A jiTlKE, Editor and PublUlicr.
nE IS A FREEMAN WUOM THE TRUTH MARES FREE, AND ALL ARE SLAVES BESIDE.
Terms, $2 per year In ndranr
0LUME 4.
EBENSBXJRG, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1870.
NUMBER 17
CTlRE! II RE! I FIIIE1I
Q YOU HEAR THAT, FIREMEN?
ASD ARE IOV PRKPARED TO
UcY THE SUMMONS!
n .TOa are not, unless you have been to
Volff's Clothing Store,
rd hsve bought or.e of those 6iiperb
! p. E H A'S ! O A T S ,
. iM tou wnim nnd ry. Woiff makes
B, from $1 to 5-0, ami any oilier ear
,r,i toii want you can Imve made to cider at
rt notice.
rjyO FIT. NO CHARGE!
WOLFF has ift returned from the East,
ml his READY MADE
LQTBING DEPABT.MEKT
,fon!ins the largest assortment, the most
:eJ assortment, and altogether ibe most
ple.inirp assortment of
EVER riSrLAYED IN ALTOOXA.
rr-oVKUCOATS, from the lowest pi iced
imere to the finest Beaver all sizes.
g"Yil Sitit-:ot Clothme st from $9 to $30.
.f from $1.51' to Vests from 73 cents
t'i. A 'so. a jrciinal variety of
,CTI0HTS h FURNISHING GOODS,
Hats, Caps, Hoots, Slioes,
"jl'JiiLLLAS, SATCII LLS. TRUNKS, &c.
LADIES' DEPARTMENT will
l s full sK.ck of 1- URS. from the low
;;:.itJ Cjmv t the finest Mink and Suble.
UODFRLY WOLFF,
Xcr. tluor to the I'oet Ofikc, Altoona City
i . .
UiOMAS C A It LAN I), I
VIN'LESALE i eai.eh is
3R0GERIES i QUEENSWAREj
WOOD AND WILLOW WARE,
.STAIIONKUY AND NOTIONS,
'if
X ml.
lifiu it.
n.irox, ri.oiit,
IEDAMD PROVISIONS,
Lfivtnth Avenue,
x-cn13th and 14th Sts., Altoona.
" mcK poods as Spires. Brushes, Wood
ttil uw Ware, Shoe Blacking uiid Station-
'! lie sold from manufacturer's printed
no in otner coous in my hue at
fllliin. Baltimore niiioinnufl ami l:ia
. ...... ....... ..aiu A 1 1 i,i
'- current prief s. To dealers I present tke
U.ir ai'.VIita-l fif uqvinir itii.n. -11 f.
f :f, k ihey are not ricjuired to pay
- - inu int principal cities ana no cray-
1'eaiers may rest as-
'1 thst my poo.is are of tic best qualitr and
prices? moderate a city raten. By doing
, r.pr.-k business, and bv promptlv and
fiVai-g all orders, I hope to'mcrit
f ri r,a,?Coi t..inil dealers and others in
f";-rM c";'.!::-7 anl elsewhere. Orders re
f 9o.ic:;ej and satisfaction guaranteed
fy.cs THOMAS OAKLAND.
lyooVMORRELL & CO.,
WASHINGTON STREET,
i-Pa. R. R. Depot, Johnstown, Pa.,
Kkolttale and Betcil Dealers in
MILMXCRY GOODS,
B'JOTS AND SHOES.
HATS AND CAPS,
fK'ETS AND OIL CLOTHS,
trriF- YELLOW WARE.
, 'wu AND WILLOW WARE,
and FEED. Al I KINns.
: vt,-',1 mnner of Western Produce,
l':L0NmrlIV. HC0 FISI1' SALT,
TV a i T ac-
t re ,iM on the shortest notice and
'Enable term
'la,. .Wu0D' MORRELL k CO.
Jt0n, April 28,lbC9..lT.
