U "
BY S. B. ROW.
CLEARFIELD, PA., "WEDNESDAY, JULY. 11, 1859.
YOL. 5 -HO. 46.
' ' . - . ' ; ' ' '.V'"' " ' '. ; .'T:l''r.f ,--; ' --4 V - ' - ' - - - -
'"- . .' i i J ' ...... - ' ' : . ' ' ' : , ' - -."
FOOTSTEPS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
Sitting in my hmnbla door-way, '
Oaring out into the night,
Listening to the stormy tumult
. With a kind of sad delight
Wait I for him who comes not, ' - , '
, Ono whose steps I long to hear ;
Ono who, though he lingers from me,
Still is dearest of the dear.
Soft he comes now. heart, be quiet
, Leaping in triumphant pride;
.Oh ! it is a stranger's footstep
Gone Lyon the other Bide.
All the night seems filled with weeping,
Winds are wailing mournfully,
And the rain-tears blent together,
Journey to the restless sea.
I can fancy. Sea, you murmur,
As they with your waters flow,
Like the griefs of single beings,
Making up a nation's woe !
Branches, bid yonr guests be silent ;
Hush a moment, fretful rain ;
Breeze, stop sighing let me listen,
Ood grant not again in vain.
In my cheeks the blood is ro.y,
Like the blushes of a bride,
Joy! alas! a stranger's footstep,
does by on the other side.
Ah ! how many wait forever
For the steps, that do not come;
Wait until the pitying angels,
Bear them to a peaceful home.
JIany in the still of midnight. ,
In the streets have lain and died.
While the sound of human footsteps
Went.by on the other side. .
corrmciiT SEcrRED.J
CLEARFIELD COUNTY:
OR, REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST.
Whilst the head of Clearfield Creek was Ly
ing settled, settlements were also being made
towards the mouth, in that part of the county
alterwards called Bradford township. David
Litz, who had formerly resided in Centre coun
ty, mored, about the beginning of the centu
ry, to near the Clearfield Bridge, where lie
made a farm, and 'raised a large family. He
ran the first raft which went down the River.
It was composed of saw-logs, and was sold to
Joseph Quay, who owned a saw-mill at Queen's
Run. This was in 1S05. Pete Young, a Jer
sey man, cleared some land nearArdery's dead
water, where he for some time kept a tavern
or place of entertainment, and where he also
was engaged, a part of the time, in distilling.
He was one of the contractors on tho Miles
burg and Le Bceuff road, and made a consid
erable part of the road east of the Creek. He ,
was a rough, nngainly man, wanting of an eye,
and was the brother of William Young, who
made the first improvement on Jason Kirk's
firm on the River. Ilezekiah Bye took up a
piece of land as vacant, lived on it a few years,
and in 1S05 sold it to George Wilson, the el
der, who came out here at that time, and made
of the projerty so purchased a fine farm.
' It was in 1801 that Abraham Leonard came
to this county to .look at the country. He
worRed here during that and the next two
years. Oa the 11th of March, 1804, there be
ing then three feet of snow on the ground, he
moved his family, on a sled, to & cabin, about
14 feet square, which lie, in the summer of
1803, had erected on the land which lie had
cleared, near where the toll-gate now is, on
the Snow Shoe -and Packcrsville turnpike, a
couple miles east of Clearfield Borough. His
family consisted of his wife and three chil
dren James T-, Thomas, and Elizabeth, the
wife of John Spackman. He had several chil
dren born to him after settling in this coun
ty Rachel, the wife of Jonathan Hartshorn ;
Zenas, who wenUo Jackson county, Missouri,
in 1830, and died there in 1857, and whose ad
ventures in the Rocky Mountains are well
known ; Ilarinah, the wife of the Hon. Wm.
