J i'Tl I'lllHriiMiTinVm i i BY S.J. EOW. CLEARFIELD, PA., WEMESDAY, JUNE 5, 1861. VOL. 7.-3T0, 40. I A 3 s S-j THE BIGHT MUST WIN. U ! it is hard to work for God, To rise and take his part Tm this battle-field of earth, And not sometimes lose heart. lie hides Himself so wondrously, As though there were no God ; Ho is least seen when all the powers Of ill are most abroad, Or He deserts us at the hour The fiht is almost lost ; And seems to leave us to ourselves Just when we need him most. Workmen of God ! O lose not heart, Cut learn what God is like ; And in the darkest battle-field Thou shalt know where to strike. 0, blest is he to whom is given The instinct that can tell That God is on the field when He Is most invisible ! THE GRIM SERGEANT. A TBI'S STORY. The MalakofF was taken ! After weary months of strile and bloodshed, the great key stone to Sebastopol was in the hands of the French. Bravely had the sons of Gaul won their prize; and heaps of slain lying within that mammoth earth work attested how dear ly it had been bought. Few were the survivors of the volunteers, who had carried the place by a coup-de-main, and these were lying that night wrapped in the sleep of exhaustion, un disturbed, at first, by the loud explosions which were heard proceeding from the town. But even these tired men awoke shortly af terwards, when the startling news spread as fire through the camp that the Russians were retreating to the north shore, leaving the part they had so long and so ably defended in fl trues and ruin. Forgetful of their fatigue, even the remnants of the storming parties united in Lands, and glided into the town to plunder what they could, undeterred by the frequent -explosions and fast spreading fires. First and foremost among the marauders were twelve men of the 4th regiment, headed by one known to his comrades by the name of "the fit im Sergeant." Phillippe Charente was one of the bravest men in the army. Gifted with prodigious strength and dauntless courage na ture had given him a physiognomy which had procured tor him the above mentioned sobri quet ; and, being taciturn, rumor had further invested him with a character for great fe rocity. Now, the truth was, that a more gen tle hearted creature than Charente did not ex ist. But men often pride themselves upon possessing qualities which are really foreign to their natures. So the sergeant was pleas ed when he was joked about his malevolent disposition, and. smiled .grimly. One good turn his dark reputation certainly did for him for he was held in such awe by his comrades that he led a peaceful life, no o.ie caring to .stir up the wrath of the supposed man-tiger, l'hillippe had doce good work in the Crimea, and escaped the sickness which cut off su ma ny bravo fellows. He had led one of the storming parties into the Malakoff, and came i!t of the dread struggle without a wound, though his companions fell around him, mown down by the lire of the enemy, like grass by the scythe of the mower. He was one of the first to awake at the news of the retreat, and, possessing the confidence of his comrades, f:o soon collected a few daring spirits whom he Iod into Sebastopol. Onward went that lit tb band through streets of burning houses, over heaps of the slain, broken gun carriages, carcasses of horses, Krecks of every kind. Their numbers gradually lessened some cmslied by falling ruins, others perishing by the onsets of straggling Russians. Still un daunted, still animated by the hope of plun der, the survivors advanced through flame and blood to reap a harvest from the departed foe. At last they reached the side of the har bor, and entered a magnificent house, which was not yet in flames, and seemed in a less dismantled coudition than the generality of the riddled buildings around. Nor were the hopes excited by in external appearance dis appointed upon entering, for the soldiers found within a large and rich collection of pic tures, costly furniture, books and articles of bijouterie, which lay scattered on every side. An open piano, a table covered with fancy work, a desk with paper upon it, attested the recent occupation of the drawing room, in which they created confusion worse confound ed. The hrge bow w indow of this noble room opened upon a terrace, which overhung the water, and commanded a fine view of the har bor and north shore. Charente attracted by the sound of an explosion, stepped cot upon the tcrmce for an instant, and gazed upon the scene before him. where to the right, the Rus sians were fast destroying the floating bridge, over which they had made their masterly re treat ; and the whole water swarmed with ves sel of every degree, from the hastily con structed raft to the fairy like steamers, which were all busily employed in conveying goods nil provisions to the north shore. His attention