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' Among the epispdesoMhn ROTototjonoty
■WHr, J Dofi6' is'strangftr' than that of Ethan
Alleij W Ertgtfftld-V'tHe ’event, and the' man
being equally, uncommon. ; ” ' «■■
1 Allen seems tohaVebeenacdrious combi
nation'of a Hefptilesi a'Joe Miller, aßayard,
and a 'fora ‘Hyer; had' aperaon like thtfßel
(jian giants* mountain music in him'^ like a
Swiss;’ and a hean’plu'mp as aGceur da
Lion's. Though born in New England, he
exhibited no tfaces of her character, except
that his heart beat wildly ipr his country’s
freedom. He was frank, bluff, companiona
ble as a pagan, convivial as a Roman, hearty
as a harvest. His spirit was essentially Wes
tern—and herein is his peculiar Americanism
—for the Western spirit is the true American
one. •' ’
For tt)e most part, Allpn’s manner while i n
England was scornful and ferocious in (he last
degree; however qualified by (Bat wild, hero
ic sort of levity, which in the hour of oppres
sion or peril, seems inseparable from a nature
like his—the inode 'whereby such a temper
best evinces its barbaric disdain of adversity
—and how cheaply and waggishly it holds
its malice, even though triumphant,of its foes.
Aside from that inevitable egotism relatively
pertaining to pine trees, spires and giants,
there - were perhaps, two special incidental
reasons for the Titanic. Vermonter’s singular
demeanor abroad. -v Taken captive while head
ing a forlorn hope before Montreal, he was
treated, with inexcusable cruelty and indigni
ty ; something as if he had fallen into tha
hands of the Dyaks. Immediately upon his
capture, he would have been deliberately suf
fered to have been butchered by the Indian
allies, in cold bloodnn the spot, had he not,
with desperate.intrepidity availed himself of
his enormous physical strength, by twitching
a British officer to him, and using him for a
living target, whirling him round and round
against the murderous tomahawks of the sav
ages. —Shortly afterwards, led into the town,
fenced about by bayonets of the guard, tho
commander of the guard,, the commander of
(he enemy, one Colonel McCloud flourished
hia cane over the captive’s head with brutal
insults, promising him a rebel’s baiter at Ty
burn, During bis passage to England in the
same ship wherein went passenger Colonel
Guy Johnson, the implacable lory, he was
kept heavily ironed in the hold, and in nil ways
treated ns a common mutineer; or, it may
be, rather as a lion of Asia, which, though,
caged, was still 100 dreadful to behold without
(ear and trembling, and consequent cruelty.
And no wonder, at least for the fear, for on
one occasion, when chained hand and foot, he
was insulted on shipboard by an officer, with
hia teeth be twisted off the nail that went
through (he mortise of bis handcuffs and so,
having his arms at liberty, challenged his in
suiter to combat. - Often, at Pendeonis Cas
tle, when no other nveogement was at hand,
he would hurl on' his foes such howling tem
pests of anathema, as fairly to shoek .them
into retreat. Prompted by somewhat similar
motives, both on shipboard and in England,
he would often make the most vociferous allu
sions to Ticondoroga, and the part he played
in its capture, well knowing, thattof all Amer
ican names, Ticonderoga was, at that period,
by far the most famous and galling to Eng
lishmen.
Israel Potter, an exiled Engliahtnae, while
strolling around Pendeimia Castle* where Al
len was confined, chanaed to hear-him in one
of his outbursts of indignation and madness,
of which (he following is a specimen :
•‘Brag no more, old England j consider
that you are but an island ! Order back your
broken battallions! homo! and repent in ash
es 1 Long enough lijfve your hired lories
across the sea forgotten the Lord their God,
and bowed down to Howe and Kniphausen—
the Hessian! Hands off, red-skinned jack
all I, . Wearing the king’s plate, ai I do,
(meaning, probably, certain manacles,) I have
treasures of wrath against you British.”
