ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOWANDA : Thursday Mcruing, July 24, 1862. Original |)octrjt. (For the Reporter.) FLOATING ALONG. Floating along ' we glide together, liowa 'he silent river of time ; Now we enter the swifte-t current, Bearing us on to another clime! Floating along! Fading away ! the shore of childhood, Tinged with the morning's rosate hue— Scenes where my thoughts still love to linger, Slowly receding from my view. Fading away! Over the stream ! the doleful future, Shadows envelope the oilier shore ; Many a craft in its clouds and darkness, Pass from my vision evermore— Over the stream! Heedlessly on ! the sons of folly Eagerly crowd the swelling sail; Careless alike of storm and breaker, Speeding along before gale— Heedlessly on 1 Launched from the shore! a fairyshollop, Love at the healm and hope at the prow- Eager to join iu life's regatta. Breaks on my wondering vision now— Off from the shore! River of Time ! O, bear her onward, Not where the darkest currents flow ; Engulf her not in the giddy whirlpool, Hide her not in the cave below— River of Time ! NEW YORK. NOV., IStil. M. |R j s 1111 aats it Aii lucideat of the Kevolution. O-e pleasant evening in the moDth of June, in the year IT —, a man was seen entering the borders of a wood, Dear the Hudson river ; his appearance was that of a person above common rank. The inhabitants of a country village would have dignified him with the title of squire, and, froru his manner, have pro nounced liiui proud ; but those more accus tomed to society would inform joti there was something like a military air about him. Hi? borse panted as if it had been hard pushed lor some miles ; yet from the owner's frequent stops to Care-s the patient animal, he could not be charged w'ith want ol humanity ; but seemed to be actuated by some urgent necessity The rider's forsaking a good road tor aby path leading among the woods, indicated a desire to avoid the gaze of other travelers.— He had not left the house where he had in quired the direction of the above mentioned path more thao two hours before the quietude of the place was broken by the noise of dist ant thunder. He was soon after obliged to dismount ; traveling became dangerous, as darkness concealed surrounding o' j-vt-, except when the fi ish afforded him a mo mentary view of his situation. A peal, louder and of longer duration than ot any of tfie pro ceeding, which cow burst over his bead, seem ing as if it would rend the woods as-utider, was quickly followed by n heavy foil of mm, which penetrated the clothing of the Strang* r ere he could obtain the shelter of a large oak which stood at aiittledistai.ee. Almost exhausted with the labors of the day he was about to make -ucii dispositions of the saddle and ins own coat, as would ena ble him to pass the night with wh it comfort circumstances woiid admit, when he e-pied a a iight glimmering through the trees. Anima ted with the hope of bet.er lodgings, he deter mined to proceed. The way, which was some what steep, became attend* d with more obsta cles the further he advanced ; the soil being composed of clay, which the rain had rendered so soft that his feet slipped at every step. By tiie utmost perseverence this difficulty was fin ally overcome without any uccideut, and he had the pleasure of finding himself iu front of a deceni lo rking farm bo'js*. The watch-dog began baikirg, which brought the owner of the mansion to th** door. " Who is there ?" said he. " A frieud who has lost his way, and iu search of a place of shelter," was the reply. " Come iu sir," added the first speaker ; " and whatever my house will afford,you shall have with welcome " " I must provide for the weary compauiou of my journey," replied the oilier. But the former undertook the ta*k, and af ter conducting the new comer into a room where his w;fe was seated, he led the liorse into a well stored barn,and there provided lor him most bountifully. Oa rejoining the trav eler, he observed : " That's a noble animal of yours, sir " " Yes," was the reply, " and I am sorry that I was obliged to misuse him,so as to make it necessary to give you so much trouble with the care ot him. But 1 have yet to thank you for the kindness to both of us." " I did no more than rny duty, sir," said the entertainer, " and therefore am entitled to no thanks. But, Susan," added lie, turning to tbe hostess, with a half reproachful look— " why have you Dot given this gentleman something to eat ?" Fear had prevented the good woman from exercising her well known benevolence ; for a robbery had been committed by a lawless band of depredators, but a short lime