ottind.
OUR CHILDHOOD
BY GEORGE D. PRENTIO
'Tis sad—yet sweet—to listen
To the soft wind's gentle swell,
And think we hear the music
Our childhood know so well;
To gaze out on the oven,
And the boundless holds of air,
And feel again our boyhood wish
To roach like angels there I
Thom are many dreams of gladness
That ding around the past—
And from the tomb of feeling
Old thoughts come thronging fast—
The forme we loved so dearly,
In the happy days now gone,
The beautiful and lovely, 1
So fair to look upon ,
Thorn bright er4 loyely maidevs
Win Retoed so' orrood for bliss,
TOO g} , 4owl I.nd 00 heavenly
For pus!? f WOFld r. 41 this f
'WhO9e soft dark eye, sewninl swimming
Ina sea of ,ligula
And whose locks of gold were streaming
O'er brows so sunny bright.
Whose smiles were like the sunshine
la the springtime of the year—
Like the changeful gleams of April
They followed every tear
Like tho'brigb t bude of summer
They hare finer, from the stem—
Yet oh I It la a lovely death
To fade from earth like them.
And yet—the thought la saddening
To muse on such as they-,
Aud feel that all the beautiful
Are yeaslng fast away I
That the fair ones whom pre love
Greif' to each loving breast,
Like the tendrils of each clinging vine,
They perish whore they rest.
And can we help but think of these
In the soft and gentle spring,
When the trees are waving o'er us,
And the flowers are blossoming?
For we know that winter's coming I
With Ito cold and stormy sky—
And the gioriouo beauty round no
Is blooming but to die.
' THINKS I TO MYSELF."
! I have seen her once. but a few hours ago,
She's a resident here in this beautiful city;
Pray tell mu, if the name of the lady you know,
For I think she's uncommonly pretty,
And witty,
- And etelier,
':Chinks I to myself," I have soon her before,
cfair fate, dark eyes, and dark hair
but I could not tell when, as I thought of It more,
And, hang me, If I could 101 l whore,
- I declare,
I could not toll how, when, or whore.
But note I remember both the time and the place,
Ah,rnell remember It well ;
She came to our Mike with her sweet smiling face,
And had white ..nd blu• tickets to sell,
Well, wen,.
She certainly had tickets to sell.
"Thinks I to myself," she'd make a partner for life,
But she's engaged or spoke for, I s'peie ;
,Atilt if that's not the case, and I had no wife,
"Thinks I to myself," I'd propose,
Goodness knows,
lift wasn't for this I'd propoßo,
But I'm married, "thinks I to myself," it's a pity ;
I'm tied and cannot undo it,
But "thinks I," there's no harm In writing this ditty,
Though 'tit well my wife doesn't know it,
Old poet,
'Tts well your wife doee'nt know It.
ore/ianeopo.
HOW I WAS CURED OF GAM
"ING
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE
My friend was captain of one of the
„mail steamers plying between New Orleans
and Mobile. He spent some days with
me not long since; and, among other
things which bad befallen him, he related
me the following: .
"filad been engaged on board the
steamer something over a year, and was
then serving in the capacity of mate.
During the first few months I had been
,rather shy of New Orleans by gaslight.
I had heard so many stories of robberies
and murders, and of strangers being at•
tacked from mere wantonness, that I pre
ferred to keep myself as safe as possible.
Sometimes I spent the night at a hotel,
where the officers of various steamers had
assembled fora social time, and sometimes
I went to the theatre. A length, how
ever, as I became acquainted with the
city, the old timidity wore off, and I final.
ly accompanied some of my brother offi
cers to places where the wore startling
episodes of real life in the great city oc
curred. From the hotel we went to the
theatre, and from the theatre we went to
some of the most famous gambling-houses.
"Suffer me, my friend, to inform you
here that lam not a gamester I have
played a little, as I shall be obliged to
confess; but the ()harm was broken, as
you shall hear.
.I , On the third or fourth visit to the
gaming-house, one of my companions
laughingly proposed that we should make
a small venture at the faro-table. With
~a smile upon my face I threw : down a
quarter eagle. The banker' asked me if
I bet upon the queen. I told him, 'Yes'
I was then admonished to put my money
fairly upon the card. I pushed the piece
I
further on; and the confusion I exhibit
ed must have informed the bystanders
that I was slightly verdant touching the
rules, regulations and mysteries of the
faro-bank. The banker began to slide off
the cards, and presently be drew in the
piece of gold which I had ventured, and
threw down in its place an ivory check
representing five dollars. I had won. I
smiled at my .luck, and when the cards
were next shuffled, I placed my check back
upon the queen. I won again, and again
I smiled ; for the thought that I was
rambling did not enter my mind. It
, "was sport—sport of a new and exciting
kind. I bet upon the queen again, and
%On I pop. Before the next play I
caloulated'ilTittle. ‘lt was not likely that
the same card could win again, so I made
'Aty venture upon the ace. The queen
lo i st r and the ace won...'At the end of an
hour I hid won $75 or $BO, and then I
'went with 'went with my companions to the hotel,
'whore we 'spent another hour before re
pairing to our boats.