P'DUE AV M O S E Si
RCHANT TAILOR,
fts'! EoitDING Clikton St., Johnstown,
Ej't.re'V1 fall and winter Ptock
pi a, London and American
full' , IMEIlES ni! VESTINGS,
sortment of Genfs Fcrnirhinq
A, .vot? ,, 8 bn for eight years cutter at
tohr Co-'tt establish meM, and now
ih.t V 'Jrim hls fr'ends and the r.ublic geo-
r"s !i"! j" llntoi Btieet, with a stock
rar h t0 the M und which
l.-ierat -a "P m ' latest Btyles
a to i . prices for cash, hoping by'at
-0B.. "usl"eS3 tO merit c ,t,nrA r.f rvlt;rt
eto'fure tn"tinlain. tht euccesa which
tttinr . nis eiiort3 in producing
i8r.a-tf.
'ic mm h. can.
. . WM. WELSII.
& W E L S H ,
eor to Gmy A Painter,
wholes a i.r
irS 2nd f"V ( i
commission iviercnants
AJlD DEALEES IN
. PPriT.T-" -
LOvFiSSALT,CAH-
h-"-: uu. &c. &c.
STREET,
PITTSBURGH.
5 11FTI nnilfFPTTn n.iv nnnnn
K" Sept. 2.
JAY
f 8lct
E T E Ji CAMPBE LL ' S
I3IPROVED .
BEE HIVE.
The undersigned has secured letters patent
of the United States, dated December 14, 1 8 9,
for iti improvement in the construction of Ieo
Hives, and claims for his invention advantages
possessed by no other heretofore patented.
The principal feature of this Fee Hive is the
arrangement by means of which it 19 thorough
ly ventilated, thus precluding the possibility of
the bees smothering, the comb moulding or the
honey souring. This desirable end is accom
plished by a vertical perforated tube, running
ceti t rally tl.roup.li the hive and open at the top
and bottom. All persons interested in apicul
ture will at once see the great advantages se
cured ir. this improvement. The ventilator is
for the increase of bees.
The peculiar construction of the box, partic
ularly in the arrangement of the inner com
partments, whereby it can be cleaned at any
time without disturbing the bees, is another
valuable improvement which will be obvious
to any person who examines this Hive. An
examination of the workings of the bees or the
condition of the interior can be made at any
time, as the sides are cased with glass. Bees
can be trasferred from a different hive to the
improved one without any difficulty whatever.
It would require too much space to enumerate
here all the advantages claimed in this inven
tion, tint full information' wiil be promptly fur
rdrhed by applying in person or by letter to the
patentee. I -am now i repared to dispose of
territory fir the sale of the Improved Bee Hive
in any portion of the United States.
PETER CAMPBELL.
Carrolltow u, CunibriaCo , Pa.
AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CITE
The patentee of the above has also invented
and patented an AUTOMATIC RAILWAY
GATE, to which he invites the attention of
railroad u en. Full information will Le fur
nished on application, and Company Rights
will be disposed of by the inventor. Address
as above. jun.l l.'70.-tf .
EBENSBURG FOUNDRY
AUAIX IX Pl'LL RL.AST!
NEW FIRM, NEW BUILDINGS, &c.
HAVING Turchnsed tlie well known EB
ENSBURG FOl NDRY from Jlr. Edw.
Glast, and rebuilt and enlarged it almost en
tire'y, besides reCt!.ing it with new machinery,
t!ie subscribers a:e now prepared to furnish
COOK. PARLOR S- HEATING STO VES,
of the latest a:ul most approved patterns
THRESHING MACHINES, MILL GEAR
ING, UOi.fi and WATER WHEELS of every
descrttion, IRON FENCING, PLOUGHS
and PLOUGH CASTINGS, and in fact a!l
manner of articles nninnfact ired in a first clss
FcuncVy. Job Work of all kind attended to
promptly aiul done cheaply.
The special attenticn of Farmers is invited
to two newly patented PLOUGHS which we
pos-es the sole right to ruaiiuf.t'.-uirt and sell
in this county, and which are admitted to Le
the be ever introduced to the public.
Believing ourselves capuble of performing
any woik in our line in the most satisfactory
manner, and knowing that we can do work at
lowf.r FRicis than have been charged in this
community heretofore we confidently hope that
we will be found worthy of liberal ratronage.
Fair reductions made to wholesale dealers.
Cig?Tlie highest prices paid in cash for old
metal, or castings given in exchange.
Our tkkmh ark steictt cash or country
pcorucit. CON VERY, VI N ROE & CO.
Ebensburg, Sept. '2, It-GS.
