; -
BY S. B. BOW,
CLEARFIELD, PA, WEDNESDAY, JUM 2, 1858.
VOL. L-m. 40..-
: IVEVEK STOP.
Life is wasting time is flying,
AH its sands will soon be run;
J3e ye up and be ye trying.
Cease not till your work is done.
Though no star its light diffuses,
. And you stumble oft and fall,
Never stop to rub your bruises,
Travel on in spite of all.
V)nward, onward, and to morrow '
VThat looks fearful to you now,
Will depart wilh every horror,
That o'er-baDgs the mountain brow ;
Though your labor all amuses.
And save conflicts on you fall,
Never stop to rub your bruises,
Travel on in spite of all.
Tho' your friends may all forsake you,
Never mind the seeming ill ;
leaving them perhaps will make you
i-'onie like serpents charm to kill;
Should the one affection chooses.
Cause your fondest hopes to fall ;
Never slop to rub your bruises,
. Travel on in spile of all.
. Hoist the sail all through the ocean.
Seems so peacefully at rest
Hoist the sail and wait the motion ;
Winds are nestling in its breast;
-. Waking then new life infuses,
, Loud the battling breezes squall.
Then the barque wilh all her bruises,
Travels on in spite of all.
ADVENTURES OF COL,. J. SMITH.
In the spring or the year 1755, James Smith,
then a youth of eighteen, accompanied a party
ot three hundred men from the frontiers of
Pennsylvania, who advanced in front of Brad
dock's army, for tho purpose of opening a
road over the mountain. When within a lew
miles of the Bedford springs, he was sent back
to the rear, to hasten the progress of some
wagons loaded with provisions and stores for
the use of road-cutters. Having delivered his
orders, he was returning in company with a
nother young man, when they were suddcnlv
fired upon by a party of three Indians, from a
cedar thicket, which skirted the road. Smith's
companion was killed on the spot ; and altho'
lie himself was unhurt, yet his horse was so
much frightened by the flash and report of the
guns, as to become totally unmanageable, and
alter a few plunges, threw him with violence
to the ground. Before he could recover his
feet, the Indians sprang upon him, and, over
powering his resistance, secured him a? a pris
oner. One of them demanded, in broken Eng
lish, whether "more white men .were coming
up ;" and upon his answering in the negative,
be was seized by each arm and compelled to
run with great rapidity over the mountain un
til night, when the small party encamped and
cooked their supper. An equal share of their
scanty stock of provisions was given to the
prisoner, and in other respects, altho' strictly
guarded, he was treated with great kindness.
On tho evening of the next day, utter a rapid
walk of fifty miles, thro' cedar thickets,' and
over rocky ground, they reached the western
Aide of the Laurel mountain, and beheld, at a
little distance, the smoke of an Indian encamp
ment. J I is captors now fired their guns, and
raised the tcalp halloo ! This is a long yell for
every scalp that has been taken, followed by a
rapid succession of shrill, quick, piercing
shrieks, somewhat resembling laughter in its
most excited tones. They were answered
from the Indian caruo below, by a discharge of
rifles and a long whoop, followed by shrill cries
of joy, and all thronged out to meet their par
ty. Smith expected instant death at their
bands, as they crowded around him ; but to
bis surprise, no one offered him any violence.
They belonged to another tribe, and entertain
ed the party in their camp with great hospi
tality, respecting the prisoner as the property
of tiieir guests. On the following morning,
Smith's captors continued their march, and on
the evening of the next day arrived at fort
I)u (jiiesne now Pittsburgh. When within
half a mile of the lort, they again raised the
scalp halloo, and fired their guns as before.
Instantly the whole garrison was in commo
tion. The caunon were fired the drums were
beaten, and French and Indians ran out in
great numbers to meet the party, and partake
f their triumph. Smith was again snrroun-j
ded by a multitude of savages, painted in va- I
rious colors, and shouting with delight ; but
their demeauour was by no means as pacific as
that of the last partv he had encountered.
