The New Shop.

Tiiv '■ ■'■ 'r;rviur:' trifling sketch, written ~-_ae -~,-.'••; •:_ -. . ' -■~;>. !)'-) without intoi-est to "\" .<■;• ' "')■,.. !...-;ot' to-day. The village in > v i,;.i. r.; ~ -jovvihoo was bniltia about fcwolvo „V i,.'" ~ ; ,-,f >,:>.:. ! 0 '!, in . b». pleasant country 0 f ~. ■ ';'':■,...;.■■; ijrictor was a btraugor to t,.,. )i] : ;■• '>,;■.• ~'• .-> h:wl trod the even tenor ./ ■-;..■.-.. .--•- .<i.r a century and more. T__« m.•..!._;r ..vrv.'•",.! .-Mid wondered at the wonder ful V. ,/;;'iop, ami imagined that the new ■.."„:,.:.; .. we_, from the costliness of their cir:i...»-w't.:.y, invaded for & gin palace, for th? v; '.nation was indeed excellent; others cotite*::_d it «;.'•• some capitalist lineudiaper from own : but tha .secrecy observed by all ii -r').-; cone rriied \va« so great, that nothing could .1 .".acorUnued. '"'ho premise*, however, were soon comple ted, iMidtrae mystery was at length unfolded by *:-'.■.] n..r.uiu &n& onsiue3s painted iv gay c010u... on a largo board in front ; and * Driver and Co.,' it appeared, was tho im -oT'tr.i_t linn which had settled down its jr.-.t-i iimba among the pigmies. Their line of bn„nn~- '..oneral dealers'—was somewhat v-j;] ; !i_i_ it was uumiatakeably interp>'c t'.cThy'-.ne univorsa- character of tho articles ~.:,;■,.''■. >■:.[ ,'.; the shop, to which certainly no less co-uproiiansivo term could have been tnu-tmc ..' Grocery and hardware, butter and biicki-i", salts and drug 3. anything and cvo.v'..l ■;.<•;, wore to bo obtained at tho new B\\r.'X r -V., the promises being extensive, e'i■■'..'..-,-,...,... i-rr-tagod according to its peculiar ~'1 . '.,..„ i -...,. r( . . ..^ on( . ba!f the neighbouring t.-Al-.-r.n.-;. u'lnrM with dismay, ia the new oHirvr-ii;",}.):..;;'ir, ~ ,"i /antic opponent. In ■. .rou :.boo immeriiately liecaaae, as ma 3' ~,0 j : ~ ... i ,'.; liuitu a fo*.u.o in She quiet i...;u ; /r :r, ; ;c ~(' ; iii.ir, and its Splonded glues .rout a.vi _*<tiv/ li'-:.iujjs-up certainly appeared l;n •■r'.;a; ailva__.i..;.', at night espooially, v/h-i't .ho profusion of gas-lights formed a perf-cl ;-';:■'. of light, which threw ovary (-•;•!, ~. .-;:;. ~. ":,[.. : ..lace far into tlie shade. Tns you- .u■ t*rn--'.'r; could scarcely believe i-h : ., .._■:■.•;''i.-i:";;-..;.u~a'r.>e panes of glass were in a-;--:. oieo, _.»_•;* -he trim-do rustbs lifted the;c «."c-i in ■. lu'iiiuai as the 'power of >nouft'-.'' it mi;... b.ive cost. Everything was 5.i'_.u.:..;5..l '.n _:... wi-idoi'/sin the moss tempt in » i_-..:i .or, wi.'.; iirioo-tickets appended, the ii .;,;,. ,n ,'/i:icli ~.sfioni3ued and delighted the iii..rko'.ii.-: foiks oi the neighborhood, so muck .;•;>, t ;-.'. tho cst~b_i.sh_uen_ soon became kuo..■■■._ by '-'•-; asuu of : tho Cheap -.hop/ iv.-_.ii. 1.'..-; 'r.-r _ '.•■.pt.i'.ious, other deruon tjt.. .i r ,voru made t;y the new firm, which :.'V. ir: _. .it.' jto ita popularity. 'J'he n-,;i/h!!Cri'ho.')d wini deluged with cards _.:.d h.'.iidh.'iis ; tho walls were placarded for miles rou:i(t; and no expedient of puffing was left unresorier. to. Tae uhopmen, w.'.o were young and ac.ive. scrmied always in a bustle ; "u._ir.by _• ■ ;kg ::.ri(L boxes, and unopened bales, wen ahvayd abou. the door ; and a gay iight cart v/.\s r-0.-iticuaiiy co bo seen on the roads in i:i.: neighborhood ; thou,;!: there were t.'oino ir-. fie viil-ige ill-natured enough to ..s-.'.r.-i, ton'; i'" was kept for show rattier than f ,: v, •-, ur-.d. rv.\. i,r,--.'y a kind of locomotive .viv. '•; c-r.1.. A;'. these things, however, had ■.