JARIYIERS, Look to Your Interests,
iMi BUT ONE OF
SPROM'S COSIBIXED
THK BSST AND OXY F KRFLCTL Y COIIBIXID
Hay Fork and Knife Manufactured.
EVERY FORK "WARRANTED.
A only a limited number can be supplied for
this county, orders for tk is celebrated
Hay Fork and Knife should
be seut in early to
GEQRGE HU15TLEY. EBENSBBRB. PA.
Sole Agent for Cambria County,
Who can also supply WOODEN PULLEYS,
which are far superior to Iron Pullevs. Also,
STEEL GRAPPLES for fastcnining Pulleys
to Beams or Rfters the most convenient fas
tenings yet introduced, as they can te put up
or taken down without the use of ladders.
Ebensburg, Dec. 9, 1&C9. Cm. . ;
TOArEREriIETlEM.OIllTOF
FRIENDS DEPARTED!
MONUMENTS, TOMBSTONES, &c.
The subscriber still couttnues to manufacture
of the best material and in the most -workmanlike
manner, at the
Loretto Marble' Works,
all kind of MONUMENTS AND TOMB
STONES, as well as TABLE and BUREAU
TOPS, and all other work in his line. None
but the best American and Italian Marble
used, and perfect satisfaction guaranteed to
all cases at prices as low as like work can
be obtained in the cities or elsewhere. Call
and see specimens and judge for yourselves
as to the merits cheapness of my work.
JA MES WILKINSON;
.Loretto. March 12. 18G8.1y. , , ,
F
A II 21 E R S AND OTHERS
SHOULD NOT FAIL TO GET
ONE OF THE JUSTLY CELEBRATED
Lima Double-Geared
WOOD-SAWING MACHINES,
TOR WHICH
GEORGE HUNTLEY,
EUCVSBUP.G, PA.,
Is Sole Agent for Cambria County.
F
Original poclrj.
MAY FLOWERS.
Loup- yonrs agr, beside the wide, deep sea.
The budding Spring had broug-ht its fHfts to me
Of early flowers, by softly whisp'finj? rains
And silent snnlig-ht scattered o'er the plains.
But April days were sweet to me no more,
For now alone I walked beside the shore ;
The smile, the hand in friendly clasp denied
Of her I hoped one day would be my bride.
A cartdess word, by me too lightly weighed,
By her too gravely and the vision Hed 1
The happy past was buried, and it lay
Without a hope to crown it for the May.
I yet retained, more precious far than fold,
A treasure left me in the days of old ;
The past was dead if I but dared to send.
Could this remembrance of the past offend ?
It was a basket of artistic make
That I had found and treasured for her sake ;
A little basket, dainty as the hand
That jrrowinff careless dropped it on the sand.
Arranjred, within, most fresh and frajrrant, were
The rare sweet flowers to which I likend her.
And these I sent, without a word, the day
Whofo jrlorioug dawning brought the month of
May.
They all were emblems of her perfect life
With deeds- of gentleness and poodness rife,
And for the rest, what need of words to tell
. What one red rose could say to her as well ?
I hoped at last some token to receive
And, oh ! my h art, it ennie to me at eve.
When to the sands we all hud turned away,
To watch the boats come llouting- vrp the bay.
Her eyes went forth like doves across the sea.
But, soon returning-, brought a si;rn to me
Of peace1 and trust flu1 neither spoke nor smiled j
But so I read it we w ere reconciled. I
Ah ! oft since then I've walked the beach alone j
Oft has the prrass above her true heart fiow n
And now I cull no flower upon the day
Whose silent dawning brings the month of May.
dales, Sfuitijcs, SUfcbofcs, fit.
AX ntlDLM Or THE WAR.
In t lie latter part of ihe year 1SC2 I was
rcsidirgin Fi edericksburp, with my inolb,-,
er, an old lady sn tiering flora a com plica
ted form of Fptnal di.-ease, which had ton
f"ned her to her bed for a very lopjr period.
'I ho doctors had pronounced her case
hopeless, and, indeed, there were times
wnen me sunniest noise in me room, or
the feeblest effort to move, brought upon
her such paroxysms of pain as were heart
rendinc to vvitnees..
We lived completely alone, in a fmall
eoltap.e in t lie; suburb?, not a relative or
protector near 115, for my father bad long
been dead, and my two gallant brothers
had both fallen in the first battle of Ma
nassas.