L. Moore,"at present an Associate Judge of
the county ; Robert, deceased ; Agnes, who is
married fo Abraham Peirce of Bradford town
ship ; and Andrew, who died in 1845. He
cleared more or less land every year until
1813 or '14. His progress was slow. The
family were often compelled to do without
bread for several days. Potatoes were their
main dependence. ODce, when deprived of
this article of diet, by the ground being fro
zen so hard that they could not bo dug, they
had to resort to parched corn, and as the
grains would fly out of the skillet, during the
time the old gentleman was stirring it over
the fire, a scramble would ensue among tho
children to obtain the precious morsel. Leo?
nard had to go to Huntingdon to get flour
ground, and to obtain his leather and his gro
ceries, where they bad to pay from 30 to 40
cetlts a pound for coffee, and from 25 to 30
cents for sugar. It was cot until about 1813,
that they could obtain coffee in this county,
and then only at the moderate price of fifty
pents a pound. Salt was worth $5.00 per
bushel, and the little poke which contained it,
was considered quite a treasure by the family.
We have heard Hon. James T. Leonard, (the
eldest child,) talking of his early days, speak
pr the pleasure he experienced, when his
mother would allow him to have a lick at a
lump of salt at the time the bag was taken
down for the purpose of seasoning the bread.
Jf Judge Leonard was in his early days de
prived of those luxuries with which the chil
dren ol the affluent arc pampered, a life of
well-directed industry, in which has been dis
played perseverance, business tact, and a
knowledge of mankind, has enabled hira to
realize such an amount of wealth that he can
now gratify his every desire. This plain, un
assuming, self-made man, who, at one time,
could with difficulty raise $4.871,, the price
which he bid for a lot in Clearfield, at Trea.su--sr's
sale, has for some years been the master
spirit in the lumbering operations of this sec
tion. His strict' business habits and probity
havo been appreciated by the people of the
county, whom he has served in the capacity of
Prothonotary, Associate Judge, Treasurer, &c.
He has been a very useful man, but many of
his acts, which have increased the prosperity
of others, are unknown, for he lets not his
left hand know what his right doeth. '; Abra
ham Leonard was born in Ireland, came to
this country in the latter part of the past cen
tury, and lived in Huntingdon county for sev
eral years before coming here. He died in
184G ; his wife several years later.
John Owens and Robert Graham, neighbors
of Leonard, when he lived in Huntingdon,
came out the same year he did. They each
settled on the opposite side of the Creek from
Leonard, tho former on the farm now occupied
by his son Robert, and the latter a short dis
tance above, on what is known as the Ring
gold Mill property- These three families as
sisted each other in raising cabins, of like di
mensions, for each. The descendants of Ow
ens are scattered through the county, and are
numerous. Graham had nino children, five
of whom were born after he reached this coun
ty. He moved from the Creek to near Plum
Island in 1813". ' So plentiful was game in that
pait of the county at the time he removed
there, that he and his son William, who is still
residing there, killed 18 bears and 100 deers
dnring the first season. Mr. Graham died in
1S30. ;
As early as 1S02, the settlement of that now
thriving and populous portion of the county
known as Brady township, was commenced.
James Woodsido the first settler in that sec
tion, then removed there. Two years later,
Joab Ogden, a son of Daniel, became a near
neighbor of Woodside. No further increase
was made until near 1812, when George Shaf
fer, accompanied by his wife and four sons,
George, John, Frederick and Michael, (the
two latter still living,) settled on the south
bank of Sandy-lick creek. In 1814, three
brothers, bachelors, James, Benjamin and
Thqmas Carson, left Westmoreland county
and commenced tho improvement, about one
mile west of Luthersburg, where Thomas, the
survivor of them, yet lives. The adult popu
lation of the Brady settlement did not exceed
ten males and one female until 1820, when
Lebbcns Luther left the River settlement, and
removed to, and founded the town of Luthers
biirg, on the Susquehanna and Wateriord turn
pike. Here he became agent for the Fox &
Co. lands, and engaged in tavern keeping.
Luther originally came from Half Moon, Cen
tre county, in November 1811, to act as clerk
in the first store in the county, which was then
opened by Job Packer, at the residence of
Wm. Bloom. The store consisted of two loads
of goods. Packer, the proprietor, did not
come out until 1814. lie soon after failed
then engaged in boring for salt at 'Squire Mc
Clure's, was unsuccessful, and removed to
Clarion county, where he now lives. Luther
was full of fun, an inveterate joker, good at
repartee, but was non plussed once when, hav
ing shown a stranger to his room, he watched
him until he was nearly ready to retire, and
then said, "Stranger, 1 believe 1 have seen you
before." "Yes," said the gnest, quickly turn
ing, "and now you see me. behind too." In
1828, Luther was elected Sheriff" of this coun
ty, and performed the duties of the office with
much ability and satisfaction. Some years
since he left Clearfield, and now lives at
Ridgway, Elk county. He is proprietor
of the Elk Advocate.
