VOM!ME 57. NEW SERIES. r|IHE BEDFORD GAZETTE ■ IS PUBLISHED EVERV FRIDAY MORNING 12Y It. I\ MEYERS, At the following terms, to wit: $1.50 per annum, CASH, in advance. $2.00 " " if paid within the year. $2.50 " " if not paid within the year. subscription taken for less than six months. C3*"No paper discontinued until all arrearages are paid, unless at the option of the publisher, it hae heen decided by the United States Courts that ths stoppage of a newspaper without toe ptiyment ol ar rearages, is yrima facie evidence ol fraud and is a criminal offence. he courts have decided that persons are ac- | countable for the subscription price of newspapers, it they take them from the post office,whether 'hey subscribe for them, or not. Select f)o e t r g. THE FIRST SNOWFALL- These lines were permed by James Russell Low elf, though not included in the latest editions of bis works. Aside from their sweetness and beauty, there seems to be a sort of appropriateness in their publication at this time. The snow had begun in the gloaming, And busily all the night Had been heaping fields and highway, With a silence deep and white. Every pine, and fur, and hemlock, Wore ermine too dear for an earl, And the poorest twig on the elm tree W'ab fringed inch-deep with pearl. From sheds, now roof-d with Carrara, | Came Chanticleer's muffled crow, i The still rails were softened to swan's down — And still fluttered down the 9 now. t stood and watched by the window The noiseless work of the sky. And the sudden flurries of snow-birds, Like brown leaves whirling by. • 1 thohght of ft mound in 6wect Auburn, Where a little head-stone stood, How the flakes were folding it gently, rvs did robins the babes in the wood, Up spake our little Mabel, j Saying "father who makes the snow And t told her of the good All Father Who cares for us all below. Again I looked at the.anow-fail, And 1 thought of the leaden sky That arched our first great sorrow, When the mound was heaped so high. t remember the gradual patience That fell f.ow the cloud like snow, Flake by flake, healing and hiding The scar of that deep-stabbed woe. Andagain to the child 1 whipered, "The snow that husheth all, Harling, the Merciful Father J Alone can make it fall." Then, with eyes that saw not, I kissed her, And she, kissing back, could not t kuow That my kiss was given to her sister, Folded close under deep'ning snow. , Original £al c. Written expressly for the "Bedford Gazette." IDLE JIOIRS BY A PLOWMAN. Chip. I. Most young men who are acqu i ring the rud imentary knowledge which is designed to qual ify diem lor the honorable position ol merchants, have their evenings which are generally spent in pleasure and amusement. Some have their mothers and sisters, with whom they enjoy the refined pleasures ol the social circle, during these so called ''ldle Hours but, with the majority oi them, such is no' the case. They are ser.t up Irom the country to the metropolis, either, because the lather is ambitious that one member of his family, at least, should occupy a respectable position in the world ; or because, from ill health or defective physical organiza tion,.they arp incapacitated form the labors ol the tarm. Being denied entrance into refined female society, ( for they are yet only embryo business men, and the ladies do not, generally, assume the duties assigned to the clerical pro fession ; viz, that of saving souls) they are thus thrown upon their resources for the means of passing awav their idle time. It is not, there tore, to be wondered at, that these young men, tar away from home, Irom a mother's fencer care and warning voice, and sister's solicitude, should, occasionally, lorm intimacies which lead to evil. Robert Baldwin having almost completed his novitiate, and looking forward to the lew months which were yet to intervene before he should return, a full-fledged merchant, to his father's residence and the lovely Constance to whom he had long since betn betrothed, was called upon to spend his evenings, and sometimes nights, by the bedside ola sick lellow-cierk, who had been his intimate friend during the whole period of his pupilage. Occasionally, other young clerks would share his labors in behalf ol their mutu al friend. As men ere generally bat indifferent nurses, (heir sympathy for the invalid soon diminished, they began to think the duty of officiating as nurse-tender, irksome in the extreme, and means were sought to while away the hours which hung icily and heavily upon their hands. Re course was had, as is usual on similar occasions of ennui, to cards and dice. Contrary to his usual practice, Robert Baldwin took his part in tbt-se games, more to oblige his friends than from any pleasure he took in such pastimes.