While thus unfortunately pituafed, the
neighborhood of Fredericksburg became
the scene of hostiliiies. Gen. I5urnside,
with an immense force, appeared on the
northern bank of the liappahannock, and
endeavored to effect a crossing of the
river.
Some time before the main part of the
population of the town had deserted it:
but my poor mother, more weak and ill
than usual, could not be removed to any
place of safely. !
Imagine our position, reader, if you can !
Two feeble women, with a small keg of
stale biscuits to fcu?Iain u, left without
the remotest prospect of help, in a city
under neatly a hundred Federal cannon ! j
A dull lethargy, like that of despair, over
powered me. I could only listen, stupi
tied, to the rnoanings of the invalid and to
the frcqjent crashing rolls of musketry
lower down the river.
With the flight of hope every vestige of
apprehension and fear seemed to have left
me. 1 was absolutely certain we should
both perish, for to abandon my helpless
parent was a thought which never once
entered my miod.
Suddenly, on the morning of the 1 1 th of
December, just as I was trying after a
sleepless night to prepare some food for
our breakfast, the dreadful bombardment
broke forth in all its fury.
"Ah, it has come at last, and we shall
be out of our misery," I thought, stepping
quietly to the window and looking out
upon the terrible scene. No words could
convey a picture of what I then saw the
air filled with flames, and hissing deadly
missiles ; the crash of buildings struck by
lound shot, and torn open by bursting
shells; houses momentarily catching fire
in all directions ; and what wa& more hor
rible than all the rest, the frantic shrieks
of women and children, who, too late, were
seeking safety in flight.
As I stood , by tha window heaven
knows how long, for I was dreadfully fas
cinated by the spectacle I witnessed what
even now, as I recollect it, makes me
shudder.
A butcher's cart, drawn by an immense
gray horse, with n man driving it, and a
little boy holding fearfully to the skirts of
the man's coat, had just eame rattling in
view. I had hardly. caught sight of these
figures when a shell burst directly under
the animal's feet or possibly two of them
for the horse, the vehicle,' and the hu
man beings in it were literally torn to
pieces ! I could see the mangled limbs of
the poor boy quivering on the side walk.
At once, and utterly, I jost all my res
olution. In fact I must have fainted,
since the next thing of which I was con
scious was my mother's voice pitifully
begging me to answer her, and say wheth
er I bad been wounded. .. . -
I staggered and attempted to assure
her ; but a3 may be supposed, unsuccess
fully. For a whole hour after this wc
remained motionless in our chamber, while
the firing appeared to increase in violence.
The windows rattled like skeleton-bones,
uiid the very foundation of the house
trembled and shook at every discharge.
I was fast becoming calm aain de
n o
spairingly calm when I heard somebody
rapidly walking up staire, and then a well
known voice shouting our names. It was
old Uobin, our negro servant, whom I had
sent the day before in the country, to seek
for provisions. My father's slave, and
my grandfather's Robin, now seventy
years of age, but more athletic than many
a young man, had clung with pathetic
devotion to the poor remnants of the fami
ly as he called us. My heart leaped up
when I saw his honest black face, and
the notion that we might be saved, after
brought back my strength of will and
courage.
Saved ! but how ! leop!a in times
of desperate danger think quickly, and are
apt to resoit to singular expedients.
Glancing about the room, my eye fell
upon a large, but exceedingly light straw
chair, which I had precurcu for my moth
er's convenience when she was strong
enough to sit up.
All, a luekv conception ! We would
wrap tLe invalid carefully in a double set
of blankets, strap her gently to the chair,
and if she could endure the pain of remov
al, KoLin would take her on his back (she
wtis scarcely as heavy as a child), and
leave the city for the first place of security
that tffered.
lluniediy I proposed this plan to my
mother, who, to my inexpressible relief,
accepted it eagerly. Her pale face flush
ed a little, and she actually looked belter
at that moment than I had seen her lock
for years. Tendeily, as if she had been
a baby, Uobin placed her in the chair, so
cured her frail person by passing several
cords and a broad strap across her chest
and knees, and lastly, taking the burden
with no apparent effort upon his back, he
went down stairs, bidding me follow him
liut oh ! that walk of three "miles, first
through the burning streets of Fredrieks
burg, with the roof crashing above our
heads, jets of fire darting between doors
and windows', the hiss of balls, and a pe
culiar pin-;ing of the great shells as they
passed in curves of Hume through the
thickening smoke ; and then these great
dangers avoided, our plodding along the
country roads, choked up by overthrown
carriages, and scattered goods of every
description, with horses escaped from their
owners, galloping madly aleng the debris
of many a ruined homestead can I ever
forget it all ever erase from memory the
frightful pictures of that time ?
