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-POET 11
Ot'R BIRTHDAYS.
... , .
A Roanoaa oomo and sensoDg
. W mark tholt pastuda ths,-''
Fiiat budf: then lBKfaga, frattoi
, And .o tka cvolei round add grew,
" Xnd mark thIr turn on u.
- f. all the am?i that kave RoWn
, 1 Since Adam law the aiffit
Hare laid their lmprosa on nr own,
And we when babe ore fuller urown
Than ho when life acemed done.
And bom Into an older world. "T"
A philosophic race. i ;
Wo have Tlme'l coilcd-np acroll uncurled,
Rent Earth ' Kteon rail, with tears tnipeavlod.
To scan hor wrinkled face.
. i
Ve aay thoe wrinkles roprosent
ana of airos gone ;
And In onr wisdom aalf-content...
Ti'oclaiin how strata reft and ront Tf "
Are birthdays ! anljied In" etone. f
r- . ' n . . . . - . '
And buaied tracliiff back the growth -1
Of this terraqueous sphere . '?
E
C" '
' la ltierzctfulneas, or sloth, , ,
1 That makes us yearly grow more loth -
To count our birthdays here t
Ah, no-1 In youth wc sprang to greet
Each birthday as it same,
Until, maturity complote
Ycara seem to rnn with flying feot . i
And bear a crosa of flame.
We feel tot, while fresh seasons pass,
Their footsteps on our brow.
Until some clear, unflattering glass
Reveals the wrinkle, which, alas i
Are furrowed by their plow.
And as these furrows indicate,
The throes of strife or pain, ' t.
Tho heart that was In youth elate '
, In age bends "neath too sad a weight
Its birthdays to sustain. -
What marvel We pasa mournfully
Remembrancers of care,
. Epochs of mutability, '
Of passion, strife, or agony,
If such our birthdays were !
Mrt. a. L nnaut Bank; in the Qcntleman't Mega
tint. HIE STORY-TELLER.
THE DEACOX'S COUKTSHIP.
The hundsoinest and richest woman in
all the countryside was the widow Ad
ams. The reigning toast and belle at
sixteen, a bride at eighteen, and a widow
at twenty, endowed with the largest and
best farm in the uuper parish, with out
lying pasture and woodlands, and thous
ands in bank stock, little wonder that
though her crop had not diminished ono
iota, and her rosy cheeks and bright
eyes were still shrouded in the widow's
veil, that manly eyes and manly hearts
would not be directed toward her ; less
wonder that when a sleighing party
from tho " Port " should visit her on a
bright moonlight evening that the pret
ty widow should look her best and bo
toasted as never before over her Thanks
giving cake, sweet cider, and choice old
Jamaica, or that when the beaux and
belles next evening were congregated
in tho school-house on the " Green " to
practice choir singing, which was just
beginning to supercede the old-fashioned
" deaconing out," that the handsome
widow and her surroundings should be
come matter for discussion.
.Deacon Cluff at. tho "Pines" had a
holy horror of this new style of singing.
Though a man only a little past forty,
he held in sacred disdain any infringe
ment of his sabbatical privileges. It
made him a persom of mark to stand in
the deacon's seat before the pulpit and
read two lines of the psalm for those in
the singing gallery to tune into melody.
So Iho deacon, that evening, had deter
mined to go over to the school-house to
stop the disorderly proceedings. Six
weeks a widower, I dare not aver how
strongly other reasons urged the step.
Mrs. Oluff was not forgotten ; on the
contrary she' was remembered' every
hour in the day. He was lonesome ; his
house was at sixes and sevens, his child
ren unruly.
Then he was conscious of a strange
sense of freedom the feminine world
was again open to him ; it was pleasant
to gaze at the lovely maidens of the so
ciety. He was high ia the social scale ;
last year overseer of the poor, this year
selectman of the town, spoken of as
being likely sent to the big and mighty
General Court on the following, year.
With his standing ia the church, surely
he might aspire to the fairest and richest
of tho land.
A huge lire of green logs was sputter
ing and sizzling in the wide stone fire
place of tho rude, half-finished temple of
learning ; tho tallow candles, stuck into
square blocks whittled from a pine stick,
cast a weird light over the clumsy dosks
and seats, hacked and disfigured by
1heir various occupants, casting ghostly
shadows over the time-stained and
8inoko-embrowned walls. . Grouped
around the smoking fire, and percted
hither and thither upon the benches and
desks, were some thirty lads and lasses,
singers at the " Green," and a few friends
come ta assist in the acquirement of sa
cred harmony. . .. . .
' Deaooa Cluff was an artist ; I fear he
scarcely understood the full meaning of
the term ; still, as he pushed aside the
clumsy outer door and stood in the little
' vestibule, the picturesqueneas -of the
sceno arrested his steps, and caused him
to Btand unobserved in the half open en
trance to the. larger entrance.
