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lewis a. attisT, proprietor. J ^it Jnfcepenltent Jfamilj flctospaper: for i|>? pramotton af tbe political, Social, ^grtcttltaral- anil Comotertial Interests of t|e ?mrfj}. | tjbms-w o?a toa^ibadvaho!. VOLUME II. 7 YORKVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 1866. . NUMBER 46. f fpSfrUaarmts jirfeks. LAST OF THEJMFEDEBACYT Ay ACCOUNT BY A PARTICIPATOB IN THE CLOSING SCENES. We copy from a late number of the Cincinnati Enquirer the following very interesting acoouot of the "Last Days of the Confederacy." We can vouch for its entire aocnracy, especially of that portion which refers to what transpired at and near Abbeville, S. where we were looated at the time :?Louisville Courier. In your issue of November 22, 1 see an account of tbe last days of tbe Confederacy. I contribute this as uiy mite to a full history of that eventful month. I was a member of Dibrell's division of Wheeler's cavalry, aud bad some opportunities for knowing much of what was transpiring. Our division had been selected to escort Mr. Davis from Greenborough to Charlotte, and leaving Battle Bridge, over the Neuse River, we reached Greeosboro* about mid' night of April 17, after two days and a half j of rapid marching. For the first time we were fully informed of the extent of oar disasters?of the retreat, defeat, surrender, annihilation of General Lee's great army? ! and were told that we were relied upon to [ guard Mr Davis, his cabinet and archives to Charlotte, and keep off Stoneman, who was hovering upon our right flank Next I evening as Mr. Davis aod General Breckin j ridge rode through the division, at the head ' of tbe Government cortege, they were welcomed with the most enthusiastic cheers. ?~ * i I. nt We continued our marcn towards v^narlotte. General Breokinridge?tbe will and brains of the Governuieut in its last days? left ns upon tbe third morning, returning to tbe army to hold those consultations with Gens Johnston and Sherman, of which so much has been said. Perhaps the country may yet believe that Sherman, Johnston and Breokinridge were better statesman and truer patriots than Seward and Stanton.? Mr. Davis rode near up to tbe head of the oolumn all the time ; was always polite, affable and accessible; seemed cheerful and resolute; talked pleasantly, kindly and sociably to all who approached. Mr Benjamin and General Cooper rode io an ambulance, Mr. Trenholm and family in another, Jodge Reagan, Cols Lubbock, of Texas, Taylor Wood and Preston Johnston always rode near tbe President. General Lawton, Qaartermaster General, General Gilmer, Chief Engineer, and General St. Johns, with their attaches, Mr. Mallory, Mr. Geo. ^ - ? -3 kUna nnfo onnnm no niatl I 1 1S&Y13, a LIU UliUCIO U a icoo u\AW; nvwuj^Hwtvw the Presidential party. i Besides General Dibrell's division, Gen- 1 eral Gary, of Sooth Carolina, had a small body of mounted men, some peventy-five or one hundred, collected at Greensboro, from i the debris of the Virginia cavalry At Salisbury we met General Echols and Ntaff, of South Western Virginia, and various staff, post and furloughed officers, who had run from Richmond,.Lynchburg, Abingdon, Western North Carolina, and various parts of Sooth Carolina, men driven to a common oentre by Grant, Sherman, Stoneman, Wilson and Foster; members of Congress, civil functionaries and refugees. You may be v * -.tj;? _i- - L. j i 4La sure we airiy soiaiers wao uau uurue tuv beat and burden and danger of the war, made great sport of the beloved "post" officer, the "biled" shirt and black coated gentry, who, without horses and unused to camp life, were begging for mules (horses were unattainable) so that they might accompany us. Gladly would a kingdom 1 have been given for a horse. Alas ! our I kingdom was in as desperate a condition as i poor Richard's was, and was not worth a < horse. For the first time during the war we soldiers had revenge upon the gentlemen who had been seeking and filling soft plaoes. After moving across Yadkin river, Gen. Dibrell received word from Geo. Ferguson, who, with a small cavalry brigade, was at Charlotte, that Stonemao was approaching Charlotte, and begging him to move ou immediately, which be did, marching all night and reaching Charlotte about sunrise, to find that StonemaD was Dot near toe place, but bad deceived our offioers there aod burned all the bridges over the Catawba? Gen. Ferguson moved out of Charlotte as soon as we reached there, to Nation Ford, over the Catawba, the point where the railroad from Charlotte to Columbia crossed that river. About midday Gen. Basil Duke, with the remnaut of Morgao's celebrated cavalry?about five hundred?reached Charlotte from Cbristiansburg. When General Ecbols disbanded his infantry and abandoned his wagons and artillery at Cbristiansburg, he ordered his cavalry to follow him across tbe mountains to General Johnston 1 General Dake's brigade, was dismounted, } their horses being in North Carolina, but they seized