"After this I frequently aecompanied
xy,friends to the gaming -houses, and I
:latso • made further ven.ures at the faro
bank. A love of the excitement grew
upon me before I was aware of it—grew
upon me so strongly that more titan once.
ventured into a gaming-house not far
.from our hotel. One evening four of us
'officers were at the pt. Charles, and after
supper the question-was started as to how
we Ishould dispose of the next few hours.
Two i.ibrit for theatre and two were for
VOL. 64.
A. K. RHEEM, Editor & PrOprietor
the gaming-house. How should we de
cide ? As neither party 'seemed willing to
give it up, it was finally arranged that
we should go just as our inclination led
us. Two went to the theatre and two
started for the gaming-house. 1 was one
of the latter. My companion was cap
tain of an up-river boat, and before we
set out he informed me that he must be
on board by midnight, as he was to start
early in the morning. This was all
pleasant to me, as I had already made up
my mind that I would be in try own
state-room before the hour be bad men
tioned. So off we went, over towarus the
Third Municipality, nearly a mile and a
half from our hotel, where we found the
gaming-house we had planned to visit.
We 'sat in the barroom awhile and smok
ed a cigar, and then went into the ball.
The company was large, and the playing
seemed to be spirited. We lounged a
bout and observed the progress of the
cli-ffeent games. and finally stopped at a
faro-table, where I made a venture, which
was successful. I made another venture,
and lost; another, and won. Then I
bought $3O worth of cheques.
4 'When I bought my ehe,ques there
were seven players beside myself at the
table. -- Twtrof them were steamboat cap
tains, and four of them were either mer
chants, or gentlemen of that stamp. They
may-have been-gamblers by profession—
regular black-legs---but that doesn't mat
ter. They appeared to be gentlemen, and
certainly __they_be.haved as, auch.-. -The -
seventh man at the table was a study, and
had there not been an over-balance of ap
parent gentility in the company, I should
not have stopped where he was. He Was
evidently a boatman, and when I heard
him speak, I made up my mind that he
was a Hoosier. He had come down from
the Ohio with his flat boat, had sold his
cargo and his useless lumber, and was
now having a bit of a 'time.' He was
truly a tough looking customer. lle must
have - stood-six feetatid - two - or threel nelreS
high, with a frame like an .ox His
shoulders were broad and heavy, his arms
lung and muscular, and his hands so large
and hard that it was difficult fbr him to
put down his cheques. Of his face but
little of it was to be seen, the lower part
of it being covert d by a long thick beard
of a grizzly color, while the upper part
was shaded by the slouching of the broad
rim of an old felt hat. L could see his
eyes, and they were keen and bright e
nough. They looked black when, in the
deepest shade, but when his head was
turned so that the light struck upon the
face, they seemed to have a metallic lustre,
changing from steel to brass. Presently
those eyes were turned upon me ‘Nith a
threatening look, the owner seeming to
intimate that I had stared at him about
long enough. At any rate I took it us a
hint, and went on with my play.
"My luck was changeful. I won, and
then I lost. Then I won once more, and
then I, lost again. Finally, I. touched
th - e - kritiFe - WITII - i - dezen cheques, worth
five dollars each, and won. The Hoosier
-had staked twelve cheques on the queen.
Ile lost, and the hanker pushed the pile
on the qtieen over .to me. L let the
twenty-f Our cheques remain where ,they
wore, and the Hoosier put twenty-four
upon the queen. At this point toy com
panion came and told me that he must
be going. I was too much excited with
the, play to leave the table then, and I
told him not to wait for me. The queen
lost—the k pave won—and again the bank
er passed to me the cheques which the
Hoosier had lost.
"Once more my companion asked .me
if I would go with him. I told him I
could not. lie went away without me.
•'Forty-eight cheques were upon the
knave, in,fonr stacks.
" 'Stranger, do you go them yer—all?'
"The Hoosier asked me this question,
at the same time pointing to my cheques.
I told him, •Yee ' lie bought more
cheques, and placed a number equal to
mine upon the qu en.
" 'This yer keard must win some time,'
he muttered, as he straightened pp his
stacks of ivory, and then lie added, glanc
ing over at my pile, 'an' that yer knave's
got to lose afore he's much older.'
"The dealer began to throw off cards
again. The knave come first. It had
won. The queen came next. The bank
er turned it upon his loft band-the bank
won—the [lousier lost. As before, the
cheques which came from the queen were
passed over to tne.
"I hesitated, but the spell was upon
me, and I could not break it. I piled up
the cheques—ninety-six of them—and
ventured them upon the knave again.