was suddenly called to the in terior of the room by a loud shout from his comrades, and the agonized scream of a fe male voice, when turning round, he saw that the soldiers, in breaking down a large mirror, liad brought to view closet which it had con Pealed, and from which they were dragging lorth a young girl about fourteen, who with uplifted hands and heart-rendering accents, waved for mercy from the rude captors. But the encounters which they had with the Rus sians that morning, and the losses they had sustained had exasperated the French, and j"ie ruffian pointed a pistol at the poor child's jicad, whilst another raised his sword to cut her down. In an instant the "Grim Sergeant" w" in the midst of the gronp j ho struck the pistol tip 8o that it exploded harmlessly in the a,rj he dashed away the menacing weapon, ?nJ e'zing the shrieking victim in his arms, e gled around upon his astonished com ;s, and shouted : 'She shall not have the T;'a,h ofa soldier, with a sword and gun ; she snail be drowded like a cat, in a bath of Rus sian water." Then throwing off his sword, he caped npon the terrace and plunged into the watcr beneatb. For 5 moment the soldiers stood transfixed, Ir7 rushed to the window to watch the Ser pent's proceeding ; but another marauding jar'y entering the house at this time, they u,t tearla losing the spoil, and returned V .'he work of plunder, loading themselves in Jh "cry artlc,e that they cou,d C!,ri-y oS- a t&e meantime the Sergeant, supporting the jojnggirp, head WM string out bravely north ehere. The water was intensely cold, for the weather had changed before, and a bitter north wind blew right into the face of the swimmer. The peri Is of the passage were great, for, ever and anon, the shot and shell from the English, who were trying to destroy the Russian fleet, struck the water around him ; and'heavily dressed and encumbered as he was, the distance cf some eight hundred yards seemed weary indeed. Still he went manfully on, each stroke more feeble, until he reached the goal. Emerging from the wa ter at an insignificant pier, the rough soldier placed his young charge gently on the ground, then shaking the water from his hair, he made a vey low bow and said : "Mademoiselle, rows eles saves." 'Tell me your name and addrcs3, tny pre server," asked she, with tears streaming down her face. "Phillippe Charente of the 4th regiment," answered he ; "my home is in the Rue des Pipotis, Boulogne. But I must not stay," ho added pointing to a group of Russians who were approaching ; so, with another low bow he sprung into the water, and struck boldly back for the southern side of the harbor. That day at noon the "Grim Sergeant" stalked into the camp, looking taller, darker, more grim and taciturn than ever. His clothes and hair still bore marks of his watery adven ture; but when his comrades joked, and wan ted to hear what he had done with the young captive, he looked so awfully fierce, and smiled so diabolically, that ere nightfall it was given out and currently believed in the regiment, that Charente had outdone himself by some process of slow drowning, wuereuy his reputation for ferocity was much enhanc ed, and never a word said he. Four years passed, and the graves which marked that scene of struggle and bloodshed were veiled by the kindly grass; the invaders had left the Crimea, the Russians again oer.n- pied Sebastopol, and the storm of war dis persed on the shore of the Euxine, to gather again, first on the plains of India, and then upon the sunny land of Italv. Again the French army went forth to battle and to vic tory. Again did our friend, the "Grim Ser geant," display his prowess in the foremost ranks, and earned on the day of Magenta, the much prized decoration of the cross of the Legion of Honor. But the good fortune which bore Charente scatheless through the storm- j ing of the Malakoffand the field of Magenta, forsook him in the bloody battle of Solferino. He had rushed into the midst of the enemy and seized some Austrian colors, when the foe closed around him, and wounded, and bleed ing, he was taken prisoner. This would have been a slight misfortune, for his captivity was of short duration, and his wounds soon healed ; but his right hand had lost the thumb and two fingers, which quite incapacitated him far military purposes, so that when he returned to his native country he was at once discharg ed, and retired with a small pension, to Bou logne. He soon after married, and did not preserve, in private life, the character for fe rocity which he so much prized, for his home was one of the happiest in the world. One evening, about thrte months after his return, he was startled by the appearance of a gen darme, who came to summon him before the mayor. On entering his presence, th t officer inquired abruptly: "Are you Phillippe Cha rente, late of the 4th regiment?" "I am that person, monsieur." 