#..oserritson, • Vetlister.
Communicated
Scheid liousea avid Morality.
•
No. L
. There ie probably no duty that presses it
reit' upon the consideratien of an intelligent
and christian patent with more earnestness,
than that of caring for the moral well being
of his children. Anything that tends to cot ,
^rept and Vitiate theinoral sentiments of the
child, and . rob it of that keen.and lively sense
of christian purity which is so highly essen.
tial to,every well regulated character, is cer
tainly of sufficient impatience to demand the
persevering efforts of any community for its
eradication. • •
And it would seem there is no apology
due at this time for calling the attention of
?irtuous people to sofne of the glaring and
almost int olerable , immOrsdity connected with
a large Onion of `the school, houses of this
county. All , who will take the .peins. can,
on sisiting many of our school honses see,
that they are covered, yes, literally cevered,
as high as the children can reach, insideand
out, ott seats, desks; doors, and walls, with all
sorts of vile,-obscene and disgusting marks,
figtr:s, and images, indicating a state of
unite 4:epravity, that is far from flattering ; 0
a christien people, in the middle of the nine
-teeoth-century. • •
' But do not understand me to speak of-it
as intimating that..yntt, have noi seen all this.
Isincereiy"wish yap could honestly plead that
ex,:use. But you cannot. You have seen
all these Things, over and over again, and,
what is infinitely worse, too many ofityou have
witnessed Them in silence.
I appeal to parents who are daily sending
their children to houses thus disfigured and
defaced. Do you honestly and candidly - be- -
Veva that the lithe ones you so thoughtlessly
- deliver over to the tend'a Mercies of those
bitter and peisonuus dr)kughts,can continual
ly drink them and not meet with a moral
( L e ath t Do you not think that tbse seeds.
• of immorality thus sown in early childhood,
will bud, Wow, and ripen into one grand
. harvest of_ wickedness and corruption I Do
you not imagine' that the young spitit,thus
constantly hathed in the waves ef it'worse
than moral Lethe, will bear any of the ebon
_ stains of:their darker thin „Lilliputian black-
-And, christian mothers, I appeal_ to ,you."!
Cm the terider plant of maidenly Purity and
womanly virtue flour4li in sucker' Atiinsi)be-e
--as this., Can it live, even I How mans.
nvre innocent victims -repo
,go down to th - e
dark valley of this moral Upas, And there
pale, and with( r, and die, under the sickening
influence of its pestilential breath,' Do you
believe that your little girls—your household
jewels--can constantly Attend upon these
vile lessons of depravity and-still think pure
thoughts I Can they sit diy after day, week
*fret week, and month after month, foking
upon desks arid walls which present all that
is debasing, and demoralizing to the Human
heart and still have-pure feelings—and
.still
• exercise pure emotion - 4? As . well you, m;glit •
exnect to flood the virgin sheet with an inky
de'uge and have it bring no stains away.
[fear another °robe subject of womanly
purity "The first element in their moral
character which they should seek to establish
flatly, is purity. Not only is purity of life
needed to make 'a yOung_woman beautiful
and n-eful, but purity in• thought, feeling,
emotion, and motive. A young woman sho
he in heart what she seems - to be in life.—
_ 11. r words should correspohd with her tho'ts.
The smile of her face should be the smile of
h. r heart. The light of tier -eye should be
tde ligbt of her soul. If I coulk to all
the young women in the world, W 1 strive
to utter the intrinsic beauties and essential
qualities tf purity; I would seek to illustrate
it as the fountain of all that is great and
good and that is Spiritually grand and re
deeming. There is no yinne, no spiritual
I re, no moral beauty, no glory of soul, no
olignity of character without purity. Tale
pure, is to be truthful, child hearted; innocent
o(criminal.desire or thought, averse to wrong.
in love with right, in baernony with whatever
is beat] tiful,-goo'd and true. This stale of the
soul is suect to cultivation. Tt may be
-made strong and active. By personal effort,
by . constant watchfulness and striving, every
young woman'may be pure;- but she cannot
expect to he nithout. She must watch, and
strive, and pray, if she would he pure. It
she does nor, she will become corrupt before \
she is aware of it.• The world will send into
her heart its putrid- streams of influence to
corrupt and debase IC
• Do not the anxious mothers-feel that these
school houses on which are written the les
Frill: of (.I.!pravitc:am a part of the " wotl.l
that. is pouring i!s pltrid streams of influence
in upon the.r_oun,, ,, heart 'to corrupt and de:.
"ba-e it." Will they answer this question !
Will they abide' the responfe of their holy
chri.tia n impujcesl.. Will they act in accor
dance with . those impulses? Will they send
up one united prayer, 'asking, aye, `demand.
jog the renovation or aunihilation 'of witch
houses? Their voice, their prayer
complish the detired tesul - And is there
any more generous aim . for the' Chri4lian
mother, any more noble purpose than that of
purifying the fountain from which flows the
life-blood of the republic? Scrr.
Government _Expenses.
After all the bluster of . the opposition press,
the published tables .of the appropriations
made by Congress at the last session,as given
in the "union, ! ' show that notwithstanding
the heist); drafts upon the. Treainry an ac
- count of the Mormon difficulties, the .gross ,
amount appropriated is considerable less than
was- appropriated last year. Instead of. $B5,
006,000 as stated by the Black Republican
libellers, the whole amount for the last year's
service only reaches $68,000,0000, whilst
the regular appropriations for - the service of
the year conrniencing on the first of July is
somethin g less than fifty-three and a .half
tnillions o f dollars—a very tugisfaCtery ex
hibit, as the Union says, when we reflect that
the opposi tiod are about arranging for a tst_r-
paign aganst - the Democratic pasty, on I t he
double ground of. its .extravagance and upon
tha old maxim of protection.
