The Star and Republican banner. (Gettysburg, Pa.) 1832-1847, August 27, 1839, Image 1

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yOL. X.--NO. 22.1
A DVRTISEEM ENTS
SHERIFF CANDIDATES.
SIEUEUIFF %SLATY .
(EORGE W. M'CLELLAN
Returns his sincere than4s to his
friends and the public in general, foli placing
him on the returns with the present arid
former Sheriff, and again offers
once more na n candidate for the
Office of Sheriff,
At the ensuing Election. Should he be
honored with their confidence in placing
him in that office, no exertion on his part
shall ho wanting to a faithful discharge of
the duties of that important trust.
March 19, 1839. to-51
%MAXIM F
To the Free and Independent
Voters of Adams County.
FELLOW CITIZENS:
Through kind persuasions from
many of my friends, I have been induced to
ofillr myselfas a candidate for the
Office of Sheriff;
at 1119 ensuing Election, and respectfully
solicit your votes. And should Ibe so for•
twist° as to receive vnnr confidence, h 7: be
ing electod to that Aloe, I pledge myself to
discharge the duties of the office with fideli•
ty and impartiality.
FREDERICK DIEHL.
Franklin township,
te-51
Mardi 19,1839. S
FOR PROTHONOTARY
To the Vreemen oY atxams
C`, ouilty .
FELLOW CITIZENS
I offer myself to your consideration
for the office of PROTEIONOTARY, at
tho ensuing election—should I be so for
tunate as to receive n majority of your
votes, I pledge myself to discharge the du
ties to the best of my ability.
JOEL B. DANNER.
Gettysbu r!*, Juno 24,14439. tf-13
A CARD.
FRIENDS having announced my name
to the Voters of Adorns county for
the Office of Register and Recorder, I
would take the liberty respectfully to offer
Myself n candidate (*Or the Office of Pro
thonittitT ; and solicit the'suffMges of the
public.
AMOS' MAGINLY.
Fairfield, April,2; to-I
FOR REGISTER & RECORDER.
To' the Independent =Voters of
Adams County. .
FEL LO W—CITIZENS :
I offer myself to your consideration,
st the ensuing General Election. na n can
didate for the offices of Register 4. Record.
er : And pledge myself, if elected, to dia.
charge the duties of those offices with fi-
delity and promptitude.
JACOB LEFEVER.
to-51
March 19, 1839
To the voters o 1 aanms
ou - nty.
FELLOW CITIZENS: a
ff . Offer myself to your consideration as a
m• candidate for the offices of Register and
Recorder, at the ensuing election.
Having, from practical experience acqut
red a perfect knowledge of the dutieb of
thew) offices,l hope if elected, to be able to
do the business promptly, correctly and to
person.
The Publlea Humble Servant,
INILLIANI KING.
Gettysburg, Feb. 26, 1939. te-49
FOR CLERK OF THE COURTS
To the Voters of Adams County.
FELLOW CITIZENS :
I oiler myself to your consider
ntion ns a candidate fur Clerk of the Courts,
nt the ensuing election, being well acquaint
ed with the business of said offices, I shall
endeavor to discharge the duties thereof
with fidelity.
S. R. RUSSELL.
Gettysburg, July 23, 18:39. tf-17
To jhe Independent Voters of
adorns County.
FELLOW CITIZENS :
1 offer myself' to your cnesideration
as n candidate for the Office of Clerks of
the several Courts at the next General
Election. Should Ibe so fortunate as to
be elected, 1 pledge myself to discharge
the duties of the Office faithfully.
THOMAS M'CiIEARY.
Straban Township, July :30. 18—te
LAW NOTXCM.
o. s'Azmn,
W ILL practice Law in the several
'Courts of Adams County—office in
Cliambersburg Street, one door west of Mr.
Buehler's Store.
eitittyeburg, April 30,1Q:11X
I
} Office of the Star & Banner:
L'hambersburg Street, a feu' doors West o
the Court-Horse.
1. The STAR & REPUBLICA:t BANNEn is pub
ished at TWO DOLLARS per annum (or Vol
ume of 52 numbers,) payable half -yearly in ad
vance: or TWO DOLLARS & FIFTY CENTS
if not paid until after the expiration of the year.
