I
m.,..Hi ii iiinnriTmiwii miim n n i . M , ,
o
lOT"Tfl
J, H. IARRIMER, Editor.
"EXCEI.SIOR."
VOL Villi. NO 20.
CLKAKFIKL1), 1A. WEDNESDAY, DECERIIJEU 29, 1858.
mm
Terms tf Subwr i-lption.
Ifptiilin ilvncc, or within three inonthB, (1 25
faiJ ,i,n6 ",llin the .T0Hr - - - 1 ill
fwr the expiration of the year, - 2 U0
Terms of Advf rtlslng.
AirertieeinpntK are inserted in the ItcpuliIIcnn
ih followinj; rates :
1 Insertion. 2 lo.
3 d.i.
Diqure,(Hline.) f
t. Kinsren. (2Sltne,) 1
50
no
$ 75 $1 00
1 50 2 00
2 00 2 50
mo's. 1 2 mo
t 00 $7 00
jtret hiustos, (J2 lines,) 1 50
3 months
0,4 Square, : : : $2 50
joqiure, : : : : : 4 00
Inree iiurei, : : : : 5 00
foar KUre, : : : : (1 00
Hilf icolumn,' : : : : 8 00
n. column, : : : : 14 00
8 00
8 00
in no
12 no
20 oo
10 oo
' 12 no
"h no
i s oo
35 00
Orer three week anil le'ftjthnn three month; 25
HiU per square for each insertion.
BajincM notices not exceeding 8 lines are in
Itrted for fl a year.
AJrertisements not marked with'the number of
iuertieix desired, will be continued till forbid
jkjnredaeeording to tni-ae terms.
J. II. LARItlMER.
A. T. SCIIRYVER,
HAS returned the practice of medicine, and
will attend promptly to all calU in bis pro
bation, by day or night. Residence opposite the
HtihodUt church. May 4, 1S5S. 6 uios.
DENTAL CARD.
AM. SMITH offers hie professional eerviev.i
. to the Ladies and Gentlemen of Cleur
iiid and ri.-iuity. All operations performed
uti neatness toil despatch. Heine familiar
r.ta all the late improvmcnts, he is prepared to
ke Artificial lcctll in tlie bvet manner.
OfSce in Shaw's new row.
cVpt 14th, 1858. lyj.
1)11. R. V. WILSON,
HAVING removed his office to the new dwel
ling on Second street, will promptly answer
puti sional calls as heretofore.
t. i.Aitnmr.n. i. tkst
TAKKIMI.lt TRST, Attnrheys at Law
I Clearfield, Pa., will attend promptly to Col-
Undi, Land Agencies, Ac, As., in Clearfield,
Centre and Elk counties. July CO. y
JOHN TROUTMAX
STILL continues ihe business of Chair Making,
and House, Si jn and Ornamental Painting, at
tit (hop formerly eeenpiej by Troutiuan A Kowe,
ittns east end of Market street, a slmrt dit-iuce
tat of Liti't Foundry. June 13. 1S55.
THOMPSON, HAKTSOCK X CO.
Irol Founders, Curwensrille. An extcntire
astortment of Castings made to orders
Dec.2, 1551.
L. JACKSON CHANS ,
ATTnEXEY AT LAW. office adioinins lis
Riidenee on Second Street, Clri.-l i:J, la.
Jane 1. 1S54.
" II. ITIIOMi'SOX,
Physician, may lie found either at his (Bice
at Sccfield's hotel, Curwensville, nht-n r.o
pmfefM.iiaily absent. Ilec. 2'.', 151
FREDERICK ARNOLD,
Merchant anil Produce Dealer, Luthcr
kar; Clear6eld county, Pa.
April 17, 152.
ELLIS IRWIN Ai SONS,
I T the mouth of I.i-k Run, five miles frnm
A Clearfield, MERCHANTS, and extensive
Minnfacturers of Lumber,
July 2.1, 1352.
J. D. THOMPSON,
Blixk-mlth, Wagons. Iluetries, lc, ir., ironed
a short notice, and the wry best style, at his
kMxi4in the borough of Curwensrille.
Dee. J J, ls53.
DR. M. W (M)l. having chanced his loca
tioo from Curwcnsrillo to Clvarfield, res
entfully offers his professional services to the
euiieai of the latter place and vicinity.
