VOLUME 1.
Army t'ormpondencc.
('AMP IN THE FIELD.
Virginia, Oct 27, 18G4.
MESSRS EDITORS: —A few copies of
your interesting and valuable paper, find
their way to our camp each week, and
they are always eagerly sought after and
perused with pleasure and interest, and
with an especial interest have we peru
sed the open fearless and candid criti
cisms you have made through the col
umns of your paper, upon the course pur
sued by Major Thos. McLaughlin, since
his retftu from the army, to his native
county; and furthermore, wc believe that
your criticisms and opinions, coincide ex
actly with those of tho loyal people of
Butler county. Hut while such is the
c isc, perhaps it would not be uninteres
ting to you and your readers, to know what
soldiers who arc yet in the service, expo-'
sed to all the trials, hardships aud dan
gers which soldiers arc called upon to en
dure, think of the conduct of the man,
who will go out and tight for a season in
defense of a certain cause, and then re
turn homo and array himself with a par
ty who have been and are, upon their
own acknowledgment, the direct oppo
nents and enemies of that cause. And
just the long and short way of telling it
is, that we think it a very unmanly, un
generous and unpatriotic deed. Soldiers :
frequently find much time for thought
and reflection, and it is with the closest
scrutiny they look upon the conduct of
all men in public iit'e, but more especial
ly is such the ease in regard to those men
wh h ve at one time arrayed themselves
to defend tho honor of their country.—
As you have traced the Majors military
career it will be unnecessary for us to |
do so at any great length. Wc go back |
a little more than threo .years. Treason
had reared its head ; traitors were inarms
our flag insulted and our country endan
gered. Thousands of our brave country
men sprang to arms to defend their homes
their flag and their country, and amongst
these, the Major at the head of a Com
pany. He served his country then, for
a period of about three years. Hut wheth
er his heart was in that service or not,
(iod and himself alone can tell. Thus
far we can perhaps say all right. He
then retires from the service, pleading as
an excuso, advanced ago. Well even
#tiis we could pass over. Hut now comes
IS
the place where the shoo The
Major had always been a Democrat at
home ; but the Democratic party occupi
ed" a very different position then than it
did at his return home. It had not then
laid itself down to grovel in the dust and
"lick" the lect of its country's enemies, j
The old beguiling serpent slily slips up j
aud plants himself lit the Majors ear and
whispers, "now Major, you have always
been a Democrat, you have been out in
the service of your country for a consid
erable time, ami have made a pretty nice
' .
thingofit. You have become quite popu- !
l.ir with the people. You have got a nice \
handle to your name, and more than that. !
you have received considerable benefit in :
• I
a pecuniary point of view, and now w hen i
you have returned home, having gained
so much, you will certainly not leave your
old party even if it has fallen far below
the position it held when you last met
with us. and is arrayed in direct opposi
tion to the cause for which you have been
battling." The temple prevails, and in a
fatal moment, the Majoryields. Hut alas
Major that moment sealed your doom.—
Think you that your follow soldiers from
Butler county, can ever for get It, never,
no never. "Ye cannot serve God and
mammon," and"he that is not for us is
against us."
HEAD QUARTERS,CO. A, (3th Pa. H. A.
MANASSAS JUNCTION, Oct. 29, 'G-fe
Messrs Editors : —1 had expected long
ere this to have written you, but moving
has prevented it, you see where we are.
On leaving camp Reynolds, Sept. 15th,
our Reg. cauie to Washington and was
sent up the Potomac aud across the Chain
Bridge into some Forts on the hills of that
clasic stream. Thence in a few days by
foot aud rail, the Gth "Heavy Artillery"
(acting very much like the 212 th infan
try) moved to Fairfax Station, on the A.
