u v lit ' ' r V- I j : t ' i if BY S. B. KOW. VOL. 5. NO 47. CLEARFIELD, PA, WEDNESDAY, JULY-18, 1859. HP ' RI ; PL -FURS LIFE ffOW-A-DAYS. Life fa but a epan of horses ; Ona ia "-Age," the other 'l'rime ;" I'p and down the hill our course is ; -Go in ponied'' -make your timo." Boyhood piles the whip of pleasure; - Youthful folly gives the stroke ; MaDhoed goad them at hia leasure, . '-Let 'era rip," '-they're tough as oak." Hi, ya! there," the stakes we'll pocket; . To the wind let care be sent ; Time, 2-40. '-Whip in socket, Give 'em string, and let 'cm went." On the sunny road to fifty, Prime," ia drowned in Lot he "a stream. "Age" is left, lame, old, unthrifty, Life then proves a ouo horgo-team, "Age" joga on, grows quito unsteady, -llcela aud slackens in his pace; Kicks the bucket" always ready; Gives it up" Death wins the raco. (COPriUGHT SECURED. CLEARFIELD COUSTV: OR. REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST. At an early day, a few persona leaving the river bottoms to penetrate farther into the woods, gave an impetus to three important settlements the Ridgo settlement on the north side of the West Branch, between the two turnpikes the Grampian Jlills settle ment, on the same side of the River, but high er up- stream and the Ridgo settlement to the south of the liiver. Abraham Passmoro was born in Chester County on the 11th of August, 17G4, and died in the first named set tlement on the 10th of August, 18-34, having just completed his ninetieth year. Although not the first who made an opening in this set tlement, he was one of those who early emi grated to the county. Leaving Chester coun ty, he removed to Spruce Creek, from thence to Centre county, and afterwards, in the fall cflS02, be settled on the bank of the West Branch, where ho commenced clearing the farm now occupied by Jacob Hoover. He fol- 1 ...... .1 i.:.. t 1 - l.l i !ii T i iciiiu u w.iue uiuetvMiiiLiiin auu iroiu that fact was quite an accession to the com munity. His business was more extended than extensive his customers coming from all the surrounding settlements. In 1S0G he left the river for the ridge settlement, and com menced anew upon the farm now owned by his son, Col. Geo. C. Passniore. Here he made for himself a comfortable borne, and was soon surrounded by children, whoso marriages have connected him with many of those who now live at ease in this productive and flourishing settlement, lie had two sons and six daugh ters. The Blooms, Baileys, Ilartsocks and Suieals are related to him by blood and mar riage. His wife died before him, in 1813, hav ing reached thrco score years and ten. We believe the first clearing made on the ridges wna by Robert Askey, who has been memionrtrfWore, and who took up a piece of vacant land about -a mile and a half from the river. He soon after had for a neighbor, Ca leb Bailey, the progenitor of a numerous lam ily. In 1701, Benjamin Hartshorn, a native of Maryland, moved to Centro county, aud in 1800, having determined to try the new coun ty of Clearfield, accompanied by his wile and six small children, his goods borne" by a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen, left the former lor the latter place. For some distance he had to cut the road. On his way here, a mis "bap compelled him to leave his little family in the woods for two d.iys and nights without a protector. Within five miles of Phillipsburg bis wagon broke down, and with difficulty and delay he had it repaired, and continued his journey. " A flood in Clearfield creek prevent ed him crossing for several days. Having crossed the river, near Jordan's, he penetrated the forest. Axe in hand, he felled the trees to permit a passage for his wagon from the river to where ho settled, late in October, on tho farm of Jonathan Hartshorn, making a cover of hemlock brnsh to shelter his family until he erected a cabin. Here, after clearing some land, he resumed his former business, by commencing a tannery. He died in March, 1821, leaving eight children, who wero single and under age, in charge of his wife, who sur vived him 34 years. II is children were : Mar garet, who was married to Alexander Cald well, formerly Sheriff" of this county and twice elected a member of tho Legislature ; Anno, the wife of Robert Ross, formerly Sheriff of tho county; Jonathan; William, now dead; Benjamin, who, as a politician, is pretty well known throughout the State ; Nancy, married to Samuel Clyde ; Eliza, the widow of George Welch, jr., and Mary Ann, the wife of Man ning Stevcnson.Qihis ridge settlement Is principally inhabited by former citizens of Centre county and their descendants. It lies high and presents