Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, February 27, 1856, Image 1
u rv-i ft-ii ri u. u lj u m u m 1 VOL. 2.-NO. 29. CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 18-50. BY S. B. BOW. ': WWTEItTHE POOR. ... , AS OLD BALLAD. Bleak o'er the plain the winds tremendous blow, Of purest white the fleecy shower descends; The tyrant frost forbids the streams to flow, And ay its horror rig'rous winter spends. Ji'ow ye, who fortune's various gifts enjoy, Whoba-k in sunshine of her warmest rays ; Ye. whom nor tempest, cold, nor want annoy, Whose days glide on in affluence and ease ; Think of the Poor, tho destitute forlorn Extend your bonnty to tho wretch distressed ; Pluck from the tortur'd breast the cank'ring thoru, By misery pointed and by care impressed. Let not yonr hearts, by gaiety misled,. Be rendered callous to the tale of woe; But clothe the naked, give the hungry bread; Forbid the tears of wretchedness to flow. For, oh ! the rigors of the year require Some fostering hand tho lingering wretch to save. Leave for a while your mirth, your social fire, To rescue suffering mortals from the grave. Tor know your fortune is the gift of hcavrn, But'not by heaven for you alone designed ; In trust for gen'rous purposes 'twas giv'n, And proves a blessing to the gen'ruus mind. Frove yourselves worthy of the sacred trust ; From dire oppression rescue the opprest; 1'eljevo yeur fellow creatures ; 'tis but juat ; And you in bleysing will be ever blest. OUR COOTRY'S DANGERS. In tho Lutheran Observer we find lengthy ex tracts from a aernion, delivered at Hollidays burg, on the 22d of Nov., by Rev. L. Knight, from 1 Tim. 2, 1-4. "The text, be says, im plies that the early christians were in danger of losing their religious liberty that they were In danger of not leading a quiet, peaceable lifo in godliness and honesty," and inquires, "Aro we In danger of losing our civil and re ligious liberties 7 &c. We may infer from the text that there is danger, because this Scrip ture was intended as a rule of faith and action for all christians in future time." Luxury he regards as one source of danger to the civil and religious liberties of this country, being an enemy to any form of government, and has been tho overt brow of those who were proof against tho mighty armies of the earth. Han nibal, the great Carthagenian general, after Sic battle of Cannrc, In which 40,000 Romans were plain, with whose dead bodies the son of Amil carnado abridge, and sent three bushels of gold rings, taken from tho fingers of the slain Roman Knights, to Carthago, had Rome in his power ; but he retired to Capua, whero the Carthagenian soldiers soon forgot to coe iter In the pleasures of the luxurious city, and in stead of Hannibal taking tho city, tho city took' him and his mighty army. Luxury was thtir overthrow. It afterwards proved the ru la of Homo herself, and other ancient repub lics. Let us not flatter ourselves that wo are In no danger from this insinuating and enchant ing foe. There is a false, a too fastidious or squeamish refinement finding its way into the churches, and even into the -pulpits of the country, and is sapping the very foundations of Christianity. St. Paul said, 2 Tim. iv, 0,4, "The time will como when they will not en dnra sound doctrine, but after their owu lusts ihalt' Leap to them teachers, having itching ars,"fcc. And as to extravagant indulgences In the pleasures of tho table, and t!ie exhorbt tantussi of costly dress and equipage; though the crops should fail and the times grow pincJj lng hard; though many rich become poor, and the merchants becomo bankrupt ; though pes tilence bhould walk in darkness and destruc tion waste at noon-day; and though thousands fall in the East and in the South, in tho "West or In the North, ono half the survivors would Import the most costly silks, cloth3, biandies, wines and gewgaws clothe in fine linen and faro sumptuously every day, while the other half might go in rags and starve. Licentious ness and drunkenness are ever the foul com panions of luxury. More than ten millions of gallons of rum have been consumed by the in habitant of tho United States since the sign ing of the Declaration of Independence, cost ing iu dollars alone more than five billions, and has sent sertn millions of drunkards into eter nity; has caused pauperism, crime, imprison ment the cost of trials arid punishment, add ed to that of tho liquor, loss of time, &c, would amount to a sum sufficient to build 20,000 miles of canals, 50,000 miles of railroad, support all the colleges, seminaries and church es of tho country, educate all tho children, keep