BY JAS. CLARK.
CANVASS BAG-WHAT WAS
IN IT.
BY GEORGE P.m:ER.IIAm,
A young cabinet maker was on his
way home from his daily labor one eve
hing, a few years ago, in a Southern
city, and as he was about to turn the last
Corner before reaching his humble dwel
ling, the. hand of a stranger was placed
upon his shoulder, and a low voice al
inost whispered in his ear
"Which way, Mat .
The mechanic turn
voice sounded queerly, start e
It was getting quite dark, the streets
were lonely and still, and it was a sin
gular salutation ; the face of the man
-who accosted him he had never seen,
and though•he-noticed, a few paces be
hind, another person, •who seemingly
awaited the first one, he replied that he
Was on his way home for the night.
. "Matthew, you are a cabinet maker?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"And are not overstocked at present
With einploymenti"
k "No, no ," said Matthew hesitatingly.
"I babe a, job for yoU if you like it."
"When?"
"To-night."
"How?" asked Matthew surprised.
"This very night."
" Where'!"
aThat is of no consequence. Accom
pany me to the end of the street, where
it Carriage awaits us, enter it, submit to
be taken where it is my will, perform
the service 1 require, and ere daylight
shall dawn, you return home one hun
dred dollars richer than you are now."
"But the service, what is it 1"
"Ask me no questions. Will you
have the money?"
Matthew reflected—he was very poor
.-.-he consented.
"do on--I will follow you."
"Enough !" replied the stranger, and
Matthew Faran instantly fell behind the
qor inan, who led the way in the direction
' opposite that which pointed towards his
own domicil. ... ,
Arriving nt the end of the street, the
second stranger joined them. and the
trio entered the carriage which stood
in waiting. Matthew suffered himself
to be blindfolded, and the vehicle rolled
away rapidly, the cabinet maker knew
not where. The pavement was left be
i hind, the vehicle emerged upon a smooth
road, and at the end of nearly an hour,
it halted, ascended a steep hill apparent
ly, and then stopped altogether.
" The steps were let down, the inmates
alighted, and one of the party accosted
the driver with—'promptly at 4 o'clock,'
and Matthew heard the vehicle turn
from the door again. They entered,
passed through n long hall, up a fligtit
of stairs, across n narrow passage, and
on down half a dozen steps; then, after
.111 -winding through several apartments,
apparently, they' descended once more,
and finally entered a room where they
came to a stand.
The'dodi was closed, locked and bar
red oh the inside, and the bandage was
then removed from Matthew's face. He
was hot a little nettled to find himself
In tetal darkness, while his arms were
being held evidently, by men on both
-sides of hint. The silence was instant•
ly broken, however, by the voice which
he recognized as that of the man who
accosted him originally In the street.
- "Now, Matthe,4 Faraiii" dild {ha
speaker, "you have agreed to PerfOrin
the service 1 claim at your hands, and
for Which you will receive the sum of
One hundred dollars. Before you begiii
jour work you must swear to be faith
ful and to preserve the matter a secret,"
Matthew promised, for he found that
the tempting offer of one hundred dol
lars fdr a single night's work, had drawl!!
Mtn ihto a position from which lie Would
gladly escape. But it was too late to
feireat. Matthew promised secrecy,
arid a moment afterwards a light was
struck, and tho mechanic beheld on eith
er side of him an entire stranger, as far
ailorm and appearance went, in spite
of their seeming familiarity with his
name and prof scion . Each man held a
glittering pi in his hand, and in the
terrier of tha .them extremity of the
apartment, the cabinet maker saw a pile
of rubbish, lumber, tools, bricks, &c.,
find also what seemed a large canvass
bag, filled with he knew not what.
"You see, Matthew," continued his
g uide, "we are prepared for emergen
cies. Now proceed to business. Here
tire materials and tools in profusion. In
the bag yonder is enclosed a human
body."
"A what?" exclaimed Faran astoun
ded,
"Hush, matt! and reinember your
promise !"
"In that bag lies enyelopcd a human
form."
"Is he dead'!" asked Matthew Wildly.
" ah! You are to ask no ques
tions. Make a box front the lumber
, , yi V,IT i
...
,t;N , ,
* --4 ,, ,, 3 4 /
..0'
0
•
00 4 , en'
rlita,,,,Ji,
..,,,.... „,. : „..„.
