LETTERS FROM CALIFORNIA. 
INTei-.- Series. — Number ITour. 
Mexican vaquero — Spanish mustangs. or wild horses — Hiding 
a mustang at th'fnir — His attempts to unhorse his rider — He 
is turned loose andrecaptured by hi* pursuers with the lasso — 
Process repeated and re-repeated — The. wild horse subdued — 
Mexican and Californian national sports — Catching the roos- 
Irr—' Hiding fur the half dollar'’ — Thrilling excitement 
and great amusement — Shock- of an earthquake.. 
San Franc taco, Dec. 1, I860. 
The California vaquero is, certainly, a useful 
specimen of tlie genus homo. In a country where 
fences are rare, and fencing timber scarce, where 
stables and barns are almost unknown, the swarthy 
vaquero does duty as fence and cattle pen. He pre¬ 
vents llte herds of the rancheros (farmers) from stray¬ 
ing, and protects them, mounted with spur and lasso 
on horse, against the predatory excursions of coyotes, 
wolves, and bifurcated cattle thieves. The vaquero is 
an ancient California institution, and like all the old 
features of the country, his glory is fast passing away. 
He is not now the gay and happy creature he was in 
“days lang syne," ere the soil knew the footsteps of 
the Yankee, or the country felt the beneficent Bway 
of Anglo-Saxon rule. 
During the early settlement of California, and for a 
long time previous, immense herds of wild horses 
roamed over the Tulare and San Joaquin plains. 
These mustangs (wild horses,) were /era naturce, —had 
no owners, acknowledged allegiance to none. From 
these herds, the old Spaniards were accustomed to 
replenish their horse stock as it gave out, and a more 
spirited and hardy race of animals was never known. 
They were rode down and taken with the lasso by the 
vaqueros. Mustangs, after having been broken to 
harness, readily commanded from $25 to $40 per 
head. At present, the stock of wild, unowned 
horses, is nearly run out. No herds of mustangs exist, 
to test the prowess of the vaquero. There are no mines 
of horse flesh, into which he may plunge with the 
nata and lasso, and find the wliercwithall to recupe¬ 
rate his fortunes and the means to minister to his 
passions for monte and cock-fighting. With the 
exception of the sinnnal rodeos, at which the ranche- 
ros assemble to affix- the brand of ownership to their 
live stock, there is now but little opportunity for the 
vaquero to exhibit his skill, and shine forth in nil his 
glory. Another decade of years and they will dis¬ 
appear. 
At one of the California district fairs, we recently 
witnessed (to us,) the exciting and novel exhibition of 
the vaquero mounting with boot and spur a mustang, 
never before treated to a saddle and rider. He was 
as wild ns a mountain buck. His attempts to unhorse 
his rider were unceasing and labored. He would 
thrust down his head, bow up his back, anl Jump 
upward and forward, and come down with a ven¬ 
geance that would almost make the earth tremble. 
After several unsuccessful attempts at leaping, and 
rearing, and jumping, he broke into a furious run, 
or race, of several hundred yards, pursued by five 
or six swarthy vaqueros, on fleet but trained mus¬ 
tangs. As soon as they came up to him he stopped 
short and repeated his first attempts at jumping high 
offfrom the ground several times, coming down with 
braced limbs, and thus jarring seriously his rider, and 
nearly snapping his neck from off his body. Failing 
in ill A attempt to tree himself, he whirled, and with 
foaming mouth, distended nostrils, and glaring eye¬ 
balls, returned with furious speed over his track, fol¬ 
lowed by his pursuers, and after leaping fene.es auil 
ditches brought up against the broadside of a build¬ 
ing. Hero mustang halted, and apparently seemed to 
go into a cool calculation fig to his chances of suc¬ 
cess,— moditating upon the ways and means how 
best he might accomplish the feat of unhorsing his 
bold rider. While the brain of the mustang was 
belabored with this problem, we thought we could 
discover similar mental conflict in the countenance 
of the daring vaquero. Boon they all broke from 
their moorings, and, like a fleet before a furious gale, 
flew past us, ami away they rode for half a mile, 
when the wild horse jumped, whirled, made a circuit, 
and soon came dashing past the gaping, excited 
throng, and bronght up once more against a row of 
drinking saloons, and made a dead halt. He was 
much sobered, and doubtless felt chagrined to think 
that he was a victim, instead of a victor. He was 
now turned loose. With evident satisfaction, he 
reared his tail arid dashed off at full speed. A new 
act was now to open — the mustang must be lassoed — 
?o a half dozen vaqueros with lasso in hand, put after 
him in hot speed. They soon came up to him und 
threw a lasso over his head. With the ether end 
wound firmly around the horn of the saddle, the 
rider whirled and rode back from whence he came. 
