hc flfohtmblan,
AN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL,
is i-uumhikd tVKnv satciiuay, is
llloomiburK, Columtiln Count)') l'n.
TUtlMS.
Two Hollars rv year, In iwlvancc. If not jmlil In
Mvancc, Two Dollars and l'irty Cents.
AMr-i all li-tlcM to
anoitar. it. mooiu:,
Kdltor of tlie Cot.fMHlAN,
lllonnistnirf, Columbia Comity, l'a.
OVER THE RIVER.
Hvr.n the river they bccl-nn to me,
I,ovct ones wlio'vc crossed to tlic further nldii;
The. clcani nf their stio-vy rnlos I sec,
Hut tliclr voices aro lost In the itasliltig tide
There's one with rhmlcts of sunny roM,
And eye the renoctlon of Heaven's own blue
Hp crossed In the twIllRlit, Bray mid cold,
And the jmln mist hid him from mortal view;
Wo. saw not the nnneln who met dim there
Tlin unto of thn elty wn could not see
Over the river, over the river,
My brother tnti(U waiting to w elcome mo,
bver thn river the bontmnn pale
Carried another thn household el;
Iter brown curls waved In the Kentlo Kalo
Darling Minnie) I sec her yet.
Bhe crossed on dor tiosom her dimpled hand,
And fearlessly entered tho phantom bark
Vc felt It f-llIo from thn silver sands,
And all our sunshhin grow strangely dark.
Wo Itnow she Is safe on thn further side.
Wherp all the ransomed atiRels Ik
Over the river, tho mystle river,
My childhood's Idol Is w.iltlnu for me.
For nonn return from those quiet shores,
Who cross with the boatman cold and pale;
W'r hear the dip of tho gulden ur,
And rated a gleam of the snowy sail,
And lol they havopassed from ourycarnlnRhearts,
ThQy cross the stream, and are gone for aye.
Vo may not sunder the veil apart
That hides from our vision the gjites of day
We only know that their barks no mom
May sail with us o'er Life's stormy M'u :
Yet somewhere, I know, on the unseen shore,
They watch, and beckon, and wait for mo.
A'hd I sit and think, when the sunset's gold
'is flushing rl er and hill nud hhore,
I shall one day stand by tho water cold,
And list for the sound of the iKKitman's oar;
I k'lih'll watch for a gleam of the Happing sail,
k shall bear tho boat as It gains tho slrand,
fthhYrpass from sight with the boatman palo
'fro 'the belter shore of tho spirit-land.
I shalVMiOw the loved who have gone before,
Ami JNyfull.v sweet will the meeting be,
When over tho river, the peaceful river,
Tho AiifccVof Doath shall carry me.
STUCK FAST.
I ooia homo ono night, and Mrs.
Purge that's our nex'-room iieijlibor
shows me something wrapped up In
flannel, all pink and creasy, and very
snuffly, as though it wanted Its nose
blowing ; which couldn't bo expected,
for it hadn't got any to signify.
" Ain't It a little beauty?" she says..
"Well, I couldn't see as it was; but I
didn't like to say so, fori knew my wife
Polly had been rather reckoning on
what she said wo ought to have hail
inore'n a year ago; m I didn't like to
disappoint her, for I knew she lay list
enin' in the nox' room.
Polly always said there never was
such a baby as that one ; and somehow
it teas taking to see how her face used
to light up all over smiles when she
thought I warn't looking; and I knew
it was all on account of the little un.
She never said sho felt dull now; and
when at homo at night I used to think
how my mates would laugh to sec mo n
haudling the little thing that was alius
being pushed Into my face to kiss ; when
I'm blest if ever I see such a voracious
un in my life; it would hnngon toyou
no'c, lip, anywheres In a minute.
Ono day, when it was about nine
months old, it was taken all of a sudden
liko with a fit. Polly screnmed to mo
to run for tho doctor ; for it happened
that I was on the club that week, and at
home with a bad hand. I run for him,
and he soon come; and then there was a
warm bath and medicine; but after
ward, when I saw tho little thing lying
on Polly's lap so still and quiet, and
with a dull film forming over its eyes, I
felt that something was coming, though I
dared not tell her ; and about twelve
o'clock the littlo thingsiidilenly started,
Ktared wildly an instant, and then it
was all over.
My hand warn't bad any more that
week ; for it took all my time to try and
cheer up my poor heart-broken lass.
Sho did take on dreadful, night and day,
night and day, till wo burled it ; and
then sho seemed to tako quite a change,
and begged of mo to forgive what she
called lierselfislmess, and wiped her eyes
onco for all, as sho said, and talked
about all being for the best. Put she
didn't know that I lay awake of anight,
feeling her cry silently till the pillow
was soaked with tears.
