111 15attrq. For tho Herald. A MA J.Eumr, SOEUIt. DT W. TELL t; .1 ITZ • I've often thomrlitiof thee, sweet child, 'fill tears lcave 'dimmed my oyes: . How short must be the mortal span Between thou and the, skies, For hall round thy foaturFs thrown Tholi3 . ht thnt marks (boo ror Its own. Though rhh In outward lovolinoas, Ftuld memory loves to traco The ink confiding tenderness, Tho arid pensive grace, Which to that fair young brow has given The look Devotiml wins from Heaven. Calm and unruffled as the stream O'er which the Queen of Night Loves to reflect her placid beam And lathe•in floods of light, Is the collected thoughtful mien In which thy purity is seen. Thine Is•that singleness of heart That knows no selfish stain— ' The tears from feeling's fount that start To soothe another's pain I Who thy kind **apathy could prhve, And know thee, dearest, and not lover_ Oh, may no early sufferings dim Thy spirit's stainless glow; May'st thou return as pure to lint— AS pure from sin as now— Will gave thee a while to earth To prove thy virtues and thy worth While Memory on my soul shall trace The records of the past, Thy iinkre time shall tie'er efface— My love unslnel:eii lost— In Ihntl affection eherishea there. • Ton pure a guest Tor earth to share! 311h)rillant'aull. Frutn Woolfort::. Roost. HE ENGLISH AND THE FRENCH BY WASHINGTON, 113,VING The French intellect is quick and active.- 9 ashes its way into a subject with the ra• of lightning ; seizes upon the remote nelusions.m - ith a sudden b iund, and its de ictions aro almost intultiv 3. The English 7ellect is less rapid, but more persevering; •i sudden, but more sure in its deductions. • 'te quickness and mobility of the French en .AO them to find enjoyment in the multiplici • of sensations. They speak and act more •AT . ipunediate impressions than from reflec al and meditation. • They are therefore more vial and commullealbitiaoor fond of sooi ty, and of placesltribliiort and amuse ..tut. An Englishmanis more reflective in .s habits., Ire lives in the-world of his own :loughts, and seams more reliant and self ependant. He loves the quiet of his own np- Ament Leven when abroad, he in a manner i:ikes a little solitude around him, by his si ice and reserve : he moves about shy and -Mary, atrit were, buttoned up, body and The Fieneh are great optimists; they seize : 1 »n every good us it flies, and revel in the passing pleasure The Englishman is too apt o neglect the present good, in preparing a ;ainst the possible evil. However adversities any lower, let the sun shine but for a mo• pent, and forth sallies the mercurial French• • man, in holiday dress and holiday spirit, gay is a butterfly, as though his sunshine were perpetual; but let the sun beam never so brightly, so there be but a cloud in the horis con the weary Englishmitn ventures forth dis trustfully. with his umbrella in his band. The Frenchman has a wonderful facility at turning small things to advantage. No one :an be gay and luxurious on smaller means; uo one requires less expense to be happy.— lie practices a kind of Building in his style of filing and hammers out every guinea into gold-leaf. The Englishinau on the contrary, is expensive iu his habits, and expensive in his enjoyments. lie - values everything, whether useful or ornamental, by what it costs. Ile has no satisfaction in show, unless be s olid and complete. Every thing goes with him by the square foot. Whatever display be Makes, the depthis sure to equal - the -sur face The Frenchman's habitation, like himself', , is open, cheerful, bustling, and noisy. He lives in a part of a great hotel, with wide per I paved court, a spacious dirty stone stair- Case, •and a family on every floor. All is clot. ter and :chatter. lle is good•humored and talkative with his servants, sociable with his neighbors, and complaisant to all the world. Anybody.has accoAs to himself and his apart ment ; his very bed room is open, to visitors, whatever may be its state of confusion ; and all thii not from any peculiar hospitable feel but,frum - that c;umnunicative habit which predominates Over his Ohara(der : , Tho croon- Ines himself in a snug brick mansion, tvhich 'he has all to himself; locks the fror4 door; tutts briiicen bottles along his walls, and spring ar inairti.pS in his gardens ; shrouds liirns,.‘ll' *with trees anil curtains; ex lilts in his iiniet.and rriviiey, and secnis dis -;uTs-si„Ltodieep out noise, daylight, and obit:- qt4.,,Ltlis house, liko hinisolf has a v:serveil IM! nhospitablo exterior; pit whoever gains ad - tnittance, is apt to find a Warm heart and Warm fireside within; Eg The French excel in wit; . the Engirt% in humor ; the French have gayer fanny; the En glish richer im a ginations. The,:foriner are full of sensibility, easily moved, and prone to sudden and great excitement; but their excite ment is not durable ; the English are more phlegmatic ; not so readily affected but cepa ble of being aroused to great enthusiasm.