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246 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-