if! r 1
" frqe fo 6oc lo ijoqlr fionrij, '41)1) k pt SuV
CHA.R.XjOTTS, 3T. C.,MAT12,1857,
VOLUME! O.
THOiriAS J. HO LT ON,
' Kditou k PnoPRitTOR.
TKKMS:
r '. N".r lli-f 'Tol i 11a W'liif v ill be 11 Horded tn nub. I
ra lTVl M)I.I.Al;S in ativancc; TWO '
'iiii'l l.tllS ANi) IKTV I E.VfS if payment be ;
a, laved lor iii'inllisisnal I UK EE 1)1)1. LAKS
' ,d f the ye'tr. Nooitr will be tlincun.
,,. , I all arrearage are ijiil,ciocil at Die
,P.i.',n -I tlie Editor.
rii'iiitnli inter leal :il Urn Dim la r per eqiiare
(10 ii " ' "r "'' '" 'Jl '" l'ir I'raa in err-
ten."'!"'"
-...1 fllll'
,il,- iuil .SheriiT'a SiiIik c.liarcil -!.S per
Si I'Mltr ; U II" lietltlillloll ill J.i pea rrm. wtu
kc ,!," from lliv n g 11 1 iir prioca, I'm advsrtiacre by
... Mi-eHl-tina lite inaerti'ii iikjii I Ii 1 t 01
e . .At a-... i. a......
7.1 tt ti per e liars l"r Ci" Tim-.
j Tueliiuaiers are aullioriierl lo tact oa tjjT1!
)ottri.
5 0 NIGHT THERE.
.t -f f-i 1 "f r.'Mil t ait-l f.ara,
. ,rt i-tr liir'tug Ii I in villa of Itaia
t.fiin ! m tlie path "f III'-,
1 11 J po spii r filnii rig alri ?t,
u.'.g'i e.rtii'a Hi-mi me ilaraiv creeping
,t-j i. Miinr i iri are- 1:1111 With wci-plng,
ij li t I-- .ri'ttl (.'' '.
. tit .1 in-tn r llonic 'if loir,
.-. re a-i'il 'I"'- " illierin(f bi .jjht,
.ift: lill be 1:0 (lniy U.fl.t.
i.e. per ! on life' traublcl eca,
s. uiiee '' el rail y ;
'I a.. ui. Il the I'll ' i!d "'! ''tirt,
n rli .111 the mukmp lurk;
'I ,,,,.ijii t,,i,o'i lignl In in -ii U'ir't.l,
Ar.'l l!i' u art wi'jrjr. hrl-fn heflrt,
Iinifl lb. ilrrprii li-r i;io"ir,,
tir lr i" .nil I lie on r t hii'i,
A .11-ja Ik-..cm aljf ia inning.
.Ar.'l iiaii. Inr tuit ure lnii'i"J
An iiil'li'-rt il r.'t!l "I it ..' - -.
Ati'i Kil'i". llie nr..tiily Imai r(
'I 1. ere aim! cniiic 111 Willi. r ii( b.i'it,
'1 here aiiail be no gbjoln J n j " '
Tiitrt no n'ournT-il wail i.f n a
M, -jjl. a willi tb alr uii nl' ( Inn iic ;
I. :il a (!.riiui mill U aa'cini'K,
I M Smnur'a lin rr leliin; ;
An'tt choira Ibfl a--nif rp'-kl.
Aii-l en' litnr crolia at J:aiia ftel.
Ii-., tiit world ii iirr ln..'lil:
Tin it abail be 110 gliu'iij infill !
Kir'.h I th r aiorrtia are ri irk arni dr-i; y.
Aim our l'-:rla ft' v- I.1111I an-! wear),
. Willi f.i'l. nn al. p- e aliajr
'liroujll lif"'a Ixnflr.l, ilfn-na way .
I I'trn tittrih-l IritiH.a l .rajk lug t
I "ur rn-irla Willi torr.'W atiniij;,
II If 11 arc aru in !t lo wi-tp
r-- lnt lni .! nii'i call'-'i t" alrrpj
Ami nil "'I' pMl.W'iT fall" " fl""IH
11: ll.e U.ri -nni Jri .rjr tomb.
lint a tur atill abinta alo 11a.
'I'allmf one ia I. it I" loae u ;
And we kon lli.t win 1. at Let
A'.l lila'a wejrjr tiajra are paal.
We aliall join ISic anjtl banii
In tlie brifblrr. Ix III r land,
W litre tut anftl tlioir are amine
Whrre ImninrUl H'll i eprn.in(,
Ntvrr rli. l!i J by e. ilh'a Hark Ulirlit
Where time euanea mi j!.nn n.flil.
iVlisccH.tncoits.
Vruhi the Anttivxn l.'iuu'i.
(ISaiai. t'S AMI 3)1
on
t ii i: i nnidii i imaim
i am: or a rmi'.Ji i n u
I;i MMA AllUA.
l uMIM Kl.
CIIAPIKU nr.
1 Ii K hl'M-B. TKO riKKMAM tllK WIKOW'i
A IV 1' K T'l lliitt S'iN.
V!. U. i I'.rl.. . ..1. r.l the a- n i ! ri e '
ro it was l.-hted by small stream of pas,
l.i!e inair.oup were standinj hi MM.
piiii"!is taUiiij in lo'-v voices. I he youm
"ii talkin2 in low voice. The young
in tliou,:(it t j join theiii, but w hcu he csiue
U- ar'-t they M.-.rtcd, olin looking at another
nl air n L'iaiiciu at the haiid from which
te lu'l jut drawn bis plove. lie perceived
tie re was blool iipm) il, ami a cold chill
crept uvt-r hiru, "cmin to freeze every word !
that r trove for utterance; so turning he
i;k!-l to the rlas that linn ' against the
:i.l, aiirt HOW uiscoveiria oil leitlviin au
c'o-eiv tittiti" ran that there was blood on i
..." . ' , I... I
Lis :-,c, ami llieii Mi.taslelilli? m com v
found too that portion of hi "''i'1 v,e
Hiiie 1 with tho s.unc crini-w-ti dye.