— The faults of these opposite temperaments are that the vivacity of the French is nptto spar kle up and froth, the gravity of the English to settle down and grow muddy. When the two charactencan he fixed in a medium, the French kept from effervescence and the En glish from stagnation, both will be found -ex cellent. NI I This contrast of character may also be no ticed in the great concerns of the two nations. The ardent Frenchman is all for military re nown ;he fights for glory, that - is to say, for success in arms. For, provided the national flag be victorious, he, cares little about the ex pense, the injustice, or the inutility of the war It is wouderfll how the poorest Frenchman wilt revel'on a triumphant bulletin; a great victory is meat and driuk to him; and the sight of a military sovereign, bringing home captured cannonand captured standards, he throws up his greasy - cap in the air, and is ready-to jump out of his wooden shoes for ).. John. Bull, on the contrary, is' a reasoning considerate persOn. If he dues wrcng, it is in the most rational way imaginable. lie . ights.heenuse_the good of the world requires t. Ile is a moral person, and 'Makes war up on his neighbor for theliiaintenance of peace and good order, and sound principles. lie is a mut oy-making personage, and fights for the prosperity"of commerce and manufactures Thus the two nations have been fighting, time out, of mind, for glory and good. The French -in pursuit of, glory, have had their capital twice. taken ; and John, in purOuitof good,• has run himself over head and cars in debt. REVERSES OF FORTUNE Lot not the rich boast of his wealth, or _the poor complain of their poverty, is a rule which will answer both in prosperity and adversity. The fickleness of fortune has been a theme for poets and romancers every since the story of Job's affliction has been known. The un .certainty.of merohantilei life. particularly, is not only a constant subject of remark, but also one of general experience. • No professim in life ; except the farmer's seemed to be eo fixed, or even so permanent, that some ad verse _storms may not sweep all away, and leave the fancied man of wealth but the sem blance of his poverty. What are bonds, stocks and mortgages, but so muchwaste paper, when the basis upon which they rest becomes worth less or unproductive ? They cannot purchase the first bushel of potatoes, or the smallest loaf of bread, to satisfy the cravings of hun ger. We premise this much in order to relate the sudden fall of a fashionable famitY froM affluence to almost poverty. Last winter the frequenter of the gay reunions at Washington could not have failed to notice a hale and hear ty widow, fair and about forty, who attended . all the balls, parties, and gay assemblies of our capital. She had a lovely daughter. scarcely seventeen years of age, Innocent and retiring in her manners, but of an engaging and affectionate disposition. The widow was, the owner of a plantation in Virginia, encum bered with negroes, and run down to such a state of poverty she was actualy poorer than the colored servants whom she owned. She resolved, however, to make a ; desperate push and to marry her daughter off in .such a man ner as,to recuperate her declining ftirilines--, Ifer reputed wealth, the charming appear ance of her daughter, at0.411•71(ne,t4 v l. eltieh she knew so well how to use, was very. soon sue cessfuli A young man of this city, recently taken in us a-partner in a banking house in wair treut; was at - Washington, transacting some biiShiMi for the firm, and - while there received an invitigion to attend a soiree at the residence of the lion. Mr. , a Member of the Senate. lie received an invitation to the strategic widow,' who immediately ,saw . the game presented to her. The daughter was introduced, and the young man, feeling rich anti important at his - rebent good fortune in his business, thought it about time to take a wife., When both parties ,nre more than usually anxious it does not generally take long to conclude a matrimonial arrangement. 14,1 101 event 4, so spirited Was the preliminowy courtship, assisted by the experience of the mother, that in-less than two weeks the alai able daughter of 011 Dominion' and Iho prem ising son of the Empire State were before the altar, and the priestly lips Wad pronounced them husband and wife. The plantation, of CilllrSP, 113' not regarded, but was left in de• c,ty and ruin nalleCllie care of an overseer.— The 3.01 mg couple in'Company with the mother 0.1.111 e iintnethately (In to this-city,; antl"a splen did, hemein was soon procured, end i)eratb. sumptously furnished, and all thingi wept "as merrYPs a marriage bell." Servants attend ed the nod of each member of the family.