THE DES ARC CITIZEN.
TEBJIS-H PE It ANNUM,
PAYABLE IN ADVANCE.
TIFTY NUMBERS MAKING A VOLUME.
RATgS 0F APVEBTBIN&.
Rates ok Advertising.—One square (10
lines of this size type) for one insertion, $lj
■each additional insertion, 50 cents._
| 1 in. |Tin. | 3~m.~| ft in. | year.
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2 S mares, 5 00 8 00 10 00! 12 00! 17 00
3 Siuares, 8 00 10 00112 00' 15 00' 25 00
1-4 Column, 10 00112 00 15 001 17 00 30 00
1-2 Column, 112 00 15 00117 00 20 001 40 00
3-4 Column, |15 00i 17 00 20 00: 25 00| 50 00
l Column, I IS 00 20 00 25 00 30 00 fiO Ofl
(fg~Advertisers by the year will be res
tricted to their legitimate business.
its?* Advertisements displayed by large type,
or in double columns, charged double the above
rates.
I —msr Personal communications charged dou
ble the rates of regular advertisements.
fggr Legal advertisements will be charged,
foi one square or less, first insertion $1, and
fcO cents per square for each additional inser
tion.
gn Announcing candidates for State and
District offices, $7; Comity offices, $5; Town
ship, offices $3. invariably in advance.
Calls on persons to become candidates
are charged at the usual rates, except when
peisons making the calls arc subscribers to
our paper. Payment in advance.
IJ^-Political circulars charged as adver
tisements.
Advertisements not ordered for a spe
eded time, will be inserted till forbidden, and
charged for accordingly.
U5?”A11 advertising to be paid for quarterly.
OUR JOB PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
Wk have supplied ourselves with a good
assortment of Printing Material, and are
ready to execute all kinds ol Job Printing, on
teasonaoie ieriua.
We are prepared to print Pamphlets, Cata
logues, Posters, large or small, Cards, Isall
Tickets, Bill Heads, Blanks of every descrip
tion, for Clerks, Sheriffs, Justices of the
Peace, Constables, &c.
R. MCPHERSON,
COUN TY SURVEYOR.
A LL persons wishing my services in
this department of business, will please
address me at Brownsville, Prairie county,
Ark. Every call will be. punctually filled.
novl3-ly _
HARVEYS X CHANGE.
Corner of Buena Visfaand Foster
Streets,
NEAR THE JACKSON HOUSE,
DES ARC, ARKANSAS.
HAVING completed our new building, and
opened a first class establishment toi the
accommodation of the public, and furnished it
with the best of H.iqtiors, Cigars,
Tobacco, etc., the undersigned flatter
themselves that they will continue to receive
the patronage which has been heretofore be
stowed upon them.
Adjoining their Exchange they keep a
genera 1 assortment of F AMILY G ROC ERIES.
Also. Cove Oysters, Sardines, Fine Pickles,
Catsups, Pepper Sauce, etc., etc.
jv21-tf HARVEY MATTHEWS. ^
A. L. HARRIS,
it* .1 t c Bi - .w .a m e: is
AND
JEWEIjETt..
OFFICE on Buena Vista -gfe ,yV
street, opposite
Nucleus House, Des Arc,
Arkansas. Clocks. Watches and Jewelry
repaired with neatness.and dispatch, and war
ranted to give satisfaction. noV%0-ttm
F. LEP TIE N,
CLOCK AND WATCH
■Lu IZj
AND
g _ ^ jeweller,
Buena Vista street, opposite A. Stewart &
Brothers,
DES ARC, ARKANSAS,
RESPECTFULLY informs the citizens of
Des Arc and the adjacent country, that he
is prepared to execute all kinds of CLOCK
and WATCH Work, in a workmanlike man
ner, and to Repair and Clean Jewelry, &e.
jan'dO-tf
JAMES JOHNSON.
Gunsmith.
DES ARC, ARKANSAS,
Having permanently located invself.
[ am prepared to manufacture GUNS.
PISTOLS, &c., to oihler.
All kinds of Fire-Arms Repaired
on reasonable terms.
LOCKS repaired, and KEYS made,
In fact, any kind of work in my line will be
promptly attended to.
K'sif Terms—Cash. apr3 ly
BOOT AND SHOE-MAKING.
T(Tthe citizens OF DES
ARC AND VICINITY:
HAVING removed my Shop to the corner
of Buena Vista and Woodruff streets, 1
atn prepared, with a GOOD STOCK OF
LEATHER, suitable for Fall and Winter
wear, to accommodate the public.
Work Done as Cheap as any place r?
the State. Call and see.
WORK WARRANTED NOT TO RIP.
REPAIRING DONE neatly, at al
times.
As I am permanently located in this place
mv interest is identified with yours.
(J3P Terms, Cash.
oct-tf F. WETHERINGTON.
