orce, owing'to the superincurirbent pres sure, that it burst through every crevice of the safety-shield, in jets thirty feet long.— Whets it became known in the village, that the long expected event had at length taken place, without accident to the miners, for whose safety great anxiety had been felt, the delight of the people was boundless. The next chief step was to excavate a hol low upwards from the termination of the tun nel, and into this chamber was placed a bar rel containing a bag.with 950 pounds of gun powder. The barrel was raised as high as possible by rough building, and from it a tube, containing gunpowder, was led into the tunnel, where it might be ignited by a match. It was calculated that the springing of this mine would effectually open a chan nel for the water of the lake. On the day following the completion of these operations, January 0, 1830, the vil lagers were assembled at an early hour, in breathless expectation of the event. The interest of their fate in an enterprise pursu ed for nearly fifty years, and so•important to their humble fortunes, my be readily con ceived. Before the mine was ordered to be sprung, Sulzberger, accompanied by many of hN scientific friends, once more visited the shaft, from which all the rubbish and loose timber had been already removed ; and was encouraged by the discovery, that the fusee remained dry, even on its under side. The concerted signal was now given, by mortars fired from the Kaiserstuhl, to the dwellers in the plain below as a warning to be prepared for.the coming of the waters.— A cannon on the Landenburg over Sarnen, took up the signal, and continued the alarm through Obwalden, as far as the Lake of the Four Cantons. The spectators having crowded to the heights which overlooked the northern end of the lake, now covered with ice, a reso lute miner, Andreas Spire, of Lugnitz, in the Orison, carried the match into the shaft, , and, cutting o ff the end of the fusee which he then covered with loose powder, attach ed to it the match, calculated to burn for fif teen minutes, so as to allow time for his es cape. As soon as it was kindled, ho has tened along the gallery, accompanied by a companion who carried the lantern. On his appearance at the mouth of the tunnel, a pistol-shot announced his return to the anxious multitude. The excitement had now reached its highest point; in eight minutes all was to be decided. They passed, and nothing was heard ; at the eleventh, when all had begun to despair of success, two dull reports, im mediately succeeding each other, were heard from beneath ; but the earth was not per ceived to tremblei'nor was any change ob served in the frozen surface of the lake.-- For a moment, the consternation was uni versal. No one (butted that the explosion had failed. At once a rejoicing shout from below announced its success, old and young rushed tumultuously down to the mouth of the shaft, from which a black torrent of mud, driving before it a cloud of smoke, burst forth with raging violence. This triumphant issue of a bold enterprise was in itself highly exciting, but it was still more moving and beautiful to witness the emotion of the simple-minded peasants, whom it raised to the summit of happiness. They congratulated each other with looks and gestures—their hearts were too full for words. They remained until sunset, gaz ing at the wild outbreak of the waters.— The rest of the day was devoted to feasting and exultation ; amidst which the heartfelt gratitude expressed by the villagers of Sulzberger, and the others who had shared the labor of the preceeding days, was abso lutely affecting. On visiting the tunnel the day after, the joyful spectators found the scene already changed. From the mouth of the shaft the stream now flowed as clear as crystal, down the deepened bed of the Aa, towards the plain of Gieswyl. The rocks on every side were covered with the most fantastic and beautiful frost-work, for med by the frozen mist arising from the spray of the torrent. The lake had alrea dy fallen three feet ; and the plain of Gies wyl was once more, after an interval of 100 years, covered with water. The sluices at the tunnel's mouth were therefore reduced from twelve to seven and a half feet in aper ture, and the discharge became more grad- Ual. By the 16th of January, the surface of the lake had sunk fourteen feet, and a considerable space of land left bare. By the 25th of February, the lake had fallen to the level of the tunnel's mouth; and the promised land appeared--a space of black mud, covered with' the trunks of float timber, and visited by swarms of crows feeding on the insects and worms on its sur face. Some years must yet elapse before the ground'can become valuable for agricul tural purposes ; the greater part consisting of unfruitful sand and clay. The villagers have, however, already begun to cultivate it here and there ; arid some promising crops of potatoes might have been seen last June,l in places formerly many feet below the sur face of the lake I'he entire expense of the work, from its commencement in 1700 to the present year, amounted in money-payments to 51,529 francs (Swiss,) or about X 5,000 sterling; and in voluntary labor, not reckoned in this sum, 10,000 day's work—an immense ex penditure to bo raised by a small and poor community. It is to ho hoped that it will be repaid by the produce of such remarks= ble and praiseworthy exertions: The above is an abridgement of an article in Tait'a Edingburgh Magazine for May, 1597, the details of which, the Water men tions, are•from a work published at Zurich, in Switzerland. Ohio Grope Crop.