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4 - • ''',. 1 ,- - -,
yonder, deposite the body in it, and then
you must bear it to the river close by."
"1 cant—l—"
"You must!" continued the other,
cocking his pistol, and placing the muz
zle of it close to Matthew's cheek, "or
you must join him, and we'll box you
both up together ! what is your answer
—quick !"
"1 obey," muttered poor Faran sub
missively.
ere is your hundred dollars. In
urs we shall return, when all must
n readiness," and the masked wretch.
es left their victim alone to perform his
word. The door was locked behind
them, and Matthew at once surveyed the
premises.
In vain did he search for egress. He
reflected—he was plainly in the hands
of desperate men, and in self defence he
at last commenced his frightful job,
which he bethought him were best done
quickly, since it must be done at all.—
He drew forth a board, glanced at the
the long narrow bag, shuddered a mo
ment and then commenced. •Scarcely
had lr placed the saw upon the edge of
the lumber, when he thought he heard
his name mentioned. The mechanic
faltered, the perspiration coursed down
his cheeks, he listened—he halted—for
he plainly heard it whisper, a low,
sti
fled. cautious whisper—" Matthew! hist!
—.Matthew Faran!" and the saw fell
from the mechanic's hand, as he gazed
wildly about him, utterly at a loss to
comprehend this matter.
"Matthew, come here—here," contin
ued that fearful whisper again, and Fa
ran approached the corner where lay
the canvass bag, though the sweat roll.
ed from his forehead and his knees tot
tered, and his breath had well nigh de
serted him.
"In God's name ! what—where—who
speak sl"
Me, Matthew, me, here in the bag—
! hist 1" -
Matthew approached a little nearer,
and finally his wits, which had momen
tarily deserted him, returned, and he
saw it must be. The villains, whoever
they were, had attempted a murder, he
thought, and had not succeeded.
"Rip open the bag, Matthew, my
hands are tied—rip it open , and help
you to make the box!—quick,l Matthew,
there's no time to lose—quick, and Fa
ran instantly applied the chisel to the
seams and had the satisfaction of be
holding a "live man" jump from the bag,
who instantly explained matters.
" , They have mistaken me for an ene
my. They are river pirates, I think,
and believe that they suffocated me to
night, three hours ago. They have em
ployed you to throw me into the river."
"Where did it happen?"
"Here, in this very room. See—the
charcoal furnace ! They stunned me,
sewed me in this bag, threw me upon .
my .face, lighted the charcoal—there,
don't you smell itl"
Matthew had been temporarily depriv
ed of his senses, generally, and he didn't
smell any thing at all !
"'They believed me dead, Matthew:
for when they returned they attempted
to lift me ; but there's a crack in the old
flow, you see, through which I breathed,
a id my limbs were stiffened for the oc
casion, as they tried to raise me up.—
Now they wish to cover up their tracks
don't yiiti
"Yes. Well; What next?"
ird lo *ark; keep sawing rind hum
inering, make the box, put plenty of air
holes i it 7 -you shall nail it uP (pot over
Carefully; you know,) and you can then
throw it into the river,.as they desire.
It will all come right. Where do you
live, Matthew?"
"Me? where—live?" muttered Faran,
"hot knowing exactly whether he Was
talking to a phantom or not, after all.
"Yes, Where do you reside?"
"Oh, yes— in C— street."
"The number?"
"Twenty.seyea."
"On the right?"
"No, left—yes, on the right, I mean."'
"What time do you breakfast?"
"At seven," said Matthew slowly.
"Go on, ten, hurry Matthew; finish
the box, throw it into the river, and I'll
breakfast with you at 7 o'clock in the
morning."
Matthew did hurry, the box was fin ,
ished ; the 'dead' man got into it, Mat
thew nailed on the top carelessly, and
ten minutes afterwards his employers
entered, armed to the teeth, and beheld
the empty bag on the floor.
"Is it done?" asked the foremost.
"'fhe terrible job is completed," said
Matthew with a deep drawn sigh.