'Your presence is required in Paris ; you must start to-night ; a Russian family of dis tinction desire to see you yon will find them at the Hotel, Rue de Riveli." "Alas ! monsieur, I am poor, I have no clothes fit to appear in before people of rank, nor means to take me to Paris." "All will be provided for yon. I imve re ceived two hundred frances to enable you to obey the summons at once," and the mayor handed him ten gold pieces. The worthy sergeant bowed, and left the house in a state of dire perplexity. lie went to a clothier's and fitted himself with a holi day suit, then returning home he bewildered his wife with the news, packed his knapsack, and left that night for Paris. lie puzzled himself, during his long jour ney, in trying to make out what could be the meaning of the strange summons to the me tropodis. and what a Russian family of dis tinction could want with a poor soldier like himself. The many acts of kindness of his life were always done in an underhand sort of way scarcely confessed to himself; aid his adventure at Sebastopol had long faded from bis memory. It was in vain th it he twirled his moustache, and stared diligently at the lamp in the carriage; no light dawned upon his mind, and he reached Paris still enveloped in the mists of unsolved mystery. Leaving the station, he shouldered Ms l;rm sack, and carrying in his hand the card where on the Mayor of Boulogne had written the ad dress of the Russian nobleman, be plodded steadily on to the Rue de Rive!;. v::;lliil into the grand entrance of the hotel w ith a much more faltering step than he would have shown on marching up to an enemy, and pre setted his card to the smart grsot who met him. He was evidently an expect;:! gui-at : for, on glancing at the card, the man said : "Phillippe Charente ?" "The same, monsieur," answered the ser geant. "Follow me, my brave fellow," said the kindly waiter. "His excellency is at break fast ; but he told me to usher you into his pres ence directly as you arrived." Charente, more perplexed than ever, follow ed the man up the great staircase, and enter ed a large suite of rooms. They pnsscd through a magnificent saloon, in which were several servants in rich liveries; 'hen opening a door to the right, the garcon said, in a loud voice : "Phillippe Charente is arrived, your highness." Before Phillippe had time to observe any thing in the room which he entered, an excla mation of delight rang in his ears, his hands were clasped by small, white, jeweled fis, a face of great beauty was looking up ij him, and a deeply moved voice said: "My brave preserver !" A tall, military looking man, whose breast was covered with orders, now advanced to the bewildered soldier, and shook him warmly by the hand. "God bleRS you my fine fellow !" said he ; "bat for your generous kindness I should have been childless." The good sergeant, perplexed beyond de gree, looking from one to the other with such a mystified expression of countenance, that the yonng lady fairly laugbei, and said : ! " Why, Phillipp, have yon forgotten the Kus- j sian girl at Sebastopol, whom you" rescued Irora your savage comrades ?" And now, at last, light broke in npon the poor mail's darkened brain. 1 he whole scene of that long forgotten day flashed before him. But was U possible that the graceful and beau tiful lady who was still holding his hand, had been the pale child whom he Lad saved ?" "Is mademoiselle indeed the person whom we found in the recess of that large house in Sebastopol ?" "The very same," said she, smiling, "I have never forgotten you. and you would have heard from me before ; but my father was un able to leave Russia until about a month ago, and I bad set my heart upon finding you out, that te might thank you himself for the care you took of his ouly child, and that you might learn that Russians are not ungrateful." "But how was it," asked the still unsatis fied sergeant, "thit mademoiselle was lelt alone to the horrors of a deserted city ?" "Ah ! that was horrible indeed," said she, a cloud passing over her usually joyous face. Then, turning to her father, she left him to tell Phillippe how, being himself engaged in ordering the retreat, he had intrusted his daughter to the care of his servants, with di rections to take her across the harbor at once in his own barge; but that, aloud explosion taking place near the house, they had lost all presence of mind, aud rushed tumultuously to the boat, leaving her behind. "I could scarcely believe it at first," resumed the 3'oung lady, with a slight shudder at the rec ollection ; but when the loneliness and danger of my position became too apparent, I deter mined to try and find my way across alone. At this instant your party entered the house, and I had only