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FAMILY VISITOR. PUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN G. LIDDON. arAmsGsr, «eok.gia. SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 1856. AGENTS FOR. THE VISITOR: Mr. Vfn. B. Wii.it, Agent of Swan's Southern Military, and for the Fort Gaines Academy Lot tery, for Greensboro, Eatonton and Madison, i« authorized to collect and receipt for this payer. TnovAg Flkmixo, Atlanta, Ga., is an autorized ajfeut for this paper. Mr. David A. Caoczrrr is authorized to receive and receipt for subscriptions to this paper. Wx. M. C. Sum.,is our authorized Agentin Jackson County, Fla. G. W. Wr att is our authorized agent at Ebene •er, Morgan County, Ga. 1.. C. Paulbtt is our authorized agent, Troup- Tllle. Ga. ALARM OF FIRF.! Dnring tlie past week wo linve had two alarms of Are, though hut little damage to property was occasioned by cither. The house ot Mt. Wilson, near the Factory, we learn, would certainly have burned but for the activity nnd daring of Mr. RicnAED Walker. Much praise is duo him for his efforts at this as well as the two last fires. DEATH OF THE HON. A. J. MILLER. By the Augusta papers of the 6th, we are informed of the death of the above wcll-belowcd and celebrated gentleman— the pride of Augusta and one of Georgia’s purest, most honest statesmen. We give place to the following remarks of the Chronicle & Sentinel regarding the life and decease of the honorable gentleman, to the exclusion of other matter, less in teresting : “The drapery in which our paper goes out this morning, is faintly typical of the feeling which pervades our population. Augusta mourns. One of her ablest, best, best-beloved citizens has fallen—fallen in her service—a victim to that service.— Andrew J. Milled is no more 1 Although sorrow for the honored dead will be most intense in the city of his late residence, wo are well aware it will not lie confined to her limits. This announcement will go laden with heavy grief to every portion of our State—oven to her farthest borders. It will spread the pall of gloom over our Capitol, and sadden the hearts of Senators and Representatives, now there sitting in General Assembly, now sadly will they realise that one of their wisest, purest, most trusted associates will mingle no more forever in their counsels. How mournfully will they gaze upon that va cant chair, so long graced by the occu pancy of tire Senator from Richmond 1 In attempting a brief sketch of a life surpass ingly useful and honorable, wo aspire not to present a merited eulogy; we but seok relief from overwhelming sorrow, through the channel in which our feelings are wont to flow out. “ The deceased was born and reared in the county of Camden, in this State, where Ids worthy parents lived long, and have recently died lamented. His academic education was completed at West Point, where, whilst his mind was stored with useful knowledge, and his character set in the mould of firm consistency, that ever distinguished it, he acquired a taste for and familiarity with military tactics which won him distinction among our citizen soldiery, nnd afforded pleasant recreation throughout a life of sovere nnd well-direct ed toil. “ Ilig professional studies preparatory to admission to the Bar, were commenced In St. Mary’s, and completed in this city, ■where, in the year 1820, liefore attaining the age of manhood, under a special act of the Legislature, he was licensed to prac tice law. Uis professional career opened with no flourish of trumpets, no oxtrava gaut predictions of future renown, (often put ont to aid in accomplishing the end foretold,) nor was it signalized by the effi cient support of active, influential friends. His prospects were such as intrinsic merit o)>cned to him—his destiny, just what ho could make for himself. Tins he woll knew, and with noiseless step, bnt with firm purpose, untiring industry, and per fect integrity, he entered the lists with competitors already known to fame. *■ How he succeeded, let the records of our Courts—let his numerous, faithfully served and grateful clieuts—let his pro fessional brethren, who honored and loved whilst they wrestled with him—let the Judges whose administrations have been illumined by his forensic talent—let these testify. “ Gradually his professional advance ment developed traits of character and of mind to be limited to no mere routine course of life, to be confined to no siugle pursuit. “ Attracting the attention, and winning the confidence of all who held intercouse with him, the counsellor at law became the adviser-general of the community. In the administration of estates, in municipal affairs, in financial operations, in enter prisea to advance commerce and extend internal improvements, in legislation and in politics, his personal co-operation, and often his leading action, were largely de manded by an appreciating public, and freely and efficiently yielded, by this self- Bicrificing man. In the year 1836 lie was literally pressed into the service of Rich mond county as a Representative in the popular branch of the State Legislature.— The year following, without solicitation or effort on his part, he was promoted to the Senate, in which body he has, from til HAilStl lIMUI that time to the present, continuously rep resented the same devoted and grateful constituency. What Andrew J. Miller was in the community of Augusta, he soon became in the Legislature of Georgia—a man of all work—efficient in all things— trusted and deferred to by all men, of all parties. “Twice elected President of the Senate, lie discharged the delicate and difficnlt du ties of that prominent position with signal dignity and ability. We hazard nothing in saying that, in the history of onr State, no man has, for a period of twenty years, wielded an influence so large and bcnificent over the Legislature of Georgia; and of this, we take his own generation to wit ness. Posterity will find his footprints in legislation for educational, financial, judi cial and internal improvement pnrposcs— nay, wheresoever they trace progress in reform, or advance in true civilization.— Higher stations were within his reach, and, had he lived, would probably have been forced upon his acceptance; hut these could have conferred no higher honor than he enjoyed. “ The mental and moral constitutions of Mr. Miller were admirably balanced—per fectly unique. Asa public speaker, be was fluent, ]<erspicuous, logical and con cise. Careless of ornament, studiously avoiding all attempt at mere oratorical display, be never offended against good taste, and seldom disappointed expecta- tion. He never used the art of oratory for exhibition of himself; but, to refute error—to vindicate truth—to accomplish a good purpose, he employed it skilfully and successfully. lie treated subjects he was called to discuss as matters for grave thought and logical argument, and with the bestowal of these ho dismisses them. He exhibited great versatility of tulent, hut in all its phases devoted to the useful —the practical. Those who know him best were often amazed at the facility with which Ids mind would turn from law to politics, tiience to finance, thence to legis lation—and the clearness and energy it displayed in aB. “As in his mental constitution, so in Ids moral character, there was perfect con sistency, beautiful harmony. Truthful ness was its broad basis, and frankness, in all relations, its daily emanation. Amid his varied and laborious occupations, ho found ample time for attention to social duties, moral obligations, public and pri vate charities, and offices of friendship.— The kindness of his nature shone conspicu ously in all he said and all he did. In his demise the poor and tho lowly havo lost, a friend, whoso purse relieved their wants, whose counsel solved their perplexities, and whoso sympathy soothed their griefs. To crown a churactcr combining so many excellencies, came, in early manhood, tho redeeming influences of Christianity. Mr. Miller had beou, for many years, a com municant of tho Presbyterian Church, and although too fooble when apprised that his dissolution was at hand, to givo ex pression to his thoughts nnd feelings, the calninoss with which he received an un expected annunciation of « fact so appal ling, gave oarnest of foregone preparation for tho change. Wo cannot omit to add, that the exorcise for so long a period, of so groat activity and influence, and the correlative enjoyment of so largo a share of respect and deference, occasioned neith er pretension, ostentation, nor self-conceit. There was a ruling quietness in his do moanor which indicated uuoonsciousness of the spaco he occupied in tho public eye. Ten days since, tho deceased was In his place in the Senate, slightly indisposed, it is true, but not incapacitated for business. Exposure to the unusually inclement weather that lias recently prevailed, sub jected him to an attack of pneumonia, which resulted iu the calamity so inex pressibly deplorable. Recalled temporari ly to his home, on the 27th ult., by pro fessional engagements, he lay down be neath liis own roof to languish ; and, sur rounded by wife, children and friends— to die. After all, that, which awakens onr most poignant regret, and which we touch with a trembling hand, is the crush ing sorrow of the inmates of that home stead. Well do we know that their griefs press heavily upon ten thousand sympa thizing hearts. But we forbear;—the ground whereon we tread is sacred. “ To-day, we consign all that remains of Andrew J. Miller to his last earthly rest ing place. Peace to his manes! All honor to his memory!” Found Dead! James Merit, of Clark county, was found dead at the brick kiln on Mr. Dougherty’s plantation, about one mile from Athens, last Saturday afternoon.— Ho left this place last Saturday a week ago, in company with his brother in-law, with the intention of going home. The grouud was covered with snow at the time, and both of them were completely demented with liquor. They separated just at the edge of town, and Mr. Merit went in an opposite direction from his brother in-law. He was seen about dark staggering along in Cobham, and it is sup|K»ed that he wandered about in the dark until he reached the brick kiln, when it is supposed he laid down and was frozen to death! Another sad warning against the use of intoxicating liquors. The Coroner’s jury returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts. —Athens Banner, Ith. —The Legislature of Georgia, by joint resolution, have determined to adjourn on the 20th inst. Good Advice. In the Journal of Health, Dr. Hall advises every person who goes into the open air from a warm apartment to keep the mouth shut while walking or riding, lie says: “ Before yon leave the room bundle np well—gloves, cloak, comforter—shut yonr mout before you open the street door, and keep it resolutely closed until you have walked briskly for some ten minutes; then, if you keep on walkingi or have reached your aome, you may talk as much as you please. Not so doing, many a heart once happy and young now lies in the church yard that might have been young and happy still. If you keep your mouth closed and walk rapidly, the air possibly bannot reach the lungs, strictly speaking, but by a cir cuit of the nose and head, and becomes warm before reaching the lungs, thus causing no derangement; but if you converse, large drafts of cold air dash di rectly in upon the lungs, chilling the whole frame almost instantly. The brisk walking throws the blood to the surface of the body, thus keeping up a vigorous circulation, making a cold impossible if you get home. Neglect of these brings sickness and permataro death to multi tudes every year.” [From the Missouri Democrat.] The Perils of Teaching Gram mar to Young Damsels, Mr. Editor: — l have been sendin’ my dater Nancy to school to a school master in this naborbood. Last Friday I went over to the school just to see how Nancy was giftin' along, and I see’s things I didn’t like by no incans. The schoolmaster was lamin’ her things en tirely out of the line of eddycation, and as 1 think, improper. I set awhile in tho school house and liecred one class say their lesson. They was a spellen, and I thot spelled quite exceedingly. Then cum Nancy’s turn to say her les son. She said it very spry, I was shock ed ! and determined she should leave that school. I have heered that gramer was an oncomnion tine study, hut I don’t want any more gramer about my house. The lesson that Nancy sed was nothin hut the foolishost kind uv talk, the ridioles luv talk you ever seed. She got.up, and tho first word she sed was, ‘‘l love!” I looked rite at her hard for doing so improper hut she went rite on and sod : “ Thou lovest, ho loves,” and I reckon you never heered such a riggorrnyrolo in your life—love, love, love, and nothing hut love. She said one time, “ I did ovc. Sez I, “Who did you love f” Then the scholars laffed, but I wasn’t to be put off, and I sed, “ Who did you love, Nancy 1 I want to know, who did you love?" The schoolmaster, Mr. McQuiL lister, put in, and he said ho would ex plane when Nancy finished the lesson. This sorter pacyfied me, and Nancy wont on with awful love talk. 1 got wus and wus every word. She sed, “ I might, could, or would love.” I stopped her again, and sed I reckon I would see about that, and told her to walk out of that house. The school, master tried to interfere, but I wouldn’t let him say a word. He sed I was a fool, and commenced to talk some darn stuff, when I knocked him down, and made him holler, in short order. That’s the stile, Mr. editur, don’t you think, to sarve such scamps as him, who would impulcate such docthrines in a young woman. I then got the nebers together, and compelled the scoundrel to scoot right off. If you’ve got ere a sober sided old man up tliar, that don’t taich grammer, just send him along, as we’ve come to idea of employing no more young men in these diggins. Yours till deth, Thomas Jefferson Sole. That was a good sentiment given by George W. Bentley, at the editors’ and printers’ supper in Worcester, last 17th of January: “ Franklin—To-day making lights for Boston’s lampless lanterns—to-morrow enlightening the world ; one day stirring the cauldron of a tallow chandler, and the next rocking the iron cradle of the mightiest democracy on the globe ; the apprentice boy to day, the revered of kings to-morrow ; the “ poor Ben ” of his mother to-day, the immortal Franklin forever!” Bombardment of Cronstadt. —A present for Cronstadt is being construct ed at the Lowmoor Iron Works, Eng land. It is a shell nine feet five inches in circumference, and thirty-six inoließ in diameter. Its weight is over a ton. It costs £25, unfilled, and the mortar which is to discharge such a shell weighs thirty five tons. This shell is intended to bom bard Cronstadt. and it is expected that a bombardment well sustained with such a weight of metal will crumble the walls of that defence like powder. Whon Dutch meets Dutch then comes—the lager beer. NEWS ITEMS. —Elijah Bird, who escaped the gal lows through the misplaced sympathy of our last Legislature, committed a murder on hoard the steamer Republic at New Orleans, some two weeks ago. He suc ceeded in making his escape. —lt is stated that there are several cases of the small-pox in Lincoln county, and the citizens of adjoining counties are requested to co operate in measures to prevent its spread. —Eight negroes were frozen to death a short time since while crossing a prairie in Texas. —The Charlestonians are putting up their own ice from the ponds surround ing Charleston. Other southern cities this year have their ice supplied at their own doors, which will affect the trade in that article next season. —The hill to purchase for the State five hundred acres of ground, including the tomb of Jackson and the buildings of the Hermitage, ha 9 passed one branch of tho Tennessee Legislature. —ln Russia, Anabaptists, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists may hold the highest offices in the State. Nesselrode is a member of tho Church of England. —Commodore Morris who was at the head of the Navy List, died in Washing ton on Sunday, the 27th ult. He enter ed the Navy in 1799, and his name is nobly associated with the most glorious and brave annals of American History. —At a meeting in Brooklyn, N. Y., on Wednesday last, between thirty and forty thousand dollars of tho stock of the Kansas Emigration Aid Society was sub scribed for. —A lady of Northampton count j, N. C., (Mrs. John Hawkins,) is stated to have died a few days ago from the ef fects of eating snow. —ln his last Christmas story, Dickens manifests good signs of repentance: he acknowledges that the Americans are a kind, generous, large hearted and great people. Wo did not expect so much of him. —The executive committee of the State Agricultural Association met at Milledgevillo on the 28lh tilt., and deei ded to hold the next Fair as expected, at Atlanta. —The Southern Cultivator states the attempt to manufacture wine from a na tive grape has been successfully tried by Mr. A. Leary, of Monroe county', Geor gia. The grape is known as the “ War ronton," and the produce is at the rate of eight hundred gallons per acre. Gov. Johnson has appointed Col. G. J. Green to fill thn vacancy in the Judgeship of the Flint Circuit, caused by the resignation of Judge Stark. —lu tho Lower House of the Penn sylvania Legislature tho bill repealing the prohibitory liquor law has passed to a second reading by a vote of 70 to 32. —Lieut. Maury has demonstrated that by wind and wave it is down stream from our country to all the world, and that all nations must ascend to reach it. \A itli an ocean on either hand, its power descends with celerity to every country on tho sphere, and that, too, from even tho deepest interior of tho country. Jail Broken Open. We learn from the Atlanta Intelligen cer of tho 6th inst., that the criminals confined in the DeKalb Jail succeeded in making their escape therefrom on Monday night. This is the third or fourth time that the same jail has been broken open in as many years. The manner in which this was effected is as follows: Two men by the name of Sweat confined for hog-stealing, managed to procure an auger with which they bored their way out, and liberated at the same time, two men, Crosly and Martin, the former already convicted of murder, and the latter awaiting his trial for the same offence. Nothing since has been heard from the Sweats. Martin and Crosly were both arrested in this city by night watch Lester on the same night in which they escaped. They having both blindly gone to their own homes and to sleep, from which they were aroused by the unwelcome grasp of the officer. The following new Post Offices have been established in Georgia : Facerville, Decatur county ; Ira Sun born, Post master. Blacksmith, Lee county; Elijah F. Lewis, Post master. A postoffice has l>een established at Mountain House, Polk county, Ga., and Moses Iv. Holland appointed Postmaster; also, at Sweet Water Factory, in Camp bell county, and W. E. Gould appointed Post master. The office at Boltonville, Cobb coun ty has been discontinued. Theory of Disease. AND ITS SIMPLE METHOD OF CUBE. It is notour object, at this time to go into a detailed explanation of Professor Holloway’s theory of disease, but simply to inform the American people that one of the most remarkable men of this or any former age is among them, and that his medicines have a celebrity unprece dented in the annals of the world. There is no charlatanry in his pretensions.— Unless all the civilized world are de ceived, the Holloway’s Pills and Oint ment will drive disease from the human system, under the most unfavorable cir cumstances, and in all climes. Other men have sprang into an ephemeral no toriety by advertising their remedies.— Like butterflies of the day they have buzzed for a while and then expired; both their names and their medicines have sunk into an obscurity from which they never emerged. Others have met with a limited success, perhaps as much as they deserved. No man, though he may have the wealth of Croesus, can long deceive an intelligent people with a worthless remedy for disease. If health follows the administration of a remedy for disease, almost without an exception, though it is prescribed iu a million of instances, and in all forms of disease, all the doctors on the globe could not make the people believe that it was not a good remedy, or that the inventor was not a public benefactor, and no empiric or charlatan. Professor Holloway’s retni.- dies occupy this position beforo the citi zens of the world. The inventor is a man of enlarged powers of minJ, who has seen disease in all its forms, and in all the climates of the world. His medi cal office in London was daily thronged patients to such an extent that a police force was necessary to be stationed at his door. But an office ptactice af forded too narrow a field for the exercise ot his expansive intellect, and he determ ined to be the worlds’ physician. All countries have had their celebrated phy sicians: England has had an Abernethy, France a Magendie, and America a itndi; but these men’s ambition only ex tended to a practice confined to a narrow circle of friends and admirers, or the stt porintendency of a medical hospital Professor Holloway lias chosen the globe as a theatre for his practice, and though now a resident of Republican America, lie is prescribing daily for hundreds of thousands on the four quarters of the globe. llis medicines aro expressly designed to act on the organs whose functions are so essential to health. They operate on the stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin, restore their deranged functions or uses, and thus purify and cleanse the blood, the very fountains of life. —yew York Sunday Times. The President’s Pardoning Power. —\\ in. Wells, who was several years since sentenced to death in the District of Columbia for mttrdef, had his sen tence commuted by President Fillmore to imprisonment for life. The case was brought before tho U. S. Supreme Court last week on the ground that the Presi dent had no right to commute, and could only grant anuucondiliona! pardon. The Court on Friday decided for the prisoner and lie was set at liberty. The Great Invention of the Age. So the Austin (Texas) correspondent of tho Galveston News terms a “ma chine ’’ which has lately been exhibited to the members of the Texas Legislature. He says: The great invention of the age is Gen. Chambres’ terra-aqueous machine. It has been privately submitted to commit tees of both branches of the Legislature, and I am credibly informed that it has been demonstrated to the entire satisfac tion of all members of both committees that the invention is a valuable one, and likely to create an entire revolution in the means of transportation. It is repre sented not to havo any wheels and not to slide, and yet, by some particular ar rangement, will, on a graded road, make forty miles an hour. The road will be much wider than a railroad track, but will require no iron, and possibly cost less than a double track. It will cross rivers or bays at the rate of ten miles per Lour. This is a short description of a machine applicable to both land and water. The inventor claims that the same principle may be applied to machines intended solely for water transportation, and that a speed of some twenty miles per hour may be ob tained. The invention may seem too extrava gant for credence, but as some men who have acknowledged mechanical skill, pro nounce it a valuable invention, I deem it worthy of notice. A game of checkers was played by tel egraph, between Boston and Province town, the other evening, Cape Cod win ning. The History of Drunkenness. Dr. Turner, in an address which he delivered at the Broadway Tabernacle on the 7th of November, in behalf of the United States Inebriate Asylum, in speaking of the influence which inebriety has upon nations, uses the following language. Inebriety is the first disease of which we have any record. It dates its exist ence from the birth of the grape, the formation of wine from which was one of the first discoveries of man. We find nothing in the medical records of the Egyptians to prove that it was recog nized as a disease. Hippo crates and Galen are likewise silent on the subject. Yet we have for the record er of the pathology of inebriety, the most renowned man of ancient or mo dern times. Solomon describes the mal ady in the most significant language.— “At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.” Tlius we have sacred history to establish the fact that inebriety was the most frightful and destructive disease then known; com paring it to the venomous bite of the serpent and the deadly sting of the ad der, which have no specific—no cure. We are compelled to trace the influ ence of this disease in nations rather than individuals, and form our opinions from the facts of history which record the rise and fall of races and nations* When the seeds of this deadly malady were sown by the great men of Babylon Egypt, Greece and Rome, in their Bac chanal feasts, then the greatness of these mighty nations began to decline, and their chosen people perished and parsed away. Babylon, with all her glory and magnificence, fell into the bands of the Persians when her rulers were drunk with wine, and her jtcople maddened by the intoxicating bowl. By inebriety Egypt lost her ruler, the world her conqueror, in the death of Alexander the Great, in the thirty-third year of his age. The historian pens the fact that he perished through self indulgence—by a disease “ that biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. ’ Polished Greece, the graud dej>ository of the arts and sciences of the civilized world, the residence of the historian, philosopher, statesman and physician, was the first which erected a temple to the god Bacchus. Little did her great men consider that they were dedicating a temple to a god on whose altar would be sacrificed the glory of their beloved counlrv. The Bacchanalian feasts in the Roman Empire were the cause of her degener ated councils and her weak government. Inebriety was the malady that destroyed the Roman statesman, general and Sol dier. Thus Rome fell by this physical and moral contagion, and the dark ages followed in her downfall. Arabic history proves conclusively that tho Arabians were a temperate people. Their philosophers considered wine as the blood of the devil, and that whoever partook of it Was devilish. The Ishmaelite, with his temperate and prim itive mode of life, combined with his indomitable courage, lias proved to the physiologist that where the disease o inelriety has not been found in a race, there will l>e discovered a full develop ment of physical power, cß[ able of en during the greatest amount of labor and fatigue, a mind with energies that know no defeat, a will that can never be sub dued. To Cure Baclkv Horses. —The prac tice of an English horse dealer who has cured a number of them, is to hitch a steady horse or team behind them, and pull them backwards. It should be done on smooth, fair ground. The refractory beast will not relish such treatment, and will be glad to go forward at the word of command. The most stubborn will yield and be perfectly true and tractable nftor two or three such torturings. Tragedy in a Court Room. —ln Washington, Mo., on Saturday week, a gunsmith named Harrison was on tria; for several burglaries wbich it was charg ed he had committed. During the trial it was disclosed that he had violated the person of his step daughter, a girl of 17, and by threats against her life, had in duced her to keep the secret. The girl’s brother, who was present, left the court room, procured a pistol, loaded it, re turned to the court room, placed the pistol to Harrison’s head, discharged the pistol, and left him a lifeless corpse, in the presence of the magistrates. The young man was tried immediately, and discharged from custody. Pentice has a pleasant way of dun ning his subscribers Hear him: “Old King Lear, in the play, when he was out in the storm said, in his apos trophe to the rain, wind, thunder and fire, ‘ you owe me no subscription.’ We wish we could say as much to all our readers.” [From the Spirit sf the Times.] Duck Hunt Extraordinary. BY GUILLERMO, G. T. C. Mr. Editor : —ln a country filling up as Texas is, and has been for some years past, it is but natural that we find a large number of persons who wellj merit the title of “ green ’uns.” Os this class was John McL e, a native of old Vir ginia, who became a citizen of Texas soon after it was admitted into the Union. Now, friend John was passionately fond of hunting, and scarcely did his soo t press Texan soiU before lie was running in all directions in search of game, but unfortunately he wound up his first ex ploit by slaying three tame turkies, the property of an old ladv liviug in A . This threw such a damper on his feelings that it caused him to forego this amuse ment for some time, until one day, when I wished to go hunting, and having no company I called by for John, and after some persuasion prevailed upon kirn to accompany me. Now be it known that north of the city of An about a mile, there lives a wealthy butcher, who, at the time I speak of, possessed a large flock of sheep and goats, and among the latter a tremendous “ William-goat,” who was famous for his implacable hos tility to “ seats of honor ” in general, and those the genus “Boy” in particular. Many a lad he had given a “ lift in the world,” and had caused as many more to discover that their legs were not made merely to stretch cloth over, blit to pro- tect their Ladies when prudence advised a retreat. Well, on the evening in question, as John and I were moving noiselessly along the banks of a small creek, that wanders through the butcher's pas nre grounds, l noticed that friend “ Billy ” of the horns was eyeing us rather too closely to be speak much comfort iu the prospective, and being myself a very prudent person age, and possessing a great relish for a joke, 1 soon decided ujsin what course to pursue. “John,” said I, “you see that tree at the bend of the creek, about forty yards from here ? Well, von sneak along | K . rr by this tiitdcrbiish on the bank until you are about twenty yards from the tree; then you must get on yonr hands and knees and crawl to the loot of it. When y"U get there don’t put more than vour head through the uuderbusli, and see if any ducksare in the pond.” “ Very well,” he answered ; “I'll doit, exactly right; but what are yon going to do in the meantime ? Take my flask, 1 may lose it.” “ I am going down In re and crossover the creek so as to get a shot as tl.ov ri- - Now do Is careful, John, and don’t sl.mv more than yonr In ad, and don't tire ’rill I am realty—l’ll gi 0 the signal.” So saving I bounded i If toward a lit- tie lilOUlid just behind where we Were,, and out of (lie reach of his goatjdiip,. who had now left the floek, and was ap proaching John with his head, ears, and tail erect. In the meantime, eager for a. shot at the ducks, my friend followed my instructions to the letter, and having arrived at the point designated, he dr< p ped down on “all fours,” mid crawled carefully and quietly along,” while friend “Bily” followed with the most inquisitive motions, being entirely at a loss to Recount for the sudden melaino:- pliosis.it' his intended victim. John finally reached the tr< e, and put ting his head slow ly through the bushes, to his great delight perceived five or six plump peddlers on the water, all uncon scious of the cruel death impending over them. “Billy,” during this survey on the pirt of John, had approached within two or three feet, and was scanning t>oil very carefully, as if to pick the most vulnerable part of his body. Having at length apparently decided, lie took two or three steps backward, and rearing upon bis hinder legs, he sprang forward, and planted his horns and forehead in that part of friend John where honor is. generally supposed to be located, with such good will and effect that he vanish ed with most unbecoming haste, and a second afterwards the ominous sound of a heavy body falling into the water told but plainly the fate of the ditek hunter I ran down and crossed the creek oppo site to where John was, and found hiiu .ust gettiug out of the water, and heap ing curses upon me for pushing him in while “Billy” was standing upon the other bank very complacently viewing the scene, as though he was innocent of all participation in it. John not having perceived his goat ship, made tho very comforting assertion that he intended “to give me a good licking for it,” and was coolly-preparing to put his words into effect, when I point ed to the real perpetrator of the mis chief, and burst into a laugh. He gazed at “Billy ” for a moment, then taking up his gun and starting off, lie quietly remarked— “ Well, W., you may use my head for a foot-ball if I ever again come duck' ing and go home duefred."