all the poor, and send the Bible and mis sionaries to every heathen nation on the globe. Is it a wonder we groan under our taxes 7 Is it a wonder that we have such cnormcus na tional and etato debts? Is it not a wonder that we yet exist 7 -' Another source of danger to the country is political corruption. This is found in all ranks "ofonr office bearers; and if occasionally an 'exception is found, ore t, ho has the nobleness 'of soul Jto resist bribery and stem the desola ting tide of political corruption and deraa togncisnn, in vindication ol right, truth and justice, ho is soon forsaken by all the number . less and nameless parties of the country, con sidered eccentric, and laughed at for his pains. The time was when ministers of the gospel were expected to discourse freely from the pulpit on the political condition of the coun try. As an evidence of this wo have only to consult the published r sermons of ancient di vines. This was in the days of Washington, Hamilton;-Jay, ScC. Bnt alas! my country men, .how changed the times. Now a minister bf t4rf, g! w-b.61 ?uht to know at .least as much as aaother fumble citizC!?; Jaf e scarcely xpress bis opinion in public or private ,V ?f he fceve the presuhj:!;on to exercise his humble privilege at the ballot-box, he often gives mor tal offence. A third source of danger is Popery. Of this we have long ago been warned by such illustri ous men as Washington and Lafayette. Many Koman Catholics in this country are no doubt among our best class of citizens and little know the intentions of their leaders. Many Protest ants, too, apprehend no danger from this source, at least they profess not to see it. There are many Jesuits in this country, some wearing tho garb of neutrality ,and others even that of Protestantism! And, although tho bold attempt to destroy our free school system, the burning of the sacred word of God, and the sudden entrance into the political arena and grasping the balance of power, did arouse American freemen from their slumbers for a little season; they seem Eevcrtheless to be clo sing their eyes again in security. And unless God in mercy prevent it, they will awake be fore long, like Samson, shorn of their strength. Bonaparte, one of the most sagacious men and greatest generals that ever lived, was outwit ted and ruined by two Jesuits in his cibinet. And then we have in this country thousands Ol" nothingarians, or dough-faced Protestants and political Esaus, who would sell their coun try's liberty for a mess of postage. Daniel ()' Conaell, said in 1813, "You should do all in your power io carry out the intentions of his holiness, tho Pope. Where you have the elec toral franchise, give votes to none but those who tcill assist yen in so holy a struggle." Brown son says in his Review, (Koman Catholic,) of November, 18-31, that government "is. a mis chievous thing where tho Catholic faith does not predominate to inspire the people with rev erence and to teach and accustom them to obey. The last lesson to be forgotten is obedience. But is it the intention of the Pope to possess this country ? Undoubtedly it is. And in this intention, is he aided by the Jesuits and all tho Catholic prelates and priests in the country 7 Undoubtedly. If they are faithful to their re ligion." What can be more plain 7 Roman ists themselves tell us their intentions. The orders are from head-quarters, that Catholics in this country arc to voto for such persons oalyjnho vwll assist thena ia carrying out their intention. And thu intentions ar to have the power in this country. An 1 1 ask every unprejudiced 1,-sind, have Romanists not been voting, are they not now voting, and will they not continue to vote, agreeably to these or ders 1 Yes, vcrliy, to a man. And they will have many Protestants to help them to carry out their intentions. And then, according to Catholic authority, (The Rambler,) "If it will benefit the cause of Catholicism, thePopo will tolerate them: but if expedient, he will impri son, banish, fine or hang them. Ono thing be. assured of, he never will tolerato them for their glorious principles and civil and religi ous liberty." God save the country from the rulo of the Romanists and their allies. Another source of danger to tho civil and religious liberties of the country is infidelity. We may learn what would bo our condition, from the condition of that country where infi dels aud atheists did possess the supreme pow er and government, and attempt to dispose of human happiness according to their own doc trines and wishes : "The name and profession of Christianity was renounced by the legisla ture. Death was declared