. ’ LIFB4R NEBRASKA. .
Now that Congfess, the politicians and
the people are talking ofNebjaska/it may
be interesting Tor our renders te accompa
ny. us to the territory itself, and see where
and what it is, who inhabit it, or live in
Nobraska.
In visiting this unorganised territory, up
on which there is now so much dispute, wo
must first go by any route we chose to St.
Louis. Hero wo will take a steamboat and
float for hundreds of miles to the mouth of
the Kanzas river. Wo land here, and are
in the region called Nebraska. If we were
pleased to tako another steamboat, we could
go up the Kanzas river, or nearly west to
wards the interior.
But lot us prefer rather to continue our
voyngo up the Missouri, still by steambont,
for some hundreds of miles. Wearonow
at the mouth of the Platte river, or the Ne
braska, which means “ Shallow Bottom.”
It is rightly named, for though it is from
ono to three miles wide, it is generally very
shallow, and steamboats pass up its wa
ters only forty miles. ' fiy this river Col. ]
Fremont passed much of the way, on his
routo to California and Oregon in 1842.
In his journals of expeditions,
there is, probably, more information on
Nebraska than can bo obtained from all
other books.
i
i
We find Nebraska to be a vast region.
By tho lato census it is estimated at 130,.
700 square miles, or a region as large as
New England, Now York, New Jersey,
Deleware and Maryland, and oven largor.
If organized as proposed by the bill of Mr.
Douglas, now pending in Congress, it will J
bo larger still, as it will cmbraco much or|
what has been known as the Indian Terri
tory.
We find tho Northern part of Nebraska
as cold as New England ; tho interior as
the climate of the Middle States, and the!
southern portion with something of the;
mildness of Virginia. There is, however j
this difiorence ; Nebraska is more Asiatic:
in its climate and general feature. There j
aro vast prairies, high tablo lands, thou- j
sands of miles above the level of the sea,
rivers of.almost interminable length. On
the west it is bounded by the Rocky Moun-j
tains, whoso highest peaks are covered i
with perpetual snow. A large portion of'
the great American Desert is in this terri
tory ; hero many pn emigrant, bound for
California, has lain down to die, worn out
with fatigue and hunger. The soil of Ne
braska is mostly fertile, the geological for
mation being that of lime-stone and‘sand
stone, which always indicate a good soil.
It must, in the future, become a fine farm
ing region. Already many young farmers
of our country have their eyes upon it, and
will be bending thither their steps as soon
ns Senator Douglas’s bill,or any other pass
es, organizing the territories.
But who inhabit Nebraska? Indians,
and hnrdly any but Indians. It is their
grandest hunting-ground, and it is suppo
sed that from 75,000 to 80,000, or about
one-sixth part of all tho Indians that yet
remain in tho United States, roam over
its prairies and table lands, pass their ca
noes over its waters pursuo gnme by rivers,
and over mountains, and wage wnr one
upon another. Here are Christian Indians
so called, such as the Delewares, Stock
bridges, etc. ; here are tho wild and war
j like Sioux, and Cheyenne Indians that de
j light in scenes of blood j here roams the
3 Mandans, the Crows and Blackfoots, the
i Assinibones, the Aricarcs, tho Gros Ven
tres, and tho Mandans. Our civilization ,
has driven them beyond the Mississippi,
and soon another wave or civilization will
push them westward, where it is expected |
that they will be fitted to become a part ol
„ the body-politic, and to be duly represen
ted in Congress.
Hunting the Buffalo is the great pursuit
I of tho wild Indians of Nebraska, and their
greatest source of profit. Their skins they
sell to the fur-traders; hut, alas! the buf
faloes arc becoming scarce under the in
fluence of the many rifles that are aimed
at them. What will they do when ‘hoy
are gone; they must become civilized and
till the soil, as the Christian Indians now
do, and with considerable success, as will
be seen from tho following statistics :
These Indians, less than 3000 in num
ber, that live under the Fort Leavenworth
agency, north and south of the Kanzas
river, cultivate more than 4000 acres.
From these apres they raised, in a sing e
! vear, 80 bushels of corn, 2690 of wheat,
I 12,000 of oats, and 200,000 melons of all
kinds They hnvo lnrgo numbers of nor-
Ises and oxen, and live like happy and in
dependent farmers.