,"
- Fir It is wourious fact at every otters!
officer in the army. of the
- American Revolu
tion was a Free Mipzp,—except Benedict
'Arnold. • •
-The Oxygenaied Dilley.s are doing wonders in
the cure of Dyspepsia, Debility,Jaundim and Liv
or 4iseases. Of tbe 'thousand End one prepare
tioos offered for the cure of these diseases, this
alone appears to,perform all it ptomises.
COr SmitO's Apprentice.
A Revolutionary Tale.
BY
. JO/1.4' COOPER "'Aft.
I=2=Ml
CHAPTER I
It aras„the darlest hoar of the Ilevolution
for the AmeriCan cause. - There werd traitors
in the camp, though the great. mass of the
people remained firm end deterniined in the
cause of indepenceuce. the - ltrieisli Army
outnumbered the Austell-can forces as three to
oae„ but liberty aras the prize to be won, and
brave hearts, led on by Washington, did not
despair. What If they : were clad in tattered
garments, and their feet were shoelets, leav
ing matks of blood upon the frozen ground
wherever they followed their loved com
mander,-'o long as they battled for the birth,
riga of freedom.
At_the period of our story, thereato 4 ,cel in
the vicinity of the village of Brunswick a log
house of - rather large dimensions, and built in
a manner that proved that its-proprietor went
in more for comfort 'lieu appearance as re
garded his dwelling. There was an air of
neatness and taste about the garden that
seemed to prove_that it was under the special
care of a woman, even though currant bu - ar,'
honey 'sue-kle and hop& vine had been, for
many days under the snows of December.
The proprietor of the house followed the
double calling ,prbtacksroith and a farmer.
lie *as a bale old man of about sixty,and his
littritly.wkre composed solely of his wile Do
rat hy, and his daughter 4fitry, a beautiful girl
just budding into womanhoOd,
his youth, fanner Jonas Ltuttcas bad ad
vocated Quaker ptinciples of peace, but in
Its age his sympathy was secretly enlisted in
the cause of King_George. His conduct,
however, had been so circumspect—he ap
?eating to maintain a strict neutrality' as
regarded both the British and American-cause
—that, though suspicions, were - rife of his er.
tending aid. to the former, be had thus far es
caped actual proof.
The only person hired about his premises
was a talk ungainly youth, who had served
as a holier in the smithy, when occasionally
a neighGdwiled his horse shod, or his wa
'lon wheel tired. His name was Malachi
Doolittle, and he.hailed from the Hay State,
limn whence he had wandered to hi; present
station, some ahree — years before, binding him
self.to Squireptitton till one-and-twenty. He
had - all the peculiarities of the migratory race
of New England, and though, -- as we have
stated, he was tall and ungainly in. his de.
tortment, a - warm heart beat under a home
spun vest, and he displayed much genius and
tact fur the benefit of his employer.
Asa matter of comae he had been in love
for a ling time with the fair form .45,1 blue
eves of his master's daughter, Mary, though
she had always treated his case so cooly that,
an;tone elso but a genuine Yankee wooer
won have left the field in dis l iair, No gi l l
can bear to have it said that her lover is an
object of ridicule; and—Mary was well aware
(Eat tell Malachi—the name by which her
fither's apprentice was generally addressed—
was the sport of all the young girls in the
neighborhood. - Yet she might have made
good choice, for be bid fair to become a first
rate mechanic, was a crack shot with the
tide, and - could out-run, out-jump, as.he ex
pressed it himself, anythinff that stood-in
two shoes. He was a firm advocate of the
American.cause, and - when his- boss was not
be and he could gain a listener's air, he
would express'his admiration for Washington
in the highest terms.
It wain the latter part of December, and
close upon 'dusk, when a young into, attired
in the uniform of an ensign in the Conti
nental army, and mounted -upon a powerful
gray bor:e,rode up to squire flutton'ssmilhy,
and - - requested that his animal might be shod
mtmednuelv.
`Friend, thoa - seernest co be in somewhat of
if . hurry, was squire Mutton's reply, glancing
at the stranger ; :and as Afalachi is busy
foddering, the cattle, ands" have promised to
Mil% neighbor Paikei'x wheel tited in half an.
hour,..perlmps thee bad better to apply to the
next hop, which thee will find About a mile
and a halt fictn here; on the st:aight road to
Brunswick, and--'
'A plague on neigh,b . oi Parker:and his wa
gon wheel,' said the young man impatiently.
'As -you 'hate stated, however. lam in a hur
ry, and be4r "impottant divatches , to
Washington, who; I understand, is on his
way to attack our enemies. May heaven
trait:. the right cause'.'
'AAA; said the smith, earnestly. 'But as
I bate informed thee befote, it will be im
possible to attend to the shoeing of the beast
to-night. It is neatly dark, and I seldom
pnrsue my labors after nightfall.' '
The stranger mused a moment, and then
ma-tiered to himself : 'lt is not possible that
T can have been misinformed ; drew a paper
from his pocket and handed it to squire Hut
ton. - • .
•Wbat,is this I' be exclaimed.