The chase and friendly intercourse of this
then small settlement, gave the pioneers all
the excitement and amusement they desired.
Their harmony was unbroken. In fact, it was
not until after the county was organized for
judicial purposes that anything occurred to
mar their peace and quiet. Where there is no
law, there can be no offence. The harmoni
ous ten had long ranged the wilds "monarchs
of all they surveyed," following the bent of
their own inclinations, without let or hin
drance. Times without number, a buck or a
doe had fallen before them, and they, unmind
ful of the season, were not guiltless of contri
ving its death. Two of the number were sum
moned as grand jurors. The news produced
as much consternation as would the bursting
of a bomb in their midst : for there was a tra
dition among them that whoever killed a deer
out of season, was subject under the law to a
heavy fine and costs of prosecution. They
thought it was their duty to make a clean
breast of it, and the two were in great tribu
lation about informing on their neighbors. A
council was held to deviso means to get them
out of tho dilemma in which they were. It
was. finally agreed that the two who were sum
moned should leave before court and remain
in Westmoreland couuty until court had ad
journed. However, before the time set for
their departure, 'Squire Bell came into the
settlement and stopped with one of the jurors,
ne thought "that 'Squire Bell knowed every
thing," and if there was a man in the world
who could help them out of the difficulty, it
was he. The 'Squire partook of a hearty re
past, the most savory and delicious article be
ing venison. He pronounced it most
excellent and added, "it must have been kill
ed yesterday." This was a stamper to his
host, but thinking this the opportune time, he
made the 'Squire aware of the fix they were
in, on his promising fidelity. "Oh, good
ness," exclaimed Bell, "do you not know that
no man is bound to tell on himself, and that
every juror is sworn to keep his own and his
fellow's secrets ?' You keep away from that
other; fellow until after Conrf, and it will be
all right." This the juror agreed to do, say
ing "ho could keep his own secrets easily, and
as for Jim, he would not tell any body, if they
would hang him."' They attended Court
deer was not in their mouths, and to this day
exists the belief that such a man as 'Squire
Bell has not since fived in the county.
The same year that Luther went to Brady,
Levi Dale came into the township, and with a
large family still lives there. Up to 1830,
many additions were made, among them were
the families of Benjamin Bonsall, (now an
Associate Judge,) Col. Smiley, Elias Long
and George Ogden. Very large accessions
have been made by the influx of hardy and in
dustrious Germans, and the settlement has
prospered and increased in wealth, as the tim
ber disappeared before the axe and devouring
flame. Of late years quite a trade in boards
and shingles has sprung up in that part of the
county, and largo quantities of these articles
are annually hauled to the River and sent to
market. The Brady settlement, until lately,
exported more grain than any other.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
BODY AND B2AIN.
When a Mohammedau wishes to pass a very
high eulogy upon a deceased friend, he tells
juu that he "bad a good liver," which means
that the said friend was always good and plea
sant in body and mind. This is a most expres
sive sentence, especially in climates where the
liver is easily affected, and it shows that the
sons of Islam are well acquainted with the fact
which we wish to enforce, namely, that the
healthy action and clear conception of the brain
depends more than is generally believed upon
a sound and healthy physical organization.
No argument is required to convince every
person that, at the present time, they must
lhink,oud they succeed in life, and that mere
plodding is scarcely required, the demand be
ing for educated labor; and this remark ap
plies not only to one trade, but all trades not
to one profession, but all professions artist
and artificer, painter and preacher, all alike.
