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lodge in them, as vermin do in straw. They
are perfectly cleanly, and being of a strong
and tough texture, they will not wear out for
years. We regard a good husk bed as cheap
at five dollars. A young married couple, to
the end of life, live they ever so long, will
have no occasion to fill anew under bed, if
they once have their sacks filled with good
soft, well dried corn-husks. We, had all of
ours filled fifteen years ago, and they are this
day ‘-as good as new.” —Gospel Banner.
< ■ i—-
IRON CARRIAGES.
The tendency of the last few years to sub
stitute iron for wood has been shown in ships,
ploughs, and other machines. It has even
been attempted in houses; but here, we be
lieve, without that success which is shown in
extensive use or practice. “A gentleman of
the north of Scotland,” says Chambers’ Ed
inburgh Journal, “is now experimenting,
with good ground of hope, on the introduc
tion of iron carriages. He proposes that the
bodies of such vehicles should be formed en
tirely of iron frame, the panels of galvanized
iron, and the axles of iron tubes tilled with
wood, the wheels to have for spokes double
rods pyramidally arranged, or on what is call
ed the suspension principle. The advantages
proposed are —first, a lightness as about two
to three, second, a saving of cost in about
the same proportion. Thus, a pony-car
riage, which, of the usual materials, would
weigh five hundred weight, is only about
three when constructed of iron : an omnibus
which, of the ordinary construction, would
he twenty to twenty-four hundred weight,
can be formed of iron at about eleven. The
same in respect of external decorations and
internal comfort. A carriage of this kind ef
fects an important saving in the motive pow
er. If successful as an invention, it must
be of no small importance to humanity, both
in sparing the muscles of individual horses,
and allowing of a greater share of the fruits
of the earth going to the use of human be
ings. For use in tropical countries, there is
a farther advantage in the non-liability to
cracking and shrinking, and the unsuitable
ness of an iron frame lor becoming a nest of
noxious insects. Apart from the mere sub
stitution of one material for another, which
is the leading feature of the invention, much
is claimed for it on the ground of the supe
rior springs employed in these carriages.—
They are spiral, and vertically arranged,
working in a case, with an apparatus which
precludes their falling from their perpendicu
lar.”
SELF-LAMPLIGHTER,
• Mr. Alexander Bennett, of New York, ex
hibited in the late fair an invention by which
lamps or candles may be lighted at any mo
ment of time by a clock or a pull of a cord.
Jf attached to an alarm-clock, a light may be
produced at any hour.
In cases where people wish to rise at a
certain unusual time of night, all that is to
be done is to set the clock, and make the con
nection of the Lamp-lighter “all right,” and
then, when the hour comes round, you have
a lamp already lighted at the same time.—
When not desired to be connected with a
clock, it can be attached to a cord terminating
in some place like a bell-pull, so that it is on
ly necessary to pull the cord to produce a
light previous to rising. It is designed, also,
to be so attached to the bell-handle of a front
door, that pulling the bell instantly makes a
light to see by in the hall, or any other part
of the house.
1 %
Honey Sugar. —The Jews in Moldavia
and Ukrane have a method of making honey
into a hard and white sugar, which is em
ployed by the distillers of Dantzic to make
their liquors. The process consists in expos
ing the honey to the frost during three weeks,
sheltered from the sun and snow in a vase of
some material which is a bad conductor of
caloric. The honey does not freeze, but be
comes transparent and hard as sugar.
NVooden Gunpowder.— From sundry re
cent experiments, the fact is established that
fine saw dust or rasped wood, steeped in a
mixture of concentrated sulphuric and nitric
acids, and afterwards washed and dried, will
explode similar to common gunpowder, and
if rightly managed, with much greater force.
The greatest wonder about it, is that the fact
had not been discovered earlier.
i mm i
Whatsoever you agree to do, that do
you without fail.
If you fall into any great misfortune,
disengage yourself as well as you can. Creep
through those bushes which have the fewest
briars.
§©HJIfHI IE 53 IL alfSta A& H ©A & & ITT? & *
A Column Crcctci) to .fun.
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.
J. Y. H., a well known wit of the “Queen
City,” and an occasional correspondent of the
Spirit of the Times , and papers of that ’ilk,
relates the following amusing anecdote.
In the vicinity of the corner of Main and
Fourth streets, in this city, is a merchant, for
whom we entertain the highest respect. He
is favorably known by nearly all citizens,
as an honest, intelligent, Christian man, and
has been such since his boyhood. Not a
stain rests upon his character, which makes
the following incident more amusing.
A few days since, while standing at his
store, a very pleasant looking gentleman pass
ing up the street, stopped before his door and
looked in. Our friend, the metchant, think
ing he had seen the stranger somewhere, and
supposing he desired to make some purchas
es, opened a conversation, with :
“Good morning, sir. Would you like to
look at our stock!”
“ No, 1 m obliged to you, sir. lam sur
prised to see such immense quantities of goods
in Cincinnati, and such splendid stores.”
“The trade of our city is much increased
of late years, sir,” said the merchant, adding.
“I think I have seen you before, have I not'?”
“ I presume not,” the stranger replied, “ I
have not been in Cincinnati for many years.”
“It is very strange—l feel sure Ihave met
you—where do you reside
“In Kentucky sir.”
The merchant now supposed he had met
the Kentuckian during his travels on busi
ness in that State—and, offering his hand, re
marked in his usual happy manner--
“Your face is very familiar to me—indeed
you must be some old acquaintance—my name
is • Now, sir, your name, if you please V’
The Kentuckian smiled and answered, “I
think we have never met before, yet I may
be mistaken, as my vocation calls a very large
number of persons around me. My name is
Craig— l ara the keeper of the Penitentiami at
Frankfort /”
The merchant turned to us, who happened
to be standing near, and beged us not to tell
the joke. But it is out now. We could not
keep it.
“ Kissing —“ Human Natur.” —When a
wild spark attempts to steal a kiss from a
Nantucket girl she says’ “come sheer off, or
I’ll split your mainsail with a typhoon.”
The Boston girls hold still until they are
well kissed, when they flare up all at once,
and say, “I think you ought to be ashamed!
When a young chap steals a kiss from an
Albany girl, she says, “I reckon it’s my turn
now,” and gives him a box on the ear that
he don’t forget for a month.
When a clever fellow steals a kiss from a
Louisiana girl, she smiles, blushes deeply and
says nothing.
In Pennsylvania, when a female is saluted
with a buss, !,y puts on bonnet and shawl,
and answerer lam astonished at thy as
surance, Jedeq and for this indignity will
sew thee up.” v
The Western ladies, however, are so fond
of kissing, that when saluted on one cheek,
they instantly present the other.
The Sag Harbor girls tussels and scratches
till out ot breath, when she submits to her
fate with the most exemplary fortitude and
resignation, without a murmer.
When a young man steals a kiss from a
Lowell girl, she blushes like a “new blown
rose,” and says smartly—“ You darsn’t do
that twice more.”
Mrs. Partington on Physics. —“ This is
an age of enervation in physics, sure enough!”
said Mrs. Partington, as she glanced at the
column of new and remarkable specifics j
“why will people run after metaphysics and
them rostrums, when by taking some simple
purgatory they can get well so soon. It’s all
nonsense, it is—and if people, instead of dos
ing themselves with calumny and bitters,
would only take exercise and air a little more
and wash themselves with care and a crash
towel, they would be all the better for it.”
She said this on her own experience. As for
“diet drink” and summer beverages, Mr. P.
is high, she is.— Post.
•1— i
Poetry and Provisions. —Have you the
“ Laps of the Last minstrel,” said a city miss,
addressing a young man who stood behind the
counter of a country store not many miles
from Worcester. “No, we haven’t any of
them kind,” raid the obliging clerk, “butwe
have good fresh hen's eggs, that we can war
rent were laid no longer than last week,”
EDITOR’S DEPARTMENT.
ATHENS, SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1848.
VALUABLE PRIZES!
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 ensuing, 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 be 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 be 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 Special Appeal.
We deem this a proper occasion to say a few
words to those interested in the prosperity and per
manence of our Journal. The close of the year is
nigh at hand, and hundreds—nay, thousunds—will
be looking around for those periodicals, the most
worthy of their patronage, for the coming twelve
months. Now, then, is the time for our friends to
render us important aid—to do something for the
advancement of Southern Literature; of which, hu
miliating as this fact may be, the Gazette is almost
the only representative in Georgia, and the sole one,
of its kind, in the whole South.
The uninterrupted issue of our Journal for, now,
two-thirds of a year, ought to silence alike the ill
natured eroakings of envy, and the grumblings of
incredulity, with regard to its continuance. As we
have said before, we say again; avc have gathered
around us, at great expense, the necessary applian
ces for a Journal of the Belles Lettres—a well-fur
nished printing office—a corps of correspondents and
contributors—and we have ‘counted the cost’ of
our enterprise. We have learned many hard les
sons in the school of adversity, which have served to
attemper our youthful zeal—to cheek our liecdless
ncss —to chasten our anticipations, and prepare us,
effectually, for the struggle of life— a struggle which
is no less real and earnest in one pursuit than in an
other, and which will, in any and in all, result in a |
triumph, ii it be only bravely and perseveringly re- 1
newed.
Our purpose, then, is not a wavering or a doubt
ful one. “VV care resolved to persevere in our efforts
to sustain a Literary Journal in the South. Lot us j
not be misunderstood, however. edo not intend
to struggle forever in this labor. It is one of so
much importance to the South, that we have aright
to expect and to demand the support ofhersonsin
i!s piosecution. \\ e shall invoke that support by
ca cry hoeorab.c consideration. W c shall shew them
that avo are isl earnest in our endeavors—and. fur
thermore, avo shall bear, as pat iently as wo may
their scanty praise, their indifference and thei
scorn, long enough to afford them an opportunity t
atone for either by hearty cooperation with us w-°
know that the South is in need of such organs f
Literature and the Arts as ours; and, if the p eo i,
are not aware of it, the more important is it’ th’ J’
they should become so. It is too late in tho nine
teenth century, for the real friends of the South tt
be indifferent to her literary interests. S Uc p indjf °
ference is absolutely criminal. We are writim-”
noAv, under the impulse of a deep and cherished con
viction, that the South owes it to herself to sustain
every well-directed effort to give shape and charac”
ter to the minds of her sons and daughters. Me *
to be ever dependant upon others for all that adorns
and beautifies our minds, when we are already awake
to the importance of providing our own supplies for
the wants of the body! It cannot be. We rejoice
to know that there are some—we believe, many-
Avho will join us in a quick and indignant response-
No ! it must not, shall not he !
The few have to achieve the great work of reform
in this matter. The masses are absorbed in labors
averse to the intellectual. They have to be operated
upon by the combined efforts of the few. Who arc
they that Avill unite as one man to effect this great
Avork of intellectual progress f Upon them—whoev
er and wherever they are—we noAv call for aid. We
ask them to present the claims of our Journal to
their neighbors and their friends. We pledge our
self, by the aid of Providence, to prosecute our task
Avitli unflinching and unwavering zeal during the
year 1849. We promise that no ordinary difficulty
shall deter us—no common obstacle hinder us—for
the ensuing twelve months. We will sustain the
Southern Literary Gazette—nay, Ave will enlarge
and improve it during that period— Avhich eA'ery can
did man Avill acknoAvledge is time enough to deter
mine the practicability of making it absolutely per
manent. We Avill do all that any honorable man
can do, in the cause Ave have espoused. But avc will
not do more than this. We Avill not impoverish oth
ers to carry out our most darling project. If, i n a
period of nearly tAvo years, the people of the South
do not acknowledge the value, and demand the con
tinuance of our Journal, Ave Avill tempt Providence
no longer, but abandon the cause of Southern Let
ters to its fate—sad and hopeless as such consequen
ces would declare it to he.
We doubt not ayc are understood. By the help of
Providence, avc shall maintain our post until Janua
ry, 1850, whatever fortune betide us. The verdict
of the Southern Public can certainly be made up by
that time ; and far be it from us to force the Ga
zette upon an unwilling public. All this we say to
aAvaken our friends to the importance of being “up
and doing.” If it Avas proper for political journalists
to urge their friends, by every consideration, to aid
and abet them, surely ice have a right to bo in ear
nest. We, therefore, entreat the friends of a Home
Literature to extend the circulation of the Gazette,
and to do it at once. Let every true brother in the
fraternity of letters make us an acceptable Christ
mas or New Year’s offering of subscribers.
Dear friends, avc are enough in earnest to awaken
your sympathies: do not let us appeal to you in vain.
For the tens of thousands of dollars that your neigh
bors pay to the Publishers of Northern Journals,
strive to secure for us tens of hundreds. We seek
not to be built up at the expense of others! We on
ly ask that common justice he shewn to our OAvn in
terests so far as they are identified Avith the inter
ests of the South.
We have spoken A r ery plainly. Our friends will
not be offended—as for others, avo knoAV them not.
We are aiming at great results—Ave confidently ex
pect to achieve them. If avc did not, avc were bat
an unworthy knight of the pen. Meanwhile, we are
not unmindful to invoke, in our behalf, the Avarmen
couragement and generous aid of those avLo Avearthe
livery of the Muses.
Educational Items.
Emory College.— We have received the Cata
logue of this Institution for the present year, which
exhibits the folloAving numbers in the respective
classes:— Seniors, 19; Juniors, 36; Sophomores,
23; Freshmen, 38; — making a total of 116*.
University of Mississippi. —We are happy t°
learn that this iicav College commenced operations
on the 6th ultimo, under a - cry fuA'orable auspices.
President Holmes delivered an Inaugural Address*
and Avas followed by the Hon. Jacob Thompson, one
of the Trustees, and a Member of Congress from
Mississippi.
The studeTits —about fifty in number —a re confined
to the tAvo lower classes. The Institution is located
at Oxford, Lafayette county, in tlio Northern part
of the State.
Sparta Male and Female Academies.— The
Circular of these excellent Institutions is before vs,
announcing their reopening on the fust of January.
1848. The Male Academy is under the charge of
Thomas C. Neal, Esq., and the Female Department
under that of Rev. Win. Foster and his lady-