— The 'ladies luxuriated upon the . inagnificent sofas during the morning, and' inthe afternoon the carriage - 'was at the door, and tie obedi ent driver gratified their moat whimsical ca -1 .prices. This bright and charming period of life, however, did not last long. Last summer a gigantic, failure came, and the house Of which the young man we's a member went by the board ; and in less time than it. takes to pen it, he was as poor as the son of toil who day by day labors With his hands for his sup port. The gplden- vision had fled—the extra 'flout mansion I & I to be vaested and neglect ed Virginia plantation egain'began to look as if it were worth something. At all events it was not to be despised ; and tho mother who found all her watchful financering flit.' a rich husband for her daughter thus turned to nought, sought its quiet shade for reposd after her short but exciting career in the uncertain lige of afashionable metropolis.—New York Sunday Times. SMART SPECIMEN OP HORSEWO MANSHIP. • At a recent Agricultural Fair, held at Fair field, lowa, a girl of fourteen, dispinyed such during feats of horsewomanship, that the spec• tutors made her up a purse of $2OO, besides obtaining for her several terms of schooling free of expense:. The story of her adventure of which the' purse presentation -etas the gratifying conclusion,,is thus told in the Ana maco News. . • • One of the' fine&trieMpliv, for a peor'unlet hired girl which we have recently had •the pleasure of recording, was achieved at the late Sttito Fair held at Fairfield, lowa. For the purpose of making the Fair as attractive as pos - sible, Col. Clagget, the enterprising Presi dant of the Society, had offered a splendid gold watch to such a lady ns should display on the occasion, the most skill as an eques trian. On the 'appointed day of trial the number of competitors was found toe c ten. All of them probably had the advantage of a respectable education, polite in manners, and independent family connectious, and had come well equipped with 'horses, saldles, rid ing dresses, caps and whips. IVe say all save one—a poor Welch girl, who had been brou,ght up in the absence Of brothers, to do a boy's work on her father's farm. The name of this girl was Tilt za Hodges. end her age was four teen. father lived' in Johnson eoun6Y; and what'ehe knew of horsemanship she had acquired in riding her father's horse for the cows, pad in breaking the colts. She had heard about the offer of a gold watch for su perior riding, and,likc all heroines, she felt that she was equal to the emergency. Having found means of conveyance to Fair field,'she set off„ destitute of horse, saddle, or. riding habit.. On her arriving near town, she met Dr. Wear, of that place, Who haPpenedto he riding a very spirited and unmanageable horse, owned by him. Miss Hodges, being introduced. informed the do4or that she was going to compete for the watch, and solicited the use of his horse for the trial. lie assured her that'he would be most dangerous for her to ride. She assured him that she was not afraid, and proposed to try him on the spot The docteir fearing some, harm, reluctantly Consented. Being'assisted on the Ur - lineal,. she showed that,she WAS perfectly at home, and after rid ing as usual for a moment, nhe Mounted to her feet and dashed nlong - the ,road, standing upright pen the saddle!' This was enough. / The do ter tendered her the use of his horse. anti i her arrival in town, assisted in getting her properly fitted out for the trial. 1-ter dar ing as a rider had already - become noh.ed, anti many were those who took an interest in her behalf, RASCAITV OF A HEN.—_\Spflnial 11011 which was a great Livorite with her mistress, was accustomed to he fed with a dainty meal every time she laid an egg. (Micky 80011 fl/1.110 this out, and would goltifiermest and sit there a few moments, and then come forth chuckling as lontLas if shehadperformed i great feat and for a day or two got her usual reward; but on nO Ogg.bciag found on several occas ions; it , -wati suspected , that Mrs. Chicky was playing ftifSe;'tind her. usual feed being With held, it Was foundlilia't.for two or three times on the.same day she would repeat the dodge 'ageing and sitting for a short time on her nest, and then come forth .chu,kling as loud BB she could fur her . expected reward.--:Pma try Ch yjria ; . r lt a trial in England, recently, the no ted ergoaut Wilkins called on the jury In the mlist touching terns:;, by thAr verdkt to resturu the prisoner to the bosom of his tam ily, dwelt on the effect the result of the trial would have for happinc'ss or misery on those who 'are so dear to 111111. %%lien the . learned sergeant sat down, wiping his fore head after bis effort, 'he . wits a little surpriii ed to learn this touching allusion to wife and children had been made on behalf of a bache lor!• A' FIGHT. /z Can it be - possible that this handsome looking man t is the far-famed Cbl. BOwieP , whispered Ilia. A-, in my car. ‘lt is SO, " I replied, and before . I could add more, Bowie was by us. ,My friend in troduced us, and soon we were conversing together. I have not seen you for some time," said my friend, at length. « I am - just returning from a trip to the Rocky Mountains," said Bowie. “Really, Mr. M---, I wish you had been along with us. We had'iVeVeral lights with the Indians, and ,in one of them I received a bullet in the arm. Unfortunately for my friends the gam blers, it is nearly healed," and a terrible look passed over his features. "Our party had a most desperate—fthi- with a•party-of Indians near Coon's Hollow—there Were twelve to one—but we beat them off." At this moment a loud shout caused us to turn our heads; almost immediately the cry of- as A man stabbed!" reached our ears.— Soon the crowd opened, and the gambler came forth. Ilis hands were covered witty blood, and in the right hand he bore a huge knife, dripping AO! blood. Suddenly he turned, wiped hidlarfe ,on the coat of a man who stood ucar him, and burst into a loud laugh. " What's all this about ?" exclaimed Col: B. On hearing this, the gambler thrust the knife into its sheath and approached us. Merely a man stabbed—that's all," he said, " Any of you gentlemen wish to play cards 1" " I never play cards with strangers," said Col. Bowie: , 4 ; Why nal" iLlced'the Because, for all I know to the contrary,. the person with whom I am playing, may be a gambler," was the instant reply: On hearing this a crowd collected around " Do you mean to insult me ?" , 6 Insult you!" said Bowie, surveying the other with a look of contempt—" I insult no man sir !" Because you are too much of a coward to do so," said the gambler ,sneeringly, c 4 Is this gentleman your friend 1" cg A new friend, sir." • " Well, I insulted him a few minutes, ago," said the gambler. Is this true 1" asked Bowie, turning to Mr. M—. Mr. M— the aflir- mative. " What is your name 17 asked Bowie. " My name is,lifelifullo4eplied the gam bler. , " Ha!" exclaimed Bowie, with a look of delight, " are you any relation to the duellist who stew Joe Wingo, a year ago 1" cc yes, it was I that slew him,""leplied the gambler. A terrible look passed over Bowie's face. !" he exclaimed. Perhaps you do not know that Wingo was my cousin." "I don't care who he was," returned the gambler. ' If you wish I will serve you in the same way." " Perhaps," continued Bowie, a strange smile creeping over his features, , cc perhaps you do not know that I swore to avenge his death 1" "Then step out this way, and tight the like a man," said the gambler. " Grant me ono moment," said Bowie; perhaps you do not know that my name is Oblong)! James Bowie 1" On hearing this dreaded name, the gambler staggered baelc, and gazing Bowie vacantly in the face, he drew his hand' across his eyes. ci Bowie ! Bowie !" he murmured faintly. " Aye James Bowie!" retailed the oth- er: '' Come, come, you wanted to tight me two minutes ago—l now comply with your request. I am the challenged party, and, therefore, I choose 4he weapons and the place. Our meeting will take place here, and our arms shall be the Bowie-k4fe." Ilave it as you wish," said the gambler, as lie threw off his coat. Bowie plackal his hand behind Ebe back or his nook, anti drew .forth n huge Bowie-knife. Placing it betvF l con his tooth, be throw oil his COAL alai rolled up his shirt-sleevos: cr 1 am read•," lie said in a (dear ringing MEI ‘c So am I;" exclaimed the.gambler. Three checo thr %vere given by the crowd. Bi4it.t smiled, while the gambler bit his lips, with rage. • cc Make mould:ere," said ,Bewle, " I can't tight without a clear tiebi. Come, Mr. Mc- MulltM, are yun ready'!" c. Yes!" cried the gambler. Bowie raised his-knife high above hishead, an,l sprang upon him. Both struggled for all instant, and then fell to the floor. They rolled over the deck, the crowd making way flu• them, until they reached the railing. Suddenly. a stream of btotyl th):e(1 from the gambler's right arm„ and lie uttered a cry of pain. Slill , howe%'er, be did not release his hold. Again they rolled over, and again Bowie plinigetblii. knife into his triu. Siol - each 'released his bold of the other, and sprang to his feet, With thu quickness of lightening the gambler changed his !init.() ilkl~' frf~~.~'Jl`.hGT'~P~'Rr.~V~i.:i 1441.4 k‘ ' ' ti'QAY"4“:!, 'OA from his right narp:trgifigAtritheip. towards Bowie. •,!iiii ' iiiiiiieiWth ,c2—' L .7 . o4 and drawing knife into his bod : ' - i jT e °l3l ( gttlii4;: hands, dropped "011AS0,1441004:4fiiie-• pped kilitscL . All, Bowie followed him rite ingl) Ts *1 his knife into hioll-4,9-':-, s bodY.' 