A merry' laugh ran round the group
as the deacon paused j a curly-haired,
blue-eyed miss, perched upon the front
desk, exclaimed s , . , :
Elbridge CKfton expects to marry
the rich and handsome widow we visited
last night'; but the lady is A good, God
fearing Federalist, and would not look
at such a Tom Paine infidel and Jefl'er
sonian Democrat..'. Now John Pike has
a chance. Cheer up, John ; if the school
marm did give you the mitten, I heard
the wido it Adams ask you the price of
salt hay." . " 1 .'1 r '
Another uproarous peal was. the re
sponse to this sally.. . ., - ... 1 ,.
"Who is this widow" Adams?? 'in
quired a young man, throwing down the
bellows with which he had boon csaxing
the fire. ,
" My cousin, Mrs. Bessie Adams, the
fairest and wealthiest dame in the coun
ty," replied tbe damsol on the front
desk.
" Where does she live '( ' !
- " On j. stolendid, farm; in tU upper
parish. It's a magnificent place. Don't
jrU vish totbo introduced ' Very likely
you could cut out Clifton." '
" And what would sitae Mearg do it
ho did V queried a distinguished-look
ing young man who was leaning against
the teacher's desk. r
" Marry Deacon Cluff, girls, you've a
chance 1 I saw him peeking round the
mcting-hduijBSuriflijJ llis" wife is
cold in the ground by this time, and he
is still young and good-looking; has
lots of the ready ; is a big man intends
to be bigger ; has only six responsibili
ties. Girls, there's a chance ! Hurrah !
I vote for the deacon the boys' may
have the widow. Bring on your books,
let's proceed to business." ' - ' i
Before the preceding hud been half
spoken, Deacon Cluff had retreated
across the entry. At its close, forgetting
his mission, he fairly bolted and ran,
never stopping till past the pond and
green, when, wiping the perspiration
from his brow, he began to gather up
his ideas. Yes, the little minx was
right he was still young and good
looking, rich and a man of note. Who
was the widow Adams 'i He must learn !
To bo sure, it was rather quick after his
wife's death but then some of those
young fellows weuld obtain her, and
doubtless sho would prefer an older,
more staid man, like himself. He need
ed some pigs. Of course, on such a farm
there would bo an abundance of pork
era ; at least pigs could be an excuse for
a call. " He would ride up to the upper
parish the next lhursday lecture, and
ascertain whero the lady resided, and
have a look at her, if nothing more.
The Thursday afternoon lecture was a
great institution with our forefathers,
A half holiday to the schools, it was as
regularly attended as the Sabbath ser
vices, and those, if health permitted,
were seldom omitted.
Tho January thaw had come it was
poor sleighing ; so, as Deacon Cluff was
an expert horseman, he determined to
take to the saddle.
The widow Adams was an orderly
woman sho never infiinged upon cus
tom or propriety ; she would certainly
have attended tho lecture had not her
next-door neiglib&r slipped" on the- wet
door-stone and broken her leg; conse
quently the handsome widow was assist
ing snuffy, clumsy Dr. Rich in his
manipulations, instead of being present
at the atternoon service.
The old, unpainted, square meeting.
house, with its rattling windows and
heavy doors', basked in the sunshine
upon the hill-top. Males and females
dismounted from saddle and pillion, at
the horse-block, near the principal en
trance ; the long row of sheds became
filled with sleigh; the square pews,
long seats, and wide galleries were
thronged. The head chorister pitched
his pipe, the tithing man, with his long
pole, seated himself among the boys in
the gallery; the throe deacons took their
place in front ot the pulpit ; the pastor,
in his wig, black gown arid white bands,
walked majestically up tho center aisle,
and slowly ascended the stairs leading to
the high rostrum ; the sexton stealthily
tiptoed forward and humbly seated him
self upon the lowest step.
The parson rose, psalm book in hand,
the centre door slowly and noiselessly
opened, the sexton sprang forward and
ushered the- stranger who had entered
into one ot the best pews, beside a very
quiet, demure-looking young lady.
Notwithstanding her somber counte
nance and modest demeanor, Tabitha
Dole was one f the greatest witches
that ever danced to black bambo s nd-
die. tihe and Miss Mears had attended
Atkinson Academy together and be
came choice friends. Tabitha had been
visiting at the Green, knew Deacon
Cluff by sight, and there learned of his
widowed estate. Consequently, when,
after service, through which he had
been unusually devout, he inquired for
the residence of. the Widow Adams, the
young spirits at once fathomed his in
tentions. Now there was another widow Adams,
a woman of sixty, with two unmarried
daughters Susan and Hannah resid
ing within a stone's throw of the meeting-house
; thither the mischievous girl
directed the deacon. But as he stopped
to speak to the parson and other digni
taries, she ran over to apprise Hannah
Adams, whom she found alone, of his
coming. Hannah was the fiance of Tab
itha's brother, manager of the widow's
farm, while Tabitha had promised to
wed Edward hite, another young man
cm ployed upon the premises.
