Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, October 19, 1873, Page 11

- Blo, snd to tho masuling underelandiug ) THE CHICAGO DAILY ‘I'RIBUNE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1Y, 1873 e R R R R =/ —————— THE WORKING-GIRL QUESTION. Additional Views Thercupon. Encompetency of Servants«=\Why Girls Aro Unwiliing to Do Ionseworiks To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune : Bin: Tho dirouasion botween tho sowing-girls and their opponeuts han boen of interest to n large class of readers, to whom the npparoutly- trivial quostion at issuo iy ono of importance. Could tho mattor bo entlefactorily nrrangod, it would obviate n thousand diticultios that bosob hoasckeopers and heads of fawilios generally. Bpaco will not permit recapitulation,of the voxod question, done, even if it woro nocessary, which it Is not. Every Guo knows from bittor oxporienca what a succossion of defonts has been anfferod at tho hands of foreign and homo mnnufacturo incompotoncy, yoleptservants, Tho man who swotrs has nunlquo and original vocabulary of onths sacrod to oconslona whon an an overdono roast or scorchoed soup has spoiled his dienor, or big shirt-front is limp, or the furnace i fire- loss on a froezing day, or who invites a fricnd home to dinner while his wifo {a in tho country, and finds, upon his arrival Lomo, hospitably in- tout, that Cook hay not roturnod from hor day out, nnd Lo ls obliged to raid onthe nonrost grocery for the frugal concomitants’ of a suppor composed of crackera and cheeso; while tho’ man who does nob mwear puts on n countonanco of long-drawn-out acerbity, looks abused, refors to good old days, lis mothor, sud kindred loasing subjects, till his wifo, who is not equal Yo tho multitudinous caros of our fussy regimo, feols liko o demornlized sago-brush, As for women, tho sewiug-girl was quitoe right when she asserted that oll luios talked about way the failiugs of their scrvants, 'Their In- competoney aud general unfitness for tho po: tion i tho staplo of conversation botween hous Xkoopors, as their Inbor is tho ataplo of our com- fort or discomfort in proportion ug it is skilled or unslallod, Tho fact oxists that thero i a growing domand for & better olags of housc-sorveuts 5 that ypeople aro willing to pay A reasouable, ~ oven liberal, prico for sucli servants; and that the pupply i fuadequato,—in fnct, does nob exist ©xcopt in rave iustauces. It is an aqually patent fact that other flelds of labor, lous heulthful and pooroer paid, aro ovorerowded. ‘Various reasons havo beon assigned for (his lamentable state of things, but nono have as gat givon tho truo solution of tho problom. 1t is not thot givls are not strong cnough, nor that thoy oro unwilling to do housowork,—for pvery ono of tho hard-worked army of working- women, from _teachors, boolkleopers, aud soloswomen, down to the myriads of femalo omployes that pour out of the Worl:- rooms of stores, millinery-shops, and manufac- turing establishmonts of “all kinds, look forward 4o the timo when thoso vory carcs andlabors, Horno und performed for tho coming mon, will bo an open door from slavery to freedom. Thoy ench moagine liomes in littlo cottages, where thay shall do all this menial work, or & sharo of it, Whilo John earns his $12 or $25 per woek, a8 & littlo paradivo; and, with tho idealizing facully 5o strong 1n their sox, gloss over tho homely helongings of tho chonp, dingy cottage, ~Johu included,—till it scems o very templo whevo thoy muy offer sacrifico to tho housekold Blanes. And Fnt theso vory girls, who aro willing to labor with their Luuds, sacrifico gvory prospoct of comfort and luxury, contend with poverty and its thousand ills, under cortan circum- stances, will not nccopt o situation in uni' capac- ity, a8 o Louse-sorvant, in tho most_ologantly appointed palace in tho city. This dislike, not to housework, but house-sorvice, is not an in~ dividual whim, but exists among all women who aro obliged to oarn their living, from the poor- oxt day-laborer, who tries to educate her daugh- tor for a differont work, to the reduced gentle- woman who_faga lher lifo out ina boarding- house trond-mul to save hers from a like ca- lomity. : Women are not altogether idiots, though clagsed with them Foluically; and it is sale to #ay that, when their hends and hearts are so sot upon & given point, they will macriflco thoir easo, and even work for it,—naithor of which women like bl.«: do naturally,—there is rengon in and for it, To the unthinking mind it is incumprchienuil- t is ono of the ways that are dark of a wex that are conundrums Lo men, Supposo * Patorfamilias” and othors of Lig class stop a fow moments from contewplation of their elegant homos, in which the work can be #o easlly and comfortably done, snd con- mder that' a large proportion of thess irls whom tho would _place there ave beon as carefully roared and educated as B(a own: that, in many instaucos, thoy wore not orn in their prosent poueitiun, but lave heen pluced there by tho failure of somo Drobding- pagian ontorprie in which their fathers were 1n- torosted ; some panio of *57 or 73, or other reason than want of Lreeding or culture’ on their part. Then let him look at tho associntes which any ouo of thoee bookkeopers, clerks, seamstresses, would buve among mon, if sbe went into bis bascment 08 a sorvant., What kind of men are fmpl:l;vad a8 gardonor, cuuckmon, mon-of-all- worl ‘What man occupied as clork, or in correspond- Ing eapacity, would think it tho thing to ask such girl to any place of amusoment ; or what girl 80 employed could accopt with with 7o'clock dinners? What son of Dives doos not consider all protty girls employed in his mother's houte 4 legitimate objects upon which to prey ; or who will 1ot take advantage of the constant ussocia- tion which domestic service ronders necessary to undormine virtue, even so_bumbly enshrived as in tho bosom of o servant? Whon we sce—aa wo all must—that tho day has gono by whon mon did not congider it a disgrace to marry the “help" of their mothers, wo can gee the real resson of the deop-sesied prejudico against hiouse-sorvice. 1t is not tho fanlt of women, but men, who yre the aggressive or active party, Thoy secok. Vomen can do nothing but wait; and, Ao lon s 11us I the oxlsting atato of things, thoy will wait in the places whero men look for wives, Bolong a8 they aro valued for comploxions, figutcs, dainty feot, and white hands, womon will strain overy nerve to possess those qualifi- cations. No smount of Arxfumunt, logic, or wheedling will move them, o long a4 evory act of men’s lives contradicts their worde, The gentler sox posscsses little will, but a vast emount of won't; and they fool rather than reagon, ag a olass, They will not, or oannot, argue tho point with mon ; but fall dack upon & resorve of stubborn resiatanco, and reeolve to starve in what thoy consider a hopeful position, rathier than bo comfortable In & Lopeless one, It is true that marriage is the general aim of women ; and, a8 custom dobars her from makin, advancen, the only othor alternative {s to attraci the other party. ‘To accomplish this, they must look protty, and Plnco thomsolves in & position to be soon. If all this fails, uhe can ouly write on hor tombatone, She hath done what she could, Whetber this s a right_stato of things i not to be considored iore. It exists, and must be dlealt with as an oxisting fact, It is not to bo talked away, liko & wart in olden times, and ig- poring it will dono good, It ia only by o fair go- Ing through tuo wholo question, and putting the respongibility where it belongs, that anything approaching harmony can bo evolvod from tho resont chaos, When mon will bo wise onough ?n marry women for other things than meroly physical development, women will aim to ac- complish more than a fino appearance. Until thon, it is woll enough to romomber tho law of demand and supply; and that it is only on rare occasions that \_\'m'm'iug-ymu Boll to good advan- tago in o hot climato, Puiwae Rar, Mothers at Fault--Ilousework Not ¢ Disgustingly Vile.”