They rapidly formed in two long lines, and
brandishing their hatchets, ramrods, switches,
&c, called aloud upon him to run the gaunt
let. .Never having heard of this Indian cere
mony before, he stood amazed for some time,
not knowing what to do ; but one of his cap
tors explained to him, that he was to run be
tween the two lines, and receive a blow from
each Indian as he passed, concluding his ex
planation by exhorting him to "run his best,"
as the faster he ran the sooner the affair would
be over. This truth was very plain and
voung Smith entered upon his race with great
Jipirit. He was switched very handsomely a
long the lines, for about three-fourths the dis
tance, the stripes only acting as a spur to
greater exertions, and he had almost reached
the opposite extremity of the line, when a tall
.chief struck him a furious blow with a club
upon the back of tho head, and instantly fel
led him to the ground. Recovering himself
in a moment, be sprung to his feet and started
forward again, when a handful of sand was
thrown in his eyes, which, in addition to the
great pain, completely blinded him. He still
attempted to grope his way through ; but was
again knocked down and beaten with merci
less severity. He soon became insensible un
der such barbarous treatment, and recollected
nothing more, until be found himself in tho
hospital of the fort, under the hands of a
French surgeon, beaten to a jelly, and unable
to move a limb. Here he was quickly visited
by one of his captors the same who had given
J.im such good advice, when about to com
mence his race. He now inquired, with some
interest, if he felt "very sore." Young Smith
replied, that he had been bruised a most to
-death, and asked what he bad done to merit
uch barbarity. The Indian replied, that he
had done nothing, but that it was the customa
ry greeting of the Indians to their prisoners
that it was something like tho English "bow
d'ye do ?" and that now all ceremony would
1 laid aside, and ho would be treated with
kindness. Smith inquired if they had any
news of General Braddock. The Indian re
plied that thir scouts saw him every day
lrom the mountains that he was advancing in
close columns through the woods (this he In
dicated by placing a number of red sticks par
allel to each other, and pressed closely togeth
er) and that the Indians would bo able tc
fehoot them down "like pigopns."
Smith rapidly recovered, and was soon able
to walk upon the battlements of the fort, with
the aid of a stick. While engaged in this ex
ercise, on the morning of the 9th. be observed
an unusual bustle in the fort. The Indians
stood in crowds at the great gate, armed and
painted. Many barrels of powder, ball, flints,
&c.t were brought out to them, from' which
each warrior helped himself to such articles
as ho required. They were soon joined by a
small ueiucuiueni oirrencn regulars, when
me wnoie party marched off together. He
uauaiuu view ol them as they passed, and
"M twuuuem mat mey cou:t not exceed foil
iiunareu. men. lie soon learned that it was
aeiacned against Braddock, who was now with
in a lew miles ot the lort ; but from their
great inferiority in numbers, he regarded their
destruction as certain, and looked joyfully to
n-w an at oi orauaocK m the evening, as the
lw . . . .. . 1 1 - . . -
..vu. nuitii id ueiivcr nim lrom the power
wi me i nutans, in tne atternoon, however,
an Indian runner arrived with tar different in
telligence, lhe battle had not vet piiiIp.I
when he left the field j but he announced that
me Jrrgusii had been surrounded, and were
snoi aown m heaps by an invisible enemy r
that instead of flying at once or rnshing upon
their concealed foe, thev appeared comnletelv
bewildered, huddled together in the centre of
tne ring, and before sun-down there would not
be a man of them alive. This intelligence
leu JiKe a thunderbolt upon Smith, who now
saw himself irretrievably in the power of the
savages, ana could look forward to not h in
out, torture or endless captivity. He waited
anxiously for further intelligence, still hopinj
that the fortune of the day might change
liut about sunset, he heard at a distance the
well known scalp halloo, followed bv wild.
quicK, joyiui snneks, and accompanied by
u"o vwiiiniucu. iinng. i nis ioo snreiv an
nounced the fate of the day. About dusk,
the party returned to the fort, drivinrr hifnre
them twelve British regulars, stripped naked
and w ith their faces painted black! an evidence
mat tne unhappy wretches were devoted to
death. 2s est camo the Indians disr.lavinir
.k..: i.i ... j ...... .. i-yya
muii uiiMXiv scums, oi which nicy had im
mense numbers, and dressed in the scarlet
coats, sashes, and military hats of the officers
ana soldiers. Behind all came a train of bag
gage-horses, laden with piles of scalps, can
teens, and all the accoutrements of British
soldiers. The savages appeared frantic with
joy, and when Smith beheld them entering the
lort, dancing, yelling, brandishing their led
tomahawks, and waving their scalps in the air,
while the great guns of the fort replied to the
incessant discharge of rifles without, he savs.
that it looked as if tho lower regions had giv
en a holliday, and turned loose its inhabitants
upon the upper world. The most melancholy
spectacle was the band of prisoners. They
appeared dejected and anxious. Poor fellows !
They had but a few months before left London,
at the command of their superiors, and we
may easily imagine their feelings, at the
s'range and dreadful spectacle around them.