—liamilton county, Ohio, is eomecohat famous for its grape crop. An expe • rienced cultivator informs the editor of the Cin• cinnati Commerctal, that the rot has made Its ap, pearance In the growing crop, causing appreheni stone of a serious loss to those engaged In the clilture hi Hamilton county, where alone the an" flUal product amounts to. near half iz rpifliits of Moro. The disease is supposedto mused ity het sun in the esy following by cold nights. iC 1)e feliiel) Regioter. Allentown, Pa. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10,1861. CANAL COMMISSIONER. Moses Pownall, OF LANCASTER COUNTY AUDITOR GENERAL. Alexander K. McClure, OF FRANKLIN COUNTY SURVEYOR GENERAL. Claristiaii'Myers, OF CLARION COUNTY Allentown Rail Road. A call for a meeting of the Commissioners, named in the bill to incorporate the Allentown Railroad, will be found in to•days paper. It is to be held in Allentown, at the House of John Y. Bechtel, on Wednesday the 14th of Sep tember next, to open the books for the sub scription of stock. We are Creditably informed that gentlemen from New York will be present and subscribe the whole amount of stook requis ite to put the road in Engineers hands, and as soon as a survey and estimate of the route can be mado place, it under contract. This road when finished will make the shortest and most direct route to the west. Allentown is destined to be a great place yet. Paving the Streets Messrs. „Ring and Mertz, to whom was awarded the contract to grade and pave that part of Hamilton Street, lying between Fifth and Sixth streets, are already busily at work. The earth is , taken away to a depth of fifteen inches. Three inches of gravel will form the foundation, upon which mountain stones not less than twelve inches in depth will form the paving, whether or not it will make a durable piece of work, time must determine. Strenuous efforts aro made by some of the citizens to extend the paving as far up as Seventh and Eighth streets. Whig Judicial Convention The Whig State Conmittee met in Philadel- phia last Tuesday week, and fixed on Hunting. don for the meeting of the State Convention to nominate a candidate for Supreme Judge, and the 25th of August as the time. The at• tendance of members of the Committee was quite large, and the old Whig fire would seem to bo burning brightly as ever in the most palmy days of the party." We subjoin the pro cedings : Pursuant to notice, the Pennsylvania Whig Central Committee met at the American House in the city of Philadelphia. C. THOMSON JONES, Esq., of Philadelphia, in the Chair, and and HENRY S. EVANS, of Chester county, was apponted Secretary. The following resolution was, on motion, unanimously agreed to : Resolved, That a Whig State Convention of Delegates, to be chosen by the several coun ties and Senatorial Districts, be held at HUN TINGDON, on the 25th of August next, at 11 o'clock, A. M., for the purpose of nominating a candidate for Judge of the Supreme Court. Resolved, That these proceedings be pub lished in the Whig papers of the State. C. THOLVIPSON JONES, Chairman. HENRI- S. EVANS, Secretary. Discoveries in Iron Working. The National Intelligcncer says that an impor. (ant announcement in England, and which is exciting great attention, is a developement of new principles in iron metallurgy. The gene ral opinion of those who are competent to judge says the Mining Journal, is that the inventions and discoveries referred to will open an entire new era in the manufacture of iron, not only with regard to its various multiplications, but to the construction and arrangement of appar atus also. Immense quantities of very voluble ore have lately been discovered in Northamp tonshire, also in Yorkshire and the west of Eng land, within easy reach of the iron masters of Monmouthshire and South Wales. It half these rumors be correct, the iron trade will indeed be revolutionized. Military Visitors We learn that the 'Ringgold Artillery,' (Cap lain AlcKnight,) of Reading, comtemplate pay ing a visit to Easton, about the first of Septem ber. They will bring along with them their heavy field pieces, caissions, muskets, baggage wagons, and complete rigging. This will bee novelty in our neighborhood, and will no doubt create a sensation. We assure the Captain and his men, a heartfelt welcome at Allentown, if they should see proper to come through our place, and that all will be done to make their visit among us pleasant. 