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, ^unties, Igrirnlforr, lorinl progress, ftianufartoring, Cummcrriat SuMligmt?, luiuswnt, fct.
PItrlISHED EVERT WEDNESDAY, AT DES ARC. PRAIRIE COUNTY. ARKANSAS BY J. C. MO|RILL. TERMS—$2 PER YEA R. IN ADVANCE.
VOLUME V._ DES ARC, ARKANSAS, JTJ3STE 15, 1859. Xl -VT l !i :i: 82.
THE DES ARC CITIZEN.
TERMS—** PER ASNCM)
PAYABLE IN ADVANCE.
PI TTY NUMBERS MAKING A VOLUME.
n ATESOFA nVERTISFYC._
Rwes or Advertising.—One square (10
lines of this size type) for one insertion, $1;
each additional insertion, 50 cents. _
1 in. | 2 m. jTmTj 6 m. | year.
rSquarel $2 50]$5 0(}|$8 00! $10 00 $15 00
Io Squares, 5 00' 8 00 10 001 12 00 17 00
A Squares 8 OO'lO 00|12 00' 15 00 25 00
*1-1 Column, 10 00112 00 15 00| 17 00 30 00
|-2 Column, 12 00|15 00117 00 20 00 40 00
1-4 Column, 15 00 17 00120 00, 25 00, oO 00
1 Column, 18 00 20 00 25 00 30 00, 60 00
'(BP* Advertiser* by the year will be res
ricted to their legitimate business.
Advertisements displayed by large type,
or in double columns, charged double the above
Personal communications charged dou
ble the rates of regular advertisements.
Legal advertisements will be charged,
fm one square or less, first insertion $1, and
40 cents per square for each additional inser
tion.
(ggr Announcing candidates for State and
District offices, $7; County offices, $5; Town
ship, offices $3, invariably in advance.
Calls on persons to become candidates
,re charged at the usual rates, except when
>eisons making the calls are subscribers to
)„r paper. Payment in advance. _
nj^*Political circulars charged as adver
iseinents.
iTZp" Advertisements not ordered for -a spe
klied time, will be inserted till forbidden, and
harged for accordingly.
«y»All advertising to be paid for quarterly.
TTR JOB PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
We have supplied ourselves with a good
"soilmm.t of Printing Material, and are
paily to execute all kinds of Job Printing, on
pasonable terms.
We are prepared to print Pamphlets, Cata
icues, Posters, large or small, Cards, Ball
idiets, Bill Heads, Blanks of every descrip
on, for Clerks, Sheriffs, Justices of the
eace, Constables, &c.
s. HENKEL...A. D. HENKEL,
Memphis. New Orleans.
I. N. Henkel & Co.,
? o T T O .V FACTORS
AND
COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
NO. 74, FRONT ROW,
mayl-ly Memphis, Tek.v.
, n. H F.N'KEL • • I. N. HF.NKEL.-\\*tw. ('.. KKI.T.EV
Sew Orleans. Memphis. Goodman, Mi.
A. D. Henkel & Co.,
©©TTOM
AND
Com mission Jfterrhan fs,
NO. 60, CARONDELET STREET,
may4-ly ]Sew Orleans.
jTs. autderso^,
SADDLE, BRIDLE
suawaai »&»»»»
DES AliO, ARKANSAS
RESPECTFULLY informs
the citizens of Prairie and
(jacent counties, that he has on hand,
4 is prepared to manufacture to order,
idles, Bridles, Martingales, Buggy,
H Carriage and Hack Harness,
■b well as every other description of work
Biially done in such establishments.
m $gr shop on Lyon street, back of b nth &
^(ickson’s store. jan‘21-ly.
i " E. R MCPHERSON,
INTY SULIVKYOK.
rsoas wishing my services in
parfcinenfc of business, will please
at Brownsville, Prairie county,
•y call will be punctually filled.
~RBST AU RANT !
THE
MOPOLITAN !
'Buena Vista and Lyon streets,
S ARC, ARKANSAS,
5en for the reception of visitors.—
it of Liquors, Wines, Ale, Cigars,
J kept constantly on hand.
rs, Game, &c., will be furnished at
i Restaurant will be attended to by
C. Tarkinton and J. E. Hoke.
C. T. OLDHAM.
HEY’S X CHANGeT
»f El tie 11a Vista and Foster
THE JACKSON HOUSE,
IS ARC, ARKANSAS.
