The weekly Minnesotian. [volume], May 15, 1852, Image 1

About The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
THE WEEKLY MINNESOTIAN.
OWENS & MOORE,
VOLUME 1.
THE MINNESOTIAN,
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY,
BY J.P. O WENS G. W. MOORE,
Saint Paul, Minnesota Territory.
TERM J:-Two Dollars per annum
in advance. Three Dollars if not in ad
vance.
RATES of advertising,
[SOKPAP. EIL TYPE OR ITS EQUIVALENT.]
Transient Auvertisements, 00 per square 01
twelve luies, for tUe Rest insertion, and titty cvuts per
*i i **‘ e for each subsequent insertion.
YEARLY ADVERTISEMENTS.
One column, SSO 00
Half a column, - «... 30 00
One-fourth of a column, - - 20 00
Business Cards not over six lines, - 600
Over six lines and under teu lines, - 760
Over ten lines and under fifteen lines, 10 00
Fur all changes ordered in advcrtlseuunts, a charge will
be male of thirty cents per 1,000 enu composition.
We agree to charge the above prices, uniformly for ad
urtWag.
James M. Goodhue, Pioneer,
D. A. Robertson, Democrat,
Owens & Moore, Mmuc&otian.
St. Paul March 24th, 1852.
M« E. AMES* R. R. NELSON*
AMES & NELSON,
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELLORS AT LAW,
AND SOLICITORS IN CHANCERY.
St. Paul, Minn.
WILL attend with promptness and fidelity to all law
business intruded to their care iti Minnesota, and
the adjoiuitig coutitles «»f H’lscotislu.
Particular attention wil. be given to the collection
of debts, and the location of land warrants* y
PI ERSE * MURRAY,
ATTORNEYS AN D COUNSELORS AT LAW,
St. Paul, Minn. Terr.
WILL attend promptly ai d diligently to all business
iiiiru?ted to them. ll.Yi igiuade themselves ac
quainted with »he quality ami situation ot the surveyed
auds in the territory, they are prepared to locate laud
warrants to the be.-t advantage. Persons at a distance
may send lhaii' warrants here and their interests will be
tended to as if they were present. Ofiico on Third
reel. September 17.
A. VAN VO It 11KS,
Attorney and Counsellor at Law, and So
licitor in Chancery.
Will attend to all professional business in
trusted to his care, in the different courts
in the Territory.
Siillwater ISSI.
11. L. MOSS,
ATTORN El' AND COUNSELLOR AT LAW,
STILLWATER, MINNESOTA TER.,
Will attend to professional business in
all the courts of the Territory: will attend
to the location of Land Warrants, &c.
I r~* Laud Warrants for sale.
THOS. P. WATSON.
Attorney, Counsellor Jj- .Solicitor.
(avocat francais.)
Office over Spencer’s store, Third st.,
St. Paul. mtf
WILRIS A V.A* ETITS.
ATTORNEY S A T L A W,
Office over Farringtou’s Brick Store, St Paul.
Ur. It, UIBBITI.
HAS his office in the rear of Levi Sloan’s store, where
he wiii he ready to attend to professional calls,
saint Paul, Nov 2if—mm y
Dr, 11. DAY
WILL praci-ce his profwsion in Saint Paul and vi
cinity. Oaice ou Bench street*
nov 29 tutu y
W. RICHARDSON.
NOTARY PUBLIC, Conveyancer, and
Land Agent. Office opposite the St.
Charles House, St. Aanthony Falls.
L. A. BABCOCK,
LAW FIRM,
BABCOCK A WILKINSON Attornle. »nd Counsellors
at Law, Solicitors in Chancery, Ate*
i/tUce near the corner ot Third and Roberts streets, St.
P*l.:• Min. Ter.
H l!i attend to business of their profession in all the
Quuttt of the Territory*
nov. 22,1651.
BRECK & WILLIAMS,
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELLORS AT LAW,
office ou Tuird St. saim Paul.
Daniel Breuk* A* l* Williams.
dec. 6.
WM- H i:\ky woo./
Attorney x cousseleor at law. Notary
P.ionc, and Laud Agent. Suuk Rapidt-, Minnesota
Territory.
JACOB J. NOAH,
A TTORNEY AT LAW and Justice
./"a. of the Peace—Commissioner for the Stateso? Maine,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Yora, Penn ylvatua,
Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Alabama aud Louisiana.
OtUce uti Third St., St. Paul.
ISAAC ATUAILIt,
Attorney and Counsellor at Law, and
Solicitor in Chancery.
WILL give prompt attention to any
business intrusted turn in the line ot
hu profession, in any part of the territo
ry. Particular attention paid to locating
Land Warrants, Payment of Taxes, sale
of Pateuts when issued, aud Real Estate
iu general.