& A. R. R. 17 miles from Alexandria,
there we lay, at least part of us, until af
ter the oluotion. which in our company,
resulted in polling about 82 Union and
10 disunion votes. During our lay at
Head Quarters, wc seut out daily train
guards, aud one squad of these from our
company, (A,) Co. F, and D, comrnan
manded by Lieut. McCandless, of my Co.
when in the front, got into a muss aud if ■
we may believe,the conductor uud eugim er
did more for the safety of the train
than all of one of the battallions of Gal
lops men. about which so much blowing
has been in the Pittsburgh papers. The
day after the election, we with another
company, came to this place, and lnve
fised up for the winter, this being the
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
second time already. Our men are in
a healthy condition, although there is
some Ague, they are much more healthy
• than a month since. You are doubtless
aware that on the 25th of Sept. we had
two men died, one ltobt. A. M'Candless,
of liutler county, the other, Wm. Swartz
of Clarion county; both sudden.
Any soldier who votes Mac, belies his
action, and shows that he was either figh
ting for money, ambition, or because he
could not help it. No man who believes
he did right in acting soldier, can believe'
he is doing right in voting the Mac. aud"
Pendleton ticket, and I would put tne
question to such and ask them to vote as
the} - expect to render an account at last.
Let such men solemnly ponder their act,
and I know some who should tremble.—
Hut I leave them to their conscience.
W. It. HUTCHISON.
Contentment.
The reason why, comparatively, so few
of mankind are truly happy, is, that in
stead of taking a little trouble to search
out the secret oi true happiness before
commencing the search, they at once be
gin the pursuit by rushing blindly on to
wards some darling object which enlists
their feelings, the acquisition or posses
sion of which to their imagination is the
summuni bonumoi felicity. '1 he great
est good is, to their minds, comprised in
the gratification of their selfish wishes,
tlappiness is the aim of all mankind ; it
is the prospective state which each individ
ual is endeavoring in his own way to reach,
yet how' mistaken the path which is al
most universally chosen.
True happiness must be found in one's
OWJ bosom. The foundation of it must
be laid by a diligent and persevering cul
tivation of a spirit of contentment under
all circumstances and in every vicissitude
of life. It is in vain, in this chengeful
and trying world, to build upon any oth
er foundation. Conteutment is really de
pendent upon no outward circumstances;
if we cannot find it within ourselves, uni
versal experience has proved that it is to
little purpose to seek it elsewhere. If
discouteut is fostered in the heart by the
indulgence of a fretful spirit under every
adverse circumstance, it would make no
difference, though fortune lavished its
choicest favors, and gold came down in
showers, this world would be a desert ;
whereas to the poor cottager, who toils
for his daily bread'in whose bosom reigns
a spirit of' calm peaceful reliance upon
Providence, and a holy resignation to his
will, this world is fair and lovely Even
where life is so crowded with burdens that
it seems no longer desirable for its pos
sessor, it may yet be esteemed for the
blessings it is capaWo of bestowing upon
others.
How then shall this inestimable bless
ing. this sweet spirit of contentment un
der all tho accumulated ills of life—be
procured? Tho first and fundamenta
requisite to its attainment is, to cultivate
a spirit of patience; or in other words a
spirit of resignation to the Divine will.
Impatience under any circumstances is a
warfare against Providence, and to mur
mur against natural events, is to affront
Ilim. It is fancy, not the reason of
things, that makes ufe so burdensome to
us.
One of the most distinguished trait 3 in
the character of Socrates was a tranquil
ity of soul, no misfortune, no injury, no
ill treatment could ever disturb: and as
it is supposed that lie was naturally of a
hasty, passionate temper, his mildness and
calmness were the effect of his endeav
ors to .subdue and correct himself. In
this lie exemplified, by his conduct, the
important truth that the passions give en
ergy to character, and the conquest of
them gives dignity. Epictetus, one of
the most renowned of the heathen
phers, reduced all his philosophy to two
maxims, viz.: tosufferevilswith patience,
and enjoy pleasures with moderation. He
compromised it in two words—'-Bearand
forbear." Ariosto had an inscription
over his door in Ferrara, in these words—
"pnrva sed apta mihi," small, but suffi
cient for me.