Then came a clanking, as of a chain:—
many vengful sounds, all confusedly togeth
er, with Then again the voice:
“Ye brought mo’ out here, front my dun
geon to this green—affronting yon Sabbath
bod— to see how a rebel looks. But I’ll show
ye bow a true gentleman and a Christian can
conduct in adversity. Back dogs I Respect
a gentleman and a Christian, though he be in
rags, and smell of bilge-water. Yes, shine
Ob, glorious sun! ’Tis the same that warms
the hearts of my Green Mountain Boys, and
lights up with its rays the golden hills of Ver
mont 1”
Filled with astonishment at these words
which came .from pver a massive yell, inclo
sing what sfeeraed ati open parade , space, Is
rael pressed forward,' arid soon-name to a
black aiohWay, leading far within, underneath,
to a grassy tract, through a tower.. Likelwo
boar’s tusks, two sentries stppd on guard at
either side of the open jaws, of the arch.—
Scrutinizing our adventurer a momoitl.lhey
signed him permission to enter.
Arrived at thoend ofthe arched way'where
the juushone, Israel stood, transfixodai l{ie
scene,
Like some bailed bull in the ting, crouchr
ed ihePetagOniap looking captive, handqup
fed aahefpre; -the grass of tfie.greenf lrani
pled apd gated up all about : him, both hip.
own nmvetaents arjd.l}tpse of the’ people of- 1
seemed Jipwsily/town’e-people, collected he)©,
°ut of corjosity. .The stranger was putlao
dishly arrayed' in the-sorry remains of shelf
Indian, half Canadian, sort of a dross, con-
-- [M:v-.M^JwiWM*S^ *-' .tt- .*!?/-»•s fe „w^
W , ! r t w Ss^!2S?^!? , S , -#fiß»#«wn«s?...
T "' ■ ■■' ■■ *-* ■• --* ‘-ri-- ! t ! "i i i t ■ i u •-' i * . , , ... , .V.»»4—ftag’i* .rtiT > ft* - i» t U.» / _'- s
-. ...... .y V> ••:«.; v. -; t ,. , rr .■>. ~\TIT^^ — • 1 - !;<« i 1 I*M-ig <o f^TOt — TST. —.-”.1 y s r7~= s^= ~r ! * !aitaa^s
c* w.i'J .t- his.-,
« i. r\ l ■ n m r»A,mn « ’1» V-<.T? r ■' - -
voL; -U- fA;, vSNtwiiem^w
-rj/ ;C J--** i'A .Ip'Ti* •;*
staling pfa, ! mwn J ah|n jacket,—the fuf outside
.of ; wpn^^,aged ( breecheß or
to too knee; old rooehasinsriddled; with holm,
&ded
stuck about .with bits of
halfgotten' ,‘Hh broken
iroo\ in Payid’d outlawed jcalfe
of Adjillatn. b
led r and a/corn-oel4. bealeiY dojyn
by hailstorms, bis vbpfc inatyei aspect'wpis
that biif gpi jcqyaY jiori,
dragged out of a ship’s. like a smutty
tierce, and.this morning out of your littered
barracks there, like a murderer—for pit fhat,
you may well, stare at. Ethan Ticonderpga
Men, the uncopquerable soldier, by—i— : !
You Turks never saw a Christian before.—
Stare on! I am he, who when yoUr Lord
Howe wanted to bribe a patriot to fall down
and worship him by an oiler of major-gene*
ralsbip and five thousand acres of choice land
in old Vermont—(Hah ! three-linn os-three for
gloricps old Vermont, and my Green Moun
tain Boys! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!) —
I am he, I say, who answered your Lord
Howe, “You, you oiler our land T You are
like the devil in Scripture, offering all Che
kingdoms in the world, when Ihe d —d
soul had not a corner lot on earth! Stare
on!”
“Look you, rebel, you had best heed how
you talk against General Lord Howe,” here
said a thin, wasp-waisted, epauleltcd officer
of (he Castle, coming near and flourishing his
sword about like a school master’s ferule.
“General Lqrd Howe?, Heed how, J talk
of that Joad.hqarled king’s' lick-spittlp of a
scarlet poltroon ; the vilest wriggler in God’s
worm-hole'belowv I >tell'.yonrthal" beards of
red-haired devils are aborting to
ladle Lord Howe with all his gang (you in
eluded) into the seethmgesl syrups of Tophet’s
flames.”
. At this blast, (he wasp.waisled officer was
blown, backwards as from the suddenly burst
head of a steam boiler.
Staggering away, with a snapped spine, he
muttered something about its being beneath
his dignity to bandy further words yvhh a low
lived rebel.
“Come, come. Colonel Allen, ’here sqid a
mild (poking man ia a sort of a clerical un
dress; ’respect the day belter than to v lalk
thus of what lies beyond. Were you ,16 die
this hour, or what is more probable, be hung
next week at Tpwer“vharf, you know not
what might become, in eternity of yourself."