Office at St. Anthony, on Main street,
opposite the falls.
JOIIX RANDALL & CO.
STORAGE & COMMISSION MER-
CHANTS.
LOWER LANDING ST, PAUL.
Will make liberal advances upon all
kinds ot’produce and grain. mtl
DU. T. R. POTTS,
Corner. Roberts and Sixth streets, St. Paul,
\\J ILL Attend to the duties of his proiession in St. Paul
aud vicinity. September 17.
BILLS OF EXCHANGE,
AND DRAFTS on all parts of the United States, at the
olllce vl the Minnesota outfit, by
LILAS. W. BOR UP.
J. R. BREWSTER,
House) Sign) and Ornamental Painter.
St. Paul, Minnesota Territory.
J. <tlJl*iV,
BOOT AND SHOEMAKER,
CORNER of Third and |Trt
Minnesota Sis.,
men’s boots and shoes;
Ladies’ and children’s shoes,
made to order in the neatest and most du
rable manner, and of the best materials.
JDHX l \UU|\<;iO\,
Corner St. Anthony and Franklin Streets,
Saint Paul.
WHOLESALE and Retail dealer in
Groceries, Provisions, Hardware
Boots and Shoes, Clothing, Hats and Cap
Central House, St. Paul.
CA\ E X BURTON have taken this old and well known
house. They have fitted It up anew, and are now
prepared to accommodate boarders and travellers with
cointortable quarters. No pains will be spared to make
the Central House one of tits best Hotels in the West.
November, 1851.
toemms r ssMcrsa
RODNEY PARKER, late of the American House Low
ell, Mass., havitig a lease of the large hotel at the
upper end of St. Paul, with everything in proper order
for the convenience of travelers, boarders, or families de
siring furnished apartments, respectfully invites his
friends and the public to give him a call, believing that
he can do as much for their comfort as can be expected
in a uew country, not yet supplied with regular markets.
m
St. Croix Hotel.
At Steamboat Landing, Willow River, Wisconsin
above house, formerly kept by
X .obn G. Putnam, under the name of
“Buckeye House,” h: s changed hands.—
The St. Croix Hotel has undergone thor
ough repairs and is now kept by the sub
scriber, who is at all times ready to ac
commodate customers on short notice.
C. BELLOWS.
COON CREEK HOUSE.
CT C. JEN’KS, formerly or the Kails Boarding
a 0 House,” having taken the above well known vTn
tavern stand, is prepared to accommodate all who ■!«
may favor him with a call.
October -’9, 1851 7
TEBPttItAXCE HOUSE.
CORNER FOURTH AND JACKSON STS., SAINT PAUL.
1.0 IT MOt'FE U, PROPRIETOR.
PERM ANENT and transient boarders
furnished with good and comfortable
apartments. Chartres moderate.
OAK HILL CEMETERY.
A LL persons desiring burial lots can
obtain information by calling upon the Secretary,
J. W. Selby, or lhe President, C. W. Borup. 29yl
> ATI I A Hi S PIC Kit,
JEWELLER AND
WATCIt-MAKER,
at the sign of the Big
Watch, Third street, next
door to the Si. Paul Drug .
Store,isprepared to make Uw x, -lluS
gold and silver watches, \
rings, spoons, etc., on
short notice. Also to re-
pair the same, as well as music bo
shell combs, or huger rings, bracelets
ear- drops.
N. S. also keeps for sale a great variety
of rings, perfumery, and whatever goods
are usually enquired for at a Jeweller’s.
EXCHANGE AXD BEPOSITE OFFICE
OF
Geo. W. Farrington,. & Co.
St. Anthony St., Saint Paul.
MONEYS on <leiH*sUe, and interest allowed on all sums
deposited for three mouths and over.
Exchanges on all the principal cities, east and south,
for sale.
Collections In any of the States promptly attended to.
Investment* made in Real Estate, or otherwise, for
persona living out of the Territory, lit the most advanta
geous manner.
Office hours from 10 toll o’clock, and from 3 to 4
o’clock. iiov 29—uf
SI’EXf ER, KIRKPATRICK Sc MARKLEV,
Forwarding and Commission Merchants,
LEVEE, LOWER LANDING, ST. PAUL*
feb 14 22-tf
S. P. FOLSOM,
County Surveyor.
May be found at office of of Register of Deeds, on Third
street, one door below Minnesota Outfit. 17—y
E. M’LAGAN,
STORAGE AND COMMISSION MERCHANT,
Jackson street, Lower Landing, St Paul, Minnesota
I)ROMPT attention given to all consignments, and char
ges moderate.
