The Carolina Spartan. (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, September 06, 1860, Image 2
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THE CAROLINA SPARTAN!
_t_;_3::t^:^1_^^ . . *
BY CAVIS A TRIMMIER. glfwrttrd to Southern Rights, politics, ^gmuUurr, and piccrllany. $2 FEB ANTHTK
VOL. XVII. SPARTANBURG, S. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 0, 1800. NO. 27. frfl
1 .... ..._j ? ****
3I( Carolina spartan. *
BY^AVisXTOIMMlloR. h
fiioe, Two Dollars per annum, in advance, cr ,j
92.60at the end of the year.. 4f not paid until
after the year expiree $8.00.
So aubeoription taken for less than six months.
Hone* may be remitted through postmasters si
at ear risk. p
Advertisements inserted at the usual rates, ^
and contraots made on reasonable terms.
Toa Spartan circulates largely over this and p
adjoining districts, and offers an admirable me- "
tllum to otir friends to reach customers.
Job work o?*ll kinds promptly executed. li
.Blanks, Law and Equity, continually on hand, f|
V>r printed to order.
\B i? 0
From the Ladies' Repository.
Deaook Pttluior'M Ftuuily, "
"*The sound of the stage horn flowed in e,
bweet mournful currents in and out of the '
hollows, and the echoes among the hills n,
xuught them up apd tossed them buck and ^
forth through the forest, and they ran in
long, silvery eddies up tho turnpike, and
ever the meadows, and across the orchards, w
till they reached the ears, and stirred the
hearts of the quiet little village of Wood- e<
stock, whose farm-houses sat in the valley
at tho foot of a long chain of lulls, like a t>1
* company of pilgrims gathered to worship a]
before the shrine of a vast temple. It was
just at sunset, and somehow those long, j,
mournful minor tones seemed the fitting c<
close of the day'sservice?that autumn day |,(
which hud arisen on the mountain in gar- p,
ments of sunshine, and marched through cj
* the hours in beauty and rejoicing, a living aj
M Glory to God!" -the Creator of its good
and perfect gift. w
But it was a day fraught with dread and j,
foreboding to thousands of homes and hearts ^
in the land, for the voice of war was
abroad in the earth, and mothers had strain
ed their brave sons for the last time to their
boscms, and seen them go forth to battle.
and husbands and fathers hud laid aside
the plow and the scythe, and shouldered ,p
their muskets, and taken their lives in tj
their hands for the sake of freedom, and ^
in the name of the God of battles.
So deep shadows lay on the <juiet coun- ,H
try thresholds of ulmost every home in
New Kngland that autumn day, and al- w
most every hearth-stone was an altar where t|
anxious, loving hearts sent up a cry to al
God fer their beloved. Mrs. Palmer, wife 8.
of Deacon John Palmer, of Woodstock, '
stood in the wide, old-fashioned kitchen of ?
the dingy, yellow farm house, which she !l(
brought her hushand on her marriage p
unurifag. She was an ample, motherly,
pleasant-faced woman, whose whole physi a
ognomy corresponded with the rot int. ;l,
Strings of rod peppers and rows of dried ,j
apples were festooned along the ceiling. e
^ w hile a swinging-board, fastened to a beam ,,
which divided the hall overhead, was bur
dened with herbs and berries, hams, dried tl
benn??, seeds, and a motley variety of do- e
mestic wares.
Mrs. Palmer's life had slipped over its j.
fiftieth satunicr, and her black. hair was
thickly sifted with gray, and there were e
lines about her forehead, and the siuile in e,
herfaded eyes had something soriowful 0
about it, for Mrs. Palmer had walked with ?
grief many times ; and of the ten fair boys
and girls who had been gathered to hei j
maternal heart, only two remained to her ;l
tld age. It was a small family under the p
roof of the old gray homestead on earth,
but a larger one in that golden upper t<
v homestead whose blessed threshold is nev- p
cr^darkenod by the shadow of death.
Mrs; Palmer paused as her ear caught ,,
the faint sweet echoes of t e stage h >ru. ,,
I and she deposited half a dozen fresh ly^
boiled doughnuts in the pan on the table. p
' murmuring to herself. ' Now, for all the
world, if that isn't the mai. coining in ! |,
Who knows but what there may he some |,
sews from Reuben Ah ! if you had
heard how her voice lingered over the |,
natno, you would have known she was his j
mother.
** I Wonder if that hny'll take any sort of
care of himself, ' continued the fond moth- s
ec, dexterously convolving several strips of j;
dough and placing them in the (urge iron
kettle which hung over the fire tilled with |,
boiling fat, which in Mgnantly snapped and
sputtered at their intrusion. ],
u If there was a fray, ho d be sure to be (j
foremost, for he al'ays was poking his head |
into all sorts o* danger, and never seemed c
to feel quite so content as when there was a 1,
chance o' getting his neck off his shoul- (J
dera. k
"I never could exactly see where he got
his harum-scarum turn, for his father was a
al'ays a sober-minded man ; but it was atua
sin' how ho'dbesartin to oome out straight.. c
I never bad an easy hour for the first ten
^ years of his life, for fear he'd be brought t
home with bioken limbs; but arter he'd c
-gone through with what would kill a dozen
ordinary children, I kinder gave up. I |
1 ? J.J L . I ? ? "
rfwnoiuueu uc uore a cnariucJ lite. 1
" Bless his heart! my brave, handsome , |
i>?y never gave his mother a cross word J
in th<0 world ; and I saw the tears a shin- j i
under his lashes that morn in' when he . t
hissed me good-by, afore ho started for the g
iarmJ,-though he talked so hold and cheery ' ,
bout bis coining back a cap 'i or a colonel, j i
Poor lellow ! 1 hope lie won't get the j
rheninatis campin* out at night, and they *
.say they huve to put up with faro such as . t
we wouldn't have the luce to offer to a smart 1
dog. i wish 1 could do lip a paper o' these
doughnuts for the hoy, he nl'uys was I'ond \
of'tin. Dear me ! them cakes are burn- a
is," dipping her largj tin hullo into the t
bqiling fat j " but it sl ays flustratcs inc f
when I get to thinking o' Reuben.?I'm j 1
reminded sometimes o' what Parson Hunt- . c
er said to me: 'Miss i'aimer, you innsn't a
make an Idol of your son. Ho belongs to
the Lord.' I know it's true as Scriptur', hut t
J .oan't help thiukin' the Isird'll show mar- u
sj op uiy weakness, cos he's all I've got, f
and aAer agreatumuy struggles I've given i
up tho others to Hiin ; but my very life is t
bmrnd up in that boy, and if anything t
should hpppen U. him, (Jod knows it would
break bis poor old mother's heart." And t
i -
In*, Palmer broko down horc, and she sat Pui
own on tho old onken chest, and wiped nes
or eyes on tlio corner of her cheek apron, win
Light warblings of some old psalm tunc and
uttered down the staircase, and then tho hea
oor opened and a pleasant looking girl burst the
nddenly into the room. fac<
llcbecca Palmer was twenty-two, and the is t
ight of her bright young face was liko a 'J
icturo rejoicing the ayes. She was not cn
cautiful, but her cheeks were full of the by
low of youth, and tho richness of perfect moi
calth. ^ I
"Well, child," said Mrs.* Palmer, taking bef
er kettle from the crane, "you just bustle plai
jund spry and get up supper. Your fat her her
nd tho men will couie home clear tuckered and
ut, for they've been fellin trees all day, nnd j gai
'c must get a hearty meal for 'cm. You tha
lice up some hatn, too, and fry a dozen sou
gus, while I fix up some short cake." con
"Mother, did you hear the sta o horn ?" Ivir
?ked Rebecca, us she laid the cloth she the
ad spun with her own hands for the sup- on
er. "
"Yes, and I was kind of impressed there ing
as news from Reuben." not
"1 wonder what keeps father so ?" remark- to-i
1 Rebecca. to }
Likely as not he's gone round to the tav- tha
rn, to learn if there's any tidings from the "101
riny." alto
Another half-hour throbbed itself away tha
1 the pulses of the great old-fashioned the:
ock in tho corner, and both the women Shi
ud begun to grow alarmed at the dcaoon's the
rolonged absence, when they caught the and
;~i- ..row. ?.-.i v-:~ 1 ? 1
IVA VI HIV iaiviij?iiiu Ilia UUilVJf I1UU11 ovxjy
oil;* the footpath. "
'1 hey saw him stop, as usual, at the "wi
oo'en trough at the well, and wash his his
amis there, ami then he came into the um!
itehen. the
"Why. father," began Mrs. Palmer, with mot
little wifely admonition, " what has kept and
u so long'' J ra'ly began to be scared the
:>out you." had
"And the supper's about burnt tocin- son
ers," added ltebecea, who was in some- nev
ling of a hurry to get the table cleared in the
me foraiuging school. thci
The deacon w s a square-built, sun-brown- was
1 man, with shaggy eye-brows and weath- froi
-beaten face, lie came toward the table win
ith a slow groping movement, which nei- last
icr of the preoccupied women noticed, '1
id he cleared his throat twice before he this
>ol< e. He
" I was detained a spell on some matter mei
f my own;" and Mrs. Palmer ami Rebecca nei
t once concluded that he alluded to some ''
argain with a neighbor. awu
"Don't you sec tlio chair there, father? ' 'I
sked Rebecca; lor the old mail stood still seal
* a statue before the table, though his hca
aughter had just placed his seat at his mui
I bow, and now he-sat down without speak ed
ig a word. moi
Why, husband, I do believe you're deal in v
> night! You haven't taken your hat off," dep
xclaimed Mrs. Palmer. sou
"Don't, wife, don't;" and the old man spri
lid his straw hat on the door beside him. old
The two women bout their heads rover- rest
ntly over the board, waiting foi the dea- and
on to invoke his customary blessings up- thii
ii the meal, but lie sound broke the still lilh
ess. Jon
Mrs. Palmer glanced up at her husband win
lis Ilea J, ton, was bent over his plate; anJ ere,
stream ot can lie-light falling on his voi
ice, revealed it Pally to her ga o. i sou
"John, something has happened to you J t
?night," she said, leaning forward and mil
reuthlevsly searching Ilia t'aco. aha
A deep convulsive sort of groan heaved be
at of the old man's lips, and both the wu- sih
ten grew white as they heard it, voi
"Oh, what is it, fa*her'/ do tell us !" flut- too
ercd up the frightened voice of Rebecca. of I
Mrs. Palmer rose and went to her hus- sit
iuikI and laid iter shaking lingers on his he
lard hand.