G completed our new building, and
d a first class establishment for the
tion of the public, and furnished it
best of Liquors, Cigars,
», etc., the undersigned flatter
that they will continue to receive
ige which has been heretofore be
n them.
oining their Exchange thev keep a
irtmentof FAMILY GROCERIES.
; Oysters, Sardines, Fine Pickles,
epper Sauce, etc., etc.
HARVEY & MATTHEWS.
l. S. H ARRIS,
rnj- .u .s u e tt
TEWEIiER
1 on Buena Vista
opposite thc^^^gKjijK^W.
onse, Des Arc,
Clocks, Watches and Jewelry
ith neatness and dispatch, and war
live satisfaction. , nov20-6m
MES JOHNSON,
1* unsmithy
:S ARC> ARKANSAS.
Having permanently located myself,
l am prepared to manufacture GUNS,
"IbrOLS, &c., to order.
All kinds of Fire-Arms Refaired,
•liable terms.
LOCKS repaired, and KEYS made,
qny kind of work in my line will be
attended to.
Termi-^CASB. nrr3 ly
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
TyRTR L. RAGLAND, having lo
cated on Wattensaw, at the residence
heretofore occupied by W. B. Means, deceas
ed, offers his professional services to the
public.
QW Calls promptly attended to. [apr 1-ly.
ThR. T. J. CUMMINGS, having per
manently located at Atlanta, Prairie
county, Ark.,” offers his professional services
to the public.
ggHaving practiced in hospitals as well
as in families, he flatters himself that he can
render satisfaction to his patrons.
Office at Peebles’ Hotel, fapr 1-tf.
TJR- J. C. GOODWIN, determined to
remain permanently in Des Arc, will
continue to treat diseases, both Acute and
Chronic in accordance with the most approv
ed principles of Scientific and Demonstrative
Medicine.
W" Thankful for the liberal patronage he
has heretofore enjoyed, respectfully solicits
its continuance.
Office at D. P. Black & Co’s., Drug
Store. aprill-ly
ThR. J. L. NEEL, having permanent
•*-^ly located in Des Arc, Arkansas, offers
his professional services to the citizens of
the town and vicinity. Office over Washer,
Vaughan & Co’s Store. [mar 11-Cm.
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 thchealing art in the West,
flatters himself that he will share their pat
ronagei (Jggf" Office on Buena Vista street,
ftocirlfvnr*'* nn WnnrlrnfF sf.rPfyf:. dpc.5-tf
DR. W. F. WALSH, having located at
Des Arc, offers liis Professional Ser
vices to the public. Calls promptly at
tended to. may29,1858-lyk
DR. WM. BETHELL, will continue
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 Lane & Watts’s Drug
store. Residence in the building formerly
occupied as the “ Envin House.” may22-tf
T\R. 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
ty, hoping to share at least a portion of their
patronage. OFFICE—On Buena Vista street.
mayl5-tf
Robert h. crockett, attorney at
Law, Mount Adams, Arkansas county,
Arkansas. Will practice in the Counties of
Arkansas. Monroe, Desha and Prairie.
apri!22-tf.
WAKE MAN W. EDWARDS, Law
yer. Springfield, Conway county, Ar
kansas. Will practice in the various courts
if Middle Arkansas. Prompt attention
;iven to the collection of all claims entrusted
:o him. n30*
CHARLES P. BERTRAND, Attor
ney at Law, Little Rock, Ark. £jan21
P JORDAN, Attorney at Law,
. Little Rock, Arkansas. £decll-ly.
G. & B D. TURNER, Attor
, keys at Law, and General Coi.lec
roRs, Searcy. White county, Arkansas. Prac
:ice in the Circuit Courts of Randolph, Law
ence, Independence, Jackson, White, Prairie,
Monroe, Arkansas, Jefferson and Pulaski
counties, and in the Supreme and Federal
Courts at Little Rock Ark. Prompt and
’aithful attention given to the collection of all
ilaims sent to them. £jan8-tf.
r.. ..z. p. H. FARR.
T71EATHERSTON & FARR, Attor
I’ neys at Law, and Real Estate Agents,
Clarendon, Arkansas. Will practice in the»
JOUUUCS Ul itiuinuc, auvuiioao, * ““"“i
Francis, Jackson and Phillips. Particular
ittention given tor collections. References:
Madison, Ark., Hon. W. G. Beaseley, S. W.
