Sunday dispatch. [volume], July 05, 1846, Image 1

About Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854

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VOL. I. NO. 31.
THE SUNDAY DISPATCH,
IS PUBLISHED EVERY SUNDAY MORNING,
At 41 Ann Street,
BY WILLIAMSON & BURNS,
AT THREE CENTS PER WEEK TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS,
Or One Dollar a Year in Advance by Mail.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Will be inserted at the rate of One Dollar per Square
(of sixteen lines) the first insertion, and Fifty Cents fo r
every subsequent insertion. Advertisements for a lon
ger period at the same rate.
A. J. WILLIAMSON, ) D ....
WILLIAM BURNS, j Publishers.
THE AMERICAN FLAG.
BY JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE.
I.
When Freedom from her mountain height
Unfurl’d her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night,
And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldric of the skies,
And striped its pure, celestial white,
With streakings of the morning light;
Tbeu from his mansion in the sun
She call’d her eagle bearer down,
And gave into his mighty hand
The symbol of her chosen land.
rr.
Majestic monarch of the cloud,
Who rear’st aloft thy regal form,
To hear the tempest trumpings loud
And see the lightning lances driven,
When strive the warriors of the storm,
And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven,
Child of the sun ! to thee *t is given
To guard the banner of the free,
To hover in the sulphur smoke,
To ward away the battle-stroke,
And bid its blendings shine afar,
Like rainbows on the cloud of war,
The harbingers of victory !
in.
Flag of the brave ! thy fold shall fly,
The sign of hope and triumph high,
When speaks the signal trumpet tone,
And the long line comes gleaming on.
Ere yet the life-blood, warm and wet,
Has dimm’d the glistening bayonet,
Each soldier’s eye shall brightly turn
To where thy sky-born glories burn ;
And as his springing steps advance,
Catch war and vengeance from the glance.
And when the cannon-mouthings loud
Heave in wild wreathes.the battle-shroud,
And gory sabres rise and fall
Like shoots of flame on midnight’s pall;
Then shall thy meteor glances glow,
And cowering foes shall sink beneath
Each gallant arm that strikes below
That lovely messenger of death.
IV.
Flag of the seas ! on ocean wave
Thy stars shall glitter o’er the brave ;
When death, careering on the gale,
Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail,
And frighted waves rush wildly back
Before the broads de’s reeling track,
. Each dying wanderer of the sea
Shall look at once to heaven and thee,
And smile to see thy splendors fly
In triumph o’er his closing eye*
v.
Flag of the free heart’s hope and home 1
By angel hands to valor given ;
1 The stars have lit the welkin dome,
And all thy hues were born in heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet!
Where breathes the foe but falls before us,
With Freedom’s soil beneath our feet,
And Freedom’s banner streaming o’er us?
[Written for the Sunday Dispatch.]
jjottng
NO. XV.
Homoeopathy—Hahnemann—Opinion of the
French Academy—Results in Germany.
Accident has placed in our hands a little work
on “ Homoeopathy,” by Edwin Lee, Esq., pub
lished in London—the most sensible work on the
subject we have seen. The effect ofit has been
entirely to dissipate from our minds the small
modicum of respect, we had entertained for the
character of the founder of that absurd system —
Hahnemann. We were willing to suppose him
a well-meaning though deluded man,but are now
constrained to look upon him as nothing but an
arrant knave. In pioofofhis dishonesty and his
mercenary and deceitful disposition,take the fol
lowing from the pen of a respectable physician,
himself a German :
** About the year 1800, Hahnemann advertised
a new salt, of which he claimed the discovery,
and which he sold at the modest price of a louis
d'or per ounce. The society for the promotion of
the-natural sciences, desirous of becoming ac
quainted with this new substance had it analysed
by some of the most experienced chemists, who
pronounced it to be nothing but common Borax!
He shortly afterwards advertised “ an infallible
preventive of scarlet fever ; but being disappoin
ted by its sale, he afterwards confessed it to be
nothing but a few grains of extract of belladonna
dissolved in water.” Remarks on the Abracada
bra of the 19th century by Dr Leo Wolf.
What q scoundrel, says the reader. Is this the
medical philosopher whom many have thought
worthy of a niche along side of the Zoroaster
of Europe, the Prometheus of-a new age of rea
son 1” It is even so ; and we learn that our ef
forts to expose the unsoundness of this false pro
phet is taken in high dudgeon by some of Hahne
mann’s simple exalters. Well, we cannot help
it. We belong not to that .careful class of tacti
lions whose constant cry is, “ policy, Mr Speak
er,” Our aim is to sustain truth and to combat
error, and we shall not hesitate to unmask an ig
norant pretender, regardless alike of the “ cries
of the wounded,” and the frowns of those whose
ignorance is only equalled by their conceitedness
and their impertinence.
Of kitchen salt, Hahnemann says, “A grain of
salt is reduced to the millionth degree of atten
uation ; this powder is to be dissolved in diluted
alcohol, and the division extended to the decil
lionth degree ; carried to this degree of dilution
sea-salt is a powerful and heroical medicament,
which can only be administered to patients with
greatest caution.” Who can believe such a mon
strous absurdity 3 D,o the Homceopathists them
selves belieye it 3 I’rofessqr Henderson, of Edin
burgh, has publicly repudiated the infinitessimal
doses. Last year, the public of New York was
greatly surprized by an announcement in the Ho
moeopathic Examiner, that Dr. Gray, said to be
the oldest and most extensive Homoeopathic prac.
titioner in the United States, had given reasons
for abandoning this vaunted mode of administer
ing medicines. Why, was the very natural in
(jqiry. Would he giye them up, if they worked
as well as had been pretended 3 Hardly. Then
they must have worked badly was the conclusion
—A conclusion, which has in no degree been
weakened by the statement in Dr. A L. Cox’s
paper, that according to “ the former city Inspec
tor, the medical man who sends in the greatest
number of certificates of deaths in the whole city
i 8 t a practitioner of Homoeopathy.” To
be sure it is not said that Dr. Gray is the medi
cal man alluded to, but it is seen that, from some
cause or other, certainly not from its success, Dr.
Gray has been constrained after many years
trial, to modify his practice, and people are very
apt to ** put that and that together.” If there is
any mistake about this, it will be to rhe interest
of the practice of Homoeopathy that it be correc
ted.
Tphe homceopathists in Paris having petitioned
the Minister of the Interior to permit the esta
blishment of dispensaries for the treatment of pa
tients by the homoeopathic method, the minister
requested the opinion of the Academic de Mede
cine on the subject. The reply of that body is
ITiade in the following terms :
“ Monsieur le Ministre,
“ Homoeopathy, which presents itself to you
at the present time is a novelty, is not a new
thing. For m or e than twenty five this
doctrine has wandered here and there ;—first in
Germany, then in Prussia, afterwards in Italy,
and now in France ; seeking everywhere though
in vain, to introduce itself as a branch of medi
cine.
“ The time of the Academic has been repeat
edly taken up with the subject, and, moreover,
there are but few of its members who have not
sought to ascertain its basis, and its effects.
