Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, November 19, 1856, Image 1

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    VOL 3 NO. 14.
CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1856,
vBY S. B. EOW;
NOVEMBER.
The Icnves fall fast as flakes of snow;
Alas ! we mourn them (lying ;
They sigh beneath our every tread,
-In woods and bypaths lying
Clouds hurry o'er the face of heaven.
The wailjof winds is deeper,
. The harvest of the year has come,
November is the reaper.
We hear without the last farewell
Of birds to South lands going,
' And sigh back answers from our hearts,
- As shrinking from the knowing
. Of all that follows on the track
Of leaves and birds departed ;
And earth seems changed, as if e'en she
Were growing weary-hearted !
1 Ah ! wcll-a-day, all things mustfade,
The loveliest soon as any ;
The days of sunshine are the few,
The days of cloud the many !
November, dreariest month of all,
To human hearts comes nearest,
'-And sometimes reapeth more than leaves, .
In taking what is dearest
TIIE IIITNTEK'S RUSE.
In the year 18, I undertook the perilous
journey of crossing the Plains. Our compauy
was composed of nine persons ; among the
number was Bill Johnson, formerly a hunter
and trapper of the West.
At the close of a beautiful day in May, we
found ourselves seated around a blazing cauip
firo upon the banks of the Little Blue Kivcr,
somo two hundred miles from St. Joseph, Mis
souri. Some of the company Lad spread
blanket upon the grass, while myself and Bill
Johnson were eagerly discussing the propriety
of having an antelope hunt on the succeeding
day. AVe soon came to the conclusion that
we would spend the day in bunting, as our
train was going to stop here several days to
recruit our animals. I cannot say that I en
joyed a sound slumber at night, because I was
anxious that morning should arrive, lor I ex
pected rare sport on the coming day. The
much wished for morning came at last, and af
ter dispatching a hasty breakfast, aud inform
ing our comrades that wo would return by sun
set, we departed with our rifles on our should
ers. For three hours we travelled in a southerly
rest. Following up a ravine a short distance,
Mo came to a sink, er hole, Some twenty feet
deep ; the sides of which were of solid rock
and almost ierpendicular. Carefully exam
ning this curious spot, we at length discov
, ered an excavation in the wall, just large c-
aough to admit a man with case. This was
soon acconiplUhed, and we found onrselvcs in
an apartment about nine feet square, with walls
of solid lock. Tin's we thought would afford
us the desired shelter, and we were just com
fortably seated, when my companion hastily
prang to his feet, saying :
"Be silent, I hear a rustling in the grass,
which is probably caused by an elk or an ante
lope. You stay here."
And sciafiig his ri-
fle ho stole cautiously down the ravine.
lie was soon lost to view among the shrub
bery which skirted the ravine, leaving me a
lone to meditate upon the probable cause of
the noise we had just heard. But I was soon
startled and surprised by seeing my compan
ion running towards the cava, with anxiety
and alarm plainly depicted U2on"his countc
s nance.
"Injins, by Thurder" he exclaimed, as he
rushed into tho cave.
Then he commenced blocking tip tlie en
trance with loose stones and Iragments of rock
which lay scattered around. This awakened
me to a sense of the danger we were in, as at
that time the Pawnee Indians were known to
lo hostile to the whites, butchering all who
fell into their hands. To my inquiries of how
many thero were of our enemies, my compan
ion replied :
"There are two, mounted on fleet horses,
armed with rifles and most hideously painted."
Oar enemies were probably aware of our
place of refuge, for, instead of coming up in
frent of the cave, they crept cautiously aroaml
to the edge of the sink, and stationed tf
sclres out of the reach of our rifles, buwsa
to command tho entrance to our subterfsuietni
retreat. Their persons were out of our View,
but by their shadows upon tho opposito wall
we could note their manoeuvres.
They evidently thought there was but one
of us, but at that they did not deem it prudent
to make a bold attack in front, for by so doing
they would expose their persons to danger;
therefore they chose tho less dangerous plan
of atarviug us to death, compelling us to sur
render, or shooting us if wo attempted to es
cape. Thus in a manner we were completely
in the power of these savages, unless by some
Btratagem we could, manage to escape. But
soon night set in and spread her mantle of
darkness over the land, making our situation
more dismal than before. My companion took
bis station at the entrance, ready to give the
savages a warm reception if they made an at
tack. I was not capable of enduring such hard
ships as my companion, therefore he advised
mo to seek that repose I so much needed,
while he watched the manoeuvres of the enemy.