— The transition from one extreme to another is proverbially rapid, and, perhaps, of all bad pro- ' pensitips, that of gambling is most speedily ac quired ; such, at least, proved to oe the fact in ' this case, for he soon became the highest and most constant player amongst his young friends; | and in the course ola short space of time he abandoned (heir that of the disrepu table frequenters of the lowest hells of the rne- j tropolis, where the opportunities for indulging in his newly acquired passion, were more fre quent. Like most young novices, he was, at first, successful, and, generally, rose fiom the hazard table a considerable winner. His leisure hours, i even his nights, were given up to this absoib ing passion, and morning was frequently farad- j vanced tre he could relinquish the dice-box. — i He was, nevertheless, soon doomed to experi ence the fickleness of fo.tune, and with it, the innumerable inconveniences of a dearth of cash, to which he had hitherto been a happy stran ger. However pioof a man's honor and mor al worth may be against all other attacks, it is a rare case, indeed, that he can long remain unsullied, when hourly exposed to the persecu tion of duns and money jobbers, without pos-j sessing the means ol satisfying them. Robert Baldwin did not prove an exception to this la- I mentably general truism ; and the expedients o j which he was obliged to have recourse, to raise money, not only lowered him in his own opin ion, but deprived him of lUe esteem of his Iriends and acquaintances, who, as i 9 generally the case, with friends and acquaintances, were never inclined to indulge in charitable observa tions on his character aod conduct. There was one individual from whom Bald win was desirous of keeping his conduct a se cret, (his was a)Colonrl Trussing,Jwho had long been on terms of intimate fiiendship with his father, and from whom he had received the most generous assistance when in difficulties. His manners and appearance were anything but j prepossessing, and his countenance, it, as he considered, it could lay claim to any expression, had that ot low and sordid cunning. Robert Baldwin both feared arid despised him, and any intercourse which existed between them, was ; limited to short and formal visits. It may, therefore, be easily imagined, how much he was annoyed at meeting the Colonel at one of the low haunts where he now passed the largest portion of his nights. He was so absorbed in watching the play that he appeared at first un- I conscious of Robert's presence, who, however, fearlul of the odd interpretation that he would not fail to give his conduct, if he had by chance been perceived by him, were he to leave the room without addressing him, resolved on put ting a bold face on the matter. He approached him, and with as nonchalant an air as he could at the moment assume, said "it was a long time since he had had the pleasure of meeting him, and that he supposed he would be surprised at seeing him where he did." "When you nave lived as long in the world as I have," replied the Colonel, in a dry and sarcastic tone of voice, "you will cease to be surprised at anything." Tne conversation dropped, and young Bald win notwithstanding the restraint imposed up on him by the presence of his father's friend, did not long remain a passive observer of the game, and his purse, as usual, was soon emptied of its contents. While pondering over the difficulties which the loss he could so ill afford, must occasion to him, he left himself gently tapped on the shoul der, and turning round, was greeted by the Colonel, who told him, with a more confiden tial and familiar tone than he was wont to use towards him, that he had learned that, during his recent absence from town, his young friend had contracted the propensity in which he had at that moment been sorry to see him so unsuc cassfully indulging. "You are not a stranger," he continued, "to the many obligations I am un der to your respected father, and I hope you will do me the justice to think, I shall eagerly avail myself of all occasions of lessening the debt ol gratitude I owe him. I request, there fore, that whenever a run ol ill luck, should make it necessary for you to raise funds, you will not scruple to apply to me." He accompanied this oiler of pecuniary assis tance, with a hearty and affectionate squeeze of the hand and withdrew. Robert was stagger ed and surprised at a proposal of such a nature, from such a quarter, as he had thought the Col onel was the last mar. who would give him the means of continuing his present vicious course of lile ; Iris duplicity and hypocrisy disgusted BEDFORD, PA., FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 28,1860. , | him, and he secretly determined on never avail ' ing himself of his services. This resolution was, hoitfever, soon shaken ; | for on returning to his lodgings, he found a letter from home, which apprised him of his : father's sudden and dangerous illness, and of his | anxious wish to once moie behold him ere be ] breathed his last. This mournful