-•. ii- v.p., ;..u'. fcrved to a'triet the at tention of even the least regardful ; and n.:.;!-, w:.o n'.i'a a<.?;r»ni«hod at t!io show of busiiu->;: r.'i""l'\ wi-.ro cm ion.;; to deal at a shoo ;.. ii.vc/it.y so univeraaliy patroniocd by 'oh". nei_:ii';.'irhood. M.i:;.v other eXjisdicnts, aad somo no. a lifctie ingeuioui and singular, wore adopted by _!.■_. new th.o\) for attaining publicity. Reside j Lho hackneyed protonc-^f 'selling off, ' ah-cration of premises,' 'damaged stock,' _c. v/hicli 1; 'r-i. ti... village in a state of con tinue! excitement, one of their manit-uvrec w«,r? nr-.'-eminently successful, and was so pU,.u3ii)le ,i c; to conciliate many who had formed an ill opinion of the honesty and honourable intentions"of Driver and Co. Hillw wci-s i'• '-i' 7 o:: all tho walls in the neigh bour'! f...:!, .'■•■.'.'. ing that a bank-note bad boen pickc 1 :i;> in the shoj), prosumod to have h-;rer. urop-.d by one of their customers, »r,i! ':..'; chc: owner, by making goodhis'claim, mi ;'i'.; iave it uuon application. This was a C'-!iif-... adver.isomont; the tongues of the sirrp'r and unsusruciou. were full of the pr,'!>--■ of the hocest and honourable firm, aud many "'ll > hid hitherto continued their p-.t,-. -,-• o <, i,ho old-established shojjkooners, determiporl tbey would henceforth support a iirm'.'f'.ueU iii-cgrity and principle. Th"re were cWs-vinly ;;i>ma far-seeina people in the villa ;o who lan:;hod at the affair with an air of suspicion tnd incredulity, but the majority fiooutcr. such nneharifcablenoss; and the popularity and custom of Driver aud Co. visibly ':>: !.;:*:■<;<'!. from week to week. Some were attracted by the extreme civility of the young men, who were bo attentive, so anxioiin to please, and invariably wrapt up the change in paper. Some of the labourers' wives ■:''(.•;!-.;■!.-! they could save a shilling a woel. i>y dealing inhere, so cheap were tho artioli!.-'. Ho Kit v/ero attracted by the splen did ap,;-i. r;>.ieo of the shop ; but perhaps the greater ;i.v. wont at first from curiosity to con '.'- Tii.i.ce, and !;o try the articles that were .''''■'' •••/■; nueh ui'trveilonsly low prices. Coi'!.:;:n it is that tho aow shop wan abundant ly )y: roi.iyed, ;ni(] o:i Saturdays was always cro "ded tili long pvit midnight. Things ,v(;n ■ou in this way for several months, anil Driver and Co. were gradually absorbing the custom of the district. JNrot witbstandicg this apparent prosperity, Himr.Mi-. ■-/:•:>■•-• rc)i"i;.d abro.ul that whcdcsale ."(•rrfr-::- •.«/,-. r-; rv; -.-.,?!.; In vaia for l.heir money, thbt the >.!,■•_ hrivial and unsauisfaetory re.;;ir-< r; -~ v. c.ou'-inuftily urged for deferring payment, nud thnfc fciie concern must soon eo;.ie ■.-.-. _w.iri-st'll. !_ was asaertcd »lso th;.1; 1,! i !i..-.i.'i -4 tho firm (r.omc said thab he Co.';;'-• •: •■ ■■• i.iri.Ke'if Mi; entice company) .h.a.l .' !■.-'•• country boa.-;.., !_rpt his cd> uod foctmau, rejoiced in a largo ctj_sb!i3h'«e_!t and expensive fcaWc ; r.a,. tiiat his lady show ed, by b?,-r style of dress, she was determined to be not a".nit .>__.*_'. hi;r husband fa the liberality of h<:v err s ;c-i.ditare. The surround ing trade..men aiso declared i. v/as impossible to pu; ci.tr. s i ..li'iiy of the articles at the price for vdi.u-h •.;>' v.x-rosold at the new shop ; aud that ei-.hi.-r they were never paid for, or eb;3 the proprietor vr-.iuk. uoon bo i_ii__cd. However this miglit h^vebeen, certain it wss that, v/itiiui a twelvemonth f.ouu its opening, a knot* of early custumers was seeu one line moniiiig vainly striving lor admittance ; the 1

