hi m -
BY S. B. ROW.
CLEAEFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1857.
VOL. 4.-NO. 8.
SOUL THOUGHTS.
BY H. W. LOXGFELLOW.
Tli wind of the Autumn midnight
fi moaning around my door
The curtains wave at the window,
The carpet lifts on the floor.
Thero are sounds like startled footlalls,
4 In the distant chambers now,
And the touch of airy fingeri
Is busy ou hand and brow.
'Tig thus in the Soul's dark dwelling
By the moody host unsought
Through the chambers of Memory wander
The invisible airs of Thought.
For it bloweth where it listcth,
With a murmur loud and low;
Whence itcometh whither itgoeth
None tell us, and none may know.
JSow warring around tho portals
Of the vacant, desolate mind
Jls tho doors of a ruined mansion.
That creak in tho cold night wind
And anon an awful memory
Sweeps over it fierce and h
lake tne roar ot a mountain li
When the midnight gale g
Then its voice subsides in wailing,
And ere the dawn of day,
Murm'rin g fainter and still fainter.
In the distance dies away.
MY HOST.
A highway advestcee.
My business called me through the northern
part of tho State of Illinois. I crossed the Il
linois River at Ottawa, intending to strike
Kock River at Foster's Mills. Foster was an
old friend, who had gouo out some years be
fore, and erected a mill upon one of the tribu
taries of the last mentioned river, ho having
bought a whole township in that section. It
was some out of my way, as my most direct
route was very near due West from Ottawa,
vrLereas this route took me over sixty miles
further Xorth. However, I had learned that
there was quite a good road to Rock River J
and I turned my horse's head in that direction.
I calculated my time, and concluded that'by
rhoderate travelling I could reach the mill in
tvo days.
DuriLg the first day my road lay through a
country mostly cleared, and was well travelled ;
but on the second day I struck into a wilder
region, and the way was little better than a
bridle-path through a dense forest. I passed
several clearings, why re small huts were erec
ted, and at one of these latter I stopped and
got some diaucr. 1 found a young man in
charge of the premise, the father having gone
to "tho, mills." I aked what mills they meant,
nd the old lady said they were 'tF ester's
Mills."
From these people I learned that Foster's
place was forty miles distant, and that the only
dwelling, nfter leaving two near by, between
hero and there was a sort of stopping place
kept by a man named Daniel Groome. They
vii4 he generally kept food for man and beast,
and also had a good supply of liquor, princi
pally whiskey. His Lousj was twelve miles
to the mills.
This just suited me. I could reach Groome's
by six o'clock, and there get some supper,
and rest and bait my horse. Then I could
easily reach Foster's by nine, as the moon was
well on the second quarter.
The good people refused to take anything
f.irmy dinner, but I bestowed half a dollar
rjioa a flaxen-healed urchin who was trotting
sronnd upon his Late feet, and then set for
ward again. There was another hut at the dis
tance of half a mile, and a second about a
wilo oil'. I saw uo more human habitations
until I reached Groome's. I found the trav
elling full as good as I had expected, and ar
rived at the forest inn at just haif-past five.
This inn was situated upon a romantic spot,
tnd to a lover of isolated nature must have
lcen a charming retreat. Tbo house was built
of logs, tho outside surface hewn, and the
earns filled with cement formed of some sort
of fine tough moss and pitch. There were
three separate buildings to this house, the prin
cipal one being built with the gable end to the
road, and tho other two upon cither side, run
Ling out like two L's. Then there was a barn
short distance off, with a piggery connected.
Take it altogether, and it was quite a place
for such a locality. A small stream ran close
by, bo that water was plentiful.
As I rode up to tho door, Mr. Groome him
self came out. He was a tall, gaunt man w ith
a fiery red head, and a face as coarse as it was
ugly. But I was surprised when I heard his
voice. I had expected a tone like the bellow
f a bull; but instead of that his notes fell u-I-on
my cars like the speech of a woman. lie
nmiled as he spoke, and I thought to myself
' Jiow bis appearanee would deceive any one, for
,in conversation he seemed a different man.
