MOORE’S RURAL MEW-YORKRR. 
®l« Vmiliv 
SIGHTS SEEN IN CUBA. 
An esteemed Waterloo, N\ Y., correspondent, 
sends us extracts from letters which he says 
were written from a slave plantation in Cuba, 
by an ex-me/nber of Congress; and he says of 
the author, “ that he has ‘ nothing extenuated 
nor set down in malice’ I can vouch.” Our 
readers will find these extracts possess a shock¬ 
ing interest: 
“ Havana, February 15, 1864. 
“ We visited Mr. Aldama's estates among 
others, and at one of them made our headquar¬ 
ters. lie has seven; each worth a million dol¬ 
lars, or more; and with an average of 400 or 500 
hands on each, he makes 35,000 boxes of sugar 
which are worth one and a half million dollars. 
His profits this year are not less than $1,000,000. 
At the estate where we spent the night, a Yan¬ 
kee was overseer. 
‘•There are 2,700 acres, 1,500 in cane; they 
grind as they cut. From good, fair cane they 
get 300 cart loads per acre; each hand cuts six 
loads. The grinding season commenced about 
the 1st of December, and continues five or six 
months; during this time the labor is continued 
night and day; half the hands taking one night, 
and half the other, or else divide the night. 
They have 300 oxen and carts in proper trim, 
make 05 to 70 huudred boxes sugar, of 500 Its 
each; 500 hhds. sugar and 600 hhds. of molasses. 
(I suppose he means instead of 05 or 70 hundred 
boxes of sugar.) 
“It is entirely true that the darkies stand in 
the sugar and molasses as nearly nearly uaked 
as can be and not quite so. In three years, with 
400 hands (equal as to sex) the births have ex- 
ceeeded the deaths but live only—this is more 
favorable than the average, as the deaths usually 
exceed the births. At 7 1\ M., on Sunday, the 
bell tolls for three minutes for Vespers, when 
every darkle drops his work, stops his oxen, his 
mill, in short stands still and is supposed to he 
at prayer. This is their .Sunday, and gives them 
twenty-one minutes rest In a week. (He here 
describes the negro quarters.) 
“ One woman who destroyed or neglected her 
new born infant so that it died, as a punishment, 
had chained around her a wooden baby. which 
she carried with her to the field and every 
were else, night and day. Oue man who run¬ 
away, had a chain around him above his hips. 
From this chain one led to each ankle, and, en¬ 
tirely naked, he had to labor. A woman who 
had stolen oil' to the railroad depot, two miles, 
and purchased whiskey, was standing in the 
stocks— the lash we did not see applied. These 
creatures go to work at 5 o’clock iu the morning, 
take their scanty breakfast at 114 o’clock A. M., 
and dine at dark. Be it late or early, two meals 
serve them; and their hours of labor are not 
less than seventeen. Mothers w ho arc to have 
infants are kept at their regular labor until the 
hour of confinement. 
“ There are, on this estate, 60 Chinamen; and 
they are very numerous over the Island. They 
are treated precisely like the negroes. They are 
contracted out for eight \ ears at $4 per month, 
out of which they clothe themselves, are paid 
punctually, are the greatest thieves in the world, 
and, not as good in the field as negroes. But 
about the mechanic shops, mills, etc., they are 
greatly preferred. Carts, boxes, and various 
other tilings are made in the shops, and mostly 
by the Chinamen. 
“The oxen, as iu Italy, draw by the horus. 
Their plow is a piece of wood with a bit of iron 
nailed on the point. The cane is planted in the 
spring and is out for the first time, in IS months, 
when it is eight or ten feet high if It is good. 
As a general thing it is renewed once in three 
or four years, although it sometimes stands eight 
or ten years, hut then yields less. My descrip¬ 
tion is of one of the best estates upon the Island, 
and where every thing is done in the best man¬ 
ner; where the poor slave is the best cared for, 
and the whole system is the least objectionable. 