"l Wiili.m, William ! what hare you
lone! ' exclaimed a youth stepping out from .
the croun and comim: to his side. i
ill': Ul-'lll' riuu coming a' ii'-
"Uouel" repeated William; "I have ,
lon.- m-thiiis that should make you shrink
from me : but nf nil nl am I sii't ectcd .
" M urder." answered the youth iu a hoarse
hi per; ' I bent J it whi.-pend from one
to aii'jth-r as l wa passing through the
ct)d after the lire was out.
i . 1 '
" i real iod
th
n so : ejscuiaicu .
....
W I'.iiaiu. sinkin? nt'in
A scat near; " but
hi, no surely it will amount to
I can eiii'.ain all salisfacl"! il V
linltlltlir
-this, blood
flowed from my own wounds which were r- j
p' ivi -1 from the hands of him w ho pierced
Mr. Morey t ) tho heart "
Hit still his compatiioii lonked iucrudu
1 'us, althou-h their countenance i-ermed to
express sympathy for hi sad po.-ilion. For
a few moments William Kario nat liko ouo
suddenly chiiti'-ed to a statue ; then rising,
hi said in a resolute tone :
" I will remove all traces of blood froni
lny face and hinds, so that when I return
to my home I can pradiially prepare my
""other's mind to nmet the awful trial that
aits her. It was wr-ll there wa no light
near me when I r-pokn with her, or the sight
of blood on my face niilit have alarmed her
so suddenly, thn con-triucucus) would have
been fi;il to her."'
Aud William washed his face and hands
!'ilo his comrades looked ou alino,-t . iu
silence.
" I have told you all, niotlier," BaiJ the I
young n;an t8 he eat by her side. " Kvery
lliing tliut I went to Mr. Moicy'g for no!
other purpose than to Bpend a t-hort lime iu i
convrMition with Clara IJircliarJ, and theu
hon I secreted myself in that c!o-t it wm
(inly that 1 might save lit-r from tlie unhraid-1
i.g j u,i tin.iu, iiui puumu A IlltVB uuni
tlie door aumler had I not caught the scent
of Luriiitif; lincD and feared that all iu the
houi-e would be corisiimciJ . I had no idea
that murder had been committed till I went
to the bid to awaken the old man, and then
the truth burnt upou me ao suddenly I was
bewildered, nor ecarcely Luow what I have
aaid or done tince."
For a few iii'imenU the widow cWed her
jr .. if lu trck.u tiie aid bf tuai lieniij who
linn Raid he will not forr-ake the righteous,
and clar-ping her son's neck :
"My bny,",hu said, I h.-licve you I
believe every word you have spoken j but
who is tlii-re that In ueh au enemy to you
as to ncc-k your life !''
" I know not, mother."
" Well, my son, 1 feel there in One who
will kl.ii-id you from harm ; to go now and
return the box to Clara, and thru t.erk the
proper authorities nud deliver yourself up,
telling tin-in ;he tale you have told me."
"l win, mollnr ; wan tlie younj; mans
reply, an ho arose to hit feet aud embraced 1
his widowed mother ; but scarcely had he:
) rlria-l his ar:n from her neck, nhr n voices
were heard outr-ide, and in another moment!
William vta-a in the cuxtody of an ctficer and
j hurried aay to pii-ori.
We riil ii.it Diup to rortray the emotionH
! of the mother, the .-on, or tlie etiil beloved
jCUra. The i.itltr fi-urerl, aje, ainio.-t be- '
jlieved her lover puilty of ine murder of her:
j unelf , tor she icmciiiheied how he had tpokeu .
of him iu the evening, and (-In' reasoned with
iheri-eii" ihut to murder her uncle, William
f.i i. . . I ........... . . . 1 1 L .1
au"iie;ii ine tuiefc wty it ;uiiiij ner nunu
in niiiriiie, tor then there would be noone
In oppose tiie in ; and et her love for her
, uncle n n-it no r- at that t.i wi-heil il
ium to die lor tin- i-ed, however ;nuch jus- j
l,c ii.i'ht (itiiiand it.
We will not detail the particulars of the
lyouu man' examination befote theCoroner.
I lie related LiaOKD Minpic klory which wa
i corroborated by Min llircharJ up to the
: Lour when kh retired lo her room, but he
cou'.l say nothinj; farther in his fa.or, while
it was with e vi'l. -lit reluctance she told thoe
prcMi,t the manner ri which she found her
iover, afur bi-in arouned by tiia cry of fire, .
, near tiie Lcly of her undo and holding in
his hand a bloody dipijer.