? To the Editer of The Chicago Tribune: BirR: Pormit one who has passed mors than threo-score yonrs, and seon lifo in ils varied ne- pocts, to say a fow words upon & subject which has Iately been agitated in your papors tho work- fug-girl queetion, No mother who is not dofl- cient in correct idens of the dutios and rosponsi- bilities of woman will nogleat to have hor daugh- ters instructod in the multifarious arta of housekeoping, that thoy may bo fitted to diraot the affulry of their Louschold, even if it is not nocossary that thoy should porform Ite eorvico with their own hauds, In thiy changoful world, none can toll what may bo the dostiny of their children, though reared in aflluonce with tender- est care, Iropare them to meot adverso circumstances calmly and bravely. The gront fault, I apprehend, los with the mothers who have trained tholr daughtors to degpluo housohold dutics s Homothing dograd- ing and bononth them; and, of courso, they never seek to_undorstand their requiremants, and aro thus doflclent In ona of tho most fme {m:lnul branchos of thoir education. Unlesy Loy have & kuowledge of what is nccensary to good and successful housekeeping, Low oan How to got our housework " thoy dircot thoso in their employ, and know when thelr work i8 well done, or whother thoy arg_ovortnaked ? £ 1f tortuno should frown, aud thoy bo called to rurrarm thoso. sorvicos whiols onc writer calls * disguetingly vile,” how badly, and with whnt an ill grace, they will be performed, I loaye for thoso £o Judga who Liavo witnossod thoso thiugs, a8 many have. Thore I8 truth in tho statoment that the army of sowing-rivls, ton In o oxtent, would bo in- cempotent belp in-lousohold-lehor, And why ? Decouwo tliey have never Leon tunght proporly In that doparimont. J-errons who becomo ne- customed to any employment frowm ehildlod to mature nge, aud lonrn to porform it skilfully sixl woll, gduorally love iz boitor than one fa which thoy engage In ripor years ; nud are more succeseful in~ it, more roadily adupting them- selyes to its raquirements, Now, Mr. Editor, about this * disgnstingl vilo " housowork, No honest labor, dono well; and in tho right spitt, ean “l:l“"’lll’fi"“ly berr that appollation, Nor s it at all necesar \Imémonn who has l? (‘lo"' dlah- ‘washio, washin ressy pots and pan sorabbiay oo, sna blnukhr:fi stoves,” sliould o ) flnd i “fimuunt(nnly vilo,” if she fit hersel? for 1t by donning a largo apron to protect hor droas, and pinning !imr gleoven up out of the way. Tho apron can bo quickly removed, and .the hauda washod; and, though thoy mny not remain quite as white nnd delicato, yot they aro cloa, nind hands wora mado for ‘honest inbor, and I consider it an honor for any lady to have hands which show that thoy have dono something uso- ful in lifo, What wore wo 1zade and sent into this world for, by the good Fatlier of all, if not to do somo good i it, that it may bo boltor in Bome way for our having lived ? T,ob ench ouo atrivo to be ugeful fn the place and vocation for wiich ho orsho inbest fitted, and call no labor, well aud proporly performed, “ rliugnwllnfly Yilo." f 1 ncknowledge I fail to sca tho necossity of this “ droadful demoralization of dirt " in a woll-kept kitehen, or that it {u **simply an impossibility " to do houeoworlk and b clean. I think I should shrink from that “seant living ” propared whero dirt reigned supromoe, aud put iy own shouldors to tho nheel, to utg o homely phrase (st the risk of some foil on the outside, 1n profaionco to h:ving It fuside), and take hold of work corcainly honlthy, in preforonce to that which 18 admittod to bo oUlierwiso, Porhaps thoro might bo o Inck of strongth at firet to don lurge amonnt of active Inbor, but it would fmprove by oxereiue; ond who can compute tho value of health and sirength but those who have boen doprived of thom? An oxnlted station and the wealth of tho Indies would bo no compeusation for their loss, Ro Ionf,' a8 women aro oducatod to Jook npon 1 ousehold-labor ng meninl and degrading, so long will they seck other avenues of employ- mont, and mon will havo to bonr with incompo- tont 'wives, and wasteful, slovenly wervants, though many of thom, doubtless, will not under- stand the causo of the failuro of their boyish- dreams of a happy hiome, “We want s different order of things, un- doubtedty.” But how is it to bo brought about? is tho quoation, I confess, I know of no belter golution of the problom than ono found in n cor- tain anciont book, which eays: '* ANl thinge whatsoover yo would that mon should do to you, do yo oven 50 to them,"—toaching ua to troat thogo in our employ a8 wo would wish thom to trent us wero we to exchango situations, It is said, “In a multitudo of countol thero i wis- dom1,” Bo, lot the subject be agitated. FaxsiE, An Industrial Mousc. To the Bdftor of The Chicago Tribune: 8Sin: Iseo that somo of tha girly do not fully appreciate my articlo on “what wo need.” A littlo woman with o littlo heart, and a little short-sighted a8 rogards hor future good, is in- digoant, In rogard to ¢ Miranda Boans' " criti- ciam, I would say to her, with o heart full of gratitude, that, if the few words I dropped in hasto to the editor have made a woman appoar 28 noblo a8 & man, and ono worthy to bo called a brother, I feel quito pleasod with mysolf and concouraged to writo again, and trast I may ablo to do 8o a8 & manly woman. I bog to dis- agreo with my little futtoring sisters about “Alphn" and “Iumanity.” I verily boliovo thiem to bo our very truo frionds, though, in Lry- ing to bofrieud us, they have not understood our nocd. Good misapplied I8 often counted na ovil, ‘What we need is moro work and higher wages, How aro wo to increase our wagea? By having mora work. Ilow are we to get more work, no that every firl can got emma{ment? Only by having an Ihdustrial Houso, whera all trades aro carried on subject to a woman's band. So lon, 08 there is an overplus of girls, who cannot fin work at any price, thatlittle girl with a littlo heart conuot bave her §7 roised to 810, We cannot strike for highor wages, as do the men, for our work is not systomstized na is theirs, Qirls ave liks tho ** Jack of all trades ;" il they caunot find work in ono brauch, thoy will tura to another, and aro thus constantly chauging, which comea very natural for them, for thoy lova a chaugo 08 woll ag the silver light that rules tho night. ~ T sen but ono objact upon which thase little “womon_ would bostow their extra change (should charity reduce their board-bill a littlo Bolow £ho usunl price), nnd that would be a little ‘mora trimming on tho dress, a littlelonger plume on tho Lint. Comfoits are & secondary matter to our littlo show-maids. Well, what wo wau 18 bottor wnges ; thon use them for comfort, or for show, a8 you plenso, Oren an Iudustrinl Houso, a8 above mon- tioned, and, in loss ihan forty-eight Liours, you would buve 500 applicants,—thoso now without employmont, or working for wages under 81 per day. This would leave o domand for help to outsido employors, and, as o mattor of course, increnso outside wages to at least from 81.60 to $2por day, for every girl who could not get over 81 por day, would profer omployment at the Industrial House, where she would havo stendy employment, without fear of dischargn when the busy scason wag over. And, again, those most competont would got the bost WREES, which is not alwaya the case now, and we woul have a battor olass of workors, as well as some- thing to provoke or encourago enterprise among the girls. I do not know where the littlo women, or auy ono olse, could find in my first article anything sdvocativg the roduction of wagos, sinco my