Kwdenee on Second street, opposira t. t of
J. Crans, Esq. my. ' i6.
P. W. BNRRETT,
TERCIi AXT, miilUTK ANI LrMRER
M liEALER, AM JVfTICE OF THE
tlMTK, Lnthersl.urg, Clearfield Co., Pa.
j. l. currLE"
I Uurney at Im mil Land Affciit, offic
!. adjoining Lis residence, on Market strce
t'cartield. March3, ItoS.
A. B SHAW,
RETAILER of Foreign and Domestic Morch
andiie, Shawsville, Clearfield county, Pa.
WaajvUle, August 15, 1355.
PLASTI.RINt;, The subscriber, havine
kteated himself in the borough of Clearfield
id infurtn the public that he is prepared to
tk in the alxive line, from plain to ornamen
ts! f any description in a workmanlike manner.
Also whitewashing and repairing done in a neal
Uoiitr and oi reasonable terms.
EIWIX COOPER,
Cesrfell, april 17, liil. Jy.
D. O. CROUCH,
)3TSICIAX Office in Curweosville.
May
YOUR TEETH.
TAKE CA HE OF THEM 1 1
rk" A. M. Ill LI.S desires to announce to
his friends and patrons, that he is now do
!r, ail of his time to operations in Dentistry.
eVsirins; his services will find him at his
j ndjoining his residence at nearly all times,
jf ""ays on Kridaya and fatnrdava. unless
7 contrary be given in Iht town pa
J e we ek previoaa.
All work warranted to ht satisfactory.
Owrfeld, Pa. Fepu 22nd, 1958.
J"SKriI TEI ERS,
Jn!irt p tkt recut, iWwcHtviiU; Vnsvi.
0SE door at ef Montelint A Ten Kyck "i
Store. All basiness entrusted to him wil I
"ft-y at leaded to. and ail instmraents f
nunt4.Be on short notice.
, , lSJI.-y.
BUSKARTICLr? of Acreemenl, lepal form,
fcetWMn Schaol Directors, and Teachers, for
M.. vtaw vi ma -i lcarncu itcituniicaii.
i
CllltlSTMAss IX Till: OI.DKN TIMIi
iiirititumjiin the (11. en Time. At tho ti w i -i i . . .
vory iu.no hat visions called im to the ! ".,nt. T- '" t,rlnk of ,h S
lnimrs eye of pay .arti liritifiini; in tho ' K,vsint! w fellow, ho th inks it up."
Yule-lo,;; of tho rottsinK Wavail-bowl ; oi l The Saxons worn never without han.I
Miimminp nn.l imu-kin; of tho ISonrV in rouml a drinking or i.leduo-etip, or
hea.l decked with holly; and of tho at ri- Wassail-ho.vl, at all their feasts; and in
val ol the Christmas puest at tho old Mn- course of timo this practice hecatno tratiB
nor llouseinanold hishioiied snoiv-storm, I (erred to the ( 'hrwtmas festivities, now on
with servitors ltlitiuK him with torches to I lv reeopni.ed in tho custom of drinking
the door, where the squire, in spiteof the healths or toitsts.
tempest stands ready to receive him. Tho Waits or Christmas Hards, aro a
-Host of t h. se old customs have hecn remar.t of the old minstrels attached to
Ion? disused even in England, while few cjurts utul cities and added (o their nut
ol them ever existed lit all in America. As sical otlices tho more important, though
the pastimes of our ancestors, however, i less pleasant dulv of watching and guard
they have an interest tc us,' which the Ire. ling tho streets. "They perambulate the
quent allusions of the poets have inereas- j principal thoroughfares in small parties,
ed. We will consecrate a pae or two, crying thu hour at each corner, or street,
therefore, to an account of the undent ; or" lane ; and inasmuch as ia these remot.i
games, customs and observances of Christ- (days during tho thirteenth and four-
Cltrititiiuus in tlieOltlen Time.
masi-ume, graphically alluded to m tho .
well known lines of. Scott:
"Tho fire, with well dried logs supplied,
Went roaring up the chimney side;
The hugo hall-table's oaken face,
Scraped till it shone the day of grace,
Iioro then upon its massive loard
No mark to part the squire and lord.
Then was brought on the lusty bawn
By the old blue-coated serving man,
ol,
Ihon the griui boar's head frowned
high,
Pecked out with bays and rosemary.