Soon the slack of the lasso was used up, a snubbing 
process ensued, the mustang was thrown furiously 
upon bis side, where he lay humbled, and, withal, 
sorely disappointed. Now he was permitted to 
escape again,—then pursued and lassoed— then let 
loose and then re-captured, when he was led up before 
the crowd, all dripping with sweat, and so com¬ 
pletely exhausted and subdued, that a child could 
have led him anywhere. To us it was rare und novel 
sport, and was keenly relished by the assembled 
thousands. 
Mexicans and Californians have but few’ national 
sports, and those not of the most refined and intellec¬ 
tual character. Horse-racing, card-playing, cock- 
fighting, practicing with the lasso, and bull-fighting, 
const;tutu about the sum total of their amusements. 
Most of their out-door amusements aro engaged in, 
on saint, or especial feast-days, when the- population 
assemble at some point, and there indulge their par¬ 
ticular tastes to their hearts’ content. One of their 
amusements is denominated catching the rooster. 
1 he bird is buried partially in the sand, his head and 
neck only being uncovered. The game is, for a 
horseman, while under full speed, to pluck the fowl 
lrom his unpleasant roost. It is not every one that 
can accomplish this feat, and frequently an unlucky 
or unskillful cubaltero is unhorsed in the attempt. 
During the I air above alluded to, we were agreea¬ 
bly diverted by a Spanish amusement termed “riding 
ior the half-dollar.” A half-dollar was placed in the 
race-way, elevated some two inches above the sur- 
iaee. The feat consisted in seizing it with the band 
Jvhile riding at full speed. Some live or six Span¬ 
iards entered the arena with spirited horses. Only 
one rode at a time. The first riderlstarted, spurring 
jr s horse into a furious gallop, and when opposite 
r e tempting silver, he swayed and swooped over his 
flexible body, seized the prize, and readjusting lmn- 
se ‘ a ? a io iu his saddle, held up the shining silver 
abiid the shouts of the populace. Another coin was 
fUrnished by the spectators, and a second contestant 
ste i ted full speed for the tempting bait. When oppo¬ 
site the coin, he made his plunge, missed, and came 
near being unhorsed. A thrill of horror siezed every 
beholder. He finally recovered his seat and returned 
to repeat the attempt, but with no better success than 
at first. A third started his horse into a keen race, 
and at the proper moment, dove for the luring piece. 
He was carried several yards with Ins body at right 
angles with the under side of Iub horse, and only by 
the most desperate exertions did he regain his seat 
in his saddle, and that, too, unattended with the half- 
dollar. A sense of relief came over the minds of all 
as he righted up from his perilous position. Practice 
doubtless has much to do with success, for while one 
competitor bore off the coin five out of six attempts, 
nearly all the other riders failed four out of every 
five trials. Although it was attended with danger to 
those immediately engaged in it, yet it afforded much 
merriment to several thousand spectators. 
Reccntty, in Humbolt county, the shock of an 
earthquake was sensibly experienced. Several houses 
were moved some feet off their foundations, dinner 
plates were sent ajar, chimneys toppled to their fall, 
dogs were disturbed in their kennels, children ran 
wildly to their mamas, wives embraced their hus¬ 
bands affectionately, and a distinguished son of F.scu- 
lapius bad several glass jars filled with precious 
elixirs, thrown down, broken and contents entirely 
lost. Nothing more serious occurred on this memo¬ 
rable occasion. Shocks of earthquakes are not un¬ 
common in California, as this city can testify. 
3. B. If. 
- — » ■ ♦ - 
THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. 