At last we reached a farm-house, the
people of which were our ftiends. My
mother, with exclamations of amazement
from the whole family, was taken at once
to bed, but strange to say, she did not
seem at all fatigued.
This delicate woman, who had not left
her chamber, scarcely her couch, for years,
had braved the horrors of bombardment
in the open streets ridden on a negro's
back for thiee or four miles, and yet had
not succumbed. And what is more, from
that night my molher'3 health improved,
until now, five years after, I have the sat
isfaction of seeing her seated comfortably
near me, and engaged upon some delicate
sewing work, upon the very chair which
formed so important a part of the rescue
of December, 1862.
Her comparative recovery has puzzled
the faculty, excepting one physician, an
acknowledged genius, who declares it was
the most natural thing in the world.
"Did you ever read 'Little Dorrit,'
Miss Martha ?" he asked me yesterday.
I replied that I had. "Well, then, recall
that scene which represents Arthur Clem
ent's mother, under the influence of a great
mental shock, throwing off the paralysis
of twenty years, and rushing through the
town to find little Dorrit, and entreat her
mercy. ,
"Ignorant critics laughed at Dickens
for introducing what they called tour de
focc, but Dickens, as usual, knew what
lie was about. Such shocks, especially in
nervous diseases, act often with the subtle
force of "galvanism,'! and the cases are
numerous where what you have sworn
must kill the patient outright, results in
a tcmporavy, and ,in some cases (look at
your mqlher) a permanent cure."
What, meanwhile, of old Uobin ! He
sfill live9 with the family, and in his hale
old age delights to repeat to his cronies
the minutest particulars of the event of
which hs was the unquestionable hero.
Every week he gets more garrulous
concerning if, so that, in due time, the
flight from Fredericksburg promises, un
der his creative fancy, tu develop into
quite ah "IUiad" of adventures. Apple
ton's Journal.
Gltcekike. Cornr aratively few years
have elapsed since glycerine was thrown
away as a waste product from soap and
stearine candle-works. Now it is one pf the
most useful products. . Tubs and pails satu
rated with it will never shrink or dry up.
Leather soaked in it becomes soft and plia
ble. It is used for extracting the perfume
of flowers j to preserve animal substance
from decay, and hence is valuable for "pre
serving" purposes. It is employed in phar
macy, dyeing, liquor-making, wine keeping,
and for a variety of other purposes. With
nitric acid it forms nitro-glyceiice, one of
the most powarful explosives known.
Much is said in these days of woman's
sphere. Is it not true that her principal
fear is that she- will not get married f -
POOR MATTI KILHURX.
In Walpole, New Hampshire, there is
a very ancient tree, which is an object of
interest to visitors, for there is a sorrow
ful tale connected with it.
Long ago, when the settlers lived in
fear of the Indians, who often came down
the river to rob and kill, a fort was built '
near the town, and there the people hur
ried for protection the moment the alarm
was given.
Between this fort and the town stands
the old tree, which was a vigorous young
oak at the time the story begins.
For a long while the settlers had been
at peace, and began to think that the
Indians would never come again, for their
last repulse had been a most disastrous
one.
liut one autumn day, when the men
were busy harvesting in the fields, a boy
who had been fishing came flying home,
pale and frightened, to report that the In
dians were coming in a whole fleet of
canoes, paddling down the "long river of
pines," as they called the Connecticut.
Then the panic began, and all hurried
to the fort, taking their women an chil
dren, their cattle, and as much of their
precious harvest as they could gather in
that short time.
The inmates of a few solitary houses
on the outskirts of the town were left to
their fate, for there was no time to warn
them except by the bell.
Some of the women fled to the fort, leav
ing the men who were away iu the: fields,
or tn the hi!ls,to defend themselves as they
best knew how.
