Newspaper Page Text
Mg"TMWMwWB1B1'MMWMSMMWIS''alWfcSlsdaBMS - - - ' " '- n i- .mil., i i i i - l.i . . i - .J -w-rt -j i BY S. B. ROW. CLEARFIELD, PA., "WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1858. vol. 5-m. a. 5 3 1 f ; f For the "Rafts-man's Journal' MV DESTINY'S STAR. My heart flutters wildly when fond recollection Annihilates spaco, that divides me afar From one who possesses my whole heart's affection, And who has ever boon My Destiny's Star. I met her, and loTod her when youth's hopes were shining. mar, And nothing appeared our bright prospects to When round oar fond hearts thoso pure feelings were twining. Star. Y?hich mad a her and keeps her My Deatiny's Long years hare elnpsed. and a sad separation, - All hopes of a anion forever debar. Cut in sadness and sorrow, and great tribulation, " She has been, as ever, My Destiny's Star. -Ar.d bow, when despair o'er my spirit is creeping. And pleasure hns flown from my bosom afar, Por very grief A. affliction that dear one is weeping Oh, sweet gentle spirit. My Destiny's Star. Far down in the future. I ses fato revealing Thelove which has so long been bound in despair; A vision of gladness upon uic comes stealing. - - And raises my thoughts to My Destiny's Star. I look to that orb which, with constancy beaming. Illumines my pathway thro' life's varied war. And behold ir. its brightness an end of all dreaming, A union immortal with Destiny's Star. IIcoo Till: Cl'LPRIT JUDGE. A TALE Or THE BEXCH AM BAR. ', 2o one of the Western States I vas onco trosecuting Attorney. The settler's axe was then familiar music, and this prairies away from the woodlands had not heard the scream of the team whistle. All the branches of society, W trade, of business and professions, were iu h. transition ttutc. Of course the Judges wore not men of vast learning or of rare character; nd, lest I appear vain, I may add, that the lawyer)i were by no means Chief Justice Taneys f - TUi Judge who travelled the circuit with lis In the counties round about the city of , had J;eii i;i early life a horse jockey, and picked v.p a large amount of tact, know ledge of men, and of human nature, and of social motive, that was of much use to him in his legal walk. At the West he had been a member of" the first Constitutional Convention in our State, and liein good talker and of quick natural intel lect, bad shone in the debates. Of course it wis natural that as he made the law, he should cl.iiai to be able to expound it. And at the election, alter the State was admitted, he was cliospn a Judge. I noTer liked him. With ail his affability ad apparent deference of manner, there was in his composition an under strata of cunning that I suspected and became wary of. When 1 was chosen people's solicitor, he sought my vonfidence, but I repelled it, and, except in Court, wo were little together. Many a time on the civil aide had be given a charge on lacJj, or acquiesced in my law when I felt that I was wrong, nor could I fathom why he thus tight the winning side of me. 1 suspected him of knavery. When priso ners were convicted, his discretion of punish ment and sentence were oddly inconsistent, lie fined when be should have imprisoned, and confined when a nominal punishment would have answered the justice of the case. But I never could get any clue, and with the populace he was regarded as a man of rare in tegrity and firmness ot mind. One night at the inn, in the little Tillage of Washington, where a week's court was to be held. I went to my '-boarded oft" bed-room for an afternoon nap, and was soon fast asleep. I was awakened by a confused liitirimiring, that, alter I was thoroughly aroused, I per ceived to come from the adjoining room ; one appropriated to Judge C. He is committing his Grand Jury charge," said I to myself, when I heard a strange voice a.iy."th boodle is most used of the old stripe." Now, "boodle" is a flash term used by coun terfeiters, and it immediately attracted my "prosecuting" attention. As I sat upon the bid s:de, a ray of light came through a chink in the boarded partition. As a man, honor would have forbidden a "peep ;" as an officer of t he law, prudence commanded it. So, draw ing myself noiselessly and closely to the wall, or the" board separation. I looked through the crack, and saw Judge C seated at a table w ith a sinister looking man. who wore a pair i t remarkable whiskers; and the two were counting quite a pile of new bank bills. I listened, but not a word was spoken for some time. I saw the money divided into three piles, and the Judge placed one in his pocket, and the whiskered man took the oilier, and then drawing oft' his boots divided the third pile between each boot inside of it, and then he again placed them on bis feet. Next the Judge said : "Be careful and send it to the proper place. His sinister companion gave