shop was closed, and for ever. Driver and Co. werein.he Gazette, aad the stock was shortly afterwards advertised to be sold off for the benefit of the creditors. Great was the coas-_._»tioa the village aud neighbourhood at. this sud .en denoue ment ; and the elongated faces of the many commercial-looking men who inquired anxiously in tho 'neighbourhood, indicated how extensively the mischief had operated. Many house;, of respectability, it was rumoured, had been deluded by the specious representations of the firm, ant), had credited Shorn so extensively, that they were uoable in turn to meet their engagements ; and more ■chaa one promising young fcradosuaau, who had liberally advanced goods on the faith of their respectability and good intentions, saw themselves involved in ruin. Disastrous also were the results to the little tradesmen in the village. Most of the shopkeepers in the same live of business had been more or less affected, and many, seeing their custom for saking them, and no other mode of escape from she crushing evil, left the neighbourhood to try their fortunes elsewhere. One poor grocer, who had previously struggled hard to maintain his family of six children in lespec tability, after some time manfully endeavour ing to bravo the impending storm, had no other alternative than to tear hi 3 heart from all his long-cherished associations, and emigrate to Auckland New Zealand, and an industrious cheesemonger, who had, previous ly to the settling down of ' the Cheap Shop,' contrived for many years to support an aged relative, was compelled, owing to the decline of his business, to send her down to her own parish in Hampshire. Independent of the injury done to the moral; . >f trade in Ssher a..--<_ Kings. o_i, m-ny a 3" ■ ' passed away be fo.e the evil was neutral; I -.vhich was bred &nd fooocrcd by tho Nj-W Sao.-. J.B.

Spirit Mysteries.