“Reverend Sir,” with a mocking bow,
when not belter employed braiding my beard,
I have a little dabbled in your theoligies,—
And let me tell you, Reverend Sir,’ lowering
and intensifying his voice, that as to the world
of spirits, of which you hint, though 1 know'
nothing of the mode or manner of that world,
no more than you do, yet 1 expect when 1 ar
rive there to be treated os well as any other
gentleman, of my merit. That is to say, far
belter than you British know how to treat an
honest man and meek hearted Christain, cap
tured in honorable, war, by— s —l Every,
one tells me as yourself just told me, and as,
crossing the sea, every billow dinned in ray
ear—that I, Ethan Allen, am to be hung like
a thief. If 1 am, tho great Jehovah and tho
Continental Congress shall avenge roe {.while
I, for my part, will show you, even on the
tree, how a Christian gentleman can die,—
Meantime, sir, if you are the clergy man,you
look, act out your consolatory function,, by
getting an unfortunate Christain gentleman,
about to die, a bowl of punch.”
The good natured stranger, not to have ids
religious courtesy appealed loin vain, drams*
diately despatched his servant, who stood by,
to procure the beverage.
At this juncture, a faint rustling sound, as
of the advance of an array with banners.was
heard. Silks, scarfs and ribbons fluttered in
the background.- Presently, a bright squad
ron of fair ladies drew nigh,- escortedJjy cer
tain outstriding gallants of Falmouth. , .
“Ah,” sighed a soft voice, “what a strange
sash, and furred vest, and what leopardlike
teeth, and what flaxen hair, but all -mildew
ed ; is that he 1”
"Yea, is it, lovely charmer,” said - Alien,
like an Ottoman, bowing over his broad bo
vine forehead, and breathing the words out
like a lute; “it is he—Eathao Allen, the sol.
dier: now, since ladies’ eyes visit him, made
trebly a captive.”
, “Why; he talks like a beau in the parlor
—this wild, mossed American from the wood,”
aighed'anpther fair lady to her male-; “but
can this be he we came to seel I must have
a look of hiit’Hair." • ’ ’ '
“It is be, adorable Delilah; and fear hot,
though incited by th'o foe, by clipping mf
locks, to dwindle my -strength. Give me your
sword, man, turning to an officer. Ah I’m
fettered. Clip ii ypurself, Jady.”
“No, no—l am——' ;
- “Afraid wopld you say l . Afratd of the
vowed.friend ahfl.oharopion pf‘alf jadiesVaif
around tha.woiltU Nay, nay.com'o hilh
erJ’’-. . ■ • ■ - ;
; , ThHady- advanced; arid soon. Pvercorh
: iijg herJiroidjty, her white , hand,
1 whipped ma^
On Jbnir.: '^.
“Ah, this Is like clippings tapgled .taga .of
gold lace, 1 ’ cried she; “but see,"it is-half
istratrlS'ife-! -;* , !fv , *>
i lherwepter isDomanftC-«ttftw k lady;
-vwere 1 freehand youhdd teh.
ifoofAnd. .dragohharrhoii; Jike 4 «;
fftiend- Ecimldflghtfor you yoihaye
robbed me of my hair—letmerohyburrjain*
ty hand of ils'prlce; What nfrqid ngain ?”
: “No, not lhaff-bul— -a-” 1 -"J
“I see, lady; I may do it, by.your^.lettvp,,
thag-AhabifteP heaft,«f ilhq.cbprpy^j.,;.,
■> n Wheaatlangth tb«,lady
, was haiby hetwithiher, companions i about
•omtwayoffelitjvingthetlardjotiofehkitight:
{■T* an aptyttanattk! .Whwwpoa a.tvortby,
judiciduagentlemtOrof middle.agp, in fallen,-!
dance, suggested a boitlebfigoodiwineevery
ddy,Mnd clean linfemonpe-evefy week. •'< And
these- the 1 gentle Englishwoman—too- polite
and toe good to bo faslidiouS—did indeed add*
ally send'to Ethan Allerijlso long as ha tar
ried ’• ■ -
The withdrawal of this company was fol
lowed; by a different s^'neurP,/,- • ;
. A perspirjngmaa in topbqots, a riding
whip in hijs hand, and having .the airi .pf a
prosperous former, brushed in, like ,a stray
bullock, amongst the rest, for a .peep at' the
giant—having just entered through the arch
as the ladiespassed out. . .