'Chinese Language. Who would have thought sixty years ago that the laws of one of the States of the Union . would have to be published in English and Chinese, for general circulation ? Yet so it is. The ninth section of an ant passed by the Cal ifornia Legislature, for the collection of foreign miner's tax has to be printed in the Chinese language, for the information of more than thir ty thousand Chinese in the new State. Tong'k Achich, a Chinaman, certifies that the transla. Lion is "laithful and good." Respite of Capic and Emmos.--Gpv. Bigler has respited Capie and Emrnos, the two young men convicted some months since in Philadelphia, of the Murder of Sochan, and condemned to be hung in the Moyamensing Prison yard on Fri. day next. The respite is said to•,be in the hands of Sheriff Allen. Monument to Kielieur.—The Czar of Russia has, through his private Secretary, ordered eight blocks of the Vermont marble, weighing six tons each. They are designed for the erection of a monument to Rieffleur, who is soPPosed to have been the' originator of ilia movement for Sting Moscow on the advance of the Francli.army. Norristown & Allentown Railroad. The Board of Managers held a meeting a few days since, at which the Report of the Chief Engineer, Lawrence E. Corson, was submitted. For the ttenetit of our readers, we•publish the following extracts from, the report, from the Norristown Watchman, which cannot fail to be of interest to the citizens of our Borough, and those residing within a reasonable distance of the proposed route : "The whole distance by our shortest and most direct line, which has been estimated to the little Lehigh, a few yards above which is the point of connection with the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehannaßailroad, common ly called the Lehigh Valley Rail Road, is forty two and six tenths miles. The expenses for grading for a double track, including bridges, &c., and culverts over and under every public road, that it was practicable or indeed possible without extraordinary ex. 8785,971 00 penee is, We have estimated the right of way, and the fencing at. Total; 8831,624 00 In this estimate of grading and damages is included the expense of removing the Perki• omen Turnpike, 143 chs., over one and three quarter miles, which it may be said here, is crossed level at Werrall's mill only, the other places where we have intended to cross it are twice between Jacob Johnson's and George Po. lays over the Pike, and above Snyder's barn under it. The cost of the track per mile, is at present unsettled, the price of Iron being so high. The probabilities are, that when the bulk of the Iron would be wanted, the natural competition will have reduced the price: Some two hundred tone will beVanted to make temporary tracks in construction. The calculations ore made for a rail of the El pattern, weighing sixty pounds per yard with cast-iron chairs, &0., and heavy spikes, making the weight of iron rail for one mile of single track 94.3 tons, and counting it at $7O per ton, the total cost of iron is at that calculation, $5,- 884 per mile. The sills or cross-ties will be very cheap on this line, running as it does through a finely timbered country, with but lit tle sale for it on account of transportation.— They may be estimated at 35 cents a piece, for the best and finest sills, counting that as an average price, and the number 1800 toe mile, we have $630; now add the present cost of lay. ing such track at $350 per mile adding to this, $2 per ton for average haul of iron $l9O, we have altogether, $7054 per mile for cost of track; now there are 42.6 miles of track, and adding thereto for sicleings and turnouts 2.4 miles, making 95 miles, which makes an aggregate I for track of $317,430. Beside the principal items there are inciden; al expenses which are indispensable, and there fore to be counted, viz : survey of railroad and absolute location, $l6OO. Three corps of engineers during progress of construction for eighteen months, $16,000. Station houses and five watering places and ground for the same, $5500. President's salary, and expenses of manage. ment, paper, clerk hire, advertising; &0., $3500. These incidental expenses are all counted on an expenditnre of but eighteen months in con situction, long enough, if prosecuted with vig or and energy, of course if longer time is con sumed, an increase of these items of expense is unavoidable Adding all these items together, we have a grand aggregate of expense for a roadway gra ded for double track, with the most complete finish for crossings, of any road yet built in this State, and with a single track and ample sid ings and turnouts fora large and profitable bus limes of $1,175,654 10. When Newspapers Please. An independent paper has to encounter great difficulties in winning its way to popularity.