- I Informed Lim that I was on my way to
Fosters mill, and could only stop long enough
to rest my horso and get sopje' puppcr. lie
gazed into my face for some mottenjs without
peaking, aud Anally said
"Ah yes hampli,"
"When he turned into the entry and called
"Ike." Ike came a tall, strapping youth of
one or two-and-twenty with a red bead and
features such as could belong to no one but a
child of my host. "Ike" took my horse, and
Mr. Groome led the way to the "sitting room,"
as he called it. It was rough but comfortable,
and the furniture consisted of a pine table, a
mahogany bureau, and, nr long pine benches
which were set against the walls. There were
io chairs, these benches being sufficient te ac
commodate quite an assemblage. , -'
Groom? sskcJ mc if I would, like lomethlBg
jgfi, . , f
warm. I supposed he meant whiskey, and I
told him no. He said I had better take a lit
tle 'twould do me good. But I assurod him
I never used it that I felt betf?r without it.
"But do you mean that you never drinkivhis-
key ?'-' he added with elevated eye-brows.
"Xever!" I told him.
"Brandy, Is'pose ; or mebby
pursued my host.
"Xo," I replied. "I don't use any stimu
lating drinks at all."
"You don't!" burst from bis lips while he
eyed me from head to foot. "Wul, stranger,
I'd give sun'thin' for your picture to hang up
inDiy house. Never drink 1 How in marcy's
afrfe d'ye live ? How d'ye contrive when ye
get wet and cold V
"Why," said I, with a smile, "I get dry a
gain as soon as possible."
'Dry, my sakes, I should think 'twould bo
an evcrlastiu' dry .' Xever drink ! Wal
here I've lived year in an' year out, goin' on
to fifteen year, an' you're the fust man I ever
seed as wouldn't drink a bit o' whiskey on the
top of a long journey. Fact stranger 'tis
by thunder
I told him I thought it very probable, and
ho then went out, aud I heard him leave tho
house.
In half an hour my host came and informed
me that supper was ready. He led me to a
back room, where a table was set quite respec
tably, the dishes being of blue ware, and near
ly new. He and Ike sat down with me, and as
I saw them attack the various articles of food,
I felt assured there could be no poison in
them. The meal consisted of boiled potatoes,
fried bacon, and new wheat bread, and I did
ample justice to the repast.
"You think you must go on to-night ?" said
my host, while we were eating.
"Yes," I told him, "I wish to sec my friend,
and I shall gain considerable time by reaching
his place to-night.
"Is he expectin' ye ?" Groome asked.
".Vo" I answered.
"Perhaps ho don't know that you're in this
scctiolrat all ?"
"Xo, he doesn't," I said ; and 1 expected
that my host would urge me to stay with him
until morning, so I had my answers all pre
pared. But I was mistaken. He didn't urgo any
such thing. On the contrary, ho said he
thought I was wise in my determination. He
would like my company, but it would be bet
ter for me to push on. I was quite relieved.
It wanted a quarter to seven when my horse
was brought to the door. I took out my wal
let and asked what was to pay. "Half a dol
lar." I paid it, and then asked which was the
most direct route.
"You see that big tree, just over the barn
there ?"
'Yes," I said.
"Wal, that's right iu the best road. When
you strike that you can't miss tho way."
"But isn't thero another road? one which
follows this stream right down to the mills ?"
I asked ; for I had been informed by the young
man who had taken chargo of my horse at
noon, that Groome's inn was right by the very
stream which gave Foster his mill power, and
that the road followed the stream direct.
"Oh," said my host, turning and looking off
toward the stream "that road ain't fit to travel
now. T'other one's the best."
"But what's the matter with it !" I asked.
"Why the bridges are all washed away, an'
then there's been windfalls acros't. I tried
it last week, and had to come back. The tip
per road is a matter of a mile or two furder,
but that's nothin." Your beast is good for it,
I guess."
1 told him my horse would stand it well e
nongh, and then asked where tho other road
struck the stream.
"About throe miles this side of the mills,"
he replied.
"It's all clear and direct I"
"Yes. You can't miss the way."
I bade my host good-bye, and then started
on. I didn't like the idea of a new road at all.