a meaning smile ; they shook hands ; the stran ger left tbo room cautiously ; and then sat down to some papers. I continued to look for eveval minutes, bnt he was absorbed in his duties, when just as I was about quitting my point literally a point of observation, ho arose, and taking out his roll of bills, placed them up the chimney ! and then continued bis reading. I mnst say my blood ran cold, for a grave suspicion bad often crossed my mind that he was a rascal ; but I never suspected him I be ing connected with the drovers, trappers, and tradcrs.who occasionally make fpurious money their commodity. Nor, osl sat collecting my thoughts, could I conceive it possible, when I remember bow severe he bad always been upon the passage of counterfeit money, and how earnestly and solemnly bo always in his charges in such cases declared against the enormity of Tenders who substituted spurious currency to.- good. I therefore concluded that the word "boodle," and tho suspicious "boot-stuffing janst rclat to some other kiud of offence con nected with which I felt assured be must be. Stealthily going out, I carefully descended tbe stairs and entered the bar-room. 1 he sin ister looking man was seated at a tab o read ing the last Cincinnati paper, as calm ami placid as if he were the Methodist minister of the tiding. I sat down and pulled out a law paper, pretending to read it, but I was glanc ing over its top at tho stranger. His oyes did not wander from a particular point of the pa per. Nor did the sheet, after several minutes turn ; I therefore concluded ho was not read ing, but reflecting. I endeavored to catch bis eye, bnt could not. I next thought of trying the demeanor of the Judge ; so making In tuy mind ao exeuse relating to my official duties, J again walked up stairs and knocked at the door. Ills pleasant voice, in an unembar rassed lone, cried, "Walk in," and I entered. After getting through with my exenses and fcss1ns5; I ta'd In s careless tone "What hare yon been doing all tho afternoon, Judgo ?' He answered just as carelessly, "Going thro' my charge, and a decision or two I have to make up to-morrow. As yet I have not seen any one since I arrived." The last lie was an unnecesary one, as I knew its falsity, for be needed not to have as serted the fact an immaterial one. This, therefore, the more confirmed my suspicions ; because I had found these immaterial asser tions to be always mado by witnesses when they are committing perjury, just as cowards whistle to keep up courage. We continued chatting until the bell rang for tea, but not a tone or an act betrayed that the Judge was troubled or uneasy. Wo went down stairs toguther and began our meals. The whiskered stranger sat opposite, bnt he and tho Judge were to each other as if they had not met. One or two civilities passed be tween them, but they were accompanied with freezing politeness, somewhat unusual in our western way of life. All this satisfied me there was something out of the way, and I re solved while at the table to furnish myself with some evidence. I finished the meal first, and went up stairs into the Judge's room, and groping to the chimrey in the dark felt for a loose brick, found it, and discovered a roll of paper, took oil one or two pieces, and replaced the balance hastily and left the room. Nothing more occurred that night worth nar rating, but next day in Court I found on the calendar the case of a man who bad been in dicted some months betore lor counterfeiting and had been out on bail. "What does this mean?" I asked of the clerk, "I did not authorize the trial, nor am I prepared with witnesses." "Judge C ordered it on last term for this day," answered the clerk, "producing your request." ".My request," stammered I. "Yes; and here it is," as be handed me a piece of paper, bearing in my writing tho words, "Give Judge C his request!" I re membered, now I say it, that I had written the paper, but could not recall the apparently trivial circumstances which had prompted it. Just then Jud?e C entered, and Court bu siness began. The case in question being called I arose to postpone it on the ground of not Iwing prepared. A stranger arose from among tho lawyers, and said he was counsel for the prisoner, and came from Cincinnati to try the case, at much trouble, and as be understood, because it had been ordered on for that day. The cov.nsvl via the Hack vhiskertd companion of the Judge. Tho latter with a bland smile, and dipping his pen in tha ink, ready for the memorandum, asked, "What is your name, sir?" I was so astonished at this cool impudence that I did not hear the answer, but proceeded to deny any understanding, and to charge that there was some trick. My opponent warily rejoined, and moved if the case was not tried, that his client lie dis charged on bail. This was giving him liberty to run if ho