Of whites, permanently living in Ne
braska, there aro but few, and these are
either military men stationed at some of
tho forts, or else Indian agents, or else
missionaries sent out by the v “"® us
gious denominations of tho Sta es. It s
true, thore aro nlwoys more or less white
travellers passing'td California, to Oregon,
to Utah, or New Mexico, or returning from
ihence, which gives no inconsiderably va
riety to the lives of those who are confined
there. Indeed, it is now stated that a
newspaper is immediately to bo printed at
old Fort Kearny, and that a post-office is
to be established only forty miles
for the benefit of the emigrants, who may
write homo from that point, that t y
have gone so far, safe and sound, or oth
erwise, and that they hope to realize their
golden dreams soon.” A newspaper and
n post-office —two of the most powerful
I agents of our modem civilization —are now
to put forth theirstrength in what is to be
fhe great heart of America.
Other wild animals, besides buffaloes,
abound in Nebraska. There are the swift
nntelope, elk,, deer j prairie dogs, wild hor
ses, and occasionally a grizzly bear cros
sca the path of the traveller.-Tho prairie
dogis allied to the marmot. They abound
West of the Mississippi; living by the hun
dreil's together,‘•’under' ground.
; ’Col. Fremonf and party; dug for enoin
. 'their journey,.hhf.did npt succeed tofijg
him. -These dogsore “about the size ofa
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A WEEKLY PAPER; DEVOTED TO LITERATURE, AGRICULTURE, MORALITY, AND FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE^
PmUsEueßn©til m <Dll©siirffi©Edlg ©v©ffy W©dlm©B(3lBiy M®mnmg Tby ]D)sumi©ll ¥. M®®ir© OEgurEs Wnls®m o
Volume 3,
rabbit or woodchuck. Thei r bark is sharp
like that of a small dog.
If the emigrant iajiungry, ho mounts his
horse, gives chaso to a herds of buffaloes,
if so be he can shoot one, for the dinner of
him and his. Ho choses to kill a cow,
rather than a bull, if he can, as her meat
is more tendor. If thoro is not enough of
the Kit Carson about him to follow and lay
prostrate a buffalo, ho tries his hand at a
deer, an antelope, or a good Turkey.—
Thoro is no want of wild meat to tho emi
grant, the mere traveller, or the resident,
if ho has the skill to take it.
All accounts agree that tho prairies of
this region are covered with-thojnost beau-
tiful flowers : on n clear day the prospeci
is truly enchanting —paradisaical. Tho
rose is abundant there, as is the sun-flow
er. A botanist accompanied Fremont in
both his expeditions, and in his book are
the scientitic, as well as the popular names
of multitudes of Nebraska*plants.
This region is not heavily timbered ;
still, there is a large variety of trees,among
which are the most that abound vyith
ourselves. The cotton-wood tree is abun
dant upon tho rivers.
The climate is very dry, and yet wo
read of no complaints of'drought. Fre
mont, in giving an account of the weather
has recorded - sixteen clear days in the
summer in succession, which is a record
thut could hardly be made of any New
England weather.
But what is to bo the future of Nebras
ka"? If it teems with life now, it is the life
of wild animals, wild Indians, wild flowers
and wild vegetation of nil kinds. There
are reptiles jn abundance, and musquiloes,
that the traveller has a powerful knowl
edge of. There are now magnificent riv
ers, oceans of unoccupied land, great des
; erts, a whole terrtitory, a wide waste.
| But all this soon is to be changed. —
Steamors are to fly over her waters, and
the cars over her lands. Instead of the
red men, shall bo the while men, instead
of wild, domestic animals. The hum of
the spindle shall be heard upon her water
falls. From spring Ne
braska, and Kanzas, and from these, other
States as good, we trust, as Massachusetts,
ns New York, and Ohio, and, wc hope,as
intelligent and as prosperous.
No wonder that the organizing ond peo
pling of such a vast region makes such
stir,“both in and out of Congress, for tho
future inhabitants of this region may con
trol the destinies of this country at tho la
test time. Tho people, far separated from
both oceans, and having but few rivors
that are at all navigable, will be mainly
devoted to agriculture, and if they start
right, may be as huppy and independent
as the farmers of New England and New
York. —Olive Branch.
