TH• .‘• .•...,. ••• , - . • -- • c . " . • - - • , • 3/4 11 • : - • • • . • • i ' O 111 :4;?.• A. J. GERRITSON, Proprietor.} Reflections for march. Grandeur end .diatance of ": the Sun. If we have never properly considered the narrow compass of earth, or are too ignorant to perceive our own insignifi cance, we may perhaps be benefitted by considering that immense body which commtinicates light and heat, not to our world only, but to many others. The Sun, nearly in the centre of all the planets and comets, may be regarded as the monarch of many worlds, to whidh he imparts light, heat, and motion. This alone would lead us to conclude that his size is prodigious, and this opinion is con fined by his apparent magnitude, not withetauding his immense distance from us. But the calculations of astronomy have certified us of this beyond the possi bility of doubt. From them it appears that the diame ter of the Sun is about 100 timesgreater than that of the earth, and consequently he is a million times larger than the whole earth. Astronomers have differed respecting his distance; the truest calculations makes it about S 2 millions of :miles. Some planets move in their orbits much nearer to the Sun, and others at a greater distance, than does the earth; but though, • if formed like our globe, in the one case they perhaps might be consumed by the heat, in the other wrapped in cold and darkness, we have reasnu to believe that those spheres which move around the Sun, whether nearer to him or more re mote than our earth, aro so constituted, that neither the globe itself, nor its inhab itants, suffer from their situation. Perhaps it will be urged that what. we have stated respecting the magnitude and distance of the sun is exaggerated ; or we can discover nothing so great as the earth we inhabit, and with which we compare the sun, which is a million times greater. This luminary from its prodigious dis tance appearing so small, ignorant people are disposed rather to believeAbat which they can see with their own eyes, than give credit, to *calculations which their. reason cannot comprehend. But had we been placed on a planet whose magnitude bore the same pro portion to the E .a T ill the earth uow does I,o,Atie sun, we s oon ( hare been equally incredulous as to the dimensions ot' this earth, compared with that we then inhabited. It is far from being strange, then, that we should be astonished when we are told of the distance and vast magnitude of the sun. This admiration ought to make us as wild to that 13eing which is its Creator, Di rector, and Conservator ; compared with which, the grandeur and brilliancy of the sun are as nothing: consider the glory of him who created it, and you will find infinitely more incomprehensibilities than when you only reflect upon the grandeur of the sun. If the earth, compared with the ROD, is ao small, what must be the lit tleiess of man compared with his Creator! If the space between the earth and sun is found to be so immense, what an incon ceivable distance is there between man and the infinite God. Who is like unto the, 0 Lord! What can be compared unto thee ? Thy Glory is exalted beyond the reach of praise, and the grandeur above the coin prehension of man. Glory, splendour, and majesty sur round thee, the principle and source of life; and light encircles thee, as a garment. But whilst we admire the sun as he springs above the horizon, let us not for get our divine redeemer, that son of riah: l teousuess which visited us in our =alile= tions, and whose rays impart- , life, health, and eternal salvation, and without which, deprived of light, virtue, and consolation, we should still wander in darkness, igno rance, and the :grossest sib! Sturm's Re. fiectionit.P -In a town, in the goodly state of lltas aachusetts, did one time reside, a little lass of six years old, whose name was Martha. In the same house with this lit tle lass lived a maiden lady of very un pleasant ways, whose delight it was*to pester the small Martha with questions, by which means Martha had come to much dislike Miss Pump. Once Martha made a visit to Boston. When she returned, Miss Pomp set upon her. Whereat this colloquy : • " Where ye been, Marthy !" "To Boston, Miss Pump ?" "La! And who'd you see there, Mar thy ?" "Oh 1 I saw a angel" "My I And what'd the angel say, Mar thy?" "He said, 'How do you do, pretty lit tle girl ?" " Sakes 1 And who else d'ye see, Mar thy ?" "4h! I saw the old 'en." "14tarey I What did be say, Marthy?" "He said, 'How's my good friend, Miss Pump ?" The pump suddenly became dry. —"Paddy, why don't you get your ears eropped? They are entirely too long for a man." "And yonre,r replied Pat, "ought to be leng.thened ;I they are ten , short for la THE ;WRONG CARPET BAG BY P:11. STAUFPUB. Dzat FRED.