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AW AWFUL DUEL;
Or, the Horrors of a Second.
WRITTEN TOR THE YANKEE BLADE BY FALCONER IDG E.
It was court week, said “the Captain,” to whom
I am indebted for this story, and [ having a suit
to attend to, I went down to Jefferson to attend
to it. Jefferson, in those days, was a hard place
—twenty years ago; musters, elections, and
court-times, drew immense and motley crowds
there, and a fight or two was the sure perform
ance. Captain Jack Birney and a neighbor of
mine, Dr. Mose Carson, had had a sort of run
ning fight for two or three years before, and they
made it a common practice to keep the feud up
by adding fresh fuel to it every time they met.
Now the Doctor was a slight-built man, a spirit
ed fellow, though, and was considered one of the
best shots in the State. Capt. Birney was a
small, thick-set man, a good-hearted, jolly fellow
enough, but rough as a bear—and when he was
about “half snapped,” he was quarrelsome, and
much given to swagger and bullying. But Copt.
Birney was a first-rate pistol shot ; no man that
“run the river,” was a better shot with a pistol
than Birney, and he had fought several duels, too,
killed several men ; and in fact, in those times,
he constituted quite an important character, from
the amount ofhis savage encounters and ferocious
adventures. The feud between Birney and Car
son had occurred by the former’s interfering in
a difficulty between Birney and a friend of the
Doctor’s, at the Louisville race course, wherein
the Doctor’s friend had been enabled to give Capt.
Jack a very comfortable thrashing!
Well, Capt. Birney and the Doctor met at
Jefferson. Court was in session, and they Loth
had business there. Captain Birney had been
drinking rather freely ; he met the Doctor on the
steps of the Court House, and of course there was
a squabble, a clinch, and blows! The bystan
ders, something not very common in that day,
interfered, and the Captain and the Doctor were
parted. So great was the excitement, that sev
eral minor affrays came oft on the spot, some
espousing the cause of the Doctor, and others
that of Captain Birney. The result was, Bir
ney’s friends urged him to call the Doctor out,
and it required but little effort to get the enrag
ed Captain to do so. The excitement this fracas
caused, absorbed all the talk and attention of the
people at Jefferson for that day and night. I
was sitting up in my room rather late, that night,
when someone lapped at my door. At my invi
tation, in came the Doctor. He was very pale
and nervous, and had evidently been drawing his
tea pretty strong.
“Captain,” said he, “I’m going to shoot that
scoundrel Birney to-morrow morning, and I want I
•you to be my second.”
“He has challenged then, eh, Doctor ?” says I.
“He has, and I’m glad of it ; it gives me the
choice of weapons, and l shall rid the world ol
a villain in short notice,” says the Doctor, with
energy.
“Well,” says [, “Doctor, this is a little disa
greeable, a sort of business l don’t like—and if
you can get any other friend to second you, I
would rather you should do so.”
“I’ve no other friend I can depend on, here, J
Captain,” says the Doctor, “and I insist on youi
standing by me. I know 3-011, and 1 have ail i
faith in your courage and judgment in seeing j
every thing properly attended to.”
“Well, }-ou have not yet accepted the dial- ;
lenge, I suppose ?”
“No,” said the Doctor, “but I sat down imme
diately, after receiving Birney’s, and wrote my
acception of it; here it is—weapons, rifles ;
place, two miles down the river ; time, 8 o’clock ;
each party to be accompanied by his second, and
another friend, only ; now. Captain, I want it
delivered immediately, see Birney’s second, and
fix the preliminaries. There’s Birney’s chal
lenge, read it; he’s at Hotel—go, be back
soon as possible, and call in at my room.”
I went to Birney’s lodgings with no slight de
gree of hesitation and regret. Morally and ;
physically, I was opposed to duelling. I had
witnessed several, and had never been impress- j
ed with any other idea of them than, that they !
were cruel and silly performances for men to
engage in. This was the first time I had ever
been an operative in a duel; between me and j
Captain Birney, but little love or respect existed. !
Knowing the feud between Birney and Carson, I
and not knowing who Birney’s second was, I
scarcely harbored the hope that the affair could
be in any way settled, except as proposed.
And in this, I was fully confirmed, l>y finding
one of the most notorious bullies and ruffians in
the country, acting as second for Capt. Birney.
And this fact, materially augmented my danger
and uneasiness, and I began to be heartily sick
ot the job. However, I conferred with Birney’s
second, and after some rather warm discussion,
in which the bully tried very hard to insult and
draw me into a quarrel, the preliminaries were
arranged for next morning. Rifles, at thirty
paces, were particularly disagreeable to Birney
and his second, but upon which, I felt the Doc
tor’s entire salvation depended.