."Good ! Now Matthew, up with it,"
and Faran shouldered the box, which he
did not
.find very heavy, and the two
Pcoundrels led the way to the river. A
splash was heard, the' night (Or rather
early morning) was exceedingly dark,
and the two employers and their sup.
posed victim entered the carriage near
HUNTINGDON, PA., TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1849.
by, at the same mothant that the dead
man, (having forced off the top of hie
box) was climbing up the river's bank
very comfortably, except so far as an
involtotary cold bath was concerned.
Matthew was left at the same corner
he was taken from an hour before day
light, and proceeding directly home, his
alarmed family were quickly comforted
with the brief explanation he vouchsafed
on his arrival.
At seven o'clock, a carriage halted
before the door, and there stepped out
from it a gentlemanly looking, well
dressed man, who was soon inside the
mechanic's humble dwelling. U was
the whilom occupant of the canvass bag!'
He did breakfast with him, and when
he left him an hour afterwards, he plac
ed in his hands a roll of bank note%,
"You saved my life, Matthew Faoffn,"
he said, "I have my own reasons for not
discovering myself to you. We shall
never meet again, probably, for 1 shall
leave these parts at once. They gave
you one hundred dollars to bury me,'
here are five hundred more for the ex
cellent manner in which you performed
the service. You are a cabinet maker
I think, Matthewl"
"Yes sir, at your service." .
"And well have you served me, Mat.
thew. 1 shall commend you to my
friends. Good morning," said the stan.
ger, whom Matthew never saw from that
moment.
Who the scoundrels were that em
ployed him at such a liberal price to do
the business, he never ascertained. Ile
made six hundred dollars by the job,
got frightened•out of a year's growth,
but never afterwards agreed to do a job
of which he did not know the accurate
details before-hand ; for to the day of
his death, did he..Yemeniber the canvass
bag and what was in it.
Young Men.
There is no moral object so beautiful
to me as a concientious young man. I
watch him as I do n star in heaven,
clouds may be before him,
but we know
that his light is behind him, and will
beam again ; the blaze of others popu
larity may outshine him, but we know
that, though unseen, he illuminates his
own true sphere. e resists temptation
not without a struggle, for that is not
virtue but he does resist and conquers ;
he bears the sarcasm of the profligate,
and it stings him, for that is a trait of
virtue, but heals with his own pure
touch. He heeds not the watchword of
fashions, if it leads to sin ; the Atheist,
who says not only in his heart, but with
his lips, 'there is no God "—controls
him not ; he sees the hand of a creating
God, and rejoices in it.
Woman is sheltered by found arms
and loving counsel ; old age is protec
ted by its experience ; and manhood by
its strength; but the young man stands
amid the temtation of the world like a
self-balanced tower. Happy he who
seeks and gains the prop and shelter of
morality.
Onward then conscientious youth----
raise thy standard, and nerve thyself
for goodness. If God has given thee
intellectual power,
awake in that cause;
never let it be said of thee, he helped
to swell the tide of sin by pouring in
!thence into its channels. If thou art
feeble in mental strength, throw riot
that drop into a polluted current.
Awake, arise young man ! assume that
beautiful garb of virtue ! It is dif
ficult to be pure and holy. Put on thy
strength then. Let truth be the lady
of thy love—defend her.—. Miss Caro
lina Gilman.
A fragedy:
An affair is related in the Steubenville
(Ohio,) Herald which is said to have
occiiiked tin the 13th of June last—which
was then adverted to, but for want of
more authentic information,
a public
expose has been delayed until the pres
ent time. It seems a Mrs. Rebecca
Mitcham left home on the sth of June,
and after loitering about the neighbor
hood for a few days, tools her Children;
aged 6, 4 and 1, to the banks of Big Ye
llow Creek, and in the deepest place in
stream consigned herself and the three
children to a watery grave. The bead
of the eldest showed some signs of vio
lence; whether done in being thrown
into the stream; Or previously is not
known. The causes ibbich led this
woman to the commission of so horrible
an act arc said to be inattention, abuse.
cruelty, and jealousy on the part of the
husband.
Queen CALcuLATIoNs.—The editor of
the Yankee Blade 'says . : "It would be a
curious sight to see all the babies in the
United Stats under live years of age to
gether; they would be a pretty collec
tion of 2,400,000. What a squalling
there would be should they all get spank
ed at the same time, and what a great
heap of sugar plums it would take to
quiet then' !"
Refturiu ation of Um. Wirt.
