ANECDOTES.-RED JACKET. velocity of the water, as he neared the brink of the cataract. But he knew its depth, and calculated on the time it would take, after taking the dreadful leap, before he would again rise to the surface below. He had a few moments for rest as he floated along; at last he found himself close to the brink of the fall, and taking a good mouthful of breath, he committed himself to the mercy of the cataract. The Indians had all this time watched him with intense anxiety and delight; and as his fate became inevitable, gave way to their wild expressions of joy. At last, when his black head disappeared from the glossy edge of the cataract, they gave one wild whoop, and Jason heard no more. In about two minutes the poor fellow had dived many fathoms into the boiling gulf. He felt the weight of the immense mass of waters almost insupportable; 261 but making a vigorous effort, as a good swimmer alone knows how, succeeded in rising again to the surface. He suffered himself to float slowly down the stream, till he had recovered his breath, and immediately struck out and landed with no little joy on the opposite shore, where he soon after met with assistance and kind treatment from a Welch emigrant. I was thinking, my young friends, of what Jason would have done if he had not been able to swim. He was very clever at making a portable canoe; but this you see was not always available. I say then, learn to swim. Anecdotes, Wise Sayings, Curious Questions, Moral Remarks. Red Jacket. It happened during the Revolutionary war, that a treaty was held with the Indians, at which La Fayette was present. The object was to unite the various tribes in amity with America. Most of the chiefs were friendly, but there was much opposition made to it, more especially by a young warrior, who declared that when an alliance was entered into with America, he should consider the sun of his When La Fay country as set forever. ette last visited us, in travelling through the Indian country, it happened at a large assemblage of chiefs, that he referred to the treaty in question, and turning to Red Jacket said, 'pray tell me if you can what has become of that daring youth, who so decidedly opposed all our propositions for peace and amity? Does he still live-and what is his condition?" 'I myself am the man,' replied Red Jac cans as long as the hope of opposing them with success remained, but now their true and faithful ally unto death.' ket, 'the decided enemy of the Ameri- education a scholar, perished at Tyburn. His attainments were elegant and superior; he was the editor of a beautiful edition of the Classics, and translated into latin verse Pope's Essay on Criticism. Better grounded in learning than in principle, he turned his liberal talents to the degrading selfishness of robbing the community of its coin by clipping. During his confinement, and hoping for pardon, he translated Pope's Temple of Fame and his Messiah into the same language. Washington's Favorite Horses. GENERAL Washington had two favorite horses; one a large elegant parade horse, of a chesnut color, high spirited, and of a gallant carriage; this horse had belonged to the British army. The other was smaller, and of a sorrel color. This he used always to ride in time of action; so that whenever the General mounted him, the word ran through the ranks, 'We have business on hand.' Two of his miserable confederates in crime were his companions in death. He suffered with a deeper guilt, because he had a higher knowledge than ignorant and unthinking criminals. Accomplishments upon vice are as beautiful colors on a venomous reptile, Learning is a vain show, and knowledge mischievous, without the love of goodness, or the fear of evil. Children have fallen from careless parents into the hands of the executioner who hardly knew the difference between right and wrong, but who might with good training have made ornaments to society. Let parents then begin with the heart and the conscience, get these on the right track, and then bring learning with its pleasures to grace the life. Spider Barometers. Ir the weather is likely to become rainy, windy, or in other respects disagreeable, spiders fix the terminating filaments, on which the whole web is suspended, unusually short. If the terminating filaments are made uncommonly ANECDOTES. long, the weather will be serene, and continue so, at least for ten or twelve days. If spiders be totally indolent, rain generally succeeds; though their activity during rain is certain proof that it will be only of short duration, and followed by fair and constant weather. Spiders usually make some alterations in their webs every twenty-four hours; if these changes take place between the hours of six and seven in the evening they indicate a clear and pleasant night. Weather. Duncomb was an eccentric character, and resided near Dunstable, England, his principal business being selling larks. He was remarkable for his humorous and droll method of rhyming upon many occasions; as for example, his answer in hay-time relating to the weather : Well, Duncomb, how will be the weather? He told me plainly he didn't know. Taking God's Name in vain. To any of his friends who had contracted this irreverent habit, Mr Wilberforce made a practice of addressing, by letter, his most serious admonitions; and 263 he has often said, that by this custom he never lost the continuance of a friendship. 'I wrote to the late Sir and mentioned to him this bad habit; he sent me in reply an angry letter, returning a book that I had given him, and asking for one he had given me. Instead of it I sent him a second letter of friendly expostulation; which so won him over, that he answered me in the kindest manner, and begged me to send him back again the book he had so hastily returned. New Way of Travelling. A newspaper of January 8, 1821, mentions an extraordinary feat by Mr Huddy the postmaster of Lismore, in the 97th year of his age. He travelled for a wager from that town to Fermoy in a Dungarvon oyster-tub, drawn by a pig, a badger, two cats, a goose, and a hedgehog ; with a large red nightcap on his head, a pig-driver's whip in one hand, and in the other a common cows-horn, which he blew to encourage his team, and give notice of this new mode of posting. General Wayne's War-Horse. AT the battle of Germantown, General Wayne rode his gallant roan, and in charging the enemy his horse received a wound in his head, and fell dead, as was supposed, Two days after the roan returned to the American camp, not materially injured, and was again fit for service. Resignation. FENELON, author of Telemachus, when his illustrious pupil the duke of Burgundy lay dead in his coffin, on coming into the room where the nobles of the court stood weeping round the corpse, fixing his eyes upon it, broke out at length in these terms: There lies my beloved prince, for whom my affection was equal to the tenderest parent; nor was my affection lost, for he loved me in return with the ardor of a son. There he lies; and all my worldly happiness lies dead. with him. But if the turning of a straw would call him back to life, I would not for ten thousand worlds be the turner of that straw in opposition to the will of God.' A Guilty Conscience. WHEN Dr. Donne, afterwards dean of St. Paul's, took possession of his first living, as he walked into the churchyard he took up a skull thrown by the sexton out of a grave; and in it he found a small headless nail, which he drew out secretly, and wrapt it up in the corner of his handkerchief. He then asked the gravedigger if he knew whose was the skull? He replied, that it was the skull of a person who had kept a spirit shop, and who, having gone to bed intoxicated, was found dead in his bed the next morning. 'Had he a wife?' asked the doctor. Yes. 'What character does she bear? A very good one; only the neighbors reflected on her because she married the day after her husband's bu rial. A few days after, the doctor paid her a visit, as if by accident; asked her some questions, and at last of what sickness her former husband died. As she was telling him the same story as the sexton, he opened his handkerchief, and cried out in an authoritative voice, ' Woman, do you know this nail?' Struck with horror, she instantly confessed the murder. Conundrums. When is a lion like a laundress ?When he is going to mangle you. When is an onion like a man in perplexity ?-When it's in a stew. When is winter like a man's face ?When you see its nose: it snows. Where did Lafayette go when he went out of his fourteenth year?-Into his fifteenth. What difference is there between live fish and fish alive ?-Only a difference. What animal is that whose name comprises the fruit of the wild rose, a river, an earthen vessel, the first letter of the alphabet, and a bit of mustard ? The Cheap Dinner; or Hatred Punished. An old proverb says, He who digs a grave for another, falls himself therein.' The truth of this proverb was proved by the landlord of a public house called the 'White Hart,' situated in a country town. This inn-keeper was one day ordered by a well-dressed stranger, but who was a great rogue, to prepare for him a good dinner worth his money. An excellent S VOL. IX. SEPT. 1841. repast was in a short time placed upon |