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Show 6 I chins on their henna-tingenails, at their parlor windows, I turned my attention to back windows. Although the fair Circas sion has not yet burst upon me with open shutters, some peculiarities not unworthy of note have fallen under my observation. This knowledge has not been gained w ithout sacrifice. I have made myself familiar with back windows and their prospects, in the d weak disguise of seeking lodgings, heedless of the suspicious glances of landladies and their evident reluctance to show them. I have caught cold by long exposure to I have become estranged from draught. friends bv unconsciously walking to their back windows during a visit, when the weekly linen hung upon the line, or where Miss Fanny (ostensibly indisposed) actually assisted in the laundry, and Master Hobby, in scant attire, disported himself on the area railings. Hut I have thought of Galileo, and the invariable experience of all seekers and discoverers of truth has sustained me. Show me the back windows of a mans dwelling, and 1 will tell you his character. The rear of a house only is sincere. The attitude of deception kept up at the front windows leaves the back area defenceless. The world enters at the front door, but nature comes out at the back passage. That individual who lets glossy, himself in with a latch-keat the front door at night, is a very different being from the slipshod wretcli w ho growls of mornings for hot water at the door of the kitchen. The same with niadame, whose contour of figure grows angular, whose face grows pallid, whose hair comes down, and who lookssome ten years older through the sincere medium of a back window. No wonder that intimate friends fail to recognize each other in this dos a dos position. You may imagine yourself familiar with the silver door-plat- e and of the mansion where dwells your Saccharissa; you may even fancy you recognize her graceful figure between the lace curtains of the upper chamber which you fondly imagine to be hers; but you shall dwell for months in the rear of her dwelling and within whispering distance of her bower, and never know it. You shall see her with a handkerchief tied around her head in a confidential discussion with the butcher, and You shall hear her voice in know her not. shrill expostulation with her younger brother, and it shall awaken no familiar response. I am writing at a back window. As I prefer the warmth of my coal fire to the foggy freshness of the afternoon breeze that rattles the leafless shrubs in the garden below me, I have my window sash closed; consequently I miss much of the shrilly altercation that has been goingon in the kitchen of No. 7 just opposite. I have heard fragments of an entertaining style of dialogue usually known as chaffing, which has just taken place between Biddy in No. 9 and the butcher who brings the dinner. I have been pitying the chilled aspect of a poor canary, put out to taste the fresh air, from the window of No. 5. I have been watching even envying, I fear the real enjoyment of two children raking over an old well-brushe- d y bow-windo- ws Ml: HUli. in the alley, containing the waste ami debris of all the back yards in the dust-hea- p r neighboiliood. What a wealth of bottles anil old iron they have acquired! Hut am waiting for an even more familiar prospect from my back window. I know that later in the afternoon, when the evening paper comes, a thickset, gray haired s at the man will appear in his back door of No. 9, and, seating himsell on the door-step- , begin to tead. lie lives in a hear he is a rich pretentious house, and soda-wate- 1 shirt-sleeve- 1 man. Hut there is such Immililv in his atti-tud- e, and such evidence of gratitude at being allowed to sit outside of his own house and read the paper in his shirt sleeves, that I can picture his domestic history pretty clearly. Perhaps he is folloving some old habit of bumbler days. Perhaps he has entered into an agreement with his wife not to indulge his disgraceful habits He does not look like a man who could be coaxed into a dressing gown. In front of his own palatial residence, I know him to busbe a quiet and respectable middle-ageiness man, but it is from my back window that mv heart warms toward him in bis d simplicity. So I sit and watch him in the twilight as he reads gravely, and wonder sometimes, when he looks up, squares his chest, and folds his paper thoughtfully over his knee, whether he doesnt fancy he hears the letting down of bars, or the tinkling of bells, as the cows come home and stand lowing for him at the gate. in-doo- rs. d Peter and mauling his comb.. 2 Repluming ami gilding left wing of s guardian angel Washing the servant of the High Priest and putting carmine on ; on his cheeks Renewing Heaven, adjusting the stars and brushing up the moon ... . 7 Touching up Purgatory and restoring lost souls 3 Brightening the tiames of hell, putting a new tail on the devil, mending his left hoof and doing sev eral odd job" for the damned . . 7 the robs of Herod and 4 adjusting his wig Taking spots off the son of Tobias.. . I Cleaning Balaams ass and putting I one shoe on him s in Saraha ears Putting Putting new stone in Davids sling, enlarging the head of Goliath 6 and extending Saul's legs Decorating Noahs Ark and putting a Re-borderi- 20 lb 02 i.j 17 ng 1 ear-ring- head on Shem Mending the shirt of the prodigal son and cleaning his ear 00 30 70 71 13 4 13 3 39 shirt-sleeve- Total S60 4$ TKXAS PREACH KRS FAREWELL There was a preacher over in Texas who took peimnnent leave of his congregation in the following manner: brothers anil Sisters come to say dont think God loves this church, good-bybecause none of you ever did. I dont think you love each other, because I never marry any of you. I dont think you love me because you have not paid me my salary. Your donations are moldy fruit and wormy apples, and by their fruits ye shall know them. Brothers, I am going to a better place. I have been called to be chaplain of a penitentiary. Where I go ye cannot come now, but I go to prepare a place for you, and may the Lord have mercy on your souls. Good-by- . . I 1 HE ITEMIZED HIS HILL. Over in Belgium the trustees of an old church decided to have the property belonging to the church repaired and employed an artist to do the work. When he presented his bill the board refused to pay him until he itemized it, which he did as follows: To correcting the Ten Commandments $ Embellishing Pontius Pilate and putting new ribbon on his bonnet.. Putting new tail on the rooster of St. 5 12 3 02 ture of it? A farce, I think. |