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OLEARFIELi), PA., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1858.
VOL. 5.-JVO. 4.
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6IES CAMS ATT AJGEL BRIGHT TO ME.
4 'aiit same an angel bright to me.
When hope and peace lay wreck'd
'; V pun Life's dark and stormy sea,
" tij sorrow and neglect;,
islie scem'J to ine in iny diiiresj
,.. A spirit from above;
" ', tia filled my soul with tenderm-aa.
' ' And won my heart to love !
. . - Sbe told me of a peaceful shorn
Where joys for evor reign ;
She bade me sigh and fear no more,
And brought me peace again ;
, Since then I've pags'd thro" many gale,
Seen lit'o in roughest form.
"Jior knew despair, for she was thcro, :
, 2Ay angel iu the storm !
DAKE-DEV1L DICK.
, AS INCIPKXT Or THE RETOLVTIOX.
Uuw little do we.' as wc sit toasting our
shins by a bright blazing fire, know of the suf
ferings which our forelathers underwent for
the liberty which we now enjoy that liberty
f which we are so fond of talking, but which
i so illy appreciated ? The American army
took tip their quarters for the winter of '77
ami 78, at Valley Forge ; the English were
encamped in Philadelphia. Owing to a change
in the quartermaster's department, the Amur,
lean army vere wretchedly supplied, nnd at
uo time were the sufferings of the soldiers as
great as at the commencement of the year '78;
bare-looted, inadequately clad, and, worse
than all, short of provisions, the troops suf
fered all the horrors of an Inclement winter.
Both armies bad scouting parties out in search
f provisions; these parties stole provisions
when they could; when they could not they
tiought them. The inhabitants of the neigh
boring country were mostly Germans, who
'eared little or nothing about the war; to them
theso foraging parties had become a great
aource of trouble, and as they began to dread
the visits of these unscrupulous purveyors,
the farmers and millers formed themselves in
to protective clubs. Their hay, grain, horses
and cattle were deposited together in shed,
"cave or other retreat formed in the dense
woods. Over these store houses they took
turns to watch, the watcher being furnished
rithamnsket to tiro in case ofarraTtack, which
dig oj! being repeated by those who lived near
cat, would arouse the whole club, who would
uiae to the rescue.
On a small tributary of the Schuylkill some
ten miles from the American quarters, lived a
Worthy Dutch miller named Van Steen ; his
will was nearly a mile from any other resi
dence, m-ar it was a natural care, and here a
club of self-protectors held their meetings, sto
red their grain and housed their cattle. As it
was some distance from the road and in a very
retired locality it was seldom watched. Van
teen's family consisted of himself, his wife
nd one daughter, an only child ; he lived in
Itis mill, whero by industry and prudence he
had accumnlated a snug little property. His
daughter, Johanna, was a smart, active girl,
of about eighteen summers, capable of doing
better days work than half of our modem
men, and very pretty withal. She often went
to the neighboring vilbige for her father. She
bad been upon one of these errands, and was
returning home; it was growing dark, and she
yet had some miles to ride, so she urged her
horse forward at his utmost speed ; as they
were going down a short but sharp turning de
clivity, the horse fell, throwing his rider to
I he ground with great force. At the moment
Johanna's hrse fell, a gentleman, in the un
dress f an American ofticcr, appeared in sight
at the f t ot of the bill, in an i? slant he sprang
from his horse and stood at her side. Johan
na was but little bnrt, and, what may appear
airangc to our modern ladies, she made no ef
fort to faint, but her horse was badly lamed
o badly that it was impossible to ride him
home ; the officer ottered her his horse to ride
and volunteen-d to lead her's ; it was growing
quite dark, and she had some five miles more
to go re she reached her father's bouse ; the
ncoUing parties bTboth armies, to say nothing
.f bands of Indians which wire constantly in
the neighborhood. w ukl render a walk of that
distance alone and at that time, not only disa
greeable, but dangerous ; so she consented to
mount the captain's horse, and allow hcr's to
hf led.
The American officer, whom we have thus
unceremoniously introduced, was Richard W il
aon, a captain iu the continental army. lie
was one of the few, men connected with the
Involution, who were possessed of property.
Being the second son of an old and noble fam
ily of England, his only inheritance was a fine
education and a few hundred pounds ; with
these be sought the shores of America, and
embarked In mercantile pursuits and bind
peculations; being vvr.. shrewd and devoting
his whole time to bis business, be soou amas
sed quite a snug fortune At the commence
ment of the dilliculties between the two coun
tries, his sympathies were with" the land of his
adoption, and at the early part of the war he
joined the American forces. Soon after he
"raited a company of men whom ho armed, e
quipped and commanded. They were brave
men every one, and he the bravest of them all;
many a deed of daring had ho done ; often had
be led bis company, in the Mill hours of the
night upon a small party of the enemy, taking
hmi nrisouers: seldom losing a life, and of
ten without firing a musket. Uy the means of
-nrrNioiulin:r agents iu all the cities of the
States, and well paid spies within the camp of
tho enemy, be obtained information wnicn in
snrcd tho success of all bisforays ; none of his
followers knew of his manner of keeping post
ed, but imagined that their triumphs in all
the'ir skirmishes in which they were engaged,
vas owing entirely to the superior bravery of
their leader ; but it was as often the effect of
Jiis stratagem. He was honored and revered
by his followers, known and loved by the
whole American camp, but dreaded and fear
ed by the British forces ; his skill, daring and
bravery won for him tho nick-name of "Dare-Devil-Dick."
- .. .
Captain Wi'son bad been to meet one Of his
epics, from whom he received information in
regard to the stores secreted near Van Steen s
'mill, and was returning to camp to perfect his
'plans for a plundering expedition when he met
Johanna, uuliorsed, as wo have described. As
tie walked by her side, leading her lame horse
and she riding bis, he drew from her her name
and certain particulars in regard to her fath
er's family, habits, etc., with considerable in
formation regarding their neighbors which he
thought would be ot use to him at another time
when be should come to secure the stores.
Bat they had gone hardly two miles before tho
Captain was interested in his companion, and
"the farther they proceeded together the Letter
he liked her, and w hen at length they reached
her father's house, lie did not need a pressing
invitation to walk in, warm himself, and par
take of some refreshments. It was late at
night when the captain left Van Steen's door,
even then he lingered at the gate with Johan
na, engaged in low conversation, and as he
mounted his horso lie- willingly promised to
call again in a day or two. His feelings as be
rode back to his quarters, were entirely diffcr
ent from what they had been a few hours be
fore. He gave up all thoughts of plundering
Van Steen's grain and cattle. He decided in
stead to captivate his daughter.
For weeks Captain Wilson was away from
the camp more than usual, yet his company
received no orders fiom him ; it was nearly a
month since they had been ordered even to
hold themselves in readiness to march at a mo
ment's notice; and his men began to wonder
what the matter was, and his lieutenants to
feel nneasy, fearing that their brave Captain
was contemplating turning traitor; but Wilson
did not notice their uneasiness, or if be did, it
made no diflerence in his course of action.
On one or two occasions the Captain had spo
ken with Van Steen in regard to purchasing
stores of the club with which be was connec
ted, but they wanted gold, and declined taking
the notes ot the Continental Congress, which
was all that Wilson could offer. One evening
after having exhausted their efforts to trade
with no better success than betore, and Steen
had retired with his pipe and his wife, to for
get the world and its cares in smoke and sleep,
leaving his daughter and young Wilson to talk
over things more pleasant to young hearts than
gold, but not half as substantial, Johanna told
the Captain that there had been a British offi
cer in the vicinity that day trying to buy tho
grain ; that the protective club of which her
father was a member, had received an offer
from him for hay, grain, horses and cattle, and
they were only wailing till the morrow before
they accepted his terms, to sec if something
could not be done with Wilson ; so she advi
sed him to accept her lather's offer or he would
lose the trade.
"Good !" exclaimed Captain Dick, "just as
I could wish ! Let the British buy them, they
can pay for the stock but will never uso it."
'Why, what do you mean?" inquired
Johanna.
"I mean just this," replied "Wilson, "you
arc to be my spy ; you shall keep yourself ad
vised in regard to all the movements of this
officer; you must learn of ycur father when
he is to come for the provisions, what he is to
pay, about how many men be is to bring to con
vey it to their camp, and everything else re
garding tho matter that you can find out, and
inform me; I shall be here every night, you
can tell me what you havt learned during t c
day. When the British come to take their
goods, I shall bo on their track with my men,
meet them on their return, take them prison
ers, and of course secure their stores without
paying a penny for them."
"Capital! capiUl!" exclaimed Johanna, so
loud that she feared she had woke her father,
which would have been a miracle. They com
pleted their plans, and the captain mounted
his horse and started for camp, his head crow
ded wtb ideas. lie made his command happy
the next morning by telling that he should have
a smart job for them in a few days, and to be
prepared for hard work and plenty of it.
For two nights the captain learned nothing
from his spy, more than that the officer had en
gaged 10 horses, twenty-three head of cattle, a
hundred bushels of grain.nd three ton of hay
but he was still in the neighborhood buying
more horses. Tho next evening Johanna in
formed bini that the British bad, that day,
bought about twenty horses, with cattle nnd
sheep, and that all were to be removed tjie
next night. "They arc to be here at eleven
o'clock," she added, with one hundred and
twenty men, and remove everything. I saw
the officer myself and tTllked with him ; be
called me 'very pretty, j:ist as though I didn't
know that Uloro, and said that, alter he had
got through whipping the d d Yankees, ho
should have to come and make love to me."
"The fool !" muttered Wilson.
"Oh, don't be angry, Dick," said Johanna,
"he's nothing but a red-coat, and they don't
know anything, you know. But yon were tell
ing me the other day how much you paid your
spies, and last night yon called me your 'best
spy.' now what are you going to give me V
"Give yon 1 Why, the name of Mrs. Captain
Wilsoti.wheu the war is thro'. Won't that do"
"It will."
Early the next morning, Captain Wilson ap
peared at the head-qnarters ot the army, and
laid before Gen. Washington his information
in regard to the stores, his means of obtaining
it, and his intended plan of operation ; he then
asked the privilege of picking one hundred
men, to be detailed with his command, for the
expedition. Leave was granted bira, and eve
rvthing done to facilitate the enterprise, for
the Commander-in-Chief placed great reliance
on Car-tain Dick. All day long two hundred
men were in active preparation for one of
"Dare-devil Dick's hard jobs," and at night
fall everything was completed. About eight
o'clock the detachment were mounted, and
took up their line of march. They proceeded
nearly five miles, then turned from the road
down a small winding, which, followed for a
quarter of a mile, brought them to a clearing
on which stood a house and barn ; near these
liiiildines the mill creek emptied into the
Schuylkill. The men dismounted, the horses
were "fastened, unbridled and fed, and a guard
posted; two men were detailed to watch the
stream, ami report the first signs of floating
lumber, as Johanna had agreed, the moment
the British commenced to work, to tip a pile
of her father's boards into the water, below
the dam. so that the swift current would sweep
them down, and Wilson would be notified of
their operations j refreshments were furnishea
the men. and they were ordered to be within
hearing of the house, as they were liable to be
wanted at a nv moment. Tho company had
rested nearly two hours, when the guard re
ported "planks coming down the stream."
The men were divided, half of them being
placed under the command of Lieutenant
Watts, and the whole detatchment rode back
to the road. Sentinels were placed at the top
of the hill, from which they could have a full
view of more than a mile, with instructions to
i-MWjrt tlia moment they saw the enemy advan
cing. The captain and lieutenant stationed
their commands on either side of the road in
ambush, and ordered them to stand by their
horses' heads until they saw Captain Wilson
nionnt then every mau was to mount, and
,,if r,.rthP. word "cbarce," when the enemy
were to be surrounded, bnt not a shot fired un-
lew tho British showed fight.
. . . aiiMaBsMawwiMMssBassiaBlMBiB innaniii 'i - isn si n m mm m in i m - "-Hiif mumii ' n i mi i i in i h i n iwiii n turn ijLti ,
For nn hour and a half, these bravo and
patient men waited ; then the men from the
out post drove up to the captain, and inform
ed him that a body of horses, with a baggage
train, apparently the enemy, were approach
ing. Then cvervthing was still ; the slight
est whisper would have been heard by the
wj;ole two hundred. Captain Wilson led his
horse behind a large rock, and leaving the
faithful animal, he climbed to the top of it,
where ho could over look his entire force, and
see the British troop when they reached the
trov of the lull, huortlv the tramp of hor
ses was heard, which grew more and more
distinct, until Wilson could see them ; he no
ticed that tneir commander seemed to carry
something before him on his horse; as he drew
nearer it resembled a female form. Could it
be Johanna ? ; And be was less calm than was
his wont, as he entertained the thought. They
had decended nearly half the bill. lie decid
ed that it must be Johanna, and wondered, as
ho slid down from the rock, bow she came
there. He led his horso ont so his command
conld see him, but still out of the sight of the
advancing foe, and mounted; in an instant
every man was in his saddle, and Captain Dick
returned to the rock. It was but a minute
ere tho officer passed him ; just then the
moon shown clear through the hazy clouds,
and Wilson's eyes met those of Johanna ; but
there was not a word, not a sign of recogni
tion ; tho troop moved on ; about fifty men
had rode by when the captain, putting the
spurs to his horse, dashed into the road, cry-
tig "Charge!" The half asleep enemy had
hardly aroused themselves befotc they were
surrounded by the Americans, with drawn
swords and pistols, and at the same moment
the order was given, there was a single pistol
report, and the British captain fell from bis
saddle to the earth dead. Surprised as they
were, both at the attack and the loss of their
commander, they made no resistance, but
surrendered without a shot being fired, or a
blow struck. Captain Wilson gave his lieu
tenant a few general orders regarding the dis
position of the prisoners, and the preparations
to be made lor the march home ; then turning
to Johanna, w ho still held a pistol in her hand,
he asked, "How came yon here ?"
"In pushing the boards into the river," she
said, "1 made a great deal more noise than I
expected to, which attracted the attention of
my father an the English officer; when they
inquired as to the cause of the noise, I told
them that I was standing upon the pile of
boards, watching the soldiers, when they fell
into the water, and I came near going with
them; nothing more was said, but I noticed
that the officer watclud me very closely. Af
ter the wagons were all loaded, the command
er called bis lieutenant, and placed the gold
in his hands, told him to take my father into
the house and pay him. Instantly I was seiz
ed, gagged, bound, and placed upon his horse,
and, the troop moved forward. After march
ing nearly a mile, a halt was ordered, the
gags removed, and I was unbound. Until
now I had thought that our piot was discover
ed, or at any rate that I was suspected, but
from the careless manner, of the company,
and bearing nothing said aliont it, I decided
that it could not le. In riding along, I dis
covered a pair of pistols in the lie It ot the
captain, and my mind was instantly made up.
I resolved that when vour men appeared, 1
would draw the pistols and shoot him, or I
feared be might ihoot me. When my eyes
met yours in the nioon-liffht, my heart beat
quick, and my hands instinctively went almost
to the pistols, but by a strong effort I govern
ed myself, and op(earcd calm. When you
sprang into the road I seized both pistols, dis
charged one, and killed the villian-; it 1 Jiau
not, I should have fired the other!"
"You are a noble girl," said the captain,
and be shook her hand, warmly.
"Forward march !" cried ilson, and they
moved forward, Johanna and himself riding
at the head. In a short time they entered the
lines of the American camp, with one hundred
and thirty prisoners, some three hundred hor
ses, with cattle, sheep, hay and grain. Of
Wilson's manv foravs, this was the most suc
cessful. When Johanna's story became known
through the camp, the next morning, she be
came quite a lion, and received every atten
tion, until she and Captain Dick startea for
her father's house. " ' ' '
Daring the remainder of the war, M'ilson
was a great favorite throughout the army, and
when peace was declared, five years later, he
madc.Johanna, not Mrs. Capt., but Mrs. Col.
Wilson. On the spot where she shot the Eng
lish captain the same spot where her horse
fell, the night that her husband first met her,
Wilson erected a house which is still stard
inr, and is occupied bv the descendants of
"Dare-devil Dick and his best spy."
Young man ! keep your eyes open when yon
are after a woman. If you bite at the naked
hook, you are green. Is a pretr3' dress or form
so attractive, or even a pretty face ? Floun
ces, boys, are no sort of consequence. A
pretty face will grow old. Paint will wash off.
Tho sweet smile of tho flirt will give way to
the scowl of the termagnnt. Tho coquette
will slime in tho kitchen corner, and with the
once sparkling eyes and beaming countenance
will look daggers at you. Beware! If the
dear is cross, and scolds at her mother in tho
back room, you may be sure you'll get partic
ulfK fits all over tho bonse. If she blushes
when found ot the wash-tub, with her sleeves
rolled np, bo-sure she is of the dishrag aris
tocracy little knowledge and a good deal less
sense. If yon- marry a girl who knows noth
ing but to commit woman slaughter on tho
piano, you have got the poorest piece of mu
sic ever got np. Find one whose mind is
right, then pitch in.
Light Literati re. The catalogue of the
New York Publishers' Association contains
a list of twenty-four different biographies of
notorious highwaymen, pickpockets and bur
glars, and fourteen stories of New York life,
such as is usually seen at ha Five Points and
other similar delectable and moral localities.
These are called "the most saleable books in
the maiket,"and the fact appears to be the
only that the conscientious publishers regard
as worth their consideration. r The profits to
the business from the sales of such books
imposes a proportionate tax upon the State
for the maintenance of penitentiaries and
other public institutions of a penal character.
Lightning rods take the mischief out of the
clouds hickory rods take it out of. the boys.
A letter from Old River Lake, Arkausas,
says bogs are dying by hundreds of cholera.
" DAVID LEWIS.'
From the Jluntinqfoit Aitterieatt
Having seen many and contradictory ac
counts ot this no less formidable than notori
ous highwayman, of Centre county, and hav
ing heard the true story of the' leading inci
dents of his life, from one of the men who
figured largely in the pursuit and capture of
him and his confedeiates, I have concluded
to give the public an authentic history of his
capture and a brief statement of some of his
adventures previous, to the deed which caused
his capture, and subsequently his death.
It was near the rniddlo of July, 1820, that
Lewis, Connelly and McGuire might have been
seen wending their way towards the house of
two old maiden ladies, named Couden, who re
sided near Harrisburg, with tho intention of
robbing them of some $500 in specie, which
they had received information was in their
possession. But in this case, as well as in
many other instances, the old adage was veri
fied, that "man proposes and God disposes,",
for on the day previous they had placed it in
the Harrisburg Bank. Failing in obtaining
the main object of their entcrprize, they "va
mosed," carrying off a rifle and shot gun,
which was afterwards recovered by a brother
of the ladies. They fled from Harrisburg by
the way of Coxestown, where they stopped for
the night at Byer's or Byard's Inn, where Mc
Guire brought into action his lock-picking
utensils, and opened the bar drawer, and de
camped with the specie it contained.
About this time Hammond & Page, mer
chantsol Bellefonte, were receiving their stock
of goods, and as wagoning was common in
those days, in fact the only mode of convey
ance, they had engaged three teams to haul
them ; one in particular, being loaded with the
costliest goods, in crossing one ot the Seven
Mountains, broke down, and it being late, they
diove on to John Carr's Inn with the remain
ing wagons. Here was a rare opportunity for
Lewis and his lawless band, which they were
not slow to avail themselves of. It is supposed
by some, though I will not vouch for it, that
they cut the spokes of the wagon, which caus
ed it to break down. They overhauled the
goods and took such as suited them, and then
started for Bellelono with the intention of rob
bing Potter's store, in which they might have
succeeded had not John Carr noticed them at
tempting to unhinge the shutters, when he
gave the alarm, and they fled. They were im
mediately followed by the lew that conld be
gathered. Paul Lcbo, a very active man, out
stripped the rest so far that Lewis and Connel
ly, who had secreted themselves fn the fence
to let their pursuers pass, thought it would not
endanger them to discover themselves to him,
and frighten him back, wHich they did; in
fact their persuasion was near ending his ca-
reer, for Connelly had him nearly choked to
death and only at the earnest request of Lewis,
was he snatched from the jaws of death.
The next place that they were heard of, was
on the MuncyMountain,neara Col. M'Kibbin's
diverting themselves on Sunday by shooting
mark. - Word having been sent to Bellefonte,
search was immediately commenced. Wm.
Alexander, ex-Sheriff, started down Nittany
Valley to collect men to go by the way of Big
Island, and J. McGee beaded another party,
consisting of John Hammond, Win. Armor,
Panl Lebo, Peter Dysell and Joseph Butler,
all of Bellefonte, to go by the way of Karthaus
to meet the other party at Lewis' mother's,
on Bennet's Branch of the Sinnemahonning.
They proceeded as iar as Karthaus that night,
deviating from a direct route to obtain a guide,
who was no less a personage than "Andy
Walker," as he was familiary termed, the
great bnnter of Bald Eagle. Wm. Hannah
also joined them at this place, and when start
ing the following morning, their company
was increased to eleven by the accession of
John Koons, Samuel Karnell and Peter Bodey.
On the night they were at Karthaus, McGuire
was captured at the Big Island, which led the
rest to divide the spoils and separate. On the
29th of the month by some mishap, McGee's
party lost their way, and as a matter of course,
had to encamp or rather roost, for the night,
but on tho morning of the 30th they struck
Trout-Kun, which empties into Bennett's
Branch. Walker and Karnell started ahead
of the rest, to see if Lewis had made his ap
pearance at his mother's, and finding that he
had not, they joined the rest of tho party that
night and crossed over the Drift Wood branch,
opposite Sheplferd's, and upon inquiry found
that two men, answering the description of
Lew is antLConnelly.had breakfast there. The
party ,accompanied by Shepherd, proceeded up
the Drift Wood Branch about eight miles,
and not being satisfied that theso were the
men, the majority were in favor of going still
further down and making inquiry of whoever
they should meet. Five miles below this
place, they seen a man, named Brooks, en
gaged in gigging, who told them that Lewis
and another man had passed that way, when
they immediately went up Drift Wood Branch,
with Brooks in company, till they came with
in hearing of the robbers, who whero shoot
ing mark. Brooks took them to an eminence
that overlooked and commanded a view of
their proceedings. McGee and his followers
finding it useless to remain secreted, demand
ed the rascals to surrender and told them they
should not be harmed. Their reply was,
"shoot and be d d, we will return your fire."
Lewis was shot in two places and fell the first
fire. Connelly, more fortunate, escaped harm
until he was on the brink of the river, when
ho was strucK by a ball, which cut the rim of
his abdomen, causing bis entrails to protrude.
The prisoners were conveyed to the Big
Island, seven miles distant, the nearest point
that a physician could be obtained. They
arrived there on Sunday, 2d August, 1820.
Connelly died that night. Squire Pctrikcn
called an inquest, and after examining wit
nesses, the parties engaged in the capture
were honorably acquitted. Connelly was in
terred near the Presbyterian Cemetery. Lew
is was conveyed to Bellefonte, . whero after
lingering for a tew days, refusing to have his
arm amputated, he died on the 13th of ,
gust and was buried in the Baptist Cemetery
atMilesburg. S.
Mayor Kodman of Providence.Rhode Island,
has refused to license any more circus exhibi
tions in that city, the last one having resulted
in a murder. ,
A Texas paper says that in one county in
that State, nine children have been killed by
their parents within the last three months.
- "You have, only yowrsolf to lease," said a
married friend to an old bachelor. "Yes, but
you don't know what a difficult task I find it."
A Woman's Dodc.k is Kottebdax. I had
not gone far in my rambles about the city be
fore I was brought to a stand by a discovery.
On both sides of the street, projecting " from
the center of almost every window of the
dwelling houses each at an angle of 45 degrees
w ith the w indow were placed two mirrors of a
bout a foot square, each in a vertical position,
one facing up the street and the other down.
I immediately set my Yankee ingenuity to
work to "guess' their object, and was not long
in discovering in these mirrors, plain indica
tions that here, in this great swamp of Europe,
woman's curiosity is the same as among ver
dant hills and more genial climes. The mis
tress of the house seating herself in her parlor
in a particular spot before a window with a
book, needle or knitting work in hand, has but
to lift her eyes into the twin looking-glasses
outside her window in order tocatcb at a glance
the whole panorama of the street in both di
rections. There was also another queer "look
ing glass arrangement which, for a long time
puzzled me. The puzzle grew out of the pe
culiar positions and various angles at which
these mirrors were placed. I was about giv
ing it up, when, observing that their inclina
tion was always decidedly towards the front
door, I saw the whole secret as clear as light.
The good lady of the house, hearing the door
bell ring, darts a look into the curious mirror,
and thereby knows in a moment who stand at
the door. Of course when the door servant
comes in, her ladyship can at once say wheth
er she is at home or not. In all the cities of j
Holland nearly every dwelling house has pro
jecting from its windows from one to ten of,
these ugly looking mirrors.
The Wojjders of Light. Not only does
light fly from the grand "ruler of the day,"
w ith a velocity which is a million and a half
times greater than the speed of a cannon ball,
but it darts from every reflecting surface with
a like velocity, and reaches the tender struc
ture of tho eye so gently, that, as it falls upon
the little curtain of nerves hhich is there
spread to receive it, it imparts the most pleas
ing sensations, and tells its story of the outer
world with a minuteness of detail and a holi
ness of truth. Philosophers once sought to
weigh the sunbeam. Tbey constructed a most
delicate balance, and suddenly let in upon it a
beam of light ; the lever of the balance was
so delicately hung that the fluttering of a fly
would have disturbed it. Everything prepared,
the grave men took their places, and with keen
eyes watched the result. The sunbeam that
was to decide the experiment bad left the sun
eight minutes prior, to pass the ordeal. It
had flown through ninety-five millions of miles
of space in that short measure of time, and it
shot upon the balance w ith nnabated velocity.
But the lever moved not ; and the philoso
phers were mute.
Comet of 1858. This remarkable comet,
says the Albany Argus, is now visible to the
naked eye, as predicted by Dr. Gould some
weeks ago. It is now only one hundred and
forty millions of miles distant, and is very
rapidly approaching the ear'h, and already
shows through a common opera-glass a well
defined tail. Wc are told that during the first
week in October the comet will ho of the most
striking brightness, possibly the largest of the
century, and at that time will be seen near
Arcturus, perhaps even surpassing that bril
liant star in splendor. It is now risible for a
bont an hour after sunset and an hour before
sunrise, in a line with the two stars called the
Pointers, and forming nearly a right angle be
tween these and Arcturas. It i now Uast
seen at 4 o'clock in the morning. .
A LAw-ABinixa People. Tho citizens of
Milwaukee are the most law-abiding people in
the world. We asked one of them why so
many people were drowned in their river, and
be replied that it was on account of an ordi
nance of the city, which forbids swimming
within the city limits. When one of them
slipped in, he (recalled the ordinance at once,
and rather than violate it, went cheerfully to
the bottom without a struggle.
Deccnf y is a matter of latitude. In Turkey
a man with tight pants on is considered so
great a vulgarian that he is not tolerated in
respectable society. To spit in presence of
an Arab is to make the acquaintance of his
cheese knife.- In Russia that man is consid
ered low who refuses a warm breakfast of fried
candles. In this country, vulgar people
are such as keep good hours and live within
their income.
A Phantom Gcsxer. Knife, a London ar
tist, has succeeded in photographing an ex
ploding shell. The view is taken a,s tho shell
emerges from the smoke, and shows three
eighths of an incli of its track. It is etirions
that in every instance, there is in the smoke
about the shell a phantom human head, not
visible to the eye, but quite distinct in the
photograph. It is, no doubt, the reflection of
the shadow of the gunner;
Tiie Water Works of Washington City wil1
cost $6,000,000! Unlike the local improve
ments of other cities, the whole people of the
country have to contribute toward this round
sum. And, as if to aggravate tho extrava
gance of the project, those entrusted with the
work send to Europe for the iron to be used
in it.
The United States is now borrowing money
for the fourth time in its history. The first
was to pay the war of the Revolution : the
second to pay for the sccocd war with Eng
land ; the third was on account of the Mexi
can War, and the fonrth is in the time of
peace, to carry on the ordinary expenses of
the uovernaient-
A good deacon making an official visit to a
dying neighbor, who was a very churlish and
universally unpopular man, put forth the usual
qnestion "Are you willing to go, my friend'
"Oh yes," said the man. "I am." "Well,
said the simple minded deacon. "I am glad
you are, for all the neighbors are urtllihg too '
A genuine whale," forty four feet in length
has this week astonished the people of ir
Einia, by making its appearance in the Chesa
peake. After shooting it repeatedly from a
boat, and lancing it with a sword, they suc
ceeded in killing it, and dragged it ashore.
Col. John Wood, of Montgomery county,
has been nominated by the Anti-Lecompton
men as a candidate for Congress in opposition
to Owen Jones.
'AIVOTIIER HAT FULL, JOEL."
A short yarn was spun to us last- evening,
as and concerning the experiments in milling
ot a conple of friends of ours, now or lately
sojourning for health and pleasure at the Tal
ladega Springs. It is unnecessary to give tho
names of these gentlemen, but for convenience
wc w ill call them, respectively, John and Joel.
They, it may bo remarked, have great simi
larity of tastes, and among other penchanta,
are vcrv fond of fishing ; and everybody know
that the vicinity of Talladega Springs offer
fine opportunity to the skillful knight of the fly.
Thus John and Joel there being no religi
ous services at the Springs that day went
out, Sunday before last, to the mill of Mr. P.,
a mile or two down the creek, with a vie to
a dinner of small trout and bream. With
tl.em went their invited guest, Mr. Smith,
and "Miles" ''contrived" thorn down a bottle
or two of wine.
The party was snug ; the wind was propi
tious ; and the fish altogether amiable. A
cosy, nice dinner of brown and crisp tnonn
tain fish was soon washed down with a few
glasses of champagne; and then cigars were
lit. As the smoke curled languidly about
their noses, Satan (who was invisibly present,
without an invitation,) suggested to John,
that that mill was a slowcoach," and couldn't
cut much lumlier; aud John expressed the
same opinion of Joel. Joel thought different
ly, and no did Smith. '
"fact's try her, said John.
"Agreed," said Joel and Smith.
It was short work : a larcc nine Ioz lay at
right angles across the carriage o? the mill ;
and it was agreed to "let her rip- through
this. Accordingly, the gate was raisea ana
immediately the stillness of "the grand old
woods" was broken by the rapid, sharp stroko
of the saw. In a minute the log was brought
up and the saw went rapidly through. - 1
"Now stop ber, said Joet ana omua ana
John essayed to do so
But the mill wouldn't lie stopped, out wen
clattering away, as hard as ever !
"Stop her, John, or by th lord sne'U spin
herself in two," shouted Joel. Bnt all the
fixtures were obstinate and refused to yield to
the exertions of John and Smith. On went
the saw, while John and Joel perspired.
Presently the carriage presented some me
talic obstruction to tho passage of the saw,
but "true as steel," it went against tho ob
struction and then the teeth Jtete. Somo
pieces of mill-iron had been left upon the
carriage way. But yet it ceased not np
and down ! up and down ! the true steel to the
dull cast iron, until suddenly a small flame
broke out among the dust and splinters near
the point of contact.
"Great G-d, John," said Joe!, "the infernal
machine is on fire. What shall we do I" .
'Kun down to tho creek and bring np your
hat full of water," said John. Joel looked af
fectionately at his handsome tile, which is al
ways kept neatly brushed, but submitting to a
dire necessity he straightway made it a fire
bucket and commenced fighting the flames.
John and Smith's straws were unavailable;
nevertheless, they did all those trild, inconsid
erate things which most persons will do, in
case of fire, when there is no possibility ot do
ing any good.
Still that toothless saw tipped on. singing a
demon song as it scraped against the dall cast
iron. And the fire kept gaining a little. -
Joel labored faithfully, and every two min
utes brought up his bat full of water and threw
it upon the fire. John stood despairingly lean
ing against a post in the mill, and hallooed to
his friend, as he seemed to pause at the brink,
of the stream - - '
"Another hat-full, Joel, Tor God's sake!
The Infernal thing w ill cost us at least $1200
apiece, if it burns !" '
"Betides my hat," said Joel s bnt he brought
the water and poured it on. .
On went the devilish saw, raking, rasping
and tearing itself to pieces.
At this juncture, Mr. P., the owner of the
mill, having seen the smoke, came down to
the mill, and w ith great difficulty the saw was
stopped and the fire pnt out. Joel was griev
ously "blown" with carrying 'water in his hat,
and John was qnite used up with excitement,
while Smith was breathless from his exertion
at some lever-which he sup rosed might have
some influence in quieting the demon saw.
"Gentlemen," said the proprietor, very po
litely, "it is easy enough to -See why yort
couldn't stop the saw after yon set it a-going.
This mill has some new arrangements which I
can easily explain "
"For Heaven's, Mr. P.," said John, no expla
nation on that point ! It's the first mill I ever
set a-gping and thai I ntccr sJart another!
Just send us your bill for the damages, and
let's say no more about it."
Tho "boys" paid $60 for not knowing how
to stop a saw, and that night John, In a fever
ish sleep, (be has that blessing, chills and
fever) shouted to his room-mate
"One more hat-full, Joel !"'
Rather Fishy. A fiftnily Earned Mackcral
have recently come into possession by chan
cery, in Great Britain, of an estate valued at
1,000,000, left by one Lord Salmon, who
died without an heir. The Lord Chancellor
decided that as there were no more Salmons,
the largest family of Mackerals should inherit
the fortune. . .
The manufacturers 'of domestic goods in
Boston, are already realizing the beneficial ef
fect of the supposed Chinese treaty. One
house has received orders for 2000 packages,
and another is reported as having received or
ders for 1500, making in the aggregate 4500
packages. ,
"I say, Pete, in goin round de world tra fa
blers tell us datyou looses one whole day.'
"Dat am'nt nuffin, Sam, when you can make
m up agin." "How you gwine to make it np
tell me dat 1" "Why, jis turn roun' and go
back agin." . .
Prentice says the wheat, rye, oat and grass
crops of the West have all been entirely cut
off. What was spared by the vast, smut, scab,
&c, had been cut off by patent reapers, sick
les, scythes and cradles. -
There are one hundred and one teachers em
ployed in the public schools of Rochester, N.
Y.,at salaries ranging from $800 to $225.
Ten of the teachers receive $800. . . , r -
The Jackson Democracy is the name of the
new opposition party recently inaugurated fa
Texas under the leadership or Geaeral San
Houston.
i