to be an eternal sleep. The existence of tho Deify and the im mortality of the soul were formally disavowed by the national convention, and the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead was declared to have been only preached by superstition for the torment of the living. Correspondent with these professions were the effects actually pro duced. Public worship was utterly abolished The churches in France were converted into temples of reason, in which atheistical and li centious homilies wcrs delivered ; and an ab surd and Judicrous imitation of the pagan my thology was exhibited under tho title of the religion of reason. In the principal church of every town a tutelary goddess was installed, and tho females selected to personify this new divinity were mostly prostitutes, who receiv ed the adorations of the municipal officers and multitudes of people, constrained by fear, fa vor or the motive of gain. All distinctions of right and wrong were confounded; tragedy followed tragedy in almost breathless succes sion on the theatre of France ; the waters of the river were impeded in their progress by the diowned bodies of ministers of religion; children wre nut to death as they clung about the knees of their destroyers ; the moral and soeial ties were all broken : women denounced their husbands, brothers, and sons as bad citi zens and traitors !" Three millions of human beings are suppos ed to have perished in Franco through the in fluence of infidelity ! "O, unhappy France ! Never, perhaps, will she altogether recover from these dire effects. Should we, as a nation, adopt such sentiments, what crimes would we not perpetrate, what agonies would we not suf fer 7 And are wc in no danger ? What mean those gatherings in many parts of our country fof mirth aud pleasure on the holy Christian Sabbath, trampling it with "contempt in tho dust 7 What mean those eilorts put forth to have the Lord's day abolished, as it was in France? What mean all the numberless and nameless ' infidel" associations "in the country,' from Mermonism "down through "Spiritualism to Free Love societies 7 What mean those ef forts occasionally put forth by our rulers to have the Bible, all ministers of the gospcl,and their services excluded from the Senate cham bers and Congress halls of the nation 7 What means that, great opposition to the Bible, on which our civil and religious-institutions aro mainly built ? O say not there is no danger ; when there are thousands upon thousands, both native born and foreign, as rank infidels in this country as there ever wero in France; and when thousands moro of the same sort are landing on our shores annually. And if wo would never have reason substituted for the Bible; if we would have no foreign potentate build upon our ruins; if we would not see our government sapped to its foundation, our con stitution trampled in the dust, our glorious union divided, and our beloved country bleed ing at every pore ; if we would never stoop to the dogmas of the mystic Babylon, nor bow the kneeia vassalage te her sainted bishop, we must faithfully obey the injunctions of the text. THE COLISEUM AT HOME. From the X. Y. Observer. The coliseum is one of the noblest ruins of ancient times. It is a magnificent structure, even in its present dilapidated state, and is peopled with a thousand associations among which the scholar and the Christian linger with equal interest. It was called by the ancient Romans the Flavian Amphitheatre, from Fla vins Ycspasianus, who laid the foundation up on a portion of the space occupied by Nero in ornamenting his famous golden house cr pa lace. It stands in a valley between the Pala tine, the Esquiline and the Cudian hills. Ves pasian did not live to complete it. Ho died after laying the foundation ; but his son Titus, whose name is forever associated with the fall of the Holy City, took up the work and com ploteJ it. It is said that Titus employed in this work the Jews whom he brought as cap tives to Rome after th'e taking of Jerusalem. Tradition also says that it was designed by a Christian architect, who was subject to the despotic authority of the emperor, and who afterwards suffered martvrdom. At lt:e dedi cation of the building 5,000 wild beasts were slain in the arena, and games were celebrated for nearly 100 days continuously. Tl:c form of tho Coliseum is oval, its gicat er axis being C20 feet and the smaller 52 ', making the circuit about one-third of a mile. The superficial space that it covers is nearly six acres, the greater portion of which is oc- pied by the massive walls and arches that sup ported the seats, which ran