The yells of delight and congratulations were
scarcely over, when those of vengence begun.
The devoted prisoners British regulars were
led out from the fort to the banks of the Al
eghany, and to the eternal disgrace of the
French commandant, were thete burnt to
death one after another, with the most awful
tortures. Smith stood upon tho battlements
and witnessed tho shocking spectacle. The
prisoner was tied to a stake with his hands
raised above his head, stripped naked, and
surrounded by Indians. They would touch
him with red hot irons, and stick his body full
of pine splinters and set them on fire drown
ing the shrieks of the victim in the yells of
delight with which they danced around him.
Jlis companions in the meantime stood in a
group near the stake, and had a foretaste of
what was in reserve for each of them. As
fast as one prisoner died under his tortures, a-
nother filled his place, until the whole perish
ed. All this took place so near the fort, that
every scream of the victims must have rung
in the ears ot -the 1 rench commandant !
Two or three davs after this shocking spec
tacle, most of the Indian tribes dispersed and
returned to their homes, as is usual with them
after a great and decisive battle. 1 oung
Smith was demanded of the French by the
tribe to whom he belonged, and was immedi
ately surrendered into their hands.
The partv embarked in canoes, and ascend
ed the Allegheny river, as far as a small Indian
town about forty miles above fort Dn Quesne.
There they abandoned their canoes, and strik
ing into the woods, travelled in a western di
rection, until they arrived at a considerable
Indian town, in what is now the State of Ohio.
This village was called Tullihas and was sit
uated upon the western branch of the Mus
kingum. During the whole of this period,
Smith suffered much anxiety, from the un
certainty of his future fate, but at this town
all doubt was removed. On the morning of
his arrival, the principal members of the tribe
gathered around him and one old man with
deep gravity, began to pluck out his hair by
the roots,while the others looked on in silence,
smoking their pipes with great deliberation.
Smith did not understand the design of this
singular ceremony, but submitted very patient
ly to the man's labours, who performed the
operation of "picking" him with great dex
terity, dipping his fingers in the ashes occa
sionally, in order to take a better hold. In a
very few moments Smith's head was bald,
with the exception of a single long tnft upon
the centre of his crown, called the scalp lock.'
This was carefully plaited in such a manner,
as to stand upright, and was ornamented with
several silver brooches. His ears and nose
were then bored with equal gravity, and orna
mented with ear rings and nose-jewels. He
was then ordered to strip which being done,
his naked body was painted in various fantas
tic colours, and a breech-cloth fastened around
his loins. A belt of wampum was then placed
around his neck, and silver bands around his
right arm. To all this Smith submitted with
much anxiety, being totally ignorant of their
customs, and dreading lest, like tho British
prisoners, he had been stripped and painted
lor the stake. His alarm was increased, when
an old chief arose, took bim by the arm, and
leading him out into the open air, gave three
shrill whoops, and was instantly surrounded by
every inhabitant of the village warriors, wo
men, children. The chief then addressed the
crowd in a long speech, still holding Smith by
the hand. When he had ceased speaking, he
led Smith forward, and delivered him into the
hands of three young Indian girls, who grap
pling him without ceremony, towed him off to
he fiver which ran at the foot of the hill,
dragged him in the water up to his breast, and
all three suddenly clapping then- hands upon
nis neaa, attempted to Dut him nnHr. TTitr.
Iy desperate at the idea of being drowned by
iicac jouiig iauies, smith made a manful re
sistance the squaws persevered and a nrodi
gious splashing in the water took place, amidst
loud peals of laughter from tho shore. At
length, oiie of the squaws became alarmed at
me lurious struggles of the vounor w hite man
ana criea out earnestly several times, "N
Jiurt you ! no hurt you !" Upon this agreea
ble intelligence. Smith's resistance ceased
and these gentle creatures plunged him under
the water, and scrubbed him from head to foot
with equal zeal and perseverance. As soon as
they were satisfied, they ltd him ashore, and
presented mm to the chief shivering with
cold, and dripping with water. The Indian
then dressed mm m a ruffled shirt, lectins
and moccasins, variously ornamented, seated
nnu upon & Dear-skin, and gave him a pipe
toinanawK, tobacco, pouch, flint and steel
lhe chiefs then took their scats by his side
ana smoKca lor several minutes in deep si
lencc, when the eldest delivered a speech
inro- an interpreter, in the following words
"Jly son, you are now one of us. Hereafter.