St Paul, October 19, 1851 7
THEODORE E. PARKER,
Attorney and Counsellor at Law,
STILLWATER, MINNESOTA TERRITORY.
M.S. WILKINSON
F. CHOUTEAU, JR. JtS. HARRISON, FELIX VALLE.
CHOUTEAU. IIARHI'ON AND VALLE.
Commission Merchants and Proprietors of the St
Louis Rolling Mill.
A ND MANUFACTURERS OF BAR IRON in
xX all iis vapaus shape** Sheel Iron and Boili*»
Plate, Nails and Spikes, fiom the oie of the lion
M oin'ain. lion Sloic No. 129. North Second St
Si. Louis. Sep. I*
To my old friends,
AND THE “REST OF MANKIND,” I Would say,
that 1 can be found during the winter, at the old
stand of Charley Cave, on Third Street, where l will al
ways be happy to wait upon them. Bar and house fur
nished with the best of every thing.
uov. 22. tt. WM. HARTSIIOKXE.
SHERMAN & MOREY,on Fourth street,St. Paul,near
the middle of town, in the building of Mr. Knox, up
stairs, may be foulld, ready to attend to Painting in ail its
departments* House paiuting, sigh painting, carriage
and ornamental painting, all done up promptly, ond .uiili
paints of the best quality. If we do our work in a slov
enly, unwurkinan like mannner we do not expect to get
business iu the enlightened town of St. Paul.
Dec. 13, 1851. SHKRMAn X MOREY.
r T , nE subscriber would respectfully infoini the citizens
of St. Paul and its vicinity, that be is now carrying on
the above business in the 2d story ot Spencer’s new build
ing, «»n the corner of Ftth and Roberts street.
Particular attention paid to rebinding old books and
periodicals. JaMES MACKINTOSH,
feb 7 21—If
J C Burbank &,co. St.Paul] [W L Fawcette &co. St.Luuis
NORTH-WESTERN EXPRESS COMPANY,
CONNECTING AT GALENA AND ST. LOUIS WITH THE
American aud other Express Companies.
T'O and from all the principal citl» » in the United States,
* California aud Europe, lor the speedy transportation
oi money and valuable packages, coi eciiou of drafts, notes,
bills, accounts, fee., purchase and sale of all kiuds oi
merch&uUlze*
AGENTS.
C. R. Rice Ac Co, St. Paul, o:is West, St. Louis,
J. Brookes. Galena.
N. B. —Particular attention paid to forwarding and
connn.ssiou business generally.
may 1. 33-tf
W. 111 ORBES,
FUR COMPANY, St. Paul Outfit, also
Dry Goods aud Groceries, Tnird at.
AMERICAN SALOON.
IMIED. lIARliy now ke. |i« this well-known establish
; ment ‘*ott his own hook.” He hopes by a continued
attention to the wants of his customers, to merit their
patrouage as heretofore. 19>
J. W. BABCOCK,
FORDWARDING ami Commission
Merchant, Upper Landing, St. Paul.
ST. PAUL DRUG STORE.
HICHCOX & KELLOGG,
Corner of Third and Cedar sts., opposite Judge Lamberts.
WILL keep constantly on hand a general supply of the
best unadulterated drugs and medicines, and articles
usually kept for \ n drug stores.
prescriptions put tip with tbe greatest care.
Medicines may be procured at ail hours of the night,
without extra charge.
JC?* Profits small, aud terms cash.
SADDLE, HARNESS AND TRUNK MANUFACTORY.
# |MIE subscriber solicits the patronage of the public,
1 and assures all purchasers hi his line, that he will
e II for cash, saddles, harness of all kinds, and trunks, of
a better quality, and cheaper than any other establish
ment in Minnesota. Pur hasers will do well to call at
his shop, on Third street, St. Paul, next door east of S.
11. Sergem’s aud Judge for themselves.
OF MINNESOTA, the
New England of the West, by E. S. Seymour. For
•ale by MDI’C & ROBBER.
painting.
BOOKBINDING.^
A. R. FRENCH.
[OFFICE, CORNER OF JACKSON AND FIFTH STREETS.]
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA TERRITORY, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1852.
From the Albany State Register, 24th ult.
Death of Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, of Al
bany.
It will pain the hearts of all our citi
zens to hear that that pure patriot, that
brave and distinguished soldier, that emi
nent civilian and good citizen, Gen. Solo
mon Van Rensselaer, is dead. He clos
ed his long, brilliant and eventful career
at about one o’clock P. M., yesterday, at
his residence on Cherry Hill, near this
oily, at the ripe old age of about seventy
eight years. The manner of his death
was sudden and unheralded. Through
the past severe winter lie had felt, much
more than usual, the infirmities of that
life that had far passed the point of
three score years and ten, and had re
mained more in the house than he was
wont to. He arose yesterday morning in
his usual health, and about 11 o’clock in
the morning left the house temporarily.