Doctor Carson was a young man of much skill, i
and justly popular as a physician ; his practice 5
had produced a snug iittie property, and he was
on the eve of marriage with the prettiest, tidiest
girl in the country. These were certainly very
strong reasons for my looking upon the duel with
disgust, regret, and fear, and certainly appreciate
the situation and feelings of the Doctor himself.
But it was impossible for him to live about there
respected, if he avoided Birney’s challenge.—
Upon my return, I found the Doctor busily en
gaged in writing ; we had but few words. ’ lie
had sent for another friend, and ordered a vehi- 1
cle to convey us to the ground in the morning, i
and I retired, leaving Carson to arrange his busi
ness, &c. to himself; requesting him to call me
should he want me before the hour of starting in
the morning. It was pleasant weather, in the
fall; I threw myself upon the bed without un
dressing, and with my mind full of my own af
fairs and the still more dreadfully situated mat
ters ol the Doctor, fell asleep, sound as a rock.
The crowing of the cocks awakened me. I
arose, put on my boots, coat, &c. and just as I
was about to open the door, the Doctor confront
ed me, pale as ashes, w hile his eyes gleamed like
those of a rattlesnake!
‘•Captain, said he, in a slow, solemn manner,
“here are papers for the settlement of my affairs,
should I fall; you will place them in your trunk,
and if necessary, open the package to-night—
not before. Come.”
I disposed of the package, locked my door,
and returned with the Doctor to his room. He
had evidently not slept any 7 ; he handed me his
rifle, a beautitul piece, upon which he set great
store, the bullets, powder, &c.; we then drank,
the Doctor cheered up, bis friend came in, and
all being ready we took the carriage and started.
Reaching the ground, I was surprised and mor
tified to find a large crowd there, of the vilest
characters, noisy and brutal. Birney and his
friend \v--e on the spot, and would not listen to
any proposition I made for choosing another
place, to get rid of this horrid crowd.
“No matter,” says the Doctor, “measure the
ground, let the preliminaries all be adjusted im
mediately. lam ready.”
Never were the preparations made for a dead
ly conflict more speedily. Never did the parti
sans look more infernal and I felt a
cold chiil running all over me ; the principals
took the ground, the rabble {airly crowded around
us, horrid profanity’ rent the air, bets were being
made—l loaded and placed the Doctor’s rifle in
his hands—the crowd tell back a few paces, and
as I cast my eyes towards Birney, I perceived
he was death 1)- pale—he staggered, reeled, and
fell ! The crowd rushed in about him and cried
out, “He’s dead ! He’s dead !”
Just then a loud rapping at my door startled
me, and l—awoke ! Day was dawning; I open
ed the door, and in rushed the friend of Doctor
Carson, exclaiming—
“ Well, Captain, that sight’s knocked in the
head !”
“What! How?” I asked, with the utmost in
terest.
“Captain Birney died in an apoplexy, about
three hours ago !”
Never was man more readily relieved from a
horrible duty- and worse delusion than I. We
went to the Doctor’s room, found him fast asleep
over iiis table, the lamp dimly burning, and let
ters and lengthily’ written papers lying around,
and to pen which he had suffered doubtless much
more agony than to meet his foe upon the duel
ling ground. “lam ready!” says the Doctor,
as we aroused him, but 1 know his heart felt
better when we told him Birney had stepped out
for a long journey never to return. The duel
was at an end, and 1 for one greatly’ relieved
thereby.
Peace Convention. —A convention is to be
held in Neyvark, N. J. on the 25:h inst., for the
purpose of appointing delegates from that State
to the Peace Congress to be held at Frankfort
on-the-Main, in August, 1850. They propose
to send tyvo delegates from the State at large,
and one from each Congressional District, be
sides delegates from the Towns, Universities,
Literary Associations, and Municipal and Re
ligious bodies in the Slate. Elihu Burritt is ac
tive in promoting the movement,
The Peace Congress which is to resolve that
the lion shall lie down witli the lamb, and that
the sword shall be manufactured, as w-e say now
a-days, into a pruning hook, has been in contem
plation some time, and we believe has held one
or more, sessions, without having worked any
very wonderful change in the belligerent
propensities ol the nations. The universal
peace movement is certainly about as harmless
as any in yvhich its philanthropic projectors can
employ themselves, and quite enough to make it
exceedingly popular and practicable with a cer
tain class of dreamers. In the first place it
yvould be necessary to adopt some universal form
of government, by yvhich each nation would
stand upon an equal footing in the Congress ;
otherwise a republic would have but little to hope
from the decision of a body composed of the rep
resentatives of Kings and Emperors. Such a
body thus brought together to arbitrate on the
affairs of the civilized world, might even deter
mine that republics yvere dangerous to the peace
of the world. The antagonism of principles
and natural interests are the great causes of
war at the present time, and such a Congress
yvould not be able to legislate away these causes.