Fortunate Men. —Homilies are nu
merous upon the text that every man is
the architect of his own fortune. Yet it
appears to us that a great many more homi
lies will have to bo written to disprove the
existence of what are commonly called
lucky men. Fortune is acknowledged to
bo supreme in war, and, wo opine, that
upon close observation, wo shall find the
fickle goddess nearly as potential in the
ordinary afTairs of life. There ore men
among us whose hands seem to be en
dowed with a magical faoulty of turning
everything they touch into gold. Nothing
stagnates or depreciates while secured as
their property; but a manifold increase
seems to be as natural as the rapid growth
of a plant in a fertile soil. It is impossi
ble to attribute their undeviating success to
skill, foresight, energy and circumspec
tion. They frequently undertake carrying
out plans, which depend upon so many
contingencies as to bo as incalculable ns
the result of tho throw of dice. They
risk fearlessly, having as much confidence
in the smile of fortune, as Ctcsar himself.
The winds and waves are always favor-
them; and where others less goner
ally successful shrink back overwhelmed
with doubts, they advance assured of the
The fortunate men are set in bold con
trast with those who may bo termed tho
architects of ruin. They are so uniform
ly unlucky in everything they undertake
which has the least dependence upon con
tingencies, that they may be said to enter
upon tho oxecution of their schome with
the shadow of a cloud resting upon them.
There is a mortality in their touch which
soon becomes noted, and a_ partnership
with them is generally avoided, lheir
ships seldom return to port m a good con
dition. Their buildings are continually
threatened with fire. Occasionally they
are permitted to rise to a height on which
they fancy themselves secure; but m the
midst of their seeming prosperity, they are
hurled below again to renew the struggle.
But there is nothing in this contrast-ofior
tuno’s favorites and outcasts to discourage
efforts of enterprise, for it j? generally
I true that energy and skill achieve success.
(#-“I really chn’t sing, believe mo,.sir,”
was the reply of a young lady to the re
peated requests o£ an empty
rather inclined to think, madam, j •
ed he with a smirk, “that you are fishing
for complijmenta.” “No, sir, said too lady,
never fish in so shallow a stream-
TUB FIGHTING PREACHER.
WESTERN, ITINERANTS FORTY YEARS AGO,
The Westorn itinerants, (who were the
legis fulminea of the American ministry
of their day,) were usually brawney, ath
letic men, physically, if not mentally,
educated almost to perfection. They had
occasion sometimes to preach to their rude
hearers with the stout fists, as well as their
stentorian lungs. ‘At a camp meeting,’
says Mr. Finley, ‘a row was raised, on
Saturday, by about twenty lewd fellows of'
the baser sort, who came upon the ground |
intoxicated, and had vowed they would |
break up the meeting. One of the preach-,
ers went to the leader for the purpose of
getting him to leave ; but this only enraged EXTREMELY SHARP MEN.