Well can the green garn'd ranger tell,
How, when, and where tho monster fell ;
What dogs before his death he tore,
And all the baiting of the boar ;
While round the lneiry Wa.-ail-boivl,
Oarni-hed with ribbon, blythe did trowl."
ti ,,,,. r i -i , ,
Ihe custom of adorning houses, church-
-.ii i W i I, i
es, ilc, with branches ot Mistleto llol v.
haps of older date than any other Christ
'. : V. l I
mas oi'- mtnee. It had its origin in Kng
land with the Iruids,who were the priests
of ancient I'.riton long previous to the in
vasion of that country by the llomans un
der Julius Vnr. It was their wont, at a
certain season of the year, to resort to the
forests in which grew the largest 0ak trees,
followed by a great concourse of jwople of
all degrees. There with many ceremonies
they proceeded to cut down a quantity of
the branches of the mistleto growing on
the oaks, which, having dividiil into
small piece , they distributed among-t the
religious students and votari. s who had
accompanied them, ami who, consider- i
ing these blanches "so many emblems of
good fortune, adorned their dwellings
with them. Th-re was a sacredne.-s at- i
tached to the custom which preserved its ,
practice for u lung period, and we iiud it
mcnlioned in many of the old records. A
peculiar sanctity was attached to the Mis-;
tletoe.
"Chistmas, the joyous period of the year!
Now bright with Holly nil tho temples
strew,
With Laurel green and sacred Mistletoe."
The Hruidical custom appears to huvc
survived tho shock attending tho incur
sions of foreign races, and the overthrow
of the old established religion ; and Chris
tianity, lothtow.igc war with every an"
cient usage, consented to retain this one
us the most innocent of them all. Indeed,
green Loughs seemed to have Won almost upon the faithful to hold in "orthodox ab
universally looked upon as emblems of horrence." Tho "promiscuous dancing"
purity. Stowc, the old English Chroni-1 which the reverend gentleman so much
dor, relates that not only tho parish
church, public oflices, end housvs were
adorned with holme, ivy, bays, and other
greens of the season, but that conduits
and standards in the streets were likwise
garnished.
The custom of burning the Yule-Log,
was, it appears of Anglo-Saxon origin.
That race of people were in the habit of
celebrating a fe st nt the Winter solstice,
which they called the Juul, or Yule, nnd
on this occasion thev were wont to burn a
log of wood, as an emblem of returning
light and heat, the sun being then at its
furthest point from them. Erom that
fea-t tho burning of the log became trans
ferred to the eve of Christmas Day ; nnd,
as such, was never omitted till the early
part ot the present century. It is now
rarely to be met with, unu then in very
remote rural districts.
The Yule-Log was the stem of one of
the largest trees that could bo found on the
estate of the proprietor in w hose halls it
was to raise its cheerful flame. It was
hewn down on the Candlemas Day, in tho
month of February of the same year ;
then kindled where it fell, and sull'ercd to
burn until sunset, when the lire was ex
tinguished, nnd tho log laid in a proper
place until it was required at Christmas.
At tho appointor time it was carrion inio
the mansion hall by a number of domes
tics, amidst much rejoicing, nnd kindled
on the heirth with much mirth nnd merry
making. It was generally largo enough
(o last during that night and the whole of
the following day.
Tho Wassail-Bowl, like tho Yule-Log.
had its origin amongst our Saxon forefa
ther. In the old legend of Vortigern and
Kowena, we find tho first mention of the
custom of AYassailing. At a feast given
by llergist, the Saxon chief, to Vortigern,
tho Hrit.sli Kinir, tho royal guest was be
witched with the young and beautiful
daughter of his entertainer. Whilo on
her kneo, tho fair Saxon damsel present
ed the win cup to thcBritishMonarch.ex
claiming "Liovcr Kyning Washael !" or,
as we Fhoul.l express it, "Your health,
lord king!" Vortigern, not understand
ing the custom, had it explained to him
by one of his suit, who tells him according
to tho poetical legend, that it was com
plement paid him tho fuir luuid
"Ilk ninn (lint love whore him think,
Shall sny 'Wifslmil !' niul to him think.
He that drinks thall ny Wahnil:
And t'other xhiill
teenth centuries our cities were not lit
up at night by any thing like lamps, thesii
j Waits carried loaeons, or large lires, sup
ported upon high poles, Their otlioe ap
iears to lmvo fallen into disuse during
I the reign of Henry VIII., and subsetuent
! lv, tho watchmen established on a better
looting, exercised their musical powers
only at Christmas time ; and hence the
bands of nocturnal musicians in England,
btill perambulating tho streets at this sca-
ison, in the "witching hourof night."
