1
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j -.- ;
:i 1
BY S; B. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1858.
VOL. 4. NO. 43.
I m s :m mi i i it ii I , i ! II II i . II t i i
-Br z v y
LIVE FOR SOMETHING.
Liv for something, be not idle
" Look about thee for employ;
Sit not down to useless dreaming
Labor is the sweetest joy.
" Folded hands are ever weary,
-. v Selfish hearts are never gy.
Life for thee hath many dutits
ctive be, then, while you may.
-Hcatter blessings in thy pathway
- .. tiQDtle words and cheering smiles
. Better arc than gold and silver,
, ' With their grief-dispelling wiles.
.. An the pleasant suntthine falleth
" ' ' , Ever on the grateful earth,
Ho let Sympathy and kindnc.-s
Gladden well the darkened hearth.
Hearts thro are oppressed and weary ;
Irop the tear of sympathy,
"Whimper words of hope and comfort,
-Uive. and thy reward shall be
Joy onto thy soul returning
From this perfect fountain head,
. Freely, as thon freely gi vest.
thai! the grate ful"light be shed.
. From the Scientific American.
CAN THERE BE A GEE AT SCARCITY OF TIM
' ' BEE Iff THE UNITED STATES.
Messrs. Editors: Taking, as a citizen, a
deep interest in the welfare of the present and
future inhabitants of this great common wealth,
I embrace with much pleasure the opportunity
of bringing before the readers of your valua
ble paper, the views of a professional German
forester Charles Bertholdi on a most impor
tant branch of national economy, namely, the
culture of trees. Mr. B. recently traveled
through the United States, and ho treats his
xnbject without any prejudice. lie believes
that if the present reckless destruction of titu
lar is continued for a number of years longer,
the United States will have to bear the disas
trous consequences of that destruction. The
bases of bis conclusions are stubborn tacts ta
ken from the history of ancient aud modern
nations, such as the Persians, Greeks, Komans
and Germans. He considers Persia to be one
of tho most remarkable illustrations of his
views, and he says that there arc in this respect
three periods to be compared. The first is the
time anterior to Persia's flourishing as a great
empire, when ignorance and recklessness were
dominant for the immense destruction of for
est and woods ; the second period is the time
of its prosperity and greatness, when no diffi
culties wero considered great enough to ob
ktruct an extensive cultivation of trees; and
the third period which extends down to the
present time is that of relaxation in efforts to
cultivate and preserve timber. During the
middle period, even on the very verges of vast
deserts where no rivers or brooks existed, cv
vry available source of water was used to sup
ply aqueducts for producing the humidity ne
cessary to the growth of trees. The contrast
f desolate deserts and timber land impressed
the Persians with a natural love for the culti
vation of timber. Religious and political law
makers were so wise as to impose on the peo
ple a sacred duty of planting and of promo
ting the plantations of trees, and its fulfillment
was shown to be the only way to be blessed in
this and in the world to come. Kings and
vice kings, or satraps, early in their infancy,
were taught this duty. Thus we understand
why every healthy Persian applied his riches
to the transformation of barren land into gar
dens and groves of fruit trees ; and Persia, in
the time of its might and power, was covered
with gardens, woods, parks, and-groves, and
hereby the Vandalic destructions of former
time disappeared. This love of the Persians
for woods accompanied them to other coun
tries in their strife for conquest, and when
their dominions extended to the Black and
Mediterranean Seas, the same laws for the cul
tivation of trees were maintained. Generally,
Iho Persian kings appointed wood overseers
in their new provinces. The Israelites had to
petition their conqueror Artaxerxes, the Per
sian king, fur an order commanding the royal
overseers of woods to allow them (the Israel
ites) to take timber from Mount Lebanon, to
le used in the construction of their temple at
Jerusalem, an account of which is given in the
Bible. ( Nehemiah, chap. 2.) As many cold
parts of Persia were densely populated, there
was a large annual consumption of timber.
In Greece there were provinces which were
'covered with woods, such as the mountainous
regions of Tiber, Boetia, and Thessalonia.
But in the province of Attica, with an extent
of only forty squaro miles, and a number of
inhabitants amounting to half a million, the
people had to plant their trees so as to provido
lor ships and house-building, and even for
their mines. Under government care was
placed the cultivation of tho fig and olive
trees, devoted respectively to their deities,
Ceres and Mercury. In Greece, too, religious
influence was exerted to keep sacred the tem
ple groves, in which only the decayed trees
were allowed to be cut down. The only State
forest being at a great distance from the city,
Hrees were planted on the adjacent mountains.