Five minutes sufficed, ,amid giggling
and suppressed ejaculations, for Tabitha
to unfold a' pl:in, and Hannah to accede
-i . i , j, j, i
io n, oy wnicn me ueacon was 10 oe vic
timized. Tabitha mot her lover a9 she returned
up the hill, and informed him of the
part he was to play in the drama ; so
when the suitor, proud of his horse and
horsemanship, pranced up the long lane,
everything was in readiness for au ap
propriate reception.
The worthy man never dreamed of
any mistake. A largo, substantial
farmhouse,' with ' long barns and an
abundance of out-buildings, surrounded
by orchards, fields, aad meadows every
thing evinced weaitn and care,
i Hannah; anawefrod his knock,! " Y
the Widow Adams resided here, tihe
was absent, but would return by sunset
Would not the gentleman walk in and
wait, the man would take his horse
Pigs, eh yes, there was quite a number
he could look at them, ,. So Edward
White threw the bridle over his arm and
the deacon accompanied him to the sta
ble. More and more pleased after a due
insnection of the place and nianv in
quiries, all of which his companion man
aged to answer satisfactorily, the visitor
returned to the house, where a mug of
nip awaited him, and he was placed in a
large arm chair beside -tb.8 Jibb. jn the
clean, bright family room. .. '
The Ioks snapped and sparkled in the
huge fire-place ; the long dresser, bril
liant with pewter aua niany-nuea crock
ery, gleamed In ' the fifelic ht ; the tea
kettle sang merrily on the long tram
mel ; the supper-table, with its spotless
cloth and beautifully painted china, was
drawn but'. In' the center of. .the neatly
sivnded floor; Whfcn Edward White had
handed him a nicely-lighted pipe tho
visitor folt temarkably comfortable, and
as he pulled the curls ot smoke about
his :.he?ad; unit watohod" "pretty; buxom
Hannah Adams as she bustled about, he
tfionghti Jhat'if ,the mttlii was-wj ''good
lookyig and; he never doubted her to be
the serving-maid what -would bo the
mistress r lie scarcely cared ; he lilted
the looks yf,f.his .girl, so spry and dalt
in nil her Movements 1 ' - '
With half-closed eyes ho gazed, as tho
pies nnrt doughnuts were placed on the
hearth ib'witrnv; bread; cbeesiS and cake
cut, tho toast dipped,, and.- the sausages
fried. ' ... .. , , , ... . ,
Chang, chang, chang, catno the bolls
-good, old-faBhioned, rofkAmding bells.
A largo, low, comfortable, yellow sleigh,
drove to the door.' Two young ladies in
nlOnrmng and sablo lurs wore assisted
from ' tbe robes of strong, home-spun
coverlets; ' the fijot-stove was taken out-,
thon Mr. White drove to. ' tho barn, and
Deacon Cluff rose to bo introduced.
A tall, gaunt, pale,, wrinkled woman,
in large, round glassed, silver-mounted
spectacles, entered, followed by a black-
eyed,, sunuy-iaced younger one.
" My mother, the widow Adams, and
my sister, Miss Susan Adams," said Han
nah, in her most modest and bewitching
manner.
The deacon certainly experienced a
nervous start. For an instant his
tongue was paralyzed, his brain whirled,
alibis ideas seemed' resolving tb chaos.
But he was a man of the world, prided
himself on always being equal to any
situation. There was a mistake ; this
was not the, woman or place he had
sought, but. it never should bo nown,
bo with his moBt courtly air he gave his
name, and he inquired respecting the
swine. v
" Mrs. Adiuug had not thought of dis
posing of any, Ircr hired help ate a great
deal of pork during tho summer, but
perhaps she could sparo a couple ; her
loroman, Mr. .Dole, would be home soon.
She must consult him. The gentleman
must stop to tea ; alter that there would
be plenty of timo for business."
The supper was a very sociable one.
The deacon learned that David Dole was
the prospective Bon-in-law, as well as
foreman to Mrs. . Adams ; but he was
even more pleased with Miss Susan
than he had been with hor younger sis
ter. She having been initiated in the
roguish plot, played her part to perfec
tion, and the mother, though perfectly
ignorant of the conspiracy against tho
visitor, or ot his mistake, was too shrewd
to believe that tho purchase of a couple
of pigs was his sole errand. Pleased at
the prospect of such a respectable match
for hor eldest daughter, she strove to bo
as gracious and entertaining as possible.
, The widower, surrounded by so much
feminine sympathy, became extremely
confidential. With tears he dilated on
the beauty and virtue of his deceased
spouse, gave a detailed account of her
illness and ' doath, concluding by a
graphio description of his loneliness and
domestio troublos. . Words and sighs of
consolation were breathed around him,
The widow bemoaned her bereavod con
dition," but sho was an old woman and
had two' such daughters. Her girls,
especially tne eldest, nad been sucn a
comfort since her husband's death." ,
The guest, looking unutterablo things
at the damsel, " was sure it must bo so,"
while ehe comfprted the mourner with
shy, little glances, and sweetly lisped
halt hnishad sentences.