Washington city is about four and a half miles in 
length, and about two and a half in breadth, stretch¬ 
ing along the batiks of the Potomac, from the eastern 
branch to Rock Creek, in a direction front southeast 
to northwest. Its area is 3016 acres, its circnm- 
fereuce fourteen miles. The streets running north 
and south are named numerically, as 1st street, 2d 
street, Ac; those running east and west, alphabet¬ 
ically, as A street, B street, Ac. This monotony is 
agreeably relieved by magnificent avenues from 130 
to 160 feet wide, cutting them diagonally. The 
avenues are named after the several states of the 
Union, and radiate from the Capitol, as a center, 
forming at intervals throughout the city triangular 
lots, tastefully enclosed, and adorned with trees and 
shrubbery. 
The depot at which strangers arrive from the north 
and west is immediately north of the Capitol, sit¬ 
uated at the corner of New Jersey Avenue and C 
street, from which the approach to the principal 
thoroughfare, Pennsylvania Avenue, lies southwest. 
Along this avenue are the principal hotels. After 
securing a hotel, or boarding house, the stranger 
directs his attention first of all to the Capitol. The 
principal approach to this edifice from Pennsylvania 
Avenue at. the head of which it stands, is through a 
well spread lawn of very ample dimensions, encir¬ 
cled with flower beds, and tastefully ornamented with 
clumps and avenues of stately trees, in the midst of 
which sparkling fountains are constantly sending 
forth their gushing melody, and coolness to the air. 
Following the course of one or the other of these 
shadf avenues, lie will gain, by a flight of steps, the 
approach to the (‘apitol, by its west entrance. Hav¬ 
ing reached the ample terrace surrounding the build¬ 
ing, he will stop for a moment to admire the scene 
presented to his view, and take in for the first tirtie a 
partial outline of the city, which from this point is 
pronounced by those who fiave a lively conception 
for the boS'itiftiL and among oUu-rn by I4»ron Von 
Humboldt, to present one of the finest panoramic 
views in the world. 
Immediately beneath his feet he will overlook the 
lawn through which he has just passed, containing 
thirty acres, and enclosed by an iron railing more 
than a mile in length, with the naval monument in a 
basin of water, within a few yards of him, while in 
the distance, spread out like a map, will lie the city, 
with its avenues, its walks, and its various public 
edifices extending to the picturesque heights of 
Georgetown on the one side, and the beautiful 
Potomac river — here upwards of a mile in width — 
on the other. Beyond the Potomac he will see the 
Virginia shore, from a high slope of which, Arling¬ 
ton, the seat of G. W, P. Cnstis, is visible, and Icsb 
distinctly, the antiquated and venerable town of 
Alexandria, Va., about eight miles distaut. 
From this point he will perceive that the Gapitol 
furnishes a nucleus from which the avenues radiate 
in all directions. Pennsylvania Avenue, the prin¬ 
cipal one, being terminated by tbo grounds surround¬ 
ing the President’s mansion, which famishes another 
nucleus for the radiation of some of the avenues. 
Nothing can exceed the beanty of this Beene at sun¬ 
set, when the western sky is lighted up with the gor¬ 
geous tints of the rainbow, and the whole avenue is 
bathed in its golden light. The Capitol consists of 
the original building as designed by Hallet, Head- 
field, Hoban, and Statcobe, covering one and a half 
acres of ground; and the new wings designed by the 
Government architect, T. U. Walter, and covering 
two and three quarters acres of ground, making the 
extent of the entire building four and a quurter 
acres. The original building is 352.4 long in 
front; the wings 121 feet deep; the east projection, 
containing the portico and steps, 65; the west projec¬ 
tion, containing the library, 86; the north and south 
wings, containing the Senate Chamber and Hall of 
Representatives, are 70 feet high to the top of balus¬ 
trade; the Senate Chamber is 74 feet long and 42 feet 
high; the Hall of Representatives, 00 feet long and 
60 feet high, both surmounted by domes. The Ro¬ 
tunda is 96 feet in diameter, and was surmounted by 
a grand dome 145 feet above the level of the ground, 
which has been removed to make place for another 
still more magnificent, which was designed by Mr. 
Walter, and will be over 300 feet high from the level 
of the ground. 
The new wings are to the north and south of the 
original structure, and are intended for a Senate 
Chamber and HalL of Representatives; each wing is 
238 by 140 feet. The erection of these additions has 
rendered necessary the enlargement of the grounds 
north and south, and at no distant day the Capitol 
park and gardens will contain about sixty acres. 
