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.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,;