Almost every village had its woods, which
were under the supervision of the government.
Under the rule of the Komans, the stringent
laws for tho cultivation and preservation of
trees much resembled those of Greece, even
to the extent of consecrating the groves sur
rounding their temples. Each farm was gen-j
orally fenced with woods, which, together !
with tno ocautirui fruit and oer trees in the
girici.s within farms, imparted much
I'OAUty to the country residences.
As to Germany, the country was covered
nvith dense forests a long time before the
great nations mentioned disappeared from the
' scene of action ; gigantic trees were found in
- these forests. Already in the seventh ccntu
' ry of the Christian era, the increase of popu
; lation and its need of agricultural productions
caused the clearing of forests. But this clear-
ancc did not assume so large proportions as
might bo supposed, as rigid laws were in force
to properly limitate the natural instinct of the
. peasantry for the destruction of woods. In
the course ot time, however, this regulation
Scarce perfectly tyrannical ; large forests be
ing in possession of individuals kings, no
bles, and clergy. The first French revolution
Cheeked despotism in this direction ; but on
the other hand, the destruction of forests be
came at this period so prevailing, that a per-
' feet barrenness of the noil was created in some
parts of Germany ; and it took many years of
bard labor and tbe expenditure of mucn mon
ey to restore tho fertility of these barren moun
tains, which restoration was also owing to the
development ot a better and more enlightened
public spirit, which counteracted the effect of
lie passions ana ignorance. At present, in
all parts of Germany, laws and regulations for
XT'9 cultivation or twiner are entorced, wmcn
laws are unsurpassed in respect of having
yielded the grcr.test possible quantity of wood,
and at the same time provided for a most ex
tensive growth in the future.
Bertholdi gives more glaring illustrations
as to the high importance to every civilized
nation of a systematic cultivation of trees.
Holland, ho remarks, is a country naturally
poor in the growth of timber, therefore it has
to be supplied with wood for building houses
and ships by the neighboring countries, name
ly, Wurtembcrg, Baden, and Bavaria, from
whence an enormous quantity is annually im
ported at an almost fabulous cost. Were It
not that Holland possesses rich fields of peat,
it would be a poor country, notwithstanding
its highly productive foreign colonies and its
great commerce. This is the case with the
peasantry on the shores of the Rhine, where a
most; fertile soil for the cultivation of vines
and grain of every description exists, and yet
comparative poverty is produced on account
of the large amount of money required to be
an no ally expended on wood.
France is next taken up, and it is said that
its geographical position and its climate are
extremely favorable lor a rich production of
timber, but the government of la grende nation
keeps employed ignorant, arrogant and utterly
corrupt foresters, and instead of a rich reve
nue from this largo natural source, the govern
ment has a great surplus in the expenditures
every year. Although stringent laws are in
existence, and severe punishment is inflicted
on every poor peasant who violates them, to
prevent any illegal destruction, the yield in
general throughout France is not one quarter
of what it would bo from a rational manage
ment. The contrast between Germany and
France is most remarkable. It is shown by
tho relative states of two forests, the one on
the boundary of Germany, and the other on
the adjoining boundary of France, where
there is no difference of climate and soil. One
is in the Department de Bas Khin, the other
iu Bavaria. The French forest is five times as
large as that of Bavaria, and while the latter
government draws a net revenue of 4G,000
francs annually , the former has a surplus ex
penditure of 10,000 francs in the same period.
Such facts are sufficient, I believe, to con
vince the most sceptical on the doctrine of a
systematic cultivation of trees. .
Impressed with tho great importance of
this subject, as tho reader of your valuable
paper may already be, it will be more interest
ing to peruse the views of the author we have
quoted in regard to the cultivation of timber
in our country. He states a fact which is high
ly surprising, and that is, that timber in this
country of primitive forests costs at present
in all the places where it is consumed two and
a half times as much as in Bavaria. This may
be the cause why wood gas has not made so
much headway in the United States as on the
European continent. Such a great difference in
the price of timber is easily explained, if we
take into consideration that the inhabitants of
the United States have increased since the
year 1776 to the present time to at least ten
fold the original number: that consequently
cities, towns and villages have sprung up in
this period to an extent unparalleled in history,
and that the same rapid growth has character
ized the railroads and mercantile marine all
devouring an immense quantity of timlcr.
