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Even as she spoke, the rattling ot the leaders,
bv which ihe cohorts of the victor were scaling
the porticoes of that fortress tomb, the shouts ol
the rude veterans, and the clang of the brazen
harness, were distinctly audible; and, ere her
words were ended, the same wild sounds were
beard echoing along the vaulted ‘passages and
spacious halls of the story next beneath. In an
other instant their steps were heard mounting the
long sloping passages, which in Egyptian archi
tecture, affording access to the upper chambers,
supplied the want of stairs. The door, formed
like the walls of the apartment, of polished ala
baster, and invisible when closed, was violently
forced, and a group of men, whose Italian com
plexions, and features, prominent and strongly
marked, denoted them to be the victors of the
world, the iron men of Rome, stood on the thres
hold. All sheathed in complete armor, nor deck
ed, like that of the soft orientals, with golden
sculptures or precious stones, but of brass so
brightly polished that it reflected every object;
perfect in the exactness with which it was adap
ted to their frames, in the facility of motion it
left to all their limbs, and in its exquisite finish,
with crested casques and crimson tunics, it would
have been impossible to conceive more martial
figures. —Foremost of all, the laurelled conqueror
of Actium entered the arena of his triumph;
and, in truth, although he could not have sustain
ed a moment’s comparison with the superb person
of his less fortunate rival, he looked at least, if
he was not, the hero. No flush of exultation
tinged his complexion, no insolence of victory
sparkled in his eye; but not the less did exulta
tion, insolence and cruelty, live within his breast,
that he was sufficientlv versed in dissimulation
to conceal his real character beneath a veil of
stoical indifference and mock magnanimity.
“Plail, Emperor!” cried the dying sovereign,
fronting him with a demeanor a thousand times
more lofty than his own—“ Hail, Conqueror!”
Her countenance alone would have expressed
the scorn she felt even had not her very tones
been such, that the cold blooded despot writhed
beneath their iasli.
“ Comcst thou hither, puissant lord, noble suc
cessor of the mighty Julius, —comest thou hither
to violate the ashes of the dead, or to prove thy
maiden valor on a weak woman !—Macte virtutc.
—On—on in the path of gloty !—Why, a dead
Caesar was to thee a tyro to a Hercules! We
arc no Amazons to check their impetuous valor.
—Out with thy falchion Cmsar—the August!” —
and she laughed in bitter scorn.
“ Nav, by the faith of Jove, but we wouldhave
the lovely Cleopatra among our friends,” replied
the imperial dissembler, “thou art still free —still
queen of Egypt!”
“ By the great Gods, I am !—nor is it in the
power of all Rome to make me other. Free was
I born and royal—free will I die and royal?
Caesar, I scorn your mercies, as I defy your men
aces !—My father left me a crown, and crowned
will Igoto my father. What! think you Cleo
patra is a slave—a base cringing slave—that she
would reign by your permission, or live at your
bidding? Go, trample on the abject necks of
Romans —the Egyptian spits at your proud
clemency. Why cling you not to your vaunting
motto?—it was the wont of Rome,
‘Parccre subjectis et debellare superbos.*
And dare you think me subject—or dare you not
to mate my tameless pride ? I tell you, Roman,
you can slay thousands by a word, but, for your
soul, you cannot make one woman live! Away !
defile me not with your vile, slavish hands. These
are my subjects!” pointing to the dying girls
around her, still fond, still faithful in extremity;
“ this is my kingdom, this ; the sepulchers of my
forefathers, who were kings and sages when yours
were thieves and robbers ! And this; that was
but yesterday a man and now is nothing; this is
my idol and my god. Away, I say ! One death
like this is worth a thousand abject lives like thine,
and one dead Antony a hundred living Caesars!
It I betrayed thee in thy prime, thou mighty one,
most dearly have I rued thy fall! If I sent thee
before me, I shrink not from treading thy foot
step. Manes of the dead ! rejoice, rejoice, ye are
revenged.”
Iler eyes glared wildly—the death-sweat was
already darkening her brow—the foam was on
her quivering lip. She must have been devoured
by the fiercest inward tortures, but she made
them subject to her; and the bold veterans of a
hundred battles shrank aghast before her elo
quence, keener and far more cutting than the
mortal sword. She flung her arm towards the
astonished victor in defiance, folded her garment
decently about her limbs, placed the antique dia
dem of the Ptolemies on her raven locks, and,
without another word, stretched herself on the
couch beside the corpse of him to whom she had
proved her love so fearfully. She closed her
eyes, but for many minutes the beavings of her
bosom and her loud and painful breathing told
that the spirit was not yet extinct. One long and
shuddering sigh ; one spasm, the dark eyes open
ed, hut their orbs were glazed and lifeless, the
jaw fell, and Egypt never more bowed to a native
sovereign.
JVasGeorgcy a Traitor! —This is the question
now discussed by all who take an interest in Hun
garian affairs. Kossuth in a letter to Count Bat
iby any, says that he was, and he ought to know
all about the matter.
BREAD STUFFS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Upon this important subject, Hunt’s Merchant’s
Magazine contains a very useful article. Some of
the items are selected for our readers :
“ The fact that we sent forty-three millions of
dollars’ worth of food to relieve a famine in Eu
rope, in a single year —great as the amount really
} s —dwindles, nevertheless, into insignificance,
when compared with the profuse abundance we
enjoy at home. The aggregate amount of the
agricultural products ot the United States, con
vertible into breadstuff's, or its substitutes, upon
an average of three or four years, is about 900
millions of bushels, of which nearly one half is
Indian corn. The quantity of wheat may be put
down at 100 millions of bushels. The whole
amount of this vast aggregate product required
for home consumption does not probably exceed
300 millions. Os course the immense surplus is
subject to exportation, so that it is not too much
to assume that our country is destined to be the
granary of the world.
It has been ascertained that different kinds of
wheat and flour contain water in greater or lesser
quantities. Its amount is greater in cold countries
than in warm.
In Alsace from 1G to 20 per cent.
In England from 14 to 17 per cent.
In United States from 12 to 14 per cent.
In Africa and Sicily from 9 to 11 per cent.
This accounts for the fact that the same weight
of Southern flour yields more bread than North
ern. English wheat yields 13 pounds more to
the quarter than Scotch. Alabama flour, it is
said, yields 20 per cent more than that of Cin
cinnati. And in general, American flour, accor
ding.to the authority of one of the most exten
sive London bakers, absorbs Bor 10 per cent
more of its own weight of water in being made
into bread, than the English. The English grain
is fuller and rounder than the American, being in
truth, puffed up with moisture. All this is ac
counted for by temperature. The warmer the
country the more is the water dried out of the
grain before it ripens, and hence when made into
bread it absorbs more water again, and is there
fore more valuable.
Water also unfits it for ‘preservation. The books
of a single inspector in New York city showed
that in 1847 he inspected 218,768 barrels of sour
and musty flour. In his opinion the loss on these
was $200,000. Every } r ear the loss in the United
States from moisture in wheat and flour is estima
ted at from $3,000,000 to $5,000,000. To remedy
this great evil, the grain should be well ripened
before harvesting, and well-dried before being
stored in a good dry granary. Afterwards, in
grinding, and in transportation it should be care
fully protected from the wet, and the flour be
kept from exposure to the atmosphere. The best
precaution is kiln drying. By this process the
wheat and flour are passed over iron plates heated
by steam to the boiling point. From each bar
rel of flour 1G or 17 pounds of water are thus ex
pelled, leaving still 4 or 5 per cent in the flour, an
amount too small to do injury. If all the water
he expelled, the quality of the flour is deteriorated.
The mode of ascertaining the amount of water
in flour is this : take a small sample, say five
ounces, and weigh it carefully. Put it in a dry
vessel, which should be heated by boiling water.
After six or seven hours weigh it carefully until it
loses no more weight. Its loss of weight shows
the regular amount of water.
Two Jack Shepards. —Two prisoners confined in
the St. Louis jail, named Charles Schneider and
Philip Stevens, made their escape on the morning
of the 10th ult.,in a manner worthy of Jack Shep
ard himself. They managed to loosen one of the
bolts that secured the door of the cell, and with
this they moved a stone situated near the ceiling,
about eight feet from the lloor, in such a manner
that they could force a hole through the roof, of
sufficient size to admit of their passing through
on the top. They then proceeded to make a rope
to effect their descent, by cutting to pieces the
buffalo robes that were in the cell, and tying their
ends together. In this way they manufactured
one that reached to the ground, and on this slen
der affair they made their descent. This being
done, it was an easy matter to scale the wall and
escape.
