spirit a! JMfem
BE.VJAMI.V F. BEALL,
EDITOR ANT) PROPRIETOR.
TKBMS OF SUBSCRIPTION IX ADVANCE:
For One Tear, - $3.00
? For Six Months, ... 1,75
For Three Months, ? . 1.00
Orders for the Paper must be accompanied
by the CASH
BALTIMORE CARDS.
Pinnogr! Plan o bT
GOLD MEDAL. FOR I8C7
Haa juat been awarded to
CHARLES M. STIEFF,
For the Best Pianoa now made ever Baltimore,
Philadelphia and New York Pianoa by the
MARYLAND INSTITUTE.
Office a>d Washroom So. "7 North Lirertv
Sr., near.Baltimore atrcet, BALTIMORE, AID.
STIEFF'S PIANOS have all the latest improve
ments, including- the AGRAFFE TREBLE,
Ivory Frouta, and the Improved French Action,
fully warranted for Five Years, with the privilege
of exchange within 12 months if not entirely satis
factory to purchaser.
Second hand Pianos and Parlor Orgraua always
on hand, from ?50 to $31'0.
Referees, .who have our Pianoa in use:?
lien. R. E, Lee, Lexington, Virginia, Gen.
Rott. Ranson, Wilmington, N. C. John Burns,
Dr. L. C. Cordell, Warren Eby, John B. Packett,
Charlestown, Thos M. lobcll of Jefferson county,
L. B. Burns, of Clarke county. Mrs. Schwartawel
der, Mozart Musical Association of Winchester.
TERMS LIltKRaL. A call is solicited.
April 14. 1363 ?o. d. Oct. 2.
GREAT SAT.T^;!
GREAT SALE OF CLOTHING.
6.000 PAIR OF PASTS Horn to SG
S.O-H) I'Alli OP I'AX'I'S fiom S2 to SG.
6,000 PAIR Of i'ASTS fiom ?2 to SG.
5 OOO VESTS from ?.! SO to ?,3.
5,000 VESTS from "jil.oO to S3
1.000 BUSINESS SUITS, jf"2to S20.
1,000 BUS.NESS SUITS, ?12 to ?*20.
1,000 BUSINESS SUITS, SI- to ?20.
I.OjO BUSINESS SUITS, ? I- to ?20.
600 DRESS SUITS, SIS to $25.
6oo di:es? suits, sis to sas.
600 DKESS SUITS, $15 to ?25.
OUR IMMENSE STOCK AT PANIC PRICES
Our Immense Stock of Clothing.
Our Immense Stock of' Clothing.
Our Immense Stock of Clothing.
AT REDUCED PRICES.
Remember the Goods must be Sold.
Remember the Goods must be Sold.
THESE GOODS MUST BE SOLD.
AT MARBLE IIAI.I,.
MARBLE HALL CLOTHING HOUSE.
1,0( 3 3EST WHITE SHIRTS from ?2 t? $2 SO
1,000 BEST WHITE SHIRTS frulil $>lu ?2 50
CLOTHING, CLOTHING.
CLOTHING, CLOTHING.
CLOTHING, CLOTITIM:.
CLOTHING, CLOTHING.
fcj- Bear in mind these Gooda must be sold with
out regard to Cost at
31 A RULE II ALL.
SMITH. BROS. * CO.
35 and -40 West Baltimore street.
January 5, 1365)?ly.
B. HZUGH. J. G. RIDEVal'R. N. a. LANGPON.
ROUGH, RIDEN00E & LA.NGD0N,
CoEiimi.Vsa Mercliassts,
No- 12-4 Suutli Eutaw Street,
[opposite balt.o. a. n. depot.]
BA LTIMORC.
CO-ORDERS for all kinds of Merchandise, Salt,
Fish, Plaster, Guano, and the various Fertilizers
and Farming Implements, promptly filled.
REFER EXCE S:
Hopkins, IIaanden ?c. Kemp, Baltimore.
CaNby, Gilpin & Co., "
Brooks, Fahn^siock & Co., "
Penniman 4* Bro , "
Daniel Miller, Pres. Nat. Exc. Bank, Bal'more
C. W. Button, Esq.. Lynchburg, Va.
Davis, Roper & Co., Petersburg, Va.
II. II. Miller, Alexandria, Va.
August 20. 1563?ly.
.Fsasucs .12. AcSaiaas,
Draughtsman and Consulting1 Eng-inccr,
No. 4 Light Street Wharf,
HALTI3IORE,
dzaler'in
Engineers' & Railroad Supplies,
And Every Article Used in Construct iny ami
Operating the Different Kinds of
Machinery.
AlPsizea of Bolts and Wood Srtews on hand.
Steam and Vacuum Gauires Repaired Accurately
and with "Dispatch. Hydraulic Jacks to Hire or
bell,Ten to Fifteen Tons.
September 1, 1363 ? ly.
1I0KTICULTIRAL AVAHEUOOMS"
So. 2, North Eutaw Sti-pet,
BALTIMORE.
GARDEN SEED, FLOWER SEED,
FLOWERING AND
Vogctatolo Plants.