I Wiili.nn Karie w a committnl for murder,'
! althoui;li many a bi b coped the heart" of
those who thought highly of hiui in the p-t. -
Fiinty indea'd mut lliat heart have been
I that would not have f It sympathy for the
'widowed mother ami the friend les orphan,
a they caw him tiicy so recently thought
i almost wiihout a bh ini-h, d. part for a pris
; oner's cell to anait the Ueii.Mou of a higher
'court
j '1 he day of trial came and it ws proved -thi.t
William had been heard to say that he ,
; would marry the miner's niece even if he;
i had 1 c!c through bloiid to pet her. Ye,
every rh and in. prudent word that the
iyniiig fireinau uttered lifter his expulsion
from I be old man-ion was now brought -'
aeaiu him; ti'-t that tin y who heard him
i really belii ved that he had any inlenlinii of
Idoin? us h? said, nor would they probably
i have thought of it ajjaiti had not the :ni-er ,
j brrn murdered. '
' 'I hroiih jut the whola- proc ediiiijs Wil ,
liati c'liiducteii himself willi limine.-.-, seem-'
i in'y unmindful of seif, anxious only lo .-pare
I the suff-. rinps of hi-mother and Clara. The
j former, as circumstance of ui'.t thickened
ar Mind her son sfeined to believe iu his in- i
nocenre tho more, biJdiiif; liim tru-t iniiod
'and ail would be well; while the latter was
(timid and undecided as to her lover's puiit.
! At length the ess" wa sutni'icd up ; Wil
jliam staying in such cloe proxiniity to the
: ohl man on the night of the murder his
; imprudent speeches his love fr the niece,
j and knowing that the mi-er would not con
sent to hi marriage w ith her, the slight
O U
Hid on bis face, supo-cd to be made by
,'""."' "rug. -If l-r lirc-t.M
tiii." ' "''' H b contain.
' '"r !T""""J
anv motive on i lie pari i snoiner ro eom
mit the murder, a every panicle of the old
man's wealth rein.iiued iiiidiiturbtid, save the
box removed by the aeou-eil, were all taken j
a strong riiciiinetantial evidmce against;
him.
Yes, ail went to jrovo that William wa
guilty, and in a few months from the time I
1 ,,J.,1 ,.,n.1 ny-i'"''-') I-- .--"f--i
man was sentenced to die ou the scatlolu.
(TI AI'TKK IV.
AN t NEXI'l'.i'TI) VISlTi'K.
The widow Katie fat alone in her cMta ;
there were traces of tears on her pa.e face,
" i "I1"'"""' r yyVT
. , , , , r
re-ted on her feature a if she looked for
help far a v. ay fro... those who due t about
ner. 11 now iui hen i-ui iiiuniii w -iii. i.."
appointed for the execution of her son. A
few years previous the husband of Mrs.
Karle had beeutaken suddenly from hcrby
n ..i-infiil nreideiit. and cilice that time Hil-
i: I..., ,..... nl .l.l tana nil alie had to dp-
i . .... hi i t.
nam, n" "'j - - --- - - -
i r 1 n.AM A.l.inO l.i rn.r
n on i r auppon ,
erief was extreme povrrtv, and to nieht the
i" .. ..i.i-..i.
ast coal hail been tunica lino ine nine siovc.
an
d tho las', morsel of food that the little
cottage containcu nan vei n cum, ..-
1 I I ...I... e a I...
widow drew her chair near the fire and with
a bowed head aud a heart well nigh burst
ing, sal musing. I resenuy me- inn "
and a slight form stepped cautiously wiuuii.
aud roiuiug lo the widow's side threw off
the linpltf cloak, and Clara llirchard stood
before her.
Mrs. Fiirle uttered a slight exclamation
of surpii-e ; then rising invited the girl to
bo seated.
" 1 cannot stay Imii'," was the reply to
the invitation, and there was a stranirc calm
ness about her that caused the widow to
scan her features closely, for Mrs. Karle had
not seen her sine; her son received his sen
tence, ami at that time she appeared so in
diir..ient to William's fate that she had
striven to forget her,-ami there often came
tumors to tho'widow'a car tUt Clara's sen-
titnents in regard to her son had changed
since the trial that she now firmly believed
him guilty, aud was anxious that he should
be executed.
After Clara seated herself neither spoke
for a few moments, and then the girl turned
to the widow, saying, "Mrs. Karle, I want
you to give me William's best suit of olothes:
I have purchased a cap that can be rolled
with them into very small dimensions."
" Why do you want my poor boy's clothes,
Miss liirchard?'' inquired the widow ; "they
can do hiin no good uow."
Clara was silent a moment ; than placing
her lips to tho bereaved one's ear, alio whis
pered, " F,ie the sun rises tomorrow, Wil
liam Bhall be free shall be far beyond th
eyea of the city officers, and travelling only
by night, and through secluded places, he
will reach some distant seaport aud embark
for another land."
" Oh, do not arouse bope in my poor
brokeu heart," almost gasped the widow,
" but to have it destroyed on the morrow.''
Clara looked cautiously around ; then
stepping to the door she pushed the bolt that
fastened it, and returning to the tire she
drew from her pocket a huge bunch of heavy
keys, saying, " These are what will set Wil
liam free; and that is not all; 1 think I
have a clue to the real murderer, but the
proof is not strong enough yet to condemn
hi ai ; when I am fully satuiicd I will make
ail known."
" Ilut how came you by those keys?"
asked the mother, seeming to catch a ray of
the Lope that Learned fiutu the face of tlie
cirl.
"Gold, Mrs. Karle- gold purchased them ;
Lot listen and you shall know all. At Cr.-t
I feared aye, almu-t thought that William i
might be guilty, aud yet I could uot bear t),
see him die on the scaffold, but just before I
he received his filial sentcuce my suspicions
were aroused that another w horn of all others ,
I Lad not su.-pectvd, was the murderer, and
I resolved, if possible, to prove it. '1 ben I
bewail to plan d.fT-Ti-ut ways of trying to net
William free, but in order to do it I knew
(hat I must appear as if 1 were one of his
most bitter foes."