“Hearing (hat the man who took. Tico
nderoga was here in Pendennis Gastle, I’ve rid
den twenty-five miles to see him, and (o-mor
row my brother will ride forty for the same
purpose. So let me havetbe first look. t“Sir,”
he continued, addressing the captive, “will
you let me ask your a few questions, and be
free with you,”
“Be free with me? with all ray heart.- I
love freedom above all things. I’m ready
to die for freedom; I expect to. So he as
free as you please. What is it V
"Then sir, permit me to ask what is your
occupation in life ? in time of peace, I mean.”
“You talk like a tax-gatherer,” rejoined
Allen, squinting tjiabolicn'ly at ' him?’“what
is my occupation In life? 'Vhy.in my youn
ger days’! studied divinity, but at present 1
ami a'conjurer by profession.” -
Hereupon every body laughed, as well at
the manner as the words, aqd tbe nettled for
mer'retorted:
“Conjurer, eh ? Well, youconjuredwrong
ibat limeyou.were taken.”..
“Not so wrong, though, as you-British did,
that time I look Ticonderoga, my friend." „
At this juncture the servant.cattle, with the
punch, when his master hade.Mm present,,it
to the. captive.• ■
. “Nol—give it to me, sir, with your own
hands, and pledge me as gentleman to gen
tleman,” t
“I cannolpledge a state-prisoner, Colonel
Allen, hut I will hand you the punch with my
own bands, since you insist upon it,”
“Spoken and;dona like; a^rne.gentleman,
sir,' I am bound to you.” ,
Then receiving (he bowl into his gyved
hands, the iron ringing against the china, be
put it to his lips, a,nd saying, “1 hereby give
the British nation credit for half a minute’s
good usage,” at one draught emptied it to the
bottom.
“The rebel gulps it down like a swilling
hog at a trough,” here.acoffed a lusty private
of the guard, off duly.
“Shame to you !’’ cried the giver of the
bowl.
“Nay, sir; bis red coat is a standing blush
to him, as it is in the whole scarlet-blushing
British army.” . Then turning derisively up
on the private; “you object to nay way ofta
king thing, do ye? [ fear 1 shall never .be
able to please ye. You objected to the way,
too, in which I took Ticonderoga, and the
way in which I meant to take Montreal. So
lah! .But, pray,, now.that Hook to you, are
you. not the hero I caught dodging round, ip
his shirt, in the cattle-pen, Inside the fort?
It was the break or day, you remember.”
“Come, Yankee,” here swore, the incensed
private-: “cease-this, or I’ll darn -your old
fawn-skinsfor ye, with the flat of this sword;
for a specimen, laying it lashwiae, but not
heavily, across the captive’s back. - .
Turning-like a liger. lhe giant, catching
the steel between his teeth, wrenched it front,
the private’s grasp, and striking it.with his
manacles, sent it .spinning like a. juggler's
dagger into the air; saying, “lay yourdirly
coward’s iron on a lied gentleman again, and
these,” (lifting his handcuffed flats,) “shall be
the beetle of mortality to you!”
The now furious soldier would have struck
him with all bis force; but several men of the
town interposed, reminding him that it were
outrageous to attack a chained captive.
“Ah,” said Allen, “I am accustomed, to
that, and therefore I am beforehand with you;
and Ihoextremity of that I say against Brit
ain, is hot meant for you, kind iriends, but
for my inaulters, present and to come.” Then
recognizing among the'inierposersjlhe giver
of the bowl, he l turned with a courteous bow
saying, Thank you again and again, my
good sir; you may not be the worse for it;
ours la an unstable world; so that one gaff
lleman naver knows when it may be his turn
to be helped of another.” •.. t
But the soldier'still making a riot, and the
commotion growing general, a superior officer
stepped up, who terminated the,scene by-re*
manditfg ihe prisonar to bis. cell dissmissing'
the - townspeople; with ■ all .strangers, Israel
amonglherest, and closing the castlei gatft
'.aileMhem. ■; v: •••- u - /■•.-.. -
’’ A Onn-p is, born. Now. take' the
and make a -bud -of moral .beauty.' . Let the,
dews of .knowledge Ibe Tight of;,virtue
wake in tilth? richest.virtue
hu«9,; and, above ,ntl,T«ee..that. you' keep Ua,
.face affd/fpeh deatu ■. .