The Hoosier eyed me sharply, and then
ventured a like amount upon the queen,
at the same time muttering to himself
that such kind of luck couldn't last al
ways. Again the cards were slid off, and,
to the astonishment of all who were
watching the game, the knave and the
queen came out very near together—the
knave to the right, the queen to the left.
I had won—the Hoosier had lost. The
banker now.took in my smaller cheques,
and gave me in exchange some worth
twenty dollars each. My last stake had
beep fourAtin ‘ dred and eighty dollars, and
my present pile was consequently 'tine
hundred and sixty.
"'Make it's timusandr whispered the
Hoosier.
"'Done,' I !Trilled. And I added two
cheques to my accumulated venture.
"Again • the hanker to throw off his
cards right and left. The knave came
op first, to the right. I. had won. The
queen came up, to the left4—lost. The
Hoosier drove his hand into his bosom,
and brought forth a pocket-book, from
which he took a roll of bank notes.
- " 'Go yer two - thousand 14.3 said in a
-hoarse whisper. 'l've p,ot . that :
"My brat iropuise, before he bad spok-
br
en, had been to do that very thing, but
now I hesitated. What had Ito do with
him ? I was not playing Vitt} 4itp-I
was not betting against him : my play
was simply against the banker, and his
was the same. I told him as much.
"No, no,' he said, eagerly. 'lt's agin
luck we're playin.' Them yer two keards
is in for it. The knave's yourn, an' the
queen's mine. Ge yer two thousand.'
"A:l that I had upon the table before
me, save one solitary cheque of twenty
dollars, I had won ; so I had little real
risk to run.
"It's done,' I said; and down went
two thousand dollars upon the knave.
"The Hoosier placed his venture upon
the queen; there were somrs ,heques and
some bank notes, in all, IWO thousand
dollars. Hie hand quivered a little as he
pushed the pile forward, and then he
turned to watch the movements of the
banker.
"The cards began to move off once
more, and this time the table was sur
rounded by an eager crowd. There was
something novel in are spectacle of two
men playing against each other at faro;
and it struck me as being exclusively
mval, ,too. BJ:t it was no,doing of mine
The Hoosier seemed to ha„.7c arSort,of su
perstitious faith that our chances were
running together, However, I meant to
make this one venture further, and then
break the spell, let, J,t ‘;)J3 win or lose.—
' Right and left—right and left. The
-queen- up-first—to-the-WI, I-Lost-I—The
Icvave came up—to the right 1 I had
won again I I gathered up my gains,
and then looked fur the Hooiser ; but he
had gone.
"Perhaps you'll try the knave again ?'
said the banker.
"I told him 'No, I had played enough,'
I pushed over my cheques, and he gave
me the cash for thew—some gold and
some hank notes to the amount of nearly
six thousand dollars. I went to the bar,
of wine, ari - d - IS - Carled
for my boat. The night was dark, and I
had a long distance to walk. I looked
at my watch as I came through the hall,
found it to bo an hour past midnight. I
began to think I had been . a fool. But
there I was, and I must make the beat of
My way to my boat. S 9 I started forth
at a brisk walk, intending to strike the
levee near the mint, and then follow the
course of the river. I had gone half a
mile or so, when I. beard heavy footsteps
belting me. I increased my rate of speed,
but the following steps will came nearer.
I hurried on, but id no effect—the echo
behind we was not to be outwalked. I
felt fur my pistol, but I had none. I had
not brought it with me. 1 had a dirk.
knife, and that was all. By and by the
step sounded so near to me that I turned
to see who it was that thus pursued me
At a distance of only a few yards canto a
fall, gaunt figure, which I at once recog
nized by the light of the street 'lamp.—
As the dull glare fell upon the or-like
form, I knew it was the Hoosier I
"I would have started to run, but it
was to late. He was upon me, and his
hand was upon my arm. I would have
shouted for help, but he might have.
killed me to stop my noise. I would
have drawn my (4rlt•ltni,fe„hut the show
of opposition might only have called the
giant's strength down upon me to crish
me. My instinct told me to be passive,
and wait for the worst. We rero in a
lonesome spot with not a light visible,
save the few street lamps that sent their
sickly rays struggling through the dingy
glass ; and if the fellow meant to rob Ille,
or to kill me, I knew not how to help
myself.
"Stranger,' he said, his voice sounding
frightfully low and hollow, 'you played
ag'in me to-night -
"No,' replied I, trying to speak plainly
—to speak calmly was out of the question
had, nothing to do with you. I was
playing against the bank.'
"It's all the same,' he continued.—
'Our luck run together, an' twas you
ag'in me, an' me ag'in you. It don't
make 1:10 odds now. I'm dead broke. I
ain't got a single pie. Hold cll! D'ye
see this ?
'He reached his right hand up over'
his shoulder, and, from beneath his coat,
he drew forth the largest, brightest, and
most savage looking bowie-knife I had
over seen My knees smote together. and
my heart leap„d to my throat.
"You've got money,' be went on, as
he held the gleaming weapon in his band.
`You won it—won all. I lost—lost all.
