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MRS. CARRIE BELLE GABLE.
GHOSTS.
Adown the sad. forsaken garden walks
I roam in musing mood.
Where are the flowers that burdened these
bare stalks.
That late the south wind moved—
The Hollyhock, so gay in bright array;
The Dahlia’s regal grace;
The Morning-glory flower, of but a day—
The Daisy’s star lit face?
Among the leaves shall I not seek and find
Some dainty Mignonette—
A Pansy bloom, purple and gold combined,
Or, charming Violet?
Why do I ask? O'er head’s a winter sky.
lii yon tree snowbirds twit.
And down the walk, by chilly winds swept
by,
The ghosts of flowers flit.
GOV. STANFORD’S ARBORETUM.
Gov. Leland Stanford is one of the
money kings ot California, the President
of the Central Pacific Railroad and one of
its largest stockholders. He has a magnifi
cent villa at Menlo Park, near San Fran
cisco, and the estate is laid out in the finest
style oi landscape gardening. Some time
ago he decided to add to the interesting
features of the place an extensive arb re
turn, setting apart a space of something
near 300 acres for that purpose. The gov
ernor believes the soil and climate of Cal
ifornia will grow a larger variety of plants
than any other in ti e world, and his new
arob >retum is intended to put this idea of
its owner to the test of experiment. A
short time aso Gov. Stanford visited Flush
ing, Long Island, to make purchases of
plants. At one of the great nurseries there
he made his first purchase of plants, some
5,000 in number, including 1.231 distinct
species and vanities. He told the pro
prietor that he intends to go on purchasing
until he obtains every tree, shrub, and vine,
fruit and ornamental, that can possibly be
made to grow on the soil of’ California, and
he believes that many varieties which have
already been tried there and failed may be
grown successfuly by a little exercise of
care and skill on the part of the growers.
At any rate he intends to experiment with
the widest possible range of varieties, and
try what will and what will not grow. His
first purchase was a collection of trees,
shrubs, and vines, Rhododendrons. Azaleas.
Camellias, rare Japanese plants, and fruits
of all kinds. This collection embraces 476
varieties of deciduous trees, 229 varieties
of evergreen trees, 40 varieties of hardy
Azaleas. 40 varieties of Rhododendrons,
40 varieties of Camellias. 136 varieties of
ornamental vines, and 272 varieties of
fruits. This is probably the largest number
of choice trees, etc., that ever were brought
together in a single purchase. Everything
of value that could be had at the time was
included in it. The plants generally were
small or medium sized, so as to be easier
for transportation and transplanting.
Several cars were required to transport the
mass to California. The first year the
plants will be set out in nursery rows, and
when the plants of the arboretum are fully
completed and the spots selected likely to
be best for each variety of plant, they will
be planted out. Gov. Stanford is really
the pioneer in the movement for bringing
together the largest collection of plants
which will grow at any one spot in this
country. Hisarboretum will be a beautiiul
park as well as a museum of botanical
science. Every plant set will have its
label, giving all necessary information
about it. With the exception of the
Arnold arboretum, near Boston, under the
care of Prof. C. S. Sargent, this undertak
ing of Gov. Stanford’s is the first of the
kind which promises to assume propor
tions worthy of the name of a scientific
arboretum. An attempt was once made
to make an arboretum at Mount St Vin
cent, Central Park, and for some years,
while the park was under good manage
ment, tne effort was attended with gratify
ing success, but of late the place has fallen
to decay.— Exchange.
Any one can succeed with Abutilons.
These*flowers are large and bell-shaped, a
good winter bloomer being Boule-de-
Neige, while of dwarf habit and quite pro
lific.
A WINDOW GARDEN.
Select the best window you have suitable
for plant culture. One having a southern
j exposure is to be preferred* next to that,
one looking east or west; but it is useless to
I attempt growing anything in a north win
dow. Go over every inch of window-sash,
and with strips of paper or putty, stop
every crack and crevice where Jack Frost
is liable to make an entrance.
While it is of the utmost importance to
keep out frost, we must be equally careful
to keep our plants in a moist atmosphere.
