The New era. [volume], November 22, 1845, Image 2

About The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847

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THE NEW ERA.
What is it but a Map of busy Life?- Cowpcr.
PORTSMOUTH. V \ .
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 18 16.
OUR FLAG!
FREE TRADE-LOW DUTIES NO DEHT -RE
PA RATION FROM BANKS ECONOMY RE
TRENCH M ENT— ANI) STRICT AI) 11ERKNCE
TO THE CONSTITUTION.
!CF*G«nt1emen—your brilliant Star—named
" The Richmond”—has not yet found ils way to
our table. What is the reason, friends?
THE MAMMOTH CAVE.
Wo Rive, to-day, a splendid poem from tbo pen
of Prentice, of the Louisville Journal, descriptive
of this wondcrfpl Cave in the Slate of Kentucky.
If Prentice was not such a bitter, unprincipled
whig as he is, ho would be the most popular, as
he is one of tho most talented poets in the coun
try.
THE DISMAL SWAMP ON FIRE.
This Swamp is again on fire, and has been for
several days, and last evening the atmosphere in
this vicinity was thick with the smoke of the
burning Juniper. When, last summer, we ques
tioned the correctness of Mr. Espy’s theory of
large fires producing rains, we were told that high
winds must not be an accompaniment. Well, we
have the fire without the wind, and yet we have
no signs of rain, for weeks and weeks. Last
night about 9 o’clock the wind came out lightly
from the North, and cleared off the smoke, when
the whole southern heavens showed themselves
gorgeously illuminated by the fires that were rao
•in the Swamp.
IMPORTANT PETITIONS.
There are two important petitions now before
the citizens of this town, which it behooves every
resident to critically examine. The first relates
to a proposition to pay the debt which is impend
ing over the property of the town, and which
hangs like a dark cloud of fearful omen over its
advancement and business prosperity ; for those
who own property cannot hope to induce capital
or trade to centre here, while heavy taxes are
Teady to swallow up whatever comes within its
vortex, and having brought the misfortune upon
ourselves, it is but right, proper and tnanlv, that
we should free ourselves from the bonds.
The second is of as much, if not more, impor
tance than the first, as it will materially aid in
producing the results calculated on in the first pe
tition ; it will also give us the control of our own
property, secure to us a local government, formed
of those who are closely and intimately connected
with us in business and interest, and above all
secure to us the speedy administration of justice,
while it will leave the town and county free and
untrammelled with conflicting interests, to pursue
that system <tf measures, which each may think
most conducive to their prosperity and advance
ment. YVe hope that this latter petition may re
ceive the unanimous signatures of the town, in
cluding all parties. Indeed, it ought not be made
a party measure, as all are interested in consum
mating the incorporation.
WONDERFUL OPERATION.
Our son, who has just returned from Rich
mond, inform us, that an extraordinary tumor was
extracted from a man’s arm, in Richmond, while
the patient was-in the mesmeric state, under the
influence of Prof. De Bonneville, without any
sensible pain to the subject, and which was un
known to him after the sleep was thrown off, un
til he was informed of it. Mr. De Bonneville
himself writes : “ F labl night magnetised a gen
tleman before seventy persons, when a ohirurgi
cal operation was performed on him by Dr. Hen
dree, nssisted by Dr. Thomas and Dr. Mills, of
Richmond. The operation was the cutting oflf a 1
very largo tumor from the fore part of the left
arm. The patient was immoveable daring the
operation; his features remained like wax; his j
poise did not vary much. Every thing went off !
admirably well. Y'ictory. Clairvoyance is tri- I
nmphant.” We rqjoice in his success, as well as j
in the triumph of truth, which was so roughly I
treated by Dr. Warner, and his friends some short '
time since in that city. We have not much cre
dulity, but we cannot help thinking that “the
seventy” spoken of by De Bonneville, will per
form the same office for mesmerism in Richmond,
that the seventy disciples sent out, instructed by
our Savior,did for Christianity—establish the
TRUTH.
THE NORTH CAROLINA STANDARD.