before, i thai neigh i orhood, and as report stated that they were all well dressed, her mind sug gested that this might be oue of them. At her husband's remonstrance, she now readily engaged iu repairing her error by pre paring a plentiful repast. Dm ing the meal there was mich interesting conversation be tween the three. As soon as the worthy COUD tryiuan prcceived that his guest had sati>Ged his appetite, he informed him that it was now the hour at which the fa . ily usually perform ed their evening devotions, inviting him at the same time to be present. The invitation was accepted in these words; THE BRADFORD REPORTER. "It would afford me the greatest pleasure to commune with my Heavenly Preserver, after the events of the day ; such exercises prepare us for the repose which we seek in sleep." The host tiow reached the Bible from the shelf, and after reading a chapter and singing, concluded the whole with a fervent prayer ; then lighting a pine knot, conducted the per son he had entertained to his chamber, wished him a good night's rest, and retired to the ad joining apartment. " John," whispered the woman. " that is a good gentleman, and not one of the highway man, as I supposed." " Yes, Susan," said he, " I like him better for thinking of his GOD. than for all his kind inquiries alter our welfare. I wish our Peter had been home from the army, if it was only to hear this good man talk ; I am sure Wash ington himself could not say more for his couu tiy, uor give a better history of the hardships endured by our brave soldiers." " Who knows now," inquired the wife, "but it may be himself, after all, my dear ?" for they do say he travels just so, all alone some times. Hark ! what's that ?" The souud of a voice came from the cham ber of the guest, who was now engaged in private religious worship. After thanking the Creator for his many mercies, and then a>king a blessing on the inhabitants of the house, he continued : " And now Almighty Father, if it is thy holy will that we shall obtain a name am.ir.g the nations of the earth, may we b- en abled to show our gratitude for Thy goodness by endeavoring to fear and obey Thee. Bless us with wi-dutn in our councils, and let all our victories be tempered with humanity. Endow, also, oar enemies with enlightened minds, that they may become sensible to their injustice,and willing to restore our liberty and peace.— Grant the petition of thy servant, for the sake of him lent hast called Thy Beloved Son ; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. Amen." The next morning the traveler, declining the pressing solicitation to .-top to breakfast with his host, declared it was necessary for imu to cross the liver immediately ; at the ?auie time offering a part of iiis pnr s-ntry shot him in cold blood. On the 24th of May the privates were sent to Chattanooga for exchange. On the 30th hey were also ordered to prepare to leave for Macon, Georgia, and left the n xt day on the cars. At seven o'clock they arrived in Co lumbia, and on the first day of June arrived iu Macon, and were sent up to tlie Fair Grounds, a camp of instruction,called Camp Oglethrope which was in charge of Maj. Rylander, of the Tenth Georgia battalion. lie occupied two hours iu speechmaking to them, and stated " that the fortunes of war have placed you iu my power, and if you conduct yourselves like gentlemen you will receive such treatment as a gallant officer vouchsafes to unfortunate prisoners." They found here quite a number of noncommissioned officers who bad been there since May. On the 1 Gth of June Lieut. G. XV. Brown, Lieut. N. J. Camp, of the Twenty third M.s souri Volunteers, and L'cut. H. XV. Mayes, of the Ninth Kentucky Volunteers, agreed to escape that night. The night was dark aid stormy and in every way well calculated to aid them in their perilous undertaking. Atnineo'- c cckin the evening Lie it. Mayes started ahead* Brown next, and Camp last. The last had several narrow escapes. At one time a pris oner appeared at the door of a house, and the rays of light from a candle revealed his posi tion ; but, fortunately, the guard did not dis cover him. Camp met ins comrades iu the edge of the wooded outskirts, aud made the timber, intending to pass around the artillery cainp, and thence to the river bank about three miles below the town. The barking of hounds informed them when they were near the pickets ; but they were not scouted out. Retching the street that passes the Fair Grouuds, they put on a bold face and ran the gauntlet of the guards, singing "Dixie" aud whistling anything but " Yankee Doodle." At tbe gate of the Fair Grounds tbey met Major llylander