The influence of railroads on wealth is made
apparent by a recent comparative estimate of the
personal and real estate of the two cities of Bos
ton and New York. It is found that the former is
indebted for her recent rapid growth to her supe
rior enterprise in railroads. The valuation of
real and personal estate in New York, at the com
mencement of the present year was $251,193,527,
which, compared with that of 1840 exhibits an
increase of only $350,373 ; while that of Boston
shows an increase of $73,097,430, during the
same interval. In 1840 the wealth of Boston in
real estate amounted to $95,631,600, while at
the present time it is estimated at $167,728,000.
If this be true of Boston, what favorable results
may we not realize from the completion of the
Pennsylvania Railroad ?— Phila . Ledger.
Fourteen buildings were destroyed by fire in
Quebec on Sunday evening, in which it is sup
posed an incendiary had a hand. It may be so
but nine cases out of ten ascribed to incend a
rism and spontaneous combustion, are the resu 7 t
of earlcssness.
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY.
SAVANNAH, THURSDAY, OCT. 18. 1849.
AGENTS.
Mr. J. M. Boardman is our Agent for Macon.
Mr. S. S. Box for Rome.
Mr. Robt. E. Seylf. for the State of South Carolina.
James O’Conner, Travelling Agent.
Du. M. Woodruff, Columbus, Ga.
BUSI N ESS.
Is opening brisk —a much larger number of country mer
chants have visited our City this season than usual, and have
been generally well pleased with their purchases. They have
found plenty of competition in all branches of business, and
larger stocks to select from.
We call the attention of our readers to the fine stocks
of Dry Goods of Messrs. Snider, Lathrop 6c Nevitt, Marshall
& Aikin, and S. H. Van Ness.
Housekeepers will find a large and well-selected stock of
house-furnishing articles at Messrs. Collins 6c Bulkley’s, No.
100 Bryan street.
Merchants and Planters laying in supplies of Groceries will
find a good assortment at Messrs. Swift, Denslow 6c Web
ster’s.
And the lovers of Literature and Music will find a choice
supply of all that’s new at Mr. John M. Cooper’s and Mr.
Wni. Kay’s Bookstores.
If the farmer wants a pair of superior Mill Stones he can
have thorn of Georgia Burr Stone, made in his own State,
cheaper and better than those made elsewhere.
If he wants Tin Ware or Stoves, call on either Mr. James
Sullivan or Mr. John A. George, and he will get his money’s
worth.
Those who want Paints, Oils, Window Glass, Paper Hang
ings, Sec., will find a large supply at the lowest prices at Mr.
John G. Falligant’s.
Gentlemen who want good clothing, at low prices, will find
a fine assortment at Messrs. Pierson 6c Heidt’s.
The more fastidious Beau can be served in the latest style
of fashion at the Establishments of Mr. John Mallerv, on the
Bay, and Mr. Juhn W. Kelly, Bull street.
Those who want their houses secure from fire or water,
let them call on Mr. C. A. L. Lamar and procure a supply of
Blake’s Patent Fire Proof Paint.
If you want a Segar to puff, Mr. Thomas M. Rosis, No. 107
Bay street, will be pleased to serve you.
Aild all who want Savannah to prosper, let them subscribe
to the Stock of the Augusta and Waynesboro’ Railroad; the
subscription list is to bo found at the Bank of the State of
Georgia.
And last, not least, if you want to learn how to trip on the
light fantastic toe, friend Bonaud can teach you at the Lyceum
Hall.
THE GRAND DIVISION OF THE SONS OF TEMPERANCE
Will hold their Annual Session at Macon, commencing on
the 24th instant. A large gathering of the Sons and Friends
of Temperance is expected. A Prise Banner will be awarded
to the Division that sends the largest number of members,
from the greatest distance, making due allowance for the fa
cilities oftravel. The Order is in a prosperous condition and
numbers 251 Divisions, and between 10 and 12,000 members.
CLARENCE: OR A TALE OF OUR OWN TIMES.
By Mas. C. M. Sedgwick, New York: Geo. P. Putnam.
This is a fine Novel; it is neither of the James nor Bulwer
school, but is more in the style of Miss Mclntosh’s pleasing
tales. There is more vigor in the plot than in the writings of
the latter, with all the delicacy of sentiment and correctness
of principles. The denouement is rather overstrained, and
does not possess the artistic finish of the rest of this admirable
production, and savors too much of the Eugene Sue style for
our taste ; with this exception, it is one of the finest Novels
we have ever read. The following rebuke to English trav
ellers is well merited:
When Mr. Clarence had made his last bow to his depart
ing guests, he seated himself on the piazza. “ There goes our
English visitor, Gertrude,” said he, “ enriched no doubt with
precious morcenus for his diary. Judge Upton will represent
the class of American country-gentlemen, and -his miscellane
ous help-meet will sit for an American lady. I heard him
ask Mrs. Upton, who lias, it must be confessed, an anomalous
mode of assorting her viands,” (Mr. Clarence spoke with the
disgust of a dyspeptic rather than that of a Chesterfieldinn,)
“whether it were common for the Americans to eat salad
with fish? Notwithstanding her everlasting good nature, she
was a little touched at his impertinence, and for once replied
without her prefix • husband says,’ that she supposed we had
a right to eat such things together ns pleased us best.”
“It is unfortunate,” said Gertrude, “ that travellers should
fall into such hands.”
“ No, no, Gertrude ; it makes no difference with such trav
ellers. They come predetermined to find fault—to measure
every thing they see by the English standard they carry in
their minds, and which they conceive to be as perfect as those
eternal patterns after which some ancient philosophers sup
posed the Creator to have fashioned the universe. I had a
good deal of conversation with this young man, and I think he
is about as well qualified to describe our country, and judge of
its real condition, as the fish are to pass their opinion on the
capacities and habitudes of the birds. Ido not mean that ours
is the superiorcondition, but that we are of different elements.
It does annoy me, I confess, excessively, shat such fellows
should influence the minds of men. I do not care so much
about the impression they make in their own country as the
effect they have in ours, in keeping alive jealousies, distrusts,
and malignant resentments, and stirring up in young minds a
keen sense of injustice, and a feeling of dislike bordering on
hatred to England—England, our noble mother country. 1
would have our children taught to regard her with filial vene
ration- to remember that their fathers participated in her high
historic deeds—that they trod the same ground and breathed ,
the same air with Shakspeare, and Milton, and Locke, and
Bacon. I would have them esteem England as first in science,
in literature, in the arts, in inventions,in philanthropy, in what
ever elevates and refines humanity. I would have them love
and cherish her name, and remember that she is still the
mother and sovereign of their minds.”
“ But my dear, dear father, you are giving England the su
premacy and preference over our own country.”
“Our country! she speaks for herself, my child; if there
were not a voice lifted throughout all this wide-spread land of
poace, plenty, and security, yet how ‘ loud would be the
praise !’ I do not wish to hear her flattered by foreigners,
or boasted or lauded by our own people. Nor do 1 feur, on
her account, any thing that can be said by these petty tourists,
who, like noisome insects, defile the fabric they cannot com
prehend.”
The work is got up in Putnam’s elegant style, and is for
sale by Mr. J. M. Cooper.
THE CENTRAL RAILROAD.
The Muscogee Democrat, of the 11th instant, thus <jj,
courses:
‘‘We say but the simple truth when we deelnre that on \\
whole route between this city and New York, there is
railroad that can compare with the Central Rond from
to Savannah, in the elements of speed, comfort, and occomrrx?
dation. The cars are of the first class ; the road is in first-mi
order; and the conductors and managers are gentlemen.
can say the same also of the Macon and Western Road f rot !
Macon to Barnesville. But the Lord deliver ns from anoih,'.
passage over the route from Charleston, S. C., via WilminV
ton, N. C., to the Potomac river ! This whole route needs
immediate renovation. The filthy steamer * Wilmington’
should he sunk into the depths of the sea. The varioug rail
roads must be renovated and connexions made at Petersburg
and Richmond, or else the line will be abandoned by all decent
travellers. The change from the cars to the splendid stenmer
Baltimore, going north, and from the steamer Jasper to ij, ( .
Cars on the Central Road coming south was superlatively
agreeable; something similar to the passage of the wcru
traveller from the deserts of Zahara to an Eden-like oasis
where flowers bloom and rivulets sparkle on the pathway. ],J
fine, after a journey of near three thousand miles through
seven States of this glorious Union, we are prepared to give and
as our opinion that Georgia is a Model State, the Central R 0II( j
a Model Railway, and the man that provides dinner for tra\
oilers at the 90 mile station a Model Tavern-keeper.”
Even the friends of the Road will say this is strong | !( „
guage, but it is nevertheless true, and the Editor of the Dem.
ocrat is good authority, for he speaks his mind freely und
fearlessly on all subjects.
Correspondence of A Friend of the Family.
Marietta, Cobb County, Gn., ?