“ With us, as elsewhere, homoeopathy has
been subjected, in the first place, to logical exa-
which has exhibited in it a formal op
position to the best established truths, a great
number of striking contradictions, and many of
those palpable absurdities which inevitably ruin
all fake systems in the opinion of enlightened
persons, but whhich are not always a sufficient
obstacle to the credulity of the multitude.
“ With us, as elsewhere,homoeopathy has also
been subjected to the trial of facts, and put to the
test of experience. Observation, faithfully inter
rogated, has furnished the most categorical ans
wers ; for if it be admitted-that some examples
of recovery have occurred while under the ho
moeopathic treatment, it has been ascertained
that the success is justly attributable to the bias
of a weak imagination on the one hand, and to
the remedial powers of the constitution on the
other. Observation has also shown the great
danger of homoeopathy in frequent and serious
cases of disease, where the physician may do as
much harm, and cause no less injury, by inactive
measures,as by those which are directly prejudi
cial
“ Reason and experience are consequently
united to repel a similar doctrine, and counsel
that it should be left to itself and its own resour
ces.”
“ All the results,” says a German author,
“ which have been obtained by the employment
of medicines in homoeopathic doses,were found
ed, without exception, upon delusion, and were
not in consequence of these means. If any one
wishes to convince himself of the truth of this, he
need only so administer these doses.that the per
sons are not aware that they have taken any
thing, and every physician would then see as li t
tie effect from them as I have seen innumerable
experiments. These infinitesimal powders,drops
and globules, are in fact nothing more than the
modernized moon-stone of the ancient Pheeni
cians and Carthaginians. At that time, as at the
present day, faith in them must produce a blind
confidence, and if this effected, it would not
matter whether they were swallowed, or hung
about the neck, or carried in the pocket as an
amulet, the effect would be the same. The wor
thy St ieglitz very justly observes, that it does ho
nour to the condition of German medicine, that,
notwithstanding all the noise and pufting, butve"
ry few medical men adopted this system ; and
that many of the younger physicians rather chose
to support privations, than give themselves up to
its aburdities ; and even some of the homoeopa
thic physicians themselves can scarcely conceal
a feeling of shame, when they find themselves
in the presence of others who understand the
matter.”
[Written for the Sunday Dispatch.]
21 Jrienb in Need.
“ Preserve us, but this is a dreadful night,”
said a comely looking woman of about forty, as
she sat knitting by a large fire which blazed mer
rily on the hearth, and round which some half
dozen young people were sitting enjoying its
cheerful warmth. Its an awful night for any one
to be out, Flora, alanna, shut the window shut
ters, it’ll help to keep out the rain,”
A young girl of aboiit'sixteen arose to do her
bidding and was about to shut them, when a cry
as if some person in distress had attracted her at
tention, and a flash of lightning at the moment
disclosed to her view a man struggling on the
ground, not more than twenty yards from the
house, under the weight of his horse, which was
kicking and struggling violently to free itself.
“ Run, run, Eddy, there’s some person has fell
with his horse, and it’ll tramp him to pieces,”
said the girl, addressing a young man who was
seated by the fire, “ hurry or you’ll be too late.”
But the person addressed needed not the warn
ing,he was out of the house before she had finish
ed speaking,and guided by the cries of the stran
ger soon stood by bio side, and after some trou
ble extricated him from his fallen horse. The
stranger was a young man about twenty two or
twenty three years of age dressed in a plain suit
of black, but there was that in his appearance
which at once bespoke the gentlemen.
’• Is yer honor much hurt;” enquired the wo
man as he entered the house.
“ More frightened then hurt, my good friend ;
the lightning frightened my horse, and he reared
and plunged so violently that I was not able to
keep my seat,” replied the stranger,
“ Well, I’m glad it’s no worse, but yer honor
got a good soaking, and it ud be as well for ye
to take off yer wet clothes before ye catch a cold
through it,” said the woman at the same time de
positing some clothes on a chair in a small room
off the kitchen, for him to put on.
A short time served for the stranger to change
his dress, and he soon entered the kitchen rigged
in a full suit of home made frieze which had once
belonged to the good man ot the house.
Mary Mcßride, for such was the woman’s
name, was the mother of a large family. Her
husband died of the typus fever, leaving her in
very poor circumstances, but being of very in
dustrious and persevering habits she managed
to pise over all her difficulties,and in the end be
came quite weahhy. She was kind to the poor,
and none could ever say that she turned the needy
from her door. A night’s lodging and a warm
corner at the hearth was never refused them. She
had every one’s blessing, and when harvest time
came. All the neighbors were ready to lend the
widow a helping hand to take in her crop if the
season proved bad. Mrs. Mcßride prospered and
had plenty. The ceiling of her little kitchen
groaned under the heavy flitches of smoked ba
con which were suspended from it, and the meal
ark was always full, the neighbors considered
her a woman of some substance, and many were
the suitors for her daughter’s hand, who had just
attained her seventeeth year. But none of them
received any encouragement from Flora. Fler
heart was already another’s. Edward Franklin,
her cousin had been her schoolfellow from child
hood up—having been left an orphan at the ear
ly age of 12, his aunt Mrs. Mcßride took him
home to reside with her.and thus the attachment
which grew up between Franklin and ourself at
school strengthened as they advanced in years,
under the maternal roof.
A substantial supper was soon prepared by Mrs
Mcßride for the stranger, to which he sat down
with an appetite which the rain and fall had not
deprived him off, but lather improved. And al
ter partaking of it heartily, he retired to rest,
which example was soon followed by the rest.
It was early next morning when the stranger
arose, but early as it was the sturdy housewife
was up before him, and had his clothes ready
and breakfast prepared.
“ I hope yer honor feels nothin’ the worse of
the fall ye had,” said Mrs. Mcßride, as he enter
ed the room.
“ Not the least, I wish 1 could say as much for
my horse, I’m afraid his knees are badly cut.”
“O ye need n't trouble yerself about him, I
heard Eddy say that he’s as lively as a two year
ould this morning, sit down and take some break
fist ; it’s ready for yer honor, and it’s sorry I am
I hadn’t something better,” said Mrs. Mcßride
dusting a chair down with her apron for him.
But the breakfast needed no apology from her.
A fine fat Pullet flanked on each side with a dish
of fried ham and eggs with plenty of oatmeal
bread, fresh butter, and new milk was what any
man in good health might be satisfied with, and
the stranger did justice to the good things be
fore him, and made a hearty meal, without the
aid of tea which.the goodwoman regretted great
ly not having in the house.
After breakfast the stranger requested his horse
to be brought to the door, and when about to
mount he inquired what was to pay.
“ What’s to pay!” ejaculated Mrs. Mcßride,
“ anddo ye think I’d be charging ye for the bed
and the sup ye had, no. No, they’ll never have
it to say that I did such a mane thing, I’d scorn
to do the like, yer honor-”-
“ Well, perhaps your son here will accept this
purse in remuneration for the trouble 1 have put
you to.”
“ Eddy’s only me brother’s son, yer honor but
for all that he’s got too much of his father’s spi
rit in him to take money from a stranger that
way.”