= We all admire the editor who fearlessly battles for the right and condemns the wrong ; but when an article appears which treads on our own toes, runs counter to our opinions, or shoots at a folly which we feel rankles in our own heart, we are very apt to think the press a little too indepen dent. The London, Leader thus felicitously ex plains the secret of newspaper popularity : "It may be very wise to see both sides of a question and to be more anxious about what can be said for you; but the fact is that the object of most men in buying a newspaper is to enjoy the state ment of their own inarticulate notions in the shape of artistical developement and expression. A. reader never so thoroughly enjoys a paper as when be can say, "that is exactly what•l have said myself;" and he always tries to buy that pal per which can give to his own opinions an :lir of the greatest point and wisdom. It is lookirg into a mirror which tells him, not the superficial aspect, so inadequate to the expression of his real beauty and dignity, bat that inner truth which is a more perfect portrait of the whole man ; a mirror which makes Simpson see with his own eyes the Socrates that he feels himself to be. For this reason it is to be taken that the papers which are purchased represent the opin ions of their purchasers." Wabash Canal.—The Wabash and Erie Canal is at length complete. It has been twentrone years in progress. The work unties the waters .of Lake Erie at Toledo with the Ohio at Evans ville. Its whole length is 459 miles, of which 375 miles, are in Indiana, and 84 miles in Ohio. The eastern section was first opened, and eleven years ago united the Lake and the Wabash at Lafayette. The embarrassed finances of Indiana made its subsequent progress' tor several years quite slow. By 1849, it was pushed down the valley of the Wabash to Terre Haute, and now four years after, by means of its own improved finances, sepirated from the State debt proper, it has reached its ultimate destination. Horace Gredy, Beg., is to deliver the oration before . the Mate and' National Law School of Yew' Vorit;'wliSli' holds its oorameritemarti on the lbili and filth instant at Bilistrio. Young Men out of Business. Laborers are wanted in the country. In the City there is not, in many departments, a call for them. The lank of laborers on the farm is seriously felt throughout the country. Here, a copy of any daily paper which contains a col umn of "Wants," shows distinctly that the openings are not as numerous as are the men who are out of work, consider their prospects. If they have an eye on some one point, to 1-vfhich they will probably attain by only remain •ing within the City, let them stay. Fear not to begin at the foot of the hill. Take any honest thing that offers in the line you as pire to. Be the best man your employer ever had in that capacity. When you have made yourself essential to his business, if you honest • ly think you are worth better wages than you get, as honestly, but modestly tell him so. If, he agrees with you, and is a good man he will give a better salary. If not, say no more about it,—make yourself still more valuable, and be content with what you have until you can do better. Enough to live on is not so good as to be saving money for a rainy day, but it is better than borrowing,—and the salary that buys your bread only, is better than that which buys nei ther bread or meat. But if you have no definite prospects ahead, no particular goal you aim for, and no trade at your command, take in your pocket recom mendations or certificates of your honesty, and industrious habits, from any friends who can speak for you in those matters, and push out into the country. Now is just the time to do it, while all kinds of work is plenty, and laborers are scarce. If you go safely through your first labors, and especially if you show yourself clear of all lounging, dissolute, drink ing habits, it is hardly possible that you will not get days' works enough to keep you occu pied. Of course those farmers who hire by the year, generally look out during the Spring fnr their help. But a good reputation made now in a farming community, will tell well upon any bargain you may strike hereafter. The wages they will offer will strike you as very small. But a man of economy who works for $lOO a year, and "is found," has very little ex cept his clothes to provide himself with out of that sum, and possibly at the end ho may have more hard dollars to put at interest than his employer, who does his business on a larger capital. Of course, hiring out by the month or year on a farm, is not a business for a man to stick by, but if one does well in it, he will gen erally see how he can do well out of it,—how soon he can bear of some rich, fertile region, accessible enough to markets, where land is very cheap, and on which, with his small earn ings invested in agricultural implements, with e horse, and a barn and house of logs or thatch, he may easily turn every. hour of his labor into money, and coin all his work. Our best chi• eons are thus manufactured. They begin, when nothing better offers, at the plough, with the axe, in the harvest-field,—on wages of from $0 to $l2 a month; they save what they can, eat the bread of carefulness, buy a little spot, though it is a mere door-yard, and make every inch of it produce according to its best ability with the proceeds, buy a strip of land adjoin• ing ; cultivate "the snuggest farm in town ;" become