THE BEDFORD GAZETTE PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING BY * BV B. F. MEYISRS, At the following term*, to wm $1.50 per annum, CASH, in advance. QQ v the Lesser trail, Avhile the old man silently yoked the cattle and took the other route. Singular as this nmy seem, it is nevertheless true. It is among the many occurrences of life stranger than Action. Of course both parties reached California in safety. We say "of course," for it is scarcely possible that any obstacle, death included, could have seriously interfered witli the progress of stubbornness so sublime. Arriving at Sac ramento Avitli her daughter, the old woman Avomen were less plenty then than now, and subsequently opened a boarding bouse, and in a fcAv years amassed a handsome fortune. Two years ago she Avent to San Francisco, and the daughter, whose education had not been neg lected, w'as married io one ot our most sub stantial citizens. Awl Avliat became of the old man ? The wife 'and not seen or heard of hiin since they parted on the Humboldt. Tlicy had lived happily to gether as a man and Avife for years, and she sometimes reproached herself for the wilfulness that separated them after so long a pilgrimage together through this rough life. But ho AVOS not dead.—Wo cannot trace his course in Cal ifornia, hoAvevor. All that we know of liirn is, that fortune had not smiled, and that for years he had toiled without hope. Finally feeling scarcely able longer to Avleld the pick and sliOA'- el, he visited San Francisco, in the hojie of find ing employment, better adapted to his wasted strength. For tlirec months he rcmnincd idle after nr- riving here, and then for want of occupation became the humble retailer of peanuts and or rnges, with his entire stock of traffic in a bas ket upon his arm. This was about six months ago. A few weeks since, in the southern part of the city, lie observed a lady in the hall, and stopping upon the threshold the lady approached, and the old man raised his eyes and dropped the liasket. And no wonder, either—for she was his wife—his "old woman !" She recognized him, and tlu'owing up her arms in amazement exclaimed ; "Great God ! John, is that you ?" ''All that is left of mc," replied the old man. With extended arms they approached. Sud denly the old bidy's countenance changed, and she stcpi>ed back. "John," said she, with a look which might j have been construed into earnestness, "how did j you find the Carson track." "Miserable, Suky—miserable?" replied the; old man; "full of sand and alkali!" "Then I urns right, John ?" she continued,, inquiringly. 'That's enough," said she, throwing her arms 1 arcunil the old man's neek; "that's enough, John ; and the old couple so strangely sundered, were agnin united.—l kith are living with their daughter on Second street. — San Francisco Mir ror. KEEPING A SECRET. The thriving little New England town of Nantucket, which smells strongly of fish, and is bound to lie lkiston, No 2, some of these ilavs, was the scene, last week, of a feminine exploit worthy to be recorded in the npjiendix to the history of poor Joan of Arc. It eiune t<> pass, that on Saturday night, when a dozen of -Nantucket citizens arrived at home for the evening, they found the partners of their bo soms non est, those gems of womanhood hav ing disappeared from the domestic hearth in a manner savoring of magic. Each individual husband made up his mind that his individual wife stepped iuto lier neighbor's to have one of; those amiable chats in which women delight to figure up the bail qualities of those personally j known to them; and each husband at once eoni- 1 mcaecil composing an elaborate lecture on the sin of "gadding," for the express benefit ol his wife when she would return. Horrible to re late, however, 9 o'clock passed without bring ing one of the wives home, and a dozen sets of children commenced to cry, in a dozen different keys, that they were' "so sleepy." it is the excellent custom in Nantuek o*o nudity aim nasu DID rising gosniuui, every Saturday night before sending it to bed, in order that the aibrcsniil generation may lie infracted, "though tiic heavens full;" and as iho dozen wives we have mentioned still remained absent, the dozen bonified husbands had no choice but to go into the juvenile business them selves ! Accordingly, Avith set teeth and much inward profanity, the twelve Bmrtyrs proceed to denude their offspring anil suh;ccfc tliem to unique hydrophatliic treatment, holding the lit tle sufferers to such unspeakable, awkivaril atti tudes, and transfixing them with sueti stabs ol soap, that the howling AVT> V.ke that of small bulls of Bashan. Having once tucked the re sponsibilities safely into bed, however, the just ly exasperated pater j'ainiUases armed themselves with lanterns, and Avcnt forth to hunt tor their missinrt halves.