ontira object was to increase them. EXPERIENCE. Views of n Sewing«Girl. To the Editor of The Chisago Tribune: 8in: Brave am I growiug since you kindly published my lotter, and, with & good desl loss of timidity, I venturo to send you another. Prosuming thero are timos in the experience of overy ono when a longing for somo particular quality not poseossod by thom is decidedly posi- tive, no ono neod bo startled out of their ordi- nary tranquil condition by tho aunonucement that the writer came under that “spell” while reading in Tuox BuNDAY I'ninune tho letter signed Alpha." And olil how Ilonged for talont, even but for an hour, 8o I might writo just one lottor in belnlf of homoless working-girls, whose evary word should glow with truth “so florcely hot it would wither and burn out all aspirations in tho lender of tho Groek alphabet ever again to appoar boforethe public as an opposer of what to us sowing-girls scoms meroly a liud, brathorly propogition,—*' that) of a Eluuuanz ‘iome® for the many homelass working-girls of thiu] clty, where thoy could buy thoir buard, not beg, it, at about the actual cost,—thus enabling thom to lay upa triflo from their weekly income.” Mauy of tho working-girls have homes, though Lumblo, still # sweot " to them, whore they find & warm welcomo on raturning from their work, aod would scorn the offor of any worldly charity. Thoro aro othors who hLave no homes to go E) when their day's work is done, but who have to return to their cheorloss bauydlng-plncun, ofton 80 hard to endurc on account of many uppleas- ant things, to whom a ploasant * Home" would bo #0 accoptable. “ Alpha" says, *They aro_very indignant.” Yos, we ure indignant, and we kuow of no justi- fyiug roason for bis grost offort to convinco the pubiio that the suggostion of a * Home " is en- tirely at variance with evory idea of right and polioy. One would think, froin his artioles, that o * Homo" for 800 or 400 homolosa working-girls in Chicago would change nll presont relations betwoon them aud their employers; in fact, amount to a groat rovolution in the markot of woman's labor, If that iunot an idoa brought {from somo vnrf remoto spot, I can imagino of nono that would bo, Ho says, ‘* It sooms, thon, that the shop-girl will tako for hior labor whatover i offored, pro- vided it will furnish hor a bara subsistouce, sud is tho best her employer will do.” No ono among homeloes ones could rofuso doing that very thing, provided it was ns much as she could obtain elsewhere 3 1 monn among homoloss girly who are worthy and pure ot horrt, and who liave a Lrighthope in_that future when all work is over, of rest and joy In Heayen, Hus lottor would woom to convoy tho improssion that ho was vory anxious to pave tho way Ho we aewing-girls could geutly slide from the ceoupa- tlon {1 which wo are now engaged into that of houtic-sorvants, If ho eves in thut calling so much attraction, lot the dear man put on along apron and go forth a martyr in bobalt of overworked wives. And, aftor s fow mouthy of washing, scrubbing, b]ncklnfi ho brings bock *glad tidings,” thon we girls, who have no inclination that way at prosont, will give tho matter a sobor thought, In this connoction I want torepoeat to ' Alpha" a convarsation I hoard betwoon two mothers, bothr bolng widows, onch tho posscssor of a bright, protty girl, oth Indios, until the grent fire, wore {ndependently situated, but are nuw working women, ond spirited onos, too. Thoy wero muvm'ulu;i upon the subjoct of thoir dunghiters by and by engngring, ay thoy will have to, in romo” kind of work by which to support themeolvon, Ono snid, ** I havo been thinking serionsly of tho ponsibility of iy own Jesuio over being com= polied by want Lo liecomo an ordinnry im.m- servant, aud enduro the {ll-treniment_conneotod with that position, And I would rather sos tho rose-tint of the ciiok whiton, tho love-light of the oyo fado away, thoe sweot tono of tho voico bo hwwhed, tho glad, beating hoert voaso forover, and tho loved form at restin its casket, given back Lo Motlor Enrth," "‘lho naturnl rosponso \ras filvun. ¢ Bo would L" Whilo listoning I wondored {f thore wns n father or mother in Chicago who, whilo gazing info tho oyos of tholr loved. child, would dors nn{ othoriwise. t mattors not what they may eay of mome othor mother's da.rlh-[i: when the eup is placod to thelr own lips, aud thoy are bid to drink, how quickly it becomen unbearably bitter, In ‘' Alpho's" unusualzen! to provo his ides, ho ortrays o * pante,” and an incldent accompany- g it, whoroin Martha, tho sowing-gitl, turis interviewor (much at varinnco with hor modes: Inclinntion), and tho result to hia mind {8 most concluaive, May I nsk why the neocsity of bis seleeting o tinto in business-nftairs whon n dark pall seemn to onvelop alike rich and poor? Why not take tho usunl healthy condition of bustvess, and upon that base his flgures 2 Would it not be moro renkonnblo? Even his presentation of tho matter would scem an oxcellont argumont why homoless working-gitls sbould Lave r 4 Home" at aprice sothoy conld save somo monsy to help carry tuew through the deprossed tinioof & ** panie,” Mr., Editor, wo ghls have ontorcd no com- }»lnint agninst the wages our ‘employors ure pay- iz us, und wo o not bollove thoy aro henitlows ; and, though *Alpha's” dyspoptical production, +0ld Potorkin,” may occnsionully be fonnd, we shall live on, hoping” to fiud in the world, s’ Qarnett B, I'reeman eays, in_hor beautiful and truthlul letter, she has found, much of kinducan and justico, if not genorosity. Yours rompect- fully. AMARTIA, Oitioago, Oct. 15,1873, stoves, &o,, If The ¢ Xlomoe? Questions 0 the Edilor of The Chicago Tribune : 8m: Itscemstomo that wo aro gotting off the track nbout this matter. It was flrst started with the idea of ostablishing Homes where worl-- ing-pirls could obtain board, &e., nf such ratos as should ensblo them to live with some degren of comfort on the small 'wages thoy earn. Now, wvery Jittle of the correspondence so abundantly lavighed on you is tending to accomplish this end, and T think some moro definito action nocdls to bo taken in the matter, I thiue it will bo gonerally admitted that tho object in view Is desirable and legitimnte; that many women pro- for to do other than housework, and tust thoy have a right to such preforonco, and should *be helped to carry out tloir wishes; and that tho question of dolng housowork should bo Inid sido sltogether, or considered undor another head and with » totally differont object. Lot some ono toll us how best to briug about our wish, and thon lob us ot to and do it. If I had money, T would at once start such a Home und set_the oxampla; but, alug! my lot has been that of the monkey's,—moro kicks than baif-pence,—nand go I cannot do so mmch. Gold and silver I bave nono; but, if I can help in any Way by giving & portion of time, or by work of my liead or hands, I for one will cheerfully give it. Lot thouo who are willing got togother and detormine what to do, snd do{c; aud thon the quostion of woman's Proner work may safoly bo loft to suswor itself, if it pleasos, Reapectfully, BENEDICT, —_— AUTUMN, Tihio grasecs ars dry, snd hrown, and t R e e ety 2 After tho quict duy 3 Aud tho mist les atill Aud Summer hus passed away, And tho meadows aro sera 1n the flling year, And the stubbic-Nelds are bare; ‘Aud out of my heart The joga depart, And tlie sunlight that wa thers, For Bummer-friends and Summer=ioss The Autumn's chilling blast destroys And the fulling Toaves ‘And tho garncred alieaven, And the cmipty, desolato tlelds, And tho oricket's songs, B0 shrill and strongt, Each wears recollaction ylelds, Aud 1y heart 's oppressed With a vagie unrest 3 And (Lo shuights of long 8go, ‘When blenk winds eall And dod Teaves fail, Como to ma ero T kuow. Ciatzes Nonrz Gnzaont, FASHIONS,. From the Newo York Evening Mail, l