JORDAN BODEMER,
SHAVING, IIAIK-CITTIXG,
HAIR-DRESSING SALOON
-ALSO
SHAMPOOING AND HAIR-DYING
BUEN A VISTA Street, west of Nucleu
Houss, Des Arc, Arkansas. octIG-ly
■(L INKS! Itl. t\K> !!
Just printed and for sale at the “Citize
TTrrrrr "-Deednof Conwcyancc I Quit Claii
Deeds; Justice’s Summons’, Exec itioiie, De
livery Bonds, i-c. Ac,
| * PROFESSION A L ('ARDS.
/ III A REES 1’. BERTRAND. Attor
i VJ nky at Law, Little Ilock, Ark. [jan2l:
? JORDAN, Attorney at Law,
. Little Ilock, Arkansas. [decll-ly.
WO. & B. D. TURNER, Attor
, neys at Law, and General Collec
tors, Searcy, White county, Arkansas. Prac
tice in the Circuit Courts of Randolph. Law
rence, Independence, Jackson. White, Prairie,
Monroe, Arkansas. Jefferson and Pulaski
counties, and in the Supreme and Federal
I Courts at Little Rock Ark. fi®* Prompt and
! faithful attention given to the collection of all
J claims sent to them. [janS-tf.
TAR. B. F. DINW1DDIE, having per
I j manentlv located at Lake Bluff. Prairie
county, Arkansas, tenders his professional
services to the public, in all the branches of
his profession. jan9, 1858-ly.
DR. T. SANDERS, late of Memphis.
having settled in the town of Des Arc,
tenders his professional services to the citi
zens of said town and vicinity; and, from a
long experience in thehealing art in the West,
flatters himself that he will share their pat
ronage. (gp” Office on Buena Vista street.
Residence on Woodruff street. deco-tf
nluW. F. WALSH, having located at
Des Arc, offers hie Professional Ser
vices to the public. (J3T Calls promptly at
tended to. may29, lS08-ly*
T\R. WM. BETHELL, will continue
1/ the Practice of Medicine in Des Arc, and
vicinity. From his long experience in his
profession, and having resided in Arkansas
during the past fourteen years, he hopes to re
ceive a share of the public patronage.—
Office at Bethell & Watts’s Drug
Store. Residence in the building formerly
occupied as the “ Erwin House.” mav22-tf
DR. J. J. LANE, will Practice Medi
cine in the different branches of the Pro
fession. and respectfully tenders his services to
the citizens of Des Arc and surrounding coun
try, hoping to share at least a portion of their
patronage. OFFICE—On Buena \ istastreet.
niavl 5-tf
-:
S] C HI DS E Y, Resident;
\ Dentist. Clark’s Marble*
Block, Memphis.Tennessee. Will
visit Des Arc, of which notice will be given
through the “ Citizen.” octt'3-tim
TAS. II. HARRINGTON. GgESSik
Mechanical and SuHOicAL^j&ey^
Dentist, Near Oakland Grove, .
l’rairie county, Arkansas. DU. IIARRING
TON is prepared to perform any operation, or
execute any artificial work in the Dental pro
fession. He hopes by his particular attention,
carefulness and experience to merit the pat
ronage and influence of the citizens of Prairie
and adjoining counties, which he respectfully
solicits. roay30-ly
L. FK AT HERS TON..z* p* H* FARE.
THEATHERSTON & FARR. Attor
j' keys at Law, and Heal Estate Agents,
Clarendon. Arkansas. Will practice in the
counties of Monroe, Arkansas, Prairie, 1st.
Francis, Jackson and Phillips. Particular
attention given to collections. References:
Madison, Ark., Hon. W. G. Beaseley. S. W.
Childress; Clarendon, Ark.. H. M. Couch,
Panola. Miss.. Col. Calvin Miller; Coffecville,
Miss.. E. C. Walthall; Memphis, Term.. 1).
M. DttBose. Esq., W. J. Webb ; Holly Springs,
Miss.. W. T. Featherston ; Washington. D.
C., Jacob Thompson. j)'G
r E. GATEWOOD, Attokney at
,) , Law, Des Arc. Prairie county, Arkansas.
Wi*ll practice in the counties of Prairie. Ar
kansas, Monroe, St. Francis. Jackson. White,
Conwav. and Pope. He will give prompt at
tention’ to all business entrusted to him.
OFFICE—Over Town Hall. (Frith’s
New Building.) first door. febl'3-tf
VB. DALRYMPLE, Attorney at
Law, Des Arc, Prairie •county. Arkan
sas.* Will practice in the counties of Prairie,
Monroe, Arkansas. Jackson, White, and Con
way. He will give prompt attention lo all
Land Claims, and will attend personally to the
locating of Swamp Land Scrip ami Warrants,
selling lands, and paying taxes. (J3T Office
on Lyon street. fob 13—tf
WAKEMAN W. EDWARDS, Law
yer, Springfield, Conway county, Ar
kansas. Will practice in the various courts
of Middle Arkansas. (£3§r Prompt attention
<rjven to the collection of all claims entrusted
la him.
! T W MARTIN, Attorney at Law.
» V>es Arc. Prairie comity. Arkansas. W ill
practice in the counties of Prairie, Arkansas,
Monroe, St. Francis, Jackson and White.
(■r£F Prompt attention given to the collection
ofclaims; alsri, the locating, selling and pav
ing taxes on land. (gT Office on Lyon street.
sept2ii-tf
1T7ILLIAM T. JONES Attorney
\\ at Law, Brownsville, Arkansas. Will
practice in the counties of Prairie, Jeflerson,
Arkansas, Monroe, St. }■ rancis, Jackson and
White. Prompt attention given to the collec
tion of all claims in the middle and eastern
part of the State. sept26-tf ^
sam’l w. williams.w. r. n. williams.
Vl/ILLIAMS & WILLIAMS, At
• • torneys at Law, Little Kock, Ar
kansas. Office on Markham street. One of
our firm will be almost always at Biow u>\ .lie,
Where lie can lie consulted on professional
business, and will give his personal attention
to all matters in Law and Equity, entrusted to
them. _
T A. MOON, Attorney at Law,
•) , General Collecting and Land Agent.
For the Northern and Eastern Counties of
Arkansas, Des Arc. Arkansas. octjl)
(> FURNISS MARTIN, Attorney
at Law. Brownsville, Prairie county.
Arkansas. Will practice in the counties oi
Prairie, Pulaski, Conway, Pope, Yell. Perry.
Saline, White, Arkansas, Jefferson. Jackson
and Monroe. Prompt attention given to the
collection of claims. Also, the locating, sell
’ ing and paying taxes on land. jyl7-iy
J. L. HOLLOW ELL..w. X). JACOWAY.
HOLLOWELL & JACOWAY, At
torneys at Law. Dardanelle. Arkansas.
Will practice in the counties of Yell. Pern
Saline. Pulaski, Prairie, Conway and Pope.
I je2(5-tf ____
I JOHN A. EK1TH. '■ **• JACKSON.
Fit IT H & JACK SOX.
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALERS IN
Staple anb i’aucij Piy <J3oat)3<
Boots, Shoes. Hate, Caps &. Bonnets,
d QUEENSWARE, HARDWARE. CUTLER’S
O-Is'iddh’ry, Rmilij'inutlt Clothing, iSv—
T>15S ARC, ARK.
SONG OF THE MOTHERLESS.
BY Hfcl.K.N BRUCE.
Can she be sleeping with the silent Mead,
That cherished one?
Can the damp eartli be now her only bed,
Her life be done ?
I cannot, cannot feel that she is gone
TO COME NO MORE
That she by the still waters stands upon
The spirit shore.
Mother, how coui.d’st thou leave thy chil
dren thus,
Sadly alone ?
This earth, alas! hath no “ sweet home” for
us.
Now thou art gone.
Where shall we find another voice to bless
As thine hath blessed?
And where another heart of love so true
As that at rest?
Though we should seek them through the
whole wide world,
’Twouhl be in vain—
A mother’s love, once lost, cannot be found
On earth again.
-•*. * »
[From the Spirit of the South.
JOHN WEST, THE TEXAN BRAVO.
Many years ago there lived near Sail Anto
nio a family by the name of West. Emigra
ting to Texas from North Carolina, just previ
ous to the Revolution, by which Texas had
gained her freedom, they had gone through
all the trials incident to that stormy period,
and were, by acclimation, conceded to be Hie
bravest among the brave. Shortly after the
conclusion of the war, John West, the young
est of three brothers, returned to North Caro
lina, taking with, him oil his return to Texas
one of the most beautiful women of that
State, renowned far and wide for beauty. For
some three years John West seems to have re
alized tiiat ideal of happiness dwelt upon so
much, yet so seldom realized in this world.
His vine clad cottage, his flocks, his humble,
but honorable avocation, his sweet wife and
infant daughter, were his world, and he sigh
ed for no other. There can be nn paradise.up
on eartli without the slime of the serpent be
ing visible on its flowers, and this one was no
exception to the common lot.
The revolution had indeed gained for Texas
freedom from Mexican tyranny, but had left
her overrun with scoundrels of every dye.who
revelled in crime of all kinds, unchecked eith
er by law, or that thing stronger than law—
public opinion. Strong bands of these “Fice
Companions” roaming from place to place,
levying black mail upon all who were able to
pay it, not unfrequently committing the most
wanton murders.
Among the few men, who were opposed to
these lawless proceedings, John West stood
conspicuous, denouncing them openly with
out fear of the consequences. As must be
expected, this manly conduct brought on him
tile direct threats of vengence from the vicious
for miles around his dwelling. Things could
not long remain thus among such men without
coming to a crisis, and one cold stormy night
a band of men knocked at his door requesting
admittance. His wife objected to ins opening
the door, but the soul of West never knew'
fear, and without knowing any of the charac
ters of his nocturnal visitors, he admitted
them. Some ten or twelve ruffians of the
most repulsive stamp entered the room, and
with loud curses, demanded liquor and food.
West, still r.ot suspectingany thing wrong, sat
before them what the house afforded, and while
turning to go into the other apartment was
felled senseless to the ground by a blow' from
behind, and immediately gagged and bound.
The sickening scenes which followed we
shall not attempt to depict. The sun which
had risen but a morning before, on a scene of
primeval happiness, now lit up with his first
rays, smouldering ruins, blackened walls, two
charred and grimrned skeletons, sad memorials
of yesterday’s happiness, two flowers breath
ed upon by death e’re they were faded or soiled
by the simoons of a hot and pestilent world.
Ten years have flown by since that night of 1
uorrors. len years or sorrow, pain, joy; ten :
years of stupenduous change, in that time have
been enacted some of the most sublime dra
mas of time; the lone star of Texas still shines
brightly in the firmanent; but omuious clouds
seem to threaten its brilliancy* Mexico again
asserts her right to that beautiful province
wrested from her grasp by the heroes of San
Jacinto. The tocsin of War again resounds
over the rich prairies; and eve'y where the
people are eager to “whip Mexico.” Kecrait
ingoffices are every where opened; and into
one of these lot ns step for a moment, reader,
and study the rich variety of originals which
we shall find there. As we enter a fine manly
voice is trolling some fine old ballads, com
memorative of American prowess by sea ami
laud. Here,setting on the bare door is a party
of hunters, looking on at tile strange doings—
to them—of their more civilized companions.
Suddenly al! are hushed still as death, for they
instinctively know that some deed of blood
and violence is about to be perpetrated. ‘Liar,’
shouts a tall commanding man to a cowering
and frightened man at ills feet; “you are one
of the villains who burnt my house, murdered
my wife and child, and would have served me
the' shme way, if I had hot'gdt out of your
clutches; you are the last of ’em, but it shall
never be said that Jack West ever took the
life of his bitterest foe without a ciianceyrour
mustang is a good one, mount him, and if you
can get away you can have your life, tyd if 1
catch you, no mercy, for your infernal gang
showed me and mine none, tio, five minutes
! start, and the Lord have mercy on you if the
j mustang fails you.” The speaker turned, and
walking up to the light, com men cod putting
fresh caps on his revolver, and arranging hps
arms. The man to whom he had been s|*ak
I ing arose, and casting a look of hatred and
: fear at West, rushed precipitately from the
i room. “What do you iuteud to do to him,
Colonel?” asked as pompous, portly .individu
al comingup, and lavtng his hand familially
i on the shoulder* of West., ••bei d him to h—lb
[ Wd the instant reply, and »ae large-man
shrunk back into the crowd, for all knew the
character of West. and. none cared to arouse
him. Without a word to any one, he left the
room, and in a moment the furious beat of his
horse’s hoofs told that the avenger was on the
track of his victim. For miles and miles the
prairie stretched out. like an undulating sea.
terminating its waves of verdure in an im
mense cypress swamp; and towards this s tvainp
the wretch who was then strangely afforded a
chance for Ills iife. was now hastening with
Frantic speed. It was a strange race. The
moon, full orbed, rode high in the heavens,
died.ling a flood of silvery radiance on all ob
jects, making it almost as bright as day; a still
ness profound as the grave reigned around,
broke only bv the tramp, tramp of tile pursued
and pur.-tier. Nearer and nearer does he draw
to the doomed wretch, and with a shriek of
despair does the hopeless man see that it is
impossible for him to reach his place of ref
uge. Even now the breath of his enemy’s
steed comes like fire into his face, and with
one more hound they are side by side. ‘Spare
me! O, for God’s sake, mercy!’ yelled the ter
ror stricken fugitive. The only answer was a
sparp, quick flash,a stunning report, and the
murderer stood in the presence of that God
whom he had outraged by his crimes on earth.
Gone! unannealed, unaiiointed, with his White,
ghastly face upturned to the sky, and tile red
blood dabbling the sweet white flowers, the
last of that, murderous band which had marred
forever the happiness of the cold, stern man
sitting on his horse, looking impassionately
on the fice of the dead m in, thinking drenm
ilv, perhaps, of the dear home, and its dearer
inmates, lost to him in this world forever.
Reader, Uiis is no fancy sketch. John West
is not the name of the man, one incident of
whose varied life'we have endeavored to give
you; but his naine is inscribed high on the
rolls of fame. Should this ever meet the eve
of a Texan Hanger no will, pqrnaps, remem
ber the night before tile walls ol' Monterey,
where he told this story to his companions,
afid a stripping who formed one of the group
of listeners. Vale.
Modern Enterprise—A Glance at the
Cyclopean Projects of the Day.
[From the New York Herald.
The fabulous works of the Cyclopean
race that peopled the earth in the ages
after the Flood, are far out done by the
real works of men ol the present age.
The giants have to yield the palm to the
pigmies. The Pyramids, and those vast
ruins that attest the energy and power of
the nations that have passed away, pale
into significance before the great and
practical works which the mind and indus
try of the modern nations have achieved,
or on which they are engaged.
It is difficult to realize the immensity of
the projects which occupy the attention of
the people of to-day; and still more diffi
cult is it to have an adequate idea of the
great works that have been completed.
If we only look at the single matter of rail
roads, and see the monuments that the
present generations lias raised to its indus
try in the network of these iron lines ol
communication which it lias spread over
the two continents, we will begin to appre
ciate the enterprise, intelligence, wealth
and power of the men of his age. And if
we turn from that which has been done,
and regard only those works that are now
in progress, or that have not yet advanced
beyond the sphere of projects, we will see
that after all that we have done we are on
the threshhold of still greater things to he
done.
To enable our readers to appreciate the
magnitude of modern projects, we have
prepared and publish in our columns to
day a review, necessarily incomplete, of
the vast works on which the labor and cap
ital of the men of to-day are being expend
ed. Although they embrace only works
that are familiar to our readers, and do
not extend to any of those projects that
are being considered or carried out in
those quarters of the world that are out
side of the ordinary range ol our inlluenee
and observation, their estimated cost
amounts in the aggregate to no less than
seven hundred and seventy millions of dol
lars. The following are the works or pro
jects that we have specially referred to:
Pacific Railroad—the American
Jiucs1... $150,000,000
do one British line- 150,000,000
Suez Ship Canal. 40,000.000
Nicaragua Ship Canal. 24,000,000
Niagara Falls Canal. 10,000,000
Lake Erie and Michigan Canal-. IS,000,000
Toronto and Georgian Bay Canal 15,000,000
Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence
Canal. 5,000.000
Ohio Falls Canal .. 5,000,000
Tehuantepec route. 10,000.000
Honduras Railroad. 7,000,000
Central Mexican Railroad. 15,000,000
The Victoria Bridge over the St.
Lawrence at Montreal. 10,000,000
Alps Tunnel.••• 5.000.000
Hoosic Tunnel. 2,000,000
Bergen Tunnel. 715.00(1
Atlantic Telegraph—-ecoud line* 2.500,000
Atlantic ami Pacific Telegraphy- l 500,001
Grand total .$770,715,001
This table suffices of itself to give an
idea of the immense activity of the age
We have enumerated only some score o
1 great enterprises and yet they require foi
their execution the eho'fmous sum of sevei
hundred and seventy millions of dollars
The picture that this presents to the mini
is too sublime for criticism. Wre leavt
onr readers to contemplate it at thei
leisure.
--**■».
_Douglas Jerrold says: A diamond is
diamond, though you put it on the finger of
beggar—only that on the finger of a begga
nobodv would believe it to be a diamond. Doe
; not mendicant genius every day offer the ‘pre
ciotis jewel in its head’ for sale, and vet. be
cause the holder is mendicant, does not th
world believe the jewel to be of no value
Men have died with jewels in ’heir brains.an
not until the men were dead weie the gem
.ill li" 1 '.o be water-‘
JAMES BOWIE -THE ALAMO.
A correspondent, under ilie signature of
“ Jarez." writing from Bayou Terrebonne,
gives nn anecdote of Col. James Bowie,
the inventor of the well-known knife
bearing bis name, lie says:
There is a great (leal to interest one on this,
“ our Terrebonne.” ft was here that the
celebrated Col. Bowie (he, the inventor of
Tins knife.) resided, and carried on liis daring
and desperate exploits—not of rapine, bat of
rencounters, the like of which have never
been equalled in the world’s history.
By-tne-bye—speaking of Bowie—I will
narrate an anecdote of him, which was told
me by old Mons. ,(., one of the oldest inhabi
tants of Southern Louisiana.
A young Virginian, of good family, (of
course,) came down on thrbayou to the South,
and “ opened a plantation.” He brought with
him seventv-four negroes, and eighteen thou
sand dollars in cash. The sharpers. ’ hear
ing ®f this, followed our 1. (. ^ . down tile
bayou, and caught him at Houma, where they
interested h>m with a “ friendly” game of
“ draw.” They fleeced tlio poor boy out of
all bis cash, anil twenty-one negroes.
Our “ Virginia friend” seemed to be per
fectly desperate—tie was almost, frantic 4thIs
losses—and, in a moment of passion, accused
the gamblers of cheating. This they denied
—but the denial had scarcely passed their lips,
before a stento' laii voice cried out ” Tiukvcs 1
vou ur.ll!” In an instant all was confusion
and uproar. The gamblers endeavored to
make good their escape, but the strong arm ol
Bowie was against them—they recognized
the fatal knife in his bind, and he compelled
them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains. This
isa true type of the mucll-maligned Col.
Bowie. ,
The closing scon? of the life of this
strange and daring man, was in keeping
with that of bis early history. lie met
death, on a sick bed, in the little room ol
the-Ahunov weapon in hand, and pluck to
the last. The small, gloomy, thi'dc-wall
ed apartment, one of the strong defences
of the old mission of the Alamo, where
| Travis, Bowie and Crockett died, over
i ... I,.. I. »». wl Kni tw-vt onK/lnprt Kir iKp «nli1iPl’<
j of Santa Anna, was, three years since,
!nn object of much curiosity to visitors it)
I San Antonio, aswellasn glorious me
mento of the past to the survivors of the
independence struggle of Texas. It was
at that time in a line state of preservation,
grim, blackened and preformed with can
non halls. On the walls were numerous
autographs recalling the history of two
weeks gallant defence of the fortress, and
manifesting the interest which visitors felt
in the spot. The fortress had been re
roofed, and all but this little room used as
a store-house for the Federal troops quar
tered hard by. It is to be regretted that
the old mission, with its curiously carved
door and thick fortress wings, was not
left in the same condition as it was after
the siege—a roolless, powder-blackened
monument of the desperate valor ol one
hundred and fifty men, who resisted for a
fortnight, under serious disadvantages,
the Onslaught of four thousand Mexicans.
[New Orleans Tiue Delta.
The Mammoth Pine Grove in Cali
fornia.—The San Francisco correspon
dent of the New York Evening Post,
gives the following account of this won
derful example of the forest growth :
The “ Mammoth Pine Grove,” which
we took on our return route, is at the
South foil} of the Merced. We found
them not only up the valley, but up the
mountain also. We rode along for five
miles, hardly knowing wlmt to look for
following our directions, and expecting to
find something at every turn. We saw
many trees of ten and fifteen feet in di
ameter, and, though at any other time we
should have gazed in wonder at these,
we had got our ideas up, and that was
enough. But as we were wandering
along, suddenly, right in the midst of all
the other trees, appeared a most enormous
something—what, we did not think lor a
minute; for though it was n tree, it was
so entirely different from all our notions
of trees, that it was for a moment unin
telligible. But when we came nearer,
and getting a clearer and fuller view of
its form, then the wonder of its size
could be seen arid felt. My companion
walked his mule around it, and it took
him a minute, less thirteen seconds!
We soon came upon another, an old
dead trunk ; lying along the ground and
partially burned out. Into it three could
! easily ride abreast, two could go' nearly
through; and one could pass out at the
farther end. But if the bark were cleared
off the wood, or if it were more fully
burned out, four or five could ride through
with ease. We saw others even larger,
and standing; one, the largest, was thir
ty-six feet in diameter, anil one hundred
and eight feet in circumference. These
trees, are of the redwood species, a kind
of pine which is common in California,
though only three or four of these mam
moth groves have been discovered as yet
They grow in among the more ordinary
sized pine's, which, all being fine trees,
| serve to show the immensity of the red
j woods. Most of them aie from two hun
dred to three hundred feet in height; there
j are some nearly four hundred. In the
! Calaveras Grove there is a tree four hun
dred and fifty feet high, and one, vvliicl
; was thirty-three feet in diameter, they
have sawed ofl and plained over. Upon
j it is built a pavilion, and it is used as a
| dancing hull, the floor of which is ninety
S nine feet i;i circumference.
Though so high, none, of these trees
taper towards the top—or hut very little ;
a tree thirty feel in diameter, live fee
L above the level of the ground, will be fif
, teen to twenty feet at its top. True, thii
is quite a diff-rence, but in three hundret
s feet it hardly shows. The bark is ver;
- i thick and rough ; the limbs, commenciu|
- ione hundred leet from the ground, gro\
t-1 out yearly straight for several leet, ate
? then turn suddenly up; they are thicl
t and stubbed ; the foliage is very meagre
s being clueflyclurered around the ends c
j the hooked botigbs. Thd lower part e
the trunks and tho roots sprepd out on
I every side, and in consequence of the
fires every summer, there are large cavi
ties in nearly every tree. There is not
much grace or beauty in any of them, but
they are the “ awfulest biggest things”
that ever 1 did see. There has been an
other grove of them discovered lately on
the banks of the Fresno.
—- —
Franklin's Religious Belief.
Much has been said nnd written on the
question, whether Benjamin Franklin was
a believer in the divinity ol Christ. In
deed there are those wlio have asserted
that he entertained opinions in coincidence
with the belief of D’Alembert, Voltaire,
Didoret, and many others who were con
sidered ns the leading literary men and
philosophers of the French Court, while
lie resided a! Paris. That he did not be
lieve in the absolute divinity of Jesus
Christ, it is difficult to doubt, if we judge
by the record which he himself hns left
behind; but by the same test we find him
a devout believer in the existence and
providence of Deity. As to his skepti
cism with reference to the divine charac
ter of Christ, it is a remarkable fad that
some of the greatest minds ol the present
and past age concur with him—while, on
the contrary, no great man of the present
century iias declared in favor ol Atheism.
With regard to the opinions of Franklin
on these subjects, wo clip the following
extract from the last number of the Quar
terly Review of Freemasonry:
In answer to a letter from the Rev.
Dr. Stiles, President ol Yale CoUego,
dated January ‘28;h. 1790, in which,
among other things, he asks to know the
opinion of his venerable friend concern
ing Jesus of Nuzareth, Dr. Franklin
. . i .. .. r, .... . . ll.nl I, 10 nil iirmn
should Lb called in question. Mu ob
serves: “ This is the first time I have
been questioned upon it.” We close this
article with a quotation from the lesidue
of his answer: “1 cannot take your
curiosity amiss, and shall endeavor, in a
few.words, to gratify it. Here is my
creed : 1 believe in one God, the Creator
of the universe. That He governs it by
His.providence. That He ought to he
worshipped. That the most acceptable
service we render to Him is doing good to
His other children. That the soul of man
is immortal, and will he treated with jus
tice in another life respecting its conduct
in this. These 1 take to he the funda
mental points in all sound religion, and
regard them as you do in whatever sect 1
meet them. As to Jesus of Nazareth,
my opinion of whom you particularly de
sire, I think the system of morals, and
his religion, as he left them to us, the
best the world ever saw or is likely to see;
hut 1 apprehend it has received various
corrupting changes; and I have, with
most of the present dissenters in England,
some doubts us to his divinity.”
A ‘Chance” or Oriental Hus
bands.—Some Washington writer, noti
cing tire retinues of oriental nobles who are
likely to visit Washington with the am
bassadors from China and Japan, holds
out u delightful prospect to ambitions Yan
kee girls:
Several European diplomats have carri
ed oil valuable prizes in the shape of Yan
kee girls; but the supply is not yet exhaus
ted. There is a splendid time for the de
serted Ariadnes with the oriental lega
tions. All the persons attached to them
will have fabulous wealth, of course ; and
as for pedigrees, they can go back, nobody
knows how many thousand years. Then
I they have such astonishing silks, such lots
of gems, such ravishing cashmeres, and
I such an extraordinary lot of pretty things
of all kinds, which they will bring with
i them for presents is something magnificent.
The beauty and intelligence of American
ii 1 I 1 _ 1. i
WUlll'i II ill C uuiv t;* cany ooiwiwmmguj, *• 7
should they dot captivate the O.ientals?
Who shall say that a Fifth Avenue queen
shall not reign in the gardens of Ispahan,
or give the law in the imperial palace of
Jeado, or sport her caique with thirty-six
ears in the sparkling waters of the Golden
Horn, or introduce fashonable Christianity
and crinoline at the same time into the
first society of Pekin? It is a splendid
chance for some of our feminine philoso
phers, and we have no doubt that they will
go in for it with that enthusiasm which is
always the forerunner of complete success.
A Beautiful Extract.—Tite follow
ing paragraph is from the Wisconsin Far
mer :
To the majority of men we are satisfied
that the soil is nothing hut dirt ; but to
the chemist who knows its orign, its na
ture and its capabilities, it is a wonderful
mixture of those beautiful elements,
which in their ever varying forms become
the ambient air, the liquid ocean, the pre
cious opal, the arnetyst, the jasper and
the still more precious diamond; or the de
licate blue bell and the violet,the amaranth,
the lily and the rose-bud, the spear of
blue grass and the cedar of Lebanon ; or
again the ruby-lip, the love-lit eye, the no
ble. palpitating heart, and yet more won
derful brain! These are jewels of which
the soil is composed, and out of which the
I husbandman so unheedingly strives to
1 force the food hunger craves. Henceforth,
I as he turns the furrow of the field, let the
sleep of his thoughts be broken by the re
r flection, tbisearih thus slurred up by rny
• ; ploughshare, is doubtless composed in part
I ! of the ashes of ancestral heroes whose
; deed*, are the history of the past, and
whose mortal remains are the plastic mu
f | renal out of which we are building the bod
f I ies of men to day.