--I am glad that you got home safely, and confess to having en joyed yourself during your week'ssojourn with rue., Your remarks in reference to my ," better-half" are somewhat flatter ing; but 1 accept them 'in the spirit of "IsiUdly :intentions." You ask me how and where I came to "pick up such a glo rious woman." I respond with pleasure, though I forewarn you that the narration will abound more in the gossip of " little or nothings" than in romantic adventures. This shall suffice for a preface. I' shall new enter upon the story, subdividing it into appropriate heads. I. .Tllll DIsCOVERY. I reached the city of. Philadelphia wea ry and travel-stained. Registering my name at the hotel, I rushed up stairs into the room allotted to me, to refresh my self with a change of linen. I unlocked my carpet-bag, thrust in my hand, and brought—a pair of delicate lace under sleeves. "I wonder how some of sister Nell's fixins' got in here ?" I said to myself. I made another dive with no better success—bringing to light a waterfall, two "rats" (that's what Ned calls 'em,) and a pair ofside-combs, I stared at them in astonishment. I shut the bag and ex amined it. If it was not mine it was one remarkably like it. I turned it bottom upward. Were my initials there? No; but. somebody else's were. " Well, here's ago I muttered. "I have got the wrong carpet bag, and a wais man's at that. That might stand for Mary Jane Peckover.' This is provoking:, but not to be helped. I will go, an wit h the inventory." 'Emptying the bag, I found a variety of articles, describable and indiscribable. A bundle, of letters tied with blue ribbon, a diary, a photograph album, etc. The at ter contained photepTaplis of men in mil itary uniform—all fine looking fellows.— Under one:was written "Brother John— missing since the battle of Cedar Moun tain." Under another, "Brother Ralph; cAVVr-,---bfttoP in The 45th." " A patriotic girl, that , !" I said, closing he albu m. The diary neit claimed my attention. The chirography was excellent, I read.a few pages. The writer evidently was a keen observer—shrewd, piquant, racy. I subjoin a feW. EXTRACTS FROM TUB DIARY. Thursday, Nov. rainy, chilly, disagreeable day. Tried to sew,but found that it hurt my eyes; tried to write, but coulknot concentrate my thoughts; took up a book, and flung it away, vexed at the stupidity of the author. Wby cannot peo ple write about natural things naturally? Why must they warp sentiment, over , strain probabilities, belie the commonest experiences ? This afternoon - little Abbie came up to My room. I hugged - and kissed her. She brought a plentitude of sunshine with her. I would like to see the artist who could sketch her, the author who could des;ribe all her varying moods! Such quaint conceits, such warm imaginings; such strong belief in uncommon things! There is something bealtifUl in the faith exhibited by a child. Pity it. is that we grow so skeptical as we grow old. A child believes-withoomentaleiservation. He may wondeewhj "doctor brought baby with him under a cloak"—or bow the touch of a wand could transform the . rags of Cinderella into the robes of a prin cess—or how Jack's beanstock grew to the sky in a night; but he is easily satis fied and silenced. Good children believe what is told them. Then !shy should not I be? And he does believe! How is the child to distinguish between the Witch of Endor and the Witch ofEd monton—between the giant whom David slew, and the giant whom Jack killed-- between the she-bears that tore up the taunting children and the wolf that gob bled up Red Riding Hood—between the miracle which-followed - the touching of the bones of the prophet and that which followed the rubbing of the lainp of Alladin ? Ab in after years comes to him the subtle power of reasoning—the force of logic—* ability to , dissect and anatomise. * Friday, March 56.—Air bracing. Clear over head and dry under foot. Out shop ping. Spent the afternoon at Mrs. D— s. Went-in the evening to hear Mr. E— lecture. It was talk m elegant dishabille. The spice of tone and manner was there; the fires of rhetoric, the rich, strong es sences of an individual mind. When will, lectures meet with the remuneration and popularity they so muchlieserie ? Books have, their office. They tire the products of insulated hours--dissevered nights— sundered yeais. The lecturer is their counterpart—organized in flesh and blood relations to the people—the living mind ,in living contact with the living world. May ad.