him, and ho struck the preacher a violent Strange to say, there are some men
blow on iho face, and knocked him down, among us who arc too sharp. They get
Hero the conflict began. The members Q n idea into their bends that they aro so
saw that they must eithor defend them- marvellously keen in all matters of busi
seives or allow the ruffians to bent them, ness", that any one who ventures to meddle
and insult their wives and daughters. It with them will nnon find himself in the
did not take them long to decide. Thoy condition of the child who plays with a
very soon placed themselves in an attitude broad-axe. Old Governor Wolcott was ac
of defence. Brother Birkhammer, an ex- customed to remark thnt ns soon as a man
cecdingly stout man, seized their bully gets an idea into his head that he is cun
leader, who had struck the preacher, and| n j n g, it is fatal; and the observation is
with one thrust of his brawney arm crush-|j us t. Scrutinize the career of these sharp
ed him down between two benches. The! men, and we are much mistaken if >ou
aid-de-camp of the bully ran to his relief, j Jo not find them continually cutting their
but ft was to meet tho same fate, for no ! own fingers—their mental part having
sooner did he come in reach of the Molho-! suchan excessive edge. This weare com
dist than with crushing forcte, he felt him- pelled to regard as one of those mysteri
self ground on tho back of his comradejn ous dispensations for which we have to
distress. Here they were held in durance thank a bcnificent providence; inasmuch
vile, till tho sheriff - and his posse came, ns, were it not the case, the chosen vic
and took possession, and binding them with tims of the sharp men might be left to
ten others, they were carried before a jus- make tho most of Longfellow s advice
lice, who fined them heavily for the mis- m -To.ufle.Md«r^w«irin,i”
demeanor. As soon as quiet wns restored, which, however sublime lo the poe s eye,
Bishop Asbury occupied tho pulpit. Affer jwe are certain is not agreeable. Ihe man
singing and prayer, he rose and said he] who is nfflicted with the disease of being
would give the rowdies some ndvice—‘You too-Sharp, may be easily recognised, and
must remember that all our brothers in the soon become known to the community
church are not yet sanctified, and I ndviso He is continually originating schemes, the
fou to let them alone ; for if’you get them profit of which is moretobv.omMe> is mind
angry and the devil should get in them, than the principle. He rules h.s hands
they are tho strongest and hardest men to and knuckles dver the prospect, wi h an
f ght and conquer in the world. 1 advise occasional sneer at the stupid gullibility of
"d’o „o, like ,h= m , .0 go home .ho.o whom h. »,«=., «
3 I „|. n „ i the execution ol his project. Ills conceit
“"in speaking of one of his brother itiner- or his own superior sacucity is perfectly
ants-one towhom it is owing‘that Meth- invincible Suddenly he!“*“ kcn ® °\‘J ’
odism is now the prevailing religion in 11- fact that his scheme has failed , in striving
odtsm is now me pr g b (q uge olherB shQrp | y> he has cut h.s own
At'the camp-meeling held at Alton, in fingers. Still he is not cured. Indeed
the autumn of 1833, the worshippers wero men of his afflicted character are g
annoyed by a set of desperadoes from St. ally incurable One unprincipled project
I ouis under the command of Mike Fink, having failed, lie tries another. V ho so
a notorious bX. ,he triumphant hero of' sharp? Let these characters chuckle eve
countless fights, hi none of which -he had , their edge but beware of being a partner
ever met an equal, or even second. The m their schemes .
coarse drunken ruffians carried it with a Schenck in the Ministhy.—Every
high hand, outraged the men and insulted one w | lo haß heard Robert C. Schenck
the women, so ns to threaten the dissolu- 6 p ea k for the first time in a ense in which
tion of all pious exercises ; and yet such his feelings are deeply interested, know
was the terror the name of the leader, what a vivid impression his withering snr-
Fink inspired, thnt no one individual could j casm nnc | impassioned rnfcnner is calcula
be found brave enough to face his prowes. [ lc d to produce upon one unaccustomed to
At last, one day, when Mr. ascended animated debates.
the pulpit to hold forth, the desperadoes on I An unsophisticated Methodist farmer
the outskirts of the encampment, raised n w |, o ij vc d j n a distant portion of the coun
yell so deafening as to drown utterly every lrv . nnc j whose business seldom calls him
other sound. M ’s dark eyes shot t0 ’oourt, accidentally heard that Schenck
lightning. Ho deposited his Biblo, drew jj was appointed Minister to Brazil, a coun.
off - his coat, and remarked aloud : Itry in South America. The terms jrreach
‘Wait for a fow minutes, my brethren, : anl j minister of the gospel were insepo.
while Igo and make the devil pray.’ j ra bl y associated in the mind, and ho took
He then proceeded, with a smile on his f or granted that Schenck had turned
lip to the focus of the tumult, and address- 1 prcac her, and had been sent on a divine
ed’the chief bully: | mission. With this impression he went
‘Mr. Fink, I have come to make you home.
pra y.’ | “Wife,” said he, “what do you think 1
The desperado rolled back the tangled hoard at Dayton to-day ? That little wick
festoons of his blood-red hair, arched his 1 e( j ) w hite headed lawyer you have heard
huge brows with a comical expression, and ■ mo S p ea k 0 f s 0 often, has been converted
replied— ' j and turned preacher, and has been sent
‘By golly! I’d like to see you do it, old a 8 a missionary to a heathen nation, away
snorter.’ down in South America 1 If the dqvil ever
‘Very well,’ said Mr. ——, ‘will these mot his match, I guess ho is got him now
gentlemen, your courteous friends, agree f or if grace don’t change him too much,
not to show foul play ?’ 1» will give the old reprobate no rest for
‘ln course they will. They’re rale grit, t | lo sole of his Toot until ho leaves tho
and won’t do nothin’ but the clear thing, country.”
so they won’t,’ rejoined Fink, indignantly. I
‘Are you ready? asked Mr. .