I'm dead broke—not a pie. I want en
ough to get borne. I paid $2O, in ol'ar
yeller gold, for this yet. toothpick. Give
me $l5 on it, an' I'll go. El ye' re a wan
ye won't refuse that.'
"Mercy what a letting down was that !
Instead of seeking my life, the poor fel
low has followed me for the purpose of
pawning his bowie-knife!
cpainted with none of those whom he
had seen at the gaming house, and he
had no4riends in the city. I feared him
no more. As I spoke with him now, c l
.1 felt that be was a true=bearted.rnan:
' "If you pet $1.5 you will go book to
the gaming-table again,' I said.
"His answer was slow and sure :
"I've tried it twice, stranger; an when
I try it ag'in, let you know.'
•
"I told the man to 30w0 with we. .
"Cottle to my host,' I
,said, 'and you
shall have the wobey.' - -
"He said; perhaps I'd let him stay on
board alI night.
"Of' odurse' I would.
"As we walkocraiong I made up my
mind just what 1 would do; and when
we reached the Mat I took him to my
stateroom, and handed kith tviohair.-
Baid I: •
- _
"My friend, I have made a •resolution
since we have been walking together—l
have, naolved that I will gamble no more.
CARLISLE, PA.y FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1864.
While you and I played at the same ta
ble you lost S,9QQ.'
be replied.
"Well,' I continued, am going to
make up to you what you lost. I shall
feel better to do so.'
"Tbc llOOsier started in amazement.
"I do it as much for my sake as for
your own,' I went on, before he could
make an answer, 'and if I can feel assured
that the event has cured both of us, I
shall consider it as one of the most valu
able ekperienoes of my life.'
...,"The plain-hearted fellow seized my
hand, and my offer was accepted ; and
when be told me that he would never
play again ; I believed hini. 'He tock the
money, and all he could do in return was
to make me accept his bowie knife, and
to promise me that be would always re
member me with the warmest emotions.
"That was several years ago. I have
not ventured a dollar at any game of
hazard since, nor do rbelieve my Hoos
ier friend hos done it either. I keep the
long heavy bowie-knife, and I never look
upon it but I think how weak,my knees
were when my gaze rested fur the first
time upon its gleaming blade.
ZENAS 'CA.RNY'S REWARD.
Red and sullen, like the eye of some
baleful demon, the low sun glowed through
thp tangled depths of a November woods,
casting bloody lines of fight across the
fatten trees; tosy s p: , Aßio, wg re. half
hidden in drifts of faded yellow leaves,
and evoking taint, sweet scents, like Ori
ent sandal ivood artd teak, from a thou
sand forest_ censors, hidden awsy, who
knows how and where. Atnithrough that
line of dull, flaming fire the sky frowned
—a leaden-gray concave, freighted, as the
weatherwise could tell you, with snow
flakes sufficient br turn that broken for
est into a lairy grove of pearl and ermine.
So the daylight was ebbing away from
-this-Thanksgiving-eve:—
Now, I. wonder where I am ?" said
John Siddons, prusing abruptly in the
scarce visible footpath that hound among
the trees. "As completly 'turned round'
as though I stood in the deserts of Eypgt I
I wish I had been sensible enough to keep
to the high-road ; these short cuts gener
ally turn out long ones. however, if I
keep straight ahead, I must inevitably
etuerge from these woods somewhere."
Ire sat down on a mossy stump, lean
ing his head carelessly on one hand,
while the other played unconsciously with
the worn bripl,Qt cap—t
slender pleasant-faced young plan, with
grey-blue eyes, and dark hair thrown
back from a bronzed forehead, which had
been touched by the fiery arrows of many
a Southern sun in lonely swamps, and a
long
fever-reekingthe shores of sullen
avers .
" Houseless—homeless !" he murmur
red to himself. "I. wonder how many
others are saying the same thing this
Thanksgiving eve. To think that I should
fight through the campaign. unhurt, and
return with an honorable discharge in my
pocket to a place where no one knows or
cares whether I'm alive or dead, while so
many brave fellows were shot down at my
side with bullets that tore through a score
of hearts at home, carrying sharper pangs
than death has to give 1 It's a queer thing
to have only one relative, and he a total
stranger. If I fintl this secentl cousin of
my father, he'll probably Ack me' out of
doors for a shififess, soldiering vagabond
But, hang it, a man can't live alone like
a tortoise in its shell. I remember won
dering, when I was a boy, why the Ma
deira vines over the porch stretched out
their green tendrils, and seemed to grope
through the sunshine for something to
cling to. I think I understand it now "
He rose up and walked on through the
russet leaves that rustled ankle-deep be
neath his tread, still musing—musing ;
trying to study out the unknown quanti ,
ties in life's great equation, while, the
sun went down behind a 'bank of lurid
clouds, and the chill night wind began
to sigh sorrowfully in the tree tops.—
And suddenly the sturdy woods_ tapered
off into a silver stemmed thicket of white
birchels, and the white birches fringed a
lonely ,Country road with a little red house
beyond, whose windows were aglow with
fire•light, and whose doorlard was full
of the peculiar perfuine of white and
maroon blossomed chrysanthemums.
Zenas Carey was leaning over the gate,
surveying the stormy sunset with critical
eyes.
"I told Melindy so 1" ejaculated Zenas,
apparenly addressing hirrisolf to the crook
ed apple tree by the read. "I'll bet my
best steer we have 'a good, old fashiOned
snow to keep Thanksgivin g with. I smelt
it in the air this, mornin,' but women
don' never believe nothin' until it comes
to pass right under their'noses, for—"
This rather obscure sentence was nip
ped in the bud by a footstep by his side.
Zenas turned adruptly to reconnoiter, the
new arrival.
"Will you be kind enough to give me
aglase9E water, eir?" said John Sidtions,
Arity-- - - - •
"Sartin, sir ?" said Zenon.. 4 .80 you're
a soldier, hey ?"
"A. returned soldier," said Siddons,
draining the cool elements from the co
coanut shell that always lay close to the
wellcurb at the side of the house.
"coin' home to keep thankagivin'?
questioned Zeta's.
"Home I Sir, I have no home 1"
, ,
Siddons,ho spoken sher,PLY, as•if the
thought were goading
,to, Zenas
put out his brown knotted hand and
grasped the, retreating man's arm.
"My boy l" he said, with kindly adrupt
nese; ."you're a soldier,. and. to tell by
4cartibuks 1-should guess , you were about
the age of him that's buried at Gettys
burg--,•iny only eon ! - 1 love that blue
uniform for David's sake, and if there's
1/-•
TERMS:--$1,50 in Advanoe, or $2 within the year
asoidier in the world that hasn't a home
to go to on Thanksgivin' eve,,•there's a
cqrher for him Zeuas Carey's fireside.
Come in, sir ! come in ! You're welcome
as flowers in May !"
John looked into the wet eyes and
working face of the qld farmer an instant,
and accepted his invitation without an.
other word.
What a cheerful °hang) it was, from
the frosty air and chill twilight of the
lonely road to that bright kitchen with
its spotless board floor and resinous
pine logs 1 And when Melinda Carey
drew a humped backed rocking chair to
the 'hearth' tdr him, and spoke a word or
two to welcome, John Siddons wondered
it the eyes of his mother, who died when
he was a babe, had not beamed upon him
just so
"I told mother so, this very mornin,"
said Zenas, with a triumphant flourish of
his band, as he stirred up the logs to a
waving, glorious sheet of flame. "Says
I, 'Melindy, we'll kill the biggest turkey,
and I'll pick out the yallorst pumpkins
on the barn floor.' And says she, 'what
for, Zenas, when 'there's only us to eat
em ?! and- says-I,- 'Mother, -Davie was
here with us last Thankagivin,' with his
new uniform, as brave and .handsome ti-buy
as you'll often see'—now mother don't
cry."
Zenas interrupted' himself to stroke his
wife's gray hair with a strangely tender
touch, and went on
- • .--“days gone-wh ere - - i t's 'Phan ks -, '
givin' all the year round now, icy poor
boy, my brave boy ; but, says I, 'we'll
make somebody welcome for Davies sake,
won't we, mother ?' And now, sir, you'll
_spend to-morrow with us, and tell we
bout the battle of Gettysburg, where Da
vie died, crying out with his hest breath
not to let the flag be captured."
Zeuas' voice died out into a choking,
gasping sob. John Stddons laid his hand
softly on ,the rucgh,_ tuiJ-hardened hand of
iFi - efarnier, Salle a pang of envy shot
through his heart. AIL! it was almost
worth while being Eliot down in battle to
be missed and mourned like dead David
Carey !
-0, wife," wailed Zenas, whek John
Siddons had fallen asleep in the little cor
ner room that had been the lust boy's;
"it is almost like. having Davie back again !
Wife, 1 fight my great sorrow down every
night, but every morning it rises up a
gain more than ever ! God help every
parent whose home is made desolate by the
field of battle 1"
'Thanksgiving dawned with a white
whirl-rind of driving snow that eddied
among the gnarled bows of the apple tree
in mad frolics, and edged the old stone
wall with dazzling ermine. And the fiery
sparks careeing swiitly up Zenas Carey's
wide chimney met the steadily falling
snow halt way and gave battle, while the
hearth glowed with ruddy brightness, as
if it knew ail about the Governor's Proc
lamation, and approved of it.
"You have a cozy little thrum here, Mr.
Carey," said John as they walked through
the snow storm to the church, whose spire
nestled among the everlasting hills be•
yond.
