Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

alike to her; and this seemed the foundation of everything else. She soon learned to distinguish what belonged to every person of the family, and to every part of the person. If a glove were lost, it was only to show the hand to Quail, and she set out on a quest, searched every place in and near the house, and almost always succeeded in finding it. This she soon improved into finding of herself whatever was dropped, and conveying it safely to them. Many a pockethandkerchief was saved in this way, for which they never thought of sending Quail in search.

returned, whining in that peculiar way by which she expressed embarrassment. It appeared that the room was smoking, and the servant having open d the door to let the smoke out, placed a smoothing iron against it. Quail, with her head on one side, pondered the case, when, as if the cause suddenly struck her, she ran at the iron, dragged it away, pushed with both feet against the door, shut it, and returned to her friends, with no ordinary exultation. Similar obstructions were often placed at the door; but the cause was no longer a mystery to Quail; a she always, however, barked at it and shook it after its removal, as if to express her displeasure at the trouble it had given her. But the instances of her sagacity appear absolutely endless. The following fact is stated by Dr. Walsh. During the absence of his mother from home, a portrait of her arrived, and was placed, prior to its being hung up, on the sofa where she used to sit. He could not account for the boisterous joy of Quail in the dining-room one day, when, on looking in, he saw she had recognized the portrait, and was wagging her tail and frisking about, as she always did to express her joy, frequently looking up and licking the face, a mark of affection she tried to pay to those she was fond of. When the picture was hung up, she never failed to notice it when she entered the room, and lay for some time before it on the carpet, gazing at it intently; and this she did till Mrs. Walsh's return, when the original, whose constant kindness she most warmly repaid, detached her attention from the portrait. The artist frequently declared-naturally enough that he considered this recognition the highest compliment that could be paid him.

If one of the family met out of doors companion, who asked him to walk, and he did not wish to lose time by returning for his hat, he had only to touch his head to Quail, and go on. The hats lay on the hall table, and she never failed to return to the house, select the one required from the rest, and, holding it out of the dirt as she had been taught, carry it to him. When sent back on such occasions, she sometimes found the door shut, and could not get it; when, having tried in vain to gain an entrance by scratching, she adopted another method. As there was no rapper at the backdoor, and persons generally thumped it with their fist, Quail learned of her own sagacity to imitate the action with her tail, and never failed to bring some one to open the door.

"On one occasion," says Dr. Walsh, "I remember I went out to shoot rails, and having fired at a bird, I prepared to charge again, but could not find my powder-horn. This loss Quail soon coinprehended, and instantly went back in search of it. My way had been through several meadows and fields, and across roads and ditches, since I had last used it: through all these she retraced my footsteps, frequently questing through the intricate crossings I had made several times over the same fields, and so unravelling the whole distance I had gone for several miles; at length found the powder-horn, and returned to me with it, after an absence of nearly an hour."

A very old woman in the family was fond of snuff, but not able to fetch it herself; and as the servant boy was not always willing, he taught Quail to be his substitute. Putting a halfpenny into the empty box, he gave it to the dog, who forthwith carried it in her mouth to the snuff-shop; and then, rising up to the counter with her fore-legs, she shook her head and rattled the halfpenny. This was soon understood by the shopman, who took the money and filled the box, which Quail bore safely to the old woman.

Her sagacity within doors was equally in requisition. The family sat in the winter time in a large parlour, reading round the fire, with Quail between the legs of one of them, and her head resting on the knees, waiting for any orders which might be given her. Told to shut the door, she lifted up her right fore paw-for she actually had a preference for the use of the right paw-and pushed the door forward till the lock clicked. On one occasion she could not move the door; and after sundry efforts she

OBEDIENCE IN CHILDREN.

BY F. H. STAUFFER.

Obedience in children is a desirable trait; it is one more readily observed than many others. The command or request mildly, calmly, yet earnestly made, is promptly and properly obeyed. The child takes a pride in its obedience.

Occasionally I visit a friend who has a large family of children, and at each time I cannot fail but observe the order, quietness, and obedience manifested. Quite recently I was engaged in conversation with him. It was cold, and a door near us was ajar. "Willie, please shut that door," he said to one of his children. The little fellow finished his house of blocks then almost completed, got up, shut the door, and came to his father's side, apparently awaiting a pause in the conversation.

[ocr errors]

Well, Willie," he asked, "what is it?" "I am sorry, papa."

[ocr errors]

Sorry for what, dear?"

"Because I did not shut the door immediately."