There are feir situations in life in which
every thing can be brought to coincide
with one's own wishe?) consequently the
causes of discontent and uuhappiness are
innumerable and the illsof life keep most
persons always tossing on the tumultuous
billows of dissatisfaction. Poverty an
noys many; the cares and vexations of
wealth trouble others. Some are groan
ling under the shaft# of slander. Many
fear a bad name, but few their consciences.
Plato says—" when men speak ill of thee,
live so as nobody will believe them," which
is truly the best method to be pursued .
for the defence of character, aud more
convincing than volumes of eloquence.
Various ideas have been formed respect
ing the true nature of happiness, both in
ancient and modern times. Indcod per
haps no word since the creation of man
has ever been made to answer to so many
different meanings. This simple defini
tion, however, seems to cover the whole
ground. Happiness is that state of fe
licity in which there is nothing to be
desired.
"Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our duty as we understand it"— A - LINCOLN
BUTLEIi, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1804.
WIT AND WISDOM.
To what tuue does the ocean sing ?
Neptune.
WHY is a cow's tail like a swan's bo
som? Because it goes down.
ONE who is half man, half dog, will
bow to the rich aud bow-wow to the poor.
WiiY do hens always lay in the day
time? Because at night they become
roost-ers.
THE more we know the less wc say. —
Aj; death a man arrives at immense
knowledge, and doesn't open his mouth.
WHY isn't a joint stock company like a
watch? Because it does not goon after
it is wound up.
WHEN' does a severe cold resemble a
brilliant idea ? When it comes into one's
head suddenly.
WHAT was Christopher Colon when LIE
had only half got his growth ? A semi
colon , of course.
A LADY who sings in a choir, says she
will marry a small man, because short
metre hims are the easiest to get along
with.
IF a woman could talk out of the two
cornere of her mouth at the same time,
there would be a good deal said oii both
sides.
A MAN, on being told that a certain
kind of stove would "safe half the coal,"
said, "I'll take two of them and save it
all."
" I HAVE gone into the silk business,"'
said a man to his neighbor.
" So 1 supposed, as I saw you reeling
towards-home last night."
WHAT is the difference between a per
son transfixed with amazement aud a
leopard's tail? The one is rooted to the
spot, the other spotted to tho root.
SOME mischievous wags one night pull
ed down a turner's sign and put it over a
lawyer's door; in the morning it read,
"all sorts of turning and twisting done
here."
A LEARNED doctor has given his opin
ion that tight lacing is a public benefit,
inasmuch as it kills off all the foolish girls
and leaves the wise ones to grow into wo
mcu.
A JOCKEY, who incautiously burned
his finger by taking up his toast from the
fire, and broke the plate by letting it Kill,
observed that it was too bad to lose the
(■late after having won, the heat.
WE once heard a woman of the vorld
say, " the state of widowhood is inconve
nient, for one must assume all the modes
ty of a young girl, without being able to
feign her ignorance."
WHAT is the difference between the
Prince of Wales and a bombshell? One
is heir to the throne, tho other thrown to
the air. The Prince himself, ou hearing
this, declared it to be simply a-bom-inable.
out for people who are habitual
ly suspicieus and ready to believe that
others act from bad motives. In many
cases the evil they attribute to others is
only what they feci iucliued to do them
selves.
A WEALEIIY but weak-headed barris
ter once remarked to Curran. that "No
one should bo admitted to tho bar who
had not an independent landed property."
" May I ask, sir," replied Curran, "how
many acres make a wise-acre ! "
SHERIDAN had a very convenient for
mula for acknowledging all the new pub
lications that were sent him :
" Dear sir, I have received your ex
quisite work, and I have no doubt I shall
be highly delighted—after I have read
it."
