SJftc Columbia n, AN. INDEPENDENT JOURNAL, M I-CDUH1IEU KVllW ATUIIBAY, IK j' ' IlloomiliurBi Columbia Count), Pa. TERMS. Two Dollars n year, In advance. If not paid In Advance, Two Dollars and I'lfiy Ccnls, Addrcsi nil letters to ononau n. Mooitrc, Kdltor.of llm Cumum-m-, Itloomnbura, Columbia County, t'n. r j : .uuviiiuwuiiv, uxxj.1uj.w7xvj.) wuxJii C, jouu. PRICK FIVE CENTS. A GRAND OLD POEM. Wllo slmtl Judga n mnn from tnnmii'rit? Who shall know I1I111 by hlsdrcssT l'nuiicrs mny be lit for princes, 1 . l'rlnci'.i fit for something less. Crumpled shirt find dlrtaWsct May boclotho the goldlfH. Of tho deepest thoughts oM'n'CMhgs--- Hntln vest could do no more. There nro springs of crystnl ncctnr Ever welling out of stone. There nro purplo buds rind golden Hidden, crushed, mid overgrown, Ood, who counts by sduls, not drosses, Loves, nud prospers you and me, Wlillo Ho values tlironcs the highest llutag pebbles In the sen. Mnn, uprrtlsod above his fellows, Oft forgets Ills follows then j Masters, rulers, lords remember, That your meanest kind nre men Men of labor, men by feeling, Men by thought, nnd men by f.uno, LlAlmlng equal right to sunshine, In a man's ennobling name. Thero nro foam-embroidered oceans, There nro llltlo well-clad rills, iibrc nro feeble Inch-high mipllngs, there nro cedars on the hills; t)oJ Who connls by nouls, not station, IiVC.-l tltld prospers you nnd me, Tor to Hint till vain distinction Arc as pebbles 111 tho mm. Tolling hands alone are builders Of n nation's wealth or mnn; Titled Inline" Is pensioned, Fed, and fattened on the Ramnj Ily tho sweat of others' foreheads, Living only to rejoice, Whllo tho poor man's outraged freedom Vainly lifted up Its voice. Truth nnd Justice nro eternal, Born with loveliness ami light, Hrcrrt wrongs'slinll novcr'prospcr' While thero Is n sunny right , ' (Jod, whose worlil-lienrd voice Is sluglug lloundless love to you nnd me, HInks oppression with Us titles, As tho pebbles In tho sea. Tin: STORY OF A STRANGE JURY. "When tho criminal, Plerro Granger, escorted by four gendarmes, was placed In tho dock of the Court of Assize, there was n general stir among tho crowd -vh it'h had assembled from every quar ter to bo present at his trial. Pierro Granger was not an ordinary culprit not one of those poor wretches whom the court, as a matter of form, furnishes with, an advocate, judges in the presence of a heedless auditory, and sends to oblivion in the convict prisons of tho State. lie had figured at Augtil In the columns of tho newspapers : and while M. Lcperyter had undertaken his defence, M. Lourauguln, the Attorney- General, was to conduct tho prosecution Now, at tho time of which I write, thoso two men stood at tho head of their pro fession. Whenever it was known they were to bo pitted against each other, in any cause, crowds immediately ilocked to enjoy their eloquent hentences, sono rous periods, and phrases as round and ns polished as so many billiard balls. It was a perfect riot of tropes and fig ured, a delicious confusion of periphrases and metaphors. All the figures of rhet oric defiled before tho charmed auditory, nnd sported, jested, and struggled with each other, like Virgil's playful shep herds. There was a luxury of epithets, passing even that of tho Abbe Delille. Every Individual substantivo was as regularly followed by its attendant ad ject! veasthegroat lady of tholasl century was followed by her train-bearing page. In this pompous diction a man became n mortal, a horse 11 courser ; the moon was styled palo Dian. My father and my mother were never called so, but in variably tho "authors of my being j" n dream was a vision, a glass a crystal vase, a knife a sword, a car a chariot, nnd ti breeze became a whirlwind; all of which, no doubt, tended to produce n etylcof exceeding sublimity and beauty. Pierro Granger was a clumsily-built fellow, five feet ten in height, thirty eight years old, with foxy hair, a high color, and small, cunning gray eyes. IIo was accused of having strangled his wife, cut up tho body into pieces, and then, in order to conceal his crime, set fire to the house, wherein his three chil dren perished. Such an accumulation of horrors had shed quite a romantic halo round their perpetrator. Ladles of rank and fashion ilocked to the Jail to look at liim ;.nml his autograph was.in wonderfiil request as soon as it became known that Madame Ccsarino Langelot, tho lioness of tho district, possessed sonio words of ids writing in her album, placed between a ballad by a professor of rhetoric and a problem by tho cngl-Jieer-ln-chiofofthe department -neither gentleman, to say tho truth, being much llattered by such clo.