'At the blow the gambler fell dead; 1 "It is over," I said, drawing a, long breatb..Ai,?. c a in n g d h h a i l s r ~ j ,' , r g c h c t G f e b n o t t i em upon en, t .' h ' e said i b B l e o r l ' l s ri e l:re a p s l t a , e - tending his right hand, tt this man insulted. m and I slew him. If any one wishes to • ave ge his death, let him step out." THE FIRST PIANO IN ILLINOIS. Judge Ilaliburton tells a very , laughable story about the first piano ever heard in Illin.- MI "A. Baltimore physician having removed, with his family, to settle near the Illinois Ri ver, during the earlier period of emigration thither, with Ids goods and chattels stowed away in seven large wagons,-excited no little wonder and conversation among the back woodsmen on their appearance in those far off regions, whose inhabitants had 'never seen the like before.' " "Glass—this side up with care! Why, I thought this ere feller was a doctor, What on yearth is he going to do with that box full of windows?" "This side up, with care," claimed another. "He's got hisparagorio and ile of spike fixens in that. Won't ho physic them agar fellers down on the river I" In the last wagon there was but one large box, and on it were painted the words, "Piano forte, keep dry,--and handle carefully." - It required all -the assistance of bYallitiderS to unload this box ; and great was the curiosity excited. " Pine forte!" said a tall, yelloti haired fever-and-ag,ue•looltingyouth. "Won der if, he's afeered. of the iujuns? ,He can't scare them with a pine foit." "IC.-e•e-p trr-y," spelt by a large, rawboned looking man, who levidently a liberal patron of "old bald fa C." Ho broke off at the letter y with "D— your lemperLnce carracturs ; you need'nt,come round here with tracts. He was interrupted at this point by a stout-built per sonage, whir - cried out, " He's got his shelter' in Oar, - and he's afeered to give them likkee for they'll break it if be does." " Handle carefully," said a man with a red hunting shirt, and the size of whose fist was twice-that of an ordiniry man. " There's some live critter in that,;' d'en't you hear him groan?" This was said as the box struck the gre and the concussion caused u_vibratim Strings No sooner had all Lands let go, than' tor was beseiged by his neighbors .41. what was the meaning of the word "piano forte." On his telling them it was a musical instrument, some " reconed it would take a tnrnal sight of wind to blow it;" others. thal "it would take a lot of men to make it go." The doctor explained as well as he could; but he could only get rid of his inquisitive neigh bors by promising them a sight et an early day. , Three days elapsed, .... and all was rea dy for the reception of the " vizters," and Miss E. was to act as first performer. The doctor had but to open the door, and half a score of men were ready to enter - Some went directly up to the instrument "erittur," as,it had been eared on account of its four legs; some, more shy, remained close to the door; while others, who had never seen a car pet, were observed walking round on the stripe of bare floor, least, by &ending 'off "the hAndsente kaliker," they might "spile" it.— The first, tune seemed to put the whole' com pany into . eostaeies. The rawbLn , d man, who was so much opposed to temperance tracts, pulled out a flask of whiskey, and insisted that " the gal," as he called Miss E., should drink. Anfr her laid down a dime, and want ed " that's worth" out of the " forty pains," as the name had come to hint lifter traveling through five or six t ronunciations. Another, with a broad grin on his. face, declared he would give his f and all the 'truck! on it, if his 'darter' could have such a , eopboord.' The fpine•fore man suggesteil. that if- that sort of mUsic had t een in the :Black Ilawk "They would have akcered the injons all holler." • . EMI "The result may easily ho anticipated ; the ladies were long tired of playing ere their 'vizters' were tired of hearing. The whole country, for, twenty , ' miles round, rang with the praises of Dr A's 'consarn' the quusieal cupboard.' Patients canto in crowds for ad a‘Diec, or 'a few agar pills,' all tletcrtmried-to Appear in person, but :1110110 who:would lea ye without hearing the 'forty pains ; ' and the. phy-ician, thanl;s to the first to lit Illinois,' became or of .theflrat men in tho Stao." 1tz1,„," Mother," said a ctilttl who hnd been for some Clint.: conteMplitAng with MI 11WO interest n re.v.4y. ;:putt cobweb, ,! don t (ha' :spiders have-to swallow,tl spool of co. t; , i , '• Why," nsLed.the mother, .3 what makes you think so ?" Canso, if, they dont. I' dont see where ,they set We thread to make (hear web of."