his hat and bolted from the mansion, nor could vociferous calls persuade him to return. "Our own expe her legislation to one body. We can not suppose, then, that Jefferson could have acted the part assigned him in Laboulaye's anecdote as quoted by Dr. Lieber. The illustration used in it (attributed to Washington) is so consonant with Jefferson's habit that the incident may have occurred between Jefferson and one of the French "patriots" with whom he was in constant familiar inter course. There was greater fear of, but less faith in, Jefferson than his relative exhibited, among the Northern Federalists, who firmly believed that he was little better than Antichrist. A story illustrative of the state of feeling with regard to the French Party is related of a pious old Federalist lady who lived in a town in Connecticut. It was believed in her neigh-in conversation that it suggests the possibility borhood that if the Federalists were overthrown, and the Jefferson Democrats came into power, the Christian religion would be put down and atheism proclaimed, and among the first persecutions would be the destruction of all the Bibles. The lady referred to was terribly wrought up at this prospect, and cast about in her mind how she should preserve the Scriptures in the general destruction. At length it occurred to her to go to Squire Sthe only Democrat of her acquaintance, and throw herself upon his mercy. She accordingly took her family Bible to him, and telling him that she had heard of the intention of the Jeffersonians, asked him to keep it for her. The Squire attempted to persuade her that her fears were groundless, but she was too panicstricken to be convinced. At last he said, "My good woman, if all the Bibles are to be destroyed, what is the use of your bringing yours to me. That will not save it when it is found." "Oh yes," she pleaded, with a charming burst of trust. "You take it: it will be perfectly safe. They'll never think of looking in the house of a Democrat for a Bible." THE Drawer can not afford to lose a good anecdote, but it is willing to transfer one, in accordance with the suggestion of an esteemed Virginian correspondent: With regard to the anecdote of General Washington and Mr. Jefferson quoted in the April number of your Magazine, I would submit that Mr. Jefferson was in France from 1783, when our only general government was vested in Congress, to 1788, after the adoption of the Constitution. That he took great interest in the discussions preceding its adoption is showed in his correspondence, and having received a copy of it, he writes Mr. Madison and Francis Hopkinson his qualified approval of it as a whole, but accords a hearty approval of the two legislative bodies. We find him while in the south of France writing to Lafayette in Paris on the adoption of a constitution for the French. "I would have more hope of your success had you two instead of several legislative bodies." And again, in another letter, he says, "Two legislative bodies are necessary to good government." After his return to the United States he writes the Baron Rochefoucauld deploring France having adopted a constitution limiting Allow me to call your attention to the injustice done in supposing that Mr. Jefferson brought his Democracy from France. He was looked to while in France to guide the liberal party to follow in the path we had just trod; was invited by the committee which formed the constitution "to assist in its deliberations," and though his position as minister forbade this, he was in constant advisatory intercourse with "the patriots" while in Paris. And in his correspondence, after returning to America, we find the same interest displayed. That he appreciated the danger of their going too far in their first steps is everywhere evinced. In a letter from Paris, November 19, 1788, addressed to Mr. Jay, after enumerating the concessions claimed-1st, their periodical meeting; 2d, exclusive right of taxation; 3d, the right of registering laws and passing amendments to them-he says: "If the states will stop here for the present moment, all will probably end well; and they may in future sessions obtain a suppression of lettres de cachet,” etc. So much has been said to the credit of Judge Gresham, the new Postmaster-General, and so little against him, that we trust the following, which comes to us from Indiana, where his acceptance of a cabinet position has been much discussed, is not true: A Cass County justice of the peace, commenting on his leaving a life position for a short term in the cabinet, remarked that he could not understand Judge Gresham's motive, unless that it was that he was tired of leading a judicious life. APROPOS of the recent fast-day in Massachusetts under the patronage of Governor Butler, I am reminded, says a correspondent, of a very neat retort of the late genial Colonel John A. Bolles, Solicitor of the Navy Department during the civil war, made to my father on a Massachusetts fast-day some thirty years ago. We were neighbors of the colonel, and in the afternoon my father took us boys out to walk, and we passed the colonel's house. Seeing him out in his grounds engaged in giving his lawn a top-dressing of guano, which he was sowing broadcast with his hand (prob. ably well gloved), father hailed him with, | connection was expecting Father Gruber, as "Well, is this the way