you have nothing to fear. Bv an ancient cus
tom, you have been adopted in the room of a
brave man, who has fallen ; and every drop
of w hite blood has been washed from your
eius. ivearenow your brothers, and are
bound by our law to love you, to defend you
and to avenge your injuries, as much as if you
were norn in our tribe."
lie was then introduced to the members of
the family into which he had been adopted
and was received by the whole of them with
great demonstrations of regard. Iu the eve
ning, he received an invitation to a great feast
and was there presented with a wooden bowl
and spoon, and directed to fill the former
from a huge kettle of boiled corn and hashed
teuisuii. me evening concluded with a war
dance, aril on the next morning, tho warriors
of the tribe assembled, and leaving one or two
hunters, to provide for their families in their
absence, the rest marched oil for the frontiers
of Virginia. In ItS'J, Smith escaped from
the Indians, removed to Kentucky, and was
lor many years a resident of Bourbon county
THE WEALTH OF OUX STATESMEN.
Jefferson died comparatively poor. Indeed,
if Congress had not purchased his library, and
given five times its va'.ne, he would with dffi-
culty have kept the wolf from his door.
Madison saved money and was comparatively
ricn. j. oa ij co ins lormncs, However, Hon
grcss purchased his manuscript papers, and
paid thirty thousand dollars for them.
James Monroe, the filth President of the U
nuea states, uiea so poor that his remains
found a resting place through the charity of
one of the citizens.
John Quincy Adams left some hundred and
fifty thousand dollars, the result of industry.
prudence, and inheritance. He was a man of
method and economy.
Martin an Buren is rich. Throughout his
political life he has studiously looked out for
his own interest. It is not believed ho ever
spent thirty shillings in politics. His partv
shook the bush and he caught the bird.
Daniel W ebster squandered some millions in
his life time, the product ot his profession and
political speculations. He died leaving his
property to his children and his debts to his
friend. 1 he former sold for less than twenty
thousand dollars the latter exceeded two hun
dred and fifty thousand.
Henry Clay left a very handsome estate.-
It probably exceeded one hundred thousand
dollars. He was a prudent manager.
James K. Polk left about one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars fifty thousand ot which
be saved from his Presidency of four years.
John Tyler is worth 50,(H)0 dollars. Be
fere he reached the Presidency, hewasabank-
rupt. In ollice he husbanded bis means and
I hen married a rich wife.
Zachary Taylor left one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars.
Millard Fillmore is a wealthy man, and keeps
his money in a very strong safe box. A. I .
Mercury.
Wisdom for Mammas. It is truer than you
suppose that "one man's meat is another man's
poison." And hence this lesson : W e see
our friends freely indulging, with benefit in
stead of harm, in kinds of food which, expe
rience too painfully assures us, wo can cat
only with certain injury. To this fact, tho at
teution ot parents and guardians should se
riously Iks given, that by it they may learn to
avoid the petty tyrannv and follv of insisting
on children eating food for which they mani
fest repugnance. It is too common to treat
tho child's repugnance as mere caprice, to
condemn it as stulT and nonsense,' when ho
refuses to cat fat, or eggs, or certain vegeta
bles, and 'wholesome' puddings. Now, even
a caprice in such matters should not be alto
gether slighted, especially when it takes the
form of refusal; because this caprice is pro
bably nothing less than the expression of a
particular and temporary state of his organism,
which we should do wrong to disregard. And
whenever a refusal is constant, it indicates a
positive unfitness in the food. Only gross ig
norance of physiology an ignorance, unhap
pily, too widely spread can argue, that be
cause a certain article is wholesome to many,
t must nesessarily be wholesome to all. Each
ndividual organism is specifically different
from every other, nowevcr much it may re
semble others, it necessarily in some points
Hers from them ; and the amount ot these
differences is considerable."
Preserveixo Flowers. Our fair readers,
all of whom, we know, love flowers the sea
son of which Is now at hand will be interested
n the following mannar of preserving them
from wilting, which a eotemporary assures us
s highly successful. The plan is this pro
cure a flat dish of porcelain, into whicn pour
water ; place upon it a vase of flowers, and o-
ver the vase a bell-glass with its rim in ine
water. The air that surrounds the flowers be-
ng confined beneath the bell-glass, is con
stantly moist with water, that rises into it in
thr form of vanor. As fast as the water be
comes condensed it runs down tho side of the
bell-glass ; so as to prevent it evaporating into
the air of the sitting-room, the atmosphere a-
ronnd the flowers is continually damp, ine
plan is designated the Hopean Apparatus."
