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CHILDREN’S COLUMN. I
,
TFor the Southern Ftel«l and Fireside.]
Charley la Dead.
BT ELI.A SWAN*. OF HATXESVILLE, ALA.
Hark ! what sound is that, which breaks the
stillness of the night ? Why should it cause ev
ery cheek at yonder window to grow so pale ?
and even the laughing, dancing child of yester
day to clasp her tiny dimpled hands over her
ears to shut out the sound ?
It is music—a low, tremulous, wavering
sound, wafted to us by the wintry blast. It is
swelling, now louder, clearer, higher, and a hun
dred voices are now shouting the chorus of—
“We are travelling to the grave!”
It is an imposing and affecting sight upon
which we are gazing—more than two hundred
negroes with their flashing torches and their
heaven-bound song. But why this sad proces
sion, the tears of those who lead the band, and
the convulsive sobs of their “ young master”—
the fair hoy who has joined them ?
Charley, the prido of the quarter—one of the
pets of the “ white house ”is dead. They are
bearing his body to the grave.
They have paused: another hymn is chanted,
a prayer uttered, and they lower the little coffin
to its narrow, dark, resting place. The shovel
is raised; the first clod of dirt falls, and a shriek
—a despairing wail bursts upon the air. It was
the cry of the mother for her child, the boy for
his playmate, which palsied those strong arms,
and caused them to shudder and weep as they
resumed the unwelcome task of filling the little
grave.
The crowd disperses, some to forget in the
deep slumbers of the night that the death-angel
has been among them, others to moan for the
voice they ne’er more may hoar.
. The morning sun imparts no gladness to our
home. The merry laughter and light jest is hush
ed in the field and house, for we are all sorrow
fully thinking of the little negro whose bright
face, good humor, and quaint, child-like funny
remarks made him a favorite with us all.
And Willie has looked upon Death for the
first time t Ho cannot comprehend its awful
import.
“ Mother," he asked, but a few moments
since, “ won’t the little angels let Charley come
and stay with me this morning ? I can't play
without him."
“ No, Willie. Charley would not leave his
boautiful home in lleavon to return to us. He
is happier there, my child! but if you are good,
sometime the angels will convey you to him,”
she replies, and for a moment the child weeps
bitterly ; but soon his curly head was raised,
and hope beams from his face, as he says:
“ Mother, if Charley can see me, I know that
he will cry to como back, and then God will let
him, for he loves me, mother—he loves me!’ f
I hear him now, in the graveyard, calling for
the dead child. Poor boy! how my heart
bleeds while listening to the half-hopeful, half
despairing cry of “ Charley! Charity /”
Years will pass, and the boy, grown to man
hood, mingle in the busy crowd, where care
and disappointments await him—but this, his
first sorrow, will never be forgotten. God grant
that it may shape his life, so as to win for Para
dise another angel, when the Father calls him
to join the playmate for whom he is now weep
ing!
Origin of Sunday School*.
The name of Rooebt Raises, Ksq., of Glouces
ter, England, as the founder of Sabbath Schools,
will be had in everlasting remembrance. On
him has already come the blessings of thou
sands ready to perish.
The following interesting account of the oa
giu of the first school, is from the pen of Mr.
Lancaster, to whom it was communicated by
Mr. Raikes, when far advanced in life. “He
said,” observes Mr. L., “about the year 1782
he had taken a garden, aud wanted a gardener.
He went to tho outskirts of the city of Glouces
ter to hire one. The man he went to hire was
from home; and while waiting for the man's re
turn, he was greatly disturbed by a troop of
wretched noisy boys, who interrupted him while
conversing with the man’s wife on the business
lie came about. Full of that compassion which
a Christian only can feel and enjoy, lie anxiously
inquired the cause of those children being thus
mi serably neglected and depraved.
“ The answer he received was, ‘ Oh, sir, if you
were here on a Sunday, you would pity them
indeed. They are then much more numerous,
and an hundred times worse—it is a very hell
upon earth; we cannot read our Bible in
peack for them.’ It was this affecting answer
which moved every feeling .within him! He
immediately asked, ‘Can nothing he done for
these poor children ? Is there anybody near
that will take them to school on Sunday ? He
was answered, there was a person who kept
school in the lane who perhaps might do it.
Tho wretchedness of the poor children, objects
of Christian pity and active benevolence, deeply
interested him.
“He made a solemn pause, to consider the
step he was about to take. On his decision of
that moment rested an opening for one of the
highest blessings ever extended to the youth of
any nation.
“ A.t this important moment (according to his
own relation) the word ‘77? F’ was so powerfully
impressed on his mind as to decide him at once ’
to action. I have heard of seeing things with
‘the mind’s eye,’ and with himthis encouraging,
stimulating call to Christian duty, seemed to bo
sounded in the ear of his soul. Obedient to the
impulse, lie went and entered into treaty with
the schoolmistress to take a number of these
poor destitute children; and here was tne foun
dation stone of a mighty—a glorious super
structure. Here was the first Sabbath school
Britain ever saw.
“ Important consequences depended upon this
interesting experiment. Two years had elapsed
from the commencement of tho first school.
On retiring to restone evening, he began to con
sider that his schools had now been fully tried,
aud that it was time for the public good that
they should be made generally known. On this,
instead of going to bed, he directly wrote a par
agraph, and had it inserted in his newspaper,
the Gloucester Journal It was copied into many
other papers, and in consequence he had appli
cations from all parts of the empire. To a letter
from the north, most earnestly pressing on the
subject, he wrote an interesting answer, which
was published. Tho result of this publication
was, that the dormant zeal of many was called
into action. The mode was simple, the expense
moderate, the advantages grand and striking.
The establishment of such schools proceeded
throughout the nation with the rapidity of light
ning.
“ Through tho exertions of several public
spirited gentlemen in the njetropolis, a public
meeting was held on the 7th of September,
1785, and an institution formed bearing the title
of ‘A society for the support and encourage
ment of Sunday schools in the different counties
xkx. sovsxsia xxs&s sx&ssxjuk.
•of England.’ This establishment was exceed- ]
: ingly beneficial to the growing cause. The
committee of this society soon engaged the eo- ’
; operation of episcopal authority. Among the
; dignitaries of the church who patronized the j
: plan, the bishops of Salisbury and Landaff, and
the deans of Canterbury and Lincoln obtained a
conspicuous place by their zeal and talents.
Other distinguished characters did sot hesitate ;
to give the whole weight of 'heir influence in |
favor of this good institution. Thus, notwith
standing the opposition which was made to the 1
| early efforts of Mr. Raikes: notwithstanding lie 1
I was told that it was folly to begin with children,
and that he should begin by reforming the '
higher classes of society, &c., the work went
forward, bearing down all opposition. To the
cavils and contempt that were cast upon him. in
consequence of his attention to the lower classes
of society, he triumphantly replied, ‘ the poor ;
have the gospel preached to them.’
“ Before Tiis death, which took place in 1811, [
he had accounts ol tlie establishment of similar ,
schools in various parts of the country, compre
hending no less than three hundred thousand
CHILDREN.
“Well might he say,” observes Lancaster,
“to one who loves the sound of his name, and
will cherish his memory; / can never pass by the
spot where the xcordfiTß T came so powerfully into
my mind, without lifting up my hands and heart
to heaven in gratitude to God for having put such
a thought into my heart."—[The Latter Day Lu
minary.
' !
Where all the To vs Come From—The vast ;
majority are made at Grunhainscher, in Saxony, i
The glass comes from Bohomia. The bottles
and cups are so fragile, that the poor workman
has to labor in a confined and vitiated atmos
phere, which cuts him off at 35 years of age.—
All articles that contain any metal are the pro
duce of Nuremberg and the surrounding district.
This old city has always been one of the chief
centres of German metal-work. The workers
in gold and silver of tho place have long been
famous, and their iron-work is unique. This
specialty has now descended to toys. Here all
toy printing-presses, with their types, are manu
factured; magic lanterns; magnetic toys, such
as ducks and fish, that are attracted by the mag
net; mechanical toys, such as running mice,and
conjuring tricks, also como from Nuremberg.—
The old city is pre-eminent in all kinds of toy
diablerie. Here science puts on the conjuror’s
jacket, and we have a manifestation of the Ger
raanesque spirit of which their Albert Durer was
the embodiment. The more solid articles which
attract boyhood, such as boxes of bricks, build*
ings, Ac., of plain wood, come from Gunshain
sclier, in Saxony.— [Once a Week.
eßigma LXIV.
I am composed of thirteen letters:
My 1,4, 8,2, a girl's name.
8,9, 6, a youth.
11, 12, 18, a pronoun.
9,8, 7, a spherical body.
5, 6. a proposition,
7,8, 12, 4, 10, 11, 12, do inhale.
My whole Is the name of one whom I dearly love.
Charlie.
ENIGMA LXV.
I am composed of live letters:
Mr 4,2, 8. 1,5, the most lovely quality of youth.
My whole all children should learn.
Danbnrgh, Ga. Merrie May.
ENIGMA LXYI.
I am composed of eighteen letters:
My 5, 15, 12, 7,8, a substance miraculously furnished
as food for the Israelites In their journey through
the wilderness of Arabia.
IS, 14, 17, 8, 11, to take feloniously.
1, 15, 8,9, the fruit of the great palm tree.
12, 6,2, 4, 10, 9, a small instrument of steel.
5, 18, 16, 17, a teacher of agriculture, (according to
Pope.)
My whole tells what dead men never do.
Titan.
ENIGMA LXVII.
I am coimiosed of twenty-four letters:
My 6,18, 18, 4,2, 7, a literary title.
24, 20. 12, a fish.
<>, 10,1, 5, fish.
4, 6. 8,11, 21,24, 20, one of the Western States.
19, 8. 22, 8, a follower of rum.
14,10, 7, one of what used to be considered one of the
“ four elements.”
14,15, 8, a female's name. *
I, 8,8, 16, 18, 20,12, an instrument fbr-measuring
time.
28,19, 24,1,21, apparel.
17, 22,19, a beautiful tree.
My whole Is something I look for anxiously.
Lillik O. Turner.
ENIGMA LXVIII.
I am composed of eleven letters:
My 8,9, s—an5 —an animal.
8, 4,10 —a dwelling, and place of repose.
11, 9,7, 6 —a narrow way.
9,7, s—an Insect
6,9,1 —what nearly all men dislike.
7,2, 7, 6—a number.
My whole Is the name of a celebrated Mexican Indian
chief. Clio.
ENIGMA LXIX.
I am composed of sixteen letters:
My 11,3, 7—used to catch birds.
1,12,11, 7—a coin of the United States.
5,8, 6,7, 7,15, 13—childish talk.
10,16,9,2—an aquatic animal, valuable for its skin
and fur.
14,4 —one of the musical syllables.
My whole is a curiosity In Egypt.
Athens, Tenn, Jeff. Campbell
PUZZLE.
HY C. B. L., OF SANI'ERSVILLE, GA.
From a thousand take one h mndrtd, so that the re
mainder, instead of nine hundred, shall he equivalent to
nothing.
ANSWERS TO ENIGMAS, ETC., dt LAST WEEK.
Enigma LXI: Spring Bank Institute.
Enigma LXII: E Pluribus Unum.
Enigma LXIII: Enigma.
Errata. —Lena Gibbs, of Colnmbns, Miss., and L. L.
B. have detected the error in Enigma LX.
Farroot says there is an error in Enigma LXI, but he
does *ot indicate it distinctly, as he should have done.
ANSWERS RECEIVED.
Lf.n a Gibbs, of Columbus, Miss.—Enigmas 56, 57,58,
59.60.
Ella V. R., of Mobile, Ala—Enigmas 56,57, 58.
Ciiarlib 11. Barky, of Havana, Ala—Enigmas 56, 57,
58, 59, 60. .
L. L. Blackwell, of Ruckersville, Ga—Enigmas 56,
57.60.
Marion 8.. of Augusta; S. L.T.,of Augusta—Enigmas
61, 62, 68.
T. M. Henley, of Montgomery, Ala—Enigmas 61,
62,63.
Charlie, of Warrenton, Ga —Enigmas6', 62, 63.
C. W. G., of Calhoun, Ga—Enigmas 61,62,68.
Means Davis, of Ridgeway, 8. C.—Enigmas 62, 63.
Farroot, of Charleston.—Enigmas 62,68.
ENIGMAS RECEIVED.
From C. W. G., of Calhoun, Ga
“ J. L. Avast, of Macon, Ga.
“ Knockie 8., of Montgomery.
« Lol-lah G., of Tallaasee, Ala
“ Farroot, of Charleston, S. C.
“ Marios R.; and S. L. T., of Augusta
A TOPER’S SOLILOQUY.
Leaves have their time to fall
And so likewise have I;
The reason, too,’* the same—
It comes of getting dry.
But here's the difference 'twlxt the leaves and me:
I fall “more harder” and more frequently
•
FUH, FACT, AND PHILOSOPHY.
i (Carefully selected for the Southern Field and Fireside.)
Qualification for Baptism.—The London
, Quarterly for July, has tbe following story: “ A
1 native of one of "the South Sea Islands went to
’ a Missionary, desiring baptism. On his confess
ing that he had two wives, he was told that he
could not receive the sacrament until he should
! promise to be contented with only one. He re
tired, without asking any further explanation.
1 The next day he presented himself again, and
i reiterated his desire for baptism, saying he had
thon only one wife. Upon examination, it was
: discovered that he had qualified himself for the
! ceremony by kitting and eating one of his wives.
The population of Georgia, according to the
census of 1859, is 1,024,000, of which 516,716
| are whites, and 443,745 slaves. The represen
tative population is 884,597.
Time wears slippers of list, and his tread is
noiseless. The days come softly dawning, one
after another; they creep in at the windows:
their fresh morning air is grateful to the lips
that part for it: their music is sweet to the ears
that listen to it; until, before we know it, a
whole life of days has possession of the citadel,
and Time has taken us for its own.
Why is a thief in a garret like an honest man?
Because he is above doin£ wrong.
Tue Bible and the Nations.—There aro 2,-
: 500 different languages and dialects spoken by
; mankind. The Bible, up to this time, has been
; translated into 150 only.
Religion should begin in the family. The
holiest sanctuary is home. The family altar is
more venerable than that of the cathedral. The
education of the soul should begin and be car
ried on at the fireside.
Lent ib the old Saxon tongue signifies spring,
and the Lent fast therefore is simply the spring
fast. The observance of seasons for special ex
ercises of self-denial, fasting and prayer, is of
great antiquity in the Christian Church.
If you would enjoy your food,'labor for it; i
you would enjoy your raiment, pay for it before
you wear it; if you would sleep soundly, let
a good conscience be your bed-fellow.
“ Wiiy don’t your father take a newspaper?”
said a man tea little boy, whom he caught pil
fering his paper from bis doorstep. “ Coz he
sends me to take it,” answered the impudent ur
chin.
The franking privilege originated in England
in the year 1760. Under it, members of Parlia
ment used to frank “ entire bucks and packs of
hounds.” In this country, the privilege extends
only to the franking pub. docs., washing, and
cans of oysters.
The passions may not unfitly be termed the
njpb of the man, that commit riots on his rea
son.—Penn.
•‘Why are you like a crazy man, my dear?”
asked a fond wife of her husband. ‘* Give it up.”
Then placing Herself closer to him, and putting
on one of her sweetest smiles, she said, “ Be
cause I am your other self, and you are now be
side yourself.”
If a small quantity of a solution of starch tie
exposed for a short time to the light of the sun,
it will be converted into grape sugar.
Death is a black camel, which kneels at the
gates of all.— Oriental Maxim. *
An auctioneer exclaimed: “ Why, really, la
dies and gentlemen, I am giving these things
away 1" “ Are you ?” said an old lady—“ well,
I will thank you for the silver pitcher you have
in your hand."
The Young Men’s Christian Association of
Richmond is tke largest association of the kind
in the world, for the size of the city, having
nearly nine hundred members.
Wise men make more opportunities than they
find.
Jean Paul says that a lady officer, if she
were to give the word ‘‘halt,” would do it in this
strain—“ You soldiers, all of you, now mind, I
order you, as soon as I have finished speaking, to
stand still, every one of you, on the spot where
you happen to be: do you hear me ? Halt, I say,
all of you.”
There are three hundred and ten churches
in Philadelphia, of which the Baptists have forty,
Presbyterians sixty-seven, Methodists forty-one
—the others being all sorts.
No woman can be a lady who would wound
or mortify another. No matter how beautiful,
how refined, how cultivated she may be, she is
in reality coarse, and the innate vnlgarity of her
nature manifests itself here: Uniformly kind,
courteous, and polite treatment of all persons is
one mark of a true w.oman.
A lady being very sorely afflicted with a dis
order usually denominated hysterics, imagined
she could not breathe, and appealed to her hus
band on the occasiou with, “ Mr. , I can’t
breathe.” “Well, my dear,” returned the afflict
ed husband, “ I would not try; for nobody wants
you to.”
Biblical Curiosities.—Tbe twenty-first verse
of the seventh chapter of Ezra has all the letters
of the alphabet in it. The nineteenth chapter
of the Second Book of Kings, and the thirty
seventh chapter of Isaiah are alike. And in the
book of Esther, which has ten chapters, neither
the word Lord nor God is mentioned.
It was Goethe, who said this beautiful thing:
“ The longer I live, tbe more certain I am tliat
the great difference between men, the great and
insignificant, is energy—invincible determina
tion —an honest purpose once fixed, and then
victory. That quality will do anything that can
be done in the world, and no circumstance, no
opportunity, will make a two-legged creature a
man without it.”
A western editor and his wife were walking
in the bright moonlight one evening. The wife
was of an exceedingly poetical nature, and said
to her mate: ‘Notice that moon—how bright and
calm, and beautiful 1’ ‘Couldn’t think of no
ticing it,’ retorted the editor, ‘for anything less
than the usual rates —a dollar for ten liues.’
The human skin is divisible into three parts
or membranes. The exterior is called the scarf
skin or cuticle: it is an albuminous membrane.
Immediately uuderueath this, is a thin layer of
soft or pulpy matter, called the mucuous net
work which is the seat of color, and the third
and last is the cutis or true skin, which is a gela
tinous texture.
Music, like paintings and statuary, refines
and elevates aud sanctifies. Song is the lan
gauge of gladness, and it is the utterance of de
votion. But, coming lower down, it is physically
beneficial; it rouses the circulation, wakes up
bodily energies, and diffuses life and animation
around. Does a lazy man ever sing ? Does a
milk-and-water character ever strike a stirring
note ? Never.
. PERSONAL.
[Prepared expressly for the SouthernFieldaml Fireside.]
Wm. W. Turner. —We are glad to see that
the interesting story of “Jack Hope-ton and
His Friends; or, The Adventuresof a Georgian,”
originally published in TnE Southern Field
and Fireside, is about to issue from the press
of Messrs. Derby k Jackson, New York.
Cortina, the Mexican outlaw, is still at large,
and, it is reported, increasing his band.
John Ford, a revolutionary soldier, died in
Bibb county, Georgia, on the 28th of February,
in the 105tli year of his age. He was married
five times. Ilis last wife survives him, and his
only child is eighty years old.
The Prince’s Retinue. —lt is stated that a
suite of twenty noblemen and distinguished gen
tlemen will accompany the Prioce of Wales on
his visit to Canada this spring. It is said furth
er, that his Royal Highness, the Duke of Cam
bridge, the Duke of Newcastle, and Major Gen
eral Bruce, will lie among the notabilities on
that occasion.
PiCOLOitixi. —We quote the following from a
Loudon paper:
Picolomini is married. She sang on Saturday
week at the Crystal Palace, and then left for
Dublin, where the knot was tied. The happy
possessor of the fascinating singing bird is an
Italian Prince, a Roman by birth, and a rela
tive of one of the Cardinals. lie does not, as
in many instances, marry for the round sum re
alized by the vocalist, but is a man of some for
tune—for Italy.
Macaulay's father was the son of a Scottish
Presbyterian minister. His mother was a
school-mistress at Bristol. Her maiden name
was Mills ; she was the daughter of a Quaker,
and being trained under the care of tho Misses
More, (Hannah More and her sisters) whs an
accomplished au<i instructed woman for her
class. Thus, says an English writer, by distant
streams, the blood of professors in two of the
most severe and chastened sects in Europe, Co
venanter and Quaker, met in the veins of the
wonderful boy.
Mr. Charles Hsidsick. —The papers have
been reporting another diamond wedding about
to take place, the bridegroom being Charles
Ileidsick, the eminent champagne manufacturer,
who became suytten with the charms of an
American belle in Paris, and followed her across
the Atlantic to claim her hand. Mr. Heidaick,
however, is not likely to marry the “fair one,”
as lie has already a wife and four children at
Rlieims, to whom lie is fondly attached. “What
a pity!” exclaims many a weak “papa” in our
land, emulous of the notoriety of the ridiculous
Lieutenant.
John Dean, the Rx-Coachhak. —Alluding to
the recent doath of Mr. Boker, the wealthy
wine merchant, whose daughter a few years
since married his coachman, John Doan, the
New York correspondent of the Philadelphia
Press says the impression seems now to prevail
that, so far as her own happiness is concerned,
Miss Boker did not, after all, make so poor a
match. Her husband, soon after the marriage,
was appointed to a clerkship in the custom
house, which ho still holds, and the duties of
which lie discharges creditably to himself, and
with fidelity to the government He is a mod
est, unassuming man, has a quiet but comfort
able home in Williamsburg, is perfectly irre
proachable in his habits and associations, minds
his own business, and is a faithful and affection
ate husband. He avoids notoriety of every sort,
and pursues tlie way of an upright, sterling man
and a good citizen.
Lord Brougham. —Tlie Scotsman says: A
very significant compliment to Mr. Gladstone’s
oratory, and a very striking incident in itself,
appears not ts have been marked by our London
cotemporaries. We moan the presence of Lord
Brougham within the walls of tho House of
Commons for tho first time during very nearly
thirty years—that is, since he left it in 1830 to
become Lord Chancellor. It is pretty well
known that Lord Brougham left the House of
Commous, to preside over the House of Lords,
with tho utmost pain and reluctance —that his
own most earnest desire was not to accept any
office which necessitated the abdication of his
position as a member of Yorkshire, and that he
took a position nominally and titularly higher
only at the most urgent entreaty and virtual
command of his party. Since his removal he
has never once been known to enter as auditor
within those walls which had so often echoed
with his eloquence. On Friday night for the
first time he overcame this remarkable reluct
ance, and then too, for the first time it is under
stood, he hearjl the man who now occupies the
position he himself so long held unrivalled and
undisputed—the greatest orator Jn the British
House of Commons.
The Duchess of Sutherland. —The Suther
land tribe, or clan, occupied a part of the Scotch
highlands, and cbvered the larger part of Suther
land county. The chief had the general control
of the clan and its property, not as absolute
owner, but as a sort of trustee for the tribe.