-o Juxtaposition with tho interesting pet prisoner. When Pierro Granger, with Ids lowering brow and air of stolid cunning, was placed in tho dock, the names of tho twelve Jurors were drawn by lot, and tho president demanded of tho council on either sido whether they wished to cxerclso their right of challenge. Hoth declined offer ing any objection to twelve such houor nblo names; but tho Attorney-General added that ho would requiro tho adding of a supplementary Juror. It was dono. nnd on the paper appeared tho namo of JMaJor Vernon. At tho bound a Might murmur was hoard among tho specta tors, whllo MM. Lotiraugain and Lepcr vler exchanged a rapid glanco which seemed to say: " Will not 011 challenge him?" Hut neither of them did so ; an officer conducted Major Vernon Into his appointed place, and amid profound si leuco tho Indictment was read. Major Vernon had lived in tho town during tho last two years. Every 0110 gavo him tho military title, yet none could tell when, or where, or whom ho had serv ed, no seemed to have neither family nor friends; and when any of his ac quaintances ventured to sound him on tho bubject, ho always answered In a f . fe df ittttittftt in. Vol i.-xo. r lir A nMamrnn siAfrnnnAV m-xrw o ion. manner by no means calculated to en courage curiosity. "Do t trouble in head about. vow affairs'.'" hn would S!- " Your shabby old town stilts me well enough asti residence, but if you don't think I have a right to live in It. T sbnll be most happy to convince you of tho fact at daybreak to-morrow, with mm. sword, or pistol." Major Vernon was precisely the man to keep his word : th few persons who had entered his lodg lugs reported that his bedroom resem bled an armory, so fully was it furnish ed with all sorts of murderous weapons, Notwithstanding this ho seemed a verv respectable sort of man, regular in his habits, punctual In his payments, nnd fond of smoking oxcellcnt cigars, sent mm, he used to say, by a friend in Ha vanna. Ho was tall, very thin, bald ami always dressed in black ; his mous todies curled to a point, nnd ho invnriu lay wore his hat cocked over his rlgl ear. In the evenings he used to frequent tho public reading-rooms of the town but lie never played at any game, or conversed witli the company, remaining absorbed in his newspaper until tho clock struck ten, when he lit his dear, twisted his moustache, and with a stiff, silent Dow, took Ids departure. It some times happened that oneof the comnan bolder than the others, said: "Good night, Major I" Then tho Major would stop, fix ids gray eyo on tho speaker. and reply: "Good-night, monsieur !' but in so rudo nnd angry a tone that tho words sounded more like a malediction thanapolitesalutation. Itwasremnrkcd that whoever thus ventured to address theMajor was, during tho remainder of tho evening, the victim of some strange ill-luck. He regularly lost at plav, was sure to knock his elbow through a hand some lamp or vase, or in some way to get entangled in a misadventure. So firmly were thegood townsfolk persund ed that the Major possessed an evil eye that their common expression, when any one met with a misfortune, was " He must have said 'good-night' to the Major." This mysterious character dined every day at tho ordinary of tho Crown Hotel and although habitually silent, seemed usually content with tho fare. Onedav however, after having eaten some bread soup, ho cast ills eye along the table. frowned, and willing tho host, said " How comes it that tho dinner to-dav is entirely meagre ?" " Monsieur no doubt forgets that this Is Good Friday." "Send me up two mutton ebons." "Impossible, Major; there is not an ounce of meat to be had at any butcher's in the town." " Let me have some fowl." " That Is not to be had either." " What a set of fools !" exclaimed the Major, striking his clenched hand on the fable witli such force that the bottles reeled and rocked just as if ail the wine in their bodies had got into their heads Then he called the waiter, and said, " Haptisto, go to my lodging, and bring me the Inlaid carbine which hangs over my pillow." Tho poor host trembled, and grow very pale when Haptisto returned with a double-barrelled gun, beautifully in laid with silver. The Major coolly ox- iniined the locks, put on f.