Mummers, or masked players seem to
I lmvo then- name lrom the Uanisli Mummc.
er the Dutch Mummc, to mask ; and there
is reason to believe that this custom of
dressing and masking had its origin in the
practice of exchanging clothes between
men and women, at the Suluritalin, a feast
of the Romans. -The Mummers of the
early ng'-s appear to have been of both sex
es ; and being dressed in strange costume
and masked, went about at feast times,
from house to house, reciting verses and
.::..,
singing songs,
w ' t i r
lv exln luted in the Inns nt ( niirt One
'of these entertainments was exhibited in
the inner Tcmble in the fourth year of
the reign of Elizabeth, in which the cele
brated Leicester, then Lord jlHidloy, was
tho principal actor. I'uring the Christ-
i mas of l'iol, wo read that the Twelfth
I Night of Shakesnearo was performed in
j the hall of the Middle Temple, in tho
reign of Elizabeth and James I., these
Mosques were most popular.auu oftentimes
got up at great expense, lhiring the lat
ter reign, Masques were performed at
Whitehall by the principal nobles of the
court.
The Lord of Misrule was nn ofliccr ap
pointed in nil largo establishments, to sti
pe) intend the arrangements for the
Christmas revels In Scotland he was
called the Allol of Unreason : whilst ut the
Universities, wLero festities at Christmas
were always rife, ho took the title of Im
prrahr. The oflico of this dignitary be
gan upon All-Hallows r.ve, and tormina
jted at tho end of the t.vlve days of Christ
mas. Eear-Iiaiting, or worrying of boars by
'dogs, formed another pastime, which, al-
' I miu, t i.wlnl.,.1.1 ii. I... I I ..,.l- nt j-.ll.
: times of tho year, was nevertheless one of
ii.v'iiii iiimiiivii ill i (ill iniirv lib uill
il
' tho I'ortsi wht L constituted tho Christ
! mas festivities of tho times of Elizabeth.
rROJiisctoi-s Dancing. A clergyman of
the old fogy school, says the Ilarrisburg
Te'i'jriiph, has written an article in denu
dation of "promiscuousdancing," nnd culls
, dislikes, is the dancing of men nnd women
togother. That, being pleasant, is naugh
iy ; whereas as tho dancing of men with
men, women with women being a very
poor flavorless thing, is permitted. Now
we agree with our cotemponiry that "pro
miscuous dancing" is, in itself, not only
no sin, but an innocent pleasure and
healthful exercise one of the natural nnd
universal expressions of that delight in be
ing alive, which is (he blessed boon of
youth nnd health. That man must lmvo
an essentially low and vulgar mind who
can look upon agroop of youths nnd mai
dens, moving with light hearts and little
feet through the giddy mazes of a dance,
and stain the fair vision with thoughts of
sense and sin. This removing of the land
marks of morality this branding with
moral reprobation acts which in them
selves aro not morally wrong is never
done without danger to the essential inter
ests of morality itself. The truth is, that
all these attempts, on the part of men
clothed with spiritual power, to suppress
tho innocent pleasures of life, nro subtle
manifestations of selfishness nnd lovo of
power. They nre illustrations of tho old
fablo of the fox that has lost his tail in n
(rap, nnl endeavored to porsunde his
brotlicr foxes to submit to tho same muti
lation. Fublic opinion exacts from cler
gymen, and in many denominations from
laymen who have made public profession
ofrcligion, bit abstinence from certain
forms of amusement ; nnd unless their re
ligion be of the finest temper they will not
hxili with complacency upon others who
nre enjoying 1 ensures from which they
aro themselves debarred.
Dark IF.ri.F.cr!OX. Uncle rill Fidd was
a drover from Vermont. Being exposed
to nil kinds of weather, his complexion
suffered somewhat; but nt tho best was
none of tho whitest. Stopping nt a public
house, a man of notorious bnd character,
thought ns Uncle Bill came in, ho would
make him tho butt of a joko, nnd ns the
black face of tho weather-beaten man np
peared in the door, he exclaimed :
"Mercy on us, how dark it grows !"
Unci Bill, surveying him from head to
foot coolly replied :
"Yc, Bir your character and my com
plexion are enough U darken any room."
, TIIH DK.VI) Al.IVi:4
Froin the DirmiiiKliam, Kuglmid. Ilaily Pout.
