it
i
I.
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" TERMS PER
n a war TO
;T0D IIIITCUIXSOW, Publisher .
' - - - i . , i i 2. .' '" " : i I t : : : - 1 '1 : SlL r'l Li f . , . . . "
' ' i 1 " p X - ; X ' 1 1 , ..'.''' '' ' ' I ' ' "
m.iUnx irnnriiinr t xrnm n t s ttit7t ttt t t r- tt t ttt axj tt?p,sttip-vt Hrvv rnv . . . .
VOLUME 5.
TMKECTOR Y. ; 1 'I :
i
LIST OF POST OFFICES
post Offices.
gethel Station
Cirolltown, :
Chess Springs,
fonemaugh,
Wesson,
Ebetisburg.
fjUen Timber,
GaUitz'm,
jshnstown, -Loretto,'
ITmeral Point,
yunster, piattsvUle,"
Boseland, " :-
St. Augustine,
5Clp Level,
Soatnaa,
Sua'merhill,
Summit,
Kilmore,
Post Matters.
Enoch Reese,
Joseph Behe,
Henry Nutter,
A, Gr- Crooks,
J. Houston,
John Thompson,
A sa II. Fiske
J.M. Christy, .
ffra Tile j, Jr.,
I.E. Chandler,
M. Adles'oerger,
E. Wissinger,
A.. Durbin,
Districts. .'
Blacklick.
Carroll.
Chest.
Taylor.
Waahint'n.
Ebensburg.
White.
Gallitzin. .
Washt'n.
Johnst'wn.
Loretto.
Conem'gh.
Mnnster.
Andrew J Ferral, Susq'han.
O. W. Bowman, White.
Stan. Wharton, Clearfield.
George Berkey, Richland.
B. M'Colg&n, Washt'n.
B. F. Slick, Croyle. -
William M'Connell Washt'n.
Morris Keil, S'merhill.
CHURCHES, MINISTERS, &C.
Presbyterian-. D. TTakbisos, Pastor
Preaching every Sabbath morning at 10 J
"clock, and in the evening at 3 o'clock. Sab
':u C i,,ni nt 1 o'clock. A. M. Prayer meet-
oaiu w t -
r- Tlmrddav eveninir, at 7
irarer nieeiiui; -
Y4ch Independent Ret Ll. R. Powell,
Ptor. Preaching every Sabbath morning at
10 o'clock.' ad in. the evening at ,6 oclock.
Sabbath School nt I o'clock, P. M. Prayer
ecetinff on the first-Monday evening of each
month J and uu every Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday evening, excepting the first week in
well month. ..
CalvuiUtic .Vtho.litKzr. John Williams,
rmtor. Preaching every Sabbath evening ai
:and (J oclock. Sabbath School at V o clock,
A M. Piaver meeting every Friday evening,
t7,oV,ock.' Society every Tuesday evening
t 7 o'clock.
Disciples TIkx. W. Llovd, Pastor. Preach
ineeverv Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock..
Particular UAptists'Ri:?. David Jbski.vs,
rastor. Preaching every fabbnth evening at
3 o'clock. Sabbath School at at 1 o'clock, P. M.
CatholieRzr. M. J. Mitchell. Pastor.
f.rvices everr Sabbath morning at 1C o clock
oI Vespers at 4 o'clock in the evening.
EBEXSBCUG MAILS.
MAILS ARRIVE. .
Entern daily, at 11 f o'clock. A. M.
Western, " t " 11 o clock, A. M.
MAILS CLOSE.
Eastern, daily, at 8 o'clock, P. A.
Western, "at ' 8 o'clock, P. M.
f"ThemailsfrotnButler,Indiana,Strongs
lown, 4c, arrive on Thursday of each week,
at S o'clock, P. M. ,
Leave Ebensburg oa Friday of each wetK,
nt b A. M. W c
K,The mails from Newman's Mills, Car
tnlltown, tc, arrive on Monday, Wednesday
and Fridav of each week, at 3 o'clock, P. M.
Leave Kbensburg On Tuesdays, Thursdays
tad Saturdays, at 7 o'clock, A. M.
