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eee aye
” or the other in a train ?—an
December 10, 1881.
teo+zGOLDEN DAYS+:se=
ood bys my boy, and God bless
you
And there was a close grasp of the
hand, a last sinile, a hasty wave trom the
window, and then we were olf,
tow many grown-up men are there
who cannot recall, at some time or other,
this crisis in their’ lives, this first good-
by from the home of their childhood,
this stepping forth into the world, with
all that is familiar and dear at their backs,
and all that is strange and unknown
and wonderful stretching away like a
vast landscape before them?
IIow many are there who would not
give much to be back once more at the
threshold of their career, and to have
the chance of living over again the life
they begun there with such | bright hopes
- and such careless contidence ?
Ah, if some of them could have seen
whither that flowef-strewn path was to
lead them, would they not rather have
chosen even to die on the threshold than
take so much as the first step forth from
the innocent: shome of childhood ?
t I am wandering from my story.
For ‘halt an hour after that last good-
by, Charlie leaned back in the corner of
his carriage and gave himself up to his
loneliness, an ld feel his chest
heaving to keep down the tears that
would every now and then rise. unbid-
den to his eyes:
But what boy of thirteen can be in the
dumps for long, especially if he has a
new watch in his
Charlie was himself again before we
had well got clear of London, and_ his
reviving spirits gradually recalled to
his memory his father’s parting gift,
which had for awhile been hi halflorgot:
ten amid other cares.
Now again I was produced—I was
turned over and over, was listened to, was
peeped into, was flourished about, was
taken off my chain and put on again
with the supremest satisfaction,
At every station we came to, out I came
from his pocket, to be compared with
the railway time. By the clock at Buat-
field, Iwas a minute slow—a discrepan-
cy which was no sooner discovered than
I felt my glass face opened, and a fat fin-
ger and thumb putting forward my hand
to the required time,
At Norbely, I was two minutes fast
by the clock. and then, oh, horrors! I
found myself put back in thesame rough-
and-ready way. At Maltby, 1 was full
half a minute behind the great clock,
and on I went again.
At the next station, the clock and I
both gave the same time to a second, and
then what must he do but begin to regu-
late me.- After a minute calculation, “he
made the astounding discovery that
had, lost a minute and a quarter in four
hours, and that in order to compensate
for this shortcoming, it would be neces-
sary for him to move my regulator for-
ward the two hundred and fortieth part
ot an inch. This feat he set himself to
accomplish with the tof his scarf.
pin, while the train was felting forward
at the rate of thirty miles an hour!
I began to grow nervous. If this was
asam ple of what I was to expect, I had
indeed need be the healthy, hardy watch
was represented to be by my maker.
.And yet I could not be Xnety. sith my
brave, honest little tormentor. It was
a sight to see bim daring that long jour-
ney, in all the g' of anew suit, with
a high hat on his ‘nexd for the first time,
and a watch in his pocket. Jn his pock~
et, did I say? I was hardly ever so
ucky.
Every five minutes he whipped me
out to see how the time was going. If
he polished ime once with his handker-
chief, he did it twenty times, and each
time with such vigor that I was nearly
red-hot under the ‘operation.
And no sooner was he tired of
ing me, than he took to paying his
the same attention, till that wretched
article of decoration must have trembled
for its nap.
Then he would take to whistling and
singing—what boy can hel cong one
ss I heard
all his little witless songs ‘and. a y chirp-
ing, I thought it the pleasantest music
one could possibly listen to.
And_ not to let his hands be less busy
than his throat, he would bring out the
wonderful six-blade knife his uncle had
given him, and exploring all its wonders,
and opening all its blades at the same
time, together with the corkscrew, the
Roe the pincers and the button-
ook, at different angles, would terrify
the lives out of his fellow passengers by
twirling the awful bristling weapon in his
fingers within a foot or so of their faces.
“Mind, dear,” said an old lady, on the
seat opposite, * ‘you'll cut your fingers
off, I’1n certain.’
“Oh, no, I won't!” exclaimed he, tak-
ing out his handkerchief, and beginning
to polish t the blades one after ano! other.
The old lady trembled as she watched
him, and sighed with relief when the
operation was over,
Presently, having nothing particular
to (20, he stared at her.
“Woul you lke | to know the time,
ma ’ain?”? he ing
wae you please,” “plied the good old
ir Well, it’s just seventeen minutes and
nineteen’ seconds past thre iy
watch. Would you like to see for your-
self, ma’am?”?
/ And, leased to have a fid
pan” said the old lady. “Tom
“On” replied my master, ‘all right.
Good-b,
And the next minute the train went
on, and he was left standing, surround-
ed’ by his luggage, in the middle of the
Piatlorin, ikea lig light-house in the middle
a .
(v0 BE CONTINUED.]
HOLIDAY GIFTS.
BY FLORENCE B.
HMALLOWELL.
The advent of the holiday season ren-
ders the subject of sits one of special
1 of}
of
his possessions, he loosed my chain and
flourished re bodily before ‘the eyes of
hig new friend.
