DIARY OF TOWN TRIFLES.

(KEPT REGULARLY FOR THE NEW MIRROR.)

"If trifles engage and if trifles make us happy, the true reflection suggested by the experiment is upon the tendency of nature to gratification and enjoyment."-Paley.

It occurred to me in an omnibus to-day that it would be curious to know with what eyes angels watch us. My opinions as to the importance of " every hair of our head" had been somewhat modified within the previous half-hour by a look at one or two of my own (hairs) through a solar microscope, and the thought naturally suggested itself that if the eyes of our spiritual guardians were microscopic, (as they may easily be,) there was no so great marvel in the care they take of us. It was a warm, pleasant morning, and I was letting myself ramble and look into windows. An exhibition of a solar microscope came in my way and I went in. The wall of a large room was apparently swarming with rats and mud-turtles when I opened the door, and this was some of the dust from a fig, held on the point of a pin, and magnified five million times. I had seen many of|| these experiments in college, of course, but one hears so many wonderful things, when one is growing, that I do not remember being much astonished in those days. It was different now, for I really never was more amused and amazed than at the snakes in the drop of vinegar, and the formidable apparatus of a certain un-nameable little customer,

on either side of it, the Hudson and the Potomac, consider. ed a great delicacy. It is recorded, by the way, that one of these enormous fish descended from an aerial leap into a ferry-boat, during the revolutionary war, and falling into the

which was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied river, which has been detected by the Potomac fishers, and by a peculiar thrilling in the extremities-a sensation per- employed very successfully, to his detriment. A stout line, fectly new and delightful. For many hours after this expe- || with a weight attached to it, is lowered from a boat, and a riment, he imagined that his taste and smell were more large hook, of peculiar contrivance, but without a bait, fasacute, and is certain that he felt unusually strong and cheer- tened to the extremity. The rubbing of the sturgeon against ful. In a second experiment, he felt pleasure still superiour, the line informs the fisherman of his neighbourhood, and, and has since poetically remarked that he supposes the at- with a little skill, he succeeds in hooking him under the mosphere of the highest of all possible heavens to be com- belly. The fish makes off with prodigious speed; the fisherposed of this gas!" man pays out line, and casts loose his painter; and away There were between three and four thousand people as- flies the boat with a speed and suddenness that seems like sembled in the Tabernacle. A platform in the centre was magic. A mile or so of this hard work is enough for the hemmed in with benches, and it was advertised that sturgeon, who gives out exhausted, and is easily drawn in. "twelve strong men" would be there to prevent injury to || Some years ago, a negro, celebrated for his skill in this fishthe spectators. It was mentioned in the advertisement alsoery, incautiously tied the line to his leg. The sudden jerk that the gallery would be reserved for ladies, though I thought of the hooked fish pulled him overboard, and away he went that the inviting of ladies, to be present at the removal of down the stream, sometimes above, and sometimes under all restraint from men's tongues and actions, was a strong water, to the extreme astonishment of some people accimark of confidence in the uppermost qualities of our sex.dentally passing on the shore. He was an expert swimmer, After some impatience on the part of the audience, the pro-however, and a heavy-limbed, athletic fellow, and by refessor appeared with his specimen of " the highest possible markable coolness and courage he succeeded in bringing heaven" in an India-rubber bag. The candidates for a taste the sturgeon ashore. It is a singular fact, that this fish is of it were many and urgent, crowding up from below like only good in certain rivers: those of the Delaware, for exthe applicants to St. Peter, and the professor seemed some-ample, being considered unfit to eat; and those of the rivers what embarrassed as to a selection. A thick-necked and bony youth got possession of the bag, however, and applied his mouth to the stopper. After inhaling its contents for a minute or two he squared away and commenced pummelling the professor in the most approved butcher-boy style-lap of an officer, seated on the gunwale, broke his thigh. which was probably his idea of the "highest possible heaven." The "twelve strong men" rushed to the rescue, the audience applauded vociferously, and the lad returned to his senses, having been out of them perhaps three mi- nutes. A dozen others took their turn, and were variously affected. I was only very much delighted with one young man, who coolly undertook a promenade over the closepacked heads of the audience. The impertinence of the idea seemed to me in the highest degree brilliant and delightful. There was one corsair-looking man who rushed up and down the stage, believing himself on the deck of some vessel in pursuit of another, and that was perhaps the best bit of acting. One silly youth went to and fro, smirking and bowing, another did a scene of "Richard the Third," and a tall, good-looking young man laughed heartily, and suddenly stopped and demanded of the audience, in indignant rage, what they were laughing at! There was nothing else worth even putting down among trifles, and I was glad when it was over. The only imaginable entertainment in such an exhibition would be to watch the effect of self-abandonment on those whose characters we know when under restraint. Among acquaintances it would be charming--particularly if the subjects were ladies. I should recommend to the professor to advertise himself as open to invitations to administer his "highest possible heaven" to small and select parties. It would be better than a masquerade and not so unlawful.