THE advertiser would respectfully advertise the
public that he has received his stock of SEEDS,
IMPLEMENTS. BULBS and PLANTS, and would
name,in part, the following- Seeds, &c.:
Asparagus, Beans, B'-et, Cabbasrc, Cauliflower,
Carrot. Celery, Corn, Cucumber, Eger Plant. Let- J
tuce. Melon, Onion, Salsify, ParanipJ Peas, Toma- |
to. Herbs, &c., &c.
Plows, Cultivators. Pruning Shears, Castinsrs, i
&c., Garden Tools, Pansey Seed, Phlox, Asters, i
Carnations, &c., Roses, Verbenas, Heliotropes, Ge- '
raiiiums, Fuschias, Stocks, and Fruit and Orna !
mental Trees, and all kinds ol Vegetable Plants in ;
season.
This is the only store in town where the Far ? i
mer. Gardener and Amateur Florist can eret all
they may want. FitANK L. MORLING,
Fiorist, Seedman and Nurseryman.
April 7, 1868. 1
Ifoward BBouse,
Ifos 5 A. 7 North Howard Street,
(Two Doora from Baltimot e Street,)
BALTIMORE.
THIS IIolcl hasrecently been enlarged, thorough
ly renovated and elegantly refurniahcdthrough
out ; and ia now capable of accommodating over j
300 rueata. Under the management of the present
Cro^rietora, it haa attained a popularity excelled
y str- Hotel in the country. Everything' which can
conduce to the comfort of gucats, ia furniahed with
an unsparing hand; and the Howard Houso ofTers
accommodations to the travelling- public equal to
any other hret claaa Hotel in the United Statea.
BATHS,BILLIARD ROOM, BAR. Etc.,
are all unexceptionable, The Proprietors solicit
the patronage of the public.
Qqj-Sr<age? will be at the Depots on arrival of
trains, also at the steamera on their arrival, to con
vey g-uestsand their baggage to the House.
TERMS?$3.00 PER DAY.
N. P. SEWELL,
Mych 2411863?ly. Manager.
W A L T E R CROOK, J 15.,
220 West Baltimore Street,
BALTIMORE,
Dealer in and Manufacturer of
Window Curtains,
Upholstery Goods, Venltian Blinds,
AND
WINDOW SHADES.
MATTRESSES <fc BEDDING
Furniahed at Short Notico.
March 24, 1868?ly.
CtOLOGHES, Extracts and Toilut Soaps. for Bale
j by W. 6. MASON.
BALTIMORE CARDS.
J. H. WiNDsoa.] [Bibnabd McGinn.
J. H. WINDSOR & CO.,
WHOLESALE DEALEI8 IN
Hats, Caps & Straw Goods
Nos.17 & o;n. HOWARD ST.
UP STAIRS,
BALTIMORE, MD.
May 12, 1868?ly.
M. TBE1DKB, TKOXAB B. B8ALL, JAMES I. WADDKLl,
Maryland. West Va. Noitii Carolina.
Treiber. Beall & Co.
IMPORTEE3
English anil German Hardware,
AND MANUFACTURERS' AGENTS
AMERICAN HARDWARE,
No. 19 German Street,
BALTIMORE.
Speciality.?Wade & Butcher's Celebrated'Edge
Tools.
September 1, 1S63?ti.
CHAS. 31. CIIRISTA1N,
WITH
Geo. W. B. Bartlett,
SUCCESSOR TO R. HICKLEY & BRO.,
Dealer in
Foreign & Domestic Hardware.
NO. 8 NORTH HOWARD STREET,
Opposite the Howard Ilouae,
BALTIMORE, MD.
Orders from the trade solicited. Goods sold
at low flffuros. and on accommodating-terms.
June 30, 1S6S?ly.
GEO. R. COFFROTH & CO.,
Commission and Wholesale Dealers in
Tobacco. Snuffs & Cigars.
330 BALTIMORE STREET,
Second Door Westol Howard,
BALTIMORE, MD.
May 12. 1S68.
BECKHAM, GWIN & CO.
1 Commis'n Merchants,
NO 7O SOUTH STREET,
SECOND FLOOB,
BALTIMORE, MD.
January 5, 1860 - ly.
Jtlaltby Blouse,
A. B. MILLER, PROPRIETOR
BALTIMORE, MD.
July 30, 1667?ly*.
FA LL, 1868.
LARGE A>'D PEKEHl'TORY SALE OF
MENS' AND BOYS' CLOTHING.
UfR have stocked our retail department with a
full line of Mens', Hoys', and Children's
Suits. at prices to suit all classes of buyers.
FALL OVERCOATS at from $7, $<J, ?10 and
$12 to ?14.
CUSTOM DEPARTMENT :
CLOTHS,
< \ssimeres
AND VESTINGS,
In large vane.y to select from for measure.
Full line ol" Men's and Hove' FURNISHING
GOODS.
NOAII WALKER & CO.,
Washington Building,
1C5 and 167, W. Baltimore street,
January 5, lbU9--ly. Baltimore, Md.
PROFESSIONAL CA11 L>S.