Some hid in the woods, fearing to try
to reach the fotts, for the canoes were
very near now, and the keen eyed savages j
could see the fugitives. j
In one of these lonely houses lived John j
Kiiburn and his twelve year old daughter j
Matty, who kept house for him like a
noble little woman as she was.
On that sad day John was looking for
his sheep at the foot cf Fall Mountain,
ami Matty was alone at home. lie did
not hear the bell, but he saw the Indians ;
he thought of his dear little girl all alone
in the solitary house, and leaving his
sheep to their fate, he ran home through
by-ways, hoping to reach the settlement
before she fiht began. He knew it would !
be a bloody one. for the revengeful Indians
had not forgotten their last defeat, and
had turned out in lull force to destroy
their conquerors.
They were already on shore when John
Kiiburn, breathless and exhausted, reach
ed his home to find brave Ii : lie Mary pie
paring to defend herself with his gun in
her hand, and the dogs at her side.
"Why don't you run to the fort,
child ?" he panted, as she let him in.
'I waited for you ; I knew you'd
come, and now we will go together," she
said, showing him her pockets full of the
few precious things they owned ; ajittle
money, her mother's gold beads, the sil
ver spoons, and the queer, big watch,
which her fathor only wore on Sundaj.
Away the', ran, leaving the dogs behind,
lest they should betray them.
It was not far, but when they reached
the hill that lay between them and the
fort, they saw that it was too late to get
in, for the fight had begun.
Glancing back, they also saw that re
treat was cut off, for some of the Indians
were already skulking about their house.
John Kiiburn was a brave man, but
lit trembled as he stood there among the
bushes,- so helpless in the midst of his re
lentless enemies. He trembled, not for
himself, but for the little girl who clung
to him, full of faith that he could save
her frcra every danger.
A shout from the hills made him look
up to see a party of settlers, armed with
sickles, scythes and guus, charging down
upon the Indians, iutent on fightiug their
way into the fort.
If he were alone, John could join them
and do good service with his gun ; but
Malty could do nothing and would only
impede his steps and endanger herself.
He thought a minute, and then swung
himself into the oak under which they
had paused. Leaning dowu he drew the
child after him, and without a word let
her carefully down into a deep holiow,
made by the hreaking of a great limb
struck by lightning some years before.
The tree had decayed inwardly, whilo
outwardly it looked hale and strong, for
young shoots had sprung up around the
broken place, and bid the hole with thick
branches."
"Aren't' you coming, too, father?"
asked Matty, looking up from her dark
hiding place. . ' ,
. "No,, dear, I am going to fight ; you
are safe here ; no one knows of the hole
but me. Slay quiet till I come for you.
Keep a good heart, my lass, and trust to
father," answered John, leaning down to
kiss the brave little face that' looked at
him from the green gloom.
'.J, Matty . let biro ro without, a word ;
for those perilous times taught stern les
hons even to the children. Khe sat quite
still, said her prayers with all her hoart,
and waited patiently for her father.'
All that afternoon and night shots rang
from fort and forest, flames from the lone
ly farm-houses, and blood flowed.' Dy
the dawn the fight was over, and the In
dians plunk away, defeated.
, John Kiiburn was mortally woundeJ,
and only reached the fort to die, trying to
tell something which kept him from de
parting in peace. No-one understood h is
broken words, his imploring looks and
his feeble gestures toward the hill. They
thought he tried to tell them that Malty
was carried of by the Indians ; and he
died with his secret fear darkening his
last hour.
For many days no one ventured to
leave the fort, fearing to be surprised by
the Indians, so poor Matty's cries were
unheard ; and when at la6t ihe men ven
tured to return to their work, all was
still under the oak, and the rustling leaves
could nut tell them of the pale little face
lying dead in the green gloom. A long
time after that last fight, a boy, hunting
for a lost arrow, climbed the tree, discov
ered the hole, and saw something shiuins
far down in the dark. He could not
reach it, but told his father that he had
found buried money.
The man went, and discovered not only
gold and silver, but little bones, which
none could doubt had been Matty Kil
burn's, for the treasures that could not
save her life proved who she was, and
contradicted the belief that she had been
carried s.way.
Many tears were shed over the remains
of the once pretty, well-beloved child, and
they were buried beside John Kiiburn,
whose dying trouble wns now explained
The old tree stands, broken, bare im
solitary, but no one cuts it down, and
children, as they pass if, look up with
sad eyes. fa)ing pitifully "I'oor little
Mattv Kiiburn !"
