_,........ WINTER. Winter has come, now seeks the spruce young man His last year's great coat, in its long retreat; With anxious eyes doth he the garment scan And queries will it answer on the street. Perchance he findeth that it will, and then, Ah, then, upleaps his youthful heart with g;1ee If not, ah, then. methinks he seeks his den And oeunteth up his cash full anxiously. —Vanity. THE POOR DUCHESS.’ Is was really very hard on the poor‘ Duchess, especially after all the toil and labor She had ungrudgingly ex- pended on her unattractive progeny. Her lot had always been hard enough‘ ever since she was a duchess; even be- fore her wedding cake had grown stale she had been coping with difllculties; brutal diflculties which it required all her strength of mind to face, and now. when a good share of these difficulties were laid to rest with her husband, the, late Duke, in the family vault at Long- lands; now,when she had just managed to retrieve the shattered ducal fortunes by bringing off the engagement of her ugly, dissipated son, the present Duke, to Claudia Putnam, the richest Ameri- can heiress of the season, now for this blow to fall upon her, it was really too bad. The only balm to her anguish was that it had fallen at Longlands, in the wilds of Yorkshire, and that the whole thing might be hushed up and hustled in oblivion without any one being the wiser. She had gone to Longlands to recruit after her superhuman expendi- ture of energy during the London sea- son; her only guest was'Claudia Put- nam, her son’s fiance, with whom she was discussing alterations and renova- tions for the new regime. But the moment was robbed of all its savor by this horrible catastrophe; this ——-what else could she call it?—this drivelling idiocy of the least plain and most hopeful of her six ungainly daugh- ters. She would have» kept the hateful story to herself if she could, . but her heart was too full for silence; besides, Claudia. had her fair share of Yankee shrewdness—she might suggest a bril- liant solution of the problem—so, as they sat over-a cup of tea .in her b011- doir, the Duchess opened her new trouble to her future daughter-in-law. “l’m afraid, Claudia, dear,” she be- gan, “that we are going to have serious trouble with Henrietta.” Claudia was very fond of the Duchess, so she tried to look sympathetic. though with Lady Henrietta, who was wrapped up in par- ish work, who wore impossible clothes, and did her hair grotesquely. she had no sympathy whatever. “Dear me!” she replied. “I’m sorry to hear it; I hope she’s not sick.” “S1ckl” repeated the Duchess, “I wish she were, or anything half so sensible. The fact is, she has been and got herself entangled in’ a most unbecoming love affair. ” Miss Putn 1m opened her blue eyes very Wide, and set down her teacup with a je1k. “My 1” she exclaimed “and who on ea.th has been making love to her?” The Duchess lowered her voice: “My dear,” she said, impressively. ‘it is Mr. Gibson, the curate. She vows she will marry him. Isn’t it terrible?” “Rather, for the curate,” thought Claudia to herself; aloud she said, “have . I ever met Mr. Gibson?” “Certainly not, dear; we do not invite him here. He is not a gentleman.” A “Then where did Henrietta meet him?” . “Oh, in cottages and at the school. You see she likes parish work, and I en- couraged her; it sets such a good exam- ple, and we’ve always had a married curate before; whowever when Mr. Gib son came, I never thought of chaperon- ing her, because, you see, he isn’ta gen- tleman.” “But, I suppose, Henrietta thinks he will make her a suitable husband?” “My dear,” cried the Duchess, “she can t possibly think so. Why, his father keeps a saddler’s shop! He hasn’t ‘ been to the university. Oh, it’s alto- gether dreadfull and she’s as obstinate as a mule about it.” She broke' oif as the door opened to admit a young man in a shooting suit. He was a plain, insignificant looking personage, with an air of extreme self approval. “I' ve just been telling Claudia about this stupid affair of Henrietta’ 8,” went on the Duchess. “And what does Claudia think about it?” asked the plain young man, who was Claudia’ 