Stt« &BttM9tfr gtrtemgm*v -(('• »»iir t-u; vfin,ihn>-jtl; *: ‘ U ' PtTBXSSSSS »VKBT WSDBSUUY B*»i j: M tr.-j-jlr:-U ' np.fr :;o v. vH, O. bjiitix *j vo„ ! •l>'i' in ! Hr : cf/"--x^SinmiHctfri -• '■ I'iw.M -,/lj v.. ilr.uf'/i'iTO | **■ ; TbRJ&WrwW paftbii in all case* Ito advanoe. THB XiA,WoABTBB DAILY iKTZLXiiQISVOZSS 1a : published evbiy e ven in at f sper £nnum In advance. , 7 , OFFICEr-flO UTH WBST OOSSnCB OT OKrtSS BdX7ABE. '>i , l v • :• . f ' .gyittilautono. A Fight for life. It was night in the tropics, and the Firefly, a smart clipper-brigantine,rook ed idly to and fro, rising and falling as her bow and stem dipped alternately in the long, easy swell peculiar to the low latitudes we were in. We were bound to Porto Cabeljo, with au assorted cargo, which the Captain was anxious to trade off for the various rich productions of the country. The land was plainly visible, some eight miles distant. With an hour’s fair wind, we could reach port; but there we laid, our sails hanging from the yards, occasionally fetching up with a heavy slap against the long, taper spars. The Captain, on this occasion, had brought his daughter with him —a perfect miracle of loveliness, nineteen years of ago, and Bell Graham by name. The Captain, his daughter, and my self werestauding aft, admiring the rare beauties of the scene spread out before us. The moon was not yet up; but away to the eastward a long streak of green ish light was to be seen, which heralded its approach. Above us, countless thousands of bright, gleaming stars studded the calm blue, azure heavens, and a light, thin, silvery mist rested iightly on the waters, gradually increas ing to a dense black bank, which hung around the distant horizon like a pall. Gradually the round, silvery edge or the moon slid majestically up from its watery bed, disappearing and appearing at intervals, as the dark, heaving mass rose and fell between us and the God dess of Night. Finally it rose above the line of the swell, ami a Hood of gor geous light, daucingandilickering upon the waters, was poured in oue broad volume of glittering silver toward us, bathing the brigantine in a halo of glory, and lighting up the hull, spars, and sails in a liquid radiance. The dark bank of vapor was lit up as thougli composed of one immense mass of pearl, and I could not repress an exclamation of delight which rose to my lips and was echoed by Bell, who was perfectly entranced by the beauties of the scene. “ Well, child, what do you think of a night in the tropics?" And the voico of the old sea-dog grew soft and almost melodious, hh lie guzed with all the love of a doting father upon an only chilli. “It is grand, superb, magniilcent! far surpassing my wildest imagination. How I wish I could always live on the grand old ocean 1" “Tut, tut,, child; say not so! You «eto her now decked out in her llnest rig; she has on her summer smile of deceit! There is another side to this fair picture: Instead of tills culm, blue sky, a wild, threatening one, covered with masses of dark, gloomy clouds, along whose jagged edges the sharp tongueSof forked lightning play, afford ing a baleful light by which the unfor tuhuto sailor 11 mis a watery grave ! The howl of the tempest, the snapping of spars, the roar of breakers, and despair ing cry of the drowning, are scenes to which you are a stranger, and I pray God you ever will bo. Do not, my darling, wish lor a life on the ocean, without considering there are two sides to the question—a bright as well as a dark one." Ami the old man fondly stroked the golden hair of his treasure, as she lay half-encircled in his arms. Au interval of silence followed, which was at last broken by the (Juptuln inquiring of me: “ Whut do you think of the weather, Mr. Walton ? Anypruspeetofa breeze?" “It is barely possible that we may get a slant from out of yon bank. I think it rises somewhat." “ Do you think so? Faith ! L believe you’re right. For rtiy part, i am heartily tired of tills infernal culm. Ithas lasted three long, weary days, now ; ami the Lord only knows how much longer we are to stay here. You young folks don’t mind it so much; between your love making and cooing, the time passes merrily enough ; but I, who am old and more nlatler-of-fact, find that time drugs -somewhat monotonously." I may as well add here that Bell and myself were engaged—l having obtained Captain Graham’s esuseut to the mar riage as soou as we returned to the States. I was theu to assume command of the brigantine, which belonged ex clusively to the old man. My prospects in life were brigtit and merry; tho whole world, in my eyes, bore the tint of the rose, and I dreamed not of the thorn which lurked beneath. Tho haze, which at llrat had been thin and transparent, had now becomesome* what denser, aud was gradually closing in around us. • For an hour or more the captain, with my betrothed, remained on deck con versing aud‘ laughing ; and as tho dew began to full they prepared to descend to the cabin. “ Hark, father! I thought Ilieard the noise of oars." “ Pshaw, Bell; you must have been dreaming ; besides, what would a boat be doing out here, this distance from shore ?" “ There! There it is again, can't you hear it?" Again wo listened, and this time with distinctness I heard the regular clunk of oars. “ You aro right, Dell, it is a boat; bul what their errand can be puzzles me : but come, girl go below ; ’tis damp, auu the night air is cool.” “Euterlng my state room I snatched up my night glass, and levelling it in tho direction from whence the sound came, I at last made out the dim, dark shadow of a boat. ‘ltwas a large, heavy, clumsy looking ail'air filled with men ; and as I watched it approaching, au other of the same build came creeping out of tho fog, both pulling directly toward us. The blood coursed through ray veins as I turned, shutting up the joints of my glass with a crash. “ Can you make out what it is?” in quired the old man, anxiously. “ Yes, fcJir; there are two boats ap proaching, and they are tilled with men.” “Do you think they are—” “ Pirates !” “O, God!” lie groaned, “what wil become of Dell ?” And with ray own breast racked with anguish, I hurriedly gave orders to call all hands. The Firefly could only boast of one old four-pounder, a few lliut-locked mußketa, aud a collection of old-fash ioned pistols, and few rusty boarding pikeß, and cutlasses. Capt. Graham had a navy revolver aud a double-barrel gun, while I was the owner .of a line pea-rille, and a revolver similar to the captain's. AH hands were ebon mustered on deck, and the danger made known to them which menaced us. The four pounder was loaded, and crammed to the muzzle with musket balls. The muskets, pistols, boarding pikes, aud cutlosßes were distributed among the crew, who only mustered ten In all.— Every preparation was made that we could think of, to make a desperate re sistance, and a barricade of spare spars, water casks, etc., was hurriedly made In front of thecabin doors. In the meanwhile the fog had shut down, inclosing us §s though in the gray walls of a dungeon. All hands were strung along the rail, keeping a bright look out for the boats to make theiT ap- Searance, The clank of the oars could e heard more dlatinctlyat every stroke, but it was impossible to discern any thing a hundred yards ofi. I had a faint hope that the pirates might be unable to find us in. the dense fog, but at that instant I felt a faint, almost impercep tible puff on my cheek, and the surface of the sea was rutiled by a slight breeze of wind. The huge bahkof fog undula ted, and finally rolled up, disclosing to us close by, two large boats full of men. With a cheer that echoed far and near through the calm still night air, they dashed toward us. In the Btern sheets-of the loremost boat was a man,, distinguished from the rest by a large red sash, which he wore around his waist. Judglbg from ap pearances he _ WaS their leader, and by . the way he guided the boat, ho took fine care to cover hispersori as well as . he could, by the bodies of his confed ' erates. Graham .was standing by my side with a long double-barreled duck ing-gun, loaded l with buckshot. In a hurried whisper' he told me to aim at the bow oarsman, while he fcookcareof the next. With a sluraltaneoifs'report our gunfl weht off. .followed by ahry and a plunge; again tneold.man gave Them the contents of his; second barrel, a ,hd for a minute aU . our enemies. . We had.rid- onrselYes of three assailants, besides, wounding sev-- erali butthe deep voice of their leader was heard issuing orders; a loud yell, 1 —; -| jynrnjL I_VJ LJ ■. /*U*: Mir; 1.,fj VOLUMES ; mingled with oathe, curses and groan?, followedand in another instant they .were alongside, and tiying to swarm over the rail. The other boat was still some distance off, but making desperate efforts to join their comrades.' The four-pourider could not be used'to ad vantage on the boats, and had ; been placed In the barricade, a coup d’etat. . .• .