—Sabbath. A delightful day. :Went to the Sixth Street Church. A good ',sermon, but delivered, under difficulties, and beard under adverse circumstances. The preacher 'halt in semi-tones and his MONTROSE, PA., TUESDAY, 'MARCH 5, 1867 voice languished throtrgh the exercises, something like Hamlet's "infirmity of purpose," without his vigor of speech. I could not hear to advantage. The edifice was one that no human voice could have filled. It-was costly but not convenient; patterned after some Notre Dame at the expense of the first principles in'acoustics. The rspntation of the finest speaker would have suffered amid such architectural fol ly. Why did they cramp up the preach. er in that wine glass enclosure, called gothic pulpit ? No wonder he suffered with the bronchitis. Why was not his chancel in the midst of the congregation, where he could move his limbs as freely as Paul did on Mars Hill, and where he could hear and feel the magnetism of his appeals. So the diary read on: The record of each day contained such passages—such racy dashes of passing thoughts. On the fly-leaf I found the name and address of the owner of the carpetbag: " MARION J. PENROSE, Altoona, Pa." Of course the lady would live to have her valuables, and perhaps she could give me some information respecting mine. So the next 'day Y wrote to her as folloWs : M. THE LETTER TO 31. J. P Girard House, Phil'a, June 3, 1865. Miss (or Mrs. Penrose:) By an exchange, error, mistake, over sight, or in some other unaccountable way, a carpet-bag belonging to you has come into my possession. If we made an exchange you can appreciate how much I have been inconvenienced, and will be just as ready as myself to " effect a com promise." Your letters have been un touched. I took the liberty of looking at your diary in order to obtain your ad ! dress. - Will you take offence if I compli ment you on those racy, criticising pen sketches ? Your property awaits your or der. I shall send it to you at such time and in such manner as you may direct— though I feel like exacting conditions. I am a single man, and if not inconsistant with the relations you hold in life, I would be pleased to have you correspond with me—for enjoyment, pastime, profit. What do you say? Direct your letter to L—, Pa., where I reside. - - - ✓ C'UA &L. When I returned to L—,l found the following letter at the post ofice: Iv. Id. J. IN IMPLY. ALTOONA, PA., Jane 7th, 1865. MR. CARSON The receipt ofyour letter is acknowl edgd. Please return my baggage by earlit est expreis. It would be difficult to prove which of as was most inconvenienced by the blunder. I strongly suspect that was a mistake. I forwarded your carpet bag this morning. I took an inventory of it, as any other curious vexed woman would have done. In doing so, I for the first time discovered upon what a lire. ciously sma'l allowance of baggage a man can travel ! lam not offended at your compliment; I receive more flattering ones every day. lam not offended be. cause you glanced at my diary. I only wish you had read it. You would have been profited by some bard hits at the " immaculate gentry." You ask me in a brusque way, to cor respond with you. I have no objections. But you will be disappointed in the pleas ure and instruction you expect to receive. In justice to myself, though, I must ask you to look upon this as a mere premoni tory symptom of what is to follow. I warn you not to get sickly sentimental. I will take it as a hint to correspondence. Write earnestly about earnest things, and describe pleasant scenes pleasantly. I am not at present in a mood for wri ting. My bead aches, and the apple dump lings bubbling in the boiler, my airy flights go back to every day miseries and realities. There is such a thing as a mood for writing. Sometimes it is toilsome, dragging, up-hill work. The ideas will not flow ; particular words taunt us; sen tences cling together horribly disjointed. What is the reason ? Because the organ ism is unstrung; the mind dull, the brain weary, the mood unfavorable, unpropi tious. At another time you may try again. Away the pen gallops, leaping the bounds of reason ; thoughts crowd, language flows, and the word-painting is exquisite ! 0, you are merely in the right mood. When Meissonier, the artist, had just lit his cigar at a banquet given him by his admirers, he began unconsciously, while talking, to draw on the table cloth with the blackened end of a match. The Ba ron de lloyff, the landscape painter, see ing what he was about, continued to put balf•burned matches in his way, and with I these, Meissonier sketched one of the I most exquisite of his male figures, full of nature and vivacity. The Baron took i away the cloth, purchasing it> the land lady of the house, and it is now in his drawing room, the figure work admirably framed, and the remainder of the cloth tastefully arranged as a drapery. I have imagined that to be the way or pleasant mood in which some authors write. In a moment of sherest idleness, as it were, the pen sketch grows rapidly into life, sparkling, vivaetons—to stored- away with: pleasant memories. Ia oonsidezatton that I am not m a hap, py mood, ea I have said, I bring my let ter to a close. You may write again if you wish. Perhaps I should have said, that I rather wish you would write. I remain yours, etc. M.