'it -i , ,
juo young gin wnoso singular rcstora-
tion to life has been previously recorded
r1.1" ,,.v,nT: "v niir opportunity 01 in.l!01l,.llsiol, r,lf(I,e(.tinf, U.Ostrengtl.ofClM.r.
-lU.nng into to tins very reniarkabfeatlair, ; ,j0urg is:..'0 had not ,imo to oount tll0
wo are cnutded to give tho following par- ; punV) l)or po, ,i!M,H, ,Voiild it have been
,!!, :. . . . . ,. ... , I prudent; but, judging from tho extent
1 he girl, whoso name is Amelia 1 inks, ; of tll0 foHilications," and the ground they
is twelve or thirteen years o ,Vo, and res.-',. OVfl,.(,(li cohM not have been les
del with her parents in lindgo street, and than 2(100 ; ami, from tho loud reports,
dwindling away under some unaccouuta-( (hoy must havo been of very heavy eali
blc tcoun.luint, about three weeks ago, she Su llltuiv pun!li HO lna,ly ,)inV-iont
us her friends imagined, died. 1 he corpse fo.t!(( ut. u corsideriible distance from each
was then removed to another room. 1 he ; olIlcri wnlM rM ukc B j., m.llv to
body was rigid and icy cold. I t was wash- r. ,,,1. and a still larger army and 'fleet to
ed un.l hud out with tho usua deathly ae- . lltta,,k . !inil tho lPl.0)Uhility" is Cherbourg
comjuinimenU, .enny-pieees being ,laee.l ly()ul(1 llot ,,0 Ft.riouslV attacked with n
over the eyes, and the collin was ordered. , i.,,, ';, ,;,,i,( i,
1, , -
corpse lay iKMieath the wn.tbng ;
sheet, when it happened that her grand-;
father, a very aged man came (mm Leu- (
mmglon totheneighborhootl ol Nuneaton. ,
On going with a female relation to seo the ,
initio iiian ioiiv cignt, jioiirs me
corjisc, t ne cn.i man n iiioveil miu ol th.
uuiper coins, and although the eye lv
mained closed, he fancied be saw a move-
ment beneath the lid. The woman with1
him at first ridiculed the idea, but on look
ing more closely, she too observed amove-'
ment. Tho medical attendant was nppri-;
sedoflhc circumstance; nnd. although'
heat lirst treated the matter asa delusion, j
the application of an instrument to tlmi
region of the heart soon convinced him
that there win I i to within the apparent I
corpse. Ihe lio.ly was thon removed to a
warmer room, nnd the existence of lilt:
soon became apparent. !'' degrees ani
mation was restored, aloud sneeze placing I
the lact ot her being a living subject be
yond all doubt. W nen speech was resto
red, the girl described every thing that
had taken place from the time of her sup
posed death. She knew who had closed
her eyes and placed the coppers thereon.
Shoulso heard the order given for her cof
fin, and could describe the various re.
marks made over her as she lay in her
death-clothes.
At lirst, on her restoration, she refused
all siistcnant'o, und on some aliment be
ing forced upon her she became frightful
ly e.M'ite.l, and though in a state of ex
treme Jebilily, it required great force to
hold her. .Since that period her conduct
has been very strange. Mie entertains a
wish to destroy her father and mother. and
on one occasion, w hen they were asleei
in tho room with herself, she rose from
her bed in the dead of the night, went
down stairs for a light, and having (irst
destroyed, by burning, some needlework
who Knew her mother set great store up
on, she net lire to the curtains, and then
retired to her bod.froni which it was tho't
impossible that bho could have moved. In
fact so mysterious was the origin of the
lire that her parcn-s werequite uta loss to
account lor it, until the girl hersell con
fessed having ben (he cause. She now
1 es in such a state that she can neither be
called alivo lior dead, the lorini r state
being only ascertained bv a careful exam
ination of her lmlso. Were it ni that
there is no motive for deception, and the
parents being creditable people, we should
imagine there was some ruse in this very
extraordinary all'air, which is causing con
siderable excitement in Nuneaton and
the neghborhood.
Wonderful Phenomenon-
Wc chronicled on Tuesday tho killing
of an elephant, recently escaped from
menagerie. Wo regret to learn that bo-
Ibio he was killed ho did great damage,
and utterly ruined one planter in Hinds
county, Miss. Fussing shrongh his plan
tntion, the huge beast came across two
stacks of fodder one of the stacks he de
voured instantly, while ho hoisted the olh
cr on his trunk, and bearing it before him
he marched on in solitary grandeur. H(
soon reached a point where the negroes of
the plantation wore t iking their dinner,
when the unusual sight which mot Ihoil
eyes so frightened them that they all turn
ed white! When their fears subsided
finding that they were nil white men and
women, they deliberately walked oil, nnd
left tho owner of the plantation w ithout n
solitary darkey.
