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8 fepattmettt. ENIGMA No. 74. I ara composed of 11 letters : Without my 7,8, 9,6, 10, no church service would be complete. My 4,6, 1, is a cavity in the earth. My 7,9, 10, 11, is a part of an apple. My 4,6, 1,7, 8, is an important pro duct of the ‘‘old North State." My 5,2, 11, 3, is one who deals with the future. My 1. 10, 9,7, 8,2, 11, is a foot in Latin poetry. My 5, G, 4, is a diminutive draught. My 5,4, 3,2, 11, is a river of Prussia. My whole is the name of one of the Muses at whose shrine the ancients bent a constant knee, and who has among the people of Georgia many devotees. “Mathates.” Answer next week. Mebaneville, N. C., 1868. ENIGMA—No. 76. I am composed of 30 letters : My 18, 5,6, 7, is the name of a bird which the Saviour exhorts us to imitate in one respect. to My 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, is where the sailor eagerly directs his course. My 1, 7,13, 7,3, is an epidemic preva lent especially in summer. My 18, 20, 30, is a river of Scotland. My 9, 12, 4, 27, 8,11, is the nom de plume of the author of the Enigma in your paper, the answer to which was “the Conquered Banner." My 10, 11, 4, 11, 17, is the name of the most beautiful woman mentioned either in history or mythology, whose elopement caused a long and bloody war. Without my 4,5, 6,7, this earth would be a perfect “Tartarus.” My 18, 23, 24, 15, 25, 26, is a given name, very common among the sons of Erin. •. . My 27, 7, 14, is the name of a modern militarv hero. My 18, 25, Is, 5, is the name of a Queen who is a conspicuous character in Virgil. My 21, 16, 3,2, 24, is the name of a man who wrought miracles to prove that he was sent by God. My 19, 25, 26, is a possssesive pro noun. My 19, 23, 24, is the name <4 a fe male fowl. • f My 3, 28, 29, 30, 3, is one who is un willing to remain long in the same place- My 22, 23, 12, 4, is a species of meat. My whole is a beautiful and well known line in the “Lay of the Last Min strel. “Mathates.” Answer next week. Mabanville, N. C., 1868. ENIGMA—No. 76. I am composed of 52 letters. My 26, 10, 22, 37, 2, 20, 21, 4, 33, 8, 28, 44, is a celebrated sonnet by Lord Byron. My 9, 45, 49, 37, 6, 16,12, 15, 1-1, 32, is the field of the two bloodiest battles of the war in Virginia. My 29, 10, 12, 28, 6, 16, 25, 20, 4,5, 13, 11, 2, 41, 42, 43, is something you have seen to-day. My 1, 21, 31, 33, 8,7, 3,17, 27, 46, is the Southern Poet. My 20, 40, 23, 48, 15, 19, 35, 18, 46, 25, 4, is a flower. My 50, 49, 4, 47, 39, 36, 5, 21, is a river of Georgia. My 14, 34, 23, 26, 40, 28, 42, is a Radical hole. My 4, 33, 50, 37, 51, 42, 38, 14,, 18, 12, 52, is one, who in speaking of, it is hard to observe the old adage, nil mortu umnisi bonum. My 30,11, is a personal pronoun. My whole is to be found in “King Lear,” Act 3d. John.' Answer next week. Macon, Ga., 1868. CONUNDRUMS. 1. Why is a gunsmith's shop like a chicken pie ? 2. What is the difference between the ocean in a calm, and a leaden image of Satan ? METHATE3. Answer next week. Mebaneville , N. C., 1868. DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 1— A vegetable. 2 A kind of wood. 3 a mans name. 4 The product of a tree. 5 A river in Spain. 6 French for received. 7 Means to leave out. 8— Inhabitants of the sea. The initials and finals, read downwards, name a valued weekly. Johnnie. Answer next week. New Orleans, La ., 1868. Answers to Last Week’s Enigmas, Etc. — To Enigma No. 71.—Martin J. Spalding—Australia—Madras—Tarn Paltau—San Paul—Tuam—Lissa. To Enigma No. 72—Lieutenant Hen ry T. O’Neil—Loyal—Ellen—Atlanta— Tea—Lily—Trout—Nine—Hoe—Earl— Jim. To Enigma No 73—Thomas Parkin Soott—“Kit-Cat”—Hampton—O-MarB— Paris. [Prepared for the Banner of the South by Uncle Buddy FAMILIAR SCIENCE. MECHANICAL ACTION. Bright iron will lose its polish by being put iufco a fire, because the oxygen of the air very readily unites with the surface of hot air, and forms a metallic oxyde, which displays itself, in this case, by a dull leaden color, instead of a red rust. Stoves do not rust so frequently as pokers and tongs, because the stoves are generrlly covered with plumbago, or black lead. Plumbago or black lead is a mixture of charcoal and iron. Plum bago, strictly speaking, is a chemical union