The mountain sentinel. (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, June 02, 1853, Image 1

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" WE GO WHESE DEHOCBATIC PRINCIPLES POIHT THE WAT ii-WHEH THEY CEASE TO LEAD, WE CEASE TO FOLLO W.
VOLUME IX.
EBENSBURG, TDERSDAT, JUKE 2, 1853.
NUMBER 32.
TERMS.
The "MOUNTAIN SENTlXEL"s publish
ed every Thursday morning, at One Dollar and
Ifty Cents per annum, if paid in advance or
within three months ; after three months Tico
itollars will be charged.
- No subscription will be taken for a shorter
period than six months ; and no paper will be
discontinued until all arrearages are paid. - A
failure to notify a discontinnnnc at the expira
tion of the term subscribed for, will be consid
ered as a new engagement.
BS- ADVERTISEMENTS will be inserted
fit the following rates : 60 cents per square for
the fire t insertion ; 75 cents for two insertions ;
SI for three insertions ; and 25 cents per square
I yr every subsequent insertion. A liberal reduc
tion made to those who advertise by the year.
All advertisements Landed in must have the
proper number of insertions marked thereon,
or they will be published until forbidden, and
rLarged in accordance with the above terms.
gsiAll letters and communications to insure
attention must be post paid. A. J. RIIET.
HO WORK THE HARDEST WORK.
lis ye who at the anvil toil.
And strike the sounding blow,
Where from the burning iron's breat
The sparks fly to and fro,
While answering to the hammer's ring,
And fire's intenser glow
Ilo ! while ye feel 'tis hard to toil
And sweat the long day through,
Remember it is harder etill
To have no work to do.
lj 1 ye who till the stubborn soil,
Whose hard hands gtiide-the plough ;
Who bend beneath the summers sun
With burning cheek and brow
Ye deem the curae still clings to earth
From olden time till now ;
But while ye feel 'tis hard to toil
And labor long hours through,
Remember it is harder still
To have no work to do.
II. I ye who plough the sea's Llae field,
Who ride the restless wave
Beneath whose gallant vessel's keel
There lies a yawning grave,
Around whose bark the wintry winds
Like fiends of fnrv rave
Oh ! while ye feel 'tis bard to toil
And labor long Lours through,
Remember it is harder still
To have no work to do.
JIo i all who labor, all who strive,
Ye wield a lofty power ;
Do with your might, do with yourstrength,
Fill every gofden Lour!
The glorious privilege to do
Is man's most noble dower.
Oh ! to your birthright and yourselves,
To your own souls be true !
A weary, wretched life is theirs
Who have no work to do.
LINES.
f'n tie forphiion cf the Monument ct Concord,
irrcicd to commemorate the Battle of Lexington.
HT RALPH. W. EMERSON'.
f.y the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breezo unfurled,
Hrr once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
Thp foe long since in silence slept ;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps ;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.
On this green bsnk, by this soft stream,
We eet to-dny a votive stone,
TLt memory may their deed redeem,
When, lik? our sires, our sons are gone.
Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, or leave their children free,
Ull Time and Nature gently spare
The thaft we raise to them and thee.
From the JSoston Journa'.
THE YANKEE CLOCK MAKER.
BT Dir. ALCOTT.
Torty-Ere years ago, a plain looking man, of
few words, but of great mechanical ingenuity,
bought an old grist mill in Plymouth, at the
trvithcastern extremity of Litchfield county, in
'oanecticut, and converted it into a wooden
clock factory. The writer of this article, then
a mere boy, rendered his feeble ajsistance in
the work "of re-building. Wooden clocks had
indeed been made before this time by LeinueJ.
Harrison, of Waterbury, and Gideon Roberts, of
Bristol towns contiguous to Plymouth and
perhaps in other parts of the country ; but only
iu very . small numbers. It was even said that
the parts of some the clocks made by these gen
tlemen were actually cut out with a pen-knife.
In any event, they were made very slowly, in
serted in long cases, reaching from the floor al
most to the ceiling, and cost from twenty-five to
fifty dollars a piece.