[ocr errors]

Oh! well, you will do better the next time." The father patted the child on the head. He

ran away satisfied, and the conversation was resumed. It was a simple occurrence, but for some reason or other it clings tenaciously to my memory. I never asked my friend to explain to me his system of parental government; but I have no doubt that the following were some of the distinctive points :

1. Always insisting upon a prompt obedience. 2. Keeping every promise of award or threat of punishment.

3. Never exhibiting anger in their presence. Punishing severely when he did punish; not immediately, nor when enraged, but at another time, and after a kind lecture of reproof and explanation.

4. Addressing them in a voice uniformly low and kind.

He had said "please" to his own child. It was significant. He did not preach one thing and practise another. He always gave his children a hearing, endeavoured to adapt himself to their childish thoughts and comprehensions, and to beautify them by his companionship.

TWO MISS BOOTHS.

Miss Sallie Booth, who was noticed specially in this Magazine for December, is still pursuing her satisfactory career at the Theatre Royal, Greenwich. She is a young lady about twentysix years of age, and niece of the famous Sarah Booth, who was "leading lady" at Covent Garden fifty years ago, when, to be in that category, at one of the two "patent theatres," was to be something prominent. Old Sarah Booth was born in 1792: she went on the stage at three years of age, and is, therefore, now the oldest actress alive, and the "Mother of the Stage." Her début in London was at the Surrey Theatre, on the 23rd April, 1810, under the management of Mr. Elliston, who was in dismay when she left him, to make her first appearance on the 23rd of November, in the same year, at Covent Garden, where she became a reigning favourite. She remained there about seven years, during which period one of the toasts of the day was " Kitty Stephens, Mary Bolton, and Sally Booth." In 1820, she appeared for the first time in Dublin, and made a great hit. Her last appearance was in 1841, at the Marylebone Theatre, for the benefit of a Mr. Attwood, when she played Kate O'Brien in "Perfection," and Lisette in "The Sergeant's Wife." A large picture of her as Juliet was painted, and is in the possession of the Dramatic College. Her performance of Little Pickle, in the "Spoilt Child," is now a pleasant reminiscence among old playgoers, when they prattle their recollections of by-gone but memorable incidents. Before the old Greenwich Theatre was burnt down, she used occasionally to "star it" on very nearly the same plot of ground on which

her niece is now distinguishing herself. The young lady has inherited some of the best point, of her aunt, viz., the powerful and clear voices the distinct articulation, the pleasing and graceful manners, the ease of deportment, and the subtle grasp and comprehension of character. These are the qualities which gradually win select public favour-more permanently, more securely, more slowly than those flashy, loud, stagey, striking attributes, which, at a bound, gain the applause and the money of the mob.

SOCIETY OF FEMALE ARTISTS,

No. 9, CONDUIT STREET, Regent Street, GALLERY OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ExHIBITION.

The private view of this Society's Exhibition took place on Saturday the 19th ult., and was not only well, but very fully, attended. Evidently the public interest is increasing on behalf of the works of lady-artists. The present room is, however, much better adapted for the exhibition of pictures and the circulation of visitors than some others in which it has been held; and as this is either the second or third season of their location in the Gallery of the Architectural Exhibition, we hope we may congratulate the Committee on having obtained a permanent position in Conduit Street. The present season shows a real advance on the part of many of the exhibitors, whose works we hope on another occasion to particularize; at present our time and space will only admit of our drawing our town readers' attention to the gallery. A pleasant feature of the Exhibition is the fact that the greatest paintress of our time (Rosa Bonheur) has shown her sympathy with her humbler sister-artists, and graces the Exhibition with a "Doe and Fawns, from Fontainebleau" (64), Mrs. Marrable exhibits landscapes, which show remarkable carefulness in drawing and excellent colour. Miss M. Rayner is very happy in her architectural pictures. Miss Fitzjames' "Fruit and Fowers" are delicious, fresh, and delicately painted; and her Woodpigeon" (104) deserves attention. Miss Rosa Place appears to have taken wildflowers for her special study, and exhibits some very sweet transcripts of them, well composed (a greater difficulty than may be imagined) and carefully painted; witness her "Foxglove, Mallow, and Grasses" (138). Miss G. E. Pitt's "Bird's-nest and Holly" (135) shows considerable care. Miss E. Walter's "Autumn" and "Summer" (120 and 127) exhibit freedom of handling and an appreciation of colour.

[ocr errors]

We shall return to this Exhibition in our next number, the want of space preventing a full notice of it in the current one.

C. A. W.

THE LADIES' PAGE.

BREAD-CLOTH, NETTING.