of carbon and iron, in the follow ing proportions : 91 parts carbon, and 9 iron. But the black lead sold in shops is amixtureof charcoal and iron filings. A most excellent varnish to prevent rust is made of one pint of fat oil varnish, mixed with five pints of highly rectified spirits of turpentine, rubbed on the iron, or steel, with a piece of sponge. This varnish may be applied to bright stoves, and even ti mathematical instruments, without in juring their delicate polish. Ornamental steel of a purple or lilac color will rust more readily than polished white steel, because the lilac tinge-is pro duced by partial oxidation; and the pro cess which forms rust has, therefore, al ready commenced, Lilac steel can be kept free from rust by keeping it in a very dry place. It may be asked, if dry air contains oxygen, why does it not rust iron as well as moist air ? The answer is, because moisture is always needed in order to bring into action the affinity of oxygen for steel. When a black subsoil is dug, or ploughed up, it turns of a reddish brown brown color after a short time, because the soil contains a certain compound of iron called the “protoxide,” which is black. This protoxide of iron, absorbing more oxygen from the moist air, is con verted into another compound, called the “peroxide of iron,” which is of a reddish rusty color. There are two oxides of iron—one containing more oxygen than the other. The protoxide, which contains the least oxygen, is black; the peroxide, which contain the most, is red. Other metals besides iron combine rapidly with 'oxygen —such as copper, lead, mercury, and even silver to some ex tent. The tarnish of copper is caused by its oxidation; that is, the oxygon of the air combines with the surface of the copper, and covers it with a dark tarnish. Lead becomes darker by being exposed to the air, because the vapor of the air combines with the lead and oxidizes its surface; but, instead of becoming rusty, the surface assumes a darker hue. Lead loses its brightness, and becomes dull, by being exposed to the air, because of the presence, in the lead, of a carbon ate of the oxide. When the oxide is formed it attracts carbonic acid from the air, and, combining with it, produces a carbonate,.which gives the dull tint to old lead. It is difficult to keep silver bright, be cause the vapor of the air oxidizes its sur face, and tarnishes it. Salt will turn silver spoons black, be cause it precipitates an oxide of silver on the surface of the spoons, the color of which oxide is black. Marking ink is made of soda and the ni trate of silver—the black mark being due to the oxide precipitated on the cloth. The black stain of silver made by salt can be removed by working the silver in hartshorn or common ammonia; by this means the oxide will be re-dissolved, and the blackness entirely disappear. Silver teapots and spoons will tarnish more quickly than pure silver, because alloy of some base metal is used to make them more hard and lasting; and this alloy oxidizes more quickly than silver itself, German silver turns a dingy yel low in a few hours, because German sil ver has a great affinity for oxygen, and shows its oxidation by a sickly yellow tarnish, instead of rust. Quicksilver (or mercury,) will tarnish like copper and lead; but preserves its brilliancy in baramoters and thermome ters, because the air is excluded; and no moisture can come in contact with it to oxidize (or tarnish) it. Gold is not readily affected by the at mosphere ; and will never combine with oxygen of itself(that is’, without aid.) Hatinuni is capable of resisting oxida tion altogether; in consequence of which the graduated arcs of delicate “instru- Mists® ©i Ms wnni3 ments for observation" are made of pla tinum in preference to any other metal, and, because it never rusts, it is used as points to lightning rods. It is thus used because it will never oxidize, but retain its bright surface in all weathers, free from rust and tarnish. It is also used for crucibles in which acids are employed and for galvanic batteries, because the acid would act upon the other metals or upon glass, and prevent the experimen ter’s success. Before platinum was dis covered gold was used for this purpose. Platinum (a white metal,) so called from “plata," the Spanish word for silver. It was introduced from South America into England by Mr. Wood, A. D., 1749. Potassium and Sodium, of all the me tals, have the greatest affinity for oxy gen. Potassium and Sodium derive their names from potash and soda. Po tassa is the oxide of potassium, and soda is the oxide of sodium. Their affinity for oxygen is shown by the fact that they decompose water as soon as they are brought in contact with it. Potassium catches fire the moment it is thrown into water, and burns with a vivid flame, which is still further in creased by the combustion of hydrogen separated from the water. Water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen ; and potassium separates the two gases. So dium, when it is thrown into water, does not take fire as potassium does, but un dergoes very rapid oxidation. HYDROGEN AND WATER. The distinction between Hydrogen and Water is, that Hydrogen is an inflamma ble gas; and water is composed of Hydro gen and Oxygen. Hydrogen —Hydrogen is, as we have just said, an inflammable gas. The gas used in our street lamps is hydrogen driven out of coal or other substance by heat. Hydrogen is the principal ingre dient of water. Coal gas, properly speaking, is carburetted hydrogen ; that is, carbon and hydrogen. Hydrogen de rives its name from the Greek words, udor, water, and gennao, I produce. It was discovered in the Sixteenth Century, by Paracelsus, a Swiss Philosopher, but was first investigated by Henry Caven dish, in the year 1781. It has, when pure, neither taste, color, nor smell. When it has any odor, it arises from im purities. It does not support life, hut on the contrary, destroys it rather by ex, eluding oxygen than by its own injurious effects. Death of Little Jack Trimble, the “Roy Soldier.” —On the Bth day of August, 1868, John A. Trimble died of consumption, aged about 24 years, at the home of his father, in Hillsboro’, Ohio. Many a soldier who served >n the Val ley of Virginia, during the eventful cam paigns of 1862, *63, and ’64, will hear with grief this sad announcement. Every body in the Valley knew “Little Jack Trimble,” and everybody loved him. Being extremely delicate from early childhood, he had the appearance of a fragile boy of 12 or 14 years of age. He was descended from the Trimbles of Augusta County, some of whom emigrat ed to Ohio when it was a Territory and a wilderness, and, growing up with the State, filled the high offices of Governor, United States Senator, Representative in Congress, Generals in the Army, and other conspicuous positions. He had numerous near relatives in Augusta, and had spent several years before the war with his cousin, Colonel J. Marshall MeCue, of that County. Like most in valid youths, he possessed a mind of ex traordinary quickness and strength, which he had improved so far as to be a most interesting and entertainiug companion for men of the highest in telligence. He was an enthusiastic Confederate; and delicate, feeble lad as he was, lie resolved, in 1862, to enter the army. He volunteered his services, that Sum mer, to Colonel, afterwards General, Imboden, who was then engaged beyond our lines in organizing the hardy moun taineers of the border and northwest counties, for service in the Confederate Army. He was accepted as a courier and a scout, and right nobly did he per form his duties. Being an admirable rider, and well mounted, he moved over great distances with wonderful celerity. Always cool, shrewd, observant, intelli gent, and brave, he was often entrusted with most important information to be conveyed, when writing would have been unsafe and dangerous, and through a region of country where a man could not have passed, but a boy attracted little attention. He made many narrow escapes. Sometimes he outwitted those who sought to find out who and what he was, and only once was actually cap tured. This was in the mountains of Hardy, when the enemy held Moorfield. Jack was taken to the headquarters, and closely questioned, when he appeared to be but an ordinary mountain lad, of no consequence, and was orderea by the General to be put up stairs to sleep. At the dead hour of midnight, Jack disap peared, found his horse, flanked the pickets, and, at daybreak, was many a mile across the