Year: 1873

the foregoing scene 1 spoke TO him Of the
merry Chrstmastmes in the Fatherland. He
shook his head mournfully: Ach Gottl Ole
werd ich ME wiedersehen' cI shall never
see them again.0 The only thing which he seemed
very much regret that he should not live long
enough get the he had won so that it might De
ms father his little village ON the Elbe Ne


the afternoon gathered in the same mourn
ful and hushed way about his bedside The dying Saxon
alone broke the silence. There is way Of reproducing
in English the wonderful pathos Of his speech mellow
even in its faintpess suppose ought TO say that DIS
mind was wandering but at the time it did not seem so
10 me He spoke first OF the green fields approach
ing ms native village. then Of the flowers; and
then finally he exclaimed There CLEANS the Ebe, ana
there comes father -Fatherv And in the JOY OF that
meeting real or i'm aRinary smile parting his ps he
died. We gave the gentle Saxon the poor honor Of
separate grave and as after the siege could
get a letter out wrote TO his father sending the few


little rinkets that had been trusted TO my keeping In
the answer and thanks Of the lonely old man-for he
was now widowed and childless--there something
almost as sad the death have been telling you or
He could hear enough OF his sons last days. and our
correspondence ceased only when my mnutest details
had been gwen" The illustrations in this number are
all appropriate, and many Of them uncommonly good


The best reading in Scribner, as is often the
with that Magazine is to be found in the mscela
departments where sundy topics of the day are
discussed with bodness and point not with an excess
Of briancy The remarks Of the editor on the inter
ests OF the kitchen OppOrtune and illustrate tne
existence OF an evil which 1t is less difficult to oewa
than TO cure "There is no department OF American


life cursed with ignorance and Lack OF skill as That OF
domestic service There are thousands OF families in
tins ctyand the fact obtains in other cites-who
have no satisfactory from years end TO years
end The servants and and lie, and waste ana
spoil and quarrel and steal They have no loyalty no
fathfulness, carefuness, no skill to do the duties
which they undertake and which they loudly ana
confidently profess 10 understand Their Ignorance Is
only matched by their nsOlence. They have no dispo
siton 10 learn no ambition to become excellent. no de-
sire TO please and no wish remain for any consider
able length Of time in place. The sailors boarding
houses, from which the men are dragged ana shlpeu
for every brief voyage, do not seem TO be more demora


zed and hopeless places than many Of those holes so
strangely misnamed intelligence Offices from "hch
scores Of girls are sent into families every daygrls
who are known 10 be inefficient, and who are expected
back in search Of another place before the first month
out The waste OF fuel in rich mems kitchens would
keep all the poor people warm. The food thrown away
or ruined by reCkessness and Ignorance, would ieed
tens Of thousands Foreigners wonder that the Amer


can family takes TO the clearinghouse and the hotel
but the secret Of this strange liking for hotel life Is IN
the wretched service Of domestic lle Women get tired
and discouraged with housekeeping and give II up
The writer suggests, partial remedy concert OF
action on certain points the ladies or the CITY,


These points are. rSt that lady shall give servant


certificate Of character OF skill that overstaes the
facts in the slightest degree second that no servant
shall be engaged who cannot bring satisfactory certih
cate from last place, give competent references


Hird that when mistress finds herself imposed upon
by false representations she immediately dismiss her
servant so that, at last all incompetent servants be
driven into places where their wages shall bear some
proper relation 70 the value OF their work" The most
eectua measure, the writer intimates, would doubt


less be the application OF science to the cuisine. Sound
knowledge carry the day in the kitchen as every
where else and until the preparation Of food is held
10 be branch Of high art less than the composition
Of books will the purgatory OF domestic service be re-
Ieved BY ray ot light The critical and scientific por
tons Of the number. demand express commendation.
The Illustrations also are exceptionally good.