THE RAIN. It is a day of jubilee at the North. Not that we have been glorified with news of great recent victories on battle-fields or in front of beleaguered cities; not, indeed, because of the old war-dog Farragut's victorious passage of the forts of Mobile Bay, and the capture of the rebel iron-clad Tallahassee, though the latter event was sufficiently stirring; but because, after our long period of terrible drought, when the earth was ashes under our feet, and the heavens brass over our heads God has remem. bered mercy, and now sends us rain,- copious, delicious, steady rain. The drops fall thick and fast yet gently down, penetrating the hardened crust of the scorched and arid soil, sending their accumulating benedictions in percolating streams through the myriad veins and arteries of the bosom of mother earth, causing even the tiniest root to shiver with the delight of its new life, and tree and shrub and flower and smallest leaf to laugh in its new jɔy. Who can remember, without a feeling almost akin to terror, how "Morn after morn, the flaming sun Smote the bare hills with fiery rod; Night after night, with blood-red light, Glared like a slow-avenging god"? How the hills and all the distant landscape, wrapped in a veil of dense and suffocating smoke from the seeming unquenchable fires everywhere raging, were for days and weeks invisible, while the grass-roots, deep-buried in the earth, and the forest and orchard-trees, died from lack of moisture? How the springs dried up, the streams ceased to flow, and the deep wells no longer yielded water; and how the cattle, famishing alike for food and drink, died in the arid fields? Ah, a drought such as the North has for weeks suffered meant death! It meant vast fields of corn perishing, without an ear in the early leaf; vast fields of potatoes, without a tuber at their roots; and a vast population, relying, to a great extent, on that important crop for food, famishing, next winter, for its lack! But lo the change! God," who never leaves himself without witness that he is good," gathered the rain-clouds across the heavens, and the blessing began to fall. At first we dreaded that it was to be merely a Barmecide feast to which he had invited us, but it has proved a feast full and ample for all. No fear of famine now, when our government needs every grain of wheat, every ear of corn, every blade of grass, for the exigencies of a dreadful war! Thank God for the rain! THE LADIES LEAGUE. The Ladies League," for the discouragement of wearing imported goods, has met with some opposition and much ridicule, but notwithstanding that, it is a good move in the right direction, that of discouraging extravagance. Some advance, as an argument against it, that the government loses much in way of revenue by its means; but as Artemus Ward pithily says, "One thing is tol'bly certain, if we don't send gold out of the country, we shall have the consoolation of noing it is in the country." It is difficult to see how the government is to be permanently benefited by sending all our gold away at the rate of two millions a week, which was the rate of export of the precious metal a few weeks ago. But we are not about to talk politics. We were reminded of this subject by a letter from a correspondent, a part of which we propose to lay before our readers. May it come like words fitly spoken and in due season." She says, "My husband takes the New Covenant' of Chicago, and says he cannot get along without it; and so I say I cannot get along without the Repository,' since I have made its pleasant acquaintance. The trio editors seem like dear, familiar friends to me now, and I love to resort to their Table' and refresh my mental appetite with the varied and palatable viands set before me. The whole tone of the 'Repository' is pure, refined, and elevating. I would have been delighted to have sent you two or three new subscribers, or two or three dozen if they were obtainable. now. “War is the all-engrossing theme here just The draft is hanging like a cloud of gloom above the dear home circles that do not like to be broken, and the price of substitutes is rising every day; but methinks, within my own heart's chamber, that two dollars for a whole year's intellectual entertainment is but a trifle when we consider; but we don't consid er these things as we should. "In one instance, the 'Fashion Magazine' fig" ured conspicuously upon the sitting-room ta ble; but they could not afford the Repository just now, times were so hard. But does not the famishing spirit cry out for the intellectual, substantial food in preference, if but one of the two can be afforded? O Fashion! thy votaries are a legion! SUMMER RAMBLES. with the pleasures of our summer ramblers, THE war seems very little to have interfered judging from the multitude of them who are abroad. All the old places of resort are full, and many new, out-of-the-way nooks have been sought