Winchester gazette. [volume], December 24, 1824, Image 1

About Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826

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VOL. I. [New Series.] WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2-1, 1324. 5>
THE GAMBLER.—as extract.
And I have seen a wife at dead of night,
Watching the dying embers on the hearth,
And fancying every blast that swept along
The poor deserted cottage on the moor,
A drunken husband's footsteps—and again,
When it has died away, and left her heart,
Eas’d by her disappointment—she has look'd
Upon her sleeping babes and pray d with tears
They ne’er may know the agony she feels.
And when at lust he comes, with tot ring steps
And vile abuse to greet her faithful arms,
Oh, I have marked her bosom's throbbing swell,
As with a resignation worthy of heaven—
She soothed his pillow, and with tones as sweet
As ever mercy falter’ed, sooth’d his soul.
And I have si^n her, on a wintry eve,
Seeking her husband amid the gambling throng,
And with a prayer that would have drawn a saint
From Paradise to hear—begg’d him full oft
To ^pure her starving babes the means of life.
Scrap*_0|
No pride! of talents, nor haughtiness of
spiri™can entirely eracj^jcate that natural
and feminine sentiment which impels a wo
man toaook up to a man as a superior be
ing. Indeed, so instinctively does her
heart denmud^this distinction for the ob
jc:t of its choice, that,even in the most ill
assorted attachments, wherein passion has
completely usurped the place of reason, it
is curious'to observe how this feeling still
asserts its power, and how tenacious it be
comes in magnifying the slightest merits in
the most judilcss character, and creating
for it hrraglrmry claims to regard and to
submission. .<J^hc saw God in him,” Mil
toil has truly and beautifully said.
Madame de Sevigne observes, in one of
her letters, that, “ at going to bed, our
thoughts are of a dark grey, but, in the
middle of the night, t’ley become black.”
Volumes of descaption could not have
given a more forcible idea of the manner
in which the mind is affected by the som
bre images of night and darkness. But
how beautifully equal are the dispensations
of Nature ! Daylight returns, and, cheer
ed by its influence, the elastic spirits rise
from their temporary pressure, and dance
again in the sunbeams of hope and expec
tation. —♦—
Ill consequence of our feeble proceed
ings with the grand works of nature, the
moralist will undoubtedly find a lesson of
humility. He will find that man alone is
disorderly and violent—inconsistent and
capricious. Jn the works of nature, on
the contrary, what uniform harmony !—
"Whilst we are convulsed with wars and
factions, marking every where our track
with blood and rapine, noise and tumult,
Nature continues her course, silently but
beautifully exemplifying the wisdom and
consistency of its divine original—the same
yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow.
^ To minds of an ordinary cast, patient
indolence under settled prospects comes
as a matter of course ; it requires no effort,
and is endured without suffering. But to
spirits of a more enthusiastic nature, what
penance so hard to be borne as that which
imposes stillness and inaction ? To be
calm and peaceful, is with them to be no
thing—worse than nothing. Philosophers
have spoken, and experience still speaks,
and every thing in nature indicates, that
earthly felicity can only dwell in the pur
suit of simple quiet pleasures. But what
arc these lessons to those souls of fire,
which, whilst the world goes round, will
ever be found therein.
Mr. Burke, speaking in the year 1793
of the count d’Artois, now Charles X,
king of France, drew the following char
acter of him.. ‘ He is ejoquent, lively, en
gaging in the highest degree, of a decided
dbaracfei, full of energy ami activity. In
word, he is a brave, honorable, and ac
complished cavalier.”
A noble spirit disdains (f.c malice of fortune
I i creators* i>;' soul is not to be cast down.
JAMES MONROE.
The following description of impressions of an
unprejudiced foreigner, on realizing the sim
plicity of the habit and the frankness of the
demeanor of the chief magistrate of our Re
public, is taken from a new work recently pub
lished in London, entitled “ An excursion
through the United States and Canada, du
ring the years IS*22~3, hy an English gentle
man.”