The building fronts toward the east, so that the prin¬ 
cipal part of the city, and all the public buildings, 
are behind the Capitol, The stranger ascending 
Capitol Hill from Pennsylvania Avenue, enters the 
building by tin: western door, and ascends a flight of 
steps leading to the Rotunda, which is a magnificent 
apartment, having cost $2,000,001), occnpying the 
center of the main building, and lighted from above. 
There Arc four entrances to this apartment, one lead¬ 
ing to the Senate Chamber, one to the Hall of Repre¬ 
sentatives, one to the eastern portico, and one to the 
passage by which the stranger lias just entered it. 
The panels over these doors arc enriched by si ulp- 
ture, in bas-relief—that over the one leading to the 
Senate containing a sketch of a treaty of Penn with 
the Indians; that over the one Leading to the Hoase, 
of a rencontre between Daniel Boone and the Indiana; 
that over the one leading to the eastern, the landing 
IJiiOI'AUD AND ANTJdLOl'lO. 
The Antelope depicted in our spirited tugraving 
was, when living, in the collection of the Earl of 
Derby, England, and, in its wild state, a native of 
Africa. The leopard came from the London Zoolog¬ 
ical Gardens, having died from the effects of the 
severe winter. It was an adult Female, full grown, 
thongh small. Both are now preserved In the Crystal 
Palace collection. The illustration represents the fol¬ 
lowing not uncommon circumstance :— An Antelope 
having having gone to the water to allay his thirst, 
has boon surprised by a Leopard. The Antelope, in 
its fright, whilst darting from the water up the bank, 
turns bis head sharply round, in agouy. und, accident¬ 
ally, buries one bom entirely, and the other partially, 
in the body of the Leopard. Tin- litter, in his turn, 
j no* oa*ty b flfl u ctc iilutmt iT) w-ts tv- 
but in all probability bus received a vJesffly thrust, 
and the carnivorous beast fallsy .nsteail of the harm¬ 
less ruminating animal, the prey upon which he in¬ 
tended to feast. Gordon Gumming, in his travels, 
relates a similar circumstance of a lion which was 
killed by the horns of the Oryx, u large wild Antelope 
of Southern Africa. 
There arc several species of Antelope. All, except 
two or three, inhabit the t >rrid zone, and that portion 
of the temperate zone bordering on the tropics. They 
are generally of a most elegant form. Their disposi- 
of the Pilgrims at Plymouth; and that over the west, 
the preservation of Capt. Smith by Pocahontas. The 
sides of the Rotunda are divided into larger panels, 
for the most part filled with historical paintings. 
Four of these, painted by Trumbull, represent the 
Declaration Of Independence, the surrender of (Jen. 
Burgoyne, the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and the 
resignation of his commission by Washington at 
Annapolis. An additional panel contains a painting 
by Chapman, representing the baptism of Pocahou 
taa; another, the departure of the Mayflower, by 
Weir; another, the landing of Columbus, by Van- 
derlyn; and the last, De Soto discovering the Missis¬ 
sippi, by Powell -all of them splendid works of art. 
The Bouth door of the Rotunda leads into a circu¬ 
lar vestibule, surmounted by a small dome, leading 
to the lobby of the Hall of Representatives. From 
the lobby the entrance to the galleries of the House 
are gained; that immediately In front of the door, 
leading to the gentlemen’s gallery, while two at the 
extremity of the lobbies open into the gallery set 
apart for ladles and the guests of members of the 
House. The floor of the House is appropriated to 
the use of members, and persons privileged by the 
rules of the House. — Auburn Union. 
fteM, jlrittitifif, $f. 
plants; it sticks to glass, metal, wood, stone, etc., 
and hardens under water. 1 have tried, 1 think, a 
hundred different experiments with cements, and 
there- is nothing like it. It is the same us that used 
in constructing the tanks at the Zoological Gardens, 
London, and is almost unknown iu this country: One 
part, by measure, say a gill of litharge; one gill of 
plaster of Paris; one gill of dry white sand; one- 
third of a gill of finely powdered rosin. Sift and 
keep corked tight till required for use, when it is to 
lie made iuto a putty by mixing in boiled oil (lin¬ 
seed), with a little patent dryer added. Never use it 
after it has been mixed (that is, with the oil) over 
fifteen hours. 
This cement can be used for marine as welljaa 
fresh-water aquaria, as it resists the action of salte 
water. The tank can be used immediately, but it is 
best to give it three or four hours to dry.— Architect's 
Journal. 
tion is'very restless, timid, and watchful. They are 
of great vivacity, remarkably swift and agile, and 
their movements are so light and so elastic as to de¬ 
light every beholder. 