out by those who prefer the quiet and seclusion of nature to the dress, and flirting, and late hours of fashion. We select, from the letters of our correspondents, tourists, two or three, which will, we hope, give our readers who cannot enjoy the scenes they depict in person, some pleasure. The first is an account of a visit to well known places, but some things are seen in a new light. NIAGARA. "Niagara Falls? Well, yes! It looks very much like it; and how came I here? "I'll proceed to tell you." The writer goes on to detail his trip to Saratoga, where, as everybody else does, he stopped with "mine host," Major Leland. "We spent the night there; witnessed a criticised it and laughed over it; watched scheming mammas make strategic moves in behalf of faded and passe daughters; admired young exquisites, and enjoyed ourselves generally. "Why do we not-women of dear, enlightened America-throw off this belittling servitude to fashion? Why do we not rise from such vain and paltry themes that are whirling us on blindly to ruin, and seek to cultivate the more ennobling attributes of our natures? Ah! we do not realize that the soul is lying dor-hop;' saw the style, shoddy and genuine; mant, withering in this fair casket of nature's beautiful handiwork, which we are so fond of adorning with all the devices which art and human ingenuity can suggest. The pure jewel, whose brilliancy and God-given powers might incite a nation to admiration, or lead a weak and superstitious people from their spiritual darkness to the glorious light and liberty of truth, lies hidden, buried beneath the degrading rubbish of fashion and love of display. Alas! this servility to fashion reveals a mental weakness in us which, did we but contemplate it, would be very humiliating. "And, too, when the nation is wrapped in gloom, and one deep wail of agony swells, as it were, from shore to shore of this bleeding continent, how can we close our eyes to this awful picture, and put on the gilded trappings of fashionable life. Let us arouse and cast off this yoke so ruinous to our highest attainments, and quit ourselves like women ! "But I have digressed. My interest for the "Repository' is my leading theme. There are many, very many, who love the principles which the Repository' and kindred publications advocate, and did they but realize the importance and the need of spreading and inculcating these principles and truths, they would willingly give their influence and support. Yours in love and truth, HERMIONE." 66 We arose early next morning and walked to the spring, where we all indulged in the lifegiving waters, the ladies sparingly, and with certain facial expressions indicative of little pleasure in the sparkling draught. Then, after a nice breakfast, to Lake George, where we arrived about midday. Mr. Gale, of the Fort Wm. Henry Hotel, took excellent care of us, and we had a most charming time until Monday morning, in riding, walking, boating, visiting the spots of historical interest, and watching the play of the sunshine and shadows on the dreamy mountains and the placid lake.” TICONDEROGA. "On Monday we started for Ticonderoga, which was to have been the end of my trip that way. Our sail was pleasant, but marred somewhat by the character of the weather, which was foggy and rainy. The mountains were veiled in mist, and each island wrapped itself in a vapory mantle, and withdrew itself, for the most part, from our sight. On the boat, we met two Massachusetts ladies, travelling alone, and as independent as possible. They were regular blue-stockings, — readers of the "Atlantic Monthly' and the 'Home Journal,' beyond which they did not care to push their literary explorations. They were extremely critical, and ready at all times to run a tilt against anybody who would try a lance with them. I was drawn into the lists, and a sharp encounter ensued. Skedaddle was the offensive term which Miss had made use of, which the blue-stockings regarded as vulgar. I gave the Greek derivation, and claimed the phrase as perfectly proper and classical! The Greek word administered the coup-de-grace to the literati, and I came off with flying colors! The girls state that I had fascinated one of the bluestockings, and run me a little, good-naturedly." NIAGARA. with their varied joys and happy moments! They are better than physicians' prescriptions or apothecaries' drugs! They touch the spirit, and leave a wellspring of happiness for the dark days of the future!" CAMPING ON MOUNT DESERT. A lady tourist thus writes:- Desert, we four went up the mountain to camp out for a week or so. There is a shanty on the summit, built by Government for the use of the coast survey when they were here, and although it looked in a very tumble-down condition, after J. and G. had given half a day's work to it, it looked quite habitable, and we all sat down to our delicious supper of hot coffee and broiled pork with a feeling of the