His absence was so long protracted as to
occasion some apprehension on the part
of his lamily, and his son-in-law, Dr.
Elmendorf, going out to seek him, found
him in an out-house, alive, but insensi
ble. He was borne in, and in a short
time breathed his last, without recovering
speech or consciousness. He was strick
en with apoplexy.
This heavy blow has fallen with start
ling suddenness upon his family and
friends, and the whole community. To
the former he was endeared by all the
holiest and strongest affections of the
human heart—for those who knew him
best, loved him most for those noble finali
ties of head and heart which so eminent
ly distinguished him in all his domestic
relations ; and the latter remember him
for all bis brilliant civil and military ser
vices, and sincerely mourn his loss as a
public calamity. Here, bis worth as a
man lias long been known and apprecia
ted; but his military deeds are a part of
the imperishable history of the country
he loved so well, served long and defend
ed so heroically.
We have only time this morning to
sketch, in the briefest and most cursory
manner, and imperfect record of portions
of his life. Some older hand will doubt
less ere long perform this “ labor of
love.”
Gen. Solomon Van Renaselaer was
born in the town of Greenbush, and in
the old Genet Mansion, at the foot of the
bill, half a mile back from the river, and
about three miles from this city. His
father was Gen. 11. K. Van Rensselaer,
who fought with great ardor and distinc
tion in the Revolutionary War, and was
desperately wounded at the battle of Fort
Ann, Washington Co., in this State.—
This action has never occupied the place
in the history of that war which its im
portance entitles it to. It occurred sev
eral days before the great battle which
resulted in the defeat and surrender of
Burgoyne, on Bemis Heights, and was
swallowed up and forgo'tjn in the supe
rior brilliance and importance of that de
cisive conflict. It was maintained for an
entire day, by a force of about 1,000 men
against an advance brigade of Burgoyne’s
army, and was a series of desperate and
bloody skirmishes. It was fought by or
der of Gen. Schuyler, who felt the im
portance of checking the enemy’s ad
vance at that point. General, then Col.
Henry K. Van Rensselaer commanded a
regiment of 500 men, which was entirely
mustered on the Van Rensselaer manor.
The stand taken by them held Burgoyne
in cheek an entire day, and enabled
Schuyler to remove artillery and stores
from Fort George, strengthen his posi
tion on Bemis Heights, and gain invalua
ble lime. But it nearly cost the brave
Van Rensselaer his life. As he was ris
ing from a kneeling position, after firing
a lusee, he received a musket ball in his
thigh, which passed down to his knee.—
The ball was afterwards removed by a
surgeon, by a most frightful operation,
and he never entirely recovered from the
terrible wound. So close and desperate
was the encounter, that belay many hours
after he fell, within hearing of the groans
of Col. Armstrong, of the British army,
who was also badly wounded.
Gen. H. K. Van Rensselaer afterwards
lived for many years in this city, and
died here some 28 years since, at the age
of about 76 years.
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer inherit
ed the military disposition and dauntless
heroism of his father. At the early age
of eighteen, he was appointed a coronet
in a company of dragoons, mustered in
Greenbush, and joined the army under
the command of Gen. Anthony Wayne.
Before he was twenty lie was promoted
to the command of a troop. In the battle
of Miami. August, 1794, under “ Mad
Anthony,” he received a terrible wound
through the lungs, which was supposed
to he mortal, but which his youth and
vigorous constitution enabled him to sur
mount. How he acquitted himself, the
despatches of Gen. Wayne hear ample
and conclusive testimony. He suffered
greatly from the effects of this wound
until 1797, when he was commissioned
by Gen. Wilkinson, at Philadelphia, to
perform a delicate and dangerous military
duty, which he promptly and satisfactori
ly discharged. He was also particularly
noticed by Gen. Washington, and raised
by him to the command of a squadron of
cavelry, alter a personal interview with
that great inan.
After the disbanding of portions of the
army took place, Gen. Van Rensselaer
was appointed Adjutant General of this
State, under Gov. John Jay. This ap
pointment he held during the respective
administrations of his successors, Govs.
Geo. Clinton and Morgan Lewis, for
nine years during Gov. Tompkin’s admin
istration, and for nearly the whole period
of Gov. De Witt Clinton's, which latter
period was subsequent to the time he
rendered such important and brilliant ser
vice in his country’s behalf, in thecapaci
ty of aid to Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer,
(the late Patroon) who was appointed by
Gov. Tompkins to take command of the
forces raised for the defence of the north
ern and western frontiers of this State in
1812. The history of that campaign is
well known to every reader familiar with
the events of the “ Lost War,” as it is
still called. The brilliant but unfortu
nate battle of Queenstown was fought on
the 13th of October. The plan of it
was simple and soldier-like, and if it had
been carried out in full, would have re
sulted in a brilliant and decisive victory.