THE mind that has learnt things and
forgotten them is on a superior footing to
that which has never received the teach
ing. Most things learnt may be partially
forgotten in everything but tho training
they have given. Cultivation is consis
tent with a great deal of ignorance.
A YOUNG pupil in the non resistant
school of philosophy was once elected t■>
the legislature, of course from one of the
interior counties. True to his principles,
he drew up a bill abolishing all punish
ment for crime, and then prepared anoth
er forbidding people to commit crimes.
OLD Father Buslinell, of Vermont,
used to say, that the best criticism he ev
er received on his preaching was from a
little boy who sat at his feet, looking up
into his face, as he was preaching to a
crowded house. As going on ve
ry earnestly? the little fellow spoke out,
" You said that afore."
" PA, what is the interest of a kiss?"
asked sweet sixteen of her sire. >
" Why, really, I don't know. Why
do you ask ?"
" Because John, my cousin, borrowed
a kiss lust night from me, and said lic'd
pay me back some of these nights with
interest."
Assessors Precept.
The following is a copy of the Precept
issued by the Commissioners of Butler'
county, to the Assessors of the different
Districts in the county. All should read
it, in order that they may act understand
ing!}', at'd be enabled to make correct re
turns to the Assessor when he makes his
call:
The Commissioners of said County,
To Assessor of
in the County aforesaid-, Greeting:
Pursuant to the several Acts o*" As
sembly, in such case made and .provided,
we, the said Commisssioners, hereby re
quire and direct you to proceed forthwith
to the placo ol abode of each and every
taxable person residing within your
and with your utmost diligence and abil
ity to discover, ascertain, make out and
return
A just and perfect list of the names
of all taxable persons in your
arranging them in alphabetical order as
"owners of real property," "tenants," or
"single men," as the case may be, with a
description of their property, real and per
sonal, as a'i-0 the several objects, &c.,
made taxable by the laws of this Com
monwealth ; the whole arranged under
their appropriate heads, in the tabular
forms hereto appended.
You are further required to inquire and
ascertain who, of the taxable persons with
in your are residents, and who are
non-residents, and to distinguish them in
your return by annexing to the names of
thenon-residents the letters N. U.
Yoil are further required to inquire and
ascertain who are aliens and who are nat
uralized citizens, and to distinguish them
in your return by atiuexing to their names
the letter A to distinguish aliens, and in
like manner the letters N. C. to distin
guish natuialized citizens.
You are further required to make a list
of persons living within the limits of said
liable to enrollment in the militia, to
wit:—All able bodied white male citizens
les'dent within the said of the age
of twenty-one years, and under the age of
forty-five years, excepting persons enlist
ed into volunteer companies, idiots, luna
tics, common drunkards, vagabonds, pau
pers; and persons convicted of any infa
mous crime; and in case of doubt respcc
ing \he age of a person enrolled you will
place his name upon said list and return
a certified copy of said list to the office of
the County Commissioned of said county
As soon as the said roll or list is com
pleted you will forthwith cause notices
thereof-to be put up in three of the most
public places in the said —t — which no
tices shall set forth that you have ma3c
a list or roll of all persons liable to enroll
ment according to law, and that, a copy
thereof has been left for record in the offi
ce of the County Commissioners, whore
the same may be seen or examined by
auy persou interested therein, until the
day when the Assessors and Commission
ers shall meet to review the assessment of
re# and personal property, or for appeals,
on which said day the said Assessors and
Commissioners of the county shall also
meet to review said enrollment. Any
person claiming that he is not liable to
military duty on account of sonic physical
defect or bodily infirmity, or that he is
exempt lrom the performance of military
duty by any law of this State or of the
Uuited States, may, on or before the day
specified in such notice, and not after, de
liver to you an affidavit stating such facts
on which he claims to be exempt or not
liable to do'mi itary duty. Such affidavit
may be made before any person authori
zed to administer oaths; and you shall
cause all such affidavits to be filed in the
office oftheCounty Commissioners. When
you have completed the assessment roll
you will sign the same aud attach thereto
an affidavit substantially as follows:
"The undersigned Assessor A orssessors
of the city, borough, ward, or township of in
in the county of Butler, being sworn,
or affirmed, say that they have made
strict and diligent inquiry to ascertain
the names of all persons required to be
enrolled as liable to military duty, by
the provisions of this act, residing in the
district; that the roll hereto annexed is,
as near as the deponent or deponents can
ascertain a correct roll of all persons
residing in said district, who are liable to
be enrolled." You will then deliver said
roll to the County Commissioners at their
next meeting, and it shall be called the
militia roll of said district; and also one
copy to the brigade Inspector of the
proper brigade.