The name of the Plymouth adventurer was
Eli Terry. He was soon able to manufacture
clocks in his new factory at the rate of several
hundred perhaps a thousand a year. The
"stream," however, to keep it going required
many tributarit. All the hills, for many miles
round, at least in some directions, were ransack
ed by the inhabitants for hard wood of various
kinds, such as laurel, popularly called ivy, box
wood, sugar maple, etc., wherewith to make the
framework and pinions of the interior; the fields
were laid under contribution to produce flax,
whence the -cords were made by which the
weights were suspended ; and even the price of
labor on the farms vras raised, because so many
young men were employed in " connection with
the factory, and in Belling the clocks in the ad
jacent towns, when made. Of these last indi
viduals. vcleDed clock nedlars. some of the more
bold and enterprising ventured abroad with their
one-horse wagons fifty or a hundred miles from
home, and sold their clocks at the amazingly
low price of twenty-five or thirty dollars !
Tlie business rapidly increased, and Mr. Ter
ry was, re long, able to manufacture, not mere
ly one thousand clocks a year, but several thou
sand But tb'ff example s.wakened a world of
Yankee enterprise, which had hitherto been
sleeping. They could not be content to let
plain Eli Terry make his thousands of dollars a
year, while they only made three dollars a day;
and hence, one after another, in the contiguous
places above alluded to, they found their way
into the same employment. The mania even
spread further than .Bristol and Waterbury. It
extenaea to watertown, Litchfield," Harrinton,
Southington and Meriden. The clocks, more
over, were peddled all over the United States.
Air. Terry soon sold out his establishment to
Seth Thomas and Silas Hondley, two enterpri
sing young mechanics, who, after making such
changes and adopting such improvements as en
abled them to manufacture many thousands of
clocks a year, separated, like Abraham and Lot,
and each had a factory of his own. Mr. Iload
ley remained on the old spot, where he made
clocks very many years, but subsequently cut
lery; while Mr. Thomas, his partner, establish
ed himself in what is called Plymouth Hollow.
The former is far from affluence, but the latter
has made himself and many others rich. As
did Cain of old, though not in Cain's spirit, hehas
built quite a city. He not only contrives to
manufacture clocks by ten thousands, but cot
ton also, and, I believe, other things. Perhaps
he has done more good during a quarter 'of a
century past than any other mechanic . in that
whole region. Mr. Terry and his eons continu
ed in the business till the death of the father,
which happened only a few years since. He
was more fortunate, in a pecuniary point of
view, than most pioneers, though never so weal
thy as some of those who followed the track he
marked out.
Thirty-two years ago, Chaunccy -Jerome, a
young man of enterprize, of the same town,
Plymouth, engaged in the wooden-clock busi
ness. It is said, in a New Haven paper, that
he, too, made his first clock by hand; but for
the truth of this statement, I cannot vouch, as
tne business had been carried on at that time I
by machinery about twelve years. In any event,
however, Mr. Jerome, with his coadjutors, all
of whom I personally knew, was destined, as a
clockuiaker, to eclipse all his predecessors. The
price of clocks had indeed fallen, but not great
ly. It was reserved for that gentleman to re
duce it to three or four -dollars.
Mr. Jerome, nearly thirty years ago, remo
ved from Plymouth to Bristol, where he remain
ed until nine or ten years ago, when he removed
to New Haven, where he still resides. He has
experienced reverses of fortune : but, like the
fabled Phoenix that rises from its own ashes, so
every reverse in his affairs has only served to
increase hi3 energies, and develope and ex
tend a new spirit of enterprise. He has proba
bly made twice or three times as many wooden
clocks ns any man in this country, and more
than any other person in the world; though for
some time past I believe his material for clocks
has been brass. Indeed I do not know that
wooden clocks are now made. Besides his fac
tory in New Haven, which employs nearly one
hundred and fifty hands, Mr. Jerome employs
more than another hundred in Bristol, Derby
and elsewhere, and his commodity is scattered
all over the country and I might say nil over
the civilized and even the half-civilized world.