As it was, the force under Col. Solomon
V an Rensselaer, contending with greatly
superior numbers, stormed and carried
the fort. The gallant Col. fell, riddled
with wounds, and bleeding profusely, but
cheered with the shouts of victory. But
the reinforcements neglecting to cross
the river at the proper time, the enemy
caine up in superior force, and the fort
was retaken, and Van Rensselaer’s troops
were obliged to retreat.
Ensign Morris was killed, and Cap
tains Malcolm, Armstrong and Wood
were wounded in the action. Col. Solo
mon Van Rensselaer received a hall in
his hip, which passed out at his spine,
two in his thigh, one of which lodged—
and which he carried to the day of his
death—two in his leg. and a sixth contus
ed his heel. With all these, he kept his
feet until the enemy fled towards town;
and Captain Wool, by his orders, ascend
ed the mountain, and carried the battery.
During this time he had concealed his
wounds under a great coat, borrowed
from Major Lush; and when the party
tiled off before him, unable any longer to
stand, he fell to the ground, about day
light, among the dying and dead, and was
only prevented from fainting by a crust
of bread and a cup of water, furnished
by one of the former. While in this
situation the shouts of victory reached
him from the hill, and remunerated him
for all his sufferings.
This closed his active military life;
and we have cnly room to just glance at
his subsequent career.
He was elected to Congress from this
District—the year we do not recollect—
and served his term faithfully and ably.
At its close he received—we believe un
der Monroe’s administration—the com
mission of Post Master of this city,
which he held under the successive ad
ministrations oi Adams and Jackson.—
He was removed by Van Burcn. In
1839, he was the Albany District Dele
gate to the Whig National Convention at
Harrisburgh, Pa., and was one of the
delegates from this State, who cast his
vote for his old companion in arms, Gen.
Harrison. He had the satisfaction to see
that gallant soldier and pure statesman
nominated for, and elected to the Presi
dency, and from him received again the
appointment of Postmaster of this city,
which he held until removed by Tyler.
Since that time, he has not been in public
life, and lias resided with his family at
Cherry Hill.
Such is a hastily thrown together re
cord of the life and services of Gen.
Solomon Van Rensselaer, whose loss is a
public calamity, and whose departure all
must solemnly lament. He was one of
the brightest ornaments, and most cherish
ed and highly prized citizens of Albany,
which will not fail to honor and perpetu
ate his memory.
Mysterious Conduct of a Dog
The editor of the Green Mountain Free
man, published at Montpelier, Vt., fur
nishes the following item of personal ex
perience :
To the many remarkable anecdotes re
lated of the dog, we have one to add
from our own personal experience.—
When just starting in our profession, we
slept, for a short time, alone in our office,
though much disliking to do so, because
we were occasionally subject to severe
tits of the ineubus, or night more, from
which we used to depend on others to
arouse us. One day, our door was beset
by a small, red, stranger dog, that seemed
singularly intent on entering. We drove
him away twice ; hut he as often return
ed, and manifested the same earnest de
sire to come in. Being somewhat sur
prised at this, knowing that no one, who
could he his master, had been there that
day, we at length opened the door, and,
by words and gestures, invited him to
come in. Joyfully availing himself of
the liberty, he entered, snd, without
seeming to look round for any one, quiet
ly lay down under the table, where he re
mained till bed-time, when we tried to
make him go out. But he absolutely re
fused, and, being struck with the singu
larity of the animal’s conduct throughout,
we concluded to let him remain for the
night, and after procuring some food for
him, retired to our bed, which was in a
small adjoining room, the entrance to
which from the office we always, for the
sake of better air, left open. Some time
during that night, we were visited by a
frightful fit of the nightmare, from which,
though perfectly conscious, we probably
should never have come out, without as
sistance. At our first groan, the dog
bounded to our bedside, and commenced
harking. Finding this did no good, he
mounted the bed, and harked in our face.
Failing in this, also, he stripped down
the bed clothes, and fell to pawing on our
chest, more and more furiously, till he
tore the skin, which instantly broke the
horrid spell; and we arose with a feeling
of gratitude for the interposition, as we
never could help viewing it, more intense
than we remember ever to have experi
enced. We would have gladly always
kept the dog, but the next morning, when
we opened the door, he passed out, and,
as if his mission was ended, trotted
away, never to be seen by us again.