"Oh, .John, it ain't anything about Reu- 1
en?" She cried out the words as one might ed
fa sword had struck suddenly into his rily
leart. j w:e
Keliocca had set still at the tahle, her uu.
wect face struck white with wonder and tur
car, and her l>rown eyes fastened on her ] hat
lareuts ; but. now she sprung up, and drop- ; lit
ed down on her knees at the deacon's feet: ^ all
Oh, father, do say it isn't Reuben !" and | net
er voice was like, her mother's. The j sta
eacon opened his lips, but could not speak, j gre
ie took tlie hands of his wife and his Htei
did, and covered them with his own teni- j 1
ling ones. "Oh, Lord, have mercy on us 1 Rc
rouncd the stricken uian, and then they at
new. he:
Mrs. Palmer crept up to her husband, qui
nd whispered in a taint, broken voice, '
.Jest say my hoy isn't dead, father. 1 I 1110
ami t beat t<? hour anything else." cil
And the (h .icon made iiu answer ; hut for
lie grc.ut tears fell down his furrowed tigi
hocks, and it was enongh. to i
The tidings of the disastrous battle at pas
?ong Island, which closed the summer of lua
770, had tilled the laud with mourning, bra
or thousands of widows and orphans had net
>eon made in that terrible hour when so tiir'
nany brave Americans lay dead on the bat- jus
le field, and the news of the successful hii
kirmish which took place the following pet
nouth near King's bridge, in New York, sen
vas everywhere hailed w ith gladness ami wii
gratitude, and the little village ol Wood- '
itock bore its part in the general rejoicing! 1
til that autumn night, when the stage first up
trought in the tidings. hoi
The deacon's family was the only one in loll
iVoodstock to whom the news brought ho
iny sorrow, for it was in this engagement
hut Keuben had fallen, lie was u great hn
iivorite throughout tho village, and every for
icart was filled withsadncsfl when it thought tin
in that bright handsome face .Wing stark
itul rigid on the battle field. ' am
It was lute that evening when Parson If tin- ch
cr entered tho stric-kcn house, for friends
ud neighbors feared to intrude on its aw- If
ill grief. Hut the tender hearted old am
uiiiister could not rest till he had carried fie:
he sweet balm of his love and faith iuto
heir broken hearts. wn
Parson liuntcr was a tall, white-haired old rer
nan, a fine representative of the stanch old lia
ritan minister, but beneath some stateli- I
s and austerity of manner beat a heart loo
sre wcro ull fair und Imurant blossoms, btr
I golden fruits of charity and love ; a brr
xt in whose pleasant and goodly paths the
angels love to walk with their bhining in
?s, and of whom they wroje, "Of such '
ho kingdom of heaven." a p
I'he minister found the family in thckitch- a v
where we left it utterly crushed down
grief, which expressed itself neither by tall
ins nor tears. are
drs. Palmer sat in the large arm-chair me
ore the fire, whero her husband had twi
ceil her, the crimson light fluttering over hai
face, which seemed frozen to stone, mo
I her tearless eyes fastened in a blank '
e on the wall; and it was well, perhaps, rea
t alarm for her reason or her life had ho
iowhat< ivcrted the thoughts ol tho dea- lie
and his daughter from the dead to the dri
g, though it seemed to the minister that
last hour had done tho work oi years ahl
both of them. wh
'My friends," said the minister, speak- am
in his deep, solemn tones, "I should sin
have coino into your house of mourning ''l<
light, feeling that the Lord eould speak coi
rour hearts better than I, remembered
t it was twenty-tour years ago this very ma
ith when you brought lteuben up to the the
r to dedicate him to his (Jod, and 1 felt
t 1 had a right and title to come." And wil
se words unlocked Mrs. Palmer's face, int
s turned suddenly to the old man as bet
vision ot that Sabbath morning ruse we
walled up its long path ol years and hei
k! befire her.
I see him ! I sec him !" she sobbed out, ly
tli the little brov. n curls a dancin' round jus
face, and the merry brown cyesbliukiu' hei
ler tin-in. My little Reuben ! he was for
sweetest baby that ever gladdened a 1 mi
hcr's heart.und I was so proud of him,
I thought t iod would spare him to be j kc<
i.: .1 - ..n i * ' >
.-i.iii ui inn imnuci s oiu age, DCOAUSe 1 DI'l
i given all the others to him. Oh, Par- I
Hunter, it can't he true that I shall as
er look into his face again, never hear '
sound of his voice! that lie's lyin ofl sot
re on the battle-Geld, utid his mother
i not there to smooth away the hair ea<
n his forehead, or give him one kiss stu
mi he looked up lor her face for the ch;
time!" wr
Fhe old man sat still, overwhelmed by
i mighty burst of a mother's agony,
closed his eyes for the tears that til- eai
1 them, and lelt that for her ho had
iher help nor consolation.
The Lor I gave; and the ' ord hath taken cm
iy; blessed be the name of the Lord!" wh
1 tic low solemn tones of the preacher, ma
rcely above a whisper, fell into the sui
rts of the hearers and stilhd them, as of
i s never c >uld, as only (i -wi s ean HIe-s ?pi
llible, words which wo read over in the
ruing lesson and evening service, and 1 u
er know thj fullness and richness, the on
ths of meaning there are in them, till gh
icawtul sorrow of our own touches the do
ings, and then wo go in, and lo ! tin se
familiar pas rage- are like stately r- 0:11 kn
;ing on massive pillars, and garnished
I adorned with all fair and beautiful be
tigfj or they arise before u> l.ke gardens
d with trees, whose branches are bur- e n
ed with gold and purple fruits, whose of
ids arc full of the breath of sweet flowand
whose silence is stirred by the dn
e of soft lulling waters; amid wkieh the th
1 may walk and ho refreshed. wi
>!i. reader, lor you, too, sooner or later,
si come this tiiue when all earthly help sh
I! fail you?when no human words can to
of avail or healing to you, and in those
nit ami awful sorrow*, when only the l'a
ee yl find can speak to the heart, you dr
may tiiul what it is to havo the windows tin
the promts: < opened, and your soul shall wa
down under their blessed shadows and SI
healed. ed
wi
Days passed away. A young man walk- as:
along the country road slowly and wen- ' or
*, leaning upon a stout oak staff; his face nn
i ghastly white, and he wore the blue gr
form of the ' 'ontinentaK" He had a
lible w mud in his right shoulder, and to:
I been left on the battle field for dead. ! a I
opened the back gate softly, and gazed '
about hint?at the wood pile in otic c- r- it
of the great yard near the sunflower f-n
Iks, and the small <juincc trees, which
:w on one side of the old brown homeltd
of Heacou I'aimer. I go
Suddenly the kitchen door opened, and
bccca l'altucr came out of the door with sc
in basin in her hand, and the man's
irt leaped as he heard her say, in Iter:
ick way ; 1 I,<
' Never tuind sprinklii' them clothes, en
titer, I'll attend to it oasoonus I've huntup
a few o' them winter pears to stew tli
supper," and he saw the light rapid tit
lire hasten round the corner of the house
the old pear tree just in the edge of the gr
iture, which he remetuhcrcd climbing so tit
ny times in his boyhood, and amid whose so
inches he had gathered the fa led bird's ut
its every fall. He followed the quick w;
ire stealthily, and stood still a moment 1 in
t outside the bars, and she did not see
ii. lor Iter buck was turned, and she dmn. i
1 down oil t)iu yellow grass, and was fa
rching amid it for the fruit which the tft
id had shaken o(T.
''Becky, Becky, 1 say?" ! hr
' he turned ijuiokly, mid as her eyes 1 < 11 |c
an his face a ghastly pnlor crept over ^
rs. She covered it with a shriek, not
id, for it seemed to lie for very terror in all
r throat. ce
"Why, Becky, do look up here! Now, st
vn't you got a l? tter welcome than this w,
your brother when he's come back from fo
I dead like.'" I,,
But she cowered closer down in the grass, tli
d moaned and shivered tike leaves in the ui
I pear tree. la
"See here, now, what on enrth ails you!1 d<
you take mo for n spirit, jest look up di
1 I'll be able to eonviuce you I'm honest hi
*h mid blood yet." to
lie lilted her up with one arm, tor she bi
g too weak betwixt fright and wonder to 1
ist; hut the old familiar hearty tones i
If MRsured her. I
She lifted her fuco from her hands and
ked at her brother a moment with a
ained, wild glanco; then the glad truth t|u
)kc into her heart, for the hazel eyes hud vj?
wr roguish glance, though they were set
a pale, wasted face. im
"Oh, Reuben, Reuben, 1 thought it was KCC
:host!" and she fell upon his neck with
rild sob of joy. en'
It was long before ho could get her to 0f
k rationally. 8he would throw her arms wii
>und his neck, and, huggiug him tightly, ten
irmur such tonder words over him be- ao,
ixt sobs and laughter, as Reuben Palmer uu
i not heard since he lay a babe in his p|,
ther's crib. j Tl,
"You precious darlin' fellow, have you , fflj
illy come back to us alive ? 11 less your i no
irt, how white and changed you are! Oh, i re^
uben, darlin, is it really you, or am 1 ; Jjr
:amin' V boi
And at last she grew calmer, and was |rtr
e to tell her brother of that terrible night *,,,
en the awtul tidings came of his death, iur
1 how they hadn't one of them smiled j
ce, and how, though his mother tried to t'()
j.ir up," every one who looked in lurlacc wh
lid see that her heart was broken. hoi
And then both the young uiau mid the 0f
iden sat dow n on the grass and wept as fro
lUgli they were little children. i n*
At last Rebecca rose up. "Oh, what j co|
1 mother say! You must coiuc right : v li
o the house, Reuben- only p'rap's I'd | ,,f
tor break it to her slow like, for she's j
akly now, and the sudden joy might kill ; C,,|
r. Oh, there's father!" j ?ei
And they saw the old Deacon come slow- | n,,
into the yard md alight from his horse
t before the barn door, and remove the u.,
ivy bags of flour from the animal's back,
the old man had just returned from the , a |
11- | ui<
"We'll go and tell him first. You just ja|
sp around the corner of the barn, and I'll j
ak the news," cried Rebecca. i aei
She came panting up to her father just : ou
ho was leading the horse into the barn, j ?f
"Oh, say, father, 1 want to teli you? ; jr<)
nothing's happened!" 1 jr|,
i ni! Dill man turned and looked into the J ,,f
:cr face ot itis dan-liter, and his son, Hl,
tiding a little way oil, could see the ,J,.
inge which the last two weeks had pr,
ought in his face. ?f
"Well, what is it my cli'.ld ?" lin
"Vou'll be so glad, lather, and yet?1 J4I,
i't tell it. Oh, Keuben, do conic here. |ie
Ai.d he came out "Father!'* tin
The vague superstitions which almost all |a,
mt ry people held at that period of ghosts 0I;
10 haunted their own homes and visits ?ji
u!e hy the dead to the living, at once ,ja
sled even to the well balanced mind iD
ih? 1 n .icon the possinilily his Ron's ^
in returning to him. cli
lie turned white us his child hail done,
' he did not apeak, and Kebecea cried ,,f
l. "Don't he a tea red father. It isn't a Wj
os?, hut Kuben's own self, and lie wasn't un
mi as we all thought." j hi
< )ne long, greedy glance, and the father ih
e\v his child. j t.-(
"Oil, Keuben, my sou Keuben, the Lord , ,f
praised!" od
And the father and the son fell upon |.'f
cli other's necks, like Jacob and Joseph ? (
old, and wept. ^j.
"Wo must break it to mother easy, cdiil- an
qii, or it'll sartain kill her tor joy," said m<
e old man, vigorously wiping his face hti
th his pocket hankerehief. th
Soil was arranged that Deacon Palmer ?c
uuld go in and break the joyful tidings Hn
his wife according to his best judgment, no
The trio went up to the house; Deacon ih
iltuer entered the kitchen, and his chil- f,,i
en stood just outside the door, where
r?y could hear every word. Mrs. Palmer ce
is slicing some apples into a wooden howl pr
ie did not look upas her husband enter- i w,
all tin se long weeks she had gone on j > r;
th her household duties carefully and j b,
nduoitsly as ever, hut with a face which il,
ew more pale and patient every day? i ?
re like the faces ovir which the grasses I i
,.w .....i ri....i- ?-..it
?'? * ' MIV miiud num. II.
"Well, lteeky," she said, ' I couldn't
ike out what hail kept you You've been fa
heap o'time huntin' them pears." wi
All the life had gone out of her voice ; 11.
was as full of grief and patience as lo r w
ce. to
"It's mo mother, not l?oeky; I've just pi
t homo from liic mill, and I've hccr'd in
od news." In
" What kind o' news, father?" with pr
areely a faint stir of interest. lit
"Ahem?well, this was from the army." I m
'l'he old woman sighed. "Then thmi's
given us another victory over our 1 tu
emy." i fn
"Wall, not that exactly. It's smiethin' in
at eonsarns us more nearly?soinethin' c?
at J give you more joy, mother." p(
1'oor old man! He was internally con- ui
atolaliiig himself on the tact and discre- d?
>n with which he had approached his at
hject; but he could not keep a tone of tri- j m
nphant gladness out of his voice, and he ?,i
is not astute enough for a woman's quick u;i
tuitions. hi
"John," sho said, turning round and T
oking him full in the face?a look that w
irly staggered hiiu?"have you heard any hi
iii}* about Kcubcnf" w
"Wall,yes, it did oonsarn liim?lie al
ok ft down here. "Rcuhen, come in and al
t )nur mother see fur herself." c<
".Moth, i!" oi
She gave one long greedy look as his
ladow fell over the threshold. Slit at
iiiiprchcndcd it all in that glance, and |?
retched out her arms as he rushed lor . >
jrd; but they only clutched at tin- air, I
r before she could gather hiiu to her ei
;nrt she had lallen to the tloor. Her son n
lat was dead was alive again, but the c
other's joy was more than her heart could |>l
?ar. But the color soon came to her fa- ft
m! chocks, ami at eventide on that happy g
ly was henrtl in good Deacon D liner's
;)us? the voice of prune and thanksgiving m
i llun who in his wisdom "tnkoth away, m
at in mercy "roetoreth again." al
The man who "left his traces in' the at
ind" sold the balance of the harness. t;
Aerolite*. si
A writer in the lJoslon Traveller gives P
> following interesting account of the
its of aerolites to our world :
Aerolites, as the derivation of the word ''
i plies, are masses of stoue, which de- "
lid lo tlio earth from the regions of our
nosphere. They are always apparently *1
reloped in a 'swifllv moving fiorv globe *
considerable magnitude, which explodes
lit great tiuiso, and hurls its stony con* M
its over largo tracks of our globe. In
lie instances the globe lias pas ed into *'
r atmosphere and oat again without ex- '
ation and without leaving any residum. 11
ey aie solitary in their fliglit, and their ^
I is confined lo no geographical locality; c<
r do llioy descend from any particular '{
;ioiis of the heavens, pursue any common f1
eclion, or appear at any particular sea
i of lliu year. They traverse, usually, ^
go areas in the sky, and are visible for v
lie time, and over a vast extent of lerri Ml
y. ?
So far as our knowledge of them ex- *
id*, their appearance and coutse are *
ioIIv fortuitous. Meteors, with which *'
'olites aie often confounded, aro a class '
natural phenomena entirely distinct e
m aerolite*. They are coinmoiily known e
shooting stars, from their resemblance in ' "
or and magnitude to the lived stats, from '
lenco tliey appear to proceed. They aie 0
regular peiiodical occurrence, descend
{ in groups, sometimes in sh.iwets, and j '*
lie from particular regions hi the Ilea j |*
lis. Tliev aie visible but for a verv short I ''
>e, describe but a small aie hi the skv. '
I aio seen over a very small extent of I
ritory. I hey make no noise and leave ''
deposit. They are well known lo be c>t "
laiinless character, and excite but little '
>ie euiiosilv in '.heir appeal ante than the "
lell sliow-tlakes.
1 >nt the teintic grandeur of a solitary w
rolite moving with planetarv velocity in
r very midst, exploiting with the noise I'
many thunders, and hurling " hail of v
in globes" ami stony masses over oar
?be, is calculated to awaken in the breast w
ti V i' t V i?H*? ("ii/ilin i?J < I -- ' **
- - V....v "I n??r, HUM (\
(I abiding interrst in llicso bodies. 'I'll** ^
siruction which tliey ar? calculated to 11
i?duee, ami the four tin tnouilile instance* 11
mortal* crushed to death in their fall, r
iges their inteiest with leeling* of mel e
clinly a d terror. The danger appre 11
ruled fr> in coinetary collision?bodies ''
jving in strict obedience to an inexorable I
v, aiol of light and vapory substance gen- 1
illy?i? nothing compared with the pos 11
>ilitv of the descent of an aerolite *at in d '
y, from a clear sky, carrying devastation *
its course. No warning precedes it* 1
luiittf. : n. 1 iliH sv. ifuuian of lis Jesccttl pre 4
ides i -c ipo.
When it is considered that three-fourths I
the sniface of the glohe is covered with 1
iter, into which these bodies may fall c
noticed, and without leaving am trace of 1
eir ex a i no \ their recMrded numbers and '
u dc-lr nc i> ii the\ have produced on a linn- 1
I pat t t its solid *iiiface, may he con*idei
comparatively gn at. The earlie-t record "
fad of aerolites is among the Chinese
111 the year Gil heforo our eia, to 333
er Chi i*t, sixteen of these hodies sue te
t. re I as having fallen' while the Gr. ek
d Koiuun author* meiitiiui only four dnr
g ihis peiiod. I lie gloat mass which fell
ruing 4G3 1?. C, on ?'Kgos l'otauios, ie
mo*t cel. brated of anlinuitv. It is deriln-d
as being as large i*ivvo mill stones,
d 11 illilboldt expresses an opinion thill,
ilwilhslanding tlie lap*e of 'J325 years,
e Ihraciau Meroiite miss may yet be
and.
An aerolite in the beginning of the tenth
nlury fell into lire n.i-r at Narni, and
ojecteil four leet above the surface of tl e
iter hke a huge lock; and a Mongolian
tdi'.ioii is extant, that .? rock forty feet in
tglit fed from Heaven on a | lain near
great Vollow r iver in Chin t. In 1803
laige aerolite exploded m Noimiiinlv, in
a' i'e, ami scattered thousands of its tr ig
.nits ..ver a region of thirty miles sipr ?re. !
I pwardnof I wo hundred instances of t he
II ol these bodies in ddleient |>aits of the i
arid iite recorded. [t must he remarked
Hi even lint largest of the masses found. '
hether in auetent <>r modern time*, ate
II ftn > of the oiigii al before llie ox- '
o>ion. I liev Iimvo lieen VHii?iu?lv e*ti ; 1
U <1 in site, before Inn 'ling, from h few 1
imlreil fe?'l lo soveial miles. Thev up '
null, iiinl even exceed the magnitude ?>l
? smallest Ot" live U-Ierunls, which is osli- '
Med hi all' ut live miles in diameter.
Tin! aerolite tuass is usually warm, *oine- '
lies healed U> a great degree, when it 1
>1 falls. 1 liey all exhibit a gem ral idea- '
,y in external foun, ihu cliaraeler and
?lor of llie crust, and the chemical colli
isitinii of their piinei|ial constituents. with
il regard to the epoch <>r ihe place of their '
scent. Il is justly considered a singular 1
nl striking fact, that aerolite* contain no 1
tvv chemical element, hot contain the
m o as found disliibnted in the crust of ihe
irtlt. When lii-t found they have a thin
ack brilliant coating, occasionally veined (
his peculiar color of the external crust
as noticed by the ancients, and there is J
it one recorded instance where it was
anting. Tliu interior of the mass is usii- (
ly of a light gray color?the presence or (
induce of certain chemical elements, which (
impose these bodies, varying the degree |
color.
Within the present century, three great
Noli os have attracted the a lentioti ol the
. pie of New Kngland. The first, which
l I.li ill i*rl hour V\ tulnii I \iiinoidiiuil I ^ ?
4, 1 807, wm the *iilj??cl ??|* ?l.'tl?i>r?ili* ohI* J
illation by the Celebrated Dr. lhtwdiuh, ill
geometrical Mild iit*ill iiieal relations. The
ctrcine of "its real (liHHicter **>?>
laced by Itowdilcli at live hiind'ud fui'l '
r it* least, and olio lialf mile for il:> {
renltsl diainel' r.
M,o lai^i/l limit is owing to the vaiions
anilities of its frmi; the place* of ol>
ovation, they being l?*s lettable titan it*
llitude ami course. The aerolite moved
ver ?oim thing more than one hundred
nd seven miles, during visibility, at a di?mce
of eighteen miles (rum the earth's
irface. 11h velocity *hi about three miles
it second. An explosion took place oxer We g
teuton, and masses of stone fell, weighing wor|j
in
bout half a t< n. This couhl have been year (,rj
ut a very small part of the original, which to the p?
lust have continued on its course; au?l the a|| civil
(nervation at Weston, of its gradual die- trulh^ ii
ppcaratice, favors the idea. As its course everyhot
as southerly, and nearly in the meridian but not*
f that place, the other fragments, if it de- gr?t RCC(
ended, mu*l have fallen into the ocean. western
The next aerolite was seen all over New |inmR|Iir
ingland on the evening of September 80, 0,^1 Hs
830, and is in some re?|?ects the most re- ^ ?
larkahle of any on record. It is sometimes a
nuwn as the "J?T?iiy Lind Meteor," on ac with ill
>unt of its exisieiive, within the great t|iere is
nine of the Cambridge Observatory, being ??i wliii
rst made known hy the illustrious vocal sideratic
t turning suddenly ai:d excitingly away ti?n, we
om the great telescope, where sho was fractioni
iewing the planet Saturn, near wlrch the great 1C
eroluoexploded. The sudden illumination our c>>u.f
the field of the telescope, hy the aerolite, very bjre
as the cau?e of her stirprhe. The writer extraord
ill never forget tbo startling effect of the ita pf
idden concentration of gieal light in the wife:
eld of the comet-seeker with which he was |? i|?
xploring, at the time, a region of the lieav- |Hj? Jju
us, cpiite remote from that in which tlie J0|,n Hi
erolite exploded. The astronomers of the dislingu
b-ertalory noted very exactly the place of 8ati0n 11
xplosion among the stars, and executed remark
raw in^s ? f ilie wonderful radiance ii left he- joiced ll
ind, w liich rein oncd 1 is l>le planet in differ- biei
ut forms for more than an hour. Itscourae, corn.
1 lite east, was in a northerly direction, partner
'lie Cambridge and Nantucket observation* |,j? |frti
1 tide its distance froin the former place at ., \V|,
10 time of its explosion about one hundred twelve <
1 les, and fifty miles above the ocean. Mr> I
i.e duralii 11 of its light renders this aero ? Yes
te memorable. to twen
The third, and probably much the largest, "Th?
as that which appealed 011 the evening of pleasant
uly 20, 1800. Its appearance in the early w|iole c
art of the evening was favorable for gen 'Plie \
ral observation; and it appears to have bought
veil seen from Montreal to Norfolk, Va., for the
in! fiom Detroit to Portland, Me. Its phy produce
ical appearance in this viciuity was that "Don
f two separate nuclei, side by aide, throw- hat ua?
ag olF sparks which 111 a?le a bright train The <
I s veial degrees in length. It is somewhat e,| hum
i-iuarkable that tlie u-ual phenomena of H
xplosion was nowhere seen. This is sua- his life I
mnod by the fact (hat as yet no no se was liut ahs<
mard emanating from the aerolite. In all ||e |?M
rohability it pa-sed on its planetary career, pledged
lie approximate calculations of 1'iof. Bond, peen |0|
>f <J uubridgo, and Dr. Perkins, of Newbu- crji,. ari
yp<nt. apparently based on ditferent ob the cori
eivaiiotis, concur in making its course (hat tin
learly over the notlhero part of Pennsyl- ( limine
anin and New Jersey, ami Long Island Hiuung
> Mind, with a velocity of nt?"ui 25 miles |^,he
or second, at an elevation of 22 miles above M Plau
lie eaitli. The magnitude, velocity, an?i the j? Yanl
ou.-se of this body will, undoubtedly, be favors ll
erv exactly ascertained from the great 0f0urs
lumber of observations made on it during hou?e i
ts visibility. biighlei
The plienotm-non is usually so sudden known
aid so mHilling, that it is gone before tlio ob- "You
eiver thinks to note its place among the |ive (Q j
tars when first ami last seen, and the ger ear
iine and duration of its appearance, which (j.,r
?< u'd furnish data for the caicuiatiou of the Htraiglit
leinot.ls of its paih, in connection with Heynoh
mother distant place. Person* observing i||u g(or
liese b<Mlies would greatly aid scientific 0f(|,e c
nen in their investigation of aen liie*. if luril t|t<
hey would attend to the nothing of the ,v|ial Y
ibove few simple facts. [n j,
Ctl'ItlCF. OF A BKAt riFUh M.VUKS- f*pr
?? ... , . . v? box, uoi
it a N.? I he laria correspondent of the New lwo t),
folk Kx press relates this singular story: thirtu-n
A young, beautiful and wealthy lady, wa?f,,r
vidow of a French officer who Inn; his life at ^
ho assault of.Malakoff. has chosen a second j .
in-hand after aaomewhat eccentic fashion, jj0,is".
irising either from martial disposition, or | ur<| j,
he difficulty of a selection between no less fV jf
hm ten sighing asi irants for her hand. , j' . _
. ./-. i i i H'*1 *'*c<
n. el mi ( . invited the ten gentlemen to -v
. . , -ii J i ' orrum
maktast at her country villa, and having ^ j,^ ^
hn- united her suitors, informed them
hat she would unite herself to that one of .pj
hem who would consent to hold in his
i.ind a watch for her to fire at and break ,
. . . , ... ? , lsli .Mil'
villi a pistol, atlwenty pace*. Nine of the tun;, u
ir? v didn't care to run tho rink ? "d by ''M *
lus female Travis, hut the tenth. a young Mis:
m reliant, couragi'ously determined t<? fulfil singula
lie condition imposed. Madam loaded 8(lluc u
icr pistol forthwith, and stepped into the jt up tt
Mid. n followed by the company. The our 8tn
wi nt v paces were measured, the tucrcan- m^nt o
ile hero pulled out lis watch, gallantly parte,
efusing one not inuoh larger than a franc, now ?c
i lie red by the lady, and fearlessly assumed j,i |lor
lis place. Tho amnion took deliberate nwthin:
litu; bang! went the pistol, and down tuui- knew t
iled the watch, pierced to the cap. The ijog [ ^
gentleman, unharmed by the adventure, has mo? t|
mrried the rich widow and bought a new public
ime piece. t ness.
, *****" . .A takes a
London and its Uhowth.?Tho city j. r
)f London, says the Registrar General, now ctown
divers 121 sijuare miles. It is equal to j| '
hrec Londons of 1800. It increase* in foro|u?j
[Kipulation at the rate of one thousand a sinout^
ive.-k. half by births (their excess over js
leaths) and hall by immigration (their ex- ^
[?ess over emigration.) If is remarkable .Jk# c
lh.it in I. 'ii 1 Hi ..in in six oi' lie is \n ho leave
I he world dies ill otto ol the public ilistitulions?
.i WOrkhmMO, hospital, asylum or
prison, Notr?y oho ill eleven of the deaths
ire in a workhouse. |(1^H
.urnj v i ii wuiuvp it; nit: \xjiiuumiiMi uiai j . ?
:i woman i> bltlW without than with ui a hi j
relatives. "If, ihl uyi, you have a has-1 .',,Vo
hand that won't snpport vou, your father ! T?
won't help you because you are married, I ?J r..
and your unolo won t help you because .
you ve got a lather and brothers, and your l,ur,a
cousins won't help you because you've pot a,,J),ul
plenty of uncles, and nobody clso will help 10
one w hoiu husband, father, brothers, uncles
mid cousins surround." tunc, t
with fc
Let the youth, who stands at the bur with
a glass of liquor in his hand, consider which
ho hud better throw away?the liquor or T,if<
himself, cbogcM
Tall Cora.
row "(all corn" in America. Tin
beginning (o find it out. Every
nga (he fuel more and more homo
rcepti ve and digestive faculties of
ixed humMiiiija. Like all greni
L did not gain credit at once. True,
ly see* it here with hi* own etea,
oon the other side of Hie water. The
Hints of (he produc(ivane** of on#
prairie* were read by our Buekiufl^*
e farmer* with about a* much re.
(he fish stories ofthe sailor Si u bad.
>ven the highest dignitaries of the
ong while 10 get fairly op to a level
b actual fact. Even at tbia day
an ?ar of corn ill (be British Mu*?*
eh enjoy* a very distinguished oon>n
as a curiosity. It divides altan*
do not say equally, but certainly
illy, with the Ninevah Bull and thn
nhinoor. It is a perfect marvel to
tin John Bull; ami yet it baa but a
ipte his'ory, and it i* not a very
linary ear of corn after all. It reach*.
esent distinction something in thia
e month of Janumv, 1847, at a earner
psrty in London, at which Lord
issell. Lord Morpeth and many other
ished men were present, the couver*
lined upon the Irish famine; and the
was made by Lord John that here* \
lat so good a substitute for the na*
id-luff had I een found as Indian
Turning to Mr Bates, American
in (he house of Buring Brother*,
ship went on to sat:
iy, Bates, some of the cobs have
>r fourteen rows of grain on them.''
tales coolly replied :
nij lord, I hiivo seen from twenty
ly four rows on a cob."
a is a rare YankecLm," was the
t retort of the Premier; and the
otnpany shouted in approval,
jurst of merriment over, Mr. Raete
hi* peace by a wager of a dinner
company all round that be ooaUi
i such an ear. %.
t. .rf.l tl.~
clinch**'.
linuer passed off. Mr. Bate* return*
e, but not entirely at eitae. lie had
strange thing; for the first time in
lie hud tnmle itn engngement he waa
ulutuly certain of hisability to fulfil.
I misgivings that he had r!?rhle
I the honor of his. country. It had
:ig since he looked upon an American
d however patiently he winnowed
t-ucopia of Lis memory, he found
j cobs of his eaily daye had gone
ring through the lapse of lima
the things that were now ao far off
could not count the rows. He waa
tus would say, redachu ad invitos?
tee pat lance, hard up." But Fortenn
lie bravo. It bap|HMied that a friend
dropped in next day at the counting
of the Bating*. Mr. Bates, witu
uing face, hailed him, and mad*
his difficulty.
i are safe." was the response;u If I
get home you shall have even a tigthan
you have promised."
friend G soon returned, and
way wrote to Messrs. Rogers and
is, of Lafayette. Indiana, telling
y, and begging them, for the honor
ountry,to come l<> the re-cure, ami
u (aides on Lord John, showing them
aiikeos could do.
ily following Mr. G received
ess from Lafayette a nicely arranged
itaining six enrsol horse lootli coru,
which had twenty.nine rows, two
tie and two thirty two. The box
Ill Willi to " J. Itn'ea,
Miwrs. 1 ?>*ri i? 15, Brother* <fc Co. shipMln*'k
Ball Line, cHrtiof the Liverpool
' 11 reached its destination, and
jlin lvu**eil, first Lad ??f theTuwom
d son of the late I )uke of Bedford by
>nd daughter of George Viscount
[tun, and lineal descendant ??t lx>rd
11 l?ti?*oll, the martyr of Liberty,
irlvdgeil thr corn."
dinner wa* won. Joshua Hates did
peiiato a "Yankeeism, and the Brit*
?eum holds liie trophy. Vive la Re<*!
s Pattkr8<>M.?A matter rather
r t'.r.ibly impressed itself upon ine
reeks ago, but I neglected noticing
> the present time. Passing along
eels the next day after the annonnoe*
f the death of Prince Jerome Bona
L saw his wi c?Miss Patterson?
ar her eightieth year, walking out
usual costume, unconcerned as if
' had happened. She certainly
he fuel; but knowing her eccentrieivns
not surprised: It is no unooo*liug
to see this venerable lady in th?
marts a/tcifding personally to husiShe
often collects her own rents, and
i flirt at stock socculatioiis when the
is up. At all times, an elegant
jewel, clittering with diamonds of
rest water, is displayed upon hor
i J, whilst her arms are white, skin
i and fender as a tnnidea of aixtoM.
realign remarkable woman. There
ep stoiwimn and unbending philaaa
ouplu'l with independence in her
aitiofc, which one out of a thousand,
11 tannic, docs not poracsa. Utf
thought is replete with favoritipp
tv. Republic!! sho esteems comKv.iti
hil; and now, though a eidseu
Votnain, and without anything apeiduuie
herself upon touching imperial
jjp'o lives ill the ideal of la btlle
1. Her greatest ambition is to hear
grandson?young Jerome?now is
Vouch army, rising to honor and its*
distinction. A large portion of hat
I income, w hich is large, is appropriahis
service. At her demise, it hi
ned, he will inherit her entire fbr?
is she is not on terms of intiuMMf
icr ?<>n huro.
j c Cor. AW Fork Tim*.
3 imhpfchine or gloom, just M
} to have it appear.
9
&