The Southern sentinel. (Columbus, Ga.) 1850-18??, February 28, 1850, Image 4

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From the New York Sunday Times. DEAF SMITH, THE CELEBRATED TEXAN SrY. About two years alter the Texan revolution, a difficulty occurred between the new govern- i ment and n portion of the people, which threat ened the most serious consequences—even the bloodshed and horrors of civil uar. Briefly, j the cause was this : The constitution had fix- j ed the city of Austin as the permanent capital. J where the public archives were to be kept, j with the reservation, however, of a power in the President to order their temporary removal in case of danger from the inroads of a foreign enemy, or the force of a sudden insurrection. Conceiving that the exceptional emergency j had arrived, as the Camanches frequently com mitted ravages within sight of the. capital itself, Houston, who then resided at Washington, on the Brazos, dispatched an order commanding his subordinate functionaries to send the state records to the latter place, which he declared to be, pro tempore , the seat of government. It is impossible to describe the stormy ex citement which the promulgation of this Jiat raised in Austin. The keepers of hotels, boarding-houses, groceries, and faro-banks, ; were thunderstruck, maddened to frenzy ; for the measure would be a death-blow to their prosperity in business ; -and accordingly, they determined at once to take the necessary steps ! to avert the danger, by opposing the execution of Houston’s mandate. They called a mass- ; meeting of the citizens and farmers of the cir cumjacent country, who were all more or less Interested in the question ; and after many fie- I ty speeches against the asserted tyranny of the ! administration, it was unanimously resolved to prevent ihe removal of the archives by open and armed resistance. To that end they or ganized a company of four hundred men, one moiety of whom, relieving the other at regular periods of duty, should keep constant guard around the state.house until the peril passed by. ‘lhe commander of this force was one Colonel Morton, who had achieved considerable renown in the war for independence, and had still more recently displayed desperate bravery in two desperate duels, in both of which he had j cut his antagonists nearly to pieces with the i bowio knife. Indeed, from the notoriety of his character for revenge, as well as courage, it was thought that President Houston would re. nounce his purpose touching the archives, so I soon as be should learn who was the leader of j the opposition. Motion, on his part, whose, vanity fully equal- j led his personal prowess, encouraged and justi- i fied the prevailing opinion by his boastful j threats. He swore that if the President did j succeed in removing the records by the march of an overpoweiing force, he would then him- j self hunt him down like a wolf, and shoot him with little ceremony, or stab him in his bed, or waylay him in his walks of recreation. He j even wrote the. hero of San Jacinto to that es- j feet. The latter replied in a note of laconic ! bravery : “If the people of Austin do not send the arch, ives, I shall certainly cotne and take them, and if I Colonel Morton can kill me, he is welcome to my ear cap!” On the reception of this answer the guard was doubled around the slate-house. Chosen sentinels were stationed along the road leading •o the capital, the military paraded the streets from morning till night, and a select caucus held permanent session in the city hall. In short, everything betokened a coming tempest. One day, while matters were in this preca rious condition, the caucus at the city-hall was surprised by the sudden appearance of a stran ger, whose mode of enteiiug was as extraordi nary as his looks and dress. He did not knock at the closed door—he did not seek admission there at all ; but climbing unseen a small I bushy-topped live oak. which grew beside the wall, he leaped without sound or warning through a lofty window. He was clothed alto gether in buckskin, carried a long and very heavy rifle in his hand, wore at the button of his left suspender a large bowie knife, and had in his leathern hell a couple of pistols half the length of his gun. He was tall, straight as an arrow, active as a panther in his motions, with dark complexion, and luxuriant jetty hair, with a severe, iron-like countenance, that seemed never to have known a smile, and eyes of in tense vivid black, wild and rolling, and pierc ing as the point of a dagger. His strange ad vent inspired a thrill of involuntary fear, and many present unconsciously grasped the han dles of their side-arms. “Who are you, that thus presumes to intrude among gentlemen without invitation?” deman ded Colonel Morton, ferociously, essaying to cow down the stranger with his eye. The latter returned his stare with compound interest, and