RAILROAD SCHEDULE
- CRESSON STATION
WtsWBalt. Express leaves at
" Fast Line . . 44
n Phila. Express "
Mail Train "
8.43 A
31
o.:o p
M.
9.22 A. M. .
8.38 P. M.
8.38 P. M.
12.34 A. M.
6.58 A. M.
10.3'J A. M.-
East Through Express
I ast Line
Fast Mail
Throagh Accom.
k
WILMORE STATION.
Vfst Bait. Expreb3 leaves at
" Mail Train 4
tMtTlrough Express "
44 fast Mail ' - . .
9.0G A. M
O.UJ P.
8.11 P. M
A. M
COUXTY OFFICERS.
Judges cf Ike Courts President, Hon. Geo.
Taylor, Huntingdon; Associates, George W
Eaaley, Henry C Devine. .
Prcthonotary Joseph M'Ponald.
Register and Recorder James Griffin. . ,
SheriffJohn Buck. .
, District Attorney. rhilip S. Noon.
- County Commissioners Peter J. Little, Jno.
Campbell, Edward Glass.
Treasurer Thomas Callin.
Poor. House Directors George M'OuIlough,
George Delany, Irwin Rutledgc.
Poor House Treasurer George C. K. Zahm.
Awiitors William J. Williams, George C.
Zahm, Francis Tierney.
County Surveyor. Henry Scanlan.
Coroner. -James Shannon.
Mercantile Appraiser Patrick Donahoe.
. Sup't. of Common Schools J. F. Condon.
EBEXSBL'RG IIOR. OFFICERS.
BOKOLGH AT LARGE.
Justice of the Peace. David
n. Roberts
OMripcm Kinkead. ;
Burgess James Myers. "
School Directors Abel Llovd, Phil S. Noon.
Joshua D. Parrish, Hugh Jones, E. J. Mills.
Dvid J. Jones. , .
EAST WARD.
' Constable Evan E. Evans.
Tovn Council John J. Evans, Thomas J.
"avis, John W. Roberts, John Thompson, D.
J- Jones.
inspectors William D. Davis, h. Rodgers.
Judge of Election DaaltlJ . Davis.
Assessor Lemuel Davis.
- , v WKHT M'AkD.
. Constable M. M. O'Neill.
Town Council R. S. Uunn, Edward Glass,
nn A. Blair, John D. Thomas, George W.
V-'atma-u. -
Inspector William Barnn. Jno. H. Evans
Jvdg of Election Michael ifr,son.
"r Georg Gurler.
Jnff every Thursday evening y V A ,
thodist Episcopal Church-Kv J. S. Lkm
m'x. Preacher in charge. Rev. J. Gkay, As
iliUnt. Preaching every Sabbath, alternately
tMOi o'clock in the morning, or 7 in tbe
vj.,hhth School at 9 o'clock, A. M.
Tliaclteray.
The following exquisite poem, from the
New York Round Table, is a noble tribute to
the memory of the great departed : '
' '' "adsum." i; '
deczmber 23-4, 18G3.'
"And just as the last bell struck, a peculiar
sweet smile shone over his face, and he lifted
up h.is head a little and qnickly said 'Adsuin!'
and fell back." The Kevccomes. : ' ;
- The Angel came by night,
(Such angels still come down!) "
And like a winter cloud .
. . Passed over London town;
' i '
Along its lonesome streets,
Where want had ceased to weep.
Until it reached a house
Where a great man lay asleep;
The man of all his time
Who knew the most of men;
. The soundest head and heart, f
The sharpest, kindest pen. ,
:' It paused beside his bed, .
And whispered in his ear;
He never turned his head,
' ' ; But answered, "I am here."
Into tlie night they went, ';
. At morning, side by side,
Thej' gained the sacred Tlace
Vhere the greatest dead abide ;.
Where grand old Homer sits;
In godlike state benign ;
Where broods in endless thought
The awful Florentine;
Where sweet Cervantes walks,
A smile on his grave face;
. Where g03sips quaint Montaigne,
The wisest of his race ; . ' -.Where
Goethe looks through all, .
With that calm eye of his ;
Where little seen but Light ?