■ " The next instant wo were batting with the pirates, who, with cutlasses in hand, were endeavoring to gain our decks, cheeredonbytheir leader, a hnge, strapping ruffian, his belt stuck full of pistols, and swinging an immense cut lass over his head. The muffled report of pistols f foUowedbyshrieksandgroans •f agony, rose on every side, and occa sionally a loud splash announced tbit one of their number has passed to hifs long account. Our men stood to their work like bulldogs, and fought with the fury of despair. It needed not the ani mating shout or .cheering word with which the captain aud myself frequent ly encouraged the.rn.en; they knew as well ae ourselves that their lives de pended upon their success or failare. Twice had they attempted to gain our decks, ahd twice had we repelled them. For a third time they came rushing to the attack, and the deep base voice of their leader could be heard high above the din shouting: “At them again, my lads! Hero comes the other boat; try them once more, aud the prize is our own.” “ Beat them back; no quarter to the pirated; remember we light for our lives!” f ; A sudden jar-was felt, and the second boat glided alongside ; at the same time our sails filled, aud the water began to bubble round the cutwater. “Hurrah, bullies! here ' comes a breeze; we will soon be rid of these rascals,” and the gray hair of our old captain floated around his head in wild disorder, as he sprang,to the rail to re pel our fresh assailants. , They outnumbered us five to one, ami with an irresistible' fury they came pouring in over the low rail and bows, overcoming and carrying everything before them.. Leveling my revolver, I fired five shots in rapid succeasion ; my aim was unerring, and live of their number fell lifeless to the deck. With my remain imr shot T watched for a good opportu nity at their leader, as ho dashed along in advance ; I drew a bead on him, and for the first time my revolver hung lire. in an instant he was upon me, with liis cutiass high above his head, and a pistolin hißothcrhund,whlcli he leveled at my breast. I paniod his blow with my cutlass, hut as ho fired I feltnshnrp twinge in my left arm, and I know i was wounded. Inspired with fresh energy uudathlrstfor revenge,l engaged my antagonist, aiming blow after blow atliira with ull ray strength, all of which ho successfully parried, however. I was counted an accomplished swordsman, but I found that I had met my match. I cut, hashed', hewed, and thrust at my gigantic adversary, but with the excep tion of one or two trilling flesh wounds, I inllieted no damage, and .received none. A fresh onset separated us, and I was borne back amid the retreating and thinned ranks of our crew. Grasp ing my cutlass with a firm grip, i was soon again in advance, and fought with all the strength I could muster. I had everything at stake; Bell’s life and honor were the prizes/or which I fought, ami sooner than see her fall into the bauds of the bloodthirsty gang who now polluted our decks I would shoot her with my own bauds. The conflict was desperate and bloody; every Inch of the deck was contested ; hand to hand, and foot to, foot, we fought them, with desperation on one side, and* a florce determination to conquer on tho other. The decks were slippery with blood; the bodies of the pirates as well as those of our own crew lay weltering In their gore beneath our feet, and with a feeling of despair, lat last found our little party forced to seek the shelter of our barricade. It was our last refuge and hope; if they succeeded in driving us from this position, they would force us over the stern. In the meanwhile the brigantine was gilding through the water at the rate of three knots. I was somewhat surprised while engaged with the enemy for ward, to see that the Firefly held steadi ly to the wind, aud every minute brought us nearer and nearer to the laud. But when I gained the shelter of. the barricade, I glanced over my shoul der, and saw that my brave Bell had grasped the wheel, while the man Jw iug relieved could join us in defending the ship, she being well aware that every arm was needed, for the defence of the Firefly. Suddenly the eagle-eye of the pirate leader caught a glimpse of Bali as she stood half revealed in the moonlight. “Another blow, my lads, and strike well home; the brig shall be your own, the girl must be mine.” “Never!” I shouted, and as the vil- lains swarm'ed up in dense ranks to the edge of the barricade, I touched off the four-pounder with a match I had in my pocket. The leaden storm swept through their ranks, marking its way by a wide, open lane, while the dead and mangled bodies of our foes lay piled across each other on either side. Xjoud anti thrilling were the shrieks and groans that attested to the success of the shot. They wavered, hesitated, and fell back. “Now is your time, men, have ai thorn, and victory is ours.” Sallying over the barricade, with ray handful of men, I fell on their demor- alized ranks with the fury of a thun derbolt. It was more than they could staud, and we drove them before us like a Hock of sheep. The advantage that we gained, however, was of short dur ation ; as they clustered round the fore mast and topgallant forecastle, they were rallied by their now infuriated and enraged leader. With furious cries mingled with frightful oaths, they came charging back, and again we were driven aft and forward to seek the shelter of the barri cade. With all possible speed I reloaded my rill©; my’ left arm was now paining me severely, and rapidly growing stiff. I saw that it was an absolute necessity for our ultimate success, that the pirati cal leader must fall. We were assailed ou every side, and they had already gained a footing on our stronghold. Conspicuous by his superior statue, and by the red sash, the chief of the board ing party was an easy mark as he stood with one foot on a water oask, waving on his men. In an Instant I leveled my rifle, glanced along the sights, and fired. Thank Heaven! this time my weapon proved true; and befell heavily to the deck, shot through the heart. The fall of their leader contrary to my expectations, raised them to a still higher pitch of fury, and trembled for the result. I had neither seen or heard anything of Captain Graham for some time, and I feared for the worst. Wfth loud cries of triumph' they suc ceeded in forcing their way over the last barrier. Placing my back against the cabin-doom, I prepared fora last desperate resistance, while three or four of my men ranged themselves by my side, but before another blow could be struck, the loud, Bharp report of a gun was heard, followed by another. • As if by mutual consent, the pirates, as well as ourselves, lowered our weapons and looked around us tosee'from.wnatquar ter the Bound proceeded. A short dis tance to winward, the tall spare of a ship could be seen looming up above the bank, and as the jibboom came pushing through the fog, the hull became visi ble, showing a gleaming row of posts, with the men standing by their guns. It was an American corvette cruising in those waters;, and her attention had probably been attracted by the report and flashes of our firearms. With loud cries and affrighted yells, the pirates gave up the contest, and, leaping over the side, piled pell-mell into their boats, which were towing alongside. My men, os well as myself, were too much exhausted to follow them up, but watched eagerly the man-of war. ; Luffing up into the wind as we gained her lee side, a series of flames hurst forth.froiu the' ports followed by ,the reports of her large and heavy guns; 1 The wholebfo&dslde was fired tion, followed by the quiok, sharp com mand to tack ship. ; As the corvette filled away on th other taokshe fired again, and the boats, now reduced, to a, sinking condition, were soon scattered'ln fragments on the surface of the sea. The scoundrels who 1 sfill survived could be kden struggling wildly forlife, but a few well-directed discharges of grape and" cannister rid the world forever of the desperate gang. and os l watched ; the .death .agones nf the. last despairing wretch, I breathed a. hasty prayer of 'gratitude to Heaven for o'Ur fortunMfe and hairbreadth escape. ’ '. : Soon after we wtere’boardfed fey the boats frdm the man-of-war, and *with thqir aid our decks were soon.,cleared of marke.pf the fray- Captain Graham was discovered lay ing oh {he deck, severely wounded In the side; he was carried carefully to his state room; where I at last bad an op portunity Co congratulate my betrothed on our narraw escape. I related the whole affair to the com mander of the who himself as highly pleased in. arriving, just in the nick of time. . . ' By the assistance ofthe man-of-war’s man, we were enabled to : anchor that night In the harbor of Porte Cabello, and soon after daylight dawned across the waters. My own wound, as well as my future father-in-law’s, was healing rapidly under the skillful care ofthe naval sur geon, and one day, Graham, callingme into his Btateroom, addressed me as follows: “ Well, Walton, I have made uy my mind to retire from the command ofthe Firefly. You have proved yourself a brave man, and fought well in the de fence of my daughter and the brig. Therefore you deserve them both. The surgeon informs me that they have a chaplain on board, and I think the sooner you two are spliced the better; so overhaul your, shore toggery, and I will make all the necessary arrange ments.” , The blushing Bell made no objections tb the proposal, and Soon after I had the great felicity of clasping to my arms the fair bride, who was dearer to me than life itself.