71. No subscription will be received for a shorter
period than six months; nor will Itte paper be dis
continued until all arreareges are paid, unless at
the option
.of the Editor. A failure to niify a dis
continuance will bo considered a new engagement
and the paper forwarded accordingly.
111. ADVERTIREKENTS not exceeding a s quare
will be inserted TUREF. times for $l, and 25 cents
for each subsequent insertion—the number of in
sertion to ho marked, or they will be published till
forbid and charged accordingly; longer ones in
tho same proportion. A reasonable deduction will
be made to those who advertise by the year.
am told, that before tatting tip his resi
dence in the wild spot, he had several times
pitched his tent in the wilderness, and tarri
ed (or a few years, till civilization and the
settlements overtook him, and thickened a
round him, to such a degree as to become
inconvenient and troublesome, when he
would "put up stakes" and push farther in
to the woods. The place where he now
ides is an unincorporated nitwit:hip of wild
land,and beingsumewhat diffieult 0! access,
except by corning up the pond (runt &bee, a
distanee of about n dozen miles, uncle Pete
has lived for something Idle ten seers in a
condition of tolerably satisfactory indepen
dence. He raises some provisions on his
cultivated acres, and procures some game
from the woods ; and when these sources
lad, he takes his honk and line, and Lees
out to some of the ponds or streams in the
neighborhood. arid returns with a load of
trout & other varieties of fieny the tribe. For
calico, tea, and tobacco, and other 'bought
en' articles of use or luxury, he goes rio ts
and then to Schee with n canoe loud of shin
gles and clap-boards, which are his regular
articles of export. But civilized life is a
gain treading upon the heels of uncle Pete.
The towns around him are becoming thick
ly settled, and though there is but one relies!
family in the township with him, yet the
visits of proprietors and proprietors' Agents
are becoming so frequent, and thev east
such scrutinizing glances open sundry pine
stumps which they ecensienallv find nh the
premises, that uncle Pet.. grows ressleSs and
uneasy. He feels that he Is ratherc.rowd
ed upon, and sometimes talks 01 selling nut.
It was in the autumn al Ono I first
visited this wild spot, and first saw and ,
board any thing of uncle Pete. Sionpingat
the house of an old man, another pioneer' of
the frontier settlers, some six or eight miles
from this port, I heard the old man remark,
while conversing with another—" un
de Pete's had a squabble with a hear lately,
haint he? I at once felt a curiosity to learn
the blast - Tv thiA 'squabble,' and accord
ingly made seine inquiries, in answer to;
which 1 learnt the general outline of die sto
ry,hind subsequently obtained the deteils and
the filling up from uncle Pete himself'.
Eileanip2ll,Cla. I It was a bright and color eu,nmer's morn
t he quiet pond was .1 coping in the sun-
Anxious to enjoy season of recreation we k W;
aside our duties fur a day or two, sim re
bldet: shine' harmless and beatitioful ; and avers
surrounding of jest ,n 1 / 1 1ILIre lookedod lovely
our musket and after taking our place, in the '
uGuards" took up our march for Petersburg ( rind inv it mg. There is something in the
Springs) on the morning of Tly.irsday last; ou e%ct of fi ne landscape, viewed under hi
our arriving near town, our company was met by verable circumstances, which may he corn
theinred to music—"it has charms ill soothe
Peter burg commande d by Cam
Bonner and escorted to the se a t o f cr ica nipment,the savage breast Even uncle Pete felt
The ' , Guards" being the first comp a ny on ih e lts influence, as he sat on a little bench by
ground from a dist ance we bad the plca,:ur, athe side of his cottage yawning.and looking
tendering a welcome to our neighbors, the BerlinlistlesslY across the still waters, and fidlow- i
Macfurlano,& Oxford Guards under timing the outline of forest trees, mtit)
to
command of Capt. Camp, troth of which arri v e d mountain. that hung below the watery hori
the followine day as an escort to the ..indepe n d ee tzon, as well dofined,as clear and distinc<end
Grays" of Daltimore, commanded by Capt. La er.even with more softness than those .which
The Grays are said to be ono of the best discipli- were Inhering above. While he gazed Ire
tied companies that city can produce—and with was seized with a desire for an aquatic ex
our limit, d knowleko of military tactics we cor-cursion. Ho called his youngest bey, a lad
eially add our testimony in their •favor, for we bout n dozen years old, and told him to get
the hooks and lines,and they would go round
the point to the mouth at Shippond stream,
and try for trout. The apparatus was soon
in readiness and they jumped into his little
log canoe and paddled off upon the lake.