The experiment. may oe ineu ou usmau aeaic
iy inverting, a tumoier over a roseuuu m a
sancer of water.
Henry Ward Beecher said in one of his lectures
that, -Flowers are the sweetest mings mai uou
ever made and forgot to put a soul into."'
TIIE SEARCH DIFFICULTIES.
As our readers are aware, certain British
war .vessels have recently been firing into
boarding and searching a number of American
vessels on the open seas, under pretence of
searching for slaves. These outrages are be
ing met by prompt action on the part of our
government. W e append the following accoun
of the boarding of a couple of vessels:
The barque John Howe, Captain Nichols.
arrived at New York, on Saturday a-week from
Sagua la Grande. Captain Nichols states that
about the 13th of April, on his passage from
Havre to Sagna la Grande, and when off Au
guilla, be was boarded by a boat from the Brit
ish war steamer Buzzard, and the officer in com
mand, without any ceremony, sprang upon deck
and immediately asked the name ot the vessel
who commanded her, where she hailed from
where last from,where she was bound, her own
er's name, and so forth ; and being invited to
the cabin he demanded to see her papers,wlucb
were shown to him. He then departed. Cap
tain Nichols states that his ensign was then
flying, and that it had been hoisted on the first
approach of the steamer. After arriving at
Sagua la Grande, and while Iving in that port,
he was again boarded by a boat from the same
vessel and his papers demanded, although his
ensign was flying. His reply was, they were
at the Consul's office. The officer examined
the vessel and scrutinized the hold. Captain
Nichols thought, from the appearance of the
officer and the bold manner in which he acted,
that he was somewhat intoxicated. Captain
N ichols offered him a cigar, (he having no li
quor on board,) which he refused, but reques
ted a glass of water,which was given him, and
he departed.
Captain Nichols states further that the ship
Clarendon, Oapt. Bartlett having on board a
cargo of sugar, bound for New York, while
lying in the port at Sagua la Grande, was also
boarded by a boat from the same steamer.
The officer in command of tho boat immedi
ately jumped onboard, and proceeded to the
cabin, commanded Capt. Bartlett to hoist his
ensign, which the captain refused to do, deem
ing the whole proceeding an insult. The of
ficer then demanded his papers, when he was
told they were at the consuls, aud that if he
knew his business, ho ought to be aware of
the fact. Tho officer then departed saying he
would report to the commanding officer of the
steamer. Capt. Bartlett refused to hoist bis
ensign. Six shots (blank catridges) were
soon after fired by the steamer, in order to
intimidate Captain Bartlett and compel him to
hoist his ensign, but without cutset. Capt
Bartlett then noticed that they had lowered
away two of their large boats, each contain
mg about fifty men, with any quantity of
small arms, when he took his ensign and laid
t on the cabin table. Soon after the boats
arrived alongside, and the commander of the
steamer in person cam on board, when Capt.
Bartlett received him politely, but protested
against the whole of the proceedings, and
would not allow any of the men from the
steamer to come on board, threatening to shoot
the first that attempted to do so. Capt. Bart
lett and the British commander then went
into the cabin, when tho commander of the
steamer ordered him to hoist his ensign. He
replied, "There it lies upon the table, and if
your commission is worth enough, hoist it
yourself." The British officer, pistol in hand,
commenced pacing the cabin saying that he
"wonld sicze the vessel and take her to the
port of New York," to which Capt. Bartlett
replied, "that was exactly what he wanted
mm to do," when, whether intentionally or
by accident, he could not say, Capt. Bartlett
was struck on the breast by the hand which
held the pistol. Captain Bartlett then pre
sented his pistol and said, "Sir, keep your
hands off" of me or I'll shoot you." The of
ficer replied, "I did not lay my hands upon
you." When Capt. B. rejoined, "lou did
Sir." The officer inquired if the sugar on
board belonged to Capt. B. when he replied,
"I never owned a hogshead of sugar in my
inc." lhe same question was asked in re
gard to the launches (boats for conveying the
sugar from the shore on board.) And the
same reply given. The officer completely
cowed, then went on deck, and, in a perfect
rage, bellowed forth, "Lower away the gang
way ladder," When Capt. B. quietly said,
"Sir, did yon order that ladder to be lowered,
or did you request it to-be lowered?" The
officer replied, "Will you please have it low
ered 7" Capt. B. then gave orders for it to
be let down, and the Britisher departed with
out accomplishing his purpose.