pleased, and I opposed this mo tion. My adversary ajain rejoined, and to my utter astonishment Judge C granted there quest, and ordered the clerk to cancel the trial bone. At this juncture I sat amid the titter of my brethern, who were ready enough to laugh at W. being caught napping, as they phrased it. While I was meditating my wrath and my re venge the clerk announced the panel of Grand Jurors was now complete, and they were rea dy for business. Judge C arose to address and charge them. lie was as cool and placid as the morning itself. Oh, you hypocrite ! f muttered through my j teeth, as the black whiskered consul and j confederate, as I fully knew him to be slily ; sneered at me nnd drew his chair close to the bench in attitude of deferential listening. The charge was an elaborate one. It was an essay on crime and its enormities, and seemed dramatically worked up. Its abjura tions to th grand jury to fearlessly mves-j tigate were very pathetic. Its encomiums on virtue were touching!)- true. j Scarcely had the jury retired, than, in my capacity as a prosecuting officer I followed the members to their chamber. To the form-' al question, "What was the first business ?'.' I answered ; "To investigate a charge or mal feasance in ollico against the the Judge." The foreman and his fellows looked at each other in astonishment. Finally one of them said with a smile "Take care, brother W. that your professional rivalry docs not get you into trouble." I replied by telling my story and narrating all the suspicious circumstances of tho past twenty-four hours, and concluded by request ing that the black whiskered counsel be called and examined. Amid tho astonished silence of tho grand inquest the constable in attend ance went after and returned with the stranger. He entered easily and unabashed, saying as he took a chair, "I am told you desire me to be a witness ?" Perhaps culprit !" 1 exclaimed in a pas sion, ectirely losing my control. And then not heeding the hand of the foreman on my shoulder in restraint, I said to the constable who bad lingered by the door, "Take ofl his boots!" The stranger made two bounds, and was at tho window which led into tho garden of the jail. But the grip of the constable was on him securely. In an instant one of the jurors took his arm another took his leg, and be fore any one bad time to speak the boots were off, and two rolls of bills fell on the floor. The firmness and presence of mind of the stranger forsook him ; he trembled in every muscle; and as I whispered to him "Villain, not even your friend, Judge C.,can save you." be turned ghastly pale. He was seated on a chair. "Is this eood money or bad?" said the foreman, breaking the dull ceeded the struggle. "Am I a witness or am silence that suc I accused !" be stammered, looking toward rac. "Witness," said I, "if you tell all you know about Judgo C , who is far better game than you." "I know nothing about Judge C , he stammered, I never saw bim until this day." "Liar!" I shouted, forgetting any official dignity, in my rage at his falsehood. "Last ni'ht you and he were together, exchanging monev, and, in bis presence, you concealed vour -boodle" in your boots." -" Immediately he stood up tn an attitude of defiance tlen sat down half rose again turned red, and then pale; while Luge drops of sweat stood on his face. no saw ho was, by some means, cornered ; and, in a moment, recovering himself, answer- ed, "I will be witness the judgo is guiltier than I !" I have not space for his story, but its a monat was, that long before the judge remov ed to the West, they bad been confederates at tho East in circulating counterfeit money while horsejockeying. They were connected with a well-organized and secret band. The leaders were the manufacturersand bankers of the "boodle." Middle-men brought it and dispensed it to tho underlings who purchased it at a discount of fifty cents, to pass it off at par. As fast as the last counterfeit was dis covered, a new one was made. Judge C , while upon the bench, was able to be as moral and as severe as be pleased with the underling classes, who never knew the haunts and ways and companionships of those above them. But the man whose trial was for the day, for whom Judge C had interceded, was one of the upper class, and hence the necessity of the action. "It is time now to sec tho Judge," said I, turning to tho Grand Juryman, who were pet rified at the tale they had just heard. .No one answered. I will go and prepare him for your action," I next said ; "for to indict him in his own court, while he is upon the bench, will be a scandal upon justice." As I entered tho court room he was announ cing the noon recess. There was a little room ofl, containing a few law books and a desk, into Which bo usually retired, and thither I followed him. "Judge," said I and my voice trembled