“At Santa Rosa, Mr. Alda.ua has bis sum¬ 
mer residence. We met him there uud ho in¬ 
sisted upon our spending the day with him. Ills 
residence is a palace where he entertains on a 
grand scale; with his 75 riding horses, he not 
unfrequently has to get others; they are nice 
little ponies. The palm, cocoa nut, orange, lime 
and lemon trees, with a largo variety of fruit 
bearing trees, whose names 1 cannot remember 
— the quantities of bananas, pine-apples the 
beautiful gardens filled with all mauner of roses 
and other (lowers, so unlike those we were fami¬ 
liar with, amt then the kitchen garden loaded 
with every vegetable, corn, peas, beaus, pota¬ 
toes, enulitlowers, beets, Ac.—w hen we reflect 
that it is all midwinter with us, and that these 
are perpetual here, many trees producing fruit 
twice each year, it Is not surprising that this is 
called the land of bread. The palm tree is the 
most useful, the body good for lumber. Near 
the branches is a green portion of the body five 
or six feet long; hero the bark peels off five or 
six feet long and 12 or 18 inches wide; this 
makes the sides of the negro huts: the branches 
make the thatching, while the fruit supports the 
swine. Planted in avenues or scattered, they 
are a beautiful feature of the Island. 
"Feb. Kith. We went to market. Darkies, 
Cooties, Creoles and Spaniards stared at us. The 
fish especially attracted our attention; nothing 
can be more beautiful. The gold fish is tame in 
color, in comparison w ith these. The lobsters 
even appear as if painted for exhibition. There 
is a marked difference here, to all the Catholic 
countries I have visited, in the entire absence of 
monks, priests and sisters of charity, not one of 
whom have 1 seen as yet. We know they are 
here, but they are either early or late birds and 
fail to make an exhibition of themselves. * * 
" I :UI1 constantly drawing comparison with 
Italy, where the climate so much resembles 
this; but here are no Alp3, no Vesuvius, St. 
Peters, Herculaneum, &c.; yet here are the 
plains of Lombardy with its wonderful produc¬ 
tions, the rich perpetual foliage and tropical 
fruits—the cities tilled with churches and cathe¬ 
drals—strangely framed vehicles, loads of all 
sorts of things upon the. heads of bipeds, (I just 
saw a darkie with two loaves of bread laid one 
upon the other upon his head marching off. I 
hope there was nothing of the animal in his 
wool;) narrow streets, mostly unpaved, build¬ 
ings curiously painted; predominent color, yel¬ 
lowish and blue.” ***** 
(Another letter.) 20th Feb. They started at 
44 o’clock in the morning by rail, w ere invited 
to go to Mr. Aldama’s. but being desirous to 
see more of the institution as it is, declined. 
“From an eminence in the heart of the sugar 
district you can, at a glance, see thousands upon 
thousands of acres of cane and look over the 
heads of at least fifty thousand slaves, over 
groves of oranges, lemons, bananas, Ac., and 
fields of sw r eet potatoes and pine-apples— shrub¬ 
bery, palms, cocoas, Ac., dotting every portion 
of the landscape. ***** 
“There is the long row of ‘the people,’ as 
they call the slaves, coming in to eat and sleep, 
to be again called at the crack of the whip long 
before morning. Having speut a couple of days 
here before, almost bewildered by what I 
then saw, reflection was benumbed; how 
could I think and reason with myself upon the 
indescribable horrors of the slave system and 
the utter want of humanity in those having 
charge of slaves! Here it is a simple calcula¬ 
tion of how can I make most sugar—at the 
least expense — by working • my people ’ 17.18, 
or 19 hours per day,— by feeding them well, or 
ill,— on this food or on that,—by treating moth¬ 
ers in such a manner as to raise their infants, 
or, disregard all cure and permit them to die. 
An intant at its birth is valued at $25; at three 
mouths $50. Now if the mother is so treated 
by severe labor, late and early, they may afford 
to lose the infant. * * * * Every gang, 
more or less, has a driver with a lash in hand 
over them continually calling out to them to 
jump; and jump they do, for the lash is over 
them. Nothing that lias been written exagger¬ 
ates the horrid realities of a Cuban estate. 
“A visit to the Oviedo coffee estate —the 
diamond wedding man. This distinguished 
gentleman and lady had gone to the city, but 
we saw more perhaps than if they bad been 
present — the house, gardens, vines, fruits, 
flowers and shrubs—the wax-plant was running 
about as common as the morning glory with us. 
We gathered oranges, lemons and pomegranites 
from the trees while fruit lay under them like 
as in an apple orchard. * * * The most 
beautiful foliage was that of the coflee trees. 