with a lauteru in his hand, but escaped bis particular notice, nor did they shed a tear at their departure from this blust eriug sciou of Southern chivalry. Great diffi culty was experienced in passing through the swamps, aud it was ten o'clock when they reached the river. Tbey searched for a boat, " REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANT QUARTER." and after some time found one locked to a large tree by a heavy chain and lock. At midnight they had filed the chain, and with a tin pan and a canteen for paddles they start ed on their perlious voyage dowu the Ocmule gee river. On the morning of the 17th they were twenty-live miles from Macon, and stowed away iu a canebrake, eating their allowance of six ounces of bread for the day. They started with only six pounds of bread for the three persons. All day they iay in the willows in sight of a white man and two negroes, who were felling trees. At suudown they started again and rowed about ten miles, when it be came so dark that they tied up till the moon rose. They found a negro cabin, and six slaves and the little son of their master, the sole oc cupants. A supper was prepared for them of bacon, corn breud and molasses. They passed for rebel soldiers, and the slaves were afraid of them and gave them the best they had. At one o'clock A. M., they started, and having constructed some rude paddles, pushed off with increased speed. They had not gone far before they discerned a boat ahead. They tried to avoid the new comers, but finally hail ed them, supposing them to be rebels, and the strangers were of the same opinion. But after much dodging they pioved to be runaways,like themselves. This new party consisted of Lieutenant J. S. Agey, Lieutenant G. H. Logan, Sergeant J. X, Rhodes and Sergeant Milton Rhodes, all of ttie Fourteenth lowa Volunteers. Tiiev all agreed to tie their frail canvass together and share a common fate. The new comers told of the manner of their escape. They pro cured cloth and made sacks resembling bustles, which they tilled witli rice, flour and dried ap ples. These sacks were tied around their bodies. Files aud a small meat saw, with a little salt, were secre'ed in their baats. Thus provided, and dressed in rebel uniform, they left the grounds. On passing the gate of the Fair Grounds they were asked by the guard if they belonged to the battalion. An affir mative answer passed them out. The four went to the river side at a distance of three miles below the town, where they secreted themselves until night; and then by sawing dowu with a meat saw a quite good sized tree, they procured a boat and started in search of freedom Several hundred miles lay befoie them; bat they were as anxious as men couid be, and were, in fact, desperate. The two boats were now lashed together and fitted with rowlocks. The runaways used moss to mufflej them, and the same material for their beds aud covering. At three o'clock L\ M., ou Wednesday, 18th, they landed, built a fire and cooked some riee. At eleven o'clock they were in sight of Hawkinsville.— Here thev saw three steamers apparently de serted. I'ass ing the town, on the opposite shore, they escaped observation, although sev eral men were ou the batik fishing by the light or a large fire. After passing the town they [Milled lor dear life, and on the morning of Thursday, the 19th, were forty miles from Hawkinsville. At eight o'clock they went on shore aud cooked two fish which they had caught. One was struck by an oar and killed and the other jumped into the boat. Taking a shortjuap, they agaiu took their oars, pull ing four all the time. They were frequently bailed from the shore and always gave the late news of a rebel vic tory and cheer for Jiff. Davis. At times they passed for detectives ; but if they had been taken, or rather forced to go on shore, they had the following order prepared for inspec tion : SPECIAL OR HERS—NO. 12. Heipqi'auters. Tenth Georgia Battalion. ) Camp Oglethorpe, Macon, Ga., June 1. lsi>2. j Sergeant H. Havnes. with privates Jackson, Smith, New t in, Loilg, Milton ami Joliuson, ot Capt.,ins Bell's auil farter's enni;.allies, Tenth Georgia battalion, are hereby detailed on detached service (per special order No. 14, Headquarters, Department at Savannah), and ordered to proceed under command of fjegeant Henry Hay tic* to execute the private orders issued on the Idtli iust. All Confederate lorces that may come in contact with are hereby ordered to not moiest them, hut pass thein at pl'easure through tlieir lines, assisting then all iliey can, iu accomplishing a work that will be of vast importance to our holy aud just cause. By