intelligence jat first overpowered him, for tire passion for ! gambling had not yet taken such hold of him, as entirely to eradicate his nobler feelings, but ! he soon became ahve to the necessity of ma | king immediate preparations for bis departure, ; and by far the mot important of these, was the means of procuring the necessary sum of money to defray his travelling expenses. His credit was exhausted, and whatever money his father had lately sent him to defray his current expen ses, had been risked and lost ; however reluc tantly, he was compelled, in this emergency, to place himself under a pecuniary obligation to the man whom he most feared and despised. No lime was to be lost, and notwithstanding the i lateness of the hour, he repaired forthwith to ; the residence of the Colonel, whom he found on thp point of retiring for the night. Contrary to voung Baldwin's expectations, : he appeared to repress with difficulty his feel ings at the news of his benefactor's precarious and almost hopeless state, which tended not a little to reinstate him in his good opinion. He i announced with less reluctance than he had an ticipated, the purpose of his visit. The money was promised to be sent to him at an earlv hour the next morning, on iwocon ditions : viz, that whenever, in future, he should have occasion for further supplies, he would apply to no one else but to him, and that he ; would promise to risk his money no where pise but at his house. ♦'Can it be possible," cried voting Baldwin, '•that you are " "I forgot," said the Colonel, hastily in'er rupting him, "to impose the strictest secrecy ; a small but select company assemtde at this house four times a week. Persons," continued j he, while his countenance for the moment seem ! ed to change its usual dogged expression to that [ ot animation and enthusiasm, "willing to risk i thousands on the turn ola die, such as ought to be the associates of a young man with your her editary wealth, and not the low and grovelling frequenters of disreputable heils." Baldwin had no choice, for there was no one i else from whom he could obtain the money, and | he was, therefore, obliged to subscribe to the Colonel's conditions. Belore the close of the ; following day he was far advanced on his jour -1 ney, which he pursued with such rapidi'y that ; on the third day day he was in sight of the pa j ttrnai mansion. From a;i old ami faithful ser l vant who had hastened to meet him, tie learned that he was barely in time to close his father's ! eyes for lie was in the agonies of death. A ray of momentary joy appeared to brighten his fath er's countenance as lie approached tuin ; and ;he bathed with tears ol filial affection the ' withered hand stretched out to meet him. "I have but a few moments to live, my dear ly loved lonly son," said he in a faint and from j excess of weakness, almost inaudible voice, j while he was raised on his pillow by Colonel | Trussing, whom Robert now perceived in his ' dying father's apartment, for the first tune, "In my worthy and disinteiested friend ! in whose arms I am exoiring, you will find a father to replace me, and in all things, my son, be guided by his advice." The exertion of pionouncing these few words ! proved too much for him, he fell senseless on his | couch, and in a few moments ceased to breati e Robert's grief was such, that many hours ! elapsed before he became conscious of what was j passing around him; he at length awoke as if | from a painful dream, and for the first time ! remarked kneeling in fervent prayer by his ! side, the dear play-fellow of his boyhood. Her face was pale, her luxuriant tresses hung ; loosely over her snow-white shoulders, while I the tears of regret for departed worth trickled ! down her cheek. The heart ot the afflicted I lioorids with gratitude, even whenjit meets with I the sympathy of a stranger ; by what feelings then must the lover be actuated, when soothed, in the hour of sorrow, by her whom he adores I Robert imprinted on her noble forehead a kiss olaffection and gratitude while she gently pressed his hand, endeavoring to afford him consolation by telling him all she could of the last hours of tii3 departed father. The world I no longer appeared to him a barren and solitary ' waste, and though leaningjon the bed on which j was extended the corpse of his dearest and best ; friend, Robert Baldw in indulged in thoughts of : future bliss, even long after Constance had I torn herself away from him to weep in private j her tears of mingled grief and joy. The only indication of feeling evinced by ! Col. Trussing dui ing this heartrending scene, ; was by his striking at intervals and violently, ' his forehead with his open hand, and-at length, ' as if struggling to master some strong feeling, ! he quitted the window where he had for some Freedom of Thought and Opinion. I hours remained stationary. Approaching ! Robert, whom in a stern and imperative man ner, he reminded of his dying parent's injunc tion, he abrubtly asked him what his future intentions were—whether he meant to return to town or remain in the country ? This assumption ot authority struck young Baldwin as being troth ill-timed and unfeeling, at such a moment, and he turned away from him with ill-disguised disgust. Colonel Trussing repeat ed his question and insisted on an answer imme diately. "You have been recalled to the coun try," he continued, by, is true, a melancholy event ; but one which may, nevertheless, prove beneficial, in its ultimate consequences, it you neglect not to take advantage ol it. The society of Constance, country amusements, and above all, the absence of all opportunities ol indul ging in the baneful pursuit, to whichyou have of late unfortuuatly been but too much addicted, are not the least important of those to which I allude." Recalled by what appeared to him a heartless allusion, on such an occasion, to his recent follies, Robert left the apartment afier having made him an angry and evasive reply, and it'w;is with feelings ofgratification that in a short time alter this interview, he saw the Oolcnel depart in his travelling carriage. Left alone in that silent chamber with the dea ! body of his fathr, the follies of his life passed rapid ly through his memory, and, kneeling by all that was left ol him who had guarded and guid ed his infant footsteps, he, then and there, made a solemn vow to abandon forever, a practice which, he fell. WBs dragging down his soul to perdition. That vow has been recorded against yon bv the recording angel in the high Court ot heaven and woe to you, Robert Baldwin, if YOU keep it not ! Chap. 11. The bustle ol the funeral had at length passed away, and visits of condolence had become less f-equent. Robert's father had given the entire charge of settling his estate to his maternal uncle, thus rendering the young man's presence in the country unnecessary, and he, unfortunately, ■ as events proved, determined on returning to the ; oily, until he should become entire master ol i ifiS However -rossidernble tire n --| crease made to his former yearly allowance, I since his father's decease, it was inadequate to | pay tne many and heavy debts he had contrac ; ted in the short space of a few months, and he [ was obliged to satisfy the most importunate ot , his creditors with the monev tie had at his ' immediate command. He had intended to have broken off all further intercourse with Colonel Trussing by returning to him the sum he had borrowed from him ; but that was now out of the question ; on,the contrary, increasing difficulties, rendered a new loan indispensa ble. j This the Colonel not only readily granted ' him, but moreover expressed his willingness to arrange matters with lus creditors. This propo j sal was gladly accepted and Robert emboldened j by so off-handed a proceeding, ventured to al j ude to his promise of introducing him to the ! circle of friends, which he had on a former occasion tsated to be in the habit of assembling in bis house, more as he said to wittness their play than jrffctake in it ; for, as he stated, it was his purpose to never to play again.— The Colonel, alter warning him asainst placing himself in the way of temptation and alter a short am! common place lecture on the de moralizing effects of gambling, promised to accede to his wishes and the next evening was fixed upon lor his introduction. Young Baldwin, on his entrance, found the party seated around the hazard table and ap parently so intent upon the game as not to perceive those who entered. They were for, the most part, men lar advanced in years, and of a far from prepossessing appearance, as he thought, and the sang-froid with which they lost and won large sums, not a little astonished liirn. Not being in a temperament to remain long a passive observer, he soon became deeply en gaged, and in the course of a few hours, was so considerable a winner, as to !> enabled, if he had wished, to free himself from all the pecuniar}' obligations he was under to the Colonel. Refreshments on the most splendid scale were now introduced, and a temporary pause took place in the rattling of the dice box. While the remainder of the company were en gaged in conversation and sipping their cham paign, the Colonel drew Baldwin to a distant corner of the room, told hun that his run of fortune had been such as, with a little aid, would free him from his present embarassments, and urged him to be guided by the advice of an old and experienced stager, and to content himself with his present winnings. Ever tm patierft of control, and particularly so at the present moment, while heated by success, Ro bert begged that for the future, he would re serve his advice for those who solicited it, while he angrily disengaged himself (from his arm. "Then you are