The trees are about four feet high, the leaf long, 
and as deep, glossy a green as can bo imagined. 
The white buds just starting; next month they 
will be out, and so on to June: the coffee is ma¬ 
tured iu September and October. * * * 
“ Here we were permitted to see the Creoles 
— a pen or great room with nearly 100 infants, 
from the age of two hours to those able to sit 
up and creep, all by themselves except the 
mothers, who on their miserable apologies for 
beds were unable to rise. Three old women, 
too old to work, and four or live little darkies 
five or six years old —thus were they cared for. 
“While we were looking at another pen full 
of from four to six-year-olds, who were romp¬ 
ing around, we heard the clanking of chains; 
went out aud found a large number of mothers 
coming from tho field to receive their breakfast 
(now It o’clock.) and nursing their infants. The 
moment they entered the room the bleating of 
the iufuuts was like a flock of lambs. They 
entered only to get their basins, then came out, 
stood in a square, where two w enches, from a 
hand barrow they carried, filled with ground 
meal, Jerked beef and plantains, gave each their 
portion. * * * This they took and ate while 
their infants received their nourishment. It 
was all done quick, and away again to the fields 
aud toil. 
•• Around the neck of one mother w as an iron 
collar with a heavy chain reaching to the mid¬ 
dle, and that linked to other chains reaching to 
each ankle: to many wo saw a chain reaching 
to each ankle: and on many others we saw 
chains in various forms, so that when they came 
up the clanking seemed as if all were chained.” 
****** 
After describing some other scenes he says:— 
“ I could not refrain from tears, even while kin¬ 
dled intoauger and almost revenge by the infernal 
treatment to the poor enslaved Africans. The 
crack of the whip is the training to rise and go 
out, and come in, G go to labor and cease from 
it; the three cracks of it can be heard at all 
times or hours, the cut hero and there, upon 
this ami upon that one, is constant; hut that is 
mere nothing. The regular floggings are always 
given by laying the poor creatures, flat upon the 
ground, face down — never standing. The rea¬ 
son assigned is that they may impulsively turn 
upon their tormentor, w hile if prostrate, the 
brute may get out his knife, pistol or bludgeon 
and strike the poor defenceless creature down 
if the least resistance is made or meditated. 
Thus wc spent our morning,—if not abolitionists 
before, wo are died in the wool since here, 
thoroughly detesting everything and every 
body who has au apology lor the “ sum of all 
villainies,” 
■ ■ ■■■ »—- 
A gallant gentleman of the old school in 
one of the street cars tho other day, gave his 
seat up to a lady, who, us is almost always the 
case under like circumstances, failed to make 
the proper acknowledgment. Standing aw hile 
after the ear had moved on, he stooped over as 
if to listen, and said to her, “ YVluit did you say, 
madam?” “Nothing, sir,” was tho reply of 
the startled lady. “ Oh,” said he, “excuse me; 
I thought you said * Thtmk'eo.’” 
Society in Washington. her deceased son’s coffin, 
Thk Washington correspondent of the of grief while the father : 
Rochester Democrat relates the following: by with bow r ed beads. 1 
Into the street-car in which I rode up town heart-rending one, and it 
the other morning, at one of the crossings, came than described. Many c 
two rather styli-h, middle-aged ladies, dressed in compelled to turn aside, i 
black. I judged them to be sisters — one living be seen stealing down the 
here, the other in Baltimore. She of Baltimore kind-hearted ladies pre? 
was remarkable for a very puggish nose and a power to comfort the a 
mild smirk; she of Washington was equally re- was long before she coul 
markable for a profusion of long brown curls the side of herdeceased i 
and a pensive sneer. They discussed the last - 
official war bulletin to the edification of the half Self-Mutillated Cowards. 
“Horace, where is your brother Coradin?” 
Horace pointing to a rough wooden box by his 
side replied:—“ There mother, there is Cor¬ 
adin!” The afflicted mother threw herself on 
her deceased son’s coffin, sobbing aloud in agony 
of grief while the father and wounded son stood 
by with bowed heads. The scene was truly a 
heart-rending one, and it can be better imagined 
than described. Many of the bystanders were 
compelled to turn aside, while silent tears could 
be seen stealing down the cheeks of all. Several 
kind-hearted ladies present did all in their 
power to comfort the afflicted mother, but it 
was long before she couJd be induced to leave 
the side of her deceased son. 
dozen persons sitting nearest them, and professed 
the soundest kind of sound loyalty. To get in t 
out of the draft, some friend had gone to Cali- t 
fornia; and in a late letter, which she of the s 
pug-nose had seen, he spoke of society there. * 
Whereupon ensued this bit of conversation: £ 
Fug-nose.—“ But then, Baltimoab isn’t wbat 1 
it was two or three yeahs ago.” 
