McDuffie weekly journal. (Thomson, McDuffie County, Ga.) 1871-1909, July 14, 1875, Image 1

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vElje illcDuffie Journal. A Beal Lise Country Paper. Published Every Wednesday Morning. by WHITE & COJIUS. Terms of Subscription. One copy, one year $2.00 One copy, six months 1.00 Ten copies, in clubs, one year, each.... 1 50 Single copies Sc ts. CtT All subscriptions invariblv in advance. B USINBSS CAB DS. H. C. RONEY, ATTORNEY AT LAW, THOMSON, GA. Gif' Will practice in the Augusta, North ern and Middle Circuits. nolyl R. W. H. NEAL, ATTORNEY AT U\V, THOMSON, GA. _ PAUL C. HUDSON, A 1 TOHNEY AT LAW , r JPliomxoii, Gn. Will practice in the Superior Courts of 'the Augusta, Northern and Middle Circuits, -and in the Supreme Court, and will give •attention to all cases in Bankruptcy. Aug. 2."», 1*74. ts Central s)otel BY MRS. W. M. THOMAS, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA •*beplltf COTTON STATES LIFE Insurance Coiunaiiy, CHARTERED BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA. Assets - SOOO-OOO.CO! THE ONLY COMPANY Doing business in the South that has ONE lIUNDUEi) THOrsANI) DOLLARS dej>osited with the authorities of the State of Georgia for the protection of Policy-holders! Policies upon all the various plans of Insurance issued! AH Pol Men Xon-Forfeitable No Restrictions as to Residence or Travel! NlrieMy a IIO.IIE CO., >vi(li its CAPITAL and INVESTMENT at HOME ' .PEOPLE of thr POTTOS srATF.It, Flutter HOME ESTEUPItISE! ■ OFFICKI{«! WM. Tl. JOHNSON, - - - PrcuvUnt. WM. S. HOLT. - - - Viof-PmUaU. ■GEORGE S. OllEAll, - - . Secretary. ■O. F. McCAY, ------ Actuary. JOHN VV. BURKE, - - Vnurul Agnh. -I AS. M. GREEN, - Chef Medical Officer. V'. J. MAGILL. - - iS apt of At/rticirc. •/. ll'. Wilt i ntjham, Thomson, Ga. District Agent. Flti-d* JF. W. FITTS. li. M. HOLMES. FITTS l HQIUKS. Contractors & Builders, Thomson Ga. Estimates and plans furnished on application for any description of work in our line. Agents for the celebrated l P. Me lanfy, Charleston,, S. C., Manufacturer of and Healer in DOORS, SASH, BLINDS and Builders’ material generally. F'.'-c* ORDEKIS FOB DRY GOODS. PEOPLE in want of Dry Goods w ill save money, by sending their orders to C. J. TANARUS, BALK, No. 13*5 Bboad-St., AUGUSTA, GA. Best Calicoes at Bc. per yard; fine yard wide Bleached Homespuns, 10c.; fiue yard wide Unbleached Homespuns, 10c.; Splendid White Pique at 15c. per yard ; Coats Spool Thread, 16 spools for .§I.OO ; Good Neck Ruches at sc. each j Ladies' and Misses’ Untrimmed Straw Hats, new styles, at 40, 50, 60 and 75c., worth double; Splendid Quality Black Silk at SI. 00 and $1.25 per yard ; Black Iron Grenadiucs at 35 and 500. Orders amounting to Ten dollars or pyer will be sent by Express freight, paid. C. J. T. BALK. (The PxUuJjfe Mkehltr Journal. VOL. V. PHOTOGRAPHS! T X HE undersigned respectfully informs the citizens of this section that he has located in Thomson for a time, where he is prepared to make All Kinds of Pictures, on reasonable terms. Gall and examine specimens. J. A. KELLY. D2B-at For Sale r|MlE large building, on Main street, in I Thomson, occupied at present by Sutton Hamlet, Dr. das, S. Jones and Mrs. J. C- Ri chard k. ’i ho lion.se is well arranged, and finished throughout: with one largo store room and oilice below, and five 100 ms above; and with a kitchen and well of good water on the premises. ALSO, the house, on Main street, now occupied by Jtrre F. .Tones, as a store house For terms apply to JNO. L. HOLZENDORF, Novdtf Thomson, Ga. STOVES, STOVES! T JL HE\ are made of the best material. They always have a good draft. Every Stove is warranted to bake well. Our lowest, cash prices arc published. Persons wishing Cfi&RTER OAK STOVES can scud money by Express. PRICES : No. (!, £30.00; No. 7, s3*>,oo; No. a, *rn,o'>; No. !