A pleasing description of them is given in A phi- 
son's “Damascus and Palmyra.” lie says:—“We 
suddenly came in sight of a large herd of Antelopes. 
Tbe Arabs seized their lances, we drew our pistols, 
and distributing ourselves in ati immense circle, wo 
walked our horses towards them slowly. They heed 
ed us not till we approached near, when they began 
to hold lip their beautiful heads, adorned with slight¬ 
ly curved tapering horns, and trotted up together; 
then, seeing us spurt ing our horses from behind the 
little hillocks all around them, they dashed through 
u-3 with iitfudUy of w iu.il. I. n< vu thrown, 
pistols discharged, but, all iu vain; they quickly 
di»t»uo«d the lice test, horse, which was a grey Arab 
mare, and then stopped, and turned round end looked 
at us, and then took to their heels again, bounding 
over tiie ground in such a way that they appeared to 
fly rather than to run.” 
The lleetnoss of the Antelope was proverbial in the 
earliest times, and the roe is still “swift on the 
mountains.” The light Gazelle, with its beaming 
eyo and graceful figure, has eVer been a favorite with 
the poets of the East. 
without, any pause along narrow and confined seas or 
up funnel-shaped inlets, have occasionally proved 
disastrous to a fearful extent. Thus it Is recorded 
that upward of one hundred thousand persons per 
ished in the year 1832, and again In 1842, in this way, 
numerous complete villages and towns being washed 
away by a wave advancing from the North Sea over 
the low lands of Holland. Between Nova Beotia and 
New Brunswick the ordinary spring tide often rises 
to a height of one huudreil feet, sweeping away the 
cattle feeding on the shore.— Pickens' " All (lie Year 
Round," 
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF STATES. 
The following interesting table was prepared by 
C. T. Fooler, of Utica, and published in the Herald 
of that city. It will be seen that New York com¬ 
menced as the fifth State in 1790, rose to the third 
position in 1800, to the second in 1810, and from 
1820, when she displaced Virginia, has been the 
"Empire State.” Pennsylvania has held the most 
even position in the jostling rivalry to gain the head 
of the column. Several Western States have rapidly 
ascended. The entire table is interesting: 
BIG WAVES. 
When the great ocean is disturbed, it forms surface 
waves, which are sometimes of great magnitude. In 
a gale, such waves have been more than once mea¬ 
sured, and it is found that their extreme height from 
the top to the deepest depression of large storm 
waves, has been nearly fifty feet, their length being 
from four to six hundred yards-, and their rate of 
raotiou through the water about half a mile a minate. 
Such waves, breaking over an obstacle of any kind, 
or mingling strangely with the clouded atmosphere 
raging above, are the wildest, grandest, and moat 
terrible phenomena of nature. When they approach 
land, they break up into much smaller bodies of 
water, but these are often lifted by shoals and 
obstructed by rocks till they are thrown up in miu.-os 
of many tuns to a height of more than a hundred feet. 
The tidal wave Is another phenomenon of water 
motion of a somewhat different kind, producing an 
alternate rise and fall Of the water over all parts of 
the ocean every twelve hours. 
In addition to the true waves there are also many 
definite streams or currents of water conveying large 
portions of the sea from one latitude to another, 
modifying the temperature of the adjacent land, and 
producing a mixture of the waters at the Btirface or 
at some depth which cannot but be extremely con¬ 
ducive to the general benefit of all living beings. 
Storm tides, or those waves which occasionally rush 
m 
5 
CO 
S3 
el 
CO 
S3 55 
o 
CO 
S 
OB 
r—i 
r-i 
.—* 
— 1 
t—i rH 
H 
re 
C. 
1 
Va. 
Va. 
Va. 
N. Y. 
N. Y. N. Y. 
N. Y. 
N. Y. 
.24 
2 
Fa. 
Fa. 
N. Y. 
Va. 
Fa. Pa. 
Fa. 
Pa. 
.28 
3 
N. C. 
K. Y. 
Fa. 
Fa. 
Va. O. 
O. 
O. 
22 
4 
Mas. 
N. C. 
N. C. 
N. C. 
O. Va. 
Va. 
111. 
J18 
5 
N. Y. 
Mas. 
Mas. 
O. 
N. C. Ten. 
Ten. 
Va. 
.12 
6 
Mi) 
8. C. 
S. C, 
Ky. 
Ky. Ky. 
Mas. 
Did. 
.36 
7 
- c 
Md. 
Ky. 
Mas. 
Ten. N. C. 
Ind. 
Mass. 
.23 
8 
Ct. 
Ct. 
Md. 
8. C. 
Mai. Mas. 
Ky. 
Mo. 
.78 
9 
N. J. 
Ky. 
Ct. 
Ten. 
S. C. (In., 
0a. 
Ten, 
.14 
10 
N H. 
N. J. 
Teu. 
Md. 
Oa. Ind. 
N. C. 
Ky. 
.16 
li 
Me. 
N. 11. 
Cia. 
Gfl. 
Md. S. C. 
III. 
Ga. 
.19 
12 
Vt. 
Oa. 
N. J. 
Me. 
Me. Ala. 
Ala. 
N. C. 
.16 
13 
G<ii 
Vt. 
0, 
N. J. 
lud. Me. 
Mo. 
Ala. 
.23 
14 
K y. 
Me. 
tie. 
Ct. 
N. J. III. 
8. C. 
Miss. 
.40 
15 
R. 1. 
Ten. 
Vt. 
N. 11. Ala. Md. 
Miss. 
Wis. 
1.48 
18 
Dei. 
R. I. 
N. H. 
Vt. 
Ct. Mo. 
Me. 
Mich. 
.89 
IT 
Teu. 
Dei. 
It. I. 
La. 
Vt. Miss. 
Md 
8. C. 
.05 
18 
0. 
I.a. 
Ind. 
N. 11. N. J. 
La. 
Io. 
2.54 
19 
.Miss. 
Del. 
Ala. 
J.a. La. 
N J. 
Md. 
16 
20 
lad. 
Miss. 
R. I. 
ILL Ct. 
Mich. 
N J. 
.38 
21 
Ind. 
Miss. 
Mo. Vt. 
Ct. 
La. 
.23 
22 
Mo. 
Del. 
Mi s. N. H. 
N. If. 
Me. 
.06 
23 
IU. 
Mo. 
R. 1. Mich. 
Vt. 
Tex. 
1.82 
24 
Mich. 111. 
Del. li. I. 
Wis. 
Ct. 
24 
25 
Ark. 
Fla. Ark. 
Tex. 
Ark. 
1.14 
28 
Mich. Mich. Del 
Ark. 
Cal. 
ess 
27 
Ark. Flu. 
Io. 
N. H 
. .02 
28 
Io. 
R. 1. 
Vt. 
29 
Wis. 
Cal. 
R. I. 
.18 
30 
Del. 
Min. 
£7.43 
31 
Fla. 
Fla. 
.66 
32 
Kan. 
33 
De! 
22 
34 
(Jr. 
CEMENT FOR AQUARIA. 
Many persons have attempted to make an aqua¬ 
rium, but have failed on account of the extreme diffi¬ 
culty in making the tank resist the action of water 
for any length of time. Below is a recipe for a 
cement that can be relied upon; it is perfectly free 
from anything that could injure the animals or 
DRINKING WINE. 
• 
Tuts is, decidedly, the wine-drinking ago. One 
cannot call on a bride, or spend an evening with a 
friend, without having their temperance principles 
tried to the utmost. Indeed, the person who says no 
then, can most assuredly say it anywhere. For it is 
politeness at the present day to decide yourself what 
your guests shall partake of. and if you sec they 
really do not wish it, you must urge it upon them 
until, from politeness, they accept, and then con¬ 
gratulate yourself upon your attainments in good 
imiuuers. We have currant, raspberry, blackberry, 
and cherry wine, besides grape. The first varieties 
are within the reach of nearly every family, and now, 
in nearly all the pleasant homes in village uud country, 
you will find one or more kinds of wiue, und mothers 
and sisters are offering it to those who are dearer to 
them than life, never thinking that it may be the first 
step to a life that would pale their cheoks to mentlou. 