"If I was only sure of it, sir," said Ze•
Ems, with a sign. "But I've been hard
put to it to get along these times. Taxes
and such like cone very heavy on poor
men, and I've had a run o' ill luck, so
that the place is mortgaged its full value,
arid to a hard man— one that will sell the
home you've be 2n born arid brought up
in as soon as eat his breakfast, so he can
make money by it. It will be a black
day for .kielindy and me when we have
to leave the Rock Farm ; but it must
come Boon, and I don't much care what
becomes of me afterwards. I tell you,
sir, that when a man has lived to my age
under one roof-tree he don't take very
kindly to bein' moved. Men are like
forest trees, sir; you can take a young 'un
and do as you please with it, but if you
transplant an old 'un it dies. Let's talk
o' something else Mr. Siddons. I ought'ut
to complain Thanksgivin' day."
John looked with a feeling of actual
reverence at the hard-featured old man,
whose simple soul, borne down as he was
by debt, and grief, and age, could still
find something to be thankful for.
The turkey and pumpkin pies were
smoking on the round table when jolty'
and Zenaa returned from church ; and
Mrs. Carey had brought out her" flowing
blue" plates and her choicest o ld
time
silver spoons in honor of their guest.—
Their was no beverage but coffee that
never knew the shores of Java, and a
pitcher of cold, sparkling eider ; but
champagne could not have been more
cordially dealt out by Limas; and Mre.
Cary's smiling-kinduess gave a flavor to
the ohickorized rye that is sometimes lack
ing in "egg-shell china."
The table was cleared away, and they
were sitting around the fire, when the
door was opened and Deacon Everts en
tered, bringing a small snow drift on the
shoulders of,his shaggy overcoat.
"Well,,l'm beat :" quoth , Zenas. Take ,
a 13hair i -D,eaconv - Let-me hang your coat
afore the fire to dry."
"Can't stay," said the. Deacon,- giving
himself a shako, like a black water•dog
on his hind legs. "I thought you'd like
to hear the news, so I just dropped in on
my way to my darter's Thanksgivin' din
ner."
• "News l what ?" exclaimed teMas;
while his wife dropped her knitting.
"Do tell ! then you bain't lieerd,?"
"I hain't heerd nothia' but the wind a
howlin' down the ohitably, and 'Elder
Smith's sermon this morning' said Zenes,
a little impatieptly.
"The Squiie's dead;pp to the great
4
house !"
"Dead ! You don't tell m'e so. That's
the man I was a speakin' of as holding
my mortgage PI explained Zenus, turn-
ittg to John Siddona. 'And when did it
happen, Deacon ?"
'"Died last night, air, just about night
fall, as'quiet as a lamb. There wa'nf no•
body with him but the old housekeeper—
folks didn't spose he was dangerous ; and
Lawyer Ovid says there's a reg'lar will,
and he's left all his property to the only
relative he had livin' ; a soldierin' feller
that he'd never as much as seen—one
Sedgewiok, or Sibley, or what is his name
now ? Any how he's fell heir to all Squire
Peter Ailesford's property, and that,s
a pretty consid'able windfall !''
"Vyas that name Siddons ?" asked the
soldier, Wh9 had listened to tleconyersa
tion in silence.
"That's it !" said the Deacon, giving
his knee a sounding slap.
"Peter Ailsford was my father's ,eous
in," said the young man quietly.
"Land o' Goshen," ejaculated Deacon
Evarts with'growing veneration for the
heir to "the old 'Squire's" money. "Now
reely ! that's kind u' providential, ain't
it. To think that you should be right
here on the spot !"
"I was in search of Mr. Ailsford's
house when I met you, sir," said Siddons
turning to Carey ; -but as I was unaware
what sort of a reoeption 1 might get, your
kind invitation decided me to wait a day
or two."
In vain did the Deacon try to "pump"
the young soldier. John Siddons was civ
illy uncommunicative, and the Deacon
finally — took - leave- burning to - unfold -- hi
budget of news elsewhere.
"I hope, sir,'' said Carey, uneasily,
when they were once more alone, "you
won't be hard about that mortgage. I'm
a poor man, and—"
"Mr. Carey, said John, quietly, "you
shall that mortgage on this hearth the burn
very day I come in possession of my vela
tire's papers. No thanks, sir; I have
not forgotten that I was 'a stranger, and
you took me in.' Do_ you suppose I shalt
ever cease to remember the welcome
of the Thanksgiving hearth ? I never
knew either father or mother ; but to day
1 have fancied what their kindness inigbt
have been."
"lt was for Davie's sake I" sobbed Mrs.
Carey, fairly overcome.
"Then fur your dead son's sake will
ylet me fill his place towards you
Last night death took from we the only
one in the world to_wbcw I was allied by
the ties of blood ; do not turn nu) train
your hearts !"
“The Lord bless thee—the Lord make
his !'ace to shine on thee, my second son,”
said the old man solemnly
Slowly the dusk gathered athwart the
bills, with wailing winds and whirling
drifts of snow—slowly the darkness wrap
ped them round ; but in Zenas Carey's
steadfast soul the light of an eternal thanks
giving was burning ; and his wife with
tearful eyes, mused upon her two soldier
boys—one Mead at Gettysburg, the other
sitting at her side.