“ Shortly after my arrival at W ashing
ton, as 1 was one day coming with h friend
from visiting the public offices, lie pointed
out to me a well dressed gentleman walk
ing by himself. “ That,” said he, “ is the
President of the United States.” When
this great personage met us, my friend in
troduced me to him. I took oil’ my hat as
a mnrk of respect ; upon which the Pre
sident did the same ; and shook me by the"
hand, saying lie was glad to see me. 1
went soon afterwards to pay my respects
to him at his house, in company with the
same friend. We were shown into a hand
some room, where the President hud been
writing. When he came in he shook us
by the hand, requested us to sit down, and
conversed upon a variety of topics. 1
may here observe that, whenever in A
merica, you are introduced to any one, the
custom is to shake hands. I like this eus
itom, as it is much more friendly, and puts
you more at your ease, than the cold for
mal bow, with which in England, and in
deed most of Europe, you are greeted at
the performance of this ceremony. I was
very much pleased with the unaffected ur
banity and politeness of the President, so
entirely different from what I should have
met with on being introduced to a person
of any thing like the same importance in
Europe. When iroing to pay mv respects
to a duke of Tuscany, or even to a petty
German prince, whose whole territory was
not larger than a county in one of the U.
States, I have had to dress in a court uni
form, and to pass by a whole file of sol
aiers, anu then oy nail a dozen pages, of
ficers, and chamberlains, with gold keys at
their pockets, &c. But the President of
the United States received me in my ordi
nary morning dress; and though he is
commander-in-chief of the army and na
vy, has no need of sentinels at his doot,
being sufficiently protected by' the love of
his follow citizens.
“ I can safely say, that the manly sim
plicity of the President impressed me with
much more respect than the absurd mum
mery of European potentates. Vet, sure
ly, if pride can be tolerated in any man,
it must be in him who (like president Mon
roe,) has been placed at the head of the
government of bis native country, by the
unanimous suffrage of eight millions of his
fellow citizens.—IIow much more has lie
to he proud of than the petty distinction
of birth or fortune! and what an immen
surable distance between him and a Ger
man princeling! Yet to judge by their
manners and bearing, you would fancy the
prince was the greatest man on earth, and
the President merely a private individual:
whereas the one is a most unimportant
personage, except in his own opinion, and
the other is really a great man.”
ARTIFICIAL HANDS.
Perhaps the following relation may be
interesting to the curious, and at the same
time be the means of directing some unfor
tunate being to an ingenious mechanic
who can actually make artificial hands
und feet, which are a valuable substitute
for amputated limbs. When we recollect
mat tnc i auacotian operation ol manu
facturing new noses, out of the integuments
of the forehead, has been successfully
practised in the United States, and that
palates to the mouth, and even glass eyes
can be fitted into the sockets so complete
ly as to deceive a critical observer, we
can scarcely doubt the possibility of mak
ing other appendages, equally useful.
A labouring man by the name of Reed,
who had both arms blown oft' just below
the elbow, and who had also suffered the
loss of an eye, in blasting a rock at the
bottom of a well, made application a few
weeks since to Mr. Doyle, of the Colum
bian Museum, in Boston, who carved a
pair of hands and matched them to the
stumps, so ingeniously, that they would he
mistaken at the first view, for natural
hands. Although there are several springs
exerting a power on the palm and on the
wrist, the contrivance is very simple, and
there is but little danger of its getting out
of order. lie is now enabled to take off
his hat as gentcoly as his friends, cut his
food, feed himself ns readily as any per
son, and wiiat is still more wonderful, can
write his name with correctness and facili
ty. His clothing is now kept together by
small hooks instead of buttons, which he
manages with so nidch adroitness as to
dress and undress himself without any kind
of assistance. His acquaintances have now
the strongest hopes that he will maintain
himself by his own industry. What adds
greatly to the interest of Mr. Reed’s case,
and reflects honor on the benevolent artist
who has thus restored him to the pleasures
of manual industry, is, that lie was made
welcome to the services of Mr. Doyle,
and left him with a thankful heart and mo
ney in his pocket.—[Medizal Inlet.
FIDELITY.
The following extract should he read attentive
ly by every one. It contains the best of max
ims and advice; but we fear there arc many
who will irreverently turn up their noses at it
since their attachment to then: they call their
friends, is contiued to the day of their pros
perity.
“ Desert not your friends in danger or
distress. Too many there are in the
world, whose attachment to those they
call their friends is confined to the day of
their prosperity.