This remarkable phenomenon may seem
rather strango to the incredulous, but it
any one doubts the truth of our statement,
a highly respectable gentleman ol this ci
ty is prepared to substantiate it in every
particular. c have olten lieard of per
sons' hair being instantly turned from sud
den and overpowering fear, hut do not re.
member before to have hoard of nn Al'ri-
cau s skin turning white lrom the same
cause. While we sincerely pynipatliiso
with tho owner of the negroes in his se
vere loss, wo carnesly hope (hat this re
markablo case will be thoroughly investi
gated by philosophers, tcksiuri Jruc
iSutiltmi.
Innocent Fi easi res. Tho l!ov. Dr
Bellows, of New York, in an xcellcnt ad-
dross on "Mirth, remarked:
"For my part, I say it is all solemnity,
I have become sincerely suspicious of the
piety of llioso who do not love plcusuro in
any form. I cannot trust tho man who
never laughs ; who is always sedate; who
has no apparent outlets lor natural spring
of sportiveness and gnyety , that aro per
ennial to the human soul. I know that
naturo taks revengo on such violence.
I expect to find secret vices, malignant
fins, or horrid crimes springing up, in this
hot bed of confined air, nnd imprisoned
space; and therefore it gives a niticere
moral gratification, any where and in any
community, to see innocent pleasures and
popular amusements, resisting tho reli
gious bigotry that frowns so unwisely tip
on them. Anything is bettor than that
dark, dead, unhappy social life; n prey to
mnutnnd morbid excitement, which result
from unmitigated puritanisin, whose sec
ond crop U unusually unbridled licence or
u famous tolly."
Sir Charles Napier on Cherbourg.
Sir Charles Nopier has addressed to the
London journals along letter respecting
cherbou'g and what be saw th
Mis
,,,(., , .i,,,. ,. ,.,.f ,,i.i i;..
"l 1 l,,'i' iiv -f u'uni iii.ii iiu nil I
,vilh j,,,,,,,,,;,,. lo u of 10 01,inion
lU.a in tK, , Vt.llt. t-tt ,Vill. , 'i,,.,.!,,,,,1,, ,,,
,0 i.iu.r wtched Com Aldernv, Portland,
an(1 SL n,, tlll11 linvl ,vlUs .hiring the
lllst Wiir-.ith France. What 1 o fears is
"that in times of profound peace, France
having a large army at command, a large
licet, und a large number of so.irvtcii al
ways ready, may .suddenly make an attack
on this country from Brest, Cherbourg,
Boulogne, or any other channel port she
pleases, llemeuibor t his does not now re
quite ships of war (though she is prepar
ing stream transports to carry 15,000 cav
alry ;) she would only have to ei.es(eam-
ers no matter whom they belonged to
collect them at Cherbourg, and this isonly
HO miles from I'orthmd. I do not say
France would do this, but we were told
last summer by the Chancellor of the E.-
chequer that we were within a lew hours
of war. The same thing has haiii cned
once or twice iielore. and may happen a-
ain, and this great and rich country
ought toleao nothing to chance. e
must cither arrange with Fiance to keep
up a moderate navy, or we must keep up
a well manned mid well dicipliuol fleet;
and this may be done at a very moderate
expense." The gallant admiral then rec
ommends that we should maintain a
channel fleet of ten sail of the line, mann
ed entirely by able seaman, with only 100
marines to each ship, so that in case of
need a portion of the crew might be trans
feied to ten sail of the line kept in reserve,
the complements being filled up by lands
men nnd marines. He proposes that ten
sail of the lino should be kept in readiness
to bo manned by the coastguard, lie
likewise recommends the establishment of
the marines should be increased by fi00
men. By these means he thinks that we
should be enabled to send 150 sail of tho
line to sea at any moment, a force sulli
cien. to defy the world. As lor the
French ships which he saw at Cherbourg,
lie considers them lino ships, well manned,
nil -.1 kept in good order. Ejl'mk J'cijur.