" Aud that explains your apparent 'mdif- j
ference for his fate, Clara." I
" Yes, an indiffereuce I did not feel, and
which bo understands now. From early
childhood I have been acquainted with the
jailar's daughters, and hae always been in
the habit of visiting in the family. Sinca
William's condemnation I have used my
visits to the best advantage, wheu unob
served, by holding iu my hand a soft sub
stance with which, while carelessly looking
at tht keys leading to his cell. I have taken
their impression. And knowing of a poor
Smith who has a large family to supporttv
his indu-try, I offered him a sum of money
to make a ett after the pattern I gave him
ami a-k no questions. The large sum I
offered proved a sufficient inducement, and
hero they are ; and to night when all is
quiet within and around tho prison, William
'. must be free or 1 will be a prisoner under
the same roof for attempting his rescue. "
" liravo girl ! ' exclaimed the widow.
llod grant that you may be successful I
Hut docs William know that such are your
intentions V
" He does; for a few days ago as I walked
through the corridor in company with the
jailors daughter, I dropped through the
grated door of his cell a billet that I had
.previously written for the occasion. His
i deportiue'iit has been so mild siuce his con
finement that he has no irons about hi
wri.-ts ; therefore when the doors are tioisc-les-ly
unlocked by me, he oan quietly pass
out locking the doors behind him and taking
away the keys, thereby not arousing sus
picion until tlie bourse breakfast is carried
to his cell, aud leaving no traces of how he
escaped."
' .Nolle girl!" exclaimed the mother em
bracing Clara ; " vou have my prayers
they are all his
' 1 hev are
wnloweu moincr nas 10 give.
1 i . I IM .
H.l I a-K, rcrirntna eian,
" for I feel I am but doim: my duty j there
is another guilty, not Wil.iam."
A few moments later Clara received a
small compact bundie from the widow which
she placed under her cloak ; then tossing a
small pur-e of cold iuto her lap she turned
to go, but Mrs. Earlc reached it back saying,
" lieavcu bless you, C'.ara 1 take il, and if
you are successful give it to my poor boy,
for if freed from the death seuteticed by
law, he may starve anion? strangers."
The girl shook her head, and drawing
from her pocket a larger purse well filled
with coin and bills, she said, "This is in
tended for him ; besidts' uudcr assumed
land-."
The widow tried to speak, but tear of
gratitude checked her utterance, and iu
another moment Clara stopped into the
street aud was buried iu thick darkness.
ON( Ll'IiED NtXT wr.tK..
A Fix Sl.NliCI.AR Si KNE AT
A Wtt'l'lMl.-The Pandridgc (Tenn.) States-,
man of la-t Week announces the marriage of
Mr. Hen Husky to Miss fu.-anua Parker,
both of Sevier county. We learn from the
Statesman that tiro expectant bridegrooms,
were in attend auee, at the " auspicious hour " j
each elate with the pro-pect of duplicating
their existence. It seems that the deceiver ,
had so wound herself iuto the affection of i
the two, that when "popping " time, came j
'round, she was unable lo resist, so urgent
were they in their glorious cause. Accord-1
ingto time set, riotu getiuemcu wtu i. ni"
appoiutcd place, both anticipating the bril
liant "good time coming" with apparent
coolness. The squire announced his readi
ness to tie the desired knot by" lead your
partner out ou the floor," aud to the aston-i.-hmetit
of the assembled lookers-on, two
grooms advanced with eagerness to grasp
the fair baud of the crucl-bcarte J and be
I wiiching creature. After a somewhat ani
.,, t...l .li,eus.don. the two frustrated aud ul-
I . ...... l ..i.;,.nia t.i matrimonial
codt prosiraicu .-,..,. -
honors concluded lo lot the lady make a
choice, if one she could effect, between the
two, which she soon accomplished and was
married to tho one she most admired.
Vorily, the course of true love will ne-vcr
run siniotb-
From the Rural New Yorker, April 4.
SCXI UiWKIt CL'LTL'UE ASJ A PUKVEN.
TI VE OF TUB AGUE A'D FEVER.
BY LIEUT. M. F. MAURY,
Every experiment that has for its object
the solution of any qucsfinn in the affairs
of mau is instructive. Whether the experi
ment be successful or not, it is not the less
instructive, for experience ,is acquired by
the failure as well as by ties success of ex
periments. Kvery tiller of the earth, from
Adam down to the whistliig plow-boy that
saw his first furrow not lorjjer ago than last
autumn, has been given un tv or less to the
makiusrof experiments. Afirmer " tries"
this crop, or that ).'anp fi 7a expriment 1
aie me gruuuu-weara of mercy ae i.-o w mcu
gives intelligent direction to his husbandry.
None of the great industrial pursuits is
more fruitful of expen'ments than that of
agriculture ; and if a'l the experiments that
have been and not? are making in this
brauch of industry had been systematically
conducted, aud i proper accounts of them
had all been collected aud published, what
a valuable and instructive work should wc
have had ! Take the Chinese sugar-cane as
an example for illustration. How many
thousauds of farmers intend to make n
" triil" of it this year! and among this
great number, how many, think you, will
give for the benefit of agriculture any ac
count of their experiment and its results ?
Perhaps a doxeu or two. The aggregate
experience of all the rc.-t will be lost to the
agricultural community and yet, if collect
ed and embodied together, it would be of
incalculable alue.