Jot has uocured its old place in fashionable avor, —Nover before has lace beon so much worn a8 now. —OameD’s hair lacois the latest novelty in trimmings, —The * Corone{” and tho * Caftan” are the newest things in bouncta. —Tho * Directoiro braqus " ia one of the now- et invontions in ladies' garments, —Protty and_coquoltich breekfast-caps are ;’n:.ch worn both by married and unmarried young adics. —A new French furniture-chintz is ornA- mentod with scencs from * La Fillo do Madamo Angot." —The “Poraun™ colora aro very much in ‘voguo just now; thoy are vory rich and vory ox- poukive. _ —DBows of China crapo, in pale colors, orna- ‘mented with Vatenciennes medsllions, are much worn in the hair, —'T'he most stylish drosscs this season will bo a8 plain a8 possibio. DBlack silk will ba the fa- vor.te material fcr stroct wear, —Some few goutlomen, whosa tasto in dress ia for the gaudy, but not neat, are wearing light silk waistconts for full dross, —In Daris, emooth hair is the fashion, al- though some ladios dostroy the boauty of the now arrangomeont by pasting **catw’-paws" on cithor side of tho face. —Worth's -Intest Dolmans are of soft bluo cloth, nearly covered with braiding, trimmed wlltbh oatrich foathers, and lined with ailk ush. 5 —Young ladies who sigh after high-baclked gilver combs neod only to hunt amoug tholr grandmothers’ rolics tofind * just the thfilg." —Cut stecl bas superseded oxidized silver for bolt-buckles, chatolaines, and the like. Small owolry of this inatorial is also coming into fash- on again, —The most gaudy garmonts will be worn in the house this wintor, such as sleoveless jackets of ucarlot cloth, embroidered in Nile-greon, gray, and violat, , —It Is coneidorod * tho thing * to oar a small fonther atuck in tho hat-baud; but thore's no nocoasity of wouring half a bird, as’somo follows ——Necklacas will bo much warn this winter. A now stylo is of square blocks of gold, onamoled with tPompeilan dosigns on the six sides, and Joinod by six light chains, —Tho atylos In lndicy' dresahave now got back a8 faras the days cf Oathorine de Medicis. At this rate wo shall soon have roached tho atyles provalent in the Garden of Edon. ~The new color predictod to sweep everything ‘beforo it this wintor is as yet unnamed.” It i deecribed ag Jooking like spoiled presorvos, and will be worn in polonaises over black silk, —Young ladies who use tho Irobdignagian faus now In vogue should bo carcful to fan themsolves with each hand alternately lest ono arm ehiould assumo a sizoquite out of proportion to tho othar, —Tha newest thing in drassos {a the * auit of wrmor,” made of utecl-gray silk, black velvet, ud stoel ornnmonts. 'Iho jackot of black volvot i porfectly euvered with fluely-cut steol atars, the overskirt has a heavy fringo of steel pen- dunts, and & tsblior of teol ornaments runn down the front, The iat is a small Turkish tur- ban with a steolo aigrette. ~'lio nawly-ongaged couples now attract all tho attention of tho avenno. Apropos of tho present stylo of walking adopted tho young peaple, tho lady's cheels resting lovingly ou tho padding of hor lover's manly sheuldor, & triend #nya thiat being engaged spoils more coatn with Lubin’s powder than the Boston ever did, and ho isn’t golng to stand it much longer, —A lady in Now York says she doca not want to bo lectitred about extravagance, whon, to hor kuowledgo, the young man of tha period brings home bills of " §80° for necktien, and 350 for n fow pairs ef ivory and oxidized buttons, aud & night-gown of biuo tndla silk, puffed and rufled in smful fashion, for 260, and half n doxon of raw wilk underwear, at 218 tho set, and Dalbrigean socks for §2.76 » pair, and a dozen lawn tiew for $7 apicce, On tho distant hill, o "A VISION OF COMMUNISM. A Grotesque. % Trom the Cornhiti Magazine, *¢ 1t will come. 4 Alrondy we hiave ason tho hiandsriting on the wall, Infatunted governmonts, self-sooking oNicials, fraudulout enpitalists, thoy may put oft tho doy of reckoning, in which tha wholo socinl fabric shall tottor and crumblo away, and men wondor that_auch o hollow thing should have atood so long ; but tho day must como. “Ayol Imbwhon? Tow mony agos of ig- noranco and injuatico must firat pnss over ua ? How many thousends perish of want ? and how many Jivo out a lifo litéle bottor than & prolong- od deall-strugglo : “I'his was my midnight reverlo. Mechanicnlly T took up & nowapnper ; but It was one symptom of tho nttack of Communism-on-the-brain undor which T wan Inboring that, look where I would down thoso columus, I enw nothing bub thoso slokoning paragraphs giving an account ot tho amount of destitution at presont existing in London, and always sido by sido with thoso, to mo just s sickoning, stating that tho Jato So- and-So's will had been provod, aud the personnl- ty sworn uuder £2,000,0001 Did I turn tothe Law Courts, I was suro to matk how, in one, somo ‘wrotchod stroot Arab had beoun sentenced’ to six months for petty Iarcency, in anotlier, the Honoyabla bankrupt's liabilitics had boon Iaid at £60,000, no ausels, bankrupt- discharged. - Bo much for *tho times" and their equity, ** And aLill men can wondor at tho dincontent, and still tho ery goos up in vain, and will, till the mill- fons shall feel their strength and Jay hands on all thono rights, 5o long, 8o skillfully monopo- lizod by the unita. e “But the meaus! Ilow maunymore Fronch revolutions, and blunders, and massacres ? How many victims must fall to ignorance, and tyran- uy, and prejudico? ITow much herolsm be wasted on both eldes ero Cominunism becomo more thau a moro namo,~—n nightmare to somo, & day-drenm to othors? Ouly our childrou's | childron'a childron will know this 1" “1 beg your pardon,” snid & voico at my clbow. v x Btarting, for I bad thought myself alone in'my study, I turned, aud saw o strangor. Ho was clad in what I will call a togs, and carried what 1 will eall a waud., (But, on tho buck and in tho Liand of a commun church-warden, wo should call tbo first * cagsock,” and the second, * poker.") * Bir |" I utterod, nmnzod. i ** You woro holding forth on tho subject so ‘many prate about, 8o fow understand—Commun= jsm. Do you mean to say that {ou bolong totho fow who linve its principies really at henrt 7 ¢ I amonoof those uofortunnto poraons,” I roplied despondingly. ** Who aud what aro you ? Have you como hither to mock mo as a political dreanior of droams ?" # Nothing of tho sort come from o contont- ed city ; o city of liborly, equality, and fratorni- ty. If you like, I whil inke yon to'sce your ideal realizod—comfort for tho million, in & laud wheve ali go shares in happiaes.” 1 had read Danto, * Faust,” and ‘¢ The Com- ing Raco,” I saw the offering to initiato me into tho mysteries of the supernatural, “ Aro you Virgil " Iasked, sorrowfully, and shakigg my hoad, *“If so, you won't do for me. 1 never trouble my hoad mora than I can holp about tho arrangemonts of Paradiso, Pur~ gatory, or_Pandemonium. Are you hlnpfxlsto- pheles? If so, I shaw't do for you. Ioma philenthropist, and i’m cannot tempt me. Do you come from the Vril ¥Ya? Can Vril, which may vory likely never be discovored after nllI talko off ono jot from the social misory of 1878 ?" “I'veno conncotion with tho parties,” bhe roplied, dryly: * I'm a plain niucteonth-century man, aud hore's my card—leotes, lato Man- ?gelr of tho Grand Communist Company, unlim- Led.” © Lale,” Irepeated. *'Which is defunot, you or the Commune?” 