you observe the Gov- he was familiarly called, to dine with them, ernor's proclamation?" I well remember the and kindly invited young Wiley to form his bland smile with which the colonel drew him- acquaintance at their house. Meeting at the self up to his full height, and replied, with his table, the young teacher took pride in serving peculiarly dignified manner: Mr. Gruber with whatever he thought would be grateful to his palate. This was rather an annoyance than a pleasure to the old man of coarser habits, and he sternly rebuked his young and aspiring friend with, "Set that town. I's no papee. I can help myself." "My dear sir, I am observing the proclamation to the letter. The Governor calls us to 'fasting, humiliation, and prayer.' This morning I attended divine service, which meets the last of these requirements; I have as yet not eaten dinner, and I have the inward witness that I am fasting; and as to the third requirement, if this is not humiliation for a man in my position, what would be?" Ir is the duty of the Drawer to check the tendency of people to say and do absurd things by recording them as warnings. A recent traveller in the South notes among the evidences of progress the adoption of the Northern fashion of covering the natural scenery with gigantic signs. Painted on a big rock beside a railway leading to Raleigh is this cheerful advice to the wayfaring man: TRY SMITH'S COFFINS AND CASKETS. ALTHOUGH the electric bell has invaded the hotels in the interior, its use is not yet allowed to disturb the leisurely habits of the waiters, if we may judge by the following directions pasted over one of the bells in a Southern house of entertainment: "Push in the knob. If you do not get an answer in fifteen or twenty minutes, push it again." SOME people's ideas about hospitality are peculiar. A servant in Brooklyn recently answered the door bell, and, returning, informed her mistress that a man at the door wanted to know if he could come in to the front hall and have a fit! IT is said that Dr. Weir Mitchell, returning late from a party in a neighboring city once, wakened his sister to tell her what he thought was too good to keep till morning. A lady had been introduced to him, and considering him a scientific man, wished to direct her conversation accordingly. "Doctor," said she, "don't you think the cause of so much ness is the want of sozodont in the air?" The meal nearly finished, the lady of the house came with pie for dessert, and set it down near the young man, but on the opposite side from Gruber. In due time he helped himself, and seemed to ignore his fellow-guest; whereupon the old man, in a gruff voice and commanding style, said, "Hand over that pie." "Oh," said Wiley, "you're no baby. You can help yourself." The old man's bird was now of another color, and he saw no way out of the dilemma but to leave his seat and provide for himself. The meal finished, he says, "Young man, I'd like to see you in de oder room.' Expecting a reprimand for being saucy, he replied, "Very well." Upon entering he was greeted with, "I hears you is studying for te ministry?" "Yes, sir." Then patting him on the shoulder, the veteran and venerable Gruber, with his blandest smile, said, "You go ahead; you'll make a gude one. You can take care of yourself." KATIE, a person well known to many of our readers, recently said to her mistress: "I know a girl who has been keeping company three years with a young man, and was married two weeks ago, and last night he was run over by the cars and killed. Ain't that discouraging ?" This reminds one of the discouragement of the man who, when asked about the health of his wife, replied: "She may get well, and she may not; there is danger both ways." THE danger to morals of illegible writing is illustrated by the lady who recently wrote to her husband, whose attention to religious literature has been slight, to get her Coulburn's Personal Religion; but in her hand the name of the author appeared to be Swinburne. He sick-replied that ho could get his Poems, but not his Personal Religion-which is quite likely. THE Drawer is not certain whether this anecdote, which is forwarded from Pennsylvania, about Bishop Wiley and Jacob Gruber, is not as much intended to illustrate the manners of the time and the effect of pie upon the temper as to show the peculiarities of Father Gruber: Bishop Wiley when a young man was teaching a country school in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. This was in the palmy days of the late Jacob Gruber, so well known in Methodist circles. One of the leading families of the IT is doubtless a Fourth-of-July veteran who recalls this joke of Henry Clay on John Quincy Adams: When John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay were at Ghent in 1814, in association with Albert Gallatin, James A. Bayard, and Jonathan Russell, appointed to negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain, they were on very intimate terms of friendship, and occupied the same apartments. Mr. Clay was always a very gallant man, and in many respects the very opposite of Mr. Adams, who, though studious ly polite to every lady, avoided even the appearance of familiarity. The young girl who had charge of the rooms of the Peace Commissioners was very pretty and modest, and was treated with great respect by all of them. But | Mr. Clay would now and then indulge in compliments to her beauty, and on one occasion playfully solicited from her a kiss. Of course he was refused the favor; but in relating the incident to his associates he could not forego a joke on Mr. Adams, who had what are known as watery or tear-suffused eyes. As Mr. Clay repeated it, the conversation following the refusal of the kiss ran as follows: "I presume you would not deny Mr. Adams such a favor?" "Indeed I would," she replied. "I have just done so, and left him with tears in his eyes." THIS instance of overpowering curiosity comes to us from Virginia: | friend of Washington Irving, a successful and retired business man, a true and honored type of the integrity, adaptability, sturdy independence, and shrewdness that have given strength and character to our people-a shoemaker, a lawyer, contractor, and a builder. He early formed the acquaintance of Irving, who used to delight in introducing him to his friends as a "general undertaker." Irving introduced him to Moses H. Grinnell as a man that could "mend his boots, conduct his case in a law court, and build his house," and recommended him highly to Grinnell as a proper man to "undertake" the contract for his new residence near Sunnyside. Bird of course obtained the contract, and while carrying on his work for Grinnell he employed a well-read Scotchman, a master-builder named Macbeth. Macbeth had lived near Abbotsford, and was acquainted with Sir Walter Scott. He had expressed a wish to see Irving, for whose writings he had great admiration, and asked Bird to point him out to him some time. Soon after this, as Bird was passing among his workmen, he observed Irving and Macbeth in earnest con The Valley of Virginia during the late war was the theatre of many scenes of bravery that would add lustre to the annals of any land. Here Ashby the brave, Mosby the daring, and Jackson the soldier made for them-versation. Macbeth was dressing a stone, and selves names that can never be forgotten. Irving was sitting near on another. Irving in Here, too, the "Boys in Blue" many times strolling around had evidently stumbled on showed their devotion to the country they Macbeth, and was chatting with him in that loved so well, and the Union of their fathers. unconstrained and genial way which was so In the midst of this lovely valley, on a branch characteristic of Irving, and had discovered in of the Shenandoah River, one evening in mid-Mac his originality and intelligence. This ocsummer, occurred the following: A half-dozen "rebs" were lounging on the south bank of the river, when there approached the opposite bank a company of "blue-coats," ten to one of their own number. Of course it would have been madness to stand battle, so the order was given to retire. But one of the "rebs," a reckless dare-devil, brought his musket to his shoulder, fired, and "brought down his man." Then jumping into the river, he began swimming across to the opposite bank, which by this time was lined with "the enemy," and was only prevented from doing so by the positive command of his officer. On being asked why he attempted to cross in the face of certain death he replied, "I wanted to see where I hit him." A MOUNT HOLYOKE girl who was studying to be a missionary wrote the following on the fly-leaf of her text-book on Moral Science, the name of the author of which is suppressed on account of the respectability of his family: If there should be another flood, Though all the world should be submerged, REMINISCENCES of Washington Irving are called out by the recent "centennial." The following is from one of his neighbors: In Tarrytown, which despite railroads and country-seats still retains much of its old-time quaintness and the pristine simplicity of the overboeker, there lives Seth Bird, an old-time curred again and again. On the third interview Bird saw the two men in a very animated conversation. Macbeth, in his broad Scotch dialect, was maintaining his position in a free and forcible manner. Irving's eyes twinkled with humor; he evidently enjoyed his incog. as well as the controversy. He gave Bird a look that plainly said, "Keep your own counsel; don't disturb us." And Macbeth, in blessed ignorance that his favorite author was before him, continued to enforce his points, occasionally pausing from his work to give a flourish with his hammer by way of emphasis, or to take a look at the face of his adversary. The discussion finally turned on Sir Walter Scott, Irving remarking that Scott was supreme in his field, that his hold on the public was so strong that no author could easily expect to attain to it. "I doubt that indeed, mon-I doubt that much," said Macbeth, rising up, still grasping his tools. "There is your own Irving, that is read more in Scotland than is Scott." "How do you account for that?" asked Irving. "You see," replied Macbeth, "that Irving comes home to the people. He writes of scenes that they fully understand; there is a simplicity and beauty about them that the people love. The unlettered man can read Irving and be the better for it. The young everywhere especially like Irving, and they will always be his friends." He went on insisting, in his blunt Scotch way, that Irving was read more than Scott | by this class, and his influence greater, both in the old country and in America. Irving blushed and looked away at such