This being gr ntsd, it will be seen of what vast
national and individual importance it is that
the seat of reason should be undeSlcd, and
that the channels of thought should be ever
clear and free. A professional humbug who
would advertise a quaCk medicine to overcome
that brain fatigue which sleep does -not seem
to conquer, and to give renewed activity to
theworn-out mind,would make a fortune short
ly, for the complaint is a common one. Bod
ily disease, the disregard of the grand physi
cal laws of cleanliness and exercise, inherited
sickness and personal intemperance, are the
great barriers to true progress which have yet
to be vanquished and pulled down.
Let ns take the two first, and see how they
affect the mainspring of action the brain.
Take the illustration of a watch. The main
spring may be perfectly good and sound, but
some little wheel in the train of motion being
displaced, it-will not tell true time. A spring
may be clear when it bubbles forth from the
virgin soil, but an impurity in the water course
will taint the whole stream. A statue may be
graceful in form and elegant in proportion,
but when seen in an uneven mirror it becomes
distorted and out of shape. The mind may be
active, clear, and perceptive ; but if some lit
tle pinion, some small disease, local or gener
al, be in the body, it cannot act upon the out
er world with force and originality, because
the medium through which it acts is tainted
and unhealthy. Again, if the ear be out of
order, the brain can obtain no true notion of
sound; if the eye is diseased, a perfect sight
is never taken, and the same is true of feeling,
smelling and tasting. Now, suppose that in
stead of any one sense being considerably af
fected, all are partially so, how then is the
brain going to derive impressions correctly,
on which to base future thoughts and result
ing actions, if the courses through which those
impressions flow from the object observed to
it are tainted, impure or diseased. Thus we
see that the mind and body are so intimately
connected that we cannot seperate the two,
and tho one cannot be diseased withont affect
ing considerably the tone of the other. For
a mind diseased, or one that may become so
in fact, for every ono ol" us there is nothing
like plenty of fresh air and simple food, a de
cent modicum of exercise, the encouragement
of cleanliness by ablution with cold water, as
much of the light of heaven and as little of
the light of oil, spirits or gas as possible. If
we can but as a people begin to believe this,
we shall quickly perceive tho truth of the
prescription by the happy results which will
follow. Let us all, for once, learn something
from the children of the Prophet, and strive
to earn that eulogy so full of peaceful mean
ing and pleasant thoughts of contented health
"He had a good liver." .: :
i.
Can ast one tell. Can any one tell how it
is, that during these hard times, when every
merchant,manufacturer and mechanic is doing
bis utmost to keep his nose above water, our
numerous drinking saloons are well sustained,
and even new ones starting ?
Can any one tell how men, who absolutely
cannot pay small bills, can always find plenty
of money to buy liquor and treat when hap
pening among friends?
Can any one tell how young men who dodge
their washer woman and are always behind
wltVi tlisir Lmdlnrds. run nlav billiards day
.. - - , . X f
and night, and are always ready for a game of
"poker" or "seven up" v
Can any one tell how lawyers who have no
inim mil Anntnra nhn hnvA no nracticc.nian-
age to make tho ends meet, or meet the ends ?
Can any one tell how men live auu suppui i
income and don't
work, and why others who are industrious
and constantly eropioycu. nau ei-aivc
Can any one tell how it is that a roan who is
too poor to pay three cents a week for a good
isaWo tonav fifteen cents a
day for tobacco and cigars, to say nothing of
an occasional druiK i
Can any ono tell what interest we hate m
asking these questions which we know no one
can answer ?
. A WEDDING EXCURSION. ,
In the evening the ceremony was performed
which made Tim and Rachel an unit and after
the company. had ''liquored" all around, Tim
having previous!y"talked it up" with Racbel,
boldly announced the desperate resolution of
starting the next morning on a grand tour of
observation.
"He had always been tu hum," he said and
"had never seen northin," and now he was
goin' straight to G , and afore ho came
back he would see a steamboat, if there was
such a thing anyhow."