A COJIJIOX GRIEVAACT.
A GROSS INJUSTICE INVOLVED IN BEING BORN.
Among all the grievances that are be
ing attacked on every side, with mote or
less success, I do not remember to have
seen any place given to one which, for its
importance and universal pressure, most
certainly deserves attention. I mean the
grievances involved in the conditions
under which we were born.
Just consider the case. Yoi are never
consulted about the matter, or never in
formed of it at all, but it is arranged
behind your back, aud one fine morning
j'oti suddenly find yourself pitchforked
into the world, whether you wiil go or
no, while, by a refinement of irony, the
event is as often as not made a subject
of rejoicing. Can anything be more un
fair ? It would be all very well if the
world was a decent place to live in, but
we know, from the universal testimony of
moralists and philosophers, let alone our
own experience, that it is nothing of the
kind ; and it is certain that anybody with
an average amount of common sense,
would at least think twice before being
willingly brought into it, while it is more
than probable that many would, if they
could, unhesitatingly, refuse tube subjected
to such a trial. Suppose that a hundred
years ago the case had been put before
one thus : "There is a place called the
earth, a vale of tears, the only real and
palpable productsof which are wickedness
and disappointment, unrelieved except by
pleasures of the most fleeting and unsat
isfactory character. If you go to this
place 30U will be received, not viih kind
ness, but with coldness at the best, prjb
ably with cruelty, aud your whole exist
ence will be passed in a state of warfare
wilh the rest of the inhabitants. Wiil
you then be born !" Had this question
been put to me, I should most unhesita
tingly have replied in the negative, and
the longer I live the more clearly I see
how unfair it is that. I should not have
had the option given me of doing so.
It maybe said, however, that it is
necessary that the world should be peo
pled. Without at all admitting that to
bo a necessity, 1 must say that even if it
be such, even if it be requisite that we
sould be born somehow and somewhere
in order to make up the opulation, then,
at all events, the least that could have
been done tor us would have been to allow
us a choice of circumstances. For not
only are we born against onr inclination,
but we are not allowed to choose our own
fathers and mothers, nor our age or coun
try. The result is that the great majoriy
of people get born at the wrong time, in
the wrong place and of the wrong parents,
and these original mistakes make success
ful life a simple impossibility. And yet
by another piece of irony we are all of
us expected to celebrate the time, to love
the puce, and to honor and obey the
parents which have thus been imposed
upon us, and to prefer them to all those
others which would have, been to much
more appropriate.
Surely it is no light grievance this,, but
what makes it all heavier is that it is
not in modern times held allowable to
Ehake off conditions which have been thus
compulsorily imposed. ' 'Above all things,'
said Epicletus, "'remember that the door
is open ;' and this, no doubt, so long as
it was admitted, was a good answer to
those who might complain, liut the door
is now declared to be shut, and those who
would pa33 out of it arc confronted, not
only by the reprobation .which the Chris
tian, religion has . attached to such a pas
sage, but by the terrors of actual fine and
imprisonment. Thus, then," we" arc
bounded by an iron circle." "lSrougftf into
our spheres compulsority, and mantauied
therein arbitrarily, there is no esonpe ;
and yet, with alLthis.'we are held to be
liable- to blame if we fail to fill creditably
a situation which we have not chosen,
from which we cannot escape, and which,
in most cases, is ihe case of all others for
which wo are least sailed. Vanity Fair.
hie.dig Tin: ita;L.
A DARING CUMB.
The church of St. I'etertind f?r Paul
is remarkable for its spire, the loftiest "cf
St. Petersburg.
An anecdote connected with this churc!i
aud not known, I believe cut of Russia
is too remarkable to be emitted. TLs
spire which rises
"lofty, and light, and small."
and is probably represented in the engrav
ing as fading away almost Into a point in
the sky, is, in realit, terminated ty n
globe of considerable dimensions, on which
an angel stands, supporting a large cross.
This anjiel, less respected by the weather
than perhaps his holy character dceervce,
fell into disrepair ; and some suspicions
were entertained that he designed revisit
ing, uninvoked, the surface of the earth.