5 accepted lover, and who deposited his long limbs on the sofa be- side her and tried to bestow a furtive caress on the hand nearest to him. “I guess I’m pretty well- taken by sur- prise,” said Miss Putnam, drawing her hand out of her lover’ s reach. “50’ m I, ” said the Duke, placidly. “I can "t 1magine what he sees in Henrietta. She ain’t pretty; t’other way about, rather; she’s got no money, and she’ s years olde1 than he is. I wouldn’t marry a we man like Henrietta even if I was a saddler’ s son. Miss Putnam looked at him. She was going to marry a man very like Henri- etta, and she did not feel very; spoony on him; she had accepted him on sun- dry reasons, love- being by no means the first 01 foremost "He must be an awfully susceptible chap,’ went cn his Grace, “to lose his heart to a gill like her. And he’s so obstinate, too, about it; seems as if he really cared about her. I thought, per- haps, it was mostly ambition—her title and that sort 0f thing you know—and '1’ ve oife1 ed him all my influence in the way of a leg- up to preforment, but he won’t hear of it..Fu1’my thing, ain’t it?’ Now, if it had been a girl like you, Ulaudia——” ' Duchess,” cried Miss Putnam, sud- denly interrupting her lover, “I have an inspiration. You just send Henrietta away. She can go to Jericho, or any- wheie else, for a menth or so, and when the comes back the engagement will be broken on”. I’ll manage the thing, you. DEE”. ' ’ 11’" ,,.. She wouldn’t answer any questions. :‘he said she thought she understood the exact lie of the land. They might leave t all to her. So to her it was left, and :he next day Henrietta was packed OH :0 a married cousin in South Wales. The following day, at Lady Henri-1 atta’ s customary hour, Miss Putnam walked into the village schoolroom. She wore a dainty blue cambric frock, that fitted her as no frock in all Henrietta’s lifetime had ever fitted her. The little boys and girls Opened their eyes wide .. to look at her, so did the school mis tress, and so did Mr. Gibson, the curate. who was hearing the whole school in its Church catechism. “Good morning,” said Miss Putnam, sweetly. “I’m staying at the Towers] have come in Lady Hem 1etta 5 place this morning She has gone away for a few weeks, and she would like you all to know it. ” She looked around the room as she said it, and finally fixed her eyes on the curate’s frank, simple face. “I hope,” he began, hesitatingly, “that Lady Henrietta is not ill. This absence is so un—forseen.” “Guess not,” said Miss Putnam. “She isn’t ill, she never was better in her life but the Duchess thinks a change will do her a world of good.” ' “Her Grace is very cruel,” murmured the curate, , “I beg your pardon?” said Claudia. “I was about to say,’ resumed the curate, turning to the expectant child- en, “that as her Ladyship is unable tc come this morning, you will be de- prived of the interesting object lesson she generally gives you. I’m sure you .will all be sorry." “Oh, they shan’t miss their object- lessons,” said Claudia,--still more bland- ‘y. “I've promised Lady Henrietta to give them for her.” The curate had been in the habit of staying for .Lady Henrietta’s object lesson—t3 keep order for her, he would have said, had the Duchess questioned him. .So he stayed tokeep order for Claudia, which was quite superfluous, .for if her manner of administering in— s ruction was not of a nature to keep or hold the attention of restless chil- dren, there were her fascinating gown and her pretty trinkets, not to speak of the charm of her face, to hold her audience spellbound. I And when the ; lesson was over, he had got into the ,3 way of walking with her ladyshils : along the school lane and‘ through the park. He escorted Miss Putnam to. day. because he wanted to ask how long his liege lady’s banishment was to last. “I don’t know,” was Miss Putnam’s reply; ‘ ‘I suppose she won’t come back till the Duchess chooses.” “The children will miss her sadly,’ moaned the curate. “Guess we must make it up to them,” said Claudia. graciously; “I’ve prom; ised Henrietta to stand as much. in the gap as possible.” “It’s a splendid opportunity for you to