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[For the Banner of the South. ] My Country Still. jlv country! nay country! though fallen! My country! my beautiful land ! God bless thee, my sweet sunny country! And soothe thy brow with a soft hand! Xby mocking-birds sing just as sweetly As when wo were joyous of yore ; \nd still thy bright flowers are blooming— My country! swoet land! on thy shore. Thy breezes are still breathing balmy, In music thy bright streams still roll, Tbv :;roat sun still blazes in splendor; And still thou’rt the land of my soul. Though change has swept over thy features And left the deep traces of woe, Thou still art the same dear old country Thou wast in the years long ago. Oppression can’t tear thee, my country ! Away from thy place in my soul, For ever thou’lt still be my country, Thy happiness still be my goal. My country ! I love thee, my country 1 I love thee, though trampled by foes! Hweet land of my loves and youth’s visions ! I'll die for, and in thee repose. Adman. July, 1868* _ 11 t THE LOST WILL; OR, my UNCLE’S GHOST. The scenes which I am about to de scribe, occurred about the year 1860, to a respectable family by the name of Cul verton, in Orange county, New York. The Culvertons bad lived in the old family mansion, and enjoyed the revenues of the family estate, for many years, with out the slightest doubt that they had a right to it, when, suddenly, there started up, from goodness knows where, an in dividual who laid claim to the property and seemed likely to prove the claim to all but the Culvertons themselves. It was certain, Jabez Hardy was the nearest relative, and certain that Mrs. Culverton was only a grand niece of Hi ram Hardy, deceased; but the Culver tons had lived with the old man for years, and he had 'promised, time and again, to leave them everything. He had even declared that his will was made in their favor; and that such a document was actually in existence, Mr. Culverton could not doubt; but diligent search had been made in vain ; Jabez Hardy, whom the old man never saw, was to take the place of people he loved so loudly, and who had been his comfort in his last hours. “ It was a shame,” said every one. “ A cruel, wicked thing !” sobbed Mrs. Culverton. And Mr. Culverton, who had never expected a reverse, was quite crushed as the pending lawsuit progressed. A thousand times a day he said: “ Ilow providential it would be if Uncle Hiram’s will would turn up at this moment.” “ I wonder how he can rest poor man, with such injustice going on.” But no matter what they said, or how they managed, no will was found, and Jabez rubbed his hands in triumph. It is strange that, while matters were in this condition, one so deeply interested in the subject as Mrs. Culverton necessarily was, should dream of anything else ; but dream she did, night after night, of an entirely different subject. Inevitably, for a week at least, she had no sooner closed her eyes, than she found herself in an intelligence office, full of employees of all ages and nations, and face to face with a girl of small stature, with white Scotch features, and singular blue eyes, wide apart and staring, who desired the situation of cook. At first, she did not like the girl, but in every dream she found her aversion vanish. After a few moment’s conversation, and, invariably, it bad began to melt when the girl looked at her and said: “ I'd like to hire with you, ma’am.” It was always the same office—always the same girl—always the same words were uttered—until Mrs. Culverton be gan to think there must be something in the dream. “ Though it can’t come true,” said she, " tor while Johauna remains here I shall never hire another cook.” And just as she said this, there was a scream in the kitchen, and the little errand girl ran in, frightened out of her senses, to tell how Johanna, lifting the wadi boiler, had fallen with it and scalded herself. Mrs. Culverton followed the young p - into the kitchen, and found Johanna j n a wretched condition ; and the Doctor l ying sent for, she was put to bed and de lurc?d useless for her domestic capacity ior least a month to come. A tempo rary substitute must be bad, and Mrs. Culverton, that very afternoon went to INew York to find one at the intelligence office. , tra oge to say, in the bustle she had quite 1 her dream, until she suddenly stood face to face with the very girl she had seen in it—a small young woman, with very singular blue eyes in a white face, and whose features betrayed Scottish origin. She had risen—this girl—from a seat in the office, and stood before her twisting her apron strings, and courtesy ing. “ I’d like to hire with you, ma’am,” she said. The very words of the dream, also. Mrs. Culverton started, and, in her confu sion, could only say: “ Why?” The girl blushed. “ I don’t know,” she said ; “ only it seems to me I’d like to live with you.” It seemed a fatal thing to Mrs. Culver