'Something ghat would not be polite to let
every one peruse in these times; but I have
b d that you was a staunch man in the cause
of King George, and I can trust you. The
exigencies 24 my case did pot admit of delay.
My horse - must - be shod and I mubt be within
„ .
the British vamp, at Trenton by to-morrow
morning.'
The old smith with an air ofsurprise wiped
his glasses to peruse the document, and
by the last fading light of the day recog
nized the well known signature of Lord
He instantly grasped the stranger by the
hand, - and said that for the cause of Bing
.George, he would neglect every job of work
in the shop.
`But thee have a rough ridc:6f it.
.friend, the roads are in a bail condition, and
the wind will blow cold and bitter in thy
face, I observe, the whole Of the journey,'_
Tle stranger remarked di a t,be hid l ea r ne d
to laugh at such adventures in-the camp of
the soldier.
'Ay friend, but the night will be black as
pitch an hour later, and if thy beast is not
sureforited, thee will scarcely, roach Trenton
by sunrise.
.however, I will see that thou
-art well prepared for the journey. A: good
cup of tee, equal to - that the foolish rebels
wasted in Boston harbor, made by my wife
Dorothy, and s few Warm - biscuits prepared
by my daug hter tir will refreuttAitee great
ly, previous to thy long ride' °
'Thanks, kind sir, for your hospitality, and
be assured that it will be remembered to our ;
commander in chief. My business is urgent,
f.r if I reach Trenton by sunrise, the plan 1
n w bear about nmperson will place the Te
ti
s l • S h a a:y m n e . d y s
a t wholly s t o b y o r u u i so ly i ; n r
, o s t u h a r i c a n p : i ti d e e e r e .9 d smith ,
v. haverobbing
li o
ti eto loose. Hallo, Malachi ; ab, here
1. 1 1
thou art. Run up to tiro house, and tell
Dorathy that my friend - Ensign Spencer, of
the Continental army, is going to sup with
u 4. He has important !ocumeets for the
benefit of the American cause, and must be
in the American camp to-morrow morning.
Thou caust shoe this horse, while I extend to
him the hospitalities ;' and Squire Hutton,
trdcing the young man by the arm, uslvered
him in a few moments into the presence of his
WIG and chartnin,g daughter.
Meanwhile, Malachi, who had eyed the
at anger very closely, lit a lamp and began to
try the bellows. -- .
lVeil'i he elaimedolin:el if this
v tt beat all n7iur. I to h imself,
was
a mething in the wind when that critter halt
s at our place; so I just stopped foddering
„the cattle, and sneaked up to the back side
of)the shop to listen. So if he gets to Trenton
by sunrise to-morrow mottling, the American
party will be in the hands of the British. If
yt;tl are there by that time, by Judas, Ma
laHli Doolittle don't know nothing about
siring. Vlroa—you critter; can't you stand
still-a moment while the irons getting hot I
Itts no wonder you're so restless with such a
toed of sins es you are about to carry, and
I'm going to cut my indentures to-night and
jo n the American army. Who knows but
lay come back a captain, and marry Mary
n
Hutton, and then strike a bee line for old
Ma.ssachusettst But I must hurry this job
th!ro', for I would not like the boss to inspect
my work to-night. There,' be added, as he
drove the last nail, 'you will east off a pair of
them shoes about five miles -Cother side of
Brunswick ; and then if I can't catch you,
Ensign Spencer on my old sorrel, I wish I
rosy be blowed : u p ib "a powder-mill.'
lßig with intentions to the benefit of the
Atnerican cause, Malachi fastened the horse,
and closing the shop door,weuded his way to
the house:
inns wind blew keen and cold, and the sky
was overcast with dark clouds.
L'Shouldn't wonder 'if we had two foot of
snl3w before to-morrow miming,' said Ma
lachi to himself, 'and I'd rather, by a darn
sight, go to an apple bee or - a quiltin'
party with Mary Hutton • tucked 'Under my
rain, than tsko a journey-to Trenton to-night.
LlOwever, whit. can's be •cured, must be en
dUred, as my old schoolmarm used to say,
when she applied the birch ; so all you're
got to do, Malachi Doolittle, is to play pos
sulm, and not give the British so big
stirt'
found the kitchen empty, for Ensign
Aponte,. *.I.Jv light, of
e` guest,the supper table was net in the
parlor.
aSat his picture:.' he will be making love
w4ll Mail- next,' said Malachi, uneasily; 'but
if he does, I'll pay him off in his own coin.
Ab, here is his pistols, and heavy riding coat.
Well now. Malachi Doolittle, I don't think
it Would be unwhokome to your constitution,
tol, jerk the. prisning out of them barkers,for
fer matters might Come to rough-and-tumble.
So, here it goes,' and suiting the action to tile
word, the stranger's weapons were instantly
placed in a harmless condition.
I When the app-entice entered the pail .r,
he found Doratby Hutton and her daughter
Mary in high glee and good humor. The
supper was over, hut the stranger- seemed to
bq attracted to the smith's parlor, by the
bright eye of Mary, and looking twice out of
tide window into the cold, black night, he
give a shudder, as if loth to depart on his
o rney.
Tall Malachi devoured his supper in moody
Silence; Lut,not withstanding his discontent at
tlie_notice the young officer took to Mary, he
m?ule fearful inroads on the Johnny cake
ad sausage. A genuine Yankee is seldom
so y deep in lore that he filsakei his victuals,
and such was certainly tall Malachi's case.