The question to bo decided in every thoughtful 
mind is, will this course of action (as somo argue,) 
do away with Intemperance, by satisfying the appe¬ 
tite with “ harmless, home-made wine;” or will it 
only increase, and in many cases create, an appetite 
which will never be satisfied, but will continually 
cry for more, until its victim lies in a drunkard’s 
grave? It becomes us to think of this subject, for we 
all have friends and relatives who are influenced by 
us, however wo may wish to evade it. Are wo will¬ 
ing to offer them the wine cup, and to accept it our 
selves when, perhaps, we are leading them to certain 
ruin? Are we prepared to do this when we think of 
it seriously, and do not allow ourselves to bo lead 
away and blinded by fashion? Those who sow the 
wind will assuredly reap the. whirlwind, nud moth inks 
it will be a fearful harvest when mothers, wives and 
sisters see the ruin, for time and eternity, which wine- 
drinking has accomplished, and realize their agency 
in this mattor. 
Bomu are waking up to a realization of this evil, 
others are thoughtlessly following the prevailing 
Cushion. Methiuks in the weary life struggle upon 
which we have all entered, there is a nobler calling, 
a holier office, than to be tempters of those who are 
weary and nearly fainting by the way. There are 
many discouragements and trials which loving hands 
cannot turu aside from our life-path, bringing duya 
which are dork nrul dreary Ui oik Bhall we. then, 
present another temptation, adding to It octr voice, to 
>t all powerful? When the light of eternity 
shall dawn upon us, and wo stand face to face with 
“ Our Father,” how joyful will be the reflection that 
our words and example have been a life-giving influ¬ 
ence to others, and have encouraged, and porhaps 
lead them into paths of pleasantness and peace. 
Bath, N. Y., 1861. Jennie 3. 
» * ♦ » ♦- — 
A GOOD AND A BOOR COW. 
Few old farmers ever realize the difference in 
profit between keeping good aud poor stock. The 
following from GoODAUc’s Principles of Breeding, we 
commend to the careful attention of every one who 
has tlie least idea of becoming a farmer, or of 
keeping even « cow. It should make an impres¬ 
sion never to be forgotten:— “ Let us reckoq a little. 
Suppose a man wishes to buy a cow. Two are offered 
him, both four years old, and which might probably 
be serviceable for ten years to come. With the same 
food and attendance the first will yield for ton 
months In the year an average of fiye quarts per 
day—and the other for the same term will yield seven 
quarts, and of equal quality. What is the comparative 
value of each ? The difference in yield is six hundred 
quarts per uuuiim. For the purpose of this calcula¬ 
tion we will suppose it worth three cents per quart — 
amounting to eighteen dollars. Ts riot the second 
cow, while she holds out to give it, as good as the 
first, ami three hundred dollars at interest besides? 
If the first just pays for her food and attendance, the 
second, yielding two-lifths more, pays forty per cent, 
profit annually; and yet how many farmers having 
two such cows for sale would make more than ten, 
or twenty, or at most thirty dollars difference in the 
price? The profit from one Is eighteen dollars a 
ye ar —-m ten years one hundred and eighty dollars, 
besides the annual accumulations of interest — tho 
profit of the other is — nothing. If the seller has 
need to keep one, would he not be wiser to give 
I away the first, than to part with the second for a 
hundred dollars? 
- . + -« — - 
THE FARMER AND THE CITIZEN. 
When a citizen, fresh from Dock square, or Milk 
street, comes out and buys land in the country, his 
first, thought is to a fine outlook from his windows; 
his library must command a western view; a sunset 
every day, bathing the shoulder of Blue Hills, Wu- 
chusetts, and the peaks of MonaduOO and Uncftnoo- 
nue. What, thirty acres, and all this magnificence 
for fifteen hundred dollars! It would be cheap at 
fifty thousand, fie proceeds at once, his eyes dim 
with tears of joy, to fix tho spot for his corner-stone. 
But a man who is to level the ground, thinks it will 
take many hundred loads of gravel to fill the hollow 
to the road. The stone-maker who should build the 
•| well thinks lie shall have to dig forty feet; the baker 
; doubts he shall never like to drive up to the door; the 
j practical neighbor cavils at the position of the barn; 
| and the citizen comes to know that his predecessor, 
| the farmer, built the house in the right spot for the 
buu and wind, the spriug, and water-drainage, and 
I the convenience to pasture, the garden, the field, and 
the road. So Dock square yields the point, and 
thingB have their own way.— Emerson. 
Doubt is oftentimes Faith trying her little wings 
in the great air, and fluttering back to her earth- 
nest., 