Tbe only Sbakspeare is ! . ,
When the new Spirit came,: . ...-
:. They asked him, drawing near,
Art thou' become like us'?''
He answered, "I am here."
' R. N. STODDARD.
A Gift by Hie Vaysldc.
The old farm house clock iiad just struck
severij and alJ over the hills the purple
vapors of twilight were coming down,
awaking spicy odors among the sweet fern
in the pastures and the blue wild grapes
ripening in the wood;?, while the whippor
Mriil sang sadly on the mossy 'rails of the
broken down fence that skirted the ravine,
and the katydids chirped shrilly through
the morning glory leaves above the win
dows. - -
"Seven o'clock,", echoed Silas Miller,
just as. though he had been watching tlju
slowly creeping minute hand for the last
half hour, "lie will soon be here now
my boy will soon be here I"
What a strange softening of the rugged
features, what an unwonted quivering of
the harsh voice there was, when he nttered
the two simple words, "my boy. " les, it
was his boy, who was coming back from
the ?moke" of haltle fields. No wonder
that the thought sent a thrill through his
iron natttre.. His soldier his hero ! '
"Surely I ought to hear the stage horn,"
he 'said, feverishly pacing up and down
the harrow path, : where the maple leaves
lay like a carpet' of pale gold. 'Listen,
Sybil. Dun't you hear if "
"It is too early yet, father."
The light figure came stealing out to
his side, and both together leaned over
the garden- gate, gazing into the opal
loom of twilight with wistful, seai-ching
jraze.
She was not prettier than many another
New England girl, yet there was a delicate
tvpe of beauty in her face and form that
belongs as much to the frozen north as its
pine forests and cliffs of eternal snow.
lale brown hair, with aureate lights
crossing its surface at lines, eyes like the
blue larkspur, and lips that had stolen the
dewy crimson of the wild rose; in pearls
and blue crape, Sybil Miller would have
been a beauty in her dress of gray ging
ham she was something, far better and
nobler.
Suddenly the old man started and uttered
an indistinct, glad cry.
"It is he, Sybil. l)on'tyou see, beyond
the elder bushes ? Child, don't hold mc
back, but let me go and meet my boy."
4,No, father, you are mistaken it is hot
Laurence. Laurence is shorter by nearly
half a head, and that is not his quick,
buoyant step." - -
"You are right, Sybil," said Silas Mil
ler, almost petulantly. "Why do. these
vagrant soldiers go wandering by, giving
honest folk3 a start?" . , ;
"I suppose he did not know, we were
watchiDg for Laurence," said Sybil, half
sailing in the dusk.' . '
"It was only this morning that a beggar,
disgracing lt won't gay wearing the
United States linifor'm, came by, and bad
the audacity to a?k me for money'- . :
i"Did you give him something
"Give him something?" repeated Silas,
angrily would have seen him starve
first!; I have no patience- with these
strolling beggars. ? Here is another speci
men of the kind, I suppose. No, my man,'
you need not trou"ble,Tourself- to recite
your pitiful story !" -
For thp tall figure, with a halting step,
and coat thickly powdered with dust, had
paused 'in front of the -gate, and 'Sybil
could just distinguish his dark, piercing
eyes, and a forehead traversed by a cress
cent-shaped scar, apparently ne.wly healed.
''I have nothing for you," edid Silas,'
quite sharply. "Yes, I know what you
would say, but it is of no use.- If yott are
deserving, the proper authorities will take
care of you ; and if you are not, the county
i ail is the best place for you.' Don't tell
me about want. What have you done
with your bounty money and your pay, if
you are really what you pretend to be a
soldier ?";.;, : , -
Then, through the deepening "twilight,
Sybil could see the scarlet flush rising in
the scarred forehead.
"Sir, you arc mistaken. I did not beg."
"No j you would prefer to play the bully,
I have no doubt. Hut-1 am net a proper
subject for you; so go about your bu3ines3,
my man." '. - ' J : -
The soldier turned silently away with a
step more halting, and a. head more de
pressed, into the gathering dusk.