;When there was no excuse for longer de-
Il l y, the apprentice ea= eup t ited to retch
Spencer's hor s e to the door, and' thanking his
host and-hostess for their kind attentions,and
14siowinir a kiss upon the blushing check of
Marv, he bestrode the animal, and 'et forth
-ai a round gallop on bis dark and dreary
-
journey: .. -
I 'I guess I'd bettergo and finish i .foddering
the cattle,' said Mala;-hi, as the clatter of the
hkse's hoofs died away in the distance. 'Old
Bull has broken his surcingle all to smash, I
calkilate I'd better take the sorrel horse and
00 down to Brunswick to morrow morning
and get it fixed, as we want to sled some
Wood from the swamp. Suppose you can
14t,
me- have old sorrel for a little while,
quire I'
:Why, how on earth can thee go down to
Brunswick without him, Malachi I How
foolish you do talk to-night.
'Well, I didn't know bUt that; you might
dant to use him,' said Malachi, closing, the
oor behind him, and starting for the barn.
Consarn his picture! kissed her lips; did he?
that trick, my name ain't Malachi Doolittle.
jerusilem, bow cold it is! I .wish I had my
ether shirt on, but it's no toe to grumble.
iOld sorrel, put in the big licks, and you shall
fe kept on.nothing else-but oats and clover
ur the balance of your maternal - days. And
- now for a parting salute to the boss; he added
as he bestrode up to the door _of the house.
- *ell° I Squire Huttob, sunthin's broke
loose!'
, Malachi, what is the matter 1' Slaked
the smith,opening the door, 'is the barn afire,
'No, nothing of the kind, boss. But l've
concluded to borrow old sorreLto-night, in
i.taad of to-morrow morning. 1 know the
Whole plot, an' lam going to take them pa
pers from Ensign Spencer, and give them to
peorge Washington;
'Why, -his horse is as fleet as the wind; and
he will get. to Trenton before thou art half
wavy laidrthe smith with a laugh.
I. 'You forget that. I shod his horse, boss
;Hutton' •
-•Well be,is armed, and will shoot thee
. as dead as a-nail, if thou dost attempt vio
;knee.'
'Can't be did', boss. ° I shook the
priming from his 'pistols - when he was in to
sper.
,up 'Mundt-nand Beelsebnb—Lord forgive me
—but--'
I The tetnaladeir of the aentebee wan lost on
IMalschre ear, for a„ wild hipl ga.laeg,
" VIFE-A R E ALL EQUAL BEFORE GOD AND TUE CONSTIIrtITION."—Jamei Utickanan.
eutron, ,Susquitanna toUntg, fenn'a, Cljztrebal Morning, arafg g, 1858
sorrel V he was followhlg
,to the track of the
British spy.
CIIAIIWit
be night was very dark, -and flakes of
snow were falling fast over the, already whit
ened ground, but the old sorrel was perfectly
acquainted with every loch of the ground,
and as if prompted by an instinct that be
was on business that admitted no delay, it
needed• but lithe urging on the part of Ma
lachi to make him stretch Ads neck through
the village of Brunswick like a grayhound.
Occasionally Ms rider wonta rein up and
pause to listen, if he could hear the clattering
of hods in the distance,- and when he could
hear no sound but the mourning of the wind as
it whistled through.the forest trees, he would
shout 4 Ga-lang,' and the horse would resume
his old pace.
But this perseverance was not long to go I
unrewarded; fOr he had scarcely put the vil
lage of Brunswick five miles behind him,when
he descried the object .of his seaech a short
distance ahead, and, traveling at such a gait
as convinced him that En.ign Spencer had
little to thank Malachi Doolittle in his handi
craft. As the matter stood it was no great
feat for the sorrel or apprentice to rein - up by
the side of the ofiker in the space of a few
moments.
It was too dark for Spencer to recognize
his new acquaintance of the smithery..
'Fine evening,§quire,' said Malachi, 'sleigh.
ing will be first rate to•morrow,if it continues
to come down this way:
'There 'we don't agree, friend,' said Apen
cer, placing his' band by way of precaution
upon one of his pistols, ;for the night, to my
mind, is a cursed dark and stormy one.'
.Well, 'tis som.Ahing dark, that's a fact,'
was' Malachi's response, 'for a man that h&s
got a considerable distance to 'ride. Got a
fine hOrse I I can't see for sartin. Critter goes
kinder lime, don't he V
'Yes, thanks to a bungling fellow that shod
him ab out two hours ago, I shall not be able
to reach 'thy destination by daylight'
'Rather guess you won't,aquire, at the rate
you are traveling, now. Trenton is a,,Ang
way off yet, and it is.a rough road to-travel.
Now, squire, stein' it!s you, I wouldn't mind
:wappin' horses. Old sorrel is sure footed,
and only ten years old,eome Destgrass;tbough
I should require a little boo; under the ciicilm•
siances—not Continental, but hard Spanish,
and—'
`Hold on, my friend, for heaven's sake.
I -have no' wit , h to trade horses at any rate,
and :your loquacity is perfectly overwhelming.
I bare but one question to ask, and you can
act your own pleasure in arswering.tt. Who
gave you information that I was traveling to
Trenton !'
Jest as slick SS grease, -squire. You are
on our side. God save •stru g
down with the rebels. I- am Mt!sub' Doo-
little, Jonas Hatton's apprentice boy, who
shod your critter this very night; and it ap-
pears that it was scioonfounded dark in the
shop, that,' made.* pesky job of it:
'Pesky, job indeed,' said Spencer.. 'Why,
my horse is going dead lame, and I must be
ins Trenton by to-morrow morning—my busi.
ness is of the most vital importance.'