>, £17,00. Refer to WHITE & COM US. 1). L. PULLEIiTON, Stove Dealer, A. 13-a§ Augusta, Ga. Our Gratuitous ixponont. Gcntlomon, although perfectly neutral in this mattei, as fur ns »clf.interest is con cerned: not being a man « f fanhiou myself, yet I cannot refrain on this occasion from rising to explain the otfOSmtiun which' my studied experience in regard to matters of wearing apparel, and the comfort and satisfaction of -of —yes gentlemen—nltho’ unaccustomed to--that is—l firmly believe, from what I have seen my wife has heard the same thing that economy, durability, spleudidity, substantiality, and good fits can be had in the clothing lino by trading at A. J. ADKINS’. NASHVILLE Business College AND TELF.GR APH INSTITUTE r PHE cheapest and best colleges in the X South. Coin.so of study short, practic al, thorough- the thing needed by business men. The Lebanon Husiucss College and Tele graph Institute have been united with the above college:, at Nashville. These arc now THE LEADING COLLEGES. Every thing pertaining to the Commercial Course, together with Telegraphy, taught practically bv experienced instructors. This is the place to get u Business Educa tion. Send for College Journal*to THOMAS TONEY, ClO-tf Nasvxille, Tenn. Jas. H. Hulse’s locum mu dm AND SCOURING WORKS) No. 123 Broad Street, near Lower Market, Au<fusta, Oa. J. TIIORNI] & CO. 137 Broad Stuket, AUGUSTA, GA., nearly opposite the Fountain, WHOLESALE AND IO TA IL DEALEBS JN HARDWARE, NAILS, HOES, SHOVELS, PLOWS, SWEEPS. GRAIN CRADLES, SCYTHES, AXES. BUILDERS’ HARD WARE and CARPENTERS’ TOOLS. IRON find STEEL, and BLACKSMITHS’ TOOLS. Merchant supplied at bottom prices. Planters give us a caU. Wc keep the celebrated White Man’s Cotton Hoe El-’-a§ POETICAL. Commencement Day. ! I thought of the rose-bud garden, And marvelled which was the queen, As I looked on the ranks of maidens In the pride of their joy serene— O! beautiful girlish faces, Unlined by a thought of care, And bright with the fearless gladness That children and angels share. I listened to words of wisdom That were fit for the poet or sage, Spoken by lips as sweet as flowers From the flower-encircled stage; And I wished that the older learners, Going to Life’s hard school, Could only remember half so well Line and precept and rule. And then as a ripple of laughter, Like a breeze on tassellad corn, Or a shower of chrystal dew-drops From the leaves of a vine at mom, Unttered its fairy chiming. My heart roved far away From these happy ones and the triumph Os this commencement day. Commencement! Yes, of duties, O! the many-braided strand That' only is kept from tangle By the skiU of woman's hand - Os waiting days and watching, Os long unaswered prayers— Beginning of life in earnest, With its thousand joys and cares. But not with a passing shadow Would I dim Uio light serene That shines in tho eyes of the happy giris, Each to her own a queen; For kisses of little children And blessings of youth and age, Shall be set in jewelled beauty 011 their life’s unwritten page. [journal correspondence. ] A Visit to the Mountains, Fails anil Watering Places of North Georgia-- AUatita— -Gainesville- - -Chalybeate, Sulphur amt New Holland Springs— Yonati—Nacoochee Valley—l iar! es villc—&c., Ac. Gainesville, Ga., July sth, 1875. fhar Journal : In pursuit of health, rest a short re spite from care in a more salubrious clime, we left Thomson anil our little ones on the morning of Juno 22d, and without anything of note to break tho jolu-ncy found ourselves about 4 o’clock in the afternoon at the noisy depot of ATLANTA. It was our desire to stop at Dr. Holland’s Private Boarding House, but we failed to' get bis address, none knew 'of his whereabouts, and too dusty and weary to make much effort, wo yielded ourselves to tho guidance of a National Hotel port er, who had already taken charge of Mr. H’s valise and umbrella, and forthwith started for that place. It stands but 11 pleasant walk from the depot, and as we wended our way ulong llic 11. I. Kimball loomed up in grand magnificence before us ; for a moment our steps faltered, as visions of its tempting accommodations tilled our minds, but wo remembered that “all is not gold that glitters,” and quickly passing on, soon reached our quarters. We had no reason to regret our choice. Tho weary traveller will find at the National, clean, inviting beds, attentive servants, and an abundance up on tlic table of nicely cooked food, with what one seldom finds from home, very good tea and coffee. We found the Gate City exceedingly warm, too much so for invalids. Twenty-four hours bounded our stay, during which wo hail a pleasant ride to Ponce de Leon Springs ; attend ed services at Dr. Warren’s church, and partook twice of some delicious icecream at Thomson’s Restaurant on Whitehall street. 