The village of G was about fifty miles
distant, lying on the Ohio river, and a journey
there from Tim's residence in those days, was
deemed a great undertaking. Some of them
thought Tim had taken leave of his senses,
or certainly he was not in earnest, but he as
sured them he was, and the next morning
tackling up "old grey," and putting in a sup
ply of pork and beans for the journey, Tim
and the now Mrs. Higgins started on their
bridal tour. The second day the hopeful
pair, without accident arrived at G . Just
as they were entering the town, it so happen
ed that the steamer Pennsylvania was round
ing in to make landing. Tim caught sight of
her smoke pipes, and in an ecstacy of wonder
and delight, cried out :
"There she comes now, by hokey ! Look
at her Rach ! Je-ru-sa-lem ! Jest as Square
Stokely said smokes like a burnin' foller.
She's comin' tu shore tu ! Jemima! what a
creek ! fuder across than from , our house to
Shadlow's mill ! ain't it Rach ? See they are
tyin' up the varmint with a halter. Wonder
if its skeery and pulls. Here's a post let's
tie gray and go down to the critter."
"Thunder ! what's that ? how it snorts !
You had better keep away from it, Tim," said
Rachel, "it might swaller you down like win
kin." "I ain't afeared," said Tim, "folks are com
in' off on't now. She's good natured, I
rnrt-nn Atilu tniri f oil
By this time "gray"
Tim and Rachel were
was made fast, and
moving cautiously in
the direction of the boat
"No balkin,' Rach, I'm goin' on tu her.".
The plank was out, and Tim followed slow
ly by Rachel, boldly walked up, and soon
stood alongside the engine.
"See how she sweats they must have put
her through," said Tim.
"I say, old boss," said Tim, addressing the
engineer, "move her jest a little I want to
see how she travels."
"She'll move directly," replied tho man
of steam, "better keep out of her way."
.Tim and Rachel now wended their way to
the main deck, and so completely were they
absorbed in what they saw, that they did not
observe the preparations made for her depar
ture. At the last tap of the bell, Tim thought
there must be a meelin' some where, but had
no idea it was anything which concerned him.
At length, as Tim afterwards expressed it,
"she began to smash," and Tim for the first
time observed that they were in the middle of
the river.
"Hello here, old hoss !" screamed Tim ;
"I say, cap'n, what air yoa about ? where you
goin' tu ?"
They were now under, full headway, and
Tim saw the town and . "old gray'.' disappear
ing like magic.
. "Thunderi why don't you hold her in ?"
roared Tim j "she's runin' away. What'U we
do 1 Oh, golly ! cuss the critter can't she
be brought tu "
A wag, who comprehended poor Tim's pre
dicament, observed :
"Yon are in for it,now my friend we don't
stop till we get to Orleans."
"I told him to keep away from the blasted
varmint," screamed Rachel, "now what will
become cf ns ?"
Tim was in despair. At this moment the
steamer's whistle uttered one of its sharpest
notes, and Tim's hair stood on end.
"She's loose, squealin' and kickin' !"
shrieked Tim. "Oh, golly, Rachel, wo are
lost !" and in the absence of the knowledge
of any prayer, he tried to repeat a part of the
blessing he had heard Deacon Snively ask at
the table. .
By this time the Captain had learned of
poor Tim's misfortune, and kindly ordered
the boat to land, and Tim and Rachel once
more stood on terra firma. Footing it back
with all despatch, they found "eld gray" still
fast to the post ; and not many minutes elaps
ed before his head was turned homeivard with
Tim and Rachel, who were perfectly satisfied
with what they had seen cf the world in gen
eral, and their experience in steamboating in
particular. Cincinnati Paper.
THE PRESIDENTIAL PROBLEM. '
There was no part of the Federal Constitu
tion which caused the framers of it so much
labor, and as to which so many various propo
positions were considered and discussed now
adopted and then rejected as the provisions
on the subject of the selection of a President. '
The first proposition adopted by the Conven
tion was, that he should be choseo by the Na
tional Legislature, - But-very serious objec
tions were speedily started to this arrange
ment. It was said and experience, even un
der a different system, has abundantly proved
the weight of the objection that under this
system there would be a constant intrigue kept
up for the appointment. The Legislature and
the candidates would bargain and play into
one another's hands. Votes would be given
members of the Legislature under promises or
expectations of recompense, either to the
members themselves or their friends. Anoth
er objection was, that this method would put
the Executive in too dependent a position, and
would incapacitate the President from being,
what ho ought to be, a mediator between the
intrigues arid sinister views of the representa
tives and the general interests and liberties of
the people. There were some of tho mem
bers, however, who did not see the force of
this latter objection. They considered it de
sirable to make the Executive dependent on
the Legislature, since it was the will of that
body which was to be executed.