Modern spiritualism is like alar k mysterious thunder cloud which floats from placo to place, aud hovers, and lightens in order to compel recognition, and establish a communication of sympathy and intelligence with the under world. The dark cloud of mystery is now hovering over Council Bluffs, and the little city has been struck with its lightning, Mrs. Almy is a respectable lady, well known in Council i.lulls, and her reputation for truth and veracity is the best. She is married, and matter-of fact, and never was iuigaiuative, or foolish or flighty. She was never at a spiritual seance or lecture in her life, and as no sympathy, whatever, with what are called spiritual manifestations. Ynt she avers upon her honor as an unbeliever in the visitation of spiritual essences or embodiments on bis mundance sphere, rculy that she has seen a spirit—and one and the same spirit, eleven times. It is a woman in full dress, excepting her back hair. Mrs. Almy says she lirsc feels a chillliucss creep over her and then an electrical cxcilemenc, and then the form of the strnge woman gradurally unfolds itself to her visison. It comes in broad dryligli-i and when ali her five senses arc about her. She has tried to make her husband and others see it, but they cannot; they appear to have no spiritual discernment. To her the figure is just as plain as a pump in open day. It'cannot talk, but once it took her by the hand aud went for a pancil and paper. and tried to write a message, yet could not make an intelligible communication Mrs. Almy grow very tired of this troublesome ghost, and finally told it to go and come on more, which roused the female spirit and made it angry. At least it scowled a sentiment of irritation. Another phenomenon of this marvel is narrated. Some time ago Mrs. Almy bought a large, glossy and beautiful hair switch of a lady who said it made her sick to wear it. Mrs. A. mado.severalattempts to wear it, and it gave her headache every time she put it on. One day when she was examining the switch, and wondering what could be in it that put her in paiti, she was first seized with the coldness, and other unpleasant sensations. Then the aforesaid appearance unfolded its outlines and fulness of form, very much as a daguerreotype is developed under the action of chemicals. The woman which appeared to stand before her had no back hair, but the lack of this suggested to Mrs. A. no connection between the spiritual presence and the beautiful switch of hair which she held in her hand. On another occasion soon after Mrs. A. was again holding and admiring the switch, and lliinlciug of its painful influence. Again tho cold and the spirit came, and with it the thou-lit, that tho switch of hair itself was charged with some potent influence. The next time Mrs. A. tried it as an experiment, and the handling of the hair produced the spiritual result promptly anil potently. So she called up this spirit from the unknown world eleven times in all, nod

then becoming weary of experimenting with wonders she put tho hair swilch away in a drawer and locked it up. Since its bureau banishment she has looked at it several times, and if seems to be wasting away, hair at a time. ___ut the ghost, does not trouble ?.lrs. Almy any more. Wow there are two professional spiritual mediums in Council Bluffs, both women, and. it appears that the business of the ghost with Mrs. Almy was so important that the spirit betook herself to these women to make a communication, The story goes that each medium got the same massage for Mrs. A., and that there was no collusion bet—een the two. The massage was : I and a certain man. who is still Jiving, murdered your father in San Francisco

for his money. That man soon afterward killed me and threw my body into the river. There is a considerable sum _of money in a California bank which belonged to your father, aud which I desire' that you may get. Write two letters to two certain persons (the names and addresses were here given by the spirit,) and you will find out something, and know what to do. The hair switch which you hold in your hand onco hung in natural profusion from my head. I wish to atone, as far as I can do so, for the crime'which I committed. I can find no rest until I make whatever restitution lies in my power. If you refuse to do as I direct, I will spirit that hair all away, and give it to some other person through whom I can communicate. Mrs. Almy says that her father died suddenly some years ago in his bed in a San Francisco hotol, and if he left any money she had never heard of it before. JXo one was with htm when he died, so far as known. Mrs. Almy has so far yielded her unbelief and prejudice, that she is going to write the letters and see what the result will be. The marvel mongers of Council Bluffs will await further developments with interest.

Human Decorations.

Hctvian decoration is an art in itself, yet a sadly abused one, because it is exaggerated to a great extent. One of the most remarka ble specimens of this art I ever saw was the eeceutric duke de Brunswick. Now, were t duchess iu-stead of duke, i would pass it by, out it is so seldom tuat the male 3ex re sort, even in their old age, to artificial meau3 to repiaco tneir faded charms, I cannot refrain from citing this rare example. The duke and his suit were at Venice in 18G0, and occupied apartments in the same hotel with me, in fact they were vis-a-vis. The duke, when he had decorated his frame, was a tali, scout, rosy-cheeked brunette, with heavy moustache aud rich biack favorites, and at a distance appeared to be a man about thirty years of age, aud would be doomed haud sotao by moat people. He was sixty then ; he had no hair on his head, not an eyebrow aor a bit of beard. It »,ook him tnree hours to prepare his face. "He had an artist who was, iv every sense of Che word, an excellent pupil and perfectly skilled in the art of decorating the human frame. A portrait, which the duke had in hia younger days, was the model for him in his advanced years, aud every art was wrought to make him resemble this picture. In brief, is was a aucccssful attempt. I have met few men who have used art in their ' make-up ;' per haps thoy had an overstock of it in their mental composition. But the fair sox—what would the druggists aad perfumers of the present day do withoat them ? Nevertheless, I stand aghast to sco the beautiful young f<irls, whoae youth in itself is a 'human decoratioo,' plaster their smooth brows with powder, paiut aad other cosmetics, until they .esembie the wax-doils in a toy-shop. I. is a haiah truth, yet a fact, that American youth use more cssmetics than any other women in the world, and this is strikingly true in certain cities. I givegLouisville the palm, for the respectable ladies of this city, with few exceptions, young aud old, paint, powder aud dye. I see every day the wife of a most re .pectable merchant, a leader of fashion, who celebrated hor golden wedding a long time sicco, waddling aloag with golden curl.'., rosy cheeks, and eyes, Cleopatra-like, penciled and daubed with charcoal, aping youth and eliagiug to the dilapidated relies of her former beauty with painful tenacity, Ninon de Lonclo., the famous French beauty, who died at tho aye of ni_ie-y--ive, and who was so remarkably well preserved at the age of eighty that she still had admirers at her faotsaid of beauty : ' Beauty is an excellent letter of recommeudatioo, but of brief credit.' Tnis remarkable woman, like Diane de c'oitiers, certainly must have had the secret of rejuvenation, because licr life was no. a moral one, nor was it exempt from sorrow ; nevertheless her brow at fifty was like a maiden's of twenty. Sho eclipsed her sex in

