f Dorking lambs and Jersey hens, while some
bees of the Berkshire breed fairly divided the honors with a few very
choice Merino pigs. A handsomely built North Devon chain-pump attracted
much attention from the milkmen.

The turkeys, geese, ducks, poultry and other farm yard _habitues_,
though cooped up in one corner, did all they could to make the show a
success.

The products of the soil were heaped up in the richest profusion. This
is a great raising county. No community raised their quota of
substitutes more rapidly, during the war. Rows upon rows of corn, of
barley, rye and oats [like most modern Serials,] seemed as though they
would never come to an end.

Some early squashes were pointed out to me. I understood that they were
gathered at four o'clock in the morning. This is nothing. I distinctly
remember picking up watermelons, when a schoolboy, much earlier than
that.

The butter, cheese, and bed quilts, were all of the finest texture.
Everybody took a first premium.

Among the newly patented inventions I noticed "The JOHN MORRISSEY
Smasher," "The Swamp Angel Sheller," and a lovely piece of mechanism
called "The Just One Mower."

There was the usual horse trotting from morning to night, both days,
with pool selling, from which, I presume, agriculture derived great
benefit.

I say nothing of the other side-shows, for (with the exception of ALEXIS
ST. MARTIN,) I never heard of one that was worth going across the street
to see.

Yours truly, and yours rurally,

SARSFIELD YOUNG.

* * * * *

OUR PORTFOLIO.

PARIS, THIRD WEEK OF THE REPUBLIC, 1870.

DEAR PUNCHINELLO: I concluded I would leave Paris for Tours last week,
as the refusal of Life Insurance Companies to take war risks made me
apprehensive for the temporal welfare of the youthful TINTOS in case I
should be untimely called hence. It was a wise resolution, but a few
trifling obstacles, to which I shall refer, prevented me from carrying
it out.

WASHBURNE advised me, as the safest means of escape, to adopt the
character of an American tourist, with which disguise he thought the
Gallic cast of my features would not materially interfere. I took the
hint, and, assuming my scrip and staff, set forth by way of the Neuilly
gate towards Courbevoie. It was after nightfall when I reached the
bridge that crosses the Seine in that neighborhood. A _garde mobile_ was
pacing over the crest of the slight acclivity that rises n