A few members, but among them some of
the ablest, proposed to give tho election of the
President directly to tho people. But the idea
of the election by tho people of anything but
members of the Legislature had, as yet, made
little progtess. Only in two States, Massa
chusetts and New-York, had the newly fram
ed State Constitutions given the choice of
Governor to the people. Governors were cho
sen, indeed, in the same way in: Connecticut
and Rhode Island, but that was under the old
charters of Charles II. It was objected that
the people would become mere tools in the
hands of a few active and designing men ; that
they would generally vote for some man in
their own State ; that the largest States would
have the best chance for the appointment ;
and that the most populous States, by combi
ning, would be able to decide the choice an
objection, by the way, which, if valid, might
be urged aga'inst the operation of the existing
method. The election directly by the peoplo
found very few supporters. The election by
the Legislature, notwithstanding : the prece
dent in its favor in the method of choosing
their Governors, adopted by most of the States,
was also abandoned. It was suggested to give
the choice of the President to the Governors
of the States ; also, to a small committee, to
be chosen by lot from the National Legisla
ture expressly for that purpose. But the meth
od finally adopted was a choice by electors
specially appointed for that purpose. It was
a long time, however, before the Convention
could agree upon the method of selecting the
electors. It was proposed to have them ap
pointed by the State Executives, to have them
selected by the State Legislatures, to have
them chosen by the people. The particular
method of choosing the electors was finally
left to be decided by each State for itself.
The plan of voting for two candidates, one for
the Presidency and the other for the Vice
Presidency, without designating the office in
tended for cither, though made a part of the
Constitution, was found to work so badly as to
necessitate a speedy amendment. The idea
also of any actual power of choice to be exer
cised by the electors proved to be fallacious,
as it was speedily found that thoso who chose
the electors would vote for nobody who would
not expressly pledge himself to vote for cer
tain candidates.
Practically, too, the National Legislature,
or the members of it, regained under the Con
gressional caucus system a great part of that
influence over the selection of President,
which the Convention had declined to intrust
to it. The members of Congress, if they could
not choose the Preeident directly, at least as
sumed to themselves the selection of candi
dates. That system has, indeed, been broken
up ; but the selection of Presidential candi
dates by National Conventions so called,whilc
it is liable to all the objections which exist a
gainst Congressional interference, is exposed
to other very serious ones growing out of the
constitntion of those Conventions, and the
character, of many of thoso who find seat in
them. In fact, the method of choosing a
President, so as to secure competent ability
and honesty, and to avoid bargain, intrigue,
and corruption, is quite as much a problem for
us as it was for the framers of the Constitu
tion. Experience has indeed developed ono
most serious evil, which they do not appear to
have foreseen, namely, that the question of the
Presidential successorship constantly over
rides all others, and the members of Congress,
and persons generally filling public stations,
instead of having their thoughts and energies
directed to the present interests and immedi
ate wants of the country, are very largely
almost exclusively engrossed in the business
of forwarding the intere3tgci'this or that
Presidential candidate. - , . ; , ' "'
A MISACLE OF ART.
In almost every parlor tho object that first
attracts the eye is the soft fabric, enwronght
with beantiful colors, that covers the centre
table and the piano. Do our ladies know from
what materials this downy cloth,blushing with
bouquets of flowers or fruit upon which their
gloved hands rest so cosily, is made ? Have
they an idea that it was woven from the wool
of Angolia or Thibet, and comes into their
possession uncontaminated with previous ple
bian use 1 Never were they more mistaken.
This necessity of luxurious habits this soft
ornament, rich with Tyrian dies, and variega
ted with figures that almost rival the richness
of nature herself, once hung in tattered shreds
from the beggar's back, begrimmed with the
filth of the foulest retreat of obscurest pover
ty ; was saturated with every filthy compound,
and fo?ted with the vilest odors. Rags that
have been swept into the streets, and picked
out of the mire with the ragman's crook ; tat
tered garments, no longer capable of conceal
ing the nakedness of pauperism itself, that
would no longer hang upon the tramper's
limbs, by the ingenuity of art has been resur
rected, and wrought into the tasteful fabrics
that now adorn the boudoirs of beauty.