greatest satisfaction. Our beds were made of balsam boughs and twigs, and had the merit of being very fragrant, if they were not very soft. The only trouble was scarcity of water. We had to go half a mile down the mountain to bring our water, and consequently we had a great deal of fun in economizing. We washed our dishes in about a pint of water heated in a quart measure; but I never enjoyed anything more than I did that free life. We spent eight days up there, and really felt quite homesick to leave it. "We had a charming walk on Goat's Island this forenoon, visiting every object of interest, and watching, with feelings of awe and wonder, the wild, turbulent river, as it plunges over the dreadful precipice into the mist and foaming chaldron of seething waters below. "Then a stroll around the island, with the fresh air of the downward current in our faces, and the flashing cascades and foaming torrents stretching above and beyond us! The wild, stormy beauty of that rushing river, as it dashes over rocks and whirls in fantastic eddies, roaring and hurrying along, is an ever fresh object of wonder and strange awe. Once seen, it can never be forgotten. Under the brazen sky of Virginia, with the echoes of our artillery in my ears, and the moving pomp and glorious splendors of the army before my eyes, I shall muse over the pleasant themes that have arisen in this delightful jaunt, and watch again the sunset tints as they are reflected from the fair mountains of the crystal horizon, and listen to the eternal roar of the cataract of Niag-ing the gentlemen at Portland to go on to the ara, forgetting alike the camp and the battle and the contending hosts about me, while I live over these gala days again. "The little hotel where we are staying now is quite a place of resort, being full all the time. A great many people from Bangor come here to stay a few days at a time, and we have made some very pleasant acquaintances among them. We go out with J. and G. nearly every day, and spend the day in the open air, breathing in oceans of health with every breath we draw of the splendid sea-air, and have all got such appetites. I find I am benefiting very much by it. We expect to remain a week or two longer, when M. and I will go home, leav White Mountains for a few weeks. To-day is mail-day. It takes a letter for ever and ever to go from here, or to come.' BOATING IN THE FOG. "These summer loiterings are ever to me a wellspring of joy and pleasure. They are sun- "We have finally had the spell of our long ny pictures hung in the storehouse of memory, drought broken by a fine rain. This morning on which, when one turns with a sad heart and we are entirely enveloped in a dense sea-fog, so despondent spirit from the cares and toils and thick that I cannot see half a dozen rods from tedious duties of the day, he can gaze again, my window. We have these fogs very often. and bring their golden colors into light, when One day we started for one of the islands in a row their charming influences will pour a refresh-boat in a fog, and before we got ten rods from ing balm upon the bruised spirit and make life the wharf we had lost sight of everything, and a joy again. went sailing right into the thickest bank of fog, "Blessed be, then, these long summer days, and so still we didn't know whether we were go When I could hear the kimmers say, 'There rides a homely loon!' to be seen, And thought how dowie I wad feel, gin he made love to Jean! But soon the manly chiel, aff-hand, thus frankly said to me, ing to be able to find the island or not; but the fog lifted for a little, so that we had no trouble. These fogs make everything look so shadowy I turned wi' pride and keeked at him, but no as and unreal, they seem different from our New York fogs, although I suppose they are of the same kind. We are enjoying ourselves as much as ever here; I wish you could be here awhile. We walk a good deal, and there are a I good many nice things to do about here. should so like to have you and see the view from the top of the mountain, it is so magnificent. I don't know whether you could walk up there or not; it is a pretty long pull and rather tiresome, although I think it a very easy ascent for a mountain.” As the reader is by this time satisfied with tourists' letters, we turn to another theme. THE COURTSHIP. Of all delicate, quaint, natural poets, it must be confessed that some of the Scotch excel. It requires study, often, to make out their full beauties, but they reward us for the labor. The following, by William Motherwell, the sad, sweet poet of Scotland who died a few years ago, is a perfect gem, and will pay for reading many times over : - 'Meg, either tak me to yoursel, or set me fairly free!" "To Glasgow Green I linked wi' him, to see the ferlies there; He birled his penny wi' the best; what noble could do mair? But ere ae fit he'd tak me hame, he cries, ‘Meg, tell me noo, Gin ye will