time to hide myself in that re cess when j-ou all poured into the drawing room. The sequal you know as well as I do, bat not the irtensegraiitnde 1 feel, and which can never cease to be a part of my life." Charente was petted and feted for some days, and introduced to all the friends and re lations of the lady, who loaded him with at tentions and presents. The Russian nobleman settled a pension of six hundred francs a year upon him, and as they parted, the grateful girl took a handsome ring from her finger, tied it round Charente's neck, and said : "There! you must not forget me again ; that souvenir will remind your wife of your good deeds, and j-onrself of a Russian's gratitude." HAVELOCZS. This article of soldier's clothing is named after Gen. Ilavelock, from the circumstance that he introduced it into the English Army in India. When made of suitable materials, is a protection to the head and neck against heat, cold, and rain. It can be furnished at so low a price that every one can be provided ; it is of so littlte bulk that it can be carried in the pocket, w hen not wanted on the head, and when required can be adjusted upon the fa tigue cap in less than a minute. As soon as it becomes known it will be universally adopted by soldiers, and we doubt not will be exten sively worn by all classes of people, particu larly farm laborers. The women, too, will a dopt tiieiu to wear around the garden and a bout the house, and as a duster over bonnets. All commanders of regiments going South should see that every man is provided with a Ilavelock, and that they are worn upon all necessary occasions. Ilavelocks can be fur nished in large quantities, by the aid of the sew ing-machine, made ol good twilled cotton, which will be almost impervious to rain, at 12 cents each ; made of stout w hite linen, at 25 cents each ; and of good white flannel, for 30 cents each. For wet weather thy ray be rra' - ' tii iaorics, and for winter of gray flannel or thicker cloth, as they probably will be by the Seamless Garment company. To enable any family to get up these valuable protectors of the head and neck for home use, or for those going troni home to serve their country in the tented field, instead of the bay field, we give the following dimensions and description : There is a crown-piece five inches across. The hend-jicf" f three and a hall inches wide at each end, and five inches in the ceDter, stitched to the crown, with the end stitched together in front, w ith a visor two inches deep in the center and eleven inches in extreme length, where it is stiched to the head-piece. Then a cape six and a half inches deep, cut circular is stitched to the back of the head piece extending from one point to the other of the visor. Over this seam, inside, is stitch ed u casing iW a douote draw-suing to pucker it, to suit different sized heads. The viccr is made double, and open inside, so that the leather visor of a common fatigue cap may be inserted, as the Ilavelock is thrown o vcr it, which can b" den.? while on the march almost instantly. The inner edge of the un der part of the visor is hemmed, and the front edge stitched, find the outer edge of the cape hemmed. Tho whole work can be done by the sewing-machine, and the pieces cut by patterns or machinery, so that the articles can be furnished with immense rapidity. A presidiug eider, who was holding a meet ing without assistance, was overjoyed on a Sabbath morning, to see brother King, who is a good preacher, ride up and at once insisted that he should preach the morning sermon. N'v' sail t ioJLr K., "the people c.ime here to hear u, and would not be satisfied with any sermon I could preach ; but if you notify them of the fact I will preach to night.' I will' answered the elder, and in order to do so more effectually, I will preach from the text. 'He that cometh after me, is greater than I.' Do says brother K., 'and for my text to night, I will take the passage, AH that came before me were thieves and robbers.' To Keep Butter Sweet. D. Edson Smith, contributes to the American Agriculturist the following directions for preserving the butter in rood condition for any length of time. In Mayor June when butter is plenty, work it thoroughly two or three times, and add at the last working nearly one grain of saltpeter and a spoonful of pulverized loal sugar to each pound of butter. Pack it tightly in stone jars to within two inches of the top, and fill the remaining space with strong hrine. Cover the jars tiguily, and buuy them in the cellar bot tom, where tho butter will keep unhurt for a long time. An interesting company of about 50 boys and girls, selected fr m more than 400 chil dren at Juvenile Asylum, New York, were sent out to Western homes last week, under tho car of Jlr. Allen, the Indenturing Agent. WHY I LEFT THE ANVIL. BY