'Could I not do the busitess for you r said
Sialachi,`you can go back to squire Button's
while I carry the _dispatchesyou befit. about
you to the British ~ camp.'
Spencer,with a laugh,`that i o
hardly do. A British officer-placing import
ant dispatches 'in the hands of a brad:smith's
apprentice, is altogether out of the ques
tion.'
'By Jades, I've got it. !' exclaimed Malachi,
as-if struck by icertain thought; 'we will
swap horses for the present. I'll take your
critter back to Mutton's, and doctor him un
til you call for him, and lend'you pld sorrel
—be is just as. fresh now as when he left=the
stable, and can keep the same gait for four
and twenty hours to come.'
Ensign Spencer was delighted with the
proposition. And halting at a favorable place,
they both diimounted to make ati eirchauge.
Hut ud sooner had the officer's foot touched
the ground, than he found - himself in-the
close embrace of tall Malachi.
_ 'Now; squire; he exela'imedAefore it comes
to a worse tusselall trouble you to folk over
them papers.'
•Whs, what do you mean, you pletrelan
hound,' said Spencer, 'by insulting an (officer
of King George struggling to free himself
from the iron grasp of the blacksmith's Hp
pi entice.
I mean jest what I say'', you gaul darned
ontankerous Tory iartnict. Hurrah for
George Washington and . the Continental
Congres.4. Kiss Mary again,will you Y Well,
I'm not going to he cruel, but if you don't
fork over them papers in a jiff, by the six
teenth chapter of the Revolutions, I'll make
mince meat of you !—I will, by Judas !'
'Don't trotile me I' exclaimed Spencer, (for
Malachi's grip at his throat, bad been tight
ening every' instant), 'and they are yours'
'Don't you attempt to come any of your
games, you Tory varmint. I can out-run,
out•wrest)e anything impur diggins; and—'
`Such is not my Intention. There are the
papers ; much good may they do you.
And now be kind enough to release my col
lar.'
'Wait a bit, squire—so, bo, sorrel—mot
make all right ;' and at the same moment be
let go of Spencer, he leaped in the saddle,
and said, 'Good night, squire; and pleasant
dreams: •
Spencer instantly aimed ohs of his pistols
point blank at Malachi, but it missed fire. He
dashed it to the ground with a corm and
leveled the other—the trigger clicked, but
there was no discharge.
11a, ha, ha I' laughed Malachi. 'You'll
find thiprimin' scattered round Jona. Hut
ton's k4chen floor, where I left it. Ya
ga•lang, sorrel. Three cheers for Oeorge
Washington and tbet"Citinental Congress.'
CHAPTER 111
The sun was not above one bout high When
a tall, slatweided Yankee, mounted on ebony
horse, rode up to the American lines,wbere he
was hailed by the sentries, and to whom he
made known that be bad something of the
most vital importance to communicate to the
General. Ills invincible pertinacity finally
prkzicured.hi;n the coveted- audience with the
commandet-in-chlef of the American forces,
and tall . Malachi placed the, documents he
had procured with -so-Auch trouble in .his
hands. Washingtotr-law as a glance that,
had the plans they divulged been carried 6 . 81 1
the Amerman army would bare been placed
In great peril, if not utterly annihilated. Of
his master's share in the transaction, Malachi
Doolittle said nothing, for he was too much
in love with Mary to betray her (tither ; but
all other questions his answered with a prompt
ness that proved be bad a large ' s hare of
good sense to' make up for his uw !epth ap
peamnee, - •
'And you wish to serve In dm artily,' said
Washington kindly.
[ 'Such is say intention, , your excellency, if
you think my services worthy of regard'
'We are always glad to receive such good
recruits in the cause of freedom as thou art.
The service thou bast rendered is a great one
to the American cause. Captain Doolittle,
allow me to congratulate you 1 for such is
your commission you hold henceforth in the
contineptal army l'
The heart of the new made officer *Vas too
full 'to expiess his thanks; buehe resolved - to
pro - ire by deeds, and not by words, that be
was worthy of Washington's consideration.
The Commandersinschief saw that some im
mediate steps must be taken not only to take
Philadelphia—which, as he learned by the
dispatches brought by Doolittle, the enemy
were delermined . to possess— se butto arouse the
spirit of t'ie acti on, that had now sunk to the
lowest depth of despondency. Be resolved
to anticipate the British, and cross the frozen
Delaware, on the night of the 26th of De
eembel., where he learned that a large body
of Hessians had encamped. Ile fullowed up
his plan with eminent success ; for the attick
being totally unexpected, more than nine
hundred of the enemy were taken prisoners
of war, Ito re -creased the river again, and,
though his shadow of an army -was weary
and exhausted, he determined to make an at
tack on the British forces at Princeton, Ifere
he had the good fortune to kill sixty,and take
three hundred prisoners more. This good
fortune served to dispel the gloom that had
settled over the American cause.
It is an undoubted fact - that Malachi Doo
little held a Colonel's commission in the army
before the close of the war, which took place
when Great Britain acknowledged the lades
pendence of the United States, November
30th, 1782
On the banks of the rivertaritan, some
ten years after the incidents detailed io our
story, there stood a fine bou,e, built in the
style of the Elizabethan period—.the residence
of Colonel Doolittle,tind his family,
,who was
now one of the wealthiest, farmers in the
whole country. He was one of the most hos
pitable of men,and neither friend nor stranger
,could pass his house, without being-asked to
take a mug of the Colonel's good cider ; or,
if it happened to be abou t tea time,, a cup Of
tea, and a slice of short cake, •by the fair
hands of his wife Mary.
There was an old man, too, who sat in the
cosiest place.by the fire-side, who, for a long
time after,the close of the war, Would advo
cate the caw..
having somebody arrested for steatirig it I}4
rd Horse--at which his daughter would wink
slyly to her husband—but he finally came to
the conclusion, -as peace and prosperity
crowned the land of freedom, that George
Washington was not so much of a rebel after
all.
There was an old tady,too,who appeared to
never grow tired in prat-ing her son-in -:awl
and a little boy,the ‘ery'image of his mother,
who, at the close of many s summer's day,
would (dims upon his tither* knee, and say
with 9 tone of earnest entreaty :
'Now, pa, do tell me all about Ensign
Spencer, and General Washington, and the
Hessians, and bow you hooked grandpa's
horse, and listenel for a /soldier.'
, my son,' the. Colonel would re
ply, but I have related my story so often, I
should think you knew it by heart.' Yet
son and hair, often related the story over and
over again.
Stich is one of the many incidents connect
ed with the" dark hours of the Revolution.
Though purchased with the blood of thous
ands, it left the legacy of freedom, and man
kind, and -few in those "times which tried
men's souls" acquire greater fame in the
American cause than Malachi Doolittle, the
Blacksmith's Apprentice.
THE GRASS-WIDOW.
DT P. PODIIAIMIER.
THE grass-widow (vidua germinea) is one of
the must formidable and rapacions'of birds of
prey. Her natural food is man. The,origin of
this word, grass-widow, is doubtful, but pro
bably refers to the scripidral truism that all
" flesh is grass," and derives additional ap
propriateness from the fact that she usually
t , elects her victim from the greenest of the
ieci es.
The grass-widow abounis in New Yolk, and
Makes her nest chiefly in boarding-houses
and hotels. Indeed, she would seem a nat-,
ural appendage to these establishments. Out
of twenty five boarding houses in which I
haie lived, twentrtOm contained one or
more grass-widows. This choice of dwelling
place is doubtless owing to the facilities it
affords for her predatory operations; as
boarding houses abound in men in their most
defenceless condition,'
The grass-widow is rarely withniit preten
sions to personal, beauty; but, when this is
lacking, she is seldom mos loss to supply the
deficiency by a variety of ingenious arts in
which she is Skilled:- Her plumage is_some
times sad colored, but more often gaudy;
and she devotes no end of pains to its decors•
tion and arrangement.
There is in the speciei a remarkable uni
formity of ago. The grass-widow sometimes,
eoufeeses to thirty years, but is more usual
ly twenty-five. One of theyn has to my
k%owlege, been esactly thirty- for the past
twelve years. Another was twenty-five , 6fteen
years ago, and learned yesterday that she is
uow just twenty-five.
The manner in which the grass-widow
captures her prey especially deserves notice.
She is usually partial to Young New Yolk,
which partiality doubtlesi results from the
surprising ease with which be is taken—
though it is by no means• rare to see grizzled
whiskers and bald heads among the debris
of her victims. Having made•her selection,
she proceeds to charm him by a process not
unlike that which is usually supposed to be
employed by some vatietiekof serpents. She
flutters before his eyes, traitor's& him with
her glances, and breathes such tones in his
ear as ate adapted to complete the result de
sired. Whether these totes ate_ plaintive or
gay, they hate the uniforni effect of sending
stone thtill from the tympanum to the
heart of the doomed individual, incapacitai,
ing him for resistance. The unsuspecting
victim acts and feels as the little bird does
when fluttering straight into the jaws of the
rattlesnake:Helends his efforts to precipi
tate his fate, and etas by placing hithself at.
the mercy of Lis fair captor. •
When this point is teached she seizes upon
him, fires her takes in his heart and her
beak in his pocket, and, by a peculiar pro
years, draws out the life= blood (a trite figure
for "calculating medium") through that
orifice. Holding him in this position, she
bears him in triumph through the streets and
places of amusements. She bleeds him pub
licly, at the theatre, at, the opera, and con.
cert and along the carriage driv'es. I sae/
young Simple borne afong Broadway in the
attitude I have describet—though the unob
serving public , thought they were only prom
enading together.' I saw several acquaint
ances of auna thus exhibited in the Academy
of Music, last night,•in various stages of de
pletion. They lookedhappy—poor fellows !--.
and appeared to enjoy the performance:
She continues this phlebotomizing process
until—fortunately for • her victim—sh e is ,at
tracted•from him by more inviting game, or
until the last drop is exhausted, when she
remorselessly leaves the remains to find such
burial as they may.
I met Spooney, at a tate hour the other
night, striding along Broadway at a furious
pace. By the lags-light I saw that. his
countenance Was baggard i and bissapparel
seedy.- litecosted him and be only groaned.
Obeying, benevolent impulse, I nobly invited
him into a subterranean restaurant, and bade
hjut "Imre." He swallowed a steaming bot
punch, and groaned again. He then seized •
me by the hand and drew me to a aeat, de
claring that he must "unbosom" himself to me.
