Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, July 14, 1858, Image 1

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    BY S. B. KOW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., -WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1858.
VOL. 4-NO. 46.
CEASE BAILING AT FORTUNE.
Cease railing at fortune,
Meet Ufa with a kiss ;
Nor needlessly wish it
One cycle of bliss ;
For cares but embellish
Our seasons of joy,
Like fcathry cloudlets
That sprinkle the sky.
Cease railing at fortune.
Take life as it comes;
If wanting its dainties,
Make glad o'er the crumbs ; .
Each little is sweet, if
A smile the lip wears,
But bitter the morsel
When moistened with tears.
SICK CASTLE'S GIRL,;
OR A BRUSH WITH TIIE CAX AXCH1.S.
BT LIEUT. H., OF TENNESSEE.
Shortly after the close of the Mexican war,
I went by iy father's desire to Texas, to look
after some land which he had bought of Gen
eral Sam Houston, several years betore, and to
ee what could be done with it, pay taxes, etc.
The land lay on the extreme western borders
of the State, and the nearest hacienda, or
plantation, to it was owned by old "Nick Cas
tle," one of the original rangers who had
fought from the rising of the "Lone Star," up
to the hour when it was free and ''incorporate"
with our own beloved Union.
.Nick hated the "yellow-bellied greasers"
as he termed the Mexicans considerably, and
it was his boast that he had '-laid out" more
of them than he could count j"ears of his lite.
Yet he hated with more bitterness the copper
colored Camanches, for they would give him
no rest. lie had the best cattle range in the
State ; but he had to keep mounted guards
with his herds constantly, and even then he
frequently lost cattle and sometimes his men
fell by the hands of the red th icves. But, as
he said, he had taken "hair" from more than a
score of them, and they dreaded him and his
fix-shooters so much, that when he took sad
dle, tbey were among the suddenly missing, no
matter how large their force
Nick's wife was a mild and quiet litt'e crea
tuTf by blood, half Mexiean who looked up
to him as if he were a god to her. lie was
rongh, but then there was a good humor in
his roughness, which at once told that he
meant no harm by it.
His daughter, Balbina, was one of the most
magnificent girls, in face and figure, that it
has ever been my lot to behold. Tall, full
framed, elegant in every proportion, with eyes
as black as a thunder-cloud at night, and bright
as the fire within it features expressive of
courage and intelligence she was just such a
one as I would choose for my empress, were I
the ruler of a coutinent. Her accomplish
ments, it is true, were not precisely such as
distinguished a painted belle of the avenue ;
but in her free aud haughty step, she would
have shamed tbo mincing doll of the city ; in
her rich color, her expanded chest, her erect
attitude, given her a study which she could
never imitate. Balbina thoroughly understood
everything connected with household affairs ;
and when released from those cares, she would
spring upon the back of the wildest steed in
her father's corral, gallop with its utmost
.speed over the far spreading prairie; or with
J;er rifle in hand, bring down game just jls sure
ty as could her long practised sire.
Such beauty as hers was sure to attract ad
mirers from among the hardy frontiersmen
and rangers in that section ; but Balbina only
laughed at their advances, and bade them keep
their distance. On one occasion, when a
'grand peace-talk" as nsual, a humbug was
held with the Indian chiefs, by the government
uiEcers, Nick had attended, aud with him car
ried Balbina ; for the old man was proud of
his girl. Ope of the principal chiels a Ca
manche whose scars were as numerous as the
hacks on the s:gn post of a country tavern,
fell so desperately in love with her, that he
offered Nick thirty horses and ten packs of
buffalo robes for her. The answer w hich the
red chief got was a buffet from Nick's heavy
hand, which laid him on the grass ten or a
dozen feet from where he had been standing.
The chief sprung to his feet, gave the war-yell,
and was about to "pitch in," when Nick's sys
tem of preparation a bowie-knife between
his teeth, so as to be handy, and a six-shooter
in each hand, and he backed by Balbina, with
a revolver in each of her hands caused him
and his red companions to pause an l consider
that the chances of their being dried Indian in
that section, were too good for their comfort
if they went in ; so they hauled off. Not,
however, before they had uttered threats of be
ing even with Nick, which ho uuderstood, for
he had been enough amongst theia to become
quite familiar with tneir language.
The old man knew that such threats were
not idly made; nor likel; to be unfulfilled if
tho red devils got a chance ; so he was very
cautious for a long time after that, and gave
his daughter strict orders never to ride outside
of the line of his armed and mounted herds
men, and uever to leave the house on ar.y oc
casion whatever without her riflo and revol
vers; for ho knew that, with them in her
' hands, she was more than equal to a half dozen
Indians, any day, on a clear prairie; for she
would ride none but the best of his largo stud
of horses.
Tho incident referred to above, had occur
red nearly a year before my arrival at Nick's
hacienda ; and as, during all that time, tho In
dians bad made only one descent into the
neighborhood, killing tome cattle, and run
ning off a few head of horses, Nick said that
he reckoned they'd got about ecough of him,
and would give him the "go by" after that.
My ride from Red River across had been
hard one, for it was the rainy season ; so I did
not feel much like refusing to make myself
"comfortable" at the hacienda for a few days,
for Nick was excellent company, lull of fun
and anecdote; and then it was a pleasure to
see the stately Balbina gliding about the house
and there was music in her ringing laugh,
I assure you. . .
One morning, jnst about sunrise, after I naa
been there a week to a day, the old roan and
myself were mixing up some toddy or Julep,
If you like the term better of old Bourbon
and wild mint without any iee and we had
just taken the dose, when we heard a concen
trated yell outside of the house, almost deaf
ening us. '
"Camanches, as sure as !" shouted N ick,
as he sprung for his "tools."
In a second I had grabbed my "shooting
irons," and we both rushed to the door.
God Thev've cot Balbina !" groaned the
post, as pale as death, trembling in every limb.
Sure enough, there they were, full a hundred
of them, already out of rifle shot, scouring off
at run speea, ana we could see the white dress
of Balbina fluttering in the wind, as sho was
held before a tall warrior, who -was mounted
on a powerful black horso.
"I Know tho horse and man ; 'tis that cursed
Camanche chief, Altowa; him that I knocked
over!" groaned Nick. "I wonder why on
earth the gal.don't shoot him ; she never stirs
without a revolver in her bosom, and I know
she has it now !"
"Perhaps she is waiting for a better time to
use it; but you're not going to give her up
without a struggle, are you ? I am ready to
mount and follow to her rescue, or die in her
track !" said I.
"Thank ye, young man, thank ye ; if we
should get her back and we will, or a thousand
red niggers shall cat dirt I won't forget this
of ye 1" said Nick, grasping my hand with a
vice-like grip.
Mrs. Castle, who had fainted at tho first
shock, now recovered ; and by her husband's
directions put up a few pounds of dried beef
and corn pones ; "for," said Nick, "we'll have
no time to stop for cooking, and this will be a
long chase, or I'm 'mistaken. The chief be
longs over toward the mountains."
- In the course of two hours, Nick, by send
ing off expresses, had. collected fifteen hardy
frontiersmen, who were worth two companies
of such trash as Uncle Sam sends to guard our
borders. Furnished each with a led horse
besides those we rode and carrying provis
ions enough for three or four days, also plenty
of amunition, we started at a gallop, seven
teen well armed men, all told, and not one of
us who hadn't smelt powder and seen the color
of hot blood beforc.
As the red devils had two hours the start of
us, and had gone at full speed, we did not cal
culate on catching them before night ; but the
moon was full, and their trail was plain; so
with the aid of our. fresh horses we hoped to
reach them sometime- in the night, or shortlv
after they got to "timber," as Nick said, for
there was a range or woodland stretching away
south of the Ozarks, which they .seemed to be
heading for. ' "
"Do you think they'll camp to night 1
asked of the old ranger, as with his eyes fixed
on the trail, he galloped with me at the q'ead
of the little column. -. fry'
"Never a camp! They know TW be afjer
'em, and some of 'em has seen me before."
be muttered. 1
We never drew Teln until near nightfall,
when we came to a shallow and sluggish stream
at the edge of the timber. The water $tjs
still muddy where the Indians had crossed, anS
by this we knew we bad gained upon them.
Here we let our animals breathe and quench
their thirst ; and we also shifted our saddles
to the led horses preparatory to pashing'-ort
with renewed speed. -An understanding aso
the manner of attack, was also come to. .As
we well knew that the chief would be apt to
kill his captive rather than permit her rescue,
the order was to charge directly for him, and
to kill him, and all directly aronnd him, at the
very first opening for a shot, long or short."
We did not tarry long by the river side. Jin
less than fifteen minutes, we were again in Hie
saddle. But we were soon bothered. TJje
cursed red skins had divided off into three di
visions, and we knew not with which the fuic
captive had been taken. Our force was too
.small to separate; the . devils had, evidently,
seen us, and knew this.' Nick was evidently
in a quandary. He rode a little way along tjie.
central train, then returned and took that
which led to the left, and which showed m.irks
of being made by a smaller party than either
of the others.
A shout from his lips caused us to gallop up
to his side, where he had reined in some lour
or five hundred yards from the river.
"Go I bless the gal ! She's a chip of tho old
block," he cried, as be pointed to a small
strip toru from her dress, which she had evi
dently dropped in the path, unseen by her
captors.
We now drove tho spurs into our horses,
and dashed on at the top of their speed, for
night was near, and we hoped to overtake the
hounds before it got too dark to draw a clear
bead upon them. But it was in vain ; night
gathered with its shadows and forced ns to
ride more slowly, lest we should lose the trail,
and yet wo neither saw or heard them. About
midnight, the trail which we were on was
joined by a larger one on our right, evidently
those who had separated at the river, and who
had only made a deteur to lead us astray.
It was a lonesome ride now. Our orders
were to keep perfect silence, aid nothing
could be heard except the tramp"of our horses,
or the sudden rush of some frightened beast
or bird, as we rode along. .,'
On we kept through the long still night on
until the day broke, wheu we increased our
speed once more. The sun had just risen,when
our leader suddenly checked his horse, aud
raised bis hand as a warning of caution, and
a sign that the enemy were in sight. We in
stantly drew up, and bo rode back.
"There's a prairie ahead, and they're cros
sing it !" said be. "1 just got a glimpse of
them! Change your saddles, again tighten
your girths, and fasten the spare horses here.
We don't'want to be bblhered with them nowf"
We obeyed these orders, while he rode csh
tiously forward again to reconnoitre. ,
He soon returned, and reported that in the
centre of the prairie ahead, there was a cotton-wood
island or clump of trees of two or
three acres and that the Indians were just
skirting past the edge of it.
"When they're clean by," said he, "we can
split after 'em full lick, for it will hide us from
'em, until we're up to it, and then, boys, do
your best for old N ick, just as hed do for yon,
if any of you were in tho liko trouble."
None of us needed that nppeara.all we wan
ted was to get in range of the fiends ahead of
us. It was not more than five minutes before
he motioned for us to come on fVyet to me it
seemed nearer an hour. 7"
As we moved out from the "timber, we saw
that there was about a mile between us and the
cotton-wood island, and not a red-skin in sight,
though we knew that they wertr but a little
wavs bevond it. VI. ,
SVithaJoose rein, and spurs to ihe flank;
but without a word we now rode on right for
the island. Not three minutes had elapsed,
before we were in the patch of timber, from
the further edge of wttch the
.ivnr, nnarter of a mile or a liK
their beasts were una, ------
themselves to be so fa iu advance as to be.
safe from danger.
KaactK were ureu, w
For one moment wo gave our horses breath,
icceirea nnai instructions, looked carefully
to our arms, put fresh caos on the ninnies.
and then we shot out in a body at the very top
oi our speed, giving the old ranger yell, w hich
has been the death knell of many a hundred
Camanches.
The Indians seemed utterly astounded we
had come up unseen, and so suddenly. By
our speed, they knew that they could not es
cape by flight, so drawing up in line, they ral
lied to meet our charge.
- Foremost among them, we could see the
chief curvetting about on his large black
horse, keeping poor Balbina still before him,
evidently intending that she should serve as
a shield for him in the coming conflict. Ut
tering fierce yells in echo to our own, his war
riors brandished their long lances tauntingly,
seeming in no way disinclined for the conflict.
In truth, we found now, that they outnumber
ed us at least ten to one, and on an open
prairie their odds was anything but contempt
ible. We were now within about four hundred
yards or even less of them, when a sharp
crack, and puff of smoke, was beard. and seen,
and the next second we saw the chief reel in
his seat, while- his borse madly plunged for
ward from thellndian liner Before he had ta
ken three bounds, the chief fell , to tho earth,
dragging away the half of Balbina's dress in
his death-grip, while shc slipped back into
his saddle, and firing the" remaining barrels
of her revolver ito the faces of his astonish
ed warrior's, dashed away from them -unharm
ed, amid a shower of arrows, which almost
darkened the air.
"Go it, gal ! Go it. Baby ! your.'re Kick
Castle's gal, by all that's holy !" shouted the
old ranger; but neither he or any of us drew
rein then.
Giving the red devils the contents of our
rifles at long range, we kept on, and in less
than thirty seconds were among them with our
six shooters.
There was not much fiehtine there then!
It was simply butchery. The Indians were
cowed by-ihe fall of their chief, and tried to
run. ' But poor work tbey made of it. They
dropped arround us on every side, until we
were tired, and full two-thirds of their number
lay stretched fn tho grass. . Only one of our
men was badly hurt, though four others were
slightly wounded, among whom was "your
numuie servant," who got probed in the shoul
der with a lance, but he settled bis volunteer
and uninviting surgeon, with a blue pill, and
cried quits.
The few Indians who were left were so com
pletely, scattered and whipped, that we did
not fear their return, so we rode -back to the
timber, found water, and camped for the rest
of the day and night, to rest and attend to
our wounded.
Th man who was worst hnrt,died that after
noon, and we buried him in the wilderness.
The others got along very well, and the next
daywegot back to Mr. Castle's ranch, with
our scalps, and about fifty extra horses, which
we bad-taken after the fight.
"How did you feel, gal, when the bloody
redskin had you up before him ?" asked Nick,
after lib daughter was once more safe beneath
his roof.
That I was more than a match for him, at
any time!" she replied. "But I knew that
you would bo after me, and I thought I'd wait
until th6 right time !"
"Soyoudid, gal; so you did! Bnt how
come they to get hold of. you in the morning,
withouyou seeing them until they bad you 7"
"That is more than I know, father. I had
gone to the spring for water, to mako coffee
with, ami had just stooped to dip it, when I
was seized a strip of blanket thrown over my
head aben I was lifted on to the horse, and
you know the rest!"
" Vou owe this young man thanks for being
in a hurry to chase 'em up !" continued Nick.
"I do believe he'd have gone alone, if-1 hadn't
hurried up the boys and started !"
"I am grateful, and sorrow that he was
wounded in my rescue !" said the lovely girl,
taking my hand in hers.
Ah, Balbina a deeper wound bad you given
me, than the Indian's spear had inflicted
your eyes had reached my heart. And for
such a wound there is but one relief, and never
a cure. That relief is given by him who binds
two willing hands,- where the hearts are already
united. -
Balbina may be mine yet; if she becomes so,
I shall be sure to let your readers know of it.
There was a enrious scene at a strawberry
festival in New York the other day. The peo
ple of one cf the; colored churches gave the
party. Among the visitors was a Mr. Pearson,
of South Carolina, who made a speech and
told the congregation that he owned more
colored persons than there were in the house.
He made grand professions of charity. He
was responded to in a style that be did not
like, and offered' "satisfaction" to anybody
who would call upon him at the Metropolitan
Hotel. The idea of a specimen of South Car
olina chivalry anxious to have an affair of honor
Svith a colored person is rich.
' A-Righteous Verdict. At a recent term of
the federal Court of the United States, Pon
totoc, Mississippi, the father of Nancy Wilson,
of Virginia, a young lady of about sixteen
years old, obtained a judgment of $40,000
damages against Robert Wilson, of Mississip
pi, who was and is a married man, for decoy
ing bis daughter away from home. It is said
that the defendant has transferred his proper
ty, so that nothing can be mado out of him,
-although at tho time he committed the deed
tie was a wealthy. man. Memphis Bulletin.
- A New Dodge. It is stated in the N. York
papers that of late, gangs of pickpockets have
adopted the plan of taking excursions to Sta
te n Island. One who is a good swimmer falls
overboard to gather a sympathizing crowd,
so that bis accomplices can operate. This was
tried on Sunday a-week on board the Steam
boat Hunchback. The captain having heard
f the dodge, let the fellow remain in the wat
er till be was nearly drowned, and then drag
ged him out. -
cwHE!( Coex Grows. Dr. R. R. Harrison,
of Prince George county ,Va has taken paina
to make some careful examination to ascertain
whether corn grows as is generally supposed,
moro at ntght than by day. August 1, corn
grew in twenty-four hours, five inches ; at
night one and a half 'inches.' August 2, it
grew four and seven-eighth inches ; at night
one and eeven-ef ghtb inches ; and in the day
three inches.
TIIE RIVAL LOVERS.
A TRUE STOUT. ;
The following extraordinary narrative from
a late number of the Cleveland, Ohio, Herald,
which is said by good authority to be literally
true. The reader will admit that an air of
traisemblance pervades the narrative, such as
is seldom found in a manufactured story :
Some twelve years ago, two young men,
named Clyma and Paule, lived in a small vil
lage not far from the sea coast, in the extreme
west of England. Both were miners and work
ed in the same tin mine near the village. Both
paid their addresses to the same maiden, tho'
not with equal success. Clyma prospered so
well in his suit that a day was appointed for
the nuptials, and in due course of time the
bans of marriage were asked in the village
church on the first of the three Sundays pre
scribed by English canon law.
Before the second Snnday came round the
rivals met at a wrestling match in the village,
and it chanced that the turn came for them to
wrestle together. Paule was excited and en
deavored strenuously to give his successful ri
val in love a "wicked fall," but his eagerness
worked bis defeat. I He was thrown to the
ground amid the shouts of the villagers. On
springing to the ground be sworo that he would
be revenged, and that Clyma should never
marry his intended bride. From that day he
took to drinking deeply, and was fierce in his
imprecations on his rival.
The day before that fixed for the marriage,
Paule told all his friends that be would be at
the wedding and would find means to prevent
its taking place. Knowing his determined
character, Clyma appeared alarmed at the
threat, and got some friends to intercede with
Paule, but in vain.
Late that, night Clyma left the bouse of his
intended bride for his own cottage. The way
lay across a patch of barren moor,where there
were several open mine shafts, which had been
deserted, and the bottoms of whose black
depths were now covered with several fathoms
of water. About the same hour Paule was
seen crossing the same patch of moor from
another direction. A miner, who passed a lit
tle later towards the mine where he worked
it being his turn for night work averred the
next day that he heard a noise as if of a dis
pute and scuffle, but it was too dark to distin
guish any one.
The marriage was to take place at eleven o'
clock in the morning at the village church;
Long before that hour the village was a scene
of great excitement. The hat and neckerchief
of Paule, the latter torn and bloody, had been
fonnd near the deepest of the abandoned pit
shafts, and of Paule himself nothing bad been
found, nor had be been seen since be went to
wards the moor on the prececding night. The
ground where the articles had been found bore
traces of a scuffle having taken place, and to
crown the whole, two buttons, recognized as
belonging to Clyma's coat, were discovered a
mong the earth and stones. To these ominous
facts Clyma could only reply that he had met
Paule at the place mentioncd,dnring the night;
that high words were succeeded by a scuffle,
and that he had beaten Paule, who retired curs
ing him. This account was not considered
satisfactory, and Clyma was taken into custo
dy to await further developments. Several
days passed away ; an examination was made
of the pit and the surrounding locality, but no
trace could be found of the body. It was ar
gued, however, that if a stone were attached
to the body before it was thrown into the pit,
so as to sink it, there would be no proability
of its ever being found. After several exam
nations before a magistrate, the accused was
released from custody, bnt only to be shunned
as a murderer by the whole community. In
the meantime, the intended bride became sick
through excitement ; a violent fever was suc
ceeded by a wasting illness, and after linger
ing for some months, she died of a broken
heart. These accumulated ills were too much
for the unhappy object of general suspicion,
and in less than twelve months after what
should have been his wedding day, he became
the inmate of an insane asylum, where he still
remains a hopeless maniac.
Among the relatives of Clyma was a sister,
married to a farmer, who, three years after the
unhappy occurrence related above, removed to
this country and settled down on a farm in
Northern Illinois. A few days since, this sis
ter.whilst about taking the cars in Chicago for
home, suddenly encountered the supposed
murdered man ! Her excitement was intense.
Drawing him on one side, fhe made herself
known to Paule, and was immediately recog
nized by him. The explanation given by him
of his disappearance, was, that be met Clyma
on the eventful night with the purpose of beat
ing and disfiguring him so that he could not
be married on the succeeding day, but that his
rival was more than a match for him. Burn
ing with rage at his discomfiture, ho had rush
ed off, not knowing or caring what became of
himself, and, on reaching the branch, had ta
ken an old leaky boat, and pulled directly out
to sea. Next morning, when, the boat was
yearly sinking, he was picked up by an out
ward "bound ship which took him to New Or
leans. Since then, he has resided several
years in California, and in the United States
has become moderately rich, and was now on
his way to his native home, with which he had
maintained no communication since bis de
parture. On learning the sad event which had
occurred in the meantime, he immediately ac
companied the sister to her home in Illinois,
and after the necessary arrangements were
made, be started with her for England, in or
der to repair, as far as possible, the mischief
which bad been done. They passed through
Cleveland on their way East, and, happening
accidentally to meet them at the depot, we
learned the sequel to the sad story, with the
earlier portion of which we were well acquain
ted. They go on a joyful, yet mournful er
rand. The good name of the unhappy con
demned can be reclaimed,but none can restore
his shattered reason, or rescue the broken
hearted dead from her early grave.
' A Coincidence James Powers was hung
at Washington, on Friday last. When parting
from bis brother, his last words were, "Let
liquor alone." On the same day, in the same
city of Washington, and almost at the same
hour, a drunken Irishman murdered a girl
who would not marry him. She was asleep at
the time, and died without waking the knife
having penetrated her heart.
A paper published in the Island of St.
Thomas says Santa Anna has lately purchased
next to the finest residence in that Island.witb
the apparent purpose of making it bis perma
nent residence.
DosT be a Bachelor. Young man, don't
live a crusty bachelor, it is not good for you
It will neither improve your morals, yonr
health, nor your beauty. Marry as you can
make it convenient, and as you can shape
your affairs to support a wife. But when you
marry, don't fall in love with a face instead of
a woman. Remember that common sense is
a rare virtue, much better than silver and gold
and fashion. Don't court and marry crinoline
and money bags, simply because it is crinoline
or gold in plenty ; but look for Bound, practical
sense in a woman first : that is the touchstone
to try her other qualities by. ;
When you have that, all else comes. Your
wife, that is to be, if she is full of common
sense, will grow to your way of thinking and
make you grow to hers. A woman who has
womanly love in her heart will find ways to
make your love towards her grow as the years
go over you both. And another thing needs
to be heeded, and that is a common sense
woman is not to be found where fashion insists
upon dragging young females into a whirl,
where there is simply idle gossip and little
brain.
- Young man ! don't stand looking after that
young woman who has the distinguished air,
the reputation of a flirt and a belle, whose
father. has heaps ot cash: for it is possible
that while you are straining youryes that
way, you may be turning your back upon some
unobtrusive little damsel whom nature has cut
as your other half, and who may be just that
faced, placid tempered, loveable little crea
ture who will think enough of you to go with
you to the end of the world, and stay by and
comfort you when you get grey haired and
fidgety.
Marry, young gentlemen, and keep your
selves out of scrapes. Have something to
live for. A man alone in the world isn't more
than half a man, and the world wants entire
men. So mend yourselt, and be happy. And
you shall have reason to say it was a good
thing you resolved to marry and refused to be
a solitary, beer drinking, pipe smoking bach
elor, if you succeed as well in your efforts as
he who. once a young man like you, is now
simply the old, contented-and comfortable.
Life Illustrated.
A good yarn is told of Dr. Thompson, of At
lanta, a generous, good man, a tip-top land
lord and wit; bnt be certainly canght it once :
A traveler called very late for breakfast : the
meal was buniedly prepared. Thompson,
feeling that the "feed" was not quite up to the
mark, made all sorts of apologies all around
the eater, who worked on in silence, never rais
ing his head beyond the affirnative influence
of his fork, or by any act acknowledging even
the presence of mine host. This sulky de
meanor rather "flea'd" the Doctor, who, chang
ing the range or his battery, stuck his thumb
inhis vest arm-holes, expanded his chest by
robbing the room of half its air, and said :
"Now, Mister, dod durn me if I hain't made
all the apology necessary, and more too, con
sidering the breakfast and who gets it, and
now I tell you, I have seen dirtier, worse
cooked, worse tasted, worse looking, and smal
ler breakfasts than this is several times." The
weary, hungry one meekly laid down his tools,
swallowed the bite in transitu, placed the palms
of his hands together, and, modestly looking
up at the vexed and funny landlord, snot him
dead with the words following, viz : "Is what
you say true ?" "Yes, sir," came with
a vindictive promptness. "Well, then, I'm
blest, boss, if you hain't out traveled me."
There was posted in the front door a small
nigger, especially to tell the wayfaring man
"dat be didn t owe nuHin dar sartin sure."
After be was fairly under way, Thompson was
observed creening from an attic window, tak
ing a prolonged rear view of the steed and his
rider with a four foot telescope. It has been
enti mated that the Doctor hesitated many sec
onds between the choico of the glass and a
double-barreled shot gun. .
Gov. Douglas, of the Hudson's Bay Com
pany, has issued a proclamation, warning all
persons that the exclusive right of trading in
and about Frazer's River and in the British
possessions, on the northwest coast of America,
belongs to the Hudson's Bay Company, and
that any vessels found in Frazer's River or
any other river, bay or creek. of the British
possessions will be forfeited, if they have not
a license from the Company and a clearance
from the Collector at Victoria. The object of
this proclamation is to give, so far as possible,
the Hudson's Bay Company the monopoly pf
the newly discovered gold diggings on Frazer's
River. The three thousand Californians who
have set out for the new Eldorado will make
short work with Governor Douglas and his au
thority. Cin. Com.
1 ' '
A Wixdt Well. The Brandon, Mississip
pi, Republican mentions a curious well discov
ered in Smith county about a month ago. A
Mr. Baugh was boring for water in the piney
woods, and when he had bored about forty
feet "a mighty rushing wind" came out of the
bole, which continued for several days. He
quit boring and waited to see what would
come of it. lie placed a bottle over the hole,
and the wind makes a noise in it which can be
heard a mile. It "blows" about a week at a
time, and then it begins to "suck in," which
continues for about the same time, and then
it blows again. So far no diminution of its
force has been discovered. It has attracted
many persons to see it, and as yet rone can
tell "whence the wind cometh or whither it
goeth."
Treasures or the Nastt Deep. The edi
tor of the Cincinnati Gazette has been luxuri
ating on a bottle of Rhine wine which was a
part of the contents of a three-gallon jug,
which was resurrected from the bed of the Mi
araa canal, sixteen inches below the surface, by
a laborer named McCabe. It had probably
been dropped overboard from some passing
boat, and the washings of the dirt had com
pletely imbedded it. The liquid wss good old
German wine, with not a headache in a hogs
r t In .Edition to the three-gallon
jug, there was found the same day In the bed
of the canal, a laay a K ' . " i 7, j.
piece, a leather pnrse with $6 n gold, and
several quarters, a Bavarian kreutzer, and oth
er small coin. -
A "boas" doctor in Olean, made a bet of
$20 that be could remove from any horse any
thing nature bad not placed on the beast
meaning ringbone, spavin, etc. A wag took
the bet, showed him a mortgage for one hun
dred and fifty dollars oo a favorite horse; and
pocketed tho $20. .
WIIAT IS EATEN BY MANKIND- "
"An Irish peasant, in a windowless hut, din
ing off a meal of potatoes and skimmed milk,
flavored by the aroma of a lively imagination,
as each mouthful is 'pointed' at the -aide ot
bacon hanging against the wall, and a London,
Alderman seated at a Guildhall feast, are two
figures presenting an impressive contrast of
of the varieties of Food with which, In tho
restless activity of life, the human organism
repairs its incessant waste. Potatoes and
skimmed milk, and it may be a little sea-weed,"
supply the wants of the one ; before the other,'
there is spread a. wasteful profusion of turtle
captured on the North American coasts, tur
key reared in quiet larmyards, of, mutton
grazed upon the downs of Sussex, of beef fed
on the rich pasture lands of Herefordshire, of
pbeascnts shot in a nobleman's reserves, of
turbot from the Atlantic Ocean, of salmon
from the Scotch tnd Irish rivers, of cbee&e
from France and Switzerland, oil from Italy,'
spice from tho East, and wines from Portugal,'
Germany and France a gathering from all
nations, assorted with exquisite culinary skill.
Yet, in spite of these differences in the things
consumed by the two men, the dinner of tho
one, and the dinner of the other, become,
transmuted by the processes in the same flesh
and blood into the same organic force. How
ever various the articles of Food and Drink,'
it is clear that there must be a process by
which all differences are annulled, one similar'
result attained. Whatever characters these
substances may have outside the organism,
they must quit them shortly after their en
trance into it, putting off specific differences,
and merging all varieties in a vital unity.
The hunter on the Pampas subsists on buffalo
beef, with scarcely a particle of vegetable)
food to vary his diet. The Hindoo" is content'
with rice and rancid butter, and cannot be in
duced to eat flesh. The Grcenlander gorges
himself with whale oil and animals fats of any
kind he can secure ; the moderate Arab baa
bis bags of dates, bis lotos bread and dhourra.
On the coast of Malabar we find men regarding
with religious horror every species of animal
food; while the native of New Holland has
not a single edible frnit larger than a cherry
on the whole surface of this vast island. - Tho
Englishman considers himself ignoniiniously
treated by fortune if he cannot get his beef or
bacon ; the peasants of the Appenines is cheer
ful with bis meal of chestnuts.
Besides varieties in the staple articles of
Food, they are infinito varieties of fancy.
Our Chinese enemies make delicacies of rats
and of bird's nests; our French allies, of
frogs. The ancients, who carried epicurean
ism to lengths, thought the hedgehog a titbit,
and had a word to say in favor of the donkey,
which they placed on an equality w ith the ox ;
dogs they consider equal to chickens, and
even cats were not to be despised. The pork,
which we cat with great confidence, they con
sidered, and not untruly, the least digestible
of animal meats, fit. only for artisans and
athletes. They ate snails, at which we shud
der, with the gusto we acknowledge in oysters.
It would be difficult to persuade the British
stomach to dine, in full concionsness, off a
sirloin of donkey, flanked by ribs of dogs,
with fried toadstools.' ' Is this repugnance
only prejudice, or were Greek dogs and don
keys more succulen than ours T
The varieties just rehearsed are at any rate
easily accepted by the understanding as prob
able aliments, but what will the reader say on
hearing that in many parts of the world even
clay is respectable and respected food T Trav
elers who see strange things, are very post- '
tive in their assertions on this head. Hum-,
boldt, a man whose word justly carries with it
European authority, confirms the statement
of Gumilla, that tho Otomacs of South A-
merica, during the periods of the floods, sub
sist entirely on a fat ferruginous clay, of which
each roan cats daily a pound or more. Spix
and Martins declare that the Indians of the
Amazon eat a kiud of loam, even whesi other
food is abundant. Molina says the Peruviana
frequently eat a sweet smelling clay; and
Ehrenberg has analyzed the ediblo clay sold
in the markets of Bolivia, wbicb be Unas to
be a mixture of talc and mica. Tbe inhabi
tants of Guiana mingle clay with their bread ;
and the negroes in Jamaica are said to eat
earth when other food is deficient. According
to Labillardiere, the inhabitants of New Cal
edonia appease their hunger with a white
friable earth, said by Vauquelin to be compos
ed of magnesia, silica, oxide of iron, and
chalk. The same writer asserts that at Java
a cake is made of ferruginous clay which is
much sought for by women in their pregnancy.
To conclude this list we must aaa siam, oioe
ria and Kamtschatka, as countries of clay
eaters."
A Preventive to Suji Stroke. To prevent
sun-stroke, it is said, the fishermen along tbe
seacoast, sometimes fill their bats with moist
seaweed ; though any kind of leaves moisten
ed will answer the purpose, or even a wet
cloth upon the head, will answer. T Eng
lish residents in the East Indies, wbe are ex
posed to tbe sun, make a cap of clay and
straw, which tbey keep moistened and wear
close to the head. '
There is an old lady now living in tbe town
of Blooming Grove, Orange county, N. Y., by
the name of Diana Brooks. She is one hun
dred and fourteen years old, and yet is intel
ligent and active, and walks half a mile to
church every Sabbath. She was thirty-two
years old wheu the Declaration of Indepen
dence was made. We believe that Mrs.
Brooks is the oldest person now living in tbe
United States.
Mrs. Lee, who recently died in Washington,
was the widow of one of Washington's aid-decamps,
and retained a vivid recollection of
1? .mini innarr YptiM- Wafthinvtftn nnlwr
away" at her marriage, and honored ber with)
a wedding dinner at Mount Vernon. She was
upwards of ninety years cf age, and was a na
tive of Philadelphia.
Tbe Richmond, Kentucky, Messenger men
tions a freak of nature which is without a par
allel In the animal kingdom. It is a colt with
only one eye. It was foaled aa the farm of
Mr. Roberts, in Madison county. " The eye is
considerably larger than the usaal $ixe, and fn
tho middle pf the forehead.
Tbe Washington "Unk" eoncinded an af
file a few days since with these words s "Xt i
certainly a good ' thing to be a Democrat In .
these days." No doubt it. The same nnm- .
ber of the Union" contains nearly : twelve .
columns of Government advertising, ataV'
prices ! '
eld man, and be staggered up against the door