irretrievably and forever lost," rejoined Trussing with more than his wonted energy, and his forebodings were but Moo well realized. Play was soon recommenced, and fortune was 1 now as adverse to him as she hid belore proved favorable. He became impatient, he could, with difficulty conceal his agitation, and a cold ; perspiration poured down his forehead, while, with that determined obstinacy characteristic of the inexperienced gambler, he doubled and : quadrupled his stakes, but to no effect. In less than an hour, not only his winnings of the com mencement of the evening, but likewise the en tire sum he bad borrowed the day before, had ' successively disappeared. Scarcely knowing! what he did, be called upon the Colonel, for a further loan, which was refused him. He, however obtained a fresh supply Irom him on the next day, which he lost in the evening. Weeks elapsed in this manner, money was advanced in the morning on good collateral se- ; curity, and gambled away in the evening, un til his losses amounted to such a sum as made him fear that the Colonel would refuse him further assistance from his inability, much lon ger, to give bonds ; for the Joans already raised could not fall far short of the entire value of the property which h" had inherited from his de ceased father. A vague suspicion at first floa ted through his mind, that he had been cheated, that all was not fair, and when he reflected on the frequency of his losses of laie,h e could hard ly attribute them to a mere run ol ill luck, al though no sign of foul play had come within his notice at the gambling table . While in this mood of thought one day, he heard a gentle knock at his door, and an indi vidual immediately afterwards entered, who represented himself to be a foreign mechanic. He showed Robert several articles of ivory, re markable for the ingenuity of their mechanism, without, however, being able to tempt him to | purchase. He was about leaving the room, ; when young Baldwin suddenly recalled him, and asked him if he could give him any infor mation relative to the internal construction of loaded dice, of which he bad often heard. The pedlar gave a cautious glance around the room, represented the many dangers to which a psr , son known to traffic in such must be expospd, and expressed his unwillingness to I confide such a secret to ar individual who was a roial stranger to him. *His apparent scruples were, however, easily removed, and to Robert's astonishment, he produced dice, to all appear ance, the same in formation as those to which his eyes had been long accustomed and which when in the hands of the initiated, (to use the pedlar's phraseology) invariably turned up the highest possible number ; whereas, with those ignorant of their construction, all was, as with the common dice, reduced to chance : he soon convinced him, by repeated trials, of this (act. Their possession now became associated in the young gambler's mind with the accumula tion ola large and rapid fortune, more speedily to be acquired thanjby the slow drudgery of mercantile life, out not having the means a bout him to purchase them, he was not a little relieved Sy the man's agreeing to take trinkets in exchange. He immediately showed those he had in his possession, none ot which, how ever appeared likeiy to to suit, and he began to fear that he should be obliged to miss the pur chase, when the pedlar's attention was caught by a handsomely set brooch, the first present Robert had received from Constance, which he offered to take in exchange for his merchandise. This was at first promptly refused, and he "was requested to return in a few hours, when the money he asked would be ready for him. This, however, the pedlar repiesented to be impossi ble, as affairs ol importance oblged him to leave the city within an hour, and besides he said the gentleman's object in delaying hi.n might be only to hand him over to the police officers. Baldwin remained for a lew moments undeci ded, but the temptation was too strong, and he bartered away the pledgcof early affection and first love. (TO BR CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT.) WHAT I WOULD DO.—lf I possessed the most wonderful things in the world, and was about to will them away, the following would be my plan of distribution : I would give the world truth and friendship, which are very scarce. I would give an additional portion of truth to lawyers, venders and merchants. I would give to physicians skill and learn ing. I would give to the printers (heir pay. To gossipping women, short tongues. To voung women, good sense, large waists and a natural complexion. CENSUS OF PENNSYLVANIA.—The late re returns of the census of Pennsylvania have been received. The population is given at two millions nine hundred and thirteen thousand fonr hundred and forty-one (2,913,441 that being an increase of 569,328 in ten years. PoruLAR VOTE.