AVc buried the littlo one on the Sun
day, mid on tho Monday morning I was
chipped ou to a Job that I didn't much
relish, for it was tho rebricking of a
cower that run down on onoof thomain
htreets, quite fifty feet underground.
Artortwo years in Loudon I'd seen
Mime change, but this was my first visit
to tho bowels of tho earth. I'd worked
on drains down in tho country, but not
in such a concern as this: why a Life
guard might have walked down it easy ;
M) that there was plenty of room to
-work. Put then, mind you, it ain't
pleasant work ; thero you go, down lad
der after ladder, past gas-pipes and
water-pipes, nml down and down, till
you get to tho stage stretched across tho
part you aro at work on, with tho day
light so high up, as seen through boards,
nml scaffolds, and ladders, that it's no
tistvto you who aro working by tho light
of flaring gas. Thero in front of you is
tho dark black arch ; and thero behind
you Is another; whilo under your feet
tho foul rushing water hurries along,
rending up a smell as turns your silver
watch, and every sixpence and shilling
you havo In your pocket, black as tho
water thutswlrls bubbling along. Every
Word you speak sounds hollow and
echoing, whilo It goes whispering and
rumbling along tho dark arch till you
think It has gone, when all at onco you
hoar It again qulto plain In a way as
would make you Juinpas much as when
Jialf a brick or a bit o' hard mortar
dropped Into tho water.
Hut talk about Jumping, nothing
niado mo Jump inoro than when a bit of
soil, or a stone, was loosened up above
mid caino rattling down, l'vo seen
inoro thnii oiioelmp change color; and
I know It's b-'i'ii from tin- Ihmij'ht that,
VOL. I.-NO. 8.
suppose theenrth caved In.whereshould
wo be? No doubt tho llrst crush in
would do it, and thero'd bo an end of
workmen and foremen : but there seem
ed something worry awful In the Idea o'
being burled alive.
Pig as tho opening was, when I went
to work It nmdo ino shudder! there was
tho earth thrown out; there was tho
ropo at tho side ; there was tho boarding
round ; thero it was for all tho world
like a big grave, same as I'd stood by
on n littlo scale tho day before ; and feel
ing a bit low-spirited, It almost seemed
as though I was going down Into my
own, never to come up any more.
AVorry stupid and foolish ideas, says
you far-fetched Ideas. Worry likely,
but that's what I thought; and thero
are times when men has worry strange
ideas; and I'll tell you for a fact that
something struck mo when I went down
that holeas I shouldn't come up it again ;
and I didn't, neither. "Why tho worry
feel o' tho cold damp place made you
think o' being burled, and when u few
bits of earth came and rattled down up
on tho stage above my head, as soon as
the first start was over It seemed to mo
so like tho rattling o' tho earth but a
few hours before upon a littlo eollln, that
something fell with a pat upon my
bright trowel, which, If It had been left,
would ha' been a spot o' rust.
Nothing like work to pitt a fellow to
rights; and I soon found that I was
feeling better, and tho strokes o' my
trowel went ringing away down the
sewer as I cut tho bricks in half; and
after a bit I almost felt Inclined to whis
tle, but I didn't, for I kept on thinking
of that solitary face at homo the face
that always brightened up when I went
back, and had made such a man ov mo
as I felt I was, for It was enough to make
any man vain to bo thought so much of.
And then I thought how dull she'd bp,
and how fond she'd be o' looking at the
drawer where all the littlo things were
kept; nml then I well, I ain't asham
ed of It, If I am a great hulking fellow
T took care that nobody saw what I
was doing, while T had a look at a little
bit of a shoo as I hod In my pocket.
I didn't go homo to dinner, for it was
too far off; so I had my snack, and
then went to it again directly nlong
with two more, for we was on the piece.
Wo had some beer sent down to ii., and
at it we wenttilllt wastlnietolenveoff;
and I must say as I was glad of II, and
didn't much envy tho fresh gang com
ing on to work all night, though it
might Just ns well have been night with
us. I was last down, and had jest put
my foot on the first round of tho ladder,
when I heard something falling as it hit
and jarred the boards up'ards; nndthen
directly after what seemed to lie a brick
caught mo on the head, and before I
knew where I was, I was off thiv littlo
platform, splash down in the cold rush
ing water that took mo off and away
yards upon yards before I got my head
above It ; and then I was so confused
and half-stunned that I let It go under
again, and had been carried ever so far
before, half drowned, I gained my legs
and leaned, panting and blinded, up
against the slimy wall.