like the voice of a man under severe ague, so terribly was I wrought up by the excitement of the morning's accusations and confession "Judge, I have very, very bad news for you." "For me ?" said be, with tho utmost non chalance, notwithstanding the peculiarity and mystery cf my manner. "Yes, for you ; the Cincinnati lawyer has told all," I shook out rather than spoke. lie still smiled; it was awful t see his hy pocrisy and calmness of demeanor, and for a moment I knew not what to say. Then ta king from my vest pocket two of the bills unrolled from his chimney depositc, I held them before him and said: -IIo has told about these; and I myself, last night, saw you place tho counterfeit money in the fire-place, when he placed his in his boots." His composure was instantly gone. He wilted like a scorched weed on the prairie, and his manhood gave way as it he had been afffictod with sudden paralysis. Tho room rather swam before my eys, for tho sight ot a culprit Judge was not an every day onj, and then I found him at my knees grovelling on the floor like a dog. He tore his hair, wrenched his bands, his eyes glared, and his powerful frame quivered in every part. Indeed I was unmanned my self, to behold so sudden and wretched a sight. "Oh good W. ! dear W.! don't betray me! Consider how dreadful ! And I a Judge ! Oh ! the disgrace! My wife and children ? What will they say? Don't betray ine ! I was to be the next Governor you' know that! Oh oh oh how dreadful !" and ho rocked himself on his knees to and fro, almost bursting with agony. These were some of the heart-harrowing in coherences which I can now remember over all the dreadful sconces that followed. I raised him from the floor, nnd placed him in a cljair, and then said: "Alas, Judge G., appeals to mo are too late. Your confederate has told all, and the Grand Jury has taken his testimony." His eye-balls glared at me like those of a maniac. Then, as if wrung by some wonderful impulse, he became calm. Indeed that calmness was more dreadiul to bthold than had been his excitement, imprecations, and agonizing entreaty. u ell, if it must be so, it must. Hut let me see the foreman only for a moment, bring him up-go for him leave the room go do go go 1" His excitement was returning ; ar.d without reflecting, as I should have done, I turned and left the room, amid the curious looks ot tho crowd who had now gathered for, in those es'ern settlements, secrecy was of no moment about Grand Jury matters, and hall the village already knew the ttory I had just crossed the court room, I repeat, when I heard a dreadful groan and a simultaneous pistol report. It was then succeeded by an instant of terri ble silence, and then the crowd burst into the room. Judge C. lay upon the floor, with his blood and brains shockingly scattered about the lit tle chamber. When I returned he had drawn his pistol, and to his other crimes added that of suicide, lie was a ghastly sight to see, nor shall I ever forget the memories of that dread ful day, when I was compelled to behold the living agony and the dving woes of a culprit judge, in sight of that bench and bar whereat he had so often presided in convicting and sentencing villains less guilty than he himself had been. Power of Steam "Is it stamc 7" said an Irishman. "By the saintly St. Pathrick, but it's a mighty grate thing, intirely, for dhriving things 1 It put me through nine States in a day ! Divil a word o' lie in it." "N ine States !" exclaimed a dozen in aston ishment. "Yes, nine o' them, be jabers ! as aisy as a cat ud lick her ear. D'ye see, now, how I got married in New York in the morning, and went w id my Biddy to Baltimore the same day honld your whist now. and count the States. There was a state of matrimony I entered from a single State, in a solier state, in the State of New York, and I went through New Jarsey, Pinsylvany, and Dilawar, into Maryland where I arrived in a most beautiful state of jollifica tion. There is nine, by the holy poker, count 'em If yez like ! Och! but stame's a scrou erl" Our readers have all heard the saying that "nine tailors make one man."' Possibly, however, some of them would like to know the origin of the saying. Here it is: In 1482, an orphan beggar boy applied for alms at a tailor's shop in London, in which nine journeymen were employed. His lorlorn but intelligent appearance touched the hearts of the benevolent tailors who gave him a shil ling each. With this capital the young hero purchased fruit, which he retailed at a profit. From this beginning, by industry and perseve rance, he rose to destinctlon and usefulness. When bis carriage was built, ho caused to be painted on the panned. "Nipe tailors made me a njap." , INVENTION" OF TIIE STEAM ENGINE. In 1543, it appears that such a thing as a steam vessel was known in Spain. This is a fact not widely circulated. At that date a Spaniard exhibited in the presence of Charles V. and all his court, in the harbor of Barcelo na, a vessel of 200 tons, propelled -by an en gine, the construction of which was a secret to all but the inventor. The chronicles of that day inform ns that there was a great cauldron of boiling water within, and two wheels on the outside, which moved the vessel. The treas urer of the kingdom objected to its introduc tion. It seems to have been quite perfect, since the objections urged against it were that it was too complicated, very expensive, and the boiler apt to explode. But Spain was not ripe for it; the world was not ripe for it. The inventor, disgusted with the wantaf apprecia tion displayed by the court, took the engine out of the vessel, allowed the ship to rot in the arsenal, and bis secret perished with him in his grave. One century later and the same problem was offered to France. A celebrated female, e quaily renowned for her beauty, immoralities, misfortunes, and longevity also, lor she died at tho age of 131 years the famous Marie do l'Orme, so well known to the readers of mod ern fiction has furnished ns, in a letter to an admirer, written in 1841, these most astonish ing details. The celebrated Marquis of Wor cester was then on a visit to Madame in Paris, and with her visited a mad-house in the capi tal. While crossing the court-yard Of that dismal establishment, the lady was almost par alyzed with terror, nnd while clinging to her companion she saw a frightful face looking throngh the bars of a window of a building, and heard these strange words : "I am not mad! I am not mad! I have made a discovery which shall entich the kingdom that adopts it." Tho question was asked by one ot the visitors, what is St that this man has discover ed ? The answer of tho visiter, with a mock ing laugh was, "Oh, it's not much ; it's some thing about the power of steam." And so the lady laughed that a man should go mad about so frivolous a thing as that. This man, it seems, came from Normandy to bring before the king his discovery of the fact that steam could be used to navigate tho ocean, and in short there was nothing that ho did not claim could be done by the power of steam. Cardinal Kichelien was uppermost then, and though he was most sagacious and enlightened as worldly wisdom goes, yet he turned his back on the. inventor. The mm followed him from placo to place, and the car dinal, getting tired of his pertinacity, sent him to tho mad-house. The man even wrote a book on tho subject of his thoughts, entitled Moving Powers. The Marquis of Worcesier was much interested in this book, and used some of its ideas afterward in his own works. So we sec that France in 1641, as Spain in 1543, proved her inability to take up and wield this mortal thunderbolt. Tho problem was reserved for tho Anglo Saxon raco to grapple with and conquer, and thereafter the mechanical skill of England was turned to this invention with various success, till in the middle of the last century, after tho idea had been floating lor 200 years in ingeni ous minds, the steam engine, that scarcely in auimatc Titan, that living, burning mechan ism, was brought t.o perfection by James Watt. Thenceforth the engines of labor, marshalled by tho power which Watt brought forward, were to make their bloodless triumph, not for the destruction but for the blessing ot man kind. All hail to thee, mute, indefatigable a gent of strength, wot king in deep mines, mo ving along the pathways of trade, toiling in the service of man ! No fatigue can palsy thy herculean arm ! No trampled hosts writhe under thy feet ! No widowed hearts bleed at thy beneficent victories ! England solved t'ie problem, but it seems as if it were tho will of Providence that she should not go so far as to apply steam to the navigation of the ocean. This part of the problem remained for the other branch of the Anglo-Saxon raco the branch of that West ern Hemisphere whose expanded territories arc traversed by some of the noblest rivers, and separated from England by an almost world-wide ocean. The thoughts of the men of tho last centnry after the-devolution were turned to the development of steam. One of those men attracted theattention of him whom nothing escaped that belonged to tho welfare of this country of Washington and ho ex pressed his satisfaction of the experiments of Rnmsey. It seems almost providential that steam was not invented in ocean navigation at the time of the Revolution, for it would have given her vast resources and powers to bear more swiftly and directly on the struggling colonists; with what effect no one can tell. But the Revolutionary peritd was passed, and independence established, the hour had come, and the man was there. In the year 1799 the thought became mature in Fulton's mind, and Chancellor Livingston took a deep interest in the scheme of water navigation by steam. They applied to the New York Legis lature for an act of incorporation. I am sorry to say that America at that time did not seem much wiser than France and Spain had been liefore her. Livingston tells us that the young men of tho Legislature, when tired of the graver matters of tho law. would call op tho steam bill, as they called it, and have a little fun. Y'onng America did not on that occasion show himself much wiser than his seniors. But, nothing discouraged, Fulton and his co adjutors persevered, and twenty years had not passed away before steam was found on our sounds, lakes, and great rivers, and that at a time when it was known only by hearsay in Europe. This was all that was needed then. Twenty years more elapsed before English cap ital was first applied to the navigation ot the ocean itself by steam which America little needed, but which England desired as giving to her access to tho Western world. Edward Everett's late Speech at Danvers. Where Fine Shawls are Feom. In Bock hara, the-camel is watched while the fine hair on the under part of the body is growing. This fine hair is cut of so carefully that not a fibre is lost. It is then put by until there is enough to spin into a yarn, unequalled for softness, and then it is dyed a'l manner of col ors, and woven into strips eight inches wide, of shawl patterns, such as with all our pains, and cost, with all our designs of study and art wo-ar not yet able to rival. These strips aro then, sewed .together so cunningly that no European, can discover the joints. They arc then taken fifteen hundred miles to the borders of Rnssla abdoldV ': PARSON CUMMINGS' WIG. Abingdon, the county seat of Washington county, Virginia, was settled soon after the close of the Indian war, and a small fort cal led Black Fort, was erected on a creek just south of the Tillage. It was nothing more than a rude structure, similar to those usual ly erected by the early settlers, and consisted of a few log cabins, surrounded by a stockade for defence agrinst predatory bands of Indi ans; for although the war had virtually clos ed, yet occasional parties of warriors would go out upon the war path, to secure scalps and drive off cattle. Some of the settlers wore adventurous e nough to erect their cabins without the pro tection of the fort, disregarding the danger from the Indians.. One of these was a man by the name of Cummitigs, familiarly known as "Parson Cuminings," from the fact that he occasionally preached to the settlers whenever he happened to be at the fort on Sunday, and sometimes the good natured parson would make it bis especial errand to attend the Til lage or fort for that purpose. His cabin was situated about two and a half miles out In a north-west direction lrotn the Tillage, where he bad cleared a few acres and planted his crops, which promised bim an ample return. On one occasion, an alarm from Indians had driven the settlers tto the protection of the fort, nnd among the rest who sought its friend ly shelter, was the parson and his family. It happened, alter a while, from the num bers who had assembled, that the provisions began to run short, and soon run so low that it was necessary to pet the members npon short allowance. As this state of things could not long continue without some steps taken to supply the deficiency, it ws decided to send out a party to one of the clearings to obtain the necessary supplies. Now the parson was a good hearted, generous man, and offered to conduct a party to his clearing, and get from his fields the required munitions. Accord ingly a party, embracing souie of the most ath letic men of the garrison started with a wagon lor the parson's place. The fear of the Indi ans had somewhat subsided, as none had been 9een or heard of for a number of days, and it was supposed they had decamped fiom the neighborhood. ' At least this is the most like ly supposition, and in no other way can the negligence of the party in preparing them selves for the emergency of meeting the sava. ges, and their careless manner of proceeding be accounted for. The party were pursuing their way, thoughtlessly laughing, talking and shouting to each other, when from a ravine which skirted the road, near half a mile from the fort, they received a volley from the rifles of a number ot Indians, who, warned of the approach of the whites by their inconsiderate noise, had laid an ambush for them at this point The horses before tho wagon were killed, two or three of the men wounded, and one killed outright, having received three balls through his body. The others, entirely unprepared for such an attack, fled into the bushes and undertook to elude the savages, who fired and then rushed upon tho astonished party to use the scalping knife. And tho sccae was an ex citing one. The whites, recovering from, their first panic, sprang each to a tree, and endea vored to gain tho vantage ground they had lost. The respective parties were pretty equal in numbers, but the Indians had gained the supremacy in the first onset from the amaze ment of their opponents; and although they lost two or three of their number from the tire of the wbites, yet they maintained their ad vantage atid drove them back, until those who could were obliged to take to their heels, and after an exciting raco of half a mile, they reached the fort in safety. Those who were wounded by biding and dodging, managed to escape the red skins without further injury. But what became of the parson 7 Well, tho parson, being quite fat, in truth too pnrsey to think of walking far, bad taken bis seat in the wagon to drive, and seeing that his horses would not do any more driving alter they were shot, and believing that He who fights and runs away, May live to fight another day, leaped or rather rolled out of the wagon and took to his heels in the most undignified and unbecoming manner in the world. The parson wore a large, powdered, curled wig, the kind so much worn in olden times, though he did not use a wig because he wished to follow the fashion but because he was perfectly bald his head was as bare and destitute of hair as a baby's face. As he reached hia feet and start ed to run, this splendid head of hair was a striking object and attracted the cupidity of one of the savages, who determined to secure so valuable a trophy. The parson was not long in discovering that he was an especial ob ject of pursuit, and be urged his clumsy lower limbs to the utmost ; but be soon lound be was no match for the fleet red-skin, and find ing him almost to his heels, ducked his head and crept into the sheltering embrace of a clump of thorny underbrush which grew near. In doing so, he left the wig which had marked him out so prominently in the pursuit, npon a bramble. The Indian, thinking the head was beneath it, of course, made two bounds, and bis fingers were twined in tho copious cnrls, and his tomahawk raised to give the fatal blow. As ho jerked the supposed head aside, how ever, to strike the supposed victim in the temple, it was disengaged, and he held in hand an empty scalp. Picture to yourself, dear reader, for I cannot describe, the look of that poor dumpfonnded Indian as he discover ed the cheat, and imagine. the mingled dis gust, disappointment, anger, and chagrin with which be threw it npon tho ground, and stamping upon it he exclaimed, "D dlie!" and turning, he gave up the chase. He had probably never before seen a wig, and was as much pnzzled as he was disgusted at such a mode of taking scalps. The parson who was puffing and blowing in the uncomfortable but friendly clump of brush, as may bo supposed, rejoieed at tho favorable close of the adventure, although he could not help mourning for the loss of bis favorite wig. Terrible Scffeeiso tkom Thirst. A long letter appears m a Texas paper concerning the passage of M'CuIJoch's emigrant train across the staked plain to California. The Great Ameiican Desert, through which the train passed, is a barren waste, and poorly supplied with water. Out of 1600 head of cttle, 950 died for lack of water, and for a period of seventy-six honrs were without a drop to slake their thirst. The men also su tiered terribly, and many shot down famishing bullocks on tho road,pnlU?d off their boots or shoes, caught the fWcfc Ao blcod, and, drank it freely. . ARMY LIFE IN UTAH. A writer from the camp at Salt Lake, in letter dated 31st August says: The Army camp is about to bo removed a few miles, to a point where preparations are being made for tho winter. Huts are being built there of clay, in the shape of large sized bricks and dried in the sun, (adopoj. Each ofSccr is to have a room 15 leet square, with walls 7 leet high tho earth for a floor, and, perhaps heaven for a ceiling, in part at least, for though a sort of roof will bo made, it will be a holy one. The Mormons are at work mak ing the adopes ; at least one hundred Mormons are now at work, and they have contracted to make one million and a half of them. ' After they are completed the troops will move, and it will take the soldiers a month to make their preparations for 'Winter. This tear is a capital thing for the Mormons ; they sell ibcir Vegetables, &c, at their own price,, pretty generally, though every day aft officer is detailed to attend to the prices, of things brought to the camp to sell; then, thef requ ire Mormon prices for their labor ; in short it is a fine thing for the Mormons to' have tho troops ont here to eat all they want, to sell. ' " As to Drigbam, he fares sumptuously every day. His house is very fine ; it is said to have cost sixty thousand dollars. On the cupalo is a bec hive, beautifully caived in wood, la this bouse he attends to business, receives vis itors, and here resides Mrs. Brighani Xo. 1. In the house next to this, all tho other Mrs. Brigham's live say fifty or sixty, and over the portico of this house is a largo lion, carved trom stone. The lion is finely done, and is in a recumlcnt position. Around these two houses is an immense wall, built of stone, enclosing the entire square, (about as large aa one of your Washipgton squares.) The gates are heavy and strong, like the sally-ports of a fort. Within this wall aie always forty or fif ty armed men. Brighani is quite a domestic man ; perhaps be is a little afraid to go at large, and then he has. no doubt, a fine socie ty at home. He must be, literally, a lion at one of his wifes soirees. Gov. Banks, of Mass., Attacked bt x ma Womas. Governor Banks visited the North' ampton (Mass.) Insane Asylum, on the 27th nit., and while viewing the inmates, Mrs. Phelps, the woman who some Tears since was charged with poisoning her husband, and af terwards became deranged, seized the Gover nor by the arm and declared that "she woaM instantly drag him to execution it was use less to resist she was commissioned to bang" him and must do it." and snit?ng the action to tho word, she seized the Governor by the col. lar, and probably, but for his earnest resist ance and timely aid of Dr. Trince, the com mcnwealtb would to da J-have been without her chief executive magistrate. A Max Sua ted with akAozk. Since beards and razors were invented, says the Abingdon firginiau, we never heard of an innovation or improvement upon the latter until Tuesday last. On the evening of that day, two men in the neighborhood of onr depot, getting into a fracas, one of them struck at the other with a foot-ad.e, and completely shared his ekin at one stroke, without materially injuring lb meat. We learn that the shaved man was the aggressor and that the other one tUdtid him in self-delence. May the Lord deliver us from such a barber and such a razor. The latest novelty from Germany is a mn sical bed, which receive the weary body, and immediately "laps it into Elysium." It is an invention of a mechanic in Bohemia, and is so constructed that by means of a hidden me chanism, a pressure upon the bed causes a soft and gentle air of Auber to be played which continues to lull the most wakefnl to sleep. At the head is a clock, the hand of which be ing placed at the hour the sleeper wishes to rise, when the time arrives the bed plays a inarch of Spotoni, with drums and cymbals, and, in short, with noise enough to rouse the seven sleepers. Wo.iPF.RrrL Achievement. M. Garrani, a French machinist, has, it is said, perfected an atrial ship, at the cost of 200,000 francs and made a voyage to Algiers, Africa, and back, with it, a distance of fifteen hundred miles from the starting point. The average speed was almost one hundred miles an horrr, tbo voyage occupying eighteen hours. M. Gar-rani is to make the attempt from Havre to the city of New York, as soon as be has further tested the character of his invention by a few shot t trips over the Mediterranean and neigh boring provinces. Kats. A lady correspondent of a country exchange writes that the simplest way of get- ting rid of those intolerable vermin, rats, is to dissolve copperas in cold water (make it strong) and sprinkle the solution in tbe moat frequent places of resort. Tbis -will make them leave tbe premises. The writer tried it successfully, and has never been troubled since. The unpleasant method of poisoning, aud tho troublesome way ot trapping, may now very well be. dispensed with. Paddv is nfrpn nnot icollt- yrtl;?iJ- rin l.ir ing up and returning a lady's parasol which hnd Iwia.. k1. .. f 1 1 , I . . ""u uiyi u uui vi ner nana, s giiiaut Irishman said, "Faith, miss, ah' if ye was as sthrong as yer handsome, be jabers, a hurri cane could'nt have snatched it from ye." , The officers of Covington, Ky., have captu red a good looking girl, sixteen years old, who was dressed in male attire, and has been liv ing in the woods near the city for some time subsisting on stolen poultry and provisions.. A lady, writing from Texas, speaks of Laving waked up one morning and found herself In' bed with a serpent. A great many ladiebwre found themselves in the same predicament' and some gentlemen. - . . i ::!! - Secretary Cobb's hard money policy is clear-' ly defined. He is in favor or hard money. Hei issues twenty millions of dollars of "ragsj' and takes gold for them.- The people get, . rags and the Government the gold , In Iowa, the other day, a brute .aman. kicked his wife. The indignant nenborVJf"' sembled and made a jackass kic bin V'V wife was kicked by much thoJder . the two. " ; "You don't seem to knr",0,r fk? said a vulgar fellow to .gentleman ' ..'--. ' suited. res I do," a" entlt X , ing nun oyta www II