We feel pleased in announcing the fact that the
enterprising and sterling democratic editor of the
Standard, published in Raleigh, has issued his
Proposals for publishing his paper semi weekly,
and we wish Mr. llolden all manner of success.
h it not singular that there is not now, and never
has been, any other than weekly papers published
in that Stale. That therp has not been dailies is
owing to the fact that there are no overgrown
towns, “sores on the body politic,” as Mr. Jeffer
son would call them formed and corrupting the
masses. The people* are spread over the face of
the country, engaged principally in the pursuits
of agriculture. The vast accumulation of im
portant matter, however, we should think, would
make a semi-weekly visitant agreeablo to the
North Carolinians.
THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
MAGAZINE.
Wc are pleased to acknowledge the November
number of this Review, which will, ere long, be
merged in the JAlernry Messenger. The con
tents ate varied and as interesting as usual, if not
superior to those what has heretofore preceded it.
Among the many interesting articles it contain-!,
our attention was particularly drawn to " No. 5,
The Temperance Question.” There are many
things in this article to which the advocates <,f
Temperance are obnoxious; but much, which d'<cs
injustice to tho cause, its advocates and sulTerinir
humanity generally. The writer of that article
will become, if he is not now, a confirmed toper.
It required not the editor’s assertion to let us
know that the writer was not of a southern meri
dian—tho ear marks show it to emanate from the
city of New York. We are pleased to see that
the editor of the Review enters his disclaimer
against tho opinions of his correspondent, and
promises to discuss the subject hereafter. We
shall look with anxiety for Mr. Simms article on
this great moral reformation, as we are certain he
will do it ample justice.
CONVENTION.
'The Memphis Conuention, according to the
“ Appeal.” met on the 12th instant, and appoint
ed a committe to select their officers.
The following is the number of Delegates as
vet announced to be in attendance : From Ten
nessc, 197; Kentucky, 7; Arkansas, 12; Mis
sissippi, 125; Missouri, 45; Alabama, 10; South
Carolina, 7 ; North Carolina, l; Illinois, 16; In
diana, 4 ; Texas, 3.
VERY LATE FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
The barque Meteor, Capl. Jenny, from Rio do
Janeiro, with advices to the 6th nit., arrived at
New York on Wednesday evening.
The Emperor and Empress of Brazil were to
sail on the 6th for Rio Grande, in the Brazilian
frigate Constitution, attended by the U. S. frigate
Raritan and a small Brazilian fleet.
1 he U. S. sloop of-war Cyane arrived at Rio
on the 5th, from Norfolk. All well.
It appears that the French and English squad
rons were blockading Buenos Ayres, and were de
termined to bring Rosas to close quarters. Ves
sels bound thither were compelled to make Mon
tevideo their port until hostilities had ceased.
AN UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR.
If I lit? following story (which the editor of the
Picayune gleans from a Havana paper called El
Padilla) ho true, (ireat Britain has ample cause
to blush for the ruffianly and brutal conduct of
some of her officers. Outrage upon the seas in
those latitudes are by no means uncommon occur
rences, but it is very rare that wo hear of one so
gross in all its leading features as this:_
“ W e road in El Padilla of yesterday that a
passenger who arrived here on the last trip of the
Titi. reports that news was received at Havana
the day before her sailing of a serious collision
between the .Spanish and English at Vera Cruz.
His story is that an English frigate entered the
anchorage ground at Sacrificins, and anchored near
the Spanish brig of war El Patriota. In exchang
ing salutes, two men were killed on board the
brig, a gun of the frigate having carelessly been
left shotted. 'I'lie Spanish officer who was sent
to communicate the unfortunate occurrence to the
Englishman, and to inquire into the cause of the
catastrophe, was treated with rudeness so marked
that lie was compelled to withdraw. Another of
ficer was sent for an explanation of this rudeness,
and of the original outrage, hut ho too was re
ceived with insult. Upon this the Spaniard set
sail, and in passing the frigate discharged a broad
side, and pursuing its course, biought to, outside
the anchorage, with a design apparently of indu
cing the English to a fight. This is said to have
caused a great stir at Havana, and several vessels
of war were preparing to sail for Vera Cruz at
once. This is the passengers’ report, or the sub
stance of it; how true it may be is another affair.
I’lie editor of El Padilla seems skeptical of it.”