We fear that the much desired da}’, when
there shall indeed he perfect peace on earth and
good yvill to men, has not vet arrived.
[Savannah News.
A Petrified Body.-A subject which had been
buried five or six years, was taken up a few days
since, says the Houston (Miss.) Republican, of
23th ult., for the purpose of removing to a differ
ent location, and Found to be in a high state of pet
rifaction. It required the strength o( six men to
raise the coffin from the vault; this caused them
to open it to discover the cause of the weight;
when, to their surprise, they found it to contain
a form of stone. With the exception of the
fingers, part of one of the feet, and a small spot
under the position of the hands, which had de
cayed before petrification had taken place, the
body yvas apparently a solid stone.
Arnold, the Traitor.—At the close of the
Revolutionary War, Arnold retired to England,
where the British monarch did all in his power
to make him acceptable, but failed. Desirous of
making Arnold knoyvn to the Earl of Balerras,
lie personally led them together. After going
through the usual form of an introduction,
Arnold extended his hand to the Earl. “What,
sir,” said the latter to the king, at the same time
drawing himself up to his proudest height, “is
this the traitor Arnold ?” and walked haughtily
away. “I he hand ollKiuglass was his own !”
Arnold challenged —they met, and
Arnold who antagonist. The
proud nobleman his pis
tol dashed it to the “Stay, my Lord,”
exclaimed Arnold, “you have riot had your shot.”
“No,” replied the Earl indignantly, “1 ‘leave you
to the hangman.”
Worse than Slavery. —The Greenfield
Democrat says there is a current report, that a
lew days since a man in Coleraine, named Bell,
unmercifully whipped a poor foolish negro boy,
a town pauper, and then left him with his hands
tied behind him, in one of the coldest days of the
season. When the poor boy was found, by some
neighbors, as we understand, his fingers were
frozen so that they cracked open, and it was
feared he would lose his hands, if not his arms.
The perpetrator of the inhuman deed has ab
sconded.
Had this cruel act been perpetrated by a
Southerner on a slave, New England would
have echoed with it, and some cunning speculator
would have made his fortune hv exhibiting the
victim, could he have obtained possession of him.
I HAVE NO time to STUDY. — The idea about
the want of time is a mere phantom. Franklin
found time in the midst of all his labors to dive
into the hidden recesses of philosophy, and to
explore the untrodden path of science. The
great Frederick, with an Empire at his direc
tion, in the midst of war, on the eve of battles
which were to decide the fate of his kingdom,
found time to revel in the charms of philosophy
and intellectual pleasures. Bonaparte, with all
Europe at his disposal, with kings in his ante
chamber begging for vacant thrones, with thou
sands ot men whose destinies were suspended
on the brittle thread of his arbitrary pleasures,
had time to converse with books. Caesar, when
he had curbed the spirits of the Roman people,
and was thronged with visitors from the remo
test kingdoms, found lime for intellectual conver
sation. Every man has time, if he is careful to
improve it; and if he does improve it as well as
he might, he can reap a three-fold reward. Let
mechanics then make use of the hours at their
disposal, if they want to obtain a proper influ
ence in society. They can, if they please, hold
in their hands the destinies of our Republic ; they
are numerous, respectable and powerful ; and
they have only to be educated half as well as
other professions, to make laws for the nation.
s'DdnmiiM §lositora ia, o
A Battle in a Snow Storm.
; yVAR IN ALL ITS HORRORS ‘. EY’LAD 1 NAPOLEON
AND HIS SOLDIERS.
The American reader almost devours every
thing in relation to Napoleon. Though memoirs
and histories have multiplied, yet there seems to
be no cessation of public curiosity. The publi
cation of one book increases the demand for
another. We have recently been reading por
tions of the memoirs of Caulaincourt, Duke of
Vicenza, Napoleon’s Secretary of State, and
who accompanied him in all his campaigns, and
therefore portrays the inner life of Napoleon.
The Battle of Eylau has been described by
Allison, in his most masterly style, but the fol
lowing description of the same battle, from
Caulaincourt’s memoirs, exceeds any thing yet
given to the public. The bitter cold, the blind
ing snow storm, the murderous carnage between
Russian and Frank, the snow crimsoned with
human gore, the self sacrificing devotion of the
officers and soldiers to their idolized commander,
| and above all the Great Captain around-whom
every thing circles as the Man of the Hour, are
presented in one coup iV ceil , which it is not
easy’ to forget.— Ed. Wisconsin.