too busy and feel that their labor is too profitable for them to aflord to "go on Assem bly ;" retain their business habits through their good old age; and have time enough for read . _ 45,653 00 ng and reflection to learn that their children need a good practical education and a thorough development of their common settee to be able o cope successfully with the world full of ri, valsand educate them accordingly. But the more popular way is to go into a store; learn counter•jumping; learn to gloss a shabby piece of goods, and improve upon the truth; leave an employer in disgust, beeciuse he does not give as good wages as one feels that his dignity should command; dress like a prince (or a fop;) set up in business on one's own hook ; for success, be a nine•days' Wonder to old acquaintance, and burst up before the year is out—New York Times Democratic State Convention The Delegates to the Democratic Suite Conven tion assembled here on Thursday last. William L. Hirst of Philadelphia, took the Chair and called the Covention to order. Af ter alluding to the death of Judge Gibson, and stating the reasons for the reassembling of the Convention, the names of the former delegates were called and vacancies filled by substitutes. John C. Knox was unanimously nominated as candidate for Judge of the Supreme Court A resolution relative to further organizations of conventions, providing that the Chairman of the State Central Committee act as Chairman of all future Conventions until permanent offi cers are appointed, was adopted. Col. S. W. Black, from the committee on re solutions, reported a series, landing the Admin istrations of President Pierce and Gov. Bigler sympathizing with the families of John B. Gib son and Wm. R. King. Which were adopted. Robert Tyler offered a resolution in favor of the construction of the Pacific railroad, and re affirming the doctrines of the Baltimore plat form. This was opposed by Messrs. Barret, Frailey, Mason and NiII, and was finally so modified as to be in favor of a national highway to the Pacific on the Territory of the United States, and adopted. Mr. McDowell proposed a resolution in fa vor of a grant of 160 acres of land to the soldiers of the war of 1812, without regard to rank or term of service. Which was adopted. At the organization there was quite a fierce opposition to the majority manifested. But the proceedings afterwards wore as harmonious as is usual in such bodies. Leg Broken.—George Gross, about 82 years, of age, was admitted into the Hospital, on Sunday; morning, with a compbund fracture of his leg, caused by falling out of a window,'it Vinestreet Wharf--Phila. Sun: Metropolitan Charaoter of N. York. That our city is truly the metropolis of Amerh. ca no one can doubt, if at all acqqainted with ifs resources, and superiority in its magnificent ho tels, naval marine, ha fleet of-ocean steamers, and its business, enterprise and energy: Here the highest talent and acquirement find ample scope, and the largest remuneration. Science, literature, art, the drama, law, divinity, surgery, medicine, parade their proudest names. W e have at times proposed to introduce to our read ers some of the names most distinguished in several departments, many of whom, besides a local, have a worldwide renown, and whose rep. utation attracts thousands to be instructed, enter tained and benefitted. Among them is Dr. S. S. Fitch. This gentleman is one of a line of cele brated physicians. His grandfather, Dr. Ebene ger Fitch, renowed fur his piety, learning and skill in surgery and medicine, was one of the surgeons of the Connecticut line during the re volutionary war. His father, Dr. Chauncey Fitch, was the first physician that settled in Plattsburg, in this State, and for the greater part of his life was one of the most successful physi cians that ever practised medicine in America. In the great epidemic of 1810, an epidemic that swept away nearly ten per cent. of the popula. lion of the United States, he taught its easy and perfect cure, and among his numerous patients never lost a single case. 'Thr. S. S. Fitch is the third of this line, and was born in Flensburg.— He, after receiving an excellent academical and classical education, repaired to Philadelphia, at an early age, to complete his medical education. There he graduated in medicine, obtaining the highest honors of his class. He spent about ten years in Philadelphia, closely and carefully pur. suing his studies, after which he visited all the States of this Union, and many of the Indian tribes. In 1836, he visited Europe, and during six years, much of his time was spent in the hos• . pitals of London, Paris and Italy. In 1842, he commenced delivering his celebrated lectures on the causes and cure of consumption and di. sease ; on the loss of life—showing by obvious and easily understood rules, how human life may be extended to at least a hundred years. His lectures won all hearers by their truthful ness, common sense and utility. In 1846, Dr. Fitch visited this city, and published his lec tures on these subjects, which met with won derful