6 took me “kindly and said:
q What a fine watch you’ve got, dear!”
“Yes,” replied he, with lofty conde-
scension. ‘Like to see his works?”
‘““You should be caretul, you know,”
she sald “Watches so easily get out of
“Oh, Iwon’t hurt it!’ said he, pro-
ceeding to take off ny coat and waistcoat.
“'There—there are his works! Don’t
breathe hard, or you’ll damp them.”
So the old lady held her breath and
peeped in—much to my young master’s
gratification.
“And so you’re going to school, my
man 2” said she, present]
es Who told you? Did my fa-
uu
o
“Did you, though? Can you guess
what the name of the school is?”
‘*No, I can’t do that.”
“Have a try.”
“Well, then, I guess Randlebur.
because my boy is there, and it’s the
only one I can think of.
The boy stared at her.
“Tlow ever did you know that?”
“ What!” she exclaimed. ‘ You don’t
mean to tell me you are going to Randle-
ury ?”?
am, though.”
“Well, I never!’ cried the good old
soul. ‘Who would have believed it?
Think of vo going tothe same school
as my ”
“Ts Ton your boy’s name ?””
“Yes.”
“Ts he a nice boy?”
Such a question to ask one’s mother!
The old lady burst into tears, instead
of answering—a proceeding which great-
ly, alarmed and disconcerted my master.
jon’t ery!’ he said, excitedly.
“Look here! T didn’t mean—oh, don’t!
Look here, shall I tell you the time?
It’s —it’s sixteen minutes to four. I
didn’t mean, you know! or course he’s
a nice e boy! Oh, don't ery !
An he trot into such a state that the
old lady dried her eyes at once.
‘Never mind me, dear,’’ said she,
“It wasn’t you made me cry—it was
thinking of my Tom, You'll be a good
friend to him, won't you, dear?”
“Perhaps he won't like me?”
“Now, I’m sure he will!” exclaimed
the lady, warinly —so warmly that
quite loved her ‘or my little master’s
sak
Both were: silent for some time, and
then Chartic asked :
“T say, has he got a watch?”
“ Now
“Oh, never mind!” said he, in a tone
of evident relief. ‘I can tell him the
time, you know, whenever he wants to
know.
‘'To-be-sure you can.’
Then Charlie took to polishing me
and the chain up again—an occupation
which lasted until we arrived at Gun-
borough Junction, a here passengers
changed for Randle
by, dear,”” said ‘the old lady, as
Charlie proceeded to get together his
things.
**Good-by,” said he. Would you
like to know the time before Igo? ‘It’s
eight past five. -by.
“May I give youa kiss?” said she.
Charlie blushed, but offered his cheek
hurriedly.
“And you
to Tom" sai
romise to bea good friend
she, kissing him. * Won't
ren right,” said the boy, jumping out
on tothe’ platform, and running to see
after his luggage.
nN w& moment, however, he returned
to the window and put his head in.
“Tsay,” said he, “ what’s his name—
Tom what?”
since the custom of bestowing some lit:
tle present, however humble, upon: the
members of the family, is well-nigh uni-
versal among civilized nations,
To sit with some chosen friend, plan-
ning pretty things for the coming Christ-
inas-tree, has a fascination for girls sec-
ond only to anew bonnet, and they are
always glad to receive suggestions for
articles which do not involve too great
an outlay of pin-money; for every girl
knows how fast that melts away about
holiday-time.
Materials for many economical and
tasteful gifts can be gathered from the
fields and woods, and you cannot begin
to make your collection too early in the
season
Scarcely anything will come amiss—
imosses, ferns, acorns, leaves, cones,
shells, lichen- bark, sea-mosses, ete., etc,
Those girls are ‘fortunate who have,
during the summer vacation, laid in a
supply of this kind.
rom bireh-bark a great number of
useful as well as ornamental presents
can be made, such as wall-pockets, hold-
ers for shaving-paper, pockets for whisk-
brooms, card-baskets, napkin-rings, ete.
A pretty set of table-mats can be made
by weaving the dark and light shades of
bark together, and edging off with moss
or flutty worsted fringe.
Last year I made a pair of vases of
birch- bark, cutting four shapes, and a
bottom piece for the stand, ing the
edges together with ribt
munex pensive hanging-baskets can ba
y covering goblets from which
the stands have been broken, witha little
net of crocheted worsted, athered with
acord at the bottom, and ung up with
cords from the top.
A piece of pasteboard run’ about t
top of the cover venders it firmer. War
dering Jew, or plant, will grow
finely. in these goblerd if they are kept
full of water.
For a court-plaster case, take two
pieces of white, perforated cardboard,
four by three inches; work a simple pat
tern around the edge of each with Split .
zephyr or colored silk ; put the initials
of the one who is to receive it on one
side, and on the other, work in small
letters, ‘I heal all wounds save those of
love,” or:
“Tt pin or knife should thee offend,
little cuse reliet will lend.”
Bind together the two sides and one
end with narrow ribbon, or overcast
them with worsted or silk. Attach loops
of ribbbon to the top, so that it may be
hung on the bureau or gas-pipe.
