needle containing the forty-one stitches, where the centre or twenty-first stitch must always be seamed. With this needle proceed as follows: Knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam two; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one; knit three, seam one.

Continue to knit round and round the three needles, according to the foregoing directions, until the stocking is fourteen inches in length, when the narrowing of the leg commences. This is always done on the back needle.

When within three of the centre-stitch knit two together, seam one, seam the centre-stitch, knit one, slip one, knit one, put the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch, then continue to rib the stocking as before, by knitting three stitches and seaming one.

On reaching the back needle again, it will be found to have two stitches less; therefore knit two stitches and seam one in the ribbing close to the centre-stitch on each side.

Objections have been made to ribbing on account of the difficulty in narrowing; but it can be very neatly done by carefully following these directions, knitting or seaming the stitches as the rib looks best. Always seam the centre-stitch, and leave one stitch on each side between it and the narrowing. Seven rounds plain ribbing are knitted between each narrowing.

Narrow twelve times, two stitches each time, when there will be seventeen stitches on the heel or back needle. Then rib two inches and a half before commencing the heel.

HEEL.-Prepare for heel by ribbing to the end of back needle, and from first side, or next needle, rib on to back needle sixteen stitches. Rib the other twenty four stitches from first side needle to another needle. Rib second side needle to within sixteen stitches of the end; these sixteen must be passed to the heel or back needle without knitting. There should now be forty-nine stitches on the back needle, and twenty-four on each side needle. The two side needles are not used again until the heel is completed.

The heel is made by ribbing alternate rows— the back row is knit one, seam three-until thirtyseven rows are completed. Each row is commenced by knitting, but the first stitch of every row must be slipped instead of knitted. On reaching the

centre-stitch of the thirty-seventh row, seam two together, which brings the centre-stitch to an end. There should now be forty-eight stitches on the .heel needle.

*

Thirty-eighth row. Round of heel is plain knitting; the under part of the foot is not ribbed. Seam thirty-one stitches, seam two together, turn the needle, knit fifteen stitches, knit two together, again turn the needle, seam fifteen stitches, seam two together. Repeat from * until there are only sixteen stitches remaining on the needle. This completes the heel.

With the needle containing the sixteen stitches take up, and as you take up knit twenty stitches from the side of the heel, knit four stitches off front needle on the same. Rib all the stitches from both front needles-except the four last-on another needle. (The front needle is ribbed throughout until the narrowing for the toe is commenced.) The four last stitches must be knitted on a third needle, with which take up (knitting each as it is taken up) twenty stitches from the side of the heel. Add to these eight stitches from the other side needle. There should then be thirty-two stitches on each side needle, and forty stitches on the front needle. The next needle, which is the first side needle, knit plain. Rib front needle. Knit second side needle plain.

First side needle * knit plain until within six stitches of the end; knit two together; knit four. Front needle. Rib.

Second side needle. Knit four, slip one; knit one, put the slipped stitch over the knitted one; knit plain to end of needle.

Knit two rounds of the stocking plain (always ribbing the front needle).

Repeat from * until the foot is sufficiently narrowed, which will be when there are eighty-eight stitches on all the needles. Knit the foot about eight inches long, including the heel, though this measurement may of course be varied to suit the needs of the wearer.

NARROWING FOR THE TOE.-The front needle must now be knit plain, not ribbed. Put as many stitches on the front needle as there are on the other two together. To accomplish this, take two stitches from each side needle, and place them on the front needle, which should give twenty-two on each side needle, and forty-four on the front needle.

Commence the toe at the front needle by knit

Eleventh row. Same as third row. Repeat fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth rows, thus completing a second point.

Again repeat second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth rows. Cast fourteen more stitches on needle containing the stitches, and proceed as follows:

Seam two, knit two, put thread over and knit two together, seam two, knit six, seam two, take two off on a long pin, knit two, put back the two taken off and knit them. Continue from in ninth row until three more points are made, then bind off fourteen stitches, and continue according to directions until three more points are made (nine in all). The fourteen stitches are cast out to form the instep. Bind off.

With the colored wool take up fourteen or sixteen stitches across the top of the instep, knit back and forward till six rows are made (twice across

forms one row), then narrow in the middle of . the needle, and continue to knit till ten rows are completed, the first six being included in the ten.