— N. Y. Sunday Mercury. Heart and Hand; Or, tho EnffAgcmnt fling. “ I think you will be sorry, Alma.” “Borry,aunt? Sorry for what? Sorry because I have shaken off an engage ment that was becoming a perfect sla very?” “ No, Alma; sorry because you have grieved as noble a heart as ever throb bed ; sorry because you have trifled with sincere, pure love, such as it is given to but few women to win.” “But, Aunt Mary, you don’t know tow exacting and disagreeable Leon lad become.” “How was he disagreeable, Alma?” “ Always scolding me.” “Scolding? For what?” “Well, not exactly scolding, but llud ing fault, in his quiet way. J don’t know but 1 could huve borne it better if lie had flown intoarage, undgiveu mu a real scolding i but when he commences, ‘Alma, dear,’ thou I know there is a catalogue of faults and short-comings os long as my arm to follow. The fact is, Aunt Mary, Leon Harris is too good for me. He ought to And a saint, and I am not ono.” “But, Alma, you have not told me npyy the cause of your last quarrel, your ruptured engagement.” “I hardly know myself.” “Alma! You cannot meau that you have taken such a step without grave cause?” “It was coining home last evening from Mrs. Leon sent me a beautiful bouquet in the morning, and I carried it to tho party. I was dancing with Mr!, Warren, when some chance remark about flowers brought my bouquetinto notice, and Mr. Warren asked for a flower. Of course, there was a lecture waiting for me as we came homo. One word led to another, till finally I told him that I was weary of his continual fault-finding, and he had better look elsewhere for a wife, who would coinbine all the perfections of a saint with the patience of an angel. As for mo, I was aware that I could never aspire to the character.” “ Alma 1 Almal Andyou parted so?” “ Yes. We were just at home, so he bade me farewell on the step, and went away. But he will come back; he al ways does when we quarrel, though I never did go so far as that before.” “ And if he comes ?” “ I shall repeat my decision. I am heartily tired of his fault finding aud dictation. I won’t be bound down so strictly to guard every word and look. I am sure innoceut flirtations now and then are Dot heinous crimes, but I have to be oalled to au account for evefy one. I am quite glad to be free again.” Ancl before the remonstrance she saw In Aunt Mary’s face could be uttered, the wilful little beauty sped away* to her own room. . “Glad? Of course she was glad!” So she said to herself a hundred times that day, wondering a little, however, at a dull, restless pain in her heart that would not be driven back. As the day faded into the early twilight of a Feb ruary evening, she dressed kereelf care fully, saying in whispers to her heart,.. “He will come back; and —and per haps if he is really sorry, we will make up again.” Bo the blue silk dress he admired was put on ; the pretty lace he loved nestled against the white throat; and when all else was donned with an especial, care, Alma bethought her of her Coquet, fihe had thrown it pettishly into a corner in her anger of the preceding evening; but periiap9 there was one llower yet uufaded that she could put in amongst the folds of her hair. Perhaps one of the scarlet geraniums he loved to see against the glossy jetty braids was yet bright enough for ornament. Rather slowly the young girl went to the cor ner where the flowers lay upon the floor, and, lifting them, sat down to search for one fresh one. Not one was there; but as the faded leaves fell from the bare stems, she saw that there was something glittering, tied securely in the heart of the bouquet. Wondering, she untied the jewel and slipped it upon her finger. It was a ring of a quaint device, two hearts of pure gold, joined by a torquoise forget-me-not, in the heart of which nestled a sparkling dia mond. Something as clear and bright as the diamond gleamed for a moment on Alma’s cheek, as she softly pressed her lips upon the jewel. “ Dear Leon, how much he loves me! Oh, if I could be all he wishes, and keep down this hasty temper of mine!” Already the quarrel had become a matter of deep regret, and the warm little heart was ready for reconciliation, when the dinner bell put an end to Alma’s day dreaming. Sho was a spoiled little beauty, this warm hearted, quick tempered, Alma Crofts, motherless from her infancy, the idol of a loving father, with whom no one could be angry spite of her, thous and caprices. Bhe was the centre of at traction in all the gatherings amongst her large circle of friends. She was a perfect brunette in the jetty glossy hair andlgreat black eyes; but her complexion rivalled that of the fairest blonde’s; and her tiny graceful little figure was full of life as that of a fairy. The object of admiration, and the recipient of atten tion from a number of gentlemen,whom she was accustomed to meet in society, Alma most uncotfsciouly grew coquet tish In manners, distributing her smiles and favors freely; and accepting many offerings which one more sensitive about encouraging attention would have de clined.’ That she was vain, giddy, and coquettish all cbuld see, but only a few read the promise of nobler and better impulses under this worldly surface. Leon Harris was one of'the few who could penetrate the crust, and read something of the warm, true heart be neath, that only needed some strong motive to wake it to life. He, with his grave, reserved nature, seemed si .range- * ly unfit to mate with this butterfly; but, with the inconsistency of love, b e gave his whole-heart, dnto her capricious keeping, hoping that answerin g love would rouse the nobler portion of her nature. But he was too eager :for the change'that 1 could only be wrought gradually. 1 Accustomed to so much adulatiomand attention, Alma found it difficult to'give up the unmeaning civ ilities so.long given to her. She loved Leon txply, recognizing all the noble, bighattributes.ofhis nature. But she was worried into pettish resists] ice by his too ofteh attemptsio mould ber into the quiet, reserved woman he wl shed to seeher.-' ' J ' 11 Twd. loving hearts, united fry the attraction .opposites, Leon and Alma needed ■ only; patience to become, > each, •grejifc-/ftppiqper, would have lai d his ,finger, on each heart, tearing- away ' sbmetmhg Of jfche cold reserve'of th e one, and fJ the‘gaywahlty of the other; But they “wete young and impatient 5 and, whlle' the wished to wreno h the other suddenly and forcibly from a ill old; associations and habits, that other hun« .uVL’.J .'I-Jif gered for soma-words of pralso orflafcterv amidst, the .continual: fault-finding. ana 1 blame. Lqon did QOt mean to be on £ind;.buthis very.lovepia^ehim.too. exacting, too impatient fo.eee the loved diife'rorfe'ctl’.v ' ‘.j 41 . ’ ’’* ' : “ Dinner "iline Ai&a,springing to her feet, and i6trting^iie : feded now eraslip- nnheeded from her lap c “■ Leon iwiibsocm be herey.and r when !-thank ihim for ibis beau tifql.jiog,JL will tell jbim that I will try tp that he wishes. Bear fellow,! If lie only knew It—l’love him with toy whole heart.' I' had rather have one smile from him, than fifty honeyed speeches from-an-' other;:but that crooked twist in my heart makes me hide away my love too 1 ■Often,: I will try to be more dignified if he will be good-natured again 1” Flitting quickly down the ‘stairs, as her thoughts took the above form,' the reached the dining'-room' just as her father and Aunt Mary sat down to table. There was a constraint over the whole nrty.-i; Alma was listening tor a well own knock; Aunt, Mary wassadiy wondering if hexgldfly little niece had not thrown away her own best hope'for happiness ; And Mi. Crofts was hhuto ally gTave and abstracted. As he rose, from the table, he said to Alma, “I want you in the library for a few mo ments!” WonderiDg, half frightened,,, the young girl followed him. With, gflptle gravity he motioned her to a seat, and spoke: “Alma, Leon Harris came to my office this afternoon to accept a sit uation which, six months ago, he de clined because he did not then wish to leave home.” “What position?” her lips would whiten and quiver in spite of all her efforts. “ Tho agency for the business 10 Aus tralia. My agent there* wishes to re turn home, and is only waiting for some one to be sent in his place to give up the situation. There are very few who could take that place, but Leon is one of the few.” - He waited for her to speak, but she sat with her face half averted, silent. “ I was pained, Alma," more pained than I can express, when he told me that this late acceptance of my offer was caused by the rupture of your en gagement. I respect Leon, and had hoped to call him my son, and when l heard that you had been mistaken in your feeling for him, I sorrowed for my own disappointment as well as bis. Bo not think, my child, that I wish to force your affection ; you are the best judge of what will make you happy; but I am sorry you were so hasty, for 1 fear you have given a deep, lasting wound to a true, noble heart.” Pride and love! How tho two were battling in Alma’s heart; but pride was still uppermost. “ And he i's going to Australia?” She said it in steady, even tones, too calm to be entirely natural. More friendly interest would have given more animation to the measured words. “ He has gone!” “ Gone ?” There was pain then In the sudden cry. “ Yes, he left this afternoon, and will take the steamer that sails to-morrow. Alma, Alma, do not tell meyou mistook your own heart when you sent him away?” “ No, no, it is better for him to go.” Pride still uppermost, though she shivered as if with cold, and was white as Parian marble. “Well, my dear, I hope you have judged correctly of your own heart. I am only sorry you were mistaken!” and he kissed her sadly, for he had loved Leon with the affection he would have given to a son of his own, had he eyer been blessed with one. Tho parting had been very hard for these two men, thrust from each others hearts by a woman’s vain caprice; but each, while hiding his own pain, had comforted the other, with the hope that she, at lqast, would be happier withher regained freedom. Released from the library, out of her father’s sight, Aima staggered rather than walked to the staircase, and blind ly grooped her way to her own room. Once within that sanctum, secure from intrusion, pride fell prostrate before the great flood of love sweeping now un checked over the heart. “Leon! Leon! Ob, forgive me, and come back! ” This was the ory of her heart through the long, sleepless watches of that weary night. The morning found her pale and sad, but she said, in her heart, “ He was too good, too noble for me. I will bear my punishment as patiently as I can, praying that he may find another who will have ray love and not my faults.” She thought he had ceased to love her, had found hia error in supposing she would make him a true, loving wife, little guessing the agony he was carry ing with him in his suddenly under taken vbyage. It was only one of the thousand cases of hasty words and bleeding hearts, butit was none the less bitter for that. Once settled in Australia, Leon tried to give his whole attention to the busi ness he had undertaken for Mr. Crofts. Every letter from that merchant con tained words of thanks and praise for the stimulus he was giving to the trade, and Leon was ‘grateful for the frankly expressed appreciation of his services. But while he valued this portion of his employer’s epistle, there was other words he read more eagerly, sought for more earnestly. Mr. Crofts at first avoided all mention of hia (laughter’s name, fearing to touch upon unhealed, tenderwounds; butonce or twice a question in Leon’s letter touching the health of the family, had called forth an answer, till at last he wrote-freely of Alma, half hoping that,, as he worded it in his thoughts, “things might come right yet.” And one of the letters read in this wise: “Alma is well, but you would scarcely believe in the change in her unless you could see it. All through the spring and summer sheseemed drooping and feeble: but since the aatumn she is better and busier than ever before. Not busy in the old way, with trimming evening dresses and arranging; jewelry ana flowers; but she is studying, and—would you think it of oufllttle Alma? visiting ampngts the .poor! 