ELIQU BCRRITT. I see it! You would ask me what I have to say for myself for dropping the hammer and laiting up tee quill, as member of yonr pro fession. I will be honest now and tell you the whole story. I was transposed from the anvil to tne editor's chair by the genius of machin ery. Don't smile, friend, it is even so. I stood and looked lor hours on those thought less iron intellects, those iron-fingered, sober, suple automatons, as they caught up a ball of cotton and twirled it, in the twinkling of an eye, into a whirlwind of whizzing shreds, and laid it at my feet in folds of snow-white-cloth, ready for the use of the most voluptuous an- tipoaes. iheywere wonderful things, those looms and spindles; but thev could not spin thoughts there was no attribute of divinity in them, and I admired them nothing more. They were excessively curious, but I could estimate the whole compass of their being and destiny in finger power; so I went away and left them spinning cotton. One day I was turning my anvil beneath a hot iron, and busy with the thought that there was as much intellectual philosophy in my hammer a3 ia any enginery going in modern times, when a most unearthly scream pierced my ears. I stepped to the door and there it was the great iron hor3e. Yes, he had come, looking lor all the world like the great dragon we read of in the Scriptures, harnessed to half a living world, and just landed on the earth, where he stood braying with surprise and in dignation at the "base use" to which he had been turned. I saw the gigantic hexapod move with a power that made the earth trem ble for miles. I saw the arm of human beings gliding with the velocity of wind over the iron track, and droves of cattle travelling in their stables at the rate of twenty miles an hour to wards the city slaughter house. It was won derful. The little busy, bee-winged machin ery of the cotton factory dwindled into insig nidcance before it. Monstrous beast of pas sage and burden ! It divorced the intervening distance, and wedded the cities together! But for its furnace, heat and sinews, it was nothing but a beast, an enormous aggregation of horse power. And I went back to my forge with unimpaired reverence for the intellectual philosophj' of my hammer. . Passiug along the street one afternoon, I heard a noise in an old building, as of some one puffing a pair of old bellows. . So, without more ado, I stepped in, and, in a corner of a room, saw the chef d'ouvre of all machinery that has ever been invented since the birth of Tubal Cain. In its construction it is simple as a cheese press. It went with a lever with a lever longer and stronger than that with which Archiuiides promised to lilt the world. It is a printing press," said a boy standing by the ink trough, w ith a careless turban of brown paper ou his head. "A printing press !" I queried mnsingly to myself. "A printing press. What do you print ?" I asked. "Print ?" said the boy, staring at me doubt fully ; "why, we print thoughts." "Print thoughts !" I repeated after him ; and we stood looking for a moment at each other in mutual admiiation he in the absence of an idea, and I in pursuit of one. But I looked at him the hardest, and he left another ink-spot on his forehead, from a pathetic mo tion of his left hand to quicken my apprehen sion of his meaning. "Why, yes," he reiterated in a tone of for ced confidence, as if pressing an idea which, though having been current a hundred years. might still be counterfeit, for aught he could show on the spot, "we print thoughts to be sure." "But, my boy," I asked in an honest sober ness, "what are thoughts, and how can you get hold of them ?" ''Thoughts are what comes out of people's minds," he replied. "Get hold of them in deed! Why, minds aren't nothing you can get hold of, nor thoughts either. All the minds that ever thought and all the thoughts that minds ever made would not make a ball as big as your fist. Minds, they say, are just like air; you can tseo them ; they don't make any noise, nor have any color; they don't weigh anything. Bill Depent, the sexton, says a man weighs as much wheu his mind has gone out of him, as he did before. No, sir; all the minds that ever lived wouldn't weigh on ounce troy." "Then how do you print thoughts ? If minds are as thin as air, and thoughts are thin ner still, and make no noise, and have no sub stance, shade or collor, and are like winds, are anywhere in a moment, sometimes in heaven, and sometimes on earth, how can you see theru when caught, or show them to others ?" Ezekiel's eyes grew luminous with a new idea, and, pushing the ink-roller proudly a- cross the metallic page of the paper, be re plied: "Thoughts work and walk in things that make tracks, and we take them tracks and stamp them on paper, iron, wood, stone, or what not. This is the way