supply of milk from one of the deacons. At the time we speak of a railroad had just been completed through the place, and the shrill whistle of the locomotive was a new wonder to the younger portion of the inhabitants. Robby had a habit of imitating the whistle by a boisterous toot; and he had, by an arrangement with the deacon's wife, fixed it in such a manner that, when she heard his whistle as he approached the house, she prepared his milk for him, and he was not detained. The deacon himself also had an arrangement with his pastor whereby he had the reading of one of his religious papers for the Sabbath, and used to get them on Saturday, but sometimes failed to do so. One Sunday evening in summer, having no milk, Robby was dispatched for a supply, although contrary to their usual custom to do so on the Sabbath. As he drew near the house he gave his usual signal, and going in received his milk. The good deacon, who had been shocked at the boy's irreverence, said to him, in a voice of stern reproof, Robert, the cars do not run or whistle on the Sabbath.' Robby stood abashed; when the deacon again spoke, saying, 'Robert, did you bring up my paper?' Quick as thought he drew himself erect, and facing the deacon, replied, Deacon Jones, the cars do not carry the mail Sundays!' and, turning on his heel, left the house. Not bad for seven years old."

HERE is another legal anecdote from Missouri: "Colonel Davis, in a late trial for slander, in one of the Courts of this State, was defending his client, who had charged the plaintiff with swindling. The opposing counsel had boasted in his opening speech that the plaintiff had acted entirely under his advice; and in the progress of the cause he introduced in evidence a letter of the plaintiff, in which the phrase was used, 'Othello's occupation's gone.' Colonel Davis, in commenting upon this letter to the jury, said, 'I deny the right of the plaintiff to compare himself with Othello, who was a noble, generous, warm-hearted man-his only fault that he "loved not wisely but too well." In all these respects the plaintiff is exactly the opposite-a mean-spirited, selfish, avaricious, and treacherous person. But there is, gentlemen, a striking resemblance between the plaintiff and Othello in this-they both had most villainous counsel.'

"It is almost unnecessary to say that Colonel Davis won his case."

It is very refreshing at this time to have something amusing from Virginia. A friend in that quiet region writes that,

"Some years since a youth who lived in this county became anxious to see life, and started in a sailvessel to Baltimore. He had never seen a steamboat, but had often seen a steam saw-mill, and watched it with wonder and admiration. It had been raining and blowing for several days, and as the bay was rough the youth concluded that there had been a great rise of water somewhere ahead; and this conclusion was fully confirmed when he saw a steamer come puffing down the bay. He said to the captain of the vessel, with great earnestness, 'Why, Cap'n, thar's bin a powerful freshet up the river, for thar comes a saw-mill washed away! She ain't hurt though, for she's steddy a pluckering!"

WHO does not appreciate genuine Western eloquence? The following instance is reported so

naïvely by our Arkansas correspondent, that we give it in his own words. "Killing a rowdy," seems to be the merest trifle to the mildest of men in that favored land of good-nature:

"We have a little, waspish, pompous, vain, exJudge, who was recently prosecuting a mild, goodnatured, young man, who had been compelled to kill a rowdy. Arguing to the jury that the prisoner was heartless, he exclaimed, in his most lofty strain, 'Yes, gentlemen, his heart is as hard as an adamantine rock! Yes, he sits before you as isolated as a snake on Greenland's icy mountains!'

"In the same case, in alluding to the fact that Cain was the first murderer, he exclaimed, 'Yes, gentlemen, Cain spilled the innocent blood of his brother, and for that act God put a mark upon him that lasted him till future generations! And I have no doubt, gentlemen, God would have put him in the penitentiary, if the Jews of that day had owned such an institution!""

"Ain't twinty and tin thirty?' triumphantly replied Mike.

"Mike's logic failed to convince his employer, and he was reluctantly obliged to serve another ten days,"

A "DOWN-EASTER" sends the following anecdote, characteristic of the improvident:

"A friend of mine, who is an overseer in a cottonfactory, had a few years ago in his employ a rather shiftless fellow. He was taken sick, and his wife also. They were sick some time, and being very poor, became destitute of the most common necessaries of life. This coming to the knowledge of his fellow-workmen, a subscription was started among themselves for his benefit. Some gave flour, meat, groceries, and such articles as they could best spare from their own houses; while those who were unmarried, and had none of these things, gave money. Enough was collected in all to make the man and his wife comfortable, and they rapidly regained their health and strength. As soon as they were both able to go out, they took their money and went over to town and had their daguerreotypes taken!"

"ST. LOUIS" says, that being a partaker of the "good things of the Drawer," he can not refrain from sending the following:

"A few evenings since a man fell dead upon the sidewalk. A large crowd soon congregated, and various were the causes assigned for his death. A Teuton police-officer, taking him by the hand, seemed to be seeking for 'pulse.' After an examination of some minutes he exclaimed, with an ominous shake of the head, 'He is a Dutchman!'"

A WASHINGTON correspondent sends us the following personal reminiscence:

"In early youth I was in the beautiful valley of the Mohawk River, which at that period was, below the present city of Utica, almost exclusively inhabited by the Dutch, as primitive and unsophisticated a race of people as ever occupied any portion of this continent. They were habitually and strictly honest, and very naturally believed every body else to be so. An incident which occurred some four or five years previous strikingly, even if somewhat ludicrously, illustrates that fact.

"At that period a Yankee made his appearance in the goodly Dutch town of German Flats, professing to be a schoolmaster, and commenced preparations for opening an English school. The honest Dutchmen, delighted with the project, received him kindly, entertained him hospitably, and stood ready, as soon as the necessary preliminaries could be provided, to patronize his undertaking. Under these circumstances the Yankee purchased of one of them a very fine horse, giving his note at six months from date for the purchase-money.

"Shortly after this both the Yankee and the horse were missing; and a neighbor, meeting with the former owner of the horse, said to him,

"So, Hans, you have lost dat fine horse of yours.'

"How so?'

"MANY of the best families of East Tennessee," writes an Alabama correspondent, "emigrated from 'Old Virginny.' Among others was my father. He brought with him an elderly woman of the colored persuasion, whose memory went so far back that she could almost recollect when 'Jeems River' was a small brook. Aunt Becky prided herself on her age. She was older than any body she had ever heard of. Once, however, she was taken down in her conceit. She overheard her mistress speaking of a lady who had just moved into the settlement, as belonging to one of the 'first families' of Virginia. Aunt Becky pondered for a moment in doubt, then ejaculated, with an ominous shake of the head:

"Belongs to one of de fust families of Virginny, does she? Well den, she must be mighty old!'"

THE worthy Dr. Johnson, of Indiana, had an inveterate habit of interspersing his conversations with "of course." The Probate Court, in one of its sittings, was canvassing the estate accounts of one of the Doctor's patients, and not clearly understanding the account presented by my friend, he was sent for to explain. Coming in hastily, he began at once to enlighten the Court. "If," said he, "the Court please to look over this bill, you will find that Mr. Jones was taken sick, and of course he sent for me to visit him professionally. I did visit him, Sir, as therein charged (pointing to the account). And, Sir, I found him bad, very bad, dangerously sick, Sir; and of course I made the prescription here named, and of course he died."

VOL. XXIII.-No. 136.-N N*

JOHN DAWKINS was a great drunkard in North Carolina. John was at the court-house one day, on his old horse, starting home, and, as usual when going home from town, was quite drunk. When in this state he never heard any thing that he did not wish to hear; and on this occasion seemed particularly deaf to the cries of an impatient creditor who was trying to call his attention. Seeing that old John would not hear, the creditor went up close to him and held up a piece of paper, shouting,

"John, I've got your account here, and want you to settle it!"

"What d'ye say?" cried John. "I've got your account, and want you to settle it!" cried the creditor, in a louder tone.

"Oh yes," replied John; "I'll drink with youalways ready to drink with a friend."

"I've got your account, and want you to settle it!" shouted the excited creditor.

"Yes, yes," said John, dismounting; "just as soon drink with you as with any body else."

"I've got your account, and want you to settle it!" screamed the creditor at the top of his voice.

"Yes," answered John, perfectly unmoved, taking the creditor's arm, "just as lief drink at Hogart's as at Townsend's."

And John did actually march off with his creditor, and made him treat; and never could hear a word with reference to the account.

A VERMONTER took a horse to Boston and there offered him for sale to a merchant. The gentleman supposing that the fellow had procured the horse dishonestly, asked him if he knew Squire Johnson, of Windsor, Vermont. He said he did. "Well," said the merchant, "he is a great rascal." "And the Squire says the same of you," replied the jockey. "And which do you believe?" demanded the merchant. "Indeed I believe you both," said the Vermonter, and very soon sold his horse.

LOGAN, the comedian in the West, is still favorably remembered by a large circle of devoted friends. He had a happy way of talking of his early adventures: one of his favorite stories ran as follows: Having formed a theatrical company, and provided himself with portable scenery, he undertook a tour through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The result was a total failure. By shrewd management he saved one wagon, a pair of horses, and some drop curtains, and in company with three of his fellowactors and one actress, in the dead of winter, he started for "the States," intending to make his way home through New England. Journeying along he came to the Aroostook, and most unexpectedly found himself in a large population engaged in cutting pine timber. Exhausted of all resources, the idea struck him that he would give "an exhibition," which was cordially seconded by the people. A large building,