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The Quakers and the Rockville Fair.

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR.
Your correspondent, writing from Rockville,
under date of October 18th, and speaking of the
fair [in?] progress, says:-"The Quaker element,
which had the management of the attractions, was
asked to step aside." And again, "Notwithstand-
ing the backwardness of the Quaker residents of
the county, in making entries." Now, the facts
are that the members of the Society of Friends,
many of them have not only always taken a great
interest in the annual fair, but so far from having
been asked "to step aside," the present presi-
dent, Mr. Rapley was nominated by one, and
voted for by all that were present at the annual
meeting; whereon, some of the most active and
useful members of the present board of manage-
ment are of the society; and on many of the com-
mittees it was represented by hard working mem-
bers. Again, the number of premiums taken by
the "Quaker" shows that they were very far from
"backward" in making entries. Is it true that
they were opposed to the agricultural society
making the trotting feature so prominent, and to
the introduction of some of the "amusements," but
in this they were only cooperating with "Episco-
palians," "Baptists" and "Methodists." But, Mr.
Editor, why allude to any religious sect in connec-
tion? It was an Episcopalian who
most earnestly opposed some of the changes, and
a number of "Methodists" will not endorse them,
but is it not bad taste to say that the "Episcopa-
lians" and "the Methodists" oppose or endorse this
or that measure?
SANDY SPRING.

By and By.

What will it matter by and by
Whether my path below was bright,
Whether it wound through dark or light,
Under a gray or a golden sky,
When I look back on it by and by?

What will it matter by and by
Whether unhelped I toiled alone,
Dashed my foot against a stone,
Missing the charge of the angel nigh,
Bidding me think of the by and by?

What will it matter by and by
Whether with laughing joy I went
Down through the years with a glad content,
Never believing, nay, not I,
Tears would be sweeter by and by?

What will it matter by and by
Whether with cheek to cheek I've lain
Close by the pallid angel, Pain,
Soothing myself through sob and sigh
"All will be elsewise by and by."

What will it matter? Naught, if I
Only am sure the way I've trod,
Gloomy or gladdened, leads to God—
Questioning not of the how, the why,
If I but reach him by and by.

Ah! it will matter by and by
Nothing but this: that Joy or Pain
Lifted me skyward, helped to gain,
Whether through rack, or smile, or sigh,
Heaven—home—all in all, by and by.

THE hostiles are concentrating on the reser-
vation at Yorktown. They include, besides
the Virginia gentlemen with the wounded
clothes and the other Virginia gentlemen with
wounded honor still unpatched, the French
and German gentlemen who do not speak to
one another in consequence of a difference of
opinion in regard to the political geography
of Alsace-Lorraine. Wash off your war-paint,
gentlemen, and try arbitration.

Fate.

Two shall be born the whole wide world apart,
And speak in different tongues, and have no thought
Each of the other's being, and no heed.

And these o'er unknown seas to unknown lands
Shall cross, escaping wreck, defying death;
And, all unconsciously, shape every act
And bend each wandering step to this one end—

That one day out of darkness they shall meet
And read life's meaning in each other's eyes.

And two shall walk some narrow way of life,
So nearly side by side that should one turn
Ever so little space to left or right
They needs must stand acknowledged face to face,

And yet, with wistful eyes that never meet,
With groping hands that never clasp, and lips
Calling in vain to ears that never hear,
They seek each other all their weary days,
And die unsatisfied: and this is fate.

UNCLE NATHAN'S CREED.

Dar's er mighty seus question dat de folkses can't decide,
An' is vidin' ob de 'pinions ob de 'ligious mighty wide:
For I hear 'em say in meetin', wid a mighty happy look,
Dat er man is safe in heben, ef his name is on de book.

Now I 'fess I'm mighty ignorant, but I knows er thing or two;
An' I'm gwine ter take dis subject an' I'm gwine to run er through:
Fur I never did believe it (an' yer knows it's mighty thin),
Dat er man kin git ter heben while he's 'mittin' ob er sin.

Duz yer spose, ef I wuz walkin' through a watermilon patch,
Er'longing ter a neighbor, and jes' take a little snatch—
An' de comic come a rushin' like de injun on de track,
Dat I could walk in heben wid er milon on my back?

Duz yer spose ef I was comin', bout de hootin' ob de owl,
An' stoppin' fer ter listen at de crowin' ob de fowl,
Wuz ter reach my han' right easy, an' pull him off de rail,
Dat I could go to heben wid dat rooster by de tail?

So der ain't no use in talkin', den yer's got ter do de right,
Awalkin' through de milon patch, or long de road at night;
For I neber did believe it (an' yer know it's mighty thin),
Dat a man kin git to heben while he's 'mittin ob a sin.

—R. T. Bently, in Louisville Courier-Journal.
" I had rather burn a coal-pit, or keep the flys out of a
butcher's stall in the munth ov August, than meddle
with the skool bizzness." - Josh Billings on the
"Distrikt Skoolmaster."

"Enny man who has kept a skool for ten years ought
to be made a mager gineral and have a penshun for
the rest ov his nateral days, and a hoss and waggin
tew do his going around in." - Josh Billings.

"Every young one in the distrikt skool is a bile of a
different breed, and each one needs a different kind
ov poultis to get a good head on him." - Josh