Remember that the dry air of a sitting-room
is unfavorable to growing plants.
To counteract this, moisture should be
frequently applied by means of a fine
sprinkler. When a sprit.kier cannot be
had, a good substitute is a bucket of water
and a whisk brush or broom; tepid water
being preferable. Look over ydur plants
every day, watering thoroughly such as
need it, leaving the others till the next day.
Some are troubled with aphis and red
spider; fumigation and washing are a sure
cure and prevention. lam not troubled
by these pests, but have read that if you
keep the temperature about sixty-five de
grees by day and fifty-five by night, you
will have little trouble with them.
A HANGING BASKET.
To make a pretty basket, get a large
wooden bowl and glue over the outside
quite thickly, and peach kernels
split in half all over it. After dry
ing, varnish and let get quite dry, then
give another coating, or you can paint any
desired color, but it is prettier in its natural
state if the kernels are clean before put
ting on. Suspend the basket by three
small chains. Bore three holes equal dis
tances, and run the chains through. Plant
in the centre a winter blooming geranium,
and around the edge Kennilworth ivy.
for the climbers—use German ivy, and a
few Nasturtiums. This is quite handsome,
looks like carved, work and is an ornament
to any window. Be sure to let the sun
light fall upon it, and keep the earth moist.
DOUBLE-FLOWERED PETUNIAS.
For a great many purposes the double
flowering Petunias are remarkably adapted.
Good bushy plants are suitable for window
plants. A bed ot them in the flower gar
den will b oom abundantly during the
su nmer. and for growing in vases are
good, as they grow and flower well even if
they should get dry at the roots occasionally
and the soil exhausted. The propagation
I of this class of plants is very simple; cut
tings are easily rooted, but the best means
is from seed. The plants are stouter, and
of a stronger constitution. The double
white is lovely and a very profuse bloomer,
| so also is the purple, but of a coarser nature.
If taken up before freezing weather, and
: planted in a hanging basket, they will
i gladden you through many weeks of cold
and gloom.
WINTER PROTECTION.
It is better to wait until the ground is
frozen at least two or three inches in depth
; befoie we place litter or protecting materi
i al of any kind, over the roots of herbaceous
plants, shrubs or trees. Frozen earth will
j form a better non-conductor than unfrozen
I earth. The protecting material will tend
I to keep it thus frozen, and prevent its freez
: ing deeper. The litter, if unrotted, will
protect far better than if decomposed
Well roted manure, though it enriches
the soil, and nourishes the plant in the
spring, must feebly conduce to protection
against cold. Additional litter placed over
the earth when it is deepest frozen, is ad
vantageous, protecting the ice—so to
speak—and preventing exposure to the
intense cold that may follow.
Plants in relatively high latitudes have
more aromatic Iruits, foliage of a deeper,
green and richer essential oils than similar
plantsgrowingin more southerly regions. It
is thought that these and other differences
are due to the action of the prolonged day
light of the summer months in the north.
THE WINTER-GARDEN.
The heart is a winter-garden
In a dreary waste of snow;
The soil must be warm, and rich, and deep,
Ere a single flower may blow.
Oh! what watchful care is needed
To keep the fires alight;
For the plants are all exotic
And the lilies the first to blight.
The light of that winter garden
Is the light that falls irom above;
And the frail sweet flowers that open there
Are the flowers of faith aud love.
For Woman's Work.
SPECIFIC EDUCATION FOR
GIRLS.
Much has been said of the advisability
of a girl learning a trade or receiving
training in one particular branch of s'udy.
and the experience of many proves the
advice sound.
One incident may be given, and there
are many similar. Though perhaps it
may be considered extreme in some in
stances. the main points are true.
A young girl determined after her grad
uation t<> be independent. Her father was
of moderate means, and there were
younger brothers and sisters at home to be
educated. A girl of true spirit will hardly
be content to sit at home and play young
lady, under these circumstances, for to do
so after the conventional manne-, she must
needs have a well furnished wardrobe and
an abundance of leisure at her disposal.
