u v
lit ' ' r V- I j
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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." : - - -
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