-csh caps, cocked both barrels, and walked out, followed at a respectable distance by tho guests and inmates of tho hotel. Not far oir stood an old Ivy-mantled church, whoso angular projections were haunted by many ravens. Two large ones flew out of the turret just as tho Major came up and took aim for a double shot. Down tumbled both the unclean birds at his feet. " Sucre Men ."' said he, picking them up. " I am regularly soldthey're quite lean." . He returned to the hotel, nnd accord ing to his express orders, one moiety of of his ill-omened booty was dressed in a savory stew, and tho other simply roasted. Of both dishes he partook so heartily that not a vestige of either re mained, and ho declared that ho had never oaten moro relishing food. From that day tho Major became an object of uneasiness to some, of terror to others, of curiosity to nil. Whenever ho ap peared on tho public promenade every one avoided him ; at tho theatre his box was generally occupied by himself alone, and each old woman that met him in thostrcet invariably stopped to cross her self. Major Vernon was never known to enter a church or accept an invita tion ; at first ho used to receive a good many of these, and the perfumed billets served him to light his cigars. Such, then, was tho thirteenth Juror drawn In tho cause of Pierro Granger, and it may easily bo understood why tho audience were moved at hearing the namo of Major Vernon. Tho paper of accusation, notwithstanding drawn up by tho Attorney-General with a force and particularity of description which horrified tho ladies present, was read amid profound silence, broken only by tho snoring of thoprisoner, who had cool ly settled himself to sleep. Tho gen dai inert tried to rone him front liisshini ber.lmt they merely succeeded in making him now nnd then half open his dull, brutish eyes. When tho clerk had ceased to read Pierro Granger was with dlifi riilty thoroughly awakened, and tho president proceeded to question him. Tho interrogatory fully revealed, In all its horror, tho thoroughly stupid fiend Ishnoss of the wretch. Jlo had killed his wife, ho said, becauso they couldn't agree; ho had set his house on flro be causo it was a cold night, and lie wanted to makon good hlozo to warm himself; ns to his children, they wero dirty, squalling little tilings no loss tohltn or fo any one else. Jt would be tedious to pursue all fho details of this disgust ing trial. M. Louraugalnand M. Leper- vier both mndo morvelcously eloquent speeches, but tho latter deserved ueetl llnr credit, having so very bad a cause to sustain. Although he well know his client was as thorough a scoundrel ns ever breathed, and that his condemna- nun would he a blessing 10 society, yc lie pleaded his cause with all n lawyer'i conscientiousness. When ho got to th peroration lie managed to squeezofrom his eyes a few ritro tears, tho last am most precious, I imagine, which ho care fully reserved for an especially solemn occasion just ns some families preserv n few bottles or fine old wine, to bo drunk nt tho marriage of n daughter or tho coming of ago of a son. At lengtl: the easo closed, and tho president was going to sum up ; hut as tho heat In tho court was excessive, and everyone pres. ent stood In need of refreshments, leav was given for the Jury to retire for half an hour, nnd tho hall was cleared for the same space of time, in order that it might undergo a thorough ventilation During tliis interval, while twelve jurors were cooling themselves with ices and sherbet, tho thirteenth ligiited n cigar, and reclining in an arm-chair, smoked away with the gravity of a Turk. "What a capital cigar 1" sighed one of tho jurors, as lie watched with on en vious eye the odoriferous little clouds escaping from tho smoker's Hps. " Would you like to try one?" asked tho Major, politely offering his cigar case. " If it would not trespass too much on your kindness." " Dy no means. You are hcartil v wel come." Tho Juror took a cigar and light ed it at that of his obliging neighbor, " Well, how do you like it?" asked the Major. "Delicious! It lias an uncommonly pleasant aroma. From whence aro you supplied?" "From the Ilavanna." Several jur ors now approached, casting longing glances at Major Vernon's cignr-case. "Gentlemen," said ho, "lam renllv grieved that I have not a single cigar left to offer you, having just given the last to our worthy friend. To-morrow however, I hope to have a fresh 'supply and shall then ask you to do me the honor of accepting some." tVt that moment an official came in to announce that tho court had resumed its sitting; flio Jury Iwicwictl to their ox, and the president began his charge Scarcely had lie commenced, however, when the juror who had smoked the cigar rose, and in a trembling voice beg. god permission to retire, as lie felt verv ill. Indeed, while in the act of speak ing he fell backward, and lay scn-.ele.