4 Oh, noither; the manager, not the man, 18 no more—noy the Commuue id Rolf-supporting at lnst.” + But whare is your State ?" “Al! Our company .don't advortise. Wora tho Commuue thirown open to tho public, rogues from the opposito politienl party would get in, and—snch 18 their vonomous hatred for tho prin- ciplos of oquality aud justice—move heaven and onrth to sow discord among us, undermine onr system, and bring about its rain. In you, bliud, backward, projudicad though you aro, I sco an hounast, thnmufiu-gniug levelor.” Wo bave no ob- jocti:ms 1o such 18 you inspocting our ostublish- mont.” * Ifave you had many visitors »'* “ None. We have just got our 8tate into good working order, and, in cousideration of my ser- vicea o8 managor, 1 nm offigially selected to whow the Commune to such oufsiders as Ifind worthy. You are thoe first I have found.” I'ha very firgt! My henrt bounded. I thought of tho leadors I would writo, the ll).\mphlnm the ossnyn. \What a treasuro 1 ahould bo to all tho editors in London. *Will you yenture?” he asked. “hat’T will,” kaid I solomuly, clasping his offered palm, Ho took Liold of my arm, saying, “The faro for the trip is £10, aud thera aro nooxtra foos.” 11, Thad nerved myself for a strange and foar- ful voyngo. 1 was prepared to encountor murky shiades and Stygiau rivers, to ba shot down tho shaft of a miue, or wafted aloft on an norial oxcursion to the moon, like tho adventurers in “ Bubil aud Bijon.” Great was my surprise, and. deop my kecrok disappointment, when my guide took nio in a common cab toa railwny station, and thouco into a train, with nothing’ remarka- blo about it except that we wore tho only pas- Bongors, Then I think I must havoslept. WhenI rouscd myself it was broad day. Wo wero pass- ing through a fine n:‘peu country, Thers, oppo- sito o, k3t my guido, smoking ' cigar With o solf-complacent, impassible air. ‘¢ Loll mo, Isotes,” I began by-lnd-b{ ‘¢ how ou suceeoded in solving the eocial problem that puzzles our longest-headod stateemen 2" ** Puzzles them ? Stuill” boreplicd. * Whon the rogues lay their long hoads togather, bo suro it’s not to find out how to solve the question, but Lo to niake it insolvable.. But fur their lies and tricks you might have knst pace with us. Communism, a8 you aud they understand it, is & very old story—mero boy's play. -Why, wo bogan it tweuty ‘yem‘u ago, when wo starled our Btate. Btarted with Bitnplo Communigmn,” ¢ Ta thero, then,” I nuked mildly, ¢ such o thing as compound Commuuism 2" # That's the very poiut I'm coming to. As for the littlo quoatiou of Labor yorsus Capital, it’s Leon long settled smong us; but thoro you aro, still bickering about such simple affaiva as tho distribution of land, stock, uud wo forth. ‘Why, wo look on private property, abolishod by ‘us twonty yoars ago, A8 you may ou nogro slavery, the Corn laws, and othor exploded abuses." *‘I'wenty years of porfect Communiam™ I ex-~ claimed, rapturonsly, ¥ “Not B0 faut. Wo had made s beginning, loarnt our A B G, and that wasull. In point of fact tho differcuco it mado was slight. Tho more atringent tho laws, the mora cortain they were to bo broken, Men lopt muking fortunes under the rose, aud thero was no stopping hauds from giving or hands from taking, Comfort and misory scomed nearly as unovenly distributed as ever, Bomoe fellows lived in clovor, others died ina diteh. Bomo wora worshiped and flattored, othors porscouted and trodden down. Evidently thore was & hiteh in the Commnno,~a panic spread among the sharoholder, and wo had a rough job to weather the crists, But thia flrst experlinont had opened some of our oyos to the stumbling stone—tho root of tho ovil.” *f And whoro did you find thut it lay #" ¢ In Nature," # Al," I sighed, ** in Original Bin." ‘! Nothing of tho sort. In the Iniquitous O{I.gll:li:;.})lvluiun of Porsonal Stock," *I'll mako it plain to you In fow words. Thero, in our State, all such Ynlvma property as land, monoy, and marketablo conumoditics, was now !mhlla, but on monopolies of Naturae's gifts not ho shightost cheok wan Jaid. 'Lho anomaly's monstrous when you keo it,” * Woll," eald I, ** but unfortunately the gitts of Naturo are not things you orn put into a com- mon pureéo in which overy one is to o shares,” Tapoko fostingly, but Tiotos Jooked porfootly sorions, and woa nbout to explain, whon tho traln drow up at a station, Hero we are,” #aid ho, *lot the Commune speak for itself,” An wo walked down from tho station to a large thriving-looking olty, he olmorved, "I have slkotehed out your duy, wvo that you shall not wasto time, “First, I'll take you round the town, ,|usl stopping to_cost u‘finncu at the col- logen, hially, and publioc buildings, Thon you shiall come to my houso, dine with me, and, in the avening, I'll take you to a private ball, I want you thus to got o genoral notion of our soclal nyatom, and wo cau tako tho dotails to- morroyw,"” m e began with the Collego, Of my firat im- proaslons of tho town I sy nothlng, fnding nothing to say, The houses wero all of medinm sizo, and fac-slmilos of onch otber. I wau going to make nnoto of the uuplonsing monotany of tho efoct, but 1 observed tho absonco of donu aud hovels uuoh as diggrace our metropolis, sud Tobit pss, Tho Coilogo, n largo, symmotrical Luildiug, atoad a littla apart from the towa, Tha vast playgrounds woro swarming with youthful Com- wundsts, Ib was with some emotion that L watchod tho sporta of thoso boys, Litulo, proba- bly, did they reck of thofr privileges, buth in this equitable realm, and an oducation freo from the dungors of our finubllu colloges, thoso little mouarchios, with all monarcliy's abusos in minia- turo—hullying for tho weak, licenss for tho strong, flattory for the rich and tilled. Isotos and 1 stood watohing & oricket-match, Home of the players, big, burly follows, seomod ouriously clumsy and stupld, the rest woro nimble and skillful, but fecbls and puny, aud I thought the gamo Ingged. Nonr mo, & youth of uucommonly ])owm-l’ul uild lay strotchod lazily on the grass, looking on, I accosted him, and'asked wheu ho was going to take Liu innings, * I novor play cricket,” ho replied. ¢ It'sbad for mo. Oan't you seo bow unfortunately stroug Tom? Feol my arm.” “Woll,” said T, "* with those mueolos of yours, Ishould hope you'd soon beat tho awkward squad yonder, and sond tho ball fiying woll over tho College roof.” As Tspnko, Isotes drow mo forcibly awny. 1 Mind what you're about, pleaso,” uaid ho, sharply, ¢ I shall have to answus for the miscon duct of tho visttors I bring over. Racollect, you'ro not nt Lton or Harrow. The Collogo tules with repard to athlotio games uro theso: Boys whoso stock of nntiral strongth and agility slinll oxcocd ‘the nverago are forbidden to oxor- cigo thom “and bocowme proficients. Wharo the excoss of physleal powor is extremo, tho boy is, forbidden to lake part in them at all. This is in order that all thoso who do play may ba noarly on o par,” % “But what tame sffairs your games must al- woys b " ““Throw the cnmeLmuu upon & large sohool, you will always find that somo half-a-dozon will outshine ail ‘tho rest, avd bo_worshiped as ho- “and thon," roes nnd kings. And why ? Bocause thoy aro Llionest - and deserving? No. Bocauso ~ thoy chance to be born to an oxorbitant amount of privato property—brawny arms, broad chosts, ong. l“fi”’ quick eight, I8 thisa cause whya youth, like your land and water giants, should malke money, bo talked sbout and Lave halfa nowspaper column devoted to him snd hig ox- ploits 7 What in to become ot tho weaker, the puny, tho short-winded brethreu? But grant practico and skill to tho weak, and not to the atrux‘xg‘, ond you bring the two partica on o ovol, To this T had nothing to reply. e noxt took mo into the gymnasium, whero we found such a sickly-looking sot of boys, thut I asked, in sonio alarm, if the sito of the Collego wero a hoalthy one, . # Uncommonly 8o, The rodistribution of tho wealth of heslth, o very dolicate job, too, hns ‘beon carried out with sigual success, Not a boy loaves schiool of whom it can be said that ho haa o particnlarly robust or o particularly shaky constitution. Wo havo o sanitary standard, the highost to which it is possiblo, by dint of cara and oxercise, to raiso the weakly boys. The ro- duction to it of the overhozlthy is a compara. tively oasy taek, but quite necossary. Thero is no privilogs that gives o man such an unduaoe ad- +vantago over his nolghbors as the possession of the lion's sharo-of health,™ ‘Wo wera now entoring thoe school-room, whero anumbor of litlle Communists were roceiving instruction in the Latin tongue, Inoticad ono bright-oyed, sharp-looking Tellow, sitting by himself, munchiug sn n\rlplo. 