SPORTING ON THE POTOMAC.

Every passenger up this fine river has seen the sturgeon leaps; and an ascent of eight or ten feet above the water is

not uncommon.

The shad and herring are taken by thousands, in nets, very much in the usual way.

The wild birds that frequent the bosom and shores of the Potomac, are very numerous. Among them are the swan, the wild goose, the red-head shoveler, the black-head shoveler, the duck and mallard, the black duck, the blue-winged teal, the green-winged teal, the widgeon, and, last not least, the far-celebrated canvass-back. This duck, which we believe is unrivalled in the world for richness of flavour, is one of a class called drift fowl, from their habit of floating in the middle of the river when at rest. The two species of shoveler have the same habit, and are scarcely inferiour in flavour. The canvass-back breeds, it is supposed, on the borders of the northern lakes, or on the shores of Hudson's Bay; and in their migrations confine their pasture almost exclusively to the Chesapeake and Potomac. They feed, it is well ascertained, on the bulbous root of a grass which grows on the flats in these rivers, and which is commonly known as wild celery. It is said, that during a hard winter, some forty years ago, a strong wind blew so much of the water off the flats of James river, that the remainder froze to the bottom, enclosing the long tops of this grass so closely in the ice, that when it broke up, and was floated off in the spring, it tore whole fields of it up by the roots, and destroyed the pasture. Since that time, the canvass-back has never been seen on the river.

in search of food, he watches for the rising of the canvassback, and, by his superiour quickness on the wing, seizes on the celery the moment it appears above the surface, and escapes with it to the shore.

THIS noble river abounds in fish, of which the principal The bald duck feeds very frequently among these waterare the white shad, the herring, and the sturgeon. The lat-fowl; and not having the power to dive entirely under water ter is taken in a way that, as far as we know, is entirely peculiar to this part of the country. The sturgeon is a noble denizen of the waters, weighing from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty pounds. His enormous leaps out of the water, and his alacrity at mounting a cascade, are accom- The canvass-back is often shot from behind blinds of plishments for which he is, as the advertisements phrase it, brush, which conceal the sportsman, in the midst of their "favourably known." He has a habit, however, of scratch-feeding-ground. There is a practice, however, of tolling ing himself against any stationary object he finds in the them in, as it is called, by shaking a coloured handkerchief

tied to the branch of a decayed tree. On what propensity near enough to distinguish such objects on the shore, and of the bird the success of this manœuvre is founded, it would || under no alarm at the time. By what motive these fowls be difficult to say. There is no doubt of the fact, however, || are influenced, we have not heard satisfactorily explained; that they are thus decoyed within gun-shot; and it is related but certain it is, they are very commonly brought in from of an old sportsman on the Potomac, that a long queue of some hundreds of yards' distance, in this way, to within red hair, which he wore in a brush, and shook over his shoul-point-blank shot. It is said, and perhaps truly, in the case der, served the purpose admirably well. Perhaps we have of the dog, that they fancy themselves in pursuit of some animal, as the fag, or mink, by which their young are an yet to discover that birds have curiosity. Among the varieties of wild fowl found on the Potomac, noyed at their breeding-places. below Harper's Ferry, is the wild swan. The young bird is considered a great delicacy; while the old one is hard and without flavour. In a book on the District of Columbia, by Mr. Elliott, there are some curious particulars respecting their habits, and the manner of taking them.

"The wild goose is yet more wary and vigilant to keep He too is sharp-sighted, out of harm's way than the swan. but depends much on his sense of smell for protection: this is so well known to the huntsman, that he never attempts, however he may be concealed from this bird, to approach it from the direction of the wind; since he would assuredly be scented before he could get within gun-shot, and left to lament his errour, by the sudden flight of the whole flock. These geese, towards spring, often alight on the land, and feed on the herbage in fields; and sometimes in such num

of the river. When so employed they are difficult of approach, always taking a position at a distance from cover of any kind, and marching in a single and extended rank, flanked by a watch-goose at each extremity; which, while all the others are busily feeding, and advancing with their heads down among the herbage, moves erect, keeping pace with his comrades, his eyes and nose in a position so as to give him the earliest intelligence of the presence of an enemy, though at a great distance; and the moment such is perceived, it is communicated to the whole company by certain tones used for alarm; and immediately is responded to by a halt, and the lifting of heads; and an instant flight, or a deliberative return to feeding, takes place, according as the nature of the danger, after the examination, may be

considered."