But if she is given the proper intellectual
and home training she can have little de
sire for a life with no particular object, an
aimless, superficial existence, which society
life is, in its most harmless form. This
girl had higher aims and aspirations, and
thoughts of independence grew into a de
termination to do something besides wait
ing for an eligible offer of marriage. In
deed we believe such offers come all the
sooner when there is no idle waiting.
Over-expectancy is neither wise nor be
coming. for love usually steals on us un
awares and the sweet awakening comes
so<'n enough. Our girl gave her thoughts
to other things, and wished to learn what
she could do and be. alone.
To be sure she had been through college
and had what the old folks called a "first
class education” and “of course she can
teach, or do any thing she pleases,” say
they. What has she learned in her colle
giate course that she can find of practical
service when she assumes the character of
"Bread-winner?” She has a smattering ol
the languages, and, alas ! little more than a
smattering of her own English, as she might
find, if put to the test as critic or proof
reader. She knows something of mathe
matics, but not so accurate and thorough
in her knowledge as to be a competent book
keeper. She may know something of mus
ic and art, but not so highly is she cultured
in these departments as to allow her to
be an instructor in them. We speak now
ot the ordinary girl, who has no especial
talent for the arts, but sufficient natural
ability to receive an education intelligent
ly. So when she considers seriously what
she shall do, teaching school is the most
practical thing that presents itself. But
she has no experience, no reputation —two
requisites for securing a desirable position.
Unless a young Woman is accomplished
in music or art, or has received a teacher’s
diploma from a normal school, she will not
be a succesful applicant for a position in
the best schools and colleges, and without
such a position, school-teaching is a most
ungratifying task. The standard now in
sisted upon for instructors is so much
higher than formerly, that a special course
of training is necessary in this as in other
vocations. Having higher aspirations disap
pointed, the problem finally resolves itself
to this fact: the only available position for
a girl whose only tangible recommendation
as a teacher, is her diploma, is a school in
the country.
Country schools may differ, but to one
known class and a large one in our section
of the country, this particular school be
longed. It was twenty miles in the
country—a veritable back-woods school,
attended by back-woods urchins. Those
who have not tried it, can hardly realize
how discouraging the experience of the
mistress of such a school can be, when she
starts out with the fond hopes of not only
earning her own livelihood, but of doing
something good and helpful for her fellow
creatures. As a fihancial venture, nine
cases out of ten it is a failure, and as to the
philanthropical motives that once reigned
in her artless breast, their decay is as cer
tain as that of the flower that blooms but
for a day.
Rural simplicity is very well to read
about when depicted by the pen of George
Egbert Craddock; and the murdering of
the Queen’s English until only a faint
wraith of it is left, seems amusing and
piquant when given in dialect portraiture
bv Miss Rivesor Joel Chandler Harris; but
when met with face to face and made un
avoidable associates for months, this rural
simplicity is likely to degenerate into
heavy ignorance, and the dialect to show
only unpleasant features. There is a
glamour about fiction, however true to na
ture it may be, and so it is more charming
to meet with these crude, untamed speci
mens of humanity in the well illustrated
pages of our magazines, than to come into
intimate contact with them in real life
especially, if being the teachers, you con
sider it your duty to civilize the savage
and cause the primitive modes of expres
sion to conform somewhat to the rules of
grammar.
of Virginia" is a character
strikingly unique, strong and fascinating,
when given t<» us fresh from the red bills
and country fastnesses of the "Old Domini
on.” but in our country school, though
there may be a character of equal originali
ty. peculiar to that section, we fear an ac
quaintance would fail to cause a recogni
tion of the heroine in Georgia of Georgia.
At least this young school-teacher found
it discouraging, not only to develop the
heroine, but to instill something like cul
ture and rudimentary knowledge into
inanity and uncompromising dullness.
As a means of earning a living, teach
ing such a school to the exclusion of all
society, is anything but elevating in its
tendency. The failure to accomplish some
thing. to awaken some return for all labor
expended, brings a hopelessne-s from which
there is no appeal. Such is the dishearten
ing experience of many teachers of com
mon countrv schools.