Long-curls.—“Ah, no. Neither is Washing- < 
ton/’ 
Pug-nose.—“Would you believe it — only the 1 
othah day Mrs. Perkins told me that she heard i 
Annie Forest say that a friend of her’s was rid- ( 
ing in the street-cah. when one of these Yankee £ 
women took hold of her dress aud actually asked 1 
her what it cost a yard!’’ ] 
Long-curls.—“ I nevah! You don’t say! Did- ] 
n’t she get up and go out?” : 
Pug-nose.—“ Yes. Actually took hold of her , 
dress and asked her what it cost!” 
Long-curls. —“ Has Annie heard from Tom 
lately, do you kuow?” 
Pug-nose.—“ Yes. She got a lettah ten days 
ago. He’s in Richmond yet, and says he w6n’t 1 
have to go into the alrmv, he thinks.” 
Long-curls.—“ I suppose it’s unpleasant thaab, 
but the society at least is bettah than 'tis heah. 
You don't know, my dear, how vulgah every¬ 
thing is heah. We actually have no society— 
tha’s nothing but northe’n women, aud soldiers, 
ami nubses, and so on.” 
Pug-nose.—“ You always had a house full of 
cha’ming people—you must miss them so much. 
I declaah, it’s too bad!’’ 
Long-curls.—“ Yes, but all that's ovah, and 
we don’t sca’cely see any one now. The Yankee 
women are every whaali, and since the battle it’s 
ail utilises and wounded soldiers.” 
Pug-nose.—“ We shall not have any more so¬ 
ciety till the wah is ovah. Baltimoab is bad 
enough, but we have some nice people yet. 
’Tis’nt all Yankee, as ’tis heah.” 
All this conversation was perfectly audible to 
nearly every person in the crowded car, and yet 
these women were dressed like ladies, and called 
themselves friends of the Union. There is a 
good deal of just such Unionism, hereabouts. 
How Gen. Grant entered the Service. 
Never was the quotation “ .Man proposes, 
but God disposes,” more strikingly exemplified 
than in the following anecdote of Gen. Grant: 
At the commencement of the rebellion an 
Illinois Representative called upon Gov. Yates 
to recommend to him Mr. Grant as a fit person 
for some military position. The Governor had 
received applications from some men over six 
feet in height and of muscular frames, and, 
therefore, curiously eyed the small man, attired 
in homespun, that stood before him us an appli¬ 
cant. lie then asked his grounds for making 
the application. “I was educated at West 
Point.” said Grant, “at the country’s expense. 
I served in Mexico, and when r went out to 
Oregon, I thought I had returned to the country 
an equivalent for my education, so I resigned. 
The country is now in trouble, and I wish to 
serve her in her need.” Gov. Yates had no ap¬ 
pointment for him. and he therefore left. 
Some short time after this occurrence, the Gov¬ 
ernor was very much distressed in regard to the 
raising of the quota of the Mate. He had plenty 
of officers’ positions, but he personally did not 
know the minutuc of the regimental organiza¬ 
tions—how many privates composed a company, 
or how many subordinate officers there should 
be in a regiment. In distress be asked the 
Representative of that plain, little man. to whom 
he had been introduced, if he knew anything of 
these matters. The Representative replied by 
bringing Grant into the Governor's presence. 
“Do you understand the organization of 
troops?” inquired the Governor. The answer 
was in the affirmative. “Will you accept a 
desk in my office for that purpose?” was the 
next question. “Anything to serve my coun¬ 
try.’’ was Grant's reply. And to work he at 
once went. And but for this, Grant might still 
be unknown to the world. By his energy Illinois 
became noted for the speed with which she 
tilled her quota. 
A Mother and Her Boys. 
The Washington Star says:—Mr. aud Mrs. 
Bowdish, residents of the State of Michigan, 
who had two sous—Horace and Coradin—in the 
Seventh Michigan regiment, came to this city a 
day or two ago in search of Horace, who they 
learned had been wounded iu the battle at the I 
Wilderness, and had been brought to this city. 
Failing to find him in the hospital, they yester¬ 
day evening visited the Sixth street wharf. A 
few moments afterwards the steamer Jefferson 
steamed up to the dock, and standing near the 
bow of the boat was the looked-for son. badly 
wounded: bis right arm having been shot off 
above the elbow. As soon as the plank was 
thrown from the boat to the wharf, Mrs. Bow- 
dish sprang on board the steamer, and throwing 
her arms around her son’s neck burst into u 
flood of tears, with her head bent upon his 
shoulders. 
For a few seconds there was an affecting 
silence, which tho fond mother broke by say ing 
Within the past week I have seen some 
ten or twelve cases of self-mutiliation by soldiers 
desirous of getting to the rear. These cowards 
shoot themselves through the hand selecting 
generally the second finger of the right hand, 
and then go back to the hospital in the hope of 
being sent to Washington with the wounded. 
The surgeons having noticed the recurring fre¬ 
quency of these cases—as the character of these 
wounds, burned and ^discolored with powder, 
was sufficiently indicative of their origin—they 
reported the matter to headquarters, and the 
delinquents in future are to be put upon the 
skirmish line. It is customary in ordinary cases 
to put the patient under chloroform: but, as a 
punishment to the coward, the surgeons now 
perform the amputation of fingers without any 
anaesthetic. 
Twitting on Facts. 
“ lx one of the hospitals in this city, a day 
or two ago, a wounded Virginia rebel and a 
wounded Pennsylvanian, occupying adjoining 
beds, had a good-humored verbal tilt, as follows: 
Union—Say, reb, where are you from ? 
Secesh—I’m from Virginia, the best State in 
America. 
Union—That's where old Floyd came from, 
the old thief. 
Secesh—Where are you from, Yank? 
Union—I’m from Pennsylvania. 
Secesh—Well, you needn’t talk about old 
Floyd coming from Virginia as long as old 
Buchanan came from Pennsylvania. Don't 
you wish you hadn't said anything, Yank? 
(Smn lor tit ff0ttng. 
For Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
AN ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 520 letters. 
My IS, 14,15. 3, 4 is the name of an animal common in 
this country. 
My 'l, 6,1 is the name of au article men wear. 
My 13,14,15, 20 is the name of a small open building. 
My 17, IS, 19 , 20 is the name applied to a large number 
of animals together. 
My 5, 6, 4 is what we first do on reaching a friend's 
house. 
My 13.14, 15. 6, 5,13 is the name of an article all ladies 
have. 
My 2, 3, 6, 20 is something all animals have. 
My 19,18, 6, 20 is something boys should do in the 
evening. 
My 10,11, 8 is the name of an animal that lives in the 
house. 
My 12* 9, 10,13 are very useful members of the body. 
My 7,9,16,17,18.19 is what we do at school. 
My whole is the title of a popular book which often 
appears in the columns of the Rural. 
Rochester, N. Y., 1804. Henry Barnard. 
CF” Answer in two weeks. 
For Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
GEOGRAPHICAL ENIGMA 
I am composed of 49 letters. 
My 44, 7, 32,29 4, 3, 27, 12 is a river in the United 
States. 
My 45, 31, 21, 24, 29,11 is a river in New York. 
My 17, 14, 19, 23, 27, 3S. 20,1, 25, 5 is a bay in Michi¬ 
gan. 
My S, 9, 19.17, 6 is a river iu North Carolina. 
My 34, 42. 41. 40 is a river iu Iowa. 
Mv 43, 35. 47. 26, 49 is a river In Georgia. „ _ „ „ „ . . „ 
.... ... or o Industrial University Education. By Prof. J. B. 
Mj 34, 44 , -.1, 32. 35, ~, 3b .. a lake in l tab. Turner of Jacksonville, Ill. Chicago: Emerv & Co. 
My 1, 31, 30, 33, 10, 35,13 is a city in New York. ^ „ . 
My 18,10, 7, 3, 21 is a river in South Carolina * S t0 H ' D E * KBY of for * 
Mv 28.19, 41, 10, 26, 22,15 is a river in Florida. Wf’ wriIten * tn « ^ 
My 4-.. 12, 8, 44, 37, 3, 48 is a river in Mexico. T •! 