As long as that continues, they are, or
appear to be affectionate and cordial. But
as soon as their friend is ander a cloud,
they begin to withdraw, awl separate their
interest from his. In li^budship, of this
sort, the heart, assuredly, has never had
much concern. For the great test of t-ur
friendship, is constancy in the hour of dan
ger, adherence in the season of distress.—
When your friend is calumniated, then is
the time openly and boldly to espouse his
cause. When his situation is changed, or
! his fortunes are falling, then is the time of
affording prompt and zealous aid. W hen
dekness or infirmity occasions him to be
neglected by others, that is the opportuni
ty which every leal friend will seize of
redoubling all tie affectionate attentions
which love suggests. These are tiie im
portant duties, tht sacred claims of frieu
ship, which religion and virtue enforce on
every worthy mild. To show yourselves
warm after this nanner, in the cause ol
your friend, commands esteem, even from
I those who have personal interest in oppo
sing him. This honorable zeal of friend
ship has, in every age attracted the vene
ration of mankind. It has consecrated to
the latest posterity, the names of those who
have given up their fortunes, anct have
exposed their live! in behalf of the friends
whom they loved ; while ignominy and
disgrace have ever been the portion of
them who deserted their friends in the evil
dav.”—Blair. —-♦>
AFFAIR OK HONOR.
We understand that a meeting took
place, between two of tie votaries of hon
or, near the Grave Yard, in this city, on
Monday the 4th ultimo. Two young gen
tlenten of color, from twelve to fifteen
years of age, (John, a free boy, and Jack
a slave, belonging to col. Fenwick) consi
dering it necessary to settle some dispute
in an honorable way, without applying to
any of their brother duelists to assist
tliein as friends, agreed upon a meeting ;
and that there might be no inequality of
weapons, it was settled that both should
use one and the same pistol, which Jack
found means to purloin from the gentle
man in whose service he is, deciding by a
toss up who should have the first shot.
We are happy that we are able to state
that no material injury was sustained by
either party ; Jack, having won the first
shot wounded his antagonist slightly in the
head, anti recollecting that
“ He who tights and runs nwny
May live to fight another day,”
prudently retired from the field of honor.
We presume that according to the laws 01
honor, (with which, however, we do not
I profess an acquaintance) Jack is too far
degraded to be worthy of further notice
Iroin bis noble antagonist, and we there
fore need apprehend no further catastro
phe.
Jack, we are told, received a severe
flagellation when he arrived at home, and
we suppose that John was as cordially re
ceived. May all affairs of the kind hap
pily terminate in a similar manner.
[Pensacola Gazette.
[From the Trenton Emporium.
‘ A Mother's sorrow cannot be conceived
But by a mother.’
I marked a mother at the tomb of her
son. Her sable garment coincided with
the deep gloom that hung heavily around
her heart. Her declining head, her clasp
ed hands, her fixed position, her tear be
dewed cheek, bespoke the intensity of her
thoughts and the sorrow of her soul. The
scene struck the strings of sympathy, and
a correspondent tear flowing from the im
pulse of a similar feeling trickled down my
cheek. Fancy lent her creative powers
to my mind, and methought 1 heard and
felt the grief-inspired soliloquy of the heart
broken mother, as she revolved in her
depressed mind the following thoughts :—
u Ah ! yes my child, thou art numbered
with the dead !—The curtain of my hopes
has suddenly dropped, and the thick tlpud
of soul-rending despondency shuts the light
of joy and tranquility from my mind.
When feeble infancy was thine, w ith what
rapture I watched the pleasureame smiii
playing on thy health flushed cheek ; i
was then my heart bounded with ecstacy]
and antedated the joys of youth and tin
happiness of manhood. I thought thou
wouldst have been the pillow of mv
old age, 1 thought thou wouldst havd
supported my tottering, declining lifei
when the extinguishing hand of timf
had quenched the fervor of vitality. Rut
ah ! these love built hopes are gone forev
er ;—they are buried in the humid earlli
w ith thee. No more T hear thy voice, nc
more 1 mark thy sprightly eye;—-thy voice
' is silent as she grase. and thy eye fixed by
the rigid power of death. Scarce more
than eighteen years had rolled around thy
head before the ‘ grim monster’ came and
snatched thee from the world. Thou wert
stricken as the tender sapling scathed by
the lightning’s firry boh.—() death ! thou
art the destroyer of a mother’s bliss !—
But still amid all my sorrow 1 will say,
“ Worms may banquet on that frame,
And ruin teed on v.hut was fair —
Back to tbc skies from whence it came,
The soul recalled, shall ilourisli there.”