The affair caused some uneasiness, aad
the government at length became greatly
perplexed. To raise a scaflohling to su: i
a height would cost more money than r.li
the angels out of heaven were worth ; and
in meditating fruitlessly on these circum
stances, without being abla to resolve how
to act. a contideiahle time was sulfeii.'.!
to elapse. ' '
Among the crowd of gazers below wl:S
daily turned their eyes and thoughts to
wards the angel, was a rnijik called Tel
ouchkine. This man was a roofer of
houses, (a slater as he would be called in
countries where slates were used.) and-'ii
speculations by degiees assumed a uti:
practical character than the idle wondera
and conjectures of the rest of the crov. J.
The spire was entirely covered wit!; sheets
of gilded copper, and presented to thety.t
a surface as smooth as if it had been t .-a
mass of burnished gold. Hut Ttbuch
kine knew that the sheets of copper wcr.j
not even tinifurmly closed upon each other;
and, above ail, that there were large n ii'.?
used to fasten them, which projected fro:a
the side of the spire.
Having meditated upon these eircora
stances till his mind was made up, thr
rnijik went to the government and offered
to repair the angel, " without 'peatFolnrnj
and without KSritHnce, on condition cf
being reasonably paid for tha time expenn
ded in the labor. The offer was accepted ;
for it wa3 made in Russia, and by a
Russian.
On the day fixed for the adventure, J
louchkine, provided with nothing n; r--
than a coil of ropes, ascended the spire in
the interior, to the Ia?t window. Hero
he looked down at the concourse of pe;.
pie btlow, and up the glittering "n?ed!e,"
as it was called, tapering far r.bove hi?
head, liut his heart did not fail him, sr.-1
stepping bravely out upon the window, ha
set about his task.
He cut a portion of the cord in tho
form of two large siirrnns, with a loop at
each end. The upper loops he fastene d
upon tw o of the projcclins nails above hi.
head and placed his feel iu the others.
Then digging the fingers of one hand ia'o
the interstice of the sheets of copper, ho
raised up one of the stirrups with ti e
other hand so as to calch a nail hieher
up. The Paine operation he performed
on behalf of tLe oilier leg, and so on al
ternately. Ar.d thus he climbed, nail by
nail, step by step, and stirrup by stirrup,
till his starting poin' was undistinguished
from the golden surface, and the spire had
dwindled in his embrace till ha could
clasp it all round.
So far, s welL liut he now reached
the ball a globe of between nine anil t.:i
feet in circumference. The argel, the
object of his visit, was above this ball,
and concealed from his view by ifs smooth,
round, and glittering expanse. Only limey
the wretch at that moment turning up Ma
grave eyes and graver beard, to an obsta
cle that seemed to defy the daring and inn
trepidily of the man !
But Telouchkine was not dismayed.
He was prepared for thedifliculty; and l!.3
means by which he essayed to surmount
it exhibited the same prodigious simplicity
as the rest of the feat.
Suspending himself in his stirrups, bo
girded the needle with a cord, 'the ends
of which he fastened around bis wrist,
and, so supported, be leaned gradually
back, till the soles of his feet were planted
against the spire. . In this position ho
threw, by a slryng etlort, a coil cf corci.
over the ball ; and so coolly and accurate
ly was the aim tken that at the. first trial
it fell in the required direction and
the end hang down on the opposite side
To draw hintself into his original "pC-Vi"
tion, to fasten the cord firmly around im'
globe, and with the assistance of this stux
ilary to climb to the summit, were now
an easy part ol his task; and in a f "v
minutes more he stood beside the ar.v;
and listened to the shout that buret I '
sudden thunder from ihe concourse btk - .
j yet came to his ear only .like a faint
hollow murmur. -
.The cord, which he had an epportur.l
to fasten properly, enabled mm tu JcsvC.
with comparative facility," and the i.V.l.
day he carried up with him a lao' lor -ropes,
by the'lheans of Which he4 fop.A.
easy to effect the hce'nry repairs
Cc mot 3 Tr;tT ti. Tt4' bone s c f
-
are filled with' air. if fC ttrinc"l-
tfghtly around thertflecV of a spari1.,5
that iK ttircrin"eTiter its lni!gsari-3 Tt?
be broken, it will iiTe.'i? Iespiraii.k cvAt''
lake place bv means tf' ihe brok ear
GooD'siik suqw A pretty clA ; '