Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, September 01, 1858, Image 1

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BI S. B. ROW.
OLEAEFDGLD, PA., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1858.
YOL. 5.-JJO. 1.
OLD FRIENDS TOG KTTIER.
Ob. tirao is sweet, when roses meet
With Spring's sweet breath around them ;
And sweet the cost, when hearts are lost,
If those we love have found them !
And sweet the mind that still can find,
A star in darkest weather !
But nought can be so sweet to see,
As old friends met together!
.Those days of old, when youth was born,
And time ftolo winf-s to speed it,
- And youth ne'er know how fast time flew
, Or knowing, did not heed it I
Xho' gray each brow that meets us now
Forage brings wintry weather
Yet nought can be so sweet to see,
As thus old friend:) together !
The few long known, that years have shown,
With hearts that friendship blesses ;
A hand to cheer perchance, a tear
To soothe a friend's distresses !
That helped and tried still side by aids
A friend to face bard weather ;
Oh. tLus may we yet joy to see.
And meet old friends together!
. Bl'llS n.NDEU THE SADDLE.
A REVOLCTIONARr SKETCH.
Daring the month of March, 1778, the Brit
ish army being at. Philadelphia, and the Amer
ican force at Valley Forge, the American
commander-in-chief was desirous of having
some information concerning the state ol af
fairs in the city, and desired Captain Allen
21'Lane to pick him out a few trusty men for
the purpose. M'Lane selected five of his own
men, with Sergeant John Marks for leader,
and sent the latter to head-quarters to receive
Instructions.
Marks was a very young man to be entrusted
with important services, being only twenty
two years of age ; but M'Lane had frequently
marked his conduct in camp and fit-Id, had
made himself well acquainted with his charac
ter, and knew that he could be thoroughly re
lied on. Marks was a lank, bony fellow, tvHh
high cl.eek bones, square jaw, and rather large
mouth ; but he had a fine, expressive eye, his
features were exceedingly noble, and his coun
tenance entirely under his control. With this
he possessed great powers f mimicry, which
lie used to show off frequently for the amuse
ment of hi 'comrades, and had a reputation
for shrewdness. His muscular system had not
received its full development; but his habits
had made him almost as active as a panther,
lie was fully instructed by General Washing
ton as to the information desired, and left
camp at dark, arriving in a short time at Port
Kennedy, on the Schuylkill. At that point
he struck across the country, and by means of
by-ways, with which he was well acquainted,
having been raised in the neighborhood, eva
ded the scouting parties of the enemy, and ar
rived at Mantua soon after dark. Here he
posted his little troop, in a cedar hollow, over
looking the river ; while he, in the disguise of
a countryman, with a sack cf vegetables that
Lc had stolen from a garden in the neighbor
hood, rode into the city. lie not only escaped
detection, but managed to sell bis vegetables
to a member of Howe's stall', was taken to the
general's presence, and in return lor false in
formation in regard to Washington's move
ments, managed to learn some facts of impor
tance. Promising to return in a few days,
with more vegetables, he was enabled to leave
the town leisurely, with a passport in his pock
et, and sonic sugar, coffee, and other articles
of like nature, in his sack. He joined his
men without suspicion, about night fall, and
after dark the little party set out on its return.
Now had Marks kept in the course by which
lie came, it is possible he could have reached
the American lines in good time, and safely.
But it happened that about a mile from the
river, at a point nearly opposite Spring Mill,
there lived a farmer named M'HIvaine, who,
although a Quaker and non-combatant, was
well-disposed toward the American cause.
M'lllvaine had a daughter, named Priscilla, a
young and handsome girl, to whom Marks was
btrongly attached, but who had never betrayed
any symptoms of affection in return. The
house was a half ruilis or more out of the for
mer route, but lover-like, the trooper took his
men in that direction. It was late in the night
when he nearcd the place the moon was down
yet it was probably some satisfaction for the
young man to look upon the building where
he supposed his lady-love to be buried in re
pose. As they silently and swiftly passed along,
the watch-dog of" the farm began to bark, the
inmates of the house were alarmed, and light
at one of the windows showed them to be stir
ring. At the same moment a horseman rode
unexpectedly from the shadow of a small
patch of woods on the left, and challenged the
row-comers. The answer was a pistol-shot
from Marks,' which tumbled the challenger
from his horse. A general alarm at the farm
hotise succeeded, and was answered by a bugle
call a short distance ahead. Marks found that
lie had come upon a post of the enemy, and
dashed on with his force. At the turn of the
road, a hundred yards further, they found a
-mall detachment formed across their path.
As the Americans knew the road forked on
the other side of this force, and their chances
of escape were good if they could reach the
left hand road, which was a mere by-path, to
bo ridden by only one horseman at a time,
they charged with sword in hand.
Three of the troops managed to break thro'
and escaped; but Marks and a stout trooper by
the name of Gahl, from Bucks county, were
intercepted, and obliged to cross sabres with
the enemy. It proved useless to contend with
superior numbers, by this time re-inlorced by
others from the farm honse ; and after a short
and severe contest, resulting in the death of
one of the British troops, the two Americans
were taken prisoners, an! carried back to the
Louse of M'lllvaine.
Marks was filled with chagrin, partly at his
folly in taking the most dangerous path, and
partly at his inability to convey to the Commander-in-chief
the valuable information he
had picked up in the city. He veiled this
mortiucation, however, in a cool and careless
demeanor, and in reply to the lieutenant com
manding the. British detachment, said that he
had been out on a foraging party, had lost his
way, and managed to get almost within sight
of the city before ho discovered bis blunder.
Priscilla, who with the rest of the family, was
now awake and dressed, saw, but apparently
did not recognize Marks. After some more
questions, which were answered in what seem
ed io be an open manner, the lieutenant di
rected the Americans to be placed, securely
bound and guarded, in an tipper room of the
honse, there to remain until morning. By way
of comfort he gave them the assurance that
they would both be banged as Fpies.
Mark s with his companion passed a sleepless
night ; it was not alone the prospect of an Ig
nominious death which troubled him ; but he
had learned enough in the city to know that a
surprise movement, similar to that attempted
on the previous 4th of December, against the
American forces, was set down for the follow
ing day, and was aware that it was entirely un
expected. He revolved various plans of es
cape in his mind, none of which appeared to
be practicable, and finally concluded to dis
miss any premeditation on the matter, and be
merely prepared to take advantage of unex
pected circumstances. As lor Gahl. he took
matters like a philosopher, and snored away
all night in happy unconsciousness of his sit
uation. At daylight, the prisoners were brought
down and placed upon the porch, while Lieut.
Draper and the men under his command took
breakfast in the house. The horses of the
troopers, w ith those of Mark's and Gahl's also,
were all saddled and hitched to the fences,
under charge of a little Scotchman, named
McPhersou. Priscilla, accompanied by Lieut.
Draper, came out. the former bearing some
food. After it was partaken of, Priscilla laid
the dishes, knives and forks upon a bench on
the porch, and listened with apparent inter
est to the questions put by the lieutenant.
The latter, by way of encouragement, assur
ed the two Americans that if they gave true
statements their lives would be spared other
wise they would certainly be hanged. He
then left them for a short time, to digest the
information, Priscilla remaining behind.
The Quaker girl, still appearing not to re
cognize Marks, said to him, loud enough to
be heard by the soldiers who were passi. g to
and fro -.
"I would advise thee, friend, to tell all thee
knows. Friend Draper will keep his word
with thee, I am sure." She then added, in a
low voice, "Keep still, John, and I will save
thee. Answer what I say, but pay uo heed
to what I do."
Marks caught her intent ia a moment, and
replied aloud :
"I won't turn scoundrel, Miss, for fear of
death, even if I had any surety the captain
there would keep his word."
Other conversation followed, and Priscilla,
who had concealed a sharp case knife in her
sleeve, managed to cut the prisoner's bonds,
without observation; cautioning them at the
same time not to move too soon. She told
them that the lieutenant's horses, one of
which was ridden by his servant, and both
standing nearest the gate, were the swiftest of
all, and then went out and exchanged some
light observations with McPherson, patting
and admiring the various horses, one by one.
Marks kept a close watch upon her, and noti
ced that she passed something under the saddle-cloth
of each horse; but she did not lay
her hands on the two horses of the Lieuten-
ant. Priscilla returned presently, and with
a significant glance at the captives, etitered
the house, and engaged Lieut. Draper in con
versation. McPherson, in the meanwhile, had noticed
that some manoeuvring was being made, and
came on the porch to inspect the fastenings of
the prisoners. As he did so, Gahl, who was a
powerful man, struck him between the two
eyes with his full force, and the Scotchman
fell backwards from the raised floor to the
ground, striking his head agaist a stone so
severely, as to take away his senses for the
time. Before the alarm could be given, Mark3
andGahl were mounted on the Officer's horses,
and galloping furiously up the road. Draper
rushed out, and, hurried pistol shots being,
ineffectual, ordered a pursuit. But the party
had not proceeded a dozen yards, before every
horse grew restive, and at leugth utterly un
manageable. All attempts to control them
were in vain, and the horses growing more fu
rious, unseated trooper after trooper. The
single exception was in Mark's own horse,
which Draper had mounted. He was quiet
enough; but Draper happening to dismount,
in order to examine into the cause of the
trouble, the steed galloped oil after his master,
whom he ultiniatelv overtook.
After considerable time thus lost, it occur
red to the lieutenant, that there was some
trick in the matter. The horses were stripped,
and it was found that the sharp burs of the
burdock had been placed under every saddle,
and had fretted and galled the animals almost
to madness. By this time, the fugitives had
too inacli start, and pursuit was abandoned.
About four miles further on, Marks and
Gahl fell in with three troopers of the enemy.
Tho Americans were without sabres, but there
were pistols in the holsters, and with these
they settled two of th-dr opponents. The
third put spurs to his horse, and turning down
a cross road, escaped. Marks aud his friend
were in too much of a hurry to pursue him,
and rode on towards the camp, where they
arrived that afternoon. The information that
Marks brought, was of essential service. The
British arrived duriug the night, but found
such formidable preparations made to receive
the attacking columns, that they quietly re
treated by the road they came.
Lieutenant Draper suspected Priscilla, who
denied having a hand in the matter, and won
dered very much where the burs had been
obtained at that season of the year. The
truth is that the girl had got them from some
uncombed wool, which lay in an upper chamber,
the sheep of the farm having gathered them
in their rambles. Thus two kinds of non
combatants had played important parts in the
matter; but the Lieutenant never found that
out. lie never ceased to lament the loss of
his pistols, which were a handsome silver
mounted pair, nor his showy cloak, which had
been strapped behind his saddle, both proving
of great service to Marks.
Marks and Gahl were promoted. The lat
ter was made a sergeant, and was killed after
wards in askirmish at Van Dam s Mill. Marks
served through the war, became ultimately a
captain, and distinguished himself in several
actions. Alter the war he returned to Ches
ter County, and Priscilla became his wife.
The latter was formally "disou ned" by her
sect, for "marrying out of meeting," and for
having aggravated her offence, by being mar
ried by a "hired priest." The expulsion did
not seem to effect her spirits much, for she be
came a jolly, contented matron, and lived to
a good old age, surviving her husband two
years. The decendants of the couple still
live in Chester and Montgomery Counties,
with the exception of a grand-son, George
Marks, who is, or was recently, a thriving far
mer in Vinton County, Ohio.
"Whatever you may choose to give away be
always sure to keep your temper.
HISTOBY OF THE ATLANTIC TELEG-BAPH.
From the National Intelligencer.
Amid the general exultations with which the
completion of a telegraphic communication be
tween Europe and America is hailed, the grat
itude of all is naturally turned towards those
who have been pre-eminent in initiating the
measures which have conducted to this grand
result. The history of the corporation under
whose auspices ard by whose indomitable en
ergy the magnificent enterprise has been
brought to a consummation justly fills a large
space in the eye of those called to contem
plate the agencies to which we are primarily
indebted for the Trans-Atlantic Telegraph.
Especially is great praise awarded, to that re
nowned citizen of New York, Cyrus W. Field,
Esq., to whom, more than to any other, is as
cribed the honor of planning and concerting
an organized effort to test the practicability of
this stupendous undertaking. Submarine ca
bles, it is true, had been already laid between
many points of the earth's surface from the
time wheu, in the year 1850, the first telegraph
ic connexion was instituted between Dover
and Calais, a distance of twenty-four miles.
But the wide interval which parted the two
continents of Europe and America, the un
known character of the "dark, unfathoined
caves" at the bottom of the Atlantic, combined
with tho difficulty at first encountered in the
transmission of the electric force through sub
marine or underground coils of great length,
were supposed for a time to present almost in
surmountable barriers to the speedy accom
plishment of this titanic task. Meanwhile, as
before, science was assiduously at work in her
cloisters, and the latter difficulty, if not whol
ly overcome, was at least believed to be suffi
ciently obviated to justify an attempt to trans
late theory into fact by proving the feasibility
of a transatlantic telegraph.
It was at this stage of the preparations pre
liminary to a trial of the grand experiment
that the "New York, Newfoundland, and Lon
don Telegraph Company" was formed, mainly
through the tact, business capacity, and rare
intelligence of its Vice President, Mr. Field.
The first step taken was to secure a charter for
the corporation. This was obtained in April,
18-31, from the Colonial Government of New
foundland, aud tho purposes of tho company
were further seconded by the Provinces of
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and finally
by the promised aid and co-operation of Great
Britain and the United States in laying the
cable and contributing to a support of the work
if ever brought into actual operation.
Great Britain granted an annual subsidy of
.14,000 sterling until the nett profits of the
company reach six per cent, per annum on the
whole capital of A'350,000 sterling, the grant
then to be reduced to X10.000 sterling per an
num lor a period of twenty-five years. The
United States grant an annual subsidy of $70,
000 until the nett profits yield six per cent,
per annum, then to be reduced to $50,000 per
annum for a period of twenty-five years, sub
ject to a termination of contract by Congress
after ten years, on giving one year's notice.
Both nations also agreed to furnish vessels to
lay the cable.
Professor Morse was appointed electrician of
the company, which proceeded to connect St.
John's, Newfoundland, with the lines already
in operation in the British North American
Provinces and in the United States, by immer
sing thirteen miles of cable across the Straits
of Northumberland, and eighty-five miles in
the waters of the St. Lawrence.
The "New York, Newfoundland, and Lon
don TelegraphCompany" having next procured
decisive scientific assurance from Messrs. Wild
man Whitehousc and Charles Bright, both able
electricians, of the possibility of their enter
prise, deputed their Vice President, Mr. Cyrus
W. Field, to visit England in the summer of
18-3G for the purpose of effecting such arrange
ments as might seeju expedient to promote
the success of the undertaking. Mainly thro'
his agency the existing Atlantic Telegraph
Company was called into being, not only as a
chartered, but also as a moneyed corporation,
comprising the holders of three hundred and
fifty shares of one thousand pounds each.
The charter of the original company, confet
ring upon it the exclusive right to land tele
graphic cables on the shores of Newfoundland
and other parts of North America, and for
twenty five years to do the same thing on the
shores of Nova Scotia, was then made over to
the new association, together with all conces
sions bearing upon the undertaking which
might be hereafter obtained, and all the patent
rights of Messrs. Whitehouse and Bright which
in any way concerned tho working of instru
ments in marine circuits of great length.
J n regard to tho route by which tho pro
posed telegraph should run, it will be obvious
to the reader that, besides tho advantages in
point of diminished distance, furnished by
that lying between Ireland and Newfoundland,
this selection was also determined by other in
dispensable considerations, the result of ex
plorations made by Lieut. Berryman, of the
United States Navy, who, armed with tho in
genious apparatus invented by Lieut. John M.
Brooke for the taking of deep-sea soundings,
demonstrated the existence of a vast submar
ine plain, (already commonly known as the
Telegraphic Plateau,) which at its greatest
depth is scarcely twelve thousand feet below
the level of the sea, and extends in a continu
ous ledge from Cape Kace, in Newfoundland,
to Cape Clear, in Ireland. This plain is gen
erally level, and deep enough to be below dis
turbing causes. Its bed is composed of par
ticles of shells so minutely triturated as to
render their character undiscoverable save
with the aid of a microscope. In this bed it
was believed that the cable could repose in per
fect security.
The route being finally decided, the mechan
ical construction of the cable was next to be
considered. The contrary conditions of the
problem afforded by no means an easy solution
of the question raised under this head. It
was apparent that the cable must not be too
light, or it would refuse to sink. It must not
be too heavy, or the loop between the two de
livering vessels would break of its own weight,
Besides, if loo light, it would be at the mercy
of the currents while descending, and run
great risk of fracture while being laid. If
too heavy, how could 2,500 miles of it be ship
ped, hand led, and safely deposited ? After re
peated estimates and experiments it was found
that the cable shonld not weigh more than one
1on per mile. In the next place, it must be of
the utmost tenacity consistent with this stand
ard of weight, and flexible enough to adapt it
self to the apparatus tor paying out, as well as
to admit of its being readily distributed into
coils in the work-yards and on board the ves
sels. Ia order to give some idea of the pains
which were taken with this branch of the in
vestigation, it will suffice to say that sixty-two
different kind of rope were subjected to close
experiment before the txact form and charac
ter of the cable to be employed were deter
mined. The cable finally adopted is thus de
scribed: "The central conducting wire is a strand
made up of seven wires of the purest copper,
of the guage known in the trade as No. 22.
The strand itself is about the sixteenth of an
inch in diameter, and is formed of one straigbt
ly drawn wire, with six others twisted round
it; this is accomplished by the central wire be
ing dragged from a drum, through a hole in a
horizontal table, while the table itself revolves
rapidly under the impulse of steam, carrying
near its circumference six reels or drnms, each
armed with copper wire. Every drum revolves
upon its own horizontal axis, and so delivers
its wires as it turns. This twisted form of con
ducting wire was first adopted for the rope
laid across the St. Lawrence in 185G, and was
employed with a view to the reduction to the
lowest possible amount of the chance of con
tinuity being destroyed in the circuit. It is
improbable in the highest degree that a frac
ture could be accidentally produced at precise
ly the same spot in more than one of the wires
of this twisted strand. All the seven wires
might be broken at di. To rent parts of the strand
even some hundreds of times, and yet its ca
pacity for the transtuissioc of the electric cur
rent not be destroyed or reduced in any incon
venient degree. The copper used in the for
mation of these wires is assayed from time to
time during the manufacture, to insure abso
lute homogenity aud purity. The strand itself
when subjected to strain, will stretch twenty
pur cent, of ils length without giving way,
and, indeed, without having itsc!ectricity-con-ducting
power much modified or impaired."
Such is a brief review of the agencies
which have been immediately brought into
combination for the purpose of effecting this
mighty undertaking. I u the gradual proces
sion of the causes and means by which it has
marched to a triumphant accomplishment, art
and skill have only advanced bide by side
with the slowly elaborated results of science
in plucking from the very heart of Nature the
secret of her laws and movements. And hence
in awarding our just meed ol praise to the in
telligent faith which planned and the untiring
perseverance which, appalled by no disasters,
has brought this great work to its desired con
summation, let us not forget our obligations
to the equally patient, if less conspicuous, la
bors of the philosophical student poring in
his cabinet over the mysteries of nature until
he reads in characters of light the secret
cipher of her being. The world without knows
but little ol" these anxious and laborious en
deavors of the savant, striving to pass that of
ten narrow but always most difficult isthmus
which parts the unknown from the known.
The honors and emoluments which society a
wards to the successful inventor are too often
but partially and grudgingly bestowed upon
the scientific discoverer, to whom the former is
indebted for a knowledge of the principles
which he has reduced into mechanical propor
tions and made subservient to human uses.
If we are indebted to a Morse for the electric
telegraph, it is because a Franklin and a Gal
vani, a Volta and an (Ersted, a Faraday and a
Henry, have contributed by their profound in
vestigations to a discovery of tho hidden prin
ciples which underlie the structure of that
wonderful work of mechanical art. In the
pantheon of this latter-day glory there is room
for all for the man of high thought pursuing
the acquisition of knowledge for its own sake,
and finding in the discovery of truth its own
exceeding great reward, as also for the man of
practical achievement who reduces that knowl
edge to the utilitarian ends of our daily life.
Let us so apportion our honors to the latter as
not to forget the measure of our obligations
to the former.
Col. Fremont's Mariposa Property.
There is now a prospect that Col. Fremont
will be left in the undisturbed possession ot
his splendid domain in California. His lands,
amounting to forty-four thousand acres, and
containing inexhaustible mines of auriferous
quartz, are situated, it will be remembered, in
Mariposa county, and he has already establish
ed a mill, which is producing gold to the
amount of $2,600 per week. With increased
means new mills will be established, when the
yield of gold may be indefinitely increased.
Although the lands of Col. Fremont were
held by him under a patent from the United
States, this fact did not deter trespassers from
attempts to take possession of such choice por
tions as they thought likely to prove produc
tive. More than a year ago an association, call
ing itself the Merced Mining Company, seized
upon a part of the "Pine Tree Vein," a rich
gold miue in Bear Valley, where Col. Fremont
and his family are at present residing. An
action was commenced, and Fremont recov
ered judgment in the justice's court. The
company then appealed to the county court,
where the case was again decided in his favor.
An appeal to the Supreme Court was then
made, and on the 8th of July last that court
made an order dismissing the appeal, for the
reason that there was no assignment of error.
From these decisions it appeared that Fre
mont was entitled to the possession of even
the "Josephine Vein," which the Merced Min
ing Company have been working to great profit
for the last year. But certain members of this
company have recently attempted further ag
gressions, which were manfully withstood by
Fremont until the Governor of the State threw
his powerful influence into the scale in his be
half, whereupon the Merced fillibuster aban
doned their designs.
A Telegrafii to India. A London letter
says that the construction of a line of tele
graph to India, by the Red Sea route, has at
length been agreed upon. The Government
are to guarantee four and a half per cent, on
tho requisite capital for fifty years, and the
shares of the company by whom the work is
to be carried out, have, accordingly, already
been dealt in at a premium equal to about five
per cent. The cable from Suez to Aden is first
to be laid. This will be about half the entire
distance, and the cost is estimated at 500,000.
Messrs. Newall, the manufacturers of the At
lantic cable, have offered to construct it and
lay it down at their own risk for that sum.
An Irish Idea. A naturalized "Dimmicrat"
in Harrisburg, thinks that when the Atlantic
letegrapb is in operation we shall not have to
wait so long for our election returns : "For"
said he, "we can hear from ould Ireland as
soon as from itbe'r towns."
MR. STITTTS AND II IS WIFE.
Stutts got taken in at one of those fashiona
ble "pcrditiotiitries" called wateriug places.
You see, Stutts wasn't worth more than ten
cents on a dollar. He smoked inordinately,
and had waited patiently for an old aunt to die
for five years, because he expected to become
heir at the end of that time. But unfortunate
ly for him, she "scared up" a husband ; worse
than that, she "scared up"' a baby. Alas, poor
Stutts ! But he rallied ; raised a goat; impe
rial and moustache ; practiced singing; wore
a rose in bis button-hole ; and determined to
go in and win a wife from among the rich up
per crusts. With this view, he bent bis steps
to Newport. Stutts looked over the entrance
book, saw the name of Miss Arimethca Fitz
Goggle and servant, and "that's the talk !"
said he, "she's rich ; and beautiful, maybe;
go in, Stutts, for your living ! Go in like a
man!" lie got an introduction, aud danced
attendance on her nine days and a quarter;
had just five dollars left ; concluded something
must bo done darned quick ; went down on his
marrow bones to her, kissed her finger rings ;
told her be had a pistol all loaded ; if she sid
no, he meant to put the whole charge right
into her gizzard; would love her till death,
and after that too, if be could ; so Arimethea
Fitz Goggle bent down her head and whisper
ed "Yes." Oh, Lord! Stutts felt like an un
broken colt that nicht. He drank champagne
and burnt cigars till morning, determined to
pay for them after ho was "bone of her bone."'
W ell, both were in a hurry, and soon the twain
were made one flesh, as far as the ceremony
was concerned.
Stutts went to bed first ; men olten do that,
although it is not customary. He lay there
watching his idol disrobe, with all the fond,
blissful feelings of a young husband on a wed
ding night. He had a wife, a real live lady,
witii lots of means ! The gas was left burning,
so he had a good view of what he had never
beheld before, namely a wife coming to bed.
Mrs. Stutts glanced at her lord, who pretended
to snore softly, in order that ho might not ter
rify her. Poor thing ! as if a woman who fre
quents watering places don't get used to eve
rything. Well, sho went to the dressing bu
rea uand proceeded to take oft' two masses of
ringlets, leaving a very small amouut of that
very important article of female beauty. Mr.
Stutt's heart gave a terrific bound, and then
stood st ill. He opened bis eyes to see what
would come next. When she put both her
hands into her mouth and undid her up(er jaw,
which dropped instanter; she wiped it care
fully and laid it before the hair. Stutts gasp
ed plainly, and thrusting his feet against the
footboard, ejaculated a 'dam,' with nation be
hind it, and began to think of his sins. By
and by she undid her form, and off came a pair
of funny looking whalebone things, leaving
her anything but an attractive armful.
Oh, mercy ! Stutts bit his tongue, and bis
eyes were nearly starting from his head ; he
spelt mad-dog backwards half a dozen times,
and kept on looking. Then she put her fin
ger to her left e3'e, and, horror! out it came.
Stutts flopped right over and groaned in ago
ny, biting the bed clothes, and jerking his feet
up and down like a madman. Mrs. S. asked
him if he was sick T "No," roared Stutts, "I
am just recovering." Presently the Newport
beauty raised her skeleton and undid her leg,
and before Stutts could fly out of bcd,off came
the leg, with a beautifuld silk stocking and
satin gaiter on it. Stutts raised out of lied
and seized his pants. Mrs. S. seized him. She
hung on, aud he pulled distractedly.
"Let go of me, you you you female mon
ster!" roared Stutts; "how dare you deceive
me in this way? Let go, I say, or I will a
larm the inmates of the hotel, and expose
you !" "Do," said Mrs. S., "and inform them
what kind of a w ife you succeeded in getting,
after coming here expressly for the purpose.
I have got you, and don't intend to give you
up ; so go to work my dear, like a young man
should, and support me." "Support you ?"
shrieked Stutts. "Great heaven! you don't
mean to tell me that you are poor that you
haven't got money plenty of means, you
know." And Stutts hair, goat, imperial and
moustache bristled up in agony. "Got no
money ? no, you flat, none I no more than
yourself. You owe for that leg of mine, and
you've got to pay for it ! I came hero to get a
husband I have got one ; you came to get a
wife we are both deceived you are worth
nothing and I am worth the same amount.
Now, what are you going to do about it ?"
"This !" said Stutt,calinly drawing on his trow
sers. "I am going to leave, and this is how I
will pay you !" And seizing her leg, he threw
it out of the window. Mrs. S. screamed Mr.
S. flew down stairs out of the door away
laid low all the next day ; got on a craft bound
for New York, and in course of time arrived.
lie has never seen Mrs. S. since, but he heard
she had gone to California.
Marriage Made East. An old Dutch far
mer, just arrived at the dignity of Justice of
the Peace, had his first marriage case.- He
did it up in this way. He first said to the
man : "Veil, yon wants to be marrit, to you?
Veil, you lovesh dis voman so good as any
voman you have ever seen ?" "Yes," answer,
ed the man. Then to the woman : "Veil, do
you love dis man so better as any man you
have ever seen ?" She hesitated a little and
he repeated : "Veil, veil, do you like him so
veil as be his vife." "Yes, yes," she answer
ed. "Veil, dat is all any reasonable man can
expect. So you are marrit ; I pronounce you
man and vife." The man asked the justice
what was to pay. "Noting at all, nothing at
all ; you are welcome to it if it vill do you
any good."
Between two Fires. Senator Douglas is
denounced by the Buchanan men as a Black
Republican, while the Republicans of Illinois
insist that he is an unmitigated enemy of their
party ; and the funniest part of the matter is
that Buchanan Locofocos in Illinois are a
bout to vote with the Republicans to defeat
Douglas. The Douglas men claim to be the
Democracy, and the Buchanan men, though
but a small faction, insist that they are the
simon pure Democrats. Things have got into
such a mess in the "Prairio State," that it
will be necessary, at the next session of Con
gress, to get "an enabling act" passed, in or
der to let Locofocos know what party they
belong to. .
Dead-Headiko ExTBAOBDivART.-The Wes
tern Railway Company, of France, received
43.000 letters asking for free passes on the
railway to go to Cherbourg, and they admitted
10,000 of the applicants. This eclipses, by
far, the dead-bead system in this country.
Webster had an anecdote of old Father
Scarl, the minister of his boyhood, which
is too good to be lost. It was customary then
to wear buckskin breeches in cool weather.
One Sunday morning in the autumn, Father
Searl brought his down from the garret; but
the wasps had taken possession daring tho
summer, and were having a nice time of it in
them. By dint of effort he got out the intru
ders, and" dressed for meeting. But while
reading the Scriptures to the congregation, bo
felt a dagger from one of the enraged small
waisted fellows, and jumped around the pulpit,
slapping his thighs, But the more he slapped
and danced the more they stung. The people
thought biui crazy, and were in commotion as
to what to do ; but he explained the matter
by saying: "Brethern, dou't be alarmed; the
U'ord of the Lord is in tny mouth, and the Devil
is in my breeches!" Webster always told it
with great glee to the ministers.
A New Featire. The Syracuse, N. York,
Journal, in describing Tuesday's jollification,
says : "A new feature was introduced and
such a feature ! All of a sudden, acd all at
once, fourteen locomotives sent up a shriek
from their steam whistles which shook tho
firmest buildings to the centre, deafened every
ear, and penetrated, as we verily believe, west
to Lake Erie aud east to tide-water. There is
no description, in poetry or prose, which can
convey any just idea of the noise (that is the
only word) that was thus created. It was pos
itively awful. Such an unearthly sound such
a strange, mysterious and overwhelming sound
such a terrible, tremendous and monstrous
sound never was heard before. It reminded
us of the seven thunders of the Revelation ;
of a legion of Niagaras ; of the horn of Ga
briel, (we speak reverently,) and the Day of
Judgment. Men grew pale.women fainted, and
children went into convulsions as they beard it.
NATrnAL Curiosities. In the Baltimore
coal mines, near Wilkesbarre, Luzerne coun
ty, Pennsylvania, the superintendent has re
cently discovered the remains of a forest of
trees, which bad been imbedded in the slate,
rock above the large vein, fragments of which,
by a fall, had been detached, and now lie in
confusion stumps, roots, limbs, and impres
sions of bark in the mine. Among the curi
osities are two hnge stumps, as perfect as if
just drawn from the earth by a stump machine,
the roots cut oft" where they had entered tho
ground, and the surface looking as if the bark
had been taken off while the sap was running.
In the rock above can be traced the ends of tho
logs from which the stumps have fallen, and in
one place the body of the tree protrudes, tho
surface presenting the impression of the bark.
A Problem. Whoever originated the fol
lowing, deserves to have bis name handed
down to posterity : If a despatch from Eng
land to America gains on the sun so as to reach
here 4J hours by the clock before it left Eng
land, at what time would it arrive at the point
of departure, were a cable carried entirely
around the world ? Would it not arrive tho
day before it left, less only the time exhaus
ted in making the circnt 1 If so, then, with a
continuous telegraph line around the world,
why not send a despatch around and around
until it reached back to Adam, and let him
know what his children are about these "lat
ter days."
Served Him Right. A Wisconsin paper
states that one Hamilton, who lives by the sido.
ot Willow River, had shamefully and cruelly
abused his sister, who is partially insane, and
in the evening threatened to whig bis wife,
with whom he had an altercation. ". At thia
juncture of affairs, a party ot Chippewa In
dians made their appearance, four of whom
were stationed at the door, and the other
made a noise, which caused Hamilton speedily
to appear minus his outer habiliments, where
upon the Chippe was seized him, treated him to
a ride on a rail, aud then divested him of bis
hair and w hiskers.
New Rifle Cannon. The Government havo
been trying the rifle cannon of Mr. Sawyer,.
of Fitchburg, Mass. It is said that, at one-"
mile, the body of an ordinary sized tree would,
not be missed once in fifty times, so exact are
its line shots. Mr. Sawyer superintends the
firing iu person, and, iu seventeen shots, at a
distance of one mile, the farthest was not over
three feet from the centre. This is the closest
shooting with cannon known. The cannon is
grooved like a rifle. The ball is shaped liko
tho Minnie rifle-ball, and is filled with powder,
which explodes after striking and entering an
object.
Rivaling tue Telegraph. Mr. Winans, of--Baltimore,
the locomotive builder, is said to,
be building a steamer in Baltimore upon plans
entirely his own, which is to cross the Atlan
tic in six days. A man who can knock six
days off of twelve in the period required to
cross the Atlantic, may take rank next to,
Morse in annihilating time. We will see,
directly, whether Mr. Winans' scheme suc
ceeds. So much has been accomplished re- .
cently by science and skill, that it would- be .
hazardous to predict any untried experiment
as impossible.
Frederick II. Socthwohk, an American,
at Rio Janeiro, is said to have discovered an
article ot Illuminating Clay, from which be is.
able to manufacture gas, cheaply and abun
dant. The article is of the color ot clay, and.,
looks like coal in its pure state. It will burn
like wax when held to the flame of a match. "
It is found in large deposits on the banks ott
navigable rivers, and will be used by all gas .
companies in Brazil, and become an article ot
exportation.
A colored firm In Newark, N. J., baviog
suffered some pecuniary embarrassment, re
cently closed business, and the senior mem'rti-.
gave the following "notis" to the public:
"The dissolution ot co-partnership heretofore
resisting twixt me and Moses Jones, in tho
barber profession, am heretofore - resolved. .
Pussons who ose must pay the inscriber. -
Dem what the furtu ose must call on Jones, '
as the furm is insolved. Liocx Jobssihg."
Taking it Philosophically. A love-omit- .
ten gentleman, alter conversing a while with a J
lady on tho interesting topic of matrimony, "
concluded at last with the emphatic question, .
" Will yon have me ?" ' "I am very sorry to .'.
disappoint yon," replied tho lady, aad hop
tho refusal will not give yon pain; but I most J
answer. No." Well, weiU that will do mad- I
am," said her philosophical lover j "and mow
suppose ire change the subject t '
I