I have beeu led iuto this train of remarks
iu consequnceof an experiment that I made
la-t year with the cultivation of sunflowers
as a preventive or protection against ague
and fever, aud if you will publish an ac
count of this experiment, with an explana
tion of what was sought to be accomplished
by it, and the results obtained, perhaps
some of your many thousand readers will
join aud assist in carrying it out, for with
such assistance n sanitary question of great
importance may be satisfactorily settled, one
way or the other, in a little while-
The d welling of the Superintendent is ad-1
joiuing the Observatory, which is situated i
on a hill on the left bank of the Potomac,
in lat. 3 deg. 311 min., 53 sec. It is tM feet
above the low water of ebb tide, and about
400 yards from the river. The grounds
pertaining to it coutait. about 17 acres, in-tl...-ed
by a brick wall on the east, south
aud West sides, with a picket fence on the
north. The south wall runs along nearly
parallel with the river, and so does the west. (
The Chesapcak and Ohio Canal, (ringed by '
a single row of sycamores .f some twenty
vears growth, si parates tlie' wall troui the
river, In fact the river, with its marshes
at the foot of the hill, encircles the grounds
ot tlie Observatory half way round, viz :
from S. K. by at ay of S. N. W. Thus, you
perceive, we arc in a eort of lend in the
river. Most of the marshes are just " a
wash" at low w ater, parts of them are bare
when the tide is out, all of them, iu the
early summer, are covered with a rank
growth of grass and weeds, which begin to
decay in Augu.-t. This is the commence
ment, too, of the sickly season, and a few
miuutos' walk about the grounds of the Ob
servatory afler sunset has been found suffi
cient to bring upon strangers an attack of
aue and fever. The place is so unhealthy
that my family are compelled to desert it for
four or five months every ytar. Last year
ihcv broke up early iu May, and did uot re
turn till November. I
Now, I ain not going into a dissertation
concerning malaria or mia-m, for, be the
seeds of the pestilence what they may, those
of these intermittent! are supposed to be
due in a great measure to the marshes of
the Potomac. The decay of the vegttablo
niatter upon them iufects the air with inipu-j
rities of some kind, which predispose to
chills and fevers such is tne popular be
lief, at any rate. j
This bring" me to the history of the sun-'
flower experiment. A process of reasouiug
like the following led me to try it.
If the decay of the vegetable niatter on
the marshes that produces the sickness on
the hiil, then the sickness must be owing to
the deleterious effects of some gas, miasm,
diluvium that is set free during the decom
position ; and if so, the poisonous matter, or ,
the basis of it, whatever it be, must have1
been elaborated during the growth of the
weeds, and set free iu their decay. Now,
if this reasoning be good, why might we not,
by planting other vegetable matter between'
Vs 8Pi-t''.lJ,?r2nj'2v-!1!-1 ,v hrinffing it iuto
that of the marshes begin to decay, bring
fresh forces of the vegetable kingdom again
to play upon this poisonous matter, and
elaborate it again iuto vegetable tissue, aud
so purify the air !
This rc isoning appeared plausible enough
to iuslifv the trouble and expense of experi
ment, and I was encouraged to expect more
or less success from it, in the circumstance
that everybody said, "plant trees between5
you and the marshes they will keep off the i
chills." But as to the trees, it s happens!
that at the very time when tho decomposi
tion oo the marshes is going on most rapidly.
tho trees, for the most part, have stopped j
their growth to prepare for the winter, and
though trees might do some good, yet a rank j
growth of something got up for the occasion i
might lo more, nops emao uigu , mey
are cood absorbent, and of a rauk growth,
but there were objections to hops on ac
count of stakes, poles, &c. I reeollectjd
that I bad often seen sunflowers growing
about the cabins in the West, and had heard,
in explanation, that it was healthy " to
have them. This wa so much more in fa
vor of makiug the experixieut with sun
flowers. An acre of sun-flowe rs will absorb during
their growth many thousani gallons of wa
ter more than are supplied ly the rain.
They are great absorbent. They are of
easy cultivation, arc more rank than hop
they require no poles, aid the seed are
very valuable. I paid $S abushel for thciu
This plant therefore, atparcntly offered to
fulfil all the conditions retired to aatisfy
the problem ; for if tho supposition that the
ague and fover poiaon be iu parted to the at
mosphere by the decaying vegetable mat
ter In the marshes, and if this poison were
set free during the process of decay, why
should uot the sunflowers iu their rank
growth absorb it, and again elaborate it
iuto vegctablo matter, and so fix it, at least
for a while, and until cold weather ? I con
sulted upon this subject with one of tho
most useful meu iu this country ever pro
ducedthe lato A. J. Downing, of New
burg and he thought the idea a good ouo.
Finally, I roolved to make the experi
ment, at the risk of spoiling the looks of a
beautiful lawn. Accordingly, in the fall of
lsjo.r, the gardener trenched up to the depth
cf two and a half feet a belt aljout forty
Gve fret broad around the Observatory on
the marshy side, and from 150 to 200 yards
from the buildings. The conditions of the
theory I was about to try required rich
ground, tall sunflower and a rank growth.
Aocording, alter being well mauured from
the stable yard, the ground was properly
prepared aud planted iu sunflowers last
spring. They grew finely ; the sickly sea
son was expected with more than usual
anxiety. Finally it set in, and there was
shaking at the President's House and other
places as usual, but for the first time since
the Observatory was buillt the watchmen
about it weathered the summer clear of
chills and fevers. These meu, being most
exposed to the night air, suffer most, and
heretofore two or three relays of iheui
would be attacked during the season ; for as
one falls sick another is employed in his
place, who. in turn, being attacked, would
in like manner give way to a fresh hand.
And, last year, attacks of ague and fever
were more than usually prevalent in the
neit'hboring parts of the city.
Here is encouragement, not discovery or
proof but it is worth further trial, at any
rate. Accordingly the gardener is making
ready to try the experiment aain this year,
but with variations. The seed. are not to
be planted quite as early as in the first in
stance ; and, iu the next place, there are to
be two planting, so that the last crop may
be caught by the frost while yet the plants
are flowering, aud, therefore, in full and
vigorous growth during the season of active
decay in the marshes.