The yonth before mentioned had told me what
an excellent road it was from Groomcs' to the
mill by the river road. He said it followed
the stream, which was very near straight, and
that it was light and open the w hole distance.
However, of course, Groome knew, so I must
make tho best of it. I looked back as I
readied the edge of the wood. I was upon a
gentle eminence, and could overlook the
shrubbery I had passed. I looked and saw Ike
going from tho house to the barn ; he bad a
saddle upon his arm. I was sure it was a
saddle perhaps he had an errand to do.
Ere long I entered tho wood, and found it
thick and gloomy. The path was plain e
nough, and had evidently been at some time a
travelled road. Aye I remembered, now, of
having heard my informant of the noontide
speak of the "old road." He said there used
to be a road leading to Rock River, but when
Foster commenced his settlement, a new road
was opened by the stream, and the old one dis
continued,. le had, eaid nothing about any
bridges.
At the distance of two miles, I came to a
place where a bed of sand lay across the road.
It was a sort of gully, and a stream mnst at
some time have run there. I looked, but saw
no track upon' it. Water had swept across
eince anv living thing had trodden it. I slid
from my saddled, and examined thoroughly ;
but I could find no tracks.
Of course, the father of my noontime's host
could not have gone this way ! And yet he
had gone to Foster's Mills. I began to sus
pect mischief. Thero had been an uneasy
sensation lurking in my bosom ever since I
left the inn. Something was wrong. I ro
gained my saddle and looked about. Tho
sun was nearly down in twenty minutes, at
tho farthest, it would be out of sight.
Instinctively I drew one tf my pistols from
the holster. I raised the hammer, and found
the cap in its place. I was just putting it
back, when I noticed a mark upon the butt.
It was a peculiar knot in the wood. That pis
tol I always carried in the left holster. It
was not so sure as tho other one. I took out
the other, and was sure tho weapons had been
changed by other hands than mine. They
had remained in the saddle at the forest inn,
and the change must have taken place there.
1 began to think. Why was Mr. Groome so
particular to know if my friend expected me ?
And then why should he have been so anxious
to have me set forward that night, instead of
remaining with him, and paying him a dollar
or so more than I did ? Then, this road I
believed I had been deceived. There was uo
freshets to carry away bridges, for it was now
early Autumn, and the river road had been
travelled all summer. And then, tho saddle
I had seen "Ike" carrying to the barn. There
was surely mischief in all this. Daniel
Groome had daughters at his house, and, per
haps others, whom he would notliave to hear
the noise of the robbery. And very likely,
he wonld not wish to have such a deed connec
ted with his house at all. Of course, he knew
I had money. Xo one would bo travelling, as
I was then travelling, without a considerable
sum.
If my pistols had been taken out, might
they not have been further dealt with ? I took
the one from the right holster and examined
it. The ball was" in its place, and the cap on.
Still I was not satisfied. I slipped the cap
ofl, and found the percussion composition re
moved. There was not a particle left within
the cap. And this was not all. I found the
tube spiked with a little pine stick !
Here was the secret sure enough. I took
my penknife and succeeded in drawing out
the stick; and then I examined the other pis
tol, which I found to be in the same plight.
I stopped and went to work in earnest. 1 had
an excellent screw for removing bullets, and
my pistol barrels were emptied in a very few
moments. I had a serious objection of firing
them off in the woods, where the report might
betray tho knowledge I had gained. So I
emptied them, and then snapped a cap upon
each. I found them both clear, and then
proceeded to load them, which I did carefully.
And now, how should I proceed ? That
this road would lead me to Foster's Mills I had
no doubt ; and it would bo nearer for me to
keep on than to turn back. So upon that
point my mind was made up.
And next which way would my host come?
For that he meant to rob me I felt certain.
Every circumstance cverthing that had tran
spired between him and me pointing to that
one simple result. Would he go down the
river road a piece, aud head me oil ? or would
he follow mo directly up? Most likely the
former. I considered upon it awhile, and
theu resolved to push on and keep on my
guard.