He has, as I have lately learned, (for I have
made a purchase there,) a depository of his
clocks in Hanover street, in this city; also, one
in each of the cities of New Y'ork, London and
Liverpool. I am told by those who ought to
know, that he has for three years past manu
factured five hundred clocks daily. At this rate
the result of his labors would be about one hun
dred and fifty thousand a year. In truth, I should
not be greatly surprised to know that he has
manufactured in his whole life nearly a mil
L'on! It is curious to observe what results some
times follow from the efforts of a single man
as "tall oaks from little acorns grow." How
many social circles in the old United States,' in
California, Oregon, Peru, England, Continental
Europe, Turkey, China, Ilindostan, and even
Australia, have Deen gladdened and cheered by
the presence of Jerome's clocks! Had but one
half as many circles been made mourners by
his efforts for thirty years had he been a means,
like Cocsar or Napoleon, of the destruction of
thousands of young, the flower of their respec
tive families he might long ago have been laud
ed as a hero, if not crowned as an emperor.
But to no such honors does he aspire. He seeks
not his own glory in desolating the earth ; but
the good of his fellow-men and the glory of Go 1,
in makingit the cljeerful abode of cheerful and
happy men. The pseans sung to his praise will
be sung by another class of men than those who
have lauded heroism in war, and delighted in
carnage and blood.
While penning these lines, memory, so often
true to ber trust, has brought to me the follow
ing couplet, from the poe. Young :
"The clock strikes one,
We take note of time but by its loss ;
To give it then a tongue, is wise in man."
To show that I have not exaggerated while
making the statements above, concerning Mr.
Jerome, allow me to quote a paragraph or two
from the Xew Haven Journal and Courier of
about two years ago : I
"Tbe entire number of operatives now depen
dent upon his (air. Jerome's) enterprise, is some
thing more than two hundred and sixty, to
whom about 6,000 in cash are paid monthly.
Looking at a single clock it would seem that
not a very large quantity of material would be
necessary to the manufacture of many thou
sands of these. Yet a milljon and a half of pine
lumber; more than a third of a million of ma
hogany and rosewood veneers ; two hundred
thousand pounds of rolled and cast brass ; two
hundred barrels of glue and a hundred more of
varnish ; three hundred casks of nails, and oth
er necessary materials in proportion, will give
some idea of the immense business done by this
single establishment." . " , . A
Let me finish this brief article by saying that
the time may come, and ought to come, when
th liven nf such men as Eli Terry, Lette Tho-
Jerome with a host of
their equals or sattellites will be w4"1 for
the benefit of the rising generation. What a
blessed day it will be when our children and
youth delight to read the well-written biogra
phies of self-made men, who moved in useful,
hfti,rb humble imheres. instead of those con-
nnmra ftnrl marshals, and. what is still worse,
the offspring of a heated brain and a licentious
imagination, or or a nearc, in easi ut n
has prostrated itself at the shrine of mammon !
THE RIVAL D0CTCR1.
A FRAGJIEKT.
One Roger Swizzle, a roistering, red-faced'
round-about apothecary, who had somewhat im
paired his constitution by his jolly performan"
ces while walking the hosDitals in London, had
settled at Appledove, a small market-town in the
vale, where heenjoyed a considerable want of
practice, in common with two or three other for
tunate brethren. Hearing of a mineral spring
at Handley Cross, which, according to usual
country tradition, was capable of "curing every
thing," he tried it on himself, and either the wa
ter, or the exercise in walking to and fro, had a
very oenencial enect on his somewhat deranged
digestive powers. He analyzed its contents,
and, finding the ingredients he expeoted, he set
himself to work to turn it to his own advantage.
Having secured a lease of the spring, he took
the late Stephen Dumpling's house on the green,
where, at one or other of its four front windows
a numerous tribe of little Swizzles might be seen
flattening their noses against the panes. Roger
possessed every requisite for a great experimen
tal (qy. quack) practitioner assurance, a wife
and large family, and scarcely anything to keep
them on. Being a shrewd sort of fellow, he
Knew there was nothing like striking out a new
ligrit
for attracting notice and the more that
light was in accordance with the wishes of the
world, the more likely was it to turn to his own
advantage. Half the complaints of the upper
classes he knew arose from over-eating and in
dolence, so he thought if he could originate a
doctrine that, with the U6e of the Handley Cross
waters, people might eat and drink what they
pleased, his fortune would be as good as made.