Supper over Mr. Dolo arrived with a
sled loud of wood, drawn from a distant
wood lot. The- bargain for the pigs
having ' been satisfactorily concluded,
Tabitha Dole came to spenl tho even
ing.; : Apples wero brought, nuts were
brought, and a bowl ot hot punch mixed,
- The tall clock in the corner strikes
nine, Tabitha donned cloak and hood,
and, escorted by Edward W hite, osten
sibly started homeward, but in reality
the pair proceeded no further than the
long back kitchen, when raking opon
the smouldering fire they quietly seated
themselves upon the settle in the chim
ney corner. , , '
-' Mrs. Adams rolled up her stocking,
took the knitting sheath from her side,
and placing both on a high mantel,
brought the large family Bible aad po
litely requested Deacon Cluff' " to sot
tho house in order, which, alter a slight
show ot modest hesitancy, he proceeded
to do in his best style, which really was
very good.
Prayers over, the widow, complaining
of fatigue, but begging the visitor not
to hasten his departure, sought her bed
room. Tho young ladies and Mr. Dolo
became more entertaining. Some cold
chicken was brought, and another mug
of flip made, as a bonne louche before the
guest set out on bis long, cold ride. The
merriment increased, till somehow the
deacon found himself alone with Miss
Suan Adams, who was demurely knit
ting in her mother low rocking chair
by the small, round light stand. He
pushed his seat forward, and strove to
take the work from her hand. She
ooquettishly resisted. The chair went
forward another hitch, something in
tended, to be sweet, and .complimentary
was -Mttmaierea,- tnen everything swam
before his vision, his eyes closed, his
head sank on his breast, and the pious,
distinguished Deacon Cluff was fust
asleep. . -
The maiden's needles clicked, the fire
snapped and sizzled, the cat purred on
tne neartn, the clock tick-tacked, ticx
tacked, then rang out eleven: - The dea
con never moved. ....
..The door loading from the back kitch
en vat cautiously opened and four merry
faces peeped in. Miss gugan put up her
knitting, and with . a niption, to silence,
softly opened the dairy-room , door, and
bringing forth' a tall, upright churn,
she quietly placed it' between the sleep
er s knees, and then noiselessly corerin
the fire with anhe aha blew out the. can
dle and. joined ihd guy quartette in the
next room. ' f-: . - i . .i ' -
. A' little suppressed laughter and the
young men went to tneir ouamber,
while the girls betook themselves to
their sleeping apartment, a bedroom ad
joining the kitchen.
I need not to say that though the bod
was sought it was not to sleep. I
. . Toward rnornintf Deacon Cluff-aWOke.
rubbed his eyeB, and shook his benumb
ed limbs. Over went tne cnurn wit", a
great bang and rattle on the broad brick
hearth. The cat, with a terrible sissirjg,'
flow up the chimney ana took retugo pn
the jug polo. ' I
',Xti0. ,w?dOW. intra en uignt .mppea
hSa4, fcnd- muttered that -ke n'ncar.riy
witch Goody Sleeper was at Jier tan
trums, riding hither and thither through
tho night on her broom stick. What
was she up to now f oomo mischief !at
tho barn, Bhe warranted ; she must Out
some hair from one of the critter's tails
and burn it on the morrow. Comforted
at the thought of this speoifie against
evil, she dosed off again. Meantime
the deacon was becoming conscious j of
his whereabouts and situation. A good
deal ashamed, vastly prvoked, yet ;in
spite -of his ire somewliat amused, he si
lently groped out his hat and coat from
the entry, then as quietly mado his ekit
from the front door, which had been
considerately left unbarred. Making
his way to tho barn, by the light of the
moon, he easily procured his horse, tho
bridle hunrr upon the stall, but the sad
dle was missing. A bareback rido of
ten miles was no pleasant prospect, but
after searching awhile the deacon con
cluded it must be done. Ho was only
too glad to have the moon suddenly ob
scured that he might escape being
recognized by any chance waylarer.
Nothing occurred ' to interrupt his
lonely ride. Near dawn he arrived at
his own door, n wiser if not a sadder
man.
Some weeks later, upon rising one
morning, our hero espied what at first
ho took- for a wild animal perched , in a
tree opposite his chamber window, but
which ' upon examination, he found to
bo his missing saddle.
All parties kent their own counsel
The year waxed and waned. Choir
singing was established at the " Green,"
even a bass viol bad been introduced,
much to the horror of the old members,
who were scandalized at such Papistical
innovations. The young and beautiful
Widow Adams had become Mrs. El
bridge Clinton, and Hannah Adams and
David Dole had been cried three times
in the meeting, when the post brought
a letter to Deacon ClunY What was his
astonishment to find it an invitation to
the wedding.
Taking heart of grace he determined
to go. .