I laid down upon the hard floor of the cavern,
and soon fell asleep. I intended to relievo
tnj compauion in guarding about midnight, ,
rt so ffopdly did I sleep that the dawn of day
was just breaking in the cast when I awoke. '
Still at his post stood the old hunter,without
a visible trace of fatigue or suffering upon his
manly countenanoe. With the exception or
the long shriek of the coyote in the distant
hills, all was silent without, and I, thinking
the coast clear, was about to pass out, when
my companion pulled mo back, and in a low
whisper said,
"Do cot move, now is your most dangerous
time ; but I will foil 'em yet, confound 'em!'
And immediately placing his hat upon the
muzzle of his gun, he slowly moved it through
the entrance. The Indians, who were on the
lookout, perceiving it, mistook it for his head
and Gied : two balls pierced the crown of his
hat. Dropping it, we supposed the Indians
would show themselves. But not so. My
companion, seeing thi3 scheme was about to
fail, commenced making horrible groans like
one in mortal agony. This tho savages took
as a suro indication that their balls bad taken
effect, and giving a yell of triumph, which de
mons might have envied, they rushed out in
full view.
"Fire !" cried my companion, and the next
moment the sharp report of our rifles rang
through the cavern, while our enemies, giv
ing a simultaneous bound, fell with a crash
ins sound unon the bottom of the sink each
one a corpse !
Placing the dead bodies in the cave we moun
ted our enemies' horses, and were soon gallop
ing into camp, to the gratification of our
friends, who supposed we had fallen into the
hands of tho merciless Pawnees.
And now, though years have passed, and
the manly form of Bill Johnson is laid in the
silent grave, I respect the memory of him as
a true friend and brave man in times of peril
ROMANTIC LOVE STORY.
Hero is quite a romantic and strange,
true story :
Aboautif ul young heiress had become so dis
gusted with a flattering set of soft-pated, po
matuni-haired, moustache-lipped, strong-per
fumed suitors lor her hand, that she shut her
Stdlrpm the fashionable world, turned all her
went, petaostnan-tikc tnro' the city in wKich
she had hitherto moved with so much display
ana magnificence. She asked alms of those
who of late had knelt at her feet and sued for
her hand. They knew her not, and casting a
iook oi scorn upon her veiled face and coarse
wardrobe, bade her begone. She entered the
country here she met with derision and scorn.
A few kind-hearted people, it is true, bestow
ed aid ; but these were of the poorer class,who
hid hard work to procure their own daily
bread ; but they could not turn a fellow-crca
ture hungry from their door, and therefore
gave a small pittance from their scanty store
One summer day, a large company met on
Jbcach. They were mostly from the city
The disguised heiress from some cause or oth
er had wandered there. She asked alms of
one or two termed "upper tens." They spoke
tauntingly but gave nothing. What they said
had been , heard by quite a number of their
company. Most of them laughed, or looked
as if they thought it "served her right." The
beggar woman turned about aud was walking
sadly away, when a good looking gentleman
stepped forward, and catching hold of her
arm, thus spoke :
"Stay, my good woman tell me what you
waut."
"She replied in a low trembling tone, "I
want a tixpence only a sixpence."
"l'ou shall have ten times that sum. Here,"
he added, drawing from his pocket an ea"le.
and placing it in the gloved hand of the wo
man, "take this, and. if it is not enough, I
will give you another."
The heiress returned the eagle, exclaiming,
"I want a sixpence, sir, sir only a sixpence !"
. Seeing that she could not be made to take
the eoin, the gentleman drew forth a sixpence,
and gave it to tho strange being beside him,
.who, after thanking the generous donor, walk
ed slowly away. After being laughed at for
so doing by his comrades, he set out in pur
suit of tho beggar woman, saying :
"Perhaps she is an heiress or an angel in
disguise. I mean to ascertain."