THE following story is from the ready pen of our excellent friend, John Inman, Esq. to whom we tender our thanks for so acceptable a contribution:

"This noble bird," says the author, "is seen floating near the shores, in flocks of some two or three hundred, white as the driven snow, and from time to time emitting fine sonorous, and occasionally melodious songs; so loud, that they might be heard, on a still evening, two or three miles. There are two kinds, so called from their respective notes-bers as to do great injury to the wheat fields on the borders the one the trumpeter, and the other the hooper; the trumpeter is the largest, and when at full size will measure from five to six feet from the bill to the point of the toe, and from seven to eight feet from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other, when stretched and expanded. They are sagacious and wary, and depend more on the sight than on the sense of smell. On a neck nearly three feet in length, they are enabled to elevate their heads so as to see and distinguish, with a quick and penetrating eye, objects at a great dis- || tance; and by means of this same length of neck they feed in slack tides, by immersing, as is their habit, nearly all of the body, and throwing only their feet and tails out in three or four feet water, and on the flatty shores they frequent, generally beyond gun-shot; the sportsman availing himself, however, of a peculiar propensity, (of which we shall presently speak more particularly,) prevailing with them, and some of the other water fowl, often toll them within reach of their fire. The swans remain here the whole winter, only shifting their ground in severe weather, from the frozen to the open part of the river, and dropping down into the salts, where it is rarely frozen. They get into good condition soon after their arrival in autumn, and remain fat until toward spring, when, a few weeks before their departure, (about the first of March,) they gradually become thinner in flesh; and in the latter part of their sojourn here, are found so poor and light, that when shot the gunner gets nothing fit for use but the feathers. Whether this circumstance be owing to their having exhausted the means of subsistence at their feeding-places, or that they are taught by Him who rules the universe, in small as well great things, thus by abstaining, to prepare themselves for the long aerial voyages they are about to undertake, we pretend not to determine with certainty; there is nothing more wonderful in this than in the fact, which is notorious, that they, by exercise, regularly and assiduously fit themselves for this continuous effort, to bear themselves through the air to the distance of perhaps a thousand miles or leagues. Large flocks are seen every day rising from the river, and taking a high position, flying out of sight, and apparently moving in a circuit to a considerable distance, again returning to or near the same place, during the last two or three weeks of their stay.

THE chiefs who formed the court of the "Prince of the Power of the Air" were assembled in council; but there was no excitement in the business for which they were call. ed together, and their debates were languid, not to say dull and tiresome-as is sometimes the case among human lawmakers. A demon of small talent and less consideration, was just entering upon the fifth hour of an excessively stupid speech, of the subject of which he had no very clear conception himself, and his hearers had none whatever; and the magnates of the council-chamber were politely manifest. ing their utter indifference to him and his opinions, some by chatting together in small parties of three or four, some by writing letters, others again by glancing over newspapers, and not a few by yawning drearily, at the full stretch of their jaws, and in the most ostentatious manner imaginable.

Meanwhile, a few of the very highest in rank had withdrawn to the upper part of the council-room, where, behind the raised chair of the president, was a sort of withdrawing or lounging place, luxuriously provided with sofas, ottomans, easy chairs and other appliances of comfort-and from their animated looks and gestures, and the eager rapidity of their discourse, it was evident that they were in warm debate upon some question far surpassing in interest the topics under discussion in the more strictly legislative portion of the chamber. It was apparent, also, that there was among them great diversity of opinion; for interruptions were frequent, all spoke with vehemence, and all listened impatiently-as men do when hearkening to arguments the truth of which they cannot or will not acknowledge.

"The swan is tolled by a dog, that is taught to play about within easy call of his master, at the edge of the water; In the earnestness of their controversy they did not perthe hunter contrives to place himself behind a log, or some ceive the approach of their great sovereign, the arch-fiend other cover well concealed, before he begins his operations,himself, who, with his accustomed and peculiar stealthiness taking care to observe that the direction of the wind is not unfavourable to him, and that the flock he means to toll is

of movement, silently advanced from a door at the farthest extremity of the chamber-which, by the way, was in one