to tho eye, from several parts of tho county where it can be observed, a largo cxpanso pf well cleared land. The land is rolling and Well adapted to tho culture of grain. That part of the county now known as tho Grampian Hilt settlement in its origin might have been considered as two distinct settle ments. A portion lying towards the river and Lack of the bottom lands occupied by Bell, Fergnson and Fenton, was early taken up by John Bennet.Nun England, William Hepburn, Joseph Spencer, Francis Sevems and Samuel Cochran, as vacant land. From I80o to 1808 it was claimed unsuccessfully by Charles Smith. These settlers soon made quito a large opening in the woods. Their lots wero cast in pleasant places. They havo all departed to thai bourne from which no traveller o'er re turns. The Bennct improvement, subdivided, is in the occupancy of tho heirs. The Eng land property has passed into other hands, and tho most of those who were related to Nun England have left the county. ; Job and George, two of his sons, havo with their fami lies removed to Ohio. Isaac England, another son, an upright and respected citizen, lives in Morris township. William Hepburn was a na tive of Scotland j a worthy and honest man, and noted for some eccentricities. Ho died recently on his farm, leaving two sons, John and Samuel C, and a daughter, the wire of James Thompson of Curwcnsvillc. Joseph Spencer was a member of the Society of Friends. Frugal and industrious, he kept ad ding to his store of wordly goods, 'removing his stakes, and enlarging his boundaries. Ilia family, which embraces some of the most snb stantial4farmers in that section, now own barns well filled on farms well tilbd. Sevems and Cochran had African blood coursing through their veins. Tho latter deserves more than a casual notice. He was a light mulatto! His mother being born a slave, his condition fol lowed hers. Fearless and energetic, when ho camo to man's estate, slavery was galling to him. Its restraints were more odions when a young master came to exercise control over him. A determination to free himself from his bonds, induced him to fly. He was cap tured and taken back. Several times after wards ho left and returned voluntarily. At last a compromise was effected and he pur chased his freedom : he dictating his own terms. Ho came here from Lycoming county In the summer of 1804 j settled first on the south side of the river about a half mile above James Ferguson's, on land now owned by G rier Bell. Here he erected a hewn log house and remained several years. Later he took up about threo hundred acres of tho best land in the Grampian Hills, where Jio worked indus triously; cleared over oue hundred acres, which made a fino farm ; Increased his com forts, and secured the confidence and respect of his neighbors. He erected a hewn log house, a large double barn, kept generally six horses and a large amount of stock, and was for some time the most extensive farmer in tho settlement. His house was the stopping place for the teamsters-on the Kittanning road, j lie had quite a large family of boys, to whom he gave a good education, and prior to tho a- mendmcnt of the State constitution, when he had lour voters in his family, he felt himself to be of some importance. His motto was, "free and half white." He was athletic, civ il; demanding and receiving consideration. When deprived of political privileges, he lost his self-respect and spirit of independence. Intemperance has swept away the major part of his family, and dissipated rapidly his wealth. i The difficulties with which John Nicholson was surrounded gave rise to the early settle ment of the other portion of the Grampian Hills. Nicholson had lcen arrested in Wash ington city and placed in the custody of the Sherilf, Joseph Boone. Sheriff Boone gave hini the privilege of the yard, and Nicholson, taking advantage of this, succeeded in making his escape. Boone was then possessed of con siderable means. The escape of Nicholson rendered him liable, and his property was swept from him. He was a native of Mary land, but after this untoward fortune here moved to Williamsport. He had followed Nicholson to-Philadelphia, where he found him in custody, and Nicholson, to repair as much as possible the injury which ho had caused to Boone and his sureties, transferred to them a number of Warrants which were af terwards surveyed for Hopkins, Griffiths and Boone on the north side of the river in Bell, Penn and Pike townships, and which lands have been of late known as the Nicklin and Griffith lands. This company gave to Dr. Sam uel Coleman three hundred acres to induce him to settle. His farm gave the name