Page 94

95

the way but of the present! Louisa T. Brooke
very kindly shared with us most interesting
letters from Mary C. and the Jr.
Dr. Roger Brooke, who are in the Phillipines.
The former has experienced several earthquakes
but does not seem to be nervous on
the subject; she is indirectly leading a
novel like, and can describe her curious
surroundings with a graphic pen. The
young Dr. is stationed 200 miles from
Manila and has been very busy for nine
months superintending the moving of Gov.
property and breaking up posts; he said
every bed had to be listed on ten different
sheets before it could properly repose in a
new abiding place. So "red tape" is as
powerful even ten thousand miles from
Washington. A Phillipine wedding sounds
formidable, as the ceremonies commence
at 6 A. M. And the bridal couple hold a
continuous reception through the day and
evening. Eliza N. Moore said she would
give us some extracts from the only book
she received at Christmas: it proved
to be prose by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and one
essay was a breezy dissertation upon
clothes. She advises every one to give away
their old clothes for they are productive to
the first owner of despondency and inferior
[m?] stuff. Give them away to keep
the old warm and to be made over
for the young, but do not bestow them
on those who should be earning good ones.

A second chapter was on "Obstacles;" we were
admonished against the sin of making them a
reason for failure on our part. If a man
or woman resolves to surmount difficulties
and perform miracles all things are possible,
with God's aid, to those, who persist.
Virginia Ober had a few thoughts upon
the subject of the "barren fig tree," and