On a lovely winter evening he again
found himself riding up the long lane.
The large house was thronged. The
bride and her bride-maid, Tabitha Dole,
looked as lovely as ever maidens looked.
Miss Susan as mistress ot ceremonies ap-
penrpd to grout advantage; both thn
bridogroom and the groomsman, Ed
ward White, wero especially attentive
to the deacon. Mrs. Adams, little wot
ting the reason, chided him for not be
fore renewing his visit. Miss Adams
sweetly hoped - they should see him
again, bhe did not hope in vain.
Tho orthodox year of mourning hav
ing ended, after a little coquettish pru
dery the lady consented to fill the va
cant place in the deacon's houshold, and
before the lapse of another year his
family received a mistress and his child
ren a mother who verified the Scriptural
.description of a perfect woman. " Her
children rise np and call hoc blessed, her
husband also, and he praiseth her ; her
own works praise her in tho gates.
' Iu ' his later years Deacon Cluff was
fond ot relating how he found his second
wife, not failing to assure his hearers.
with a merry twinkle of tho eye, that he
had never regretted his visit to the
Widow Adams. Western World.
Introductions.
We can very readily understand why
women should be shy of holding con-
verso witn men witnout tne ceremony
of an introduction, but the stiffness and
formality which mark tho meeting of
two women, Who do not know each
other, is something altogether inexpli
cable. Gentlemen speak to each other
in tho street or in the cars, when there
is occasion, ask necessary questions, crive
courteous answers, and think nothing of
it. But let a lady want to know the
points of the compass, or the locality of
a streer, ana sue win puzzie ner naughty
head to any conceivable extont rather
than approach one of her sister shoppers
with a query. Failing finally to work
out the problem, she is certain to select
a man as tho person to whom to apply.
The same shyness of each other marks
all tho meetings of women unmtroduced
Tho calmness and serenity with which
tney ignore eacn ether s existence has
something almost sublime about it, and
the hauteur with which they receive a
volunteered hint of a loose breastpin or
a tsuling shawl Irom one of their own
sex' contrasts strangely with the gracious
smile that greets similar attentions when
ottered by gentlemen.
Of course thore are exceptions to this
rule, but they are only exceptions. Nor
do we think tne tact cited the result ot
affectation of any kind. On the con
trary, most women seem utterly uncon
scious of any such peculiarity in them
selves or others around them. And yet
even highly sensible women do things of
the kind every day. ' We once knew two
ladies, both of them women of good
sense, who sat for weeks at desks not ten
feet apart, engaged in the 6ame work,
without jonce exchanging a word, while
each of . them came to kuow every gen
tleman in tne ' onice. ' A formal intro
duction came at last and the two women
became bosom friends almost immedi
ately. During . all the timo each wanted
to know the other, each knew who the
other was, each was predisposed to like
hor neighbor, put the want of the form
al introduction was an impassable bar
rier which;. Aertner, was sumciently
aggressive to overstep.. Two men under
similar circumstances would have beea
acquainted . within .less than an hour,
while a man and woman would have
bowed at the first meeting, and' would
have known each other on the first day,
A tight fit The delirium tremens.
1-ponbljCnnop6f Ceylon." "M r
1 Every object that meets the Lye cn
entering the Bay f , dalle 1,' new and
strange. . Amongst the Vessels at Anohor
lie the dows of -the Arabs, the petamars
of Malabar, -tha dhoncrys of Coromandel
and tho grotesque sandbbats of the Mal
dive and Laocadive Islanders. ' But ' the
most remarkable of all are the double
canons of the Cingalese, "which , dart
with ' surprising Velocity amongst the
snipping, managed by half-clad natives,
who offer lor sale beautiful but unfa
miliar fruits and fishes of extraordinary
colors and forms. , . ! .
, Theso canoes are . dissimilar in build,
some consisting of ,.two trees lashed to
gether, but the most common and by for
the most graceful are hollowed out of a
single stem from eighteen to thirty feet
long na about v two feet m apth,! ex
clusive of tha wash-board, which adds
about a foot to the height. This Is sewed
tb the" gunwale by coir yarn, so that no
iron or any Other metal enters' into the
construction of a canoe. " ' ', ' ' 1 ,
But their characteristic peculiarity is
the balance log, of very buoyant wood,
upward of twenty feet in rlength, car
ried at tho extremity of two clastic out
riggers, eaoh , eighteen feet long. By
this arrangement, not only is the boat
steadied, but mast,, yard, and sail are
bound securely together. -r t 1 1
iho outrigger : must ot necessity , be
always kept - to windward,1 and as it
would not be possible to remove it from
side to sido, the canoo in no constructed
as to proceed with cither ond foremost,
thus elucidating an observation made by
Pliny eighteen hundred years ago, that
the ships which pavigated the seas to
thwwest of Taprobane had ' prows : at
either end, to , avoid ' the necessity i of
ihese peculiar cralt venture twenty
miles to sea in a strong wind ; they ail
upward of ten miles an hour, and noth
ing can be more picturesque than tho
sight at daybreak of the numerous fleets
of fishing-boats, which cruise along tho
coast whilst the morning is still misty
and cool, and hasten to shore after sun
rise with their captures, which consist
not only of ordinary nsh, whose scales
are flaked with silver or "bedropped
witn gold, but include those of the
most unusual shapes, displaying the col
ors of the rainbow.