►slor 3. Pennon. V. 1313BSEQCENT ACQIIAINTLNICE. We exchanged a dozeu letters or more. Last spring a young lady took the cars at Downingtown. The seats were all filled, and so I offered her mine. She accepted it with a pleasant nod and smile. She was a well formed girl, with clear skin, laughing eyes, white teeth, red lips, arch ing neck. I remained standing in the aisle. She looked up at me. It was but a second, yet I knew she had made her estiniato of me. "Yon may sit beside me," she said pleasantly,' making room. "You were kind in giving me a seat. I will not allow you to stand." " Are you going far ?" I asked, taking the seat. "No farther than Harrisburg to day." "In looking down at her feet I saw a black carpet bag, with the letters " M. J. P." on it. Was this my sprightly corres pondent ? I was quite sure that it was. "M. J. P," I repeated aloud. "That might stand for Mary Jane Peckover." "So it might," answered my compan ion. "Or for Marion J. Penrose," added I She started a little—then looked up in to my face in astonishment. " You have the advantage of me," said she. "S 1 tly," said I. My eyes twinkled merrily. She fol lowed them in a glance at the carpet bag. Then the crimson surged over that trans parent face, touching the roots of her hair, penciling the delicate throat. " You are Mr. Carson," she said. " At your service, madam," said I. She laughed a low, silvery laugh. " Don't madam' me any," she said. I would be sorry to Miss you," re turned I. " Was that intended for a pun ?" . "It might ba,taken for a compliment." "I did not thinkof that," she said. eaNirtaNtt - - • VI. TUE CONCLUSION AND TUE CONSE QUENCE. She invited me to visit her at the farm at Altoona. I went. There was some thing attractive in those high, mountain gorges and sunny valleys. I went repeat edly. I proposed to her and she accep ted. And now you know, Fred, how and where -I came " to pick up snob a glorious woman."— Saturday Niyht. Influence of the Diet upon Health. At a lecture delivered at the Cooper Institute the following suggestions were made on "Animal Heat, on the Influence of diet on Health, strength and long life:" The lecturer commenced by saying that he would speak upon food and drink. As these topics were closely connected with that of digestion, he would recapitulate some points spoken of in a previous lee tare. He then explained % with the aid of models constructed for the purpose, the various organs of digestion. The salivate glands were an important agency in the' utilization of food. Their office was to moisten and prepare it for the stomacWi Liquids taken during the meals usurpid their place, while they did not discharge their functions. Hence, drinking during the time of eating was to be avoided as far as possible. The teeth, the mastica tors of our food, were, if used properly, fitted to last a hundred years, and still be '1 in good.order. How was it that they so commonly failed us before the middle' age bad been reached. The answer was to be found in the large quantity of hot liquids taken into the mouth, and the in ordinate amount of sweets' consumed. The tongue and thoiax filled minor func tionsin the work of...digestion. Disea ses of the throat were generally the result of undigested food in the stomach, affect ing the mucous membrane lining of that delicate organ. This brought him to speak of the stomach, the great agent in I the transmutation of our food. The doc tor here brought forward a model of this' organ of average size. Stomachs, be said I varied much in size—one pint was the average capacity, while there were some which were able to contain three gallons.- This member of the body, being made of thin and elastic material, was capable of great distension. In it the food was mix ed with the gastric juice, necessary to proper digestion. All stimulants and con diments checked the exudation of this juice. Hence the food,' lying undigested in the stomach, fermented and involved, carbonic acid gas, which, being absorbed by the blood and cafiied to the brain, was productive of most disastrous results. The use of ardent spiritsrlager beer and tobacco were most vehemently condemn ed. Men\ who in perplexities resorted to the intoxicating draught were cowards. The true man should be able to stand ' alone. The food become chyle by means of the action of the gastrin juice, was pass ' ed from the stomaeh through the intesti nal cumal—thirty, feet in length—by whose veind, arteries and laoteil glands it is, air sorbed and digriboted through the Way, to be built up into the various constiuent parts of the human system. The blood, supplied with oxygen from the lungs, was thus purified and vitalized. The lecturer then enlarged upon the great importance of his theme. The blood depended upo.n the digestion. The health, happiness, cheerfulness, intellect, faith, religion, whole character, were