"Father," whispered Sybil, reproachful
ly, "had you forgotten that our Laurence,
too, is a soldier?"- . - v - ' ' :
"No," returned Silas, abruptly ; "I re-i
membered it wcil, and it convinced me all
the more that a-man, paid and pensioned
like. our Laurence, has no need to beg on
the public highways." ' . -w
"Dut, father, h did not beg."
4 "Beciuse I would hot allow it, my child.
I pay taxes for the'support of such as he
and T declare I will do no more !" ' : a1,
- lie spoke in the sharp; high-pitched
accents of passion, and when he looked
around again Sybil wa3 gone.
' Footsore and weary, the travel-worn
pedestrian had sat himself 'down on a
mossy boulder by the roadside, wfTen a
quick, lighffootstep came up a little path
leading from the back door of the farm
houe, through the pasture field, and a
slight figure bent over him.
"Do not mind my father's words; he
was anjrry and unreasonable," she said,
hurriedly. "I have but little to give, but
1 want you to take it for the sake of my
soldier brother." ' - ' '' -
Before he could speak she had unfast
ened from her neck a blue ribbon, with a
tiny g"ld piece suspended from: it,' placed
it in bis haud, and was q-lidini; awav
across the field, like &omc little gray nun,
in her sober-hued dress. lie rose up; as
it to fjllow and overtake her,- but it waj
too late, and as he bent lys head over the
glittering token, something like a tear
dropped upon its circlet of tiny stars. -
"And now' tell us everything that has
happened to you, Lnurenc-i. Oh ! Lau
rence, when I awakened thi? morning it
seemed like a dream that you1 had come
back' to us alive and well' " !!-'! " .
The'' bronzed faco ' of the handsome
ycung soldier looked down sn)i!ing1y into
the radiant face nestled against his shoul
der, and a seriom shadow stole iufo' his
eyes as he thought cf past dangers. '
"I can tell you, Sybil, that'it came very
near once or twice, being nothing else but
a dream.' I have had 'more hair-breadth
escapes than you know of, little sister.: 'I
believe I did not tell ycu; of that sharp
skirmish along the Potomac, where I
stood facing death, an ugly death, too, at
the points of the rebel bayonets, when
some brave fellow charged down on them
and saved my life with : his ' own right
hand." . . ' '; " v:;- " ;:'
: "Who was it Laurence?" said old Silas,
with trembling and dilated 1 eyes. "I
would give' my best wheat field for 'a
chance to grasp that right hand." '
"I don't knowI never camefcacross
him' again. Probably ho 'was in somo
other regiment;' All I know is that he
had fiery black eyes, and an odd scar ou
his forehead, shaped exactly like a Moor
ish crescent." ' ' " 'I ""' ' '
' "With a straight no3e, end : a : heavy
black moustache ?" interrupted his sister.
' . "Exactly." ; " v ' ' : v ;
"Father," '.paid Sybil, -turning with
sparkling eyes and crimson cheek to
where Silas Miller sat, -"the wandering
soldier whom you turned rrom 'your dior
last night was the man .'who Asaved; Lau
rence's Hie" ! v ; ; I; ' "
Silas iiro3e fronrhis chair and-took an
nneasy walk across the room, .his iron
features working strangely .T" T,
"It can't be helped now," he said,T n a
irebnulojis Vclce ;,"but it is the lastWdier
I will ?vct Betid with empty, hands lVoui
my dqot.' The man who saved our 'Lau-'
fence's life ! ' Oh ! Sybil, if I had listened
to' your words. ; .' ' ; '
' 13ut she never spoke of the little' piece
of gold. ' She fancied it mighteem like
ostentation this shv fastidious litilo wild
flower of the hills ' ;; ' ; ' "
"''My Sybil going to be'' married among
t to 'fine folks down in Boston. ' AVell, I.
suppose I might have expected it, and yet
it d.-es seem kind of hard," soliloquized
Silas Miller,'dropping. the 'happy, timid
letter in his lap, and looking out through
dimmed spectacles upon the sunuy, bills.