Tho Army become Abolitionists
Oen. o , trfield, of Ohio, in a speech deliv
ered on the 28th of January in the House of
Representatives, on the confiscation question,
gave this account of the progress of opinion
in the army of the United States, of which he
was lately an officer.
I remember to have , aid to a friend when
I entered the army, • You little slavery ; so do
I ; but I hale disunion more Let us drop
the slavery question and fight to sustain the
Limon When the supretmv:y of the Govern
ment has been re estandUbe'd, we will attend
to the other question.'
'• I started out with that position taken in
good faith, as did thousands of others of all
parties But the army soon found that, do
what it would, tits black phantom met it.
everywhere, in the camp, in the bi7cuac, on
the battle field. and at all times. P. was a
ghost that would dot be laid SI very was
both the strength and Weakness of the enemy.
His strength—for it tilled hie fields and fed
Iris legions; his weakness—for in (be hearts
of slaves dwelt dim prophecies that their de
iiverenee from bondage would be the out
come of the war.
" The negroes came from the cotton fields :
they swam rivers; they climbed mountains ;
they came through jungles, in the darkness
arid storms of the night, to telt us that the
euemy was coming here or there. They were
our true friends in every ease. There has
hardly been a battle, a march, or ony irnpor •
tent event, of the war, where lbe friend of
our cause, the black man, has not been fOund
truthful and helpful, and always devotedly
loyal. The conviction frond itself upon the
mind of every soldier that, behind the rebel
army of soldiers, the black army of laborers
was feeding and sustaining the rebellion, and
there could be no victory till its main sup
port be taken away.
Gentlemereesn the other side, you tell me
that Lhie is an abolition war. If you please
to say so I grant it. The rapid current of
events has made the army of the republic an
abolition army. I can find in the ranks 4
thousand men who are in favor of sweeping
away slavery to every dozen that desire to
preserve it. They have been where they have
seen its maleVolenee, its baleful effect upon
the country and the Union, and they demand
that it shall be swept away,"
A BEAUTIFUL FIGURE.--Life is beautifully
compared to a fountain fed by a thousand
streams, that perish if one be dried. It is
a silver chord, twisted with a thousand
etringe, that part asunder if one be broken.
Frail and thoughtless mortals are surround
ed by innumerable dangers, which make it
much more strange that they escape solong
that they almost all perish suddenly at
last. We are encompassed with accidents
every day to crush the mouldering tenements'
we inhabit. The seeds of disease are plant•
ed in our constitutions by nature. The earth
and atmosphere, whence we draw the breath
of life, are impregnated with death. Health
is made to operate its own destruction, the
food that nourishes contaioing the eletnenta
of deafly; the soul that animates it by vivify
ing first, tends'to Wear it out by its own au.
done; death lurks in ambush along the path.
NotwitbStanding this is the truth, so palpa-
bly cottfined_by the daily examples before
our eyes, how little do we lay it at heart'?
'We see our friends and neighbors die among
tie; but how seldom does it occur,'to our
thoughts that our knell shall, 'perhaps, give
the next fruitless teeming to the world.
fnoidents of Kilpatrick's Raid.
From returned, Richmond prisonere are
gleaned the following incidents connected
with Kilpatrick's raid :
When information reached Richmond that.
Kilpatrick had crossed the Rapidan, the
most rigorous orders were issued respecting
the prisoders. Major,-Turner, their keeper,
( had been severely censured for the escape of
I Col. Streig ht. and party, and was told that if
all mere escaped he would be sent to the
front. One of the Chickamauga prisoners
had also written the Major that it he did not
treat the prisoners better, and allow them to
have their boxect, they would assassinate
him.
NO. 15.
These threats, with the advance, of Kil
patrick, induced Turner to remove the stairs
of the prison So as to.prevent communication
with the lower story, and when the fact that
Kilpatrick was really approaching Richmond
Was established, the prison Was mined, 200,
kegs of,gunpowder placed Under it, and every
preparation made to blow the prisoners into,
eternity. This fact is established beyond
question. From the' ringing of bells, the
passing of troops through the city from Pe
tersburg, and orders that no prisoner should
approach the windows near enough to touch.
the bar on penalty of being shot, our cap
tives knew that Kilpatrick was really at
tempting their deliverance.
Ignorant that the prison was mined, a
plan was formed to attempt to join our.
forces should they enter the city. On Mont
day not even the sweeps were allowed to en
ter Libby to clean the rooms. Only those
brin.Ling rations came in, and they refused
to converse. The guard were increased, and
strict orders given to shoot any one who ap
proncsed the window or stairways. On
Tuesday night the cannonading, when Kil
patrick was shelled from his camp near Me
chanicsville, wits distinctly heard.