N. S. White.] [Josefii Tbapnell.
AVIIITE & TRAPNELL,
Attorneys at Lawi
Charlestown, W. Va.
U7"ILL Practice in the Courts of JefTeraon and ad
joining Counties of Virginia and West Vir
ginia. Prompt attention given to all business en
trusted to them.
January 12, 1S69?6m.
Tuos. C. GasEN.] [Das'l, B. Luca3.
GREEN & LUCAS,
Attorneys at Law.
HAVING associated ourselves as partners, we
will practice in Jefferson and adjoining Coun
ties .
{{CJ-OiTices at Charlestown, Shepherdstown and
Leesburg. ?
September 22,*1868?tf.
EH WARD C. PRE EL,
Attorney at Law
PRACTICES in the Courts ,.r JEFFERSON,
BERKELEY, and MORGAN Counties. He
will have the advantage of consultation with and
advice of Messrs. GREEN & UCAS, in all busi
ness entrusted to him.
$3-Office, opposite Entler'a Hotel Shepherds*
town, West Va.
November 6, IS67?tf.
ISAAC I0UKE,
Attorney at Ln to ,
Charlestown, Jefferson County,
PRACTICES in the Courts of Jefferson , Berkeley
and Morgan Counties, W. Virginia, and in
those of Loudoun, Frederick and Clark Counties,
Virginia ; also in the United States District Court
in cases in Bankruptcy.
?3- Office in Hunter's Law Row, next door to the
Carter House.
July 30, 1867?ly.
WM. II. TRATEItS?
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Cliarlcstnwn, Jefferson County, Virginia,
U7ILL practice in the District Courts of the Uni
ted States for the District of West Virginia.?
Particular attention paid to casca in Bankruptcy.
July 30, 1S6T.
ANDREW HINTER,
SOLICITOR IN MATTERS OF BANK
RUPTCY,
HAVING specially prepared for the business ;
and not being excluded from the United States
Courts ; will prosecute, diligently, all applications
for the benefit of the late Bankrupt law, committed
to him.
He will regularly attend the Federal Court
at Clarksburg, and elsewhere as the cases may re
quire.
Charlestown, July 16, 1867?tf.
New Era, Martinsburg, and Winchester Times,
copy each 3 times.
Resident Dentist.
DR. J. V. SIMMONS,
BEING Dermarently located in Charlestown, Va.;
offers his services in every branch of his pro
fession. Freezing or Narcotic Spray used in ex
tracting Teeth. ,
Qcy-Charfrcs. very moderate.
July 23, 1867?ly.
PROFESSIONAL CARD.
DR. N. ANDERSON WARE,
OFFERS I * Professional services to the citizens
of Leet vn and vicinity.
OCT- Office at the residence of Mr. Geo. W. Nicelv
April 7, 1863?ly.-F. P. 3
DR. C. T. RICHARDSON,
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON,
CHARLESTOW 31.
0*3- Messages left at his residence, or at the Drug
Store of Aiuquith & Bro., will receive prompt at
tention.
December 24,1S67? Cm.
Spirit jj| Jefferson.
BKXJAMIS ?. BKALL, Editor.
CHAELKBTO W N, V A.
Tuesday Horning, February 2,18419.
Gen. Grant and the Darkies.
A band of saucy negroes called on General
Grant the other day, calling themselves "a
committee of the Colored Men's National
Convention," and presented a speech prepared
by some flabbergastic white man, who is as
void of information and sense as he most be
of shame. There is no fault to be found with
the negroes for this disgusting farce. They
are not responsible for it. They are the took
of cunning knaves who use them for the pur
poses of party and faction.
But this address, which was repeated by a
negro called Langston, is a curiosity of ex
aggeration and impudence. It starts off by
declaring that these darkies addressed Grant
"in the name of four millions of American
citizens, in the name of seven hundred thou
sand electors of African descent." In the
first place, there are no "four millions" of
negroes now living in this country, nor three
millions, either. Their numbers have been
reduced to a million or a million and a half
by the war, and by their "freedom." Nor
are there, even taking the Republican estimate
of its negro force, any such number aa "seven
hundred thousand electors of African descent."
There is probably less than half that number,
unless such fellows as Hamlin and Sumner are
to be counted as darkies.
But this address sets forth that these seven
hundred thousand black electors "braved the
threats," etc. When, where, and how have
that number of negroes braved any threats ?
This is all bosh, which the darkies have been
taught by such patriots as fling this slang in
Congress.
These darkies call Congress "our national
Congress," which is very properly said, for it
is a negroes' Congress in very deed. They
also speak of the "humblest subject of the
government," which is well euough for ne
groes, because they are not expected to know
any better, and the white scamp who wrote
the bosh they repeated ought to know that in
this country no citizen is a subject of the gov
ernment. In the government our fathers
framed the people are sovereign, and the gov
ernment is their subject, or the agent and ser
vant of their sovereignty. The white fellow
who prepared this speech for Sambo' is either
a fool or scamp. Probably, is a good deal of
bi'th.
But Grant's reply was a poser. Tbo papers
call it a spccc/i. It occupied just ten news
paper lines, and said nothing, except to hope
that the darkies will "by their future conduct
prove themselves deserving of all they now
claim." Hut there was in all this "speech"
not the least expression of a belief that the
negroes ever will prove any thing of the kind.
