eant 'holy snow.'"

It is certainly an enormous rose-bush, and its roots grow wide under the
cathedral. Over them, in the crypt, is an altar said to be of pure
silver, and it looks as if it might be. On the altar are heaped great
bunches of artificial roses, which they persuade the ignorant peasants
are actual blossoms of the rose-bush itself, even when it is leafless
and bare in the winter.

I can not say that all the sacristan's story is true, but I know that
the rose-bush of Hildesheim is the largest one I ever saw, and that the
town is a very old place. Indeed, a few years ago, some wonderful gold
and silver vessels were dug up there, which must have been used by an
almost forgotten race. If any of you live near Washington, you can see
copies of them in the Smithsonian Institution.

CROCHET PURSE.

[Illustration]

This pretty purse will make a nice gift for some of our young people. It
is worked with red saddler's silk in open-work double crochet, and
consists of an oblong bag pointed toward the bottom, and furnished with
small slits at the top on both sides. The purse is closed with two metal
bars, finished with knobs, and joined with a chain and ring. An ordinary
steel slide may be substituted. A metal acorn finishes the bottom. Make
a foundation of 96 st. (stitch), close these in a ring with 1 sl. (slip
stitch), and crochet the 1st round.--4 ch. (chain stitch), the first 3
of which count as first dc. (double crochet), then always alternately 1
dc. on the second following st., 1 ch.; finally, 1 sl. on the third of
the first 3 ch. in this round. 2d round.--1 sl. on the next st., 4 ch.,
the first 3 of which count as first dc., then always alternately 1 dc.
on the next ch. in the preceding round, 1 ch.; finally, 1 sl. on the
third of the first 3 ch. in this round. Next work 24 rounds like the
preceding round, but in the last 10 rounds narrow at intervals, and
instead of 1 dc. pass over 2 dc., so that in the last round only 8 dc.
are worked. Run the working thread through the st. of the last round,
draw it tight, and set on the acorn. Then finish the purse in two parts,
working on the upper side of the foundation st. 3 rounds in the
preceding design, going back and forth, and in the last round fasten in
the bars as follows: * 7 ch., pass over 2 dc., lay on the bar from the
wrong side, carry the ch. across the bar to the wrong side, 1 sc. on the
next ch., 7 ch., carry these over the bar to the front, pass