* Horrible Practice— A St. kouis editor
compMirik
;wfth ttfeiftotw wound' lovingly'around their;
wivds,"a fraction bttohßlo'rsand'
jaKea ifheit' mthdrfrom Wr'wpili^atkwot
'• !f •' r it -»y»
‘ Wtitris a msrriodmaplikoacandiedßOr
cause he sometimes.' goes out airtight when
he bughten’l to.. ■■■• .
. 9 •»
'rw^HSrm' #.-rift. 1 ' riHrigWi' y-v
1 * JJk' / \ •. I : jv
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Atai^tbitttodrftbtf'beat* ikl ‘c ;
, _ SbodU keep - ' -,u r-„
BrighUpMMiritan sfigelio Inon ..
- ’■ W etejhfcy-%«y left; ■•>
Howweretoe berlh-ofgloryßhorti.
■ . >Vti««itof;flowBnbeiefl,J ; ~ .. Vi .i'j.
They teemble-ontho'AJplne bfeighta, ’ •--> r-■‘■f-s-i
'iWfimaredrocke-thejr preset S t/*"»-v *Oi,T ;-^'J
The (teoerlrJpiW wUbbiftt end *ftnd, ,; . w U
■ i
, And )v_heresp6’ermß weary heart, ~ .
TiuWuiits'diiridespaiiy * - v:i
The btowom'ttpwdrJ Idokef^ ’
IneiUiijjpit to pr»yer!.t■ • ,-i ,
■ SCIENTIFIC.
SOIOETBINO NEW ABOUT' THE
AVRORA.
To say that attempts have longaod often
been made to explain the cause of the auro
ra, is not new ‘ but it wi|l be. new to many
readers to hear that progress has been made
in reasoning-about this interesting phenome
non, as well as in the demonstration of facts
less difficult ofpfodf. According to theq
rists, the cause was to be found in certain ef
fects of ; refracrioni or antagonisms of cloud
strata, or the presence of metal in a gaseous
form id : the atmosphere,; or to cold,- or to
electricity j while others' regarded h as cos
mica!—belonging to .remote space. Among’
so many explanations,* which was the 1 true
one? This was a question'hot easy to de
cide, and so.savans bale gone on experimen
ting find speculating with praiseworthy dili
gence and curiosity ; for the one as' Well as
the other is essentia) to the prbgress of sci
ence,’
Professor de In Rive,' of Geneva, is one of
the few who have made the aurora d special,
object of study,-; Nearly twenty years, ngo,
he suggested that to due and the same cause
was due the origin of bail, of electricity, of
the variations pfllhe magnetic needle, and of
the aurora; and- he now finds himself in a
position -to slate,; that the view then put fprth
hap been .confirmed by, all .subsequent, obser
vations. As' chroniclers of the advance of
science, we .think we- may worthily. offer a
brief ’outline of his theory* as developed by
him in the Bibliothpqw de' Ge
neve. .
Let us presume that an aurora borealis is
always preceded by the formation of a.sort
of vaporous veil, pn the horizon; which rises
slowly to a height- 6T; fi*orn four to ten de
grees. Presently that portion of the sky
which is in the magnetic meridian of the
place of observation, Wgios to' darken with a
brownish hue passing into violet, and embrn-.
cing the segment of a circle. The edge of
this segment is boarded hy a luminous arc of
- brilliant-white light, that sometimes quivers
and dances, and appears in a strange kind ol
effervescence for hours together. A'play of
colors, through every lint, from-the' darkest
to the lightest, with bewildering rapidity, long
streamers flash upwards to -the zenith,-and a
sea of flame, traversed by dark-rays; floods
the northern sky. Then at that spot to
which the magnetic needle points, the rays
curve together, and form what is called the
crown of the aurora. This result Is, howev*
er, rare; when it does take place, it'always
announces the conclusion of the phenomenon.
The vivid colors and undulations disappear,
and soon nothing but a few. pale ashen gray
clouds are seen in the heavens.
These appearances, which are familiar to
many persons, are attended by certain re
markable phenomena; a. crepitating noise,
for example, not unliko the rapid flutter of a
distant sail, which has been popularly des
cribed as the nbiae made by the petticoats of
the merry dancers; and this sound la accom
paoied by a peculiar sulphurous odor,-
itive electricity, (bo, has at such times been
found in the air-, the direction of the mag
netic needle undergone perturbations more br
less intense, and so unfailingly, that M. Arago,
when pursuing his researches in.the lower
vaults -of the observatory at Paris, could, al
ways announce the appearance of the aurora
in our hemisphere from the movements of his
needles. During an aurora in November,
1848, the instruments of the electric telegraph
between Florence and Pisa were as strongly
magnetized its though the batteries—which
was not the case—had been in action.' The
Thb compasses of ships at sea have been at
times so disturbed by the aurora, that the
vessels steered, a false route j and the error
was only detectedafter the phenomenon pas
sed away. - . ■
We thus see a very intimate relation.be
tween the aurora and Certain magnetic or
electrical effefcts j and now- we may proceed
toM. de la Rive’s theory. The atmosphere,
he'say6, in its normal ataiesitf Constantly
charged'witfia considerable ijuontity pf pos
itive electricity, which increases in proportion
to 'the height; while the earth, on.th'e contra
ry, is 'B6-‘
tween (heae. jt?qp pijpcess uf repOmpdsitfOrf
denaturalization laker place $ mbat frequently
by the humidity pf the airat times, by thd
Tall of rain or snow j' and, Ibss frequently
■ ihunder-siornii and water spoiitfi Which, tri'a
very the tendency ‘of
these. two accuopiated, elatft|ici(ieaj[o Unite.
The,'winds also, to,,
ing ffie the ndgitive, iudthbvre
; th£ : &rtfi’Ta , hn
•aFmost
jia iconplantlk traversed, by'.elept^Wj^ra#, 1
pole, bapansja being" always
ereiby,con,dpDS'e4ryoijo^».!P r p e ui./ l
conducting medium. "This is thp ,normal.
‘ ' OAEBrUam <V.-T v i;
smmmwmz lLjm LV I'■■.■Mr 1
process squilibtiuqa be
tween the twor elecfncities; the 1 intense elec
trical'. disfehnrged whtdbtbfee.’pW^.’.parlicb-
pro(^ r . '*'*' yi '
,!. Jt4s at ihe: pole; that the great electrical
discharge fakes place. “This 'discharge;**
tally nearly always the case near
sotnetimes in the higher Regions
of the atmosphere,ls-met tm its-way with
of the Jlquds are
formed,” ■ Of tho existence ofkhese panic
les, and in-inconceivable numbers, there is
no sort of doubt.-in the balloon ascent of
Barral and Bixid'W'Paris,-in-WSO, the
aeronauts Ipuqdjbpqwelves on a'sudden, al
though the sky was cloudless,*in the midst of
a thin transparent haze, which-was alone
produced by beedles of ice so smalt as to be
scarcely; visible. - Lunar halos, rain and
snow, almostinvariably preceede an aurora;
it is to the presence-of these needles that the
halos are’due)-and the rain and snow- to their
condensation of aquedus vapors. They form
also the auroral veil, through which, owing
to their tenuity, the stars are visible.
From simultaneous observations made by
observers forty or fifty miles apart, thepar
allax of the aurora has been ascertained, arid
its Height above the earth determined. This
ranges from six to ten miles; the* phenom
enon, therefore, lakes place within the limits
of. pur atpioaphere. With respect to the au
roral arch,‘there is. reason to believe if to be
a luminous ring, with its center ot the north
ern magnetic pole, and cutting the magnetic
meridians, which converge towards (hat pole,
at right angles. Hence it is that the appar
ent summit of the arch always appears to be
in the magnetic meridian of the place of qb
ser.votioai, , The arch,,moreover, is supposed
to. have a sort of rotary movement from west
to east, which is, precisely, what might be
predicated from the course of the electrical
current, -
■ jOV^SI:
The nearer we approach the pole, the more
frequent are aurora; and as the appearances
lake place in all northerly latitudes, it some
times happens that the observer is surrounded
by the auroral matter escaping from the
earth, and.' he- then hears the’ fluttering or
rustling noise Which has bean alluded to. It
is only when-100 distant .(hat the noise is Sot
heard. On this point, M. de la Rive speaks
positively; He considers the cause to be
“thC aciion of h - powerfhl - magnetic- pole on
luminous electricjets closely surrounding it ;’**
and by means of an ingenious apparatus, he
has succeeded in producing a similar noise
wlih nttenciam phenomena. The sutptiurobs
odor'proceeds, ns in thunderstorms, from the
conversion of the oxygen of the air into
ozonb; by the passage of electric discharges.