.We had'ut got but little ways round the
said uncle Pete, 'and I was setting in
the stern, paddling along at n moderate jog.
and little Pete was setting in the bow; and
by and by be called out to me, and save he,
'O, father, what great black critter is that
swimming oft here towards us 7" I looked
round towai de the shore, and there was the
tarnelest great overgrown bear that ever I
seed in all my life, swimming right tow:lids
us. If he had been weighed, I helievi, he
would a weighed every pound of four hund
red."
IV. All Lettersand Communications addressed
to the Editor by mail must be post-paid, or they
will not be attended to
THE GARLAND
e tyr.
, , ..r--...-.7
./.
~
, :
/... .i.z.t.„.,
Rweetent flowergenrich'il ,
From various gardenecull'd with care."
I'll be a Child no snore
I .aw one in the morn of life,
A glad and gleesome thing,
Whit little knew of worldly strife,
And thus I heard him sing :
°l'll throw this useless toy aside,
I'll turn n fresh lent" ;
PH gaily storm life's lucid tide,
And be n child no more."
I now one in the morn of life,
Joy lit his large, da-k eye,
With lofty hopes his soul was rife,
And thus I heard him cry :
"I've won a high and noble name,
And glittering, golden store.
I've early trod the path of fame,
And um a child no more."
I Envy one in life's cheer:esfi eye,
With furrows on his brow,
And thus I beard that old man grieve
(Methinks I hear him now :)
“My childheod's hours were bright and fair,
My manhood sorrow wore :
Could I . blot out my ago of care,
pu ril i stird n in Oriel trgr e ig. 111 u., oy num'
ley; it is n Literary paper and neutral in politic'
We wish it success.
have seldom if ever met with a c unpiny of met
whove conduct and notion so nearly comported
with but views of actual military'vervi , .e. Thy
gentlemanly manners and disposition of Captui
Law, his officers and men, could not fail to wi
the esteem of all with whom they mingled ittr
ring their brief sojourn together; long may the
remember with pleasure their social visit to th;
torshure encamptment.
There was in all fire companies of Volunteer
in attendance, several more were expected, ht
unforeseen circumstances pro. toiled their pre
tome. On Saturday morning the tents were strut
down and each of 11w companies -dispersed wit.
the usual good feeling which prevailed througho
their meeting.
To the citizen's of Petersburg generally, a
the committee of arrangement particularly, mu
raise d -far Ih.!'"' ""^.7"7-
Uncle Peter and the Bear.
SEIM. SMITH, the author of the original
"Jack Downing Letters," it appears has la•
ken up his residence in New, York, and fol
lows the profession of writing for the !item
ry periodicals. The Southern Literary
Messenger has an article from his pen,with
the above caption. After an introductory
description of the beauty of the scenery in
the interior of Maine, ha says :
You observe a few acres of cultivate I
land on the interval between the Wilson
stream and base of the granite mountain on
which we aro standing; and there, close by
the margin of the river, you see a small,low
house. In that house there lives, arid has
lived for some ten years past, an old man by
the name of Peter Brown. fie is often de
signated, in that vicinity, by the familiar ap
pellation of Uncle Pete. Nothing, howev.
er, could be more appropriate that his, true
name, so accurately and forcibly does the
sign represent the thing signified; for
mote 'vigorous, athletic, and brawny old
man, you will not find one in a thousand.
He must be over seventy years of age, for
his lung thin locks are silvery white, and
though he has one or Ave children in their
minority still with him, he has numerous
suns and daughters who have reached the
middle'age ot life, and gone abroad into the
world with fismiltes of their owii. The old
ROBERT S. I°./IXTOJW, EDITOR .11.1"1, PROPRIETOR.
evawtrinvartaaa teviewatur avattPaut s/ atao9).
man is lull six feet in height, and stands as
straight as an arrow. He is neither deci
dedly fleshy, nor lean ; but stout, bony and
muscular. From his natural constitution
and habits of life ho evidently possesses great
strength, and is capable of enduring great
krdships. He has for many years been a
Mit of pioneer to the frontier settlers in the
interior of Maine, always keeping:a little in
advance of them, preferring to livis alone in
the woods, where, unsliticklON the re
straints of society or the statute, he can
feel that he is
"Monarch of all that ho surreys,
And—lord of the fowl and the brute."
I never examined uncle Pete's head phre
nelegically, and cannot say whether his or
gnu of mai velliiiirmess wits of extra size or
not. The reader must therefore, be con
tent with such evidence as we have with re
gard to the weight of the bear ; and that
rests solely on uncle Pete's word and judg
ment. He always stood to it, the would
weigh four hundred pounda.
"And the tarnal critter," said uncle Pe
te, "was pulling right towards us as fast as
ho could t.witn. I'd been so careless in co
ming away, that I only took one small pad
dle with me, and that wasn't a very good
one, and the old canoe was rather heavy ;
so I found, do the best I could, the bear
would swim faster than I could paddle. but
I thought I could keep him off well enough,
if he should set out to meddle with ,is, so I
turned the boat and paddled a little towards
him, I thought that would make him turn
and go off: But the old savages kept Swim
ming right towards us, and come up clpEe
to the side of the canoe, and began to open
his mouth, and show a great ugly set of
teeth as ever you see. He came up so near
that I hit him a lick over the head with the
paddle and split it in two. At that he come
right at the boat fiercer than ever, and put
his paw right up to ono side of it. I sprung
into the" middle of the boat, and bore on 'to
ther side of it, for I knew if! din't,ho would
upset it in a minute; &I I thought I would'nt
CO. FE A DLES 8 AND FREE. 4.JU
_ -
like very well to have a grapple with him in
the water. So while I was keeping the ha
lance of the boat, the rscnlly old vermin
pokes up t tother paw and begins to crawl
up. lurtitliNi go to fight him off, for then
we should all go into the water together.—
So I had to hold still and see the great black
nigger crawl clear up into the boat. He
got in pretty near the stern, and I stood a
bout the middle. .As soon as ho got fairly
in, he•looked round to me, and then he rear
ed right up on to his hind legs and walked
towards time as straight as a man. He WILI
as tall as! was, and looked as big as n clev
er young ox. I stood facing of him, and
while I was thinking how it was best to give
battle to him, he marched straight up to
me, and put one paw on my right shoulder,
and 'tether on my left. Thinks I, this is
bein' a little bit too sociable for a stranger;
and I was jest again to tell him hands off,
when his weight pressing against me made
me step back n little and my heel ketched
against something in the boat, and I fell flat
I on my hick in the bottom' of the boat, and
the hear eh lop of me. I3y this time
thought fowlers was getting worse & worse,
and it was lime for me to look about myself.
I twisted one way and 'tother,aud we begun
to have censiderable ofa squabble ; but the
old bear had a Itogr:ther the advantage of me,
and I could'ilt seen) to do much, I tried to
get held of my jack knife, but I could'nt get
it out arm/ pocket, all I could do. The old
boar (Inn.; seem to he willing to wait to
give toe I:nrplov nt nil ; for in p minute I
felt him Irving to stielt his huge tucks i•ito
my hrely ad ; jest as a buy digs - his teeth in. I
In the side as great tipple. Thinks I this'll
never do ; tio metlting must be -done pretty
quick. I made it terrible twist, and thawed
legs up tinder him, and got so I could
gOe a push with my feet, nod my fumes &
hands, then ail at once, I fetched an ever
lasting spring,aLd I , ow I did it I don't know.
but somehew or other the old bear went o
verboard, and plunged headforemnst into
the watur. I was on my feet as quick as a
steebtrap. The old hear come up to the
top of the wster and snorted, and looked up
4t, we a minute; but I believe I fairly skeer
ed him out of it. lie tipned a bent & swum
for the chose nod I paddled for home.—
When k get, to the house, I told my wife
we 'd h ave some potatoes for dinner, and let
the hell go.".
an affair between A whaling
2. , tarin and a military
Oineer.
PUrb/INI fulme of my renders may have
heard of the duel between old Captain Lot/
et!, of New Bea ird, nod the English officer
Demerara• it has been variously related
f but i
the ifrily true ThtSloll s A
as follows:-
1 Captain-Zacartah Lovett, after baviner per
I to. , trd several whaling voyages to the Pa
cific. found himself in command of a small
I brig belonging to New York on n voyag,e . to
Demerara fie was a warthv man—and
a good spermen of a Yankee sailor—his
hen rt was full of the milk of human kindness
but he possessed a noble spirit—and would
neither give nor take an insult.
