Year: 1879

1t was once Causeur's good fortune to spend
few days in the modest home of friend of
slender means-a home that was all that its
owner could afford TO make it, yet lacked many
things that would have made IL more comfort
able and convenient. During Causeur's stay
two guests were entertained at tea, both OF
them men Of means and wide acquaintance,
accustomed to all the luxury that wealth can
/ give. But they were widely different in their
| behavior. The first dwelt upon the fact that
the house was in out,of the-way spot. and
that there were few or no neighbors. At tho
table he told of the delicious tea he had
| drank at the house of one friend, Of the rich
tea-service that he had seen upon the table
! Of another, of tho rare old china that was
used in his own household, and Of the dainty
meals he had eaten from it. In the cramped
little si;ting-room, after ten, he sat by the
stove and talked of the delights of an open
wood FIRE, of his enjoyment of rare and costly
books and pictures, aud of twenty other
things that tho host of whose hospitality he
had partaken did not and could not possess
When no had gone it was clear, although
nothing was said that his visit had caused
pain /; that it had made the wife feel her
straitened circumstances moro keenly than
over, and cast shadow over her husbands
thoughts. The next evening came the other





face. The room, he said felt SO warm and
comfortable after his walk, which he added,
was just the thing to give n man u good ap-
petite for his supper. At the table he spoke
of every thing that was nice, congratulated
his host on having such a snug little home,
npologized for eating SO much, but couldn't
help it, because IL was " SO good and tasted
so home-like." liked the old black tea. pot,
because it was just like the one his mother
had when he was boy, and told her hostess,
who was all smiles and as happy as n queen.
that she ought to thank her stars that she had
no gas or furnace 10 ruin the flowers that
made her room look so cheerful. After tea
he insisted that the children should not be
sent to bed '' just yet ;" said he wanted to
tell them . story, as he did and when he
bad done and had kissed them goodnight,
they trudged off up stairs with besming faces,
under the guidance of a mother who felt that
a ray of real sunshine had entered her home,
making it better and happier for all time.


Boston Transcript.
4 SPLIT IN THE BLUE RIDGE.-Char-
lonesvi2Ze, December 23a.-Accounts from
most reliable sources have reached this place
of q remarkable occurrence which has re-
Gently taken place in the Blue Ridge noun
tains, in the county OF Greene, and which
excites the wonder and apprehension of tho
rustic population in the neigbborhood. a
fsure has been discovered in the mountain
opposite the middle fork of the Rapidan
river, which has been traced for many miles,
and is believed to extend entirely through
and across the mountain to the Shenandoah
river on the western side, and of such q
depth that its bottom could not be reached
with the longest poles cut for the purpose
of exploring the crevice. One man in search
of lost stock traced the fsure four miles,
| The earth on one side is said to be perpeue
dicular, but on the otker side is slantipg, as
if the entire northeastern side of the noun
tain had been depressed by tho sudden
settling of its subterranean foundations.-
The phenomenon is certainly curious, and
will doubtless be investigated and the fsurs
traced in its entire course.