The sun went down, and it grew dark in the
deep wood ; but the moon was already up, and
as her beams fell lengthwise upon the road,
she gave mo conciderable light when my eyes
had become used to the transition. Half an
hour had passed since I looked to my pistols,
and just as I began to wouderiflhad been
mistaken, I heard the sound of a horse's
tramp at no great distance. At first it puz
zled me to tell the direction from which it
came, but a moment I knew it was in advance
of me, and upon my right hand w hich was to
ward the river. Presently it stopped. I drew
my horse to the left side of the path and kept
on a gentle trot, having raised the lappel of
my right holster.
In a few moments I saw a dark form, amid
the bushes, a little way ahead, on the right.
As I came up a man rode out. It was my
host!
"Good evening, sir," ho said, with exceed
ing politeness.
Ah good evening," I returned. "I had 1
not expected the pleasure of your company."
"Xo, I expect not," he resumed, in a sort
of hesitating manner. "And I shouldn't have
come out, only for a littlo business, I forgot
when you were at tho inn."
It was plain as day. My pistols had been
rendered useless I had been sent off into
this unfrequented wood, and now the villain
had thought to take my life and my money
without any risk to his own, body, and then
hide my carcass in tfc,o earth, where very like
ly others had been hidden before. My eyes
were open, arid my hand ready.
"May I ask to what business you allude ?" I
said.
"Yes," he snapped out, something in agree
ment with his features. "I want money,
money, sir."
As he spoke, he raised a pistol.
"Take care," I cried, raising my pistol, and
pointing it in his face.
"Ha, ha, ha," he laughed in coarse triumph",
"your Yankee pistols wern't made to harm
such as me 1 I'll soon put you where I've
put others afore "
When a man knows death is staring him in
the face, and that only his act will avert it,
he is not apt to wait long. At least I am not.
And my host's last words gavo me ample
proof of the correctness of my suspicions.
Without waiting for him to finish, I fired.
His finger must have pressed the trigger of
his pistol, for within the space of a watch-tick,
a sharp report answered and mingled with
mine, and my hat shook upon my head.
Daniel Groome swayed to and fro several
times in his saddle, and then with a gurgling
groan sank upon tho earth. I slipped down
after him, and when I stooped over tho body,
I saw a few drops of dark blood trickling from
his forehead.
For a few moments I felt awe struck and
condemned. It was a natural feeling in such
a presence. But when I came to reflect upon
all that had preceded the deed, I felt that I
had done my country a service. I made the
robber's horse fast to a tree, and then re
mounted and rode on.
I reached the Mills at half-past nine, and I
found Foster aud his family up. They were
glad to see me, and introduced me to a Mr.
Price, whom I afterwards found to be the
owner of the place where I had taken my din
ner. On the following morning a party sfarted
out under my guidance. There were Foster
and Price, and three men who worked in the
mills. When we reached the spot where the
tragedy Jiad happened, we found the horse as
I had left him, and my host lay upon the
ground still and cold. He had not bled at all,
the ball having made but a small wound,
though it had passed clear through.
A little way within the wood, we found a
place where the ground seemed at some time
to have been disturbed, and npon digging
there, we found two human bodies. Subse
quently one more was found only a few rods
distant.
The body of Groome was taken up to his
house, and we there found that Ike had . fled.
He had probably been out and found his dead
father, and fearing that he might bo implica
ted, he departed.
Mrs. Groome, who was a mild, broken-down
woman, acknowledged that she had long been
aware of her husband's crimes, but that the
fear of death had kept her silent.
Ike, I believe, has not yet been found, but
his mother is still living in Illinois with a
married daughter, whois well off. She has
grown more strong and happy since tho night
on which I had tho highway adventure with
my host.