to the settlement. The first ploughing Gone on it was by Benjamin Fenton. Dr. Coleman com menced his clearing in 1809. Ho was assisted by a slavo named Oto, and three whito men, one of whom was called Gibson, nc encamp ed in a cabin, open in front, and similar in construction to the open sheds to bo found at public houses. Each man had a largo piece of chestnut bark for a bed, but tho drying of the bark caused the sides to curl and rendered them uncomfortable. Their cupboard-ware was less brittle, and less scrvicable, than that to be found in modern houses. Largo chips served for plates, and these, when soiled, were shaved off, in lieu of washing. Early in the same summer, Joseph Boone and his family reached Esq. McClure's. They came there from Williamsport in a boat ; a wagon convey ed them to Coleman's camp, and the wagon served as their resting place for tho first night. The next day, having tho assistance of those who lived near the river, they raised a cabin of round logs, with largo strips of chestnut bark, laid on the ribs and secured by poles, for a roof. This answered for a residence that season. Boone still retained some mementoes of his former afllucnce,but the mahogany side board and other furniture illy contrasted with the rough walls and rude house to which ho bad brought his family. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Marriage, says Cotton, is a feast where the grace 13 sometimes bettor than thedinner. THE BATTLE OF S0LFEEIIT0. A letter received at New York by the Cana da, gives tho following interesting details of me battle ol bolterino : The battle commenced at little beforo Cvo o'clock.in tho morning, not far from sunrise. Just back of Castiglione rises a high range of hills, which project a milo. or thereabout into the plain and Uieu breaks-off towards the left into a wide expanse of smaller hill3 and so in to the rolling .surface which makes tliat nor. lion of the plain. . The Austrians - had taken position ot theso hills, planting cannon upon those nearest to Castiglione, which they could approach its tho French army was in full forco in and around that littlo village, and stationed their immense army all over the surrounding plains. As Hear as- we can learn, tho,Emjcror Francis Joseph had-collected ' here not less than 22o,000 troops and commanded, them ia person. His evident purpose was to make stand hero and risk tho fortunes , of .tho war upon the hazard ol the day. . V. -.- 1 'Napoleon promptly accepted the challenge, and commenced the attack as soon as it was light, by placing cannon , upon the hills still nearer to Castigliono than those held by tho Austrians, and opening tire upon thorn- on the heights beyond. Ho took his own stand upon the highest of these, a steep .sharp backed ridgo which commands a magnificent view nt the entire circuit of the plain, and from that point directed the entire movements of his army during tho early portion of tho day. Tho French very soon drove tho cucmy out of the posts they held nearest to the town and follow ed them into the small villages of the plain below. "The first of these was Solferino.where they had a sharp and protracted engagement. Tho Austrians disputed every inch ot ground, and fought here, as they did throughout the day, with the utmost desperation. They were thrco times driven out of the town before they would stay out. The people, moreover took part against tho French, upon whom they fired from their windows, and the French were com pelled, in self-defence, to burn the town. When they found it impossible to hold their ground any longer, they fell back slowly and stoadily until they reached the village ot Vo to, directly south-cast from Castiglione, and only about a mile from tho river Mincio, from. which, however, it is separated by a range of hills. Upon these hills, in tho rear ot tho town, ami over-looking it completely on the south and south-east sides, the Austrians had planted very formidable batteries, and when 1 arrived upon the field and went at once to the height where the Emperor had stood at the opening of the engagement, but which he had left an hour before to follow his victorious troops, these batteries were blazing away upon the French, who were stationed on the plain below. "The general result was soon made evident by the slackening of the Austrian fire and by the n owing back of thin smoke and a corres ponding advance on tho part of that which rose from the French artillery. The cannona ding at that point lasted for over an hour, but in precisely what direction the Austrians re treated it was not possible from the position I occupied to see. Part of tho Austrian force probably crossed the Mincio river which flows southward from the lower end of Lake Guarda and empties into the Po. 