It is remarkable that thrs form of
canoe is found only where the Malays
have extended themselves throughout
Polynesia and the coral islands of the
Pacific j and it seems so peculiar to that
race tnat it is to be traced in Madagas
car and the Comoros, where a Malayan
colony was settled at some remote period
of antiquity. The outrigger is unknown
amongst tne Arabs, and is little seen on
too coast ot India.
Instinct of Plants.
Not long since, we alluded to the won.
derful instinct of animals and insects.
Wow tho instinct, or tendencies, of plants
come under notice. -
The root constitutes the plant's mouth.
It terminates in a little sponge. The
spenge drinks up the moisture from the
surrounding earth. Every boy has seen
in the woods the roots of sumo tree,
planted by the birds or the winds in the
crevices of a rook, wandering down the
sides of a boulder in search of nourish
ment. In one case, a horse-chestnut
tree, growing on a flat stone, sent out its
roots thus . to forage for food. They
passed seven feet up a contiguous wall,
turned at the top, and passing down
seven feet upon tho other side, found
the needed nourishment there which
their own barren home denied them. A
yet more singular instance of this search
tor food is related. A seed had been
dropped by one of nature's husbandmen.
a bird, in the decaying trunk of an old
tree. it sprouted, put forth roots,
branches and a little stem. But its
roots in vain sought nourishment ut the
breast of its dying foster mother. At
length; abandoning all hope of support
from her, they pushed out from home to
Beek a living.. They dropped to the
ground a distance of sixty or seventy
feet, and fastening there, succeeded in
securing an independent livelihood. As
time passed on, the old trunk died, de
cayed and disappeared. The new tree
remained suspended, as it were, in the
mid-air, the roots proceeding downward,
and the branches upward, from a point
about equal-distant between tho two.
Jixrhajiye.
Exhibition of Choice Cattle.
Probably the largest and finest exhi
bition of cattle ever held in the United
States will come off at Boston in Sep
tember next, under the auspices of the
Massachusetts ' Society for Promoting
Agriculture, and we believe that the
country will be well represented on the
occasion by some of the representatives
of our finest herds. The amount to be
awarded in premiums is over $22,000.
Each of tho following breeds Short
Horns, Ayrshires, Jerseys, Devous, and
Hoisteins will be awarded $2,000, or
$10,000 in all for the five breeds;
Guernseys and llerefords each fGOo, or,
if - enough are shown to justify it, each
$2,000. . In addition to these premiums,
the awards for dairy produce are very
large, and farm animals horses, sheep,
swine, and poultry are offered larger
premiums than have hitherto been
known iu this country, save that not one
dollar has been offered for speed. The
experiment is to be tried of holding a
legitimate agricultural show, unaided
by horst-raciug. The only deviation
from the strictly utilitarian standard is
the "Offer "Of fl.SOO for premiums on sad
dle-horses, which will secure an attrac
tive exhibition of fine animals, and en
courage the production of a niuch-to-be-desired
addition to the American
stable. Mr. C. 8. Sargeant, of Brook-
line, Mass., who ia the executive officer
of the organization, will be glad to fur
nish full information to all who aro in
terested, and he especially requests com
munications from breeders as to the num
ber of entries they will make.
There cannot be a pleasant smile upon
the lips of the hopeless. The blow which
crushes the life will shatter the smile,
t? ? A $40,000 'KuggeUr 0- tt I
A New York correspondent of -a Chi
cago paper tella a singular i story about
a spurious nugget represented to , be ot
California gold. The owaer, i whosd '
name is not inontf onedj hd it weighed
and assayed .in JNcw XOJr,k city.. ,xho
weight was ,2,310.75 otineefl troy, and
the assay gave it a yaltie of f -10,000. : A
loan of $5,000 or $0,000 waaobtained on
it to enable its ownor to ship it to tho
rans Exposition, When ft arrived in
Paris the owner and his certificate of as
say were both missings The nuggot.was
then sent to the bank of France, which
refused to receive it without knowing
its vnlue. ..; vlf "-irr ,.,!f?:
i A second assay, was made, much more
thoroughly than the first. 1W euttiiir'
into" tho body of (the supposed" nugget
with a chisel, it was discovered, that un
der the, handsome . surface of yellow
gold, through which deceptive pieces of
white quartz' cropped :oub, was a thin
layer of silvor ; under the: silver, one of
copper ; and beneath all a base lump of
lead.1 The French bankers ' estimated
the value of the gold coating at about
$4,000. The last assay at the New York
oflice shows it to have been but $380,
the weight oftef melting having dwin
dled to 103 ounoes troy, and the average
fineness.