To this end, therefore, he set himself manfully
to work. Aided by the local press,' he succeed
ed in drawing a certain attention to the water,
the benefit of which soon began to be felt by the
villagers of the place ; and the landlord of the
Fox and Grapes had his stable constantly filled
with gigs and horses of the visiters.. Presently
lodgings were sought after, and carpeting began
to cover the before sanded staircases of the cot
tages. These were soon found insufficient, and
an enterprising bricklayergot up a building so
ciety, for the erection of a row of four-roomed
cottages, called the Grand Esplanade. Others
quickly followed, the last undertaking always
eclipsing its predecessor, until that which at
first was regarded with astonishment was sunk
into insignificance by its more pretending breth
ren. The doctoj-practice "grew with the
growth" of Handl$Cross. His rosy face glow
ed with health and good living, and his little
black eyes twinkled with delight as he prescri
bed for eaoh patient, sending them away as hap
py as princes. "Ah, I see how it is," he would
say, as a gouty alderman slowly disclosed the
symptoms -of his case. "Shut up your potato
trap ! I see how it is. Soon set you on your legs
again. Was far worse myself. All stomach,
sir all stomach three-fourths of our complaints
arise from stomach," stroking his corpulent pro
tuberancy with one hand, and twisting his pa
tient's button with the other. 44Clean you well
out, and then strengthen the system. Dine with
me at five, and we will talk it all over." With
languid hypochondriacs he was subtle, firm, and
eminently successful. A lady who took it into
her head that she couldn't walk, Roger bad care
fully carried out of her carriage into a room at
the top of his house, when raising a cry of
"Fire !" she came spinning down stairs in a way
that astouished herself. He took another a mile
or two out of town in a fly, when, suddenly pull
ing up, he told her to get out and walk home,
which she at length did, to the great joy of her
husband and friends. With the great and dig
nified, and thoe who were really ill, he was more
ceremonious. "1 ou see. Sir Harry," he would
say, "it's all done by eating ! More people dig
their graves with their teeth than we imagine.
Not that I would deny you the cood thin 23 of
this world, but I would recommend a few at a
time, and no mixing. No side-dishes. No liq
ueurs only two or three wines. Whatever your
stomach fancies, give it ! Begin now, to-mor
row, with the waters. A pint before breakfast
-half an hour after, tea,
fried ham and eggs,
Lunch eon another
brown bread, and a walk.
pint, a roast pigeon and fried potatoes, then a
ride. Dinner at six ; not later, mind gravy
soup, glass of sherry, nice fresh turbot and lob
ster sauce wouldn't recommend salmon ; anoth
er glass of sherry then a good cut out of the
middle of a well-browned saddle of mutton; wash
it over with a few glasses of iced champaigne;
and, if you like a little light pastry to wind up
with, well and good. A pint of old port and a
devilled biscuit can hurt no man. Mind, no sal
ads, or cucumbers, or celery, at dinner, or fruit
after. Turtle soup is very wholesome, so is
venison. Don't let the punch be too acid though.
Drink the waters, live on a regimen, and you'll
be well in no time." With these and like com
fortable assurances, he pocketed his guineas,
and bowed his patients out by the dozen. The j
theory was pleasant both to doctor and patient,
and peculiarly suite 1 the jolly air of the giver. !
A thriving trade soon brings coin pe
tition : another patient less doctor determined to
try his luck in opposition to Roger Swizzle. Ob
serving the fitness of that worthy's figure for the
line he had taken, Dr. Sebastian Mello consider
ed that his pale and sentimental countenance
better became a grave and thoughtful character;
so determined to devote himself to the serious
portion of the population. He too was about
forty, but a fair complexion, flowing, sandy locks,
and a slight figure, would let bim pass for ten
years younger, ile had somewhat 01 a urecian
face, with blue eyes, and regular teeth, vying
the whiteness of his linen. Determined to be
Swizzle's opposite in every particular, he was
studiously attentive to his dress. Net that he
indulged in gay colours, but his black suit fitted
without a wrinkle, and his thin dress boots shone
with patent polish ; turned-back cambric wrist
bands displayed the enowy whiteness of his hand,
and set off a massive antique ring or two. He
had four small frills to his shirt, and an auburn
hair chain crossed his broad roll-collared waist
coat, and passed a most diminutive Geneva watch
into its pocket. lie was a widower with two
children,' a boy and a girl, the one five and the
other four. Mystery being his object, be avoid
ed the public gaze. Unlike Roger Swizzle, who
either trudged from patient to patient, or whis
ked about in a gig. Dr. Sebastian Mello drove to
and fro in a claret-coloured fly, drawn by dun
pomes. Throush the plate-class . windows a
glimpse of bis replining figure might be caught,
lolling luxuriously in the depths of its swelling
cushions, or musing domplacently with his chin
on a massive gold-headed cane. With the men
he was shy and mysterious ; but he could talk
and flatter the women into a belief that they were
almost as clever as himself. As most of his fair
patients were of the serious, or blue-stocking
school, he quickly discovered the bent of each
inTad, and by studying the subject, astonished
them by his genius and versatility. In practice
he was also mysterious. Disdaining Roger
Swizzle's one mode of treatment, he professed to
take each case upon its merits, and kept a large
quarto volume, into which he entered each case,
and its" daily symptoms. Thus, while Roger
Swizzle was inviting an invalid to exhibit his
tongue at the corner of a street lecturing him,
perhaps, with a friendly poke in the ribs, for
over-night indulgence, Dr. Mello would be po
ring over his large volume, or writing Latin pre
scriptions for the chemist?. Roger laughed at
Sebastian, and Sebastian professed to treat Ro
ger with contempt: 6till competition was erood
for both, and a watering-place public, ever ready
for excitement, soon divided the place into Swiz
zleites and Melloites.