L,ike the noise, however, the odor can only
be perceived by an observer situated in the
rriidst of the auroral matter.
It is well known that in some of our Arctic
expeditions, which might be considered most
favorably situated for observation, no move
ment of the, magnetic needle has been seen
to accompany (he aurora. The reason is, as
M. d? la Rivers explains, that those high lat
itudes are inside the circle described* by the
aurora around the magnetic, pole, and are not
under the influence of (he electric currents
which circulate outside of it, but neither
below nor. above* os demonstrated by obser
vation. .
The. aurora is of,daily occurrence, and
sometimes actually takes place while the sun
shines, hut it is of very variable intensity.—
May,. June and July arethe months of fewest'
appearances; March, September and October
of the most; (be latter because the aurora
are strongest at the equinoxes, especially the
autumnal. The number actually observed
in a year varies from two hundred to three
hundred.
;. A striking fact remains to be noticed; it
is one'that appears completely to identify the
aurora .with other electrical phenomena ; (he
auroral light is not polarized, neither is there
any (race of polarization, in the light ob
tained from electricity by artificial means.—
No belter proof of the identity of the two
classes of phenomena could perhaps be furn
ished.
We have mentioned an ingenious apparat
us contrived by M. de la Hive. With this
he brings his theory to the test of experiment,
and as we believe, makes out his case. -It
consists of a glass globe, in which is inserted
an isolated .bar of soft iron, bearing a copper
ring, which communicates by a wire with
(lie conductor of an electrical machine. On
exhausting the alf within the globe, and ex
citing electricity, all the luminous phe
nomena of this natural aurora are produced
around the ring and bar.— Chamber's Jour -.
nal.
' CERTAINTV OP a FuttoeLipr.—the fact
of the .future life—how do wo prove it, by
wijai cias.s of evidence or method of argu
ments? .EvCry thinking, man has many a
lime exercised bis mind upon the subject;
aei our philosophers, from Pythagoras down.
. wardif hfive lteed pitipg. up volumes' of high
discourse on the" immortality of the.soul.
Vet who pf us does dot see.(hat the fact is far
deeper lhan ali the reasoning about it, and
(hatha ropis aro not touched by.the critic’s
pruning ; knifo. pr the .logicians 1 The
fact ia part of lhe organio being, and the pro.
videniiaiHrainiog cf the human racesiandiog
among'the which, have their, best
■eviddnoea.in themselves. Try lo provr it
logically, l and still .the best proof is. belter
ithau duf ftogic f try 4» disprove itiogicaily,
•attdTouri chain- of' reasoning refutes itself
; whdh" touched^by : living' experience, as the
i iron rcd which- mati lifte against heaven, be.
fComes a conductor (brthodiVioo spark.
mr
i; •
Jesus is described by Lentulus, as a tail.
Well propoftiouej man. strait in attlure, of
o°lor.'ef;new wine from tbe.rootito the ears
and from thepoa to ihob shouJdetK it carted,
and.mil derm to ihe lofesl part ofthem;
upon jhecrpwpof;bi| head it partra two,
after Ibe Nazarenes ihiafpreWd. flfit
*S d n$ r *', nor
®fl ar P». resembling,,,his,.mother's, ana tya*
beard was tmclj pnd.fprked,and of (be co)or
of his .hair, which: he ‘wore f lopg, the scissors
haying never beep used uppp pis bead, nor
had <he hand,of any one touched
that of his .mother, whan he was a chUd his
Mck tyas notstili; nor was bjs carriage proud,
he stooped a little with fits headJus band*
were large and spreading,and hisarroswbra
very h^mlful; there, : Was ap air df sereiiity,
in fife countenance,, which attraotdd at oitcb
the fove and reyerepce'of alt bhlioldelr*; id
his reproofs he was terrible, and,his exhoirta
'ions amiable and courteous; he was never
seen (o, laugh, hut often Observed to weep’,
gravity, prudence, meeknes and clemency,
ivoce pip hgly depicted in his couiitenacce,
arid hawas considered (be handsomest, map
inexistence.
A Feprfnl History.
What if the history of a distillery could
bo written out!—su much rum for-medicine,
of real value,’ aomuchasii tonic, of real va);
us; so much for the sets, of real value.