There I stood for at least ten minutes,
I should suppose, shuddering and horri
lled, with tho thick darkness all around,
the slimy, muddy bricks ngnlnst my
hands, tho cold, rushing water beneath
me, and my mind in that confused state
that for a few minutes longer I didn't
know what I was going to do next, and
wanted to persuade myself that it was
all a dream, and I should wako up di
rectly. All at once, though, I gave a Jump,
and, instead o' being cold with tho water
dripping from me, I turned all hot and
burning, and then again cold and shud
tlery ; for I had felt something crawling
on my shoulder, and then close against
my bare neck, when I gavo tho jump,
and heard closo by mo a light splash
In the water a splash which echoed
through tho hollow place, whilo, half
to frighten the beasts that I fancied must
be in swarms around me, half wrung
from me as a cry of fear and agony, 1
yelled out :
"Itatl"
Pats they were; for abnvo the hollow
" wash-wash, hurry-hurry, wash-wash,
hurry-hurry" of tho water, I could hear
littlo splashes and a scutlllng by mo
along the sides o' the brick-work.
You may laugh at people's hairstand
ing on end, but 1 know then that there
was a creeping, tingling sensation in the
roots o' mine, as though sand was trick
ling among It ; a cloud seemed to come
over my mind, and for a J'ev moments
I believe I was mad mad with fear;
and It was only by setting my teeth
hard and clenching my fists that 1 kept
from shrieking. However, I was soon
better, and ready to laugh at myself as
I recollected that I could only ben little
way from tho spot whero tho men work
ed ; so I began to wado along with tho
water hero about up to my middle. All
at onco I stopped, and thought about
whero I was at work.
" Which way iliil the witter run ,'"
My head turned hot and my temple
throbbed with tho thought. If 1 went
tho wrong way I should be lost lost In
this horriblo darkness to sink at last
Into tho foul, black stream, to be drown
ed and devoured by tho rats, or oNo to
be choked by tho foul gusos that must
bo lurking down hero In these dark re
cesses. Again tho horror of thick darkness
come upon mo: I shrieked out wildly,
anil the cry went echoing through tho
sewer, sounding hollow and wild till It
faded away. Hut onco more I got the
better of It, and persuaded myself that
I had only cried iduiid to nitre ihnritK
BLOOMSBUJRG, SATURDAY, JUNE 23, I860.
What would I not havo given for a
stout stick as ti defence against attack as
I gruped my way on, feeling convinced
that I should bo right If I crawled down
stream, when n littlo reflection would
have told me that up stream must be
tho right way, for 1 must havo been
borno down by tho water. Put I could
not reflect, for my brain seemed In n
state of fever, and now nnd then my
teeth chattered as though 1 had the
ngue.
I groped on for qulto a quarter of nn
hour, when tho horrid thought come
upon me that I was going wrong, and
again I tried to lean up against the wall,
which seemed to cause my feet to slip
from under me. I felt no cold, for tho
perspiration dropped from mo as Ifran
tlcally turned back nnd tried to retrace
my steps, guiding myself by running a
hand ngnlnst the wall, where every now
and then it entered tho mouth of n
small drain, when, so sure as It did,
thero was n tcufllo and a rush, and more
than onec I touched tho cold, slippery
body of a rat a touch that made mo
start back as though shot.
On I went, and on, and still no scaf
fold, and no gleam of gas-light. Thought
after thought gave fresh horror to my
situation, as now I felt certain that in
my frantic haste I had taken some
wrong turn, or entered a branch of tho
main place; nnd nt last, completely be
wildered, I rushed headlong on, stumb
ling and falling twlco over, so that I
was half choked In tho black water.
Put it had its good effect; for it put it
stop to my wild struggles, which must
soon have ended in my falling insensi
bio into what was certain death. Tho
water cooled my head, nnd now, feeling
completely lost knowing that I must
have been nearly two hours in the sew
erI made up my mind to follow the
stream to its mouth in tho Thames,
where, if the tide wns down, I could
get from the mud on to tho wharf or
bank.
So once more I struggled on, follow
ing tho stream slowly for what seemed
to be hours, till nt last, raising my hand,
I found I could touch the roof, and by
that knew that I was In n larger sewer,
and therefore not very far from the
mouth. Put here thero was a new ter
ror creeping up me, so to speak, for
from my waist tho water now touched
my chest, nnd soon after my arm-pits ;
when I stopped, not daring to trust my
self to swim, perhaps a mile, when I
felt that weak I could not havo gone n
hundred yards.
I know In my disappointment T gave
a howl liko n wild benst, nnd turned
again to havo a hard tight to breast tho
rushing water, which nearly took mo
off my legs. Put tho fear of death lent
me help, and I got on and onagain till I
felt myself In a turning which 1 soon
knew was a smaller sewer, nud from
thence I reached another, whero I had
to stoop ; but the water wns shallower,
not above my knees, and at luat much
less deep than that.