back from tho arc na to the heighth of more than 150 feet above the giound ; the outer wall as it stands being 107 feet high. Tho arena which was devoted to the games and gladiatorial shows in early tiaies, is about SCO feet in length, and less than 200 wide, corresponding in shape to tho ovrtl form of the building. The structure it self has suffered greatly from the ravages of hands equally profane with those which caus ed its erection. For a long time it served as a. common quarry for Rome, several of the palaces and many more of tho private dwel ling having been built from the material cf its walls. This work of demolition was arrested by its consecration to the memory of the Chris tian martyrs who had perished in the arena. One form of idolatry is frequently substituted in Rome for another. Ancient paganism has been superseded by a system which still al lows the worship of wood and of stone. . A large cross now stands in the centre of the are na, bearing an inscription which promises 200 days indulgence to all who kiss it, and as many days for each kiss. I have often stood and watched the ignorant devotees of popery, stop ping to purchase by such an embrace a more speedy release from the pains of purgatory, and repeating the embrace in' the vain and senseless hope that kissing the wood was an effectual means of laying up for themselves a ttorc of graco to bo used in the time of need. The student of ancient history lingers with the deepest interest around this vast building, as his imagination carries him back to the days when some eighty or a hundred thousand were assembled to witness the games in which the combatants met to try their strength in mortal strife, or to fall a prey to wild beasts. On j can almost see the wrestlers or the gladi ators, and hear the shouts of tho myriads as some favorite is victorious. But to the Chris tian this amphitheatre :s full of the most sa cred associations, painful though they be. Here thousands of the early disciples of Jesus suffered death, and, strange to say, contribu ted to the sport of their pagan persecutors. Here were witnessed by countless crowds, a mopg which sat emperors, scenes over which angels hovered, as they waited to conduct the spirits, of tho suffering saints to rcceivo tho palm of victory and the crown of martyrdom on high. , The noblest of the martyrs of tho Coliseum was Ignatius, bishop of Antioch. While the Emperor Trajan was visiting this ci.y,he heard of the faith and zeal of this minister of Christ, and offered him a large reward if he would sac rifice to the Roman gods. . He replied, "should you offer me all tha treasures of your empire, I would not cease to adorei the only true and living God.", Ignatius was summoned to, Rime after having been threatened without a vail. - On his way he was met eveiywhere by i Christian friends whom he encouraged to per severe, and who in turn strengthened his heart in its purpose not to shrink from any suffering for the sake of Christ. He besought the Chris tians of Rome not to intercede for his life, ex pressing his perfect willingness to meet the wild beasts and to become their food, that he might show his love to Jesus. When brought into the amphitheatre he thus addressed the assembled multitude who were eager to wit ness his death ; "Men and Romans, know that I am not brought hero for any crime, but for the glory of tho God I worship;" and the words had scarcely fallen from his lips before the lions were Jet loose upon him, and soon tore him to pieces. After tho sports of the day vere over his friends entered the arena and fathered up the few bones that were left, and buried them. Many thousands of the fol lowers of Christ perished in the Coliseum in a similar manner. The last of its martyrs was the monk Tele maclius. For three centuries gladiatorial com bats continued to be the favorite amusement of the Roman people. Constantino prohibited without suppressing them. Ilonorius did the same. JO no day, as the populace were assem bled to witness the deadiy strife, Telemachus rushed into the arena and separated the com batants. The spectators, unwilling to bo dis appointed, in their thirst for blood took the life of this good man. But this was the last of such scenes, and the end of gladiatorial shows vithin its walls. THE FARMERS' HIGH SCHOOL- The following extract from the "Memorial x the Committee of tho Board of Trustees," will give the rosier a clear understanding of the objects, &c.', of the Farmers High School of Pennsylvania : The objects of the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania are so important, and seem to commend themselves so