Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], September 03, 1823, Image 4

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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« It is the gift of Poetry to consecrate
every place in ivhich it moves, to breathe
around nature an odour more exquisite
than the perfume of the rose, and to shed
over it a tint more magical than the blush
of the morning f
FROM THE BOSTON PALLADIUM.
G tell rae not that wine will soothe
The heart depress’d with woe;
O tell me not that wine will smooth®
Grim Penury’s haggard brow.
For though its wave may beam as bright
As evening’s brilliant tear,
It cannot gild misfortune’s night,
Or calm the sinner’-s fear.
O tell me not that beauty’s smile
(That sun of cloudless morn)
Can black Despair of woe beguile,
Or blunt Affliction’s thorn.
For though awhile its beams may play
When health and pleasure bloom,
Disease will shroud a pleasing ray—
It shines not in the tomb.
O tell me not that fame can give
The canker’d conscience peace;
O tell me cot that fame can live
When hope and life shall cease ;
For though it points where honor bleeds,
And bids the bosom burn,
Yet, as the lightning swift, recedes,
When Time hath grasp’d his urn.
But tell me that Religion’s ray,
Can light thexsoul to Heaven,
O tell me this can point the way
To Him on quicksands driven,
And I’ll believe; for well I know
That this alone can save,
That this can chase the clouds of woe,
And gild the peasant’s grave.
Dr. Johnson, whose talents every one
knows, were no less versatile than pow
erful, ridiculed the extravagant simplici
ty of some poetry of Percy’s collection, in
the following extempore verse, to which
some others have been added and pub
lished in the newspapers and magazines.
As with my bat upon my head,
I walk’d along the strand,
I there did meet another man,
With his hat in his hand.
With the same view, while taking tea at
Sir Joshua Reynolds’, the great moralist
addressed Miss Reynolds in the following
impromptu :
I pray thee gentle Renny dear,
That thou wilt give to me,
With cream and sugar temper’d well,
Another dish of tea;
Nor fear that I, my gentle maid,
Will long detain the cup,
When once unto the bottom I
Have drank the liquor up.
Yet hear, at last, this mournful truth,
Nor hear it with a frown,
Thou canst not make the tea so fast,
As I can gulph it down.
THE SMOKEY CHIMNEY.
Gripe’s chimney was smother’d wia soot
and wi’ smoke,
But I wont pay for sweeping, he mut
ter’d ;
So he took a live goose to the top—gave
a poke,
And down to the bottom it flutter’d.
Hiss, flippity ! hiss, flappity !
Flippity, flappity, hiss 1
Wauns ! how cruel, cries one—says ano
ther I’m shock’d—•
Queth Gripe, I’m as ham’d on’t, adzooks;
But I’ll do so no more. So the next time
it smok’d,
He popp’d down a couple of ducks.
Quaak, flippity, quaak, flappity !
Flippity, flappity*quaak !
ANDREW OEHLER,
TAILOR,
And Ladies' Riding-dress IA Pelisse Mak
er, from Washington City.
MOST respectfully begs leave to in
form the inhabitants of Harpers
Ferry, and its vicinity, that he has remov
ed to this place, where he intends carry
ing on the above branches in a style which
cannot be surpassed in the Union, in a
part of the shop now occupied by Geo.
W. Bond. From an experience of many
years in the principal cities of the United
States, he hopes to merit a share of pub
lic patronage, as he intends to unite taste
and good workmanship with punctuality
and economy.
CLEANING % SCOURING.
GENTLEMENS’ garments scoured
and cleansed in a superior manner, so as
to make them appear as new, by a pro
cess not injurious to the cloth, and on the
most reasonable terms.
Harpers-Ferry, Aug. 20, 1823.
Clean Linen ancl Cotton Rags,
Bought at this office.
GENERAL WASHINGTON;
TO THE EDITORS OF THE N. INTELLIGENCER.