Here I knelt down to rest, nnd the
position brought something else from
my heart; and, after n while, still stoop
ing, I went on, till, having passed doz
ens upon dozens of drains, I determined
to creep up one, and I did.
P'raps you won't think It strange as I
dream and groan in bed sometimes,
when I tell you what followed.
I crawled on' and on, in tho hopes
that tho place I was in would lead un
der ono of tho street gratings, and I
kept staring ahead in the hopes of catch
ing n gleam of light, till at last the
place seemed so tight that I dared go no
further for fear of being fixed in. So I
began to back very slowly, and then,
feeling it rather hard work, stopped for
a rest.
It was quite, dry here, but sett filing on
in front, I kept hearing tho rats I had
driven before mo; and now that I stop
ped and was qulto still, half a dozen of
them made a rush to get past me, and
tho littlo light which followed oven now
gives me the horrors. I'd hardly room
to movo; but I killed ono by squeezing
him, when the others backed off, but
not till my face was bitten and running
with blood.
At last half-dead, 1 tried to back out,
for tho place seemed to stifle mo ; and I
pushed mjeif back a littlo way, and
then I was stopped, for tho skirts of my
Jacket filled up what littlo space had
been loft, and 1 felt that I was wedged
in, stuck fast.
Now came tho horrors again worse
than ever. The hot blood seemed to
gush Into my eyes; I felt half-suffocated
; and to add to my sufferings a rat
that felt itself as it wero penned up,
fastened upon my Hp. It was its In-t
bite, however, for half mad as I felt
then, my teeth had closed in a moment
upon the vicious beast, and it wastleaif.
I made ono more struggle, but could
not move, I was so knocked up; and
then I fainted.
It must havo been somn time beforo I
come to myself; but when I did, tho
first sound I heard was a regular tramp,
trump, of some ono walking over my
head, and I gave a long yell for help;
when, to my great Joy, the steji halted,
and I shrieked again, and the sweetest
sound I havo ever heard in my llfo
came back. It was a voice shouting :
" Hallo t"
"Stuck fast in tho drain 1" I shouted,
with all the strength I had left; nud
then I swooned off once more, to wake
up u week afterward, out of n brain
lover sleep, In a hospital.
it seems I had got within n few yards
of rt grating which wns mi end o' tho
drain, mid the close qunrters made the
rid sti fierce. Tho policeman heard my
J hrii k, and had ll-tcncd at tho grating, ,
nnd then got help ; but ho wns only
laughed nt, for they could get no further
answer out o' me. It wns then nbout
hnlf-past three in a Summer's morning;
nnd though the grato was got open, they
wero nbout to give It up, saying the po
licemen had been humbugged; when a
couple o' sweeps came up, and tho littlo
un offered to go down back'urds, nnd
ho did, nnd camo out directly nfter, say
that he could feel a man's head with his
toes.
That policeman has had many a glass
nt my expense since, nud 1 hope he'll
have a many more; nnd when he tells
mo the story, which 1 like to hear but
nlwnys take care shall bo when Polly's
nway ho says ho knows I should havo
liked to see how they tore that drain up
in no time. To which there's always
such an echo In my heart that It comes
qulto natural to say, " Your right, my
boy I"
THE GAMBLEH.
Tnr, first principles in gambling that
over my mind was taught were received
In taking part in that great game which
tho inconsistency of our legislatorsnmkes
lawful I mean lotteries. It seems un
accountably strange to mo how our law
givers, many of whom are ministers of
tho gospel, nnd nil of whom deprccnte
gambling as ono of tho most prominent
curses with which society is alllicted I
say it seems strnngo how these men can
reconcile to their consciences and to their
preaching thcnumcrousgumhlinggrants
they have made nnd nre making. They
would shrink from allowing the petition
of that man who asked liberty to estab
lish a house where cards and dice might
be used in games of chance, but they
readily grant tho petition of a set of in
dividuals to convert the whole State or
country into a vast gambling place,
wherein to play that game winch is In
finitely more ruinous in its consequences
than nil the other schemes put together,
I said I received my first principles
of gambling from dealing in lotteries.
I reasoned thus: If that game is not
gambling, nnd if thnt gnme is not tin'
lawful, in which we stake n sum of mo
ney nnd depend nltogcther upon chance
for success or defeat, nnd In which tho
probability is much ngainst u.s of our
getting back the sum we ventured out,
and where thero is but n mere possibility
of receiving more thnn tho amount slak
ed, surely, then, those games in which
tho chance of loss is smaller, and which
require skill and judgment to play, can
not bo gambling, cannot bo unlawful
So I went to tho card-tablo and to tho
dice-box.