Childress; Clarendon, Ark., H. M. Couch;
Panola. Miss., Col. Calvin Miller; Coffeeville,
Miss., E. C. Walthall; Memphis. Tenn., D.
M. DuBose. Esq., W. J. Webb ; Holly Springs,
Miss., W. T. Featherston; Washington. D.
C., Jacob Thompson. jyl7
TE, GATEWOOD, Attorney at
. Law, Des Arc, Prairie county, Arkansas.
WH1 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.
jy OFFICE—Over Town Hale. (Frith’s
New Building.) first door. febl3-tf
JW. MARTIN, Attorney at Law,
Des Arc, Prairie county. Arkansas. Will
practice in the counties of Prairie, Arkansas,
Monroe, St. Francis, Jackson and White.
nrS- Prompt attention given to the collection
of claims; also, the locating, selling and pay
ing taxes on land. Office on Lyon street.
scpt26-tf __
WILLIAM T JONES Attorney
at Law, Brownsville, Arkansas. Will
practice in the counties of Prairie, Jefferson,
Arkansas, Monroe, St. Francis, 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. L. D. WILLIAMS.
WILLIAMS & WILLIAMS, At
** torneys at Law, Little Rock, Ar
kansas. Office on Markham street. One of
our firm will be almost always at Brownsville,
where he can be consulted on professional
business, and will give his personal attention
to all matters In Law and Equity, entrusted to
them. dec4
JA. MOON, Attorney at Law,
General Collecting and Land Agent,
For the Northern and Eastern Counties of
Arkansas, Des Arc, Arkansas. _octlO
J. L. II0LL0WELL... D. JACOWAY.
HQLLOWELL & JACOWAY, At
torneys at Law, Dardanelle, Arkansas.
Will practice in the counties of Yell, Perry,
Saline. Pulaski, Prairie, Conway and Pope.
je26-tf __
JTs. Day.Late of Lagrange.
W. P. Proudfit, late of Harris,Wormley & Co
DAY & PROUDFIT,
Cotton Factors
AND
anocEns,
NO. 33, FRONT ROW,
may4-!*ai Memphis, Tenn.
E PLTTRIBTTS UNUM:
AN AMERICAN NATIONAL SONG.
BY CAPT. G. W. COTTER.
Though many and bright are the stars that
appear,
In that flag by our country unfurl’d ;
And the stripes that are swelling in majesty
there,
Like a rainbow adorning the world :
Their lights arc unsullied as those in the sky,
By a deed that our fathers have done ;
And they’re leagued in as true and as holy a tie,
In their motto of “Many in One.”
From the hour when those patriots fearlessly
flung
That banner of star-light abroad,
Ever true to themselves, to that motto.they
clung,
As they clung to the promise of God:
By the bayonet traced at the midnight of war,
On the fields where our glory was won—
Oh ! perish the heart or the hand that would
mar
Our motto of “ Many in One.”
Mid the smoke of the contest—the cannon’s
deep roar—
How oft it had gather’d renown !
While those stars were reflected in rivers of
gore,
When the cross and the lion went down ;
And though few were their lights in the gloom
of that hour,
Yet the hearts that were striking below
Had God for their bulwark, and truth for their
power,
And they stopped not to number the foe.
From where our green mountain tops blend
with the sky,
And the giant Saint Lawrence is roll’d,
To the waves where the balmy Ilesperides lie,
Like the dream of some prophet-oiLuld;
They conquer’d, and, dying, bequeath’d to cur
care—
Not tins boundless dominion alone— [air,
But that banner, whose loveliness hallows the
And their motto of “Many in One.”
We are many in one, while there glitters astar
In the blue of the heavens above;
And tyrants shall quail mid their dungeons afar,
When they gaze on that motto of love :
It shall gleam o’er the sea, mid the bolts of the
storm,
Over tempest, and battle, and wreck ;
And (lame where our guns with their thunder
grow warm,
’Neath the bipod on the slippery deck.
The oppress’d of the earth to that standard
shall fly.
Wherever its folds shall be spread ;
And the exile -shall feel ’tis his own native sky
Where its stars shall float over his head;
And those stars shall increase, till the fullness
of time
Its millions of cycles has run—
Till the world shail have welcom’d its mission
sublime,
And the nations of earth shall he one.
Though the old Alleghany may tow’r to heaven,
And the Father of Waters divide,
The links of our destiny cannot be riven,
While the truth of these words shall abide:
Then, oh! let them glow on each helmet and
brand.
Though our blood, like our rivers, shall run;
Divide as we may in our own native land,
To the rest of the-world we are one.
Then, up with our flag—let it stream on the
air,
Though our fathers are cold in their graves ;
They had hands that could strike, they liSd
souls that could dare,
And their sons were not born to be slaves:
Up, up with that banner ! where’er it may call,
Our millions shall rally around—
A nation of freemen that moment shall fall,
When its stars shall be trail’d on the ground.
-♦♦♦
Life and Love.—What lessons are
embodied in. thy teachings—stern lessons,
is we in our days of hope and happiness,
could never think of encountering, as we
sat sail under sunny skies, and our bark
glided pleasantly over smooth waters; we
did not dream of the clouds, the storm,
ind the tempest, that came all too soon
and awoke us from our fond security.
Tune, the great monitor of all hearts,
leaches us ihe undeniable and stern truth,
n niTu iq ivnilon nn nil lliincYS! Iillt
the saddest is death. Oh how terrible is
ihe wreck of hearts and homes, when the
messenger, resistless and unerring in his
inarch, takes from our midst the brave and
strong; prayers and tears are of no avail;
life’s lessons we must all learn, life’s bur
dens we must bear.
V\ ho has not seen some of their loved
ones wrapped in the cold cerements of the
grave, and borne to the innumerable city
of the dead ? When we remembered that
in all wanderings through life’s paths we
should meet them no more, see their kind
ly beaming smile, hear their loved tones
no more, have we not, in anguish of soul,
uttered the wail of a bleeding heart, let
me die, for on all this broad earth I have
nought to live for; but we cannot die when
we most wish to; we must weep at many
a grave before we reach our own.
Who has not wept over broken hopes
and severed ties ? Who has not seen, one
by one, life’s cherished dreams depart, its
golden chalice turned to bitterness; or
snatched rudely from our grasp the hope
and trust of years?
Oh, who cannot say, when all our
hoarded hopes are crushed, our household
gods scattered and broken, I would not
live always ?
The Bolivar Estates.—The estates
of Simon Bolivar, iu Venezuela, are to be
sold in London, on the 18th of June, 1859.
They comprise a tract of land fifty miles
long, by thirty in width. Eleven hundred
and fifty square miles, having forests of
mahogany, cedar, guayacum, lignum vitoe,
and fustic. These belong to the estate of
the great Liberator of South America, who,
after many trials, battles and hardships,
gave the Spanish army a signal defeat near
Carracas, and entered that city in triumph
in 1823. This final action led to the in
dependence of the country of this South
American Washington, as he has been
styled. Gen. Paez served under Bolivar,
and enjoyed his entire confidence. He
has lately been recalled from exile, and
is now President of the Republic of
Venezuela.
-♦♦♦
_Enjoy the blessings of this day, if God
sends them; and the evils bear patiently and
sweetly. For this day only is ours; we are
dead to yesterday, and we are not born to
morrow.
For the Des Arc Citizen.]
SOME OF THE ABSURDITIES OF,
MODERN FICTIONS.
Mr. Editor:—The false and erro-j
neous views of lile inculcated by most J
works of fiction, is a theme that has so
often employed the pen of the moralist,
that it may almost seem an act of super
erogation to waste time and paper upon it;
and yet I feel a strong inclination to
trouble you and your readers with my
views upon riie subject. It is not my
intention, however, to pursue this subject
in all its length and breadth. I desire to
view it in only one of its aspects: that is,
the undue importance attached to personal
beauty.
If physical perfection were necessary
to our well-being here, or if the represen
tation of it would enable us to obtain it,
there would be some reason for the con
tinual harping upon “ the might, the
majesty of lovelinessbut since this is
not the case, that writer who falls into this
error, forfeits all claim to be considered a
faithful delineator of life as it is, and doe#
infinite mischief to the class for whom he
writes. It gives false notions to the
stronger sex, as to what is essential, and
what they have a right to expect, in a
• r t • c i .1. _ ex'. ^. • l
CUIUpdiJ IUU 1U. llic> uuu me euevi aj
less disastrous upon the youthful portion
of the fair sex. For while it unreasonably
elevates those who consider themselves as
favored in respect to externals, it in the
same degree depresses their less fortunate
sisters. To be personally agreeable is
one of the strongest desires of our nature ;
and when this feeling is fostered and en
couraged by our entire course of reading,
it can scarcely be expected that plain,
commen-sense reasoning upon the subject,
will produce any permanent effect. Dis
guise it as we may, “homeliness,” or,
in plain terms, “ ugliness,” i3 a bitter
draught; and though the utilitarian and
philosopher may affirm that the varied
charms of nature fall as delightfully upon
that eye thatlooks seven ways for Sun
day,” as upon one that is “ in itself a soul,”
or that the fragrance of the rose is inhaled
as sweetly by the sense of smell enshrined
in a pug or bottle, as by one chiseled by
the very hand of Praxiteles, still this is
poor consolation to her who never seeks
her mirror without fearing she may snap
it, or who moves about with an ever pres
ent consciousness that at any moment her
looks may “ fall upon her stomach,” as
one of the first witlings of the age would
have it, “ and destroy her.”
Why our Creator, who has decked the
world with beauty, should have dealt it so
sparingly and partially to the human
family, is one of the questtons which it is
impossible for us to understand ; but since
it is so, it is our unquestionable duty to
acquiesce in the wisdom of the arrange
ment, and not by a constant dwelling upon
its importance and advantages, impart to
•. _ ...1_ 'PL., l_....
HO j/UOOCOClUU u IUIOV >uuu.< i inn ucuuij
is a great and glorious gift, I do not deny;
but it is the rarest and most perishable of
all human possessions ; for, let poets and
sentimentalists rave as they will, no truth
is more evident than that the world is
made up of ugly men and homely women.
We will confine ourselves to the latter ;
and let us take a practical, or, we might
say, a statistical view of the matter. In
these United States, there arc twelve mil
lions of females, or thereabouts. Among
them are a few beautiful women, perhaps
an equal number of interesting ones—for
the terms, artistically considered, are not
synonymous—a great many pretty ones,
and the remaining two-thirds we will class
as sensible, homely, excellent women,
most exemplary in the discharge of their
duties, and who doubtless make their hus
bands as happy as they deserve to be.
Now, what would be the most sensible
course for an author who wished to benefit
his fellow-being, and give just views of
life? Would it be to enlarge upon tha
which is wholly unattainable, or to dwell
upon noble and elevated traits of charac
ter, which all could at least endeavor to
imitate? We may ascertain the truth of
this, by looking into the details of a
modern love-story.
Perhaps there are two female charac
ters. One is “ a dark-eyed one,” with
the air and mein of Juno, and formed to
command rather than obey. The other,
and this is by far the most favorite crea
tion. is a sweet, arch, merry, mischievous
little mad-cap, and so playful, so sportive, J
that she is fairly a living witch. Avoid
ing the opposite extremes of scragginess
and obesity, she is of medium height, and
exquisitely proportioned, which the closely
fitting dress most obligingly reveals. Her
hair is of “paly gold,” and of that pecu
liar tint from which the light is so bewitch
ingly reflected. It is usually “ escaping
1 from its confinement ” in luxuriant ring
lets, and, what is most remarkable, is not
affected by the changes of the atmosphere ;
but under all circumstances, favorable or
unfavorable, it is never to be seen except
in full buckle. Unlike ordinary flesh and
blood, she is not forced, at evening’s close,
to do up (so to speak) those glossy tresses
in unbecoming papillottes, and then repos
ing as best she may, with bullets as it
were pressing into her temples; but each
little spirul curl is ready, at a moment's
notice, to do duty, and fall in beautiful
confusion upon her snowy shoulders. And
then her eyes are of such heavenly liquid
blue—that brow so dazzlingly pure, and
those fair lips so tinted with the hue of the
rose-bud, that one touch of them would be
worth a kingdom; and that arm is so ex
quisitely moulded, and that hand, that tiny
hand, formed only to be worshiped, and,
if worse comes to worst, to be kissed!
And that crowning beauty, the “ fairy
little foot,” which peeps forth so daintily
from the surrounding mass of “ crinoline.”
En passant, it is a singular physiological
fact, and one which I leave to wiser heads
than mine to explain, that no heroine has
ever achieved her conquests in slippers of
a larger size than “ njumber Uv©”—(think
^ » '» . . .. I ....