That would be one drop, I suppose, taken
out and shaken from the distillery. Then; su
much'sold to the Indians, to excite them to
scalp each other; so much sent to the Afrii
cans, to be changed into slaves to rot in Bra
zil ; so. much sent to the heathens in Asia, and
to the Islands of the ocean j’so much used.at
home. Then, if the tale of every drop
could be written out—so much pain; so
much sadness in eyes; so much of the dimi
nution of the productive power in mao; so
many houses burnt ; so many ships foun
dered, and railway trains dashed to pieces-;
so many lives lost, so many widows made
doubly widows, because their husbands .still
live ; so many orphans, their father still liv
ing, long dying on earth; what a tale it wo’J
be I Imagine that oil the persona who bad
suffered from tortneiitS' engendered on-that
plague-spot, camo together and sat 'on ridge
pole and roof, end filled up the hall of that
distillery, and occupied the streets and lanes
ail about it, and told their tale of drunken
ness, robbery, unchastity and murder,,.writ
ten on their faces and .foreheads. What a
story it would be I—'The fact is stranger Uhu i
Cclion.— Parker. '
There are people who talk with their whole
dody. The Frenchman talks with bis arms,
shoulders, and head: a Yankee with bis eyes
and face.
A certain member of Congress from one
of the Eastern States, was speaking one'
day on some important question, and he*
come vety animated, during which be gri
maced terribly, which set a brother member
his opponent of the question, to laughing,—
This annoyed ’ him Very' much, and he in
dignantly demanded to know why the gen
tleman from, was laughing at him.
I was smiling at your manner of making
monkey facCsj sir, was the reply. -
Oh, I make raotjkey faces, do I? Well,
sir, you have no occasion to try the ex
periment, for nature has saved you the
trouble I
The hammer was distinctly heard &qp!d
a roar of laughter, calling the house to or
der.
A Good One. —An anecdote was told to
us a few days since, of one of our State of.
fleers and a well known clergymen of Ibis
place, which is too good to be lost to poster,
ity.
Soon after the State officers were indicted
by the Grand Jury last fall, one of their
number being in company with a clergyman
of this place, the following dialogue took
place :
Stale Officer —Well, elder, the Grand Ju*
rv have indicted us, that is true, but if ihey
convict us, 1 can’t see how in h— tl they can
punish us.
Clergyman— O, sir, leave off the h—il,
and I can’lisee, myself, how you are to be
punished 1
The Slate officer hasn’t resigned.—Sr,
Ornamental Judges.*— Our Vermont end
New Han,shire friends will take the sense
of this: “Q was elected ‘side Judge’ in one
of the county courts of Vermont, He was
not very well versed in ‘legal lore,’ so Ae
called on a Iriend of his, who had served aa
a side judge to make some inquiries concern
ing the duties nl thei-ffi 'e. To his interoga.
torios the reply w. is; “Sir, I have filled this
important and honorable office several years,
but have never been consulted with regard to
but one question.—On the lasi day of tho.
spring term, 184—, the JiiHj;'' after lemiiing to
three or four-windy pleas of hn hour’s length
each, turned to me arid whispered— C„ isn't
this bench made of hard wood? and I told
him I rather thovght it was /
“Mr, Demist, do you See that decayed
tooih in' my jaw ?” ...
“Yes, sir.’*
“Well, now-pm on your twepzers. If it
hurts very bad, I’ll sing but ‘hold on.’ and
you’ll hold on, won’t:, you?” ■
“Yes, sir.” - ’
“Hio-l-d o-n I Thunder* and lightning I
you ve not only pulled the tooth but half of
my jaw-bone. ■ Why didn’t you let go .when
I sung out ?" \
“Because you told mo to ‘bold’ on.’" ,
• A CoTEMPOBABi describingn danco at a
country vil.lagft.ip hia neighborhood, says;
“The gorgeous Wrings of glassbeadagli*.
tened on the heavingbbaoins oftboriljfMf
belles, liket polished tubiea resting on
face of warm apple. dumplings.’V i}^.^
'll ’*
Wpare Jou *eo a, fenpe’down put it up :i/lt
lemams uhlil to*rooirbVr: the' catilp'
' ; A Westerit editor, ! spea kind tffaconceH
singer, siiys her' voice is delicious—-pureaS
the moonlight, and lender as a ihreesbillihM
shin; ;
'hr*