' The sequel to this story is the most
curious part of alL It is told by the ed
itor of the Stockton Itcpuhlican as fol
lows : .
' It may not be out of place to record
what we know -of the nugget above
alluded to. In tho summer ot lSj-1 and
1S55, late one evening, Isaac Elwell. a
clerk in the houso of Adams & Co., in
Stockton, came to the Republican office
and stated that Mr. Noyes, tho agent,
desired to see the writer of this article
at the express office; . On our arrival, in
company with John Crofton, wo found
Noyes, Fred. Cohen, a clerk in the oflice,
Henry A. Crabb, and two m":n dressed
' .1: n r
dirty blankets.
After our entrunce Cohen commenced
unrolling, and soon was presented to
view a lump of gold that appeared to be
eight or nine inches wide, a toot or more
long, and four inches in thickness. All
were astonished at tho sight, and it was
placed on a platform scale that stood in
the room, and weighed.- Its weight was
l'-izfj pounds. Tho two men stated that
in sinking a shaft, a few miles from
Murphy s camp, they had found the
nugget, at the close of a hard day's
work ; and not wishing to create any
excitement, they carried it to thoir
cabin, rolled it in their blankets, and
took the stage as it passed the next
morning, without disclosing to those in
the neighborhood their good fortuno.
The evening we saw the nugget of
gold in tho express office, half a dozen
of pieces wero cut from it, in various
places, with chisol, tho ono presented
to Mr. iNoycs weighing more than hve
dollars, all the purest quality of gold.
In our presence Noyes offered tho men
$10,000 for the lump, which they un
hesitatingly refused. The next day the
miners had a box made, if wo mistake
not, by It. S. Ellsworth, in which to take
their treasure to the Atlantic States.
What beonme of tho wonderful lump of
gold after leaving here we know not,
but that it was genuine when brought
to this city there is no doubt.
Sandspouts In Nevada.
For several hours yesterday afternoon
there were visible from this city, on
Twenty-two mile Desert, five or six tall
columns of sand, backed up by as many
whirlwinds. At sea theso would have
been waterspouts, but upon the desert
they were only what we might call sand'
spouts. The columns appeared t o be ten
feet in diameter and one thousand foot
in height. Although they waltzed about
over the plain tor two or three hours,
they never came together nor ever lost
their distinct cylindrical form, and when
they did go down they went down at
once all falling together. These sand
spouts are well known to old prospectors,
and seem to indicate a change of weath
er. Wo have frequently seen in tho
Forty mile Desert, east ot the lower sink
of the Carson, not less than ten or fifteen
of these tall sand columns moving about
over tho plains at the same timo. It is
seldom that they coino together, but
when they do they dart forward like
two flashes ot lightning, and an explo
sion like a heavy blast ends all, and tho
two columns of sand at once fall to the
ground. Those who have not been upon
our great deserts and have never wit
nessed these grand sandspouts or tho
wonderful mirages have but little idea
of the romantic grandeur of these ap
parently uninteresting wastes of sand.
1 iryuuu Aetntla) Antcrprwe.
An Extensive Wheat Field.
The Stockton (Cal.) Independent of
Juno 24th says ; " On tho west sido of
the San Joaquin . river in this valley,
there is a gram field -which extends for
thirty-five miles, and is of an average
width of eight miles, thus covering an
area of 179,200 acres. Persons who liavo
lately travelled through this immense
grain field estimate the total average
yield at sixteen busneis to the acre,
which will give a total yield of 2,807,-
200 bushels, or 60,015 tons. This amount
of grain would load 8,001 cars, which, if
made up in one train, would reach over
oO miles, or from llantas to tbe Oakland
wharf. There is, however, a much
larger area cultivated in grain on the
east side oi tbe ban Joaquin than on the
west side. From Lathrop to Meroed, a
distanoe of over 50 milos, the railroad
runs through an almost unbroken graiu
field, extending as far as the eye can see
on either side. The product of this
whole valley will be much greater than
ever before, and the railroad company
will find it very difficult to move Uie
immense amount to market before the
rainy season."
A good man, who has seen much of
the world, and is tired of it, Bays ; " The
grand essentials to happiness are some
thing to do, something to love, and some
thing to hope for.
-Facta tzntJ-Fiffures
There "are" 'said -to still biT2,000,000
cannibals in the world. -
'The SUgari-catle trf i iitmisiatm Loir de
generated to such an,. extent that the
planters have sent an agent to Java and
Sumatra to procure.. vigorous cane from
tho. East Indies.. , -t, '
A pleasure excursion1 li'Otti Bremen to
this country is oUo of tho principal top
ics of conversatioTrin Berlin at present.
The trip is all arranged, and a number
of . prominent Fatlicrlandets, wholhavo
never smiled the air pf the salt soa, will
daro the deed oi. fi. passage across tho
Atlantic to see the land of whose won
drous growth anal increasing iniportanco
they have heard ahd read so much,
rri tm: i...J. -'t..'. if 1.11.