directly to public fa vor, that the trustees come to the Legislature with perfect confidence that the people's rep resentatives will arT'rd the aid required to place tho institution li actual operation. Oth er and younger .Sta Jfcs have made appropria tions to similar objects. Why should Penn sylvania, with her vast agricultural resources, developed and undeveloped, remain inactive 7 This institution proposes by uniting the ac quisition of knowledge With daily toil, to im part interest to the one, and add dignify to the other. It proposes to remedy an evil which exists at every literary institution in the com monwealth. That evil is tho low ;repute in which manual labor is held by the student. We have had, it Is true,' farms connected with some of our colleges, upon which thoso of the students who chose might lessen the expenses of acquiring their education by manual labor. These who wrought upon the farm were, by those who did not labor, esteemed poor j and like the poor man's children, educated at pub lic expense under the act of Ajrif 4, 1803, they became a distinct class, cut of! from the society of those who, by the very distinction tlus created, were led to believe their parents rich. It is thus that manual labor is degra ding in tho eyes of tho youth of our colleges to such an extent that, iu niflo-jnstancesjyut of ten, they are graduated with an uttar distaste and abhorrence for tho pursuits and occupa tions of their futhers, whether in the field or the shop. The association of manual labor with slavery, which is but an extension of this same prejudice, rests like an incubus upon the sunny lands and fertile fields of the South. There thousands of families enduro poverty and want rather than degrade themselves by manual labor.: Our present common school laws placing tho children of tho poor and tho ricli upon one common platform, it is esteem ed honorable in all to acquire knowledgo at the public expense. The Farmers' High School proposes to re quire such amount of manual labor as shall bo found beneficial and proper, of every student, as ono of the conditions of his admission to, and of his continuance in the institution. The ambition of students, thus placed upon a per fect equality, with no standard but adruce nient in learning, and skill in labor, to' elevate or degrade them, will soon bring into active exercise energies of mind and of body, which, but for this incentive to industry, might have lain dormant. . .' The profits arising from the labor of the stu dents are to go into the treasury of the insti tution, to lessen tho,expenses of thoir educa tion. It has been estimated that after tho in stitution shall have been put in operation, with suitable buildings, four hundred acres of uch land as that which has been secured and freo from debt, the necessary expenses of the &tu dent, including boarding, washing and tuition, will not exceed seventy-five dollars porannu?V It is not proposed to teach the dead langua ges. It deemed by any essential to a good ed ucation, they should bo acquired prior to the age at which pupils can be admitted into the institution. '' With this exception it is proposed to afford the student, in a four years' course, as com plete and thorough an educati on as can be ac quired at our best literary institutions an ed ucation which, though not less scientific, shall be rendered more practical by tho daily oper ations and illustrations in tho field and the shop. Oue great and leading object of the. institu tion is lo lessen, by manual labor, the expenses so Jt to brin the acquisition of a scientific ed ucation within the reach' of 4he farming com munity. How many farmers can afford, out of the net profits of the farms, to give their sous & collegiate education at an expense of not less than three hundred dollars a year 7 -How fow could not aflord it at an expense of seventy five dollars 7 At this rate, each soil could re ceive an education, returning at the expiration of the course to supply upon his father's farm the place of the younger brother, whoso turu had como to enjoy the advantages of tho insti istitution. How soon would the son, thus re stored to the farm he had left but a few years before, work an entire change upon the yard the garden the orchard tho field 7 How much would be done during hours which in former years had been spent in idleness, to ornament and beautify ? As an experimental farm ..this institution will greatly benefit the agricultural community. Experiments iu the introduction of new seeds, grains, roots, modes of culture, farming implemets, &c, are generally too troublesome and expensire to be often