11 bite this little brig Cinderella lay nt.
anchor in Demerara river, Capt. Lovett
l o ne afternoon entered a Coffee house where
he met n friend—and they amused thernsel
' yes by knocking the balls : about in a billi
ard room. Soon after, and heloce the
game was half finished—some English mil
itary officers entered, one of whom, Capt.
Higbee, stepped up to Captain Lovett, who
was arrayed in a very, not to say ordinary
costume,& with n bullying air demanded the
table, as himself and brother officers wish•
ed to play a match.
Cr.pt. Lovett gave the red coated gentle
man a stern took, but replied with courtecy
that he and his friend had engaged the table
and would play out their game, alter which
if the gentlemen wished to play, it was at
their service.
"But we can't wait," said Capt. BL'bee
in an insolent tone.
"You must wait," coolly replied Captain
Lovett.
"But we shall do no such thing"exclaim -
ell the surly Briton—"we came here to play
billiards—and have no idea of being disap
pointed by a couple of fellows who hard
ly know a mace from n cue, or a ball from
n pocket. It will take you all the afternoon
to finish the game—so clear out
Capt. Lovett and his friend played on.
"Come," continued the on-er, enough of
this—marker place the balls." Saying
which, with n most impudent air, he seized
one of the halls which Capt. Lovett's oppo
nents had just driven into the pocket, and
caught up another one which was near him.
The matter was growing serious. Capt.
Lovett's eve flashed fire—for although he
had mingled a good deal among quakers,
and respected that moral sect for their hu
mility and quiet demeanor, he was no non
resistant man himself. He dropped his cue,
and doubled up n fist of portenlious size.
"Put those balls upon the table, you scoun
drel," exclaimed he imperatively, "and leave
the room."
" , Who do you calla scoundrel, you Yan
kee blackguard? Do you know you are
talking to one of his majesty's officers?
Take that for your impertinence," at the
same time suiting the action to the word,
& giving Captain Lovott a smart rap across
the shoulder with his cue. But in an instant
he received a blow on his forehead 'exactly
where the Phrenologists locate the organ
Eventuality —which would have felled an
ox and submissively acknowledged the fa
vor 1w measuring his length upon the floor!
His brother officers, who were with hiin,
had the good sense to see that Bighee was
to blame—and although they. looked rather
black at the Yankees,they wisely foreboro to
molest there further—but assisted the stun
ned bully to another room, where, by the
help of some restoratives, he soon recovered
his senses. His rage and mortification at
the result of the rencontre,knew no bounds,
and with many a bitter oath he declared he
would have satisfaction.
Before Capt. Lovett tell the coffee-house,
a billet was handed him by Lieut. James,
which proved to be a challenge—a poremp•
tory challenge from Capt. Bigbne, in which
it was insisted that arrangements should be
made for en early meeting, that ho might
have an opportunity to wash off the affront
he had received, in Capt. Lovett's heart's
blood.
Capt. Lovett smiled when he saw such
manifestations of Christian spirit. "Tell
Capt. Bighee," said he, "that I will not
baulk him. lie shall have the opportunity
ho so earnestly seeks. Although not a
fighting man, I am familiar with the duel
laws—and if he will be to-morrow morning
on the hank of the Green canal, near the
South Quay, rather a secluded spot,he shall
have satisfiiction to his heart's content."
Lieut. James bowed politely, and with
drew. Capt. Lovett went on board the Cin
derella soon after—and ordered his mate,
Mr. Sterbuck, also a veteran whale-hunter,
to select the two best harpoons, have them
'nicely ground and fitted—as an opportunity
might ofibr on the morrow, of striking a
porpoise. Mr. Starbuck obeyed his supe
rior officer with alacrity, although he won•
de red not a little wliV Capt. Lovett expected
to find porpoises in Demricara river.
The next morning, as soon as all hands
were called, Cupt. Lovett ordered the boat
to he manned, and requested Mr. Starbuck
to take the two harpoons, to ench of which
some eight or ten fathoms of rattling stuff
were attacheil,ried accompany him on shore.