her day,

Tiie habit of biting the lips is almost as bad as that of the nails, because it renders them colorless, roughens them, and finally causes perceptible wrinkles, aud iujures their shape. A large mouth is only beautiful when the teeth a.-c Hue. The teeth, strange to say are now often neglected by women whoso m 'ans and time permit them to take excel lent care of them. I know young ladies— belles—just out of their teens, who, from gross carelessness neglected their teeth, until p.iu and decay forced them to visit a den uibt. There is not a feature in a woman's face that; requires more care than the mouth aud teeth ; they are as useful as the eyes, and equally ornamental. L.dies, take care thorn. B.auty of tho hauds is a beauty that often stands alone, because a pretty hand is au uuusual sight. The loveliest bauds I ever muw were those of the ' Duchess of Geneva' ia 181)7. 1 saw a marble east she had t^kea of them, which was much aduiir.d in artistic circles at tho time. The Italian women are very careless of their bauds, and I have, with groat surprise, seen ladies of rank unglove their bands in the carri.gs, church, and at a promenade, wheu the nails were literally clothed ia din., and naturally; seeing this among ladies of wealth and geatl<. breeding, I was not surprised to see tho hands of the middle cla.s quite an bad, if not worse, la Egypt the middle classes .ifcaiu their nails and hands!...' much lh«_t it ;,s hard to tell when they ate clean, bus the lower class have the most perfect, shaped hauds i ever saw. Iv ifrauce, particularly in all the large cities, the women ia nearly ail classes take parti cular pains with her hands, ao much so, they go regularly to what is called a Manicure that is, a person who makas the care of the hands a speciality. In Paris this profession is most lucrative, and there are at least six hundred men-and women engaged in it. For the beuiiiu of those who may be curious enough to know something of this novel, yet not new calling, I give a brief description of how they manage rheir aff.tus. Ten years ago I was at the French institution of Madame Michel, at school, and while there