An Evasive Answer. Patrick O'Neil, be
fore he became joined in the "howly bond of
hemlock" with Bridget, was in the service of
Father Conoly. One day, the priest expected
a call from a Protestant minister, aud wished
to get rid of him. So, calling Patrick, he
proceeded to give him instructions. "Pat
rick,'.' said he, "if that minister comes here
to-day, I do not wish to see him."
"Yis, yer nverence."
"Make some excuse to send him away."
"What shall I tell him, yer riverence 7"
"Tell bim I am not at home."
"Would vou have me tell a lie ?"
"No, no, Patrick ; but get rid of him some
way give him an evasive answer."
"An evasive answer, is it 7 1 11 do it."
l"ou understand me, Patrick 7"
Av coorse, yer riverence."
The matter thus arranged, Father Conoly
retired to his library, and Patrick went about
lis business. About dusk, the priest came
out of his room and found Patrick in unusu
ally good spirits.
"W ell, Patrick," said he, "did the minis
ter call, to-day 7"
"les, sir."
" And did you get rid of him ?"
"I did, sir."
"Did he ask if I was in 7"
"11c did, sir."
"And what did you say to him V
"I gave him an evasive answer."
"An evasive answer, Patrick ?"
"Yis, yer riverence."
'And what did you say to him 7"
"lie axed, was yez in 7 and I towld him, was
U grandmother a donkey f"
An old Dutch tavern keeper who had his
third wife, being asked his views of matrimo
ny, replied, "Veil, den, yon see, the first time
marries lor love dat was coot : den I mar
ries for beauty dat was goot too, about as
goot as de first ; but dis time I married for
money, and dis is better as both."
Comnromise is the word. that nien use when the
devil gets a victory over God's cause.
Jt-DOK Gillis. This gentleman made
speech in the House during the session of May
14tb. under the following circumstances. The
clerk, on proceeding to call the roll, found a-
bout 140 of the members were aoseni. ine
Steaker directed the door to be closed, and
that special messengers should be appointed,
who should take into custody those who were
absent without a sufficient excuse. Quite a
number were brought to the bar, and on being
asked for an excuse, Judge Gillis gave his
reason for absence as follows : .
"Mr. Speaker, I am the humble representa
tive of tho wild-cat district of Pennsylvania,
laughter and it is not to be expected that
either the people ot that district or their Rep
resentative should be completely conversant
with all the rules of this House, or any other
disorderly body. Renewed laughter. It is
not to le expected that either they or their
Representative should be acquainted with all
the etiquette of this "city of magnificent dis
tances," as my colleague called it. I was in
vited to dine with the President ; and 1 had
been informed that it was etiquette with mem
bers of this body that an invitation to the
President's was an imperative order, and could
not be disobeyed. Great laughter. Regard
ing it in that light, I accepted the invitation.
I have been dining with the President, and
have enjoyed myself, and enjoyed the compa
ny after dinner very much ; and now I am wil
ling to pay for it. Excessive laughter. Mr.
Speaker, I am afraid that those gentlemen on
the other side of the House, who did not re
ceive invitations, are a little envious because
they did not. Renewed laughter. I have
only another word to say. I heard that the
Scrgeant-at-Arms was alter me, and I flew, not
to the horns of the altar, but to the horns of
old Buck. I seized them, and held on to them,
until I found I was out of danger. Then I let
loose, and came here ; and now throw myself
on the mercy of the House. Laughter.
Iowa. Iowa, just now, is a subject of much
talk. Its fields are overrun with countless
millions of destructive grasshoppers or locusts,
which are eating np the cereals, so that great
fears are entertained for the crops. Then the
gold fever has broken out simultaneously in
many counties where the shining dust has been
discovered, so that Iowa is fairly in for the
epidemic. Tho speculative mania has been so
long a chronic affliction, out there, as to be
considered a natural tendency of things. With
three such drawbacks as these on its prosperi
ty, Iowa has much to contend against. Its
four great western lines of railway are in rapid
progress of construction, attracting thousands
f settlers to their vicinity, and designating
the future localities of important centres of
population. In a few years they will all be
completed, and then a new era will dawn upon
the btate, of which its present prosperity is
but the beginning. The recent discoveries of
gold have been in the region of Des Moines
and Grand Rivers, and their head-waters, but
so very widely scattered as to be truly re
markable, beginning at the mouth of the Dcs
Moines river, on the Mississippi, and stretch
ing away off into the heart of Iowa. Though
at first inclined to doubt the published reports,
we see no reason to do so now, as the state
ments aie too circumstantial and come from
too many different sources to be false. The
existence of the placers is beyond suspicion,
though whether they can be worked remunera
tively, remains to be tested.