The Execution of Major Andre.
The principal guard-ofiicer, who was constant
ly m the room with the prisoner, relates that
to him in morning, he received it without
1 emotion, and while all present were affected with
silent gloom, be retained a firm countenance,
with calmness and composure of mind. Observ
ing his servant enter the room in tears, he ex
claimed, "Leave me till you can show yourself
more manly." His breakfast being sent to him
from the table of General Washington, which
had been done every day of his confinement, he
partook of it as usual ; and having shaved and
dressed himself, he placed his hat on the table,
and cheerfully Baid to the guard-officers, "I am
ready at any moment, gentlemen, to .wait on
you." The fatal hour having arrived a large
detachment of troops were paraded, and an im
mense concourse of people assembled ; almost
all our general and field officers, excepting his
excellency and his staff, were present on horse
back ; melancholy and gloom pervaded all ranks
the scene was affecting and awful.
I was so near during the solemn march to the
fatal spot, as to observe every movement and
participate in every emotion which he melan
choly scene was calculated to produce. Major
Andre walked from the stone-house in which he
had been confined, between to of our subaltern
officers, arm in arm ; the eyes of the immense
multitude were fixed on him, who rising supe
rior to the fear of death, appeared ns if con
scious of the dignified deportment which he dis
played. Ho betrayed po. want of fortitude;
but retained a complacent smile on his counte
nance, and politely bowed to several gentlemen
whom he knew, which was respectfully return
ed. It was his earnest desire to be shot, as be
ing the mode of death most conformable to
to the feelings of a military man, and he had
indulged the hope that his request would be
granted. At the moment, therefore, when he
came suddenly in view of the 'gallows, he invol
untarily started back, and made a pause.
"Why this emotion, sir ?" said an officer by his
side. Instantly recovering his composure, he
said, "I am reconciled to my death ; but I de
test the mode."
While waiting and standing near tha gallows,
I observed some degree of trepidation placing
big foot on a stone, and rolling it over, and chok
ing in his throat, as if attempting to swallow.
So soon, however, as he perceived that
things were in readiness, he stepped quickly in
to the wagon ; and at this moment he appeared
to shrink ; but, instantly elevating his head
with firmness, he said, "It will be but a momen
tary pang ;" and, taking from his pocket two
white handkerchiefs, the provost-marshal with
one loosely pinioned his arms, and with the oth
er the victim, after taking off his hat and stock,
bandaged his own eyes with perfect firmness,'
which melted the hearts and moistened the
cheeks, not only of his servants, but of the
throng of spectators. The rope being append
ed to the gallows, he slipped the noose over his
head, and adjusted it to his neck without the as
sistance of the executioner. Colonel Scammel
now informed him that he had an opportunity to
speak, if he desired it. He raised the handker
chief from his eyes and said, "I pr iy you to
bear me witness that I meet my fate like a brave
man !" The wagon being now removed from
under him, he was suspended, and instantly ex
pired. Chambers' Repository.
Cool Impudence.
There is a gentleman residing in Western N.