Grant has not yet been educated to have faith
in negroes; for belief in negroes has to be
acquired?as much so as a love for tobacco.
To acquire this faith in negroes, Grant would
have to go through a fanatical discipline which
would kill him. He would have to give up
the use of whisky and tobacco for eighteen
months, live on sawdust bread and cold water,
and read the Tribune and nothing else, six
teen hours a day. If that didn't kill him, ho
might possibly learn to believe in negroes.
The Radical leaders are evidently in some
distress of mind in relation to Grant's honest
love of Sambo. They know that but a short
time ago he was what they call a "negro
hater." Whether he can play the hypocrite,
and feign opinions which he can never enter
tain, a little time will fully disclose. In the
mean time we shall wait with patience to see
whether the moke has got Grant or Grant got
the moke.?l'omerot/'s Democrat.
JonN II. Surratt to Write a Book.?
The Washington correspondent of the Boston
Herald says :
"Surratt is now in South America, but will
return here within a month. I learn from
one of his friends that he has prepared a full
and explicit statement of the conspiracy
which resulted in the death of President
Lincoln. In this he denies all knowledge of
any assassination plot, but confesses freely
that Booth and himself and others were in a
plot to abduct Mr. Lincoln. He deslares
that assassination was never spoken of to him,
and was not agreed on by Booth and Payne
until the night it took place. He further in
sists on the entire innocence of his mother,
maintains that every effort was made to keep
the abduction plot from her knowledge, and
says she was simply the victim of unfortu
nate circumstances and the machinations of
the witness Weicliman, whose evidence, it
will be remembered, caused Mrs, Surratt's
conviction. Surratt proposes to tell the good,
bad and indifferent, and make oath to it.?
He feels, it is said, that it will be so impar
tial and straightforward that it will be be
lieved."
The Sibert Iron and Steel Company
of Augusta county, Va., with a capital of half
a million dollars, has been formed. Stock
all taken. Contracts for a large amount of
woodland have been signed, and the whole
thing is a bona fide transaction. Mr. Sibert
deserves a great deal of credit for his energy
and perseverance in securing so large an
amount of capital to be used and invested in
his own county, where he strikes his first
blow for revolutionizing the railroad interests
of America. While he had a great many
offers in Maryland and Pennsylvania to put
up very extensive works, together with all
the capital he wanted, he refused all for the
good old State of Virginia.?Richmond Dis
patch.
Fatal Accident.?At Cherry Run on
the 13th inst., Calvin Jamison, an employee
of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, while at
tempting to cross the track was run over by
an Eastern bound freight train, the whole
train passing over him, cutting off one leg
entirely, crushing the foot of the other leg,
and injuring him otherwise, of which inju
ries he died on Tuesday, the 19th instant.??
Berkeley Union.
? A young lady took her younger brother,
a little boy of three or four years old, to the
church. The preacher was an earnest man,
and spoke very loud. During the sermon she
saw the little fellow in tears, and asked him
what was the matter with him. He sobbed
out: "That man is hollering at me."
CHRONICLES^ OF JUBAL.
by a member of whabton's division.
Chapter First.
[A friend has furnished nfl with the follow
ing amusing and spirited "Chronicles," which
were written and printed during the war, im
mediately after Geo. Early's famous attack
upon the Federal forces at Cedar Creek, on
the 19th of October, 1864. ? There were seven
chapters of these Chronicles written, but it is
believed that only the first one survived the
wreck of matter, and the route of Gen. Early's
army, in the afternoon of that eventful
day:?]
1 And it came to pass that Jubal, whose
surname was Early, called together the chiefs
of his tribes and saith unto them view the
?? 2Dt And?they went forth and from a hill of
much height they viewed their enemies and
all the surrounding country, and the distance
they saw was exceedingly great.
3 And returning they said let not all thy
people go up, but let some go around our ene
my and peradventure we may scatter them.
4. So Gordon took with him several ot his
brethren and took?thousand and twenty and
two good footmen and a thousand good horse
men, and they moved out of camp by night,
that they might couie upon the camp of pu
ritans and strike them suddenly.
5 And one of the chosen leaders was call
ed to Jubal, and Jubal saith unto him "Drive
them before whilst my people press them be
fore and on both sides."
6. And there was a horseman of exceeding
great name, who was in much favor with Ju
bal and Jubal saith unto him, "scatter my
enemies on my left." And to you Gabriel
whose surname was "Wharton, I say make my
enemy flv in front; and to you my chosen
leader, Gordon, crush them on my right, and
let us all rejoice with exceeding great joy
7. And when morning was nigh Gordon
went into the enemy's camp dispersing them.
8. And when it was day Sheridan showed
himself with a part of his men in the plains
surrounding, but Gordon gave him no rest
but slew many of his men and leaders, and
took many of his men and chariots and horses
an9.SAnd Jubal was exceedingly well pleased
and full of joy. And soon he stopped to
plunge into the enemy again, when Sheridan
brought ten thousand and thirty and two
fresh men. And they came like a hurricane.