Sartlino Facts. Dr. Hiram Coxc, of Cin
cinnati. Chemical Inspector of Ohio, in a re
cent publication states that "during two years
he had made 249 inspections of various kinds
of liquors, and has found more than nine-tenths
of them imitations, and a greater portion of
them poisonous concoctions. Of brandy he
has not found more than one gallon of pure in
a hundred gallons, the imitations having been
whiskey for a basis, and various posionou3 a
cids for the condiments. Of wines not a gal
lon in a thousand purporting to be sherry, port
or sweet Malaga, is pure ; but thev are made of
water, sulphuric acid, alum, guinea pepper,
horse raddisb, and many of them without a
single drop of alcoholic spirit. No Madeira
has been made since lcol, aud there are now
only 7,000 or 8,000 pipes npon the entire is
land. Dr. Coxe warrants there are not ten
gallons of pure port in Cincinnati. He also
states that in bis inspections ot whiskey, he
found only from 15 to 20 per cent, of alcoholic
spirit, when it should have been from 45 to
50, and some of it contains sulphuric acid e-
nough in a quart to eat a hole through a man's
stomach. We think if a little more acid and
strychnine were added, it would soon stop the
drinking ot rot-gut liquors.
Effect of the Human Voice. No sound,
however loud, whether produced by a cannon
or a fowling-piece, causes the same amount of
terror among wild animals and wild birds, as
the human voice. W e have always known
more grouse to be sprung by sportsmen speak
ing to their dogs, or to each other on the moun
tains, in the shooting season, than by any
other cause; and it is a rule with sportsmen
only to make use of the whistle and signs to
their dogs such as taking off the hat, etc.;
and a wicked and cross look has often more
good effect upon a dog than a whipping. So,
likewise, in snipe-shooting, one word spoken
springs more birds than twenty shots. If you
go to a rabbit-burrow to ferret, you may bang
away all day with your gnn, and the rabbits
will still bolt ; but once commence speaking.
and your sport is over, the ferret lies in, and
the rabbits submit to certain death sooner
than move towards your voice. Partridges
are so much accustomed to the loud voices of
farmers and laborers, that generally sneak ine.
you may talk as much as you like in pursuit
oi mem. nothing proves the power of man
over the brute creation more than his voice.
Even in the thickest jungles, wild beasts will
skuik away if they bear him speak.
A California paper contains the following
take-off: "The Rev. Dr. Gaines will preach
n the "Tabernacle," corner of Bush and
Pine streets, to-morrow evening, at eight o -clock,
a sermon appropriate to the recent
election. Subject "Zacchcos up a tree : his
mode of climbing." This will be instructive
to little men seeking high position. The de
feated candidates for legal offices and legisla
te honors are particularly- and cordially in
vited to attend."
An Irishman called in great- baste upon Dr.
Abernethy, stating that, "Be dad ! me boy
Tim has swallowed a rat."
"Then be dad," said the doctor, "tell ronr
boy Tim to swallow a cat."
SKETCI1 OF JEFFERSO.V . ,
The following sketch of Jefferson's personal
appearance and habits is from Dr. Randall's
lile of that eminent man :
"Mr. Jefferson was generally, however, rath
er a favorite with the other sex, aud not with,
out reason. Jlis appearance was engaging.