tried or fully tested by the individual farmer. At this school, how ever, which will be iu correspondence with ag ricultural institutions in every part of the civ ilized world, experiments can be made with great facility and certainty, and at a compara tive trifling cost, and the results bo made known to all the citizens of tl.e Common wealth without charge. The cautious farmer will await the result of experiments and tests constantly going on at the institution, and introduce upon his farm only tuch seeds, grains, plants and roots, and such modes of cultivation as experience has shown to bo adapted to his soil aud ciin:atc, and such. Machines and implements of hus bandry as have stood the tost of actual trial. Situate, as tho institution will be, iu tho ge ographical centre of the State, within about twenty miles of Spruce Creek Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and within eight or ten miles of the Lock Haven and Tyrone Railroad, which will probably be completed by the time students can be admitted, it will bo readily ac cessible to all the citizens of the State. The Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania is emphatically a State institution. The Gov ernor and Secretary of tho Commonwealth, and the President of the Penu'a State Agri cultural Society, ara cx-officio members of the Board of Trustees. Three of the nine remain ing members of the board arc to be elccfed annually by tho Executive Committee of the Penn'a. State Agricultural Society, and thnc representatives from each county agricultural society in the Commonwealth. The advanta ges of the institution will therefore, be secu red equally to the citirens of every county in the State. Notes ox the Mississirn. Tho story is fa miliar of the man who took passage i: a fiat boat from Pittsburg bound for New Orleans. Ho passed many dreary, listless days on his way down tho Ohio and Mississippi, and seem ed to bo desponding for want of excitement Superficially, he was quiet and inoffensive ; practically, he was perfectly good nalured and iindlv disposed. In course of time, the craft upon which ho was"a passenger put into Napo lean, iuthe State of Arkansas, for groceries." At the moment there was a general fight ex tending all along the "front of the town," which at that time coesisted of a single house. The unhappy passenger, after fidgeting about, and jerking his feet up and down, as if ha were walking on hot bricks, turned to a used up spectator and observed ; . "Stranger, is thia a free fight 7" . The reply was prompt and to the point : "It ar, and if you wish to go in, doa't stand on ccrimony." The wayfarer did "go in" and in less time than wc can relate the circumstance he was Utterly chawed up. Groping his way down to the fiat, his hair gone, his eyes closed, his lips swollen, and his face generally "mapped out," he sat himself down on a chicken coop and tsoliIoquized thus : "-ov una a-j.iv-iu-o1, it ii i tjiiij mj word it's a livoly place, and the only on3 at which I have had any fun since I left heme." Thiscstwo iivndbed teaks iiekce. Scene Parlor in tho house of an elderly gtnt. !n New York. Old gent, telegraphs lo tho kit chen, and waiter ascends in balloon. Old Gent. John, fiy over to South Ameri ca, and tell Mr. Johnson that I will be happy to have him sup with me. Never mind your coat ; now go. John leaves, and at the end of five minutes returns. John. Mr. Johnson says he will come; he lias got to go to the North Tole, for a moment, and the.n he will bo here. " Old Gent. Very well, John. ' Now start the machine for setting the table, and telegraph to my wife's room, and tell her that Mr. Johnson is coming ; then brush up my balloon, for I have an engagement ia London at. 12 o'clock. John flies off to execute lua" orders, and the old gentleman runs over to the West Indies for a moment, to get a fresh orange. . . " TuxaE Is'a man in Winchester, Mass., who has lived on corn broad so Ion? that his Lair has turned silk, like that which grows on the grain and his toes are so full of corns that he expects to see them coverad with, 'tusks nest rear.. " :" ' 1 - - . . A DEAF AUNT AND A DEAF WIFE. I had an aunt coming to visit me for the first time since my marriage, and I don't know what evil genius prompted the wicked ness which I perpetrated towards my wife and my ancient relative. My dear," said I to my wife, on the day before my aunt's arrival, "you know Aunt Ma ry is coming to-morrow; well, I forgot to mention a rather annoying circumstance with regard to her. She's very deaf; and altho the can hear my voice, to which she is accus tomed in its ordinary tones, yet you