To till it, take two visiting cards ef the
same size, put coloréd and white court-
plaster between them, cuta hole through
them all on one side, and tie with a nar-
row piece of ribbon to fasten, them, let-
ting aloop hang out. Slip this into the
ase.
Very pretty baskets can be made from
the crowns of old straw-hats. Bind the
edge of the crown with ribbons of any
shade you like, or line the whole as you
woulda hat. Work a stem on one side
with green worsted, cut out, from red or
green flannel, a numiber. of leaves, and
sew them on the stem, working alittle
tendril of a contrasting color in the cen-
tre of each,
Press the crown together so that a flat
side will hang against the wall. Put on
loops of worsted or twisted worsted, and
finish off with tassels. lilled with dried
ferns or grasses, this is a beautiful orna-
ment.
Cases for holding shaving-paper can
be cut from cardboard in any shape—
stars, hearts, large leaves, or scollops.
The white or colored tissue- -paper must,
of course, be cut of the same shape, and
fastened between with a ribbon. The
cease can be ornamented with transfer-
pictures, pen-and-ink sketches, a flower_
‘“pinking’? the bark at the top. The
face was ornamented with pressed ferns,
glued on, and when finished I filled
each vase with bright autumn leaves,
Covers for flower-pots can be made in
the same manner, with the exception of
the bottom piece, which of course is not
needed. The bark will bear. splitting
many: times when it is desirable to have
o
Wall- pockets for music, letters, cards
or newspapers are tasteful and useful,
and easily made. There is a wide range
of material from which to choose—card-
board, perforated board, in white, zold,
blue and silver and bireh-bark.
I have also seen very pretty wall-poc-
kets made. from the large, square hand-
kerchief-boxes, which merchants are
quite willing to part with when empty.
When the board or bark is to be cut, one
can choose any. pattern which pleases
the eye.
Those who understand “spatter work”’
can ornament plain white cardboard to
great advantage. A. tastefully-arranged
roup of ferns gives, perhaps, more sat-
isfaction to the “spatterer’’ than a clus-
ter of leaves,
The ferns should he fastened on the
eardboard with small pins, at every
pint. until the whole lies entirely flat.
Prepare in asaucer some India ink, ino-
derately liquid; dip into it an old tooth-
brush, and cause it to spatter, by draw-
ing it Across the teeth of a comb.
Ifthe ink is just right, the spatters
will be very fine and light; if too liquid,
they will be large and unequal. Begin
spaitering at the centre of the group,
making it darker just about the ferns by
successive applications.
When sufficiently dark, and perfectly
dry, unpin the ferns, and there will re-
main a beantiful white impression.
Spatter work is exceedingly fascinat-
ing, though anything but clean; for one
is sure to spatter a good part of the ink
on the face and hands. <A long, large
aproh, of some old material, shoul
ways cover the dress during the process,
The same kind of ornamentation upon
linen, with indelible ink, is pretty and
suitable for tidies, toilet sets, protectors
for the washstand and pin-cushion cov-
or spatter
ork.
Dolls that little folks thoroughly en-
joy can be made of cotton-batting. Ttavo
a small roll of paper for a foundati tone
Cut a frock from the wadding, and s
iton the paper at the top, ormamenting
the edge of the little skirt witha chain-
stitch of bright worsted.
A little shawl and hood, also worked
in chain-stitech, come next. Draw the
hood at the back with a cord of worsted,
Roll upasinall piece of wadding for the
body and head; sew on black beads for
the eyes, and work the nose and mouth
in worsted. Attach it to the foundation,
sew on the shawl and hood, make a lit-
tle worsted bow for the neck, and the
“snow dolly ”’ iscomplete.
Yo make'a fancy as well as a peculiar
frame, take the frame of an old slate
and cover it with beans and: rice, weil
glued down, in any y pattern you choose,
Corn and oats can also be used, if de-
ed.
A great deal of pretty work can be
done on avery limited amount of inoney,
if the girls will only mnake the necessary
effort, and exercise some ingenuity.
Deft and willing fingers can work
wonders. Something of the donor
should accompany each gilt. No matter
how simple it is, if worked with loving
fingers, it is precious to the one who rez
ceives it. And the most inexpensive
gift, if appropriate and useful, is more
rized than one which, though valuable
In itself, is perpetually i in the way.
'o give appro, gifts we must be
thoughtful in s om, and ever on the
alert to catch a desire which may be ex-
pressed by our friends for this or that.
Mother may take real comfort in a con-
venient sweeping-cap, which need not
necessarily be unbecoming; a set of
erochet table-mats, a crochet dish-cover,
a holder for the teapot, or a set of
dusters.
Father may like a pen-wiper, a foot-
rest, or a slipper-case, Brother Jack, a
cigar-case, pencil-holder or paper-rack.
~ Let your gifls possess individuality
and originality, as. far as possible, that
they may be precious to the recipient;
and if they are the result of labor,
thought and self-sacrifice, they will be
doubly