of the wings of his infernal palace—and had for some mo- chorus of horrors at which even Hell itself might tremble. ments been close upon them, listening attentively to their In one quarter were seen horses, wild with rage and terror, discourse, before either of them discovered his presence. A flying over the field masterless, spurning with their iron hoofs grim smile, half joyful and half contemptuous, flitted over the gory corpses, and trampling to agony and death the his blasted features, as he gathered the subject of their dis- || wounded; in another fresh battalions, marching firmly up cussion; and with a chuckle of hellish mirth he thus broke to take the place and share the fate of those which had been in upon their conference. swept away by the fatal tempest hurled unceasingly from the brazen throats of the artillery; here was seen a charge with bayonets, opposing squadrons rushing upon each other with desperate ferocity, and whole ranks falling in the dreadful shock; there were displayed the terrors of a flight a routed division, shooting, cutting, stabbing, slaying with out pity, even the unarmed and unresisting, as they cast away their weapons and flung themselves upon their knees, with outstretched hands, crying in vain for mercy. And afar off, on a hill that commanded the whole battle-ground, was seen the man at whose behest these dreadful scenes of carnage were enacted, coolly and attentively watching the progress of the fight, and from time to time transmitting orders for bringing up fresh thousands to the slaughter; displaying meanwhile as little emotion as though the actors and sufferers in the terrible reality before him, were but senseless puppets, framed by his own hands, with capacity neither to feel nor to inflict-with no joys or sorrows of kindred bound

"Ye say well, noble lords and illustrious councillors. But a thought strikes me that something better than mere words of debate may be elicited from the fruitful topic of your discourse. I have listened with admiring delight to your conflicting opinions, and to the powerful arguments by which-bands of horsemen urging their steeds in swift pursuit of they have been supported. Suppose we bring them to the test of experiment. The folly of mankind is a theme worthy indeed of copious illustration. I will not take upon me to say wherein and how it is most richly exhibited; but a plan has occurred to me by which we may draw from it a fund of amusement, and perhaps some instruction. Listen to my idea.

"There is, as you know, a vacant red ribbon at the disposal of my prime minister. It shall be the reward of him who, by the judgment of all his peers, shall produce the most striking exemplification of human absurdity. I give you twenty-four hours for consideration. Let the trial be made at this hour to-morrow, in the great hall of audience; and in the meantime proclamation shall be made, that who-up in their fate-and no doom to undergo, in the eternity of soever will may enter the list of competitors."

The royal proposal was received with a buzz of delight; and the disputants, bowing low to their chief, hastened from the presence to communicate the tidings of the proposed exhibition among their respective retainers, and to prepare. themselves for the trial-each confident of success, and proudly anticipating the possession of the coveted prize with which success should be rewarded.

existence after death, for the crimes they had committed at the instigation of his evil passions or of their own.

Another wave of Moloch's hand, and the fearful vision passed instantly from sight; the broad and vaporous curtain was again a blank; and turning with a grim and haughty smile, as of assured success, from the horrid pageant he had called up, the war-demon stalked proudly to his throne, while a fierce murmur of approval and enjoyment, mixed with scorn, ran through the myriads of spectators.

At the appointed hour on the succeeding day, the great hall of audience was thronged with myriads upon myriads Next to the trial came the mocking Rimmon. Of slender of infernal spirits. Lucifer himself was seated in lofty state form, and features delicate but sharp and well-defined; with upon a throne of terrific splendour, and wearing upon his small keen sparkling eyes and low broad forehead, wrinkled brows a diadem that glowed as with living fire, while from cheeks and long sharp nose and chin, and ever on his lip a the gems with which it was encrusted shot beams of intoler-lurking sneer. Ascending the platform, he turned and gazable radiance. On either hand, in a semicircle, were rangeded keenly for a moment on his chief, while the sneer deepthe peers of his court, all seated likewise upon thrones in triple rank, but lower than that of their dread sovereign; and the vast body of the immense hall, and the galleries around, illimitable as they seemed, were crowded with the multitudes of his populous dominion. Only in the centre of the hall was a space reserved, on which was erected a great platform, supported by gorgeous pillars and hung with crimson drapery; and upon this was no other preparation visible than a single altar of white marble, in form like those whereon the heathen idolaters of old were wont to make their sacrifices, and supporting a small brazier in which scented wood was burning.

The silence that reigned throughout was suddenly broken by the clear loud notes of a trumpet, sounding a royal flourish; and a herald then came in, who, taking his place on the platform erected in the midst, proclaimed the nature and conditions of the trial.

ened to a malignant and contemptuous smile; then clapped his hands aloud, and with an inclination of the head more scornful than respectful, pointed to the scene that already had begun to picture itself upon the cloudy veil. It was widely different from that which had preceded it.