we print thoughts. Don't you understand ?" The pressman let go the lever, and looked interrogatively at Ezekiel, beginning at the patch on his stringless brogans, and following up with his eye to tho top of the boy's brown puff cap. Ezekiel comprehended the felicity of his illustration, and wiping his bands ou his tow apron, gradually assumed an attitude of earnest exposition. I gave hiru an encourag ing wink, and so he went on "Thoughts make tracks," he continued im pressively, as if evolving a new phase' of the idea by repeating it slowly. Seeing we assen ted to this proposition inquiringly, he stepped to the case, with his eye fixed ad 111 on i shingly upon us. "Thoughts make tracks," he re peated, arranging in his hand a score or two of metal slips, "and with these' ere letters we can take the exact impression of every thought that ever went out of the heart of human man ; and 'we can print it to, give us paper and ink enough, till the great round earth is blacken ed around with a coverlid of the thoughts, as much like the pattern as two pins." .hzekiel seemed to grow an inch at every word, and the brawney pressman looked first at him and then at me with evident astonis- ment. ''Talk about the mind's living forever!" exclaimed the boy, pointing patronizingly at the ground, as if minds were lying there in capable of immortality until the printer reach ed them a helping hand. "Why, the world is brimrul of live, bright, industrious thoughts, which 'ud have been dead as stone if jt hadn't been for boys like me, who run the ink-rollers. Immortality, indeed J Why, people's minds," he continued, with his imagination climbing into the profanely sublime, "people's mind's woulden't be immortal if it wasn't for printers at any rate in this ere planetary burying ground. We are the chaps that manufacture immortality for dead men," he subjoined, slap ping the pressman gracefully on the shoulder. The latter took it as it dubbed a knight of the legion of honor; for the boy had put the mysteries of his profession in an apocalypse. "Give us one good healthy mind," resumed Ezekiel, "to think for us, and we will furnish a dozen worlds such as this with thoughts to order. Give us such a man and we will insure his life. . We will keep him alive forever a mong the living. He can't die, no way you can fix it, when once we have touched him with these bits of pewter. He shant die nor sleep. We will keep his mind at work on all the minds that come to live here as long as the world stands." "Ezekiel," I asked in a subdued tone of reverence, "will you print my thoughts too ?" "Yes, that I will," he replied, "if you will think some of the right kind." "Yes, that we will," echoed the pressman. And I went home and thought, aud Ezekiel has printed my "thought tracks" ever since. FLAX vs COTTON. From the New York Evening Post of May 16. The cotton States have founded all their political and commertal opperations upon one idea, that cotton is King, and that it rules the world. In particular have they imagined that France and Great Britain could not do with out it, and that this necessity would compel them, sooner or later, to recognize the South ern Confederacy. They have hooted at the i dea of any hostile competition in the produc tion of this article elsewhere in sufficient quan tity and of adequate quality to supersede their own. But we imagine they are about to be undeceived, and that, too, in a most unexpect ed manner. We have seen at the Chamber of Commerce the most beautiful specimens of flax cotton we have ever examined, which is actually the pro duct of our North-western States, and where it grows in boundless extent, indigenous, cheap, and to be had almost for the taking. We have seen it after the first process, one of a few minutes' time ; after the second, when it was carded ; in the third, after it was spun ; and in the fourth, when it assumed the ioriu of cloth of tue most beautiful texture, woven into the fabrics now usually manufactured of the Southern cotton. After the third process, it cannot be distinguished in its appearaunce from the finest cotton. It has long been suspected that there were other vegetable fibers which might be made as valuable as those of the cotton plant, and many are in use in various parts of the world such as the vegetable silk or a r tore de paina of South America, resembling cotton wool, but not having roughness enough in the fibre to permit its being woven ; the pulu or vegetable silk of Ow hyee ; the sunnee of India, or brown hemp; the jettee from Madras; the borassus fibre from the palm tree countries ; the jute from Bengal, now a rival of flax and hemp, but limited in its use because it wilt not stand being wet; various kinds of hemp and flax fibers those of Manilla, the aloe, coir, pine apple, China grass, Para grass, bast, &c. All