Nor to taken in ! An exchange pa
per has ilu following capital story about
one of the best fellows in the world who
has no fellow ; Mr. Fields, the Boston pub
lisher, has a wonderful memory, and his
knowledge.)!' English literature is so avail
able that when a friend w ishes to know
where any particular passage may be found
ho steers at once for the corner and con
sults the man who is very likely to give the
desired information. A pompous would-be-wit,
not long ago, thinking to puzzle
him ami make a sport for a eo-ipany nt
dinner, informed them prior to Mr. Fields'
arrival that ho had himself that morning
written somn poetry, and intended to sub
mit o Mr Fields ns Southey's, nnd inquire
in which of his poems the lines occurred.
At the proper moment, therefore lifter tho
guests were seated, ho began: Friend
Fields, I have been a good deal excercis
ed of lato trying ot find in Southey's po
ems his weli known linos, running thus
can yon tell us about what time ho wrote
them?" "I do not remember to have
met with them before," replied Mr. Fields
"and there were only two periods in South
ey's life when such lines could possibly
have b"en writ (en by him." "When were
those?" gleefully asked the witty ques
tioner. ''Somewhere," said Mr. Fioh'.s, "u
bout that early period of his existence
when ho was having the measles and cut
ting his first teeth ; or near the close ofhis
life, w hen his brain had softened, ami he
had fallen into idiocy. The versilicalion
be'ongs to the measles period, but the ex
pression clearly betrays the idiotic (inc."
Tho funny questioner smiled faintly bnl
the company roared.
Farson Brown low and ii is Ci stomfrs.
The lato Knoxvillo Whig contains a char
acteristic nnd pathetic appeal from its ed
itor to his former customers nt .lonesboro'
where tho Whig was originally published.
Ho oilers to take bills on tho Bank of Eust
Tennessee, which aro worth twenty cents
on the dollar, in full payment, und adds :
"Poisons wishing to square up with us can
now do so. If, however, they wistli to get
olfat a cheaper rate, they can withhold
even theso bill", r.nd wo promiso durin
the coming year to receipt them in full
through the paper, forever, nnd (ilo our
claims ogninstthem in the High Chancery
of Hwivpii, nnd let them settle with their
(!od in the world to conic. And to leave
all without excuse, wo further ngrne to
lako Shanghai chickens, hoop skirts, lioot-
jncks, broom coin, baby jumpers, fishing
tackles, wooden coning, inns, blackening
old boots, patent medicine, sucking pigs,
Irozen catibnge, old clothes, Colt s revol
vers, second-hand tooth brushes, gingor
cakes, pnrchod corn, circus tickets, (ally.
or any other nrticlofoundins. retail store."
BTho best thing in tho world for low-
spirits is to have a clear concienco 'nntl a
warm heart. Never be guilty of anything
that would trouble your mind, keep jour
heart warm with lovo for every ono.'and
you will pass thro' the woildaa i moot lily a
over a c.i of gl.i. i .
REPORT
of tho Postmaster General.
The lact is prominently set forth that
from and alter tho 1st of July next, the
mails to be conveyed between New Or
leans and Washington in three and a lmlf
days. The expenses of the department,
over nnd nbove its resources, have regular
ly increased ever since tho rcilnctioft Of
p'ydiiges. It would, however, lie onor
mcJ '"pposo that this charge upon tho
'l'''jj'C(,f Is to progress in a ratio propor
tion., e to what it has boon for the last few
ycaiv. Our postal system is nowextoiidc.i
over the w hole country, from one oeenit
to tho other, and there ran be but littlo
further expense resulting from nn over
land connexion with California- Except
one other route, no other is now thought
of us likely to become iieccsary.
The Postmaster ieneral proposes, irt
lieu of (rankling privileges now allo'we.l
by law to members of Congress, that the
Secretary of tho Senate, or such other afli
eers as may be designated for tho purpose,
furnish the members with postage stumps
to be used on nil letters, pulilre docu
ments, ,ve., transmitted by them in tho
mails, and keep an account of tho stumps
furnished each member, to be paid for out
of the contingent fund ofthellouso; oil
letters, etc., to members of Coi'grvss to be
prepaid at the mailing ollice.