I remember the first game of cards I
ever played. I was sixteen years old,
nnd some of my partners were aged men
men who were old enough to be my
father, and who should have cuffed my
cars and sent me home. Put no; they
jirai-od my dexterity in handling the
cards, flattered my judgment, and taught
mo to glory in my skill. Thus, while
they made rich my vanity, they made
wretchedly poor my pockets. Greater
men than myself may with equal truth
advance this same sentiment. It istrue
I did not play for much ; wo only staked
u small sum, just to make the. tume in
terestinn; we scorned to cast a thought
on the Ios and gain ; wo played for
nmusement, not for the purpose of milk
ing money. This was the language we
used to ourselves. Put let nn uninter
ested obicrvcr look over the table at
which wo were playing, and watch the
eagerness with which the stake was
seized when won, and the working coun
tenances of tho losers, nnd perhaps he
would put a different construction than
mere amusement on tho deep and in
tense interest each individual manifest
ed. Tho truth is, profit anil to., nro tho
ruling spirits of a game of cards or n
throw of dice. I know not which of
tho two has the most influence to keep
a young man at the gaming-table. If
wo aro fortunate tho desire Is awakened
for moro, and tho hopo encouraged that
luck is on our side ; perchance we pride
ourselves ou our skill in the game, and
so wo resolvo to try iiyuiii ; and if we are
unfortunate, wo will try again to repair
our loss" luck was against us ;" " may
bo fortunate next time," and a thousand
rea.-ons tho devotee of piny can make to
himself for trying uijiiln.
1 was then a clerk In n store, and ns
my funds failed me, I had recourse to
my master's drawer. Dollar after dol
lar of his money went that way Without
his knowledge. In a short time I could
toss my glass of spirit and whiff my ci
gar with as much graco as the most Jin-
mhed yenttemun ; and I was perfect in an
oath. I became an adept in play, and
soon played deeper games, Yet, with
all my cunning and judgment, many a
midnight has seen mo hurrying homo
with a heart terribly heavy, In conso
quenco of a pocket proportlonably titht,
I was the only son of a widowed moth
er, and on mo her future hopes rested.
Oftentimes would my conscience bitter
ly reproach mo for my conduct, when,
on entering tho hou-e at a Into hour in
tho night, I found my aged and lone
mother sitting up, patiently waiting my
coming; nnd when she expressed her
fears that I should injure my health by
too closo application to business for I
was so base as to deceive that fond and
trusting parent by telling her that busi
ness nt tho store kept mo uwny from
home--and when slu advised mo to re
lux it little, awfully did my heart
tilt against me and reprove my wicked
ness; and again anil again did I deter
mine to forsake tho "evil w.ys" that 1
had been trending, Put some nights I
won; and then un luteiiso thirst for
mure kd 1110 buck to the table; uud
other nights I lost; and then I would'
try again, to make it up.
Soon, however, was thnt widowed
heart to bo shattered nnd blceillng; soon
was it to bo overflowed with the gall of
bitterness. Tor u week or more 1 was
peculiarly unfortunate, losing every
night more or less. It may besupposcd
that this contliui'tl ill-luck affected me
considerably, and that my master's
drawer had to suffer by it. This was
not nil. To drown tho regret experi
enced on account of my los-cs, I had re
course to frequent nnd liberal potntlons.
'the more 1 lost tho inoro I drank. I
lind often deceived my mother, who fre
quently detected the smell of spirit
when I entered the room, by telling her
I had been working among liquor in the
store. I'ornwhllo this excuse answered.
Put when every night I entered the
room, I brought with me the scent of
spirituous liquors, her suspicious became
awakened. Never never shall I forget
the hour, tho terrlblo hour, when a
mother's hopes were blasted, and her
rond heart plunged into woe ! I return
ed from thogamlng-table at a latohour,
past midnight. That night I had been
unusually unfortunate; In consequence
of which I drank freely and became
much excited. To havo seen mo at the
table, shouting, nnd drinking, nnd sing
ing, ono would hnvo thought mo tho
happiest fellow in the universe. My
purse was completely drained, and I
played on tick. Put in my then frame
of mind money was no object to mo;
so I played and lost played and lost
occasionally raising n stake, until I be
came deeply Involved in debt. 1 cared
not. I kept on my riotous course of
shouting, swearing, nnd singing until
the company broke up.
My mother was anxiously awaiting
forme; and "My dear son, how glad I
am you have come!" went to my heart
liko a burning arrow. My excitement
had not worn off, and I .-.aw sho eyed
me suspiciously, so 1 hurried off to bed
as quick as possible. From the effects
of tho liquor I had swallowed I was
soon asleep. How long I was asleep I
know not, when I was awakened by
something dropping on my face. On
looking up I beheld my mother nt the
head of my bed, with her hands clasped
and the big tears of agony rolling down
her time-worn cheeks. In a moment I
suspected the worst, and I hid my head
in the bed-clothes. She had been bend
ing over me, and I was awakened by si
mother's tear ! I dared not lift my fac
to meet her eye; but I drew the bed
clothes closer around me. Oh! how my
conscience smoto me. Oh ! how my
heart struggled with shame! Death!