the artillery and wagon mules and rode bare-backed to Charlotte. A few of Duke's men refused to accompany him, and came to Kentucky with some Kentucky cavalry, who surrendered at Mount Sterling; but over one hundred under Lieutenant-Colonel Diamond, of this cavalry, reported to and accompanied Duke General Vaughn, also, with about three hundred of his brigade, marched with Gen. Echols to Charlotte. So that we had at or near Charlotte, Dibrell's division, consisting of his own brigade, under Colonel McLemore, aod Williams' Kentucky brigade, under Col. Breckenridgc?about 1,300 fighting men; General Duke's brigade of Keutuckians, badly mounted, five hundred; Vaughn's brigade of Tennesseeans, badly armed and disciplined, three hundred; Ferguson's brigade of Alabamians aod Mississippians, seven hundred; in all two thousand eight hundred men?a large part badly mounted and armed?some of theui dishearted aod demoralized Mr. Davis reached Charlotte late that afternoon and made tbe speech so falsely reported. Two days after Gen. Breckinridge returned from Greensboro' with a definite acooont of what had occurred and been agreed upon between himscif and General Sherman, and the existence of a truce was officially promulgated Upon the morning of the 26th of April, we were ordered to Nation Ford, and then to cross the Catawba river. After resting nearly twenty-four hours on the bank of the river, we received orders to move, by way of Yorkville and Unionville, to Cokesbury?Duke's brigade and Vaughn to move by Uhesterviile, uniouvwe, ana jbaureos ville?Ferguson to move by a lower route. High water, bnrned bridges, &c., made ns change oar route, and we reached Cokes bury after Duke, YaoghD and Ferguson had passed through; from thence we moved to Abbeville, wbeTe all were concentrated by noon of May 2. Id the meantime rumors had reached us of Johnston's surrender; Gen Bragg had disbanded the Seoond and Third South Carolina cavalry ; news of Wilson's cavalry moving towards Augusta and Lexington, Ga ; Stoneman crossing the Savannah aod moving to Athens, and Atlanta being occupied, thus closing the entire Kne of retreat to Taylor ao'd Forrest; of the defeat of Forrest at Selma; of Foster moving towards Augusta from the coast, and Of the utter demoralisation of that part of Johnston's army that has not surrendered ?had become rife through the commands. The men appreciated the utter hopelessness of the contest?the almost equal hopelessness of reaching the Mississippi River and crossing it, or of General Smith making any resistance. At Abbeville, late in the afternoon of May 2, a ooosultation was held?the last military ooDsultation in which the Confederate Government participated. It was a historic soene. Mr. Davis presided with Gen. Bragg, who had become by the earrancor nf TJnhnatrin Rf?jmr#?frnrd ?nd Cooper, the senior General of the Confedaoy on his right hand, and General Breckinridge, Secretary of War, and Major General, on the other side of him Next came Brigadier General G. W. Ferguson, a gah lant and enterprising Sooth Carolinian, a West-Pointer, a pet of Beanregard, and a favorite of Davis; next Gen. George G. Dibrell, a plain, practical, sensible, middle aged Tennessee clerk and merchant, who was beloved by his men, and had justly won bis spurs by loog, hard, skilful, devo ted service ; next, on a little sofa, sat two young men?Brigadier General Basil W. Duke and Colonel William C. P. Breckinridge, well knowD among the troops from Kentucky in the Confederate army, and then, near General Bragg sat Gen. Vaughn of East Tennessee, a brave officer and an earnest man. Each officer was called upon to state the condition of his command. Gen. Ferguson sanguine himself, gave a too glowing acoount of his men, as the sequel showed, but still bad ; he could count upon oue hundred men fighting as well as ever?upon all for other duties and skirmish Gen. Dibrell could not count on any fighting men in his l_: i- 4 4 \t_ rv. j n ungauu, eiceyi iu oavo iur. x/avia uuu vrcu. Breckinridge, and every hour was weakening bis bold upon them, and I have heard tbat he declared, almost with tears, he would not risk another life among his noble men exoept for that purpose ; that the cause of the Confederacy was lost, and his doty now was to take oare of his men. General Duke thought one hundred and fifty of bis men would follow him anywhere, and that he did not believe the cause lost if all folt ashodidaud would inspirit their men.? Col. Breckiuridge annouuoed bis own determination not to surrender until ordered by Mr. Davis or the Secretary of War, but that very few of bis men shared that feel ing, and he would not urge them to go any further. Gen. Yaughu and his command would accept whatever terms Gen Johnston had ; which were then not known to us ? Mr. Davis said it was then useless to keep men under arms who would not fight; crirn inal to risk the lives of men who would fight, to the bravery of those who would not. Therefore, the command must be winnowed. That he oould have been at Shreveport by that day, but was not willing to leave the men who were still in the field. That he supposed that General Johnston had surrendered?that all the army left in that department were the commands represented in that meeting?that of them not more than four hundred could be depended on any further That he would attempt to go to General Taylor, and if that army went to pieces, he would cross the river, aod if the cause should be hnally lost, he would feel that he bad done all his duty as he best could. That, called to his place without his intervention, be would continue to discharge its duties as loog as possible. That this contest might have resulted disastrously, but the cause was not lost; the blood shed during four years was uotshed in vain, and uuder other auspices and abler leaders, *T VUiU JVI OUVWVUAfter considerable discussion it was agreed that. iMr. Davis, with a small esoort, should go immediately to Washington, Ga., and then on such route as seemed best; that Gen Breckinridge should take command of the oavalry there, and move that night across the Savannah River at Vienna, where there was a pontoon bridge. This was carried out, aud at daylight we crossed the river. That day was spent in paying the men actually present per capita?Genera! Breckinridge and the humblest private shariug alike ; eaoh receiving about S2G in coin. The statement that at any time upon the march from Charlotte to Washington any attack was made upou the specie train is a mistake. This train was guarded to Abbeville by a detachment of midshipmen, Pros ident Guards, and perhaps a few other "Virginia army" soldiers; at Abbeville it was placed under a picked guard from Duke's brigade, under the command of Col. Steele, and from Abbeville to Vienna it was guarded by a picked body from the whole cavalry, uuder the personal command of Gen. Duke. By this time more definite information had been received of Gen. Johnston's surrender. Gen. Vaughn and bis whole command, Gen. Dibrell, Col. McLemore and the whole division, except Col. Breckinridge and some fifty officers and men, equally divided between the two brigades, and all save about one hundred and fifty of Gener al Duke's command, determined to remain and accept the terms received by General Johnston. On the 4th, st Washington, Gen. Ferguson's brigade stopped, leaving General Breckinridge, npon the morning of the 5th, near Woodstook, Ga., with one company of aboot fifty Kentuokians and Tennesaeeans, well armed and monnted, under Col. Breckinridge, and ooe hundred and fifty Kentockians, only tolerably armed and mounted, under Gen. Duke. The Federals had possession of Athens, Lexington, Macon, Augusta ; also of Atlanta, Marietta, Cartersville and Dalton; also of Montgomery, Selma and Mobile, so that, with patrols and scouts everywhere, it seemed hopeless to attempt any escape. No official an Dounoeuient of the terms and extent of Johnston's surrender had been received. On the mornmg'of the 5th, Geo Breek inridge ordered Geo. Duke and Col Breckinridge to surrender or disband, saying, in his manly, unselfish way, "Not one of these yonog Kentuokiaos shall risk his iife for me; I am now only a fugitive, and would pot have a life saved by the sacrifioe of lives youDger, as dear, and rerhaps to be 1 more useful than my own. I have done my full duty?I have nothing left but to preserve a life dear and useful to my family " Accompanied by a few personal and staff officers be rode down a by-road, not thirty minutes before a battalion of Federal cavalry passed its mouth. Next morning this small command divided, part going to Dalton to surrender, part to Athens, part to Augusta?all conscious that the failure of a cause for which they had sacrificed so much and fought so long and so gallantly, was not ohargeable in any degree to them. Defeated, but not dishonored, they felt they had shown themselves worthy to be the founders of a great empire; worthy to be the children of revolutionary sires, whose deeds of heroism tbey had equaled, if uot surpassed Death of Brigadier-General Elliott Wednesday, in Aiken, S. .C , died See phen Elliott, Jr., lately a Brigadier-General in an army whose fame he helped to increase, and not long sinoe one of the stur diest defenders of the city, where his name 1 has become a household word. Geo. Elliott was horn at Beaufort, S. C., on the 2Gth of October, 1830 His father, who survives him, is the Rev. Stephen Elliott, of Beaufort, aod his mother was Miss Habersham, of Georgia. From his earliest years he excelled in all the manly sports, aud had established a precedence among his fellows, who accompanied him in any undertaking where opportunity was afforded for the display of courage, ooolness and resources. On growing up, he spent some time at Harvard University, butsubsequently joined an advanced class at the South Carolina College, where he graduated in December, 1850. in this class were Col.. James H. Rioo, the Rev. R. W Barnwell, Major-General Wharton, aDd Brigadier General S. R. Gist. After taking bis degree, be became a < plaDter of tbe long-stapled oottoo oo one of j tbe islands 'of tbe Broad River, and bis * fame as an agriculturalist was soon established by tbe remarkable results of bis 1 planting. About this time he married Miss Charlotte Staart, wbo, with one son, is left 1 to mourn the loss of her noble husband. A year or two before the late war Gen Elliott was elected CaptaiD of the, Beaufort Artil- ! lery, an old militia company; and on its outbreak this company was immediately put into the field by the State as a part of the 9th (afterwards 11th) South Carolina Reg- ' iment, Colonel W. C Heyward. With this company Stephen Elliott manned the guns of Fort Beauregard during the attaok of November, 18G1, and gave promise of his military capacity in his construction of the fort, in his gallantry iu holding it, and in tbe skill by whioh he brought off its garri 1 son without loss. In 1S62 his company was reorganized as a Light Battery ander tbe name of tbe Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, and during that year and the beginning of 18G3 he was always busy in planning or conduct- ' ing reconnoisances or attacks?one of which, 1 on Pinckney Island, will be remembered r . ' Tkn r?n no /i f Kio i lOr US CUUJpieie augtuoo. iuo j^uuo v. ...? battery, under his direction, did brave ser- i viue at the battle of Pocolaligo, in October, ' 1862, where they were engaged at unusually close quarters under a heavy fire. After being more than once recommended by his commanding officer for promotion, in the spring of 1863 he received a commission of | Major of Artillery, and .was assigned to duty j on James* Island. In September of the same year he was placed in command of Fort Sumter, which was at the time the i forlorn hope of Charleston Ilarbor. We leave it to history to tell the story of hisdeI fence of Sumter, which we believe to beau j exploit not surpassed in the military career | of any people. mere nis great acuities as ! an engineer and ordnance officer, his fertilI ity of resources, and his great vigilance, | came fully ioto play, and his memorable j services were, in April, 1804, rewarded by ! promotion to the Colonelcy of the Holcorabe | Legiou Infantry. Two (perhaps more) ; weeks after, when Brigadier General W. S. Walker, commanding his brigade, was i wounded and captured at Clay's Farm, on j the 20th May, 18G4, Stephen Elliott was ! rnado Brigadier Geneial and assigned to his j brigade. On the 17th of June, 1864, he j rendered great services in defending Peters ' burg, on the first assault of General Grant, and narrowly escaping with his life, having J been struck four times in the course of the : engagement On the 30th of July, a mine ' was sprung under a portion of his command, at a point now known as "Elliott's Salient,*' in the lioes of Petersburg. While endeav- t oring to enoonrage bis men, by exposing J himself, be was severely wounded, and bia t arm remained partially paralyzed from tbe injury to tbe day of his death. Thinking I himself able to take tbe field again, he was, in tbe winter of 1864, placed in command of a brigade near this city, which be coo- 1 duoted to North Carolina on the evaoaatioo } orf tbe oity, and which he was obliged to leave in March, 1865, on acoount of his t health. On the surrender of the Southern 1 armies, Geo. Elliott returned to Beaufort, g He was soon elected (for the second time) a member of tbe Legislature; and but a f short time before bis death he had received an important'trppointment on the South I Carolina Railroad. a In perfect justice to the many gallant t men of this State, who have woo distinc- t tiou in the recent war, it may be said that no one was nearer to the hearts of our peo o pie than General Elliott. To others, who s * * -? 1- ? II _ 1 __l : 4 aid meir wotk ho wen aoa wuuse meujunen i i. are cherish deeply, and all the more that it a is scarcely proper or prudent to exhibit the i depth of feeling they inspire,- it happened to ? have acted for the most part on a distant field, bat the n&mo and fame of General fc Elliott wus made in defence of oar own <3 homes and hearths. I The fear that our defences would be car- t ried was intense Fort Sumter had already crumbled into ruins. The most fearful oon- t sequences were apprehended. The entrance i into that fort was something of a forlorn I hope; the attack and defence was watched I by a people spell bound ; nightly men and c maidens, on bended knees, implored the protection of a merciful Providence over its a gallant defenders: of these Major Elliott t was the ccntial figure. His gallantry in v seeking that position had arrested attention; t every further act more completely vindica- li ted his claims to the interest his entrance had inspired; and his name passing from i lip to lip, and transcending the limits of the v State, expanded in fame to foreign countries Under such ciroumstaooes, it was 1 natural and necessary that be should be dear t to the State; and many, who have never * met him in life, will mourn for him dead, \ as for one from the oircle of their own t home.?Charleston News. r How Mr. Keith Managed. 