downright honest praise. Bird now thought it time for him to interfere. "Macbeth," said he, "you requested me some days ago to point out to you Mr. Washington Irving when it was convenient. I now have that pleasure. This gentleman with whom you have been talking is Mr. Irving himself." The tools fell from the artisan's hands as if a thunder-bolt had fallen on him, but recovering himself quickly, he advanced, and with native politeness he raised his hat, and said, "Excuse me, sir, for being so free; pardon me." "Not so," said Irving, and grasping Macbeth by the hand. "I am the one that should be pardoned, if there is any pardon in the matter. I am the intruder." On the following day he presented to Macbeth a set of his works, receiving some books in return. Altogether it was a characteristic | and pleasant scene. The genial, lovable, homely, refined nature of Irving was never more strikingly exhibited, illustrating Macbeth's statement that Irving belonged to the people, and sought them. SEWARD'S LITTLE BELL. "A MESSAGE from the State Department! Mr. Seward wishes to see the editor-in-charge immediately! He has sent his carriage for yon! Please don't delay!" These were the words that came hurriedly through the speaking-tube leading from the publication office to the editorial room in which | we sat one morning engaged in writing. It was an imperative summons from the Secretary of State, and not to be disregarded, and in a few moments we were on our way to the State Department to see with our own eyes Seward's little bell, about which we had read and heard so much, but which we had never beheld, though connected with one of the leading papers in Washington, and on the day referred to the editor-in-charge. Arrived at our destination, we were soon ushered into the presence of the distinguished Secretary, who politely requested us to take a seat. We had often met Mr. Seward himself, but had never been in his private office before, and we gazed around us with a somewhat curious eye. Just above the desk of Mr. Seward, and within reach of his hand, we observed a faded green cord, with an equally faded green tassel attached, which extended to a little bell. We did not for a moment imagine that this was the bell with which the country was ringingthat, according to report, was daily banishing | good people to Fort Lafayette and other socalled Bastiles-that, in fact, was the very bell which, when rung by the Secretary of State, struck terror to the heart of every traitor in the land. But all doubt on the subject was speedily dispelled. As soon as Mr. Seward appended his name to a document he had been reading, he jerked the green cord we have described, and lo! it broke, and the greater part of it fell on the desk before him. We shall never forget the expression which came over the Secretary's countenance at this contre-temps. It indicated a struggle whether to smile or look grave over it. Finally, as a sort of compromise of the matter, he turned to us, and said, sedately, "If the enemies of the government knew of this mishap, they would never tire of asserting that Seward had used up his little bell in ringing loyal citizens into prison." He then rose from his chair and repaired to an adjoining apartment, the door of which was open, and entered into conversation with a young man sitting there. In the interim we were left to conjecture for what particular object we had been summoned. All the way from the editorial room the subject had been uppermost in our mind. Had anything of a treasonable nature appeared in the paper to which we were attached? In the absence of the responsible editor were we to be taken to task? We remembered how every paragraph relating to the war was scrutinized; how every movement was watched; how sensitive the government had become to public opinion. The editor-in-chief had admonished his subordinates to exercise the utmost circumspection. Loyal as he was himself, he had occasionally offended some of the officials in Washington by his sharp criticisms of certain affairs, and if he had not escaped censure, was it not reasonable to suppose that some one acting for him had incurred the displeasure of those in authority? These and other thoughts presented themselves to us, until we had worked ourself up to quite a pitch of excitement. But fortunately our suspense was not of long duration. In a few minutes Mr. Seward returned to his desk, accompanied by the young man with whom he had been conversing. The latter handed us a sealed document, and Mr. Seward, pointing to it, said, "Publish that to-morrow, to the exclusion, if necessary, of every other matter. It will prove of more value to the country than a dozen editorials. Good-day." And this was all. We had been on the "anxious seat" for nothing. Of course we breathed more freely, but we left the State Department wondering if it was always necessary to go through so much formality to accomplish so simple an object. The document Mr. Seward confided to us was really an important one, and it was published, as he requested, the next day. Still, it might have been sent to the office without the parade that was made over it. At any rate, some other medium of transmitting it would have saved us much valuable time, and great uneasiness on the part of our co-laborers on the paper, who, having heard of the summons from the State Department, were