make yourself popular in the parish. dear,” said the Duchess. “Of course. when you are mistress here, you will like to be popular among the people.” “I suppose I shall, ”a said Claudia, musingly. But in spite of her incipient popu- larity she would not have the marriage hurried on; she was equally deaf to the Duke’s impatience and the Duchess’ s hints. Finally, Miss Putnam’s stay at Long- lands came to a rather unsatisfactory end, for she went away to London leaving the wedding day unfixed and hangings for the new drawing-room un- chosen. The day after her departure them were two. letters for the Duchess—one from the curate, the other from Miss Putnam. She opened the former first, because she felt more curious as to its contents. “Madam,” it ran, “although your grace did not seriously entertain my proposal for the hand of Lady Henri- etta, I feel in honor bound to let you know that my eyes have been opened to the folly and unsuitability of the mar- riage for which I wou id fain have had your sanction. I have written to Lady Henrietta, explaining, as far as I can, the folly of our past, and begging her to forgive me if she be in any way a sufferer by our mistake. I am leaving Longlands at once; therefore the em banassment -of any further meeting will be avoided. Yours faithfully, W. Gibson.” The Duchess heaved a sigh of intense relief. This was Claudia’s doing. Claudia was a. right-down clever girl. She had certainly spent a great deal of valuable time in treading in Henri- etta’s footsteps, but she had' disen- chanted Mr. Gibson and lifted a horri- ble incubus 011‘ the family shoulders. She was really far too good for that stupid, muddle head of hers; still she (the Duchess) supposed that a title was an infinite attraction to a born Democrat, so things were, after all, not so very uneven. Then she took up Claudia’s letter. “Dear. child,” she . murmured as she broke the seal. “My dear Duchess,” she read, and with each succeeding line her dismayed astonishment increased; “I’m glad I came to stay at Longlands before 1 took the irrevocable step to the altar. I don’t‘want to say anything nasty or mean, but, really, I never did care about the Duke. I only accepted him because’ I thought you’d made up your mind to have me for a daughter-in-law. I should have made him perfectly mis- erable if I had married him. Mr. Gibson finds, too, that he made a great mistake in thinking he cared for Hen- rietta. He explained it all to me, and [am quite satisfied. He and I are go- ing to be married before Advent. I shan’t mind having a saddler for a father~in- law. Yours always, Claudia Putnam.” TherDuchess threw the letter across the table to her son. “Read that, Southdown,” ' she said; “’we ve got Henrietta out of her scrape most- splendidly.” It really was too hard on the poor Duchessg-St. Paul 3, ' moisture and will freshen a cella1. is also said it will prevent malarial. A Comfortable Lounge. Every bedroom should, if possible, contain a couch, if it be only of wicker, and especially isone indispensable in the room of a guest, who frequently longs for a short nap, but refrains from taking one in the fear of disturb- ing a beautifully made or decorated bed. Guest furnishings, by the way, should not be so fine as to be over- powering. :If the months small, and there is no other place for a couch, it could be set at the foot of the bed, where, if supplied with castors, it may easily be moved when necessary. One suitable for a bedroom may be contrived with very little trouble, and it is astonishing what treasures the at- tic will afiord. I have a sofa in mind whichswas so unsightly as to be absolutely useless. It was one of the old-fashioned-sort, with a carved back; not by any means an antique of graceful shape and de- sign, but a thoroughly plebian, uncom- fortable piece of furniture. The back was unscrewed and taken ofl, the soiled cover removed, and at a small cost new springs and a fresh cover of white co ton made it ready for a pretty spread and pillows sateen in blue and white matched the hangings of the room, and it was made by sewing a deepfrill gathered on a cord to a piece of the material