Gentlemen: Under the title of Revolu
tionary Anecdotes, in your paper of yes
terday, I read with pleasure, and with
sympathetic feelings, the farewell scene,
when the General parted with the officers
whom he had so long commanded, and
with whom he had been so honorably en
gaged in the Revolutionary struggle. It
is so exactly like the conduct of that es
timable character, that I doubt not its per
fect truth. He was a man of great sensi
bility, amiable, kind, benevolent. But
there was so much native dignity in his
deportment, that no man could approach
him without being impressed with a sen
sation that he accosted a superior being:
yet there was a small mixture of timidi
ty in his general demeanor, lest he might
commit an error, and this modesty was
extremely prepossessing. It gave a mild
ness and kindness to his manner; and
when, by being much with him, the sen
sation of awe abated, it was converted
into a warm attachment to a person in
whom was found every amiable quality ;
lor he was a generous, Kitia-neartea, ana
most sincere friend ; as capable of giving
attentions as of expecting them, and nev
er failing to reciprocate a kindness.
I have lived for weeks together with
the General at Mount Vernon, at different
times, during many years, and the more
I knew of him the more I sincerely re
garded him. When he died he was the
best friend I had on earth, and his loss
I shall never cease to regret. It was to
me irreparable.
In the anecdotes above alluded to, the
General is represented as of so grave a
character, that he was scarcely ever seen
to laugh. I have seen him enjoy good
tales, and laugh as heartily as most men
of elevated character. He was occasion
ally grave when other men laughed, for
he had much to think of, that required
his attention. His correspondence was
so extensive, that he was seldom long un
occupied ; and he never left for the mor
row what the day required. He was
punctual, and in all things regulated by
the most perfect order, and the utmost
propriety. But he was of so amiable a
disposition, that he never failed to ex
press pleasure where he found a desire
to please. Though he enjoyed refined
and polished wit, it was not requisite to
shew that he enjoyed a happy sally—even
a pun has made the General laugh in
high glee ; and I have heard him make
observations with a good deal of quaint
ness and archness, suppressing a smile,
and leaving the company in full enjoy
ment of the effect. He was a man of ge
nius, and wrote some beautiful pieces of
poetry. But above all he was a man of
piety, a real Christian, and in the lan
guage of Scripture, walked humbly before
God.
In speaking with the General, on the
characters of our countrymen who were
sent on foreign missions, he gave me the
following character of John Q. Adams :
He observed that we had many estima
ble characters abroad,but that Mr. Adams,
then our Minister at the Court of Prus
sia, who was still very young, gave him
more real and satisfactory information of
the general politics of Europe, and of all
the affairs and diplomatic concerns rela
tive thereto, than all our other Ministers
together. The General expressed the
satisfaction which Mr Adams gave him,
in terms the most flattering. I mention
ed this in a large company, and the vene
rable William 'Bayly, who was present,
and who I know used often to visit the
General, declared that he also heard the
General say, that he thought Mr. John
Quincy Adams the most promising young
man in the U. States, and that the Gene
ral spoke of him in the very highest
terms.
Though from Mr. Adams I have not
had the honor of experiencing those ci
vilities which every Secretary of State
condescendingly tendered to me ( for I
have been above twenty years at the head
of a branch of the Department of State);
though I neither expect, nor shall ever
solicit any favor from him, on my own
account, and believe it might be to my
individual advantage were any other can
didate to be elected, I think it my duty
to inform the public of the opinion of
the great Washington ; aud I may add,
that, having for years lived the next-door
neighbor to Mr. Adams, I know.him to
be a truly upright and strictly honest
man, indefatigable in his public duties,
an excellent parent, beloved in his family,
religious, and ot tne highest moral cha
racter. When individuals are filling the
papers with the most violent abuse of
this gentleman, the minds of many good
men may be erroneously impressed; and
it is sometimes difficult to divest the
mind of injurious impressions, though
the result only of malevolent sarcasms de
void of truth, or intended merely to ope
rate to his political disadvantage ; and
though what I have stated may offend
some, yet I know that good men will du
ly appreciate whatever may tend to the
removal of error ; and I have now merely
performed a duty to the public.
x lament mat some ot toe newspapers
have become the vehicles of abuse. 1
have the honor of knowing well every
gentleman who has been proposed for
President, and I can say, with truth, that
each of them is worthy of the high honor
to which their friends have thought it
proper to sdlicit the public favor in their
behalf. WILLIAM THORNTON.
Washington, Aug. 15.
We all recollect the history of the La
cedemonian matron, whose joy at her
countrymen’s obtaining a victory was so
great, that she could not lament the loss
of her children slain in battle. The fol
lowing anecdote, extracted from Thach
er’s Military Journal, displays equal pa
triotism in conjunction with true pater
nal affection, and consequently places the
American father above the Spartan mo
ther.
“A venerable old man had five sons in
the field of the battle near Bennington,
and being told that he had been unfortu
nate in one of his sons, replied, What,
has he misbehaved ? did he desert his
post, or shrink from the charge?,No,
Sir, says the informant, worse than that;
he is among the slain—-he fell contending
mightily in the cause. Then I am satis
fied, replied the good old man; bring
him in, that I may behold him and sur
vey the darling of my soul. On which,
the corpse was brought in and laid be
fore him. He then called for a bowl of
water and a napkin, and with Ms own
hands washed the gore and dirt from his
son’s corpse, and wiped his gaping
wounds, with a complacency, as he him
self expressed it, which before he had
never felt or experienced.”
The story is simple and touching.
Boston Gazette,.
EQUITY vs, BEAUTY.
A very beautiful Countess went to a
morose, surly judge’s chamber, to pre
possess him in favour of a very unrighte
ous cause, and to solicit for a colonel
against a tradesman that sued him, This
tradesman happened that very moment
to be in his lordship’s closet, who found
his cause to be so just and clear, that he
could not forbear to promise him to take
care he should carry the day.
The words were no sooner out of his
mouth, but our charming countess ap
peared in the anti-chamber.—The judge
immediately ran as fast as his gouty legs
would give him leave, to meet her lady
ship; her eyes, air, and graceful deport
ment, the sound of her voice,,so many
charms, in short, pleaded so powerfully
in her favour; that at the first moment he
found the man too powerful for the judge,
and promised our countess the colonel
should gain his case. Thus you sea the
poor judge engaged on both sides. When
he came back to his closet he found the
tradesman reduced to the last despair.™
I saw her, cries the fellow, almost out of
his wits; 1 saw the lady that solicits
against me, and, Lord, what a charming
creature she is! I am undone, my lord,
my cause is lost and ruined. Why7, says
the judge,not yet recovered from his con
fusion, imagine yourself in my place, and
tell me if Yis possible for frail man to re
fuse any thing so beautiful a lady asks ?
As he spoke these words, he pulled a hun
dred pistoLs out of his pocket, which
amounted to the sum the tradesman sued
for, and gave them to him. By some
means or other, the countess came to the
kno wledge of it, and as she was virtuous
even to a scruple, she was afraid of being
too much obliged by so generous a judge,
and immediately sent him a hundred pis
toles. The colonel, full as gallant as the
countess, was scrupulous, and paid her
the sum aforesaid ; and thus,' every one
did as he ought to do. The judge was
afraid of being unjust, the countess fear
ed to be too much obliged, the colonel
paid, and the tradesman was satisfied;
or, according to an old English adage,
“all was well; Jack had Joan, and the
man had his mare again.s®
When Poet. Shebbeare stood in the
pillory, for writing a libel, the weather
proving rainy, a porter was employed to
hold an umbrella over him.—-The man
afterwards applied for pay and was pre
sented with a shilling.—-This sum he
thought inadequate and pleaded for more.
The Doctor observed 14 you stood but an
hour, Sir, and surely I have paid enough.”
u ’Tis enough for the work, I grant, re
plied the porter, but for heaven’s sake,
your Honour, consider the disgrace of
being exposed in company with you. I
find, d’ye see, that one half of the staring
multitude took me for a rogue as well as
your Honour—and by all that’s honest I
would not go through the same again to
be made a Jutice of the Quorum.”—
Shebbeare paused a moment, took back
the shilling, and gave him a guinuea.
The Chinese are not remarkable for
their taste, but in imitation they are un
rivalled. An Englishman, who wished
to have a silk coat, requested a friend
who was going, to get one made there;
and, as a pattern for fashion and size
sent an old garment that fitted him; to
which the Chinese tailor adhered so cor
rectly that he inserted a patch on one of
the elbows because the old coat had one5.
TO ISiiiLMbrlli
rg^HE undersigned intend to erect a.
H BRIDGE across the Potomac river
at Harpers-Ferry. This place contains
about 1500 inhabitants, is situate at the
junction of said river with the Shenan
doah, in Jefferson county, one of the most
fertile in Virginia. It is about 60 miles
above Washington city, and on the most
direct route to the western states. The
river is navigable the greater part of the
year, affording an easy water communi
cation with the eastern cities. The site
possesses advantages; the river is 720
feet wide, and is shallow ; the bed is so
lid rock ; for the abutments and piers
there is stone on the spot; timber and all
other materials can be easily procured;,
and on good terms. The Bridge to be
of wood, except the abutments and piers?,
and it must be built of the best ma
terials, and warranted. A further de
scription is deemed unnecessary, as un
dertakers will first view the site. Propo
sals will be received until the middle of
October next.
CATHARINE WAGER
JAMES B. WAGER.
Harpers-Ferry, Va. July 23, 1823.
IQ0 The Editors of the National Intel
ligencer, the Philadelphia National Ga
zette, the New York Patriot, „and the
New Haven Pilot, are requested to pub
lish the, above, conspicuously, once a
week for 6 weeks, and transmit their ac
counts for payment.
WILLIAM P ROWLHS,
IJTAViNG removed from Harpers-Fer
j§[ ry to the Stone House oecupied by
Mr. Spencer Donaldson, near the Short
Hill, between Hillsborough and Harpers
Ferry, respectfully offers his services, in
the practice of
Medicine and Surgery,
to the citizens of the neighborhood.
Should any be so unfortunate as to need
his services, he hopes that his strict at
tention to his profession will entitle him
to their favorable consideration.
Aug. 20, 1823.
NOTICE.
ALL persons indebted to the estate of
JOHN CONVV AY, dec’d, by bond,
note, rents, or otherwise, are requested
to make immediate payment, as the law
will be immediately enforced against
those who do not comply. And those
persons having claims against said estate
ate requested to exhibit them, properly
authenticated, for payment.
JOHN JAMISON.
Adm'sfr of John Conway, dec’ctk*
Aug. 20, 1823. n
BAR IRON.
rg^HE subscriber has for sale, a quan»
jj tity of BAR IRON, from Shoenber
ger’s Iron Works, superior to any in this
quarter of the country.
F. BECKHAM.
Aug. 20, 1823.
D. A WEED $ Co.
Have just received,
JOIGURED Black Canton Crapes,.
It Coloured do. do.
Cambric Muslins,
Tamboured Jackonett do.
Corded Cambric Ginghams,
Irish Linens,
Steam Loom Shirtings Sc Sheetings',
Ladles’ Figured silk,}
Satteen, § SHOES—■
Prunelle, & ?
Morocco 5
Hosiery, See. See.
Likewise, Molasses, loaf & brown Su
gar, Coffee, Chocolate, Powder, Shot,
Nails, &c.
We have now on hand,
300 yards Calicoes at from 18 to 20 cents
per yard,
4-4 do. at 25 cents,
Ginghaths at 12-J to 16 cents,
4-4 Domestic Shirtings at l shil.
30 pair ladies’ morocco walking Shoes
and Pumps at gl.
Aug. G.
KOWNSLAR’S WHISKEY,
HT^OR sa^c
JJ D. A. WEED & CO.
August 13, 1823.
NOTICE.
THE Lancasterian School will re
open on Monday next, under the di
rection of Edward Lucas, jr. Persons
having children to send are respectfully in
vited to do so soon? as the number is near
ly made up.
Aug. 27, 1823.
NEW GOODS.
WE have just received several loads
of goods, consisting of
Dry Goods % Groceries,
amongst which will be found SALT and
FISH, by the barrel. To all of which we
would invite the attention of the public.
D. A WEED % Co.
i
Aug 27.