A Monster Forgery. —The National
Bank at Buenos Ayres recently paid out
two millions of dollars on a forged or
der. It appears that late in the evening
a man named Andres Villegras, of a re
spectable family, presented an order pur
porting to be from the Governor, for two
millions of dollars. The forgery was so
admirably perpetrated that none of the
officers for a moment suspected it, and
promptly paid him the money. Subse
quently they sent word to the Gov
ernor that they had cashed his order,
when to their amazement they were told
it was a forgery. The police and other
authorities were immediately called into
requisition and the whole city sacked:
and on the next day the forger was found
at the Globe Hotel, with the bank notes
(some of which he had exchanged for
gold) in his possession. The evidence
of his guilt was so overwhelming that he
made a prompt confession, and on the
next morning he was taken to the court
yard of the public prison and summarily
executed.
Lite or ax Editor. —The editor of u
paper published at Canton, Ohio, gives
the following description of a partner of
his : “ Mr. Pike and I published a pa
per in 1837, among the Miami Indians,
in the State of Indiana. It was a great
partnership that. We had two advance
paying subscribers, one who liqudaled
his subscription with beans and the other
with saw logs. Godfrey, the chief, took
five papers and could not read a word.—
Our paper was called the 1 Peru Forest
er,’ and, being printed in the woods, that
name was appropriate. The town of
Peru had many magnificent names for its
streets, such as Pearl, Broadway, &.C.,
which- streets exhibited the animating
and bustling spectacle of slumps of trees
as high as a man’s bead. The stirring
events which transpired in that city im
periously demanded a couple of chroni
cles, and Pike and I were at hand to dis
charge that important function. Pike
wrote poetry, and I dipped considerably
into state politics and discussed in a learn
ed manner every question of interest to
the few settlers and Indians. Besides
being an editor and a printer, he kept the
Broadway Hotel, was postmaster, justice
of the peace, land agent, pettiloger, canal
contractor, merchant, overseer of the
poor, painter, had been a schoolmaster
and day laborer, was twice a widower,
was brought up a Quaker, and the last
time I saw him he was a preacher, had
married a third wife, and was an auction
eer, and what more I know not.”
City of Cairo. —Cairo is looking a
very fair future in the face. The Illinois
Central Railroad, some three hundred
miles of which will soon be under con
tract, is soon to have its terminus at that
point, directly at the mouth of the Ohio.
A site for a depot has been selected
within the proper city limits, and the
company or the city trustees have deter
mined to unite in extending the present
levees to a total width of one hundred
and thirty feet, also raising the whole
embankment above the highest water
mark, and building an immense stone
wall outside the Mississippi embank
ment, with a foundation at least ten feet
below the surface, at least as an effectual
guard against the encroachment of the
current. The track will be laid upon
the levee coming down the bank of the
river, turning the point one iu a wide
curve, and returning up the stream. The
embankment will also admit, and be de
voted to the erection of warehouses,
stores, hotels, See.— . Mo. Rep.
Jonah’s Position in tiie Whale.—
In the cavity of the whale, a safe and
practical asylum is afforded—not indeed
in the stomach but in another cavity of
the whale; the throat is large, and is
provided with a hay, so considerable in
size, that whales frequently take into it
one of their young ones when weak, es
pecially during a tempest. In this vessel
arc two vents, which serve for inspira
tion; and here, in all probability, Jonah
was preserved, not, indeed, without mi
racle, but with that economy of miracle
so frequently exemplified in the Scrip
tures.
News Boy Wit. —A gentleman cross
ing one of the New York ferries was ac
costed by one of those peripatetic vend
ers of cheap literature and weekly news
papers, who are to be found in shoals all
about our public places, with “Buy Bul
wer’s last work, sir ? Only two shillin.”
The gentleman, willing to have a laugh
with the urchin, said, “ Why I am Bul
wer myself.” Off went the lad, and
whispered to another, at a little distance,
exciting his wonderment at the informa
tion he had to impart. Eyeing the pre
tended author of Pelham with a kind of
awe, he approached him timidly, and
holding out a pamphlet, said, modestly,
“ Buy the Women of England, sir ?
You’re not Mrs. Ellis, are you ?” Of
course the proposed sale was effected.
Parson-Green is still in the habit some
times drawing upon a barrel of sermons
bequeated him by his father, who was
also a minister. Upon one occasion he
got hold of a sermon by mistake, which
the old gentleman had once preached to
the State Prison convicts. It opened
well, and the congregation were becom
ing deeply interested, when all at once
the Parson surprised them with the infor
mation that “had it not been for the
clemency of the Governor, every one of
them would have been hung a long
time ago !”—Newport News.