To these is to be added the annual consump
tion of wood as fuel in the cold winters in the
.North, and all over the country, which is not
always done in a very economical way. We
say nothing of how the clearing of wood is
viewed by the farmer, but it is known he con
siders its destruction a great gain, as it gives
him more arable land fr plowing.
Wcthns nnderstand whv there is slrcady a
scarcity of timber in some parts of the Union.
JIow is it to be remedied ? Our author sug
gests a somewhat similar plan in regard to
timber as a Member of Congress (Mr. Morrtl)
lately suggested in regard to agriculture. But
the growth of timber being very slow, lie
thinks that laws should be enacted in each
State to encourage the cultivation of trees
particularly on ground which is not adapted
for agricultural purposes. lie thinks that in
States where there are swamps the people or
their representatives should undertake the
draining of them, and plant trees thereon, and
these to be the proierty of States, as canals
were built, and arc managed in our day. The
federal government, too, he believes, ought to
take such measures to have the forests of gov
ernment lands systematically maintained, and
they should employ for this purpose able of
ficers, and make from tho sale of wood a reg
ular annual revenue.
Uses of the Potato. This valuable and
nutritious esculent is not only useful to ns in
the many tempting forms in which it is pre
sented in its unmistakable character but the
farina extracted from it is largely used for other
culinary purposes. The famed gravies,sauccs,
and soups of Jr ranee arc largely indebted for
their excellence to that source, and its bread
and pastry equally so ; while a great deal of
the so-called Cognac imported into America
from France is the product of the potato, and
imbibed as the puro essence of the grape.
The fair ladies of our country perfume them
selves with the spirit of potato, under the des
ignation of eau de cologne. But there are oth
er USC3 which this favorite esculent is turned
to abroad. After extracting the farina, the
pulp is manufactured into ornamental articles,
such as picture frames, snuff-boxes, and sever
al descriptions of toys, and the water that runs
from it is a most excellent scourer. For per
fectly cleaning woolens and such like articles,
and curing chilblains, it is also successfully
employed.
Iloors. It is not easy to fix the precise date
of the first introduction of hoops as an article
of female dress. It is very certain that they
were worn as early as the reign of Queen Eli
zabeth, as the pictures of that venerable sov
ereign exhibit her in dresses so widely spread
that they could not havo been sustained but
by the aid of hoops. Anne, of Denmark, E
lizabcth's successor, appears also in dresses
scarcely circumscribed within narrower limits.
In the reign of Charles the First they appear
to have been laid aside, and tho beauties of
the court of Charles the Second, disdained
their use. Under Anne they re-appeared and
maintained their place nntil near the close of
the last century, when they were entirely laid
asido for more than half a century. Recently,
under the auspices of Eugenio the beautiful
F.mnress of France, they havo been revived,
and have made the tour of the fashionable
unrii in an incrediblv short period. We shall
not' bo surprised if they continue in fashion
for many years to come.
A I! .NT SALLY'S MUFF.
BT C. M. KENDALL.
Miss Sally Strong was a peculiar woman.
For forty years she had retained her name,
which exactly suited her hard nature ; and the
man having the assurance to ask her to ex
change it for his own, would have been a rare
companion for Cummings in his tiger hunts
in the jungles of Africa. At least no one in
the village of B would dare to question his
manhood.
She was one of thoso who seemed to have
been born an old maid in prospective. Before
she had arrived at the teens, she used to stone
the boys with a malignant delight; and ere
she was out of them her contempt for the op
posite sex was so strikingly manifest, that all
prudent young men, if accidentally walking
upon the side-walk, to avoid a meeting would
very quietly cross to the other side and allow
her tho whole of it.
Yet she was a privileged person, and people
would smile at ill-natured remarks from her
as though it was a compliment. Even the
young minister at the parish treated her with
marked respect, although he was certain to
have his last sermon wonderfully criticized, in
answer to a kind inquiry regarding her health.
The secret of all this might have been written
in tlireo words she was rich aud even the
clergyman was worldly minded enough to de
sire to be on good terms with one who was the
largest contributor to his support.