=During the excitement, one of the guards,
who had been overheard to say that he
" would shoot one of the damned Yankees if
h e got a chance," fired. at Capt. Hammond
of the Nth N. Y. Cavalry while at the sinks„
the bell grazing his ivied and passing through
his cap. Alter the affair was over, the at
tendants became communicative, and were
bitter in their denunciations. Three officers
and one hundred and fifty men from Kil
patriek's men were confined in the cells and
led only on corn paste and water. Mrs:,
Seddon, wife of the Rebel Secretary of War,
visited the Hospital toideetify a wounded
odieer, as connected with the burning of her
barns.
She failed to do this, but abused him in
Animettsnredlermsoixd - iiiiid tfiey - ofiohtlo lie
hung, and she should use every exertion to
have them hung. Dahigren's body was bu
ried in the field next the road in a pine box
wade by negroes out of boards torn from a
barn. Time auth rities in Richmond bad
dug up fur their fury and indignities.
IMPORTINT REQUISITES IN A WIFC.—A,
knowledge of domestic duties is beyond all
price to a woman; every one of the sex ought
to know how to sew, and knit, and mend, and
cook, and auperi , dend a household. In every
situation of life, ,:/igh_ or low, this sort= of
kimwredgo is of great advantage. There
is no necessity that the gaining of such in
formation should interfere with intellectual
acquirement or even elegant accompishment.
A well-regulated mind can find time to
attend to all. When a girl is nine or ten
years old, she should be accustomed to take
some regular shale in the household duties,
and feel responsible for the manner in which
her part is performed—such as - her own
mending, washing the cups and putting them
in place, cleaning the silver, or dusting and
arranging the parlor. This should not be
done Lccaslool, and neglected whenever she
finds it convenient; she should consider it
her department When older than twelve,
girls should begin to take turns in superin
tending the hnusehcld; making pudding, pies,
cakes, .be. To learn effectually, they should
actually do these things themselves, not stand
by and Sec others do them. Many a
husband has been ruined for want of these
domt.sic qualities in a wife—and many a hug,
band has been saved from ruin by his wife
being able to manage well the houseold con.
corn,.
SECRET OF BEING LovED,---W. Wirt's let•
ter to hi• daaghter on (he "small sweet cour
t, Sirs ul 1i1.•, • ' ,•ootainy a passage from which
a deal of happiness might be learned:
" I want to tell you a secret. The way
to make yourself pleasing to others is to
sh,,w that you care fcr them. The whole
world is lilca the miller of Mansfield, who
ear e d fur nobody—no, not he—because na
bud v cared for him. And the whole world
will serve you so, if you give them the same
Let every one, therefore, see that yon
care for them, Ly ,howing them what Sterne
so happily calls "the small sweet courtesies,"
in which there is no parade) whose voice is
too still to tease and which manifest them
selves by tender and affectionate looks, and
the little kind acts of attention, giving others
the preference in every little enjoyment, at
the table, in the field, walking, sitting or
standing."
FAMILY Conivrkey.---Family intimacy
should never make brothers and sisters for
get to be polite and sympathising to each
other. Those who contract thoughtless and
rude habits toward the members of their own
family w II be thoughtless and rude to all the
world. But let the family intercourse lie true,
tender and affectionate, and the manner of
all uniformly gentle and considerate ; the
members of the family thus tra ned will car
ry into the world and society habits of their
childhood. They will require in their associ•
at, a similar qualities; they will not be satis
fied without mutual esteem and•the cultiva
tion of the. best affections, and their own
character will be sustained by that faith it
goodness which belongs only to a mind ex
ercised in pure and high thoughts.
Gcx. Mtutov indorses the respectability
and credibility of Mr. F. IValdron who com
munieatesl to the War Department the in
telligence of the interview between Gene.
Lee and McClellan. Mr. We dron will soon
have an opportunity of telling the War Com
mittee all he knows about theialfeged inter
view. His statement to Mr. Stanton is un
derstood to have been specific and positive
that Lee, during their conversation, told
McClellan that his army. (the Rebels) was
then retreating across the Potomac. Wal
dron is in custody at the Capitol. The War
Committee has taken measures to compel the
Atte: nce and testimony of everybody about
Antietam likely to know of the toternew, if
it took place.
"ARNETT,Ei: my dear, what country is
opposite to Us on the globe?" "Don't
-know ; -sir." "Well," slid the-perplexed
teacher, "if I were to bore a hole thrOttgh
the earth, and you were to go in at this
end, where would you come out?" Out
of the bole, sir."
VIV-He who cannot take up an ant,
yet tries to take up an elephant, will find
out his folly.
A BAD husband boats hie wife, nag- .1!,
bad wife beats the devil.
So= heaos, like primroses, open 'most
beautifully in the shadows of life.
The time may bo -very long, but a lie
will be discovered as last. .
He who semi`another's fault talks about
iti but - covers own-with a - potsherd. •'-
Peace is the fattier of friendship.
All men are related to one another.