You will take an account of all real
estate, viz: All houses, lauds, lots of
ground and ground rents,mills aud manu
factories of all descriptions, furnaces,for
geries, bloomerics. distilleries, sugar-hous
es. malt-houses, breweries, tan-yards,.fish
eries and ferries, wharves, and all other
real estate not exempt by law from taxa
tion ; and you are further required to
value all larms by the acre, inserting the
price per acre scj irate and apart from the
buildingsor impr vemcnts, which you are
to value by thcni 'dves,mentioning wheth
er they are log, fiume, stone or brick buil
dings, and likewise the number of stories
in height; and alf lots of grouud are to
be valued the san e way. You are requi
red to assess all coal lands as follows :
1. In all cases where'the surface and
the coal are owned by the same person or
persons, the assessment must be upon the
laud including the coal.
2. In all cases where the surface and
the coal are owned by different persons,
the surface must be assessed to the owner
or owners of said surface, and the coal
must be assessed to the owner or owners of
the coal, separately.
All horses, mares, geldings, mules and
neat cattle, over the age of four years.
All mortgages, money owing by solvent
debtors, whether by promissory note, pe
nal or single bill, bond or judgment.
All ai tides of agreement and accounts
beariug'interest, owned or possessed by
any person whatsoever, except notes or
bills for work or labor done, and bank
notes.
All shares of stock in any railroad or
insurance company, or buildiug and loan
association, incorporated by or in pursu
ance of any law of this Commonwealth,
or any other State or Government.
All shares of stock in any unincorpora
ted loan or banking institution.
All public loans or stocks whatsoever,
except those issued by this Common
wealth and the Government of the Uni
ted States.
All monies loaned or invested in any
other State, together with the amount of
said respective objects of taxation, and
the amount per ceut. of the dividend or
profit annually accruing or received there
from respectively.
Al! household furniture, including gold
and silver plate, exeaeding in value siioo,
owued by any person or persons, c irpora
tion or corporations.
All pleasure carriages, both of two and
four wheels; all salaries and emoluments
of office; all officesand posts of profits,
professions, trades, and occupations.
Jfey The aforementioned objects of
taxation are taxable for Count// awl State
purposes : the following for State purpo
ses alone, to wit :
All gold lever, or other gold, watches of
equal value.
All other descriptions of gold watches
and silver lever watches, or other silver
watches of like value.
Every other description of watches of
the value of 820 or upwards.
All trades, occupations and profess
ions (except tho occupation of farmers)
over and above §2OO.
All salaries and emoluments of office
created by or held under the Constitu
tion and Laws of this Commonwealth, or
created by or held under any corporation,
institution or company incorporated by
this Commonwealth, wherein sueli-salaries
or emoluments exceed S2OO.
All annuities over 8200. except those
granted by this Commonwealth, or by
the United States, and upon all property,
real or personal (not taxed under .exist-'
ing laws)' held, owned, used or invested
by any person, eompauy, or corporation,
in trust for the use, benefit or advantage
of any other person, company or corpora
tion, excepting always such property as
shall be held in trust for religious purpos
es.