1 patted bim on tho hiead, and asked him the Latin for apple. #T'vo not begun Latin,” ho said. ' Not yat ?" ~(Ho laoked 18, or more.) No, and I'm half afraid I shan't. Youknow, I'm a monstrously clever follow.” ‘ Indeed ; then what can you do ?" “Xtead ; and I'm soon toloarn writing, if I don't get on too faat.” 1 took the ox-managoer aside, and asked it tho vnunhg gontleman was oub of his mind., Isotes laughed, ‘Eruac boy is what you call & gonius—we a lit- tle intallectun) millionaire. Iis parcnts nover found it out. It wasone of the mastors here who first dotectod in him a privato hoard of quickness aud intelligonco which, cleverly in- vested, would ono dny have enabled ° him to buy up the wholo Colloga, mnsters included. The same allowsuco and brain-culturo that his school-fellows roceive would bring him in extra Profit at tho rato of 200 por cent, But by keop- ing Lim back, aud carefully checking his aotivity of mind, we cut down his net mental income to the average figure, and provent his unjust pro- motiou over tho mass.” “ Bt tha injustico to the boy himsol? 1" “ Yo is well off enough." *¢ But must fall ehort of what he might bave beon.” + Which mokes him equal with tho others. ‘Therais o certain poiut up to which all boys, not positively doficiont, can be educated, "Thoso with roady wila, good momorics, aud superior powors of “application sbould gbe kept by arti- ficial moans from rising above it. Bhall tho boy who learns slowly and hardly be branded'ss a dunoo, beosuse that despot, Neture, has treated bimill? Shall tho naturally apt, the keen, the sngacious tramplo on tho unturally obtuse. Not here in the Commune.” Herain tho Communs, as I was boginning to understtnd, thoy undortook to sot even Nature to righla, and life was a handicap raco. 1v, As wa went into tho stroet, the firat words that Isotex dropped confounded me quite. “Ah," lio snid, carelessly, '‘hero comes the Marquis ; I'll introduco you, if ou lik."” *Marquis!” I repented, aghaat. Yy, the Marquis of Carabbas.” ¢ And you eall this 5 Commune " . “Why not? Becauso wo havo our sristoc- “It'y fatly absurd. The very notion of such an institution is contrary to the first prinoiplos | of equality.” 4 You talk like s novice, who hasn't got bo- yond tho first principles. You havo overything Yot o loarn. Look there.” A littlo hunchback was riding toward us, Ilo yan maguificantly drossod (a grent contraub in this respect_to the other male citizens, who all woro plain clothes—vory {‘lls(n clothes), and wag ‘mounted on & very fine thoroughbred. “That's his Grace,” #aid Taotes, bowing po- litoly. **In the Communo all oripples axe barons, blind men earls, dwarfs merquises, and go on. Titles rising with the gravity of the natural do- fect, You koo theso poople are born Lo o_lerit- ago of acorn, For a long time we really did not know what to do with thom, and once thoy ro- volted, saying that itwan flatly obsurd, in o Commune, for mon to start in lifo at such a dis- advaniage ns they did. Now, wo could not ro- duce the \holo stata to their lavel, and so some- body {‘)ronomd to exterminate all tho incurables, but that mossure was rejocted as too juhuwan, It was »_lucky hit, this raising thom into a no- bility. Baforo, they wore always.grumbling, But this guarantoes themn a sharo of that respeet which is evory honest man's duo, and of which nature doprived them from their birth. Tho streot boy used to laughnt Carabbps, Thoy don't dare, now that he hag got hils coronet and ermine mantle,” A citizon way passing at this ‘moment, and stoppad to shakio bands with Isotos, wwhio accostod Liim at tho top of his voices “Woll, did Jou ‘got tho order 7" “ Remanded forn month,” was the reply, *I must pass anothor examiuation, I'm uot given up yot." “‘Phat gontloman," my cicerons explained, “ hau lately bocome very deaf, e applied for an order™ * For the hospital " #No, no; for an order of knighthood, But they don't {nink tho oase bad enough at prosont, Should it become confirmed ho will bo dubbod immediately." I mado no comment. But tho pioture that arose beforo mo of a Houso of 1.ords thus con- stitutod was o droll that I fell juto a fit of Inughtor, Pagsing through the stroots, I wan ohiefly slruck by tho nbsenco of busuty among the womon, and also by tho frightful ‘way in which mauny of them wero dressed, Thia bad tasta #eomad, howaver, by no means genernl, Prog- ently I inquired, jnutluqu. of Isotes, whother they had mauy ‘me ady Communists, 1o louked astouished by tlie question. *Why, tho stack of beauty was nover largor }hnluln't tho prosont. L'lero goos & pretty girl— ook | " Vt Protty scaroorow } " I muttored rudaly, ut the sight of a damuel in & yusly bluck gown and shawl, widow's cap and spocaclos. " 011, youmorn tho dress, Aly word for It, she lag splondid eyes, halr, and comploxion. That 1ih'l camo to ug with a fortune in her faco, Wail, in the Commune, of conrwe, sBho couldu't finve'It to spond. . Wo know how, in tociety, the protty and atiructive lord it ovor the homely and eilont; how, whon it comes to marringe, the for- mor may plok and chooso from s hundred suitors, aud the lattor niover come in for # aingls offor, Now wo oan't alter the fiirlu‘ faces, but drous 500: & loug way, and thelr costnmes we can and o regutato. Qur fixed rate of beauty Ia within 1i tho ronch of almoat any Indy who dresita wall; and thoso to whom an nxtmvngnu:fi;.m.t of graco and good looks was made in the t instanca B gt di n ad bty and aekod I 1h1 oug] 5 & BAC ty, and nsled if things ‘Tiad always beon 8o in J:oydmmnlluu, R * No,"'ho snid, with nsigh; thero was a timo —but we must not regret it—whon no limitation was lald on persoual chnrms, What wore tho rosulta ? Apnrus)rlnunn of the affectionn of tho wholo youth of the Comtnune by soma half-n- dozon bolles! Insurrection of the snub-nosed, rod-haired, and hurd-featured sixtorhood! 1t cortainly was a erying Injuntice for thom, thongn Inirly well-conducted and hard-working, to ho quotod in socinl lifo ot lialf tho price of thono othiers, An institution of ugly hoiresson wonld only haye complicatal matters, But wo smooth- od all diflicultica by this simplo oxpodient of the Reduction of all Beauty to a Mediwm,'" V. Isotos noxt directod my attention to o large Liall, from which emmated sounds of music, 1 8holl wo look in ?" honskod; * thore's & grand concort golng on nf tho Aoadomy,"” ** By all means,” Lrophiod ; * I om o musician myselt, and always rogretted to hoar it said that such doctrinos os yours had & toudeuocy to dis- parago the fino arts,” 1o laughed. ** Anothor of the ornde notions of tho hegiunor, 1lero we encouraga att, under propor rostrictious, of courso. Liven a Com- muno fasly tho want of o littlo’ rocreation now My first act a8 wo ontorod the concort-room way to clap both hands to my oars. A Com- munist virtuoso wan running through romo va- rintious, with wonderful facility nud tremendous forco, on that instrumont of torturo—a piauo utterly out of tuno, Luckily ho ind ncatly fin- ished. Soon tho dincorda ceasod, aud he ratired amid moderato applause. After ono or two in- differont vocal oxhibltions, came a young lndy pinnist, norvous and woodon, who shnuflad through & sonats on ono of the most splondid instruments I ovor heard in my lifo, . **I don’t care for hor," T obsorved to Isoton, a8 we loft tha ball. “Bub if the young man wll:o appoarod firat had only had her piano to play on "— "yllu would havo recolved an oxtravagant sum of applause,” broke I tho ox-maungor; *doublo as much as tho gitl, wlho is tho most painataking i‘,““‘"‘ of the two—practicos ning hours a day. ut hor flngors are naturnlly stift,* The othor has floxibility of joints, lightness of touch, and acapital enr. All this he got for nothing, in- hieritod from his mothor, who was musical too. Ia it fair that ho who holds & large musical for- tuno that ho nover carned ehonlE bo allowed the oxtra advantage of o first-clasa instrument ? ‘What chance would Labor have againat Capitnl without somo such regulations to Enhnco o pro- ponderauce of the lattor in such cnuos " ‘Wo had now renchod myguide’s houso, As wo went up stairs, ho naked me if I was beginning to undoratand Communism, 1 think, with you, that 1 have ovorything to learn,” I roplied, humbly, In tho drawing-room wo found two young people, whom Isotes intro- duced to mo as his son and d!