A regal hall of audience was seen, arrayed in all the splendour of eastern magnificence. The floor was covered with cloth of gold-the lofty ceiling was supported by columns of polished marble-statues of costly material and exquisite workmanship were placed in alcoves at either side— and at the extremity was a throne of carved ivory, inwrought with gold and blazing with jewels, and overshadowed by a canopy of the richest silk and velvet. Upon the throne sat a mighty monarch-mighty as it seemed from the prostrate humility of his thronging courtiers, those nearest to the throne lying at full length upon the floor, and those farther removed kneeling reverentially before their lord, with eyes Then uprose one of Hell's great nobles-a dark fierce cast down and looks betokening the very extreme of servile spirit, of lofty stature and harsh features, on which was reverence and dread. And he, the centre of all this homage, stamped but one expression: that of savage ferocity. His was a bloated old man, with dull watery eyes, and features name was Moloch-" horrid king, besmeared with blood of swollen by gross indulgence-his frame distended and unhuman sacrifice." With rapid strides he advanced from his || wieldly, his hands shaking with paralytic debility, and one throne of state to the central platform, which he ascended, misshapen limb enwrapped in flannels and supported by and waving his hand toward the brazier, there arose imme. cushions of the softest down, while a hollow cough seemed diately therefrom a dense cloud of smoke, which, as it every moment to threaten him with suffocation. Feeble, mounted upward, spread itself also to either side until it worn out, racked with pain, tottering upon the verge of the hung like a vast curtain from the vaulted roof, and so remain- Igrave, and with intellect almost destroyed by habitual exed. Again the cruel Moloch waved his hand, and the cloudy cess, he sat upon his gorgeous throne the absolute and deswall became instinct with life. Thousands of moving figures, potic ruler over millions more'worthy than himself, and firmas of men and horses, were displayed upon its huge area, ly persuaded that the lives and possessions of his people in the rush and confusion and horror of a pitched battle.. were by Heaven's decree consigned to his caprice; that Here were masses advancing in serried phalanx-there they were born to be his slaves, and that, as creatures of an squadrons broken, overthrown and scattered by the headlong inferior race, it was condescension even to let them look charge of opposing squadrons, or by the terrible discharges upon his regal countenance. of artillery. Volumes of smoke were rolling upward, from the midst of which shot forth frequent flashes of sulphurous flame. The ground was strewed with gashed and bleeding bodies of the slain, or of the wounded writhing in agony; while the roar of the cannon and musketry, the demoniac shouts of the combatants, the rattle of drums, the sharp clangor of trumpets, and the groans of the dying, united in a

Again the small keen orbs of Rimmon were fixed upon the countenance of Lucifer, and the same deriding smile gleamed upon his features as he gazed; and, as he turned away, he gathered from the answering glances of his fellows, that with the rapid intelligence of immortals, even though of fallen estate, they recognized and enjoyed the practical sarcasm thus levelled at their monarch, whose pride

To do him wanton rites which cost them woe." His was a goodly form, of fair proportions although somewhat gross, and his features would have been comely but A smile of triumph dwelt upon his attractive features, as for the sensual expression stamped upon them, and the licen- he ascended the platform, and poured upon the altar a few tious leer of his half-closed twinkling eyes. With the in- drops of liquid from a golden flask suspended at his girdle; different air of undoubting confidence in his success, he ad- and the glance he cast around, seemed to invite the suffravanced only a few steps towards the platform, and slightly || ges of his peers in favour of the exhibition created by his waving his hand, turned and resumed his seat, without paus- skill. ing to note the vision his mute gesture had called up.

The scene that gradually formed itself upon the cloud, The scene presented was a chamber luxuriously furnish- was the interior of a banqueting-room richly furnished, haved; and in it, upon a couch heaped high with downy pil-ing in the centre a round table, about which were seated a lows, and in a most voluptuous attitude, reclined a woman, party of young men enjoying themselves in wassail and young and beautiful-her neck and bosom half concealed festivity. and half exposed, by the artful disposition of her thin and all but transparent drapery-her long and flowing hair unbound and streaming in exquisite disorder around her white and polished shoulders, and her lovely limbs cast with studied negligence in attitudes of perfect and most enchanting gracefulness. At her feet, and gazing up into her eyes with looks of enamoured devotion, lay a man of noble form and countenance—one whose every feature seemed to speak the hero in battle and the sage in council. Upon the floor, at some distance from the couch, there lay a golden crown and near it a broken sword, as if thrown carelessly away; and, in the half-opened door-way, was seen the figure of an aged man, who, with a look of mingled sorrow and reproach, vainly beckoned the infatuated lover from the presence of the syren in whose blandishments he seemed to disregard alike the calls of duty and of fame.