MATERIALS.-Boar's-head netting cotton, No. 16, or crochet thread, No. 10, of Messrs. Walter Evans & Co. Derby. Small round steel mesh.

Net a foundation of 86 stitches, and work upon it as many rows as are required for the width of the bread-cloth.

FOR THE BORDER.-Take a mesh twice the size of that used for the centre, and work two stitches into one of the edge, one stitch into the next, and two into the next, all round, increasng one in each stitch at the corners. Then, with a mesh twice the size of the last, increase in every third stitch of last In the next use a mesh three-quarters round. of an inch wide, and net one in every stitch. In the last round, with the mesh used for the first round, take four stitches together. Repeat all round. Darn the pattern with the same cotton.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

PRINTER'S MARKS.

IN THE DIRECTIONS FOR EVERY KIND OF WORK.

These consist of crosses X sometimes printed as the ordinary letter X; asterisks *—daggers, t. They are to indicate repetitions in any row or round. Two similar ones are placed at the beginning and end of any part to be repeated, and the number of times is written after the last. Thus, x 3 dc, 5 ch, miss 4, X 3 times, would, if written in full, be 3 dc, 5 ch, miss 4; 3 dc, 5 ch, miss 4; 3 dc, 5 ch, miss 4.

Sometimes one pair of marks is used within another, thus-x 5 dc, 3 ch, miss 2; * 1 dc, 3 ch, miss 2 twice; 4 dc, 2 ch, miss 1 x twice. This, written at length, would be 5 dc, 3 ch, miss 2, 1 dc, 3 ch, miss 2; 1 dc, 3 ch, miss 2; 4 dc, 2 ch, miss 1; 5 dc, 3 ch, miss 2; 1 dc, 3 ch, miss 2; 4 dc, 2 ch, miss 1.

This example will show much valuable space is saved by the adoption of these very simple and comprehensible terms.

Round.-A line of work beginning and ending at the same place, without turning back.

Row.-A line of work which requires you to turn it in order to recommence. Example: We speak of rows in a garter, and rounds in a stocking.

[blocks in formation]

COUNTRY WORDS.-(Manchester: Heywood, 74, Market-street. London: George Vickers, Angel-court, Strand.)-The second part of this pleasant periodical does not disappoint the expectations raised by the first. It is replete with interest, while many of the papers written in the local dialect have an originality and freshness of character and expression, which gives a special quality to it. "The Marlocks of Meriton" is anamusing and well-written illustration of this speciality, the emphatic northern vernacular being well adapted to the rude, strong, bigoted, untaught villagers, whose manners and customs and ways of thinking is exemplifies. Mr. Leo H. Grindon continuet "Echoes of the Past" in the same pleasinglywritten style of paper as that referred to in our last notice of "Country Words," and Mr. Hardwick, the editor, has a seasonable paper on "The Yule-log and Fire-worship"; we should observe, also, that Eliza Cook leads off the number with a clever essay, entitled "Nice Persons," one sentence of which will vouch for the perceptiveness with which it is written :

"Nice persons" never cause the child to blush for the parent, nor the parent for the child. Their generous and noble natures seek rather to fling the veil of benevolent courtesy over all the irretrievable errors and misfortunes which flesh is heir to, proving thereby that the example of our Great Teacher has not been wasted on them.

And who is La Duchesse, whose "Wedding Bells" are so sweet that we cannot refrain from re-echoing them here?

WEDDING BELLS.

Ring gently, wedding bells!

Drip your sweet voices on the sunny air;
In silvery cadences and music swells,

Tell of a happiness so true, so rare,
That heaven but once lets slip such light divine,
A love that once alone on life may shine.

Ring softly, wedding peals!

Rise not in clangour; ripple like a stream Of melody, rejoicing; O there steals

Strange, yet keen-heard, as voices in a dream,

A solemn warning in your echoing;

I seem to hear you speak as well as ring.

Telling her "Let the sound

Be never dulled through all the wedded life; But chiming, very softly, still be found

Sweetest and gentlest when he calls her 'Wife."" Let her remember, one hard look or tone May jangle all the bells into a moan.