-s on the floor. The proMdont, of course. Hreeted that ho should beearcfullv con veyed to his home, and desired Major Vernon to lake his place. Six strokes ounded from the old clock of the town mil as the jury retired to deliberate on their verdict in the case of Pierre Gran ger. Woven gentlemen exclaimed with one voice that the wretched assassin's guilt was perfectly clear, and that thev ould not hesitate for a moment as to their decision. Major Vernon, however, tood up, placed his back against the door, and regarding Ids colleagues with peculiarly sinister expression, said slowly : "I shall acquit Pierro Granger, and 011 shall all do tho same!" "Sir," replied tho foreman, in a se ere tone, " you aro answerable to your conscience for your own actions, but I do not sec what right you have to offer us a gratuitous inult." m 1 then so unfortunate as to of fend you?" asked tho Major meeklv "(ertainly, in supposing us capable )f breaking the solemn oath which we utve taken, to do impartial justice. I am a man of honor " "Hah!" interrupted theMajor, "are 011 quite sure of that?" A general murmur of indignation aro-o. " Do you know, sir, that such a ques tion is a fresh insult?" " You are qultemUtaken," said Major Vernon. " What J said was drawn forth by a feeling of tho solemn respon- ibility which rests with us. Deforo I .111 resolve fo make a dead body of a living, moving being, I must feel satis- od that both you and I aro less guilty than Pierre Granger, which, after nil, is not so certain." An ominous slienco ensued; tho Ma- or's words seemed to striko homo to every breast, and at length 0110 of tho urorssnid: "ou seem, sir, to regard tho question from a philosophic point of lew." " Just so, Monsieur Cernau." " You know me, then ?" said tho Juror n a trembling voice. " Not very intimately, my dear sir, but just sufficiently to appreciate your fondness for discounting bills at what our enemies might call usurious Inter est. I think it was about four years ago that an honest poor man, the father of largo family, blow out his brains, in despair, at being refused by you a short renewal, which he laid implored 011 his nees." Without replying M. Cernau retired to tho farthest corner of tho room, and ipod 011 tno largo drops of sweat which tarted from his brow. "What does this mean?" Inquired another Juror Impatiently. "Ilavowo oino hero to act scenes from tho 'Me- nolrsof the Devil?"' "I don't know that work," replied tho Major; "but I advise you, Mon- sleur do 1 turbine, to calm your nerves I" "Sir, you are impertinent, and I shall certainly do myself tho pleasure to chas tise you." ' "As how?" " With my sword. I shall do you tho lienor to meet you to-morrow." "An honor which, being 11 man of sense, I must beg to decline. You don't kill your odversnrjes, Monsieur do llar dlne, you murder them. Have you for gotten your duel with Monsieur de Lit lar, which took place, 1 am told, wltl out witnesses. While ho was off his guard you treacherously struck hlni through the heart. The prospect of simitar cniasiropno is certainly by no means enticing." Witli an instinctive movement M. do Dardino's neighbors drew off. " I admire such llrtuous Indignation, sneered tho Major. "It especially be comes ,101, Monsieur Daricn " " hat Infaniyaire you going to cast in ;y teeth?" exclaimed the gentleman addressed " Oh, very little n mere trifle slm ply, that while Monsieur do Uardlno kills his friends, you only dishonor yowa. Monsieur billion, wnoso house. table, and purso aro yours, has n pretty wife" Jiajor," cneu mo otner juror, ''you area villain I" . " Pardon me, my dear Monsieur Oil fat, let us call tilings by their prope names. The only villain among us, believe, is the man who himself set fire to his liou-ioslx mouths after having in stired it at treble its value in four offices whose directors were foolish enough to pay the money without making siifil dent Inquiry." A stifled groan escaped from M. Cal fat's lips as ho covered his face with hi hands. " Who are you that you thus dare to constitute yourself our Judge?" asked another, looking fiercely at Vernon " Who am I, Monsieur Peron ? Sim piy 0110 who can appreciate your very rare dexterity in holding court cards in your hand, and making tho dice turn up as you please." M. Peron gave an involuntary start and thenceforth held his peace. Tho scene, aided by the darkne.-s of approach Ing night, hod now assumed a terrlfi aspect. Tho voice of the Major rung in the cars of eleven pale, trembling men with a cold, metallic distinctness, as if each word Inflicted a blow At length Yornon burst into a strange slinrp, Iilsslng Itingli. " Well, my lion orablo colleagues," ho exclaimed, " does tins poor Pierro Granger still appear to you to be unworthy of the slightest pity? I grant you, ho has committed a fault, and n fault which you would not have committed 111 his place. He has not your cleverness in masking his turpitude with a show of virtue that was ids real crime. Now, if after having Killed his wife, he had paid handsomely for masses to bo said to her purpose if ho had purchased a burial ground, and caused to bo raised to her memory 1 beautiful square white marble niouu nient, with a flowery epitaph on it in gold letter.