6 "Man's work is from sun to sun> but woman's work is never done," quoted Mrs. Keith She had ju9t finished her work fof the evening, everything was sided, and she wastaking up her sewing, when Mr. Keith upset u vinegar bottle and a bowl of gruvy in the kitchen cupboard, rumaging after a knife which was in his pocket all the time. Mr9. Keith relinquished her idea of a little season of quiet, and weat out to set matters in order again. Mr. Keith followed to oversee her?a habit some men have. "1 Wish you would try to be a littlo more careful, Henry. You do not realize bow miiuy things I have to see to." "Humph !" said Mr. Keith sitting, down in a basket of freshly ironed olothes; "I never would complain of such a trifle a9 that ? If I dido't know I should think all the woman were in slavery." "And you would be oorreot, Henry? You haven't the faintest idea?" c "Nonsense, Mary 1 Why, I could do a your work, and three times as much more, t and get all through at teu o'clock !" 1 "Could you, indeed !" ' I , "To be sure, if you would only give me the chance of it." * "You shall have it," said Mrs. Keith, quietly. I have loDg wanted to visit my a Aunt Susan. I will do so now, and you 1 may keep house. I shall have to cook up v something?" "Ah if I couldn't cook ! You will do noth- g iog of the kind, Mary. I shall live like a prince, andyuu will see how nioe I will keep c everything. You will hardly know the house a when you return." \ "I daresay," remarked Mrs Keith, "but when can I go ?" v "To morrow, if you like " ii "And you are sure you can manage !" "Sure !" what a look be gave her; "you y shall see." u Mrs. Keith laughed a little to herself a when her husband left her at the depot, and n turned his steps homeward to clear the I breakfast things and prepare dinner. She only wished she could be there invisibly, t and see him manage. a "Let me see," soliloquized Keith, enter- li iog the kitohen; "I'll wash the dishes first I and I'll put on one of Mary's dresses to keep mc clean." o He fastened it around his waist with a ; p ? *1 1 LI* aIaaras n nr] d k/tii t ! fcl pin, rouea up UI3 nioo Y to, ?uu lUUltia auuuv I him. The tire was out, but after much trou- j o ble he succeeded io rekindling it, and then ! b began to wash the dishes. | p He took them to the sink, plugged up 1 u the spout, and put them to soak io a pail of ! b cold water. ! a "There, they're washed," said he to himself ; "now for something to wipe them on. g I'll take the table cloth. Suoh a fuss as wo- * mau do make about work. Why, I could wush all the dishes iu the neighborhood in k half a Hue This stew-nan smells of grease, li I wonder what's the matter with it? There, I've got some smut on my hand ! there it t goes on that China saucer, deuce take it I ; d I wish there was no smut!?Hillo, there's j I one plate gone to smash ! Oh, there goes the cream pitcher I And I've stepped into a that potato dish that I set on the floor to dry, and that's gone to the shades ! Never h mind, accidents will happen. I guess I'll trim the lamp next; mother always trim- f tiled the lamp in the morning. Confound I 'em, how black the chimneys are." c Thus conversing with himself, Mr. Keith put the*chimneys into the basin and oogita- j ted a moment. He bad heard it said that 1 boiling water was cleansing. So he scalded the chimneys, and the result was about a s hundred different pieces to eaoh chimney. "Good gracious!" he cried, "who'd have bought it! There's somebody at the door. 'II just step out as I am. It oao't be any >ody that I oaie for, so early as this." A small bo; presented himself, eyeing ?eith with ill suppressed mirth. "Be you mistress of the bouse?" "Yes?that is, I am the master!" said iCeith, with dignity, "what oan I do for rou 7" "Nothing, I guess. Marm aeut me over o see if you.?that is?if the mistreat of the loose would take care of the baby while she ;oes shopping." "No !" thundered Keith. "I've other ishtofry." The-boy put his thumb to bis nose, and ilr. Keith after slamming the door?as men iHvays do when they are out of temper?reamed to the kitohen. The fire was out, and he room decidedly smokey. "I'll go down cellar and bring up some oal," said he, and started briskly down the tars. On the second step be put his foot hrough a rip io bis dress skirt?stumbled rad fell to the bottom of the cellar?smashng a basket of eggs, and knocking overt belf loaded with pans of milk. "Deuce take it 1" exclaimed he, serenading to his feet, and robbing bis head, "how lo the women manage with these infernal ong dresses?" I shall break my neck with his set I" The fire made again, Mr. Keith bethought lieu of dinner. He looked at his timepiece; t was one o'clock. Almost time for caters. What should he have for dinner?? le bad heard his wife say that a rice pudiiDgaod boiled potatoes, and broiled steak. He filled the basin with rice, stirred in . little sugar, dropped in an egg, and set he vessel into the oven The potatoes be rashed in soapsuds, that they certainly night be eleao, and pat them into the tea:ettle, because they would boil quicker. The steaui was frizzling in the fryingpan, ind he was proceeding to set the table, then the bell rang. He caught up the pan from the fire?to [eep it from burning?and made haste to he froDt door. Then he remembered it eould not be just tbe thing to go to the door rlth ft frying-pao in bisband, so be deponed it oo the parlor sofa, and answered the ?? Mrs. Dr. Mudge was on the steps, dressid in her best. "Yes?I, dare say stammered Keith, my wife is absent, and I am playing Bridgit. Walk in." Mrs. Mudge sailed into the parlor, which vas darkened to exclude the sun, and withint stooping to look at her seat, sunk into he frying pan on the sofa "Jupiter!" cried Mr. Keith, "you have lone it now!" Mrs. Mudge sprang up ; the grease dripjed from the rich silk on the carpet. Her ace grew dark. She was tempted to say omething cutting, but managed to control lerslef; bowed haughtily, and swept out of he bouse Keith returned to the kitchen a little !rc8t-fa!!en, for Mrs. Mudge was a lady be'ore whom he desired to appear particularly veil. There was a tremendous oracking in the iven. He thought of his pudding, and ooked in. The burnt rice had bopped all iver the oven; the basin had melted apart, md the pudding was not done. He shut he door upon the ruins in disgust, and ooked after the potatoes only to iiod them loiled to a perfect jelly. And just as be made the discovery there vas a sharp peal at the door bell. "Creation ! there's that abominable bell igain. I wish folks wonld stay at home ! I'll nil fh*k sJnstru nn^ r>nf_ nil fhf* .bell?? fires, after to day." At the door he found Mr. and Mrs. Fid;ot and tbeir children. "My dear Mr. Keith ! how do you do ?" ried Mrs. Fidget. "We were in town, nd thought we'd just step into dioner.? Vhere is Mrs. Keith ?" "She's gone away," said Keith, ruefully, rondering what he should feed on ; "walk n do. I am the housekeeper to day." "Yes, so I shouJd judge. Butof course ou make a splendid one. I remember you ised to be frequently telling Mrs. Keith n'd myself how very easy housekeeping aust be. It must be mere play to you ? )on't put yourself out, I beg " "Put myself, indeed," oricd Keith, rereatiog to the kitchen. "Good graoious ! ?bat shall I do ? I'd give a hundred dolirs if Mary was only here ! Where shall begin ?" He drew out the table and set itwithut any cloth ; then took off the plate9 and at on a cloth, the very one he had wiped ho dishes on. The task completed, be put n soldo more potatoes and some steak; urned the steak to a cinder; took off bis ntofnps when he did his meat, and DUt all pon the table There was a loaf of baker's read in the cupboard; he paraded that, nd called his guests to diooer. A quissical smile spread over Mrs Fidet's face at the sight of the repast. Keith ras io a cold perspiration. "Ma, my plate's all greasy, and so's my nife. I can't eat on dirty dishes," cried ittle Johnny Fidget. "And my fork is wet all over with waerjthat's dropping off the table cloth ; and ay tater ain't half biled," cried little Jane fidget. A slight noise in the kitchen drew the ttention of Mr. Keith. "Jupiter!" oried he, "if Mrs. O'Flalerty's dogain'tmaking off with my steak I" He jumped from the table and started in lot pursuit. The dog made the best of it; Ceith's unacoustomed attire was a sad Irawback, and he made but little headway. "Kill him," he yelled to the crowd that oined in the pursuit; "I'llgive fifteen dolars for his bide." Mrs. O'Flaherty herself appeared on the oene with a skillet of hot water. "Tech him if yer dare !" she cried. "I'll : break the bonea of ever; mother's son of yees. Staod from forninat, of ye'll rue the ; W ! Keith took a step forward, stepped on , bis skirt, and pitched head first into a wise i cellar, where half a doxen men were play' ing cards. "The devil in petticoats ln exolaimed one gamester, and the place emptied quicker than a wink. " The polioe picked np Mr. Keith, considerably bruised, and carried him borne. His company bad taken their departure, and somebody, not having the fear of the law upon them, bad entered and stolen a hundred dollars worth of property Mr. Keith sent the following note to bis wife by the evening mail: Dkar Mart:?Come borne; I give up beat. A woman has a great deal to do.? T rtnnfpsA mvRplf inonmnetent to manage.? Come home, and yon shall bave a new ntk drees, and a daughter of Erin to divide yonr labors. Yonrs, disconsolately, H. KEITH. From the Chattanooga Gazette. Sow a Man Felt who was Hanged. a sheriff's story. * * * * ?Wait till you hear it. Ten years ago I was elected sheriff of tbfs county. This was my first election, and I have been regularly returned ever since. My first attempt to open court was made during an important tri&L The criminal was a depraved, desperate wretch, who had been indicted for an atrocious and brutal murder. The fellow was greatly hardeqed and seemed to oare but little how the trial went? the evidence was strong and against him, and when tbe case was submited to the jury they returned a verdict of gnilty without leaving their seats. Tbe execution was fixed for a day, two weeks after the trial. Of course it was my daty to put tbe rope around his neck and lauuoh him into eternity. It was a distasteful duty, I assure you; for, though I knew fnll-weJI the man deserved his death. I did I Dot reliah the idea of hanging him. I got through with it, however, tod set him to daDeiog in the air. He did not straggle muofa, and I thought had au easy death.? After banging the usr.al time he was out down and hie body given to his friends for interment. I thought t bad seen the last of the man, as the wagon containing the body drove out of the jail yard; but I was mistaken. About four months after the execution, I happened Co be passing my barn, when I saw a man sitting in the doorway, with his head resting on bis. hands. I did not like his looks, so I approached him, and asked him what be wanted there He raised his head and looked at me in silence. I am not given to superstition, and I don't think I'm very timid, bat I felt my blood grow icy cold as I recoguized iD the man before me the person whose execution I had con ducted. His face showed no traces of bis violeut end ; aod the only indication of it, now visible was a slight disfigurement ofthe neck I scarcely knew what to say or think, for I had seen him hung aod heard him prooounced dead, and had delivered his body to his friends for buriaJ, and yet, after a lapse of four months, there be sat, looking at me with a faoe as white as a sheet. The terror that was exhibited io bis countenance convinced me that he was no ghost so I asked him with as much coolness as I could command : "Jack Larkins, do you know me?" "You're are the man that hong me," he replied doggedly at the same time moving away. "Before you go, Larkins," said I, "I would like to know how you cheated the gallows " "You won't peach on any of them folks as helped me, will you?" he inquired. "No," I replied, "I will not get them into any trouble I simply wish to know bow you felt while you were baoging, and how you were resuscitated." He hesitated for some time, but upon a renewal of my assurance that none of bis friends should be molested, be told the the following story: TkTUt*.0% T mnn ornnn/J kio norttr IT uuu JL put tuu i V|/u at vuuvt u?o uvw??j and left him on the gallows, he felt a faintness about the heart, caused by his realizing his fearful situation for the first time ; but before he had time to think, the trap was sprung, and he fell through the opening. The shook of the fall was rather more startling than painful and did not produce either insensibility or confusion. His thooghts were remarkably clear, and he seemed to have the thoughts of seeing far above, below and all around him Everything assumed a bright vermillion hoe, and a soft, dreamy langor gradually stole over him, until he became insensible. There | was nothing painful or unpleasant in any! thing be had undergone. He seemod to be j sinking gently into a delioious sleep, and i all his thoughts were pleasant. fl.- -flmflrnhflrofl cpilfl Hpincr | JLLIC UCAl Ub iVUiuUiyvivv* * ww ; wrung by the mo9t agonizing torture. The : pains were not confined to any particular i place, but extended through the whole j body. His first thoughi was that he was in perdition, and was suffering the penalty of i his crimes. The pains increased each mo; ment, and at last he started to his feet with a scream of anguish, at the same time openj ing his eyes. Great was his surprise to find ! himself in his father's house, in the midst of his friends and relatives. He fainted at : once, and when he reoovered he fouod him ' ! self in his own bed. As soon as it was i thought safe to do so, his friends informed him that upon bringing his body home, they had determined to try to resnsoitate it, although they feared it would be useless.? They worked faithfully, and at last suoj oeeded. "But, sir," said the man in conclusion, | "coming to life again was much worse than ; dying." The man promised to leave the State and i try to do better. I had bnt little confidence in him, yet I let him go. He kept hie word, however, and a short time ago, I heard be wee a well-to-do farmer io one of the Territories. Thus, gentlemen, U tbe manner in which I got my ideas about bunging, and I think you will admit their force. Face* on a BnttleflahL The celebrated report of Dr. Cbana, on the mortality oaosed by tbe war, oontaka some interesting information concerning tbe appearseoe presented by some who die a violent death on tbe field of batik. One surgeon says that wandering on tbe battlefield of tbe Alma, on the third day after tbe figbt be observed with astonishment a number of Russian corpses whose attitude and expression of countenance ware precisely tboee of life. Some did oertainly present an aspect whiob showed that they bad suffered severely just previously to dissolution, but these were few in nnmber compared with those who wore a calm and resigned expression, as though they had passed away in tbe act of prayer. Others had a smile on their faces, and looked as if they were in tbe aot of speaking j one in particular attracted bis attention; be was lying .partly on his side, bis knees were bent under him, his hands were clasped together and pointing npwhrd, his head was thrown back, and be was apparently still praying?evidently be was in tbe sot of doing so at the moment when death laid bis hand upon him. Another medical man relates that after the battle of tnkerman, the fates of tbe dead still wore a smile; while others had a threatening expression. Some lay stretched on their backs as if friendly hands had prepared them for burial. Some were still resting on one koee, their hands graajjing their masketa. Ia some instances, toe cartridge remained between the teeth, or the muaket was beld in one hand, and the other was uplifted aa though to ward off a blow or appealing to Heaven. The faces of all were pale, as though out in marble. Aa the wind swept across the battlefield it waved the hair, and gave the bodies such an appearaDoe of life that a spectator oould hardly help thinking they were about to rise to continue the fight. Another surgeoo, describing the appear* anco of the corpse's on the field of Magenta, says that they furnish indubitable proof that man may oease to exist without suffering the least pain. Those struok on the head generally lie with their faces on the ground, their limbs retaining the position they were in at the instant they were struck, and most of these still held their rifles; showing that when a ball entered the brain it causes such a sodden contraction of the muscles that there is not time for the band to loose its hold of the weapon before death. Another peculiarity observed in the case of those who who were wounded in the brain, was, the suddenness with which they died even when suspected to be out of danger During the battle of Solferino, a rifleman was wounded in the head by a ball wbioh passed through the skull aod buried itself in the brain. His wound was dressed, and was stretohed on straw,'with his head resting on his knapsack, like his wounded comrades. He retained the full use of his faculties, and ohatted about his wound almost with indifference, as be filled bis pipe and lay smoking it. Nevertheless, before be had finished it death came upon him, and he was found lying in the same attitude, with bis pipe still between his teeth. He had never nttered a cry, or given any sign that be was suffering pain. In cases where tbe ball bad entered the heart, nearly the same appearanoes were presented as in the case of those who bad been struok in the brain; death was what we term instantaneous, but it was not quite as swift as in the former ease: there was eene rally time for a movement in the act of dyiog. There was a Zoaave who had been straok fall in the breast; be was lying on his rifle, the bayonet was fixed, and pointing in snob a way as showed that he was in the act of charging when straok. Bis head was lifted, and his countenance still bore a threatening appearanoe, as if he bad merely stumble and fallen, and was in the act of of rising again. Close by him lay an Austrian foot soldier, with clasped bands and upturned eyes, who-had died in the act of praying. Another foot soldier bad fallen dead as he was in the act of warding off a blow, and the other was drawn baok in the act of striking. On another battlefield, several French soldiers lay io a line,, with their bayonets pointing in the direotion of the foe they were advancing against, when a storm of grape mowed them down. Oq the left bank of the river Tessin, several Austrian officers lay dead. Some of them were remarkable for the Doble expression of their faces, the extreme neatness of their dress, and the cleanliness of their persons. Most of them had fair hair, and their ooontenmn* ces bore the stamp of calm resignation.-*? The best opportunity of seeing the aspect of the masses who died on the field, was when they lay stretohed beside the trenches wbioh were destined to be their final resting place. So far were their faces from presenting the lived appearanoe and the expression of deapaair whioh painters are in the habit of prodnoing in piotnres of battlefields, that a spectator could hardly help calling to the burying parties to wait a little before covering them up. They were so like life.?AIL the Tear RoundAgricultural Prospects?The reports which come up from the various portions of the District are in the main favorable to the interests of planters Much of the labor of the country has been absorbed, and if it can be made to stick, we hope yet for favorable results.?Abbeville Banner. I?* An ink mine has been discovered in the vicinity of Buena Via to lake. A oompany is being organised to work it. d