ton, but she put the usual questions and received the most satisfactory answers, except as to references. “ But I can’t employ you without a reference,” said Mrs. (J., knowing that Fate had decreed that this girl should take a place in her kitchen. “ If you can’t I must out with it,” said the girl. “ There’s my lady's name, ma’am. She will tell you I’m honest and capable ; she turned me off for frighten ing the family.” “ How ?” asked Mrs. C. “ Seeing ghosts!” replied the girl. “ Every day I saw a little girl, in white, playing about the house; and all said there was no such child there, thougli there had been one, but she was dead. Mistress said I pretended to see it for the sake of impertinence, and she discharged me ; but I knew by her trembling that she thought I had seen a ghost. I went to a Doctor, and he called it optical de lusion, and it would soon pass away; and, sure enough, I have not seen it since I left the house.” It was a queer story; but Mrs. Culver ton believed it, and before she left the office, she had hired Jessie to fill Johan na’s place, for the space of one month from that day. That evening she came, and went to work with a will. Dinner time passed comfortably, and tea time came. The Culvertons never ate anything but a biscuit, or cake, at this meal, and cups were handed about the sitting room. Jessie came in at the ap pointed hour with her trav, served every one, and then stood smiling before Mrs. Culverton, as she said : “ Please ma’am, let me pass you, the old gentleman has not been helped. Yes, sir, in a minute.” “ The—old—gentleman !” cried Mrs. Culverton. “ Yes, ma’am—behind you, in the cor ner—there, please.” “ There’s no gentleman, young or old, there,” said the lady. “ I can’t imagine what you took for oue.” The girl made no answer, but turned quite white, and left the room. Mrs.’C. followed. At first she could extort no explana tion, but by and by the girl said she saw an old gentleman sitting in the arm chair in the corner, who beckoned to her, and she fancied, in a hurry for his tea. “ What did he look like ?” asked Mrs. Culverton. “ He was thin and tall,” said the girl; “his hair was white and very long, and I noticed that one of his knees looked stiff, and a thick, gold-headed cane beside him.” “ Uncle Hiram !” cried Mrs. Culver ton, “ upon my word, you’ve described my great grand-uncle, who has been dead for twenty years.” Jessie began to cry. “ I shall never keep a place;” she said. “ You will turn me away now.” “ See as many ghosts as you please,” she said, “as long as you don’t bring them before my eyes,” and went back to her tea without saying a word to any of the family on the subject, although she was extremely mystified. Surely, if the girl had ever seen her uncle Hiram— which was not likely—she must have seen something in the ghost line, and if, indeed, it were her uncle Hiram’s spirit, why should he not come to aid them in their trouble ? Mrs. Culverton had always a little superstition hidden in her soul, and she soon began to believe this version of the case. The next morning she went into the kitchen, and, shutting the door, said to Jessie : “ My good girl, I do not intend to dis miss you, so be quite frank with me. I do not believe that these forms are optical illusions. I feel sure that they are actual spirits. What do you think ?” # “ I think as you do, ma’am,” said the girl. “Our folks have always seen ghosts, and grandfather had the second sight for ten years before he died.” “ If you see the old gentleman you told me of again,” said Mrs. Culverton, “ sur e and tell me. I’ll keep the story from the young folks, and Mr. Culverton would only laugh at it; but you described my. dear old grand uncle, and mr belief is you saw him.” * The girl promised to mention anything that might happen, to her mistress ; and from that day an interchange of glances between them and a subsequent con ference in the kitchen was of regular occurrence. The girl saw her apparition seated on the sofa in the parlor, seated at the dinner table, walking in the garden; and so life like was it that she found it impossible to refrain from passing plates and cups and saucers to it, to the infinite amazement of people who saw only empty air in the same spot. By and by she invariably spoke of her ghost as the old gentleman, ana was no more affected by his presence than by that of a living being. If it were an opti cal illusion, it was the most singular on record. But all this while —ghost or no ghost —the figure never spoke, and never did any thing to help the Culvertons in the dilemma, and the law-suit was nearly ter minated without the shadow of a doubt in Jabez Hardy’s favor. In three days all would be over, and the Culvertons, who had earned their pro perty if ever mortals did, by kindness and attention to their aged relatives— whom they truly loved and honored— would probably be homeless. One morning Mrs. Culverton sat over her breakfast, after the others had left the room, thinking of this, when Jessie came in. “ I’ve something to tell you, ma’am,” she said. “ There’s a change in the old gentleman.” “ What do you mean ?” asked Mrs. Culverton. “ I’ve seen him twice at the foot of my bed in the night,” said the girl; “ and though always before he has been kind and pleasant looking, now he frowns and looks angiy. He beckons to me to go somewhere, and I don’t dare—in the night time.” “ You must,” said Mrs. Culverton ; “ I know he’ll come again ; and I’ll sit with you all night and go where you go. It may be of great use to us all, Jessie.” “ I shan’t be afraid, ma’am, if I have company,” said Jessie, in the most matter of fact manner, and carried out the break fast things. All day they never spoke on the sub ject, but, on retiring, Jessie found her mistress in her bed-room wrapped in a shawl. “ I’m ready, you see,” she said. And Jessie merely loosened some buttons and hooks, and lay down dressed. Ten o’clock passed—eleven—twelve. Mrs. Culverton began to doubt, when suddenly she saw Jessie’s eyes dilated in a most peculiar manner, and in an in stant more the girl said : “ Why, here he is, ma’am.” “There’s no one there,” said Mrs. Culverton. Oh, yes, ma’am, I see him,” said the girl. “ He’s in great excitement, ma’am; he s taking out his watch to look at, and the chain is made of such bright yellow hair, I thought at first it was gold.” “ His wife’s hair,” said Mrs. Culver toil ; “it was buried with him. You see, dear old uncle Hiram. Does he look at me ?” “ Yes, ma’am,” said Jessie. “ Uncle,” said Mrs. C., “ do you know me, after all these years ?” “ He nods,” said the girl, “ Have you come to help us, dear uncle ?” said the lady. Uncle Hiram was described as nodding very kindly and becomingly. ” He wants us to follow him,” said the lady, and she took up the light. The moment she opened the door, Jessie saw the figure pass through it. Mrs. Culver ton still could see nothing. Obedient to the girl’s movement, Mrs. C. descended the stairs and stood in.tthe library. The ghost paused before a book-case. “ He wants me to open it,” said Jessie. “ Ho so,” said the lady. “He signs to take down the books,” said the girl. And Mrs. Culverton’s own hands went to work. Book after book was taken down—novels and romances, poems and plays. A pile of volumes lay upon the library carpet, and still the ghost pointed to the rest till they were all down. “He looks troubled, ma’am. He seems trying trying to think,” said the girl. “ Oh, ma’am, he’s gone to the other case.” And so, to cut a long story short, the four great book cases were emptied with out apparent result. Suddenly Jessie screamed : “ He’s in the air. He’s risen, ma’am, to the top of the case. He wants me to climb up.” “ Get the steps, Jessie, said her mis tress—and Jessie obeyed. On the very top of one of the cases, covered by cobwebs, she found an old German book, and brought it down. “ This was there,” she said. Mrs. Culverton took it in her hand ; from be tween the leaves dropped a folded paper, fastened with red tape, and sealed. The lady picked it up, and read on the outside these words : Last will and testament of Hiram Hardy. For a little while she could only weep and tremble ; soon she found words : “ L ncle,” she said, “in the name of my husband and my dear children, I thank you from my soul. Does he hear me, Jessie ?” “ Yes : he nods and smiles.” “ Will you let me see you, uncle ?” said Mrs. C. ”He has gone,” said the girl. “He has kissed his hand and gone.” And so he had, for good; for, from that moment he was never again seen by mortal eyes. Nobody believed the story of his ap pearance. But the will had been discov ered, without doubt, and the Culvertons were no longer in danger of expulsion from their old home. There they lived and died, and Jessie remained until she married ; and all her life received every kindness from the family, who were in debted to her singular peculiarity for their comfort and happiness. Whether Uncle Hiram’s spirit really came back to earth or not, is a question ; but Mrs. Culverton asserts that it did, and quarrels with every one who ventures to doubt the assertion. ADVERTISEMENTS. WASHINGTON COLLEGE.! LEXINGTON, YA. The next Session opens 3d Thursday in September, 18C8, and closes 4th Thursday in June, 1809. The Faculty consists of GEN. R. E. LEE, President, with Professors of Latin, Greek, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Moral Philosophy, History and English Language and Literature, Applied Mathematics, Natu ral Philosophy, Chemistry, and Law and Equity. These are distributed into : 1. Faculty of Arts ; 2 # Faculty of Science ; 3. Faculty of Literature and Phi losophy ; 4. Faculty of Law. In each of these is con ferred a distinct Bachelor’s Degree, and the Degree of Master of Arts is open alike to students in each course. In the Department of Science are conferred, also, Professional Diplomas of Civil Engineer and Mining Engineer. By the aid of a full corps of assistant Pro fessors, provision is made for thorough drilling in the Departments of English, Ancient and Modern Lan guages, and Mathematics. Expenses.—All necessary expenses need not exceed $325. For full particulars, apply to E. C. GORDON, auß-lm Clerk of Faculty. NEW SPRING DRY GOODS. James A. Gray 6l Cos., 2*28 BROAD STREET, AUGUSTA, GEO., Beg to inform the public that they are now receiving THE LARGEST SPRING STOCK OF sorApjue Aivno fancy wry goods Which have been received at this Establishment for the past twenty years. Those Goods liave been purchased EXCLUSIVELY FOR CASH from the most eminent Importers of the United States, from the Manufacturers’ Agents direct, and in large quantities from the recent oelebrated Auction Sales ordered by Messrs. Benkard & Hutton, one of the very largest Importing Houses In New York Having full access to the very best Houses in the world, and purchasing side by side with the largest Jobbers in the United States, we can confidently and truthfully assure our friends that WE CAN SUPPLY THEIR DEMANDS FOR DRY GOODS, EITHER AT WHOLESALE OR RETAIL, AS CHEAP AS THEY CAN PURCHASE THE SAME IN NEW YORK. Merchants visiting the city, will please make a note of this fact, examine our assortment, and judge for themselves. W T o would respectfully invite the closest examination of both stylos and price. JAMES A. GRAY & 00., apll 228 Broad Street. J. J. BROWNE, GILDER AND PICTURE FRAME MANUFACTURER, 135 Broad Street, Augusta, Ga. Old Pictures and Looking-Glass Frames Regilt. Oil Paintings Restored, Lined and Varnished. my3o—ly THE OLD AND RELIABLE HOUSE OF GRAY 6l TURLEY, AUGUSTA, GA., Is always prepared to offer to the public, at wholesale and retail, a thoroughly oomplete assortment of STAPLE GOODS, —AL6O— French and Swiss Dreos Goads CLOTHS, CASSIMERES, CLOAKS, SHAWLS, EMBROIDERIES, LACES, HOSIERY, HOOP SKIRTS, NOTIONS, Ac., Ac. mMI ts O’Dowd 6l DEnlherin, grocers and commission merchants, INo. 283 Broad Street, AUGUSTA, GA„ have on hand a fell stock of SUGAR, COFFEE, TEAS, SOAP, STARCH, CANDLES, TOBACCO, LIQUORS, SEGARS , BACON, LARD, FLOUR, AND EVERY THING Usually kept in a Wholesale and Retail Grocery. PRICES AS LOW AS THE. LOWEST. mh2l ts Kenny & Gray, TVo- 23S Broad Street, DEALLW? IN READY-MADE CLOUTING, CLOTHS, CASSIMERES AND VESTINGS, GENTS’ FURNISHING GOODS OF ALL KINDS, And everything usually kept In a FlrsM'ktss nothing and Tailoring Establishment. UST An examination of their splendid stock is cor dially invited. August a, March 21, 1808. ts SPECIAL NOTICE. STEEL AMALGAM BELLS. Every School and Plantation should have one. Will sell those now on hand cheap. Those desiring to purchase will do well to call soon. Price, oomplete, from $7 to £lO. P. MALONE, Augusta Foundry and Machine Works. May 10th, 1808. my3o—tf Augusta Foundry and MACHINE WORKS. WEIGHT & ALLUM'S IMPROVED COTTON SCREWS, GIN GEAR, SUGAR BOILERS, SUGAR MILLS, ALARM BELLS, AND ALL KINDS OF CASTINGS, DONE AT SHORT NOTICE. HIGHEST PRICE PAID v FOR OLD MACHINERY IRON, BRASS AND COPPER. PHILIP MALONE. mh2l ts NOTICE. STOLEN, from the subscriber, on the night of the 14th instant, a Black Mare PONY, medium size. She is in good order, very heavy mane (the mane lies on the left side), long, heavy tail, has a lump on the back, caused by the saddle, and a scar near the tail, caused by the bite of a mule. I offer a reward of FIFTY DOLLARS for the thief and the Pony, delivered at Edgefield Jail, or I offer THIRTY DOLLARS for the Pony alone. MARTIN MACARTY, Lott’s Post Office, Edgefield Dist., S. C. July 16,1868. augl* College and Convent Agency, No. 140 Poydras Street, NEW ORLEANS, LA. PARENTS AND GUARDIANS can obtain ?t this Office full information regarding the locations, term.*, Ac,, of the best Catholic Educational Establishments in this country and in Canada; also, letters of intro duction thereto. CHILDREN, forced by the new Social Equality laws to leave onr Public Schools, can here find Academies just suited to their wants. They should be provided if Catholics, with the recommendation of their Parish Priests, and, if uon-Catholics, with those of their re spective Ministers. Long experience warrants the undersigned in promising full satisfaction to all Catholic Institutions that may honor him with their Commissions, Col lections, or orders of any kind. CIIAS. D. ELDER, augl—tf P. O. Box 2,034, New Orleans. GuPfiWßi&g Advertisements forwarded to all Newspapers. No advance charged on Publishers’ prices. All leading Newspapers kept on file. Information as to Cost of Advertising furnished. .All Orders receive careful attention. Inquiries by Mail answered promptly. Complete Printed Lists of Newspapers for sale. Special Lists prepared for Customers. Advertisements Written and Notices aocurod. Orders from Business Men especially solicited. 40 P AliK IWff jy4-ly 3