-. why, then wo should all have shed tears of sympathy, and eulo gized Pierre Granger as tho model of a tender husband. Don't you agree with me, Monsieur rorbee'." M. Norbce started as if lie had receiv ed an electric shock. "It is false!" he murmured. "1 did not poison Kliza; ho died of a pulmonary consumption "True," said tho Major; you remind me of 11 circumstance which I had near ly forgotten. Madam Norbce, who pos sessed a largo fortune In her own right, died without issue five months after she had made you her sole legatee." Then the Major was silent. They were now in total darkness. Suddenly camo tho sharp click of a pistol, nnd tho ob scurity was for a moment brightened by a Hash, but tiiero was no report tho weapon' had missed fire. Tho Major mrst 111(0 a long and loud fit of laugh er. "Chfirming! delightful! All, my lear sir," lie exclaimed, addressing the foreman, "you were the only honest man in tho party; and seo how, to oblige mi', you have mndo tin attempt on my person which places you on an lonorablo level with Pierro Granger!" lien, having rung tho bell, ho called for candles, and when they were brought n, ho said: "Come, gentlemen, I sup pose you don't want to sleep hero; let i make liasto and finish our business." Ten minutes afterwards tho foreman auded In the issiio paper a verdict of not guilty and Pierro Granger was dis charged amid tho hisses and execrations of tho crowd, who, indeed, were only prevented by a strong military force rom assaulting both Judge nud Jury. Major Vernon coolly walked up to tho dock, nnd passing his arm under that of ierro Granger, went out with him through n sido door. From that tinio neither tho 0110 nor tho other was ever seen uimln In tho nuntry. That night thero was a ter- Iflo thunder-storm: tho rino harvest as beaten down by hailstones us iartro as pigeon V eggs, and a flash of lightning striking tho steeiilooftho old ivv-eover- d church, tore down Its gilded cross. Tliis strange story wns rohited to 1110 0110 day last year by a convict in tho In- urinary of the prNon at Toulon. I have given It verbatim from his Hps; nud us l was leaving tho build 111? the sorL'cant ,-ho accompanied 1110 said: "So, sir, ou have been listening to tho wonder ful rodomoiitates of Number l!,7bS?" What uo you mean? This history " "Is false, from beginning to end. Number 1,76S is an atrocious crimi nal, who was sent totliegalleys for life, and who during tho last few mouths lias given evident proofs of mental aberra tion. His monomania consists chiefly in telling stories to prove that all Judge's and Jurors aro rogues and villains. He was himself found guilty, by a most re spectable and upright Jury, of having tried to rob and murder Major Vernon. Ho Is now about to be placed In n luna tic asylum, so that you will probably be the last visitor who will hear ids curi ous Inventions." " And who is Major Vernon ?" "A bravo old half-pay officer, who has lived at Toulon, beloved and respect ed, during tlie last twelve years. You will probably seo him to-day, smoking ills Ilavanna cigar, after the table-d'hote dinner of the Crown Hotel." VERSE-MAKING. It wns once tho custom in mnny re views, calling themselves Christian nnd civilized, nnd so regarded each by its private sect or following, to immolate at least one young poet quarterly at tho slirino of stony-faced and rocky-bosomed criticism. It was esteemed a charm ing diversion, if not an net of religion, in the days of Mr. Gilford or of Mr. Wil son Croker, to make some timid and feeble rhymer ridiculous, to put him out of countenance by merciless sneering, and to demonstrate his foibles and fail ures for the amusement of a giggling public. Pope set tho fashion of denounc ing dunces, and all the writers who had bad hearts, and could string together ten-syllabled couplets, thought it manly and vigorous to follow his somewhat peevish example. Criticism, however purposeless and virulent, is apt to as sume the airs of an ofiended nnd impa tient morality, nnd to take credit to Itself for smiting remorselessly and con cientiously. Uut imbecility, at least when It is inoffensive, should be privi Ieged, and professional fiow-plekiiig.ex ercised shcerly for the purpose of giving pain, is no more respectable than the pro. fessional flogging and pickling wliicl prevailed not long ago in certain parts of tho United States. At the same time while avoiding nil personal application we may venture to point out a foible which is a well-marked and notaltogeth er an encouraging characteristic of our own day, and to suggest to the innii nioruble writers of verso that, however much they may bo permitted tosingfor their own sake, the world just now ha. but small need oi their wares. Goethe once boasted that, in all