A SHIPWRECK OX THE ItHIXE
A correspondent of the New York
Post gives the following amusing anecdote
of a shipwreck on the Rhine:
I must tell you of a shipwreck—yes
a shipwreck upon the Rhine, a little
stream about fifty yards wide, and only
two or three feet deep! We had made
tolerable progress up to one o’clock, when
the machinery came to stop, and the
French hands went to shouting and run
ning about the little deck, like so many
monkeys stark mad. What they said, or
what happened, it was impossible for the
best scholar and most sagacious man on
board to divine; but after the most dili
gent inquiries we at last discovered that
the main shaft of the engine was broken.
The wind was sweeping down the gorge
of the river in a perfect gale; the current
was extremely rapid, while there was,
directly in front of us, a stone bridge,
with sharp, projecting abutments. It was
seen by all at a glance, that if the long,
frail Lout, with her hea.vy cargo, should
dash broadside against the bridge, she
must inevitably break into bits, like a
pipe stem, and the passengers looked
earnest and terrified. The captain drop
ped his anchor astern to check her head
way, but the force of the wind and cur
rent together, enabled the vessel to drag
j it after her as if it had been a mere chip
jin the water. What was then to be done
no one seemed to know, when a tall fel
low from Kentucky, that I had not before
observed, rose straight from bis seat, like
the blade of a jacknifc springing out of
the handle, and shouted in one of the
most unquestionable western dialects,
* Why, in hell’s name, don't you send
that boat out with a rope and hitch on to
one of them trees tliar Y which, and bc
interpreted to the captain, gave him the
first practical idea he seemed to have had
for a considerable length of time. He
adopted the suggestion, and in less than
five minutes the boat swung quietly
around to one shore, with her nose, how- !
ever, smelling suspiciously at the bridge.
The Fox and the Pics.— Much has
been written to show the reasoning pow
ers of the brute creation; but nothing
that I have ever read of the dog, the
horse, the elephant, the spider, the ant,
or the bee, seems to prove more clearly
that brutes or insects think and form con
clusions, than that which I am about to
relate of the action of foxes.
On a certain day, many years ago, a
farmer, in the northern part of Connecti
cut, was a witness to the following pro
ceeding on the part of a fox, that had
somewhere secured for himself a small
pig, and was taking it on his back to his
burrow. On coming to a small, rapid
stream, he seemed to hesitate for a while
on the bank, and then laid down the
dead pig, and went on into a piece of
woods near by, from which he soon re
turned, with a slick of wood in his
mouth. He laid the wood down, and
took up the pig, and then again laid the
pig down, and took up the wood. Not
seeming to be satisfied with the trial, he
went again to the woods and brought
back a larger stipk than before. He
made the same trial again, by taking up
the pig and comparing it with the wood
he had brought. Being apparently satis
fied with the trial, he took the wood in
his mouth and swam across the stream
and then returned with it to the side
where the pig was lying on the bank, and
laying it down, lie took up the pig and
crossed the stream with it in safety and
bore it away for his own breakfast or
that of his cubs. Let any one explain
the action of the fox as he may, the truth
of the story may he relied on.
At another time, a fox made his way
into a pen, which was built of rails, in
which was a fine family of pigs along
with their natural protector, the mother.
The fox was afraid to attempt taking one
of the pigs, until he was sure that lie
could make his cseape from the pen with
it in safety. So he took a stick of wood
in his mouth, and sprung through the
opening between the rails with it, and
then sprung back again, and repeated the
operation of springing backward and for
ward with the stick in his tnculh, until
he was satisfied that it would be a safe
prize. But he was mistaken. He had
not made the proper calculation for the
difference between a straight stick and a
living, struggling pig; and before he
could get through the aperture, he found
himself in the jaws of the mother; and
instead of making his breakfast from a
young pig, he was himself devoured.—
Nat. Era.
The Boston Times says that a man
eats up a pound of sugar, and the pleas
ure he has enjoyed is ended ; but the in
formation he gets from a newspaper is
treasured up in the mind to he enjoyed
anew, and to be used whenever occasion
or inclination calls for it. A newspaper
is not the wisdom of one man or two
men ; it is the wisdom of the age and the
past ages too. A family without a news
paper is always half an age behind the
times in general information, besides they
never think of much, or find much to
talk about. And then there are little
ones growing up in ignorance without any
taste for reading.
The following will apply to any sec
tion. We take it from a St. Louis pa
per :
“ We understand that a gentleman who
occupied one of the three dollar scats at
Miss Hayes’ concert last night, having
been observed by a creditor who was en
joying a one dollar position in the gallery,
received from the latter a very polite in
vitation to settle a very long standing
debt. This is one of tbe social missives
to which gentlemen are subjected who
wish to figure in fashionable circles.