"I wander who it is. I should like to see
(he man that 'is' going to - rnafry Sybil
Miller ' ; ' . " V ."' '" "
. ones iUiiicr, woum uave ueen a prouu
C3n' could, he have beheld his : pretty
daughter, on that same night in licr
; white evening dres5, with scarlet gerani
ums' lighting up her brown hair and
glowing on her bo3om;' No wonder that
Captain Leslie's .lace brightened with
grave, quiet pride as he looked down on
his fair betrothed. . ' '
"Sit down here, dearest,, in this quiet
little music room," he said, with caressing
and loving authority. "I cannot share
your sweet eyes and sweeter words with
all the world any longer. I must have
you all to myself for awhile.'!
" She looked up', with , a blushing smile
then down again.
" Well V heasked. as if she had spoken,
was wandering, Allen, about that sear
on your forehead
"What of it ?"
' "Why," it is such
almost a half circle,
a singular shape
I never saw but one
like it before."
! "Did youpt ? ' ; And where was that ?"
'A poor soldier passed our gate once
with just such a scar on his forehead,
and-- . - - .
She paused, for Allen Leslie had quietly
taken from soma inner receptacle in his
eoat a tiny piece of gold, with a narrow
xq ribbon pissrd through . it. lie held
it smilingly up before her.
' '-Do you know' who gave this to me ?"
"Gave it to you, Allen?"
"To me, a footsore, weary wanderer,
who had mised his way among your tan
gled roads. You fancied me a , beggar,
but it was not so. I had monev, friends
and position ; yet I stood sorely in want
of a . friend' just then, for my braiu was
throbbing, my limbs weary, and my
wounds scarcely healed. That foot-march
cost me a weary . fever. Yet I do ' not
regret it, for "
lie took her han J tenderly into his, and
added! ' . ;
"For although I might have known
that my Sybil was beautiful, yst, .had it
not been for that blue-ribboned piece cf
gold, I never should have known how very
trood aud true she was."
CIs a n ge i YJ'r o ugli t Isy i Ii e Wa r
In "Cudio's Cave," a, war novel, by ?f.
T. Trowbridge'," well known as contributor
to the' Atlantic Monthly, we find the fol
lowing beautiful paragraph : . :- : . ' 1
' "How many a beloved 'godd-for-nothing'
has gone from our streets and firesides, to
reanpear far o2 in a vision of glorr ! TliQ
school-fellows , know not tlirir comrade j
the'mother knows not hex own son. The
stripling, whose outgoing and
inconiiri'r
were eo fanmiar to us impulsive, 1 un
loving, a little selfish, apt to' be cross
when the supper was' not -ready,, apt' to
come lite and make you cross,' when the
supper was ready and waiting: who ever
guessed what nobleness was in him ! His
country called, auJ he rose up a patriot:
The fatigue of inarches, the hardships. of
camp and bivouac, the hard fare,' the
injustice that must be submitted to, all
the terrible trials of the body's' strength
and, the soul's patient endurance
thes? he bore with the superb buoy
ancy of spirit wlych denotes the hero.'
Who was it that 'caught up the colors,
and rushed forward' with them 'into the
thick of the battle, after ; the fifth man
who attempted it had been shot down ?
Not the village loafer, who used to go
about the streets dressed so shabbily ?
Yes, the same. " He fell covered with
wounds and glory." . The rusty and seem
ingly useless, instrument we saw hari$ so
long idle on the walls 01 society, none
dreamed tol)e a trumpet of sonorous note
until the soul came and blew a blast. '
And; what, has become of that white-'
gloved,' perfumed handsome' cousin' of
your?, "devoted to his pleasures," weary
even of those to whom life, with all its
luxuries, ,'hnd become a' bore ? Hp fell
in the trenches at Wagner. Ile tiad dis
tinguished himself by his daring, his
hardihood, his -fiery love of libcrtyr
When' the nation's alarm belt, his man
hood stood erect; he shook.' himself ; all
his past frivolities were no more than dust to
the manic of this young lion. The wr ha
proved useful if only ip this, that it has
developed. the latent heroism in pur.youug
men, .and taught us what, is in humanity,
in our fellows, in ourielvps.' Because it
has called into action all this generosity
and courage,1 if for uo other-cause, lot us
forgive ! its cruelty: though the chair. of
the beloved one lie vacant, the bed unslcpt
in, r and tbe hand cold that penned the
letters in : tht sacred ' drawer, ' which
cannot even now be opened without grief."