'She' has grown so womanly in the past few months, so gentle and considerate of others, that I can scarcely recognize my little butter fly. I have always thought that if she would use her mind, shfe would prove to have a greater range of intellect than would appear to a casual observer, but even lam surprised at the facility with which she now grasps higher fields of thought than most women venture Upon. My little gay girl is certainly gone, but in her place a noble woman is fast developing.” This was not the only letter in the same strain. Mr. Crofts loved his child with a fond parent’s most Intense af fection, and second to his love for her was his affection for hiß young friend Leon. What wonder, then, if he wrote freely of one to the other—talked, too, of the absent one to the one near him ? Perhaps the faint hope still lived in his heart that these two loved ones might renew their broken engagement; but if so, Alma gave it no word or look to feed upon. The winter months came, and sped along till February came, and thb year ' of separation was almost completed. Leon was sitting alone -in his office on the afternoon of Bt. Valentine’s Day, thinking sadly of the last anniversary of that day. He recaUed his, visit to the greenhouse to select the floWera for his : gift to Alma, and the care wfth whioh , he had hidden the engagement ring in its centre. He wondered whit had be* come of his offering. Was it still in th?, heart of the withered bouquet, lying upon some dUBt-heap, tossed there tar an angry or contemptuous little,hand, or had she fouqd thb offering, and kept it to return at some future time with scornful vfards of rejection? He had drawn the device himself, dhd hoped to see itdecorating her little hand, remembered nowthejeweler'soomment upon its small circumference, and his inquiry if it was .for a child’s fin&et. Then his thoughts flew away to thelast letter from Mr. Crofts, aud the change In Alina, and he' said, sadly, to his hCjirt, ,r ltoo am changed. - I see now ffiy brror in trying to force 1 what/ could, only be mihe- by gentle coaxing; Ah,; toyflarllng, lLyou could again give rd‘e ; your love, drive it off with 1 , fault-finding and.blame,.Who can turn' the hhmming-bbrd by force into ‘ the My hummihg*bira .had. ’flitted from 5 flower td flower too long/to, be caged suddenly;-! should havewpoea, her geirtly and lovingly; till, of her own free;. jriJVshe..nestled down into.'fnV 1 homel w°uld haye made for her, 1 Con tent to forego gayer scenes, In the hap- .no io -jeau/iai! . . .v , , -in. fall of trae^bto^pTbasurfei: Tirbhe » iitUe month, 'Imusfcgo baok,fora,time,, .to give an:acwunt.ci*my;agen<y* . .wuLahejmeef me-r . Will she aeemo.at* J " - v'■ T ! 2 At that moment, his 'tiiuMbgfc ‘‘tfeire-j • interrupted by the entrance*)* a setboct With the afterhooiPa fmaUP Tetter,: BQBt-HMpke<t•.3E|th ; . the. hproe stamp, and directed to A delicate hand writing only'toofamlllar tohttii, ii: H&tore it openhEStily'* J Insidedhere; Waea.photograph card,', wrapped in. a. ' mleceofwhitapaper, and upop the paper' was written** 1 St./Valentlhe.” what wda the photograph ?’ 4 WaAMfchlAdar- 1 ' J Ting’S ftfc? wobiirg him hoifae^again!. • His strong righthand . trembleds*B.he unfolded the paper..... And .this js^as-hi o Valentine. . Upon a cushion of black velvet rested a small white baud. There was nothing" elsb, save that exquisite ; hand filling the-space upon The card. . hut upon one finger of the little hand rested the ring, whose device wa? {wo hearts joined Dy a ' Love wad quick to guess the riddle. Ldve was strong to* : grant' the mute .pleading for reconciliation. ; ;i ■. ~ The next homeward-bound steamer carried Leon Harris out on the, bound ing ocean, over the shining wateto to his homb. It was a quiet meeting, hearts too full for noisy greetings; but when a few weeks. later Leon Harris slipped a wedding ring upon Alina’s little hand, he knew that fully and entirely he pos sessed ber heart. —Southern Home Jour nal. i. >■; ... Marriage of Jeffersoij Bails. It may not be generally known that Jefferson Bavis, of Mississippi, late: President of the Confederate States of America, was flfst married to & daugh ter of the lamented Zachary Taylor, .who was elected President of United State? in 1547. Much less are the pecu liar incidents and romantic circum stances attending Mr. Bavis’s marriage to Miss Sarah Knox Taylor known to the world. I propose to make up this chapter ; of history, During the “Black Hawk War,” more than a third of a century ago, Col. Taylor Commanded Fort Crawford; at Prairie Bu Chien, Wis., (then Michi gan), and his family were with him. Jefferson Bavis, then a young graduato of West Point, bearing a lieutenant’s commission in the reguldr army, was also under orders at the Bame fort. Handsome, brave, and chivalrous by nature, and possessing all the suavity, ease, and grace , which thorough intel lectual culture and the mbst refined so ciety confers, it was not strange that his heart became the target for Yery many of Cupid’s seldom erring arrows; One of those arrows, being directed by. a glance of Mlbs Knox Taylor's flashing eyes, “hit tho mark,” and it so hap pened that Miss Knox’s heart went with the missile, and, that the two hearts became indissoluby connected; Col. Taylor, looking with disfavor upon the situation, resolved to break the alli- and accordingly directed his ser vant tp say to Knox, as he always ca’lud his uaughter, that he wished to see her In the parlor. She came, and the fol lowing conversation ensued : “ Knox, what can possibly be the ob ject of Lieutenant Bavis in visitiugthis house so frequently ?” , “Icannot imagine, father, unless it is to see and talk with me.” You surely do not encourage his vis its.” . . “Why not? Lieutenant Bavis: is handsome, generous, refined, and cour ageous.“ Young ladles usually feel them selves complimented by the attentions of such gentlemen.” “ This will never do —never do, Knox. I must forbid him the house.” “ Why, Father! what possible objec tion have you to Lieutenant Bavis?” “He is all that you claim for him. my daughter, but he'too headlong And headstrong. Should you become his wife, you will be left a widow after hie first battle. In truth, there 1b no telling to what sad fate that young man’s rash impetuosity will lead him. It will not do—it will never do. 11 Without awaiting an answer or word, Col. Taylor strode.rapidly away in his military boots, with the imperious air of one whose word was law, leaving Miss Knox to her tears, and a woman's resolves. Lieut. Bavis received on intimation sufficiently pointed to epable him to understand that his presence.at Colonel Taylor’s could be dispensed with. Noth ing of unusual interest occurred during the succeeding month, except that the health of the Colonel’B beautiful and ac complished daughter declined rapidly, and it came to be seriously feared that the fell destroyer, consumption, had marked her as another victim, whilst the young lieutenant became so quick tempered and irritable that if any one dared even to regret that. Miss Taylor was not looking so well as psual, coffee and pistols for two were likely to be .called for. A denouement came, how ever, as usual inallstrategic movements either in love or war. One bright morning, ere the early bee had gone forth to gather his sweets from flower and field, Colonel Taylor was ■ aroused from his slumbers. By a strance coincidence he had been dreaming of “ Wild Jell'” upon his noble steed, with Knox so gracefully sitting her blooded pony, running the gaiintlet oi scalping khives, tomahawks, and poisoned ar rows. Being awakened, he demanded to know why he had been disturbed at so unreasonable an hour. “Aye, aye. sir—it’p only Patrick after eotnlbg to till yer honor that Mlbs Knox’s darllnt pony has gone out through thekey(kay)iholeof the stable, bridled and saddled himself, and set out on a race with the wild winds, if ye judge by tho wide apart prints of his hooft that he was afther lavin’ ibehint him,’ sir, and Miss Knox herslff, sir, must have fashtened-hersilf in the bon net-box in her room, for sure Biddy, the. girl, and Bally, thehagur, watched time about, both at once, after seeing her to i retire, and she didn’t get out, and she’s not In there, sir, and—" , “ Silence!” roared the colonel. “ Yls, yip, your sarvent," cried Pat, placing his ear to the key-hole. “ Can you tell me; Patrick," said the colonel, “ whether Lieutenant Davis's horse is in his stall 7" the colonel at the same time stepping to the door. ." He is not, sir, and his servant pro fits It’s a red skin as rode him away. I Bure there’s not|afiether rider this side tho ould dart wbuld get such j umps from a horse: as the lieutenant’s made when he was lavin’, and that ye can know be measuring the Bpace ’twixt his tracks." " Well, well, Patrick, go now,’’ Away went the anxious Hibernian in eager search for further,light touching the mysterious ocourrenceß of the night. The faithful Patrick,'will! with excite ment, and trembling -trtth apprehension regarding the safety Of the ‘.