The mass of old, greasy woolen rags submit
ted to a process which is one of the miracles
of modern art, is prepared for respinning, and
comes out of the manufacturer's hands an ob
ject upon which an eye cultivated to appreci
ate the beautiful, loves to dwell. The meta
morphosis of the crawling worm into the pain
ted winged butterfly is not more wonderful;
Science and art have not made a greater pro
gress in any other department than in the u
tilization of worse than rufuse materials, by
converting it into the most costly fabrics.
The imagination of those radiant with health
and beauty, and proud of the gifts or nature
and Providence, may find a profitable field for
exercise as the eye rests upon the rich orna
ment that covers the piano or the table, by
travelling back to the abodes of poverty ,where
want gains a ghastly smile and vice degrades
the image of God, and there finding the mate
rials that now contribute to deck their bowers
of taste. We know not by what singular as
sociations the objects which contribute to our
luxury link us with the abodes and habits of
wretchedness. We think not how much that
now adorns our person and marks us as the
possessors of competence,and the participants
in the richest bounties of providence, comes
from the very haunts of Impurity and unclean
ness. "I wish I was a ghost, blamed if I don't,"
said a poor covy, the other night, as he was
soliloquizing in the cold. "They goes wher
ever they please, toll free; they don't owe
nobody nothin', and that's comfort. Who
ever heard tell of a man who had a bill against
a ghost. Nobody. They never buy hats and
witals, nor has to saw wood nor run arrants,
as I do." ' '
Tno New York Herald admits that the Dem
ocratic party is weak, and advises it to take
refuge in the impregnable strength of the ad
ministration ! This is like the boy who was
named John, but for shortness, they called
him Jonathan. . :
Listening to a lady who was pouring out a
stream of talk,Jerrold whispered to the person
next him. "She'll be coughing soou and
ttn we can strike in."
- ; PLATINUM. . -, , ,
The heaviest and the lightest substances
with which we are acquainted possess the pro
perties which chemists recognize as "metal
lic." The lightest suDstance we know is hy
drogen and although a gas is yet presumed
with good reason, to be a volatile metal. Pla
tinum is remarkable as being the heaviest of
all the elements which constitute tho world.
If we take a certain bulk of lead weighing ono
pound, and the same bulk of platinum.we shall
find that the latter will weigh more than ono
pound and three quarters. It is now about a
hundred years since Europeans became 'ac
quainted with platinum through Mr. Wood, Assay-master
at Jamaica. The sandy beds of the
rivprs which have their rise in that portion of
the Andes which seperates the Atlantic (near
the Carribean sea) from the Pacific Ocean,
yield gold, silver, platinnm, and other metals.