quite shocked my teacher by'asking her one day to trim my nails. 'Why, Mademoiselle,' said she, you should have a manicure.' I was so abisned at the mistake I made in asking hor to do such a thing .that 1 naively answered, ' Will not my knife do as well - Oh, no,' said she, «we will have a mani cure here in the morning ; your nails require shaoiug.' , . I supposed the manicure was a ateei instrument used for paring the nails; so retired wi*;h ungratified curiosity till the morrow, when at an eariy hour the steward informed me the ' Manicure' is here. Supposing it to be, according to the French diction, masculine gender, I said : ' Bring it up.' ' Oh, excuse me, mademoiselle, ne never comes to the sleeping apartment; he always waits in the reception room.' I came down, and there .stood the instur ment to shape my irregular nails—a tall, dark-skined individual, with flowing jet locks beardjaud imperial. To say I was surprised is too weak an assertion ; I was struck dumb with astonishment. My teacher had just gone through with her usual paring, and bade me be seated. The operation began. First a sharp French-shaped instrument cut the nails, sloped them on the sides with a point in the centre ; then a tiny pair of pichers were nsed to pull off all the pieces of dry skin around the nails commonly called by us " hang-nails ; " then a steel file was used to raise the skin up and push it back so as to show the " half-moon " on the nail, which was considered part of its beauty ; then a liquid was pourod over it to bathe it; then dried and a red pomade, spread thin, rubbed off with a fine yellow powder, whica caused them to shine; It took about a half an hour, and cost the munificent sum of sixty cents. There are women in Paris who obtain as high as ten francos a visit ; others who have contracts by tha month. They generally recieve from S 12 to $ 30 per month. They do a flourishing business among tho demi-moud and are better puid by them than tha noblesse of the beau.monde. Some of them are perfect experts in their profession, and make as much by the sale of powder, soap, pomade and other cosmetics for tho hands as they do at'the operating. I hear an enterprising woman ia New York has set herself up in elegant style, and charges one dallar a sitting in her office, and two to ladies' residences. I hate to achnow ledgs it, but I am forced to state that Ameri can ladies are very careless about their finger nails—they barely keep them clean—and thay have, in many instances, the viciou3 habit of biting them. When they pare them they cut them so deep as to allow the fl _sh to grow over aad give their fingers the form of a pad. Pretty, white-shapad hands are plentiful in America, but a pretty nail is seldom seen. The cleanliness and care of the nails i 3 oue of the most iudespensable cares of the toilet, and dirty naiis on a pretty hand are a3 nglv and offensive a3 decayed teeth in a pretty mouth. It is not dfficult to attain perfectnails. A. little attention will suffice. Aid nature. Voila tout. Another thing ladies should avoid, is wearing; short shoes to make their feet look small. They do theinsMves a positive injury. Half the imperfections of the feat are caused by short shoes. After the Egyptians and Chinese, the Ameriein women have smallest feet, the French the most perfectly formed, and the daughters of Albion tho largest.—Makie T. CorjRCBLLKS.

English and American Fun.

Thk difference between American and Eng lish comic literature has been thus cleverly put by Josh Billings :—' Amerikans love caustic thiuga ; they would prefet turpentine to coione-water, if they had to drink either. So with the relish of humour ; they mast hay it on the half shell with cayenne. An Englishman wants his fun smothored deep in mint sauce, aud he iz willing tew wait till the next day before he taste 3 it. If you tickle or convince an Amerikan, ya hay got; tew do it quick. An Amerikan luvs tew laff, bu. he dou't luv tew make a bizzines3 of it ; he works, eats, and hawhaws on a canter. I guess the English hay more wit and the Amerikans more humour. We hav'nt had time yet to bile down our humour and git the wit out ov it. Tho English are better punsters, bub i konsider punning a sort of literary sakripuise, in which future happyness iz swopped oph for the plezzure ov the moment. There iz one thing i hay noticed ; evryboddy that writes expecks tew be wize or witty —co doz evryboddy expect tew be saved when they die ; but there iz good reason tew believe that the goats here after will be ia the majority, just nz the sheep are here. Don't for»it one thing, yu hay got tew be wize before yu kan be witty ; and don't forgifc livo things, a single para gr.-.fT haz made sum men immortal, while a volume haz bin wdss than a pile-driver tew others.'

An Awkward Mistake.

I When Sirt Ralph Abercrombie was ( wounded, Sir Sidney Smith gave him J his own horse, aud received ono that had belonged to a French dragoon. In galloping to tho camp, he was tired a. by a party of British soldiers, aud narrowly escaped being killed or woun ded. It appeaved- that a custom pre vailed iv the French army of numbering each horse, and branding them, with figures at least three inches long on the flanks, so as to make them conspicuous at a considerable distance ; and this circumstance, coupled with Sir Sidney's undress naval uniform, aud the horse's accoutrements, led the party to take him for some unfortun ate French officer trying to escape, and they fired tit him a volley or two. When Sir Sidney was asked if he did not consider his situation at that mo-

ment perilous, he replied, ' That he felt less alarm, for he knew that every

man's mark, was nobodygZ^ he added, «if they had not ai^}' depend upon it I should have be!l

The Fallen Angel.