‘darllnt Miss Knox," as well as for the well being of his .favorite lieutenant, passed hurriedly from place to place, and by his highly agitated manner spreading serious alarm, as. a contagion in the tropics; so that when'the‘colonel, a little later, reached his front door, citi zens were approaching .from every di rection, andhls practiced eye discovered that the whole garrison was in commo tion, as if momentarily expecting to be led forth by him to the rescue of his beloved daughter Sid the young lieu tenant, who were supposed to have been captured by-the hated''red-skins. ’’ The. general. excitement was greatly aug mented, half an hour afterwards, by the discovery that Lieut.' George Wilson ’(brother bfHon. Thos. S. Wilson, of Dubuque, Iowa); .and iMiss BtroCt daughter of General Street, were also among. „the ; mlBsiqg. . .The .opinion prevaUs generfufy that the; hour young friends hadpeep captured, and scalped, salt even the courage of those gallant apd chival rous young.otlicers couldpeiufilt them to pass, especially with.ladles, rreyond the plflket llife. Hdnceiqat'anearly hour, came from every tUreCtWii mounted on their fleetest 1 ponies; afta-aShied with, guns, platoQlhdtcher MS? eto.qwhire, the women wej>t inadfpilsfi‘ l over‘the Lois of thell* faVdntes of the fort:' 1 In the i 'midst of, mlthl| confusion, and before Colonel Taylor had qirite decided upon; : the precipe ebihae proper, to be pursued,' an oldploneer,' more.. Calm and self possessed ‘than tjre great Blass’ about Jnjm^^^bgd,j|®fbjfar'ttiepfaWe;^) csSeci to. thuluyons piglit, and.all.dlviningthat they ,wem ‘the; mjaslhg'lleiffchauta - and ladlM,w>ho J by‘BM<a«;.t iteirosttiom of :Broyidenda,7‘jHn«;"|hft|TO but ware hofly.',ptf&Bed.;by iheir ’merciless captors? the Wmole'tboayof Jinpeniohs and brave hearted Frenchman were ii-itiiiii.rpnvi-* lashsdjWithtJheftdlong Bpeed to.the ;rps cue* sewn face tO;face with the Tate lost ones with whom! they''greeted ‘ttdtnerich shouts of Joy, it was'averred,, a&hadtoever before oomd From the lips and. .hearts on ithab; beautiful' Jffirelfle ofthe Bogs.” • , . t Tosay'tfiat the two lieutenants 1 and; inelr greatly aa : Well asnioat agreeably these uoexpeeted greetings and cardial bon-' grahalations, would be but ;to convey a faimideaof theiraatoniflhpient. Th?y. Indeed, had no cbnceptioxi. of the real caiise'bf all ! this tumultuous rejoicing until thedld pioneer, before mentioned,' in accents of broken, almo?t/?9bhing eloquence, depicted the intense excitement and grief which tbe discovery of thecapture of the lieuten ants ana ladies;hy the ruthless savages, .had occasioned throughout the village. Lieutenant Wlleon essayed anexpiana ion, but {he old man motioning the ieuxenant to be slier' ave his order, •arid away dashed the whole pfcrty toward the village—the “rescuers” fiHed with joy over the fortunate turn of eventsand.happyresults of morn ing, While the side of the * r rescued V were splitting with laughter’ at the tadiCroHS mistake of their friends. t: Arriving at thdWillage,thelieutenantB and ladies, without being permitted a word in explanation, were rapturiously greeted by men, women, and'bhildran' in every manner calculated to-mantfest the,great joy of the population conse quent upon their miraculous escape from! tomahawks and scalping-knives, afi,er passing that'dreadful night in the cus tody of savages. [ ' “ Few men have lived, who, at any period of their ..existence possessed stronger self-will or control over him self than Lieutenant BaVis; yet, In vain did hb. on tbat r occasion exert eveiy faculty and power to repress the rtsibil itiee of his nature in order to render en explanation possible. Much less was it Double for toe ever-iherry' and great-, aearted Lieutenant Wilson to do so. These ludicrous circumstances, with the exhuberence of public rejoicing —all jabbering. awa!y in French and English at the same time —rendered it utterly Impossible for either of the “res cued party ” to get in a edgewise or otherwise, andsothecrowdgradually dispersed. x 4 Colonel Taylor, however, “smelt a mice,” and was botlomr lu ascertaining the true state of affairs, that is, that Jeff' and his daughter Khox had engaged in “a runaway match,” with Lieutepant Wilson and the beautiful Miss Street as groomsman and bridesmaid. Truth would out, and in less than an hour every man, woman, and child in the village knew all about the wedding; aud us they discussed the singular af fairs dud adventures of the morning, the mosfc uprorious shouts of laughter 1 arose from every group and household. There was, however, one face amid that wide spread scene of mirth aud gayety that was livid with rage; two ips tightly compressed, two eyes flash ing with indignation, and one strong hand grasping, now and again, the hilt of an oft-tried sword. The reader may well imagine that I refer to Col. Zach ary Taylor, before whose angry glance brave indeed must have been the heart that did: not become faint. Col. Taylor having declared, with an oath strong as he ever used, that under no circumstances would he ever forgive Davis or become reconciled with his laughter, an alienation thereafter ex ited as wide os the polls of the earth. * * * * *"'* * Sixteen years had passed away on “the wheels of time” when General Zachary Taylor and Colonel Jefferson Bavis met in a foreign country, amid the sickening scenes of blood, carnage, and battle, in defense of their country’s honor, and over botfe of whose com mands defiantly floated “ the star span gled bapner”—a flag which, at that date, January Bth, 1848, was In truth and reality the emblem of Liberty and equality. Wherever on that sanguinary field the fierce contest raged and duty called, there was seen the noble and soldierly form of Col. Jefferson Bavis at the head of the “ First Mississippi Rifleß,” than which no more courage ous, gallant, and glorious regiment ever unsheathed sword for national honok 1 . This was the battle of Buena Vista, in Mexico, where' Col. Davis was severely, and it was atthe tlmesupposed, mortal 'iy wounded by a cannon ball, and by the fall of hi 9 horse—the latter being instantly killed. ***** * It was evening at Baena Vista, the great battle had been fought. American arms and valor had triumphed, the dead were being buried, and the wounded humanely cared for by comrades’ hands, when General Taylor mounted his splendid war-horse, “ Old Whitey,” and hurriedly made his way to the markee of 'Colonel Jeff. Davis. Arriv ing at the wounded colonel’s quarters, the general quickly dismounted, step ped to the colonels cot, grasped him by thp hand, pressed it fervently, and, al most overcome by emotion, said: “Jeff, you haye saved us the day with your glorious ‘ rifles ’ —let me confess that Knox knew your worth and your met tle better than I did.” From that moment, throughout the war, and, indeed, until the death of President Taylor, the warmest friend ship existed between those old compan ions in arms, Even when General Taylor was tho. Whig President of the United States, and Jefferson Davis a Democratic United States Senator from Mississippi, amid all the political strifes of the time, no feelings other than those of the purest, unselfish regard ever ex isted between them. Let us trust, through hopeful augury, if naught else, that another reconcilia tion may occur-*-that the people of our beloved country may become again uni ted under and acknowledge obedience tb the Constitution. Emulating the ex- Ample of the illustrious hero of Buena Vista, let us.truly realize that, while “to err is human,” it hefitsthe brave to .be forgiving and magnanimous.—A’. Y. Democrat. Noted Libel Salts. The Cooper libel Belts, says a Now York.ooirespondent of the Washington Intelligencer, which came off about twenty-five years ago, created a great deal of interest at the time. They were commenced against the Commercial Advertiser, and also against the Tribune, for caustic and damaging reviews of Mr. Cooper's later hovels, and were each at tended by small verdicts. Greely’s Buit in all about $6OO, which-at that time he could ill afford, and we believe that it was his first experience of the hind. A few years before this James Gordon Bennett waif Bued by John Haggerty, under the following circumstances: It was during the panic of 1837, when the Herald was adding to its general news a .daily list of failures. During this fierlod many false reports got into cirou ation, and among these was the failure -of the great auction house referred to. •At the present time this would be con sidered a privileged, statement, bnt Haggerty recovered $250, which at that time was a considerable verdict. Ben nett was in the end the gainer, just as the Sun expects to be, for he made more capital out of Haggerty than could have been bought with an equal sum in any | other manner. This Isthe onlydamage Bennett has overpaid, notwithstanding the fact that he has uttered more libels than any other journalist in existence. His.yietiins have generally preferred to retaliate with the cowhide, which has. nine times been laid on his shoulders. | ! ThS'4W6une subsequently paid f6OO to a sea captain, whose name it errone oasly/annQunced in connection with the slave trade) find 'in this way wasvic-i timized through the courts. Such a. statement wonld be considered a privi leged one coming in with the general intelligence of the day, and if talee to be subsequently corrected. The Sun, which at that time Was lit “the- hands of Moses Y. Beach, laid itsblfopen about 'the same time to a similar suit, but in a .very .peculiar manner* Beach owned the. building, oomerpfT’ulton and Nas sau streets, in whlch his paper was is feued, and let ont a number of offices up 'Stairs. One-of these was tenanted by a lawyer,:iEpictetus 0. Gray by, name, who failedtppay his,rent. Beachad yertised the claim for sale, and Gray not onlySned him for libel) but recov ered $5OO/ This injustice seems hardly Credible, and: yet snoh .was the law of , libel only » few yeajft ua The heavi- 1 cst; damage ever,, found on a libel .suit were those obtained by* Edmund Fry In ‘an actfona&ainst Jas/Gordon Bennett,; but the latter, by legal trickery, avoid- ] edithe'paymenfc j Edmund Fry was a| brother, of William H. Fry, one of the .editors .of the Tribune&t that time,— ‘Both Of these ffied possessed .fine musi cal taste, and the latter had this depart-, .