order, J. K. RYLANDER, Major Commanding Tenth Georgia battalion. L. H. Cakeis, Adjutant. Ail along the river bank they saw poor old men and women fishing for a scanty livelihood while their friends of the sterner and more hardy sex were in the ranks of the rijml army. V On Sunday, the 22d, at eight o'clock A. M. they suddenly came upon two steamers tied up to the bank. It was too late to retreat, and they pulled boldly by them without seeing a soul on board. They were probably at their breakfast. Three miles below they saw the bridge of the Savannah and Gulf Railroad, and again sought the friendly shelter of the willows on the river bank. Here they suffer ed terribly with the mosquitoes, which nearly devoured tbem. At sundown they heard the drums beat, but were determined, however, as soon as it was dark, to run the gaunlet of the bridge. They had become desperate men, and were d termined to go by it if it should cost them their lives. At dark they dropped care fully down to the bridge. Passing close to it, thev heard men talking, but pushed ou by the left hand shore. So close did they go that they saw a seutinel ou the abutment; but he did uot discover tbem. A picket did, how ever, hailed aud ordered them to pull ashore. Au answer was giveu iu the affirmative; but they kept their course down the stream, ai d pulled like demons. Alter being hailed ouce more the picket fired, and the ball passing over their beads, and before be could load again thev were out of the range of his gnn.— For the next eight hours they pulled for dear life, and at da} light in the morniug of Monday the 23d, they were safely stowed away iu the canebrake, where they lay all day, surrounded by alligators. A lire was made by discharg ing a catridge of a pistol iuto a rotteu tree. — By this they cooked a scanty meal, and at dark pulled for the seacoast, distant about thirty miles. At midnight they passed Darien but uid not see a living being, although the coast and surrounding country were guarded by about 500 cavalry. At two o'clock they were io salt water. At sunrise saw Wolf Island, where they lunded with some difficulty, and lay down exhausted to get some rest. It was now Tuesday, the 24th, and the Atlantic Ocean was in sight. After taking a little rest they pulled for the lighthouse, which was de serted, in the hope of finding something to eat, but were, however, disappointed, and they then proceeded in their frail craft over to Sap pello Island, narrowly escaping from ship wreck. Here they found some dirty meal and greeu peaches, and with these made out to get a meal. They spent the night at the light house. The following day they wandered all over the island, and at sundown a gunboat came into the sound and anchored about five miles therefrom. The rnnaways waved their coats from the tower, but failed to attract at tention, and, fearing that she might go away and leave them, they embarked in an cld yawl they had found and started for her. They took the precaution to take a lantern with them, and ou nearing the vessel showed a light which attracted attention, and a boat, with ten armed men, iu charge of Master's Mate Geo. F. Goodrich, came out to meet them.— They hailed three times before the runaways heard them, when they answered by a yell of joy which caused the rescuers to suspect trea chery, and they commenced firing upon the poor fellows, who were afterwards taken ou board the gunboat, which proved to be the Wumsutta, Lieutenant Commanding Semmes, who kindly cared for them. The officers gave theiu some clothing, and the following morn ing they were transferred to the Florida,Lieut. Gcldshorough, who treated them very kind'y and issued orders for necessary clothing. On the morning of the Ist of July they were trans ferred to the Massachusetts, arriving here this evening. They say they cannot thank their deliverers too much for their kindness, and trust they may be enabled in due time to do for them os they have been done by. These gentlemen speak of a considerable amount of Union feeling in that portion of the South. They go North to-night, aud will soon return to their homes in the West. The Persians. When a poor man has a pretty daughter about eleven or twelve years old—the uge which Persian ladies are supposed to have matrimonial views—a marriage broker waits npou him, and endeavors to strike a bargain for her. The broker, generally a moolah or priest, will perhaps offer frotn two to four hundred tomauns, or, say, from one or two hundred pounds English money, as a fair price for a youug lady. The bargain completed,the girl probably becomes a wife of some khaii, rich enough to afford himself such