laid his long, bony tinger on his lip, as a sign—but of what the spectators could not imagine. “Who are you? Speak ! or I will cut an an swer out of your heart!” shouted Morton, al most distracted with rage by the cool, sneering gaze of the other, who now removed his finger from his lip, and laid it on the hilt of bis mon strous knife. The fiery colonel then drew his dagger, and was in the act of advancing noon the stranger, when several caught and held him back, re monstrating : “Let him alone, Morton, for God’s sake ! Do you not perceive that he is crazy ?” At the moment Judge Webb, a man of shrewd intellect and courteous manners, step ped forward, and addressed the intruder in a most respectful manner : “My good friend, I suppose you have made a mistake in the house. This is a private meet ing, where none hut members are admitted.” The stranger did not appear to comprehend the words, but he could not fail to understand the mild and deprecatory manner. His rigid features relaxed, and moving to a table in the centre of the hall, where there were materials and implements for writing, he seized a pen and traced one line : “I am deaf!” He then held it up before the spectators, as a sort of natural apology for his own want of politeness. Judge Webb took the paper, and wrote a question : “Dear sir, will you be so obliging as to inform us what is your business with the present meeting V’ The other responded by delivering a letter Suscribed on the back, “To the citizens of Austin.” They broke the seal and read it aloud. It was from Houston, and showed the usual terse brevity of his style : “Fmow Citizens :—Though in error, and deceived l.y the arts of traitors, 1 will give you three more days to decide whether you will surrender the public archives. At the end of that time you will please let me know yourde cision. SAM. HOUSTON.” After the reading, the deaf man waited a few seconds, as if for a reply, and then turned and was about to leave tire hall, when Colonel Morton interposed, and sternly beckoned him back to the table. The stranger obeyed, and Morion wrote : “You were brave enough to insult me by your threatening looks ten minutes ago ; are you brave enough now to give me satisfaction ?” The stranger penned his reply: “I am at your service. !” Morton wrote again : “Who will be your second ?” The stranger rejoined : “T am too generous to seek an advantage, and too brave to fear any or. the part of others ; therefore I never need the aid of a second.” Morton penned : “Name your terms.” ‘1 he stranger traced, without a moment’s hesitation : “Time, sunset this evening ; place, the left bank of the Colorado, opposite Austin ; weapons, rifles ; and distance, a hundred yards. Do not tail to be in time !” He then took three steps across the floor, and disappeared through the window, as he had entered. “What!” exclaimed Judge Webb, “is it possible, Colonel Morton, that you intend to fight that man ? He is a mute, if not a posi tive maniac. Such a meeting. 1 fear, will sad ly tarnish the lustre of your laurels.” “You are mistaken,” replied Morton, with a smile ; “that mute is a hero, whose fame stands in the record of a dozen battles, and at least half as many bloody duels. Besides, he is the favorite emissary and bosom friend of //ouston. It I have the good fortune to kill him, I think it will tempt the President to retract his vow j against venturing any more on the field of hon- ; or.” “You know the man, then. Who is he ? W ho is he?” asked twenty voices together. “Deaf Smith,” answered Morton, coolly. “Why, no; that cannot be. Deaf Smith was slain at San Jacinto,” remarked Judge Webb. “There, again, your honor is mistaken,” said Morton. “The story of Smith’s death was a mere fiction, got uo by Houston to save the life of his favorite from the sworn ven geance of certain Texans, on whose conduct ; he had acted as a spy. I fathomed the artifice twelve months since.” “If what you say be true, you arc- a madman ! yourself!” exclaimed Webb. “Deaf Smith j never was known to miss his mark. He has i often brought down ravens in their most rapid I flight, and killed Camanches and Mexicans at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards !” “Say no more,” answered Colonel Morton, in tones of dee.p determination ; “the thing is already settled. I have already agreed to meet him. There can be no disgrace in falling be fore such a shot, and if I succeed, my triumph will confer the greater glory !” Such was the general habit of thought and feeling prevalent throughout Texas ai that pe riod. Towards evening a vast crowd assembled at the place appointed to witness the hostile meet ing ; and so great was the popular reckless ness as to afiairs of the sort, that numerous and considerable sums were wagered on the result. At length the red orb of the summer sun touch ed the curved rim of the western horizon, cov ering it all with crimson and gold, and filling the air with a flood of burning glory ; and then the two mortal antagonists, armed with long, ponderous rifles, took their station back to back, and at a preconcerted signal—the waving of a white handkerchief—walked slowly’ and stead ily off in opposite directions, counting their steps until each had measured fifty. They both completed the given number about the same instant, and then they wheeled, each to ! aim and fire when he chose. As the distance was great, both paused tor some seconds— long enough for the. beholders to flash their eyes from one to the other, and mark the stri king contrast betwixt them. The face of Col onel Morton was calm and smiling, but the smile it bore had a most murderous meaning. J On the contrary, the countenance of Deaf) Smith was stern and passionless as ever. A I side-view of his features might have been mis- j taken for a profile done in cast-iron. The one, too, was dressed in the richest cloth, the other in smoke.tinted leather. But that made no dis. ference in Texas then ; for the heirs of heroic courage were all considered peers—the class of inferiors embraced none but cowards. Presently two rifles exploded with simulta neous roars. Colonel Morton gave a prodi gious bound upwards, and dropped to the earth a corpse. Deaf Smith stood erect, and imme diately began to re-load his rifle ; and then, having finished his brief task, he hastened away into the adjacent forest. Three days afterwards General Houston, ac cotnpanied by Deaf Smith and ten more men, appeared in Austin, and without further oppo sition removed the state papers. The history ol the hero of the foregoing an ecdote was one of the most extraordinary ever known in the west. He made his advent in Texas at an early period, and continued to re side there until his death, which happened some two years ago ; but although he had ma ny warm personal friends, no one could ever ascertain either the land of his birth, or a sin gle gleam of his previous biography. When he was questioned on the subject, he laid his finger on his lip ; and if pressed more urgently, his brow writhed, and his dark eye seemed to shoot sparks of livid fire ! lie could write with astonishing correctness and facility, con sidering his situation ; and although denied the exquisite pleasure and priceless advantages of the sense of hearing, nature had given him am ple compensation, by an eye quick and far-see ing as an eagle's, and a smell keen and incred ible as that of a raven. He could discover oh. jects moving miles away in the far oft’ prairie, when others could perceive nothing but earth and sky, and the rangers used to declare that he could catch the scent of a Mexican or Indi an at as great a distance as a buzzard could distinguish the odor of a dead carcass. It was these qualities which fitted him so well fora spy, in which capacity he rendered inval. uable services to Houston’s army during the war of independence. He always went alone, and generally obtained the information dsired. His habits in private life were equally singu-’ I © mnr ca iis iso § i Bsnr d®qi a. = lar. lie could never be persuaded to sleep under the roof of a house, or even to use a tent cloth. Wrapped in his blanket, he loved to lie out in the open air under the blue canopy of pure ether, and count the stars, or gaze with a yearning look at the melancholy moon. Y\ hen not employed as a spy or guide, he sub sisted by hunting, being often absent on soli tary excursions for weeks and even months to gether in the wilderness. He was a genuine son of nature, a grown-up child of the woods and prairie, which he worshipped with a sort of Pagan adoration. Excluded by his infirmi ties from cordial fellowship with his kind, he made the inanimate things of the earth his friends, and entered by the heart’s own adop. lion into brotherhood with the luminaries of heaven ! YY herever there was land or water, barren mountains or tangled brakes of wild waving cane, theie was Deaf Smith’s home, and there he was happy; but in the streets of great cities, in all the great thoroughfares of men, wherever there was flattery or fawning, base conning or craven fear, there was Deaf Smith an alien and an exile. Strange soul! he hath departed on the long journey, away among those high bright stars which were his night lamps ; and he hath eith er solved or ceased to ponder the deep mystery of the magic word, “life.” He is dead : there fore let his errors rest in oblivion, and his vir tues be remembered with hope. The Supreme Court of the Ceiled States. The Washington correspondent of the New York Tribune gives the following description of the Judges of the Supreme Court. It is, on the whole, a pretty fair daguerreotype—save in the painting of Judge Grier, who is no Ger man, but what is called in Pennsylvania a “Scots Irishman”—and one of great ability, too : One of the most interesting visits in the city of YVashington is to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court Room is in the Northern wing of the Capitol, on the ground floor. It is broken by pillars and arched walls, and is badly lighted. It is handsomely furnish ed, with rich YVilton carpets, silken drapery, &c. The light is admitted from the rear win dows alone, and the Judges sit with their backs to th” light ; the counsel who address them can scarcely see their faces. At 11 o’clock they enter deliberately, all dressed in black, and with gowns. After they are seated, the crier proclaims, “Oyoz, oyez, oyez ! the Supreme Court of the United Slates is now in session ; all persons having business therein are admon ished to draw near and give their attendance. God save the United States and these honora ble Judges.” I will now attempt to describe the Couit: in the centre sits the Chief Justice, Roger B. Taney, of Md. He is tall, sallow, thin, hard featured, and careless in dress, ilis history is well known. As Gen. Jackson’s Attorney- General, he had no hesitation in advising that the removal of the deposites from the Bank of the United States, by the President’s order, was valid, and when Mr. Duane refused tore move the treasure, Mr. Taney tool; his place as Secretary of the Treasury, and gave the order required by the President. He stood very high at the bar of Maryland, and is unques tionably a man of great power of intellect. His opinions are terse, pointed and luminous, not encumbered with unnecessary learning, but exceedingly logical and convincing, lie has great tenacity of purpose and strength of will, and I may add, stubborn prejudices. The sincerity of his eonvict’ons no one doubts. There is about him an unmistakable air of intellect and authority, and he is not an unwor thy successor of John Marshall. He is a de. vout Roman Catholic, and rigid in his observ ance ol religious forms and duties. On the right hand of the Chief Justice sits Mr. Justice McLean, of Ohio. This gentle man was Postmaster-General under Mr. Adams, and continued so for a very short time under Gen. Jackson, when he was transferred to the bench of the Supreme Court. He is a well-dressed, dignified person, about six feet in height, exceedingly well formed, with fine teeth, a clear gray eye, lofty brow and forehead, exceedingly like the statue of Washington by- Houghton, in the Capitol at Richmond. He is an upright and sensible man, with unquestiona ble administrative talents, but not an accurate or profound lawyer. It is believed by some that he is not satisfied with his present position, but is desirous of obtaining a higher station. He is a member of the Methodist church, and is in high favor with that denomination. Justice Catron, of Tennessee, is next to McLean. He is a stout, healthy’ man, respect able and solid in appeftrant^Avith a face and head more indicative oKtirbabitv and benevo lence than of intellect. ||Mfcnieood sense and moderate learning, of feeling and kindness of demeanor, he is universally re garded as a useful, unpretending, respectable Judge. Next to him we find Judge Daniel, of Vir ginia. He was nominated by Mr. Van Buren, shortly before the termination of that gentle man’s Presidency, principally on account of his political services and devotedness. lie is tall, bony, angular, with high cheek bones, and dark complexion, and looks as if lie had some Indian blood in his veins. His learning is ac curate, and his deductions are sound and clear. He often dissents from the majority of the Court, and not (infrequently in favor of State Rights. His attachment to these renders him a valuable member of the Court. His amiability and honesty are universally conceded ; lawyers say that his opinions, even when in the minor ity. are sound and correct. Next to him, and on the extreme right, is the place of Senator Woodbury, of New Hamp shire. He has long been a man of note. As Governor and Judge of his own State, and as Senator and Secretary of the Treasury here, he has been distinguished for fidelity to his par ty, and for unwearied study and labor. He is nearly six feet in height, of round and com pact form, well moulded features, a prominent and bright eye, that, at a distance, appears dark, but on nearer view, is seen to be a bluish grey. He is strictly temperate in his habits, drinks nothing but cold water, and a great deal of that, and works with surpassing rapid ity and earnestness. He has great talent for research, and his opinions are crowded with its results. Asa reasoner he io cogent and accu rate, but not concise, and is apt to spend too much labor in proving what ought to be assum ed as settled. His decisions would be the bet- (er for pruning and thinning, but the growth is deep rooted and vigorous. He is a very able Judge. Asa politician he has always been a “Democrat.” We will now look to the left hand of the Chief Justice. The first is Justice Wayne, from