.Not that he thought this. He wished to
show his indifference to what his comrades said,
besides satisfying himself about the strange
female whom he had aided. lie soon overtook
her, and addressed her thus:
"Pardon me, madam, for pursuing you. I
would know more about you."
As tho speaker ceased, tho mask dropped
from tho lace of the female, and tho beautiful
heiress was portrayed before tho astonished
gentleman.
That they were afterwards married, the rea
der has already imagined, for the heiress used
this means of procuring a worthy husband,and
tho generous gentleman had long been look
ing for "an angel in disguise."
The happy husband was often heard to say
that he had got "an heiress lor a sixpence."
There was a new feature at tho Agricultu
ral Fair,, held at Cleveland, Ohio, a show of
fish raised artificially.
The rate of taxation in Newburyport.Mass,
is very high $8 C5 on tho $1,000. Tho As
sessor's valuation of the city is $7,216,200.
LETTER FROM IOWA.
The following letter should have appeared
last week, but was delayed on the route until
too late. '"
Lyoxs Citt, Cliston Co., Iowa, I
November 3d, 1856. J
EniToa Rattsmas's Journal: Thinking
your readers might be interested in a sketch
of tho progress made by one of the Western
towns, I will give you a brief history of this
place for the last three years.
My first visit to this country was in October
1833. At that time, this town contained a
population of about 20, all told. The city
was laid out some 15 years ago, on a beautiful
flat of ground at the narrowest place on the
Mississippi River for 330 miles, up or down,
which gives this point an advantage over any
other towu in Iowa, it being some 50 miles
nearer Chicago. The city of Fulton, Illinois,
is immediately opposito Lyons. The Chicago
and Dixon Air Line Railroad is now finished to
Fulton ; so tho town enjoys the advantages of
a railroad. There is also a road making from
Lyons to. the Missouri river, across the State
of Iowa, which is in a healthy condition, 80
miles being under contract, and it will cer
tainly be made, as they have some of the most
enterprising and influential men in the coun
try engaged in it, and a large grant of public
lands to aid in its construction. I am told
it costs but $6,000 per mile to grade the road
and lay tho ties ready for tho iron, cheap, in
deed, to what it costs in Pennsylvania to make
rail roads.
The town of Lyons contained in June 1854,
COO inhabitants: in June 1853, 1200: Juno
1S5G, 2100, and in Oct: 185G, about 3000.-
This will sound large to our Clearfield friends
but such is tho fact. Town lots are selling a
very high rates from $200 to $1,500. I no
ticed one lot, 22 by GG feet, that was sold two
years ago for $300, now selling for $1,450.
Farming lands in the vicinity of the city, (you
will bear in mind, this is now a city, regularly
incorporated,) are selling at from fifteen to six
ty dollars per acre that is, from 2 to 8 mile
out. Lands adjoining the city limits are worth
much more say $100 to $300 per acre.
The citr is laid out extensively, and there
the river. Tho population is inteVligcnt',in
.austrious and enterprising, and tho buildin
going up are of a good and substantial charac
ter. The private residences are very tasteful
ly built, the grounds of many of them are
large, and those building seem determined to
make their Western homes pleasant and com
fortable. Just imagine yourself living in
snug cottage on one of those Bluff's, with a
view of tho Father of Waters, for many mile
a neautuul country, tho shrill whistle of the
locomotive or of tho Missouri steamboats
sounding in your cars is it not enough Ao
wake a man up and make hiiu think he was
made for something. I find a great many
Fcnnsylvanians settled here, both in town and
country. Judge Colton, the worthy Mayor of
the city, is a Pcnnsylvanian.