In few moments the boat reached the South
Quay, where Cap:. Lovett was mot by save
ral of his countrymen,who bed been attrac
ted to the spot by the rumor of the duel, as
well as several merchants and other inhabi
tants of the place. They one and all re
monmtrated with Capt. Lovett for his folly
in consenting to fight the English military
bully, who was represented us a poetised du
ellist—an expert swordsman, and an unri
valled marksman with a pistol, being sure of
his man at twelve paces. Capt. Lovett,
however, did not show the least inclination
to hack out; but, or, the contrary, seemed
more eager for the engagement; "I'll give
that quarrelsome fellow a lesson," said he,
"which will,be of service to him; & which
he will never forgot, as long as his name is
Bighee."
The challenger with his head ornament
ed with a large patch to cover the impres
sion left by the Yankee knuckles, and his
eyes chm!y twinkling with anger and
mortification through two huge, lived
cles; accompanied, by his second,stion made
his appeari*e; Be: -was followeny a ser
vriiit with a pistol case, and an assortment
ofawords. He bowed stiffly to Capt. Lov
ett—and Lieitt. James approaching the
Yankee, asking him if he was willing . to
light with swords-- , lf so,' said he, believe
we can suit you. We have brought. with
us the small sword, a neat,gentlemenly wea
pon—the cut and thrust, good in a melee,&
which will answer indlfferently well in a du
el--and the broad sword or cutl ass, which
is often preferred by those who are deficient
in skill in the use of arms. My friend,Cap.
rain Bigbee, is equally export with either.
You have only to choose. As the challen
ged party, you have an undoubted right to
select your arms. 4
"01 that privilege I am well aware," re•
plied Capt. Lovett, "and mean to avail my
self of it. I shall not. fight with swords."
"I expected as much," resumed Lieut.
James, "and have brought with me a beau
laid pair of duelling pistols, with long bar
rels, rifle bores, and hair triggers. What
distance shall I measure off?"
"Eight paces."
"Only eight pun'!" cried Lieut. James,
a little surpriesed. "0, very well"—and
he measured it off, and placed his man at
his post. Then advancing to Capt. Lovett,
ho presented him with a pistol.
"I do not fight with pistols!"
"Not fight with pistols—after having re
fused to fight with swords? What brought
you here then ?"
"efo fight !" shouted Lovett in a thunder
ing voice, which made the British officer
start. "1 am the challenged party, and
have a right to choose my weapons, accord
ing to the laws of the due/10, all the world
over—and you may rely upon it I shall not .
select weapons with which my antagonist
has been practising all his life. Such a pro
ceeding on my part, is not only not required
by the rules of honor, which utter all, is a
mere chimera, but would be contrary to all
the dictates of common sense. No—l shall
fight with the weapons of honorable war•
fare, with which I have over been accus
tomed. Swords and pistols . indeed I"
"But, my &fir sir," cried the astonished
Lieutenant, "we must proceed according to
rule in this business. W hat weapons have
you fixed upon ?" And in fancy's eye he
beheld before him a huge blunderbuss, load- .
ed with buck shot.
' , Captain Lovett said nothing—but beck
oned to ill r. Starbuck, who approached him
with great alacrity, bearing the two har
poons. lie seized ono of the formidable
weapons, and thrust it into the hands of
Bigbee,. who seemed absolutely paralized
with astonishment.
"My weapon," said he, "is the javelin—
such as the Grecian and Roman knights of
ten fought with in olden times—a weapon
which no man who cl.allenges another, can
reluse to fight with at tne present day, un
less he possesses a mean and craven spirit."
Thus saying, he took the station which
had been assigned him, nt eight paces dw•
[ ZiO: 490.
taut from his siortlei antagonist. lie coot..
ly bared his sinewy arm--grasped the har
poon, and placed himself in on attitude.
•'I'II bet," said ha , casting a triumphant
look upon his friends, "a Smoked herring
against a sperm whale, that I'll drive the
harpoon through that fellow's midriff" the
first throw, and will finish him without the
aid of the lance. Mr. Starbuck," fiercely
continued Captain Lovett, in a loud and
rough voice, such as is seldom heard, ex
cepting nn board a Nantucket whaling ves
sel, when a shoal of whales is in sight,
"Stand by to haul that fellow in !"