Death! bow I wished for you when I
heard my mother's voice, trembling
with age and agony. " George, George !
that 1 should have lived to witness this
hour! would to God I had followed you
to your grave in your infancy! my
child! my child!" she frantically and
broken-hoartedly screamed. " Woo is
me, that I have lived to witness my
son's shame!" I strovo to stop my
ears to shut out her voice, but in vain.
The words sounded in my ears with
terrible emphasis; and so to my dying
day will they ring. Tho discovery of
her son's vileness, the sudden crushing
of her hopes, were too much for her;
she sunk senseless on the bed.
It was a longtime beforoslie revived ;
and heavily smoto my conscience, as I
gazed by tho dim light of tho lamp on
her pale face, nnd felt the coldness of
her forehead ns I bathed It with vinegar.
I was fearful life had entirely forsaken
her, but at last sho came to. I could not
stand and meet her look, and was turn
ing to leave tho room, when in a faint
voice she requested mo to stay by her.
I was struck with tho altered tone of her
voice; she did not speak reproachfully,
but so calmly and tenderly thnt the
tears gushed from my eyes in torrents;
it almost broke my heart to listen to her ;
and thero was something in her tone
that thrilled fearfully through me, so
that every word sho uttered was a dead,
slnklngchlllnt my heart, it was mi hollow
and unearthly. " Stay, my son," taking
my hand between her own, tho Iciness
of which made mo shudder; "I wish
not to chido you. Put, oh, George, If
you value your pence here and your
eternal happiness hereafter, leave oil'
drinking; ' tasto not, touch not' tho ac
cursed poison ! Oh, God !" sho fervent
ly added, "strengthen him to resist
temptation turn his footsteps from tho
path that leads to the dark and dreadful
pits of destruction ! My son," sho ad
ded in n thicker voice, " If you respect
your mother's memory, if you respect
your own character, remember nnd be
guided by her Inst words taste "
"Mother, mother! what nils you !" I
screamed, for I saw her countenance
chnngo suddenly. Tho blood began to
settle about the eyes, which becamo
glassy, and a pale streak encircled her
mouth, while her breath grew shorter.
" I swear, mother, I swear never to touch
another drop of the accursed stuff!" 1
uttered In a hurried nnd trembling voice.
tV gleam of satisfaction shot across her
face for n moment, as she with ilifliculty
articulated, "George, remember your
oath 1" These wero her last words; and
barely wero they uttered ere I, the only
living being In that still chamber, was
bending over her lifeless form. Never,
reader, never may you bo placed in a
like situation. I stood bent over tho
corpse of my mother in agonizing rev
cry until the gray, cold light of morning
broke through tho chamber windows,
rendering more ghastly her looks, before
I wns iirouscd to n full sense of my inls
cry. Put why detail all my feelings?
I proceeded to a neighbor', home, .c-
PMOK FIVE CENTS.
qualnted them with my mother's death,
stating that sho died suddenly in the
course of tho night, after sho had visited
mo In my chamber and awakened ino
from sleep. 1 said not u word respecting
tho cause, but requested their assistance
in laying her out, etc.
My mother was burled ; nnd over her
new-made gravo I renewed the oath
made to her while living; andulsosworo
to forsake gambling anil nil wicked prac
tices, blnco her tlenth I havo never
known n moment's pence of mind. My
vicious con met previous to it Is contin
ually rising up before me, blasting my
happiness. I have kept sacred my oath.
How can 1 forget it? How can 1 forget
thnt night in which I became mother
less? Nevermaylforgctltl Although
ltd remembrance is n source of constant
agonizing pain to me, may it nlwnys bo
fresh in my memory. 1 can make no
other atonement for my early crime.
ENGLAND IN QUEEN ELIZA
DETII'S DAY.
So rapidly were the English growing
in the luxuries and vices of other lands,
whllu they retained their native vigor
nnd coarse habits, thnt the playwrights
constantly alluded to tho incongruity of
the fashions displayed in the dress of
dandles; to their language, mixed of
all the dialects In Europe; to their apti
tude for every kind of dissipation; to
their skill in the sports of all nations;
and to the decay of antique severity.