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon we took the AIR LINF, FOR GAINESVILLE. The cars on this route travel at a rapid speed, making it very difficult to see much of the country, which differs but little in appearance from that below Atlanta. One is soon covered with a thick coat of what appears to be coal dust, and you have either to draw down the glass or wear a veil to protect the eyes. As wo go farther up, houses anil people become more scarce, tho country more rugged and hilly, and according to Air. H., “land very poor and crops late.” Occasionally a solitary cabin, tho door way filled with startled faces, peeping at the cars, is passed, but we whirl along so rapidly that only aglance can lie given, before we are in a deep cut whose rocky sides seem almost to touch the cars. After leaving NORCROSS, a neat, thriving-lookiug place, the coun try becomes still more nigged, tops of mountains 'are seen in tho distance, and the air is decidedly cooler and more brac ing. The traveling on this road, with the exception of the searching dust, and that is not always present, is splendid, anil nearer like that at the North than any Southern road with which wo are acquainted. The speed is swift, even and continued, and the stay at all the stations very short. We reached GAINESVILLE at 7 in the evening duringagentleshower, entered a street car, and in a few moments found ourselves at the Richmond Hotel. This house is situated near tho depot, and seemed to have an unusual influx of visitors. The proprietor, Mr. Uuut, a THOMSON, GA., JULY 14, 1875. pleasant, sociable mau, asfWe afterwards found, seemoji tc step abodt with a busy, gratified air, while pOrtcrs. "anil servants mostly white, vied with oimSs other in try | iug to make guests com tillable. We found hero three vary happy looking bridal couples in different*: tages of their bridal toura, several lively, entertaining ladies and gentlemen from the North on their return homo from a mountain trip, besides other regular b ardors. This house keeps a first-rate table, good bis cuit aud good coffee, being specialties, but not liking the locatuimm-saiuuiuciL of fifty aids, formerly of our hSn. It has a neat court-house, any number of stores and millinery establish;.! infs anil two hotels, besides the Ric luimd House. The street car leads froa the depot to the Gainesville Hotel, ; vated on the Public square, close to I le Post-Office, and said to be a very niq [y kept-house. Tho streets are too nun; Jons to remem ber. Main Street is th| principal anil Greene Street, the 011 c of which wo live, has some handsome dwtwngs. Some of the private residences nisfino specimens of architectural taste aujbeauty; nearly all have cither groves* shrubbery or flower-ynrils surroimdiiJ them and the place taken as a wholelip a quaint, cosy, inviting air about it. There are three mineral springs in tho ipimtyof Gaines ville. the okalvATe, one mile from our aboill and tho one to which we have resorted Sv, ice a day sinoo our arrival here, hnq ftl ready worked wonders in Air. ll.’s physical man. It is strongly impregnated. SWitli iron and sulphur, and no doubt Ija great strong thencr and purifier of the system. Hun dreds of pedestrians of till ages and sizes visit this spring tlirougsFtbe week to test its waters the hack jgefes out twice a day, and on the »abb:iUi;tiie rood, in the latter part of the day, jgt thronged with vehicles. sru’iivu sir. in os are five miles from hem. Now Holland Springs, Limestone a; and Iron both,'is a beautiful watering pluiqh two miles amt a half from the Kimball Hmffic. • Tho.'maih Mitel in large and airy, tho cottages look clean aud cool. Col. Nichols keeps a band of music, is said to set a splendid table, and does all in bis power for the comfort and pleasure of his guests. After a pleasant stay of live days in this place, in which time f lic health and strength of each had considerably improved. Ale concluded to take a trip to Naeoochee Valley, and the Tallulah and Toccoa Falls. There are several ronti s for visit ing these Falls. The traveler can take his choice. From Atlanta lie can con tinue tho Air Lint rural aboyo Gainesville to All. Airy, from thence by hack to Clarksville, from there to Toccoa city four teen miles, then Toccoa Falls, two a half miles, and from there eighteen miles to Tallulah Falls. Or ho can go to Toccoa city