—The footing up of the vote for President will probably be as follows : Lincoln 1,846,203 ; Douglas 1,564,650 ; Breckinridge 675,783, Bell 580,219. official vole of the Stale of Mk'onri gives the electoral vote of that State to Senator Douglas by a plurality of 429 over Bell ; 32,- j 065 over Breckinridge ; and 41,778 over Lin coln. WHOLE ROIItER, VOL. 4. NO. 20. Horrible fftunlerjln ;.?!* Fork. One of the moit appalling murders that ever was enacted, occurred in the city of New York last Friday morning, at No. 22 East Twelfth street. The victim, an old widow ladv.named Sarah Shancks, who kept a foWcy t jgoods • and millinery store at the above number was found dead in her bedroom, at the rear of the store, with her throat cut from ear to ear, and t her head and face mashed to a jelly. Robbery seems to have been the motive for the "com mission of the shocking murder, judging from the ransacked condition of the apartments. The suspected murderer i? Alfred Buchanan, a young man about 20 years of age, a native of New York citv, who resided with bis pa rents, at No 18? East Tenth street, and has heretofore borne an excellent character. He has subject to severe fits nearly all his life, and as a consequence is not of sound mind. He was arrested at Susquehanna, Pennsylva nia, and brought to New York on Tuesday. When first arrested the prisoner denied all knowledge of Mrs. Shancks, but subsequently he admitted that he was acquainted with the deceased. Evidence ot such a character has been obtained as to leave little doubt of his guilt.—V. Y. Exchange, \Uk t insi. A NEW SOCIETY. —OId" men and young men' 1 women and children, are admitted as members, it they possess the following qualifica tions : Ist. They must devote their whole atten tion t? other people's business, and entirely ne glect their own. . 2d. When they hear a scandalous report a bout a neighbor or a friend, they must not eat, drink or sleep, until the chief officers of the so ciety are informed of the same. 3d. No person shall become a memberjunles ! he or she is a person of leisure, and can loaf a bout town, or make about seventeen calls a week and wa.ch the actions of the people generally , and be ready to report af headquarters the slight e6t intimation of a report. The following are some of the by-laws and rules ot this society. Thi society shall be known as the BedfoTS Tattle &. Sosstpmg : paPand ruling officers shall be as follows : One great "liar, and two lesser tatlers and four gossippers: any one of which will consti tute a quorum, and shall have power to trans act business at any time. Art. 2d. If any member of this society shall ; be found guilty of knowing more about his own business than that of his neighbor's he shall be expelled forthwith. Art. 3d. Any person belonging to this soci j ety who a practice of telling the truth two or three times shall be expelled without at j hearing. Art. 4th. Any member who does not report regulary what his neighbors residing within ' three dors of him have for dinner every Sun day, and for lea every time they have compa ny, shall be cut off from the rights and privileg es ot this society. | Art. 5. If any member of this society shall see, hear tell of, or even suspect that a young ! man has waited on a lady twice, he must report ■ them to be married soon, or already married, j or he shall be looked upon as nutatier,} and shall ; be fined to the full extent of the law, for any , such misdemeanor. Art.Gih. Any man or woman, who shall most neglect their own business to take the trouble to circulate about town scandalous reports which they know to be false, shall be deemed |by ail respectable citizens, as Commauder-in j chief of said society, and shall be looked upon as . such by all its members. Q~p"A candidate for office calls at the res i idence of a gentleman to solicit his j vote. Candidate—Madam, is your husband at home ? Lady—Yes, sir ; he has gone to haul away | a dead dog, and will be back directly. ! Candidate—Sheep killing dog, I reckon mad ; am ? Fierce spoken urchin—No, sir ; justjbarked himself to death at candidates—so papa said. Yulee, of Florida, has written a letter from Washington to the Legislature of that State, announcing that upon learning at any time ot the determination of Florida to dis solve connection with the Northern States, he will promptly and joyously return home to sup port the banner cl the State to which he owes allegiance. The Pony Express has arrived from Califor ' nia. The vote of that Slate stands Lincoln, 38,702 ; Douglas, 38,060 ; Breckinridge 34-,- 000. The cencus returns give the State a pop ulation of 400,000. I 03f*As near as can be ascertained, the total population of the States and Territories is 31,- ! 000,000 therefore the ratio of representation j in the House of Representatives will be about 1 133,000.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers