Raftsman's Journal from Clearfield, Pennsylvania • Page 1

BY S. B. EOW. VOL. MO.

37. CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1859. i GOB BLESS YOU. How sweetly fall those simple word3 Upon the human heart; When friends long bound by strongest ties Are doomed by fate to part You sadly press "the bands of those Who thus in lore caress you. And sonl responsive beats to soul In breathing out, 'God bloss you 'God bless you ah long months ago I heard the mourning phrase, When one whom I in childhood loved, Went from my dreamy gaze.

Now blinding tears fall thick and fast And mournful thoughts impress me; hile echoes of the heart bring back That farewell prayer, "God bless you?" The mother sending forth her boy, To scenes untried and new, Li-ps not a studied stately speech, Nor murmurs out 'adieu." fhe says between her sobs. -Wheiic'tr misfortunes press you. Cc'me to thy mother boy. come back I'1 Then sadly Sighs, -God bless God bless you!" more of love express, Than volumes ithont number; Itevral we thus our trnst in Him, Whose eyelids never slumber. I in parting no long speech.

In tones that must distress you I only a.k the dear old words. So swevt so sad 'God bless vou cmiuix il. CLEARFIELD COUNTY: OR, REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST. The first settler wittiin the limits of Clearfield county was Daniel Ogden, who, in 1797, emigrated hither from Cherry Valley, in the State of New York, where, during Hie time of the Revolutionary war, when Matthew, the youngest son, was a babe, and whilst the father was away from home, Lis house and barn were-fired and destroyed by the Indians. Mrs.

Ogden bad to flee, with her little family, to the woods, and remain there during the entire night, exposed to the merciless pollings of a and in order to stifle the cries of the babe Matthew, which otherwise might lead the savages tD the place of her concealment, she was compelled to stufT a corner of the blanket into the child's mouth. Ogden was the father of eight children Abncr, Jonathan, David, Daniel, Juab, Jehu, Matthew and Margaret none of whom were born in ClearfkTd. On his first visit to this county, he was accompanied by three of the children. They reached her by ascenrTing tho West Branch of the Susquehanna in a large canoe. The river at that time was fall of rocks, trunks of trees, sand bars and other obstructions, and its ascent was performed with the greatest difficulty.

They were often compelled to unload all their articles, drag their canoo over piles of drilt, and then carry their goods on their backs and reload the canoo. Struggling thus, they reached a small stream, abont half a mile above the mouth of Chinchaclanioose, on the opposite side of the river. Here Ogden made his first improvement and home. He selected this location, believing it possessed advantages for the erection of a mill which he then contemplated, but he found afterwards that the stream was too small for the purpose. The country Was a vast wilderness, never having been trod by the foot ot a white save for the purpose of exploration and survey.

The majestic pines and oaks of centuries' growth stood in their pristine beauty. The axe of tho woodsman had not echoed, nor the dath-dealiiig bullet of the hunter whistled through this wild and rugged region. But one break occurred in tho illimitable foiest. It was convenient to Ogden's future home, was the site of the old Indian town of Chinchacla-moose, and the place upon which the county saat of Clearfield now stands. This opening had been recently used as a corn-field by a small remnant of the Cornplar.ter tribe of Indians, that was still lingering in the neighbor-hood Tho "Red men" were peaceable and friendly disposedand'Tfo difficulties occurred between the settlers and them, during their so-jonrn here, which lasted until the winter of 1802, when the last of them departed.

Panthers, wolves, and bears were numerous. Deer, elk and other beasts of chase roamed through the woods, furnishing abundance of meat, and the streams were full of salmon, shad, pike, and other fisb. Ogden at once commenced clearing out the farm now occupied by his grandson, Matthew S. Ogde'i, adjoining to the south Clearfield Borough, and a cabin, with a shingle roof and double doors. It is probable that be used the Indian field at first for the raising of crops.

Having finished his house, and secured bis property, he went for the rest of his family, all of whom, except David, who had been killed by the Indians in Cherry Valley, acconi panied him on his return. It is a matter of regret that so little is known fA the manner in which Ogden and his family got alosg daring the first year or two after be- was settled in this country. The data we have, and the circumstances which we have been able to pick tip here and there, are too meagre for portraying a life, filled undoubtedly with incidents and adventures of a highly interesting character, such as must always bo fonnd in the lives of the first settlers of a wild and uninhabited region, and which, if detailed with all their surroundings, would thrill apjfl one possessed of humanity. One circumstance might be here related, which shows the difti-. cnlties they had to contend with, and their ingenuity in overcoming them.

There was no mill nearer than the "Big Island," at Lock Haven- To reach Ibis was a work of time return, laborious and difficult The tirr-a, of the hardy pioneer was required to clear the land and till the soil. Ogden had with him a plane, known as a jointer, which, rather than undertake the hazardous trip to the "Big Is land," he managed to make supply the place of a grist-mill, copping his corn fine by shoving the ears "along its face, from which meal the good housewife made corn "dodgers" and bread to appease the hunger of tho family. Assisted by his sons, the timber disappeared before Ogden, and h's means of living were improved. A few settlera soon located in the county, between one of whom, Elizabeth, a daughterof William Bloom, and Matthew, the youngest son of Ogden, an attachment sprung up, which resulted in their marriage in 1802, Arthur Bell, performing the ceremony. This was the first marriage solemnized tho county, and tho parties became the happy parents of seventeen children, most of whom now reside in the county, and from whom have descended a numerous offspring, marked by some of the traits peculiar to their grandfather.

Daniel Ogden was a man possessed of distinctive traits of character. lie was impulsive, yet firm and resolute. Courageous, ho sought rather than avoided danger. Nor did old age seem to impair bis vigor in this respect, for it is related of him that after he had attained his 70th year, he determined to go in search of a bear, which was prowling about, committing depredations on their property, and otherwise annoying tlie inhabitants. His daughter-in-law tried to dissnade hini from his purpose, and whilst placing the g'nn in his hands, remarked that such a feeble, old man might get injured or killed by tho bear; but the old gentleman, straightening himself up as much as possible, spiritedly replied, "why, haven't I the gun and started off on a brisk walk.

In the course fa couple hours he returned, having, to the astonishment of all, killed the bear, which turned out to be an unusually largo one, on old offender, and having the marks of several rifle shots on his body. At another time, when they were out of meat, Matthew went to watch tho Lick, where the old pnmpstock below the Academy stood until recently. The night was very dark nothing at ail could bo seen. Matthew, however, waited pakc.iij a loigtifui- for the approach of a deer, but none came, and he was about giving way to despair and leaving the Lick, when he heard a stick crack ahead of him, in the direction of the river, and he concluded to fire at the noise. As soon as his gun was discharged, he heard something plunge into the water and splurge about at a terrible rate, and on approaching it, found he had mortally wounded a very large elk.

As he was in the act of cutting its threat, ha saw a light approaching, and upon observing it more closely found it was in the hands of his aped father, who had becomo so much interested in the success of his son, that when he heard the report of the gun, he at once hurried down to sec what Matthew had shot nor would he leave until he had assisted iii dressing the elk and carrying it home, where it made many a savory meal for the family. Full of hope, verging on the visionary, Ogden saw wealth and fortune far off in the dim distance whore civilization had not yet made its mark. He was a firm believer in the marvellous and, although averse to association with his kind, was naturajly of a jolly, rollicking disposition, knowing how to take, as well as to crack a juke. It is supposed that some disappointment at an early diy had had its effect in changing the feelings of the man. He had led a secluded life in Chorry Valley.

Once, ou a hunting expedition, meeting another man who was also in pursuit of the chase, an acquaintanceship was ttruck up, and he and his new companion it down upon a log to compare notes. Having discovered from his conversation that his new acquaintance had settled within twelve miles of him, Ogden abruptly left him, hurried home, and informed his family. that they "must get out of that immediately, because the neighbors wore getting too thick, and they would soon be crowded too much for comfort." Without delay, preparations were made, "stakes pulled up," and Ogden emigrated to Pennsylvania. He manifested the same spirit later in life, when population increased in Clearfield but meeting with decided opposition from his son, who refused to change his residence, he continued to occupy the same spot until his death, which in 1819, at the age of 81 years. His remains wore deposited in the family burial ground, in a suall grove of locusts, near the confluence of'tho run and the river, where also re6ts, Ijy Iris side, the partner of his life, the sharer ofhis toils and adventures, an amiable and worthy matron, who having reached thc-agejtttia years, died in the year 1835.

Jn 18y5, Matthew determined to carry into efaect the project which had prompted his fath- Ler in-tho selection of site for a home, and cotpWnced the erection of a grist-mill on the Chinchaclanioose, which stream afforded more advantages than the ran on tho homestead. It was situated about half a mile higher up the stream than the present mill of Judgo Shaw. That it was the first mm erecicu iue county, is not the jonly circumstance rendering it worthy of Hoto. It was a mill built after its own plan. Had one fallen down to worship it, he would not have committed idolatry, "for its likeness was not in the heavens above, nor in the earth beneath, neither in tte waters which are upon the face of the earth." It was sui generis.

In size it was about as large as the pantry of a modern house. There was no iron about it, save a spike, which for years had done service in an old wagon, replacing a bolt lost therefrom in a time, back to which the memory of man runneth not. This spike served as a spindle. The bolting cloth was a norelty. A frame, covered with "cap-stuff," was so arranged that it could be operated a population of 120,000 persons a strap which ran to the water-wheel, but morej frequently by being shaken hither and thither by the mill-boy, who had packed his grain through some blazed path, or along the shore of the stream'.

The flour was caught in a trough, similar to those now seen near watering places, dug ont of a huge stick of timber. Small and rude as this mill was, its erection was an era in the history of this county it served its purpose well, lightened tho burthens of the settlers, and added greatly to Matthew, like his father in many particulars, was also fond of bunting, and of his many adventures of the chase, took delight in narrating tho following. On one occasion, he and Jim Heatley went in search of deer, and finally succeeded in shooting a largo buck on the top of a hill, at no great distance from home. The snow, in consequence of a fall of sleet, had a crust on it sufficiently strong to bear the; weight of a man, which made not only the walking difficult, "but rendered the carrying of the deer down the hill impossible. It did not, however, take tho hunteis long to determine what to do, and it was agreed that Jim should carry the guns, whilst Matthew was to take charge of the deer, which he tnrned on its back, the head down-hill, seated himself astraddle of it, and after pulling up the head by the horns, commenced the descent.

He had not proceeded many yards before he found himself under such rupid headway that he had little time to attend to anything else than keeping his rare craft clear of trees and logs. His strength' and activity were frequently taxed to the utmost to prevent his brains being dashed out against a tree, or his limbs being broken yet down, down, he went with increasing velocity, until at last, half dead with affright, he reached the base of the lull, with a tew brnises and scratches, and tho doer, wherever any part of it came in contact ith the icy surface of the course, literally skinned. Matthew would relate this "jolly ride" with much gusto, but would involuntarily shrug his shoulders as, in the recital, he approached some dangerous obstruction. Of ths- children of Daniel Ogden, several returned to the State of New York, and we have no trace of them. Daniel, junior, removed to the Allegheny liivcr with his family, and his relatives have had no tidings of.

him since. Joab also went westward. He soon returned, with two of his children, and settled in Brady township, where he died. It is said that there was an adverse claimant to the land upon which Joab squatted, who, at a later period, commenced proceedings for the recovery of the land. Joab engaged the late Judge Burn-side as his counsel.

When the cause came up for trial, Joab's counsel informed him that tho title was against him, advised him to compromise with bis adversary, and buy out bis claim. Joab said he w5uld do so, but he had no money, and more than that, he never expected to get any. However, through the intervention of Judge Burnside, on arrangement was effected, the claimant agreeing to take cattle in lieu of money, if delivered at his residence in Chester county. Joab, delighted with tho arrangement, started from home with his drove, and on passing through Eellefuritc, failed not to leave with his worthy counsel a fine beef, which the Judge had agreed to accept as a fee for his services. There is quite a tinge of romance about the history of Joab.

Ho is described as a man full of eccentricities true as steel, and having habits which in many respects were similar to thoso of the aborigines. His life was one of adventure, and ho forms tho hero of some of the marvellous tales with which is whiled away many a winter evening. (TO BE COSTIXfED.) Curiositiks or Hchan Foon. Mankind has been worderfully ingenious from its infancy, in the connection of edible varieties. Apart from baked human thighs in Fejec, and boiled fingers in Sumatra, there arc sundry culinary fashions still extant which must be mar-velously unintelligible to a conventionalized appetite.

Not that it appears strange to eat duck's tongues in China, kangaroos in Australia, or the loose covering of tho great elk's nose in. New Brunswick. Not even that it is startling to see an Esquimaux eating his'daily rations, twenty pounds in weight of flesh and oil, or the Yakut competing iu voracity- with a boa constrictor. But who would relish a stew of red ants in Burmah, a half-hatched egg in China, monkey cutlets and parrot pies at Kio Janeiro, and bats in Malabar, or polecats and prairie wolves in North America Yet there can be little doubt that there are unwarrantable prejudices. Dr.

Shaw enjoyed lion; Mr. Darwin had a passion for puma; Dr. Brooke makes affidavit that melted bears' grease is the most refreshing portion. And how can we disbelieve, after the testimony of Hippocrates, as to the flavor of boiled dog? If squirrels are edible in the East, nd rats in the West Indies if a siom ue goou on me Amazon, and elephants' paws in South Africa, I why should we compassionate such races as have little beef or mutton for we may bo quits sure that if, as Jlontesquicu affirms, are valid reasons for not ca'ing pork, there are reasons quite as unimpeachable lor eating firaffs, alpach3, mermaid's tails, bustard and anaconda. THEIHNEYEHMAEBLES.

It is related by historians tftat in "the days of old" there lived a famous warrior in Assyria named Ninus, who after conquering cities and provinces without number, at last founded his capital on the banks of the river Tigris, and called it Nineveh after himself. Whether this account of the origin of this city is true, or not, one thing is certain, the Bible informs ns that the days or Jonah, the prophet of Israel, Nineveh was a great city, who could not distinguish their right hand from tht ir left young chilnren which would make the entire number of its inhabitants be about 600,000, the infants being about onc-fifth of the whole. Strabo states that it was larger than Babylon, that its cirenmference was 47 miles, and that it was surrounded with walls 100 feet high, and so broad that three chariots could drive upon them abreast. It was distinguished for its riches, the gran-donr of its temples and palaces, and was altogether for a period tho most lamous city in the whole world. It stood several sieges and was taken a number-of times before the christian era still it was a place of much importance down to the seventh century (A.

when it was completely destroyed by the Saracens, and left a huge heap of ruins. In the course of centuries the soil grew over these ruins, and ineveh became outwardly but an extended grassy mound on which the Arab shepherd fed his flock, and pitched bis tent in perfect ignorance of what was beneath his feet. But the finger of God was upon it, for with only the record of the Scriptures for his guide, a young Englishman Layard sought for and discovered Nineveh again, a few years ago, and exhumed from its snbterranean courts some of the most remarkable works of ancient art yet discovered. Several of these are now in New York, and have been presented by James Lenox, to the Historical Society of that city. They consist of thirteen slabs of marble, on which are sculptured winged figures of men, with long hair and beards, clad in robes and sandals and some of hem have armlets, bracelets and swords.

The figures are more symmetrical and better drawn than those in the Egyptian temples. One of them has the head of an eagle instead of that of a man, and carries something that resembles a basket containing mystic offerings. Another has a shallow bowl in one hand and a bow in the other. The figures are surrounded with broad ornamental borders in which the honeysuckle is frequently sculptured, and across the center of each slab runs an inscription in small characters of about twenty-five lines. Most of the stones have been broken into two or morcpieces but have been skillfully put together again- In ther respects they are weil None of onr learned men, we understand can yet decipher the hieroglyphics on these tablets, nor do they know the meaning of the figures sculptured upon them.

That they have a meaning, no one can doubt, and it is to be hoped they will be studied by some plodding student until a key is found to unlock the whole mystery. The works of Rawlinson and Layard will help them out of the difficulty. Fhaskus Abetting ax Elopeuext. The celebrated painter, Benjamin West, before he became known to fame, fell in love with Miss Elizabeth Shewell. West was poor, the She-wellsi were rich.

Stephen Shewell, the proud brother of Elizabeth, desired her to marry another she refused to do. "West was forbidden the house, but Elizabeth continued to meet him, and they were engaged to ho married. The obstinate brother kept his sister under lock and key, till West sailed for Europe to prosecute his studies. Miss She well, however, had promised to meet hitn in any p.ut of Europe, and marry him as soon as Mr. informed her of ability to maintain her.

The patronage which West met in London soon justified him in sending for Miss bhewell to fulfill her promise, lie made arrangements for her to come in the same vessel that conveyed his request to her, and also arranged that his father should accompany her on the voyage. Miss Shewell prepared for her departure but her brother again confined her to her chamber. During this state of things, the late Bishop White, then about 18 years of age, Dr. Franklin, 50 years of age, and Francis Hopkins, 29 years of age, Mien the vessel was ready to sail, procured a rope ladder, went to the Captain and engaged him to sail as soon as they brought a lady on board. They then took old Mr.

West to the ship, and went at midnight to Stephen Shewell's house, attached the ladder to a window in Miss Sho-welFs chamber, and got her out to the vessel, which sailed a few minutes after she entered it. Mr. W. was in waiting for Miss Shewell when she arrivied in England, and they were married Septembc2, 17C5. The Iiev.

Dr. Ilaskill, who was formerly a wandering juggler known as the Fakir of Siva, had been engaged at a salary of $1,000, as a clergyman, at Mount Fleasant, Iowa. His preaching there is said to have consisted of harrangues, stories and anecdotes, and his manner of conducting meetings to have been so disgusting that the most aged and experienced of the church were grieved, and ventured to state their grievances, whereupon he came down upon them in the most vituperative manner in the pulpit. Such has been his course and conduct that tho church is quite broken up. It is rumored that the preacher and conjuror had eloped with a young lady of Lafayette, Indiana, and the western folks seem inclined to brand him as an impostcr.

Mrs. Fartington says, that just before the last war with England, "circumstances were seen around the moon nightly, shooting stars perambulated the earth, the desk of the sun was covered with black spots of ink, and comments swept the horizon with their operic tails. Every body said it profligated war, and sure enough it did come. Its costiveness was felt throughout the land, but the bravery of General Jackson expiated the American citizens, and -foreign dominoes soon became a by-word." Hydrophobia. A writer in the Providence Journal furnishes the following prescription for Hydrophobia: Eat tho green shoots of asparagus rawt; sleep and perspiration will be 'induced, and the disease can thus be cured in any stage of canine madness.

A man in Athens, Greece, was cured by this remedy after the paroxysms had commenced. Little minds are lamed and subdued by misfortune but great minds rise above it. A EUSSIAIT WOLF HUITT. Wo translate the following story from a late number of M. Alex.

Dumas' newspaper. It is an extract from one of his letters from St. Petersburg "Wolf hunting and bear hunting are the favorite pleasures of tho Russians. Wolves are hunted in this way in the winter, when the wolves being hungry are ferocious. Three or four huntsmen, each armed with a double-barrelled gun, get into a troika, which is any sort of a carriage drawn by three horses its name being derived from its team, and not from its form The iddle horse trots always; the left hand and right hand horses must always gallop.

The middle horse trots with his head hanging down, and he is called the Snow-Eater. The two othets have only one rein, and they are fastened to the poles by the middle of the body, and gallop their heads free they are called the Furious. The troika is driven by a sure coachman, if there is such a thing as a sure coachman. A pig is tied to tho rear of the vehicle by a rope, or a chain (for greater security) some twelve yards long. The pig is kept in the vehicle until the huntsmen reach the forest where the hunt is to take place, when he is taken ont and the horses started.

The pig, not being accustomed to this gait, squeals, and his squeals soon degenerate into lamentations. His cries bring out onn wolf who gives the pig chase then two ten, then fifty wolves all posting as hard as they can go after the poor pig, fighting among themselves for the best places, snapping and striking zt the poor pig at every opiortunity, who squeals with despair. These uqneals of ogony arouse alt the wolves in the forest, within a circuit of three miles, and the troika is followed by an immense flock of wolves. It is now a good driver is The horses have an instinctive horror of wolves, and go almost crazy; they run as fast as they can go. The huntsmen fire as fast as they can load; there is no necessity to take any aim.

The pig squeals tho horses neigh the wolves howl the guns rattle; it is a concert to make Mephistopheles jealous. As long as the driver commands his horses, fast as they may be running away, there is no danger. But, if be ceases to be master of them; if they balk, if the troika is npset, there is no hope. The next day.orthe day after, or a week afterwards, nothing will remain of tho party but the wreck of tho troika, the barrels of the guns; and the larger bones of the horses, huntsmen and driver. Last winter Prince Eepnine went on one of these hunts, and it came very near being bis last hunt.

He was ou a visit with two of his friends to one of his estates near the steppe, and they determined to go on a wolf bunt. They prepared a largo sleigh in which three persons could move at ease, three vigorous horses were put into it, and they selected for a driver a man born in the country and thoroughly experienced in the sport. Every huntsman bad a pair of doable-barrel guns and one hundred and fifty ball cartriges. It was night when they reached the steppe; that is, an immense prairie covered with snow. The moon was full, and shown brilliantly; its beams refracted by the snow gave a light scarcely inferior ttf day-light.

The pig was put out of the sleigh, and the horses whipped up. As soon as the pig felt that he was dragged he began to squeal. A wolf or two appeared, but they were timid and kept a long ways Their numbers gradually increased, and as their numbers augmented they becama bolder. There were about twenty wolves when they camo within gun range of the troika. One of the party tiled a wolf fell.

The flock became alarmed and half fled away. Seven or eight hungry wolves remained behind to devour their dead companion. The gaps were soon filled. On every side howls answered howls; on every side sharp noses and brilliant eyes were seen peering. The guns rattled volley after volley; but the flock of wolves increased instead of diminishing, and soon it was not a flock, but a vast herd of wolves in thick serried columns, which gave chase to the sleigh.

The wolves bounded forward so rapidly they seemed to fly over the snow, and so l'ght-ly not a sound was heard; their nunbers continued to increase and increase, and increase they seemed to be a silent tide drawing near er and nearer, and which the guns ol the party, rapidly as they were discharged, had no ellect ou. The wolves formed a vast crescent, whose horns began to encompass the horses. The numbers increased so rapidly they seemed to spring out of the ground. There was something weird in their appearance, for where could three thousand wolves come from in such a desert of snow. The party had taken the pig into the sleigh; his squeals increased the wolves' boldness.

The party continued to fire but they had now used about half their ammunition and but two hundred cartridges left, while they were surrounded by three thousand wolves. The two horns of the crescent became nearer and nearer, and threatened to envelope the party. If one of the horses should have given out the fate of the whole party was sealed. What do yon think of this Ivan 7" said Prince Rep-nine, speaking to tho driver. "I had rather be at home, Prince." "Are you afraid of any evil consequences 'The devil's have tasted blood, and the more you fire the more wolves you'll have." "What do yon think Is the best thing to be done." "Make the horses go faster." "Are ycu sure of the horses 7" Yes, Prince." "Are you sure of our safety." The driver made no reply.

He quickened the horses, and turned their heads towards home. The horsed flew faster than ever. The driver excited them to increased speed by a sharp whistle, and made them describe a curve which intersected one of the horns of the cressent. The wolves opened their ranks and let the horses pass. The Prince raised bis eun to his shoulder.

"For God's sake don't fire!" excteimed tbe driver, we are -dead men if you do He obeyed Ivan. The wolves astonished by this nnexpected act, remained motionless for a minuto. During this miuate the troika was a verst from ihem. When the wolves started again after, it was too late, uiey couia noi o- vertake it. A quarter oi uour ttiPv wro in siebt of home.

I'rJnce Kennme thinks his horses ran at least six miles in these fifteen minutes. He rode over the steppe tbe I next day, and found tho bones of more than two hundred wolves. A Norwegian shoemaker living in Minneso- ta, has obtained $17,000 for a piece of land near Chicago, which be tiought eleven VCAia ajo for the sum of twenty dollars. GOIlTff THE EUTIEE P0KXEK. Old Levi Allcu used to go tin peddling in" bis younger days, at which business he accumulated quite a fortune, beforo ho was seven-and-twenty.

Tbe neighbor of the borough here he finally settled, as tho proprietor of a pretty farm, would often insinuate that Allea had not been any too honest in gathering together his riches, and such was the fact. A fellow sinner has since revealed some of tbe old man's youthful short comings and over goings, and there was one "dodg" of ,0 original that it is worth a mention. It was this: Wherever onr dealer in tin ware chanced to put up for tbe night, he was pretty sure to make his way to the best bed in the honse. From this bed ho would take a bag full feather, fetching in a bag from the cart fcr that purpose, and contrive to smuggle out tha same and get it stowed in bis "kit" befor any one was stirring. This him several pounds of good geese feathers every day, did not a little towards swelling the profits of his business, and we are assured that it was only one of many similar practices in which he indulged.

On oce occasion Allen slept in a bed whic was very scanty a diminutive bed, a bed of few feathers, but all it contained wore "live geese," and unusually good at that. Tha speculative tin ware merchant thought it would le rather small business to take away feathers from a case containing so few in short, that his only sensible mode of procedure was to take the entire bed. He accordingly rose before the sun, and commenced shoving ifTout of the rear window, with the intention to go down on account of "that 'ere colic," and stow it away before any one was "up." But as ill luck would have it, the host bad arisen, and was ont under the window gathering some light chips and fuel for the morning fire, and when he saw the bed "looming up" in such an unnatural position, and just ready to fall to tho ground, he cried out to the pedlar, "Halloa there, stranger! what aro yon doing?" The astonished "operator" saw that he was caught in the act, but his ready it helped him out. Doing he rejoined, with a look full of wrath, as be thrust his bead ont and took a survey of the field, "I guess some of theso infernal bed bugs will soon find out what I am abont Lavn't slept a wink all night!" With this, he "let" the bed out of tho window, and went down to the wood-pile, from whence bo took a club, and gave tbe bed such a beating therewith as would have been fatal to any sort of "creeping things" ensconsccd therein. He then took it back to bis room, and looked so "darned honest" at breakfast that the host didn't charge him but bait price for lodgings, and took it all in "tin." Gettivo out or Close Quarters.

Gov. D. of Florida, was as celebrated for his wagger as for bis executive qualifications. Giving a crowd of gaping listeners an account of the strange things he had seen during his peregrinations through the Far West, he said "Fact, gentlemen, tho trees are so close together in Arkansas that yon may travel for days without finding them more than three feet apart and then the game such vast numbers of buffalo, and bears, and wild cats, but in all the world I never saw such deer "What of the deer. asked a squint-eyed descendant of Ninirod, who, to nse bis own expression, 'd rather hunt nor eat, any time, and so he had." "Oh, the biggest bounding bucks you erer saw! Why, my dear sir, the woods are perfectly alive with them, charging about with great blanching horns, four fttl apart." "Well, but, Governor if the trees are only three feet apart, and the deer's borna four, I want you to tell me how they are to get through 1" "Oh, well, that's their Icok-eut I have nothing to do with that Prof.

N. C. Morse, of Louisville, recently took fifty acres of land in West Tennessee on debt, at $40 per acre. On examination he found that it contained vast quantities of lead, the rocks beneath the soil being lead ore. A thorough test shows pure lead ore to the value of 88 per and associated with sulphate of baryta, equally valuable as tbe lad ore.

Since the discovery, Prof. M. has refused S1.000 per acre for tha land, and he has raised in Cincinnati, where he formerly resided, to build furnaces and commence mining operations immediately. The Rev, T. F.

White and lady of Mendharn, New York, were "surpiised" on the 20th A-pril by a party who poured into their house in their absence, took entire possession, filled the larder and cellar with good things, and, on tbe return of the owners, presented them with purse containing over $G00 in gold tfter which they all sst down to supper We wouldn't mind being "surprised" about a similar amount, almost any Miss Delia Webster, the Yankee" school rua'an who has boen driven oat of Kentucky two or three times, put in prison once and robbed of her property there, because suspected of abolition sentiments, has lately arrived In Madison, Indiana, with thirty families from Massachusetts, and intends to start a shoe factory on her farm in Milton, Whether she will be allowed to sta remains to be seen. When Erskioe was iu tbe fall tide of success as a barrister, some of his fellow lawyers, wishing to annoy him, hired, a boy to ask him as he was going into Court with his preen bag stufldd with briefs, if he had acy old clothes for sale. "No, you young rascal," said Er-skine; "these are all new mils." "An India Rubber Ship 1" exclaimed" ac old sailor, who bad been listening ta ii. cription of such a proposed invention; that i wouia never ao, uccause i would rob ont ah the lines of latitude and longitude, to say nothing of the The Detroit Fret Prtts says that Mrs. Tay-' lor, wife of the station- master on the Great Western 'Railrn(t at KolU ir recently killed by faliiBg into cbaidroa I vuutug on wnicn me rtuiroaa tjre preparing for use, 1 Joseph- M.

Church, of Philadelphia, -cently a msnnber of tbe Pennsylvania Legislature, died very in New York crty, on hc 3d 1.