The distninguished William Wirt,
within six or eight months after his first
marriage,became addicted to intemper- I
once, te effect of which operated
strongly on the mind and health of his
Wife, and in a few months more she was
numbered with the dead. Her death led ,
him to leave the country where he re
sided,
and he moved to Richmond, where
he soon rose to distinction. But his
habits hung about him, and occasionally
he was found With jolly and frolicksome
spirits in bacchanalian revelry. His
true friends expostulated with him, to
convince him of the injury he was do
ing himself. But he still persisted.
His practice began to fall off, and many
looked on him. as on the sure road to
ruin. He was advised to get married
with a view of correcting his habits.
This he consented to do, if the right
persons offered. He accordingly paid
his addresses to Miss Gamble. After
some months' attention, be asked her
hand in marriage; she replied—" Mr.
Wirt, I have been well aware of your
intentions for some time back, and ,
should have given you to understand '
that your visits and attentions were
not acceptable, had I not reciprocated
the affectiOn which you evinced for me.
But I cannot yield my assent until you
make me a pledge never to taste, touch
or handle any intoxicating drinks."
This reply to Mr. Wirt was as unexpec
ted as it was novel: His reply was, that
he regarded the proposition as a bar
to all further consideration of the subject
and left her. Her course toward him
was the same as ever—his, resentment
and neglect. In the course of a few
weeks he wont again, and again solici
ted her hand. But her reply was, her
mind was made up. •He became indig
nant, and regarded the terms she pro
posed as insulting to his honor and vow
ed it should be the last meeting they
should ever have. He took to drinking
worse, and seemed to run headlong to
ruin. One day, while lying in the out
skirts of the city, near a little grocery
or grogshop, dead-drunk a young lady,
whom it is not necessary to name, was
passing that way to her home not far off,
and beheld him with his face repturned
to the rays of the scorching sun. She
took her handkerchief, with her own
name marked upon it and placed it over
his face. After he had remained in that
way some hours, he was awakened, and
his thirst being so great, he went into
the little grocery or grog-shop to get a
drink, when he discovered the handker
chief, nt which he looked, and the name
that was on it. After pausing a few
minutes,•he exclaimed—a Great God !
who left this with me! Who placed
this on my face !" No one knew. He
dropped the glass, exclaiming i Enough !
Enough !" He retired instantly from
the store, forgetting his thirst, but not
the debauch, the handkerchief, or the
lady, vowing, if God gave him stremgth
never to touch, taste, or handle intoxi
cating drinks.
To — meet Miss G. was the hardest ef
fort of his life• If he met her in her
carriage, or on foot, lie would dodge
round the nearest corner. She at last
addressed him a note under her own
hand inviting him to her house, which
he finally gathered courage to Accept.
He hold her if she still bore affection
for him he would agree to her own terms.
Her reply was: "My conditions are
now what they ever have btien:i' "Then,
said the disenthralled Wirt, I' 1 accept
them:"
They Were soda rintrried, and frOin
that day lie kept his word, and his
fairs brightened, while honors and glo
ries gathered thick upon his brow.—
His name has been enroled high in
the temple of fame, while his deeds,
his
patriotism and renown Hie, after him
with iinperiihatln lustre. How many
noble minds might the young ladies
save, if they would follow the example
of the heroine-hearted Miss G., the
friend of humanity, of her country, and
the relation bf La Fayette.
BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT.- , --The late em
inent Judge, Sir Allen Park, once said
at a public meeting in London :
'We litrd hi the midst of blessings till
we are utterly insensible of their great
ness, and of the source from whence
they Boit. We speak of our civilization,
our arts, our freedom, our laws, and for
get entirely how large a share is due to
Christianity. • Blot Christianity out of
man's listory, and what would his laws
have been--zwhat his civilizationi Chris
tianity is mixed up with our very being
and our very life ; there is not a famil
iar object around us which does not wear
a different aspect because the light of
Christian love is upon it—not a law
which does not owe its truth and gen
tleness to Christianity—not a custom
which cannot be traced in all holy, beau
tiful parts to the Gospel.