Often while trying to impress indelibly
upon some mind, infantile in wisdom, if
not in years, the peculiar shape and struc
ture of one of the twenty-six letters, or to
untwist a brogue from the tongue that was
made to enunciate only that way, when
weary of toiling in vain, she deplores her
knowledge of Rhetoric and Science and
Logic that is rusting for want of use, and
makes a fervent wish, that instead of it all,
she knew how to do one thing well, from
which she might gain some pleasure as
well as compensation.
A general education is not to be decried,
for it widens the mental horizon and gives a
breadth and range to thought and feeling
that is inseparable from perfect culture,
but this may be largely attained by un
limited and comprehensive reading. The
fact indisputably remains, that a general
education cannot fit one to be independent.
And what a satisfaction it must be to
know yourself a perfect master of some oc
cupation! Leta girl choose some vocation ;
if teaching it preferred, she should receive
the training to properly qualify her for it;
if her talent is for music or art, let that be
culiivat. d. Some few may be successful
in literature. To the vast majority who
are not especially gifted in any way, there
now opens a wider field of useful and pleas
ant occupations than ever before. Any
bright, business-like girl can be a steno
grapher.type-writer or telgrapher.and those
who are thoroughly competent, are greatly
in demand.
No matter what her station in life may
be, every girl should have given her the
power to gain a competency.
We trust the day is not far distant, when
every woman, except those bound by the
duties of home lite, will, from choice, and
not only when forced by circumstances, do
something for herself in the world of work
and endeavor, and gain strength and in
dividuality of their own. Many would
show an energy and perseverance now not
believed, and develop from the useless
conventional society young lady, into a
character offeree and admirable self-poise,
if she had some pleasant and profitable oc
cupation to add a zest and earnestness to
her life, and many now dependent upon
friends or relatives, and yearning for free
dom and reliance, could well gain it, if
they had received a specific education in
stead of a general one.
Helen C. Molloy.
ANOTHER CRAZY LACE.
Make a chain of 29 stitches.
Ist Row.—l. de. in sth stitch of ch. ch. 2
Ide. in Blb stitch, ch 2. Ide. in 17th
stitch, ch 2. 4dc. in 20th st. ch 2. Ide. in
same st., 4dc. in 23rd st, ch 2. Ide. in
same st, 4dc. in 26th st., ch 2. Ide. in same
st., 4dc. in 29th st. ch 2 Ide. in same st.,
turn.
2nd Row.—4dc. in loop made by 2ch.
ch 2. Ide. in same loop. 4dc. in next loop
made by 2 eh 2. Ide. in same. 4dc. in the
next loop, cb2. ldc. in same loop, 4dc. in
next loop, cb2, ldc in same, * cb2. ldc.
over de. of Ist row; repeat from * 4 times
more. cb2., ldc. in ch. at end of row, turn.
3rd Row.—Ch 5., ldc. over de. of last
row, *ch 2.. ldc. over next de.; repeat Irom
* 3 times more, ch 2., 4dc. in loop made by
2eh., ch 2., ldc. in same, 4dc. in next loop,
ch 2„ ldc. in same loop, 4dc. in next loop of
2ch ch 2„ ldc. in same. 4dc. in next loop,
ch 2., ldc. in same loop, turn.
4th Row—4dc. in loop made by 2ch.,
ch 2., ldc. in same loop, 4dc. in next loop,
ch 2., ldc. in same, 4de. in next loop, ch 2.,
ldc. in same, 4dc. in next loop, ch 2., ldc.
in same, ch 2., ldc. in same, ch 2., ldc. over
Ist de. of last row, * ch 2., Ide. over next
de., repeat from * 4 times more, ch 2., ldc.
at end of row; turn.
Repeat from 3rd row.
.Use No. 30 cotton and the above pattern
will make a durable lace and also very
pretty. The most inexperienced worker
can soon learn to make this lace.
Lena Thatcher.
The power of human love is next to the
power of God’s love.