of a suitable size to cover the sofa. This particular frill, by the way, was com« posed of many small pieces pinned to- gether, and as it was quite full the gathers concealed the seams very ef- fectively. When finished, two large pillm s covered with the same mater- ial as the splead were added, the result being a luxuiious resting place on which one might while the weary hours aw ay. Pincushion Ideas. The demand for fancy pincushiOns appears endless. Ingenuity is strained :o the utmost to produce new shapes and novel decorations. To such a pass are inventors driven to create novelties that the shapes of the cushions are of- ten utterly unsuited for the purpose, but so long as the article is pretty its use is quite a detail. Floral pincush- ions are the rage just now, and under this class the lupin certainly deserves first mention. It makes quite a charm~ ’ ing ornament as it hangs on the knob of a screen in the drawing room or on the cheval glass in the bedroom. It is made of small circular pieces of cream cloth, just tinged with color, the edges being shaped slightly to form the pet-,1 als. The blooms are attached to a long central stem, which should be padded, and the flowers fastened loosely to this with thread, the“ tassel shape of the whole being carefully followed. A dainty .little aflair is the edelweiss pincushion. The flOwer is entirely car- ried out in white velvet, and measures about four inches across. It is uncom- mon, possibly because it is a good bit of trouble to make, but it is well worth both the time and the labor. The bul- rush still holds its own among the flower cushions, brown velvet being 'employed for the head and, green plush for the leaves and stem. Keep Accounts. Keeping household accounts is an af- fair, it' not of necessity, still of the greatest wisdom. In comparison with the small amount of time and labor which the doing so empldys, the satis~ faction of knowing at the end of each year how the family funds have gone is the amplest compensation. One es- pecial satisfaction gained from the keeping of household accounts is the ability, if the necessity arises, to re- duce the expenditures on the outlay for luxuries and unnecessaries. The money spent for food, for. medicines or for fuel is capable of far less reduction than that used for amusements, for wages or for clothing, and a system of accounts which will show at once Where expenses can be lessened is en- titled to respectful Consideration. HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD. The isinglass in the stove doors may be cleaned by rubbing it with a cloth wet in vinegar. A person broken out with prickly heat will find great relief if the parts affected are dusted over several times a. day with rye flour. If the crackers served with soups and broths are lightly buttered and then placed in the oven and browned they are much more appetizing.‘ If hot meats and'soups are covered before; they are perfectly cold they will surely spoil; the hot air must have a place to escape or the meat will be af: .fected. Blead that has been cut- in slices and becomes stale may be freshened by laying the slices together and folding a damp napkin around them; put the napkin in a paper bag and place the bag in a hot oven f01 fifteen minu'tes. In cleaning straw matting it is best ., to wipe it off with a cloth dampened in warm salt water. Indian meal is good for cleaning matting. Sprinkle the meal Over the floor and then have It thoroughly swept out. This is the time of year to pay partic- ular attention to the cellar. forget that fresh lime absorbs the It troubles. The' windoWs of a cellar 'should be opened at night'and closed in the daytime; in that way a cellar will remain dry and healthful for the house- hold. unhunnannnuu7‘ . which trans; formed it completely. This spread of The Neat _ and T1dy * ,_.,.