Aunt Sally, as the villagers universally cal
led her, had received the bulk of her pro
perty from a deceased aunt, which her shrewd
business qualities had enabled her to invest so
advantageously that she increased in wealth
as she did in years, and, like many other rich
people advanced in life, had scores of affec
tionate young relatives,who each hoped to ob
tain a large slice of the cake of real estate
which would be cut up in the event of her de
cease. Her cold gray eyes were too shrewd
not to sec through their eager attentions to
tho very selfishness of their source.
One nephew, however, did not belong to
this class of schemers. On the contrary, the
o!d lady was very often the victim of his jokes,
and he would dispute with her just for the
sake of having a hot argument. Yet for any
red service, she would oftcner apply to him
than any one else. .She bad even loaned him
a sum sufficient to stock a fine store, but still
this Frederick so often annoyed and vexed
her that public opinion extended no farther,
of course, than the limits of the village was
equally divided as to whether he would be the
favorite herr or be cut off with a shilling.
One evening, upon the meeting of the par
ish sewing circle at the house of the clergy
man, this nephew perpetrated a joke upon his
aunt, tho result of which 'be never forgot.
She, unlike most maiden ladies, considered
these gatherings a sort of fashionable nnisancc,
but usually was present in order to indulgo in
Jier sarcastic remarks. Her nephew was there,
ostensibly to wait upon his aunt, but the fair
Lucy .daughter of the worthy practitioner, Dr.
Blood, particularly allured him with her charms.
"Did it ever occur to you, girls, what you
are here for 7"
"To be sure, aunt," answered one of the
neices, "simply to make clothing for the poor
heathen."
'For what heathen ?"
"O, for thoso In Siani, Burniah, and other
like places."
'Indeed ! Well, heavy woolen shirts are
very serviceable garments, upon my word, for
the people living under a tropical sun. They
will doubtless be very grateful for clothing so
suited to their climate."
"Well done, aunt," exclaimed Frederick,
"a good shot and no mistake. But these cir
cles are grand affairs, after all."
'Grand affairs indeed for young men to say
soft things, and silly girls to listen to them !
Grand affairs to dispense the accumulated gos
sip of a month ! Grand affairs for scandal mo
ving and for everything but tho purpose they
profess."
And aunt Sally looked about her with a
triumphant glance, as thoi'?h her charges were
unanswerable.
In fact, too many felt tho justice of her re
buke to measure words with her. Even Fred
crick agreed so much with her in the abstract
that he was content to remain silent. Hav
ing achieved such a moral victory, the lady
continued in unwonted good humor during the
rest of the evening.
.When the party broke tip, as Frederick was
taking leave of his young friends,with his aunt
upon one arm and tho fair Lucy upon the oth
er, the old lady suddenly remembered that
she had left her muff.
Oh, never mind aunt," said tho young
man, "I will get it and send it up to you in
the morning."
"But I do mind, Fred Strong, for it is not
my way to leave things about in this manner.
But where can it bo ? I certainly left it with
my bonnet and cloak."
"Somebody must have taken it," cried one.
"That is impossible," answered another,
"for aunt's muff is unlike all others."
'That is true," said Fred laughing, "as a
barrel is unlike a two gallon keg." And he
gave Lucy a mischievous glance which she in
terpreted to mean that be knew tho w herea
bouts of the missing article better that any
one else.
It certainly is not with any of the ladies'
things," said one of the young relatives.
'Oh, plague upon you all 7" was the kind re
ply , "I must hunt it up myself, I suppose."
'Deacon Gray, you have not taken aunt's
muff by mistake, have you 7" asked Fred
maliciously.
That functionary drew himself up stiffly, as
though the imputation was unworthy of an an
swer, and stepped aside.
Well, I never," exclaimed one of the
young ladies.
'Who could have done it ?" added another.
"Be silent will yon?" cried tho irritable
maiden ; or tell me where I can find it ?"
"Why it is in Deacon Gray's hat, pressed In
so tightly that we cannot remove it."
"O, fie upon you aunt ! Such a hint and the
deacon only a recent widower," exclaimed the
laughing nephew.
Aunt Sally seized her muff bnt the hat ad
hered most affectionately to it. By an angry
wrench it was liberated and the unoffending
hat flew across the entry, projected by the vig
orous foot of the incensed maiden. When it
arrived at the terminus of its short journey,
it had assumed a most questionable shape, and
its condition might certainly have been term
ed "shocking bad."