success. They inspired confidence, joy, hope and courage among their readers, and cir culated largely both in this country and in Eu rope. Those lectures have passed through over twenty editions, between one and two hundred thousand copies have been already sold. To invalids, as well as those in the enjoyment of health, they prove a perfect guide; and those who early adopt their teachings, and follow them, cannot fall victims to that scourge of our climate—pulmonary consumption. In this city Dr. Fitch has been consulted by over forty thousand persons, of both sexes, for ,numerous and various diseases. He differs greatly from others in his view of a physician's duty, as ho thinks every member of this important profes- sion should prepare and administer his own medicines; that unless he does this, he can not, though he may enjoy reputation, meet with the success he could attain by this means. He writes out an exact and careful account of every case that falls under his notibe. These cases already exceed forty-five thousand, filling more than one hundred large volumes, all carefully written out. No record of such ex tent was ever made before by a private physi cian, and in this way he retains his experience and daily adds to it; and an examination of these volumes will show that all those who place themselves under his care, nineteen out of twenty are restored to health. Dr. Fitch is at home from morning till night, every day, ex cept the Sabbath. His consultations, oithe: at his house or by a letter, aro always free, as no charge whatever is made for examining any case for the rich or poor. The diseases he treats are consumption, asthma, bronchitis, throat diseases, heart diseases, dyspepsia, bowel troubles, piles, all female diseases, liver com plaints, affections of the bead, skin diseases, and all humors and impurities of the blood, sore. Fula, &o. &c. Mr. Fitch resides at 714 Broad way, where all invalids will find him a most skilful, sympathising and generous physician. We think our friends who call on him will find this a true history of one of our most respectable men.—Sunday Cour. The Chinese in California. # According to Col. Crochet, the San Fracisco correspondent of the St. Louis haelligeneer, the Chinese portion of the population afford an in tet•esting subject of observation. Their appear ance, dress, habits, modes of life, religion and government are wholly disimilar from ours, and the world has heretofore known so little of :tither that when one has an opportunity to observe them narrowly,he feels that he is treading upon comparatively new ground. The first impres• sion made upon the mind, in beholding a crowd of Chinamen, is that they aro exceedingly simple minded, cheet ful, contented and harmless race. They chatter away with a volubility, truly mar" vellous and apparently are full of fun and good humor. Their predominant vice appears to be a love of gaming. They have almost a countless number of gambling houses scattered through the city, and which are generally crowded to ex cess, especially at night. They do not use cards or any of our gaming devices ; but simply small pieces of brass about as large as a dime, with a hole through the centre. The banker, or dealer takes up a double handful! of these and throws them upon the table, and it appears that the bets are upon the fact whether the pile einsits of an an odd or even number. Very few of them, have the remotest idea of our system of laws.or government, and thence they appear in a g reat measure to their own. Union Party.—A circular is published in'the New. York papers, calling a Convention of the Union men at Newburyport, Mass., on the 6th of September, to form a new Independent State and National Union ° party : It is said that ex-Presl dent )'illmore, Col; Benton, llon.Edwat'd'E'vei litt, Gen. Cass, and other leadingstateenien, ha've been-been AM he+ to attend. Soienoe for Every -day Life. It has been well 'aid that the distinguishing characteristic of modern science is its practical applicability for purpose of every -day life. In other words, our men of science instead of wast ing their energies In mere abstruse speculations constantly seek after useful discoveries. The proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which body has lately been in session at Cleveland, Ohio, furnish an example in point. Nearly all the papers read at this Convention have a 'practical end: and con -sPlettous among them were some on the indica tions of rainy weather. Mr. Wm. H. Thomas, of Cincinnati, was one of the persons who read such a paper. His es say discussed the indications of weather, as shown by animals, insects and plants; and was full of facts, many of them new, and of scientific explanations of themselves. Birds, it asserts invariably show, by the way they build their nests, whether a season is to be windy, or other. wise, If the former, they thatch th• nest, be,,. tween the twigs and lining. If the latter, they omit these precautions. if a dry season is in prospect, they build in open places. If a wet one they choose sheltered spots. A