least let us not tempt any to make Sunday a day of fun and frolic, by
giving them no other day for their fun and frolic. Provide things honest
in the sight of all men.

Women can do much towards bringing about this holiday, and towards
keeping it intact when it is once secured. Let every woman make a point
of doing no shopping on Saturday afternoons. A very little forethought
will prevent any inconvenience from the deprivation. If a tradesman
chooses to keep his shop open on Saturdays, when others of the same kind
are shut, let every woman take care not only not to enter it on that
day, but on any day. And in order that the holiday may begin as promptly
as the working-day, women should not put off their purchases till the
last minute before closing. If the shops are to be shut at two o'clock,
let no one enter them after one, except in case of emergency. If the
clerks have to take down goods from their shelves, overhaul box and
drawer, and unroll and unfold and derange till the time for closing
arrives, an hour or an hour and a half of their holiday must be consumed
in the work of putting the store in order. Let this last hour of the
working-week be spent in arrangement, not in derangement. Be ashamed to
ask a clerk to disturb a shelf which he has just set in Sunday order.
Let the young men be ready, so that, when the clock strikes the hour of
release, release may come.

Many of the shops are advertised to be closed on Saturday afternoons
through the summer. But there are just as many hours to the day and just
as many days to the week in winter as in summer; and the ice and snow
and sleigh-bells of January are just as fascinating and as exhilarating
and invigorating as the rivers and roses of June. Therefore it is to be
hoped the half-holiday will not migrate with the birds, but remain and
become a permanent national institution.

THE CHIMNEY-CORNER FOR 1866.

BEING A FAMILY-TALK ON RECONSTRUCTION.

Our Chimney-Corner, of which we have spoken somewhat, has, besides the
wonted domestic circle, its _habitues_ who have a frequent seat there.
Among these, none is more welcome than Theophilus Thoro.

Friend Theophilus was born on the shady side of Nature, and endowed by
his patron saint with every grace and gift which can make a human
creature worthy and available, except the gift of seeing the bright side
of things. His bead-roll of Christian virtues includes all the graces of
the spirit except hope; and so, if