Mv 39, 42, 34, 4.5,15 is a river in France. forthcoming Report, and by him rejected because it 
, , , ,. . . , contained more sense than he could comprenend. Me 
Mv whole is the words engraved on the tomb stone . . . , . 
, ' , . . .. ,. are gratefbl for the pleasure the receipt anc perusal of 
of Alice B. Haven, and may be found in the New ,. e . . * , . .. 
_ . .. _ ... this renori, has uiven us. While it is peculiar, strone. 
Testament. Rosie E. Watts. „ . , , * . . , * , ’ c 
.... ..... Saxonish iu words and terms, and In this respect open 
New Haven, Ohio, 1 &o4. , ... „ . ....... 
___ , . , „ , to the cntic-.sms of omping conventionality, it is equal- 
rif Answer in two weeks. , . t Jr . . 
ly peculiar and strong m its sound, sturdy sense—oom- 
” 7 ing as it does from oue of the, if not thr greatest and most 
For Moore's Rural New-\ orker. independent thinkers to be found on the prairies And 
AN ANAGRAM. it comes from a man who has given this subject more 
thought and attention, perhaps, than any firing man in 
r-rcatyno dsauts tiwii ttsouereedth dasnh. the United States—Who belter comprehends tho object 
Omfr nuhe sutm 1 f woruh bvaeroewo- sought by this effort to establish industrial schools) 
Reh gisnuha ro erh osjy. And yet Isaac Newton thinks his views too radical! 
_ . , . „ , ‘ . , „ . .. Poor Newtos 1 
Eth irdsnfc fo girth tiwh oatnrr tuirhb, ... , , _ . 
A liaatvn Ciiarhnst dbna, W e regret that we have not space m this connection 
Ghbolru oed ruu ids yma eyt eb daern for the extracts we have marked in our hasty reading; 
V sbsein.g ot uor dalu. hut we promise our readers a large taste of its quality. 
West Hebron, N Y., 1864. C. A Powne. And we cannot forbear giving an extract or two. Talk- 
13 1 ’* .Answer in two weeks. iug of the present system of education he says:—“ I 
-- happen to know something of this popular Collegiate 
For Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. and University Curriculum as they significantly call it. 
MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM. I was some eight or ten years of my fife under its drifi 
- as a pupil, aud some twenty more as a teacher and pro- 
Thk length of a degree of longitude at the equator is f««>r. My instructors aud comrades were near and 
6*416100 miles, what is the length of a degree, longitude desr; 1 ahall revere them as long as I live. They did 
ht iUvitim 
United Stateh_ Christian Commission for the 
army and Nany—F or the year 1863. Second 
Annual Report. 
We have received this interesting report of nearly 
300 pages. The report opens with the following en¬ 
couraging paragraph:—“The year opened with great 
promise for the work or the United States Christian 
Commission It closes with every promise more than 
fulfilled. And the indications for the coming year are 
those of a work for our defenders, our country and 
our God of still greater extent, interest and power.” 
We find the value of the contributions of Cash, 
Stores, Scriptures, Railroad and Telegraph facilities, 
and Delegate’s services to the Commission is put down 
at $ 916,837 65. Of this amount f 358,239 29 was cash. 
Of this cash $885,211 23 was expended by the Com¬ 
mission during 1863—leaving a cash balance on hand 
the 1st of January, 1864, of $93,028 01 
A few items illustrating the amount of work done 
will be interesting: Christian Ministers and Laymen 
commissioned to minister to men on the battle fields 
and in camps, hospitals and ships, during the year, 
1,207. copies of Scriptures distributed, 4tV>,715: Hymn 
and Psalm books distributed, 371,889; Knapsack books 
distributed, l,25L5fll; Library books, 39,713; Magazines 
and Pamphlets, 120,492, Religious Newspapers, 2,931,- 
469; pages of Tracts, 11,976,722; Silent Comforters, &c., 
3,283; Boxes shipped, 12,648 
To the principles which are the base, and which 
govern the Christian Commission, no one who is not a 
bigoted sectariin will object. They are Catholicity and 
Nationality—*• the Courch of Christ of various names 
united in behalf of the men of every State gone to the 
war—a new thing under the sun’ These principles in 
combination guarantee freedom from sectional favor¬ 
itism In distribution, or sectarian influence in teaching, 
and give breadth of resource for supply at home and 
power of equalization in application to those in the 
field. By their action, ministers and others are enlisted 
from different denominations, stores gathered from all 
the people, and publications secured from the religious 
press, and all are sent where and when they arc needed, 
without flooding one pari, to the npgleot of another, 
whilst the defenders of the nation from every State, 
and Of every denominational preference, are cared for 
without partiality.’’ 