I'll pay yon for this, young man."
Don't trouble . yourself, dear aunt. So far
as I am concerned, you are entirely welcome."
'You will perhaps tell me that you have
had no hand in this matter 7"
"No I will tell you no falsehood about it;
but I intended it as a joke npon stiff deacon,
as much or more than upon yourself."
"At least it is but an ill trick you havo play
ed upon me, and now mark my words : You
shall have reason to remember this muff to tho
longest day of your existence."
"As you please, aunt, since you take it so
seriously; but I didn't think a silly joke would
have thus offended you."
Timo passed on and young Strong prosper
ed famously in his business. He had amassed
sufficient means to be enabled to pay his aunt
the sum she had loaned, but she declined re
ceiving it, alleging that she preferred to have
it remain on interest. In the meantime he
had also persuaded the gentle Lucy to share
his fortunes. As for Aunt Sally, a singular
mania seemed to possess her. Iu the matters
ot real estate, stock, &c, she had become a
perfect alchemist, turning all to gold.
The neighbors all looked on and wondered,but
none dared remonstrate with her. She was
often seen to visit the office ot Squire A,
and it was rumored that she was making the
final arrangement for the bestowal of her prop
erty after her death. The affair of the muff
was not forgotten, and it was current with the
good villagers that Fred would have to pay
dearly for the joke.
One morning tho village was all action.
During the night the spirit of the redoubtable
lady bad quietly taken its flight. She was
found dead in her arm chair, and had died as
she had lived, alone. She had alarmed no one
during the night, nor had she suffered previ
ous illness. Curiosity, of course, was inteuse
on the subject of her will, and it was produced
as soon as decency would allow. All her con
nections were present, and their eager, hope
ful, anxious countenances would have furnish
ed a rare subject for tho pencil of an artist.
The reading of the will proceeded until it was
finished, except a single codicil. Each of her
relatives, excepting her nephew, bad been re
membered some to a greater extent than
others, but none considerable.
At all events, not one third of her fortune
had been dispensed, and as tho codicil only
remained, all eyes were turned to Frederick
Strong as the lucky one after all. But what
was their surprise, when they found it only
made him the recipient of her old sable muff
and contents. The word contents" again
excited their curiosity, and to satisfy them the
article was produced and found to contain a
simple paper sewed on to the lining. When
detached and opened, in the bold hand writing
of Aunt Sally were found these words :
Dear Nephew. You have doubtless appre
ciated yours on a certain time you remember.
God bless yon and yours. Farewell.
Frederick declared he was satisfied. The
old lady had fairly retorted upon him, and he
certainly deserved nothing better at her bauds.
But what bad become of Aunt Sally's money'
that was the mystery, and it become more and
more a 'nine day's wonder" to the worthy
villagers who discussed it on every occasion.
She was known to have a large sum of money
at various banks ; but all this the anxious rel
atives ascertained was drawn ont a few days
before her death. Squire A was consulted,
who had drafted the will, but he stoutly main
tained that tho will covered tho whole of her
property, and be would havo nothing further
to do with it.
One evening abont six months after tho old
lady's death while Frederick was conversing
with his wife, the subject of the muff was in
troduced.
"That was a costly joke of yours,dearFred,"
said his wife gaily.
"But I got the muff at all events, Lucy,
and what is better no one has come forward
to claim the three thousand dollars which she
loaned me. I feel confident she intended to
present it to me and therefore destroyed my
note."
'Let us have a look at tho old relic, Fred,
if the moths havo not eaten it wholly up. 1
will return with it in a moment."
The muff was produced, and, as Lucy pre
dicted, the lining was wofully moth eaten.
'My dear wife, you must look to this, lor I
prize it dearly on good Aunt Sally's account.
I think yon had better rip out the lining, and
renovate the whole with camphor."
Lucy took her scissors and commenced at
onco on the task.
"What can the old lady have stuffed it with,
I wonder 7 Why, Fred, instead of cotton she
has wadded it with dirty brown paper."
'Dirty brown paper, indeed, exclaimed her
husband, springing from his chair and catch
ing her hand as she was about to throw a bunch
into the grate. 'Why, it is bank notes, or I
am dreaming."
Tho mystery of the word contents" was
now explained. Note after note was drawn
out, nntil more than thirty thousand dollars
lay on the table before them. A letter was
also found from the aunt, which stated that
she always intended him for her heir. His
own noto also camo to light, from which his
name had been torn off.
This new revelation of course created an
immense excitement among the villagers.
But Frederick and his wife kept on the even
tenor of their wealth, simply, but for themsel
ves. One evening in each year, they opened
their splendid mansion to all. It is a famous
affair for the villagers, and is known as tho an
niversary of "Aunt Sally's Muff'."
Habitsof Grasshoppers. AGoliad corres
pondent of theColorado (Texas) Citizen gives
some curious facts in relation to tho grasshop
pers which have recently swarmed in that re
gion. Ho says:-
"They have an especial fondness for. wheat
and cotton, but don't take so kindly to corn.
The only vegetable they spare is the pumpkin.
The most deadly poisons have had no effect
npon them ; fumes of sulphur they rather like
than otherwise; musquito nets tl.ey devour
greedily ; clothes hung out to dry they esteem
a rarity ; blankets and gunny bags they don't
appear to fancy. They swim the broadest
creeks in safety, sun themselves awhile, and
then go on. The whole mass appear to start
and move at the same time, travelincfor an
honr or two, devouring everything in their
way, and then suddenly cease, and not move
perhaps for a week, during which time no
leeding is noticed ; and finally, they carefully
avoid the sea-coast."
Vegetation is bo scarce at Cape Cod, Massa
chu setts, that two mnllen-stalks and a huckle
berry bush are called a grove.
SWIMMING A CREEK.
Hooper, the editor of an Alabama journal,
the name of which we now forget, but which
has always something in it to make us laugh,
tells the following yarn :
Shall I tell you a bit of a story, having no
connection with politics, this hot, dry weath
er? By permission
Old Col. D , of the Mobile District, was
one of the most singular characters ever known
in Alabama. Ho was testy and eccentric, but
had many fine qualities, which were fully ap
preciated by the people of the district. Manv
of bis freaks are still fresh in the memory of
the "old uns" of Mobile, and all will tell that
the Col., though bard to beat, was once terri
bly taken in by a couple of legal tyros. Gen.
Woodward, I believe, tells the 6tory, but how
ever that may be, it is in keeping with others
related of the old gentleman.
It seems that Col. D. had a misunderstand
ing with the two gentlemen alluded to, and
was not on speaking terms with them, although
all three of them were professionally riding
the same circuit together. The young ones,
being well aware of tho Col.'s irascible na
ture, determined, when they lctt one of the
courts for another, to have some fun by the
way at his expense. They accordingly got a
bout half an hour's start in leaving, and pres
ently they arrived at a dark, broad stream that
looked as if it might be a dozen feet deep, but
in reality not more than that many inches.
Crossing it, they alighted, and pulling off their
coats and boots, sat quietly down to watch for
old "Tat tar."
Jogging along, at length came tip the old
fellow. He looked first at the youngsters, who
were gravely drawing on their coats and boots,
as if they had just had a swim, and then look
ed at the broad creek that rolled before him
like a translucent star. The Col. was awfully
puzzled.
'Is this creek swimming deep?" he growl
ed alter a pause of some moments.
Ko reply was made the young men simply
mounted their horses, and rode off" some little
distance, and stopped to watch our hero.
Tho Col. slowly divested himself of coat,
boots, pantaloons and drawers. These he nice
ly tied up in his handkerchief and hnrg them
on tho horn of his saddle, then remounted,
and as he was a short, fat man, with a paunch
of rather inordinate size, rather inadequate
legs, a face like a withered apple, and a brown
wig, there is no doubt that he made an inter
esting appearance as he bestrode his steed,
with the breeze holding gentle dalliance with
the extremity of his only garment.
Slowly and cautiously the old gentleman
took the creek. Half -a length and the water
was not a foot deep. Here the horse stopped
to drink. A length and a half, and the creek
was no deeper. Thirty feet farther, and a de
cided shoaling. Here Col. D. reined up.
"There must," said he, be an awfully deep
channel between this and the bank see how it
runs. We'll dash through here."
A sharp lash made the horse spring the wat
ery waste, and another carried the horse and
rider safely to the opposite bank. Tho creek
was nowhere more than a foot deep.
A wild yell from the young 'uns announced
their approbation of the sport as they galloped
away.
'I'll catch you, you rascals," was ground
between Col. D.'s teeth, and away he galloped
in hot pursuit, muttering vengeance on his
foes.
On they sped. The youngsters laughed, and
the Col. cursed with mighty emphasis, while
his shirt fluttered and cracked in the breeze
like a loose flying jib.
On, on, and the pursued reached a farm
house on the road side. Their passing started
a flock of geese from a fence corner, which,
as the Col. rushed up, met him with out
stretched wings, elongated necks, and hisses
dire. His horse swerved suddenly, and the
Col. was on the ground in a most unromantis
heap, with his brown wig lying by his side,
and the bundle of clothes scattered around.
The white-headed children of the house
came out first, took a distant view of the mon
ster, as it seemed to them, and then returned
to report progress. After a little the father of
the family came and the affair being explain
ed, assisted the Col. to make his toilattc the
Col. swearing, and the countryman laughing
all the while.
Dressed and mounted, our hero started off
with a woeful phiz, and was soon out of sight.
Wake Moxet. A good looking Irishman
stopping at a hotel to warm himself, inqnired
of the landlord "what is the news." The
landlord, disposed to run upon him, replied,
"they say the devil is dead." An sure,"
says Pat, "that's news indade." Shortly after,
he went to the bar, laid down some coppers
and resumed his seat. The landlord, always
ready for a customer, asked him what be would
take. 'NothingatallatalI,"saidPat. "Why
then did you put this money here ?" "An
sure, sir, it's the custom in me own connthry,
when a chap loses his daddy, to give him a few
coppers to help him pay for the wake."
The Chicago poet truly says that sin doesn't
always come directly from the devil. A tor
pid state of the liver, or those cold dumplings
at bed time, have provoked the "old man"
with his deeds, into masterly activity. Many
a time, to be wicked is only to be billions, and
to be diabolical is just to be dyspectic. Many
a patient bas sent for the wrong doctor, cal
ling for a divine when he simply needed a
prescription ; thinking ho had failed to wor
ship, when he had failed in washing; bewail
ing an impure heart that he could not cleanse,
and forgetting a pair of hands, looking like a
couple of toads.
Some of our editorial brethren are pretty
sharp, and oftentimes give each other tho
hardest kind of raps over the knnckles. Hero
is a specimen brick : "A western editor, in
speaking of one of his brethren of the quill
noted for his fatness, remarked, that if the
Scripture proverb, that all flesh Is grass,' be
true, then that man must be a load of hay.
To which the aforesaid load of bay replied : I
suspect I am, from the way the asses are nib
bling at me. "
Pbxhixo Tbees. Jnne and July are good
months for removing large limbs from fruit
and shade trees. The sap is now in a right
condition to form new wood, and. the .healing
process commences at once. The foliagealso
serves as a shade to prevent snn checks in the
wounded parts, although where large branches
are taken from fruit trees it is better to coat
the exposed portion with gum shellac dissolved
in pure alcohol, to the consistency of cream.
CULTIVATE AND IMPROVE.
Deterioration in plants and animals is as pos
sible as improvement. Nations, once renown
ed as the perfection of the human race, by no
gleet have sunk back to barbarism. Egypt
w as once so learned that it is recorded, as a
striking mark ot her greatness, that Moses
'was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyp
tians." Egypt is now a scmi-barbaroas pro
vince of Turkey, so poor that none do her
reverence. The Bedouin robber makes his
haunts where was once the Alexandrian school,
from which has corao much of our civilization
and science. Tyre, celebrated in Holy Writ
for her knowledge in the- arts and navigation,
has lost her designation as "Queen ol the Sea,"
and scarcely a vestige of her greatness, her
arts, or her power remains. "'
- We might extend our illustrations of ' the
truth of our position, at the expense of our
pride of human progress, but these will bo
sufficient.
The best breed of animals extant, turned in
to the wilderness, wilt soo-j lose their distinc
tive qualities, and assimilate to the original
wild stock. But a few generations are required
to change the Berkshire or China, into tbe
long-nosed, flap-eared, wild hog, from, which
all our varieties have sprung.
So with ourfrnit. Let tbe best variety of
apples known, grow up in a hedge, or in the
woods, and in a short time the descendants
will be no better than bitter crabs.
Wc may follow this law of deterioration
through the whole vegetable and animal cre
ation, and we shall find it unerring ichat it
not progressing is retrograding. Every farmer,
then, may make up his mind that unless, by
bis efforts, properly directed, in taxing nature,
he is improving his stock, and other products,
they will deteriorate in his keeping. If wo
eat our best and earliest grain, generation af
ter generation, or sell it because tho immedi
ate profit is greater, the rich wheat kernel will
soon become a shriveled concern, a unlike its
ancestors as a crab is to a pippin.
By cultivation, all onr choice varieties of
apples have been produced from the, wild crab
of Asia by neglect, they will return to that
again. Our best varieties of peaches have
been, by cultivation, produced, from a fruit of
Persia, that possessed in its whole mass, tho
poisonous property that is now in the seed ;
and a person eating some of the rich pulpy
varieties of pears, can hardly imagine that it
is a descendant of what Pliny described eigh
teen hundred years ago, when he said, "all
pears whatsoever, are but a heavy meat, un
less they be well boiled or baked."
While such has been the progress forward,
of many of the fruits, others have greatly de
teriorated, or progressed backwards. Not
long since, some wheat kernals were found in
a coffin of one of the Gallic Kings, .who had
been buried fourteen hundred years. Tbe
wheat, in its botanical character, is identical
w jth the wheat of the present day ; and yet on
being planted, it produced from sixteen to
twenty stalks to each grain, and had an ever-
age ot twenty more grains to a stalk, and each
grain heavier than our common wheat.
This shows that wheat culture has dwarfed
the crop in tbe last fourteen centuries so as to
almost mike the plant a different species ; and
every year's cropping it making it less, and
less likely that we shall keep even the r re sent
deteriorated article good without constant
care and skill in the use of fertilizers, and in
tne selection or seed.
The descendants of vegetables, as well as
of animals, are the representatives of their an
cestors. If consumption, scrolnla, or other
diseases exist in the parent, it will appear in
the children ; and though it may some times
pass over a single generation, it is sure to ap
pear in the next. It is so with vegetables:
sow peas, full of bugs, and yon will get buggy
peas; sow wheat full of weevil aud smut, and
yon will reap a rich crop of weevil and smut ;
son shriveled and late ripened wheat, and it
will require a miracle to produce a good crop.
In the retrograding scale, tho descendants
are always worse than the present. In the hu
man race, avarice in tbe parents makes a thief
of the child the principle is inherited, but is
more fully developed. So in all animals and
vegetables. The bad traits in the parents, are
inherited by the offspring, and more fully de
veloped. Deterioration thus goes on, in am
accelerated ratio, until we can scarcely trace
a resemblance to toe ancestor.
Let every farmer, then, conscientiously re
solve never to allow a good article to deteri
orate on his hands ; but by taxing the forces
of Nature, to improve whatever is entrusted
to his care. Let him resolve, not only to com
pel tbe earth to yield her increase in abun
dance, but that the abundance shall be improv
ed in quality.
We have heard of a man, reasonable in all
other matters, who declared that he bad been
ruined, all his vast property Bwallowed by aa
earthquake. But when asked . by strangers.
What earthquake and where I" the ruined
man, with a deeper look .of injury upon him,
would reply confidentially, "That's it, that's
just it. That earthquake, sir, was most shame
fully hushed up."
The Uscax Result. An Irishman in the
witness box, was asked what they had at the
first place they stopped 7 'Four glasses of
ale." What next 1" "Two glasses of whis
key." "What next 7" "One glass of brandy."
"What next ?" "A fight."
Some person asked Charles James Fox what
was the meaning of that passage in Psalms,
"He clothed himself with cursing and swear
ing as with a garment." "The meaning,"
said he, "is plain enough tbe man had a habit
of swearing."
An attorney, about to furnish a bill of costs,
was requested by client, a baker, to make it as
light as possible. "Ah !" replied the lawyer,
'that's what you may say to your foreman, but
it's not the way I make my bread."
"Mr dear madam. T am mmriui
taste in wearing another woman's hair on yonr
head." "My dear air," she replied, "I am c
qually astonished that you persist in wearing
Buuvucr Bueep b wool on your oack. "
'In Arkansas, when a man desires to say that
he would like a drink, he declares that if he
had a glass of whiskey, be would throw him
self outside of it, m ighty quick ! . . ?
An old bachelor defines love to be s little
sighing, a little crying, a little dying, . tad a
great deal of lying. . ......