his lifi.., ho imd "never thought about thinking," and we would enter a protest which we aro sure is honest, nnd which we think is timely, ngainst tho making of verses for the sake of verse-making. Metrical in diligence, both in Kngland and tli country, has grown into an epidemical and inveterate habit, not cultivated as it should be, if at all. In a corner, but published to all the world, which is con tinually challenged to admire endless variations of a few themes long ago worn threadbare. Facility of execution at best a natural or acquired knack, is mistaken for genuine inspiration; nor docs thero seem to bo any pretence of considering whether tho world is need of any addition to itsalrcady large poetical stock. It is with tho most sin cere kindness that wo take tho liberty of pointing out, particularly to the young, the waste of time, of strength, and ot mental serenity which this uni vorsnl strumming involves. Twenty years ago there was exhibited in London a machine, not tho human product of a college, but literally a ma terial machine, which mode excellent iitln hexameters. The unfortunate in- ventor had spent thirteen precious years of his life in perfecting "tho Kureka," as he called it. Without wasting our time in explaining this curious puzzle, it is enough to say that It actually ground out hexameters which wero like those of Virgil in sonio respects, but considerably unlike them in others. It seems to us that it is very much in tills way that many modern brains pro duce what its authors call poetry, and its Judicious critics verse. It is a literal making. Tho memory is full of phrases, tho ear of familiar quantities; fashion or accident supplies the subject, and dai ly practice renders tho construction easy. So skilful sometimes is this species of metrical manufacture, that it is hard to determlno with accuracy, while we feel its deficiency, in what that deficiency onsists. Thero is a modest respecta bility which deceives the careless reader who accepts sound for sense, without any suspicion of tho trick which is play ed upon his ear. Coleridgeonco wroto'a few verses of absolute nonsense in tho manner of Dr. Darwin, which lie read to a lady, who rewarded hlni by serious- exclaiming, "Ah, Mr. Coleridge. now 1 sco that you are a poet." This we admit to be an extreme Illustration ; nit moro are thousands of rlivnicrs now- spinning longs and shorts, sometimes onloundlng them, whoso work, wo must say, unfortunately, has Just sense nough in It to save it from wholesome and decislvo condemnation. If thev wero absolute fools they would soon be aughed Into silence; but ns thelrstan- ;as aro to a certain extent rational, the good-natured public receives them with fatal affability, and bus no call to for give a mediocrity which it is too indolent or too Indifferent to detect. F.very edi tor receives bushels of verses which lie light print, if lio had but room for them, without any particular discredit to his taste or Judgment. Their authors naturally do not understand their rejec tion. "Is not this," f hey say," asgood as Tennyson? Is it not, ut least, verv , much llkohlm? Does not this remind you of Mr. Drowning? Might not this bo mistaken for oneof Mr. Longfellow's own productions?" Of course there is bitter disappointment. Wo readily admit that verse-making is an elegant accomplishment, an Inno cent amusement, and a real auxiliary in the education or tho mind to elevated habits, and n dally recognition of tho comely and Ideal In spite of tho perti nacious intrusion of the inevitable vul garities of life. It Is, or it can be trained to be, n protection against those low aims and selfish purposes into the adop tion of which we are so easily betrayed. As the record of our best experiences and healthiest discipline, ns a memo randum of our slncercst resolutions and most earnest regrets, as a relief to tho sorrow which otherwise might too bit terly prey upon the mind, ns a grateful trbutc to love or affection, as the natu ral expression of a certain doss of noble and lovely thoughts, verso may bo the readiest and most appropriate form of recording so much of our llfens we wish especially to remember. It may train the hand as 11 fine landscape trains tho eye, and make tho best words and phra ses habitual in our conversation. Hut the chief eliarni not less than the chief utility of tliis private verse-making is in its indomitable privacy, and in tho indignation nnd just self-estimate with which it shrinks from publication. "I have painted many bad pictures," said a gentleman in our hearing, " lint I have never exhibited them;" and there was wisdom in the painting no less than in tho privacy. It was well to paint it was well also to conceal; It is well to write verse it may bo excellent