(I qD'iw "fiv'iv j . k o K,fi it., mentrundertoijjritteism.in toe..above-, mentionedJqufflal. Mownd fry open- ; <ed an Italiwi.opera.aod labored ardu ously toiastatoit-' ‘Helricurred toedis 'pTej&arb 6f the £krald for two reasons* On 6 Was. that his brother wai employed on the afcftwne, theotherwasffifl *efosal to pay.hlaokrtnail. The result waAthat Bennett commehced a series oi yeho-" moos'attacks‘upon the tnah, and also* upon’his exhibitions. So determined was this malignity that it reached from the manager to his performers. .Every, one of Mr- Fry’s troupe was assailed to the most abusive manner, and the ttoly way Id which they could Escape was' to abandon, their employer. The result of r thia,:tofiunous .persecution, waste, .utterly paralyze toe manager and 'finally 'to ruin him. These 1 thftogs were clearly proven,.and the result ,was a verdlot of $lO,OOO damages to favor of the plaintiff. Bennett, with his usual .tactics, appealed the' suit, and so pro longed the litigation that It exhausted both the plaintiff’s time and ! money, and stlast in a new trial he failed to make oqt a case. Bennett has also been indicted for libel twice. The first time he narrowly escaped a sentence to Blackwell’s Island; the seoond time the indictment was by, means of peculiar .management quashed, and of course the oulprit escaped. Bennett, qo doubt, Owes this success to his attorney, the astute Benjamin Galbraith, who is one ofthe cunning practitioners in the oity. He has paid Galbraith large sumß, and hks found him a successful champion in the hour of need. The most famous suit on record is that which excited the English courts, pearly seventy years ago. lt .oocured immedi ately after the peace of Amiens, that brief truce which was succeeded by fpurteen years of bloodiest war. Napo lttfn at that time First Consul, was very sehsitive to publio opinion, and being attacked Incessantly hy one of the Lon don jodrnals, he, through his represen* tative, Baron Otto, made earnest com plaint, The chief offender was a French emigrant, named Peltier, who published a sheet' cSled L'Anibigu, wnich waß devoted to assault-* on the First Consul. It was graced with a cut, representing a sphynx. with Napoleon’sfeatures, thuß indicating the mystery, of his policy, as well as his Egyptian campaign. On Otto’s complaint, Peltier was arrested and .tried. He employed Sir James Mackintosh to defendffiim, and the lat ter added to his already brilliant fame by his eloquent arguments in defence of free speech. The defendant, howev er, was convicted, but escaped sentence by the rupture which so quiokly threw the two nations into hostilities. Next to this in national importance was the case of The people vs. Croswell, who was indicted lor libel on President Jef ferßon, aDd tried In 1803. In this case a libel was defined to be “a censorious or ridiculous writing, picture, or sign, made with a mischievous or malioious intent toward government magistrates or individuals/’ By the Roman law, libel was at one time a capital offence, while in the days of Alfred, slander of any kind was punished by the loss of the tongue. In the Croswell case, alluded to above, the question arose whether the truth coula be given in defence, and Alexan der Hamilton argued strongly in the affirmative, and this has now become the general law of the land. Landing a Trout. iFrom Murray's ** AtlLroudaok^.”j We for several minutes to silohce, watching. At last, some fifteen rodß away, a magnificent fish shot up out of the water after abutterfly which chanced to be winging its way across the lake, and missing it only a few inches, fell back with a splash into the very ripple he made in rising. “Now!” shouted John, as he sent the light boat skimming over the water, “give him the feathers, and if betakes, ;sink the hook to the very Bhank into hia jaws.” I pitched the coil into the air, and by the time it had fairly straightened itself out the boat was in reach of the wake; and, obedient to the quick turn of the wrist, the huge fly leaped ahead. It had not reached the surface by a yard, when the water parted and out came the trout, his mouth wide open, quivering from head to tail with the energy ofthe leap; missed, 03 he had before, and fell baok fiat upon his back. “Quick, quick! castaway!” shouted John, as, with a stroke of the paddle, he sent the boat sheering off, to give me room for the cast. Feeling that there was not an instant to lose, by a sudden Jerk I caused the -fly to mount straight up into the air, to the motion of the boat to straighten the slack as it fell. John understood the motion ; the boat flew around as on a pivotfluid glided back ward under the reveled stroke. It was well done, as only John could do it; nor was it a second too soon; for as the tuft of gay plumes alighted amidst the ripples, the huge head of the trout came out of water, his mouth opened, and, as the feathers disappeared between his teeth, I struck with all my might. Not onarod in'twenty woultfhave stood that blow. The fish was too' heavy even to be turned an inch. The line sung, and water flew outof the compressed braids, as though I had sunk the hook in an oaken beam. Reader, did you ever land a trout? I do hot ask If you ever jerked some poor little fellow out of a brook three feet across, with a pole sixinohes around at the butt, an 4 so heavy as to require both hands and feet well braced to hold it out. No, that’s not lahdlng a trout. — But did you ever sit in a boa# with nine ounces of lance-wood for a rod, and two hundred feet of braided silk In your double acting reef, and hook a trout whose strain brought tip and butt to gether asyouchecked him in some wild flight, add tested your quivering line from gut to reel-knot? No one knows what game'.there is in a trout, unless he has fought, it out,’ matching such a rod against a three pound fish, with forty feet of water underneath, and a clear unimpeded sweep around him ! Ah, then ft is that one discovers what will and energy lie within the mottled skin of a trout, and what a miracle of veloc ity he is when aroused. I love the rifle, and I have looked along the sights and held the leaping blood back by an effort of will, steadying myself for the shot when my veins fairly tingled with the exhilarating excitement of the moment; but if one should ask me what is my conception of pure physical happiness, assure him that the highest bodily'bjeautitude I ever expect to reach is, onebine fature day, when the clear sun is occasionally veiled by clouds, to sit in a boat once more upon that little lake, with John at the paddle, and match again a Conroy rod against a tbree'pound trout. That’s what I call happiness. Well, as I said, I struck; and, as we afterwards discovered, the huge salmon hook was burled to the shank and the nerves which lie at the a trout’s tongue. Then came a fight for the mas-1 tery such as never before had I waged. ( with anything that swims. Words Bhould have life in them to depict the scene.' Quick os a flash, before I had fairly recovered my balance, partially lost by the energy with which I struck, the trout started, and before I could get a pressure upon the line, not twenty yards were left on the reel. A quick stroke from John, and the boat shot to ohe side; and bearing stoutly on him, tasking the rod to the last ounce of re sistance, I slowly swayed him about and, recovered a little slack.' After a few Short sweeps he doubled on the line andehotstraightfor the boat as an arrow from a bow. “.Double, apd be hange,d to you!’ r shouted John, as he shied the light shell to one side and Bwung it round so as to keep me facing the fish. “Ityou get under this boat it will be because this paddle breaks.” Failing in his attempt to run under us, he jdove to the bottom. “ Let him rest a moment,” said John ;\“ recover your line : you’ll need it all When he rises. He’B big and ugly, and his next rush will be like lightning.” ' After I had stowed aw ay some forty yards of line upon the reel, winding it .on . hard an<i eyenly, so that it Would .render well, JC began to fee!of the fish. The first pressure elicited only a shake. At the next he described a circle, -still ikeeping to the bottom, then came again [£o.a',Btand still. He acted ugly. I felt ftluat when-the rush came it Would try nervennd tackle alike* Enjoining John fa watch the ; flsh and favorite all he could/ by no,mefhs'to letf him pass ,'under the boat, I gave a quick, sharp jerk.. My arm was still in tli’wair and the rod unstraightehed, when I caught agleam, far down below me/ akd before 1 had time to wink, the hjjl&e fellow i'y.vio'l .