The county of Clinton contains a population
of some 18,000. Dewitt, tho county scat, is
-0 miles distant from Lyons. This county is
no doubt one of the best in tho State for farm
ing, as there is but little of the land that can
not bo cultivated. Taking all things into con
sideration, I think there is but little doubt
that Lyons City will become, and is now
place of somo importance, and will continue
to grow. The property owners in this city are
men of liberal views, are willing to sell at fair
rates, and when they get your money, do not
send it off, but go right to work and help to
improve the place. There has been built here
within two years, 2 large steam flouring mills,
constructed of stone of a yellowish cast, of
which there is an abundance, ono of them,
with a saw-mill attached, having cost $30,000
There arc also four steam saw-mills, one pla
ning mill, shingle machine, two largo foun
dries, a steam-engine manufactory, some 10
or 12 dry goods stores, also hardware and drug
stores the number I have not ascertained.
vv ncn it is taken into consideration that this
all, or nearly all, is the work of three years, it
is wonderful.
l' arming, x would say, pays very well at
present prices, with the exception of wheat,
which is low at ths time, 65 cents ; corn 30c ;
oats 30; beef, 8 to 10c; mutton, 8c; pork,
7c ; eggs, 23c ; butter, 23c ; chickens 25c, and
everything else eatable, in proportion ; wood,
50,00 per cord. You will perceive, a man
with a family should have a good deal of the
needful to live in this city. Houses rent at an
enormous price. A houso that would rent for
$50 or $00 in Clearfield, would rent here for
from $200 to $300.
Mechanics are well paid. Carpenters, black
smiths, ike, get from $1,75 to $2,50 per day,
cash. The members of the different churches,
and the church-going people, (and I am glad
to say, a large majority of the citizens of this
city are such,) are erecting, and have already
crectedjsome very good churches. The Meth
odists, with a membership of some 75, have
built a church this year, costing about $5,000,
and when finished, with parsonage, Sec., $8,000,
very neat and commodious, of brick. The E
piscopalians are building a very fino stone
church, Gothic style. The Catholics have a
good, plain framo church, but are about to
erect a largo and more costly one, and as they
have a very good site for it, and large grounds,
will add much to the appearance of that part
of the city. The Presbyterians and Luther
ans are also in the spirit of building. So you
see, if a man is coming to this country and de
sires a pleasant town, growing rapidly, with a
moral population, Lyons City is the place.
As for political news, I have none to give
you. 1 hear but very nine saiu auum pun-
tics every body seems to be engaged in busi
ness aud willing to let them go by the board ;
(not much like our Clearfield friends in this
respect, as politics seem to be a trade In our
county.) But, no doubt, you will be glad to
receive a communication free from political
gossip.
I forgot to mention that the town, or city of
Fulton, opposite this place, contains a popula
tion of somo 2000, a steam ferry-boat plying
between them.
The weather since I have been here, has
been rather dull and gloomy, with some rain
and a good deal of wind. The falls, however,
are generally pleasant. I have been hunting
several times since I came here had very
poor luck lound game plenty prairie chick
ens, quails, ducks, gec3c, and turkeys ; but
could not get near enough to shoot them.
We that are accustomed to hunting and shoot
ing behind the troes, make a poor out on a
broad prairie, or good sized lake.
Excuse my hastily written letter, and be
lieve ma to be, ery truly, yours,
S. B. Row, Esa. JXO- FATTON.
INTELLIGENCE FROM KANSAS.
The latest intelligence from Kansas is of a
most interesting character. Ninety of the
Free Soil prisoners at Lecompton had been in
dicted for murder, having killed some of the
Border Ruffians in defending their lives and
properties. At the recent election there wero
nearly four thousand votes polled. The se
cret Bluo Lodgess of Missouri furnished from
twenty-five hundred to three thousand voters,
who again invaded the territory and robbed ,
the people of the elective franchise. This in
vasion was as quietly made and as artfully
concealed as possible. They began to come
in two weeks before tho election, and took
care to come in numerous small parties to all
.nfr.TPnt points. The newly elected Leg
Geary had arrested some persons on a cuarge
ocing concerned in the recent disturbances
at Ossawatomie, but tho accounts do not say
to wnicn party they belonged. When theGov
crnor started on this tour of inspection, he
took with him a company of U. S. dragoons.
On rAm.hlnn T .i.-,, - .i - .
".tnitutc nicy were encamped in
a hollow, and theGovernor went into the town,
wnere lie made a speech at a presentation of a
free Jsoil flag to Mr. Brown, the editor of the
rr.it j
neraia oj tresdom. I ho Governor said he
had received various complaints from different
sections of the Territory, aud calls lrora va
rious quarters for protection ; and he intend
A.I ...:!. 1. : . .