careful observes tion of these peculiarities will afford; Mr. Thomas says, a certain criterion, early in Spring of the coming weather. Snails also reveal, by their habits, whether 'rain may be expected or not. Several species of these animals invariably ascend the stems of plants two days before a rain, in order to place themselves on a leaf, there to imbibe the water, for they never drink. Other species have tu. bercies, they rise from their bodies generally ten days before a rain, there being a pore at the end of each tubercle to imbibe the water. Others grow yellowish white just before a rain, return. ing to a darker color after rain. Locusts also foretel rain, by sheltering themselves under the leaves of trees, and in hollows and trunks, as soon, as by the changes in the atmosphere, they discover that rain is impending. Most leaves of trees are also barometers, for, if R rain will be light, they turn up so as tti receive their fill of water, while for a long rain, they double so as to conduct the water away. Another member, Professor Brooklesby, of Hartford, read a paper, describing a spring, near his residence, whose waters rose invariably be fore a rain. He suggested that the diminished pressure which preceedes a rain, was the cause of the phenomenon, and recommended that ob servations should be made, over the whole country l lo ascertain if the phenomenon was gen• eral, or only exceptional. It would be curious if the former could be established, and not less useful than curious, for if Nature has made eve, ry spring a natural barometer, the fact will be of vast benefit to know. Flax Culture in Indiana Mr. R. T. Brown, of Crawfordsville, in a corn munication to Gov. Wright, President of theln disna State Board of Agriculture, says: I send you enclosed a few samples of "Flax Cotton," presented to me by the Hon. 11. L. Ells• worth, of Lafayette. Mr. Ellsworth has secured the machinery necessary for the manufacture of cotton, and will have it in operation early in the season. He has on hand the "stern" grown on 120 acres last season, which, from experiments already made, will , he sarpposes, yield about 300 pounds per acre of cotton, similar to No. 2 of the enclosed specimens. The expense of redu cing the fibre to this state, after the stem is pro duced, is about two cents per pound, which, at the usual price of cotton, (10 cents,) will leave eight cents per pound' or $24 per acre for the farmer who produces it.' To this must be added the value of the seed, which will range from $6 to $8 per acre —giving a final result of $3O at least for each acre. This is Mr. Ellsworth's cal culation; it may be too high; but if we allow for the magnifying effect, of his zeal one.tbird,or even one-half, still fiax would be as profitable a crop, in proportion to the amount of labor re= quired to produce it, as any of the staples of the country." So much for Persevcring.--The following ac count of the pursuit of a partner, under difficul ties, is related by Southey as being literally true. It pointedly illustrates the advantages of perse vering. A gentleman being in want of a wife advertised for one, and at the time and place ap pointed was met by a lady. Their stations in life entitled them to be so called, and the gentle. man as well as the lady was in earnest. He how ever, luckily, seemed to be of the same.opinion as King Pedro was with regard to his wife, Queen Mary of Aragon, that she was not so handsome as she might be good, and the meeting ended in their mutual disappointment. He ad vertised a second time, appointing a ditTerent square for the place of meeting, and varying the • words of the advertisement. He met the same lady—they recognized each other—could not chose but smile at the recognition, and, perhaps neither of them could choose but sigh. Yon: will anticipate the event. The persevering - bath elor tried his lot the third time in the neliipair and at the third place of appointment ilia the equally persevering spinster. A't this meetiiii! neither could help laughing. They began to converse in good humor, and the conversation bet came so agreeable on both sides, snd'ffi, e Or" . cumstance appeared so remarkable, that this third interview led to the irtarriage,Steid the alit'. Nage, proved a happy one. . . . . A Chance for the Ladies.—The :AgricuituraY Society of Voluinbiina county, Ohio. at Its mast bition, Conimenaink on the 12th of Pchiber, in order to afford the ladies of.Columbland and any : from a distance w ho trial be to Mien.. dance, an oppOrtunity to display their agility on . horseback, have raised iptirs3 of 1•250 to bedis , tribute& in premium 3, worth from o to $BO.lO the best . female r ider, or to those most skilled in reigning a 616111a horse or a span . of horses harness. . • . For the IVOilcra irnr•-61 Elatnnisi.niontings a Committee of the Peeptnite Hoes (L9napany, pro ' deedeti to New York', with thele•!ipletndtdieb carriage, for the pnipope of plicinirlt:on exhi bition in the Crystal Palace: rt 'cannot fatt tO attract universal atlinifition.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers