BY S. B. ROW.
, CLEARFIELD, PA., WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1859.
VOL. 5.-W. 38.
THE EE A SOS WHY.
Do you wish to know the reason
Why your neighbor often calls
On the dashing WJow VVilkins,
And attends her to the balls?
"Why his carriage is seen stopping
At some noted clothing store,
And the widow goes a-shopping
Where she never went before?
If you wish it, I will tell you
Let me whisper to you sly
If they esteem it proper.
It is not your business war.
Io you wish to know why Peter
ils forsaken friends and home,
And left his native country,
In a distant land to roain ?
Why Polly secins so lonely,
iuce the day that Peter left,
.And of all friends, sho the only,
Should appear to be bereft ?
If you wish it, I will tell you
Let mo whimper to you sly
If they have a reason for it.
It is not your business wor.
Would you know the secrets
Of your neighbor's bouse and lifo ?
How ho lives, or how he doesn't,
And just how ho treats his wife ?
llow h spends his time of leisure,
Whether sorrowful or gay.
And whtro he goes for pleasure,
To tho concort or the play '.
If you wish it, I will tell you
Let mo whimper to you sly
If your neighbor is but civil.
It is not your business wur.
In cliort. instead of prying,
In!o other folks' affairs.
If you do your own but ju.-tiv.
You will have no time for theirs.
lio attentive to su-h matters
As concern yourself alone.
And whatever fortune flatters.
Let your business be mi l! ow.i.
One word, by way of finis.
" Let u:e whimper to you sly
If you wish to be respected,
Vou in Uft ceajo to be a imiy '.
COPYRIGHT RECl'KKn.
L KA It FIELD COll.MY: .
CR, REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST.
We will yet make cue brief allusion to Mat
thew, the youngest son ot Daniel Ogden. Be
sides his other marked characteristics, he was
a man of extraordinary mechanical ingenuity.
Cutting out and making coats, vests, pants,
boots and shoes were matters of frequent oc
currence with him. lie also made a loom and
epinning-wliecl ; would weave and spin with
much celerity, repair guns, pull teeth, and
"jrtnr surgeon and doctor. lie made the stones
which he used in his grist-mill, and which are
yet doing service in Shaw's mill at Trout run.
In short, there was scarcely anything needed
that he did not seem competent to construct.
It is, indeed, remarkable that a man reared, as
bo was, in the woods, away from all manufac
turing establishments, should have bad such
diversified rocchanica'. skill.
The same year that Daniel Ogden made bis
firht trin to this coiuitv. he fell in with Arthur
Bell at the "Big Island." Mr. Bell, better
known as 'Squire Bell, either came up the riv
er with Ogden, or followed soon after. He re
mained a short time with Ogden, assisted him
in the erection of his bouse, and then went
larther up the river, seeking a place on which
to settle, l'lcased with the situation now oc
cupied by Sanies Fairwell, he determined to
locate there. Bell was at that time a resident
of Path Valley, Cfentre county ; was married
to a Miss Greenwood, and bad several chil
dren, lie was a utnn ot large stature, well pro
poitioned, of comely appearance, and had an
iron frame, united with great softness of man
ners. Industrious, inflexible, honest and cour
ageous, this kind and obliging neighbor was a
delightful compound of (hose characteristics
which we most delight to find in man and
child. He was soon followed here by Caspar
llockenberry and James McCracken, who had
married sisters of his wife.
'Squire Bell cleared for himself a comforta
ble home, erected a bouse, and planted an or
chard, lie met with many difficulties during
his early residence here, tilling the soil with
- rnde implements of husbandry, having to grind
his grain in a coffee-ruill to pioduce meal, un
til after the erection of the Ogden mill, to
which place he first made trips in a canoe, and
being compelled to visit Lock Haven, by the
River, whenever he required tho services of a
smith, there being no smith shop nearer. As
these trips occupied at least two weeks, and
.compelled bim to travel about GOO miles, going
and coming, through an uninhabited country,
be made them as tew and far between as pos
sible. Fond of hunting; during hours not de
moted to agriculture, or clearing of land, he
would collect tho skins of a number of wild
animals, and "jerk" such portions of their
flesh as were not needed for food in the fami
Jr, and at least once a year he would carry the
skins and "jerk" to the "Big Island," where
he would trade them lor tools and necessaries.
Once ho started down, rather early in tho sea
son, that he might reach home in good time
to rut his land in order, and bro't with him all
that was necessary to put bis plow, which was
one of the old bar-shear wooden plows, in good
working condition. Ho commenced hisspring
plowing, and in less than half a day broke off
what is called the teat, tLat part which locked
the shear and coulter together. With all his
skill, being destitute' of proper tools, he
could not draw on another, or make the plow
ork without it. For that season he was com-
v. .
pelled to depend upon tho hoe.
1 As Bell's circumstances were improving,
and when be bad gUhcred around bim some
stock, a volf, which bad been prowling about
tho settlement, made bold to enter near to bis
duelling. Its conduct was of kuch a charac
ter ac to a Lira lLo family. Ike noli m a'.-.
t tacked by Bell's trusty bouso and hunting dog.
Although every effort was made to destroy the
animal, its death could not be oflccted.without
sacrificing the life of the dog, until after it
had succeeded n biting, or wounding all of
'Squire Bell's cattle. Having reason to be
lieve that the wolf 'was then laboring under
paroxysms of madness, the family refrained
from using milk for about nine days, to see
what effect would be produced upon tho cat
tle, but no unusual symptoms manifested them
selves. After again using the milk for a few
days, to the horror of the family, their cattle
were all found to be mad, and conducted
themselves in so-violent a manner that Mr.
Bell found himself -forced to kill them. The
whole family had partaken of the milk, using
it freely after their abstinence, and now feared
that they, too, might liavo incorporated into
their systems the seeds of this horrible disease.
Ono cannot describe the wretchedness and
terrible anxiety, with w hich the different mem
bers of this family watched each other (or the
maiiifestitafion of the first symptoms of this
awful malady, hoping that no ill results might
follow, but dreading those terrific convulsions,
when tho father might crush out tho life of his
offspring, or a child destroy her who had giv
en him biith; or when the entire family, all
affected at once, would, w ith glaring and blood
shot eyes, rush at each oher, and sink to
gether in the mad conflict, without a soul be
ing near to stay their hands or afford lelief.
Fortunately, -however, the Good Being, who
is alike present in the wilderness and in the
crowded city, heard their anxious prayers, and
Hie leartul calamity was averted. As day after
day passed by without the appearance ot tho
much dreaded symptoms, their confidence was
gradually restored, and they weut about their
avocations as usual.
In 1S03, Bell sold the upper portion of
"his place, now owned by Win. Kelly, to Ben
jamin Fenton, a resident of Half Moon Val
ley, Centre county, w ho that year cleared out
about three acres, sowed it in wheat, built a
small log house, and returned to Centre coun
ty. During tho winter he brought out tho
heavy part of his goods on sleds, that being
the only means of- transportation tho misera
ble condition of the State road would then al
low. In the spring of 1804, Mr. Fenton, ac
companied by bis family, brought out the bal
ance of his goods -on pack horses. He was as
sisted by Alex. McNattin, a jolly Scotchman,
who resided at the foot of the mountain, above
Unionville. After many mishaps, Fenton ar
rived at his place of destination on tho 21th
of April, 1S04. lie was compelled to ferry
his goods in canoes across Clearfield creek and
the River, which were then swollen by the
melting snow. Leaving Anderson's creckj
they had a road to travel, which was little bet
ter than a bridle path. At tho Narrows, a
short distance below Fenton 's future residence,
tho shelving rocks were steep, down into the
wafer. The men concluded to drive their hor
ses before them through the water, whilst they
clambered along the face of the rocks. A
favorite black mare, called '-Kate," load
ed with a goodly portion of the bedding,
turned fair into tho stream, and took a tack
for the opposite shore. To see Kate swim
ming with her bulky load, and her head alone
above water, might' have proved a laughable
sight to others, had they been present, but it
aroused quite different emotions in these who
were watching her movements. To prevent
the other horses following her example, they
were secured, and finally, by dint of coaxing,
old Kato was prevailed upon to wheel about
and return to the shore, mnch to the joy of the
party, but not before the blankets were all
well dampened. . The house to which the par
ty repaired, was not supplied with all the
modern conveniences." There were neither
doors nor windows, but only holes cut out of
the logs, where these appendages were after
wards to be placed. People were not fastidi
ous in those days, and blankets served very
well to fill these openings, until something
better could be procured. Fenton and Bell be
came warm and intimate friends. Fenton of
ten brought in the game, which tho 'Squire
was more fond of shooting than carrying
home, and for which service tho former always
received a good share. At one time, the
'Squire had killed a small bear, and called on
his friend to go for it w ith "old Kate." While
they were out, he killed another, much larger
than the first, and unusually fat. On the ribs,
"the fat was in thickness the length of a small
sized butcher-knife," probably 4 or 5 inches,
and made grease for their corn "dodgers" and
buckwheat cakes for adong while. From Fen
ton descended four children Elisha, Thomas,
now dead, George W., and Mary, married to
John Taylor, who resides in Venango county.
If one could take a birds-eye view of all the
improvements in Clearfield county, he could
not fail to pick from among them that one, in
such ierfect order, on which resides Elisha,
a man of Intelligence, integrity, industry and
method. .
Arthur Bell was a man of considerable infor
mation, and filled the offices of Treasurer and
Justice ot the Peace, to which he was appoint
ed, with" much credit. Although he took
great delight in hunting .and fishing, he made
those pursuits subordinate to his sterner du
ties. He was passionately foud of music, kept
a violin in bis house, and many an hour would
ho play for the araujcuient of his own and h:s
neighbors' children. There was a tidiness a
bout his farm, his fences, his buildings ev
erything about him pointed him out as a man
of order- He lived respected, and died la
mented. His remains were deposited in the
burial ground near the ruins of the old chnrch
on the road leading from Curwensville to the
Cherry-trc, -about a mile and a half from the
first named place.
Arthur Bell and his brother John, w ho came
to this county soon after the "Squire, had each
been engaged in the Revolutionary war, hav
ing served on board of privateers. John was
a bachelor. Arthur raised a large and respect
able family. He had three sons and four
daughters. Wiiliaiu was married to a Miss
Henry, and died leaving a large family. His
widow became the wife of John P. Dale.
Greenwood resides near the old place, and his
bended and distorted form, the result of rheu
matism, with which he has suffered the most
excruciating agony for years, bears witness of
the hardships and exposure he experienced in
his earlier days. Gricr is a man of decided
character honest, unbending, a warm parti
zan and friend. He was the first white child
born in the county. He was named after the
Rev. Grier, who was brought from Williams
port to christen him, and was the first child
baptized here. He now resides in Ferguson
township, on a' piece of high land which has
this peculiarity about it : In one of the fields,
a circular embankment of some extent, origi
nally several feet wide at its base, and rising
from ono to two feet, marks a spot which cen
turies ago had been used by another race.
Within this enclosure, and upon the embank
ment, trees, perhaps of as great an age as any
in the country, had grown and flourished after
tho spot had been used.' At a depth of sever
al inches, are to be found evidences of places
upon which fires had been built, and around
which are yet-turned up, by the plow, pieces
of stone, evidently manufactured for use, and
remnants of the potter's handiwork of that
day. From this enclosure, which seems to
have had one point of ingress or egress, there
being no embankment there, a commanding
view of the country is obtained, and from it
can be socn, overlooking many other promi
nent points, "tho Three Knobs." When this
embankment was made, by whom, and lor what
purpose, is and ever must remain a mystery.
It is the only thing of its character known in
this county, but ono 'similar to it has been
found in Cambria. Letitia,onc of the daugh
ters of Arthur Bell, was married to James
Young, who had a numerous family the oth
ers were respectively married to William,
Thomas and John McCracken, sons of James
MeCrackn, from whom, as well as the otLcr
children of James McCracken, have descend
ed a Urge progeny, living in Bell and Fergu
son townships. So extensive is this family at
the present day' that ono of our correspondents,
to whom we are indebted for much informa
tion, remarks that "almost every third name
on the duplicate is a McCracken."
(TO BE CONT1MED.)
L'seitl Medical Hints. If a persor swal
low any poison whatever, or has fallen into
convulsions from having overloaded the stom
ach, an instantaneous remedy, more efficient
and applicable in a largo number of cases than
any lialf-adozcn medicines we can now think
of, is a teaspoonful of common salt and as
much ground mustard, stirred rapidly in a
teacup of water, warm or cold, and swallowed
instantly. It is scarcely down before it be
gins to come tip, bringing with It tho remain
ing contents of tho stomach ; and lest there
be any remnant of poison, however small, let
the white of an egg, or a teacupful of strong
coflee, be swallowed as soon as the stomach is
quiet ; because these very common articles
nullify a larger number of virulent poisons
than any medicines in the shops. In cases of
scalding or burning the body, immersing the
part in cold water gives entire relief as instan
taneously as lightning. Meanwhile get some
common dry flour, and apply it an inch or two
thick on the injured part the moment it emer
ges from the water, and keep on sprinkling
tho Hour through anything like a pepper-box
cover, so as to put it on evenly. Do nothing
else, drink nothing but water, cat nothing,un
til improvement commences, except some dry
bread softened in very w eak tea of some kind.
Cures of frightful burning have been per
formed in this way, as wonderful as they are
painless. We once saved the life of an in
fant which had been inadvertently drugged
with laudanum, and which was fast sinking
into the sleep which has no awaking, by giv
ing it strong coflce, cleared with the white of
an egg, a teaspoonful every five rainntcs until
it ceased to seem drowsy. MedicalJournal.
The Gold Fever. All who aro afflicted
with the Pike's Peak fever, should read and
ponder tho following, from the Leavenworth
Ledger : "We often hear young men, who
never did any bard work in their lives, talk
about going to Pike's Peak. We ask such,
what kind ot work they think gold digging is?
Let them turn out hero and get themselves in
to practice by digging wells, cellars, coal,
quarrying rock, mauling rails and rolling saw
logs, eat dry bread and wash it down with wa
ter, and sleep on the ground in fair weather
and foul, then they can form an opinion about
the work of digging gold. Digging gold is no
child's play ; and it is only the strong, able
bodied, hard-working men that will suit the
business. The men who succeeded at tho
mines in California, were strong of arm and
stout of heart, and only such men can succeed
at the gold mines. A bull has just as much
business in a china shop, as a fair-faced clerk
or glove-handed gentleman has atPikesPoak.
"Good morning, Patrick, it's slippery this
morning." "Slippery ! aud be jabcrs it's no
thing else, your honor. Upon my word, I
slipped done three time w:tbpu,t getting up
once."
HOW ZEKE BEX TON GOT A WIFE.
Ezckiel Benton, Esq., of Smithville, New
Hampshire, in a letter published in the Home
Journal, sets forth his personal experience in
some delicate matters thus :
Mr Dear Abe : Since I la $ writ, I've
been a putt in' a climax on my life, by gcttiir
married., Now, you needn't hoist your eye
brows, and whissel 'cause it's all over.
Wheu 1 look back and kinder think of it coolly,
I lay it all to my going into tho quire. Ned
and Bill Sims, and Joe Prestou, and half a
dozen of 'em, had been at me more nor a
month, wantin' rac' me to como up and help
'em in the base, but I fought shy, tellin' 'era
I never could sing in meetin'; but the truth
was, I know'd I'd feci plaguy queer up among
all them gals, for female 'ciety always did
take the starch out of me wondrous j and aunt
Barbara, you remember, used to say that I was
the awkardest feller among tho young women
that she ever did ee. Well, they pestered
me so about goin', that what did I do at last
but go. I'd rather had a double tooth out
twice over, but then 1 was ashamed to say
"uo" any more. So, on the next Sunday
mornin' after I promised 'em, I dressed some
thin' smarter than, ordinary, and scented my
lijindkerchief with peppermint, and when I
got to the church, had half a mind to give it
up, but just then Bill Sims come up and clap
ped me on the back, aud sez he, '-Come Zeke,
we're going to have a prelude this mornin'.
We must turn out strong on that;" and so I
had nothin' else to do but just to go along np.
Somehow or 'nother we went up the gal's side,
and when I got to the top of the stairs, there,
sure enough, was the hull of 'em, aud hearin'
my new screaky boots, what did they all do
but turn clean around and look straight at me.
I tell you, I felt streak-ed, and my head be
gun to go round as it I'd been a drinkiu'.
I couldn't xackly see which way to go, but I
tried somehow to git over where the fellers
was ; when the fust thing 1 kriow'd I miss'd
the step, and went sprawling head foremost,
and would have been down in the middle aisle,
if it hadn't been for the front of the gallery.
I got up as quick as I could,butiuy pautaloons
was all dust, my coat was torn up the back,
and the gals was a snickering as if they'd bust.
This made me kinder desperate ; so I sat down
and began to look at a music book awful hard,
just as if nothin' had happened. But I didn't
sing a note that morniu', and never was so
glad as when meetin' was over. When the
folks began to go out. I hung back a lir.
u as iir fc" nwaj uuwAiiunu , uui icaitt
them in the quire seemed to bo awaitin' lor fr
something, I had to push ahead, when I'll. be
bound it there was ono of them gals there was
a dozen that sez, so provokin', "Why, Mr.
Bunton your coat is all torn," just as if I
didn,t know that. I didn't say nothin' back,
but hurried out, and slipped round under the
slied till the folks was gene. Well, Abe, it
was three Sundays after that fore I went into
the quire again; for, by that time, I guessed
it bad all blown over, and Joe and the rest of
'em were at me all tho while. That time I
tnk particular paius to be on hand as soon as
the church doors were open, and got in the
quiro seats fus, so I tuk the gals, you see, one
at a time, and hot all in a mess like before.
Well, I got along fust rate that day, and be
gun after a few weeks to get quite used t it,
when something new turned up. One Sunday
evening I had taken my place at the end of
the .seat towards the gals ; and just across the
little aisle at the end of tho gals' seat towards
ns sat Hetty Burroughs. Now you recollect
Hetty you know you can't skecr up many
prettier faces than she's got any way. Well,
that day her ribbon fixing set her off astonish
en. We were short of music books, and so,
when we was standin' up to sing the fust hymn,
Hetty soxXP me, sez she, "Mister Benton, will
you look over me ?" I kinder started, but
tuk hold. Well, when I begun to sine:, I found
that my voico was a little tlusticated, and that
made Hetty luk straight at me, nnd then I was
llusticated wuss, and then I looked at her,
and then she got to shukin', and down wont
the book clean over the front. "Ke chunk"
it went, and made everybody jump. When
Hetty saw the book fall, sho came nigh faint
ing, and grabbed my arm not a purpose, you
know, but kinder accidental. Well Abe, it
was that what did it. For you see,when meet
in' was over,IIetty sez to me, as we was going
out, sez she, "Mr. Benton, I was so confused
I didn't know what I was about. I beg your
pardon for taking hold of your arm." "Lor,
ma'am," sez I, "why I liked it." And then
Hetty blushed, and didn't say nuthm.' And
then sez I, "I only wish yon'd just take hold
of my 8rm, and let me see you home." Well,
do vou believe it, there was Hetty and me a
walking homo that evening, arm in arm.
When 1 left ber, and got to our house, I set
down, and it, was for all the world like a
dream. I set up all night rubbing my cjes,
and a thinking and then I'd guess it wasn't me
but some other feller. Wall, the folks in the
house didn't know what to make of me ; for
I went on mighty curious, and not as I use'd
to. I was considerable 'stractcd and couldn't
eat nothin,' and I broke a tumbler, a meat
dish, and two cups all in ono day. As this
was being rather expensive, the folks couldn't
stand it any better nor me.
Next day. after our walk home, I went to
see Hetty, thinkin' I'd have a glorious time ;
but when I got to the house I set like a mum
my, and couldn't get up steam to say nuthin'
nice. Vou see there was nothing there like
a music-book to start us. Well, I see Hetty
ofi and on for a fortnight longer, and all the
town got atalkin' how I was sparking Hetty
Burroughs, and then 1 made up my mind that
what was to be was to be, and so I calculated
on tuakin' the thing sartin as soon as possible.
I seed that Hetty wasn't vexed at my stoppin'
in so often ; and when a gal ain't vexed at you
in such circumstances, you may be sure she'j
rather taken with you. That's my flosophy
you may want to use it sometimes, Abe. So
one evenin' as I was a sittln' by Hetty, and
had worked myself up to the sticking pint,
sez I, "Hetty, if a feller should ask yon to
marry him, what wud you say ?" Then sho
laughed, and sez she, "That would depend on
who asked me," Then sez I, "Suppose it W3s
Ned Willis." Sez she, "I'd tell Ned Willis,
but not yon." That kinder staggered me.
But I was too cute to loose the opportunity,
and so I sez agen, "Suppose it was me V
And then you ought to have seen her pout up
her lip, and sez she,"I don't take no supposes."
WelL now. you see there was nothing lor mu
to do boi touch .the sun off. So
bang it
went. Sez I. "Lir, HeUj, it' n. Won't
tou uv vesr-' And ibeo tcere was fcucn
J
a"
huliaballoo in nrv fccad I don't kno'-v cxa
ly what tuk place.but I thought I hecred a yes
whisperiu' somewhere out of the skirmish.
Anyhow, after that, Hetty and me was en
gaged, and six months after we were married.
The day we was married wo went off in the
afternoon cars for Boston. When wo got to
Brattleboro,' Hetty asked me to get her a glass
of lemonade. Well, while I was in for the
lemonade, off started the cars and when I got
out, with tho lemonade in my hand, there
they was, a hundred yards ahead. Lor !
didn't I holler! "My wife ! My wife !" I yel
led like a Injun, and run like a Injun too. A
way went tho cars, and I foller'd, scream iu'
and blowin', and holding the lemonade all the
time. Then I threw away tho glass ; ttien I
let my overcoat go; then iuy hat blew off ;
and then I fell down, blowed out by the side
of tho track. The first that roused me up was
Hetty's voice: "Zekel, O my Zekel! are you
dead Vm You see, Hetty, seein' the cars was
startin'"and I wasn't back with the lemonade,
got out herself on tho other side, and let the
cars go without her, and so I had been a cha
sin' the cars, and Ilcuy had been a chasin ma.
But, no matter, wo'ro all happy agon, and I
remain yours. ' Ezekiel Benton.
EE ATKTG THE DEVIL.
In the early days of the State of Indiana,
the capital was Corydon and the annual sessions
of the General Assembly usually brought to
gether as wild a set of wags as could be found
in the State, who had to rely cpon their own
resources lor amusement, for there were then
few theatres, concerts, or shows. The lovers
of mischief had established a meek Masonic
Lodge, into which they would em ice such as
were a little preen, and take them through a
variety of ridiculous ceremonies, to tho in
finite amusement of the crowd. On one ot
these occasions, it being understood that a
good natured, athletic young man, about half
a simpleton, was to be initiated, tho room
was crowded. Judge Grass, (it being a char
acter in which ho was peculiarly happy) had
consented to act the role of the devil ; and, to
make tho services more impressive, .had put
on a fals face and a paper cap, surmounted
with horns, and with some chains in his hands
placed himself behind the" screen. After ta
king the candidate through a variety of cere
monies, he was brought to a stand before tho
screen, and told that he had then to confess
all the crimes he committed during his life.
The candidate confessed some trivial offences,
and declared that he could recolect no more.
k.t this the Judge came out from his biding
place, groaned and shook his chains. The
frightened candidate related soma other-small
matters, and declared that he had disclosed
all the crimes bo had ever committed. At
this the gruns of the pretended devil became
furious, the. chains rattled, and he shook his
horns in the face of the terrified candidate,
who, starting back in alarm, cried out: "lib-hold
on, M-m-ister D-d-devil, if I m-m-must
t-tellyou, I d-d-did k-kisa J-judge G-g-grass'
w-w-wife ac-c-couple of t-times !"
The groaning ceased.
Treatment of Peach Trees. R. Searaans,
of Cecilton, Maryland, thus gives his plan of
treatment of peach trees, which he cultivates
on a large scale : They should be carefully
examined every year, and all the worms and
ot'o destroyed. A shovelful of wood ashes
thrown around the roots every spring is bene
ficial. When six years old, the soil should be
cautiously removed for about two feet around
the trunk, so as to examine the root. A
strong wash of lime and some salt should then
be applied to the top of tho root at the trunk
and lor about eighteen inches above it, prior
to which application the rongh bark should be
scraped off. The removed soil is left open for
ono week, then placed in its former position.
A 3-early examination for worms, a rich soil,
and careful cultivation are all necessary for
the prosperity of the peach-tree.
A Strange Conceit. Tho insane often en
tertain the most ludicrous idea of their own
condition. There is a man in an asylum in
one of the neighboring States who became in
sane in consequence of a failure in business.
He explains the reason of his incarceration as
follow s : "I am here because of a meTe mis
take in business. I was engaged during the
winter in making mosquitoes' wings, which I
expected to sell in the summer. I had ten
thousand of them on hand when the season
opened, but unfortunately I had forgotten to
make them in pairs. Tbey were all left hand
wing, and consequently I lost the sale of
them and was compelled to suspend payment!"
He relates this story with a gravity and ear
nestness which testifies to the sincerity of his
own belief in the explanation. Boston Journal.
A Rat-Skix Scit An ingenious individual,
of Liskeard, Cornvall,England, has, for some
time past, been exhibiting himself in a dress
composed from top to toe of rat-skins, which
be has been collecting for three years and a
hall. The dress was made entirely by himself;
it consists of hat, neckerchief, coat,waistcoat,
trousers, tippet, gaiters, und shoes. The
number of rats required to complete the suit
was six hundred and seventy ; and the indi
vidual, when thus dressed, appears exactly
like one of tho Esquimaux described in the
travels of Parry and Ross. The tippet or boa
is composed of the pieces of skin immediate
ly round the tail of tho rats and is a very cu
rious part of the dress, containing about six
hundred tails and those none of the shortest.
A Free Pcxpit. Who will say that we are
not a free people 1 Rev. S. Garber, a minis
ter of the Dunkerj denomination, . recently
preached a sermon in Washington county,
Tennessee, in which, after alluding in geuer
al terms to the sin of Oppression, he stated
that flavery might bo included under that
head, but that was a subject on which he did
not feel at liberty to speak. A great excite
ment ensued, and a few days after the rever
end gentleman was arrested for preaching an
abolition sermon, and fined $234, notwith
standing that the chnrch before which be de
livered tho obnoxioua discourse unanimously
testified that tbero waa nothing said by him
which conld justify the charge of preaching
specially against slavery.
Ginseng Root is said to be largely exported
from Wisconsin to the China market. It is
alleged that it formed a chief resource of the I
population of Adams and Juneau counties, in '
the timo of threatened famine last year, and j
a member ot the legislature from Richmond i
countv estimated tfce lat vear's expert therce 1
alone at ?3?.000 to K',WL. ... - i
DEEPPLOWISG.
Theory cf Tlowixq. Why not put the seed
on the ground Because one of the snrround
ings (moisture) necessary to vegetable Ufa
would be wanting. Why not dig holes large
enough only for the seed, and cover them J
Because disintegration of the soil is necessa
ry to facility of penetration by tho roots of the
plaut. To produce that disintegration, be
yond what is done by freezing and thawing,
in tho most expeditious manner, wo plow.
Why need tho roots jtenctrato tho soil 1 To
sustain the tops of the plant in an uprightpo
sition, and give sustenance to the plant; as a
large portiou of the nutriment which is assim
ilated by life, is drawn troni tho soU, as well
as the air By means of tho leaves.
Deep Plowixo. We have now a universal
key to the true solution of the much-mooted
question ot deep plowing. Plow as deep as
the material ot sustenance can be found iu re
munerating quantit y. If this proposition seems
general too wide for a rule it is neverthe
less the only one. We must regard then :
1. Length of Root, Tho roots of plants
run, as a general rule, rather deeper or longer
than the tops of plants rise above tho surface
of the earth. In the case of small plants tbeD,
no matter what the soil, it would not be neces
sary to plow deeper than the height of the
plant. Again, the roots of plants do not de
scend vertically, but at an angle of various in
clination to the horizon generally filling out
their greatest length laterally. The reason of
this is the law of nature projecting the roots
within the range of the "vital forces."
2. The 'Vital Forces.' The leading vital
forces are five : water, heat, air, electricity and
light. Roots seem, therefore, to run just low
enough to insure moisture, and enjoy heat
and air. Wc know less of electricity. Deep
plowing, then, favors the largest application
of the vital forces to the expansion of tho
plant, and therefore the greatest growth, oth
er things being equal.
3. How Deep ? If the vital forces were the
only surroundings cf the plant, the only limit
to the depth of plowing would be the length of
the plants, under the most favorable circum
stances fifteen feet deep for Indian corn
would not bo too deep! But then the mine
ral and vegetable remains the nutriment of
plants musbe considered. If there is on
foot of nutrimental soil resting upon sand or
lime stone, then plow one foot. So of pipo
clay, or other substances not capable of adding
to the nutriment of plants ; leave them at the
base of the plowing ; don't turn them to tha
top, because it would bo putting the innutriti
ons elements in contact with the vital forces,
to the exclusion of tho nutritious.
4. Si bsoiling But after you have" turned
up and disintegrated all the productive- ele
ments of the soil, subsoiling may be used as
a means of providing a reservoir of water for
the roots in dry weather, nothing more ; and
when the upper soil is very thin in the crust,
it is especially necessary, to prevent the wa
ter from washing a'way the soil when under
draining is not used.
5. Deepening the Soil. It sometimes hap
pens that the nutritious soil may be increased
by exposing the subsoil to tho action of tha
vital forces and tho influence of freezing.
That is especially the case with the limestone
lands of Kentucky. The red clay ot the cen
tral parts of this State, taken ten leet below
the surface, and exposed to the frost and tho
action of the vital forces, will produce a very
nutritive soil. A soil may be deepened then
by turning up all the nutritious, and a little ot
the subsoil each year, and thus there Rill be
no limit to the increased productiveness, but
the want of physical means of disintegration.
We are now prepared to account lor the con
flicting testiniosy of farmers about deep plow
ing. One plows up a deep nutritious soil a
foot or fifteen inches, and produces most ex
traordinary crops. Another submerges under
impenetrable clay or inntitritious gravel, tho
thin crust of nutritions earth, the same dept-'i
as the other the roots never are able to
reach through the innutritious to the nutriti
ous soil, and the crop perishes! Forthwith
ho reads the community a jeicruiad against
"deep plowing."
From all this it will be seen that Farming i.i
both a-scienco (and a most broad and iutricalu
science) and an art, calling for the highest hu
man powers of observation,, combination and
analysis. C. M. Clay.
Whitehall, Madison CoM A"y.
Lynch Law. Oscar F. Jackson, who mur
dered Wallace,was lynched by a mob in Rock
ford, Minnesota. He took refuge in a bou,
was drawn out by fire kindled about it, and
then hung to the gable end of a cabin. Tbey
let him down twice ; the first timo he address
ed the crowd, protesting his innocence of tho
murder of Wallace. Tho second time ho
made strong hut ineffectual efforts to speak,
seeing which the crowd run him up again to
the rafters, choking him until ho was dead.
The Louisiana Organ says that "quite an
excitement has been created among tho deni
zens of the Bayou Bceuf section of country,
by the sudden clopenient of the son of a weal
thy and highly respectable planter wiih hU
mother's maid servant, a slave, m near whito
as to have been taken.at times, for a daughter
of the bouse. They are supposed to have
gone to Texas, with the intention, as tlwy
learned from an intercepted note of the young
man, of consummating matrimony."
Ssakt. A. few days since, a gentleman
killed on bis farm in Uxbridge,5Iassachiisetts,
fifty-three black snakes, the aggregate length
of which was two hundred and eleven tect
and five inches. The longest measured five
leet and two inches. Several were, five feet
long, and but two less than three feet. Tho
average length was bat a fraction less than
four feet.
A Frenchman named Jean Gelott Hinanson,
aged fifty 3 ears, and Frances Isemand, a, na
tive of Germany, aged fifty likewise, wero
joined in the holy bonds of wedlock, at St.
Louis, recently. Tho beanty of tho joke is
that the old bachelor cannot speak a word of
German, and the old maid cannot speak a
word of French. - "
The most astfkward thiDg in or out oi all
all creation, is a. wwuan trying to run. Tbey
cau'tdo it. TUtyare nothir.nina: rntfftntivws.
except with tbftir tongues. - If. ti
arraiievTrtcnts.- in tho world Ur vtcrv '
made tor I'eetue-w on the pedal, tbcj'Wf w
men and ducks. .- r -y-.-xTi V'-
xh'-ur-l;!. Lancaster: Yoryi .'t'cmiUt-i r;.