With these words sue ended, and taking
her little daughter hv the baud she slowly
retired. 01.10.
Tartrtr*.
THE BOAT RACE.
All parties,says the .New York Gazette, con
tinue to to express their happiness at the result
of the late boat race. The deportment of captain
Harris is worthy of all praise. On Saturday he
presented a purse to the men who rowed the
Star, containing a half eagle for each; and to tl.c
honor of these young men it ought to he observ
ed, liiul they had previously endeavored to pur
cnase the Star, and present her to captain Harris,
hut (he company owning her was desirous of the
honor, and ol’.ered her to the gallant captain
themselves; but we understand he politely de
clined. The Hussar sailed yesterday for Vera
Cruz. —•*>—
PRESIDENT MONROE.
Commenting upon the message of the presi
dent, the .New York Statesmen closes as follows:
“It wilt be his rare ielicilytogoouiofolf.ce,
enjoying an enviable popularity with all parties,
and resting his reputation rattier upon the sound
ness and moderation of his measures, than upon
any extraordinary marks of genius, or any bril
liant acts of bis administration. His churaclcr
will constitute an lunic pillar, simple but sub
stantia! in its structure, amidst the group of a
more splendid order, upon which reposes the
fame of our country. This is not the time for
welcomin',' him to the bosom of retirement, af
ter his arduous public services for tight years .
tint we cannot even now torbear to express our
satisfaction to I urn that he lias it in contempla
tion to become a citizen of Mew York, where he
will find many warm rriends, beyond the circle
of his relatives, who would rejoice in such an nc
cession, as ins residence in this metropolis would
COOD WORKS.
The following circumstance recently occurred
in a church in this city.—[.V. Y. L. Post.
The Rev. Pastor had mentioned from the pul
. pit, on the preceding Sunday, that a respectable
shoemaker of his congregation, had requested
him to preach a sermon from the 11th verse of
the 12tn chapter of Exodus,and that he intended
to comply with his pious request on the next
Sunday. This sermon was preached according
ly, on Sunday tie 5th inst. in the presence ot the
son of St. Crispin, who hud come to church, pre
pared, it seems, to make good the promise on
his part. When the collection [date was handed
round, he drew from his pocket a pair of new
shoes, suited to the parson’s measure, a..d depo
sited them in the plate This well m/ule dona
i lion was not unobserved by the worthy divine,
who, as he passed the clerk's desk, while the con
gregation was retiring, very dexterously trans
ferred the shoes from the [date to has pocket,and
thus demonstrated to his flock, that he was devo
ted to the care of soles to the very last: and tho’
a good friend to faith, yet that gootl works were al
ways acceptable. ——
ELECTION* OF PRESIDENT.
The certificates for the votes for President and
Vice Pres dent are to be opened on the second
W erinesday of February, (9tli day) by the Presi
dent ot tho Senate, in the presence of the Senate
and House of Representatives, and the votes are
to be then ascertained and declared agreeably to
the Constitution. If no person has a majority
ot the whole number of Electors appointed for
President, then the House is required to choose
immediately by ballot, the President; but in this
choice the votes are to be taken by States, the
representation from each State having one vote
—a quorum for this purpose to consist of a mem
ber or members from two-thirds of the States,
and a majority of all the Stales is necessary to a
ch o'ce. If no choice of President is made be
fore the 4th of March ensuing, then the Vice
President will act as President for the ensuing
four years.—[Boston Centinel.
_»_
MISS WTUGHT,
The English Indy who wrote -‘Lcttcrson Ame
rica,” so complimentary to this country, has in
preparation a work which inay be expected to
contain the result of a tour from New-York to
Virginia, and the capital, in the company of Gen.
Lafayette. The work is expected to give a per
manent and abstractive form to the scattered ac
counts of the reception of the General. ’
—
A THIEF CAUGHT.