Georgia, formerly a member of Congress from that State, and a very warm personal and political friend of Secretary Forsyth. He is an exceedingly handsome man—about 5 feet 10 inches high, of stout but graceful figure, ruddy complexion, fine teeth, and clustering, wavy hair, now mingled with grey ; very courte ous in manner, and with a tone of refinement in his elocution that is very pleasing. He has cultivated the graces, and has aimed (it is said not without success) to be in favor with the la dies. He has an ingenious, copious mind—is fluent and rapid in expression, but lacks con ciseness, lucid arrangement and vigor. lie is, however, by no means deficient in learning, even of a technical character. Next to him is Judge Nelson, a man of hand some features, bland and gentleman-like ex pression, very courteous in manner, and digni fied, yet easy in deportment. He possesses much good sense, and is an excellent lawyer. His apprehension is not rapid, but he thinks clearly and reasons strongly. He is probably the best commercial lawyer on the bench. Since his elevation to his piesent place, he has shown an unusual degree of energy and in dustry, and is evidently working for a reputa tion. He is not suspected of ulterior political views, and his integrity and independence are not doubted. Judge McKinley, of Alabama, is not here. He is in New Oi leans, holding his Ciieuit there, and principally with a view to attend to the trial of Mrs. Gaines’ case. Judge Grier, of Pennsylvania, has a large, broad form, an expansive, angular brow, blue eye, and looks like a strong-minded, sagacious German—such, I believe, is his descent. His voice is very curious : he reads in a low, rapid, monotonous tone for some seconds, and then he will catch on a word, to spin round it, as on a pivot, and start off to renew the same course. His opinions are unpretending and sensible, well expressed and concise. His position as a Judge is hardly yet defined. On the right of the Judges, separated by a railing, is the desk of the clerk, Mr. Carroll. He is a model ot what a clerk should Ire— neat, prompt, assiduous and courteous, and is in every respect, an honorable and accomplished gen tleman. On the left-hand side, we find the desk of Mr. Wallach, the Marshal of the District. He is very attentive to visitors of the Court— takes care of the ladies who drop in, and pro vides them with good seats, and is ever ready to extend kind attentions to all strangers. The Attorney. General has a separate desk in the Court-room, and an adjoining office. ! Mr. iteverdy Johnson was foremost at the Haiti more bar, and ranks very high as a learned lawyer and able reasoner. There is a great deal of energy and independence in his look and bearing and mode of speaking. He is of good stature, erect and strong, but powerful figure, strongly marked features, and with no softness of manner or speech. ll is style of reasoning is clear and strong, but diffuse. Caught in tiie Act. —We saw a funny spec tacle the other day. A dozen omnibuses, with their live freight, were about starting on a Pic nic, when a young woman ran hastily up and said to a gentleman of the party, who had just seated himself cosily by the side of a pretty girl : “Here, sir, I want to know what right you have to be going on pic-nics, and your wife and child at home ?” “[lush, Mary,” whispered the gentleman, hastily getting out of the omnibus, “hush, the people will hear you.” “Who cares it they do ! Why didn’t you think of the people, or of me, or your child, instead of running off to pic-nics with other women ?” ‘•\\ ell—there—now—don’t—•” “But I will, though !” And as for you, Miss, if you ever dare to look at my husband again, I’ll—” “I didn’t look at him, ma’am”—tremblingly replied the poor girl ; “I thought lie was a sin gle man when he asked me to go on a pie-nic with him.” “So, you’ve begun your didoes, have you, my lark 1” exclaimed the wife ; “you’ve begun your didoes, have you ? So—so—l’!! give you a les son which you’ll remember—(taking him by the ears) —now walk home with me !” The poor fellow writhed and implored, but his better half kept her hold, and walked him oft home, the laughter and jeers of the whole party ringing in his ears at every step. We wouldn’t have stood in that por* fallow’s boots that day, no, not for the privilege ot listen ing to the best sermon ever preached.—Phila delphia City hem. O* An account is given in the English papers of a shopkeeper, who invented a plan to detect the dis honest propensities of his customers. He procured a nevvlv-coined half sovereign,and with a particle of gum allixed it to the inside of the top of the glass i show-case on the counter in such a manner that it appeared to be lying on the outward surface, and by frequently observing the conduct ofcustomers on va rious occasions, was enabled to determine with a degree ol certainty whose inlentions were upright and whose the opposite. It was no less strange than alarming to note the number of those who attempted by various strategy to appropriate it to theirown use. : Now a lady would carefully lay her handkerchief up on the case, immediately over the coveted coin, and in removing it, cautiously, with her thumb and finger, would nip that portion of it supposed to contain the prize. Another would cover the spot with her muff. ; and while pretending to examine some article with one hand, endeavor to secure the little innocent with the other. Some would anxiously inquire for goods, on the shelves behind, to divert attention from the ob ject oftheir cupidity ; while others scrupulously emp tied their purses when making payment immediate ly oyer and around the unsuspecting coin, that in the gathering up again it might be harvested. They all looked terribly disappointed, but never again visited the shop. Served him right! No man should thus lead any one into temptation. ET Benton uses bold fiacres. At St. Genevieve, Missouri, denouncing certain traitorous friends who had clung to his skirts that he might elevate them to office, he said he would “throw them off as the impa tient buffalo does the green flies of the prairie !” OCrA young buck of the soaplock order, who wore an unshaven face because (he said) it look ed foreign, lately accosted a Yankee at one of our hotels, as follows : “I say, fellow, some indi viduals take me for a Frenchman, and some take me for an Elalyene ; now what do you think I am V ’ “I think you tue ad— and fool/’ replied Jonathan. The Town Quarters. FROM THE GERMAN—BY J. K. KOF.THEN. When young men have been for a long time confined to the dull monotony of barrack life, with its never ending labor of cleaning spotless trappings and accoutrements, its daily drills, and the mingling with men whose tastes and habits are not congenial to their own, it is a re. , lief to them if, on march, they are allowed to spend a short time at a town where a division j of quarters abstracts them from the surveil- 1 lance of petty officers, and allows them a little larger liberty. Thus we were happy to reach a provincial town early on an afternoon, where I we were to remain until next morning; and it i | cannot be called a heinous wrong, if we went! to excesses of merriment which otherwise would have been avoided. No sooner were the horses stabled at our re spective quarters, and our persons cleaned from i the dust of the road, than a party of choice spir- 1 its met for an afternoon’s sport. First, we j measured the town in all its dimensions, play- , ing off many an innocent joke on unsuspecting j peasants on the way, and in the evening we ; adjourned to my room, where the time was spent in merry making. About nine o’clock we issued forth, in the merriest humor in the world, to take an evening walk. Unluckily, one of the party suggested to us the acting of a joke, which we cafrneJ into ex i ecution with considerable effect. As the flout doors of the houses in town were mostly open, we would enter and walk up into 1 the topmost story. Here we would begin to j make a noise, and, when any one came to see what was the matter, one of the party would ask, meekly, “1 beg your pardon, but is this the residence of a Mr. Miller?” The answer, of course, was always no ; and then we would descend, dragging our sabres after us, and clinking with our spurs on the stairs as noisily as possible. Emboldened by our success, we paid a visi tation to some dozen of houses or more, and en- j i tered now a splendid mansion in the heart of the town. Some of us, and 1 for one, hesitated on the threshold : but then, as Col. Von Thai- 1 berg, with his staff, had taken quarters near i the outskirts of the town, our fears were allayed I and we entered. As we reached the lop landing a servant rnet ; ;us and inquired, somewhat rudely, what we ; | wanted. It being my turn to be spokesman for the ’ party, I put the usual query, and was answered I briefly in the negative. “Beg your pardon,” said 1 ; “face about, j i boys ! forward, march !” And away, went the party, making a noise j |in their descent like bedlam let loose. Doors j j opened in every direction as we passed, and la-1 dies, gentlemen, and servants, looked out to see what was the matter. I did not feel quite comfortable, and lagged j ; behind the rest, so that they were a full stairs’ j length ahead of me. Suddenly, as 1 wa# en tering on the second stairs, I heard a voice be low.: “Zehntausend Donnerwetter ? what is that? Why, you young scapegallows, I'll have you shot like a parcel of dogs ! What a noise is 1 i this to make in a gentleman’s house ?” It was the voice of our Colonel ! Here was a predicament. I knew that the violent temper of the old man would subject us to a severe punishment, and as I had not been seen by hitn, the thought struck me of escap ing if I could. There was a door by my side ; the temptation was too great ; I opened it and entered. This was, apparently, jumping from the fry ing nan into the fire, fur in the room were two young girls just in the act of undressing for the night. As 1 entered, they both jumped behind a screen that stood at the other end of the room, which hid their figures from view ; though their pretty little heads were still visible. The one seemed speechless with affright, while the other appeared on the point of scream ing for assistance, when, by an imploring ges- i ture and some further pantomimes, in which 1 endeavored to explain my situation to them and invoke their silence, 1 somewhat allayed their ; fears. 1 felt embarrassed beyond description. Young, inexperienced, and possessed of exag. gerating fears, I knew not what to do. Two lovely gills, on whose privacy 1 had inadver tently broken in an indelicate manner, on the one hand, and a hot-headed superior officer down stairs on the other. Was ever mortal i so perplexed ! While I was standing at the door, undecided how to act, (and the young girls, no doubt, were in the- same predicament,) I heard the Colonel swear terrifically down stairs, his first act having been that of sending for a sergeant and ten men to arrest the delinquents. The servant who answered my question up stairs, declared that there had only been five. The Colonel, however, knew too well what a young soldier’s assertion was worth in a matter ol this kind, and he ordered a search to he made of every room in the house. This was done, and I heard one door after another open and shut, and, last of all, steps approaching the door of the young ladies’ chamber. It was not of course suspected that I would lie in i there ; but the servant had been, as an extra ! precaution, sent to ask the ladies if they had seen anything of a man secreting himselfabout the house. This was a critical moment for me, and my heart beat violently as the servant ap proached the door. I had now been so long in the room that my first frustration had passed over, and, knowing that the very fact of intruding upon the ladies’ sanctum would increase my punishment, it made me bolder in imploring the assistance of the ladies. W hen the servant put them the question at the door, they looked at each other dubiously. “What shall we say, Bertha?” said the bold er of the two, a lovely blondine with curly’ hair and the sweetest countenance that had ever set the heart of a young trooper in a flutter. “Do as you like, Emily,” replied the other. I looked at the blondine imploringly, and she said: “It is a most perplexing thing; but afier all it was only a joke of theirs, and hardly deserves to be so severely punished.” The other consented to this with a nod. I cast a look of gratitude on the lovely Erni. ly, and she smiled slightly, even through her perplexity. j The sergeant having arrived with his escort, • my unfortunate companions were brought to the watch house; the Colonel, who had been spending the evening here, returned to his °wn quarters, and the house was quiet. Meanwhile I still occupied my position at the door, and became more embarrassed than ever. ] he front door was locked and bolted, and how should I escape! “What is to be done?” said Emily after a while to her companion. “You must dress, and lead him out the back way,” replied the other. “J/ow can 1 ?” whispered the other, and she cast furtive glances at some clothing which res posed on a chair that was standing near me. I understood the difficulty, and said, in as delicate a manner as possible : “Ladies, if there is anything here ttfaf yoii desire, allow me to hand it to you.” They blushed, but did not reply : and, taking’ their silence for an affirmative, 1. With my face’ half averted, transported the chair to the side of the screen, and returned to my place at the far ther end of the room, where 1 turned my back upon them. A cough by my side, after a while, caused me to turn, and the lovely Emily was standing by my side, simply dressed, but lovely in the extreme. i “If you follow me,” said she, “I will lead j you out: but for Heaven's sake make no noise, I for every room wo pass is occupied !” She took the light and led me down stairs. I held my sabre, and followed noiselessly. In i the garden we stopped. “Go straight on,” said she, “then turn to the right, where you will find a gate ; it. is merely kept shut with a latch, and will admit you into 1 the back street.” “i/ow shall I thank you !” exclaimed I, ! pressing her hand in mine, and detaining her a moment. “For He aven’s sake be prudent,” said she, “and be more careful in future.” She tore away from my grasp, and, ere I had time to recover from a stupor in which I found myself, had vanished from my sight. 1 stood for some moments rooted to the spot, and then with a deep fetched sigh, followed her direction. Dear Emily ! she is mine now, and as we sit in the chimney corner together, with our sleep, i ing infant by our side, we oftou speak of our I first meeting. As to my companions, they were all pardoned by the kind-hearted Colonel, through the inter cession of Emily's uncle, the owner of the house in which they were taken. The Colonel al- I ways suspected me of having been one of the party, but he did not find out the truth till after we had both left, the service. [iV. Y. Spirit of the Times. O’ An Irish girl writing from Buffalo to her moth er a! home, says : “The Yankee girls are like the ; old horses at home—high in bone, but low in flesh, i and the color of a duck’s foot.” After this, we don’t i think it incumbent on tlie “Buffalo girls to come out to-uigilt,” or, as it may be more chastely expressed in the classics, “The damsels of Buffalo are not re quired to leave the shade of the maternal roof, nor to amble beneath the subdued lustre of the silver moon.” Freaks of Genius. —“ Bill, where has Joe gone to ?” “I don’t know, I guess he’s in the kitchen, putting the cat in the tea-kettle. lie has just cut her ears off.” O’ “Father, ain’t you opposed to monopoly ?” “Yes, my boy.” “Then give me a drink, too.” The father broke the bottle on the floor, and since then has not tasted liquor. Sign of a a in. —Sir Isaac Newton was once told by a shepherd boy that it was going to rain, though the sky was cloudless. As the prediction proved true, I Sir Isaac told the boy he would give him a guinea j if he would point out how he could foretell the weath er so truly. The shepherd pocketed the “tin,” and ; said : j “Now, sir, whenever yon see that black ram turn his tail toward the wind, it’s a sure sign of rain with lin the hour.” The philosopher sloped. i (FT “Sambo, vvhar you get dat watch you wear to meetin’ lass Sunday?” “How you know I hab watch ?” j “Bekase 1 seed de chain hang out de pocket in front.” “Go ’wav, nigger! ’spose you see halter round my j neck, you tink dar is boss inside ob me ?” Daniel Tucker.— We have seldom heard of a more beautilul simplicity than was evinced by a ; matter-01-fact witness in a riot case “down east.” “What were the mob doing when you firsfsaw them ?” was one ol the que.-tions asked bv the Dis trict Attorney, “i’hey was a singin’,” replied the witness. ‘"Singing exclaimed the public prose j cutor ; “what were they singing about ?” “I don’t know, I in sure, but they was singin', any how.” “Well, what was it ? What were they singing ? ; What did they seem to be talking about 7” “V\”al, as far as I recollect,” replied the witness, “they was a talking about a man of the name of Mr. Tucker, who ret used to come home to his tea.” This su preme specimen of ignorance and simplicity convuls ed the whole court with laughter. U” “Is that clean butter ?” asked a grocer, of a boy who had brought a quantity to market. “I should think it ought to he,” replied the boy, “for inarm and Sal were more than two hours picking the hairs and motes out of it last night.” Unexceptionable Bail. —“ Are you a burgess?” “No.” “Are you a householder?” “No.” “What are you worth ?” “Nothing.” “I mean have you got anything ?” “The old ’oman.” “Nothing else ?” “Seven young ’uns.” “Is that all ?” “Another corning.” “What did you come here for?” “To bail a gentleman fora hundred pounds.” It is almost needless to add that this “unexceptionable bail” was without further inquiry rejected. An Irish Timepiece.— “ Will you be after telPn* us what’s the time, Patrick ?” asked Tim of his friend, who was sporting an imaginary time keeper, or rather a chain and a showy bunch of seals. “An* sure Id do itwid all the pleasure in life,” said Pat, “only my watch is a most two days too fast !” I can’t wait. —A Yankee is never upset by the astonishing. He walks upon the Alps with his handa in his pockets, and the smoke of his cigar is seen among the mists of Niagara. One of his class saun tered into the office of the lightning Telegraph and asked how long it would take to transmit a message to Washington. “Ten minutes,” was the reply! “I can’t wait—l must look elsewhere,” was the re joinder. The Dutchman and his Pig.---“ The tefil’s in the pesle, and no goot—’tis even von contrariar animal as my vise Deporab. Tump my vise one time, she tump too, tump her twice lime, she tump against, tump her three times and she walk more quiet as’ she was fasht asleep. Butte tefil ! nothing can satisfy te pig fen I tump one way, he runs head vay after his tail, ten when I tump him te oter way he runs tail vay after his head, and mine God ! after fullerin each oter tish half hour, here ve ish as nearer te place ve came from ten veil ve set out.” O” An Irishman, who was lately reprieved, as he stated, the night before his execution, and who wish ed to get rid of his wife, wrote to her as follows -’ “I was yesterday hanged, and died like e hero: do as I did; and bear it like a man.”’ ‘ W hat is the be6t motive for riding a man on a rail ? ‘Loco-motive , to be gyre.