‘Ready as a race horse with a light
rider,’ squaring his ponderous person for
tho combat.
But the bully spoke too soon; for scarce
ly had the words left his lips, when Mr.
made a prodigious hound towards his
antagonist, and accompanied it with a
quick, shooting punch of his herculean
fist, which fell crashing the other’s chin,
and hurried him to the earth like lead.
Then even his intoxicated comrades, filled
with involuntary admiration at the feat,
gave a cheer. But Fink was up in a mo
.ment, and rushed upon his enemy, ex
claiming—
‘That vvnsn’l dono fan, so it warn t.
|]a aimed a ferocious stroke, which Mr,
-parried with his left hand, and grasp
ing his throat with tho right, crushed him
down ns if he had been an infant. Fink
struggled; squirmed and writhed in the
dust, but all to no purpose, for tjTe strong
muscular fingers held his windpipo as in
the jaws of an iron vice. When he began
to turn purple in the face, and ceased to
resist, Mr. ■ slacked hia hold, and in
quired —
‘Will vou pray now ?’ ■;
.‘I doesn’t know a word bow,’ gasped
Fink. , , „
* .‘Repeat after me,’commanded Mr. —,
Clearfield, Pa., April 19, 1854.
‘Well, ifl must, I must,’ answered Fink,
‘because you’re the devil himself.’
The preacher then said over the Lord’s
prayer, line by line, and the conquered
bully responded in the same way, when
the victor permitted him to rise. At the
consummation the rowdies roared three
boisterous cheers. Fink shook Mr. s
hand, declaring —
‘By golly, you’re some beans in n bar
fight, I’d rather set-to with an old he bar
in dog days. You can pass this ’ere corwd
of nose smashers, with your piclur.’
Afterwards Fink’fi party behaved with
j the utmost decorum, and Mr. rc
• suined his seat in the pulpit.
What is a For?—The fop is a com
plete specimen of an outside philosopher.
He is one-third collar, one-sixth patent
leather, one-fourth walking stick, and the
rest kid gloves and lmir. As to his remote
ancostry, thero is some doubt, but it is now
pretty well settled that he is the son of a
| tailor’s goose. He becomes ecstatic at the
I smell of new cloth. He is somewhat ner
vous, and to dream of tailors’ bills gives
him the nightmare. By his hair one would
judge he had been dipped like Achilles,
but it is evident that the goddess must have
held him by the head instead of the heels.
Nevertheless, such men are useful. If
there were no tadpoles, thero would be no
frogs. They are not so entirely to blame
for their devotion to externals. Paste dia
monds must have a splendid setting to
make them sell. Only it seems to bo a
waste of material to pul five dollars’ worth
of beaver on five cents’ worth of brains.
G3”Lesing says: “That the most agree
able of all companions is a simple, frank
man, without any high pretensions to an
oppressive greatness —ope who loVes life,
and understands the use of it; obliging
alike at atl hours; above all,, of a golden
temper, and steadfast as an anchor. For
such a one we’d gladly exchange thegreat
est genius, the most brillmnt wit,, the pro
foundesi thinker.”
Number 12.
election returns.
In n county hard by, an election was had
for the office of High Sheriff. Three
popular-candidates were in the field, and
their chances of success were about equal.
Never it is said, did the yeomanry of that
county enter moro hotly into a political
contest than on this occasion. Thousands
upon thousands of dollars, had been staked
on the result; and this circumstance, per-
hnps, lent much to the enthusiasm mani
fested by the people.
On the morning of the election, runners,
provided with fleet horses, were despatch
ed to all the different polls in the county,
who were to bring in the returns to the
Jiotel in which being the
head-quarters oftthe three parties.
We will passby the many exciting and
amusing occurrences of the day, and re
cur to the closing scene of the night.