York, whom, in default of his real name we rill
call the. Cbloael. f He has one son, Ned, rather a
graceless,- yojtrth, fall of all the wild pranks in
which. students generally excel. Being at home
daring vacation, he corresponded regularly with
his chum, who by agreement, was to keep him
'posted up" in regard to everything that tran-
- . . . . 1 s 4 L
spired with him wortny 01 note." ui course ne
was very careful to keep all his precious epistles
from the eye of the Colonel, and as Neu was
'Colonel Jr.," it became necessary to watch the
mail arrivals closely, as his chum wasn t very
particular in adding that distinguished feature
to his name.
Qne day he rode round to the Tost Office, as
usual and found to his dismay that Joe, the
groom, had taken the letter and left for home.
He started at a gallop, but was unable to make
up the time, for Joe arrived ahead. Hoping that
nothing very bad would come of it, he marched
in to dinner as cavalierly as possible. One
glance at the Colonel's face revealed to him that
he was in for it.
The substantials being disposed of, as usual
the lady mother left the rpom, and left Ned and
the Colonel sipping their wine. Leisurely pull
ing the letter from his pocket, the Colonel pass
ed it to Ned, and asked him what he thought of
it. Ned quietly perused it, its contents being
an account of his chum's doing, both lawful, and
ending by urging him to come without delaj.
Ned finished it in silence and handing it back to
his father, said :
"Well, sir, considering your age and station
in life I think you keep very bad company !" and
before the Colonel could recover himself suffici
ently to reply, be vanished from the apartment.
-Dutchman.
tgfSuit has been brought against the Metro
politan Bank, in New Y'ork, to recover the pen
alty of $1,000 for receiving and paying out for
eign bank notes. .'
AFast Trout.
pan Marble, in crossing the Allegheny rooun
tains one summer fell in with a fishing party
from Philadelphia, and they insisted on Dan's
holding up and going out to fish with them.
"Well," says Dan "we went, fished and fished,
and fished. We drank a barrel of Monga-haly,
and carried about two pounds of fish back to the
hotel iu Hollidaysburg.- I got strayed off one
morning from the party, and rod in hand, was
overtaken by an old covey in an tucient built
gig, high as a three-story corn crib. His sober
face, and broad-brimmed hat, and square-tailed
coat, bespoke him a Quaker. The old fellow
drew up, eyed me for a moment, and coming to
the conclusion that I was human, he invited me
to get in and ride down the mountain ; and as I
had some distance to go, to overtake my friends
I mounted the concern, and the old fellow gave
his mare the string, and away she went.
"Thee's trouting, eh !"
"Slightly," said I.
"Ha3 thee a fondness for fishing!"
'Not so very strongly inclined that way,' says I.
"The trout is a very cute fish," said the old
fellow,
"Yes," I replied.
"I once bad a trout in my pond. I pnt bim
in my pond when he was about as big as my fin
ger. 1 fed him regularly, and he became very
social. I frequently lifted him from the pond
in my hand ; and he grew on, till I reckon be
weighed a matter of three pounds, good; and
I thought one day, as I had some city friends to
dine with us I'd take out my fish and have him
cooked. Ha ! ha ! really I believe the critter
guessed my intention, for he never would come
near me after that. I coaxed and tried to in
veigl e him for sometime ; but it was no use,
friend trout was shy, and avoided all sociability.
I baited a hook with a most tempting morsel,
but no, plague take the critter, he was done with
me. 1 next borrowed a scoop net, and thought
I'd get it very nigh under him, and then away
he'd dart beneath a stone and out of my reach."
"The trout grew bigger and bigger, and so
saucy, that I made up my mind that he roust be
eaten. Ha ! ba ! at last I made a snare. Now,
my old friend, said I, thee's bound to come out ;
plague take the fellow, the moment I put the
noose over his body, he'd poke his nose down
into the gravel at the bottom of the pond, wig
gle his tail, and off would Blip the wire, of course
the sleek rogue actually appearing to be laugh
ing at me ; and I went away declaring that the
provoking creature might live forever, if he
could."
"Well," says I, interested in the fish story,
"did ho still continue to live and flourish."
"Not long for my son he'd bet most anything
he could catch htm, and be did."
"Ah, indeed !" said I in amazement, "how did
he proceed ?"