these have their uses and their value, but the woolly covering of the seeds of the gossypium, or cotton plant, has supplanted them all in quantity, quality, and general a- daptability to the wants and comforts of the human race. None of the fibers of the other vegetable substances above mentioned, with the excep tion of flax, have ever been turned so easily and cheaply to use. This, which the botanists call linutn usilalissimum, has been the chief competitor of cotton ; but its preparation and manufacture are effected by a process so tedi ous and operose that very great efforts have been made to shorten and simplify it. As long ago as 1828 a patent was granted b' act of Parliament to a Mr. Lee for a method of seperating the fibre in two or three hours. In 1852-'53 a Mr. Schenck invented a method for preparing the fibre in sixty hours, and the Chevailer Claussen introduced, still later, a process by which the fibre, soaked in a solu tion of the carbonate of soda, and afterwards dipped in a weak acid solution, came out bro ken up into minutest divisions, and in the form of flax cotton, and when maufactured proved to have a stronger and finer texture than the best cotton. For some reason un known, the discovery was not proceeded with ; cotton still remained king ; but we believe its downfall is at hand. On our great western prairies, and in a large part of Western Canada, there is a species of wild flax, unknown to botanists formerly, which is indigenous, perennial, herbaceous, and in exhaustible in quantity. It was put to no use by the early settlers, except to make straw of it lor litter. Recently, the seed has been considerably collected for the manufacture of oil, but still later, its fibre has been found to be very valuable, and now it has assumed a momentous importance through tho means of a very simple invention. The stalks are placed in a cylinder, and subjected to an enormous pressure of high steam 250 pounds to the inch. In less than six minutes the contents are blown out or exploded, and the flax comes forth with the fibre divided up, and husk or covering shattered into infinitesimal parts. It then resembles Codilla, or tow. It next passed through cylinders armed with teeth, which hackle it and smooth out the fibres. It is then washed with nitric acid, and comes out as white as snow. It is then carded, drawn out into yarn, and is spun into thread precise ly like cotton, and is ready for the loom. Thus the old, tedious, and unhealthy process of water-rotting is done away with, and so is that of bleaching, to perfect which chemistry has exhausted itself, and large fields of lawn have been indispensable. This article, when ready for spinning, can be afforded at a uniform price of six cents per pound, and enough of it can be gathered wild, though it would be much improved by culture, from our own prairies, to clothe the world with a fabric of the finest and most durable quality. The experiments already made, and the mills already construted to manufacture it, have fur nished the most conclusive evhlence of the truth of this magnificent discovery. Samples of the article, in all its processes, have been forwarded to Manchester, and par ties are ready to furnish as many bales of it as all the mills in England may demand. A Yankee in Iowa has just taught a duck to swim in hot water with such success that it lays boiled eggs. THE JOURNAL. SUMMARY OF WAR NEWS Mat 27. Jackson, the murderer of Ells worth, had made great preparations for a con flict. He had in his possession a volcanic ri fle capable of 32 discharges without reloading Colts revolving rifles, double larreled guns, revolvers, and a small howitzer. He bad per sisteutly boasted of his individual power to hold his house against any attack. Two ol the enemy's picket guards were cap tured some miles beyond Arlington Heights aud brought to Washington. One ol them confirms the report that on Saturday afternoon about 700 rebels were several miles only from Arlington, but prudently retired farther back when they discovered the hurrying of tho troops thitherward from Washington. A car was seized four miles eyond Alexan dria, on the line of the railroad by Zouaves, containing butter, cheese, flour, eggs, etc., Eighteen men of the rebel irmy, in citizen's dress, were in charge. The goods and men were brought to Alexandria, where they await the orders of the government. A man was seized several miles from Wash ington, with a secession flag, by several zou aves, which they made him carry on a pole to the Marshall House where Ellsworth was as sassinated, and there trample the flag in the dust, and then lie down on it. From Alexandria all along the Georgetown aqueduct breastworks have been thrown up in 24 hours every soldier, even In theN. Y. 7thr working constantly and effectually. These de fences are