'But the battle continued to rage all over the region northwest of a lino, connecting the towns of Castiglione, Solferino and Volta at one point after another. A sharp cannonading would arise and continue for half or three quarters of an hour, and after each successive engagement of this kind the result became apparent in the retreat of the Austrians and the advance of the French forces. During all the early part of the day tho sky had been clear and weather hot, but clouds began to gather about noon, and at five o'clock, while the cannonade wa3 at its hcighta tremendous thunder storm rolled up from the northwest. The storni lasted for about an hour, and the cannonading, so far as we could distinguish, was suspended. Then the rain ceased, the clouds blew away, the sun shono out again, and the air was cooled and perfectly delight ful. "Though the cannon may have ceased for a time to take part in it, the fight had meantime gone on, and when I again resumed my post of observation from which the storm had ex pelled me, the cannonading commenced quite on the extreme left of the entire field, and on the very borders of tho lake north-cast from Castiglione and west of Peschiera. The Picd montese troops, under the King, 'who com mands them in person, had been posted thcro and received the Austrians as they camo a round. 'From about seven o'clock until after night fall an incessant and most terrible combat was here kept up. Tho batteries of the two armies were apparently about half a milo apart, and at tbo outset they were both served with near ly equal and efiectivc vigor ; but the Aus trians gradually slackened their fire and sev eral times took up new positions, while tho Sardinians poured a rapid and uninterrupted shower of balls upon them, suspending only for a few minutes at a time, and then renew ing it again with redoubled fury. Tho wind had now gone down, the air was still, and the sound of musketry as well as of cannon was distinctly heard. Sometimes ouly a single flash would bo secn,then two or three at once, and sometimes half a dozen would break forth in constant succession. It was beginning to be dark when I turned to descend tho hill, and all the way down I still heard the roar of the cannon and the clattering of the guns of the infantry." . By the arrival of the steamer Etna we have still fmther details. At Paris it is believed in some quarters that the French loss at the battle of Solferino a mountcd to from 10,000 to 18,000, as follows : Gen. Neil's corps 0,000 to 7,000; D'llilliers nearly 5'000 ; McMahons 2,500 ; Canrobcrts 1,000; besides casualities in the artillery and special corps. The French pcoplo arc said to bo dissatisfied with tho scantiness of tho details as yet published in the Monitcur. Tho Vatric says that Napoleon had an epaulette shot away. Gen. DIcu is reported among the dead. The Austrians had seven or eight Generals and very many of their superior officers woun ded. Gen. Greschko was killed. Some of tho French infantry regiments were nearly cut to pieces. Tho Piedmonteso suffered so severely a3 to be incapable of forming in tho lino of batUo. "" It is reported that at Solferino nearly vcry officer and luau of tho artillery attached to the Imperial Guard '-vas pat hors du combat . The Austrian accounts of tho battle admit their loss to be 20,000 killed, wouuded or missing. Twenty thousand corpses aro said to have been buried and many were yet lying in tho ditches and corn fields. 'tThe Berlin and Vien na letters confidently speak of negotiations having been opened by Prussia with England and Russia for tho purpose of establishing, if possible, a basis for combinod mediation. - T-Tho ' correspondent of hc London' Herald say so ; mUe, did the French expect a battle, tltat fthcrcdtta night a message from the King asking for supports in case he should bo attccKed was met with! a refusal on tho ground that an attack by IhoAutrians "was not proba ble at day brcakJIowever, the corps of Marshal D'HillTcrs camo "in sight of Sollcrino and was immediately .set upon by a largo Aus trian force, which ruslicd. down tho hill and fought with the greatest; fury. The' Marshall resisted the .attack to the best ofbis pon-cr, and sent olf Iusaid-clo-camp for supports, but it r?a not before three hours of frightful cour age had elapsed that the corps "'of Gen. Niel made its appearance. The Austrians wero slowly driven back and every now .and then there was a pause, and tho French continued to gain ground, heaps of their own and the enemy's corpses marking the fluctuations