Slonington, {Conn.) Nov. 20.—A few weeks
since, a respectable gentleman of Plainfield, in
this state, had occasion to take a journev to
the eastward ; and not finding it convenient
to take with him (he whole of llie “ glittering
dust” which composed a part of his earthly
treasure, he deposited it, for safe keeping, in a
desk in his bed room ; as is very often the cr.se,
with those who have any thing of the kind to de
posit. Now it happened, (strange as it may ap
pear,) that a certain good natnred fellow, who
hail not an abundance of the “ root of evil,”
determined to do hi* neighbor a kindness, and
rtwieve him from the trouble of counting so
much cash. Fearing that the owner might, from
a desire not to give unnecessary trouble to his
friends, decline his.ofi’ered services, he resolved
to improve this opportunity, and execute his in
tended plan of benevolence in the idi.encc of
the master of the house.
The motives by which n man is actuated in
•the performance of h charitable action, may
sometimes be inferred fronf the* time and man
ner iri which it is don*-. Our hero, determined
not to let bis <:loft hand know what his right tvas
doing,” commenced bis operations in llie silent
watches of the night ; lest some might say lie
fhd it “ tube seen of men.” He repaired to th
house: placed himself at the window of the bed
room ; and nttemptcil to effect an entrance; but
owing to some unforeseen circumstance, be was
compelled to defer the further prosecution of
his scheme, until the next night; when he re
turn'd with a fellow.laborer in the good work.—
fwxlie mean time, the lady of the hoiuc, bavin*
been alarmed by the visit of the preceding even
ing, resolved not to stay alone in the house the
second ir^it. She necordin-ly requested Ihc
n--istanc ■ a^ighboring Quaker, who, as the
1 night a<tW^W|PtOo\ his station in the room
m
containing the precious metals; while the lady
( ccupicd another part of the house.
As was anticipated, in the silence of the mid
night hour, the window of the apartment was
raised, and the body of a man portruded about
hall its length into the room. At this critical
juncture, while the man was struggling to gain
complete admittance, the benevolent feelings of
our friend the Quaker, w ere called into exercise,
lie calmly rose from bis bed; and, like a man
determined to render every assistance in his
power seized the struggling v.-iglil by the hair,
aim exclaimed, in the enthusiastic tenor ot his
benevolent soul, “Friend, I’ll help thee in !”_
Now, whether there was a preconcerted signal
—as was the case with the veteran who entered
the wolf’s den—we ore not uble to say. Be that
as it may, however, our hern’s associate, w ho
was stationed without the window, taking in
stant alarm, clung to the heels of his suffer
ing friend, and endeavored to extricate him
from his perilous situation. And now, hud some
mischievous wag been present, who was u lover
"of fun, he migbt'+UAe ewjoyvd it to his heart's<4? *
content To see a Quaker at one end of a living
man, and a stunt Jonathan at the other, both
pulling with all their might, must have been ram
sport indeed. For some time the issue of tlm
contest remained doubtful—it was uncertain
which would prove the strongest men. At length
however, the hair to which the Quaker had
grasped his fingers, lost its hold of the skin, and
the man without gained the victory.
The next morning a man was seen in th**neigh
borliood, who had suddenly became bald. The
lock of hair left in the possession of the Quaker,
compared so exactly with the little remaining on
the man’s head, that he was immediately depo
sited in Wiudiiam jail, till the proper authorities
might ascertain with certainty the right owner
— *•««»«• —v—
PREMATURE INTERMENT.
In cases of malignant fevers, putresccncy ad
vances speedily, and under such circumstances
the time of the funeral ought not to be unneces
sarily protracted ; but this haste is unnecessary
in cool or even temperate weather, amt always
in northern climates. Young persons in the
bloom ol health and vigor, may he struck down
by un illness of only a few days, or even hours,
but they ought not to lie consigned to the same,
summary sentence, merely because cu.-'.oiii has
ordained it. No sooner has breathing a< parent
ly ceased, and the visage assumed a ghastly or
death-like look, thun the patient after his eyes
are closed, is too often hurried into a coffin, and
the body, scarcely yet cold, is precipitated into
the giave. bo cxtr-iaely fallacious lire the
signs of death, that too often has the semblance
been mistaken for the reality; especially after
sudden accidents, <>r short illness. In many of
these cases, however, by prompt means und ju
dicious treatment, life has been happily restored
Unequivocal proofs ol death should ala ays be
waited for, and every possible n cans of resusci
tation persevered in, when these r.u not appear,
especially when wecoasmcr now appearances
may be deceitm!, and how unexpectedly the la
tent sparks of life may be rekindled. The fol
lowing method was the menus of restorer, to her
triends a lady who had •-.ppareuilv I . - n dead
lor some time : Rub a wine slas.-, widi fh.i.ncl
before a fire, and immediately apply it to the
month ot the person supposed to be dead, when,
it any ot the vital principles remain, symptoms
of moisture will appear in a short time on the
glass.—[.Medical Intelligencer.
—>—
PREVENTION OP DRUNKENNESS.
Our readers arc aware that tlie Volatile Alkali
lias been considered as n remedy for intoxication.
\Ye said, in a former number, that should thi-i
be the case, it is doubtful whe:her the antidote
would not encourage the vice rather than tend to
suppress ft. In one ot the foreign journals it is
stated that n German physician (M. Bruhl ( ra
raei) has discovered that the exhibition of dilu
ted Sulphuric Acid, with occasional hitters,
causes at length such a disgust towards brandv
and other spirituous potations, as to eradicate
the disposition to inebriety. If this should prove
true, it would be a far more valuable discovery
than tn.it of a medicine which rendered a drun
ken man sober, and enabled him to return to his
favorite potations with impunity.— [Med. Rev.
SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.
A gentleman of Frederick, about ten days ago.
travelling from this city to Liberty-Town, heard,
at some distance in the wood, near Mrs. Marsh's
tavern, the shrill scream of a child, apparently
in great distress, which far a moment alarmed
him a gooil deal, thinking that the poor infant
might possibly he in the hands of the murderer;
hut upon approaching the spot from whence the
cry proceeded, he found, to his utter r ronish
meut, the child standing on its tip toes, with one
of its arms extended upwards, crying dreadfully.
On a nearer approach he discovered dial the
poor child, about eight-tecn months old, had
been caught by (he hand ir. attempting to take
an apple from a snare, which had been set for
catching rabbits. The stranger unloosed the
child and took it to its parents. This should he
a serions warning;—the child might very easily
have been caught by the neck, and the conse
quence would of course have been fatal.
— — [ Pride rid: pyptr
POLICE OK TICE r*"
Professor vs. Professor—M Glue, a Watchman, •
brought up for hearuig, two Frenchmen, char
ged with being drunk, f;::htieg and disturbing
the public peace, both stylhtgJtliei:;*clvcs.Profcs
sors, the one of the ar^of Oncing, the either of
dancing. After hearing the evidence, there was
in answer to questions put by iiie Mayor, an
infinite display of grimace and attitude, and
much abuse of the King's English ; they cnl nr.d
thrust at each other without mercy -the-, seem
ed only to agree in one tiling, which was in r p
dcnvorinfiAo persuade the Mayor that the watch
man rniisEnaVe been n* drunk os themselves, or
else he netfer, fin er could have treated in 90 sum -
mary a munner, and without any regard to the
rules of fencing or dancing, gentlemen of their
dignified calling ; that lie was utterly devoid of
taste and feeling; that he was a mere Goth, who
could unceremoniously lodge n ProlWer in n
watch-house, at 2 o'clock, on a cold ir erring.
The dancing master had his lip slightly cut,
lost a tooth, and his proboscis visibly scratched
the fencing master received a severe h'ow 0 c
the bend, while exercising hi* gallnolry towards
» young lady, and before, ax he declared, he ha I
time to take attitude, and assume a guard that
would have warded off the blow,and prostrated
his miserable antagonist.
Me admitted that Iiie application of the dan
ring master had brought tears into Ills eyes, and
all the colors of the rainbow before th» • , hut
that it was pur- ly the effect of chance.and not
of science—and with a inoM emphaticsbriof of
the shoulders declared that his honor uonld no*
admit of a more miiiuto examinaiion. Thcv
were each firird under the act of assembly for
being drunk, admonished, arid discharged.
[ Phil. .Mr.