being strengthened. At Alexandria one spy was captured to-day, and three yesterday; and 250 concealed pisUds, 500 rounds ammunition, and a large quantity of military clothing, were seized in suspected houses. The Zouaves took in custody a rebel, with about $250 on his person, together with pis tols aud papers. lie was deprived of the ef fects and released on parole. Mat 28. The rebels are evidently prepar ing for action. Reports received at Washing ton state that they are throwing up entrench ments at the Manassas Gap Junction ; and tho secessionists in Alexandria are loudly boasting that they will soon be relieved by the advance of rebel troops from Richmond. The govern ment, however, is prepared at points to check any forward movements of the enemy. It is stated, that some mysterious move ments have been going on at the rebel camp at Harper's Ferry. Only two companies have been on parade for some days. The ferryman was warned to pass nothing but the mail. Tho camp is guarded with great care, neither friend or toe being permitted to visit it. All this may be only a mark to cover a retreat, as tho camp is on a norse-snoe stuped piece ol ground, from which retreat might easily De cut off. The United States forces from the Indian country west of Kansas, comprising six com panies of cavalry and five of infantry, under Lieut. Col. Emery, are near Leavenworth, Kansas, with all means of transportation and plenty of subsistence. On the Texan frontier they made a rapid retrograde march, and cap tured twenty-five Texans who had been dog ging the troops for some time. They were held prisoners one day and discharged. The President has accepted three regiments from Kansas, including one of cavalry from the Leavenworth arsenal. A large detachment of the former, (and the main body, if neces sary.) will be deployed along the Hannibal and St. Joseph railway ,to protect passengers and freight from capture or injury. There has been no little apprehension of trouble from se- cessiouists, but this will guarauty protection to persons and property. It is reported that oUU cavalry and oOU seces sion infantry, with a dozen wagon loads of arms. which were to be reinforced by 1,000, arrived at Webster, and intended to attack Wheeling. ' Some 5000 Ohio and Wheeling troops took possession of the Wheeling branch of the Bal timore and Ohio railroad ana started to Graf-. ton, (Parkersburg junction,) where the seces sion forces were encamped. On Saturday night a body of Union men, toot possession of the railroad depot and tele graph office at Moundsville, as Major Barry the agent was strongly enlisted in the secession business. Ther ebels at Point of Rocks have succeeded in throwing "Ballman's Rock," on the rail road track, by blasting. The lock weighs a bout 70 tuns. On Sunday the secessionists burned two of the railroad bridges between Farmington and Mannington, on the Baltimore road. Mat 29. Two citizens of Alexandria, who on their word of honor declared that they were loyal to the United States, were several daya since granted passes to that city at pleasure. To day they went beyond the outside guards " into some bushes and bred on the U. b. Artil lery. They were immediately pursued ind shot. The passes referred to were found in their pockets. A gentleman from JSorfolk by way of Rich mond and Fredericksburg, estimates the Se cession force now at Norfolk, Portsmouth and Gosport, at 20,000; at Richmond at least lo, 000, and near Fredericksburg 10,000; large re-enforcements having arrived, withiu a few days, from the South. Persons receutly from Kentucky, say that the six Western counties are as hot with the Secession fever as South Carolina ever was, and that mob-law and terrorism sweep every thing before them. The rest of the State is either quiescent or actively loyal. Several steamers, with about 1,000 troops aboard, went down the river ; and their desti nation is supposed to be Acquis creek, wher the rebels are known to have erected a battery. Eight armed rebel soldiers captnred in Vir ginia, and the 35 cavalry taken at Alexandria, are at the Washington Navy Yard, awsiiiDg the action of the military authorities. A force of 2,500 men, formed an entrenched camp near the mouth of James river to-day, teu miles from Monroe, across Hampton roads. This is an important strategic point. Lieut. Col. Heinzelman, who is now in com mand of three regimeurs under Gen. Mans field, in Alexandria county, is the man who drove Cortina from Texas. About 100 fugitive slave came to Fortrrss Monroe this morning. They were provided with rations and set to work, their services being greatly needed. On Saturday night a-wcek, Prof. Grant's calcium light was used at Fortress Monroe, and illuminated the tnot distant point reach- -8 of Hvrtpton reads. 3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers