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214
fish for a benifit received, and as it always
came at his whistle, it proved also what he
had previously, with other naturalists, disbe
lieved. that fishes are sensible to sound. —
Liverpool paper.
TRUE RICHES.
A gentleman one day took an acquaint
ance of his upon the top of his house to show
him the extent of his possessions. Waving
his hand about, “ There,” said he, “ that is
my estate.” Then pointing to a great dis
laiice on one side, “Dc you see that farm !”
“ Yes.”
“ Well, that is mine.”
Pointing again to the other side—“Do you
see that house ?”
- Yes.”
“ That also belongs to me.”
Then said his friend, “ Do you see that lit
tle village out yonder V 1
“ Yes.”
“ Well, there lives a poor woman in that
village who can say more than all this.”
“ Ah! what can she say ?”
“ Why, she can say, Christ is mine /”
He looked confounded, and said no more.
Toleration. —Who art thou, vain mortal,
that darest intrude thyself between thy God
and me? If I have an account to settle with
Heaven, am I not competent to effect it my
self? Can you be more interested than I am?
or, if you are, why insult me, why denounce
me —why publish me to the world as the vilest
animal in existence ? May I not possibly be
right as well as you ? If so, by what grant,
cither of heaven or earth, can you be justified
in assailing the purity of my motives ? The
great God of Heaven suffers me to enjoy liber
ty —suffers me to investigate freely, and with
out any fear, all subjects my mind may chance
to pursue, and informs me by the eternal laws
of nature, that I can only believe as my under
standing directs me. Yet you—you, dust and
ashes of the earth —arrogating to yourself
Heaven’s power, would do what Heaven refu
ses to do—you would stay the progress of my
mind —you would end all inquiry which did not
exactly suit you—you would prostrate me in
the eyes of society, and send me headlong to
eternal punishment! Away, from this mad,
persecuting spirit! Intolerance! Intolerance!
—Benjamin Franklin.
:
Three Poets in a Puzzle. —I led the horse
back to the stable, when a fresh perplexity
arose, I removed the harness without difficul
ty, but, after many strenuous attempts, I could
not remove the collar. In despair, I called
for assistance, when aid soon drew near. Mr.
Wordsworth brought his ingenuity into exer
cise, but, after several unsuccessful efforts, he
relinquished the achievement as a thing alto
gether impracticable. Mr. Coleridge now tried
his hand, but showed no more grooming skill
than his predecessors; for, after twisting the
poor horse's neck almost to strangulation, and
the great danger of his eyes, he gave up the
useless task, pronouncing that the horse’s head
must have grown (gout or dropsy) since the
collar was put on; 4 for,’ he said, 4 it was a
downright impossibility for such a huge os
frontis to pass through so narrow a collar.’—
Just at this instant a servant girl came near,
and understanding the cause of our consterna
tion, 4 La, master,’ said she, 4 you don't go
about the work in the right way. 4 You should
do like this,’ when, turning the collar com
pletely upside down, she slipped it off in a mo
ment, to our great humiliation and wonder
ment ; each satisfied afresh that there were
heights of knowledge in the world to which we
had not yet attained. — Cottle's Life of Cole
ridge.
The Grave.—lt buries every error—cov
ers every defect —extinguishes every resent
ment. From its peaceful liosom spring none
but fond regrets and tender recollections. —
Who can look down upon the grave of an ene
my, and not feel a compunctious throb that he
should have warred with the poor handful of
earth that lies mouldering before him ?—lrv
ing. t
J&ST’ Society is like a glass of ale—the dregs
go to the bottom, ihe froth and scum to the
surface, and the substance, to the better por
tion, remains about the centre.
“Every misery that I miss is a mer
cy,” said good old Izaak Walton. How few
of us in ennumerating our blessings think of
this.
initial letters of the names of the
late French Provisional Government, Arago,
Lamartine, Ledru (Rollin,) Marast, Albert,
.and Dupont, form the words “ all mad.”
s@s°“The grave lias been defined to be an
ugly hole in the ground, which lovers and
poets wish they were in, but take uncommon
care to keep out of.