.Near Carthagena, a city of South America, in
the Republic Granada, is a famous mine called
Santa Fe. From this place most of the plati
num of commerce is procured, but it is also
found in the Brazils, Mexico, St. Domingo,
and on the eastern declivity of the Ural moun
tains in Russia. It is also found in Borneo,
and will probably be discovered in Australia,
if proper search be made for it. By some ex
traordinary process, the laboratorian chemists
can liquify this metal ; but it cannot be melt
ed by the strongest blast-furnace, nor by any
of the appliances in ordinary use by metal
workers ; hence it is said to be infusible ; and
did it not possess that property called welding,
that is of. uniting or adhering together when
squeezed or hammered at a white heat, it
would be almost useless. As however it can
be welded, various useful vessels are made of
it; and thus we find that it has qualities pecu
liar to itself. No single acid will dissolve it ;
hence its very refractory natnre renders it in
valuable to philosophers. In a platinum cru
cible they can submit other substances to ex
periments either with fire or chemicals without
any fear of modification from the containing
vessel." Magic, according to lexicographers, is
"the secret workings of natural powers." Such"
being the case, platinum is truly magical, for
it possesses a property or power, the secret of
which we are unable at present to define.which
singular quality has been brought into practi
cal nse by the manufacturing perfumers. At
several of the perfumery factors' ware-houses
may be seen what they call the "Philosophical
Incense Lamp," which is a marvelous realiza
tion of "Aladdin's Wonderful Limp," so gra
phically described in the Arabian Nights' En
tertainment. This lamp once ignited will nev
er go out unless purposely extinguished, pro
vided of course that there be material to con
sume. This property is due to a littlo plati
num ball placed in the wick, which once be
ing made red-hot with the flame will remain
incandescent to the end of time. It is this
property which is a still unexplained secret of
nature. The incense lampsire trimmed with
sweet-smelling spirit,and the red-hot platinum
causes this to evaporatc,thus perpetually fling
ing fragrance around. Some few years ago
platinum was used in Russia as money, and
stamped as coin of the realm. Why it was a
bandoned we are unable to learn. Should there
be any future scarcity of gold or silver, it is
probable that platinum will again be used as a
medium of exchange. If a stream of water,
passing steadily through a pipe of a certain
size, were suddenly caused to flow through an
other pipe joined to it of half the size, nothing
more would be noticed than that the water in
the smaller pipe would flow with increased
velocity ; but if a current of electricity, while
passing along a copper wire, be made to pass
over a smaller one, or lick of platinum wire,
then a marvellous effect takes place ; the pla
tinum becomes red-hot ! In this way for ig
niting gunpowder at a distance, and blasting
rocks, engineers find platinum of the greatest
service. f
Monsieur Blondin on the 30th of June per
formed the daring feat of walking across Nf
agara River, a short distance below the cata
ract, on a tight-rope. During the trip, he in
dulged in various hair-raising antics, and,
when at the middle, dropped a line 150 feet to
the steamer Maid of the Mist, drew up. a bot
tle of wine, drank from it, tossed the : bottle
into the river, and went on his way rejoicing.
Twelve thousand people were there with the
fond anticipation of seeing him tumble into
river, but were disappointed. He waited a
bout half an hour on the Canada shore, then
re-mounted the rope and returned. The rope
was 3 inches in diameter and 1,300 feet long,
and looked like a mere thread spanning the
chasm. From the ease with which M. Blon
din went through his little exercise, one might
suppose that three-inch ropes would soon be
come the favorite means of transit, and that
holders of Suspension Bridge stock would bo
glad to sell at fifty per cent discount. Some
slow folks may call this a foolhardy feat. ' No
doubt, there will be fools enough to imitate,
and even to break their precious necks, in en-,
deavoring to excel it.
A Scotchman and an Irishman were sleeping
at an inn together. The weather being rather
warm, the Scotchman, in his sleep, put his
leg out of bed. A traveler, in passing the
room door, saw him in this situation, and hav
ing a mind for a frolic, gently fixed a spur oa
Sawney's heel, who, drawing his leg into the
bed, so disturbed his companion' that he ex
claimed; .
"Arrah, honey, have a care of your great
toe, for you havo forgot to cut your nails, I
believe !" .
The Scotchman being sound asleep, still
kept on scratching Pat, till his patience being
spent, he succeeded in rousing Sawney, who
not a little surprised at finding the spur oa'
his heel, loudly exclaimed : ;-......
Hoow dumb ' the dafe chiel of an 'ostler,
he's ta'en my boots off last nighty and left on
the spur." .
Classics for Arkansas. A story is told'of
a Bostonian's first appearance in polite society:
in Arkansas.- The company were-engaged in
dancing, but tho loveliest female present
occupied a chair at 'the window Without) a
partner. Stepping up to 'vho. lady with a paK
pitating heart, his mind grcatlv excited by
fear of a refusal; exclaimed, "Will you do'
me the honor to grace rne with' your company5
for the next set?' Her lustrous-eyes shone-:
with unwonted, brilliancy,! her white pearly t
teeth fairly glistened ituhe.'flickering candle-,
light, her heavenly snowy bosom rose and' fell
with joyful rapture, as sho replied, "Yes? sSr-?
co ! tor I have sot, and sot,' and sat; 101 I've
tuk root!"