-im mi. reuuue to visit an tho settlements
to see tho condition of affairs to assure the
settlers of his protection, and to show them
by this retinue that he had the power to pro.
tect them. In the evening the Governor and
U. S. officers attended a large party at Brown's
houso. At Franklin a pro-slavery man by the
name of Crane, who lives there, had repeated
ly complained to the Governor of his neigh
bors, (tree Mate men.) The Governor on in
quiry found, however, that Crane was the ag
gressor, and told him so. Crane's son cot ex
cited, and told the Governor ho lied. His Ex
cellency got very angry ; ho doubled up his
nst at young Crane and asked him how he
dared use such language to him, told him that,
if he repeated it, he would knock him down.
Crane however, did not repeat it, and consc
quentiy no ngnt came off. On his route tho
Governor stepped at every settler's cabin, and
talked familiarly to all he met. Several ar
rests have been made of citicens of Lawrence ;
among others, Mr. Babcoek, Post Master. Mr
B. has rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious
to the ruffians by the active part he has taken
in favor of a Ireo State. He was arrested at
Topcka, while on his way to Iowa, on a chariro 1
o- i
of horse-stealing. Gov. Geary released him,
! I
m vU..ecU ueBimg. oucn aro tne
paltryand mean issues raised to annoy the
ireu oiaie muii oi ivansas. uovemor liearv's
position in Lecompton, does not seem an en
viable one. The pro-slavery party accuses
him of sympathy with tho Abolitionists, and
denounce him m no measured terms. One of
Colonel Titus's men threatened to shoot him
a few days since, on account of tho appoint-
ment of Col. Walker to tho command of the
military company raised in Lawrence. The
"",uu ,u ,(-ai,,:"
ErrrArn Tho late Sternhold Oakes was
rather eccentric, and offered a rewnr.l fnr fh
best epitaph for his erav. Krr.i tria
the prize, but they flattered him too much
D ' 1
no tnongnt. At last bo tried for himself.
nd tno following was tho result :
'IJero lies tho body of Ptcrnbold Oakes,
Who lived and died like other folks."
That was satisfactory, and the old gentle-
man claimed the reward, which, as he had the
paying of it himself, was of course allowed.
TVdat is the difference between Ellinjr a pit
cher with water and throwing a woman over
board ? One is "water In the nitrhpr.' nd
- 4 ---
the other is "pitch her in the water."
rraTtr ay t a . .
-. !.. Frii-,r Retiew sends I
i: i i.ii Ia vx j.. m. i
I A CUirVSl'WUUtuu v .w - i
Mn,rBnme extracts from William How-
It's work on Australia, which will interest
those who have not seen that valuable book,
and comfort those who snppose insects to io
peculiarly the pest of this country.
Tho advice Howitt gives to those who, "not
content with such things as they have," are
troubled by golden visions of a far-ofl country,
is "first to go and dig a coal pit, then work a
month at a stone quarry, next sink a well in
the wettest place he can find, of at least fifty
feet deep ; and finally clear out a space cf six
teen feet square of a box twenty feet deep ;
and if, after that, he has still a fancy for tnc
gold fields, let him come ; understanding,
however, that all tho time, he lives on heavy
unleavened bread, on tea without milk, and
on mutton or beef without vegetables, and as
tough as india rubber."
Then, as to the living accompaniments of a
table at the diggings. "At your meals, in a
moment myriads of flics como swooping down,
cover tho dish, and the meat on your plates,
till they are one black moving mass ; dash
headlong into your tea, or whatever you are
drinking, and fight you to the last moment for
the last morsel. Every meal is a pitched and
hard fought battle too. At every hour of the
day, from sunrises to sunset, they assail with
incessant and unconquerable avidity-. Tester
day, when on the hills, I was wishing to take
a closer view of the plants and stones. I put
on my spectacles. Instantly dozens of black
flies ensconced themselves behind the glasses,
as many, in fact, as could crowd in, and they
defied me to dislodge them. I was obliged to
take off my glasses, and go on with my doom
of bough-twirling."