of the fight, .. ... Tho Austrians were thus slowly driven out Of Solferino but all of a sudden they made a tremendous burst lorward and the French wero driven down the hill, being admirably suppor ted by their artillery, however, they made a stand and commenced once moro to advance. It was like a hail storm of bullets and balls, and whole files were mowed down by a single discharge. , In tho meantime at the right and left wing the Austrians were getting decided ly tho best of it. The Piedmonteso were be ing slowly driven back. Gen. Canrobcrt's corps was also heavily punished,and had there been a skillful general in tho Austrian army to collect and concentrate their forces against the weak point of tho enemy's line, matters would have had a very different aspect. lnc r rench commandcr.to whom the credit of tho day is entirely due, whether it be Niel, McMahon, or the Emperor himself, sent for ward the Imperial Guard and a strong division of the infantry of tho line against the Aus trian eentre, and succeeded in breaking it. Instead of bringing up their forces to repel this formidable attack, the supports were sent to the left and right wings, which did not need them. Dcsperato attempts were made to re-capture Solt'erino,but the French strong ly held it, and the bugles began to sound a general retreat. An attempt was made b' the cavalry to pursue them, which led to an encounter between tho French Chasseurs and the Austrian Unions, in tho which tho former were rapidly put to the right about. It is stated that net a single Unngaiian regiment was allowed to take part in the battle, and that the Italian regiments had all been sent to the Tyrol. HOW HE "DYED" FOR LOVE. An amusing story is told, as an episode to a story in a foreign review, about a military young gentleman who dyed for love. The af- lair occurred in Pari3. Ibc hero was named Do Marsay. He was violently enamored of a very pretty woman whom he met by chance in the street, and discovered afterwards to bo the wife of a 'dyer,' in tho Rue de Marias. Wheth er she was disposed to favor his addresses or acted in concert with her husband to punish him, is not very easy to say ; the result would incline to the latter supposition. At all events she gave him a rendevous, at which they were surprised by the dyer himself a fellow stroncr as Hercules, and of an ungovernable temper. lie rusucu wnaiy on uc diarsay, wno acicuded himself for some timo with his rapier ; a false thrust, however, broke tho weapon at tho hilt, and tho dyer springing forward caught poor Gustavo round tho waist and actually carried him ofl over his head, and plunged him neck and heels into an enormous tank filled with dyestnll ! .l!ow he escaped drowning how he issued -from tho house and ever reached his home he never was able to tell. It is more than probable the consequences of the calam ity absorbed and obliterated all else ; for when he awoko the next day he discovered that he was totally changed his skin, from head to foot, being dyed a deep blue ! It was in vain that he washed and washed, boiled himself in hot baths, or essayed a hundred cleaning rem edies; nothing availed in the least in fact. many thought ho came out only bluer than be fore. The most learned of tho faculty were con- sultedjthe most distinguished chemists all in vain. At last a dyer was sent for, who in an instant recognized the peculiar tint, and said: "Ah, thero is but one man in Paris has the secret of this color, and he lives in the Rue de Marias." ' Hero was a terrible blow to all hope ; and in the discouragement it indicted threo long months were passed, De Marsay growing thin and wretched from fretting, and by his des pondency occasioning his friends the deepest solicitude. At length oue of his relatives re solved on a bold step. He went direct to the Rue de Marias and demanded to speak with tho dyer. It is not easy to say how ho opened a negotiation of such delicacy ; that he did so with consumate tact and skill there can bo no doubt, for ho so worked upon the dyer's com passion by the picture of the poor young fel low, utterly ruined in his career, unable to faco tho world to meet tho regiment even to ap pear beforo the enemy, being blue ! that the dyer at last confessed his pity, but at the same cried out : "What can I do ? Thero is no getting it off again!" - "No getting it off again ! do you really tell ine that V exclaimed the wretched negotiator. "Impossible! that's tho patent," said the other, with an ill-dissembled pride. "I have spent seven years in tho invention. I only hit upon it last October. Its grand merit is that it resists all attempts to eflace it." "And do you tell