His face, though angular and far from beauti
ful, beamed with intelligence, with benevo
lence, and with the cheerful vivacity of a hap
py, hopeful hpirit. II is complexion was rud-
dy, and delicately fair ; his reddish chestnut
hair luxuriant and silken. His full, deep-set
eyes, tho prevailing color of which was alight
hazel, (or flecks of hazel on a ground-work of
grey,) were peculiarly expressive, and mir
rored, as, the clear lake mirrors the cloud,
every emotion which was passing through bis
mind. He stood six feet two and a half inches
in height, and though very slim at this period,
bis form was erect and sinewy, and his move
ments displayed elasticity and vigor. He was
an expert musician, a fine dancer, a dashing ri
der, and there was no manly exercise in which
he could not play well his part. His manners
were unusually gracefnl, but simple and cor
dial. His conversation already possessed no
inconsiderable share of that charm which, in
after years, was so much extolled by friends
and to which enemies attributed so seductive
an influence in moulding the young and tha
wavering to his political views. 1 here was a
frankness, earnestness and cordiality in its
tone a deep sympathy with humanity a con
fidence in man, and a sanguine hopefulness in
his destiny, which irresistibly won upon tho
feelings not only of tho ordinary hearer, but
of those grave men whose commerce with tho
world had perhaps led tbem to form less glow-
mg estimates of it of snch men as the schol
arlike Small, the sagacious Wythe, the court
like and gifted iauquier. Mr. Jefferson s
temper was gentle, kind and forgiving. If it
naturally had anything of that warmth which
is the usual concomitant of affections and sym
pathies so ardent, and it no doubt bad, it had
been subjugated by habitual control, let,
under its even placidity, there were not want
ing those indications of calm self-reliance and
courage which all instinctively recognize and
respect, lhere is not an instance on record
of his having been engaged in a personal ren-
conter, or his having suffered a personal in
dignity. Possessing the accomplishments, ho
avoided the vices of the young Virginia gen
try of the day, and a class of habits which, if
not vices themselves, were too often made the
preludes to them. He never grumbled. To
avoid importunities to game which were gen
erally accompanied with betting, be never
learned to distinguish one card from another ;
he was moderate in the enjoyments f the ta
ble ; to strong drinks he had an aversion which
rarely yielded to any circumstance ; his-month
was unpolluted by oaths or tobacco ! Though
he speaks of enjoying "the victory of a favor
ite horse," and the "death of the fox," he
never put but one horse in training to run
never run but a single race, and Re rarely join
ed in the pleasant excitement he knew it to
be too pleasing for the aspiring student of
the chase. With such qualities of mind and
character, with the favor of powerful friends
and relatives, and even of vice-royalty to urge
him onward, Mr. Jefferson was not a young
man to be lightly regarded by the young or old
of cither sex. He became of age in 17G1."
The DAicntEa or Aarox Birr. An item
of news just now going the rounds relates that
a sailor who died recently in Texas confessed
on his death bed that he was one of a crew of
mutineers who, some forty years ago, took
possession of a brig on its passage from
Charleston to New York, and caused all the
officers and passengers to walk the plank. For
forty years the wretched man had carried a
bout bim the dreadful secret, and died at last
in an agony of despair.
What gives this story additional interest is
the fact that the vessel referred to is one on
which Mrs. Thcodocia Albion, the beloved
daughter of Aaron Burr, took passage lor New
York, for the purpose ot meeting bef parent,'
in the darkest days of his cxistenc. and
which, never having been beard of, was sup
posed to have foundered at sea.
The dying sailor professed to remember her
well ; said that she was the last who- perished,'
and that he never forgot her look of despair as
she took the last step from the fatal plank.
On reading this account, I regarded it as a
fiction ; but, on conversing to-day with an of
ficer of the navy, be assures me f its proba
ble truth, and states that on one of bis pas
sages home some years ago, his vessel bro't
two pirates in irons, who were subsequently
executed at Norfolk for recent offences, and,
who, before their execution, confessed that
they had been members of the same crenr, and
participated in the murder oi Mrs. Allston and
her companions.
What chicly caused my scepticism on tho
sul ject, was the fact that Mr. Parton, the re
cent biographer of Burr, leaves the late of the
daughter enveloped in mystery, and closes the
record of her noble and beautiful life with her
embarkation on board the brig, which be de
clares has never since been beard from.
I am at a loss now to understand, if the con
fession alluded to by my naval friend was made
public, as it undoubtedly was, how Mr. Parton
could bave failed, among his extensive and
industrious researches, to discover the fact.'
Whatever opinion may be entertained of the
father, the memory of the daughter must ev
er be revered as one of the loveliest and most
excellent of American woroeir, and the revela
tion of her untimely fate can only serve to in
vest that memory with a more tender and -melancholy
interest. -
We saw a good anecdote the t her day abont "
long preaching. A lady took her son, of some
five or six years, to church. After the min
ister had been preaching about half an hour
the little fellow grew sleepy, and becan to nvl
The mother roused hira into attention several
times by pinching. But as it seemed horn
less case, she concluded to let him Wr
disturbed. After the little fpllnu.- h h.i n
nap out, he awoke, and saw the minister still
holding forth. He looked ud into his ninth'i
face,' and innocently asked "Mother, is it:
this Sunday night, or is it next Sunday night".
Henry IV cf France, passing throngh a small
town perceived a congregation assembled to
congratulate bim on his arrival. Just as the,
principal magistrate had commenced a tedious
oration, an ass began to bray, on which the
king, turning towar.ls the place where the
noisy animal was, said gravely, "gentlemen.
I one at a time, if you please."
t
V