luxury, aud to give the broker a handsome profit on the transaction. It it is usually all a matter of business, and a man posting up his accounts at the end of the year might note down tha* upon such a day he bought a lady, prptty much as it he had purchased a fiue Turcoman horse or an English rifle ; only the price of the two latter articles would be considerably higher than that of the first. It is seldom that either of the parties have previously seen each other, so that the lifting ol the veil upou the wedding day may be a delightful surprise, or a gloom of disappointed, according to cir cumstances. A Persian bride, wl.ea first bought is a queer little body, fattened up with lice and sweetmeats for the occasion, and sadley be smeared with cosmetics Coiiyrium has been put into her eyes to make them dark and lan guishing, and they are also elongated by some means, so that they may have the shape of al monds. Her hair is dyed of a coal black by iudigo, or of a redish brown by indigo aud henna mixed with it, according to her own fancy or that of the broker. Her eyebrows are plastered, and painteu so thickly that they look like a large piece of court piaster cut in to arches stuck upon her face. 1 say a large piece, because they are joined artificially by a thick liue across the nose. Her cheeks are [minted in excessively bright colors, and two shiry bcks of hair,gummed together, are stuck fast on each side ot tbem, in the shape of num ber sixes placed the wrong way. Her hands aud feet, finger nails, and toe nails, are dyed a light mahogany color with henna. She has no more shape or figure than a bolster. Poor little thing ! She plays such tricks with her self, generally, that at twenty she is an old woman, with her skin all shrivelled and burnt up with caustics aud poisoned pricks or needles. Th s odd, undersized creature waddles about the apartment of her new lord in the finest and largest tronsers possible. She puts on a great many pairs of them,and is as proud of the size of her legs as a British damsel is of the size of her crinoline. She wears a smart embroidered jacket with short sleeves, and pretty chemisette of some light white silk ma terial, embroidered with gold threads ; but her arm, and leg, and neck arc bare. Sbe hangs upon her little person as many jewels, gold coins, and trinkets as she can possibly get at. She is especially foud of pearils aud diamonds, but is not particular as to their beauty or value ; a diamond is a diamond for her, whatever flaw it may have ; a pearl is a pearl, whatever its shape or color may be.— She is very fine, but never elegant. Her mind is entirely uncultivated. Sbe has neither education nor accomplishments ; but she has a good deal of flowery talk about roses and nighti gales, with au under current of strange roundabout wit and drollery. There is an ut ter want of delicacy and modesty in her con versation. Sbe kuows a great many things which she ought Dot to know, and child as she is in years, she would outwit the wisest man whoever wore a gray beard. One of the first visits she receives after her marriage will most probably be from her father who will tell her that his home is cold and cheerless since she left it, that her mother is getting old. This pathetic appeal is certain to touch her heart, and she will employ the first money 6be can coax out of her husband to buy her father a new young wife. Indeed, the proceeding of taking a lady on VOL. XXIII. —NO. 8. [ a short lease, is comraou eveti among Chris tians residing in Persia. A friend of mino in formed me that he visited Yanaeck, a village near Teheran, some years ago, for the purpose of making a marriage of this kind. He and a companion sat down under a tree, smoking kaleons. while the village damsels, under the command of the priests, filed past for inspec tion. When his choice was fixed, the lease was drawn ont in dec form. Forty tomarns (a high reut —about twenty pounds) was paid lor dresses and fine cloths, and thirty tomauns more were agreed upon as the price of divorce. The average price of an American lady is from ten to fifteen toraanns. They arc horribly coarse and ugly. The small-pox makes shock ing ravage among them, too. Boys usually marry between twelve and fonrteeu. They frequently marry their cousins, but the race does not degenerate in conse quence, as it has been clearly ascertained to do in other countries. Children are not the sonree of embarrass ment even to poor people that they are sup posed sometimes to be in more civilized coun tries. There need he no anxiety at all about them, indeed. They can always pick up rice enough to live somewhere, and the