\lllfhh!r, Abol and Evn,- Ho thon oxcused himsolf, having to at- tend to some business, Eva waa o besuty, I knew it dircctly, from hor unbocoming dress, Thers, bouoath her Indeous cap, I could spy the cml‘ilped gold huir, 'That clumsy ruff beapoke & slonder throat, tho ill-fitting finwn and cuormous slippors & graceful figuro and tiny foot, thoso blue spectucles a bright pair of oy08. 1 soon bocama frionds with hor and Abel. T found both vory conversational and livoly. Only when I alluded to the Costume lawa in tho Commune a shade crossed Eva's face. Ifiankly admitted how sorry I was to seo Tor Qisfigure liorsol? in blue spoctacles. ‘*What's to be done?" sho said, seriously; “T'vo got Buch an enormous stook of beauty, and it will accnmulato, 'They say if it goos on at this rato I shall hava to dso my hair gray, But Sm-hnps T might leavo off my spoctacles if 1 could learn to squint," “Don't, pray, talk of anything so_ horrible, Havo you sny sisters, or brothors besides Abol?" #B8ovoral, * But we ?“D thom all away. Sev- oral Communist families wera very short of chil- dron at that time. Gonorally as many a8 four or fivo aro allowed to each housohold.” Tsotes now joiued us, and we all went to din- ner together,” The two young people intercated mo immeneoly, especially Abol, who was a vory handeomo, etriking-looking follow. e hiad nn unfortunato_impediment in_ his spoach, but all his observations, whon he did got them out,wore ‘moat original, thoughtful, and witty. Dut once or twico ho lot fall ‘& remark betraying an igno- ranco amounting to that of asavejge. Immedi- ntely after dinnor I started with Isotes for tho ball’ bo bad promised to take mo fo. As wo wont, I seized the opportunity of being alono with him to congratulate Lim on Lis charming £on and daughter. He told mo they had given the Commune o world of trouble, being endowed, both of thom, with parta of outrageous value, especially Abol, who, at tho ago of G, composad vorses and played liko an angel on the piano. Of courso o was forbidden to learn mausic, and his oducation has Dbeon most cavofully neglocted. At 10 he was taken with o lucky stammor whick Liad equarod mattors to somo degreo, But hio bad still to be watched, For suspicion bad been_sproad that tho stammer was all & sham, put on in order that ho mtght bo allowod to dine out., %o dine out ?” . # Abol bas a good deal of convoraation, and o largo fuud of wit and roparteo,” < 4% A vory agreonblo fullow to mect at dinner,” ©¥es, but 1n the Commune very agrecable fol- lows are not allowed to dine out, 'I'hoy are so apt to monopolize the invitations, I kuow mon in London who might positively choose for them- solvos, night aftor night, ot whose table thoy would dino; while for others an evening from Loms sas o raro and blessed ovont. Natural so- cial gifts, such a8 Abel's must bo bridled. Else tho owher's groes rocoipts of social pleasura wiil be for in advance of those of the mmejority of his follow-men, whose social incomes aro de- rived from less productivo sources,” VI My spirita, which had been a little dampod by the ‘provious disloguo, rose a8 we cntered tho ball-room. Idelightin dancing, and was be- ginning to accustom myself to tho offect of tho Costumo Inws, Iutroductions, aaid Isotes, wera not conriderad necessary at & ball, SoT walked up unhesitatingly to o young and lnlernbl{ nico laoking girl aud roqueated tho honor of a dauce. Sho slmost _boundod from her chair with sur- prise, or indignation, or both, #Wny, I'm only seventcen., Burely I don't Iook moro than that! " A charming ago,” I roplied, gallantly. 4 Bweot seveutoou, may I have the pleasuro 7" She turned to hier chaperon with a Yook of dig- may I shall naver forget ; but the old ladysmiled on mo bonignly. : 5 ‘The gontleman is a stranger. I have heard all about him, Bit down,” she ndded to me, “you may talk to my daughtor, though sho may not danco. In the Commune, no girl over does, till abio ia past five-and-twenty. “ But why, madam, why 7" . “#1t is a ect-off to tho exaggerated profit afforded to youth aud {reshnoss and donicd to sterling worth and exporience, Wo passod this by-law to quiet the spmsters. They broughta petition cowpluining that, having noither tho diguified pouition of married womon, nor the at- tractions of early gitlood, thoy were unfaivly placed. Tho griovance was proved. ‘This rulo and o few othera of the samo sort were passed in thoir favor, and liave worked vory woll, for there Lave beon no complaints since.” Of ell the aborratlons of justice Ihnd yot wituessed, thia seomod to me the most propos- torows. Unable to disguiso my foolings, Iloft tho room in a baff, without a word to [sotos, and walked straight back to his house, trying to invent somo oxouso for my sudden flight. An I mounted the stairs, I hoard the most oxquisito sounds stealing from tho drawing-room, I openod tho door moftly, entored ou t\Hlun, and there remained, roated to the spot by tho charm- ing sight that mot my oyes, Eva, rid of her rulf, cap, and spoctacles, looking nslovely ne an angel, eat ot tho piano, singing. Dosido her stood Abol, listening, entranced. Sho toucliod iho notos with an untutored baud, but hor voico, though quite untrained, was beautiful,— past doseription,—rich, full, and flawless, As I lintunnd, tenrs of dolight roso to my oyes, and 1 uttored on involuntaiy * Bravissima!™ Tiva Jumped up, and, on socing mo, gave & plercing shnicl. i Don't be_frightaned,” I implored. “That pong again, Eva, My child, you havo the mont glorlous voico_in tho world, Take caro of it, enltivate it well, and one day you will ba the de- light of nations,” 1 concluded with enthusiasm, “ What do you mean " sho crled, ** Dlesso, loase don't toll, OHI{ papa lknows, and lLio saya I‘hem‘n no harmiu it if I nover sing; and [ nover do, oxcapt to Abel. DBut the Communo would not trust me, and, if they know, I might havo to do somsthing disngroenble, -For there's no kiud of proporty on which thoy keep so strict & watch ay on fine voicos," “And thoy aro quite right,” broke in Abel, “I've been told thut in London poopls will gomotimos give five guncas to hear one, and that the fincat elngors aro bribed to appoar, at thoe rato of £200 or £800 por night, sud lave bouquots and jowols showetad on them besidos; whilo tho others, who work twice as hard, got wretchedly low wages, Is it true¢" I owned that it was, “Bhame on tho publio who will pay {ributa to a cortnin formution of tho throat or tho our! Iy it not infamous that favors should go, for so Tiollow & TOARON, T0 MGGy RHU BATS Gens o=, to oarn thom ?" “ Eva—Abol,” I oxclaimed, * thoso are wild ravings, Infatunted childron—to shacklo and spoll the gifta of Providoncs In this barbarous way, Como with me and lot us fly to my coun try, Thore, Abel, you will bo & poot, looked up toand loved by thiohost in the laud. " You, Eva, willthrow Pattl and Nilsson in the shade, and have all Tondon at your foot. 