EDITORS AXD PUBLISHERS. . r
NUMBER '
Aristocracy. —lt is always a perilous
thing for haughty people to look back
along the line of their ancestry : Twen
ty years ago, says the Merchants Maga
zine, this one butchered, that one made
candles, another sold cheese and butter, a
fourth carried on a distiller}', and was a
contractor on canals; others were mer
chants or mechanics. They are acquaint
ed with both ends of society—as their
children will he after them, though it
will not do to say so out loud. For often
you will find that those toiling worms
hatch butterflies, and they live about a
year. Death brings division of proper
ty ; and it brings new financiers; the
young gentleman takes revenues, and be
gins to travel—towards poverty, which
he reaches before death—or his children
do, if he do not. So that, iri fact, though
there is a moneyed rank, if not heredity,
it is accessible to all: three good seasons
of cotton will send a generation of men
up ; a score of years will bring them all
down, and send their children again to la
bor. The father grubs and grows rich ;
his children strut and use the money;
their children inherit their pride and go
to shiftless poverty ; their children, rein*
vigorated by fresh plebian blood, and by
the smell of the clod, come up again.—
Thus society, like a tree, draws its sap
from the earth, changes it into leaves and
blossoms, spreads them abroad in great
glory, sheds them off to fall back to the
earth, again to mingle with the soil, and
at length to appear in new trees and fresh
garniture.
A Queer Mistake. —The new “pa
tent metalic burial cases,” as all who
have seen them know, are a curiously
j shaped affair—as much unlike an ordina
!ry coffin as anything else. Not long
since a buggy was driven up to an estab
lishment in this city, where these newly
; invented articles are sold, (which, by the
! way, are coming into pretty general use,)
I out of which stepped a young country
gentleman, who, “ by the cut of his jib,”
bad the appearauce of being a being a
physician. He walked into the store,
which was filled with the new invention
of all sizes, and taking out his pocket
handkerchief he measured one about
three feet long, and after paying for it,
directed the seller to put it in his wagon.
The young doctor then started to go.
when the seller, who had an eye to fur
ther profits, having an “ undertaking” es
tablishment also, observed to the purchas
er :
“Sir, we are well prepared with
hearses, earrioges and every thing neces
sary in the management of funerals, and
if you have made no other arrangement,
we will, if you employ us, give you en
tire satisfaction.”
“ Employ you for what ?” asked the
M. D.
“ Why, sir,” was the reply, “to con
duct the funeral.”
“ Funeral, sir ?—I have no funeral.”
“ What in the name of thunder, then,”
continued the seller, “ did you buy that
coffin for ?”
‘•Collin? my stars! Is that a coffin?
Why, I thought it was a fiddle case."
We forthwith wended our way down
town, thinking of anything else but a
grave subject.
Tiie Eloquence of Motion. —Every
one lias read, says the Col. State Rights
Register, of the “ action,” “ action
“ acti,n” of Demosthenes, and of what
variety of emotion and passions Roscius
could express by mere gestures; let it
not be supposed that such perfections of
art belonged to the ancients only. The
following anecdote of IVm. C. Preston, is
illustrative of our remarks :
Some years ago, among a thousand
others, we were listening to one of his
splendid harangues, from the slup. Be
side us was one as deaf as a post, in
breathless attention, catching, apparently,
every word that fell from the orator’s
lips. Now the tears of delight would
roll down his cheeks, and now in an un
governable ecstacy, he would shout ap
plause which might have been mistaken
for the noise of a small thunder storm.
At length Preston launched out into
one of those passages of massive decla
mation, which those who have heard him
well know him to be so capable of utter
ing. In magnificent splendor it was
what Byron has described the mountain
storms of Jura; its effect upon the mul
titude was like whirlwind. Our deaf
friend could contain himself no longer,
but bawling into our ear, as if he would
blow open with a tempest, he cried:
“ W no’s that a speakin ?”
“ W. C. Preston,” replied we, as loud
as our lungs would let us.
“ Who r' inquired he still louder than
before.
“ William C. Preston, of South Caro
lina,” replied we, now almost splitting
our throat in the effort.
“ Well, well,” continued he, “ I can’t
hear a word he or you are saying, but,
great Jericho, don’t he do the motions
splendid ?”
The Circulating Medium in Ore
gon.—The only money they use in the
back part of Oregon consists of live
stock—a hog paying for a dollar, a sheep
paying fifty cents, turkeys twenty-five
cents, and young dogs for a shilling each.
If Smith owes Jones $4 12 1-2, he sends
him five hogs, and receives for change
one sheep, one turkey, and one pup.
“ Sambo, whar you get dat watch yott
wear to meetin’ lass Sunday ?”
“ How you know I hab a watch ?”
“ Bekase I seed de chain hang out de
! pocket in front.”
j << Go way, nigger!—’spose you see
I halter ’round my neck, you tiuk dar is
' horse inside cb me ?”