- lliaUUULUiUWll, vuiis
this: ' '"From our yowig friend, John
Wells, who has been on a visit to his re
lations in the country, we lonrn that at
the residenoe of -Mr.- William Sprigg
there is an old. hen that flies up into 11
mulberry treo, picks off the berries, and,
having satiated herself, fastens her
claws to tho limb and shakes off some for
the little duckies that stand underneath
with beaks wide open ready to catch the
tempting fruit." '
A Lbuisianian litis invented a mclhod
of extracting beo. honey from the comb
by means of a centrifugal process, which
acomplishes its work without ' breaking
tho comb further .than uncapping- the
cells. The coiuTb is then replaced in
sliding compartments fitted to the hive,
and the bees at once commence to reull
the cells, thus saving the labor of con
structing twenty pounds of comb, bee
bread and wax, in order to preserve cue
pound ot honey. " ...
It is now said that tho Colorado des- .
ert was once the bed of a sea.' Careful .
instrumental observations have lately
been made which seem to establish the
fact beyond doubt, proving that, either
through the gradual -exhaustion of the
sources of water supply, or through
some more sudden natural convulsion,
tho heart of tho continent, once occu
pied by a vast expanse of water, has
been drained, within a comparatively
short space of time, and changed to dry
land.
The traffic in alligator skin3 is becom
ing quite an item in commercial circles.
During the past five months a gentleman
of Jacksonville, Fla., has shipped to par
ties in Boston 1,400 alligator skins. If
the traffic in these hides should continue
unabated during the next season, it is
evident that those who go to Florida for
the purpose ot shooting theso interest
ing reptiles will be compelled to ponc
trate far into the wilds of the State, and
the success of the sport will be . some
what limited. .
A traveller in Florida writes : " This
is tho land whero towns consist of one
house, whore steamboats make eight
miles an hour, whero railroads carry you
four miles an hour, (on my honor, they
are four hours going sixteen miles from
Tocoi to St. Augustino); where the
happy maxim rules, ' never do to-day
what you can put 'off till to-morrow ;'
where the mail comes semi-occasionally;-where
the newspaper is almost as rare
as a snow storm ; and where telegrams
aro unknown."
We probably shall not feol any cooler
by reflecting that others aro suffering
btill more than we irom the fierce rays
of the sun, but some churlish persons
may find comfort in the thought. For
tho benefit of such we note from a Bom
bay paper that the thermometer was
lately 115 degrees in the shade at Alla
habad, and lib degrees at Hyderabad,
and that the wells were drying up and
men and beasts dying of thirst. It is
our opinion that 'Allahabad and Hyder
abad havo horrid bad weather at this
season.
The stock of guano on the islands
near Peru is nearly exhausted, and it is
estimated that tho supply from these
sources will fail within four years. A
Peruvian ' journal published . at Lima
says, however, that immense guano beds
have been discovered on the mainland
north of Callao, of a quality superior to
that found on the celebrated Chincha
Islands. This discovery is tho result of
an expedition set on foot by Harry
Meigs, the great railroad contractor.
Another expedition sent to a placo near
Pisco, where it was reported there were
large deposits, ascertained that no guano
was to be found there. The beds north
of Callao, whero it is said that millions
upon millions of this valuable fertilizer
lio within easy reach, aro the resort of
sea lions in immense numbers.
At Evansville, Ind., a little child six
years ot age, named Harry, the son 01 J.
W. Wartman, clerk of tho United States
court, was attacked on the street by
hogs, and badly, though it is believed
not fatally injured. A gentleman named
V miaul Brown happened to be near at
the time, or the child would have been
killed. The hogs next turned upon Mr.
Brown, and it was with difficulty that
he managed to escape. A gentleman,
writing ot the affair, says : "1 he hogs
tore all tho child's clothes off, and bit
fearfully in many places, chiefly on tho
right arm, I suppose there are twenty
or thirty wounds from tho elbow to the
shoulder, and some of thorn quite deep.
lie was also bitten on tho head, breast,
back, and one of his legs, though many
ot the wounds are mere bruises.
An Oregon correspondent says : This
is a lovely country, as it lies unrolled
before us the green fields and forests
glowing, and the wide rivers sparkling
under the bright light of a June sun.
All of tho Oregonians feel its influence'
and all praise the beauty of their laud,
which to their minds is without A peer.
They are never tired of talking about it,
and, when away from it, sigh to return
to its shades, and for a view of its land
scapes, which are really magnificent, and
which possess for them a wondrous
charm, found not elsewhere in this broad
land. There is a sort of dreamy quiet
about it, that seems the perfection of
contentment ; and one says to himself,
" This is happiness, sure enough. , Let
Let the world go on as it may, here I
am in this glorious clime, and here I am
willing to remain until I am gathered
to my fathers."