Tho returns were all in with the excep
tion of one township ; and the contest thus
far, was so close that the disparity between
tho highest nnd lowest candidates was less
than ten votes. Tho fute of the three can
didates hung upon result of that one
poll. Each candidate hud claimed a hand
some majority in tho remaining township ;
but as each had been deceived by the votes
of the balance, the result in this wos a mat
ter of extreme doubt. The three compe-,
titors become exceedingly alarmed. Iho
friends of each were thrown into a state of j
painful anxiety; and the sporting gentle-1
men felt as though they had embarked in j
a hazardous enierprize.
In the stillness of tho night, the clatter
ing of a horse’s feet was faintly heard in
iho distance. The shout of 'he's coming,
gave a general notice of the fact. As the
messenger neared them, his noble animal
flying, as it were, under whip nnd spur,
they fell back on either side, and opened a
passage to receive him. In he dashed, re
gardless of human life, and hauled up sud
denly under the dim light of a lamp, with
watch in hand, he exclaimed.
“Five hundred dollars that belter time
was never made 1 Ten miles in only twen
ty minutes ; and by a three year old Colt,
at that !”
A death like stillness pervaded the crowd
os ihe runner continued to expatiate upon
tho speed and qualities of his colty-a mat
ter in which none but himself seemed to
feel any interest, the returns being tho on
ly thing which could interest the crowd at
this juncture.
“The returns!” interrupted a voice in
the crowd.
“ Thirty-eight of a majority /” answer
ed the runner.
“For who I” demanded the same voice
in the crowd. .
“Gentlemen, all I know about it is that
some fellow go \. thirty-eight of a majority,
but who thed—l it was, I can’t tell, you ;
but one thing I do know, nnd that is, that
you can just bet your life on this hoss. ’
Wc hove since frequently heard of this
man, who is now universally known and
called, in this neighborhood, by the cog
nomen of “the fellow that brought-in the
returns.”— O. Dem.
ANECDOTE OF FINN.
Finn was once a witness for the prose
cution in a case before the Common Pleas
in Boston, and his testimony was so direct
and conclusive that the counsel for the de
fence thought it necessary to discredit him
The following dialogue ensued :
“Mr. Finn, you live in - R 1G jj T q VER
d °y° u n ? i r„ I have a friend, whose ready wit often
“You have lived there a great while 1"
~0 - -
-No °r“vo™t.=rl. e ally ra.co.cl.” “Ttoral .h.ra! you .ra 6.m 6 regie
..T„.c ell do, Sin . lev. no raoro
‘‘But I have something more to answer, reins, drew in his hors^ 3 - “ nd *s£
been pleased to speak with so much levity, dog or pig, might have. V® en jj t seo ; n(T
Tiny mother ; and I have known but one 1 jellcy by their heavy we:gh<.
man base enough to breath or say ought ! nothing, > e lo jj his progress, and
against her. You, Sir, can guess who he,so singularly arrested 1 D
is. True, she is under my protection.— said :
She protected mo through infancy and |Ojo r comma „dmcnt,” wets the
childhood, and it is but a small part of the f; h °, v “Remember the Sabbath day
debt that I owe to her to do as much for quick reply, Uememoer
, • ii .to keep it holy.
her in old ogc. it W nq Kurd starling those wheels again,
The baffled counsellor had no more h(Uj , ing loud M the rest of
sa y- ♦ the day.— ftonvich Examiner.
A stripling some night years of age, was - Tim Ohio
eneatred in tho manufacture of a stool, A Nnw View of Niagara —The Uluo
winch on account of a disparity in the state Journal tells n story of an Irishman
leneth’of the legs, refused to stand up.— 0 f the better class- who thought ho must
After fruitless efforts to make it do so. 1 conform to the fashionable mantt th.pay:
“Mother,” inquired he, "docs the Lord ing a visit to Iho falls of Niagara, 1 addy
see everything ?” 1 arrived at the Falla, and taking a look at
“Yes mv son.” I the surrounding woud e r s oddrc s se d 11 1 rn
“ Well,” replied the young hopeful, se [f to a gentleman: “And is this Ni g ra
iMhen I guess he’ll laugh when he sees this FaHg 7” “Y<’ was the reply. “And
stool” ' what’s t here hereto make such a bother
S-An enthusiastic girl states' aboutl” 1 “Why,” said the gmfieman, «
under oath that the first time s'jo lockeJ you not .e gh
arms with a young man, she felt like Hope abjsS, ine g , wafer, Tdoi§
h.,.„,h0,. Poelic young wo-
THE MOURNING MOTHER.