Suppose the fact should be established
that a hedge of sunflowers between the
dwellingi- of farmers and the ponds or
marshes -nd standing pools, would general
ly keep ague and fever away, the discovery
that such a simple, contrivance would con
stitute au impassible barrier to " the pesti
lence that walketb in darkness" wculd be
au achievement worth recording.
" The destruction that wasteih at noon "
may form the subject of another eommuni
Mtiaa, if you can 6nl room lor it. Indeed,
other remarks upon the subject in hand are
suggesting themselves, but with your leave,
I will reserve them for the next number of
the Rural. Iu the meantime, I bope that
all who can, but especially those wbo live
in noted ague and fever di.-tricts, will pre
pare to try the sunflower experiment this
summer.
The readers of the Rural arc mostly in the
region of westerly winds, aud that the re
sult of each experiment should throw light
upoa the rest, it is desirable to know, ap
proximately at least, in each case, the situa
tion of the dwelling, its distance from and
height above the supposed region of miasma,
as well as its distance from the hedge of
sunflowers, their height, Sic. We know that
one of the offices of the vegetable kingdom
is to preserve the purity of the atmosphere ;
and that duriug their growth many plant
take up from the air aud fix for awhile va
rious noxious vapors. In the Southern coun
try it is common to see among the negro
quarters sunflowers growing about the pig
sty ; and the uegm, if asked why he plants
them iu such a place, will reply, " He makes
it healthy, Massa."
The Rural boasts of the intellligence of
its patrons, their cleverness and love of the
useful, and why should not those of them
who are in a conditiou to do so, try this ex
periment, and so let each have the benefit
of all the rest to guide us next year.
P. S. Since writing the foregoing I have
been conversing with Mr. Watt, the garden
er, upon the subject. He informs iui that
many years ago similar experiments were
made in Franco with like success. Acoounts
of them have been published in the Culti
vator. -With these facts and other circum
stances to which I shall allude to in my
next, still further to itispire faith in the pro
posed preventive, I hope all of your " ague
and fever " readers will be encouraged to
try this simple sunflower experiment. Those
lever cTi's tricls 6 F "1 D n" o7sa n h' "otDer'W estern
States, would do well to surround their
dwellings with the plants, having the thick
est part of the hedge on the west side.
Poker Playi.no. The poker players on
the Misaissippi river are, by all accounts,
bad customers, aud many are the dreadful
stories that are told about them. A party
on board one of the Mississippi boat., while
earnestly engaged in this famous game,
were much annoyed by a tall gentleman,
who, with a sanctimonious visage aud hollow
tone, preached agaiust the wickedness of
their ways, as he walked to and fro beside
them.
Kver and anon, in the earnestness of his
"discourse, he stopped behind one of the
players, aud, as if to render his word more
impressive, brought his hand down heavily
on the table. A rough backwoodsman ob
served that this last aetion was 'attended
with a peculiarity, inasmuch as the preacher
noratt'"-- jnaceu "vne, sometimes three, aud
eometimcs four fingers on the table. With
out saying a word, he quietly drew his
Bowie kuil'e, and place ! it by bis side.
Watchiug his opportunity when bis clerical
friend again placed his hand on the table,
quick as a flash he chopped off three fingers
at a single blow. The pretended clergyman
startedack with panic and affright.
"Sir," said the backwoodsman, coolly
wiping his knife, " you may consider your
self devilish lucky that I did not hold fours,
ar you would have lost all your fingers,"
, THE FLORIDA WAR.
1 We gather tho following items of irew
from'the Indian operations in Florida from
the Tampa Peuiusular of the nh ultimo.
, Compauies D aud K, 4th Artillery, nnd
II, 1st Artillery, are ordered to move, with
out delay, from their positions to scout the
Halpatuoka Swamp.
I Gen. Harney has issued orders to multi
ply the numbers of parties sent in pursuit
of the Iudiaus. He recommends the com
manders in the field to act with energy, ami
' to follow up aud annoy the Indians as much
as possible.
lnfoimation ha been received that there
ia a-band of Indians in Kooniee-senna-pal-loo-wall
lla'iinnoe'k. 4
A ciiculnr has been issue ! by Gen. ll-r-ney,
directing that Lewis 1'ouglieity nd
James Hei-zly, who have expressed tlniin
selves willing to attempt tocommtiiiicate with
the Seminole.-;, shall be permitted to pass,
unmolested, through tho Indian country,
aud has also giveu orders that tiny white
fla' from the Indians must be re-peeted.
The premium for every living Seminole
warrior, wnmau and child, who may be
captured or induced to come in for emigra
tion to the West, is fixed at the follfvving
rate, aud will be paid by tho Special Indian
Agent at this po-t : For each warrior, j-'-'-.O
to .;5U0. Fur each woman, Sl"0 to$:J"'l".
For each child, SI 00 to S'JOO. Infirm, bed
ridden and helpless aie exeepie-1 ; but. in
these cases, the rata will It decided I a
Hoard.