We especially enjoin it upon you (as by
laic and your oath you are bound) to as
sess aud value all personal property and
other objects made taxable by the laws of
tliisCommonwi altli, within your said ,
whether for State, county, or other pur
poses, at tho rate or price, which you
shall, after due examination and consider
ation, believe the same would sell for, if
sold separately and singly at a bona fide
sale, after full public notice; and that you
rate all offices posts of profit, profes
sions, trades, and occupations at what you
shall believe to be thcae tual yearly in
come arising therefrom.
In estimating real estate subject to
ground rent, where there is a provision in
the ground rent deed that the lessee shall
pay the taxes on said ground rent, you will
assess the laud to tho owner thereof, and
at its full fee simple value, and in such
cases you will not assess any on said
ground rent: but where there is no such
provision in the ground rent deed you
will assess for taxes the full value, and
not the annual rent, to thc.owner of such
ground rent; and in -such case you will
also assess to the said lessee tho real estate
subject to ground rent.
And you are also directed at the time
of making tho assessment in your
to require every person, every firm and
partnership, and e President, Secret '
Cashier or Treasurer of every company
or corporate body, subject to taxation
therein to deliver him a statement in
writing, or partly printed and partly writ
ton, showing „the aggregate amount of
money due and owing by solvent debtors
to such person, partnership, firm, com
pany or corporate bodf. whether on mor
tgage, judgmeut, decree, bond, note, cot
tract, agreement, accounts and settle
ments in the Orphan's Courts ayd
Courts of Common Picas, and other ac
counts,except ing running or book accounts
of merchants or others for goods sold or
wcik done, and excepting executory
contracts and agreements, where posses
sion has not been delivered to the ven
dee, under such contracts or agreements,
and excepting notes, contracts or ac
counts for work or labor done, and bauk
notes, whether payable on demand, or at
any specified time, past, present or future,
or whether the time of payment be spe
cified or not, and whether containing an
agreement to pay interest or not whether
written or verba] ; and also the amount of
all shares of stock held or owned by such
person, company, firm or corporate bo ,
in any bank, institution or company, now
or hereafter incorporated in pursuance of
any law of any other State or Govern
ment, and all payable loans or stocks what
ever, except those issued by this Common
wealth, and all money loaned or invested
on interest rn any other State and the
several items aforesaid, composing such
aggregate; but you are not to require a
statement of notes discounted, or held by
any bankinginstitution.
You are also directed to obtain from
each person, the President, Secretary or
Treasurer of each company, and some
member of each firm or partnership, from
whom statements may be required as
aforesaid, within fifteen days aiter you
shall make such requirement, a certificate
over his proper siguatuio, accompanying
such statement or statements, that the
same is true and correct; and if any
such person, member of firm or partner
ship, 01" oSicer of such company or cor-
poration, shall refuse or neglect to fur
nish such statement as is required bythe
provisions of this act, tho Assessor shall
proceed to make out, from the best mean ?
he may be able to obtain, a statement or
statements of money or stock specified
as aforesaid, owned by such person, firm,
partnership, company or corporation.
And if, in any case, (from tho besi in
formation within your power, to be in
quired for aud obtained by you.) you shall
fail to obtain a correct or special descri] -
tion of the aforesaid property, then you
are to return the aggregate value there
of, as nearly as you can ascertain the
samo; and iu all cases of estimates made
by you, where practicable, they shall be
made as you would appraise the same in
payment of a just debt duefrom a solvent
debtor; and if any person whoso person
al property, trade, oocupatiou or profes
sion, or office, taxable as aforesaid, shall,
before you have completed your assessment,
make oath or affirmat ion that the value of
their pr operty, as aforesaid, does not ex
ceed a certain sum or sums to be specified
in such oath or affirmation, then you shall
value such personal property, trade, occu
pation, profession or office, at the sum or
sums so specified, and no more; and make
a return of this Precept, and your pro
ceedings had thereon, to the County Com
missioners, at their office in Butler, on
the day of , A. l>., 180
And lastly, at the end of your dupli
cate, you will certify to us Miat you have
executed this Precept, in all things as re
quired.