Spooney is equally, unendurable to me,
whether cheerful or sad—whether . his visage
is irrigated with streams from 114 watering
eyes, or Illuminated with his sickly simper. -
I started to escape, but he buttoned-holed me
and I was con - strained to listen:
"Podharnrner," said he, "just six months
ago this day I took up my `abodeat Mrs.
Chickory's boarding-house. Then I was in
nocent and happy. Then I rejoiced in the
pllbted.love pf Avabella Spotts, evangelic
creature; was prospering in business ; • enjoy
ed the confidence of trirginpletyets; an nn
blemished-reputation, a dear consciences, and
prominent position in the - Young Men's
Christian Assoaiatina. istow"—here Spooney
sighed. -
I ajimonisbeci bin) to be dalco and concise
4 . My bOpes bare all been blasted by a de
mon' in female form—a—a vampire. My seat
at table was opposite Mrs. Bellamode, a grass
widow, Mrs. Bellamode at once impressed
me as a. most fasoinating lady. She was
pretty, well-dressed, Accomplished, witty',
a g reeable. '
I was so impressed with her conversation
her society. Seilfl6 4) ll9ltltPitl a eni ° Ying
sce.h lofty sentiments as she uttered. And
how gracefully and feelingly I%e etptened
them! She seemed the incarnation of mod
tts'y and virtue. I began tb suspect that I
had found thy beau ideal of fere:tabs perfection.
She echoed my thoughts. Her sentiments
were my sentiments. 'She, of all the_women
in, the world ; thought I, 'is the true kindred
spirit I have been longing to meet' Her
society seemed to improve and elevate me.
' What is Arabella Spotty compared-to her f'
ihought I. 'An unexperienced chit--an un
inflortned
" As our acquaintance progrowed,sbe grad
ually admitted me into her confidence. She
told u e bow she had bi(n reared in a palatial
home, and sold -at a tender age, by mercena
ry:parents, to a monster cf a husband ; how
that had outraged and betrayed her ;
how he bad-- bated her for her very virtue ,
and persecuted her for her piety; how, after
she bad uncomplainingly endured years of
indescribable horror, be bad at length de•
sertect her, and taken himself off to Califor
nia, leaving her only scanty means • of
subsiscance, what trials and temptations she
had since been subjected .to,_ and how her
immaculate virtue and unerring discretion
bad borne her triumphantly through all.
"She is virtue-itself thought I. Has
Arabella Spotts ever -been tested by such
temptations! Never.'" -
_Here again I admon .
shed Spooney to be
concise.
" One day, just after Frezzolini's debut, she
incidentally mentioned to me that she was
overwhelmed with invitations to the opera
froth Wagby, and Frizzle, and Blazer—three
notoriously rapid gentlemen in , the house.
She had serious objections to going with such
persons—yet she was so fond of the opera.
" I offered her my company. After some
modest hesitation she confessed that she was
unable to refuse an invitation. from such an
unexceptionable young gentlemalf as 1 was.
We occupied two• of the best reserved seats.
In the, course.of the evening:she remarked
with a sigh that, in more prosperous days she
had always been accustomed to her private
box. The next day I subscribed for a box—
a luxury I bad never before dreamed of af
fording:
" She mentionedlo me one day, that Tan
dem, another rapid boarder with red whiskers
and nose, who kept. a blocallorse and light
carriage, was. constantly, urging her to ride
out with him. She said that ebe bad, of
Course, declined ; but added, with a , sigh,
that - her health would be greedy benefitted
by a drive • every day. I made it my nth
care to purchase. a: horse and carriage that
should eclipse Tandem's establishMent.
-44 She informed me, soon after, that she had
declined a valuable present of jewelry which
Bullion, a wealthy widower in the house, had
urged upon her; bit she could never think-of
receiving presents, except from a Madre or
very. dear friend. Tnat day spent my last
dellai - - - at Tiffany's and was evetjoyed -at my •
purchase meeting with a ready acceptance.
"Of course I need not tell you, after what I
have already mentioned, that Mts. Bellamode
engrotwed' all my affections. - Arabella Spotts,,
on learning of this transfer of thy regard, bad
become engaged to another 4tiart. Yes,4
loved Mrs. Bellatnode with all the fervor of a
heart whose capacities of loving are beyond
vulgar appreatation—a heart that contains
'untold depths of sensibility—a heart such as
hots only in the bosom of **apt:stoney—a heart
that—" • -
Here I again Interrupted Spooniy with en
et4ortatton to lnirity,
v `uHre. , Belli mode,,foi some time, tortured
me by avowing a Orsistent deternaination
Bever to live again, and enlarged eloquently
, .
gaunt! 15, Sumittr 27.
upon the advantages., Of a purely ilatonio
sentiment between us. By proper degrees,
however Ler resolution was Melted in" the
rising.tames of her„,./osli and gratitude. At
length, she raised me into full view of a
heaven of happiness by promising me Ike%
when the cruel p?ocrastinating lei , should
have granted, her the divorce for which sbe
had!loog since applied, she would be mine.
" 1 If I only bad - *SOO,' she sighed; bow
happy it would make me l' •
"She explained that, that sum wiislieces
sary to cover the expenses of the suit, and
pay tine debts already due her lawyers. Those
mercenary creatures. bad positively ietused
to take further steps to the case without' that ,
payment; but had assured her that when
that should, beforthComing, the divorce could
be immediately.procured, and with it a shug
fortune, which was hers in her own right, - --
but bad hitherto been lucked up in litiga
tion, would came into her possession. That
forttio wouldibe amply suticient.forour sup
port.-
"Ild# tonic' I nriat that appeal! Yet, I
kite* not bow to obtain , the money,, I had
already squandered all my little capital upon
her, anticipated my income, and become
heavily burthened with *debt. I could
not borrow it, as my credit was exhausted.