Such principles must commend the United States 
Christian Commission to the good everywhere. 
The Talisman of Battle and other Poems —Bv A. 
O. Gan yard. Rochester, N. Y. 
We have spent a pleasant hour looking through this 
book. The author says concerning it:—“After being 
discharged from the service of the United States, and 
yet unable to engage in any business pursuits, on 
account of the severity of my wounds, the time unoc¬ 
cupied by other studies was devoted to composition— 
the result of which, in this little volume is submitted 
to the public. The Poem from which the volume re¬ 
ceives its title is (bunded on facts which came under 
my own observation, and descriptive of scenes in which 
I actually participated during a term of service exceed¬ 
ing fifteen months in the Army of the Potomac.” 
The above is the author's preface The key to the 
story of the poem which gives name to the volume is 
told in the following lines: 
“ He had his soldier trappings on,— 
The burnished sword hung by his side, 
And flashed as ever and anon 
’Mong swaying boughs down poured a tide 
Of moohiight. while his promised bride, 
A shiuing braid of her own brown hair 
Child like about the bright hilt tied, 
And whispered,— *• William, leave it there 
Till it shall stains of War’s red dew-drops bear. 
“ You will be brave, I know you wifi, 
And when ’hi - sword shinrs in the fight, 
This dark braid bound upon it still, 
Let it remit i you Of this night. 
And of the vivas which here we plight; 
And when at length the war is done, ' 
Lei this, presented, prove your right 
To claim the. heart which you have won, 
And hand in hand through life we'll journey on.” 
This story, aside from some gross violations of 
all rules of poetical measure, is very well told—es 
pecially the battle sceue, which affords evidence enough 
we think, that the author has seen, if he has not par¬ 
ticipated in a battle. Despite its mechanical or con¬ 
structive faults, this poem has a good deal of merit. 
The “Other Poems,” called by the author “Arrow- 
Flights of Song’’—which title, we think, has been 
copy righted times enough to be called hackneyed—are 
cheerful and most of them meritorious. Some or them 
indicate a want >ff study, while all furnish, we think, 
evidence that tb<' author possesses a natural talent 
1 which deserves better culture than it has yet received. 
\Ye recognize one poem which came to our table and 
was rejected—and which adds nothing to the good 
' character of the book. But we do not think any one 
need regret investing 75 cents in this little work by a 
Western New York “ soldier-bov.” 
47*, 4P North of the equator? 
Verona, N'. Y., 186-4. 
X3T Answer in two weeks. 
S. Q. Cagwin. 
ANSWERS TO ENIGMAS, &c., IN No. 752. 
Answer to Rural Enigma:—Raise good stock and 
keep it well- 
Answer to Anagram: 
Aud ever thus iu this lower world, 
Should the banner of love be widely unfurled, 
Aud when we meet in the world above, 
May wo. love to live, and five to love. 
Answer to Anagrams of Places:—Toledo, Ringgold. 
Sine Slug, Kalamazoo, Charleston, Baton Rouge) Har¬ 
risburg, Leavenworth, Chattanooga. Des Moines City. 
Answer to Problem —125 acres apd 2 S 10 rods. 
much for me; all that it was possible for mortal man 
to do under a system so unnatural, and upon a subject 
so unpromising. But they left me ignorant of nearly 
all I ueed to know, (as the reader can easily perceive. 1 
aud put mo to the mrahle of forgetting much that no 
man ou earth ever ought to know.” 
Talking about the undue importance given to the 
languages in our present system of education, he says 
•• Why should a boy learn ail the different words in a 
dozen different languages, or in forty different technical 
sciences, before he truly learns a single thing that God 
ever made or ever «ill make? How can we teach him 
to use his brain before he learns to use his eyes or bis 
ears, ids hands or his feet. His tongue is evidently to 
be used last of all, if Indeed at all, except for the mere 
purpose of swallowing.” 