-ngi :iTOBER ; 2O ; ': parted tha 'water reach of my arm, and when high dp in H3iu*uir he shook himself,'the Were flung Into my very face.. Perhupe I,■well •Jive loug.enqngh to forget the P’fYi^ 6 ' as that trout for an instant huh? Jq thq, air', his blue back thd ardre staes spot ted with' gold arid agate, hia find edged Wlthenowy'Whitejhta eyes protruding, gills dlsteiided t tholeader hanging from his Jaws, while a shower of pearly drops were shaken frpm his quivering sides. He foil i-rbut while still In air the boat glided backward, ana when he touched the water l wad‘ thirty l feet away and ready for his 1 tush; l lt came. And as passod' ‘Us/ rßotnfi iforty feet .off, he "dove.the water aa a bolt .froia a cfp® 8 * bow.might cleave the air- for five minutes the phrenzy listed. Not a word was attend. -The whiz of the fine through the-water. the whir of the fly tog reel, and an grunffrom John as the, f|sh. doubled on the boat, were the only souhds to be heard. •‘When, snddehly'. to one of his wildest nights, theterrlbiy taxed rod straightened itself ont: with a spring, the pressure ceased, i the line slackened, and the fish‘lay on the bottom.' Wiping the sweat from my brow, I turned to John and said, “What do you think of that ?” “ Mr. Murray,” replied John, laying the paddle down and drawing the sleeve of hfs woolen shirt across his forehead, beaded with perspiration—“ Mr. Mur ray, that fish Is ugiy ; if he Bhould get the line over hi? back* he’d smash the rod like a pipestem !” . ‘‘He won’t get It over his back, ” re plied I. “Ready with yoni*paddle; he’s getting too much breath.” HBuc I say,” said John, looking affec tionately at the rod as he took up the paddle, “If I was to your place, and be did get the line over his shoulder, I would part my tackle before I smashed that rod.” ~ , T “I won’t do either, John;” and as I answered I gave a jerk, and the trout started again. But why repeat? Why tell of flights and rushes which followed* Twice did he break the surface a hundred feet away, flinging himself out like a black bass. Once did he partially get the leader over his back and dashed away like lightning; while John, anxious to save so true a rod from,ruin, shouted to me, “Partthe gut!” But who ever knew a fishermAD, when, hia blood is up, re fuse a risk to Bave the game? I Boream ed to John to shoot the boat to one side; and when the last foot of silk was given I advanced the butt. The heavy usli and pliant rod were pitted one sgalnst the other. Threo dayß later, to another struggle, the old rod parted ; but this time It triumphed. For a moment the quivering tip rattled upon the bars of toe reel. The fish struggled and shook himself, but tho tenacious' fibres would not part. He ceased to battle, oarae panting to the surface, and rolled over upon hia side. The boat shot toward him and, as it glided by John passed the landing-net beneath him, and the brave tighter lay upon the bottom board. His tail, across its base, measured ffye Inches; and his length from tip to tip were seventeen inches and three-quar ters. The Pad!!© Ballway-ltn Origin, ni utory nnd completion. In 1850, Congress authorized tbo con struction of! three roads—a Northern, a Southern* and o Central —and*-thus indica ted our natural and Inevitable trans-conti nental system. They were to receive no money endowment, nut very liberal land grants. But before any actlvo steps could be taken to build them, all such enter prises were -extinguished for the time by our great wcfir. , . What Government had failed to do, how ever. the steady course of immigration was accomplishing. The Mormon hegira from Illinois to Utah, the Mexican war, the Cal ifornia gold discoveries, the Kansas trou bles, and the rush to Pike’s Peak, had all carried settlements westward Irom the Mississippi; and across Missouri and lowa railroads wero following. Simultaneously, too, civilization begnn to push eastward from the Pacific. In the Washoe country, now Nevada, enterprise I ing prospectors found abundant quartz rock, rich and sparkling with silver. A 1 rush to Washoe lollowed, and a great State was founded. The travel and traffic grew so enormous that a turnpike was soon built from Placervllle, California, over the seem ingly, insurmountable Sierras. The freight passing over it' in a single year paid tolls to the amount of $300,000, In gold, and the cost of transporting It from California to Washoe was estimated at $13,000,000 —proba- bly twice its value In San Francisco. The absolute need of some cheaper and easier conveyance revived the idea of a con tinental railway, always popular In Cali fornia. But could the Sierras be crossed by the locomotive? And who would furnish $25,000,000 to build a road over them? Theo dore D. Judah, a sanguine engineer of Sac ramento, insisted that the project was prac ticable, both topographically and pecuniar ily. Neighbors laughed at him, but earn- , eetness is always contagious. Through many along winter evening he talked upon his favorite theme with a groupo who fre quented the hardware store of Huntington & Hopkins, a firm of wealthy but cautious and frugal merchants. One partner, with his family, lived In their store building, separated from their goods by a board par tition made from boxes carried around Cape Horn, all the way from Boston. In a country where everybody speculated they had never invested a dollar in mining, but had adhered specially to tboir legitimate business. Huntington was the first convert. Soon, Hopkins Crocker, a leading lawyer, and two or three of their. neighbors, were also among the prophets. In the Spring of 1830, these gentlemen subscribed $5O apiece to enable Jadab to devote the Summer to a careful mountain survey. Other Californians had advocated a Pacific Railway; legislatures and public meetings had endorsed it; but this was the first money paid—the business germ of the freatest enterprise the world has ever seen. n the Autumn Judah and his corps return ed to Sacramento, ragged, jaded, and hun gry; but with a report so favorable that $1,500 more was promptly raised to support them tbrbugli the next season. A second Summer-was spent in surveying, with equally encouraging results. Then Judah : was dispatched to San Francisco, to secure subscriptions for incorporating the Compa ny; bat, after a month of faithful canvass ing, returned home without having obtain ed a dollar. A poor engineer had started the paper ; two plain hardware merchants had put it in business shape; and now, not rich San Francisco, but unpretending little Sacramento, was to make it a success, Even after the Central Pacific Company was chartered by the California Legislature, only two San Franciscans subscribed for shares, and one of them was a woman. The Company sent J udah to Washington, where he hung up his charts in the Com mittee-Rooms, explained that California was ready to take hold in earnest, and tbongh the civil war was raging, Invoked the aid of the nation, A few railway enthu siasts from New York and Massachusetts wore already pressing the same request. At last the hour was propitious. Neither Congress nor the Eastern public compre hended that onr commerce and travel de manded such a road. Public opinion was not yet ripe for it as a business enterprise. But the conflict for the Union had already accustomed the North to such lavish outlay that the expense seemed less frightful thau of yore. It bad also shown that in case of a foreign war the Isolated Pacific Coast would T>e our weak point, and even now some mutterings were heard about a Pacific Republic. In the language of the hour, a continental railway was a Military Neces sity; and 88 such, in Jnly, 1862, one was chartered from the Missouri to the Pacific, with an endowment of unparalleled rich ness. Thomas C. Durant and a few other live spirits of the Union Pacific (the east end o( the line) were full of faith in the enterprise; but old and “ safe” New York capitalists regarded it as chimerical, and the franchise as practically worthless. The charter could not have been sold in Wall street for $1,000,000. But the Union Pacific, after many straggles, at last made a begin ning and built; In 1865 In 1866 In 1867 In 1868 In 1869 This was marvelously rapid work for a rough country, .much of it destitute of weod, water, and supplies. For 390 miles east of Salt Lake Valley the line averages nearly 7,000 f feet above the sea. At this great elevatifcra snows abound. During the first Winter—lB6B-69 —no trains Went through for two or three weeks, though during the same ; period 20 miles of track were raid at the end pf the line. The Com pany, In its keen race with the Central Pacific—building ‘eastward to meet It— was naturallyiuaifferent to the rage of pas sengers. A little’experience, however, will teach how- to overcome the snows. Omaha and Council Bluffs, Siamese Twins oCtowns at the eastern terminus of the line, grow with .its growth and strengthen with its strength. Omaha has nearly 20,QO() people, mid Council Bluffs 10.- 000, with railways diverging in various di rections. During construction the ter minal station,” moving forward with each advance of the track, was l usually a pfeoe of s,oooor6,oooinhabitants. -Right uppnjhe desert would.spring up a-.erowded city, with enormous warehouses, dally news papers, streets thronged /with hundreds of Sight tehms stoning westward, and churches, banks&ahd gambling-saloons.— In b few weeks im scene wo,ulu shift, and unoi AVfniriiiara. Bun« ADTiitumni, I 19 1 a Pf* y— r for wen ad- lemon;; ; ; '*' \.. v::: >w»it. ApytorianfoV^ ciiili ft lin« 'for the flntTiMid leant* ft* «*oh *afcsequmit Inser tion* .‘.'Ovi i) f. 'JIA 'it'/'; y iT . Lopftl Column anctu nanin inMIIW denthi, 10 oetxU per lino ft* ft**t ’ ' *ul A eent* tor every gubeeqoont Ineertlonil , ' _ m ; »j Bacoontom g»w AHmlnUtretore’ hoUw, -~*gP Assignees' notions,.. *»oo Aniutorß* n0tteee«i..i..~.......»„M»'*.