“ Well, if you refuse the money, I shall not
force it upon you,but you must allow me to leave
something as payment for your kindness,” said
the stranger smiling, and taking a ring from his
finger, he placed it on one of the young girls.—
‘Keep this as a remembrance, and if it ever hap
pens that you require any assistance,one line en
closing that ring sent by a messenger to No. 30
Stephens Green, Dublin,-will bring me to you,”
and so saying the stranger mounted his horse and
galloped from the door.
Two years rolled round, Mrs. Mcßride’s
daughter,Flora, had attained her nineteenth year,
Many were the admirers she had among the
young countrymen in the neigborhood. The
steward of her mother’s landlord had met Flora
ata wedding, and became enamored of her. He
became a constant visitor at their house. By de
grees he wormed himself into their confidence,
pretended to take a great interest in Eddy, and
seeing that he was a pretty good scholar gave
him a petty situation under himself. Nothing
could be more disinterested than his conduct to
wards the young man. but it was only to answer
his own purposes.
Fortune,that fickle jade, had not been so favor
able of late to Mrs. Mcßride. A Murrian among
her cattle had carried offthe greater part of them
and two successive bad harvests had made her
so poor, that she could no more than pay her
rent, and maintain her family ; but still she
struggled on against adversity. None could be
more friendly all this time than the steward
lending his money only to be paid back when con
venient
It was a beautiful night in the month of Au
gust. The star twinkled brightly in the azure sky
above, not a leaf stirrred, and except the mur
muring noise of a running brook in the distance,
as it swept along its narrow passage, all was still
and silent. Flora was seated under some Haw
thornes—the branches of which twining over
head, formed a sort of rustic bower ; it was a
favorite retreat of her cousins and she was wait
ing for him.
“ Eddy, have you come at last,” she said, as
a rustling in the branches drew her attention, a
man sprang over the hedge, but a nearer view
showed her that it was not her cousin, but the
Steward Mr. Parsons.
“ Why do you start,”he said,as Flora retreat
ed a step or two, “ I hoped for a pleasanter meet
ing than this,’’andcatching her hand he attempt
ed to kiss it.
Flora withdrew her hand, and was about walk
ing away in the direction of the house, when he
stepped before her.
“ You’re not going to leave me soon,” said the
steward, “ after coming neatly four miles to have
the pleasure of speaking to you. Flora, dearest,
if you but knew the flame you have kindled in
my heart, you would not treat my advances so
scornfully.”
Mr. Parsons, I must request of you to let me
free. I don’t know of any encouragement I gave
you to treat me in this manner,’’said Flora throw
ing the arm which he had put round her waist in
dignantly from her.
“ Say not so dearest creature, the happiest
hours in my life were those when I thought that
in the course of time, I might be enabled to call
you mine, and hoped that you were not entirely
indifferent towards me.”
“ Mr. Parsons I’m sorry that you have viewed
gratitude on my part for the pecuniary assistance
you lent my mother, in any other light than that
I intended ; painful as it is tome I must say that
I never intended encouraging any other views.
Your wife I can never be.”
“ And am I to considered this as your final
answer said the steward, his face purple with
passion, “ am I refused by a peasant girl, I that
could raise you to the rank of a lady.”
“ You are replied Flora.
Then by I’ll have sweet revenge ! what!
to encourage and smile upon me—to make me
hope, and when I offered my heart and hand to
spurn me like a dog from your feet—and then tell
your neighbors that you had refused, and make
me the talk of the neighborhood ! No, Flora, you
’ll never have that satisfaction,your Minion cou
sin shall never any that I wna rejected for him.
Mine you shall be in spite of and saying
so he lifted Flora from the ground, as if she had
been a feather. “ Now then, we’ll see whether
you’ll be mine or not,” said the ruffian exulting
ly.when a blow from behind at that instant felled
him to the earth.
It was Eddy, who had thus come so timely to
the aid of Flora, taking her in his arms—for she
had fainted—he bore her to the house, and then
returned to seek the Steward, but he had disap
peared, and after a fruitful search for him he
he again returned to the house.
As for the steward when he recovered and
fo ind himself baffled in his designs,his rage knew
no bounds,and he swore bitterly to be revenged!
Great was the grief of Mrs. Mcßride when she
was informed next day, that Eddy had been ar
rested on the suit of Mr. Parsons, and she knew
well what was the next step he would take. A
note from him was left at her house during the
day, requesting payment of the last year’s rent
due, within a week or legal means would be ta
ken to enforce it.
What to do, she knew not, their little stock
would be taken to satisfy the demand of the
Steward. Starvation stared her family in the
face. It was at this trying moment when no
thing but ruin appeared before them, that Flora
thought of the ring which the stranger had given
her. His words, as he placed it on her finger re
curred to her memory, and she at once resolved
to seek him. Her mother tried to persuade her
from it, for it was so long since the stranger had
been among them, that she despaired of any suc
cess But Flora determined on going, and set off
for Dublin by the mail, accompanied by a young
er brother.
It was late in the evening when she presented
herself before the sttanger’s residence and rang
for admittance.
“ Well my good woman what do you require,’
asked a powdered lacquey as he opened the
door.
“ I wished to see the master of this house,”
replied Flora.
“O thats impossible ; he’s engaged at present”
said the servant shutting the door in her face,
supposing her to be some poor person petitition
ing for Charity.
With tears in her eyes Flora was about to turn
away from the door when it again opened and the
stranger himself stood before her.
“ Did you require anything,” he said as he saw
a woman standing on the steps. Flora put anote
into his hand in which was enclosed the ring
which he had given her. He at once recognized
it and a few moments found Flora in a large
drawing room with the stranger. His face grew
dark, and his brows knit with anger as he heard
of the Stewards conduct towards them
“ And how many days does he give your mo
ther to pay up the rent 1” he enquired.
“ Only four more, and he threatens to distrain
for the rent, if it’s not forthcoming then,’ replied
Flora
“Ah he intends losing no time about it, but I
will disappoint him, I shall be there myself on
Friday, and for the evening you will remain
here.”
But Flora, who was anxious to return, declined
stopping, and returned home by the evening
mail.
According to promise the stranger was with
them on Friday, after hearing the particulars
more fully from Mis. Mcßride, he advised her to
hide any of her removable property that was va
luable.
“ No sir,” said Mrs. Mcßride, “ I could never
think of cheating the landlord out of his just rent
it shall never be a stain on my children that their
mother was dishonest.”
“Well, well, I did not mean that exactly,”
said the stranger, who seemed pleased with her
answer,and did not mention the subject again.
Early next morning the neighbors began to ga
ther at Mrs. Mcßride’s House, for the news of
what was going on had spread through the neigh
borhood. Many of the men had cudjels and even
the women stones in their aprons, and it only
needed a word to them from Mrs. Mcßride, and
they would have fell upon the officers whose du
ty it was to see nothing caried away.
“Just say the word Mrs. Mcßride,” said a
stout burly Irishman with his chest open, disclo
sing a brawny chest as red as crimson from ex
posure to the weather, “ say the word and be
my sowl we’ll flake them for ye.”
But Mrs. Mcßride did not wish anything ol
the kind and begged of the men to throw down
their sticks, much to he annoyance of Pat who
came over on purpose to thrash the steward,
After seizing what was in the Hay-yard in the
way of hay, &c., the steward directed his way
to the house.