Married the Wroug Lady,
Love is a very uncertain thing, and it
is not safe to bo too certain of the symp
toms until they are unmistakeable. The
following will explain our meaning:
Vienna has been stirred up, lately, by
tho comical result of a strange love story.
It seeuis that iti the house of ono Jlerr
Kuhnc, ateacherof languages, Dr. Kant
a young lawyer, happened to make tho
acquaintance of a lady, burdened with
some property aud thirty years. The la
dy, being particular
interest in the young, shy, and rather
abashed man of law. She made love to
him, in fact, very strongly, and persuaded
him to visit her at her house. But, alas!
he loved another lady. One evening,
while conversing with the doctor, she
said: " With your favorable idea of mat
rimony, may I ask if you ever thoughtof
marrying yourself?" Dr. Kant sighed,
and his eye resting on the ground, hesita
tingly muttered in reply: "I have already
thought of marrying,and made my choice,
but " "But!" the lady hastily inter
posed.—" But," he continued, " the lady
is rich, very rich, and lam poor. lam
afraid I could hardly aspire to her hand,
aud rather than allow myself to be taxed
with sordid designs, I will bury my pas
sion in my breast, and leave it unavowed
forever." At an early hour of the fol
lowing day she, however, betook herself
to a solicitor, and, in legal form declared
her wish to present aud hand over as his
sole property the sum of 150,000 guild
ers—(£ls,ooo)—to Dr. Kant. When
the document had been signed, counter
signed, and duly completed, she sat down
in the office, and, enclosing it in an ele
gant envelope, added a note to the follow
ing effect: " Dear,sir—l have much pleas
ure in enclosing a paper, which I hope
will remove the obstacle iu the way of
your marriage. »Believe &i<?, &c., Alice
Martini." Dr. Kant, for he and no oth
er was the addressee, was the happiest
man in the world on receiving this gener
ous epistle. Repairing at once to the
parents of Fraulein Fisehcl, the lady of
his love, he proposed lor and received the
hand of a girl who had been flattered by
his delicate though unavowed attentions.
His reply to Alice Martini, besides con
veying his sincerest thanks, contained .
two cartes de visitc, linked together by
the significant rose colored fibbon. Miss
Martini forthwith sued the happy bride
groom for restitution, but, as no promise
of marriage had been tuade, the case was,
by two successive courts, decided against
her.
Damascus.
The most ancient centre of trade in
the world, aud one which still retains its
mercantile, currents, is Damascus. The
caravan - comes and goes as it did three
thousand years ago; there arc still the
sheik, the ass, and the water wheel; the
merchants of the Euphrates and of the
Mediterranean still "occupy with the mul
titude of their waters." From Damascus
cauie the damson blue plum, aud the de
licious apricot of Portugal; Damascus
di.inask, the beautiful fabric of cottenaud
silk with vines and flowers raised upon a
smooth, bright ground; the damask rose,
introduced into England in the time of
Henry VIII; the Damascus blade, so fa
mous the world over for its keen edge
and wonderful elasticity, the secret of
whoso manufacture was lost when Tamer
lane carried off the arts into Persia; and
that beautiful art of wood aud steal with
silver audgold—akiud ofMosaicengrave
ing and sculpture united—called Damas
keening, with which boxes and bureaus
NUMBER 48
and swords and guns are ornamented.