10. And Jubal said to the men that were
with him and to his people fear not; fear ye
not this multitude, neither be ye afraid ot
their assauH. Remember in what way we
were saved at Bethel and Shiloh.at Manassas
and Juda?and now let us stand likei men
and remember the covenant, and we will do
stroy this army before our face.
11. And all nations shall know that bher
idan is no more.
12 And the people lifted up tlieir eyes
and saw the multitude of Yankees coming
against them and they fled into the plain
13. And the trumpet sounded and Gabriel
held his ground, and by degrees Gordon with
his legions was pressed back by the multi
tude of the enemy and then our leader Ker
shaw, and then Kamscur and then fegram.
And Gabriel was now sorely pressed by the
many horsemen of the foe?they came against
him with exceeding great noise and gallop
ins: of horses. . . ,
14 They well nigh drove him but Gabriel
drove them. But soon the trumpet sounded
and then Gabriel with his band came off, and
soon the whole army were running with great
swiftness and were exceedingly much scared.
15. They joined battle and again fled and
most of the hindmost fell by the sword or
were made prisoners. But it came to pass
that very few were hindmost and they salely
crossed the river. . .
16. Jubal then saw with pain that it was
the greediness over the spoils that had cost
his people so dearly and he raised his hand
and saith my lord have mercy on me and
Harman said amen : And he said what shall
I say seeing his people turn their backs to
their enemy. And as he was saying these
words part of them appeared looking forth
from the mountains.
17 And he saith Lore have mercy on us,
and llarman, a chosen leader of horses and
wagons, saith amen.
18. And Jubal now saw with delight that
night was nigh and he moved back calling
upon his people to stop. But the spirit was
gone and his people were scattered and Sher
idan and his host were coming.
19. There fell of our people on that day
about two hundred killed, about six hundred
and twenty six wounded, and we lost about
eight hundred prisoners. . . .
20. And Jubal was sorely disappointed lor
he slew only about one thousand of the foe,
wounded only about three thousand and thirty
and five, and took only one thousand six hun
dred and twenty and six prisoners.
21. So he told his men to behold how dis
comfitted the enemy was and called upon
them for shame not to be guilty of such
thing again. _ _
22. Many of his people fled to the moun
tains and lived on locusts and wild honey and
herbs. And they were hunted by the demons,
but many escaped, and it came to pass that
Jubal soon had as large an army as he bad
before.
23. And soon his people were revived and
they saw that it was wrong to be greedy over
spoils, and they rent their garments and made
great lamentation and put ashes on their
heads and fell down on the ground on their
faces, and they sounded the trumpets and a
good counsel came into their minds.
24. And Jubal became a better man and
the Lord will ever aid his goodness. He
stopped all distilleries and saith let no liquor
come into oamp, and his people are willing to
obey him and have him for their leader.
25. And Jubal saw that it was all for the
best and he saith the Lord be praised, and
Harman said amen, and Judge the Patriarch,
the man of many inches, said amen.
26. And his people said, fight thou our
battles and we will do what thou saith.
27. And Jubal contents himself and saith
may we never put ourselves to flight again
and Judge (the funny man and man of great
height and many inches') saith amen.
28. Here endeth the first chapter.
? Who wrote the most?Dickens, Warren,
or Bulwer ? Warren wrote "Now and Then,"
Bulwer wrote "Night and Morning," Dickens
wrote "All the Year Round."
POETICAL.
[For the Spirit of Jefferson,]
TO MISS B
(??My Ufo Is like a summer rose."?Wild*.')
A CONTRAST.
i.
My life is like some scattered wreck
Dashed by the waves upon the ahore.
The broken masts the rifled deck.
Tell of a struggle that is o'er ;
Yet from these remnants of the storm
Thv inaiiner his raft will form,
Again to tempt the faithless sea.
But hope rebuilds no raft forme;
For life and hope are centered all in you,
"Si je te prfrd. Je suis perdu."
II.
My life is like the blighted oak
Tnat lifts its sear and withered form,
Scathed by the lightning's sudden stroke.
Sternly to meet the coming storm ;
Yet round that sapless trunk entwine
The curbing tendrils of the vine,
And life and freshness there impart
Not to the passion blighted heart;
My life, my future rests with you,
"Si je te perd. Je suis perdu.'*
in.
Mv life is like a desert rock
In the mid ocean lone and drear.
Worn by the wild waves'ceaseless shock
That round its base their surges rear;
Yet there the sea moss still will cling,
Some fiorer will find a cleft to spring,
And breathe e'en there a sweet perfume ;
For me life's flower no more will bloom,
Life would be sweet if spent with you,
*'Si je te perd. Je suis perdu."
NON APPRECIE.
12 P. M., December 31st., 186S.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Spat and a Quarrel.
Atne 1 ears of Tfar Heticeen Husband and
W>fe.
A most curious and strange illustration of
inherent love of war in tbe human bosom is
given in the listory of a man and wife, now
living in Maury county, Tenn , within six
miles of Columbia. An old couple, who were
once happy and enjoyed life, as much, perhaps,
as it is possible for a married couple to enjoy
it, lived in the locality above indicated. They
own a small property but have no children,
they eat their meals together daily except
when the old man is out hunting, at which
time the lady of the house enjoys her grub in
silence. Every evening in the year except
one they occupy opposite sides of the fire place,
one whiffing tobacco smoke up the chimney
and the other chewing snuff and growling to
herself. Not a word passes. About ten o'clock
they simultaneously rise and go to bed in
silence.
The exceptional day to this beautiful har- I
monious life, is the 25th of December, "Christ
mas" day, when there occurs a regular old
fashioned fight between the silent twain.
This is an annual battle, and like other fights
is a contest fjr the supremacy of an idea.? It
was inaugurated in this wise :
Nearly ten years ago on Christmas day in
the morning, the old man went out hunting
for something fat for dinner. After an ab
sence of about five hours, he returned with
an animal of some sort, and slinging it on the
floor, he triumphantly exclaimed ;
uJ.here, there, Betty, is a ground-hog for
dinner." Betty turned the affair over with
the toe of her brogan, gazed intently for two
minutes and then, deliberately said :
"Faugh ! it's a skunk." ?
The husband didn't like this expression of
opinion on the part of his beloved, but bein<?
a mild man, and anxious to retain the long
standing good feeling between them he con
tented himself with a gentle reiteration of
his first remark. The lady became firm also
and even indulged in a sort of subdued sneer
at the ignorance of her husband. lie waxed
cross.
"I tell you, Bet, it is a ground-hog, and I
don't want to be contradicted."
But the lady contradicted. "I tell you it
is," and "I tell you it ain't," followed each
other with increasing rapidity and virulence,
until the storm assumed the shape of blows.
The man pinched, and the woman scratched,
until both became exhausted and had to quit
from sheer weariness.
Next day when coolness and reflection su
perseded heat and passion, both silently re
gretted the unfortunate difference of opinion,
which left the head of the house with half
his beard and very little hair and the lady
two eyes of unusual darkness ; but they spoke
not. Now both were too proud and guilty
for that. They remained silent until a whole
year had rolled round and Christmas day
again came on, while enjoying a cup of thick
black coffee and a greasy corn dodger the wife
mildly ventured a remark to the effect that
they had been very foolish a year ago to fall
out and pound each other about so miserable
a thing as a skunk.
es," said the repentant husband, "it was
darned wicked of us, and we ought'nt ha' it
done, but you forget, Bet, that was a ground
hog and not a skunk."
Bet did not forget; she had no reason to
remember, although the black eyes were all
gone then, but knew it was a skunk. The
husband thought it a shame for her to hold
the same opinion still, particularly when she
knew it to be a ground-hog. She knew it
was a skunk?he knew it .was a hog. She
knew different. The virulence again crept
in, words waxed hot and blows followed.?
The scene of the former Christmas Day was
re-enacted to a nicety, and both went to bed
exhausted, with blacker eyes in her head and
less hair on his. They were repentant and
silent next day, and spent the year without
speaking; but when the anniversary arrived
the same scene was gone through with reli
gious precision, and has been gone through
with every Christmas since. The people for
miles around have become aware of these an
nua! idiosyncracies in the lonely and peculiar
pair, and look forward with much interest to
the developments of the coming Christmas.
It may be proper to remark, for the sake of
perspicuity, that the lady's eyes, from being
originally a light gray have become a coaly
black from the periodical dying which her
considerate husband gives them; and his hair
has entirely disappeared, owing to the vearlv
operations of her long fingers.
There are various opinions entertained as
to when the war will end, but the general
belief is that the lady will use up the old man
in a few more fights.
? "Are you a skillful mechanic ?" "Yes
H,r- . "What can youmake ?" "Oh, almost
anything in my line." "Can you make a
?T1'- "Certainly, just put up your foot,
and I will split it in three seconds. I never
saw a chap in my life that required less altera
tion."
Five Miles Above the Earth.
One dull day in August, just after noon,
a balloon rose in the air at the foot of Cloet
Hills, on the western edge of the scntral
plain of England. It was inflated with the
lightest gases which chemical skill could pro
duce, and it arose with amazing velocity.?
A mile up, and it entered a stratum of cloud
more than a thousand feet thick. Emerging
from this, the sun shone brightly on the air
ship ; the sky overhead was of the clearest
and depest blue, and below lay cloud-land?
an immeasurable expanses of cloud whoso
surface looked as solid as that of the earth
not wholly lost to view. Lofty mountains
and deep, dark ravines, appeared below the
peaks and sides of these cloud-mountains
next the sun, glittering like the snow, but
casting shadows as if they were solid rock.?
Up rose the balloon with tremendous velocity.
Four miles above the earth a pigeon was let
loose ; it dropped down through the air as if
it had been a stone. The air was too thin to
enable it to fly. It was as if a bark laden to
the deck were to pass from the heavy waters
of the sea into ao inland unsaline lake ; the
bark would sink at once into the thinner
water. Up, up, up, still higher ! What a
profound ! The heights of the sky were as
still as the deepest depths of the ocean,
where, as was found during the search for the
lost Atlantic cable, the fine mud lines are as
unstirred from year to year as the dust which
imperceptibly gathers on the furniture of a
deserted house. No sound, no life?only the
bright sunshine falling through a sky which
it could not warm.
Up?five miles above the earth!?higher
than the inaccessible summit of Cbimburazo
or Dawangiri. Dispite the sunshine every
thing freezes. The air grows too thin to sup
port life, even for a few minutes. Two men
are only in that adventurous balloon?the
one stiring the airship, the sther watching
the scientific instruments, and recording them
with a rapidity bred of long practice. Sud
denly as the latter looks at his instruments,
his sight grows dim ; he takes a lens to help
his sight; and only remarks from the falling
barometer that they are testing ranidly. A
flask of brandy lies within a loot of him ; he
tried to reach it, but his arm refused to obey
his will. He tries to call his comradc, who
has gone up into the ring above; a whisper
in that deep silence would suffice?but no
sound comes from his lips?he was voiceless.
The steersman comes down into the car; he
sees his comrade in a swoon, and feels his
own senses failing him.
lie saw at once that life and death hung
upon a few moments. He seized or tried to
seize the valve, in order to open it and let
out the gas. His hands are purple with in
tense cold?they are paralyzed, they will not
respond to his will. He seized the valve
with his teeth ; it opened a little?once, twice,
thrice. The swooned marksman returned to
consciousness, and saw the steersman stand
ing before him. He looked at his instru
ment; but now the barometer was rising
rapidly; the balloon was descending. Brandy
was used. They had been higher above tho
earth than mortal man or any living thing had
ever been before. One minute more of inac
tion?of compulsory inaction?on the part of
tho steersman; whose tenses were failing
him, and the air-ship with its intensely rari
fied gas, would have been floating unattended,
with two corpses, in the wide realms of space.
Water Drinker's Eloquence.
Not in the simpering still does the Eternal
prepare the precious essence of life; not over
the smoky fires, choked with poisonous gases,
and surrounded with the stench of sickening
odors, doth our Father prepare the pure
draught. Hut in the green glade and glassy
dell, where the deer wanders nod the clild
loves to play; down in the deepest valleys
where the fountains murmur, and high upon
the mountain top where the naked granite
glitters like gold in the sun; where the tempest
broods, and the storm clouds break in thunder
and far away out on the wide, wild sea, where
the hurricane howls music and big waves roar
the chorus sweeping the march lrom God.?
There He brews that beverage of life, health
giving water; and everywhere it is a thing of
beauty?gleaming in the dewdrop, singing in
the summer rain, shiuing in the ice gem,
spreading a golden veil over the setting sua,
or a white gauze around the midnight moon,
sporting in the cataract, sleeping in the glacier,
dancing in the hail shower, folding its bright
snowy curtains soitly about the wintry world,
and weaving the many colored Iris, that seraph
zone of the sky.. It is ever beautiful, that
blessed life-water.
Respect for Parents.?"A beautiful
trait of character, and a lovely custom of the
Spauish peasantry appear in their love for
parents. They yield to theu obedience, res
pect, veneration, and love, after they are aged,
and the children are men and women grown.
The married children delight to have their
parients to direct and govern them as in
childhood, and these children even quarrel
among themselves to get and keep possession
of their aged parents. This trait of charac
ter is said to maVk a ?w ".oun^ry, where the
past, the ancient, is held in honor; while
progress has no such reverence for old age.
Would that we had a little more Spain in
young America, if it is Spanish to honor one's
father or mother."
Beautiful and True.?In a late article
in Frazier's Magazine, this brief but beautiful
and true passage occurs : '"Education does
not commence with the Alphabet?it begins
with a mother's love; with a father's smile
of approbation, or a sign of reproof; with a
sister's gentle forbearance ; with a handful of
flowers in a green and dainty meadow; with
a bird's nest admired, but not touched ; with
creeping ants; of an almost imperceptible
comet; with pleasant walks in shady lanes;
and with thoughts directed in sweet and kind
ly tones and words to nature; to acta of be
nevolenee; to deeds of virtue, and to the
source of all good?God himself."
A Beautiful Illustration.?It is said
of the Icelanders that they scrupulously ob
serve the usage of reading the scriptures every
morning, the whole family joining in the
singing and prayers. When the Icelander
awakes, he salutes no person until he has sa
luted his God. He usually hastens to the
door, adores the author of nature and provi
dence, and then steps back saying to his
family, "God grant you a good day. What
? beautiful illustration is this of the Christian
obligations on the part of householdera to re
cognize and worship God.
Spirit of ^jfenurc
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Precision in Business.
On ? certain Saturday night- the clerks
of the Bank of England could not make the
balance come out right kj just one hundred
pounds, ^his is a serious matter in that
establishment?not the eaab, but tha dis
crepancy, however slight. An error in the
balancing has been known to keep a delega
tion of clerks from each department at work
sometimes through the whole night. A
hue and cry, therefore, was made after this
one hundred pounds, as if the old lady in
Thred-needle street would be in the Oazetta
as an insolvent for the want of it. Luckily,
on the Sunday morning following, the clerk.
in the middle of the sermon, perhaps felt a
suspicion of the truth dart through his mind
quicker than a lightning flash. He told the
chief cashier, on Monday morning, that per
haps the mistake might havo occurred in
packing some boxes of specie for the West
Indies, wbioh had been sent to Southampton
for shipment. The suggestion was immedi
ately acted upon. Here was a race?light
ning against steam, .and steam with a start
of forty-eight hours. Instantly the wires ask
ed whether such a vessel had "left the har
| bor." '-Just weighing anchor," was the re
ply, "Stop her," frantically shouted the tel
egraph. It was done. "Have on deck cer
tain boxes, marked so and so, and weigh them
carefully." They were weighed, and one,
the delinquent, was found heavier by just one
packet of a hundred sovereigns than it ought
to be. "Let her go," says the mysterious tel
egraph. Tho West India folks were debited
with just one hundred pounds moro, and the
error was corrected without looking into the
boxes, or delaying the voyage an hour.
Only A Grain of Sand.
A man who had for years carried an old and
oberished watch about him, one day called
on its maker, and told him that it was no
longer useful, for it would not keep time oor
i reotly.
"Let me examine it," said tho maker; and,
taking a powerful glass, iie locked carefully
and steadily into the works, till ho spied just
one little grain of sand. "I havo it," said
he, "I can got over your difficulty."
About this moment, by somo wonderful
but unseen power, the little grain, suspecting
J what was coming,exclaimed : "Let me alone1
I am but a small thing, and take up so little
room, I cannot possibly injure the watch.?
Twenty or thirty of us might do harm, but I
cannot; so leave me alone !"
The watchmaker replied: "You must como
out, for you spoil my work, and all the moro
so that you are so small, and but few people
can see you."
Thus it is with us, whether ohildren or
elders?one lie, one lust, one feeling of pride,
vanity, or disoLodieace, may be such u little
one that uoue but ourselves know of it; yet
God, who sees all things, knows it, and that
one sin, however little it may appear, will
spoil all our best efforts in his service.
Extraordinary Pistol Practice.
Captain John Travis gave ncothcr exhibition
of pistol shooting at his gallery in Chicago
recently, in which he excelled any of his pre
vious performances, by a series of hazardous
feats requiring tho most sonsummate skill ou
his part, aod extraordinary daring in tho gen
tleman who assisted in them. Mr. John Ho
ver, of Texas, held a cap on his head, and
Travis fired a pistol bullet through it, Horn
the distance of twelve paces. The feat was
repeated twice, the ball going each time with
in a inch of the craiiuu of the venturesomo
holder. _ The same gentleman also held be
tween his fingers a small lemon, and after
wards a business card about an inch and a
half square, and through each Captain Travis
put a bullet, at the ssaic distanoe, with one
ef the regular gallery pistols. Few people
would care to run such a risk as Mr. Rover
did, and fewer still could successfully imitate
Captain Travis' wonderful skill.
A New Game.?Well, wedont know that
it is so very new, but it is in these parts, we
believe, and so we give a discretion of it for
the benefit of all concerncd. We find it in
a Tennessee paper:
"Fly Loo."?We learn from our exchang
es, that a new game of chanco has recently
been introduced in this country, called "fly
loo." It is less objectionable ~
frames of chance in this, thi
chance of cheating. Lest some_. ?u,
era may not understand the game, and won
der what it is, we will state for their benefit
that it is very simple and easily learned. It
may be played by any reasonble nun ~
persons. The players' narae^ ere v.
near together, and a small lump pfy
on each. Then commences the eatei'r
m"nt of waiting for a fly to Ijghfc jL'
he does so, the name of the plaj^-E?
sugar has to treat all ro*ud
ruo!"7 kriSa!0'
A Minute PuDDiNo75*kee,hfiyer the
fire one teacup of sweet milk for every guest ?
let it come to a boil, and stir in one egg, one
table-spoonful of flour wet with a little milk ;
stir it well, let it cook a few minutes; oil
common teacups with butter and pour the
pudding into them; when cool turn tbi cup
into a saucer, the pudding will slip out nice
ly; serve with sweetened cream. This is a
quick and cheap desert.
WnoopiNG Couon?A decoction of chest
nut leaves (cat/anca viiea) is said to be a
sovereign remedy for whooping cough.?
Steep three or four drachms of the leases in
boiling water, and give it either hot or cold,
with or without sugar. Carbonate of lime
should be put in saucers about the room in
which there is a sufferer from this disease.?
It prevents infection.
? On the supposition that an astrologist
of Indianapolis has read the stars aright, the
world is to be desolated this year by a plague.
It is to start in Russia in silks From Egypt
and Turkey, will spread over Europe and
America, and "will spot the people like a leo
pard." The statistics of the anticipated mor
tality are not given, but it is anDonnoed that
there will not be enough left to give the dead
a Christian burial.
? A shirt made with the magnetic needle
and the thread of a passion's discourse will
be exhibited at the World's Fair in New York.
? The most tender hearted man ever hemnfj
of was a shoemaker, who always shut his eyeif
and whistled when he ran his all into a sole.