“ Och, murther, look at that,” said Pat, faith
and its a mane spirit ye got Mrs. Mcßride or ye
wouldn’t allow a bla-gaard like him to be lev
NEW YORK, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 5, 1546.
ing on yer property, and so many dacent boys to
help ye.”
“ Troth that’s the truth for ye,” replied a wo
man who had slipped off one of her stockings in
the heel of which she had placed a large stone
intending to help the men, and w’ould probably
have done some execution if she had been allow
ed.
The Steward turned pale as he entered the
house, and saw so many dark grim faces shout
him; but seeing that they offered no violence he
plucked up courage. A fine fowling piece which
hung over the mantel piece was the first tiing
that attracted his attention, and he was aboit to
lay his hands upon it, when a deep voice from a
little room off the kitchen, ordered him to letve
it alone.
“Who is it that dares to interrupt me in my
duty!” said the steward,! looking round the
crowd, thinking that it was some of them that
spoke.
I do,” said the stranger advancing from the
room, “ I your landlord, bid you desist.”
A deafening cheer arose from the little crowd,
as the stranger proclaimed himself their land
lord.
“ And now sir,” he said addressing the stew
ard, “ allow me to ask you by whose 'authority
you have dared to levy a distress on those peo
ple 1”
“ It was for your interest that I did so,” said
the steward, crouching almost to the ground.
“ Silence, wretch, no more falsehoods, consi
der yourself dismissed from my service. The
scoundrel who would take advantage of the po
verty of a widow and her orphans to gratify his
revenge by ruining them, shall no longer remain
in my service,” and saying so the stranger turn
ed to the principal officer, “Here,” he continued
is a receipt from me, whereby I release Mrs Me
Bride from all rent due up to this dat e.”
Three loud cheers arose from the crowd at this
token of generosity from their landlord. The
steward essayed to speak,but the stranger waved
him to be gone.
“ Ah, ah, bad scran to ye, ye got yer gruel
nowhavn’t ye,” said the woman who had la
mented Mrs. Mcßride in not allowing the men to
beat the officer, as she saw the steward take his
departure. Soon after the officer’s followed and
the greater part of the country people returned to
their homes, as for the stranger he remained at
Mrs. Mcßrides, her hospitality to him an entire
stranger on his first visit to her house, on his way
from the Kildare races, and afterwards her hones
ty in refusing to cheat her laudlord of his due by
removing her property when very few would
have withstood the temptation, had secured her
his esteem. The ccaduct of the Steward taught
him a lesson which he never afterwards forgot—
It induced him to see more after his property,
personally, and leave less of it to the strangers,
who care not about the difficulties of the hard
working peasant.
Eddy was released and the debts he owed paid
by the stranger, and six months afterwards the
minister of the country town was called upon to
perform the marriage ceremony. Eddy received
the blushing Flora from the hands of the land
lord who had come down on purpose for the oc
casion.
FROM SCENES OF THE REVOLUTION.
I once knew a soldier of the Revolution. His
head was white, as if covered with snow. He
filled a respectable rank in society, and was
beloved for kindness of heart and pi .y. He was
gratified that I asked him tor tales ol other days :
and he told me the following story of the winter at
Morristown :
Early in the month of November, 1769, said he,
our army, under General Washington, left the vi
cinty of the Hudson river, and White Plains, to go
to winter quarters. Snow had already fallen, so
that we had ths prospect of a dreary season. The
roads were in a most uncomfortable state from
rain and snow, and we marched for four days with
feet and limbs continually wet and cold. We
reached Morristown weary and way-worn, and
were permitted the first night to sleep in the
houses and barns of the inhabitants. The next
morning early, we were ordered two miles north
ward, to a thick dense forest, to cut down trees
and build huts to shelter us during the winter.
Almost every day the snow fell and the cold was
extreme. We slept on the frozen ground wrapt in
a single blanket. We worked hard to complete
our hovels of logs. In about a week they were
ready to admit their tenants. We took pos
session of their rude darkness with more joy and
satisfaction than a king enters his palace, for we
better knew the value of shelter from a storm.
We now hoped to pass in quietness the dreary
months, till spring should call us forth to the ser
vice of our country.
But great trials awaited us. Ere long the pro
vision began to fail. The severe cold had frozen
much earlier than usual the waters of the Hudson
and Delaware, so that no supplies could arrive by
boats. New Jersey was not able for any length of
time, to provide, from her own resources, for such
a multitude. Our daily allowance of food was re
duced one-half, then to one-fourth. Only four
ounces of bread and four of meat, were served to
each man for twenty-four hours. The cravings of
hunger were intense. Still the afflicting scarcity
grew more severe—this pittance was at length
only dealt out once in two days. But the suffer
ing was borne with astonishing patience. The
half-famished soldiers sustained themselves with
the love of their country and in the hope of better
times. Some even strove by amusing anffiplayful
conversation to keep up the spirits of their com
rades. Yet a deeper trial was reserved for us.
Four bitter winter days and nights not a morsel of
food was given out. The strongest men became
weak, and the voices of the more feeble grew so
inaudible as scarcely to be heard. But there was
no murmuring. We felt it to be the poverty of our
beloved country we were sharing, and believed that
in God’s time relief would come.
After this dreadful abstinence of four days,
some wheat was obtained. One gill of raw wheat
was the portion of each soldier. We hastened to
boil and eat it. drinking also the water in which it
had been boiled.
While we were devouring this food, a gun was
heard within the encampment. A lean miserable
dog had wandered thither; the poor animal was
immediately shot and cooked for some of the offi
cers, who were so reduced by famine as to be
thankful for such a repast. Another fast of four
days ensued, rendered the more painful by the
extreme cold, which threatened to turn everything
into ice.
On the fifth morning, before the sun arose, a ma
jestic man was seen, with the bridle of his horse
around his arms. He affectionately asked each
soldier how he fared. It was Washington. Tears
escaped his eyes at the sight of our sorrows. Only
the night before had he learned their full extent.
Ere the dawn he hastened, notwithstanding the
terrible cold, to visit us. His countenance and
words revealed the deepest sympathy. At the
sight of his distress, many a voice cheerfully ex
claimed, « General, we do not complain ; we can
bear this longer, if it is the will of Heaven. W.
are ready to defend our country whenever you call
us to the field. This patience and patriotism af
fected Washington still more keenly. He could
scarcely command his voice, as he thanked and
blessed them. He assured them that if it were in
his power, relief should be sent them before the
close of the day.
A little past noon the Steward’s call was heard
through the camp. We rushed to the spot. To
each of us was weighed out four ounces of beef as
free from the bone as possible. Overcome by the
fierceness of appetite, some swallowed it raw as it
reached their hand.
On the following day we received four ounces of
bread, and much in the same manner, our food
continued to be regular though scantily distributed
until winter was past, and spring recalled us to our
trials and perils. Yet scarcity of provisions was
not the only cause of our suffering at Morristown.
The weather was fearfully severe and our clothing
old and insufficient. Snow for a long time covered
the ground to the depth of three or four feet. Dur
ing more than six weeks, not the least thawing
was perceived even in the noon-day sun. No water
was to be obtained by the soldiers, but melted lee
and snow; they were generally destitute of shoes,
so that the ground, when they were on duty, might
be tracked by the blood from their feet reddening
their path of snow.
But every hardship was endured for the love we
bore ourcoantry. Looking with hope to her inde
pendence, we took part in her lot like children
with a parent —and suffered hunger, cold, and
nakedness, and the want of all things without re
pining.
Here the aged man finished his story. And
when I reflect how many young people there are
who have always been provided with food, warm
clothing, and a comfortable shelter,and yet are
little thankful for such favors, perhaps sometimes
discontented, I thought it might be well for them
to hear how nobly great sufferings were endured
by the men of other times, who loved their coun
try-
IHiscellanu.
< Chemistry—is especially the science of the
nineteenth century, as geometry was of the se
venteenth It is a characteristic of that great,
however slow, change, which isj now evidently
: n progress through Europe, that those sciences
which most promote the comforts, the powers,
ind the progress of the multitude, obviously oc
cupy the largest share of mental illustration. Of
all the sciences, chemistry is that one which con
tributes most largely to the dominion of man
over nature. It is the very handmaid of Wis
dom, instructing ua in thejDroperties of things,
and continually developing more and more the
secrets of those vast and beneficent processes by
which the physical frame of creation is rendered
productive, to ipan. It must thus be regarded as
the most essential instrument of our physical
well-being. It takes a part in all that adminis
ters to our wants and enjoyments. Our clothing,
our medicine, our food ; the cultivation of the
ground, the salubrity of the atmosphere; the
very blood, bone, and muscle of man, all depend
on chemical evolutions. But it has its still loftier
secrets; and the experimental philosopher is
constantly stimulated and delighted by his ap
proach to at least the borders of discoveries
which promise to give a nobler insight into the
laws of matter; to exhibit more fully the me
chanism formed and moved by the Divine Hand
—and to develope the glories of the universe oh
a scale continually enlarging, and continually
more luminous.
A matchless source of interest in this most ef
fective and essential of all the sciences, is, that
it seems capable of an infinite progress. The
chemical philosopher cannot even conceive any
limit to its variety, multitude, or utility of pur
pose. The more he discovers, the more he finds
is still to be discovered. Every new property
awakens him to the existence of some other pro
perty, more capacious and more profound. Every
difficulty mastered, only leads him towards some
deeper and more tempting problem. And, in ad
dition to the ardor derived from this triumph of
our intellectual ambition—as if all the incentives
that can act upon man were expressly accumu
lated upon this pursuit—there is no science in
the actual triumphs are more directly con
nected with personal opulence. The invention
of a new acid or alkali might create unbounded
wealth. The discovery of a new principle of the
most vulgar use —for tanning leather, for extract
ing oils, for strengthening soap, for purifying tal
low, might place the discoverer in possession of
wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. But a
loftier ambition may still finds its field in this
science. A chemical discovery might change
the face of the world. Gunpowder had already
changed the whole form of Europeoan society.
A chemical discovery might give us the power
of managing at our will the storm and the light
ning, of averting the pestilence, or of ensuring
the fertility of the soil, and the regularity of the
seasons. The Divine intention in placing us here
was evidently the perpetual exercise of the hu
man understanding. For that purpose were
given the wants, and the remedies of the wants,
of man ; for that purpose all sciences are perhaps
inexaustible; but of all, the most palpably inex
haustible, the most teeming with immediate re
sults, and the most remedial as to human ne
cessities, is Chemistry—fitted by its extent to
supply the largest proportion of human objects,
by its power to excite the most eager inquiry,
and by its richness to reward the intelligent la
bor of man, to the last ages of the world.
The African slave trade. —At the present
meeting of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery
Society, held in London, the following details
were gleaned from the report read by a Mr.
Scoble: There were brought before the Mixed
Commission Courts at Sierra Leone, in 1844, twen
ty-seven slavers, nine of whom were captured with
two thousand five hundred and twenty-thre«
slaves on board. During the last year, the number
of slavers condemned by these courts was thirty
six, having on board upwards of six thousand
slaves, and there remained six, which had been
captured, for adjudication. From the beginning
April, 1844, to the middle of May, 1845, the
squadron of cruisers stationed on the western coast
of Africa captured fifty-nine slavers, thirteen of
which had on board upwards of four thousand five
hundred slaves. Of these slavers, one had been
captured and condemned eight times—one, seven
times; twenty-one, one. The stimulus to the
trade was found in its immense profits. The tra
ders did not hesitate to incur any risk or expense
to attain their object. The committee concluded
that there was no reasonable hope that the evil
could be overcome by an armed force, and urged
that henceforth the energies both of the govern
ment and the country should be directed to the
universal extirpation of slavery by means which
were of a purely moral and pacific character.
Slavery offered the greatest obstacle to the pro
gress of divine truth. The report concluded by
drawing attention to two points, namely, the abo
lition of slavery in Tunis, during the past year,
and the emancipation of the slaves which was to
take place in a few days in Surinam. Several re
solutions were adopted, and strong opinions ex
pressed by the speakers on the subject of the mo
ney received by the Free Church of Scotland from
the slave States of America.
Population of the German city of Berlin.—
The population of the city of Berlin is 352,000,
182,000 males and 170,000 females. Among the
latter there are 10,000 prostitutes, 12,000 crimi
nals, and 6,000 persons receiving public charity to
the amount of 144,000 rix dollars. It contains
5,000 weavers, having, on an average, four children
each, and being all paupers, are unable to procure
bread for their families. This makes an additional
number of 30,000 poor, besides two thousand pau
per children, and 2,000 orphans supported by gov
ernment. The official statistics give the following
recapitulation : 10,000 prostitutes ; 10,000 sick in
consequence of vice ; 10,000 females servants;
2000 natural children (foundlings); 12,000 crimi
nals ; 1000 living in almshouses ; 200 prisoners of
the police ; 6000 receivers of public alms ; 20,000
weavers and children; 2000 charity children;
1500 orphans; 6000 poor sick in the hospitals;
4,000 beggars ; 2000 convicts of state prisons anfl
houses of correction. One hundred and six thou
sand and seven hundred poor, sick, criminal and
debauched people in the most literary and edu
cated city of Germany !
First American whale-ship in England. —
The following scrap of history is from Barnerd’s
History of England, page 706: (( 1783. On the
third of February the ship Bedford, Capt. Moores,
belonging to Massachusetts, arrived in the Downs,
passed Gravesend on the 4th, and was reporred at
the custom-house on the 6th. She was not allowed
regular entry until some consultation had taken
place between the commissioners of the customs
and the lords of the council, on account of the
many acts of parliament yet in force against the
rebels of America. She was loaded with five hum
dred and eighty-seven butts of whale-oil, manned
wholly with, American seamen, and belonged to
the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The ves
sel lay at the Horsley Down, a little below the
tower, and was the first which displayed the thir
teen stripes of America in any British port.”