««-: «5'1”; housewife dreads the daily shaking down of the furnace, unless it is pro- vided with a dust damper which com- pletely confines Within the furnace itself all the dust and dirt raised by shaking it. We have given special attention to the development of this. dust damper, and the Bay State might well be celebrated for this improvement , alone. It 1s a Clean furnace. °°nsulty°ur local dealer. BARSTOW STOVE C0., 228 Water St., New York Foundries—Providence, R. 1. Boston Office—56 Union St. ,1. a @M is handsome, fight,” durable. Such grace ct dcszgn as 1 is embodied yin this “fast, easy-running, mucl talked about” mount can only be secured by the most approved methods, finest material and skiing. Iv york- manship. The ’96 Stearns' is the best bicycle it is possible to produce. Finished at your option in orange or black. Address now for beautiful new catalogue. “the “Yellow fellow." E. C. STEARNS 61 CO., Makers. Syracuse, N. Y. SAN FRANCISCO. CAL. Touoxro. ONT. 1" BUFFALO, N. Y. O . . @VQXGXOKGXQXGX‘ H. R. BULKLEY'G: CO.. Agents. SOUTH NORWALK. Towle Vault Light Company. MANUFACTURERS. VIULW LIGHTS. SKILIGHIS :1 91111111111111 DESIGNS. «I’m. mm All Factory: Office: I 481 BRIGGS AVENUE, IG'I ELM STREET, BROOKLYN. HEW YORK. Do not 1 [Lyn are able to Legion 1... ch'y: , ole, whfle content with anyrhut a" ‘ . icyde, STANDARD OF “THE WORLD. by the certainty of quality assured by our scientific met should mean much to any buyer of a bicycle. Columbia quality—one Columbia pricc— « 5100 To ALL ALIKE. Columbia Agent , by mail final on for two a-cent stamps. POPE MFG. CO., Hartford, Conn. Brand: Stores and Agencies in almost every cl properly represented in your vl_ ty, let us 19“.“. , _~ Nmetecn years of reputation for building the best bicycle, backed Thcrc‘ is but one i":- Beautiful Art Catalogue of Columbia) and Hartford Bicycles is free ifyou call upon any and town. If Columbia are not 1... '1 FOR YOUR MONEY AT THE énnAw.. REDUCTION SALE ‘ Of the balance of our SUMMER SHOE' - 3 A1 THE WHITE SHOE STORE “a... Our .den’s 55 Ten Shoe“ reduced I V to, per pair, 5’ 33'5” Our Mens $4‘Tan Shoes reduced $3 no I to, per pair. Our Men’ s $3. 50'" um shoes. reduced ' ' ' to, per pair. 2:50 200 flair Men’s Congress and Lace 1 Shoes, worth $1. 25 a pair, at 89° SI .48 Call and see this Shoe. $2 .00 230 pair Men' s Congress and Lace ‘I. Shoes, 1101 th $2.11 3’. We The balance of our Lad e and Black $3 Oxfords. Hts! Tan 2C0 pair of Ladies Tan Shoes “ sizes,” 'worth $2. at 100 pair Child’s Kid Fr Shoes, worth 550, at A ~ The largest line of Boys an Girls’ School Shoes in T0,.vu a the lowest prices. A FULL LINE oi.- TRUNKs, BAGS & MACKINTOSHES. useless. While Shoe Slots, 3 Gazelle B’Id’g. 4 flaviland Slml. ' We are a thousand limes indent- ed lo our patrons for their kindly interest and consideration mani- fested during the first week of our run, and we beg to say that for their convenience we have placed receiving-baskets at the follow- ing places, from which collec- tions will be made twice daily. Deliveries made by wagon, 01 'over the Laundry counter, as may be desired. Benedict, IV. A. & C6" 114 Washington street. BodWell, H. E. '75 \Vashington street. Comstock Bros.. 14 South Main street. Sturtevaulfis 5i and 53 North Main street. Johnson, Edward C., 193 Washington street, [Brid ge.] . Gorham, E. E., 10 First avenue, East Norwalk. Pinneo’ s, 49 Wall street, N orwalk connecncur - LIIIIIIDRY, ,llaviland' Slreel. Soulhhlorwalk, Conn. I nummn ‘ -. BROTHER — MANUFACTURERS OF —— 11111an1111 30111 AND MIN? ERAL WATERS. Flavoring Extract,s Also the Syrups and Olden T1me Fruit Juices, Root Beer. Lemon Soda, Soda Water , Sarsaparilla, Supplied in Birch Beer, Steel Fountains. Seltzer and Vichy in Siphons. Address _ II. .1. 1 a. s. GRllmlllll, al- Maln Street. - Norwalk, Corin .Faillield Gounly 1111101111101. ‘ 44 Wall Street, Norwallc. 0mm. . usoaroharnn.1s21. . aspiratsmomo Enme. KEELEB President. DAVI DH. 11.1.1111. Vice-Presldent L. C. GREEN. Cashier DIRECTOPS . EDWIN 0. Karma Mosrs H. Gnome Davm H..Mu.1.sn, ..J Manna. F- ST. JOHN Locxwoon. Tnnononu E. 81111:}: Conn. CH as F. ansram. ' Accounts of Manufacturers Merchants and Individuals solicited. '41 J. D. Jennings. UN DERTAKER 1 Knight street. opposite Street Railway Depot M ‘ HNIGHTBEED 41 OFFICE. l; EATEST VALUES ‘ GDIIIIEGTIGIIT - LllIIIIIIIY, ' Safe Deposit Boxes free to Depositors. 'n
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