"Ha ! ha ! I'll tell thee. Reuben cangh a .do
zen large grasshoppers, and threw thew into the
pond th e fish was very fond of grasshoppers,
and having eaten them all, became very springy,
that in jumping for a fly, he actually sprang
clean out of the pond, and Reuben caught the
critter before he could jump back again !"
"I told my Quaker friend I guess I'd get ' opt
about then "
The Throne ut Solomon.
The following account of a remarkable piece
of mechanism is taken from a Persian manu
script, called "The History of Jerusalem." It
purports to be a description of the throne of
King Solomon, and if the details are correctly
given, it undoubtedly surpasses any specimen
of mechanism produced in modern times, not
withstanding the wonderful inventions which
have taken place in every branch of science :
"The sides of it were of pure gold, the feet of
emerald and rubie6, intermixed with pearls,
each of which were as big as an ostrich egg.
The throne had seven steps ; on each side were
delineated orchards full cf trees, the brar.ohej
of which were composed of precious stones, re
presenting fruit ripe and unripe ; on the tops
of the trees were to be seen figures of beautiful
plumaged birds, particularly the peacock, the
estaub, and the kurges. All these birds were
hollowed within artificially, so as occasionally
to utter a thousand melodious notes, such as
the ears of mortals never heard. On the first
were delineated vine branches, having bunches
of grapes, composed of various sorts of precious
stones, fashioned in such a manner as to repre
sent the different colors of purple, violet, green
and red, so as to render the appearance of ripe ,
fruit. On the second step, on each side of the
throne, were two lions of terrible aspect, as
large as life, and formed of cast gold. Tho na
ture of this remarkable throue was such, that
when Solomon placed his foot on the first 6tep,
the birds spread forth their wings, and made a
fluttering noise in the air. On his touching the
second step, the two lions expanded their claws.
On his touching the third step, the whole as
sembly of demons and fairies and men repeated
the praises of the Peity. When he arrived at the
fourth step, voices were beard addressing bim
in the following manner: "Son of David be
thankful for the blessings the Almighty has be
stowed upon you. The same was repeated on
touching the fifth step. On his touching the
sixth, all the children of Israel joined them; and
on his arrival at the seventh, all the throne.
birds and animals, became in motion, and ceas
ed pot until he placed himself in the royal seat,
when the birds, lions, and other animals, by se
cret springs, discharged a shower of the most
precious perfumes on Solomon ; after which, two
. . . . m . 1
of the kurkeses aescenaea ana piacca tne goiuen
crown upon his head. Before the throne was a
column of burnished gold, on the top of which
was a golden dove, which held in his beak a vol
ume bound in silver. In this book were written
the Psalms of David ; and the dove having pre
sented the book to the king, be read aloud a
portion of it to the children of Israel. It is fur
ther related, that on the approach of wicked
persons to the throne, the lions were wont to
set up a terrible roaring, and to lash their tails
with violence ; the birds also began to bristle up
their feathers ; and the assembly also of demons
and genii to utter horrid cries, so that for fear
of them no person dared be guilty of falsenood.
but confessed their crimes. Such was the throne
of Solomon, the son of David."
Ths number of Americans visiting Europe
this summer exceeds beyond all computation
that of any former years. Tbe steamers for
Liverpool, though departing as often as twice
a week, take out each troi? one 10 179 dujjuj'.
Tbe Tedlar's Bargain. -
One day a tin pedlar, with an assortment of
nicknacks, arrived at a village in Maine, and
called at one of the houses to sell bis wares. Af
ter disposing of a few articles to the lady of the
house, who seemed to live in the midst of chil
dren, she declared her inability to buy more for
the want of money.
"But, mam, ain't you any rags t"
"None to sell sir."
"Well," said he, "you seem to bare plenty
of children. Will you sell me one for tin
ware ?"
"What will you give, sir ?"
"Ten dollars for one of them.
"In good tin ware ?"
iO, yes, tnarm, the best.
"Well, sir, it is a bargain."
She then handed one of the urchins to tbe pd
lar, who, surprised that the offer was accepted,
yet convinced that the mother would not part
with her boy, placed him In the cart, and sup
plied the woman with tins until tbe sum of teu
dollars was made up.
The man felt certain that tbe mother would
rather raise the money than part with ber child;
seated himself by the side of the boy, who wa
much pleased with the idea of having a ride.
The pedlar kept bis eyes on the bouso, expect
ing to see the woman hasten to redeem ths little
one, and rode off at a slow pace. After pro
ceeding some distance, be began to repent of hi
bargain, and turned back.
The woman had just finished ornamenting ber
dresser with the tins, when the pedlar return
ed. "Well, I think the boy is two small. I gueta
you had better take bim back again, and let mo
have the ware."
"No, sir, the bargain was fair, and you shall
keep to it. You may start off as Boon as you
please."
Surprised at this, the pedlar exclaimed .
"Why, inarm, how can you think of part
ing with your boy so young to an utter stran
ger ,Oh sir, we would like to sell off all our town
paupers for ten dollars a head."
The boy was dropped at the door, the whip
cracked, the tin rattled, and the pedlar mea
sured the ground rapidly, and be never after
forgot bis pauper speculation. Kcio Jfork R
veille. The Rifle.
Many persons who are very expert in the uie
of the rifle, know nothing of the principle on
which it operates, and would be at a. loss if ask
ed why a grooved barrel throws a ball truer than
a smooth bore. The reasons are these:
In the first place, no bullet is or can be cast
perfectly spherical. One side is always heavier
than the other, and the ball, therefore, swerves
from the right line of projection. However hard
it may be to prove this, theoretically, practice
demonstrates it. The same smooth bore irumov
eably fixed, twice loaded, with the same charge,
of the same powder, and with balls ca6t in tho
same mould, will not plant them both" in tho
same spot at the same distance.
The rifle barrel is a female screw, which gives
the tightly driven ball a rotary motion, so that
if the bullet, or rather the slug, swerves with
one twist of the screw, another revolution cor
rects the error. There are but three motions
in a rifle ball the straightforward, the spira!,
and the downward, caused by the power of grav
ity. A rifle of thirty to the pound drops its
ball about a foot in a hundred yards. Rifles
are sighted therefore to meet this deviation.
On leaving the barrel, the ball moves above the
line of sight, continually falling in a paraboli
cal curve, till it intersects it. The point of in
tersection is called the point blang.
Who invented the rifle is not known. Its
principle was known to the North American In
dians before the discovery of the continent.
Their arrows are feathered ppira'ly, and move
precisely in the manner of a riflo ball.
Sticking to Principle.
About thirty -five, years ago there resided in
the town of Hebron a certain Dr. T., who became
very much enamored of a young lady in the eame
town. Indue course of time they were engaged
to be married. The Doctor was a strong and
decided Presbyterian, and bis lady-love as fetrong
and decided Baptist. They were sitting together
one evening talking of their approaching nup
tials, when the Doctor remarked, "I am thinking,
my dear, of two events which I shall number
among the happiest of my life. " And IT!'
what may they be, Doctor?" asked the lady.
One is the hour when 1 fcball call j'ou my wife
for the first time." "And tho other, if you
please?" "It is when we shall present our .
first born for baptism." What, sprinkled 7
Yes my dear, spnukled. Never shall a child
of mine be sprinkled." "Every child cf mine
shall be sprinkled, "They shall be, haT
"Yes, my love." 44 Well, sir, 1 can tell you then
that your babies wou't be my babies. So good
night, sir." The lady leu tuoroom, ana tne loctor
left the house. The sequel to this true story
was that the Doctor never married, and the lady
is an old mail. Ezcfiange paper.
Fop tbe Question.
A voune lady said to ber beau, after Cfteen
years courtship, 4Charlcs, I am going out of.
town to-morrow.
Where ?"
"I dont know."
"When arc you coming back ?"
"Never."
"What are you going for ?"
"I am going to look for something which yu
have not, never bad, and yet can' give me, with
out any less to yourself."
"You are welcome to it, I am sure ; but what
is it ?"
"A husband !
"Why you might have bad that fifteen years
ago, if you bad only eaid the word : but 1 was
afj-aid to begin.'
t-Tht Iron Railroad Bridge, c v er tbfs ilo
pongahela, above Fairmount, Va., is narly com
pleted. This structure, it is said, is the first in
size ia the United States, and, pec&nd to tho
celebrated iron bridge orer tho Mesa! Straits in
Greet Eritisn,
f' " t