—lnto all the houses of their ac quaintances went those raging Ruin cos; but no- Avhero could they find their Juliets; and after interchanging vows of A'cngoanee with each oth er, the\' returned to their severe! domiciles in despair. Sunday and Monday came and passed, and yet no AA'iA'Cs! I'ho tA\'olvc Benedicts had to get their own meals, spank their own progeny, and clean the knives. Gno ot tl.eni tried to make the boils, but gave it up when he found that he hail made his couch resemble a Avhaio wrapped in blankets. The absence of the bete tor-halves commenced io excite a Avihl conster nation then, that might have culminated in dozen suicides, had it not leaked out. that the ladies were in a deserted house, past which the husbands hail gone twenty times in search, en joying themselves like Arcadians Avith nil sorts of nice eatables and intensely enjoying tlie dis may of their lords. To tell the truth, these Avives had taken this means of convinc.ug their husbands that they could keep a secret, though thoy Avcrc women, and had skill enough io hide, anil have a good time, where their lordships could not find them. It hail long lieen secretly a grecil between them to pay their husbands thus for 0011:1*111 taunts about women being incapa ble of keeping a secret; anil for forty-eight hours they had taught their musters that WIACS could "go to lodge," and "have business at the office" at night, as AVCII as husbands. The merry dames consented, after much persuasion and humble-pie, to return to their homes at I hist, stipulating, liowc\'cr, that they should be treated en masse to a turkey supper, in expia tion of the many things tiiey hail to forgive. Twelve happier men could not be found than AATM'C those tAvehe Nantucket citizens, Avhen Avoman's smiles and woman's buckwheat cakes gladdened their doniicils once more, and the humility with Avhieh they received their lesson in matrimony shoAved them worthy to live- in the same State with Cambridge University and the "Atlantic Monthly I" Husband* ! it is to you AAC speak ; behave yoursches like lamli*. C 3" A hint to landlords in general and one in particular, AVUS recently given by a tenant in Ixinilon in these words: A gentleman Avho is a bout to leavo the house in which he resides, and being desirous to return it to his landlord in the same condition in Avhieh he found it will pay a fair price for five hundred full grown rats, an acre of poisonous weeds, anil a carload of rub bish to be left on the door step, and the rnts suffered to run loose through the house. Ad dress, &c., &e. evr HOAV docs a young man of genuine integ rity resemble a thief? He is difficult to find J WHOLE NUMBER. 2994. VOL. 5. N6. 30. THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD. EDITED BY SIMON SYNTAX, ESQ. and friends of education are respect fully requested to send communicationßto the above, care of "Bedford Gazette." OUR COMMON SCHOOLS We arc indebted to HON. JOHN CESSNA, for a neatly bound copy of the "Jle/xirt of the Su pierintendent of t!ic Common Schools," from which we take the following in relation to the schools of our county. It is rather a favorable report of the system in this county, but Directors will find some hints for improvement in their sever al districts : School Houses —sufficient in all respects:—Bed- ford bor. 1, with seven rooms; Monroe 1; Na pier 3; E. Provideivcc 2; W. Providence 3; St. Clair 2; Snake Spring 2; Union 1; S. Wood berry 2—17. Insufficient School houses:—Bedford township 3; Broad Top 2; Colcrnin 1; Cuml>erland Val ley 0; Harrison 4; Hopewell 2; Juniata 4; I Londonderry 5; Monroe 5; Napier 4; Provi | dcncc, East 1; W. I*rovidence 2; Schellsburg 2; i St. Clair 5 ; Union o; Mid. Woodberry 3; S. Woodberry 2—39. i Furniture —sufficient:—Bedford lx>r. 4 rooms; Broad Top 4 schools; Monroe 1; Napier 3j E. Providence 2; W. Providence 3; St. Clair 2; Snake Spring 2; Union 1; M. Woodberry 2; S. Woodberry 3—27. Insufficient furniture:—Bedford lxir. 1 room; Bedford township o schools; Broad Topi; Cole rain 2; Cumb'd. Valley 9; Harrison 4; Hope well 2; Juniata 4; Londonderry 5 ; Monroe 10; E. Providence 2 ; W. Providence 2; Schcllsb'g. 2; St. Clair 9; Union G; M. Wootlbcny 3; S. : Woodl>crry I—GB. v> Schools —properly grnded:—Bedford bor. 5, — I in the now Union school not yet fully occupied j Neither graded nor classified: Bedford bor. ! (colored school) 1; Bedford township 3; Broad Top 3; Colcrain 5 ; Cumb'd. Valley G; Harri son 3; Hopewell 2; Juniata 4 ; Monroe 9; Na pier 5; W. Providence 4; St. Clair Gi Union "J: M. Woodlxn+y 4—-lit). I'eaehcrs. —l7 ic scarcity of teachers will not j justify the raising of the standard of qualifica tion for provisional certificate the ensuing year, Last year the lowest figure was 3E Visitation. —Schools visited once 133; twice?; not visited at all 51; average length of visit 2J hours. Ilegular visitation was commenced in November, but found so few pupils present in many, that I thought it better to devote the time to those in each district that wore comparative ly filled and in care of inexperienced teachers, i to the visitation of which a longer time was ' given. Much time was also lost in procuring teachers for unsupplied schools. The county is j so broken by mountains, and the schools so dis ' tant from each other, that not more than two a ■ day can be visited; but the ensuing year it is in ; tended to visit every school in the county. Directors of the following districts accompa nied me driving my visitation of their schools: Bedford township, Broad Top, Colcrnin, Cum berhtnd Valley, Harrison, Juniata, Napier, E. Providence, St. Clair, Union, M. Woodberry anil S. Woodlxrry. v Institutes. —Tne annual meeting of the Coun i ty institute took place in Bedford borough in j December, was lnigely attended by teachers and citizens, and was of more than usual interest i and utility. The scmi-nnnunl meeting of the I county association was held in April, awl was well attended. District institutes were organized and gene rally well attended, in Colcrain, Hopewell, Lib ert)-, W. Providence, St. Clair, Union, and in 'M. and S. Woodberry. As a general rule, it may be said thai these useful institutions existed in all the districts whose directors only required twenty-two days to the teacher's month, allow ing the other two for this purpose. This is a most Ixmcticial practice, and one which should generally prevail. Progress in Districts. —Bedford borough has liecn furnishing its huge union school, and fen cing and ornamenting the campus during the year. Cumberland Valley has advanced the salaries of teachers, and graded them nceording to certifi cate. Its school houses are yet insufficient — particularly that at Centrcville; but it is under stood they are to be improved. Bedford town ship, Broad Top, Colcrain, Liberty, E. and W. Providence, St. Clair, Snake Spring, Union and the two Woodberrys arc making consideralfie advancement by improving bouses, seeking good teachers, and encouraging district institutes.— Some of tho houses in all the districts, except Bedford borough, Napier and S. Woodberry, are lamentably deficient in furniture. Southampton still rejects the school law. Ono general objection is to the provision which re quires the schools to be kept o]>cn four months each year; when, it is asserted, that owing to the distance from the schools, the difficulty of the roads and the employments of the people, they can only be respectably fillet! only three—the Hates of 3ttrotrtia/ng: One Square, three weeaeor lei*..flOO One Square, each additional insertion lest than three months gg 3 MONTHS. 0 MONTHS. 1 !Ut. One square • $3 00 S3 00 $9 00 Two squares 300 500 000 Three squares 400 700 12 00 1 Column gOO 000 15 00 § Column 800 12 00 20 00 i Column 13 00 18 00 30 00 One Column 18 00 30 00 50 00 The space occupied by ten lines of this sise of type counts one square. All fractions of a square under fire lines will be measured as a half square t and all orer fire lines as a full square. All legal adrertisements will be charged to the person hand ing them in. other month, being thus, as it is said, nearly wasted. Perhaps a change in the law allowing such districts to shorten the term to three months, with the assent of the County and State Super intendents, might be the meaas of inducing such districts to adopt tho system, ami thus gradually bring them into ity support. Public Sentiment., —lt can safely be asserted that the system is growing in favor with tho peo ple at large. This is manifested l>y a greater willingness to visit the school room, ami attend the public examination of teachers; by the en couragement of teachers' institutes, the desire for better teiichcrs, and by a readier supply of the necessary lrooks for tho children. Plans Jt>r ne.rt year. —To urge directors to make membership in the district Institute obliga tory on all their teachers, and