beauty. Turning in another direction, we pass the Snuggery ball-ground, animated with the shouts of victory; and descending into a vale of almost primeval wildness, we continue our way up the ascent of "Artist's Hill," from whose summit on every side, as far as the eye can reach, the landscape softens into the hazy horizon. Returning, we pass through a ruined waste, where, three months before, the fierce tornado swooped down in its fiendish fury. On every side we see its awful evidences. Huge oaks, like brittle pipestems, snapped from their moorings; sturdy hickories, mere playthings in the gale, twisted into shreds. Every morning saw me on some new drive, either with a wagon full of merry company, or as alone with Mr. Snug we held our quiet têteà-tête on wheels, living over the olden times. In the afternoon I strolled by myself through the old and eloquent scenes. A volume could not hold the memories they revived; no, not even those of yonder barn alone. Even as I sit making my pencil sketch, its reminis cences seem to float across the vision. Distinctly it recalls the events of one evening years ago. It was at about the sunset hour, one Friday. I was quietly sitting on a lounge in the parlor talking to Charlie Blackstone, who was standing in front of me. Presently the door opens, and the tall figure of Dick Shin enters. Dick and I were antipodes in every sense of the word. Physically we were as a match and a billiard ball, he being the lucifer. He was also my bête noire, and he never missed an opportunity to vent his spite. Accordingly he stalked toward us, and with a violent push sent Charlie pell-mell on to me. In falling he stepped heavily on my foot, and hurt me severely, which accounted for my excited expression as I pushed him from me. Of course Mr. Snug had to come in just at this time, and seeing us in what looked to him very like a fight, he took us firmly by the ears and stood us side by side, while I ventured to explain. "Not a word," said he, in a tone there was no mistaking. "You two boys may cool off on a trip to Moody Barn, after which you will report to me in the Tower. Now go." Whatever may have been the state of my mind a few moments before, I was now mad in earnest, and with every bit of my latent obstinacy aroused, I sauntered out on to the porch. "Cool off, old boy," whispered a grating voice at my side, as I turned and met the gaze of Dick Shin, motioning with his thumb in the direction of Moody Barn"cool off; you need it;" and his ample mouth stretched into a capacious grin. I had already formed an intention, but we do? We'll have to report to Mr. now it was a resolve. Snug, you know; that's the worst of it." and a half we allowed-an abundant lim- | to stumble in that way in my house. it. During this time I had completely These two boys have suffered through "cooled off," and had schooled myself to your admitted clumsiness." Here Mr. that point where I could tell a lie with a Snug paused in a moment's thought. smooth face and a clear conscience. Ac-"Dick Shin,” he continued, “I sent these cordingly, when the time came, we appeared at the door of the Tower. Mr. Snug was sitting in his accustomed place, and we entered and stood before him. "Well, Sir," said he, with a polite bow of the head, dropping his paper and look ing up at us. Mr. Snug, we have come to report," said I, fearlessly. "We have been to Moody Barn.` Instantly Mr. Snug straightened himself up in his chair, pushed back the gray locks from his high forehead, and with an expression that I never shall forget, glared at me from under the frowning eyebrows. 66 You lie, Sir!" he exclaimed, in thundering tones that fairly made my hair stand on end, while Charlie trembled from head to foot. "Now go!" continued he, as with an emphatic nod of the head he motioned toward the door. Sheepish and crest-fallen, we slunk away from the room. It is needless to say that we went this time. Through the darkness by the aid of a lantern we picked our way, as with theories numerous and ingenious we strove to account for that vociferous reception. Late that night we held an experience meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Snug in the Tower, and if I remember right there were a few tears that fell, and many apologies and good resolves, and as the true state of the case dawned on Mr. Snug there was an evident twinge of regret on his kind face. On the following morning (Saturday) there was a jolly party of youths leaving the Snuggery for a day's boating at the lake. Dick Shin was among them; and just as he was passing out the gate, a youngster approaches him and taps him on the shoulder. "You are hereby arrested, Sir, on the orders of Mr. Snug." With an anxious and innocent expression Dick follows his juvenile constable into the Tower, and his companions stroll along after to ascertain the cause of the detention. We pass over the brief but amusing trial, in which the prisoner, with the innocence of a little lamb, pleaded his cause. "You stumbled, did you?" said Mr. Snug. "Well, you ought to know, Sir, by this time, that I don't allow young men innocent young gentlemen on two trips to Moody Barn-that makes four miles for Bigson and four miles for Blackstone, together making eight that they walked on your account. Now you may put down your fishing-pole, and ‘stumble' along on the road to Judd's Bridge, which will give you two extra miles in which to think over your sins. And to make sure"-here Mr. Snug arose and went to the closet-"you may take this hatchet along with you, and bring me back a good big chip from the end of the long bridge beam. I shall ride over that way to-mor row and see whether it fits. You understand?" Yes, Sir," replied the injured voice of Dick Shin. "But, Mr. Snug, can't I put off that penance until Monday?" "No, Sir," replied Mr. Snug, with a beaming smile and a bow of the head. "This is a lovely morning for contrite meditation. Go—instantly.” Two hours later saw a demonstrative individual threatening to chop down the whole side of a bridge, while ten miles to the northward the placid surface of Waramaug rippled to the oars, and the lofty mountain-sides echoed with the shouts of a merry holiday. But all things must have an end. The school-days ended, and so did this memorable vacation. A letter breaks the charm: insatiate publisher! Once more through the winding paths of the Housatonic, and I leave the loveliness of Hometown for the metropolis of brick and stone, there to resume the old routine. WATCH-WORDS. THROUGH gathering clouds and stormy seas of Fate I cling to Patience and Fidelity. I strive to follow duty faithfully; With subtle influence Patience strengthens me. IN N every house of the better sort in Japan there is a tokonoma, or raised special place for keeping objects of art and beauty. The evolution of the asthetic out of the useful is nowhere better illustrated than in the history of the tokonoma, which was anciently the sleeping-place, or recess for the bed. Now it is a place of honor, occupying one-half of a side of the parlor or best room, its finish and appointments being superior to those of any other part of the house. It is a recess two feet deep, and raised four or six inches above the matting-covered floor. In it hang suspended on the wall a kakémono, or scroll-painting on silk, a bronze or porcelain vase of flowers, a fan-holder with its tiers of open fans ready for use, besides other works characteristic of native art. foam-flecks on the polish of the rolling mass, will repose inviolate the gem sphere. The Japanese virtuoso loves to have among his collection at least one bronze of wave and stormy petrel, where, amid the recesses of the hooked foam, nestle a half dozen or more of small crystal balls, from the size of a marble to that of an apple. In nearly all Japanese art and bric-à-brac stores will be seen these gems on sale, and unless the foreign buyer's nerves are very strong, the prices asked will be very likely to startle him as though he had been touched by an electric eel. The merest tyro in Japanese art, be he admirer or purchaser, can not have failed to notice the dragon clutching in his claw a ball or a pear-shaped jewel. In the various forms of their art expression, crystal, both in China and Japan, commands a high value, both pecuniary and symbolic. In the airy realms of imagination, and in the markets where men buy and sell, rock-crystal is among the precious things. Let us glance at the subject in its technique and symbolism. One of the objects often seen is a dai, or stand, gold-lacquered, or made of perfumed, carved, or rare wood. The dai is one or two feet high, and has on the top a black velvet or crimson crape cushion, or a silver claw, whereon reposes a globe of rock-crystal. Pure, flawless, transparent, a perfect sphere, it seems like a bubble of spring water hovering The belief of the ancients (our anin the air. Often the dai, or stand, is a cients, of course, for the far Orientals piece of elaborate art in bronze, porce- have a different set of ancients) was that lain, or lacquer, representing a beetling quartz crystal (spioralλoc) was nothing crag or lofty inaccessible rock, crested but pure ice, congealed by intense cold, with the flawless jewel. Around the and found only in the far-off boreal rebase the waves curl and foam, and up gions of eternal frost. Hence the comthe side moves in crackling coil a jealous mon name of rock-crystal was "clear dragon, with eager, outstretched jaws, and ice," and one word served alike for this claws ready to grasp and bear away the stone and for ice. The Chinese and Japprecious prize. Or, anese word suisho reflects a kindred idea, on a pyramid of meaning "substance of water." The thewaves hardened in ory of its production is a part of the pabronze, with silver gan conception of the universe. Of the DIFFERENT STYLES OF DAIS SUPPORTING ROCK-CRYSTALS. INTERIOR OF A ROCK-CRYSTAL LAPIDARY IN JAPAN. nine kinds of dragons in the Oriental world of the imagination, several of them have much to do with the growth and preservation of the hidden treasures of the earth and the deep. They guard these realms jealously, and diver and miner ever run the risk of exciting their anger. Pure quartz, in its smaller forms, is the congealed breath of the white dragon. In its larger and ice-pure forms it is the solidified saliva of the violet dragon. The country folks call the crude substance "star-dung"-a fancy recalling that of the German peasants, who name it "starspit." As matter of plain scientific fact, the largest and purest specimens of rockcrystal are found among the granitic rocks and secondary formation of Central Japan. They are commonly sought for among gravel-banks, and huge masses are sometimes found that will allow a perfect sphere six inches in diameter to be cut therefrom. Generally, however, the stones are of the size of the specimens usually seen in our mineralogical cabinets. Many of the villages which are strung along the high-roads of Japan, so closely as to remind one of beads on a rosary, have each its special mei-butsu ("eyehitters," or specialties) in manufacture or curiosity, which pilgrims buy as souvenirs, or merchants for trade. Near the quartz mines or hills are the lapidaries in which the mineral is cut and the finished gems are sold. Out of this refractory material the native lapidist will cut buttons for ladies' châtelaine bags hung at the waist, ornaments, cups, wine-glasses, paper-weights, bottles, inros (pill-boxes), burnishers, nétsukés (tobaccopouch holders), seals, rulers, figures of rabbits, mice, idols, toys, etc. The Japanese--strange to say of a people in which the law of nature holds good in providing females in equal number to the males-wear no personal jewelry, in the sense in which we use the term. But of late years a profitable trade has sprung up in jewelry of metal and gems made for the foreign markets. Necklaces, brooches, ear-rings, bracelets, etc., of perforated crystal balls, crosses, anchors, etc., for charms, and beads, are now made in large quantities to fill American and European orders. Nearly all the old fine art works of the Japanese were made by individuals or families working in their own houses, usually in special villages, but sometimes in the cities. Large manufactories and centralized capital were unknown. In the cut we have a sketch from life of a crystal lapidary in Japan. As in all Japanese houses, the floor is raised from the ground a foot or more. The universal manner of sitting, even when at work, on the hams, is shown, with variety in disposing of the feet. Sometimes a man will take a seat on his knees and heels. Another |