" e have robbed Greece of gluttony,"
says Stephen Gasson, "Spain of pride,
trance of deceit, and Dutchland of quaf
fing." Put these affections were only a
kind of varnish on the surface of socie
ty. Tho incidents of court gossip show
howsavago was tho life beneath. Queen
Elizabeth spat one day, in the midst of
her nobles, nt a gentleman who dis
pleased her. She struck Lord Essex on
the cheek. Purleigb often cried at her
ill-treatment. Tho lords wrangled, nud
even drewswords in her presence. Once
Leicester took her handkerchief from
her lap to wipe his face, nt tennis. Lady
.lane Grey was starved and beaten by
her parents, nud exposed to such Indig
nities that sho wearied of life; yet they
made her one of the best Greek scholars
of tho day. Heretics were burned in
every town. Sir Henry Sidney, ns we
learn from a paper recently published
by Mr. Proude, when sent to quell the
I ri-.li rebels, first proclaimed the Queen's
sovereignty, and then allowed no mercy
to the recusants. He "put man, wo
man, and child to tho sword," while Ills
sergeant-majors balanced thoudvniitages
of pillaging, or " having some killing,"
with a preference for the latter when
they felt themselves in humor for tho
chase.
Tho belief in witches everywhere pre
vailed, nor was it an uncommon village
sport to drown old women in the ponds,
and to rack suspected wizards till for
every anguish they confessed lictitiou
crimes. County folks conducted their
revels with a license that would shock
our modern ears. Tho lord of misrule
led out his motley train, and ladles went
a-maylng with their lovers to the woods.
Tho feasts of asses nnd fools profaned
the sanctuaries; nor were the sports of
Christmas so well suited to celebrato a
Christian festival as to recall tho rites
of Woden nnd Preva. Men and women
who read Plato nnd discussed tho beau
ties of Petrarch's poetry allowed the
coarsest practical jokes and used tho
grossest language. They sold farms and
forests, nnd wore their acres in tho form
of gems and gold laco on their backs.
Put their splendid clothes and jewels
did not prevent them from indulging in
the most untidy habits. They would I
lie upon tho rushes which concealed the
fragments of old feasts; and they burn
ed perfumes to sweeten chambers musty
with bad air. The church Itself was not
respected. Tho navo of St. Paul's be-
cnnio n rendezvous of thieves nnd pros
titutes. Fine gentlemen paid sums of
money for the privilege of clanking up
and down Its aisles In servlco timo;
lancers and masquers crowded from the
quare outside in all their finery, often
took the sacrament, and then ran out to
recommenco their sports. Men were
Papists and Protestants according to tho
time of day; hearing mass in the morn
ing and sermon in the afternoon. Thero
was no end to the extravagance and in
congruity of elements which then pre
vailed In England. Yet In the midst of
this confusion rose cavaliers like Sidney,
philosophers like Bacon, poets llkeSpon-
cer; in whom all that is pure, elevated,
subtle, tender, wise, delicate, and learned
In our modern civilization displayed it
self.
BEAUTY OP ICEBERGS.
Ham,, tho Arctic explorer, writes
tints of icebergs in his hook entitled
"Life with tho Esquimaux:" "Of the
various bergs I particularly noticed n
few descriptive words may hero bo said.
The first view of ono that attracted my
attention looked as If an old castle was
beforo me. Tho ruins of u lofty dome
about to fall, nud a portion of un a relied
roof already tumbling down, were con-
plcuous. Then in n short time this
changed ton picture of nn elephant with
two largo circular towers on his back,
and Corinthian spires springing out
boldly from the broken mountains of
alabaster on which ho had placed his
feet. Tho third view, When at u greater
distance, made it liko n lighthouse ou
the top of plled-up rocks, white as the
driven snow. It took no great stretch
of fancy to finish the similitude when
tho mm to-day, for nearly the first time
during a w eek , bur -t forth in all it- - plcn-1
&cnn of Jpeeriisinfl.
One FquarP.one or three Insertions tl CO
Kuch Mibsrqtif nt Insertion less than thirteen, to'
One H'iW One riibntli...., t l
Two " " n W
Three " " .-. .......;. s w'
I'our ' " 0 w"
Half enlnriiri " ID W'
one eftiumn " . n to
Kserntor'd ami Administrator's Notices 3 00'
An-lllor'ii N6tls..n., i....... 2 60'
fvd'lt'orlal Notices twenty cents ier line.
Other advertisements Inserted according to spo
Clal contract
dof, bnthi'ng with its flood of golden lire
this towering iceberg llghthotisol An-'
other berg I could not help calling tho
Gothic Iceberg. The side faelrig rtic hail'
a row of complete arches of the truo'
Gothic order, and running its whole1
length were mouldings, smooth projec
tions of solid lee, rivalling in tho beauty"
of nil their parts anything I ever saw
Tho architecture, frieze, nnd cornice of"
each column supporting thoarehesnbovo'
were as cliasto and accurately represent-'
ed as tho most Imaginative genius could
conceive Hero nnd thero I saw match-
less perfection displayed in tho curvn
turo of lines nbout some of its ornamen-
tal parts. Springing out from n rudo
recess uwny up in its vast height I saw a
delicate scroll, which was quite in keep
ing with Hogarth's ' Lino of Peaiity.-
As I was gazing upon ono of the many
bergs we passed it overturned, nnd burst
into a thousand fragments."