Think how her woman's life

Is clasped into the happy sphere of home; How toil, and worldly care, and earthly strife Are not for her; that it is his to roam,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

THE LIFE BOAT; or, JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION.-In the midst of this bitter January weather, with the dusk through the streets of the metropolis, we lamentable cry of waut wringing from dawn to must yet press upon our readers the need of those who are ready to perish in the grasp of a less tardy but more inexorable foe-men who have superadded to the inclement atmosphere perils, from tempests that leave the brave ship helpless and unmanageable on the shoals, or sunken rocks upon our coast, to ground and settle down into the quicksands, or be hurled into fragments upon the craggy shores of our sea-board. Amongst the noblest of the many benevolent institutions of Great Britain-noble, not simply from the nature of its work aud its grandly organized system of doing it; but also for fostering that spirit of bravery and humanity, growing and strengthening from year to year amongst our seaside dwellers, the records of which in these pages, simply and curtly given, nevertheless catalogue a series of heroic actions to which each passing week is adding, and the echo of which pierces to the most inland districts of these islands, and is responded to with ungrudged aid. In the list of additional stations and new life-boats, individual benevolence and public sympathy are both expressed, and we rejoice to see that in numerous instances the memory of

*Wallenstein,

[ocr errors]

the dead has been honoured, by being reveren. ially made the occasion for offering the means of saving life, and at many a station the life-boat perpetuates the love of parents or children, that has broadened into larger relations and amplified itself into philanthropy for mankind. What urgent need exists for the continued-nay continual exercise of such benevolence in aid of this grand scheme for the saving of life from shipwreck, will best be seen by reference to the Journal before us; but without this, the reader can scarcely glance over the columns of the morning newspapers without a sympathetic shudder over the sad fate of some doomed ship, that for want of assistance from the shore (in a sea where only a life-boat could exist) has broken up or foundered with all hands on board. How often, through the late cruel weather, have comfortable people found themselves involuntarily sighing beside their cheerful firesides, "God help the poor on shore, and our sailors at sea!" But the first have many helps, while only one form of assistance can reach the perishing seaman, who, lashed to some icy spar, and drenched and buffeted by the storm-raised seas, must die of exposure and exhaustion, if not washed off into the surf or dashed amid the breakers on the shore. Only the timely aid of the life-boat can save him and his fellowsufferers; unless, as is not seldom the case, some other dwellers by the seaside, brave as the gallant crews that man these arks of safety, interpose to save the lives that, but for the glorious

humanity that shrinks not from self-sacrifice to achieve the saving of others, had found a grave within the engulphing sea. Every aid, however small, is gratefully accepted towards the maintenance of the institution, and donations and bequests are received by all bankers, in town or country; or, by the secretary, Richard Lewis, Esq., 14, John Street, Adelphi. C. A. W.

THE ROYAL DUKES OF GREAT BRITAIN Price 6d.-(Claye, Little Underbank, Stockport.)-We have pleasure in recommending this nice little compilation in aid of history, which will be found very useful to learners, whether at home or at school. The author, who, we understand, is but a lad, has arranged a succinct account of the Princes of Wales and Dukes of Cornwall, with the peerages of York, Cumberland, and Cambridge. The utility of this arrangement, which gives at one view an outline of the date of birth, marriage, and death of each successive royal Duke, is obvious. Thus, under the head of " Henry of Greenwich," we find the following: "Second son of Henry VII. and Elizabeth of York; was born 1491; married (first) Catherine of Arragon, (second) Anne Boleyn, (third) Jane Seymour, (fourth) Anne Cleves, (fifth) Catherine Howard, (sixth) Catherine Parr. He became King 1509, and died 1547"-circumstances well remembered on the part of King Henry VIII, but not so familiar to boys and girls under his princely name of Henry of Greenwich."

66

A CHAPTER ON THE WOODS. THE OAK.

"Mark the sable woods,

That shade sublime yon mountain's nodding brow;

With what religious awe the solemn scene

Commands your steps! as if the reverend form

Of Minos, or of Numa should forsake

The Elysian seats, and down the embowering glade,
Move to your pausing eye."

Pliny assures us that Minerva, as well as Diana, dwells amid the forests, and Akenside, above, finely alludes to the religious feelings which the woods, as they boldly stretch up the summit of a lofty mountain, inspire in the beholder. Trees have always been venerated. From the time of Abraham to that of Constantine, pious pilgrimages were made to the oaks of Mamre, near Hebron, whilst the surrounding nations of the Jews dedicated trees and groves to their deities. Amid the woods of Etruria, Numa sought refuge from the cares of a new,

and, until his reign, turbulent people; and it was Numa who first erected a temple to Peace and Faith.

The consecration of groves was common among the Jews, and Abraham himself planted a grove in Beer-sheba, worshipping there. Moses, however, forbade the custom, and Ezekiel and Hosea reproved it. In such esteem did they hold the cedars of Lebanon, that one of the most fearful threats of Sennacherib was that he would level these beautiful trees to the ground,

« НазадПродовжити »