The Advantages of Ladies' Society. It
is better for you to pass an evening once or
twice a week in a lady's drawing room, even
though the conversation is rather slow, and you
know the girl's songs all by heart, than in a
club, tavern, or in a pit of a theatre. All a
musements of youth, to which women are not
admitcd, rely on it, are deleterious in their
nature. All men who avoid female society
have dull perceptions, and are stupid, or have
stupid, or gross tastes, and revolt against what
is pure. Your club swaggerers, who are suck
ing the butts of billiard cues all night, calls
female society insipid. Beauty has no charms
for a blind man ; music does not please a poor
beast, w ho docs not know one tune from anoth
er ; and as a true epicure is hardly ever tired
of water anchovy and brown bread and butter,
I protest I can sit all night talking to a well
regulated, kindly woman, about her girl com
ing out, or her boy at Eton, and like the even
ing's entertainment. One of the great bene
fits man may derive from woman's society is,
that he is bound to be respectful to them. The
habit is of great good to your moral men, de
pend upon it. Our education makes us the
most eminently selfish men in the world. We
fight for ourselves, we yawn for ourselves, we
light our pipes and say we won't go out, we
prefer ourselves ard our ease ; and the great
est good that comes to a man from a woman's
society is, that he has to think of somebody
beside himself, to whom he is bound to be
constantly attentive :and respectful. Thacke
ray. Labor. The value of an industrial popula
tion cannot be too highly estimated, as how
ever much capital may be at command, it is
of no uso until the true material, the bard
working laborer or skillful mechanic arc at
hand to expend it and produce in its stead a
road, a canal, a steam engine or a ship. Mo
ney is really worthless except in the relation
it bears to the laborer; and the two arc each
dependent on the other, so the capitalist is en
titled to the respect of the laborer, who in his
turn has a right to the same from the money
ed man.
KPXo man knows what powers he has till
he has tried them. And of the understand
ing, he may most truly say that its force is
greater generally than he thinks till he is put
to )t.
DSWhcn a man dies, men ask what proper
ty he lcaves--angels what good deeds he sent
before him.
DIf you want to see a black squalli just
look at a negro baby attacked with the cholic.
HOW SUT LOVENGOOI) EXPLODED.
HIS EXPEBIESCE WITH SODA POWDERS.
' Sut related his story thus : "George did yon
ever see Sicily Burns 1 Her, dad lives at the
Rattil Snaik Springs, nigh to tho Gcorgy
line!" "Yes, a very hardsome gal." 'Hand
some ! that wurd don't kiver tho case ; it
sounds like callin' good whiskey water, when
ye are at Big Spring and the still-house ten
miles off, an' it a rainin', an ycr flask only
half full. She shows among wimmen like a
sun-flower as compared to dog fennel an' smart
weed an' jimscn. But thar ain't no use to des
cribe her. Couldn't crawl thru a whiskey bar
rel with both heads stove out, if it wur hilt
study for her, an' good foot holt at that. She
weighs just two hundred an' twenty-six pounds,
an' stands sixteen hands high. Sho never got
in an arm cheer in her life, an' you can lock
tho top hoop uv a churn or a big dog collar
round her waist. I've seed her jump over the
top uv a split-bottom cheer, an' never show
her auklis or ketch her dress onto it. She
kcrricd devil enuf about about her to fill a four
boss waggin bed, with a skin as white as the
inside uv a frog-stool, cheeks an' lips as red as
a perche's gills in dogwood blossom time; an'
sich a smile ! Oh, I be dratted ef its cny use
talkin'. That gal cud make mo murder old
Bishop Soul liis.se If, or kill mam, not to speak
uv dad, ef she jist hinted that she w anted sich
a thing dun.
"Well, to tell it at onst, she war a gal all
over, from the pint uv her too nails tu the
longest bar on the highest knob uv her bed
gal all the time, everywhere and that uv the
excitiuist kind. Ov course I leaned up tu her
us close as I dar tu, an in spite of long legs,
appetite fur whiskey, my shirt scrape, and
dad's actin' boss, she sorter leaned tu me, an'
I was beginnin' tu think I wur jist the greatest
and comfortablest man on yearth, not except
in' Old Buck or Brigham Young, w ith all his
radii cullured, wrinkled wimmin, cradels full
of babies, an' his Big Salt Lake thrown in.
Well, one day a cussed, palaverin', stinkin'
Yankee pedlur, all jack-knife an' jaw, cum tu
ole maa Burnscs, with a load uv apple parins,
calliker ribbons, jewsharps, an' s-o-d-y p-o-w-d-e-r-s.