On the clay of the battle, the weather was
dreadful. The snow, which fell thickly in tine
flakes, froze as it readied the surface of the
earth. Our clothes being covered with this sort
l of hoar frost, were stiff and heavy. The horses
could not keep their footing. The sanguinary
conflict had been maintained since morning, and
when night set in all was yet undecided. The
Emperor, in a state of the utmost anxiety and
j impatience, galloped up and down the field of
j battle, braving the grape shot which was show
ering in every direction. He was always to be
seen on those points threatened with the greatest
danger, well knowing that his presence would
■ alone work miracles. Meanwhile, the ceasing
!of the fire on some point indicated that the en
! emy was falling back. At eight o’clock, Napo
leon was informed that the important position of
the church, which had been obstinately disputed,
taken and re-taken several times in the course of
the day, had again been carried by the enemy.
I Our troops, whose numbers were infinitely in
■ ferior to those of the Russians, retired fighting to
| the church-yard. At the moment when the or
derly arrived with this intelligence, the. Emperor
j had dismounted, and was personally directing a
! formidable batter}’ pointed to the left wing of the
! Russian army. He instantly leaped on his horse,
| galloped off with the rapidity of lightning, and
throwing himself into the midst of the battalions,
which were beginning to give way, “What!”
he exclaimed, “a handful of Russians repulse
j the Grand Army ! Hear me, my brave fellows :
| let not a Russian escape from the church !
; Forward with the arti.fbry ! We must have the
j church, my lads ! we must have it !”
This address answered, “Vive’l Empereur!
Forward ! we must have the church !” and all
j rushed onward, rallying in good order.
A lew paces from us we espied an old grena
dier ; his tace was blackened by gunpowder,
and the blood was streaming down his clothes.
liis left arm had been carried away by a bomb- j
| shell. The man was hurrying to fall into the
ranks.
“Stay, stay, my good fellow',” said the Empe
! ror, “go and get your wound dressed—go to the
ambulance.”
“I will,” replied the grenadier, “when we
have taken tho church,” and we immediately lost
sight of him. 1 perceived the tears glittering in
the Emperor’s eyes, and he turned aside to con
! coal them.
At ten o’clock that night the church was ours.
The Emperor, who was thoroughly exhausted,
tottered with fatigue as he sat on his horse. He
ordered the firing to cease; and the army re
posed, surrounded by the enemy’s bivouacks.
Our headquarters were established on the
plateau, behind Eylau, in the midst of the infant
ry of the guard.
“All is going on admirably,” said the Empe-
I for to me as he entered his tent. “Those men
j have fought bravely!” Without undressing, he
| threw himself into his bed, and in a few mo
ments was sound asleep.
At four in Ihe morning, the Emperor was
again on his horse. He surveyed the ground,
arranged his plans, posted artillery, harangued
the troops, and rode past the front rank of each
regiment. At day break he gave orders that
the attack should commence simultaneously on
all points- About eleven o’clock the snow,
which had fallen incessantly during the whole
morning, increased with such violence that we
could scarcely perceive any object at the dis
tance of ten paces. After the lapse of some
tittle time, a Russian column, amounting to be
tween five and six thousand men, was discern
ed ; during the night this column had received
orders to join the main body of the army, and
had missed the way. The troops who were
marching forward hesitatingly and without scouts
had strayed to within the distance of a musket
shot of our camp. The Emperor, standing erect,
w ith his feet in the stirrups, and his glass at his
eye, was the first to peiceive that the black
shadows, slowly defiling through the veil of snow,
must belong to the Russian Reserve. He in
stantly directed towards them two battalions of
the grenadiers of the guard, commanded by
Gen. Dorsenne. \\ hi Ist the grenadiers ad
vanced in silence, the squadron cyi duly near the
Emperor turned the column, attacked it in the
rear, and drove it forward on our grenadiers,
who received it with fixed‘bayonets. The first
shock w r as terrible to the Russians. But soon
comparing their numerical strength with the
small number of troops opposed to them, the offi
cers drew their swords, rallied their men, and all
defended themselves with great courage. At
one moment our grenadiers appeared to flag,
when a young officer darted from the ranks, ex
claiming in a loud voice, “Courage, my brave
comrades! follow me, and the Russian colors
are ours !” He rushed forward, sword in hand,
follow'ed by liis company, and penetrated the
compact centre of the Russian column. This
unexpected assault broke their ranks, and our
grenadiers resolutely entered the passage open
ed to them by the brave Auzoni.
“J his is one of the most glorious achievements
of this memorable day,” said the Emperor, who
had been au eye-witness to the heroic conduct
of Auzoni. He summoned him to his presence,
and thus addressed him : “Captain Auzoni, you
well deserve the honor of commanding my
veteran moustaches. You have most nobly dis
tinguished yourself. You have won an officer’s i
cross and an endowment of 2,000 francs. You ,
were made a captain at the beginning of the
campaign, and I hope you will return to Paris
with a still higher rank. A man who earns his
honors on the field of battle, stands very high in
my estimation. I present ten crosses to your
company,” he added, turning towards the sol
diers.
Enthusiastic shouts rent the air, and the same j
men advanced to meet the enemy's fire with a
degree of courage and enthusiasm which it is
impossible to describe. Two hours after, the
victory was ours. The enemy’s forces routed
and dispersed, retreated in the utmost disorder, *
abandoning their wounded, their baggage, and
their parks of artillery.
But the day’s work was not yet ended for the
Emperor. According to custom, he went over
the held of battle to estimate the enemy’s loss,
and to hurry the removal of the wounded. It
was truly horrible to survey the immense extent
i of ground over which the snow of the preceding
day was crimsoned with blood.
A quarter-master of the dragoons, grievously
wounded, perceived the Emperor passing at a
few paces from him. “Turn your eyes this
way, please your majesty,” gaid the man ; “I
believe I have got my death wound, and shall
I soon be in another world. But no matter for
that ! Vive L’ Emperor !”
“Let this poor fellow be immediately convey
ied to the ambulance,” said Napoleon. “Raise
him up, and commend him to the care of Lar
rey.” Large tears rolled down the cheeks of the
dragoon when he heard the Emperor utter these
words. “I only wish,” said he, “that I had a
thousand lives to lay down for your majesty.”
Near a battery which had been abandoned by
the enemy, we beheld a singular picture, and one
of which a description can convey hut a faint
idea. About one hundred and fifty or two hun
dred French grenadiers, were surrounded by a
quadruple rank of Russians. Both parties were
weltering in a river of blood, amidst fragments
of cannon, muskets, swords, &e. They had ev
idently fought with the most determined fury, for
every corpse exhibited numerous and horrible
wounds. A feeble cry of Vive L’Emperor !
was heard to emanate from this mountain of the
dead, and all eyes were instantly turned to the
spot whence the voice proceeded. Half conceal
ed beneath the tattered flag lay a young officer,
whose breath was decorated with an order.—
Though pierced with numerous wounds, he suc
ceeded in raising himself up so as to rest on his
elbow. llis handsome countenance was over
spread with a livid hue of death. He recognised
the Emperor, and in a feeble, faltering voice, ex
claimed—“ God bless your Majesty, and now—
farewell—farewell—Oh ! my poor mother !”
He turned a supplicating glance at the Empe
ror, and then uttering the words, “To dear
France—my last sigh !” he fell stiff and cold.
Napoleon seemed rivetted to the spot, which
watered with the blood of these heroes. “Brave
men,” said he, “brave Auzoni ! Excellent
young man. Alas ! this is a frightful scene.—
file endowment shall go to his mother. Let
the order be presented for my signature as soon
as possible.” Then turning to Dr. Ivan, who
accompanied him, he said, “Examine poor Au
zoni’s wounds, and see if any thing can be done
for him. This is indeed terrible.”
Simple Cure for. Gkj^lp. —We find in the
Journal of Heikbh tkr*<fo! lowing simple reme
dy for this <1 a!i 3 e. Those who have
passed nights of at the bedside of
loved children, it up as an invalu
able piece of information, if a child is taken
with croup, instantly apply ernd water, ice water
if possible, suddenly and freely to the neck and
chest, with a sponge. The breathing will almost
instantly be relieved. So soon as possible, let
the sufferer drink as much as it can ; then wipe
it dry, cover it up warm, and soon a quiet slum
ber will relieve the parent’s anxiety, and lead
the heart, in thankfulness to the Power which has
given to the pure gushing fountain suc!i*medical
qualities.
A Hixt to the Idle—Till! Axe.— The other
day I was holding a man by the hand as firm in
its outward texture as leather, and his sun burnt
face as inflexible as parchment; he was pouring
forth a tirade ot contempt on those people who
complain that they nothing to do, as an
excuse for be.comifUjfjloalers.
Said I, “Jeff, work at? You look
hearty and happy ; ?hat at ?”
“Why,” said he, “I me an axe three
years ago, that cost me two dollars ; that was all
the money I had ; I went to chopping wood by
the cord ; I have done nothing else, and 1 have
earned more than six hundred dollars. I have
drunk no grog, paid no doctor, and 1 have bought
me a farm in the Hoosier State, and shall lie
married next week to a girl that has earned two
hundred dollars since she was eighteen. My old
axe I shall keep in the drawer, and buy me a
new one to cut my wood with.”
After I left him, I thought to myself, that “axe,”
and, no grog. They are two things to make in
this world. That axe ! And then a farm, and a
wife ! the best of all.
A Story for Ladies —We clip from an ex
change the following little story, for our lady
readers. By the way, nine-tenths of all the sage
moral advice in the papers is addressed to the
fair sex. Men have no duties, we suppose:
We remember somewhere to have read a
story of a youth who hesitating in his choice be
tween two young ladies, by both of whom he was
beloved, was brought to a decision by means of
a rose. It happened one day, as all three were
wandering in a garden, that one of the girls, in
her haste to pluck anew blown rose wounded
her finger with a thorn ; it bled freely ; and ap
plying the petals of a white rose to the. wound,
she said, smiling, “I am a second Venus ; I have
dyed the white rose red.”
At that moment they heard a scream, and
fearing the other young lady, who loitered be
hind, had met with an accident, hastened back
to assist her. The fair one’s scream had been
called forth by no worse accident than had befal
len her companion. She had angrily thrown
away the offending flower, and made so pertina
cious and fretful lamentation over her wounded
finger that the youth, after a little reflection, re
solved on a speedy union with the less handsome
but more amiable of the two young friends.
Happy would it be for many a kind hearted wo
man did she know by what seeming trifles the af
fections of those whom she loves may be con
firmed or alienated forever.
The Tread Mill. —An Irishman some time
ago committed to Knutsford House of Correction,
for a misdemeanor, and sentenced to work on
the tread-wheei for the space of a month, observ
ed at the expiration of his task :
“What a great deal of fatigue and botheration
it would have saved us poor craters, if they had
but invented it to go by stame, like all other wa
ter-mills; for, burn me, if I have not been after
going up stairs for this four weeks, but could not
reach the chamber door at all.”
Departure of the Indian's. —An Extra from
the office of the Jacksonville Republican of the
7th inst. states on the authority of Major Mark
land, Agent of the Indian Department, who had
just reached that place from Tampa, the gratify
ing intelligence that on the 23th of February, sev
enty-four Indians sailed from Fort Hamner in tho
steamer Fashion, for New Orleans. Major M.
conveys despatches from General Twiggs to the
Department at Washington.
It is confidently believed that all the Indians
will soon be out of tho country, although Sain
Jones has not yet stated his willingness to leave.
Why is a four quart measure like a side sad
dle ? Because it holds a gall-on.
| The Girard and Mobile Railroad,
M e have been spared the necessity es pre
; paring an article on this subject, by the follow
ing from the editorial of the N. O. Bulletin.
W e shall however recur to the subject again,
and think We are prepared to demonstrate, not
only the immense value of the road to the coun*
try through which it will pass, as well as to the
! cities which it will connect, but there is no sim.
ilar enterprise in the country which promises
more remunerating dividends. This is no sec
tional work ; it is a project in the completion
of which the public of the country at large, as
well as the people more immediately in its vicin
age, arc concerned.— Ed. Sentinel.
COMMUNICATION WITH THE ATLANTIC.
For expedition and comfort of travel, trans
mission of light articles of merchandise, and
quick dispatch of mail intelligence, a short and
direct communication with the Atlantic coast is
most desirable. YVe have given some particu
lars in relation to a contemplated railroad from
Mobile Bay to Girard, opposite Columbus,
Georgia, which will furnish a continuous line of
railway to the city of Boston ; we will now, in
continuation of the subject, devote a few words
to the prospects and destiny of this enterprise.
This road will be built upon the same plan that
has been adopted so successfully in the model
and empire State of the South —Georgia. The
planters on the line of the route and in the vicin
age, have taken stock according to their means,
from live to ten shares and upwards, and arc to
pay for them in grading and laying down the su
perstructure. In this manner the two hundred
and thirty miles of road will be graded, with all
the superstructure, ready tor the iron ; and the
projectors of the work only require subscriptions
to an amount sufficient to procure the iron and
the requisite machinery. Upon this point, we
are authorized by two Directors of the company,
Messrs. Abercrombie and Hardaway, to say, that
with the subscriptions already received, and
those which they are conlident they will receive
from the inhabitants living on the line, and con
tiguous thereto, they will be able to grade the
road, and lay down the superstructure, without
any extrinsic aid ; and that tlie subscriptions re
ceived in money will be required to expend tor
iron and machinery. The resident population of
the counties through which the route will pass,
have taken the subject up with a hearty will.
YVe have seen a list of liberal subscriptions,
and we have now a letter before us, in which
a wealthy planter proposes to pay a dollar lor ev
ery acre of land he owns, and the quantity he es
timates at lU,GOO acres. The class ol subscri
bers who engage to pay in grading and super
structure, are ready to roll up their sleeves and j
go to work as soon as the word shall be given ;
but til’s will not be done until the Directors have
the positive assurance that they will be able to
complete the undertaking ; lor although Messrs.
Abercrombie and Hardaway, who are at the
head of this enterprise, are gentlemen ot great
energy and perseverance, they will not com
mence the work until they can see their way
through safely and surely, if any one will take
up a well defined map of the Slate of Alabama, ;
and look at it critically, he will find that a direct
line from Girard, on the Chattahoochee river, to ;
Blakely on Mobile Bay,isa dividing line between ‘
innumerable small streams flowing north and
south. This line is necessarily on a ridge, at |
the base of which, on either side, these streams !
and rivulets head ; and in these bottoms the
lands are consequently extremely rich. It will ,
also be observed, insect ion ol the Stale,
there are some counties almost eu- j
tirely shut out froi® a “diarist, and that this road
will open a comnlfmication tl a virgin soil com
prising a vast quantity ol river bottoms and line
cotton lands.
i We arc well aware, that in making estimates
of the business and accruing profits ot a railroad
not yet built, nor even yet begun, iittie reliance is
j to be placed, We may, how
ever, fix
by a with some degree
of accuracy to fi-Seliliic value. We will take
two roads in have been in opeia
tion for some years ; one of which is very much
assimilated in length and character to the one
in question, and which will be a link in the chain
of communication. The Macon and Western
Railroad commences at Macon and terminates at
Atlanta, a distance of one hundred and one miles ;
the gross income of the road for the past year
amounted to $198,437, and the expenses charge
able against the same amounted to $87,998,
leaving for net profit $110,709. The cost to
the present proprietors with an outlay for new
iron, machinery, etc., was something like
$350,000 ; the business, for the last year, gave
a profit on the investment of 17 percent.
The Central Railroad, which will be a con
tinuation of this Alabama road, was built ten
years ago at a cost of $2,094,717. The busi
ness of the road has been regularly increasing,
I the receipts of the last year being $J52,131 over,
j the previous year. To show what Georgia
roads yield, under good management, we will
particularize a little. The up freight, through
and way, of the Central Road in lts49, amount
ed to $297,495, the down freight through and
way, to $370,576 ; up and down passage to
$70,561; all of which, with the compensation
of mail service, amounted to $008,383, as the
gross earnings of the year. The total amount
j of expenses was, for the same time, $337,628 —
j a very heavy sum, but incurred mainly in conse
! quence of relaying the road with very heavy su
perior rails—leaving a balance, for net profits,
of $333,755, which is almost 13 per cent, on the
original cost of the road,
j With these data, we may make a calculation of!
| the probable business of the Alabama road, with 1
j some approximation to reality.
When the entire line of road is completed, so j
that the journey to New York can be accom
plished in four and a half days, we may safely
say that the travel from California. Texas, the |
great basin of the Mississippi, and New Orleans,
will amount to forty thousand passengers per
annum. We will therefore make our calcuia- \
tions as follows :
Through passengers, 40,000, at #3 00, $320,000 j
Through Cotton, 75.000 bales, at $1 50, 112,500
Through Heights, other than Cotton, 150,000
Way Cotton, 40,000 bales, 40,000
Way passengers and freight, 50,000
Mail services, 50,000
$732,500
Maintaining and working the road at
SI,OOO a mile, 230,000
Balance, ,$502,500 j
This estimate we do not consider much, if any, j
out of the way. It will, however, admit of con- j
siderable abatement, and still yield large returns
for the stockholders.
The charter that has been granted by the
State of Alabama is an extremely liberal one,
and fully protects the stockholders in all their
rights and privileges. The capital is two mil
lions of dollars, in one hundred dollar shares,
and no more than one-third of the subscription
I can be demanded in any one year. The private
! property of the stockholders is exempt from any
liability whatever, and, what we conceive tobel
a very wholesome provision, the company can*
not sell the forfeited stock in larger quantities
than five shares ; and if the property of the
road should have to be sold for the payment of
its debts, it cannot be sold in lots exceeding in
value five thousand dollars each lot. The sub.
ject is an interesting one, and we shall return to
it again.
Diamond Cut Diamond. — The other day a
gentleman who had occasion to cross Netts
York in a cab, found, on alighting, that he had
nc change in his pocket. The only shop at hand
was a cigar store in which were some three or
four fellows, besides the proprietor, puffing the
villainous weed.
The gentleman entered, requesting the cab*
man to follow him, and handing a five dollar bill l
to the “\ orker,” asked him to change it. Thtf
cigar*vender handed him a three'dollar bill attdl
the balance in silver, out of which the cab-mart l
was paid, and went on his way rejoicing.-
But a moment afterwards, the gentlemart>
looking at the bill, found it to be a very suspL
cious looking document, purporting to be a prom*
issory note of the Dogtown Lumber and Mining
1 Company, or some such ambiguous or apocrypnal
institution. landing he had been shaved, het
; asked the cigar-vender if that was a good bill.-
“A good bill! yes ! I wish I had ten thousand
|of ’em,” was the answer. “Bill !” (winking to
i a villainous looking “B’hoy”) “isn’t that ’ere a
j good bill ?”
! “Good as wheat,” said the b’hoy ; and “good !
! good !” was echoed round the shop.
! “Very well,” said the gentleman, “I asked for
information. You seem to have no doubt of
the genuineness of the note, and as you were
kind enough to accommodate me, 1 think the
; best thing I can do is to break it at your coun
ter. Gentlemen, try another cigar apiece at my
| expense.”
The cigar man was regularly taken in and
done for—caught in his own trap. VVff.h great
reluctancedie changed the spurious note, and the
; operation cost the intended victim but abotut *
j shilling. \
i As tie was leaving the store, one of the
“B’hoys” touched him on the shoulder.
“You’re one of ’em,” said he, “I’ll bet high
i that you’re a Yankee.”
“1 ain’t anything else,” replied the gentleman,
“and while I’m in this small village, 1 mean to
keep my eyes open,” —Olive Branch.
Hail Hoad Pkoghess.— We learn from the
Mobile papers that the question of subscribing
<3>3Od,(HK) to the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road
was submitted to the voters of that city, one*
day last week, and (hit it was almost unan~
imously carried, there being only seven vote
against i l .
Truth and Politeness. —To tell the truth, is*
these times, will not often pass for politeness
but in the following brief dialogue, there is botlx
politeness and truth manifested :
“Well, John,” said a doctor to a lad whose*
mother he had been attending during her illness,
“how is your mother ?” “ishe’s dead, I thank
yon. sir.”
oThe “Kentucky Infant,” Andrew H.
Brand, died a few days ago of pneumonia. Ho
was sixteen years old and weighed 500 pounds.
A laundress, who was employed in the
family of one of our former Governors, said to
him with a sigh :
‘ Only think, your excellency, how little mon
ey would make me happy ?”
“How little, madam ?” said the Governor.
“O ! dear sir, one bundled dollars would make
me perfectly happy.”
“If that is all, you shall have it,” and he im
mediately gave it to her.
She looked at it with joy and thankfulness,
and, before the Governor was out of hearing,
exclaimed :
“J wish I had said two hundred. .”
An officer in a military corps made the
following appeal to the patdugffm orw sXorT
dinatea : ~
“Hold up j'our heads like a cornstalk, and not
clown like a tater top ; shave twice a day, and
put on your best furniture.”
A-lass! as the old bachelor said when ho
wanted to marry. He made the exclamation
after marriage, but spelt it differently.
o tr A German writer observes in a late vol.
ume on the social condition of Great Britain :
| “There is such a scarcity of thieves in England,
that they are obliged to offer a reward for their
I recovery.”
tCT Jeems says that the quickest way to reach the
seat of war is to set down on a hornet’s nest.
O’“Ah, Mr. Simpkins, we have not chairs enough
for our company,” said a gay young wife to her frn
i gal husband. “Plenty of chairs, ducky, but a little
too much company,” replied Simpkins.
O’ A Frenchman stopping at a tavern, asked for
Jacob.
j “There is no such person here.” said the landlord.
’ “ ’Tis not a person I want, sare, but the beer mad^
warm wid de poker.”
“Weil,” answered mine host, “that, is flip.”
“Ah, yes, sare, you are in de right; I mean PhUtf;'*
Look to Your Punctuation.— A toast drunk at a
4th July celebration was given as follows :
I “Woman—without her, man would be a savage.”
The Boston Post thinks the punctuation errone
ous. and should be corrected thus :
“Woman, ici/houl her man, would be a savaore.’*
°
; O’“Pa, what is punctuation ?”
“Jt is the art of putting the stops.”
“Then I wish you would go down cellar and punc
tuate the cock of the cider barrel, as the cider is run
-1 ning all over the floor.”
Why is a short nigger like a white man ?
Because he is not a-tall black.
Wealth. —Martin Luther has said : “Wealth
is the smallest gift of God.” What is it, tobe
! compared with his Word, or corporal gifts, such
as beauty, health and activity? What is it to the
gifts of the mind, such as intellect, science aoct
j art ?
A lady in Wisconsin has recovered #IOO
! of a liquor dealer, for selling her husband too
much rum. If she could induce her “old man”
to get tipsy once a month, she might realize in
this way, quite a novel living. Three tipsy days
| in a month would enable her to keep a carriage.
The Potfsville Journal of the 26th ult.
says that the woman residing in West Branch
Valley, who gave birth to four children, about
sixteen months ago, presented her husband with
thiee moie, last week, making seven children in
the space of sixteen months.
j (Kr J o stop mouse holes—take a pJu* of.
I common soap, stop the hole with it, and you maY
rest assured you will have no further trbuHfd
from that quarter. It is equally effectual
gards rats, roaches and ants. !• -i.
C£r “Isa man were to set out,” says Hal
ifax, “by calling every thing by its right name,’
he would be knocked down before he got to thff
corner of the street.”