"Shortly after midnight on We__ i youug woman was observed to ckty the parapet of the Albert EmbanC' exclaiming in a loud voice, <I oa \ life no longer,' deliberately jamped v river."—' i_!vening Standard,' _a.p t jj 5 Ah! beautiful to look at, .}

Both in figure and face, And radiant to look at,

With • wreathed smiles' afid grace. And innocent to look at, '

In silks, aud frills, and lace : __ But what of the sia That enters in To her soul with a stealthy w Undermining 3?! All heaven's designing I i Look at thß dainty fingers, Jewelled, and gloved, and all 1 Look at the artful fingers, Toying with parasol ! Look at the mincing air, The simper And the whimper, Decoys for the vulgar stare Of cad or clown Or flattering knave, Or passion's slave, Or the veriest wretch in town. Great God ! that the flower of thycta. Should lie in wait, * Like a thing at the gate, To hasten her own and another's im And all for what ! for gold ! Bought in the shambles, and sold: For filthy lucre —for gold— That brazen curse, And worse ! That fiend, Coin'd and Queen'd, With the stainless grace Of a regal face ! Gold ! gold ! ! gold !!! The tempter of young and old— The price of a lamb from the iold- The price of honor aud truth— The price of virtue and youth • A soul's loss ' For dross— That demon incarnate—Gold! Somebody's erring child ; Somebody's missing child • A desolate home somewehre And a wail of distress somewhere. Uttered with agony wild ! ' The bleat of the dam For the poor stray lamb, Lured from the fold By gold ! Or deceit, i. . Sowing tares 'stead of wheat. And that mother's blessingandpaja. Following her everywhere- Or a voice from the grave, mayhap, oni Entreating forgiveness with tears of lon Ah, beautiful to look at— Now ! And radiant to iook at— "y Now ! But a time will come— Too soon ! And oh, what a tim-3— Too soon ! When the bloom and the grace, And the bugles and lace, Will have all passed away from fig_Ki_j. Leaving no trace Of the teeth that were white, Or the locks that were bright, Or the eyes GUed with light, But the scales of the leper installed j| place. And what then, Dissemblers of men ? A.nd what then. Devils of men ? Soon or late, 'tis a desperate gams, The butterfly life that can end but nil How lightly she glides along— A blot on the human throng— With her arch fascinations At railway stations ; To luncheon or dine, Take biscuits or wine, Or a trip out of town on the railway in Or a stroll on the mall, or a sail on-IB ' The beautiful, beautiful, beautif-lnti

Tne play is played out, and thediffl Rung down by the ominous bell of Sl.Ti Chiming the midnight hour. The worm has crept into the heirt - flower ; And the night is cold—so cold! And the world ia cold—so cold! Hark ! a muffled groan, or a pratyer- Now a shriek on the air, Aud a cry of despair— ' N(> louger, no longer this life can Ifc Theu a leap iv the dark from the §

bank walls, In _ the river—

' The beautiful, beautiful river!'

So refreshing in life's mad fever, And rolling on ever, aud ever, and en. To wash out the guilt of a lostsoul- Nkvjbr J , s

' Focnd drowned !' 1 Another stray waif of the city, A stranger to hope and to pity, ' Found drowned 1' So the neighboring gossips said; So the account in the papers read; So the jury found man to man; So the coroner's entry ran— 'Found drowned !' and there an eno^ ■Self-arraigned, aud world-con'demmed, Till the deep shall yawn, and thegrtf*

rend, And the dead arise. At the blast of the trump for tt' Assize !

Gr. LlN__3.sßi

During an examination ofa-laW s.ers the teacher asked, « Whatisamaß* and was immediately answered by» little boy, « A country governed by*! « Who would rule if the king B_o« ' The queen.' «And if the queen W who then would be ruler.' ' The W the reply.

EVENING STAR SUPPLEMENT, _OCTOBER 88, 1876 L