stairs, who was "wanted," and was her brother. She did not think they would search her house for him-she was too well-known as a Union woman to be suspected of harboring a spy. They would probably go next door, and even in her trouble she felt a little malicious satisfaction in having the tables so turned. If the worst came to the worst, she still had the bleaching apparatus to fall back upon. Robert was on the lookout, and had his directions. Some figures darkened her window as she considered. Some soldiers halted in front of the house, and the officer in charge pushed open the door and walked in. Miss Mehitable nervously sorted over the ribbons in a box, as she gathered her courage for the or deal. A cheery voice broke in upon her silence, and a hand was stretched across the counter; she looked up to meet Lieutenant Neal's friendly eyes. "We meet again, Miss Hearn. How has the world gone with you? As well as you deserve, I hope."

She did not answer, but he went on without noticing her silence. "Miss Hearn, I confess I am here to-day on an er rand I am ashamed of. I just joined my regiment last night, and was ordered here this morning to search your house for a spy, Dennis, who has been hanging around the camp. They say he was traced to this house last night-of course its a mistake I feel that I insult you by the suggestion. Surely no one has better reason than I to believe in your loyalty-pardon me, Miss Hearn, are you ill?-you looked so white. No! well, as a matter of form will you give your word that you have no such person in hiding? I'll take the responsibility of not searching the house. The man is not here?"

Miss Mehitable struggled a moment for her voice; then she met his glance composedly.

"No, he is not here."

"Thank you. I almost feel as if I ought to apologize for asking."

His voice took a different tone; he hesitated, and then approached the subject indirectly.

"Miss Hearn, have you found out your brother's regiment yet?"

"No." She spoke calmly, without a tremor of voice or a change in a muscle of her face. Even as she answered, she found herself wondering at her own composure.

"I shall keep on the watch for him. I'll see you again soon. Good morning."

He gives the word of command to his men and they march off. His former hostess watches them out of sight, and then turns, wearily, to leave the shop. She goes on, upstairs. At the top of the second flight Robert meets her.

"How did you get rid of them? What did you do?" She turned on him almost fiercely-"I lied for you." That night Robert Hearn, alias Dennis, the spy, left the house. Under cover of the darkness he got away safely, and rejoined the approaching Southern army. A few days later the two armies met on the level meadows south of the town; the battle lasted all day, leaving neither side in possession of the field. The loss was great on both sides, and, in the next morning's newspaper, prominent among the list of the dead, Miss Mehitable read the name, Robert Dennis.

E. M. H., '82.

De Temporibus et Moribus.

A society entitled, "Society for the Encouragement of Home Study" had existed in England for several years prior to 1873, when an association of similar name and purpose was established in Boston. Miss Ticknor, the present secretary of the American Society, hearing of this English organization, conceived the plan of founding one of like nature in this country. She gathered about her a few friends, interested them in her project, and through their efforts a society, with the slightly varied title, "Society to Encourage Studies at Home," but differing essentially in its methods from the English original, took definite form and substance. In its first year six ladies constituted the working force, and the students numbered forty-five. In 1881, the working force reached 174, and the students numbered 960. Of the 960, 426 were members of more than one year's standing; 205 were taking their second year's course; 109 their third; 72 their fourth; 23 their fifth; 16 their sixth; and one, her seventh. The geographical representation has become an extended one. In 1881, the homes of the members comprised thirty-six states and territories of the Union, three provinces of Canada, and Bermuda. In 1879, a resident of Japan was upon the list. During 1881, 9349 letters were written to students and 8453 received from them. The society owns a lending library, which is constantly increasing, both from its own funds and from gifts of friends.

It held, last year, 1133 volumes, and during the term, 967 were sent out to members. The fee is small, one-half cent a day, and even this is remitted, on request, for needy students.

The purpose of the society is conveyed in its name. It cannot give the instruction of a teacher, and it does not aim to supply the place of school or academy. It offers, first of all, encouragement to self-effort and incentive to self-guidance; but, so far as its methods render possible, it adds to these primary objects, suggestion and assistance. It endeavors throughout to lead the student to test her own knowledge and to read and study with care and thoroughness. Its circular opens with this sentence: "The purpose of the society is to induce young women to form the habit of devoting some part of every day to study of a systematic and thorough kind." It does not require that any particular programme of study shall be carried out in a fixed period. It demands only that the work shall be regular and thorough, however limited in extent. And the limit depends in each case upon the ability and leisure of the student. The effort of the society, from the beginning, has been to check superficial acquirement, and to urge upon the pupil the benefit of the complete mastery of one or a few subjects. The following quotation from the last annual report bears witness to this endeavor: "It is a mistake to attempt prematurely two or more courses, not only on account of the thoroughness demanded by our methods, but because some of the advantage is thus lost of learning how to pursue a special line of research. Hereafter beginners will not be allowed to do this."

The work of the society divides itself into six departments: History, English Literature, Science, Art, German Literature and French Literature. There is a lady in charge of each department. Further, the departments, excepting those of German and French Literature, are subdivided into sections, with a lady at the head of each section These subdivisions have taken place as the number of students has increased, and

have kept pace with the variety of subjects called for. The ladies directly in charge of individual students, are called correspondents, and their number depends, of course, on the size of the sections. For instance, the department of History subdivides into: I. Ancient; II. Mediaeval; III. Modern European ; IV. American History. Science divides into: I Botany and Zoology; II. Physical Geography and Geology; III. Astronomy and Mathematics. There are certain general rules to which all departments conform; but, in the main, as regards courses of study and methods of procedure, the departments are independent. The ladies in charge are specialists, and are subject to no supervision except of the most general nature.

Necessarily the only source of communication between correspondent and student is by letter, and the fundamental basis of the society is a regular monthly correspondence. The student is required to send every month a letter stating her progress and difficulties, and to enclose a report consisting of notes (from memory), an abstract of some chapter or topic, or answers to examination questions previously sent by the correspondent. The duty of the correspondent is to answer this letter, and to give such aid or suggestion as the case may require. The use of the different tests, memory notes, abstracts, and examination questions, varies with the subject under consideration, and the proficiency of the student. In the literary departments, greater stress is laid on memory notes and abstracts; in the scientific, upon recorded observation, drawings, and description of specimens. The students in Botany and Mineralogy are requested to send to their correspondents specimens obtained from their own neighborhoods, with drawings and descriptions. Small collections of rocks and fossils are supplied by the society, and are either loaned or sold.

The class of girls which, in the opinion of the original promoters of the society, was to profit by its establishment, comprised the large number of those who, after their school-days are over, return to their homes, and do not enter upon any