"It 13 curious that Dampier in bis voyage
round the world in 1C88, never mentions the
annoyanco ot flies anywhere but. inJAnstralia,
though he had been in the hottest regions ol
the West Indies, South America, and Indian
Ocean, which shows that they are here an un
exampled plague." Speaking of the natives,
he says, "Their eye-lids are always half closed
to keep the flies out of their eyes ; they being
so troublesome here that no fanning will keep
them freni coming to one's face, and without
muv Luc oiivMun aim liioiun, n tho lips are
not shut very closa. So that from their infan
cy, being thus annoyed with these insects, they
do never open their eyes as other people, and
therefore they cannot see far unless they hold
up Iheir heads, as if they were looking at
somewhat over them." '
Meats are almost immediately- covered
blow-flies and corrupted.
by
Ants are most sum erous next to the flies.
They cover the whole surface of the ground,
of all colors and all sizes, and alino&tjevcry va
riety of them sting keenly. Nor is it the
ground only on which they swarm; there is
net a log lying on the ground, nor a tree st
ding in the forest, up and down which they are
not creeping in myriads. Trains of them are
constantly ascending to the topmost twir
the loftiest gum trees, two hundred and fiftv
feet high, and other trains descending. Thev
appear to be the main cause of tho Lollowness
of tho trees, as they pierce to the centre of
the youngest ones, and eat out and make their
nesfs in the hearts. They eat the wood of tha
boughs, so that immense arni3 often fall ofl
with a sudden snap, just as if they had been
cut asunder by an axe. The other day we cut
uown a young stringy bark true and split it to
make some trestles, and the heart of it was all
uaien out, and occupied by -ants. These in
sects, many of them an inch long, fiercely con
test the ground with us when we are pitching
our tent in any fresh phce, and their sting is
as severe as that of a wasp."
"When the flics leave after sunset, legions
of musquitoes come piping in their thinjnotes.
i ncse we could keep off; they are feeble com-
pared to the flies, but have a great power of
punctuation, if allowed time."
"Wo watched the actions of tho large inch
or,,i o i,.iri j ... , ' .
uou uutt auia, vaneu uun aogs, ana aro
satisfied that thev stin ox,MK-
o " 'j nadiio can va
was wet. to drv in the sun. A r i.i.,..t-
flies settled on it; but very soon advanced a
l.nsf rf .,
They pounced on tho
flies as tigers would on their prey, seized the
flies with their mandibles, and stung them with
their tails. Their death was instant ; and the
lAuia iuai,u.u VIA nilU lUCLu
onto mn.-i1..,1 A4T ,.,!tt, A 1 I
"If the bull-dogs only killed the black fly,
we should ragard them as no trifling benefac
tors; but they are so vicious and sfing us so"
abominably on such occasions, that we wage
rutUltss war on them if tho n,.n
J -.aava VUI IVUd i
but as to killing them by cutting them to pie-
ces tbat "hopeless. Cut them in two, and
tho head will immediatelv seize fllP lxvlv nn.l
g'ipc it fiercely with its ninpr- n,i t,;i
- i , I
wil1 stinS away at the head."
"some or their nests aro often six or eieht
eet across each way, and as hard as rock it-
self."
ccnn,- e.ww.:,,. r
foot ,-n -i!a.-...
,s tonh , .w,. IM fnn JL .. rnnt r
trees when blown down. The white ants lorra
conical nests of clay of three or four feet
high, and the same in diameter at the base.
These arc baked by the sun to the hardness of
bricks, and the entKnoet to thorn, in so c&ro-
full- ronrpiied that tney seem ll.o
j
mass of clay.
. .
"There are also centipedes, lizards ana a rea
spiaer wcose uuc is j
Scese iji a Kestucit Cocrt. In the good
old times in Kentucky, when "substantial jus-
tic" was administered in a leg cabin, after s
very tree ana easy manner, oun " wvuauS
to recover certain moneys of which it was sl
leired the nlaintifT had been defrauded by tho
:i V.nnirlil!
ingenious operation known as "thimble-rig-
ging. in toe course oi tue mm,
counsel, who happened to be an "expert," un
dertook to enlighten ihe court as to the wo-
dus operandi of the performance. Putting him
self into position, he produced the three cups .
and the "little joker," aud proceeded, suiting
the action to the word.
"Then, may it please the court, the defen
dant placing the cups on his knee thus, btgan
shifting tiiotu so, offering to bet that my client
could not tell under which cup was the littlo
joker' meaning theroVy, may it please tho
court, this ball with the intention ot defraud
ing my clieut of the sum thus wagered. For
instance, when I raise the cup so, your nonor
supposes that you see the ball."
"Suppose I see I" interrupted tho Judge.who
had closely watched the performance, and was
sure that he Lad dectected the ball as one of
the cups was accidentally raised. "Why, any-
fool can seo w here it is and bet on it and bo
suro to win. There ain't uo defraudia' lhar."
"Perhaps your honor would like to go a V
on it," insinuated the counscl-
"Go aV J Yes, and double it, too, and here's
the rhino. It's under the middle, cup."
"Pll go a V on that," said the foreman of
the jury.
"And I, and I," joined In the jurars one af
ter the other, until each one had invested bis
pile.
"Up!" said his honor.
"Up," it was, but tho "little Joker" bad
mysteriously disappeared.
Judga and Jury wero enlightened and found
no dilSculty in bringing in a verdict in favor
of the plaintiff on tho ground that it was tho
"derndest kind o' defraudiu'." His honor ad
journed the Court, and "ttood for drinks all
rminiL-' in consideration oi ueiuz "iei u
from his i?er. :
A Yankee. It takes a down east man to ask
questions, but once in a while one of them
finds his match. Jonathan overtook a gentle
man who was travellingjon horseback notwith
standing the disadvantage ol having lost a leg.
His curiosity was awakened, as ho rode alon
side of hiu, to know how ho chanced to meet
with such a misfortune.
"Been in the army, I guess," said the anx
ious inquirer.
"Never was in tho army in my life," the
traveller remarked.
"Fit a duel, perhaps 1"
"Never fought a duel, sir."
"Horse thrown you off, I guess, or some-
th,n6 of tllt " sort
sir nthing ol the kind."
Jonathan tried various dodges, but all to no
eflect ; and at length, almost out ol patlcnco
with himself as well as with the gentleman,
w hose patier.ee was very commendable, he de
termined on a direct inquiry as to the nature
of tho accident by which tho gentleman had
come to lose liis leg.
"I will tell you," replied tha traveller, "on
condition that you will promiso not to ask an-
other question.
"Agreed, agreed !" exclaimed tho eager lis
tener, "agreed !"
'Well, sir," remarked the gentleman, "il
was bi! off!" '
Hit o!f!" cried Jonathan. "Wall, I de
clare, I should just like to know trhat on earth
bit iloff !"
It is said that Tom Moore ono night while
stspping at an iun in Scotland, was continual- ,
ly Irobled by the landlady with the request
that he should write her epitaph. According
ly at night ho gavo impromptu as follows i
"Good Susn Blake, in roval stato.
Arrived at last at heaven's cate."
And stopped, promising to finish in the morn
ing. The good lady was in transports at this
inscription, and treated Mr. Moore with eve-
j iuobiui attention, in tne morning ho was
about leaving, when tho lady icminded him,
that he had not finished tbn M,ifanh.
. if
That
is so,", said he. and immpdiatelr Aitd
But Teter met her with a club
Aud knocked her ba:k to Belzebub ! -
A DisappoistedFbemoxter. The Chicago
Tribune says that a friend residing in Palatine
precinct, Cook county, promised that PaLttiuo
would go unanimously for Fremont, no said
that all the Democrats had been converted but
one touSh oU fel,0,r' who con,J neither read
, .I,. . . ...
uur niuc, ui ni.L a, wuji'ruimso II aa DeeQ
effected with him, that ho had agreed to pair
off with a Fremonter, and not go to the polls.
But bis hopes failed, as this letter will show t
' Paiatise, Nov. 5th, 1856.
Ens. Tribuxe : That old rim xnt.. ha,
wouldn't stay paired. An Irishman got into
tne preciuct aud voted. It is bad, but could
no oe neiped. We did. the best under -the
circumstances we could.
Not bad. "Little boys should bo seen and
not heard," as the boy said when be eculi
not recite bJi lesson. -' -