Passing Editors at the Custom
House.—The editor of the Portland Argus
ms been on a visit '.o Montreal, and thus
lescribes his escape from the Custom
House ordeal:
On entering Canada. the traveler'* lug
gage is, as everybody knows, subjected to
:xamination. by the lynx-eyed revenue
ifficers of Canada, and I of course pointed
lut mine, ns others did their*, expecting
it to be searched for packages of Havanas
ind other nrticles dutiable by the laws of
ihe country. Wlmt was my surprise,
however, when the officer informed me
dial he would not look at mine, g-avelv
giving as a reason that he understood I
was an editor. I as gravely thanked the
gentlemanly officer for the exemption, and
lor the compliment to the honesty and
honorable character of the editorial profes
sion, which I .understood it to imply.
“ Peg pardon,” said lie, “the exemption
is due, not to vour honesty, but to your
never ly! Editors, sir, nre never presumed
0 have anything; pick-pockets and custom
muse officers always give them a wide
)t?rth, except by mistake.” By this time
1 found I hud encountered a genuine wag,
who, 1 soon learned, was as full of fun and
anecdote, as he was full of information in
regard to the country and people nlong
his route.
Woman's Grave.—I can pass by the
;omb of man with somewhat of calm in
lillerence; but when I survey that of a fe
male, a sigh involuntarily escapes me.
With the holy name of woman I nssoci
ite every lender and delicate affection.
I think of her as the young and bashful
virgin, with eyes sparkling, and cheeks
crimsoned with each impassioned feeling
of the heart ; ns the chaste and virtuous
natron, tired with the follies of the world,
tad preparing for the gruve to which she
must soon descend. Uh: there is some*
lung in contemplating the character ot
woman, that raises the soul far above the
level of society. Site is formed to adorn
and humanize mankind, to soothe hi*
cares and strew his path with flowers. In
the hour of distress, she is the rock on
which he leans for support, and when fate
calls him from existence, her tears bedew
his grave.
Can you look upon her tomb without
emotion} Matt bus usually justice done to
his memory; woman, seldom. The pages
of history lie open to one, but meek un
obtrusive excellencies of the other sleep
with her unnoticed in the grave. In Iter
may have shone the genius of a poet with
the virtues of a saint. She, too, may have
passed along the sterile path of existence
and felt for others as I now feel for Iter.
A ClIAM.ENGE TO THE W OR Lb. — Mr.
Mark It. Cockrill, a celebrated farmer
and woolgrower of Tennessee, believing
that a soft climate will produce a more aoll
and perfect wool than the fur-famed (j«r
man province, Silesia, proposes to select
live sheep from his flock—three ewes and
two Lucks—and show for $3000 a side,
against any five sheep selected from one
flock, ewes and bucks as above. All the
world are requested to compete, making as
many entries as they may think proper.
The premium to be awarded to the party
who has three sheep out of the five that
have the most fine fibre of wool. Entrie*
to be made with the Secretary of the Ten
nessee State Agricultural Bureau, on or be*
fore the 20th day of April next, but the ex
hibition to take place on 'he Nashville
track, on the 2d Monday in May, 1860.
Mr. Cockrill also proposes to compete
with two blood horses, for $2000, against
all the trotting stock in the world.the {ani
mal traveling the graiest distance in two
hours to take the prize. Camel* and drom
edaries are requested to compete in thia
trial.
The Methodists., on Seavety.— A
number of the Conferences of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church South have ex
punged that rule of their discipline relating
to slavery. Iu the North Carolinn Con
ference. we think, the vote was unanimous;
in the South Carolina Conference there
was only one negative ; the action of other
Conferences bus already been reported in
our paper. The Georgia Cotilerence. we
are glad to add, has followed up the good
work by adopting the rescinding resolution
by a unanimous vote.
Thus perish all restrictions whose object
is to put the ban or the brand of immoral
ity upon an institution of the South ! Ten
years ago, the idea of expunging this rule
from the Methodist Discipline would have
been voted as chimerical and impractica
ble as the proposition to repeal legal
anathemas against slavery now is by poli
cy and partv-loving politicians. But the
“world moves,” and those who refuse to
move with it will, after a while, find them
selves so far behind that no attractive for
ces can draw them back to power and in
fluence. VVe speak of politicians only.
[Columbus Enquirer.
--;
A Pketty Incident.—A young Illi
nois girl purchased a small Testament for
four dozen of eggs, at three cents per
dozen. Wheu her brother was about la
start to Mexico as a volunlecr iu the war,
she put it into his vest-pocket. There w
| remained in the same pocket and wrapped
1 in the same paper, until the battle of
! Buena Vista, when the wearer received a
i wound through the Testament, the book
i breaking the force of the bullet, which
lodged i:i his breast and sent; him to the
hospital. There he read the book, em
braced religion,and eventually became a
missionary preacher. Thus wonderfully
did the shilling Testament save s life and
a soul.