Enormous Distancesof thf Stars.-—The only
mode we have of conceiving such intervals at
all is by the time it would require for light to
traverse them. Now light, as we know, travels
at the rate of 192,000 miles per second. It would
therefore occupy 100,000,000 seconds, or upwards
-of three years in such a journey, ata very low
■ estimate. What, then, are we to allow for the
■ distance of those innumerable stars of the srnal
er magnitudes, which the telescope discloses to
us! If we admit the light of a star of each magni
tude to be half that of the magnitude next above
it, it will follow that a star of the first magnitude
will require to be removed to 362 times its dis
tance to appear no larger than one of the sixteenth.
It follows, therefore that among the countless
multitude of such stars, visible in telescopes,
there must be many whose light has taken at least
a thousand years to reach us ; and that when we
observe their places, and note their changes, we
are, in fact, reading only their history of a thou
sand years, date, thus wonderfully recorded.
Marching —Marching is an art to be acquired
only by habit, and one in which the strength and
agility of the animal man has but little to do. I
have seen I rishmen, and all sorts of countrymen
in thir country, taken from the plough-tail—huge
athletic, active fellows, who would think nothing
of walking forty or fifty miles in the course of
the day as countrymen —see these men placed in
therank as recruits, with knapsacks on their backs
and a musket over their shoulders, and in the
first march thay are dead beat before they get ten
miles. I have heard many disputes on the com
parative campaigning powers of tall and short
men ; but as far as my own experience, goes, I
have never seen any difference. If a tall man
break down, it is immediately noticed to the dis
advantage of his class; but if the same misfortune
befals a short one, it is not looked upon as any
thing remarkable. The effective powers of both
in fact depend upon the nature of the building.
Anecdote of Washington.—When the Ameri
can troops were quartered at Newbury, at the
close of the revolutionary war, and the sol
diers were stirred up to rebellion against the
government by the famous anonymous letters,
which, it has since been ascertained were writ
ten by General Armstrong, then a major in the
army, General Washington convened the officers
for the purpose of addressing them on the sub
ject, and calming the tumult which was begin
ning to rage in their bosoms. He held a paper in
his hand on which the remarks he intended to
make were written—and then it was, that find
ing himself unable to read without assistance- as
he was drawing his spectacles from his pocket
that unpremeditated expression broke from him
—one of the most pathetic that ever fell from hu
man lips—“ Fellowcitizens,” said he, “youper
ceive I have not only grown gray—but blind in
your service.” The effect of this remark was
electrical. No bosom—no eye was proof against
it.
BoNAPARTe’s Patrimonial Hcuse. The patri
monial house of Napoleon, his cradle says Las
Cases,“ at present actually in the possession of
M Romalino, member of the chamber of Depu
ties, has remained, as it maybe thought, an ob
ject of eager curiosity and great veneration to
travellers and military men. I am assured by
eye witnesses that on the arrival of every regi
ment in Corsica, it becomes the object of a spec
tacle constantly renewed. The soldiers instant
ly run to it in crowds, and obtain admission with
a certain degree af authority. It might be said
that they believe themselves entitled to it as a
right. Once admitted, every one conducts him
selfaccording to the warmth of his feeling; one
raises his hands te heaven as he looks about him,
another falls on his knees, a third kisses the floor,
and a fourth bursts into tears. There are some
who seem to be seized by a fit of insanity.
Something similar is said of the tomb of the great
Frederic. Such is the influence of heroes.”
Clocks —Clock-makers were first introduced
into England in 1368, when Edward 111. granted
a license for three artists to come over from
Delft, in Holland, and practice their occupation
in this country.—The.oldest Englihclock of note,
is in the turret of the Royal Palace, Hampton,
constructed in the year 1540, which was in the
reign ofHenry VIII by a maker whose initials
are N. O. In the time of Queen Elizabeth, clocks
were denominated orloges, or horloges.
Ruins.—Ruins in some countries, indicate
prosperity; in others, decay. In Egypt, Greece
and Italy they record the decline and fall of great
empires ; In England, Scotland and Wales they
mark abolition of feudal tyrany, the establishment
of popular freedom, and the consolidation of na
tional stength. The lawless power formerly dis
persed among petty chiefs is now concentrated
in the legal magistate. The elegant villa has
succeeded to the frowning castle. Where the
wild deer roamed, the corn now waves the sound
of the hammer has drowned the war-cry of the
henchman.
Cheerfulness.—Cheerfulness, which is aqua
lity peculiar to man—a brute being capable only
of enjoyment—opens, like spring, all the blos
soms of the inward man. Try for a single day,
1 beseech you, to preserve yourself in an easy
and cheerful frame of mind ; be but for one day,
instead of a fire worshipper of passion and hell,
the sun worshipper of clear self possession ; and
compare the day in which you have rooted out
the weed of dissatisfaction, with that on which
you have suffered it to grow up, and you will find
your heart open to every good motive, your life
strengthened, and your breast armed with pano
ply against every trick of fate ; truly you will
wonder at your-own improvement.—
Persian Sufersition.—The Persians are of
opinion that a lion will never hurt a person of
their religion, which is somewhat different from
that of the Turks. They firmly believe that their
their lions would devour a Turk, but that for
themselves they are perfectly safe, if they take
care to let the lion know, by some exclamation,
what religion they are of. This opinion shows,
as I have already told you, that men are not of
ten attacked by lions in Persia.
Manner of Tea-drinking in Koondoz.—No
thing is done in this country without tea, which
is handed round at all hours, and gives a social
character to conversation, which is very agree
able. The Uzbeks drink their tea with salt in
stead of sugar, and sometimes mix it with fat;
it is then called ‘ keimuck chain’ After each
person has had one or two large cups, a smaller
one is handed round, made in the usual manner
wihout milk. The leaves of the pot are then di
vided among the party, and chewed like tobacco.
A contemporary says we have found that the
men who are really the most fond of the society
of women, who cherish for them a high respect,
are seldom the most popular with the sex. Men
with great assurance, whose tongues are lightly
hung, who make words supply the place of sen
timent are the favorites. A due respect for wo
men leads to respectful [action towards them—
and respectful is usually distant action, and this
great distance is mistaken by many of them for
neglect or want of interest.
" The Physician’s Cane.—ltjjwas formarly the
practice among physicians to use a cane with a
hollow head, the top of which wag gold pierced
like a peper-box. The top contained a small quan
tity of aromatic powder or snuff; and on entering
a room where a disease supposed to be infectious
prevailed, the doctor would strike the cane on
the floor, to agitate the powder, and then apply it
to his nose. Hence all the prints of physicians re
present them with a cane at their nose.
True. —A contemporary justly observes :—Al
most the very worst thing that can be said of a
man is that he has no enemies. Let any man un
dertake to speak the truth, but for a single day,
and his enemies will multiply like drops of the
morning. In concealment lies the safety of the
timid man.
Lord Mansfield.—This great man was never
ashamed of publicly recanting any wrong opinion
he might have adopted or made known, and he
used to say that to acknowledge you were yes
terday wrong was but to let the world know that
you were wiser to-day than yesterday.
The wife of one of the Louisville volunteers
was much opposed to his leaving home, and to
avoid the pain of a farewell, he left home with
out bidding her good by. Soon after she heard
of his departure, and dropped dead on the floor.