me," cries tho friend in terror, "that this poor fellow must go down to his grave in that odious well, I mean no of-' fence in that unho.lv tint V ' "There isimt one thing in my power, sir." "Well, what is it, in the name of mercy! Out with it, and name your price ?" "I can make him a very charming green ! yes, a beautiful green, monsieur I" "Well, my little fellow, what's tho m.iiior v "Don't know where to go thir ; boo-hoo-hoo 1" "Why don't you go to school V "Then mas ter'll beat me ! boo-hon-tinn WeII. then take up your books and go liouic.' "Then moiner ii nek me, thir.; i can'i neip gcuiug licked any way ! boo boo 1 boo-hpo-hoo ! THE CHEAP AMUSEMENTS OF THE CITY.' Written for tho '-lUrtsinan's Journal." Philadelphia, unlike New York, rejoices in but few theatres. , Indeed if we except the A cademy of Music, and tho Circus, thero arc but two regular Theatres in the city of Phila delphia, while in New York thero are no less than nine. This is a greater disparity than tho difference in population would secra to justify, assuming that the people of each city are gov ercned by tho , sumo taste for that artificial stimulus so common in cities, and so essential to their very existence. But Philadelphia has other amusements, which have grown into in stitutions. I have reference to what I denom inate the lager beer concert saloons. They arc neither chaste nor elegant, and yet it is astonishing what an amount of patronage they receive, since no less than six, or probably seven of them arc in full blast nightly. To one who eyes things superficially, or merely glan ces at the surface of things, it would be a mys tery how they can be made to pay and yet tho thing is palpably plain-it is merely a wheel within a wheel, working as smooth as that which done Uon's "knitting." Let the reader follow mc into one of these Concert Saloons, cheap Theatres, or by whatever title we may choose to designate them. We ascend a wido stair case of a building located in one of tho most popular thorough fares in the city, and at a small hole we baud in a dime.which entitles us to admission. We enter. The room is long, fitted up with ben ches, with an aisle between the two rows. Be fore each bench there is an elevated trough, or gutter, the use of which wo can not yet dc terniino. At the far end of the r cm there is a kind of raised ttage with fancy wall paper proscenium. The air is redolent with the stench of smoke emitted from villainous so-gars- . It is yet early, but tho audience com mences to pour in. First a couple of rough looking rowdies next a brace of clerks a par ty of broken down black-legs, and finally a couple of finished swells. The audience is made up, and consists of about one hundred persons. 'How is this V wo inquire mental ly "sure such a number is not sufficient to remunerate." Ah ! but thero is "a power be hind the throne greater than the throno it self," and it will developo itself in due time. A Teutonic gentleman "bearded like the pard" now makes his appearance, aud running his fingers glibly over the keys of an antiqua ted piano, then starts off on an overture and ends by giving the keys particular fits. The curtain now goes np, and out comes a young lady whom I should judge to bo four teen years of age. I say that appears to be her age, and yet her form is as fully devel oped as that of . a woman of twenty-five. In her hand she holds a piece of music, and ad vancing to the foot lights, she bows profound ly, and then sings "Hark, I hear an angel sing-" The execution is indifferent, but the applause which follows would hardly be recog nized as legitimate) among the frequenters of the Italian opera. One fellow with a thin foxy moustache is exceedingly vociferous, and pounds the floor with his cano as if he was bent upon punching a hole in it. A lull follows, and In every direction vre hear the "hist" of individuals, some of whom are calling "iircy," and others holding from one to five fingers in the air, which being in tcrprcted,means so many glasses of lager,which the German boys who act as waiters supply al most on the instant. And it is therein lieth the actual profit of the cheap conceit saloon. Tho bell tinkles, and out comes a masculine looking I will not say woman for a board of medical examiners alone could determine her sex. She lor I will class her feminine Is dressed in what is intended for Chinese cos tume, and sho dances, in tbo most indecent attitudes, all the time wearing . the winning smile of the harlot. More lager and German scgars follow. Next comes a half grown impudent looking boy, and a tawdry painted girl, who sing mis erably out of tune a vulgar duett, tho burthen of