Damascus remains what it was before the
days of Abraham—a centre of trade and
travel—an island of verdure in a desert
—a " predcstinal capital," with martial
and sacred associations extending through
more than thirty centuries. It was "near
Damascus ' that Saul of Tarsus saw the
"light from Heaven above the brightness
of the sunand the street which is call
ed Straight, in which it was said "he
prayeth," still runs through the city. The
city which Mahomet surveyed from a
neighboriqg height, and was afraid to en
ter, because it was given to men to have
but oue Paradise, and for his part ho was
resolved not to have his in this world, is
to this day, what Julian called " tho eye
ol the East," and Isaiah,'• the head of
Syria. It is still a city of flowers and
bright waters; the streams from Lebanon,
■the rivers of Damascus," '• the rivers of
gold," still murmur and sparkle in the
wilderness of Syrian gardens, while Tyre
and Sidon have crumbled on the shore,
Baalbec is a ruin. Palmyra is buried in
the sands of the desert, anil Ninevahuud
Babylon have disappeared from the Tigris
and Kuphrutes.
How TO MAKE l niII.NDS I NCOMFOTtT
ABI.K. —The same utterance may bo an
impertinence, an unpalatable truth, or a
disagreeable thing, according to time and
circumstances. For example, in a tit of
absence, we perpetrate some solecism in
dressor behavior. Jt is an unwelcome
truth to bo told il, while there is yot op
portunity for remedy, or partial remedy;
it is an impertinence to be informed of it
by a stranger who has no right to concern
himself with our affairs; it is a dissagree
able thing when—the occasion past—our
iriend enlightens us about it simply as a
piece of information. We all of us, 110
duubt, have friends, relations and acquaint
ances who think it quite a sufficient rea
son for sayinga thing, that is true. Prob
ably we have ourselves known the stale
of mind in which we find a certain fact
or opinion a burden, a load to bo got rid
of; and under the gross mistake that all
truth must be spoken, that it is uncandid
and dangerous not to deliver a testimony
—convinced that the truth like murder,
will out, and that our friends, sooner or
later, must learn the unacceptable fact—
we come to the conclusion that it is best
for all parties to get the thing over by be
ing ourselves tho executioner. We have
most of us acted the enfant terrible at
some time or other. Hut this crude sim
plicity of candor, where it is the result,
of the mere blind intrusive assertion of
truth, is a real weight; and the primary
law of politeness, never to give unnecessa
ry pain, as soon as it is apprehended is wel
comed as a deliverer. Children and the
very young have not experienced enough
for any but the most limited smypathy,and
can only partially compare the feelings of
others with their own. Indeed, tho idea
of the comparison does not occur to them.
But there arc people who, in this respect,
remain children all their days, and very
awkward children, too, who burst with a
fact as the fool with.his secret, and. like
the hair-dresser in Leech's caricature, aro
impelled to tell us that our hair is thin
at the top, though nothing is to come of
tjie communication. These, as Sidney
Smith says, turn friendship into a system
of lawful and unpunishable impertinace,
from, so far as we can see, no worse cause
thau incontinence of fact and opinion—
feeling it to be a sufficient and triumph
ant defense of every perpetration of tho
sort, that it is true. " Why did you tell
'Mr. So-and so that his sermon was fifty
minutes long?" "Because I had looked
at my watch." " Why did you remind
such a one that he is growing fat aud old.'"
" Because ho is." "Why repeat that un
favorable criticism ?" "1 had just read
it." " Why disparage this man's partic
ular friends?" "I dou't like them."
"Why Bay to that young lady that her
dress is unbecoming ?" " L really thought
so." It is, however, noticeable in per
sons of this obtrusive candor, that they
have eyes for blemishes only. They aro
never impelled to tell pleasant truths, from
which, no doubt, we may inlet a certain
acerbity of temper, though these stric
tures may be spoken iu seemjug blunt,
honest good humor. Still they talk in
this way from natural obtuseuess aud in
herent defect of sympathy.— Eaavyx on
Social Subjects.
ttra A minister, putting his hand on a
young urchin's shoulder exclaimed—"My
son, I believe the devil has got hold of
you-" " I believe so, too" was the re
ply.
t&~ A good question for a debating so
ciety. Which is the most delightful op
eration : "To kiss a fair woman on a
dark night or a dark woman on a fair
night.
I Our devil says he prefers the latter