9®* Stay but until to-morrow, and your
present sorrow will be weary, and will lie
down to rest.
§© (Dina SIB 53 1L aTg& &IB ¥ ABHITIf IE ♦
£l)c iUorkincj fUan.
THE SECRET OF SUCCESS.
It may to some appear like vanity in me
to write what l now do, but I should not
give my life truly if I omitted it. When fill
ing a cart of manure at the farm dunghill, I
never stopped work because my side of the
cart might be heaped up before the other
side, at which was another man; I pushed
over what I had heaped up to help him, as
doubtless he did to help me, when 1 was last
and lie was first. When I have filled my
column or columns of a newspaper, or sheet
of a magazine, with the literature for which
I was to be paid, 1 have never stopped if the
subject required more elucidation, or the pa
per or magazine more matter, because there
was no contract for more payment, or no
likelihood of there being more. When I
have lived in barrack-room, I have stopped
my own work, and have taken a baby from
a .soldier’s wife, when she had to work, and
nursed it, or have gone for water for her, or
have cleaned another man's accoutrements,
though it was no part of my duty to do so.
When 1 have been engaged in political litera
ture and travelling for a newspaper, I have
not hesitated to travel many miles out of my
road to ascertain a local fact, or to pursue a
subject into its minutest particulars, if it ap
peared that the public were unacquainted
with the facts ot the subject; and this at
times when T had work to do which was more
pleasant and profitable. When I have need
ed employment. I have accepted it at what
ever wages I could obtain —at plough, in farm
drain, in stone quarry, at breaking stones for
roads, at wood-cutting, in a saw pit, as a ci
vilian, or as a soldier. I have in London
cleaned out a stable and groomed a cabman's
horse for a sixpence, and been thankful to
the cabman for the sixpence. I have subse
quently tried literature, and have done as
much writing for ten shillings as I have rea
dily obtained —been sought after and offered
—ten guineas for. But had I not been con
tent to begin at the beginning, and accepted
shillings, I would not have risen to guineas.
1 have lost nothing by working. Whether
at laboring or literary work, with a spade or
with a pen, 1 have been my own helper.—
Autobiography of a Working Man.
STEEL PEN MANUFACTURE.
Who does not remember the time when a
steel pen cost as much as a dozen quills?—
Who is ignorant of the marvellous reduction
that has taken place in the market value of
these tiny bits of steel? Sixpence a-piece,
sixpence a dozen, sixpence a gross —thus
have they come down in value. All this
could not have been done but for the appli
cation of machinery. Men’s hands employ
ed in cutting and pressing and shaping the
pens, would never have permitted this cheap
ening to have gone to such an extent. And
yet there are actually more men employed in
the manufacture than were employed when
machinery was less used. The machinery,
in fact, has created a demand which requires
large numbers, both of machines and of men,
to supply. Some of the steel pen manufac
tories of Birmingham are very large estab
lishments, containing ranges of highly-finish
ed machines, and giving employment to large
numbers of workmen. One of these manu
facturers, in his advertisements, states his
yearly produce at millions of dozens; and
there is no reason to doubt that it does reach
that extraordinary pitch.— The Land we Live
in.
-4 ■ I
LONDON PRINTERS.
By 8 o'clock the whole body have arrived.
Many in their costume resemble common la
borers: others are better clad, several are
very well dressed, but all hear in their coun
tenances the appearance of men of considera
ble intelligence and education. They have
rcarcely assumed their respective stations,
when the blue mugs, containing each a pint
or a half pint of tea or coffee, and attended
either by a smoking hot roll stuffed with yel
low blitter, or by a couple of slices of bread
and butter, enter the hall. The little girls,
who, with well-combed hair, and clean, shin
ing faces, bring these refreshments, carry them
to those who have not breakfasted at home.
Before the empty mugs have vanished, a boy
enters the hall at a fast walk, with a large
bundle under his arm of morning newspapers;
this intellectual luxury the compositors, by a
friendly subscription, allow themselves to en
joy. From their connection with the differ
ent presses, they manage to obtain the very
earliest copies, and thus the news of the day
is known to them—the leading articles of the
different newspapers are criticised, applauded
or condemned—an hour or two before the
great statesmen of the country have received
the observations, the castigation, or the intel
ligence they contain. One would think that
compositors would be sick of reading as the
grocer’s boy is of treacle: hut that this is not
the case, is proved by the fact that they not
only willingly pay for these newspapers, but
often indemnify one of their community for
giving up his work in order to sit in the mid
dle of ihe hall on a high stool, and read the
news aloud to them while they are laboring
at their work: they will, moreover, even pay
him to read to them any new book which
they consider to contain interesting informa
tion. It of course requires very great com
mand of the mind to be able to give attention
to what is read from one hook, when men are
intently employed in creating another. The
apprentices and inferior workmen cannot at
! tempt to do this, but the greater number, as
tonishing as it may sound, can listen without
injury to their avocation. Very shortly after
8 o’clock, the whole body are at their work,
at which it may be observed they patiently
continue, with only an hour’s interval, until
8 o'clock at night.— Quarterly Review.
Cranberries a Cure for the Cancer.—
\Ye have seen it stated more than once,
j that the common cranberry was efficacious in
the cure of cancer, but have never, until very
’ recently, been an eye witness to the fact. Mr.
Middleton Belk, residing within four or five
miles of this city, who was afflicted with a
1 cancer on the nose for the last eight years,
! was induced to try cranberries, applied as a
, poultice, and, to his great joy and satisfac
tion. has experienced a perfect and radical
cure. We mention this fact at the instance
of Mr. Belk, who is desirous that others, suf
fering under the same affliction, may avail
themselves of this simple but valuable reme
dy.— Tuscaloosa Observer.
Stems of Jam.
Short Memory. —Lew. Krouskopf tells a
1 story of a son of the Green Isle, who was
once a deck hand on one of the mail boats
between this and Louisville. The water was
low, the bars bare, and Pat was sent out by
Capt. Summons to “ heave the lead.”
“ Ye-o-ho-ho-o-o-o,” cried Pat, as he cast
the lead.
“ What’s that!” cried the Captain.
“ Ye-o-ho-ho-o-o-o !” repeated Pat.
“What do you mean by that—l want to
know the depth of the water.”
“Bejabers, Captain,” replied Pat, “Its my
self that knows the tune, but I’ve forgot the
words!”
Old Blair's wrath melted into a smile, as
he placed a man at the lead who had been ed
ucated in the words as well as the tune.—
Commercial.
Punch's pocket-book says: “I am
tempted to compare high life to a railroad ;
it is very delightful while it goes; but if you
get off the rails the smash is awful.”
Brasidas, the famous Lacedemonian
general, caught a mouse! it bit him, and by
that means made its escape. “0, Jupiter! ”
: said he, “ what creature so contemptible but
may have its liberty, if it will contend for
it! ”
I Aim not too high, lest you fall; nor
j lie on the ground, lest you be trampled upon;
you are safest when your legs bear you.
A person by the name of Gun, com-
I plained to a friend that his attorney, in his
i bill, had not let him off’easily. “ That is no
’ wonder,” answered his friend, “he hascharg
| ed you too high.”
“Adam,” said a gouty gentleman to
a tricky son, “ 1 would be on the eve to cane
i you were I able." 1
I
True modesty blushes for everything
that is criminal: false modesty is ashamed of
everything unfashionable.
_ “No man can do anything against
I his will,” said a metaphysician. “Faith,”
; said Pat, “ I had a brother that went to Bot
j any Bay against his will—faith an’ he did !”
; An absent-minded gentleman, on re
tiring at night, put his dog to bed and kicked
himself down stairs! He did not discover
his mistake till he went to yelp, and the do
tried to snore.
“ Why don't yon wear a hush, ma V r
asked a little boy. “A hush! what is that
my ! I never heard of such a thing.”
“ Why yes you have, ma. I asked aunt Ma
ry what made her hack stick out so. and she
said “hush my dear. ’ fc>o you do kjnow
what a hush is.'’
EDITOR’S DEPARTMENT.
ATHENS, SATURDAY, NOV. n, ms
y&hmzw mma ?
The Editor of the Southern Literary Gazette be
ing desirous of developing and encouraging Literary
Talent in the South, has resolved to offer the sum of
One Hundred Dollars, in prizes, as exhibited in
the annexed schedule:
THE FIRST PRIZE
For the best Tale of the South, . . Fifty Dollars
THE SECOND PRIZE
For the second best Tale, . . . Twenty Dollars.
THE FIRST PRIZE
For the best Poem Twenty Dollars
OR A COPY OF harper’s SPLENDID PICTORIAL Bible.
THE SECOND PRIZE
For the second best Poem, Ten Dollars,
All competitors must send in their MSS. before
the 15th day of December enduing, and they must
come, if by post, pre-paid. They should be legibly
written on one side of a sheet only. The authors’
names must he sent in separate sealed envelopes,
which will not be opened until the prizes have been
selected —when the successful competitors will be an
nounced. The articles will be submitted to the ex
amination and decision of a Committee, composed of
several gentlemen of distinguished character, whose
names will be announced in due time. The award
of prizes may be expected to lie made known in the
last number for the present year, and the publication
of the First Prize Tale will be commenced with the
New Year.
The articles offered in competition will become
the property of the Editor, and those which are
deemed worthy will appear in the Gazette.
All communications relating to the prizes must be
addressed, post-paid, to the Editor.
COMMITTEE OF AWARD.
The following gentlemen have kindly consented
to act as Judges upon the articles offered in compe
tition for the above prizes:
Professor JAMES P. WADDELL,
Dr HENRY HULL,
JAMES W. HARRIS, Esq.
A Plea for Boyhood.
It has been often remarked by English writers or
American habits, that there are no boys and girls
in this country',—a declaration which must not be
taken in its strictly literal sense, —but as intended
to convey’ the idea that boyhood, that season, of all
the most joyous and careless, is scarcely recognized
in the career of life in this land. There is a great
deal too much truth in the charge, we venture
to utter a plea in behalf of lloyhood , ay, and of Girl
hood ioo, for we design the term to be used iu ft
generic sense. The genus denominated boy appears
to us to be nearly extinct; to be at least divested of
those characteristics which were once not only es
sential to it, but its whole charm. Boyhood, as wo
find it depicted—not in the apocryphal pages of fie*
tion merely—but by the living testimony of onr
grandfathers, is no more. The happy and long pro
tracted season which used to elapse from the term
ination of childhood to the boundaries of young man
hood, is, among us, circumscribed span so nar
row, that it is scarcely percept ible, and sometimes
invisible. Childhood and manhood are now band
in-hand, and that golden, prer-ious interval which
we speak of as boyhood, is almost unknown. At fif
teen years of age, yea, even at an earlier period, our
toys become men in habit, in feeling, in appearance,
and in pursuit—in short, in all except the one thing
needful— capacity!
At the age mentioned, the boy exhibits all the
airs of a grown up man. He dresses in the height
of the fashion—sports liis e tc—his watch-cliainand
his cigar. He visits the fashionable haunts of the
day—he stakes his money, be it more or less, on aoy
depending question which interests his elders —ond,
in short, is, to all intents and purposes, not a be.’
hut a man. .
Now we protest, in the name of once happy hoy
hood, against this state of things, and the hot-bed
process which produces it. It is unnatural and
quentlv fatal to the character of youth, in illustra
tion of which we need only point to the startling ? ct