the chorus being, "Oh! Yes by thunder," "Shouldn't wonder," &c. More lager. Calls from every part of the house as if a fire raged which lager alono could quench. Now comes a fellow with ragged coat, an old hat, and an indefinite quantity of red paint upon his face. Ho butchers and mangles up an Irish comic song in tho most barbarous manner, having no idea, however remote, of cither timo or tunc, nevertheless ho is most enthusiastically applauded. After the usual lager calls, fearfully Increas ed as the evening advanced, two fellows with banjo and tamborine, and faces well covered with burnt cork, appear and sing a number of songs nearly as "old as the hills," and perpe trate jokes we have heard oftener than those of the circus clown. And thus they go on, singing old stale songs, repeating musty, worn out jokes, and dancing lewd, indecent dances until a late hour of the night. How enlightened people in a city can night ly witness such exhibitions, and even take a delight in them, when they never fail to dis gust those from tho rural districts who are at tracted thither, is a mystery to mc. ... At about 11 o'clock tho gas lights are turn ed down, and the audionce disperses. The performers, pale, emaciated looking women and seedy looking men, emerge from the stage and start for home perfect buttcrflios robbed J of their gay colors. Tho ladies generally find men to escort them, and so tho scene closes. I go to my hotel, and to my bed. Tho great city is hushed a solemn silence reigns. I reflect upon tho fact that ft takes all kinds of people to make a world. The performers pass in review beforo my eyes, and before I sink into sleep I seo their graves in my mind's eye, in Potter's field, without a stono to plead to tho memory of thoso who now the attention of appreciating audiences command. This in the vista of the future nevertheless "sich is life." j. Hollidaysbnrg, Pa., July 1859. A correspondent of the Siccle says that ono the best shots in Garibaldi's service, is an Englishman ot filty -3'ears old, who carries a capjlal Lancaster rille, and, aided by a pair of spectacles of which ho stands in need, brings down every Tyrolean chasseur that bo takes aim at. Somebody lately asked him whether ho had been attracted to join tho volunteer corps by a strong feeling for the Italian cause or by a love of sport, lie answered very cool ly,"Ihavea great respect for Italian inde pendence, but I am also very foud of shooting.' In order to live justly, and be respected, we must refrain fi Qm doing what we blame in others. . - - VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 10. 1. Tho name, hnmus, has been givon .totho black carbonaceous matter which results from the putrefaction of organic Bubstanccs. Veg etable humus is nothing but the woody matter which burns slowly under tho influence of tho atmosphere and changes Into carbonic acid. It was believed for a long time that it was at once absorbed by tho root of the plants amV that its carbon, assimilated immediately, and without transformation, contributed powerful ly to the nutrition of vegetables : but it has been proven that humns is insoluablo in water and that it nourishes plants by presenting to their roots a slow and continuous 6ourc of carbonic acid, which, dissolving in water, pen etrates to the interior of tho plant. The de composition of humus is favored by the pres ence of alkalies, whicli provoke the formation of carbonic acid and form with it soluable car bonates absorbed by tho roots. It is necessa ry that the soil should be stirred so that it be come permeable to the air, and that thero bo formed in the humid earth an atmosphere of carbonic acid which shall furnish to the young plant its most important aliment. A plant can vegetate without humus; but that which ac celerates the development of tho plant and gains, time, is of the highest importanco Io dic agriculturist. It is now demonstrated that tho alkalies which we find in plants are necessary to vege tation. At first they form with tho carbonic acid soluable carbonates which penctrato by the roots into the vegetables, and afterwards, under their influence, tho water and carbonic acid arc decomposed ; form, by means of ox ygen, with which they combine, oxalic and, tartaric acid, and then become sugar, starch or woody; fibre ; aud in proportion as the acids arc transformed tho alkalies diminish in the sap. This can be observed in tho ripening of fruit. ': Thus vegetable acids ore indispensable id tho existence of, plants, and their formation depends 1st on water and carbonic acid, which . combine to form them, and 2nd on alkalies, which provoke this combination. These veg