family of a rich man is often far too Dumerons for his ! children to expect to be rich men too. The shah, however, is under some difficul ty occasionally iu finding a new wife. A shah i sent to one of the great khans to propose for his daughter, a very beautiful woman. But ! her father begged that she might be excused so inconvenient an honor, for that when his Majesty had enjoyed her society for a month, i he would probably forget all abont her, and sbe must then according to custom, remain in a state of widowhood for the rest of her life. A shah being an awful person iu Persia, his Majesty is said to have expressed such senti ments at being crossed in his caprice, that for a long time the khan did not dare to marry his daughter to any one. There appeared to be no snch things as a mesalliance in Persia. One of the innumer able sons of Fatali, Shah fell in love with a very old and ugly woman in humble life.— The king tried to joke the young man out of this strange fancy, " Ah, sir," replied prince, " if you could only see her with my eyes !" This vague answer sententious oriental flavor was considered to settle the affair campletely, and to reply to cli objections—which perhaps it did. Even the present king has illustrated the prevailing sentiment of his subject very prettily. His queen and favorite wife,Geiran, or she Antelope, was a peasant's daughter,who attracted his Majesty's attention one day as he rode through a village, and whom he has loved ever since with an unchanging affection and mast manly tenderness. His passion for her appears to be the master feeling of his life. Ouce upon a great day, when her son was declared heir apparent to the throne, and when all his woman kind appeared before him arrayed iu their best apparel, his quick eye saw at once that the was not araODg them ; turning coldly away from the rest, he asked, " Where is the Khanum ?" No festival co'd be a festival without her, and there was uo light for him in his palace or his court until she came. Persians have not the same jealousy of their women as the Turks have. If you are really very intimate with a man, he would be very likely to introduce you to his wife ; and tho ante-room is by no means classed like the ha rem. The woman's apartment are nsually very dirty and slovenly, untidy and out of order.—- Beautiful china, cut glass, gold trays, and jeweled pipes, everything to eut, everything to drink, the sweetmeats, the sherbets, the coffee, the tea, the fruit, are equally abomi nably dirty. There is great license in manners in Tehe ran ; women of the highest rank pay visits to men without scrapie—nsually coming dressed like beggars, to avoid observation. The visits of ladies to each other are itterminable. They call at seven cr eight o'clock in the tnorniDg, and stop all day, smoking and eating, and bragging about their clothes and their hus bands. Public scandals are rare. If a husband should be too inquisitive, he is apt to be pois sond ; and if a lover should be indiscrete, he may chance to be short lived. A great khan was stabbed by an unseen hand in broad day light not long ago, at Tabreez, for boasting of a love nffar. Owing to the almost unrestrained liberty they enjoy, woman mix themselves up with ev erything in Persia ; nothing is done without tbtm ; they have immense political influence ; and they, with the wretched tribe of beldames and fortune tellers who hag around the aute rooms, overturn viziers and ministers at will. Human life is held cheap in Persia; and the majesty of death has neither awe nor terrors there." A criminal who has been executed will' be left a ghastly and a fearful object in tho market-place for the dogs to gnaw at. My horse has often stumbled and shied at the un canny thing ; but the heedless crowd, any one of whom might be singled out in a minute tor the same fate, pass by jesting or uuconcerned. THE FURLOUGH QUESTION. —Joe Robison en listed in the 99th Regiment of State A olun teers. The men were in camp, and their friends were often visiting them. Joe's broth er, John, came to see him, and found Joe very homesick. He begged so hard for John to get him a furlough, that his brother went to the Cojonel aud told him that his sister was dead, and he wished leave for his brother to go home for a few days. Consent was given, and as they were leaving the ground, one of the men who heard of Joe's affliction, and wished to say something consoling, asked him how long his sister bad been dead ? Joe said : " Ooly about ten years.'' One day last Summer a farmer in Illinois cradled three acres pf wheat, and that eight his wife, cot to be oat doue by him, cradlpd three babies. .j