'Thero tho ronda to porfection and honor are open, and you may hnxu for evorythini." nother #hriok from Eva, and I folt o hand on my shouldor, Turning round I snw Isotes. o was looking nt mo reproachfully, more in phy than in angor. ‘*Btranger, I nrrost you in the namo of tho Communo 1" Vil = That vory night I was bronght up for prolime inary examination bofore the magistrates, chargod with trying to corrupt the youth of the Eommuno, and” entice them awny from their omes. I had no timo to prepare my dofense, Al 1 could do was to roply to the questlonsina strajghtforward mauner, and as the joquiry pro- cooded my anewors soomed to alip out unn- wares, ** You woro admitted to the Commune msa visitor " 1 was" “ But 08 & true convert to the principles of liborty and equality?” “ Cortainly." ** And can'you dony that here the lots of all mfl‘}?“l a8 noarly as poseible, equalized ?” o . ' You wore talen in the act of undermining principles you profoss ¢ ‘' No—protesting against the scquestration ot suporior artistic powors." **Buporior! Superior powers can only belong to n fuw, and, if allowed freo play, enable a fow to litt up tholr henda ovor tho massca. What bucomos of oquality 2" “You go too far, Tako weallh, materinl woalth into your hands to be dealt out for, ths public good, but stop thero," Thoy lookod at ouoh other with smuaement. “ Don't you porceive,” snid ong, *that this ar- rangomont enbances enormously the values of a MS‘ tal of bonuty, iutellost, or imagination? Other thlnqn belng equal, what chanco hero bee low has & blockhend againsta man of gonlus?" *But your systom is unnatural,” “*That wo allow. If men wero born fres and equal, onr laws would not bo noceseary, But tho ayiug 15 a falachood, All men are born de- Y«udeul on ench other, nud no two ara equal, b“iln! thgxglo;{ of mr “M:l,lto have done away with native disparities, and brought all Gn standara aial st “ A mtandard of modiocrity,” I crled, which nono are to linvea chanco of passing. If all must bo nitke, and not all can ba firat-rato, nme flm l;s' firat-rate, and what becomes of porfec- ion 2" At this a1l the mngistrates rose in dismay, l‘:lit‘l;‘ an outery, “ What was that word? Ropoat “Yon," I porsisted, ' that you must own, Tt is s misorabla society that ia founded on selfist Krhmiplun alon, and not on charity to all and onor for what I8 good and great in nature and man, Asforme, Ican bear tho sight of my betters in fortuno, honor whero honor is duo, aspire and hopo for mygolf. If need lot not ona star differ from another in glory. But do not bor the way to excellonce heeauss groatness i easior for some than for others, For perfoction in tho gonl all are to run for, though fow can re- coive tho prize.” At the word Perfection, there aroee such an “uproar au completaly drownod my vaice. I was 8oizod, hustled out of tho room into the street, dragged to tho railway-station, asnd pnt into a special train. Just o8 it started I foll asloop, ex- hausted, I awoke in my study, repeating ** Por- foction is tho goal for all to run for, though fow can receivo tha prize.” i o T OLD FARMER BROWN. ¥rom the harvest-ficld, old Farmer Brown came home 2 look of caro; Ho threw his hat on the floor, and sat down in bis old spliut-bottomed chair; ‘He wiped tie swoat from his dripping brow, and pulled out hfs old Jack-knifos Mo whittled away to himself awhile, and called to his 1ittlo wife. From her quaiut and tidy kitchen, sho came through the open door, With Ler sléoven pinned up to hor shoulders and her skirt pinued up before, Bho looked as faded, wrinkled, and worn as the folds of lier gingham-gown, ‘When sho gaw thie heggard and hopolesa look on the faco of Farmer Brown, Then down in Lier rocking-ofiair sho sank, In a sort of 8 holpless way, Nor spoko one word, hut listened and looked to hesr “What Lo mighf say. “Hannah, T'm sick a-livin? here, an’ a-workin! from apring o fall Acrataln? lafots an’ corn to sel, that don't bring noth- all, Here wo havo worked togother, for forty years, likea palr of slaves, ¢ st lified yot that X owe to An’ that old mortga That §; u:tgyelut-nuln.a’ Deacon Dunn's will soon be o d Gideon Grave u Tallin® due, An’ whoro the monoy's & comin’ from, why, T can'’t tell, nor you, ' kept In sech a worry an’ frot by all of theso sort o* things, That T liave to sell the atufl that X ralso zight off for whal ngs, T4 costs £o much for my tsxes now, an’to keep tha wolf awag, That I Lavew't no chanco to make & cont, an’ that fa what's to pay, Hann 'vo Lotli on us grown old, an' our children are gone ; Thore {s no oue now that is left at home for us to de- pend upon, Tafn'é as strong as T used o bo, nor as ableto work, X Xuow ; But I'o got'to set thess matters aquars, an’ the farmll have to go, “ Half o' the world lives idlo, with plonty to cat an' woar, An' thio oncs whio work the Liardest lisvo often the loast o spare, The farmers work tll their forma are bent, s’ thelr Dands axo bard an' brown ; The workmen delvo fn tho dust an’ amoko o’ the works shops in the lown ; The aturdy saflors bring to our shores the wealth o Torelg lands 3 Aw’ the otlier alf of tho world subsiata by the work o' theao hardened bands, s An' this Is ona o' the reasons why I can't pay what X owe, Wlxuu‘yml an’ X are s~gottin’ old, and tho farm 7 have o go. “T'vp worked in the woods in the winterdime, D've plowed an’ sowed in the spring, T'vo hoed snd dug through sumuier and fall,an’1 baven't made a thing, Somelisica I lie avwake il might, an’ worry, sa’ fuss, an’ frot, An' nover s singlo wink o' aleep nor a bit o’ rest I get, Thiuk o our growa-up clildsen, an’ tho 1o they'vé st bogun ; Thoy've got to hoa the samo hard row 8a yousnd1 liave done. . 1 think o the politicians, 2n’ the way that they rob an' ateal, An', tha more T think o* farmin’, o poorer 1t maket me feol. Tha speculutors buy up our cheego, our buttor, owr ool u iy, An’they scll 'om’ agin for more'n twico ss much ag tliey Liad o pay, Thoy blead us in transportation, they flecco us overy- whero; They cheat U8 on our provisions an’ the very clothes wa wear, Thoy live in thelr lofty houses, on (ko best that caa bo fonu Tholr wives wear dazzlin’ dfamonds, an' their children Ioaf around 3 In tho stmer they go to tho sesshioro au’ the aprings, to make a shiow, An’ that is tho way our butter an’ chosse, an’ our corn au' taters go, 4o work fn the wun all summer, raiso furnips an’ corn on sharow, Tnt the railroads an’ politicians may chest us an’ put o n alsa, Thoy carry tuo reins o' power, an' will till we 81l our raved ¢ They x"‘llln au'ruin the markets, an' wenren packo* sluves, What's to be dono 7 God only kmows, D've falledir. many ways In tryin' to lay a leotlo by to easa my declinin’ days, 1 novor have leen alifiless man; T'vo iggored; I'va warked an' tried, Whilo tho old farm's been a runnin’ down since thy day that father died, T'vo borrowed money to ysy my debts, an’ I'vo watched tio {ntorest grow, Uit fairly gob 16 wait 0! me, au’ the farm i Bava ogo.” Then :!l:fi littlo wifo of Farmer Brown stood up upon 6 floor, And she looked at him Ju & kind of way that she never liad heforo, Tho furrows tied from hor shrivoled choeks and hor faco grow all aglow : “ Inever will sign tho dvod, Jobn, su’ thio farni shall never 4o, “Theru' Jost ol thiug to Ue dono, a8 suraaa you an' X aro born : You mutst join the GRANGE u’ vote, Job, 1€ you would well your corn, Hopo au' irayor aroiguod, dohm, for tie man who lgs #n' delvos, But Heaven will nover help us, John, uuless we holp aursclves, T afn't an chippor, an' smart, an' sprs, nor sa strong au 1 uned ta be, But U'se got o heap of 4punk, John, when it's started up in we,” Ovor the vl man's furrowed face the toars began to o Honever ll'.fia flt moro proud aud strong since thelr wedding 10ug ago § . A goldu ploa of hegveuly hopo fliumined bis soul's deupar, Aud, knesling down ou the time-worn floor, both bowod thelr hoada #n prayor. —~Euyens Jy Hall i Our ¥irende Frisdy