etable acids being always found combined with alkalies, the necessity of tho latter is incon testable. Besides, if the life of plants is con nected with their presence, their proportion should invariably be as that of the acids to which they serve as bases. As all the alka line bases in their mode of acting can be" mu tually substituted, it suffices that a wanting base be replaced by an equivalent of another base. ' Thus, they have analizcd tho ashes ot two pines of the same species, collected from different localities ; these ashes showing faith fully the total of fixed alkalino bases contain ed in the wood. One of the pines contained magnesia, which was wanting in the other r the quantities of potash and lime contained in them were also very unequal, but notwithstan ding this difference of composition the ashes of the two pines contained a like number of equivalents of alkaline bases that is to say, that the quantity of oxygen all tho bases took together, was the same in each tree. . The chemist Lcibig drew from theso facts a very important conclusion ; it is, that if defi nite and constant quantities of vegetable salts are to be found under certain conditions in tho organs of the plants and that theso salts aro indispensable to the accomplishment of their functions, the plants should always have to absorb potash or lime for instance, and If they could not find enough of it, tho quantity want ing should bo replaced by a corresponding' proportion of another, alkalino base if nono of these bases aro presented to the plants they cannot develop, and die. And that which suc ceeds in proving that tho presence of certain alkaline bases which arc found in the ashes of plants, far from being accidental, are essential to their existence, is this, that if a plant is forced to absorb a salt which is not suitable to it, and which is brought to it by the water which surrounds its roots, it afterwards re turns it to tho earth. A LOSING EASINESS. Tho following statement appears In tho columns of a daily journal : "It is stated that the account between tho Overland Mail Company and the Post Office Department will stand thus at the close of tho six monthss' accounts: Expenditures by tho Department, 3,000,000; receipts, '$90,000 ; showing a clear loss from tho route of threo millions fivo hundred and ten thousand dol lars." . - . It is to maintain this usejess, expensive and worse than unproductive route across tho desert to and from California that the mail ac commodations of the peopje in this region of country whose postages more than pay the cost of tho. facilities extended to them, aro being curtailed and diminished. - Is it any wonder that tho Post Office Department is bankrupt, when it engages in such wild and extravagant enterprises as this Overland route? No body in fact profits by this enterprise but the contractors, who in the brief space of six months draw from the Treasury tho enormous sum of three millions and six hundred thousand dollars, the revenue at the same time amount ing to only ninety thousand dollars a dead loss to the Government of three millions five hundred and ten thousand dollars in a half a year, from this single foolish experiment ! This is tho way that political favorites aro en riched at the public expense - uuder this ad ministration for, of course, "the Overland 3Iail Company' is made up of Simon Pure, "Democrats," of the real Lecompton stripe.' A Good Story. Anr anecdote, worth laugh ing over, is told of a man who had an infirmi ty, as well as an appetite for fish. He was anx ious to keep up his character for honesty, even while enjoying his favorite meal; and whilo making a bill with bis merchant, as the story goes, and when his back was turned the hon est buyer slipped a cod-fish up under bis coat tail. But the garment was too short to cover up the theft, and tbo merchant perceived it. : "Now," said tho customer, anxious to im prove all opportunities to call attcntibn to his virtues," "Mr. Merchant, I havo traded with you a great deal, and paid you un1 promptly, aud honestly, haven't I V, ... .;. ' - -: "O, yes," said the merchant; 1 maW no complaint.'.' . . 5 v. : r, . ; . .. "Well,", said tho customer, "I always "re sisted that honesty is the best policy, aadlbr best rule to live and-dio by." t " "That's so,", replied the mcrchanV- '" " And the customer turned to depart; - - - "Hold on, Iciend;" . called tho merchant 'speukuig of honesty, I have a bit Of , advice to give you. - Whenever you cobio t9 trade a.- . gain, you had Jbetter weas a b-ttger ccat w ' steal a Sorter cod,fth." : - - - 1 V ! 1 35 Jj 4 r 1; 1
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