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THE COUNTRYMAN.
be obstructed it, and it shot out beautifully,
first on one side and then another, accord
ing to the way in which he held Ins thumb.
He also placed a cambric handkerchief over
the aperture, allowing it to remain for some
time, and then showed us that it was not
burned, or even scorched. At length he
removed the churn, and put a lighted taper
down into the spring. The gas—for of
course it is only that which burns—imme
diately kindled into a blue flame all over
the surface of the water. Finally he dip
ped up some water, and each of us drank a
glass. Its taste was not so disagreeable as
I had expected to find it, judging from the
odor which filled the room,
Lundy’s Lane was the next thing in or
der. I expected to walk over it, and we
alighted at the door of a house where I sup
posed we should get tickets or directions.
“ Just follow that man, gentlemen, ” said
the office-keeper, and we obeyed, starting
up a flight of steps. Arrived at the top, we
went up another, another, and still another,
till we were nearly tired out, and perceived
that we were winding toward the top of an
observatory. “ How many steps have we
come up ? ” I asked, when we stopped.
“ One hundred and forty three,” was the
reply. 290-|-l 43=433. I had gone up
a hundred at another tower : 433-1-100
=533 : So 1 had gone up 533 steps.
Corning down doubled this number. Count
ing all, including those at the hotel and
other places, I must have taken 1200 steps
on stair cases, in one forenoon.
Our attendant explained the order of the
battle as well as he could ; pointed out the
house where Scott la)- wounded—which he
said was the only one remaining of those
standing at the time of the engagement;
told us where many of the killed were bur
ied, &c.
We spent the balance of the day in vis
iting various places of interest, and in get
ting views of the Falls from different points.
I did not go into the cave of winds, nor did
I venture on the table rock, nor behind
the sheet of water. Some of our party did
make this last-mentioned trip, and it came
near causing L. to turn back home. Col.
T. tried to persuade him off, offering to
bear his expenses, but he finally concluded
to remain with the party.
The next day, many of us took a trip on
the little steamer, Maid of the Mist. It
was a perfect jumble. Putting on oil-cloth
over alls—not as defined by Webster
—long enough to completely hide
the ordinary dress, with hoods to envelop
the head, ladies and gentlemen all looked
alike. Such a set of uncouth figures I nev
er beheld before.—Those that went behind
the sheet of water were almost as funny.—
We took our stand on the forward deck, and
steamed slowly up through the foaming
waters. Soon the spray began to fall like
rain, blinding us, and rendering our foot
hold exceedingly treacherous. There was
many a slip, and many a one measured his
or her length on the floor, amid the roar of
the waters and the shouting, screaming
laughter of the passengers. I often think
of this as one of the most ludicrous scenes I
ever witnessed. We approached very near
the falls on the American side, and then
wended our way T slowly round, just below
the Canadian falls, and so on back to our
landing place. Owing to the fact that the
spray and mist hid everything from sight,
we did not gain much by this trip, except a
regular frolic—but this was worth a great
deal.
We went over Goat’s Island, of course
climbing the towei that is planted almost on
the very edge of the precipice over which
the mighty stream plunges. While wo
were thus “ perched aloft, ” the Maid of the
Mist came close up under us. Seeing her
make the trip from where we stood, is much
more interesting than being on her deck.
While standing there, we beheld the
beautiful rainbow which so often spans that
scene of terrible grandeur. What a con
trast it presents to the boiling waters over
which it hangs ! The cataract speaks of
God’s majesty and power—aye, even of his
frown ; but that soft, lovely apparition re
minds us of his goodness, his mercy, and
his gentle kindness to mortals. The im
pression it made was visible on the counte
nances of many who looked on it.
“ Its presence to all was the path of the Lord !
Each full heart expanded, grew warm, and adored.
Like a visit, the converse of friends, or a day,
That bow ftom my sight passed forever away ;
Like that visit, that converse, that day to my hoart,
That bow from remembrance can never depart.”
W. W. T.
Another case of Pouring.
“A short time since the Index reported
that Elder Lee, a Baptist minister, had
poured water on a sick man, calling it bap
tism.
I am informed, by good authority, that
recently, Elder Spivey, pastor of the Bap
tist church at Calhoun, Ga., received, at a
private house, a sick man into the church(l)
and poured water on him in the name of
the Holy Trinity, calling it baptism, and
afterwaids gave him bread and wine, call
ing it the Lord’s supper ! The man died
in a few minutes after receiving the bread
and wine. There appears to be no excuse
for this, except that the man begged that it
might be done—he wished to be in the
church—wished to he baptized—wished to
partake of the Lord’s supper.
As a Baptist, I most solemnly protest
against any such proceedings, and say that
in my opinion Elder Spivey owes to God.
to the church, and to the public, a most
solemn acknowledgement. Failing to make
it,*the church at Calhoun should exclude
him forthwith. There is not a particle of
justification for his conduct, judging from
the teachings of the scriptures. The ordi
nances are under the control of the church
es, and they ought to see to it that they are
not abused, disgraced, by iudiscreet aud
officious men.
It is to he hoped that brethren Spivey and
Lee will see their great error, their great sin,
and make public confession. J. M. w.”
The above is taken from the Banner
& Baptist of Atlanta, Ga. I wish to
ask J. M. W., one of the associate editors,
what course he would have pursued in case
the dying man had desired him to receive
him into the church, and administer the
eucharist. If the poor dying sinner desir
ed, and thought it essential to his salvation,
to be a member of the church and receive
the Lord’s supper, what course should have
been pursued with him'? I ask this in no
captious spirit, but merely for information.
Superior Court.
Our Superior Court met on last monday,
and adjourned tuesday evening. Very lit
tle business was attended to. Judge Har
ris presided with Ins usual ability and ur
banity, after delivering a splendid charge
(as usual) to the grand jury. Solicitor
General Lofton was in attendance, also,
courteous and kind, but able and willing to
guard die interest of the state, and see
that the criminal law should be propeilv
administered.
Corn and Oil.
“Our maize, says the Richmond Whig, is
a precious plant. It gives us bread ; it
makes our pork ; it is toothsome for kine;
it is grand for liominy ; our poultry is most
ly made from it; its stalks supply sugar;
the syrup from it produces alcohol; the en
velop of the ear, dried, makes a sweet and
refreshing bed; and now it is found that it
produces a clear burning fluid, that burns
, with a soft light, without odor, without
smoke, that is inexpensive, affording a good
light in an ordinary kerosene lamp, for half
a cent an hour. The corn oil is as clear
and colorless as water. ”
“ In conversation confidence has a great
er share than wit.”