"Seeing tbe EJepljaut."
Some years since, at one of "the Phila
delphia theaters, a pageant wag in rehear
sal in which it was necessary to- have an
elephant; - No elephant was to be had. . j
The "wild beasts were ail traveling, and
the property man, stasrc director and !
manager almost contracted epilepsy when
they' thought of it. ! Days passed In the
hopeless task of trying to secure one ; but
at Jast Yankee ingenuity triumphed, as
indeed it always does, and an elephant
was made to order, of wood, skins,. paint,
and vainish. Thus far the matter was all
very well ; but as yet they had -found no
means to make said combination- traveh
Here again the genius of the manager,
the stage director and property man stuck
out, and two "broths" were duly installed
as legs. 'Ned C-i one-of the true and
crenuine "b'hovs," held the station of
fore-legs, and for several nights he played
that heavy . part to the entire satisfaction
of the managers and the delight of the
audience. , ' ' . '
The part, however, was a very tedious
one. as the elephant was obliged to be on
the stage -about au hour, and Ned was
rather tco fond of-the bottle to remain so
long withyut "wetting his whistle,',' so he
set his wits to work to find a way to carry
a wee drop with him. -The eyes of the
elephant being made of two porter bottles,
with .the necks in, Ned . conceived the
brilliant idea of. filling them with good
stuff. This he, fully carried but; and
elated "with success,- he- willingly '"under
took to play fore-legs again. .
Night came ou the theatre was dense
ly . crowded with .the denizens ot the
Quaker city the mu.sie was played in the.
sweetest strains the curtain rose and the
play" began. Ned and- the "hind-legs"
marched upon the stage. . The elephant
was greeted with round upon, round of
applause. The decorations' and the
trappings t were gorgeous. The elephant
and the prince seated upon his back were
londly cheered. ' -
The play proceeded ; tho elephant was
marched rouud and round upou thestae.
The fore-legs got dry, withdrew one of
tJic corks ana treatea tne nma icgs, anu
then drank th health of the audience in
a bumper of genuine chphant-eye whiskey,
a brand, by the. way, till then unknown.
On went the play, and on went Ned
driuking. The conclusion march was to
be made the signal was given, and fore
legs staggered towards the front of the
stage. The conductor pulled the ears of
tho elephant to the right the fore-legs
stacred to the loft. ; The foot-lights
obstructed The way. and he raised his
foot. and stepped plump into the orchestra!
Down went the fore-legs on to the leader's
fiddle ; over, of course, turned the ele
phant,' sending the prince and hind-legs'
into the middle of the pit. The mana
gers stood horror-struck ; the prince and
hind'legs lay confounded, the boxes in
convulsions, the actors chokinpr with
lauqhter. Poor Ned, casting one look,
strange blending . of drunkenness, grief,
and laughter, at the scene, fled hastily
out of the theatre, closely followed by the
leader with the wreck of his fiddle, per
forming various .tut aud thrust motions in
the air. The curtain dropped on a scene
behind the scene-j. No more pageant
no more fore legs but .everybody . held
their sides. : Music, actors, pit, boxes, and
gallery, rushed from the theatre shrieking
between, every breath, "Have you seen ilte
elephant?"- Hence the orgm ot this pop
ular iuterrogatory.. ' . ; I ,": . ; ,
JKij'A young Englishman was "sworn
in": to the. United States service at New
Haven, a week or two tunce, who-was one
of the famous 4SiIunjdj'ed" immortal
ized, by Icunyson. : : r . ' . - .1 .
An oid Grecian philosopher ad
vised all men to-know themselves. This
is advising a good' many to make very
low anu disreputable acquaintances.
i 3f The experience of many a life
"What a fool I have been r ... iho expe
rience of many a - wife "What a fool 1
have crot !"
KuA iiious Jerscyiuan has willed
5500 to tho New Jersey Biblo Society
for buyiDg spectaclos for '.-indigent old
folks, that they may seo. to read,
fitay Look your imfortun&s in the face,
and reflect that it is better ta.be accused
of a vice, being innocent, than acquitted
of it, being guilty-'. r ' i- '
NIJJNIEERl: 2B:
Educational Department.
l..i commjumcaxipns luienaea jot luis column
should hi addressed to 'The'AUejhahian."