dependent in a large degree upon the quality of the blood. The food we eat and the way in which it is cooked, and eaten were thus widely in fluential in life. It was more important to regulate the food than the teaching of the rising generation. Ignorance was more out of place in the kitchen than any where else. The lecturer went on to speak of the various kinds of food in their relative digestibility, &c. This portion of the lecture was illustrated by a peculiar " bill of fare." The various comestibles were arranged in a list indicating their re spective qualities as affording nutriment, heat or calcerous matter to the system. From this list it appeased that potatoes— con trary to the usually received opinion— were not a cheap article of food contain ing seventy four hundredths of water and but little nourishment. They should nev er be boiled, the true objectleing to get as much of the water out of them as pos sible. Of grains, rice and oats were the most largely nourishing; wheat, rye and corn came next. The Scotch Highlander illustrated the amount of courage and vi tality to be drawn from oatmeal. His te nacity and bravery as a soldier were pro verbial. Of meats, beef affirded the high est proportion of nutriment, there being twenty two pounds of actual vitality in every hundred. It should be so prepared as to avoid any waste of its juices. The doctor advocated boiling it. Beans and peas exceeded beef in their nutritive qual ities. Ofall food, pork is the least nutri tious and the most hurtful. It should never be eaten in anyway. No man could eat fat pork alone for four .&msecutive weeks and survive. In regard to animal heat two thirds of our food went to fatten and . warm us. Cream, butter, and the like were intended for this end. These articles contained a large quantity of car bon. The lungs breathing in oxygen, to Itia.rvire 2 .l-ed ..ro-t-a42”gr, utut- reg.-um ted properly all danger of chol era and contagious and epidemic diseases would be avoided. Renting and Owning a Farm. There is no man more independent than the owner of a well cultivated farm. He is less beholden to popular sentiment tban people of any other calling. He bas al ways a.sure support before him without consulting the opinions or relying upon the custom - of any one. There is a con stant market for all the surplus he can produce, and he obtains for it the current price without any one demanding to know of him his religions or political faith. It should therefore be the object of all young farmers, who are renters, to pursue such a course as will insure for them at the earliest period a farm of their own. This course will be found not to lie in fre quent changes, 'as we think nothing re tards the success of a renter more ruin ously than this. To avoid this, he should take a lease fer five or ten years, and work it with all the care and energy as though. were his own. let the landlord see 'Warty that at the end of each year the farm- is in better condition than at the beginning; the fences are as good; the out buildings suffering no damage, reasonable wear and tear excepted; that in every re spect the tenant has done his duty, and best of all has found his advantage in it. Such a parson could get the premises at a lower rate than another who was untried; but not oly so, he could have his lease re newed were it desirable, or it may be could become owner were the farm for sale; and some laud lords, who see so much honesty, skill and industry applied for a series of years by his tenant, would be in duced to favor him in the price of it. But there is another side to the ques tion. It is the indisposition of landlords to lease for more than one year at a time. They say that if they obtain a bad ten ant it is too long; it' a good one the lease can be renewed as long as both parties are agreed. This plan, however, gives poor encouragement to a tenant who in tends to devote all bis energies to the bu siness and to do the best fbr himself and the landlord. The latter may see proper to sell, or he may come across some one whom he thinks he would prefer for a ten- I ant. At least his tenure is uncertain and of course discouraging. A tenant who desires to do well wants to be assured of a fair chance to do so by occupying the place for a series of years. And it is on this erroneous system of leasing that we always have so few good tenants on the one band and so few capitalists on the other who invest in lands with a view to income. The sooner the whole system is reform-, ed the better it will lielor all parties. ; —"Shall A-ote.?".asked a spealier at a meeting in Onciiitrubunty. "Certain ly," replied a strong-minded woman in, the audience. "Is woman made only to sew on buttons ? And, if she y 5, it is against. the law of nature to tarn aw ay the asap froai the yell." IVOLUME XXIV, NUMBER 10. The Development of RadlOtdism. In the spring of 1804, while Abraham Lincoln was still President, .Thaddeus Stevens said, in'a speech in the House of Representatives, " I believe emlacess the power to createta dictator; I believe we ought to have a dictator, and I sin prepared to vote for one now." Daring the present session of Congress, the same leader and ruler of the Radical party de clared, "The United States is not a re public. It never was a republic. Penn sylvania is not a republic, and I wish Con grass would take it in hand and make it one." Thaddeus Stevens is the acknowled_ged leader of the dominant party in the Uni ted States. He is the author of the mili tary bill for destroying the States upon which the Sherman compromise is foun. ded, and from which it derives its life, spirit and meaning. It is then just and fair to claim that Mr. Stevens, by subse quent action, is endeavoring to carry out his leading idea of 1864. Then he desired to raise some person to -the position of dictator and govern the nation by his will, not that of the people expressed through the constitutional channel of the ballot box. The advent of Andrew John. son prevented the dictator from being ta ken from the White House, and hence the base of action was changed, and an at tempt made to clothe Congress with die. tatarial powers. That idea is not aban doned. The after declaration of Mr. Ste yens, that• the 'United States is not and never was a republic, shows that he stilt clings to the position that in some por tion of the government is lodged the pow er by which an ambitious man can mount to the dictator's place, destroy the States, uproot the constitution and enslave the people. That power Mr. Stevens evidently thinks rests in Congress, independent of the oth er branches of the government. Be would have - Congress rule the President, over* awe the Supreme Court, and command the military. The Constitution is no, lon ger to be considered as the supreme law of the land. The Nation, a radical week ly paper published in New York, in e/abo- N t ia u ffsk~a r tgettfft t d ono e signs which indicate that the nition bas reached the point at which it begins to consider whether it will b;indly adhere to constitutional forms and perish, or disre gard them and live. There are a thou sand signs that we have reached the lat ter point, and the people are fast ptting . into a state4rmiud in which constitution al forms count for very little." The "constitutional forms" so objection- able to the radicals have been omitted in all recent movements of the dominant party under the lead of Mr. Stevens, and he is slowly developing his pivotal idea of a dictatorial form of government. If Con grass is to rule supreme, then the MU who controls that body is a dictator. ~fie can say what rights and liberties shall be accorded to the people of the several States.. The measures of those rights is set forth in the military reconstruction bill, and if that system:a is accepted, then Mr. Stevens will he in a fair way to real ! ize the scheme developed in 1864—the creation of a dictorial form of government in the United States. Security to Property and Life. Considering the career of Butler M . N. Orleans, and' Dow in P-ensacola, and let. ser of Generals and commanders in oth er sections during the war, there is agrim facetiousness in proposing to establish military governments in the South to af- ford " security to property." And yet there was a good deal of property "secur. ed" b e y somebody in the Department of;the Gulf—cotton, plate, pianos, picturee,jew: elry, and w hat not. These things were sent to the North perhaps for "security." But coupled with this promise of " securi ty to property," "security to life" is also an avowed object of the new military es tablishment. There is sense in this. Hu man life was never endangered anyerhere within a hundred miles or more of the place where the plate and piano "Gener als" were in the field.—Y. Y. World. It is recorded in an old Latin prOverb, that " without, money all is veiny' but I have known such folk to be vain is had. money. It is said that in some eases " the rem edy is wuss than the disease," but I hew known diseases that kould not find reme dies wuss enough f i or 'em. Speakin' ,rd• " blossoms of a time gone by," reminds roe of rum blossoms. " A man ought to be born a king or's, fool ;" there are bat few who attain the former position, but the hitter is thick enongb—too thick. ,An old Frenchman on," crooked wood niiikes a straight fire , " but that depends on Whether the wood is seasoned or not. Wo find it reOorded,:" good ointments are in small botes".l—:this no doubt means itch . ointment. OSADIAIL —Miss Nellie Dean fignres on a Pitts. burg skating pond as a professional ToT formiCod reoekvgs two hundred dothni a Week and, bar expenses. • Old Proverbs Simmered Down.
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