Capt. Spirknnn, on his icout, found a j ar
ty of Indians who, however, had the coil
luck to escape. His company hit Buffalo
Ford on the Itlth in-tant. and proceeding in
a north-east direction, found a large hike,
and in it a small i-laud. Alter having ta
ken their observations on different pomta,
they concluded to build raft', as there- '-vns
no other way to get their guns over. 1 li.y
reached the island, but the Indians had lelt
during the night, probably informed of their
danger by the noi-e ot cutting logs and
fixing rafts. The Indians had forliii :d
themselves by fixiug some t'-n or twelve
places with heavy logs, which leaned eiil
wise against trees, having .-mall link cut to
put their guns through, and had cleared out
the way to tin; water. Capt. S. found on
the Islaud three large palmetto camps rr
houses, made iu Indian style, besides -eve.
ral small ones, ami about five acres of ruh
tivatcd ground, planted iu corn, pens, po
tatoes, putnpkius, water-melons, ground nuts
and other vegetable.'. Some of the con
was waist hih. They had planted corn la-t
year, aud if they bail not beeu accidentally
heard, might have continued to the cud of
time, for they could not be seen from sh-ne.
1 be l;lre i bnn. sir mile lonr snd two
mile at the most narrow place, pinbrncing
the island, which contains about VJO ucrts ol
land.
Iu commenting upon the general or eh r.
removing Gt-n. Harney from Florid:', th.:
I'ciiiusular says :
Cue vear's active operations has enabled
our army to drive the rt iiiinole from bis
last hiding place. Their crop have been
destroyed, and one or two months more ac
tive operations would settle this war tor all
time.
With Gen. Harney in the field, our farm
ers feel measurably secure, and many have
plai.tdd crops. Ve now fear Bisiy will
reap our harvest. He is not so ignorant b it
he will claim this as another victory. Ik
said when last in Tampa, that he had whip
ped Gen. Taylor and (Jeneral Scott, :md
will now claim to have whipped Gen. Har
ney. A PKEAI'HL SbAlCiinill A MONO TI1K
CaI'KRES. One of the London papers con
tains an account of a terrible slaughter
! among the Caffrcs, in which no less than
! thirty thousand human beings perished. It is
, stated that disturbance of a mo-t sangm
I usry character recently took place among the
Zulu. These di-turbaiices were caued by
Ik contest between Letch wya and Cuibuhizi,
two sons of the paramount chief Pauhi.
On the -d IVccinber the latter was defeat
; ed with immense slaughter. The victorious
j Ketchwya, a lad of nineteen, after the ent
itle, divided his army in'o throe secti )ti,
and wilh these scoured the country iu ail di
rections, putting to death not only his ene
mies, but all neutral or doubful subjects who
came in his w ay. lie. however, kept clear
of Pauda, who by the latest intelligence,
wasraiaiug au army iu deforce of his throne.
It is said that men, womeu, and children,
were all alike put to death. Umhtilaxi in
put to death with the utmost barbarity,
'ving been skinued alive.
Valuable Phoi-kkty on the Wind
Twenty-two slaves, as we are informed, ro
ccutly escaped from a Southern city, bam 1
ed up. They passed safely out to sea. wh-.n
the barrels were unheadod, and tli.-y c-inie
safely to New York, whore they t -mk (iiffjr-
cut directions for the land where I'led Scott
decisions cannot reach them. f.xot tuein,
a mother aud five children, came this way.
In Thouipsouville upwards of thirty dollars
were raised for them, and in this oity tin y
obtained funds to carry them as f ir as S i--pension
Bridge. They were a hard-looking
set, and appeared as if they had been bar
reled up during the winter ; but the children
were bright, aud will make the Can.id.i
woods ring, one of these days Sprt,rjji. .
Pit FSf NTATK'N OV A Swullll TO C.U'T
llARTSTEIN. The Secretary of the N
Vesierdav mominn delivered to Capt. II
AIN
avy
iib
Mr. the
s-i
his
stein the superb sword, of which we p
lished a description a low nays siuce.
Toucey expressed himself happy to bo
met! in ill of handing to Cart. il. tint U
uionial of the Knglish government to
Kiintteniw hear-n" ou the occasion ot c
on-
reying the Resolute to Orcat Initain
Union.
Another Floral Rkmrpt. Lieutenant
Maury, continuing in the Rnral New York
er his remarks oa the planting of sun
flowers a a preventative of chilis and fever
in marshy districts, suggests that water lilies
planted io nnrshe would have a imilar
beucfioial effect.
I sou: or Tiir: wonm: of the iuy.
! V.'e do not think we venture too much iii
' Btiying that the railw ay and the magnetic
' tclf.'raph have il ine more to conciliate our
grout ciifi deraey of States, ti remove tho
prejudices of sect irmali.-iii, and to make u;i
as one people, with one interest and onedes
tii'V, than have been aocoiiipli-hcd by all
the inoi'.-iii es of compromise that have been
adopted bv our representative,, or ail tho
speeehus that have been delivered in or ouS
of Cengraaa. Seventy or eighty years ago
the inland journey from Philadelphia to Bos- .
,1011, oceupiod a period of from two to threa
' weeks ! I'uring the adniinirtration of Mr.
Mrfli-on, a trip from Washington to Savan
. mil- t. ur.fr-.-.i'-'-i '; -o'1-ues..d, forty day t
And as late . -is 1 -!', travellers wore olleu
ii the road for forty i.,bt hours between
- Washington aii-l Baltimore.
The tiiiia-nniiihilating wonders of the rail
W.ivarn still more striking, if wc direct our
I nticntion to that portion of the Union which
I was a wilderness within tho recollectiou of
i thousands now living, who are lint n:ueh be
'yoiid the middle a-.;e of life. Before thd
i days r.f .-tcanihc'its and locomotives, a jour
! in-y t" St. Louis from the Atlantic cities was !
jour lie v of jv'-i 'n and even month. Now
pa uevrs as we know from recent per
sonal i-xt'"iieiice can mule the trip front
1 Washington to Si. Loui-- in tia ihius and
trih-r Uniim! The writer of this artichi
' was ju-t seven days (in l"- l-"')in reaching
L-nii vi.i.- Ii Jin a-hiiigtoit by the then
q-lieke-t lo- '.ienf Coli vcy a nee i .Hid a fl K'll'l
informs il- ih.it in the fi-1 of l-lil), he was
three weeks iu making the trip from Bilii-tiiiii-.i
c t.? Li'iisvi'.'..-, travelling night and day
th-- n lit I" tit'i". nnd as i .ii-i-liy as stago
co iehe.s and i ti-whoel ,-ic-iincrs would
permit.