- .. - ..
ClIARACTEU OF OUR TEXT-BOOKS.
The other
evening, we had occasion
to
pick up a little work entitled, "First Lei?-,
sons in Enslish Composition. . . . by G.-1V.
Quackenboss, A. M.V ; The -work; ha
been lying - on " our table " for about two
years," not attracting ;much' at'tehtlorr :aV''
we had out little occasion for using it. -The
author claims that the book ia adap
ted to the wants of childreu taking their;
first ; lessons in composition.; Rules rOi
"iven for "uurit v. uronrietv. - rirccis.
i -1 j i r
ion, clearness, strength, : harmony, t and;
unity." . Justification for writing the-
book, is based on the fact of its necessity;;
That there is need for a good work oq thei,
subject of Composition, wo, will freely;
admit, but . that the one before us is.
worthy of patronage, would be hard 'to
acknowledge. - .. .' , ,
It seems to us that there ia scarcely a"
rule given in this book that is . not viola-.'
ted by its author. In almost, if not in,
every, case where tliall or will should bos
used, viau is substituted. On tiace HQ
' " 1 . I o
is tho following : ."Avoid redundancy."
On page 83,1 iu speaking pf the relattTe:.
pronouns, the book reads : "that is used:
indiscriminately, ii either case." On pager
109 is advocated the necessity of propri-.
ety in the choice of words. On pagc.93,
it reads "Alter the following sentences.
, being careful to have them retain-
the same meaning." How could .they,
retain any other ?;. A gain, on page 107,
"Da not use obsolete words or such as ora
t
alien into disuse." If this is not reduni
dancy. with a vengeance, then we; greatly,
mistake On page 115, near is used for.
nearly.- The sentence is as follows: "P!ac.
words and clauses as near, as possible tor
the words to, ; which they relate." Oa
page 121, in rules III and IV, the con-;
junction or is used instead of, nor. Tha
first of these rules reads : "Do not uaa
the conjunction and too much, or. let it
commence a sentence." This error is as
pl-iin as the nose on a man's face, i lij
looking at page 126, you may seej in Te-
gard to parentheses, the . followiug lan
Good writers of the present
day, for tie most part, , avoid them, alto
gether." A school-boy should bo ashamed
of such a blundering use of language.
In the preface to this work, the author
speaks of "the important branch of , compo
sition.". Pray, is there both an important,
andan unimportant branch of composition?,
Further 90, this wonderful teacher speaks,
of ; - pupil's ability "to analyze com-r
pound sealenccs into simple )nes..'; , We
thought the age of miracles haJ past.
Again, the pupil is told to prepare, him
telf to answer the questions in tach lesson
before "he proceeds to tho exercise." A;
smart pupil who can perform such a task 1
Such a book is not fit to be put in tho
hands of any child. . But it :s one of a
class. Some of our school histories aro
very little better. Certainly adman's self
esteem must be uulimitcd to place books,
before the public when blunders can b.
counted on almost every page. . . . :
, 4. ,
. ' - - ' 7 ' . : '. , ' - i n
CSjrhere is ., something peculiarly
beautiful aud soothing in the manner, ia
which the silent processes of the' ruind
are brought into action wheu . we are
reading attentively,, .We must of neces
sity derive some benefit. .What can:bo
more beneficial than improving the vigor
and sensibilities of the mind, expanding
the reasoning faculties, strcngthcuinjr tho
judgment, facilitating the
o - ri
0 ..v, uLMiaubo ui.
ideas? Are these
benefits more easily
. ,.,..
attained than by a careful course of srood
reading? ,, ,
In books, as well as, with men, we may
confer with genius aud learning. But
books havo an advantago over men, in
that they enable one to contemplate at'
leisure the finished productions ol maturo
reflection, whilst many of us aie not $ni
dowd with a memory sufficiently capable,
of retaining the exact words of the speak
er. Moreover, a person is seldoW enabled'
to speak at once s much to the pufpts
as he would write alter consideration. V"
v