The mato grasped the end of the line, his
eyes beaming with as much expectation and
delight, as if he was steering a boat en to
nn eighty barrel whale, while Captain Lov
ett poised his harpoon with both hands,
keenly eyed the British Captain— -shouted
in a tremendous voice, 'Now FOR r,' and
drew back his arm as in the act of throwing
the fatal iron ! •
The Englishman was a brave man•-which
la not always the case with bullies—and he
had often marched without flinching, up to
the mouth of n cannon. "'And if he had been
in single combat with an adversary armed
with n sword or a pike!, or evon a dagger,
or a Queen's arm, ho would have borne
himself manfully. Indeed, he bad already
acquired an unenviable notoriety as a duel
list, and had killed his man._ But the har
poon was a weapon with which he was alto.
gether unacquainted—and the loud and ex
ulting vines of the Yankee Captain's voice
sounued like a summons to his grave. And
when he saW.ihe ant cart Yankee raise the
polished iron—and pause ler an instant, as
if concentrating all his strength to give the
fatal blow, a panic terror seized him—hip
limbs trernbled—.•-his features were of a
gisastly pallor, and the cold sweat wood in
largo drops on his forehead. He had not
strength to raise his weapon—nnd when his
grins opponent shouted 'Now FOR rr,' and
shook his deadly spear, the British officer
forgetting his vows of chivniry--•his repu
tation as an•officer, and his honor as a duel.
list, threw his harpoon on the ground, fairly
turned his back to the enemy, and fled
a frightened courser from the field, amid
the jeers and jibes, and hurrahs of the mul
titudes, assembled by that time on the spot.
Capt. Bigbee's duellings &ye were o'er.
No man would fight with him after his ad
venture with the Yankee. He was over
whelmed with insult,and ridicule; and soon
found it advisable to change into another re
giment. But his story got there before
hitn—and he was soon sent to "Coventry"
as a disgraced man. He was compelled,
although with great reluctance, to quit the
service—and it may with great truth be said,
that he never forgot the lesson he had reer:?-
ved from the veteran whaler, so long as his
name was Big bee.
Boston Mercantile Journal.
SCENERY OF FLORIDA.
The scenery of Florida is not at nll inter
esting. He who has seen from quiet nook
a graceful bend in the river bordered with
orange bowers an i groves of the holly and
magnolia and oak, and (truly tropical and
stately) the cabbage palmetto and cocoa nut,
will find in his memory recollections where
with to frame a dream of the !Wines, of
Mnhomet's paradise. There are "sinks,"
too, in Florida—places where rivers sud
denly sink or vanish in the sand, or where
they rush with nbnndoned plunge into dark
caverns, mingling there with subterranean
torrents, and gliding away through thickest
gloom with many murmurings and discor;
dant sounds. At some future time the poet,
looking into these dark and misty caverns,
may imagine, while he feels- the inspiration
of horror that these melancho:y and sub
tetraneous snnnds are the moans of the
water genii, lamenting that the river amid
whose spray they spread their wings, hqa
left the cypress shades and open sunshine to
wander on through the chilliness and mist
and sunless Blooms of caverns,
Some of these Stygian waters rise and
sink with the tide, thereby indicating their
connexion with the sea. Lakes, once wide
and beautif,d, have sunk in a single night,
leaving their beds covered with fish. Dur
ing the present winter, a lake sunk thus,
leaving millions of fish dancing upcin the
land. Cart loads were carried offend cured
by the neighboring "crackers," (squatters
and herdsmen.) The remainder, putrifying,
tainted the whole atmosphere for miles a
round, reminding the traveller ofthe plagues
of Egypt.
An old lady says, 'Some young petipla
think that matrimony is something uncnm•
monly exiluctificatious, but la! its nothing
after you get used to it•
COUNTRY LADIES.
The editor of the Chicago Democrat is
perfectly craq . . after the country girls.—
He says that most respectable ladies in the
world are those engaged in making butter
and cheese in the country, and the,rnost
fashionable ones too.—They are always at
home, polite and affable, and it a gentleman
is not so homely as to frighten the cow, he
is always welcome to half or the milking
stool, whereon in twillight's golden hour,
he can make love if he wishes.
btronTArrr.—The Canal Commissioners
were up the West Branch Canal this week
shoo:ins; black-birds at four dollars per
day.--Willsamsportßepuplican-
Baron Niaregand, Auettien Minister.
Could de Colobiano, (litho Minister, and
M. G. Serreps of Belgium, arrived at J).
trait on Sunday lam, from Chicago.