~~* 2»°° :: Other "XOUpesrtHnillpes/or less, . three times, 1«50 r all this Varied life disappear, leaving only a little station, with Its wafer tank andgtwip ' •of forlorn dwelling*. In Wyoming, for 160 -miles the line traverses the dreary Bitter Creek region. Hero the alkali water la not billy unfit to drinks but cannot oven bo used in the engines, aa It doposita a sedl ;inent,ohoklng and clogging up the boilers. l UAtlr some method of • neutralising its noxious qualities ban: be discovered a watery*rajn supplies tanks alopg this en tire distance. "[ " ' Indians hare thrown One or two trains off the track, but in general have kept very deer bribe iototibUva.'' In Kansas, how ever, they haVft many ontrages. Going to California In 1867, via the Kansas Pacific Rpad. find thence by stage, through 'Denver and Salt Lake, was a hazardous un dertaking, ;. NeariFort Wallaoe, one day in June, a ooach which carried five passen gers, one soldier, find a driver', 1 had a run ning fight for flye miles with a hundred mounted Sioux and Cheyennes. The trav elers made the best resistance they could with their rides, and kept the eavages at a liUlO' distance, while too driver put his horses to their utmost speed. Every man oh hoard, except one, was killed or serious ly wounded.' An old frontier Mend of mine, Charles H. Blake, happily escaped with a broken arm ana a wound In the head. At last the vehicle, with its bleeding and dying inmates, reached the shelter of Big Timbers Station, and the eavages sul lenly retired without having taken a single scalp. Tho fight was probably one of the lest* and certainly one of the most remark able- in the history of the plains. Tho Union Paclflo road found for the first GOO miles west ,from Omaha the easiest route ever followed; the Central Pacific, for 130 east from Sacramento, one of the hardest. Beforo receiving any Government bonds the latter company must build and equip forty miles, which would carry the track far up the Sierras, and cost $4,000,000. Money wus worth two per cent, a month in California. The corporators put in tbelr entire fortunes, and obtained help both from San Franolsco and tho State, but .all was only a drop in the bucket. To surmount (he range would cost millions upon mil lions paore, and it seemed Impossible to obtain the money either In tue United Btatea or In Europe, for a line tbtftwus to become one of the world’s main arterlos. — Huntington, the Vico President add' finan cial manager, was In New York, valnlv endeavoring to procure the necessary roll ing stock and material. In casting about for belp, ho encountered Fisk A Hatch, dealers In Government securities, who had done much to sastulu the National orodlt through the darkest days of the war.— “Young men l'or action.” Whilo older capitalists were shaking tholr heads theso young bankers deliberately undertook to "furnish tho Company with whatover money was needed, and as last as It was needed.— The amount proved to bo from {£,000,000 to $20,000,000 per your; but they fulfilled their agreement. They went into tho work in earnest, laboring with heavy capitalists In persou, Investing their own money in tho Compuuv’u bonds, which they put on (ho same basis with those of tho (Jovornment, nnd calling to tholr aid Richard T. Colburn, an able and ex perienced Journalist, who, with groat skill and onergy, sont forth upon tho wings ol tho press lact after fact, showing tho great ness of the work and tho vuluo und safety of the security. At first money came In slowly, but it soon accumulated like a rolling snow ball. Tho bonds were rapidly advauoed In price to koop thorn from Hulling faster than funds wore needed, and finally a party of European capitalists subscribed at one transaction $4,000,000 or $5,000,000 worth on condition that the loan should bo closed ou tho part of the Company. After leaching the summit of the Sierras, tho Company pushed forward with wonderful vigor. There was no connoctlng roadsfroin which to borrow rolling stock; and all tholr iron, locomotives, nnd other material bad to be shipped 10,000 miles around tho Horn ; yot, under theso disadvantages, they built: la 1863 20 miles. In 15G4...‘. 20 miles. In 1805 20 miles. In 1800 30 miles. In 1807 40 miles. In 1868 303 miles. In 1809 190 mlloj. Total 60S miles. Upon the Sierras, whore snow sometimes falls to the deptb;o£3o feet, 22 miles ofsuow sheds protect the track. Ouce or twice por tions have been swept away by avalanches, causing a few hours' detentlou, but in gen eral they answer their purpose so well that 18 miles more are to be added. Ot the 1,600 miles between Omaha and Sacra mento, not one-third Is really mountain ous, but more than two-thirds were so counted, and received the, higher Govern ment endowment —-$32,000, or $48,000 per mile. Mach of the Central Pacific traverses a fiat country, yet notone mile received less than $32,000. The Union Pacific obtained the highest mileage—s4B,ooo—for 150 miles, west of Cheyenne, heavy mountain work, though the rogion is rosily one long, inclined plane—" as fino a country to build a railway through as lioa on the face of the globe.” Building and equipping the entire line probably cost on an average $50,000 per mile. The Govern ment bonds issued average $30,000 permlio, and the companies’ first mortguge bonds $30,000 more, leaving a not cash profit of seventeen millions of dollars upon tho con struction alone, in addition to the owner ship of the road and its magnificent land grant- Carver was right; the builders, “ex clusive of the national advantages,” have indeed reaped emoluments beyond their most sanguine expectations, And they have finished the road a year earlier than its most enthusiastic friends expected. One of Its early results will be to secure ue two ad ditional lines—a Northern und a South ern. We need them to develop vast mining and farming regions now lying idle:-to end, once for all, the Indian troubles, and to enable us to command that vast commerce of the East for which all theoations arestriving. A French company, after working ten years and ex pending a hundred’ millions of dollars, has completed a ship canal across the Isthmus of Suez, shortening by thousands of miles the old sea routes to Asia; the Emperor of Russia is building a railway across Slberiu to the borders of China 4 and English capi talists are beginning one from the Mediter ranean, via the Valley of the Euphrates, tho Persian coast, Upper India, and Southorn China, to the Pacific. Tho foreign com merce of China amounts to $500,000,000 per annum; Hitherto, it has been chiefly in British hands. The resident English mer chants still outnumber the Americans, but the latter are gaining steadily, and are much the more popular with tho natives.— China offers us a limitless field for tho in troduction of railways, steamers, telegraph Mnes, machinery, Yankee notions, and manufactured goods, in addition to tho enormous shipments of wheat we are al ready sending to her. India and Japan, too. invito American enterprise. * • • Tho Atlantic is nearer to the Pacific than New York was to Boston 00 years ago. Going to California by our luxurious eating, sleeping and drawing room cars, Is a won der and a delight as contrasted with the old tediousness of plains and mountain, or ocean and isthmus travel. At noon In New York it is 9 A. M. In San Francisco. Tho line across the continent is so loug llmt trains upon it are run by eight or ten dif ferent times. Ultimately wo shall havo n doable set of hands upon all watches—ono for local time, and ono for u goneral tlmo— uniform all over tho world. A Remarkable Calf. In Norwich, Conn., there is great oxcito ment over a calf Just born tbero. Tho oars are said to be set farther back than calves earn usually are; the cheek bones are liko a man's ; the eyes aro unusually largo; tho forehead is high; the nose, what there Is of it, is flat; and the lower jaw Is like that of a man’s. The profile has much the uppear ance of a human being. It was reported that an examination of the bead showed it to be half negro; that the auimal must havo been half African, and the other half might be set down safely as cow. A dissec tion is to be had to decide tho curious ques tions raised. Many a man goes about with a cal Pa bead on his shoulders, but this is the first instance we have heard of a re versal of the rule, by which a calf is sup plied with the head of a man. Perhaps the calves have joined the Equal Rights Asso ciation. A Sinecure in Ohio. We recommend any one who may have had their hopes of office blasted at Wash ington to apply for the land agency at Cbil llcothe. The Lima Democrat states that the government continues, year after year, to salary two officers at an expense of $1,950 each, and pays their office rent, iCo., to “watoh eight acres of land, in Paulding county, ten feet under water, in the very worst drought the Wbrld ever saw." The yearly cost of watching thlß marsh Is not less than 14,000—0 r, say $2,000 for each of the agent*. Really this Is better than a consulate In some smalt German principal ity or some semi-barbarous city of South America. Two thousand a year and noth ing to do but bathe, boat and fish in a frog pond eight acres In extent, Is suggestive of that supreme happiness which many lazy fellows imagine is to be found in a consul* ship.— Cincinnati Qommercial. 40 miles. 265 miles. 245 miles. 425 miles. 105 miles. .1,080 miles. (i General HeClellan. WABHUtdTOW, May 12. 'Gen. Geo. B. McClellan', accompanied by Gov. T, F.lßandolph. of New Jersey, ar rived here this morning about 11 o'clock. They called on the President and were im mediately admitted to a pleasant Interview which lasted three-quarter* of an hour. They also visited the Navy Department and had an interview with Vice Admiral Por ter,* who is an old Wend of Gen.-McClellan. ItfsaMd the visit of these gentlemen is for the purpose of obtaining the consent of the Government to put the Stevens floating battery, of which Gen. McClellan la the en gineer in charge, in use for the defence of New York harbor,;
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers