Blacksmith, to do the in =) \u201c4 .work he is now preparog n te , furnish the public wig, ai = kinds of Open Buggies wg Top Carrlages of a} Also Express and Lume; Waggons constantly on used when ordered, Prices | styl.g, moderate.elena, Aug.30.WAL G.McKay DENTISTRY.I.Ww.MERRICK, DENTIST, FORT COVINGTON, N, Y., Bs to inform his many friends and patrons in Huntingdon County that he bas removed bis office to his new residence, situated on the street leading to Hoganburgh, opposite to the residence of K C.Congdon, where he may be found the first twenty, five duye of each month.Those having operation] performed or work dons can remain, and will be et tertained without extra charge.All operations ay warranted.Gold fillings are warranted for five years Fort Covington, Aug.7.i PIANOS AND ORGANS, THE SMITH CANADIAN ORG BROME, P.ÿ.AN COMPANY, O OUR FRIENDS AND THE PUBLIC \u2014In commencing the manufacture of Organs in the Province of Quebec, where little has hitherto been done towards the production of a FIRST-CLASS INSTRUMENT after careful consideration, we bave decided that the only course which can lead to permanently successful results is the production of the very best instrument that can possibly be constructed.To a certain extent the time chosen for inaugurating such an enterprise is unfavorable, inasmuch as a number of extensive manufacturers in the United States (a good many of whom have gained an unenviable reputation) have turned their attention to the fabrication of a cheap instrument for the Canadian market.These fhey are sending here in large numbers and selling them at low prices in order to realize money upon them under the pretence that they are sacrificing them on account of the bard times, Their inferiority of workmanship fully warrants this reduction in price.There has heen but little reduction in the price of skilled labor, and the value of first-class materials, instead of depreciating, has actually increased, Superior instr.ments cannot be made to compete with inferior ones in point of price, therefore the only course for us to pursue is to make the best instruments possible, and trust to the good judgment and discrimination of the public to decide between good and inferior work, aud pass their verdict on our productions, We pledge ourselves to use the best material that can be procured ; that our work shall be executed i the most thorough and substantial manner, and tha we Will sell our instruments nt as low à price as is consistent with n moderate profit.We are deter mined to give our customers instruments that wil defy competition from American manufacturers.And while we do not feel like harping to the public o the old string of patronizing Home Industry we do feel that if they will carefully and impartially cxam- ine our work they will not hesitate to say that we are producing a first-class instrument, BaF FULLY WARRANTED FOR FIVE YEARS Inspection solicited.Terms casy.Prices mode rate.T.K.MILNE, Agent at Huntingdon for the District of Beauharuois PIANOS ! PIANOS ! HAVE much pleasure in informing the inhabitants of this District that 1 have been appointed Agent by Mr Joseph Gould of Montreal for the Chickering, Steinway, Emerson & Gabler Pinnos, Mr Gould's reputation is so well known, as a man who sells nothing but the best, that parties wanting Pianos would do well to call at my rooms before pur chasing elsewhere, where 1 keep constantly on hand a full supply of Pianos and Organs., MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE COUNTY OF BEAUIARNOIS.| Tnsuiing only Farm and Fsolutod property.pret rehibaldIendersen, Fsq.Dir ters\u2014George Cross, Esqu, Francis WV Shirin Es MoD John Symons 1.Colonel Janes Reid Alesand 2 MeNanslton, Fag, and Daniel Mactalane E-q.Secrctiny and Tronstarere=Audeew Somerville noe .tinzdon.: Agents\u2014William Edwards, Franklin ; Robert Middlemiss, Hinchiubrooke ; Thomas Clarke, Ste ! Philomène ; Robert Smaill,, Elgin; P.Clancy, {N, P,and J, A, V.Amirault, N.P., Hemmingford ; i Wm.Gebbie, Howick; John Davidson, Dundee ; 1.1.ingertion and three cents ; Crevier, N.P, St Anicet; J.C.Manning, Franklin ; | Arthur Herdman, Herdman's Corners; Shanks & Milne, Huntingdon; J.B.Gibson, Dewittville; and Dr Maclaren, Durham.Parties wanting Organ or Piano Stools and Instruc- | tion Books can be supplied by me as cheap ns they | can in Montreal, T.K.MILNE, | Looms Dominion Block, Huntingdon, Q.P.S\u2014Having secured the gervices of a first-clas \"workman T am now prepared to receive orders for \"Tuning and Repairing Pianos.Oreaes, or any other \u201cmusical Instrument.Hnntingdon, Sept.26, 1878, PILE CANADIAN GLEANER 1 qrablisie i ed every Thursday at noon, Subscription.$1.50 a-year in advance, postage free, Single | copies, four cents euch.One dollar pays ; for cight months\u2019 subscription, two dollars tor a year and four months.Advertisements are charged soven cents per line for the first for each subsequent insortion.Advertisements of Farms for Sale.if not over 10 lines, are inserted three times for 81.No advertisement inserted for less B@F Parties wishing to insure their property, are than fifty cents.requested to apply to the agentsor Secrctary.| ROBERT SELLAR, Proprictor."]