Descartes used to say, that when he received
an injury, he seated himself so high above it, that
it'could not reach him.
barietjj.
The Great Western Pie-Eater.—On our
way from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, we stopped
at the - . Motel, in St. Louis. A party of the
“ b’hoys” were tarrying at this house—and after
the customary exchange of western civility, the
landlord (who was one of ’em,) quietly informed
us that he was a “ victim,” being at that moment
the unlurky entertainer of an individual known
about town as “ the pie-eater.” The curiosity of
our party was at once excited, and in reply to our
inquiries, we learned that the individual referred to
was “ some” in his way, and that our afilictedhost
would be very grateful for the recommendation of
any device by which he should be ridden of this
most profitless boarder—who had already well
nigh devoured all of his substance.
“ Easiest thing in the world,” remarked one of
the knowing ones.
“ How?” eagerly asked the landlord.
“ Leave it to me,” continned the bright ’un, with
an expressive leer; “ I calculate I’ve been round a
trifle, and them’s the kind o’ chaps as I like to
meet!”
Our landlord shook his head mournfully, con
cluding a brief commentary upon his guest’s quali
fications, with—“ it’s awful, gentlemen—awful—
such gormandizing !”
After some further parley between the parties,
the following plan was agreed upon. The hotel
keeper very freely consented to the arrangement
—and it was agreed that an enormous pumpkin pie
should be immediately prepared, which should be
placed before the “ regular boarder ” that day at
dinner. If the hint should be appropriated, and
the “ animal” should be driveu out, mine host was
to foot expenses and furnish accompaniments ; if
otherwise, the “ boys” were to pay the bill. Half
a-dozen strangers (by some singular coincidence!)
were seated opposite the pie-eater at dinner, and
a “nice time” apparently existed in perspective for
their collective and especial gratification.
The man with the excellent appetite devoured
his customary supply of soup, fish, beef, venison,
chops, fowl, and vegetables—and then looked over
his shoulder for the pastry.
“ Edward! a pie—Edward.”
“ Cornin’, sir,” rejoined the waiter, promptly—
while at the same moment he commenced clear
ing away the dishes for some four square feet in
front of the anxious expectant.
In the midst of the tittering of the strangers,
who were in the secret, Edward produced a huge
pie, upon an earthen platter some foot and a half
in diameter, which he set down before our
gourmand as coolly as though nothing had hap
pened.
The pie-eater glanced at the glorious prospect
before him—called for a big spoon—and, to the
utter consternation of the “ boys,” he very quietly
“ stowed away” the entire contents of the dish !
“ Edward,” said he, turning to the servant,
“bring me another pie !”
“ In the absence of a big ’un, the waiter pro
duced an ordinary pie. “ Oh, look here, Ned,”
continued the fellow, “ give us a decent sized one
—these ain’t of no account,no how!”
The “ boys” bolted—paid the bill—and very
shortly afterwards were on their way down the ri
ver.
A dancing Jury.—The Staunton (Va.) Specta
tor relates that a hungry jury, at a late hour, in
Halifax, commence ! a regular dance to the tune of
“ Where did you come from,” in the room direct,
ly over the court—whereupon the sheriff was im
mediately sent, by Judge Leith, with orders to ac
commodate the jury with a permanent dancing
room in the county jail, where they would be less
liable to be interrupted in their frolic.
This reminds us, says the editor of the Portland
American, of a jury we were once foreman of in
Detroit. We couldn’t agree, and his honor told us
he would keep us there until we did, so we went
back to the jury-room looking mighty black.
“ Well, gentlemen,” said we. “ there’s a mighty
pleasant prospect for us. What shall we do ?”
“ Draw lots,” said one.
“ Lots be d -d,” said another.
“ I move, Mr. Foreman, we just tucker old Jo
sey. Who has got a pack of cards ?”
Nobody had any. So we got up two or three
wrestling and boxing matches, and worked with a
great degree of eagerness till one of the jurors
cried out,
“ There’s Mike.”
Now Mike kept a capital eating cellar, and th*
window was opened in a second. A string of
handkerchief was made, with some money and a
note, one of which was not long in reaching Mike’s
hand. In a few minutes “ the county,” embodied
in a jury, were seated round the table, eatiag pie
and cold chicken, smoking Havanas, and drinking
some of the best Madeira in the world. The
Washingtonians, we regret to eay, had not yet
commenced their philanthropic labor. The result
was “a leetle the noisiest racket that ever was
beam tell of in them parts.” The only man who
maintained the dignity of the body was the fore
man. His honor, hearing the uproar, ordered us
up. We marched into court single file, with only
one man who could keep the chalk line.
“ Mr. Foreman, have you agreed ?”
“ No, your honor; and we never can.”
“ That’s—hie—f-f-fact; blaze me—hie—if it
aint!” added one of the jurors.
“ Silence in court!” roared an officer.
Si.hi-lence yourself—hie,” responded] L the
juror.
“ Order!” shouted the officer again.
“Order—hie—who?” again responded the in
dignant twelfth part of the “ country.”
“ Mr. Foreman,” said the Judge, his eyes twink
ling with mirth, “ I perceive that your discussions
have been unusually exciting, and therefore shall
discharge you from the further consideration of
this case.”
“ Off the jury went, tumbling over the benches
and each other, in a most ludicrous confusion.
Two or three Sundays ago, after the conclu
sion of the evening service, the Rev. Mr. B. of
this city, was stopped in his church by a middle
aged, but good looking lady, who insisted upon
conversing with him on the “ degeneracy of the
times.’ Taking the clergyman’s arm without ce
remony and walking him up and down before
the pulpit, the lady bewailed the folly and selfish
ness and heartlessness of the age- The clergy
man having a funeral to attend, ventured to re
quest the lady to break up the conference, stating
the necessity of his presence at the grave.
“ Let the dead bury the dead” —she exclaim
ed—“ I tell you Mr. B there is no truth in the
land—there is no truth in the land, sir.”
“ Then Madam,” replied Mr. B." losing all pa
tience, —“you do not speak the truth.”
“ O yes I do,’ she hastily returned.
“ Then there is truth in the land,” he rejoined
as hastily.
The lady enthusiast was silenced, and left Mr.
B. to his engagement.
A young gentleman happened to sit at church in
apew adjoining one in which was a young lady,
for whom he conceived a most sudden and vio
lent passion, felt desirous of entering into a court
ship on the spot; but the place not suiting a for
mal declaration, the exigency suggested the fol
lowing text; 2d Epistle of John, verse sth—And
now I beseech thee, lady, not as if I wrote a
new commandment unto thee, but that we had
from the beginning, that we love one another.”
Shs returned it with the following: 2d chapter of
Ruth, 10th v.—“ Then she fell on her face and
bowed herself fo the ground, and said unto him,
why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou
shouldest take notice of me, seeing I am a stran
ger?” He returned the book pointing to the 3d
Epistle of John: —“Having many things to write
unto you, I would not write with paper and ink ;
but I trust to come nnto you, and speak face to
face.” From the above interview, the]] marriage
took place the ensuing week.