Gradually they introduced the English practice
of giving leases, and thus acquired the absolute
property. After takiug a lease no tenant could dis
pute his landlord s title. About the years 1811-12
the Couniess of Suthoriand, heiress in her own
right to these ancient chiefs, expelled from their
homes, and the homes of tlieir fathers, fifteen
thousand of lier people. Some were driven to
the seashore, large numbers emigrated to this
country, and it was charged that, in some cases,
the houses were even set on fire, in order to
expel the poor families.
At any rate the villages were burnt, aud the
land was then divided into large farms, and has
made a splendid estate, and brought an immense
income to the Countess of Sutherland. She mar
ried in 1785, the Marquis of Stafford, who pro
cured this property with her, and in 1833 was
created Duke of Sutherland. She died in 1839,
and her son, the present Duke, inherited the,
property, and it is his wife who is the great phi
lanthropist, and who is such an enemy to Amer
ican slavery. The expulsion of fifteen thousand
people from the homes of their fathors, excited
so much feeling, even in aristocratic Europe, that
the Countess’ agent, Mr. Loeh, published a work
in justification ofit. You will find a full account
of it in SismondTs Political Economy. He con
demns it in the strongest terms, and so must
every one who nuderstanda the facts.
And yet this philanthropic lady forgets all
these facts in the history of her own property,
and is very forward in condemning what she
thinks oppression in this country, and is ready to
patronize and entertain at her magnificent pal
ace those who write against slavery here.
This is one of many facts regarding English
oppression. Let them rectify the evils in their
own country before they come to America. —
[Cor. Providence Post.
‘ ■ —■■■ —-
Kxcerpts. •
Wile. ~ ,
This good old Saxon word (wif) is, after all,
the dearest and moat sacred word in the whole
vflfabulary ol love. Around it elusters aH that
is most beautiful, chaste, and permanent in the
tender passion. Into whatever forbidden paths
the heart of man may wander, still it must re
turn, at last, to the hallowed name of teffe for
consolation and rest Any other relation be
tween the sexes, however alluring to the imagi
nation, invariably ends in wretchedness, in
shame, and degration.
A Happy Fireside.
Home is the residence, not merely of the body,
but of the heart; it is a place for the affections
to unfold and develope themselves; for children
to love, and learn, and play in; for husband and
wife to toil smilingly together, and make life a
blessing. The object of all ambition should be
to be happy at home; if we are not happy there,
we cannot be happy elsewhere. It is the best
proof of the virtues of a family circle to sec a
happy tireside.
Water.
It has been genera] since. Watt’s discovery of
the composition of water, to define it as consist
ing of one volume of oxygen and two volumes
of hydrogen, or by weight, one part of dydrogen
and eight parts of oxygen, the specific gravity of
the latter being sixteen times that of the former.
The discovery of the composition of water has
been ascribed by some to Watt, and by others
to Cavendish. Lord Brougham states: “ Hav
ing examined the evidence, I am convinced
Watt was the first discoverer in point of time.’’
This boing regarded as one of the greatest dis
coveries of the age, was naturally a point of em
ulation amongst those having the least chance
of gaining the honor, and it has by no mean au
thority been awarded to Watt.
Legal Tender.
The law regulating the payment of debts in
coin, provides that the following coin be legal
tender: 1. All gold coin at their respective
values for debts of any amount. 2. The half
dollar, quarter dollar, dime, half dime, at their
resjiective values, for debts of any amount under
five'dollars. 3. Three cent pieces for debts of
any amount under thirty cents. 4. By the law
passed at the last session of Congress, we may
add, one cent pieces for any amout under ten
cents. By the law of Congress passed some
four or five years ago, gold was made the legal
tender for large amounts. Those who, to get
rid of largo quantities of cents and small coin,
sometimes pay their bills with it, to the annoy
ance of the creditors, will perceive that there is
a stoppage to the antic low.—[AW. fntettigencer.
Our Army.
The authorized strength of the United States
army is 18,1C5 men, all told. On the first of
July, the date of the last complete returns, the
actual number reached 17,848, as we learn from
the report of the Secretary of War. Os this
number there are not more than 11,000 men
available for active service in the field. This
little force has been engaged, with its usual ac
tivity and efficiency, since the date of his last
report, in the discharge of its arduous and mul
tifarous duties, boing required toman about 130
permanent garrisons, posts and camps, scattered
over an area of three millions of square miles.
Uuder these circumstances it has been obvious
ly impossible to give that ample and perfect
protection to our whole frontier which our citi
zens have a right to expect, and which it is the
duty of government to afford.
Geography and Statistic*.
The American Geographical and Statistical ' ,
Society was founded in 1862, and chartered in
1854. The objects contemplated in the estab
lishment of the Society are: •, 1
1. To collect, roadster, digest, and print, In a cheap and
convenient form, anch useful and interesting Geographi
cal and Statistical facts as the Society may from time to
time require.
2. To collect a Library of Geographical works, ancient
and modern, including Voyages anp Travels, Gazetteers,
and works on the Natural History of the Earth, and to
establish a Buroa of Maps and Charts for the beneflt of
commercial and scientific men, and of the pnblio in gen
eral
8. To form a collection of Statistical Works, Including
Official Publications of the various governments of the
old and new worlds; Keports of Societies, Boards of
Trade, educational, charitable, and commercial Institu
tions, and such Kt-gistcrs, Digests, Journals, and Alma
nacs as will illustrate any of the departments of Statisti
cal science.
4. To oorres|>ond with similar associations in different
parts of the world, and with foreign Individuals engaged
in Geographical or Statistical pursuits.
The number of Honorary, Corresponding, and
Ordinary Members ismow over six hundred.—
The Library oontains four thousand volumes,
and is rapidly increasing. The Publications
have been a Bulletin in two volumes; the first
volume of a Geographical and Statistical Jour
nal, and a number of pamphlets. The regular
meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every
month, from October to June. The quarterly
Journal of the Society, forming an, annual vol
ume of about six hundred royal octavo pages,
is sent gratuitously to all members. The initia
tion fee for persons resident in New York is five
dollars, for non-residenjs three dollars; the an
nual subscription is live dollars for residents, for
non-residents three dollars; life-membership,
fifty dollars. The offices of the Society are iD
Clinton Hall, Astor Place, New York.
The Ttwchendorf Bible.
The new MS. Bible discovered by Professor
Tisehendorf in the library of the monastery on
Mount Sinai, is to be printed iu St. Petersburgh
with great maguifiuenee. under his care and at
the cost of the Imperial Government Profes
sor Tisehendorf finds strong reasons for fixing
its date in the first half of the fourth century;
and he says, that as a means of determining the
text of the sacred writings, especially those of
the Apostles, it is far moro important than even
the MS. of the Vatican. The age of the new
MS. has already been the subject of lively con
troversy, a concerted attack having been made
upon Professor Tischendorf’s deductions by a
a number of St. Petersburg Academicians. His
replio were, however, so satisfactory that his
opponents havo become converts to bis belief.
This MS. is the oldest MS. of the Bible which
has been preserved in the Christian world. It
is far older than any other except the Vatican
MS., to which it is superior in age and in com- •
pleteness; for the MS. of the Vatican lacks five
books entirely, and one in part. Its authority
is also confirmed by the quotations of the early
Fathers, which agree with it more nearly than .» .
with any other MS. Professor Tisehendorf has
already filled ten'folio volumes with Jlible docu
ments, and may be presumed to know as much
about the correct version of the Biblo as any
body. His seventh edition of New Testa
jneut is the standard. He will illustrate this
edition profusely with philosophic sac-similes;
and while he is sure that thp original MS. will,
as it becomes known, be esteemed throughout
Christendom as a great national treasure for
Russia, he hopes to make the edtfio princepa of
it a worthy monument of Imperial munificence,
and one which the whole Christian world shall
receive with grateful thanks.
357