Trememdous Street-Fioiit!—The poet of
the Brooklyn Advertiser, inspired by the thrilling1
character of the scene, thus describes in Homeric
heroics, a battle between two individuals often
sfen in the streets of other cities as well as that:
The modest morn with blushes pav’d the way
To usher in the trloriotia gotl of day ;
'I he beauteous flowers with copious dews were
wet,
And all spoke joyous peace—when, lo ! there met
Two porkers, grunting thunder, while their backs
Swell’d high with furious fcelinsr, and the tracks
Of each proud champion bent toward the foe—
Each hostile movement dignified and slow:
They close at. length, in battle dnrk and fierce,
And ont poll’d t’other by his flabby ears,
Ami t’other pulls the other by the tail,
So that he utters forth a piercing wail.
Now fiercer grows the fight, and all around
The froth and bristles deck the trembling ground,
Till thinking wisely fighting was no fun,
One gave a grunt, and shook his tail and run !
_ Didymus.
From the. Philadelphia Keystone.
CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
W e give place to the following articles from the
Mihvaukie Courier andJNew York Globe,* and
would say that we mainly agree with them in the
remarks which they have deemed it expedient to
make. It is onr opinion, too, that Messrs. Blair
Sc Rives, who occupied so prominent a position as
the administration organ at Washington some
years since and have made a golden fortune by
the especial favor of the democratic party should
now withdraw. They have had their day, and
no true democrat ever harped at the success
with which the Globe met in those days of her
good fortune. Now that they have, by special
contract, given to the proprietors of the “ Un
ion” their succession in the newspaper business
and their special good will, we think that their
attempt to compete with them in the publica
tion of a “ Congressional Globe,” and in the pub
lic printing, as some say is llicir intention, is not
altogether lair and honorable.
In this matter, we hold it to he the duty of the
Democratic members, at Washington, to sustain
| ihe Union. They should faithfully stand by the
: central Democratic organ of the party, and enable
it to strive successfully against, those who seek to
destroy its influence. Mr. Ritchie is an old and
gallant soldier in the Democratic ranks, has not
hpen hlpssed with any adequate remuneration for
his services, is now doing his duty faithfully, and
will, we trust, he duly remembered by the Re
publican party in Congress.
* These articles have already appeared in the
New Kra — filitor.
Tennessee.—On the Gth instant. Governor
Brown sent a message to the Legislature iri which
he recommends the entire abolition of the punish
ment or death, the erection of a new Penitentia
ry, a liberal system of public education, to en
roiirage.ment of internal improvements the charter
ed companies, the punctual payment nf the in
terest on the State debt, (which is estimated at
$3,000.000.) the creation of a sinking fund to ex
tingoish the debt, and a re organs lion of the
State Bank of Tcnnossee. Robert B. Turner
(I)em.) has been elected Slate Treasurer, by a
majority of two votes. Knelt Mouse of the Legis
lature has ititorinally appointed a delegation to the
Memphis convention.—Ledger.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
TIIK ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
In all great crimes, the administration of jus
tice has become, in our great cities, a contempti
ble farce, or a contrivance for the impunity «f a
criminal. It is difficult to convict a man of rape,
and almost impossible to convict man or woman
ot murder, in New York. Philadelphia or Haiti
more. The late trial in Baltimore for an outrage
upon a German girl, was a disgrace to the juris
prudence of a civilized country. Equally so have
been many trials for treason, murder, riot and ar
son in our city. Equally so have been the two
trials of Polly Hodine in New York, and equally
so will bo the third trial, if ever the court can
empanel a jury. The jury will disagree, ^of
course; then her “ long confinement and sulTer
ing” will he brought before the public for sympa
thy’. and she will he acquitted. Or if the Gov
ernor will promise to pardon her, she may be con
victed under that promise, and turned loose to
commit new noorders.
One difficulty in collecting a jury is produced
by the absurd question authorized by tho law,
“ have you formed an opinion in the case?” An
affirmative answer excludes the juror. \Ve pro
nounce this question absurd, and fitted to defeat
justice. In every case of discovered crime, some
account of it is circulated, in print or conversa
tion ; anil upon such an account, every tnan of
common sense must “ form an opinion.” Upon
thp account before him, lie must say to himself,
“ if this account he true, the accused is,or is not,
guilty.” He cannot escape a conclusion, though
he may add, “ but 1 will suspend my judgment
till l hear more.” And is a man who is thus ne
cessarily, by a law of rnind, driven to a concltu
sion upon an account stated, incompetent to any
new opinion of the case upon additional evidence?
In other words, because he has reached a conclu
sion upon a verbal or printed account without au
thority, is he incompetent to another and more
correct opinion upon judicial evidence? Because
he has founded an opinion upon a part of the
ease, is he unable to found an enlightened and
honest opinion upon the whole? The doctrine
contradicts all human experience, and all sound
mental philosophy.
I lie proper question is, “ are you open to con
viction upon tho evidence that shat I be laid before
you, notwithstanding any opinion which you may
have founded upon what you may have already
read or lipard of tho case 1 If he answer this
question affirmatively, he is a competent juror ac
cording to common sense, if not according to pre
sent legal technicalities; for be says, substantial
ly, “ iny opinions founded upon exp nr It state
ments will not prevent me from attentively hear
ing and impartially hearing and impartially weigh
ing the evidence to he presented judically, and to
hear and judge which attentively and honestly, I
shall he under oath and affirmation.” The ex
isting rule of evidence is founded on the hypothe
sis. that the human mind, having reached one
opinion upon a case, cannot, upon any new evi
dence reach another; a hypothesis involving an
absurdity. And this rule is the very thing most
desirable to criminals, as it increases the difficul
ties in finding honest and intelligent jurors. A
man who has not formed some opinion upon a re
port of crime in his own vicinage, his own coun
try, must be too stupid to form an intelligent opin
ion in the jury-box, or too much out of the world
to be trusted with the judgment of things trans
piring within it. Men fit for juries are those
who have some business to mind, and none wil
lingly' leave their business for the jury-box. Hut
this stupid question opens a wide door for their
escape from the duty; for any man of common
sense will form an opinion upon what he hat
heard, if it will discharge him from the duty of
forming an opinion upon what he has yet to hear.
Hard Times.—The Boston Traveller predicts
that “hard times” are coming, and says the
wholesale dealers of that city have of late been
called to lose, in repeated instances, large amounts
by the failure of country customers. It has heard
of very few failures, but says they must come, if
the country merchants continue thus to draw on
the large dealers. This is a singular cry to hear
now, when the sounds of active business and of
prosperity are heard on every side. The Boston
dealers, perhaps, in their desire to monopolise
trade, have been a little too eager to secure cus
tomers. and not exercised due caution in their
credits. Some other cities suffered some in the
same way a few years ago, but experience has
taught a better policy, anti doubtful customers
either have to cash up or go to Boston—Ledger.
A Most Brutal Murder.—A little girl,
named Cobbler, about fifteen years of age, near
Grenada, Miss., was murdered, about two wepks
since, under the most outrageous circumstance.—
She was shot as she sat at work at her mother's
feet, at a late hour of the night. Suspicion fell
upon a man named Peppers, who was soon ar
rested and taken before the Mayor. Sufficient
evidence was found to bind him over to court._
But, during tlm night, the father in law of the
girl was suspected also as partieeps criminit.
lie, too, early next day, was before the Mayor,
who also committed him. It seems that Peppers
had sold Cobbler some whiskey for pigs, and that
; the pigs belonged to the deceased ; that she claim
ed them, and that night Cobbler shot the poor
creature.
Judicial Despatch amojto the Ciiero-I
' itr.r.s.—We find it stated in the Cherokee Advo
cate. that several years ago, shortly after a regu
lar judiciary system wa9 first established among
the r.astern fyherokees, a trial for murder was a
; mong the first cases brought before one of the Cir
cuM Judges. A jury was sworn, and the prisoner,
i a Crpel, Indian, arraigned at the bar. who, in re
ply to the usual interrogatory, guilty or not guil
ty. pleaded guilty ; whereupon his honor, without
; further proceedings, addressing the minister of
i the law, said, “ Here. Sheriff, take this man out,
] hv jing. and /tong him till he’s dead as h—II.”
: I was done. I his was judicial despatch and no
i mistake.
—
I A villi an, on 'I uesday night, went under the
I stern of the schooner Packet, of Beverly. lying
j off Union \\ harf, in our harbor, and cut a way
a quarter of beef hanging therjefrom. He was
i hotly pursued, but contrived to make his escape,
j Portland Argus.
A gentleman of fashionable exterior and “ pol
! i*hed address.’ who rides in his carriage, keeps a
princely establishment, and gives splendid soirees
nightly on the strength of large endorsements
land unbounded credits, fails in his business, and
thus defrauds his creditors to the amount of some
millions of dollars—often involving a number of
honest men in his own *• ruin.” A few weeks
afterward, the bankrupt merchant comes out as
magnificently as before, and society once more
receives him within her cordial embrace. He is
not dishonest ; he only failed—was unfortunate
—nothing more. But let some starving wretch.
With the most abject poverty speaking"from his
tattered clothes, and famine glaring from his hol
low eyes, bo detected in the theft of a piece of
meat—which all his entreaties could not heg
from his fellow creatures, and straightway he is
branded a villi an, and a hue-and-cry is raised,
which does not subside until the object of it is
captured and lodged between four stone walls for
bis villainy. Which does our friend of the Port
land Argus consider the greater villain—he who
brings his best friend to the brink of ruin, while
ho' himself, by some chicanery of the law, re
mains uninjured—or that poor, wo-begone, heart
broken fellow, who, to satisfy the cravings of our
common nature, takes from bis brother man, who
can well afford it, a handful of uncooked meat?
—JV. F. Tribune.
THATTARNAL RAILROAD.
AS SPOKEN AT THE FUt.TON INSTITUTE.
Je whiticans, whew! VVal, just manufacture
me up into a double refined spinning jenny, and
set me agoing in fifty acres of cotion, if ever I
come across such a rarin, tarin, ripping, snorting,
double-revolving piece of machinery, from crea
lion down to iny most marvellous deliverance just
now, as the one which give me chase down your
railroad. I beam some time ago there was such
doings going on at the “ Fulton Institute,” so as
l like tilings that open rich, I made things about
right round hum, and broke for here.—I come
across through the country, and struck your rail
road, and was playing it down at about four knots
the hour. Now, I had hearn tell of locomotives,
but never dreamed of seeing one alive and kick
ing; but about twomiles from here, I hearn some
thing behind me coffin, sneezing and thundering,
and 1 looked around ; sure enough here she come
right down after me, pawing the airth up and
splitting the road wide open, with more smoke
and fire a flyin than or’to come out of a hundred
burning mountains, with about a dozen wagons
foltorin arter her, and to save her tarnal black,
smoky, noisy neck, she couldn’t get clear of them.
I don’t know whether they scared her up or no,
but here she come foaming at the mouth—with
her teeth chock full of burnin’ red hot coals, and
she pitched right straight at me as if she was
going into me like a thousand brick—I couldn’t
stand it any longer, 60 I wheeled around and
broke down the road and began to make the gravel
fly in every direction No sooner had I done that
than she split right after me, and every jump I
made she squeeled like a thousand wild cats!_
She begin to gain on me cornin’ up a little hill,
but we come round a pint to a straight level in
the road. Now, thinks I, I’ll give you ginger,
as I am great on a dead level, so I pulled to it and
soon got myself under full speed ; thpn she began
to yelp and howl and cough and stamp and come
on full chizel, and made the hul airth shake._
Rut I kept on before her, bouncing at the rate of
twenty feet every hop, till l got to a turn of the
road, and I was under such headway that I
couldn’t turn, so I tumbled head over heels down
a bank by a house and landed with my head and
shoulders co-smolick right into a swill barrel, and
my feet stuek out behind, and up in the air!_
Just at the time the locomotive found I had o-ot
away from it, it commenced spitting hot waTer
into me, and just literly spattered all over the
part of me that was left sticking out of the barrel.
I tho’t in my soul that Mount Vesuvious has
bursted some place in the neighborhood. But do
you suppose I staid there long? No, Sir! I
just walked right through that barrel and come
out the other end so quick that it really looked
ashamed of itself.
Now, here I am, a rale self-propelling double
revolving locomotive Snolly Goster, ready to at
tack anything but a combination of Thunder light
ning-srnoke-railroad iron, and hot water.
I’d like for some of your gals to give me a
chance to play Hop Scotch among your hearts,
and if I don’t play the sw'ill barrel game by
walking right strait thro’ your tarnal prejudices
into your young affections, then help me Jozey.—
Cincinnati Commercial.
AMERICAN FACTS.
It is among the worst omens of tho clay, remarks
the Philadelphia North American, that we have
in the United States nonational feeling; no gen
uine love of country. The traveller in other
lands finds every where the institutions and pro
ductions of a people prized by themselves, though
they may he condemned by strangers. Here the
order is changed. If any work in literature, art,
or science, is by an American, it is set down by
a mob of gentlemen who talk of such matters a9
altogether worthless, or as deserving a favorable
regard only on account of its resemblance to some
thing foreign. YVe recite a few facts, admitted
by all the world abroad, for the benefit of this sort
of people.
Imprimis: The greatest man, “ take him for
all in all,” of the last hundred years, was George
Washington, an American.
The greatest natural philosopher was Benjamin
Franklin, an American.
The greatest of living sculptors is Hiram Pow
ers. an American.
The greatest of living poets is William Cullen
Bryant, an American.
The greatest of living historians is William II.
Prescott, an American.
The greatest living ornithologist is John James
Audubon, an American.
The greatest living painter, in portraiture, is
Henry Inman, an American.
There has been no English writer in the present
age, whose works have been marked with more
humor, more refinement, or more grace, than those
of Washington Irving, an American,
The greatest lexicographer and philologist,
since tho lime of Johnson, was Noah \Vebster,mi
American.
The inventors, whoso works have been produc
tive of the greatest amount of happiness to man
kind, in the last ce/itnry, were Godfrey, Fitch, j
Fulton, and Whitney—all .Americans.
If one of these facts or estimates is doubted, we ^
can prove them by foreign authorities, and so '
prevent all controversy.
Squaring Account*.— A short timo since,
one of the beadles of N-took a quantity of j
butter from a countryman because it deficient in '
weight; and meeting him a few days after in j
a public house, said to him, You’re the man '
I took the 20 pounds of butter from the other !
day.’ ‘ No, I bean’l replied Hodge. ‘ | am sure j
you sre,’ says the beadle, * I tell you I hean’t.’ j
replied the countryman, ‘and if thou likes I’ll j
lea thee guinea on’t.’ ‘ Dope/ replied tho
beadle, and the money wasqi^Mfly posted. ‘Now.’
says the countryman, ‘limit did take 20 lumps of
butter from me, bnt if/fhey had been pounds,
you’d have no right 1/take ’em ; and this,’ con
tinued he, very r'willy pocketing the money,
' will just pay me for the Isss of the butter .’
1 RADD ON THE POOR — It is sn id n „rp
pari of the barrels of Flour, sold in Massachusetts
are deficient in weight. Some of them fall 8h0»
twenty pounds, or more. A gentleman, ap„a
reotly well informed in the matter, has calcolat'
ed. froth facts that have come to his knowledge
that a ceriain flouring establishment saves at least
S3.G00 a year in this way. Many others, there
is reason to believe, save in equal proportion _
Eve. Trav.
A barrel of flour should weigh 196 lbs., exclu
sive of the barrel, which should weigh 18 lbs*
and consumers would do well to examine bv
weight when purchasing. Any weight short of
-I f los., including the barrel, mny safely be but
down as fraudulent. Establishments which are
in the habit of defrauding the public by this ex
cessively mean system of swindling, should be
shown up to disgrace, and we hope the Traveller
will not fear to make known such facts as it niav
be possessed of.—Boston Eagle.
I lie remarks often made that prisoners oi
trial for crime were “ unmoved, indifferent, un
feeling &c ” are not based on a correct view o
the philosophy of the human heart. The reaaoi
why they appear to be unmoved often is. that al
the sympathies of their hearts are paralyzed -
Weeping would be a relief to them—but thei
sorrow is too deep to admit nf it. Wrho know
the sufferings of which the human soul is capa
ble?—Hartford Courant.
Ql'EST10N8 and answers in engineering
DRAUGHTING, GEOMETRY, &C.—Q. What is the
ohjpct of science ?
A. To know how to put the • big licks ’ in
when you get into a slreet fight.
Q. Describe the instrument and manner of
looking through the glass.
A- The instrument is a glass tube of a cylin
drical form, open at one end only. It is filled
with a mixture of aqua vita: and aqua pura —
1 he operator grasps it in his right hand—lilts it
to his lips—decants the liquid down his throat,
and objects may then be distinctly seen through
the bottom of the turn—I mean, the instrument.
Q. What do you understand by an elevation?
A. Getting high.
Q. flow could you best obtain a ground eleva
tion ?
A. By getting up an earthquake I should ima
gme.
Q. How can you form a circle?
A. When two of us get quarreling, wo ‘ make
a ring ’ and ‘ have it out.’
Q. Describe an arc.
A. An arc was an instrument found very ser
viceable by Noah during the rainy season. Like
saltpetre, it also preserved Ham.
Q. What is a sine ?
A. A man’s name on a board, to point out his
place of business.
Q. A co-sine ?
A. The same with the addition of Co. to indi
cate a partnership.
Q. What is a tangent?
A. A gentleman who keeps a tannery.
Instructor. The pupil may step down. He has
passed an excellent examination.
From the Louisville Journal.
MAMMOTH CAVE.
BY GEORGE D. PRENTICE.
All day, as clay is reckoned on the earth
I’ve wandered in these dim and awful aisles
V7?.u'i l1” ,hc >),ue and breezy done of Heaven
VVl,'Je thoughts, wild, drear, and shadowy, have
Across my awe struck soul, like spectres o’er
The wizard’s magic glass, or thunder clouds
0 cr the blue waters of the deep. And now
I’ll ait me down upon yon broken reck
To muse upon the strange and solemn things
01 this mysterious realm. ”
„ , , , All day my steps
Have been amid the beautiful, the wild,
The gloomy, the terrific. Chrystal founts
Almost invisible in their serene
And pure transparency—high, pillar’d domes
\\ Uh stars and flowers all fretted like the halls
tit Oriental monarchs—rivers dark
And drear and voiceless as oblivion’s stream
That flows through death’s dim vale of silence
gulfs
All fathomless, down which the loosened rock
Plunges until its far off echoes come
Fainter and fainter like. the. dying roll
Of thunders in the distance—Stygian pools
Whose agitated waves give hack a sound
Holiow and dismal, like the sullen roar
In the volcano’s depths—these, these have left
Their spell upon me, and their memories
Have passed into my spirit, and are now
Blent with my being till they seem a part
Of my own immortality.
., .. ... God’s hand.
At the creation, bellowed out this vast
Domain of darkness, where nor herb nor flower
„ cr sprang amid the sands, nor dews nor rains
Nor blessea sunbeams fell with fieshcning power.
Nor gentle breeze its Eden message told
Amid the dreadful gloom. Six thousand years
Swept o er the earth ere human foot-prints marked
I his subterranean desert. Centuries
Like shadows came and passed, and not a sound
Was in this realm, save when at intervals,
In the long lapse of ages, some hus-e mass
Ol overhanging rock fell thundering down,
t a echoes sounding through these corridors
A moment, and then dying in a hush
Of silence such as brooded o’er the earth
'^uC jearth wa8 chaoB* The great mastodon,
I The dr- aded monster of the elder world
Passed o’er this mighty cavern and his tread
Bent the old forest oaks like fragile reeds
And made Earth tremble—Armies in their pride
Perchance have met above it in the shock
Of war with shout and groan and clarion blast.
And the hosrse echoes of the thunder gun_
The storm, the whirlwind, and the hurricane
Have roared above it; and the bursting cloud
Sent down its red and crashing thunder-bolt_
Earthquakes have trampled o’er it in their wrath.
Rocking Earth’s surface as the storm wind rocks
I he old Atlantic—yet n® sound of these
E’er came down to the everlasting depths
Of these dark solitudes.
How oft we gazo
With awe or admiration on the new
And unfamiliar, but pass coldly by
The lovelier and the mightier ! Wonderful
Is this lone world of darkness and of gloom.
Hot far more wonderful yon outer world
Lit by the glorious sun. These arches swell
•Sublime in lone and dim magnificence.
But how eublimer Cod’s blue canopy
Beleagured with his burning cherubim,
Keeping their watch eternal ! Beautiful
Are all the thousand snow white geim that lie
In these mysterious chambers gleaming out
Amid the melancholy gloom,and wild
These rocky hills and cliffs, and gulfs, but far
More wonderful and wild the things that greet
The wanderer in our world of light—the stars
Floating on high like islahds of the bleat—
The autumn sunset glowing like the gate
Of far off Paradise—the gorgeous clouds
On which the glories of earth and sky
Meet and commingle—Earth’s unnumbered flowers
All turning up their gentle eyes to Heaven—
I he birds, with bright wings glancing in the sun
Filling the air with rainbow miniatures—
The green old forest surging in the gale—
7 he everlasting Mountains on whose peaks
7‘he setting sun burns like an altar flame—
And Ocean, like a pure heart rendering back
Heaven’s perfect imago, or in his wild wrath
ffraving and tossing like the stormy breast
Of a chained giant in his agony