Some odd genius has fished up the following
item: Two gentlemen have each a daughter;
each marries the daughter of the other ; if chil
dren arise from the union on both sides, what
relation will they be to each other ?
We could’nt say.
An old amoroso said one day to a pretty little
girl—* I never see you, my dear, but I am a score
of years the younger.”
“ Then pray,” says she, “ let us not meet often
or you’ll soon be in your second childhood.”
PRICE THREE CENTS.
The St. Louis papers tell some very hard sto
ries of their Legion, and give us many an amu
sing scene, which has occurred in camp. Late
ly, one of their best drilled officers, without
thinking, especially of the “ orders of the day,”
was very quietly walking over the rear line of
the encampment, when he was very promptly chal
lenged, ‘ Whoßcomes dare V Thinking the senti
nel very abrupt, the officer exclaimed, “Thunder
and Mars when the sentinel, honestly suppo
sing the officer had given his name, replied,—
‘‘Advance ! Dunder and Mars, and give de coun.
tersign.” The officer sloped immediately.
This incident reminds us of an occurrence at
one of our own encampments, when “ Dutch P
was Jackson. A stranger approached at a late
hour of the night, when P cried out “Who
koes dare ?”
“ A friend,” was the reply.
“ Advance front, an’ give de countersign !”
said the sentinel.
No answer being made, P got tather an-
gry at the stranger’s tardiness, and roared out,
“ say Sheneral Shackson, or py h , I shoot!”
The following rich scene, says the N, O. Pic
ayune, recently occurred in one of our courts of
justice, between the judge and a Dutch witness
all the way from Rotterdam :
Judge.— What is your native language.
Witness, — I pe no native; I’s a Dootchman.
J What’s your mother’s tongue ?
W.— O, fader say she be all tongue.
J.—(in an irritable tone.) What language did
you first learn ? What language did you speak
in the cradle ?
W.— l did not speak no language in te cradle
at all; I only cried in Dootch,
Then there was a general laugh, in which the
judge, jury and audience joined. iThe witness
was interrogated no farther about his native lan
guage.
Lt. Britton, ofthe 7th Infantry, at the dinner
given to the Committee of the Louisiana Legis
lature said—“ that a very brave soldier in the
ranks was in the habit of drinking too much.—
His Colonel remonstrated with him—“ Tom you
are a bold fellow and a good soldier, but you will
get drunk.”
“ Colonel,” replied Tom, “ how can you ex
pect all the virtues of the human character com
bined, for seven dollars a month ?”
He proposed the health and promotion of the
gallant Tom.
Dancing—The Presbytery of Harrisburg, (N.
School.) at their recent meeting, unanimously
adopted thefollowing resolution on the subject of
dancing:
Resolved, That it is the deliberate of conviction
of this Presbytety, that dancing by professed
Christians is in'its tendency sinful: that church
sessions should regard it as a fit subject for ad
monition, and if persisted in, of discipline: and
that we command every appropriate effort which
is put forth to suppress this evil.
Here’s a chance for fun among the professors.
“ Pa, ” said one of those precocious geniuses
yesterday, for which the present age is so remar.
kable, “ pa ” said he to his admiring sire, “ the
democrats must be very stronginNew York,aint
they 1” “ Why do you ask that, sonny’” said
the|iffeetionate father I “ Because,” said the ju.
venile prodigy, “ the papers say that the demo
crats can carry New York.”
The father insisted that William should be
forthwith sent to school.
Loafing.—We once knew an old lady, who
though very intelligent, was sb perfectly unac
quainted with the wicked ways ofthe world, that,
meeting a young friend who had recently with
drawn from a mercantile firm, she asked him
what he was following now—to which he replied
he was loafing at present. “ Well, God bless you”
said she, “ I hope you will succeed at that or
or whatever else you may undertake.”
Going it. —A chap went into a confectioner’s
shop the other day, in Germantown, with his
five daughters, and called for one ice cream and
six spoons. After the cream was duly devoured,
the old fellow asked his daughters—“ Well, gals,
ain’t you glad you come 1”
A legislative bull.—The Montreal Courier
informs us, that in one of the clauses of the rail
road act, there is a provision that the mile stones
are to be put up and maintained along the whole
line, at a distance of—one-quarter of a mile from
each other.
Somebody says, ( and somebody is always get •
ting rid of a good thought,) that there is not an
hour in the day in which a man so much likes to
see his wife dressed with neatness, as when she
leaves her bedroom, and sits down to breakfast.
A man said that ale was excellent drink though
taken in large quantities it always him made fat.
—“ I have seen it make you lean, said a bystan
der.
Among other “ relics,” in one of the European
cathedrals, is a bottle full of the identical dark
ness, with which Moses overspread the land of
Egypt!
“ Landlord,” said a dandy who was sporting a
new pair of green spectacles, “ how do these be
come me 1” “ Don’t you think they improve my
appearance ?’
A good work is an easy obligation ; not to
speak ill, requires only our silence, which costs
us nothing.
A gentleman traveling with his wife and fami
ly, recently, lost his trunk at Syracuse. It con
tained some valuables, which made him very un
easy at its whereabouts. So he gave general no
tice of its loss, and fortunately sucoeeded in
finding it. When it was brought to him, he was
so rejoiced, that he gave the person that restored
it—what do you think reader ? Why, a cigar !
A Shark was lately caught at Nahant, the sto
mach of which contained, among other things, a
pair of boots, two horse shoes, and a Fourth of
July oratian—the latter, our informant says,
as undigested as it was the day it came from its
author. Rather equivocal, that last remark, we
think.
A famous punster being desired to make a pun
extempore, asked “ upon what subject ?” “ The
King,” was the answer. “ Oh, sir,” replied the
wit, “ the king is not a subject.”
The poor man’s right to deposit his vote in the
ballot box may be by some disputed, but the
privilege of fighting the battles of his country
ii seldom denied him by his more wealthy
townsmen.
A Little Tongue.—A man arrested a few
days since in New Orleans, for flogging his wife,
asked a friend to enter bail for him. The friend
addressed the bench in this strain:
“I’ll go. his bail right off, if your honor will
bind over his wife, but as long as she has a
chance to talk, an angel could’nt keep the peace
in the same house with her.”
Here is the first verse of Yankee Doodle ren
dered into tolerable Latin. If we remember
aright, six or more verses of the same classic
elegance, were sung at the second centennial an
niversary of Harvard College:
Nunc congregatus nobis est,
Edendum et bidendum,
Et Y ankee;doodle-dandium
Harmonice canendum.
Lewenbeck says that there are more animals
in the milt of a single fish than there are men
upon the earth.
“Ma,” said an inquisitive little girl, “will
rich and poor people live together when they go
up to Heaven I”
“ Yes, my dear, they will be all alike there.”
“ Then, ma, why dont rich and poor Christians
associate together here 1”
The mother did not answer.
A western paper, in an obituary notice, says
that the deceased “had also been for several
years a director in a bank—notwithstanding
which, he died a Christian, universally re
spected.”
The following epitaph may be seen on an old
tombstone in Trinity churchyard :
In sunny days, in stormy weather;
In youth, in age, we clung together;
We liv’d and lov’d, and laugh’d and cried
Together! and together died.