Sept., J6th, 1849. \
Friend Purse— Fancy a young man cosily and lazily lolling
in a cushioned arm chair by an open window, said window look
ing out upon the evening sunlight as it, streams through the
leafy arcades of that skirt of forest—well that’s me ! and be
ing a very unnovelish sort of biped, you can’t, make this nn
opening chapter for one of James’ next novels by any stretch
ot imagination, yet if 1 mar your romance, the situation
amidst which I write, time, place and circumstances fully
compensate, for they sweetly blend now into one rich chord of
loveliness and tranquility.
I am temporarily the guest of Col. G., and the days passed
in his hospitable mansion will be remembered among the
most pleasing reminiscences of southern sojourn, realizing
as they do, all my conceptions of a southern welcome. H; s
dwelling, recently completed, is delightfully located but littlo
over a mile from the village, whilst near enough for conve
nience, it is removed from the annoyances thatdvvellers among
others always experience; the railroad at some fourth of a
mile distance, passes immediately in front of the house and
varies the quietude of rural life by tho periodic engine dash
ing on its way ; but whilst the front and side of the dwelling
have full range of the open fields and rolling lawn, decked with
innumerable wild flowers of tho lovliest growth,, the rear and
east nestle lovingly amidst the forest foliage, which forms n pic
turesque background to the classic outline and chaste propor
tions of this doric mansion. Hasten to realize that fortuno
which, if industry and enterprise succeed, must be yours, and
come purchase this establishment ; it would not surprise me
if the owner, who is a most active business man, would dis
pose of it if only to build another, although it would be diffi
cult to improve upon the adinirablo arrangement of every
portion of this, or to finish more elaborately— to say
of the completeness of all the out houses and appliances of
an opulent residence. But hang the houses ! lam a lover of
natural beauty, so lets pass out from this palace of the wilds
to the lap it rests in ; if only I could convey an approach to nn
adequate idea of the loveliness of but this one day ! I had
risen merely to open the shutters, but the beauty’ of the dawn
enticed me to forsake altogether my pillow and watch the pro
gress of the coming day. To mark the pearly sky with its
chaste dappled cloudlets, flashing and kindling in the gaze of
the impetuous sun, which presently, as an eager bridegroom,
rushed into its bosom, the sun, the tree tops, and, anon, the
uplands mantled over with gold, whilst myriad dew drops quiv.
ering on each leaf and every grass spiro laughed to them, the
proudest jewels of imperial splendor, to watch the early birds
glancing atliawart the sunbeams, and hear their maten melo
dies—fitting preludes to the sabbath hymn—for this is the day
of rest, and all nature, I have often fancied, knows right well
that day ; let me quote a passage from Bailey that sweetly em
bodies my own thought:
“ Sacred as the sound of hymns
On some bright Sabbath morning, on the moor,
When all is still save praise ; and when hard by
The ripe grain shakes its bright beard in the sun ;
The wild bee hums more solemnly ; the deep sky,
The fresh green grass, the sun, and sunny brook,
All look as if they knew the day, the hour,
And felt with man the need and joy of thanks.”
Festus.
Is not such sufficient inducement to leave the downy pillow
and drink in the loveliness so lavished for our enjoy ment!
Oct. 12, eighteen hundred and fast asleep.—Here I come
puffing and blowing like an engine to make up for lost time.—
Its three weeks since this letter trickled off of the nib of my
pen and it ain’t mailed “ already.” News, I have none.—
Fall is near upon us, we have had up in this locality two or
three frosts. I’ve amused some leisure minutes going nutting,
don’t you envy me ? but bless me, any little cracker nigger
will gather more chesnuts in one hour than I could in a day’.
Now is the season for those who can (for my particular self/
cant’t unnecessarily kill anything that seems so happy) to en
joy the sportsman’s pleasure, for game is plenty, and the op
portunities such as would delight “ Frank Forrester ” him
self. It is somewhat strange that so very few of the visitors
from the cities and low country, should hasten to leave for
their homes at the very season of the y’ear when nature
dons her most gorgeous apparel and the rural ramble is filled
with its most magical attractions, but I must cease dwelling
upon these matters, although I never tire contemplating the
loveliness or sublimity of natuJe. It is very late, I must to
bed, so “au revoir.” YAUV.
A correspondent of the London Times says:
“ It will hardly be believed that the whole quan
tity of gold currency in the world, taking it at its
usual estimate ot .£150,000 sterling, would only
weighabout 1,150 tons; and that in bulk a room
twenty feetlong, twelve feet wide, and ten feet
high, wouldhold it all.”