Your child is gone—is dead. No mbre
shall your ear be charmed by tho music
of that infant voice; Up was your young
est; and before ho had become familiar -
with the dark ways of thd'world in which
all is not as when turned from tho Crea
tor’s hand —whilo yet his voice went forth
in childish glee and love to all—while ev
ery tone was yet sweet to your cop-and
before, by any sinful act, his nfcsonco
brought a pang to your heart—hishcavcn.
ly Futher called him to come up higher.
‘lt is well’ that ydu should wcppupan tho
grave of your youngest, "id remember
that your child is but a few steps before, led
by tho hand of the Most High, to lure you
on to Heaven. •
One Sunday morning we found a hum
ming bird unable to escapo through tho
open window by which it had entered our
room. To aid its flight, we caught it,and
as this was our first opportunity of examin
ing closely one of these tiny creatures, wo
held it a few moments for that purpose.—
I After satisfying our curiosity, and pained
!by its cries of fear, we concluded to let it
I go. It was raised on the hand; but In
stead of securing its liberty tho moment
the fingers were unclasped, it lay as if not
realizing it was indeed free to fly. There
panting from exertion, glittering in all tho
brightness that could fix the gaze, it lay on
tho hand, resting for flight; then ojr wings
of music, up, up, and away it sped to
wards heaven in the glad sunlight ot that
, Sabbath morning.
One minute we stood looking, and list
ening, to the hum of wings gone, and its
gay colors lost in the light of tho sun to
wards which it fled. What wonder wo
felt a momentary sadness as it left us (
yet could we wish it back ?
So it is with your boy. Though clad
in tho robes of light, yet you cannot see
him for tho brightness 0 r that heaven to
which he has (been called. Although his
voice has noiVif music it never had on
earth, it reaches not your car. You weep
because he has gone; yet remembering ho
is another treasure in heaven, can you
| wish him back?
SAM SLICK ON LAWYERS.
Few things resemble each other more,
in naiur’, than an old cunuin’ lawyer and
n spider He weaves his web into acorner,
and with no light behind, to show the thread
or his net; but—in a shade, like—there
he waits in his dark office, to receive Ins
visitor. A buzzin’, burrin’, thoughtless
fly, thinkin’ of nothin’ but his beautiful
wings and well-made legs,and rather near
sighted withal comes stumblin’, head-over
heels, into the net. «. _
“I beg your pahdon,” says the fly, l
really didn’t see this net-work of yours,
the weather is foggy, and the streets so
confoundedly dark, I’m afraid I ve done
mischief.” . ,
“Not at all,” says the spider, bowin , l
guess it’s nil my fault. I reckon I had
ought to have hung a lamp out; but pray,
don’t movo or you may do damage Al
low me to assist you.” And then, he ties
up one leg, and then the other, and furls
up both wings, and has him ns fast as Gib
ralter. . ,
“Now,” says the spider, “my good
friend,” (a phrase a feller uses, when he s
agoin to be tricky,) “I’m afraid you vo
hurt yourself a considerable sum. 1 must
bleed you.” \
“Bleed mo!” says the fly. “Excuse me;
I’m obliged to you—l don’t require it.
“Oh! yes, you do, my dear friend,
and he gets ready for the operation.
“If you dare to do thut,” says the II),
“I’ll knock you down ; and Fm a man that
what I lay down I stnnd on.”
“You had hotter get up first,” says the
spider, a-lnughin’. “You must be bled;
you must pay all damages. And ho
bleeds him,and he bleeds him, till ho gasps
for breath, and feels faintin’ connn on.
“Let me go, my good feller,” says the
poor fly, “and I will pny you liborully.
“Pay!” says the spider. “You miser
able, uncircumcised wretch, you have no
thing left to pay with: Tuke that. au
ho gives him the last dig, and he is a gone
coon —bled to death.