by tlic Air Lino forty miles above Gainesville aud from thence hack it to both falls twenty miles. Ry those routes you miss the valley, the Eden of Georgia, and one of the most wonderfully beauti ful places the eye ever beheld. The third route is ours. We left Gainesville Wednesday morning 30th June about 7 o’clock, in a hack driven by Mr. W. P. Smith, proprietor and a prince among hack-men. Ilis team a pair of large bays were strong, gentle and ablcbodicd, and everything was in readiness for a four days trip. A small valise, lunch basket, umbrella, overcoat and shawl, made up our baggage. The morning was delightful. Wo stopped at the spring, drank freely of its healing waters, travelled at a moderate speed viewing the country, aud forded the Chattahoo chio at half past eight o’clock. The river is broad and rough, but not danger ously so, our careful, experienced driver took us safely ueross, aud then we began to realize iu good earnest that we were travelling by hack. Our route lay through a fine country, the roads were tolerably good, far better than we ex pected, and tho crops—well, it will take Mi. 11. who is such an admirer aud lover of good crops, to tell you about them. His enthusiasm knew no bounds. The farms are mostly on tho water courses, the bottom lands were covered with fields of rich, waving corn, the cotton, beauti ful and regular, surpassed ours ; each succeeding valley was liner and richer still, and the eye never grew weary in viewing tho prospect. This country abounds in apple-orchards ; tho trees, some of them, are of immense size, aud hung so heavily laden with the fruit as to need propping up, Springs are abundant, aud the water is delicious. About 12 m. we were caught in a heavy shower, but a friendly campground sheltered us. Wc drove under the arbor, partook of dinner, drank obol water from a spring hard by, rested a little anil then continued our journey. The beautiful scenery continued to clnuyn us; soon the mouutaius came in Bigl/t presently OLD YONAH, with its venerable top hove in sight, and from that time until we reached Toccoa city on our return that splendid old mountain, no matter where we were, like a guardian, looked down upon ns. Just about here we came upon Richardson’s gold mine diggings. Several men were at work, and a stream of water tunnelled a long di dance from the river, fell upon the dirt as they shoveled it out, washing aud separating from it the rich golden treasure. This mine is said to have [yielded already two hundred thousand [dollars worth of gold. About five o’clock [we forded the second time at the foot of I the Alt. Yonah, tho Chattalioochie, and now burst upon us in all its luscious, I golden splendor, the rich, charming VALLEY OF NACOOCHIE. Right here the climax was reached, and language failed toevpress the admiration, wonder and delight of Mr. H. It is sur prising that not ourselves only, but how many others live in Georgia, and so far from visiting, have never knotrn what a paradise she has within her bounds. As we ascended the banks of the river and wound around the foot of the mountain, on our left appeared tho splendid palati al rosideuce of Mr. Nichols, the grounds, summerhouses, fountains, Indian monuds, the rich broad fields of Timothy, Clover and Hay between us and the dwelling, with the Blue Ridge for a back ground make a superb picture. Add to the heavy clouds rising over head, the light ning darting from these clouds anil play ing up the blue, steep sides of the moun tains ; one loud peal of thunder falls upon our ears ; across the valley Old Yonah echoes it back sounding like the roar of artillery. The picture is so grandly beautiful, vc almost forgot the tlnvateuiiig shower. A heavy shower was evidently threat ening ns, and «bile from a safe stand point it might boa sublime scene to contemplate, yet, as we had already en countered on", the actual experience of another would not be so pleasant. Tho hotel was about two miles distant, and there we expected to spend the night; but it seemed impossible to reach it in time to escape the storm, so hastening our faithful team we drew up in front of a large, neat residence embowered in trees, and sent in by a servant, just pass ing, to ask shelter until tho danger should be over. The reply was : “They don’t think it is going to rain—you better go on to the hotel, not very fur, a , mile or so.” Returning thanks we pushed on. A few drops fell but fortunately the clouds passed over and in a short time, wo were at the hotel. Weary, warm and n.-arly exhausted by our long, rough ride of thirty-five miles, wo were glad to slop. This house is kept by Mr. Green. Wo found him a very ph anant, obliging host, anil his wife an intelligent, kind-hearted little lady. Our wants were immediately attended to. A refreshing bath, half an hour’s rest on a clean bed, and a first-rato sup per put us all right. This is an excel lent house; coffee splendid, and wc heartily recommend it to the traveller. Besides the possession of creature com- fort!., one has an everlasting scene of richness and beauty to feast the eye up on. Early next morning Mr. H. and myself were both up enjoying tho fresh mountain air, and drinking in, with our whole being, the. glorious prospect before ns. North, South, East and AVest wo were shut in by mountains—their tops leaning against the blue sky and just tipped by the rising sun. The Blue Ridge and Alleghany were distinctly seen—the Trail Mountain, said to be tho largest of the latter. Yonah appeared very close by, but from where we were it was five miles to the top. At several places, are to be seen large Indian mounds, each covered with a rich coat of green. AVitliin this enclosure of moun tains and mounds lies spread out the su perb, beautiful valley of Nachoochee. Its broad, and in some places perfectly level acres, enriched by the Santee and Chattalioochie, which meet and mingle their waters here, are teeming with corn, timothy and clover. The latter was be ing cut, and large quantities of the hay are annually shipped to Gainesuille, At lanta and other places. This valley takes its name from Nacoochee, an Indi an girl, whose body, with that of her lover, lies buried upon the top of one of the Indian mounds. A single pine tree marks the spot. Close by is a summer liotiso built by Air. G. D. AVilliams, the largest proprietor of tho valley,aud who has here his summer residence. His wonderful energy and taste have done a great deal towards making this spot so charming and attractive. Fountains sparkle in tho sun and cool, delicious wa ter meets you on every hand, trickling along iu streams ready for man and beast. AU that is needed to make this one of tho most desirable places in Geor gia or anywhere else is a railroad. Even that would seem to mar its splendid beauty, but it is too inaccessible, too hard of approach to bo found out. AVo were loth to leave this pleasant valley, but Tallulah and Toooa must be seen, aud starting again we crossed, by bridge, the placid Santee aud moved on to wards CLARKSVILLE. This we found to be a nice, quiet NO. 31. ! town with an excellent hotel kept by a i widowed lady, Mrs. McAlpin. Exceed ingly polite and affable, she met us with such a welcome as to make us feel at home, and taking her dinner as a speci men, we would judge she sets a splendid table. Two hours rest in a pleasant room, started us afresh npon our jour ney, and after a good deal of bumping and jostling upon a road terribly rough and rocky at times, we reached, late in the day, the “Tallulah House” situated right at tho Falls. The Bcenery here is very wild and romantic. The hotel is but a short distance from Tallulah river which, winding in and out among the rocks, makes a continued noise, sound ing, at night, like the fall of rain. The breeze hero is delightful, and the nights so pleasant for sleepiug. Mr. and Mrs. Young are the proprietors hero, and both are very pleasant and obliging, doing all they can for tho comfort of their guests. Early after breakfast next morning we took the path leading to tho far-famed FALLS OF TAIiLULA.II. Down, down tlia gorge it goes. Sleep and dangerous, sometimes narrow cuts with but little fool-hold, then slippery rocks, overhanging abrupt precipices— the safest mode of travelling is all fours. The roar of the great fall is heard but can’t be seen yet. Tli,- moun tain rises on both sides far abovo us—its terrible chasms and cliffs makiug us dizzy at the sight. At last, by dint of great effort, clinging to this tree and clutching that rock, we laud, heated and weary, upon a narrow cliff, in full view of what is called “The tempest.” This part of the Full appears to bo formed by the flowing of the river over a succession of rocks, between each of which is a toler ably deep chasm. Out of these the wa ter boils and foams, and when it leaps the last rock and rumbles down the mountain, it is one mass of pure, white foam. After viewing this scene as long as time would allow, wo gave one linger ing glance and commenced our toilsome ascent. Just here our kind driver and guide, Mr. Smith, overlook us, lie hav ing gone another direction in search of us, and by his strong arm gave valuable assistance in reaching the top. Since we have tried to portray tho descent, we leave it to the vivid imagination to infer tho difficulties of tho asceut. A friendly treo gave us its' broad shade while we rested and cooled, and then, not satis fied, on wo started for the * HURRICANE FALL. I This exceeds the Tempest in grandeur, while there is not so much effort to be made in seeing it. The water rushes through a narrow gorge and falls over a descent of some fifty feet in white foam at the bottom. An overhanging cliff called the devil’s pulpit is close by. It would consume a week to see all tho various wonders of these Falls, but our time being limited we bade them udicn, nud resting awhile at tho ho tel started for Tocoa. The drive from Tallulah to this place is magnificent. Our road is down the side of a steep mountain. Oil one baud terrible cliffs and looks overhang us; on tho other deep gorges, at tho bottom of which can be heard tho river, falling over rockß. Iu these gorges arc some of the largest trees, tho very tops of which are below us. Tho road is sometimes so narrow that we shudder as we pass along. Late iu the forenoon we reach TOCOA FALLS. After eating our lunch and drinking from a cool, mountain spring, we walk up a smooth, pleasant road to look at this wonder of nature. The river is a small stream aud falls iu the form of spray over a perpendicular rock of one hundred and sixty.five feet. Tho fall of this stream, looking like a bridal veil parted, is simply beautiful. Conuect it with tho tremendous depth it lias to fall and tho view is terrible. There is a res taurant hero, a platform and uice seats. Close by is a house where comfortable lodgings can be had. We left the Falls and reached Tocoa City, two miles and a half distant, about four o’clock. Here we spout the nlglit and, liiod <*f Luoi riding, but not of tho company of our eutertaing driuer, we dismissed his hack and took the cars. Mr. Little keeps the house at Tocoa City, and famous it is for splendid waffles aud good coffee, as Mr. H. cau testify. Our host aud hostess were fine, clever people, giving us the best of attention. The ride from Tocoa passes over soma splendid mountain scenery, aud as we are both dear lovers of nature, wo were nover weary of view ing it. We reached Gainesville in time to en joy a good breakfast at tho Richmond House; from thence, on the street car, to onr home hero at Mr. Quattlebanm’s. And like home does it seem, for they are so very kind to us, and right glad were we to rest after our long, weary tramp. Hut we onjoyed ourselves very much, and our hearts are filled with gratitude to that kind Providence who watched over all our wanderings and brought us safely back. Aunt Edith. I • The Penang Gazette is the oldest jour nal in the world. It is printed ou a large sheet of yellow silk, and appears in the same form, with the same characters, and on the same kind of material os it did a thousand years ugo. The only change is iu the writers. Advoi-liHing UateN, u One x quare, first insertion... ....$ 1 00* ouch subsequent insertion Ji )ne square three months 10 00 One square six months 15 00* One square twelve months SO 00 Quarter column twelve mouths 40 0# Half eoiamn six months CO Off Half column twelve months 75 00 One column twelve months 125 Off ■ItT Ten lines or less considered a square, All fractions of squares are counted as full squares. Ancient Wheat.— l have befora me, says a writer, heads of wheat grown on tile eastern side of the Mississippi, with in ten miles of Memphis, from grains ta ken from uu ancient Egyptian sarcopha gus sent, some years ago, by the Ameri can Consul at Alexandria,to the Patent Of ficeat Washington. The stalks and leaves are very like those of ludian corn, though smaller, aud the heads or grain like that of sorghum or broom com. btrango but true it is that this very wheat, degeuerate but perfect in all its incidents, still grows among the weeds and grass that cover the monutls in the 1 iwlands 18 miles below* Memphis. How many centuries since these kindr ed products of Egyptain agriculture were separated, the one to move slowly, per haps with nomadic tribes, around tho globe, crossing Asia aud the Pacific ; aud tho other moving west, in our time, across the Atlantic, and both growing green even here, in the year of our . Lord, 1874, beneath the shadows of an other Memphis on the shores of another Nile? Tho same writer says that the same race of people cultivated tho same crops and garnered them in tho same peculiar manner many and many a cen tury ago. Mild Winters. —The mildness of the present sensons boars no comparison to that of some winters “long gone by.” In* 1172 tho temperature was so high that leaves camo out on tho trees in Jannary. In 1259 the winter was equally mild, and the maidoug of Cologne wore wreaths of violets and com flowers at Christmas aud twelfth day. In 1421 the trees flowered in March, and the vines in April. Cherrios ripened in the same month, and grapes appeared iu May. Iu 1572 the trees were covered with leaves in January, and the birds hatched their young iu February, as in 1172; in 1585 tho same tlriug was repeated, and the corn was in car at Easter. There was neither snow nor frost in France throughout the winters 1538, IGO7, 1503, 1017, and 105'.; finally, in 1602, even in the north of Ger many, the stoves were not lighted, and trees flowered iu February. Coming to later dates, tho winter of 1846-7, when it thundered at Paris 28th of January, and that of 1866, the year of the groat inun dation of the Seine, may be mentioned as remarkably mild. The First Steamboat. —At Sheperds town, in Jefferson couuty, West Virginia, the first steamboat was built. General Washington and Governor Johnson, of Maryland, weic tho patrons of the eutor priso. After tlio war, they procured together the incorporation of the Potom ac Company by their respective States. And iu 1785, Itumsey demonstrated to them on the Potomac the discovery that a boat could bo propelled by steam up stream against tho current. Tho boiler und machinery for Kumsey’s steamboat were made at tho Catoetin Iron Furnace, in Frederick county, owned by Johnson and some of his brothers. The gentle men of the Potomae country then used to go to the Baltimore Springs, to drink the waters, and this experiment of llnm- Hey’s, of steam navigation, wus certified to have been a success by Washington, Johnson and other emiuout men present. Tho first steamboat was propelled ou tho Potomae ; the first boiler was made in Frederick county, twenty years before Fulton perfected the idea and applied it ou the Hudson. The Bank of England covers 5 acres of ground and employs 900 clerks; and should a clerk bo too old for sorvico, he is discharged on half pay for life. There aro no windows on tho street. Light is admitted through open courts ; no mob could take the bank, therefore, without cannon to batter its immense walls. Tho clock iu the center of the bank has fifty dials attached to it. Large cisterns are sunk in the court, aud engines in perfect order arc always in readiness iu case of fire. The bank was incorporated in 1604. Capitul, £lB,- 000,000, or goo, non. nm Tho Bank of France owns a brick for which 1,000 francs in specie was paid. It was taken from the ruins of a burnt house, and the image and figures of a noto for 1,000 francs are burned on tho surface, transferred by the heat from a real note. This brick tho bank redeem ed on presentation, as if it were the note itself. A sullen silence is both a sin and a punishment. No devil frets and vexes, wears and wasts the spirits of a man like this dumb devil, like this sullen silence. Quick Telegraphing. —The land wires aud sea cables have now been extended so as to cover nearly three-fourths of the circumference of the globe. Were a cable laid under the Pacific, the circuit would be complete. Telegrams can now be sent from Hong Kong, by way of In dia and England, to San Francisco, and it was only within a short time that a • elegram, leaving Hong Kong Tuesday morning, was received in New York Tuesday night, whence it could have been sent, iu a few minutes to Sau Franc isco had that city been its destination.