I sold my carriage at a . rninoirs sacrifice—
my waleh and wardrobe, raised five hundred
dollars. Three hundred. were still lacking. I
was in desperation. The only expedient that
presented itself was to: borrow it from the
coffers'of the,firm wliose head clerk I was.
I thought I could repay it from Mrs. BOW
mode's anticipated fortune befora the loss
would be felt: ttoo,k it."
Here spooney shuddered. -.
" I gave her the money a week ago to-night.
The- - next night,. when I retuned" home from
business, a servant banded me a note ad=
dressed to me in Mrs. chirogia
-013; and stood watching for its effect wish
- ominous. interest. Here„tt T. - She says:
"• DEka RICHARD:--An old friend of mine ha
invited me to take . a trip •to Europe, We sail
to-day in the Persia. I have only time to as.'
sure you , of my ceaseless gratitude for` year
many acts, of Marianas.s,hall ever, think ,of
you as my truest friend.
" 'Adieu. CoItAIBELLASIODZ.
" 6 P. S.—Remember me 'kindly to Messrs.
Wegby, Frizzle, Blaser,,Tandem and Bullion.
."The servant con - finned, this . intelligence
with the assurance that' Mrs. B. had left at
12 o'clock with all her baggage, in-company
with a tall man in flash,clotbes r big whiskers'
and abundant jewelry. -
"I rushed up stains to her room, thinking
that I--was in a horrible dream. The - door
stood open but no one was within. Strewn
ab3ut in creation were a variety of articles.
Which she had not thought worth taking with
her. . On her dress4table was an empty
rouge-pot, and-an extensive assortment of ar
tificial teeth and false hair.. On the floor
were all the letters I bad written her: my
lection of and a vitritu"°l
- Otte of my DOT.
" I had scarcely , made these obsemations
when Wagbv, Frizzle, Blase?, Tandem, and
Bullion, successiiefy rushed into the room in
a state of extreme agitation, each with a note z
in his hand. It was too evident•tbat all bad
been similarly taken in. We stood regarding
one another in clumb,asionishment for a ram
ute,-and then such a current of dedunciation
burst upon my ears as it has seldom been my
misfortune to listen to.
" 'Done out 'or $6OO I' groaned Wagby.
-
" And I out of $5OO and my beat curl I t
dimmed Frizzle; :
" ' Seven hundred ' A thousand is. -
-thotisabd 1' roared Nailer, Tandem, 'taut Bull
lion, respectively.
"'The others seeing their cases - peat , help,
tried to put the best face. an the'*ititter,
and - made ghastly attempts at miltit ; but
I rushed to the street, stud have been rnatning
about distractedly ever since.As for'rne t t
have been done' out of my ipropeitf;-tny
ored:t, my prospects, my Arabella Spots, my
hearts warmest affections. my taith in woman,
my wardrobe, my--"
Here Spooney emotion choked hie utter-
" Life* is ho longer endurable:- - bisgrace
and ruin stare roe in the face. I must termi
nate my. wretched existence. I besilate only
because I cannot decide upon the best.mode
of doing so. I have it," he cried, aglow of
inspiration lighting op his countenance.--;.
"My end shalt , he grithd,sgloomy and leant
iar,' and of service to rnt►nkind. Lend ma
$52 I will purchase a keg of gunpowder and
a box of matches. I will coniey the keg tb
the most elevated snot in that beautiful Multi
classic region ; the Central Park; take m♦
sent upon the head of it, and touch a match
to it. I will leave a last request to the com
missioners to erect on that spot a lofty-gran
ite monument, bearing the dock() ora.crwsh
ed spoon wreathed with grass, and this in•
teription :
" Here p(rislied,,a warning to Young New
York in all au b 4cqueng ages, Richard Spooney,
the victim of a Grass- Widow.' '
N. B.—Lcould not find it in my heart to
refuse. Spooney the loan he requested:. To
my surprise, however, I. met him on Broad
way about a week after, with a Somewhat
improved appearance. He explained that he
bad only been preiented—from eieouting the
above mentioned purpose by straying; tahe
darkness, into one of the pools that adorn
that beautiful locality ip th.k rainy sellsoo,
and so dampening his . niateltes that they
could not be ignited. Tho dailies mentioned
a keg of gunpowder found at the.spot indi-,
acted, R 5 an " interesting revolutiocary relic."
Spooney has been generously dealt with
by his creditors and employers, and Still lives,
"a sadder and better man.'
DR. CnEEVERa Chtirch.—There was kW
excited and protracted discussion in Dr.
Uheever's church' recently. Vortpeight
members, who object to Mr. Cheever's pout.
ical dieconrses -in the pulpit, had_ asked for
the usual ' letters of dismission. This' was
finally refused, and the applicants were
formally dismissed without the acknowiedg:
meat cif their having been in good standing.
and without any Affectionate •commendation -
to other Churches. This is a bad condition
fur a religious society to be placed in, and, in
any aspect of the case, tells
. forciblY against
the uses of the pulpit and the Sabbath to ~stir
up - sectional animosities.
Er lames Monroe's remains are to bo ra
mp* to. Virginia in July. They were
put in a friend's family vault 4t bia death in
re!' York.
" B."