naturally curious to learn what it was about. They were partially compensated for their anxiety by our recital of the incident that occurred in the Secretary's office, which they never afterward visited without glancing at "Seward's little bell." C. K. B. EITHER the language of courtship has deplorably fallen off since the days of our grandfathers, or our novelists have lost the art of reporting it. There is an instructive scene in The Wild Irish Girl, a romance by Miss Owenson (afterward Lady Morgan), which our grandmothers, before their marriage, read with the emotions proper in society at the beginning of this century-a scene that can profitably be studied: "It is a sweet hour," said Glorvina, softly sighing. "It is a boudoirizing hour," said I. "It is a golden one for a poetic heart," she added. "Or an enamored one," I returned. "It is the hour in which the soul best knows herself; when every low-thoughted care is excluded, and the pensive pleasures take possession of the dissolving heart. 'Ces douces lumières, Ces sombres clartés, Sont les jours de la volupté.' And what was the voluptas of Epicurus but those refined and eloquent enjoyments which must derive their spirit from virtue and from health, from a vivid fancy, susceptible feelings, and a cultivated mind, and which are never so fully tasted as in this sweet season of the day? Then the influence of the sentiment is buoyant over passion; the soul, alive to the sublimest impression, expands in the region of pure and elevated meditation; the passions, slumbering in the soft repose of nature, leave the heart free to the reception of the purest, warmest, tenderest sentiments, when all is delicious melancholy or pensive softness, when every vulgar wish is hushed, and a rapture, an indefinable rapture, swells with sweet vibration on every nerve." At this point what would the modern girl have said? She would have said, "Oh, Henry, hire a hall!" Not so the charming Glorvina: "It is thus I have felt," said the all-impassioned Glorvina, clasping her hands, and fixing her humid eyes on mine; thus in the dearth of all kindred feeling have I felt. But never-oh, till now, never—” And she abruptly paused, and drooped her head on the back of my chair, over which my hand rested, and felt the soft pressure on her glowing cheek, while her balmy sigh breathed its odor on my lip. That is something like! REVISED ANECDOTES. DIOGENES. looking for an honest man to run for Chief Magistrate of the city on a non-partisan ticket. "In that case, fellow-citizens," replied Diogenes, "you need go no further. I am the man you are looking for. Your candidate I will be." And after accepting the nomination he added, in confidence, to the friends in whose hands he had placed himself, that he did not believe in a man hiding his lantern under a tub. ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS. Philip of Macedon was the possessor of a horse, Bucephalus by name, which all his grooms had in vain endeavored to train so that it would show a three-minute record. His youthful son Alexander, however, undertook the job, and was not long in subduing the animal. The news of this exploit having been brought to the king, he was not slow in sending for his son, to whom he addressed the following words: "You must seek out for yourself some other kingdom than mine, my son, because people who go into the horse business are rarely good for anything else." It was upon hearing these words that Alexander wept to think that he would have to conquer other kingdoms instead of coming into one at the old man's death. CESAR AND THE PILOT. C. Julius Cæsar having occasion to make a sea-voyage, a storm sprang up, and the vessel was placed in imminent peril. At this moment Cæsar's freedman, Cn. Pompilius Mucilaginus, whispered to his master, "Would it not be well for you, O Cæsar, to encourage the pilot by reminding him that he carries Cæsar and his fortunes?" "By no means," replied the conqueror. "It would only rattle him; and besides, if he saved us he would expect a liberal tip." MOHAMMED AND THE SPIDER. his enemies, was compelled to take refuge in a The Prophet Mohammed, while fleeing from cave, across the mouth of which a spider spun her web, so that the pursuers on coming up were convinced that no one had entered there. Upon rejoining his family in safety the Prophet did not fail to give an account of his wonderful deliverance, and ever afterward his young wife Ayesha, it was observed, would rate severely or even chastise the slaves when she noticed that they had neglected to sweep down the cobwebs from the roof of the harem, observing that people could not be too careful about such things. Mohammed, in recognition of her affection and thoughtfulness, thereupon adopted AyeDIOGENES the Athenian having by his cynic-sha's black petticoat as the standard of the al remarks induced the citizens to believe that | Arabian nation, quelling the murmurs of the their rulers were no better than they should be, and that he had a corner on virtue and intelligence, met one day at noon the Committee of One Hundred, and upon inquiring of them their mission, was informed that they were haughty chiefs, who were reluctant to follow so feminine an emblem to the field, by the remark that if he, the Prophet of Allah, was so much afraid of that petticoat, much more would the infidels be terrified. |