! Without fi"im an I the several inter
'oceanic c 't.-iniuTiif'.-iiions, li;,E would now
be tiie t-on-iiii-'ii of tiio-e igreat Pacific cun-iii'-nwi'
ntlis wi.ieh h iv-' ad-led, and which
will comlrioe to add, so much wealth,
power, and H-itrue to our glorious Union ?
A few veal ago, twelve and even eighteen
in. .nibs rt-'ie eou-utuoi.l in a trip from the.
Atlantic -a aboard to S m Fi-iiii'.-'c,o and
back. Now tlie trip csn be m ade in from
.-ix to eijht i- k-.
' The eouiitrv. no don't t, owes nn immense
debt of gn.'itu le lo the noble and enlight
ened lahjr- f the long line patriot and
statc-uien which onneets ins revolutionary
peri-i-l of ourlii-try to the- present time;
but, while evilieing gra'efitl spirit, let us
not be unmindful "f the I t-iieUt-i nud bless
ings and tin: union-consolidating tendencies)
.-.(' the railway anl tnsnelio telegraph
f '..ro.
The pe,erot No s, of i i reat Jviii Like City
Utah Terti'ory, is a well looking quarto,
about ha'f the size of the Ib-rald, aud is the
special organ of the Mormons.
The News of January -i has .-in article
intending to prove that the Uniled States
(tovt rinnont ha no power to appoint Terri
tori'd officers, and clo-os thus ;
I'lmvK "Ftiik Fkith.m, Authorities!.
" So far as the free, untrammelled consent
and expressed wishes of the governed are
concerte-d, shou'iii the majority of the citizen-
in a Territory choose, to w stive their con
stitutional rights and prefer a state of vas
salage, a state of beinc; ru'e-1 by officer
thrust upon th'.ru and legislated for by
usurped authority, we see no reason why
luK-ir choii-c should rot he complied with, at
least upon tin? principle of the voluntary
consent of the governed. But when said
lu-ijoi it v, e ve-u to the extent, of an entiro
cotnm unity, nrc known to mo.-t persistent
ly pref -r offi'-er of their on electiui to
those t'ohtci upon them by aibitrary power,
and purely repuMican 1-iws of their own
en.-ictnieiit. lo laws carved, dictated and
fore d upon them by a p wcr t) which tho
Con-titution gives no such autli )rity, wa are
constrained to sa v that mjvt truly are men
prone to or pr-'-s their felinw. II 'v long,
think vc, can Ii press! in lie q.iii-tiy en
dured": How long, think ye. will any peo
ple submit to the tlict it-:-, slanders, corrup
tions and a! of officers wh )in they have
no voice in ohcting, an 1 whose efforts arc
coii-tautiy put forth, to t'ueir utnn.-t, for tha
destruction"!' the p.). -pie among whom they
are sent? Suppose v-, that the few dollars
par-imo titon-ly doled out by Congress can
buy freemen to overlook such glaring incon-si-teiicics
I" -V. '. Il'-ndd.
Thk IVisiinim; at Wasiii.noton. It is
now In lieved thit not less than seven hun
dred persons Lavn beeu .erijuly and dan
rercusly aff-'ctrd bv the National Hotel poi-
thirty th ntlis li:i - e-O'-currcd in eon-ciueue:
There are still several persons very seriously-
ill in Now York, whose re?" very is doubt-
i! Anisn- nt her, the lion. Robert J.
Walker i no! y-t entirely recovered from
bis severe attack. Senator Halo, cf New
' ls 1
re, has 1-oe-ime a thin, lean man,
rnvagosi. It is now the opinion of
ririt'.t r it-
liianv pers'it:, that there w:is a ilent-erato
purp'o-e to p lison Mr. B it !i.i;i in, and that
the dial---liea! c vindrcl haiirtk-J the lives
of tho'i-ami- iu tho :it:e:u I.
Mi-n.Vi in h:K"i vs. e
ll.ii. t. of Mis-i-s-r pi, has given
Mr. Pavid
a d 5 nation
of twenty-five tiiou-ai.d il:.ir- o the Colo
nizati in Society. Mr. Hunt has previously
thrown away money in that dir.-ctiou.
i Thrown it ;uvy, because the few negroes
' who are sent out to Liberia quickly relapse
into a state of bai baiiauistn. Further,
i neatly all the money donated lo the Co'.oni
i ition Society i- n-ed up iu aalarl to a
: sot of feli.n's !.o live' by the contributions
!.-f benevolently di-posed pec-p'e, in print
. ing doe-jnioi.ts rhieli no ho ly reads, and
! e.tlier inci'hti'.il expenses. t no J. ' i
tioti S icicty is one of th
of the. age. -V. '. Ib t
I:
WilAir. C.u.r.i r. A whale of large di-men-ion
w as l,arpo-Mr.-d and k-ilcd vester
d. iii.vrr.Mi-' m-.irti e SiitoU-ollor-! IhuiK-a,
I about lt m:s -" Beaat .v t, N . v It
i was sixtv or sever v fv ''J'1.-- v''r.v anf
I yielded upwards .f f."y '-arrcls of o.t, wiuch
u wor-b ' ' 10":l