A SISTER'S LOVE,
Tiif.uk is no tmror feelino- fifmlleir'
upon the nltur of human affection than'
a sister's pure, tincontaniinated love for
her brother, it is unlike; all other nffiv.
tlon; so disconnected with selfish sen
suality ; so feminine in its development ;
so dignified: and vet. withal, so fond.
so devoted. Nothing can alter it, noth
ing can supprc s It. Theworld may re
volve, nnd its revolution effect flinnmx
in the fortunes, in tho diameter, nnd in
the disposition of her brother; yet if ho
wants, whoso hand willsoreadilystretch
out to supply him ns n sister's ? And if
his character is maligned, whoso voice
will so readily swell in his advocacy?
Next to a mother's uunuenchable love a
sister's is pre-eminent. It rests so ex
clusively on the tie of consanguinity
for its sustenance; it Is so wholly de
vested of oassion. nnd snrines from snefi
a deep recess in the human bosom, that
wnen a sister once fondly and deeply
regards her brother, that affection is
uieutieu with her existence, and tho
lump that nourishes it expires only with
thnt existence. In nil the
crime it is considered anomalous to flndf
the hand of a sister raised in anger
ngainst her brother, or her heart nurtur
ing the seeds of hatred, envy, or reveugo
fn regard to that brother.
RICHES OP VICTORIA,
It is believed that the Quecrt i's ono of
the richest sovereigns in Europe. The
Duchess of Kent, who had saved no in
considerable sum, bequeathed property
to her Majesty. The Prince Consort,
who nun neon saving from tho day of
his marriage, died worth a very largo
amount, all of which, it is believed, lie
willed to tho Queen; and a wealthy old
man, who thought more of loyalty
than his poor relations, loft her nearly
half u million. AsthoQuecn cannot be
accused of any very lavish expenditure
in lier court arrangements, there can bo
no doubt that she must have a very re
spectable balance at her banker's. Her
Majesty banks with Coutts, as did also
the Prince Consort. A separate set of
books is kept in that establishment for
the royal accounts, nnd these nro writ
ten by clerks specially appointed for tho
purpose. Tho property purchased by
the Prince Consort at Kensington U
sure to become more and more valuablo
every year, though up to this timo
tho line houses built upon portions of it
have scarcely let so well as had been ex
pected. They nre very lnrce. nnd thn
rents put them beyond the reach of any
but the "upper ten."
FASHIONS IN CHARLESTON.
A conncsroxncxT of tho Amp lor;
Times says: " Your lady renders may bo
a little curious regarding tho fashions
here. LeFollct lias but few followers who
rush to the extreme, but waterfalls',
twists, French and Grecian balmorals',
anil urond seasido hats nro worn alnio'str
generally. Plain dresses, without flu
ted adjuncts, appear to bo tho prevail
ing fashion with tho Charleston ladies,
and some of them loop their skirts up
In n most fascinating manner. Tho bet
ter classes wear a sort of Zouave Jacket
ns covering for the shoulders, some
times, but the most acceptable stylo
seems to bo n plain, high-necked dress,
with close-fitting body, and a broad rib
bon band around tho waist. Tho warm
climnte renders unnecessary n largo
amount of wrappings nt any time of
tho year, nnd now, when no one lins
courago enough even to look nt a ther
mometer, tho preparation for n prome
nade or carriage drive by n lady is limit
ed totho putting on of n hat, veil, and
n pair of gloves. On tho whole, tho la
dies of tills city present u neat and nt
tractivo appearance, not flashy in dress,
nor yet too prudish In style to prevent
a favorable display of ndmirablo forms
and pretty faces."
Srofii'snvi' Tkxt. In New Jersey
was lately located n preacher, whoso
modesty never deterred him from urging:
upon his congregation liberal subscrip
tions of money for all church nnd be
nevolent purposes. In his private so
licitations he ono day met n good, but
eccentric member, who for a long timo
steadfastly roni-ed ids aid to nn object
the preacher was solicitous to secure.
At last Importunity triumphed condi
tionally. Ho agreed to contribute on
condition of beingallowed tochooso the
text from which the preachers funeral
wrnion should bo preached. Tho mat-
j at.
tor neing tuns somen, tno minister
wanted to know what the text was.
UN friend answered: "Aitdthc begyur
'ic.'.'"