hae me; there's my lufe, I'll aye be leal and true.' On sick an honest, loving heart, how could I draw a bar, What could I do but tak Rob's hand, for bet ter or for waur?" AMONG the many touching and natural things that occasionally go the rounds of the papers, the following is one of the most charming of "He courted me in parlor, and he courted me its kind. Simple and unpretending, it goes in ha', straight to the heart. We know not its au He courted me by Bothwell's banks, amang the thor:flowers sae sma', He courte me with pearlins, wi' ribbons and wi' rings, He courted me wi' laces, and wi' mony mair braw things; But, oh, he courted best o' a' wi' his black blythesome ee, Whilk wi' a gleam o' witcherie cuist glamour over me. "We hied thegither to the fair; I rode ahint my joe, "I've wandered to the village, Tom; I've sat beneath the tree, Upon the school-house play-ground, which sheltered you and me; But none were left to greet me, Tom; and few were left to know, That played with us upon the green some twenty years ago. "The grass is just as green, Tom; barefooted boys at play I fand his heart leap up and doun, while mine Were sporting just as we did then, with spirits beat faint and low; He turned his rosy cheek about, and then, ere I could trow, just as gay; But the 'master' sleeps upon the hill, which, coated o'er with snow, The widdifu' o' wickedness took arles o' my Afforded us a sliding-place just twenty years mou! Syne, when I feigned to be sair fleyed, sae pawkily as he Banned the auld mair for missing fit, and thrawing him ajee. "And aye he waled the loanings lang, till we drew near the town, ago. "The old school-house is altered now; the benches are replaced By new ones, very like the same our penknives had defaced; But the same old bricks are in the wall, the bell swings to and fro, It's music just the same, dear Tom, 'twas twenty years ago. "The boys were playing some old game, beneath that same old tree; I have forgot the name just now,- you've played the same with me On that same spot; 'twas played with knives, by throwing so and so; The leader had a task to do, there, twenty years ago. How easy it is to shape all our habits of thought and action by our peculiar vocation. The following, from a merchant who writes in reply to a boyish epistle from his son at a boarding-school, smacks of one living long among invoices and ledgers : hand, and cont's noted. Sorry to hear he's "Sir-My son's of 10th inst. came duly to studied any such thing-nothing but Webbeen stud'g Latin, &c. What's use? I never ster's Sp❜g Book and Daboll's Arith'k, and P'r Richard's Al'k; yet got along well enough "The river's running just as still; the willows-made money; am Bank Direct'r, Memb. on its side Are larger than they were, Tom; the stream appears less wide; But the grape-vine swing is ruined now, where once we played the beau, And swung our sweethearts-pretty girls' just twenty years ago. "The spring that bubbled 'neath the hill, close by the spreading beech, look into M'Cull'ch-some use in that. Learn Chamb. Com., &c., &c., &c. Latin! - better all about Dr. and Cr., ct. per ct., cur'cy, exch., bank facil., md'ze, &c.; that's the commodity ing-room-always in dem'd-always availof true knowledge- the best md'ze for countable in market, when y'r Latin and y'r Greek wouldn't fetch a scomarkee, as my captain says. Is very low, - 'twas once so high that we could old-am in want of another clerk — must have "But to point. My son is now 14 y'rs almost reach; And kneeling down to get a drink, dear Tom, I have let him stand another half-year, though, finished his ed'n by this time, surely; would starte i so, but for the Latin, and high rates of tuition at To see how sadly I am changed since twenty board'g sch'l. Please ship him on board Swift years ago. "My lids have long been dry, Tom, but tears came in my eyes; I thought of her I loved so well, those early broken ties; I visited the old church-yard, and took some flowers to strew sure, with invoice and bill of lad'g, of books, &c., consigned to Merx and Co., N. Y`k. THE following admirable lines were written CHRIST be my ship, and grace my gale; loveliness in the costume of some of the fair WE sometimes meet wonders of grace and think nothing has ever been seen so wonderful ladies of this extravagant country; but we for elaborate beauty, elegance, and the poetry of its conception, as a scarf belonging to the Upon the graves of those we loved some twenty young wife of a Turkish pacha, a description years ago. of which is here given. A WONDERFUL SCARF. "The young wife of a Turkish pacha used to pride herself on a scarf of extraordinary richness and beauty, said to have cost her husband £700 sterling. It had a border each eighteen inches deep, displaying a parterre of the most splendid flowers, roses, anemones, narcissuses, tulips, -as fresh and gorgeous of hue as those which drooped or nodded in his gardens in the |