UI null, JJUUI lliuiiuia, wIIU ouuv iu
capacious “fives” and “sixes!”) It is
strange, and stranger still, that, mounted
upon such mere points, she should be able
to trip about with such consummate grace
and elegance! And then her voice is so
“ low and musical,” and exercises such a
bewildering power upon the heart; and
her light "ringing” laugh is enough to
wile the very birds from the trees!, But
the best part yet remains untold: her
loving heart is so trustful and confiding,
that she cannot control its impulses, and is
ready, the moment the " beloved one” be
gins to break ground, as it were, to hide
her burning blushes—not iu her bauds,
but—“ tell it not in Gath !” “ publish it not
in the streets of Askelon!”—upon his
manly breast or shoulders, which he, dear
creature, always indulges her in, knowing
the force of the temptation; and that, al
though custom or nature has enjoined that
he should be the first in the outward de
monstration, yet, in the hour of deep feel
ing, strict etiquette must not be insisted on.
Who will not recognize the above, as
extravagant as it Seems—as much as it
deifies mere personal beauty, and as much
license as it permits in the intercourse of
the sexes—as in strict keeping with the
works of modern fiction ? And I would
isk if such descriptions are true to nature ;
if such " prurient taste,” such delicious
abandonment, is common in real life?
“ Now, there is no doubt,” says a most
charming lady, who is herself one of the
purest and most graceful writers of the age,
11 that the other sex are always measurably
interesting; still, methinks, never less so
lhan iu the solemn act of making a tender
af iheir precious persons ; and I acknovvl
I'dcrp I fppl indiirnnnt when writers, and
particularly female writers, thus libel llietr
awn sex, by representing them as recreant
lo all true dignity, self-respect, and deli
cacy, because, forsooth, one of the 1 lords
af creation,’ in the plenitude of his good
ness, offers that, if she will eschew her
natural friends, and bind herself to his ser
vice during her natural life, he will sup
ply her with board and clothing, pay the
doctor's bill and traveling expenses—
which is often, divesting it of the halo
thrown around it by sentiment and young
romance, the plain English of a proposal
of marriage.” These descriptions are not
true to nature: they represent a state of
society which does not exist. Ily the un
due prominence which they give lo mere
personal beauty, and the extravagant de
scriptions of their heroines, they create a
false standard of female excellence, and
cause ladies to aspire after beauty, instead
of those qualities of the mind and heart
which will amply atone for any want of
symmetry or form, or regularity of fea
tures, and which, after all. are the safest
passport to the commendation of those
whose good opinion is worth having. It
familiarizes the unsuspecting mind with a
“ prurient taste”—accustoms it to an undue
degree of familiarity between the sexes,
the only tendency of which is to break
down the strongest safeguards of virtue,
and to drive from the mind that purity of
thought which should ever charafiterize it.
The art, even of woman, has discovered
no process which will give beauty to the
face, or symmetry to the form. Alchemy
has discovered no hidden elixir, no subtile
fluid, which will banish care, and bring the
rose-tint of beauty to the countenance. In
a word, mere personal beauty is unat
tainable by human means.; but, while this
is true, the charm which arises from amia
ability and sweetness of temper, ease and
elegance of manners, and the nice em
bellishments of literature and good taste
infused into conversation, is Within the
reach of all, and has the additional advan
tage of being independent of the ordinary
accidents of life. Were I inditing a ser
mon instead of an essay, I should dwell
mainly upon the first-named quality; but
as it is, I shall confine myself to the last
named.
To possess the art of conversation in
perfection, implies a high degree of men
tal cultivation, of which, by the way, all
are capable. “ Knowledge is power,”
and that the wit, using the word in its most
comprehensive sense, exercises a greater
influence in society than the beauty,'
is too evident to require proof. It follows,
then, that to converse with sense and spirit,
to be able to clothe our ideas in easy, ele
gunt, and flowing language—to indulge m
the brilliant sally and graceful repartee—
in a word, to inTuse into social life all
that beauty of diction and purity of senti
ment which indicate and mark the well
trained, intellectual lady—is the most pow
erful of all accomplishments. Wealth and
beauty are absolutely insignificant beside
it. Possessed of it, the youthful belle need
fear no rivalry; especially from that gilded
butterfly of fash ionrwbose-highest ambi
tion is to exhibit herself as “ a floating
capitalization of dry-goods,” and whose
most brilliant conversation amounts to a
detail of npindihorhood irossin. A much
healthier tone might be given to society,
if both ladies and gentlemen would make
a determined effort to elevate the standard
of conversational excellence.
There are one or two thoughts connect
ed with this branch of the subject, that I
would like to elaborate a little more; but
I must defer it to some othertime. There
are one or two causes now afflicting our
society, which easily accounts for the low
standard of conversational excellence with
us. These 1 may notice and point out
hereafter. For the present, I must desist.
1 fear I have already wearied the reader
with the rambling nature of tiiy remarks.
I sat out to point out some of the absurdi
ties of fiction, and their practical effect in
real life; bul l have wandered off' into a
heterogeneous inelange of other things;’
and so I will rein up my Pegasus, ftnd
stop short off-.* Ivarhoe.
--■—
THE LOCUSTS.
The Cicada, (improperly called Locust,)
contains a number of species. The red
eyed Cicada, ( Cicada Sciitimdecim,) usu
ally called in the United States the *• seven
year locust,” makes its appearance, in some
part of the couutry, every year; but in
1820, in 1834, and in 1813, myriads were
found in Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois,
Indiana, New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. These
intervals disprove the “seventeen year”
theory. That there is a great difference
in their numbers, in different years, is
true; and the same theory obtains in re
ga-d to other insects, particularly the rose
bug. The same thing happens to the
v egetable world. One year we are favored
with an immense number of apples, peach
es, grapes, etc.; and the next year, prob
ably, these products are few. Excessive
numbers of other insects, which feed upon
llie UfCuUU, vuau^ca v/i ivihjjviuiuh,, utju
unfavorable weuther, are the probable
causes of increase or decrease of different
years.
Another very general and popular no
tion, in regard to the locust, is, that it is
the noxious insect mentioned in the Scrip
tures, as one ol the plagues of Egypt."
This also is au error, as can be easily
shown. The locust is a harmless, beauti
ful creature. It is found in all the tem
perate climates and warm countries of the
globe. In the south and cast of Europe
they are constantly singing, ami continu
ally an object of admiration.
There are two varieties which are more
conspicuous in the United States; the one
having red-bordered wings, and the other
green-bordered ones. All have a flexible
proboscis, short antenna, four membraneous
wings, and six feet. The females have a
long, sword-shaped ovipositor, and only
the males possess the singing organ, which
is an ex^nded movable membrane on the
under-side of the abdomen, by the rapid
vibration of which they produce their pe
culiarly loud sound. The females are
without this apparatus, and are silent.
The latter deposit tlieir eggs in the under
branches of trees, by slitting the bark with
their sharp ovipositor. The eggs are flat,
white, oval, and about one-sixteenth of an
inch in diameter. If the weather is favor
able, the eggs are hatched in about six
weeks. The young ones then leave the
tree, in the condition of larva, each being
provided with a mouth, horny ease, and
six feet, like a flea. They retreat under
ground, where, according to the observa
tions of Pontedern, they feed on roots for
a short time; after which they come out,
climb upon the fence or a tree, burst their
transparent case, and assume tlieir perfect
form as four-winged insects. Their lives,
after this transformation, seldom exceed
four or five weeks, during whi h time the
deposition of eggs and the propagation of
the species is carried on.
Our locust cannot be classed among in
jurious insects; or, having no mouth, like
some of the other varieties, they cannot
devour vegetables and fruit. The dew
from the leaves, sucked in through the
proboscis, constitutes tneir soie nourran
ment, through the last Jew brief weeks of
ibeir existence. . , ; uO
THE MASSACRE AT MOUBTAlB
MEADOWS.
The following niTOtuiHof 1thfs terrible
butchery, by the Mormons, is published
in the S,iu Francisco JJuik'liu, under the
(late of the '2Ud of Apiil:. . ; 4
One of the (Iliad mysteries of rMforinon
dopi, \yincli the X7iuiy4 Statesvjjtdj|e8 in
Ftalt are end. avoritig io tinianel, greatly
to the consternation ol the “ Stfints, ’ is the
horrible massacre, at Mountain Meadows,
of ope hundred emigrants, who were on
their way from AiKansas la California.