mountains, on his way to his own people. He was trusted, re spected, and honored by his officers, and was a universal favorite and pet with the men; In the wild adventurous warfare of the border, the idleness of dull camp life was unknown. Winter and Summer, in storms and sunshine, by day and by night, Jack was nearly always in the saddle. During a halt, or at night, when the bivouac fires were burning, he would be often seen the centre of a group whom he convulsed with laughter by his stories and powers of mimicry. It was these social qualities, and the high and noble traits of his character, that endeared him to every man in the brigade, as if he had been a son, or tender little brother. Dear little Jack ! the writer of this feeble tribute to your memory can hardly .realize that you, too, have gone to join so many of our brave oountrymen, whose fall you used to lament so feelingly, as we lay many and many a bitter cold night, under the same blanket, on the frozen ground, and, too cold to sleep, would while away the long hours in conversa tion. But it is even so. Peace to vodr ashes, noble boy.— Charleston Courier. The Massacre of Jafanesr Chris tians. — The news from Japan, relating that one hundred and fifty native Christians were recently taken from the city of Nagasaki, and put to death by drowning, in spite of the remonstrances of the foreign Consuls; and that others had suf fered martyrdom in other parts of the Empire, elicits the following speculations in the New York Post: Who were these Japan Christians ? It is certain that they were not converts of modern missionaries. No success has yet attended their efforts in Japan. Whence, then, did these one hundred and fifty Japanese Christians come ? It is probable, and, indeed, almost cer tain, that they are some of the old stock, who have, in some way, succeeded in keeping alive, through successive genera tions, for two hundred and fifty years, the religious faith preached by the Jesuits. The persecutions which the native Chris tians of Japan suffered, at the time their Government expelled foreigners, and made the profession of the Christian faith a capital offence, has no parallel in his tory ; and all its rigors have been con tinued to the present. The present dynasty of Tycoons, which was established at that period, made the Buddhist the State religion; and, the more effectually to secure the total ex tinction of the adherents of the hated Christian faith, made the Buddhist Priesthood the special agents of the Government for hunting out Christians, and torturing them; from this there was no escape, except by recantation or death. There has been no relaxation of their vigilance, and all the laws origi nally enacted are still in force. To-day every Japanese must register himself at some Temple as a Buddhist, or be con demned as an outcast, and so strenuous is the guard, that even the simple con tract of a Japanese servant with his em ployer, contains always, as a part of its legal form, the specification that he is not a Christian. Nevertheless, American residents in Japan recall a rumor which, from time to time, came to their cars, of a band, or community, of Jesuit prose lytes still existing in some parts of the Empire. Sometimes they were said to live in the very heart of Yeddo; and, at others, in one of the Southern Provinces. It is possible that this secret community, encouraged by the Revolution in the Em pire, has ventured rashly to disclose itself. It will be very remarkable, if it shall prove that there are still in Japan any considerable number of Christians, the descendants of those who were convert ed by the Jesuits two hundred and fifty years'ago. It would he anew proof of the futility of even the most rigorous and cruel persecution. A man accused of stealing some gar ments from a farm yard, was defended by a local* practitioner with so much success that a jury returned a verdict of “not proven.” To the surprise of his lawyer, the prisoner seemed by no means to be in a hurry to quit the dock after the ver dict was rendered. The man of law went up to him, informed him that he had been acquitted, and was at liberty to go away ; but still the fellow kept his seat. A second time he was reminded that he was no longer a prisoner, but he remain ed immovable At length, as the Court was nearly emptied of the people who had been present during the trial, includ ing the witnesses in the case, the prisoner whispered to his counsel: “I can’t go un til the plaintiff has left the court-room, for I have got on the very pants that I stole from him.” Wit and gttmot. A German resident of New York .* )lVs Tammany Hall is well named, asiti.s thy home of too many politicians. Logical proof that a cat has three tails-. No cat has two tails; a oat has one more than no cat; theresore a, cat has tails. An exchange reports a very natural comment on an aeronaut's action in throw ing a bottle of claret overboard to light en the balloon. Said Pat: “And why the devil didn’t they drink it?" Some bristles from the last brush with the Rebels. Some sands from Tim’s hour-glass. The iron from the plane of the ecliptic. Some tenpenny nails made from fr m ments of the Iron Duke. A finger-post from the Road to Rum Wants.—Music of the spheres with ori ginal score. The cap of a climax. Th 6 musket and powder horn of a shoot ing star. The March of Mind, arranged for a full orchestra, with trumpet obligato In- Fame. “What business was your father !" asked an imperious Colonel of a modest looking Lieutenant. “A tobacconist, sir." “What a pity he did not make v s one.” “Possibly, sir. And, now, will you al low me to ask ,a question ?” “Certainly. What is it ?” “What was your father ?" “My father was a gentleman, sir,” re plied the haughty and imperious Colonel, “Well, then, it is a deuced pity In didn’t make you one.” Dean Storr had occasion, one day, t unite a rustie in the bands of matrime- y The ceremony over, the husband began t, “sink in resolution,” and, falling into a Sr. of repentance, he said: “Your revert re has tied the knot tightly, I fancy. 1 it under favor, may I ask if so it be you could untie it again ?” “Why, rio,” re plied the Dean; “we never do that in tlii part of the consecrated ground.” ‘Where., then ?” cried the man, eagreho “On that " pointing to the burial grounds. The reply of a farmer (according' U his own account,) to a tax-collector win .<<-• receipt he had lost, who asked for p* - ment a second time, was somewhat for cible; “Would you b’lieve it, when I to! 1 him I had paid it once, aud would no* pay it again, the scoundrel began to abuse me ?” “What did you do V asked his friend. !‘Why I remonstrated wiili him.” “And to what effect?” “Wei;, 1 dont know,” was the reply, “but— ‘h: poker teas bent-” A traveller in Arkansas found the fol lowing notice stuck on the ferryman's door at Cache River: Noatis—Ef eng body cums here arter licker or to gcr akrossthe River, The}" can ges blow thb hear horn, and es I dont cum when rnv Betsy up at the Hous heares the horn blovrin, shele cum down and sell th. m the liker, or set them akross the river ime away from Hoern, John wilson. h B. Them that cant rede will have t•« -i to the Hous arter Betsy taint but he. a mile thar.” ~ * The following dialogue took place r oently: A eurate of a Loudon parish, aft' 1 laving, with much paius, explained th parable of the True Shepherd and tU lireling, said: “What is a hireling?” To whUi * precociously sharp and ragged puoli n plied; •‘Please, sir, you are a hireling; yo paid to teach us.” It is not always th the truth is pleasant from all lips. Things we Should Like to Sef. — fruit tree that keeps away pilferers by - own bark. Gas that would go out at night c: come in again iu the morning. A saucepan that will boil over wif rage when the cook is insulted. A clock that is so conceited as n ' run down its own works. The coat of a psof man’s stomach (t« see if it is out at the elbows.) An infirm old gentleman was found >' a rogue moaning sadly for sometl - lost. “What is the matter, sir ?” sui 1 ' fellow. “Oh, sir, a villain has just vU my new white hat from my head, y.i run away with it.” “Why don’t you rr: alter him ?” asked the rogue, “ok your heart, sir, I can’t run at all. 1 hardly walk.” “The deuce you can said the rogue; “and he stole your ‘ “Yes, he did, sir.” “And you can’t run all ?” “Not I ” Nor catch him ?” “Then here goes for your wig;” an < cordingly pulliug off the thatch from 1 head, the follow went off like a shot a rifle, aiid the old gentleman was U ■ bald as a shaved pig.