will bo obliged to speak extremely loud in order to bo heard. It will be rather, inconvenient, but I know you will do anything iu your power to make her stay agreeable." . . . Mrs. S. announced her determination to make herself heard, if possible. I then went to John T , who loves a juke about as well as any person I know of, and told him to beat the house nt six P. M. on the lollowing even ing, and felt comparatively happy. I went to the railroad depot with a carriage next night, and when I was on 'my way home with my aunt, I said: "Dear aunt, there is one rather annoying in firmity that Anna (his wife) has, which I for got to mention. She's very deaf, and altho' she can hear fcy voice, to which sho is accus tomed, in its ordinary tones, yet you will be oblige ! to speak extremely loud in order to bo heard. I am very sorry for it. ' ' : . Aunt Mary, in the goodness tf her heart, protested that she rather liked speaking loud, and to do so would afford her great pleasure. The carriage drove up ; on the steps was my wife, iu the window was John T , with a. face as utterly solemn as if he had buried U his relatives that afternoon. r - - I ban led out my aunt; -she ascended "the stops. "I am delighted to see you,J' sbri-'-tcd my wife, and the policeman on She orrslfo side-walk started, and my aunt nearly f-.!! ciewr. the fcteps. - i 'Kiss me, my dear," howlei my aunt, ar.i the hall lamp clattered and the Windows 6hook as with the fever and ague. I looked at the window. John had disappeared. Human na ture could stand it no longer, I poked my head into the carriage, and went !to strong convul sion. . ...... When I entered the pailor, my wife was help ing Aunt Mary to take off her hat and cape ; and there sat John with his sober face. " - Suddenly, "Did you have a pleasant jour ney 7" went off my wife like a pistol, and John nearly jumped to his feet. Rather dusty," was the response, In a war whoop, and so the conversation continued. Tho neighbors for blocks around must of heard it. When I was In the third story or tha building I heard every word. In the couise of the evening my nunt took occasion to f iy to me "ITo- loud your wife speaks. Don't it hurt her 1" ' '" ; ; I told her ail deaf persons talked loudly, and that my wife, being used to if, was not affected by the exertion, and that Aunt Mary was get ting along very nicely with her; Presently ruv wife said, softlv , - .- "Alf, how very loudly your aunt talks." "Yes," said I, "all deaf persons do." "You're getting along with her finely; she ECTTfs every word you fay." ' '.'. And I rather think she did. '- . Elated at their success n heing understood, they went at it hammcrand tongs till everything on the mantel-piece clattered again, and I was setiously afraid of a crowd collecting ia front of the house. But the cud was hear. " My aunt being, of an investigating torn of mind, was desirous of finding out whether the exertion of talking so loud was not injurious to my wife. So !. "Doesn't talking so loud slra'n year lungs ?. said f-he, in an unearthly whoop, for her voice was not quifo as musical as it was when Bho was young. , '. -It is an exertion," shrieked my wife. "Then why do you do it ?" was the answer ing scream. . "Because because you can't Lear if I don't," pquealcd toy wifa. . . -.. "What 7" said my aunt, fairly rivaling a rail road whistle this tine. i began to think it time to evacuate the premises, and looking round and seeing John gone, I stepped into the back parlor and there he lay, fiat on 'his back, with his- feet at right angles to his body, rolling from side to side, with his face poked into his ribs and a mott agonizing expression of countenance, but not utkring a sound. X immediately and invol untarily assumed a similar attitude, and I think, that, from tha relative position of our feet and heads, and our attempts to restrain our laugh ter, apoplexy must inevitably have ensued, if a horrible groan, which Jo'an gave veut io'hia endeavor to suppress hi. risibility, had not be trayed our hiding plare. . - In rushed my wi'j anj aunt, who, by this time comprehend the joke, aud such a ecotd ing as I then g-,t I never bad before, and.I hoje never to . get aiin." .. - 1 know nou what the end might have been if John, in endeavors to appear respectful and synr pathetic;' had not given way to such a groaa an!j a horse laugh that all gravity was ups'jt, and we screamed out in concert. 1 know it was very wrong and alt that, to tell such .falsehoods, but I think Mrs. Opi herself would have laughed if the fcal sea Aun Yliry's expression when h' was inforia-f ' rt that her hearing was defective. -'2 ir.t 1 ii