to keep it in one's portfolio, to bo resolute against sending it to tho newspapers, to be chary of reading it to tho best be loved and most patient of friends. It is certainly no argument against the va lidity of any composition that it em bodies thoughts and feeling which, though novel to tho individual, nrc yet common to the race; but this consid eration diminishes the necessity and propriety of formal publication, and should warn us against the sheer vanity of parading truisms which, however fine and familiar, are truisms still. It is the secret of poetical vitality that it expresses whatthe majority of men have felt, and after one happy spirit has found lit words and music, for the general thought, a mockery of the original song becomes easy to hundreds who sing from n recollection of what has pleased them, and ape the minstrel airs of tho Uyron of yesterday or of tho Tennyson of to-day. It is wonderful how much clever journey-work of tliis kind is performed and from one point of view it is encour aging, for the prevalence of this accom plishment does indicate, we aro free to admit, a degree of popular refinement, and even a good bit of appreciative taste. Hut there is nothing new in it. e suppose that there was a mob of gentlemen in Home who wrote easily, is we know that there was 111 England in the days of Dryden. Hut school magazines, newspapers have made this poetical imitation cheap and common, while the passion for printing lias kept pace with the multiplied mechanical facilities of printing the power-press being responsible for thousands of vol umes which nothing can save from ob livion, and which represent more heart' burning, more disappointment, and 11101 0 ludicrous self-complacency than we care to compute. Poetry has grown to be like photography. Wo have all one's friends and acquaintances In our albums in their holiday raiment, and witli a perpetual putting on of their best looks; and altogether they tire not worth so much to us as some old portrait of some unknown man or woman long ago dead, the painter of which knew tho secret of avoiding that air of conscious propriety which no sitter before the ca mera can put off. Thero is no fault to be found with the photograph except the paradoxical one that It is so extreme- y iiko that it is not like at all. It is equally hard to say, sometimes, why or 11 what poetical disciples are not tho equals of their masters ; hut the myste rious vico of Imitation makes us indif ferent to their best stanzas, and deprives their finest tunes of the charm of sin cerity. Hyron said of Mr. Sotheby that ho hod imitated nil tho pools of his time, and had occasionally beaten all Ids mo dels; yet a verse-maker more entirely forgotten than Mr. Southeby we cannot nt this moment remember. Wo protest, in conclusion, that we have 110 quarrel with Wwvuvovtltt'fxerW- entity which wo believe may often lie turned to good account. It Is from fho folly of printing, or attempting to print, that we would good-naturedly dissuade hundreds of estimable persons. The young gentleman who can niako a clev er sketch does not send It to tho Artists' Exhibition, Tlie young lady who can lay tolerably well a concerto of Hee- thoven does not advertise a concert at the Academy. The best declalnier of the " private theatricals" does not apply to Mr. Wal lack for an engagement, if we liavo amateur fiddlers and painters and pianists content with strictly do mestic glory, why may wo not havo amateur versifiers building the loftv rhyme without tho least ambition, and tending their sonnets to the seclusion of their desks, or to tho albums of their gentle If not Judicious friends? It may bo pleasant to print, but It is also pleas ant to burn ; nnd to,tho.-o who havo nev er experienced tho latter gratification wo cordially commend the c.vpoiJmout, - Veie Jo- Yi i-m. STcnnr. of gt(lror1i.iin0.- OneSV'unrr.onoor three! insertions tl M liirh Miheinint Inspltlmi lcs (hall thirteen, W One Square one innhtll'mti .,,,1,.., 2 ) Two " " , a to Tin ro " " m , , 00 Tour " " (1 M Half column " 10 00 One col mini " IS Ml 'xcrulnr's and Ailtnlnlsfi'rtWr's Notices.,,.,..,, ,1 in Auditor's Notices 2 M IMIIorlal Notices twenty rents mt line. Oilier ndrrtltoincnls Inserted according tof-pc clal contract. Tor Iho Colnmblnn, LORENZO DOW, Tiusrcinarknlileand eccentric firracli' er was born in Coventry, T6l!and Coun ty, Connecticut, October 1(5, 1777, nnd died In Georgetown, District of Colum bia, February 2, 1831. IIo visited North--em Pennsylvania shortly before his death, and will no doubt be remembered by many persons who read the present notice. His age; his venerable beard; his lluency; his remarkable memory, natural shrewdness, nnd independence; of character, created 'curiosity and re spect, and Improptu audiences could bo assembled anywhere in the country to see hlni nnd hear him discourse upon tho religious, moral, historical, nnd bio graphical topics of which lie was a mas ter. His eccentricity, oddity, nnd inde pendence; his unusual way of life; nnd ills wide and prolonged experience of men and human affairs, both in America and Europe, gave him n hold upon popu lar audiences beyond that duo to natural ability and the matter of his discourses. Hut ns wns natural enough, ho was some times regarded as insane, nnd called " Crazy Dow," and sometimes by iglio-f rant people ho was reputed to possess supernatural powers, ns is shown by tho story which we shall quote at the con clusion of this article. Dow was undoubtedly a philanthro pist, and during Ids prolonged life went through 11 prodigious amount of labor for the spiritual welfare of mankind. He was disinterested, zealous, and labo rious in his work; travelled Immenso distances in performing his self-appointed mission to his fellow-creatures; nnd tlie nnrrative of his life, ns prepared by himself, ranks among the most curious and remarkable records ih our language. It is true, Dow did not possess a power ful intellect, and was upon many sub jects superficial In his learning nnd big oted in his opinions. IIo believed in visions, dreams, nnd prognostications. 1 Io wrote a great deal of trash when en gaged in controversy or in expounding theological dogmas. He had deep-rooted prejudices, which often exhibited themselves almost ludicrously in tho midst of pious appeals or sober narra tive, lie hod special antipathies against Jesuits and Calvinists, and constantly denounced them, and with considerable rhetorical power, in his sermons and writings. His sharp, smart, or shrewd sayings in Ids personal association with others were Innumerable, and arc even yet, after tho lapse of more than a quar ter, of a century, repented by tlioso who heard them. Hut in ids case even re marks which wero unimportant wero treasured up and remembered. We aro told that when in this section ho was driven to an appointment a considerable distance by a countryman who had been despatched for tho purpose. Tho driver was naturally desirous of getting as much conversation as possible from Ids companion, and among other things naked whether n particular but some what extravagant story told about him was true. Old Dow paused n moment. and fixing his eyes upon tlie Nob, ex claimed: " Why, what n noble mountain that is !" Tlie driver subsided. Hut we proceed to the story: a Tiin:r ui:TKrn:i). One night after Mr. Dow hud retired to bed, after a hard day's travel in tho western part of Virginia, a number of persons collected in tlie bar-room to en joy their usual revelries, as was tlie cus tom in that part ot tho country. At 11 late hour in tlie night tho alarm was given that onu of tlie company had lost 111s pocket-book, and a search was pro posed. Whereupon the landlnrd re marked that Lorenzo Dow was in tho house, and that if the money wero thero ho knew that Lorenzo could find it. The suggestion was instantly received with approbation, and accordingly Mr. J'ow was aroused from his slumbers. and brought fortli to find tho money. ,s no entered the room his eyes ran through the company with searching inquiry; but nothing appeared that could fix guilt upon any one. Tho lo.-er appeared with a countenance expressive 01 great concern, and besouirht Mr. Dow, for Heaven's sake, to find him his money. "Have any left tho company slnco you lost your money?" said Mr. Dow. "None," said the loser, "none!" "Then," said Lorenzo, turning to tho landlady, "go and bring 1110 your largo dinner-pot." Tills created no little surprise; but ns supernatural powers were universally conceded liliu, his directions wero un hesitatingly obeyed. Accordingly tho pot was brought forward, and set in tho middle of tho room. "Now," said Lorenzo, "go nnd bring the old chicken-cock from tho roost." This was iil.-odone, nnd nt Lorenzo's directions the cock placed In tho pot and covered over with a board or lid. " Let the doors now bo fastened and tho lights extinguished," said Mr. Dow. Which was also done. "Now," said he, "every person in tho room must rubs his hands hard against tho pot, and when tho guilty hand touches it the cock will crow." Vccordingly all ennio forward, and rubbed, or pretended to rub, against the pot. Hut no cock crew. "Let tho caudles now bo lighted." said Lorenzo; "thero is no guilty per son here. If the man ever hud any mo ney he must have lost it some nloeoolso Hut stop," Niid Lorenzo, when all thin- wero prepared; "let us now exam! tho hands." Tliis was the Important part of hi rangeiiient ; for ou examination it
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers