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W FIOV/ERS COUiCTIGrt THE SI K1DES KOLlLOqi'Y. 1!Y ICONOCLAST. [Of the following poem written by a member of the bar of New Orleans, the Times says: it. was writ- terfon a wager that the popular theory of coward ice as the cause of suicide was an error, and that suicide might be heroic. Orthodoxy may not be convinced that a “longing after immortality” is a valid excuse for suicide, but we may admit that the author has presented a very fair theory of the case.J t>h God! for strength this quivering flesh to still, My very limbs, to thwart me strive and hold Their shivering muscles back, to balk my will! * * * * 'Tis over now— A!1 earthly fetters gone; The immortal seeks communion with its God! lint I go hence—the whither, knowing not; I only /./iow, the ghostly “to be,”—is! How then?—Can pious monk or saintly man, The deep, dark problem of existence solve? Can they e'en lull, by saintly fasting or Beseeching prayers, the noiseless strangling tide < if dark Oblivion, or stay fates' cruel shaft? Oh, I with time have sniggled hard; have held With tightningjgrip. the tieuds of fate at bay! Have borne, with burning heart, the stamp of shame For sin not mine! yet, I have not quailed! tis not That I'm overcome with earthly woe; nor that My heart grows faint longings for rest, 'tis that The mysteries of our creed tempt us beyond; And beckon on—with tauntingjeers!—Tis that I'd solve t his hauntingdoubt! My soul is sick To clutch the dread realities that lie Beyond this weary life—full face i o lace! Strange hopes—e'en yearnings, vex my tortured soul I grope for God-light, in my darkened life I seem to have lost—or lack—self complement. The which we seek, but seeking, find not, till We rest on shores supernal, and yield up This restless atom of Divinity Within, to seek high confluence with its source Therefore, I go! Let evener moulded lives, With stagnant pulses stay'd—judge my rash mood! From the cool shores of test eternal, the , ' _ r ' before 1 trm a-str?pp e c2 f J?2‘l. trp<ai»SJiJJ>>i ua'darerX' Breath; no pregnant croaking knees! The light from Out the fountains of eternal truth shall Fall upon each brow; and crafty, lying Hearts, supple tongues, and trait'rous smiles, with which Tho world marks greatness and condones deceit Shall swift be parcell'd oil', and kept from those Whose lives have been sincere!. Thus, will the throbs Of time be counted in eternity! And God will show more mercy from his throne Than they who mock, that I, wit h eager grasp, Do now lay hold on death, to wrench from death The secrets dread, that so enshroud our lives And call us on to meet our final doom! New Orleans, February, 1876. THE SPY'S ESCAPE. -Lin- True Evento Death. An Incident of the Cuban Revolu tion. BY M. E. B. Don Migue! De Gastello sat in the veranda of his pretty villa, moodily smoking a cigar. Neither the perfume of the oleanders, abloom in great tower ing masses of white and rose color, nor the plash of the fountain, nor the notes of the gay mocking birds charmed him from the melancholy that pos sessed him. Life had seemed stale, flat and unprofit able to Don Miguel since the disappointment that had fallen like a frost upon all his flowers of hope. No longer a boy, and loving with all the strength and fervor of his Spanish nature, he could not as so many do, throw off the chain that bound him, and forget, in some new pursuit, the passion of his life. He said bitterly to himself that he was a galley slave for life. 4 The rapid stroke of horses’ hoofs startled him from his sad reverie. Looking up he saw the object of his thoughts. Riding the Black horse that dash ed up to the gate, was Jsola Gonzalis—his lieautiful enslaver. He knew the superb, elastic figure in its dai k green riding habit, he knew the jetty shower of curling hair that blew wildly around her, but the glimpse he caught of the usually blooming face showed it so pale that he started. He was amazed too that she should come here alone to his bachelor home—alone and riding at that mad pace and with her whole appearance indicative of agitation and disorder. He threw his cigar among the bushes, sprang hur riedly down the steps and in a few quick strides reached her side and held ont his hand to her. Though he was her rejected lover, he had promised to be her friend, and his promise was never lightly given. She laid a trembling hand in his ami passed the other hand across her brow as if striving to regain calmness. At last she said: •Don Miguel, you promised to help and befriend me, and I know your truth. I trust in it more im plicitly than in the oath of another man- I have come to you now because I need help sorely.’ ‘You, Donna Isola !’ :Yes, help for another—who is my—my friend. You know the Government troops yesterday cap tured n spy in their camp.’ •Yes, I heard of it a young American officer, Lieutenant Surrey. He is to be shot to-day.’ ‘Yes,' she gasped, pressing her hand to her heart, ‘he is to be shot in two hours unless you help me to save him.’ •I—I or no other man on this island can save him. He is as surely doomed as if he were already dead.’ ‘Do not say so,’ she cried wildly. ‘Do not tell me that. It is my own death knell. You promised to help me remember: you promised to befriend me. Don Miguel, do not fail me now. I have thought of a plan to save him. It is desperate; it is full of danger, but there is a chance- Will you help me ?’ •The man is my country’s enemy,’ said Don Mig uel, sternly. ‘He is young, enthusiastic, he is sworn to the HI! 0. fa, mm •What is he to vou, lady Isola !’ •He is my all she cried, clasping her hands, while the blood mantled to her beautiful brow ‘My heart, my life belong to him. If he dies 1 cannot live. Don Miguel, in mercy ’ ‘Say no more." interrupted the tall Spaniard— pale to his lips. ‘I will help you. lady Isola. though it cost me mv life and—what is dearer still m\ honor. The 'promise of a Gastello is never Jiglitly given. And now let me hear your plan. Mill you dismount and coine in, and let me give you a glass of wine .' You are very pale” ‘No. no, I want nothing, and we have little time. But ten minutes will ] tr you in possession of my plan. 1 will ride here in the shade of this mimosa tree and tell you what I have thought of. There is great risk in it, and but a chance—a slight chance; but I cannot afford to lose it.’ Half an hour afterwards, the lady Isola, accom panied by Don Miguel and his trusty servant, both best speed at the outset, while the men before them more wisely kept to one steady gate and reserved the strength of their animals. But the pursuers gained at first; they came near enough to nre and A grand fight upon Shrove Tuesday in which op posing parties are pelted with quantities of flour, is one of the San Jo.-e (California) games. Seven- tv-flve and a hundred dollars worth of flour are their bullets whizzed close to the heads of the three j often thus thrown away in one day by the laboring men, who rode in breathless silence uttering no , cla^s who frequently lack bread. Then on that word. Don Miguel hail put young Surrey between same night, tliere is the C’ascarone ball, of whic > him and his staunch servitor'as a protection. At the chief feature is a wild, romping game at pelt- last he said to his man: _ ing with Cascarones or painted egg shells, which ‘If they press us closer, I will turn and fire on ‘ is thus described by Mary HalleckFoote: them while you ride on. It will give you a few The room was long and airy, with rows of little moments more of time.’ windows on either side, like port holes. The walls ‘And will cost you your life, my lord.’ ’ and ceiling were covered with thin muslin, nailed ‘No matter.’ ' " ' over the unplastered boards, and whitewashed; As he spoke, the whizzing sound of a bullet was . there were Mexican and American flags hung heard. (1 take place an mations of strong surprise from two among them, ; a guitar, a flute, and one ]. who recognized in the pale, stern face the features ing the waltzes one could hear but a single united about, and colored prints of various patriots, in uniform, who had distinguished themselves in the last Mexican war for independence. The side walls were lined with benches, and here sat the dusky ranks of dowagers, each with two or three little children under her wing, a cigarette at her lips, and a bag of cascarones in her lap, from which her own particular senorita was supplied with ammunition for the fray. In the course of the evening, most of the little ones fell asleep, and made very pretty pictures, reclining in restful abandon, against the weird old crones beside them. The music was excellent of its kind—two violins, or two brass pieces. Dur- It struck Don Miguel between the shoul ders with a deep thud and he reeled in his saddle. •Ride on: don't mind me,’he cried. ‘Ride to the shore, put him on the boat, help row him to the vessel: see him safe on board. I promised remember, armed with puns, rode awav from the villa Castello, And tell her I kept mv promise, each pale and with the calmness of desperate, solve The last words came in convulsive gasps, and as in their faces. On their way to the camp of the in- he uttered them, Don Miguel fell backward irom surgents. they heard that which drove a cry of de- , his. horse, and his loyal-hearted retainer burst into spair from Isola's lips and caused the party to a wild cry of grief. But he did not slacken rein; quicken their pace to a gallop. Owing to a sudden- the three horses—one riderless—still kept side bv lv received order to move to another position, the side, while with their pursuers there was a halt general commanding this division of the army, had ; when they came up to the dead man, and excla- ordered that the execution should ' ’ hour before the time first appointed. _. - , , _ _ . , - , * * * * * * * * * of Don Miguel de Castello—who was known as one ; shuffle, as if all the dancers m the room moved with It was the hour fixed for the execution of the Am- . of the most loyal supporters of the Spanish cause, one pair of feet. Full dress for the young men was erican spv. A company of soldiers were drawn up i Why then had he assisted a rebel spy to escape ; a short velveteen coat, black trowsers. white vest, into a hollow square, in the center of which stood | When the pursuit was again in full blast, the aud a bright silk scarf, knotted with particularly the prisoner bound and blindfold while those de- pursued were out of sight. Aud they retained happy effect over the shoulders, outside the coat, tailed to shoot him stood apart leaning on their their advantage, improving it steadily as the horses Some of the young men wore tiie uniform of the guns In the camp, all was bustle and con- ’ of the soldiers flagged from being too tightly push- ; flour-fighters—red flannel -flirts, black trowsers fusion attendant upon the unexpected order that ed at first. ! with red stripe down the sides, and a silver star on had just been received to break up camp and march ; At last the coast was gained: the horsemen drew j the breast. The crowd was too great, and the mo- quicklv to a point designated by the Chief Com- . rein at a little inlet, where, hid among rustling i tion too rapid and incessant, for any attempt at mandant For this reason, the execution of the spy ! palms, rocked a boat, with a couple of stout men studv of individuals. One received an impression had to be hurried up and the General had just rid'- , waiting on the oar seat. The American Lieuten- j of extreme vivacity of speech and manner—bright den down from the camp with nervous excitement ant was placed in the boat, his companion took the ribbons, scarfs and serapas—waving heads and in his stern handsome face, and waited, impatient- helm, strong oars cut the water, and before the hands, swaying lines of figures joined in the dance, ly reining in his champing steed, until the signal, pursuing horsemen came in sight, the boat was out circling lines of figures, winding and separating should be given for firing upon the doomed man, ; of reach of their bullets, heading steadily for the into couples, waltzing away in a maze of color, who stood so calmly still, so proudly erect waiting vessel that hovered out two miles away across the music, laughter, and tobacco smoke. The ceiling his fate * blue gulf water. ■ was dim with smoke from the cigarettes of the Suddenly there was a wild commotion in the low- ! The vessel was reached in safety, and not till he dowagers, and the cigars of the loungers on the er line of soldiers, forming the hollow square, the I was on the deck did the young lieutenant learn the j piazza, who leaned in at the open windows. When line was broken, a woman riding a foaming steed circumstances of his rescue. Then the thought of the dance flagged, cries of ‘Fu«, viva.'’ sounded dashed into the square—a woman beautiful as Aph- , the danger in which his betrothed had thrown her- ; from all parts of the room, and gave new life to rodite Venus with eves shining like stars in her self for him ran him nearly wild and took away all the music. marble face with red lips parted as in terror, with 1 joy at his release. . Among the company was a young South Amer- great waves’ of midnight hair streaming around her j ‘If 1 had known it, I would not have left with ican, with a high, aquiline profile, and a crest of splendid figure. Straight she rushed through the you,’ he said, bitterly. ‘I would have turned back j bushy curls, rising from his receding forehead, like astounded soldiers, and filing herself from her horse j and given myself up.’ _ the sculptured manes of the horses on a Greek bass- erving- * ’ ' ‘Do you think I would have permitted it!’ said relief. I noticed him, first, because of his height ‘Save me- protect rue! I am the daughter of the old retainer. ‘After my master's orders to see ! and sinewy grace, afterward, because he was the Alphonso Gonzalis. I am pursued. I have ridden you safe on board this vessel. I would have died in ] partner of such a pretty girl—a tall, slight, dark in this hot haste to bring you news that may save j trying to fulfill them. I would have seized you | beauty, with the most joyous unconsciousness of vou from being cut to pieces. A rebel force'landed j and carried you before me and my soldiers till I j expressibn and movement, like a child or a beauti- last night at the bav five miles from here They ■ was shot down. But do not take it so hard about ful animal. It was worth coming to the ball to see are marching here in all haste to surround and sur- the donna Isola. They will not hurt her. She is ; these two dancing together: it was the very spirit pri«e vou ’ 6 the daughter of Alphonso Gonzales. If his known i 0 f revelry, without conscience or care. I found The general was thunderstruck; it seemed incred- j loyalty does not save her, bis money will. But my | the canker in the rose, afterward when I learned ible thft this could be so yet he remembered there , master, mv master: nothing can ever give me back , that my joyous girl had been a wife for two years „ mar mis cornu . h , i , i lov _ | mv master! i at least, and that while she was dancing at the cas- v ere nimois that a susp ■ “ , ^ tr1 he He was right. The Donna Isola suffered no | carone ball, her young husband was in prison, ermg just off the coa^ , t RUtifu] hi „ h _ j harm from her brave effort to save her rebel lover. | awaiting bis trial for stabbing a friend in a Christ- eould not doubt thesinceit. v ofrthe“8^ I 8he returned in safety to her father’s house, her ! raas brawl at the Guadelope. her rich hair stream- joy at Surrey’s escape clouded by her knowledge j The war of cascarones did not fairly begin until attitude of w ild exefi - d tter eV es glitter- ! that the true hearted man who had loved her so i the danza del ijuerro, at midnight, but there were ing m the wind, hei a Gonzalis—knew him to i dearly had died in fulfilling his promise to her. To i scattering shots and sallies, and skirmishes in all W sSm adherent P to the C^orerWent ca^ A make her happy in the love of another, he had ; directions. The cascarones were crushed over the doubi ( f h rdaughter’sTovaltv did not enter his given his own life, mind Ho threw himself from his horse and came!. Y ears after when she was the bride of the Aner- tcCher side-the soldiers pressed around her;she was lean, and had her home on American sod, they re toe rcnwure of everv eve both from her beauty turned to Cuba to superintend the erection of a and the exciting news she had brought. None mA- j splendid shaft of pure white marble beside the ticed the^wo horsemen who had followed close in ! costly monument under which rested the mortal her wake Two m^ mounted on powerful horses, j remains of Miguel de Castello. This shaft bore the who while the Lady Isola drew all around her, had i device of two clasped hands beautifully carved, dashed up to where'the prisoner stood, forgotten n«d under them the words. True e\en to death, for the instant, and near him the horse from which the lady had leaped. To swoop down and seize the bound prisoner and set him upon this horse, hoarse ly bidding him to ride for his life, was the work of an instant for the stalwart and active Don Miguel. Then the three horses wheeled with their rulers and were away like the wind. For life, for jife they rode ’ Three swifter steeds never spurned the soil of Cuba, but they had need for all their mettle, A celebrated preacher said the dress of a Chris tian should be “ the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit.” Unfortunately it is very dif ficult to find these toilet articles now-a-days: but perhaps the mantle of charity will cover all. heads of the senoritas, but the young men were soundly clapped on the head, and the shells were well rubbed into their thick black manes. The girls generally hunted in couples or packs, and set upon their chosen victim with shrieks of glee: then a charge of voting men to the rescue would scatter them in all directions. The prettiest girls got the most salutes, and looked all the prettier with the tinsel powder sparkling on their dark braids. There were some wild young romps, whose audacious charges upon friend and foe, cost them at last their feminine prerogative:—they were pursued and sur rounded and bombarded and battered with shells, until what hair they had left could hardly have been worth combing'out in the morning. The Mex icans save egg-shells all the year for this ball; im provident as butterflies, they are capable of great forethought where pleasure is the object. The Winter Palace at Petersburg. THE MAGNIFICENT WINTER GARDEN. Cordiai Manners of the Russian Court. The TFiuter Palace, the residence of the emperor and his court during winter, stands on the left bank of the Neva, on the site of a house which in the reign of Peter the Great, belonged to his High Ad miral. Count Apraxin, who bequeathed it to Peter II. The Empress Anne after being crowned at d<‘Scow, took up her residence in Apraxin’s house, but had it pulled down in 1754, and rebuilt by Count 1 Rastrelli bv whom it was completed in 1762, in the : reign of the Empress Catherine. A lire which is i supposed to have originated from a defective flue, . 'mistimed the whole interior of the palace in 1847, notwithstanding the almost superhuman efforts to save it - Blit it rose pbcenix-like from its ashes j more glorious than ever, and in January, 1S40, the ] first grand ball was held in the present palace. The huge pile is now some 470 feet long and 350 j wide, and four stories high. The principal entrance, or Ferro,i ties Ambassa- is from the quay that lie# between the paL ! ace and the Neva, while a noble gateway in thecer- i ter of the southern facade and directly in front of | Alexander's Column, leads into the great court. Enriv as it was when I reached the palace, the a)>- proaches were already well filled with strings of sledges. A regiment of the Guard, was drawn up in front of the palace and several squadrons of dragoons occupied the Piece de 1 Flat Major. My /scosc/iie/.- having driven his sledge to the main en trance, I alighted, and my servant led the way to Tq:,, vestibule, where the invited guests present their cards of admission, and are then conducted to a large cloak-room, where the vvrappers 4 were taken off and checked, That dune, a servant in blue and gold livery con ducts you to the foot of the Grand Stairs, a mag nificent flight of marble steps that lead to the state apartments, at the head of which stands the famous Winter Garden, a magnificent conservatory, iaox- 7; and 60 feet high: here are tall palms, and a host or exotic plants. The whole is lighted by means of colored lamps hung in the branches of the trees, which gives the appearance of an enchanted palace. ,i ;:e fight is -oft and subdued and resembles a bright .sAjniigbt more than anything else. Uft ixp. voi.u- r cavaliers ecu y'w.maidens,conu fad there oaA'' £ art/'erty ^ Jls •Those basins oVittl gold fou„ta Having passed along the side alley of the gar den. vou enter the White Hall, a magnificent room in white and gold; next comes the gallery of the Field Marshals, hung with the portraits of those who fought against the great Napoleon, that of the Iron Duke occupying the upper end; irom thence you are conducted to Saint George's Hall, the largest and most magnificent of the series, some forty in number. It is i.j.cxSoand45 feet high. The ceiling, which is divided into compartments beauti fully frescoed, is supported by a triple row of mag nificent white marble Corinthian columns. Here I found a large crowd already assembled, and a couple of friends who initiated me. it being but little after eight. I had plenty of time to look around before falling into line to re ceive their majesties. This noble hall is hung with paintings representing the most important battles fought on land and sea, from the battle of Poltawa, 1706. to that of Kersk, 1S55: victories as well as de feats. for Lnkermau, Alma, and Balaklava stand side by side with Leipzig and the passage of the Berezina; but the most striking feature of this en chanting hall, is the boquets of wax candles which encircle the marble columns, for which purpose over four thousand wax lights are used. The art of illuminating at night is nowhere so artistically done as in Russia, where candles are still happily preferred to gas; which latter every lady knows, does not produce that charming electric fire on jew els. or that lovely and soft tint to the complexion. It was a grand and fascinating sight, this array of glittering uniforms, rich dresses, beautiful forms, and dazzling jewels. But hark ! the imperial band strikes up the national hymn, the emperor is com ing. every face is turned toward the door, and pres ently- it is opened with great ceremony, and the Grand Master of the Household enters, staff in hand, followed by a retinue, then comes a pause, and the tall and majestic form of the Autocrat of the North appears in the 'doorway. He is dressed in the uniform of a generafiof the Guard, and the solitary star of St. Andrew shines on his broau chest. ’ On his arm leans a noble-looking lady of perhaps forty (she looks only that, but is, I believe, forty-seven), dressed in a lovely white satin, with drapery and waist of blue satin of the lightest shade, the lower skirt trimmed with lace ruffles, headed with a band of embroidered satin, in gay colors. The overdress and corsage is trimmed with a single ruffle to correspond. The neck is cut low, in the orthodox fashion, but does not expose more than one-third of the two breasts, and, at the apex of the echancrure, between the breasts, she weal's a magnificent brooch of huge diamonds, in the shape of a star. The dress is fastened in front with diamond buttons, and the overdress is looped up, on the left side, with a magnificent diamond pin. Her hair was dressed in curls and loose loops with flowers (roses and cameliasi between, the whole sur mounted with a noble diadem. She looked every inch a queen, and, as she made her appearance, a murmur of applause greeted her. She and the em peror bowed gracefully tojthe French Ambassador, and. saying a t'ew words, repeated the same to the others:' then they walked the entire length of the double line, returning on the other side of the hall, the band, in the meantime, playing national airs. This ceremony ended, the Imperial Guard band struck up Strauss’s beautiful piece, “L'lnvitation a la Yalse.” and couples began to form,.the emperor taking for partner Lady Elphinstone. a young and lovely countess, and a relation of the British Ain bassador. The sets being formed the empero" opened the ball by dancing with his fair partne r “La Yarsovienne. ’’ The young ones of both sexe s who did not choose to dance made for the Winter Garden, and there, amidst the luxuriant exotics and in the soft twilight, told to each other the old, old story. There was no formality, no pride or haughtiness—all were equal. The young lieuten ant of autillery elbowed a mighty prince, and the daughter of the academician the grand duchess her self. The emperor went from group to group, and talked pleasantly to all, and joined in the hilarity, while the lovely empress and the grand duchess flitted from one hall to the other, talking, smiling, and nodding to every one. What a contrast with the stiff and formal balls at Buckingham Palace or Windsor ! There one must always be on the look out not to turn his back to the queen, for it would be an unpardonable sin to do so, and no one dares to presume to address that haughtv personage, lest he might get kicked out by some flunkey in red and gold.