A uniform rate of postago of five cents
on nil distances is proposed. On tho 'Mlh
of Juno hi:it there wcro in operation
rVJ'.Hi mail routes, the length of which is
estimated lit '2W,tm miles, nnd cost $7,
7'.r,41X being an addition of 1S.002 miles
to length of routes, and f 1,173,372 to the
cost in a y i nr. Tho total estimates for the
euneiit year are slO.illjJ 17, nnd the total
expenditures of the department in fiscat
the year ending Juno ,'iOth, !?12.722,471
The estimate of receipts 'nnd expendi
tures for 1K"S exhibits a deficiency of 5V
tis2,127. The 1'. M. General onys by tho
time tho contract for the California linos,
via I'miania nnd 'I'ehuaiitepee, expire in
Oct, 1st l.svj. it is probable (hat route by
Lake Nicaragua will have been opened
iiinl in successful operation there. This
presents the question whether one two or
three of these routes "shall .thereafter ho
j employed for mail purposes. Tchunh5
' pec route is shortest and nt the samo timo
lis most readily protected. But it will be
! comparatively too new, nnd the timo of
! staging too long. While it is destined, no
doubt, to become n transit of the first im
portance, and will deserve tho highest
patronage and encouragement, still it can
not supercede the necessity of one or mora
routes through Central America.
It is of the highest importance thrtt (he
route by Nicaragua should bo re-opciicilj
und its undisturbed use for the transpor
tation of tho mails, pussengors, troops anil
munitions of war. secured by tho solemn
guarantee of the public troaty. Without
this, in view of tho unstable condition of
the local governments of tho Central
America, tho safety and security of trans
portation can hardly lie relied on. As
calculated to furnish the rcquisito fucilio
ties of communication between Europe
and tho Southern and Southwestern
States, the projecting lines between Nor
folk and England, and between Now Or
leans and Bordeaux, nro nmoiig the least
important to bo established. Tho Fost
master tienerul regards ns highly import
ant (hat the lino to Vera Cruz should bo
continued.
Tho whole number of post offices nn
the odth or Juno hist was 27,'.)77, of which
100 are of tho class denominated Frcsi
dential: wholo number established during
the last fiscal year, 2,121 ; number discon
tinued, 730; increase, 1,3'Jl ; number of
postmasters appointed, 8,281. Of these
l,.V.ij were to till vacancies occasioned by
resignation, 'J'JS by removals, 27M by deaths
by change of names and sites, and 2,
121 on the establishment of new offices.
Whole number of offices, December ,1,
1S5S, 28,57.:. On the 30th of Juno lasl,
there wore in operation 8,290 mail routes,
The number of contractors was 7,044.
The length of thoo mules is estimated nt
2tiO,(i03 miles ; total amount of (riitiRpnt'
( at ion "S.7C."),4'.I miles; cost S7,7'.".41S.
Compared willi the service reported 30th
'if Juno. 1N.V7, (here is nn addition of IX,
N2 miles to Ihe routes, nnd ?I,173,.182 to
the cost. The total estimates for Ihn cur
rent year aro o,'il.),fil7. The total ex
penditures for the fiscal voir ending Juno
;:oi h 18'iS, amounted (o $12,722, 170. The
oditnntost of receipts nnd expenditures in
l.x.ys expenditures 1 l,770,.r20 ; mentis
ll,o'.i,;!i:; deficiency $.1,(182,127.
A VuiiiiMv Dumonh, Mr. fl, t Mat
tiiews, of Viiginia, litis exhibited nt the
Cineinntti Times ollice what ho claims its
a diamond of the first water, and the lar
gest in the world, it has an inch nnd a
half of diameter, nnd nonrly an inch of
thickness. Tho Times says:
It is surpassingly brilliant, particularly
when viewed by "gas-light. Mr. Matthew's
says he has been Dll'eied for It 24,000,-
It was found by tho father of its present
possessor in tho gold mines in Bucking
ham county, Virginia, about seventy years
since. It has remained in tho rough state
ever since, until iv few weeks ngo, when
Mr. M., being satisfied by every test that
it was in reality a diamond, took it to New
York nnd had it dressed. This precious
giim weighs 111 carats. Tho Koh-i-noor (
if wo remember weighs lOil carats. There
have boon several diamonds found in tho
gold regions of Virginia. Last year olio
found in said locality was sold ot Hich
mond for 4jOO.
..During (ho search "instituted" by
the editor ot a Ncwurk paper for female
compositors, it is roiiurted that the follow
ing dialogue took plaeo:
Hrislor "'mod morning Mr, Ilcitpock
Have you rot nny daughters that would
make good type setters."
Jlenpock "No but I vo rot a wila
that Would m.ike ! good '.k-Vll,' "
i