Xow, mind I'd never hearn tell uv
that truck afore, an' I bo durncd cf I don't
want it to be th last wus nor rifle powder
wus nor pcrkussion three times as smart, and
hurts wus, a heap wus. Durn him. Durn all
Yankee pedlurs, and durn thur priocipils an'
practissis, I say. I wish I had all the sody
powder they ever made in his paunch, an' a
slow match fixed tu him, an' I had a chunk uv
fire, the feller that found a piece uv him big
enuf tu feed a cockroach ought to be King uv
the Sultan's harem a thousand years fur his
luck. They ain't human, no how. The mint
at Filadelfy is thar Heaven ; they think their
God cats half dimes fur breakfust, hashes the
levvies fur dinner, an' swallcrs a cent on a
dried appil fur supper, sets on a starupin' ma
chine fur a throne", sleeps on a crib full uv haf
dollars, aud measures men like money, by
count. They haint one uv them got a soal but
what cud dance a jig in a kabbage seed, an'
leave room fur the fiddler.
'Well, Sicily she bought a tin box nv the
sody fruru him an' hid it away frum her folks,
a savin' it fur me. 1 happened to pass next
day, uv course I stopped to enjoy a look at the
tempter, as she wus mighty luvin' tu me, pat
wun arm round my neck, and t'other wun
whar the circingle goes roun a boss, tuk the
'inturn on me with the left foot,' and gin me a
kiss. Says she, Sufy, love, I've got sumthin,
fur ye, a new sensashun' an' I believed it,
for began to feel it already. My toes felt like
little minners wur a nibling' at 'em a cold
streak run up an' down my back like a lizzard
with a turkey hen after him in setten time,
my heart felt hot and onsatisfied like, an' then
I'd a cut old Soul's throat, ef she'd hinted at
ncedcissity fur sich an operashun. Then she
poured ten or twelve blue papers uv the sody
inter a big tumbler, and about tho same num
ber uv the white wuns inter tuther tumbler, an'
put ni onto a pint uv water on both uv them
an' stirred both up with a case knife, lookin'
as solemn as an ole jackass in a snow storm
when the fodder's all gin out. She hilt wun
while she told me to drink tuther. I swallow
ed it at wnn run tasted salty like, I tho't it
wur part uv the sensashun. But I wur mista
kencd, all uv tho cussed infernal sensashun
wur tu cum, and it wurn't long at it, hoss,
you'd believe me. Then she gin mo tuther
tumbler, an' I sent it after the fust, race hoss
fashion.
"In about wun moment an' a haf I tho't I'd
swallowed a thrashin' mcrcbine in fnll blast,
ur a cnpple uv bull dog, an' they had sot inter
fitin'. I seed that I wur cotched agm same
family dispersishun to make cussed fools uv
themselves every chance so I broke fur my
hoss. I stole a look back an' thar Sicily lay
oif her back in the porch, a screamin' with
laffin, her heels up in the air, a kickin' uv them
together, like she wur a tryin' to kick her slip
pers off. But I had no time tu look then; thar
wur a road of foam frum the house to tho hoss
two foot wide, an' four inches deep looked
like it had been a snowin' poppin', and a his
sin'. an' a bilin', like a tub uv hot soap suds.
I had getbered a cherry tree limb as I run, an'
I lie oust raddle uv my hoss, a whippin' an' a
lickin' like mad. This, witji the scary noises
I made (fur I wur awkislin', an' ahissin',and
a s-putterin' outer mouth, nose and eyes, like
a steam engine,) sot him a rearm' and cavor
tin' like ho was Skeered out of his senses.
Wall he went. The foam rolled, nd tho ol
black hoss flew. He jist mizzled scared ni
tu death, and so wur I. So we agreed on tho
pint uv the greatest distance H'a the smallest
time.