With a second needle take up thirty stitches along the right side of the instep, then with a third needle knit across the instep. Use a fourth needle to take up thirty stitches on the other side of instep, and knit round and round like a stocking until six rows are made, then narrow at the end of the first needle, middle of the second, and first of the third. Knit back without narrowing. Narrow next round. Knit back without narrowing, and so continue till there are only seven stitches on the instep needle, then narrow every round till all on the instep needle are used. Bind off the stitches on the other two needles, sew up the socks, and pass a narrow ribbon, the shade of the colored wool used, around the ankle, tying it in a neat little bow in front.

It is a wonderful improvement to the socks to shape them on a tiny wooden last, which can usually be procured at a shoemaker's. Dip them in clear cold water, and draw them over the last, leaving them on the last to dry. It is scarcely necessary to say that but one sock can be dried on a last at one time.

It

PERHAPS no State was more to be pitied during the late war than Western Virginia. Partly in sympathy with the North and partly with the South, friend and foe were to them alike. Northern soldiers came and pillaged their barns and hen-roosts; Southern recruits came, commanded, and took prisoners. In fact, much of Western Virginia was just like a boy sitting astride a fence, at a loss to know which side to take. In no place in the Union was there such a division of sentiment; in no place were so many houses divided against themselves. was no uncommon thing to hear the wife and mother sing "We'll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple-tree," and not an hour later the father or son was singing the same bad luck to "Abe Lincoln." The Northerners knew not whether these people were their friends or foes; the Southerners knew not whether they were foes or friends. In fact, many of the farmers along the banks of the Ohio and the Big Sandy rivers had no scruples about treating the Northern and Southern soldiers just alike. And why not, when their eldest born was, perhaps, in the Southern army, and their youngest, the fair and curly-headed boy, in the Northern?

Deeds of cruelty were committed by both armies, especially by that class of soldiers called the bushwhackers. On the Ohio River, and near the Big Sandy, was a town called Ceredo, and here was stationed a company under the gallant Captain Henderson. It was a trying position for any Union company, since the hills, only a few miles back, were largely infested with guerrillas and Southern soldiers. The blackness of war burst upon them with all its fury. Churches were turned into barracks, and the inhabitants, all that could, fled from their homes, leaving them to be taken possession of by squatters and refugees from farther South. The appearance of this town, when seen by the writer, baffles description. She only remembers a number of squalid houses, with scarcely a whole pane of glass in any of them. Near this place came a young lady from the North, and began teaching in a large frame church. Only necessity compelled this young

and beautiful lady to place herself in so much danger. But she found the Virginia people warmhearted and impulsive, and very soon became much attached to them.

One afternoon, near the close of her third week of school, at recess, her little ones came running in the greatest fright and flocked tremblingly around her.

"Oh, teacher," they exclaimed, "the soldiers are coming!"

"Are they?" said the teacher, soothingly. Well, they will not hurt us."

"Dear Miss Annie, you know nothing about them. If they are the guerrillas, they would just as leave shoot one of us down as a crow."

"Are they Union or rebel soldiers!" asked the teacher, soberly.

"They are dressed in blue, but they are coming from the rebel land, and the guerrillas wear the blue or the gray, just as they please."

The teacher moved to an open window, and seated herself that she might see them pass.

Captain Henderson, for he it was, the leader of the band, gave a start of surprise as he beheld such a picture of loveliness. He tipped his hat, bowed, blushed, and then suddenly wheeled around and rode up to the window.

"You are the teacher here, I supppse ?" he said. She bowed her head politely. "Have any rebel soldiers passed here to-day?" "I have not seen any," she replied. "You sympathize with the Union ?" he asked, hesitatingly.

"I should hope so," she answered, quietly, considering the State I represent."

"All very well," he answered. "You see, one of the most prominent men in Ceredo disappeared a few days ago, and we have been out looking for him. You may have seen him pass here, perhaps― Mr. Walker ?"

"An old gentleman on horseback, sir, with a high hat and a market-basket full of grapevine shoots, sir?"

"The very same. He has a farm three miles back, and was going to visit it. He has not been heard of since."