Lecture on the Elephant,
. -
Ladies and gentlemen ! Allow me,
this evening, to introduce an animal
called tho Elephant. He is the greatest
of all tread mill animals that helps to'
keep the globe in motion. Among the
Anglo-Saxons, he is known only by the
name of elephant; but with all barba
rous and half civilized nations lie is
unanimously dubbed the bull•phant.—
He is about the size of a two year old
omnibus, and in color approaches as
near to a black as he possibly can with
out absolute infringement. To luok at
him not too severely, one naturally sup
poses him to be a small mountain of hi;
dia rubber or huge composition of glue
and molasses.
The elephant is one of the natives of
the East Indies, but he has been met
with in various parts of Mexico, and is
frequently seen in the great city of New
York. It has been asserted upon both
righteous and profane authority, that he
is indiginous to the diggins of Califor
nia --however, the assertion, as yet, goes
a begging for confirmation. It is my
private opinion, though, that the animal
exhibits himself to travellers in all parts
of the world, only they entertain a mon
strous reluctance to confessing the fact.
He carries his trunk With him where
ever he goes, but never keeps anything
ih it, not even a change of shirts. VI hen
cousin lehabod first saw him at a show,
he exclaimed with mute astonishment :
"Then that's the rale Managerer—the
identical critter !limit' ! I swow,
wouldn't two of 'em make a team to
draw stun with"! Golly, aint he a scrou
gee!" Ichabod went !lean:, and related
what he had seen. seen," said he,
"the genuine Menagerer, the derndest
biggest lump of flesh that ever stirred.
He had tew tails, twe ; one behind and
the other before. He put one of his tails
in my coat pocket, and hauled out the
gingerbread—every hooter. What d'ye
think he done with it! Why he stuck
3t in his own pocket, and began to fum
ble for more— r darn him !"
A POLITE SIIERIFF.—Making his neck
comfortable. Sheriff Summer was re
markable for his great attention to mat
ters of etiquette. Nothing could make
him forget his natural politness, and at
tims this quality was extended when it
had a most ludicrous effect. Towards
criminals he was exceedingly polite,
and on one casion when an unfortunate
prisoner was to be executed, the sheriff
with that kindness of heart which was
one of his prominent characteristies,
paid every attention to the culprit Wiach
his dreabful stiuntion required, and
when the poor fellow was led upon the
seafibld and the rope had been adjusted
Mr. Summer inquired in the most friend
ly manner :
" Does the knot suit you, sir I"
" Yes, I don't know but it does," said
the prisoner.
„ 'lr I could make it more comfortable
to you I should 'be extremely happy,”
said the sheriff. "Will you do me the
great favor when you are ready, to drop
your handkerchief 1"
66 I haven't got . any handkerchidfi"
said the prisoner.
'6 Oh! excuse me. Will you oblige
Me by makitig use of thine for the ciett
sion 1"
The handkerchief was accepted and
the black cap was drawn over the doom=
ed man's head. After a short ti me the
handkerchief was dropped. Mr: Smmer
Cat the cord, and as the body dropped
down, he raised his hat froM hii head
and said with a indst profound bow,
and bland "Clod morning sir."
MODFL BAit APPEAL.—"Judge, your
time I know is precious, as must be the
cause with so able and valued a member
of society. This case is perfectly clear
knoW your learning and lucid in
telligence. For me to argue *Bald be
not only a waste of time, but an insult
to your penetration. Much might be
said but nothing is needed. Before
any other judge I would lay down the
rules of law, but here I know they have
been deeply studied, and wisely under
stood. I look around me and behold an
humble house of logs, yet see before me
the spirit of truth, the unpurchased dlt;
tributor of law; Bud the old tenement
rises before thy mental tision, proud
and beautiful as a majestic temple to
Justice. Judge I have a bottle of old
prime Monongahela in thy poCket ; fdt
the respect I bar your Character allow
me to make your a present of it."
"Verdict for Me defendant," said the
judge.
WOMEN AND TOBACCO.--A sensible
ctitetnparary says :--Tho women ought
to make a pledge, not to kiss a man who
uses tobacco, and it Would soon break
up the practice ; and a friend of our§
says they ought also to pledge them
selves to kiss every man that don't use
it--and we go for that, too.'
VOL, XIV, NO, 83
,
John Van Buren on Father KBehle:
u a speech delivered at Cleaveland,
Ohio, oh the 13th all., John Van Buren
bits off that old political sinner Ritchie
as follows.:'
' , But, 'Mr. President,. We Want
tional party. We have nobe. We h> 4
no National Editors: f speak df the
Democratic party. Ritchie is, not ad
organ of the Democratic party. True,
he might become so. I can very well
im'agine that hernight become rabically
anti-slavery. Nothing in the past his.;
tory of that nidn goes to preclude tho
possibility. of a . ..l'dt an event - He tle
nonneed Gen. Jackson in terms of the
Most abandoned bitterness. 'The elec
tioa of Andrew Jackson,' said he, 'to the
Presidency of these United States, would
be a greater calamity than war, pesti
lence, dr famine.' And yet afterwards
be turned ,in; and helped to elect him'
&lice to the Presidency ! He denoun
ced the Independent Treasury bill as a
measure fraught With danger to the lib
erties of the people ; as an infernal in
vention of the President and his Secre=
tart'; 11 nrhich one kind of currency
was to be provided for goverment, and
another for the people ; and now he
floods the air with appeals to stand by
it, as a basis upon which the disbanded
Democracy may be rallied ! whilst his
ink turns pail at the frighful vigor with
which he deals out encomiumns upon it
tin the perfect production of human x\ is
dom ! I am reminded of a remark of
the lamented and revered Silas \Vright.
He said that Ritchie experienced no
difficulty tit all in changing his position
but that very facility extinguished eferY
particle of his influence." He may
Come right ; but he will present a spec
tacle Which will challenge the contempt
of every one who shall haVe a fair claim
to be ranked as a human being. Look'
at him,sitting at the scat of government:
A Convention of slave holders is assem
bled to hold lamentations over the ad
vance of the free spirit of the land, and
consumate their plans for the dissolution
of the Union. A slaVe-holder occupies
the chair of state, knitting his brows to
indignantly frown down the efforts of
freemeh fn'i freedom; and the Union is
threatened by 'Southern Olen on every
hand. Does he speak Dde's fie sound
an alarm, and give notice of danger 'I
No. But there he sits, lamenting over
the removal of a Collector of Custonis,
or prbghant With holy horror, when tho
head Of ti deOripitnted Inspector rolls
from the block ! Yes, there he sits, like
d sitpertinnuated ttielikel woman, by the
road side, crying over her broken eggs!
In my opinion; the only tune which he
can play upon his cracked organ; to
which the Democracy can universally
respond, is this :
I, oh ! carry me back to Old Virginny!"
The lidrie Reinstated.
A telegraphic despatch from General
Oudinot to the French Minister of War,
dated the 16th ult., conveys the intelli;
gence that the re-establishtnent of the
authority of the Pope had been proelaidt:
ed the previous day, and the General
adds, "In the midst of the most enthu
siastic acclamation of the assembled
multitude. A Te Deuni was chittited;
trod prdyere of thankscrivirig t+ere of=
fered up at St. Piter's. Publii Ude:
quillity is every day being contirthed
the best feeling exiets between the troops
and the popcilation." The eclat of the
thing must be taken With liberal grains
of allowances, tis it would be rattier
strange for the populace to veer round
so suddenly.
A Gooii IRISH ANECDOTE.—SOITIO yehts
since, when the beautiful painting of
Adam and EVe wne exhibited in Ireland,
it became the chief topic of conversation.
Finally a poor, ragged f illiterate peaddfit
vent to see it. The light was so ar
ranged as to reflect on the picture, and
leave the spectator in comparative dark
ness. The peasant as he entered the
the room to see his first parents,
was struck with so much astonishment
that he remained speechless for some
moments. He stood like a statue, and
as though hie feet were incorporated
with the oaken floor of the room. At
last, With an effort, he turned to an ac
quaintance and said, "Barney, niver
say another word agin Adam in dll my
life; for if I had been in the garden; I
voould have ate every apple in it, for the
sake of such a lovely crater as Eve."--
It is needless to add that this was re.;
ceived with roars of laughter.
POPULARITY DEFINED.--" WO§ Mr.
Brown a popular man when he lived in
your town?" inquired a busy body of }r
friend.
"1 should think he wits," replied the
gentlerimin, as many persons endeavored
to prevent his leaving, and several of
them, including the Sheriff, the Deputy
and several constables, followed him for
some distance."