"I aimed for Doctor Goodman's at the III
wassce Copper Mines, tu get somethin' tu stop
the exploshun in my innards. I met a sercnit
rider on his travels towards a fried chicken an
a hat full uv biskits. As I cum a tarin' along
he hilt up his hands like he wanted to pray fur
me, but as I preferred physic tu prayer, in my
pccooliar sitawashun at that time, I jist rolled
along. He tuck a skecr as I cum ni on tu him,
his faith gin out, an' ho dodgod hoss, saddil
bags, au' overcoat, inter a thicket Jiat like
you've seed a tertil take water often a log
when a tarin' big steamboat cums along. As
he passed ole man Burns's, Sicily hailed him,
and axed him cf he'd met anybody in a hurry
gwine up the road'. The pocT man thought
perhaps he did and perhaps he didu't, but he'd
seen a site, uv a spook, uv a ghost, uv ole Bul
zebub himself, or the komit, he didn't adzact
ly know which, but takin' all things tugether
an' tho short time he'd for preparashun, he
thought he met a crazy, long-legged shakin
Quaker, a ficein' frum the wrath tu cum, on a
black and white spotted hoss, a whippin' ur
him with a big brush, and he bad a white beard
wht cum frum ni onto his eyes to the pummil
uv the saddil, an' then forked an' went tu his
knees, and then sometimes drapped in bunch
es as- big asa crow's nest tu the ground, an
hearin' a sound like a rushin uv mighty wat
ers, an' he wur mightily exercised about it
cnyhow. Well, I guess he wur, an' so wur his
fat hoss, an' so wur ole blackcy ; wust exercis
ed uv all uv 'em wur I, myself.
"Xow, George, all this beard an' spots on.
the hoss, an' steam, an' fire, an snow, an' wire
tails, is ouddacious humbug. It all cum out
uv my innards, droppin' ov my mouth without
cny romitin' or eflurt, an' ef it hadn't I'd bus
ted into more pieces than thar is aigs In a big
catfish. Tho Lovengoods are all confounded
fools, au' dad ain't the wust uv 'em."
Pleascee or Readixo. Of all the amuse
ments that can possibly be imagined for a
working man, after daily toil, or in the inter
vals, there is nothing like reading a newspa
per or book. It calls for no bodily exertion,
of which already bo has had enough, perhaps
too much. It relieves his home of dullness
and sameness. Xay, it accompanies him to
his next day's work, and gives him something
to think ot besides the mechanical drudgery
of his every-day occupation ; something he
can enjoy while absent, and look forward to
with pleasure. If I were to pay lor a taste
which would stand by me under every variety
of circumstances, and be a source of happi
ness and cheerfulness to me through life, and
a shield against all its ills, however things
might go amiss, and the world frown npon mo,
it would bo a taste for reading. Sir John Her
schell. C7A negative answer has been given at the
General Land Office to the inquires as to whe
ther a number of persons forming themselves
into a Joint Stock Association can have the
benefit of the Graduation Act by becoming
settlers ou the public lands not for their indi
vidual benefit, but for that of their common
interest. The ground lor that answer Is, that
the Graduation Act was intended for the bene
fit of actual settlers and cultivators of the soil
only, not for speculators, and that the rights
given by it are personal only, and becauso of
actual settlement and cultivation already mad
or contemplated.
tXTbe Lexington (Mo.) Erpret announ
ces tho arrival of Capt. Russel from Salt Lake,
who states that the Mormons have fortified
Fort Bridges, with tho declared intention Ot
defending it against the United States troops.
Capt. Russell also reports that tho depreda
tions by the Cheyenne Indians continued with
out abatement, and that they were daily grow
ing more daring and aggravated in character.
tXThe Secretary of the Interior has re
cently invested nearly one million dollars in
the State Stocks of Missouri,- Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Xorth Carolina, Tennessoo and Vir
ginia, in trust for the Various Indian trlbes
All but $50,000 of that amount has been drawn
from tho Treasury. The present tuiio was
chosen for the investment in order to contrib
ute something toward the relief of the money
market, while $180,000 has thus been realized
in the transaction for the Indians.
C-A dispatch was received at the General
Lane Olh'ce from Hastings, Minnesota, stating
that the men who stole the 30,000 acres worth
of land warrants from tho Fairbault Land Of
fice had been arrested, and that all the war
rants, with the exception of five, had been re
covered. tX7"Althongh the Government has to advi
ces that the steamer Tennessee has gone on a
fillibustering and piratical expedition, orders
are given to-naval vessels to prevent her from
landing outlaws in Xicaragua or Cuba.
C7"The new rule in the matter of office
holding, alluded to a short time since is, that
but one member of a family shall hold an ap
pointment under the Government, and that
where there are more than one in office all two;
shall be dismissed.