At the lime this wholesale ,minder was
perpetrated, we were told that.the unfor
tunate victims full under the weapons of
theCanosh bund ot Puravant (of PatdWan)
Indians; but various subseqaeiit develop
ments have esfuUishpd the conviction that
they were merely tools in the hands of the
Mormons themselves. Aft eye-WitneSs tjf
the transaction bos been found ay Inst, and
We hate lecdu'ed, from an official source,
at Salt Lake, a statement of, bii oCcount
of the airair. Ti.e whole tearfol tfuth
stands revealed, presenting one Of the most
shocking case's of cruelty apd ejume that
has ever stained the records of a civiliked
community. The writer says:
While I was residing at Cedar City. I
was called upon by Messrs. Isaao Might,
John D Lee, and John Higbee—all three
Mormon military officers—vto go a few
miles out of the city, which 1 did. There
I found thittv or forty others, selected from
different settlements. We were addressed
by the above officers, who told us that they
had sent Canosh.tlre Parnvnnt, chief; with
his warriors, to destroy the Arkansas com
pany, and tliat if he had nbl done iF we
must; and that if apy of us refused, or
betrayed them to the Americans, lliey
would take gOod care of him hereafter.
Here we were dll ordered on the quick
march to the Mountain Meadows, where
we found the emigrants,with their w#g
ons formed in two circles, with their fami
lies in the midst, trying to defend them
selves against the merciless and blood
thirsty savages, who lay around in amBush,
killing them us opportunity ptresehted.J
flight and JLee formed their men into
two companies,, and made a precipil#te
rush at the poor, defenceless victims. TJie
men within the circles rose up, but instant
ly fell dead, or mortally Wounded, birder
the fire of the wretches who so cruelly
sought their lives, Nothing remained to
be done, except to kUl the frightened
females and the innocent children w^'ch
they clasped in'(heir arms. Others clung,
with desperation, to their bleeding, dying
husbands, pleading in vain for mercy at
the hands of the “ Christiaus ” who.con
trolled the no more savage Indian, assail
ants. . -
John D. Lte now sent to flie Indian
chief and hi# men in ambbsh. to cottie blit
and finish the survivors, directing him to
spare oply the little children wh<> could n»t
talk. Tfie savages came instantly^.with
knives drawn, and speedily finished the
bloody work. The scene defibs deSbrip
lion. The demoniac yells of the savage
monsters, mingled with the shrieks and
prayers ol helpless mothers and daughters,
while the death-blows were- dealing with
unflinching hands, and scalps were lorn
from heads which bloomed with beauty
and Jbnoceaee, only a lew hours belore.
Now tiie work of butchering ended.
The murderers threw the dead bodies into
two heaps, covered them slightly with
earth, and left them “to feed the wolves
and birds of prey.” They then returned
home with their booty of cattle and wag
ous, aud a great quantity of goods, etc.
-.
Camels on an Alabama Planta
tion.—In reply to a letter or inquiry, Mr.
VVootsey, of Alabama, writes to the Savan
nah (Gu.) Republican a very flattering
account of his experience with the camels
recently introduced on his plantation, near
Selma. Though very much reduced in
flesh by the long voyage from the Canary
Islands, they have worked to his entire
satisfaction. He adds:
With more flesh and proper fitting har
ness, I hazard nothing in saying that a
grown camel will draw with ease, one of
our two-horse prairie turning plows. I am
now breaking out cotton middles with a
winged sweep of 24 inches from wmg to
\ving—the camel poor and with two years
growth before him.
On Tuesday last I sent twelve bushel#
of corn to Selma to be ground, on the same
camel. The corn was placed upon a sad
dle, weighing 170 pounds, and the camel
driver 160 pounds, making a burthen of
1000 pounds—a very good mill wagon
aud team, I think. The price at which
camels can be sold here, varies, according
to the age and size. The extremes are
$150 and $450.
The camel will eat almost anything that
the goal does not refuse. They are fed in
die Canary Islands on barley straw and
bailey ci.nff, and occesionally, but very
seldom, barley meal is given them. I
think they could soon be taught to eat
cotton seed. While at work I leed them
upon hay and wheat straw—when at rest
they are turned mto a dry pasture, aud
they are improving every day in flesh and
spirit. There are now ten in an old field
where a mule would starve: luxuriating
upon weeds, briers and shrubbery.
_Tn pursuit of happiness, how often sor
row. Hite a robber in ambush, unexpectedly
waylays us.
-Kindnesses are stowetlaway in theheert,
like rose leaves in a drawer, to sweeten every
objeet around them.