to oncournge the reading of educational works. To grant no private examinations till after the close of the public examinations; and then only in special cases, and at the written request of a board of directors—such examinations on ly to bo held on Saturdays. To visit as many districts as possible, and ad dress the citizens, on the duties of citizens, di rectors, parents and teachers, toward the schools. To sustain our newspapers In tho generous grant each hns made of a column for education al purposes. To endenvor to carry out tho decisions of tho Department in reference to tho employment of no teachers, except such as arc of good moral character and deportment. A SINGULAR INCIDENT. The Lynchburg Hopublican publishes the fol lowing incident, remarkable alike for its mel ancholy fulfilment to the brother of one of tho parties concerned: Just before tlie war broke out, and before Lincoln's proclamation was issued, a young Vir ginian named Summerfield was visiting the city of New York, where he made tho acquaintance of two Misses Holincs, of Waterbury, Vermont. He became somewhat intimate with the young ladies, and tlie intercourca seemed to be mutu ally agreeable. The proclamation was issued, ami the whofo North thrown into a blaze of excitement On present meeting would prolmbly be tllcir ltim, they must hurry home to aid in making up o vereoats and clothing for the volunteers from their town. Suuninierfield expressed his regret that they must leave, hut at the same time es pecially requested them to 800 tlmt the overcoats were well made, as it was his intention if ho ev er met the Vermont regiment in battlo, to kill one of them and take lus coat. Now for the sequel. Virginia seceded.—Tho second Vermont regiment, a portion of which' was from the town of Waterbury, was sent to Virginia. Tlie battle of Manassas was fought, in which they were engaged, and so was Sum merfield. During the battle, Siimmcrficld marked his man, not knowing to what State he belonged; tbc fatal ball was sped on its errand of death ; the victim fell at the flash of the gun, and upon rushing to secure the dead man's arms, Summer. field observed that he had a fine new overcoat strapped to his hack, which he determined to appropriate to his own use. Tho fight was o ver, and Summerfield hnd time to examine his prize, when, remarkable as it may appear, the eont was marked with the name of Thomas Holmes, and in the pocket were found letters signed with the names of the sisters whom Sum merfield hail known in New York, and to whom ho had made the remark we have quoted, in which the dead man was addressed as the broth er. Tho evidence was conclusive—lie had kill ed the brother of his friends, and the remark which he had male in jest hiul a melancholy fullfillmcnt. Wo are assured this narrative is literally true. Summerfield now wears the ooat, and, our informant states, is not a little impress ed with the singularity of the coincidence. Cvr A young medical student, who hail been screwed very hard at his examination for ad mission to the faculty, on a very warm day was nearly overcome by the numerous questions put to him, when flic following query was added; "What course would you adopt to pioduco a copious perspiration After a long breath, lie observed, wiping his forehead: "I would have the patient examined before tho Medical So ciety !" CST One of Dean Trench's Sermons upon tho subject, "What we can and cannot carry away when wc die," commences thus appositely:— Alexander the Groat, 1 icing on his death-bed, commanded that, when he was carried forth to the grave, his hands should not lie wrapped, as was usual, in tho ccrcelotlies hut should bo left outside the bier, so that all men might see they were empty. Gs*Punishment of a Murderer in Miehiijan.— Win. I). Klngin was convicted in Michigan, last week, of a murder marked by very atrocious circumstances. Jn accordance with tho law of the Stato, he has lieen taken to tho State prison, there to endure solitary confinement fbr life.— Prom tho time he enters his cell, ho will never see a face' again. I Tis meals are conveyed to him' through an opening in his cell, and when it be comes necessary for human lieings to approach bhn, tl\ey are hooded so as to conceal their fea tures. IST No doubt honesty is the Itest policy, but those who do honest things merely because they think it good policy, are not honest. frjT Spare that you may speed; fast that you l nay feast; labor that you may live; and run that you may rest. . Difficulties and strong men, like strop and razor, are made fbr each other.