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to the ground-while the current from the battery | accept and interpret the legend. For it is sober is found not to have sufficient intensity to overleap the space between the knobs, and hence does not descend the wire-as it would do if the knobs touched.

An additional and very ingenious device against lightning-shocks injuring the station-houses, consists in making one part of the wire which is led off to them from the main line very thin. If a powerful electrical discharge reach this, it melts it; so that the lightning, like an enemy too hasty in pursuit, burns the only bridge by which it could cross to make an attack, and remains on the safe side-out-generalled by itself.

By one or other, or all of the methods described sufficient protection can, on the whole, be secured, against the more familiar and more perilous effects of atmospheric electricity. Electrical disturbances, however, of a kind which do not manifest themselves in discharges of lightning, or involve life or ordinary property in danger, are quite sufficient to derange the operations of the telegraph. During snow and hail-storms, whilst dry fogs are prevailing, when the aurora borealis appears, and in truth during most meteorological changes, much electricity is developed in the atmosphere. It is sometimes directly transferred to the telegraphwires, but as frequently its action is only indirect. A body in which free electricity is in any way developed determines a similar electrical condition in an insulated mass of metal near it, exactly as a magnet induces magnetism in pieces of iron placed in its neighborhood. Thus an electrical cloud floating along above the extended wires generates a current of electricity in them; or, to speak more strictly, causes the electricity naturally present in a latent state in the wire, to become free and move along the metal. The currents which thus travel, as well as those which are directly transferred from the atmosphere, have the same effects on the index-needles and signal bells, as the electricity purposely sent along the wires from the battery. The needles are swung unceasingly to and fro, or remain for hours deflected to one side. The bells ring violently at irregular intervals, or stop only when their weights are run down. Signals cannot be transmitted at all when atmospheric electricity is thus largely developed; and they become more or less confused whenever it is sufficiently powerful to affect the index-needles.

truth, that the apparently aimless and meaningless movements of the magnetic-needles when vibrating at such times, are, after all, the expressive fingersigns of a dumb alphabet, in which nature is explaining to us certain of her mysteries; and already, too, we are learning something of their significance.

Peculiar difficulties have attended the transmission of electric signals through some of the railway tunnels. Those have been traced, in some cases, to the effect of the moisture trickling down the walls in destroying insulation; and the wires have in consequence been coated, like those of the marine telegraph, with gutta percha. In other cases the index-needles at the stations nearest the tunnels have remained set to one side for considerable periods. ence on the tunnel wires of electrical or magnetic disturbances in the strata in the neighborhood of the tunnel. If this view be well founded, it would be wise to make the telegraph-wires, where they pass through the tunnels, of copper, and not of iron-as the non-magnetic character of the former metal makes it less susceptible of electrical excitement. A wire cannot be magnetic and electrical in the same direction at the same time. If a telegraph-wire become magnetic in the direction of its length, like a long compass-needle, it will resist the passage of comparatively feeble electric currents, which would have traversed it had it been non-magnetic. This fact, perhaps, has not been sufficiently considered in the explanations which have been given of the derangements of the telegraph. Iron becomes so readily magnetic that the telegraph-wires, when made as they are now of that metal, cannot in certain circumstances escape being magnetized by the earth. Now that railways are projected in India, it may not be amiss also to notice that near the Equator iron rods or wires lying north and south after a time become magnetic. And wherever, in other regions, the wires are extended in the direction of the magnetic dip, the same effect will occur. The cheapness, elasticity, and strength of iron, however, more than counterbalance the inconveniences referred to.

This has been referred to the influ

The defects referred to in the electric telegraph we have been considering, we may soon expect to see lessened, since so many accomplished men are Apart altogether from its practical importance, strenuously seeking to remedy them. The stepthere is something exciting in the contemplation by-step, the electro-chemical, and the printing teleof these strange atmospheric influences. It must graphs are less liable to disorder by atmospheric be not a little startling to the drowsy occupant of influences than the magnetic-needle arrangement, some solitary telegraph station, to be roused from which is chiefly in use at present. Their merits, his midnight slumber by the spectral clanging of however, have been but lately brought before the his signal bell, bidding him quail at the wild quiv- public; nor have they been tested for any long erings of the magnets, now swayed plainly by no period on the large scale. It will be enough, mortal hands. An imaginative man might then therefore, if we cordially wish them success. well recall the legends which tell of disembodied Meanwhile, if our electric telegraph is not persouls sent back to this earth, to divulge some great fect, as no tool of man's is, it assuredly is a most secret of the world of spirits, and seeking in vain wonderful instrument; and it has been brought for means of utterance which shall be intelligible from small beginnings to its present completeness to those in the body. A philosopher, too, might | in a singularly short period of time. To unscien

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tific observers, indeed, the rapidity of its development cannot, we think, but seem miraculous. Like some swift-growing tropical plant, it has spread in a few months its far-stretching iron tendrils throughout the length and breadth of the land. It would have done so, however, twenty years ago, had the mechanical conditions for its extension existed and we must thank the railroads for its early maturity. Till they provided a secure pathway for its progress it could only exist in embryo. It now fringes every railway with its harp-like wires-apparently as inseparable and as natural an appendage, as the graceful parasitical orchidea which spread along the branches of the South American forest trees.

of even the semblance of a habitation, may be ex-
pected to create a demand for dwellings not easily
We have heard of one of Naylor's
supplied.
houses, through a private letter, which cost here
$340, bringing in California $5,000. These houses
are of galvanized iron. Their surfaces being bright,
the rays of the sun are refracted, and the tempera-
ture within kept at a much lower degree than it
would otherwise be. Not far from 600 such build-
ings have been sent out since 1848, including 9
stores or warehouses for the U. S. government-
some of them of large size-30 or 40 for Mr. Pe-
nix, of Valparaiso; an equal number for Messrs.
Howland & Aspinwall; 15 for Thomas O. Larkin,
of San Francisco; 15 or 20 for Mr. Boardman, also
of San Francisco; 50 for M. Y. Beach & Son;
also, a hotel for Livingston & Wells, to be called
"The Iron Hotel," which was taken across the
isthmus. An order for 30 or 40 more is being ex
ecuted, for Mr. John Parrot, U. S. minister at

Mazatlan.

Nursling, however, as the electric telegraph is of this century, almost of this decade, an ingenious pupil of Niebuhr might find in an ancient tradition its birth foretold centuries ago. In the year 1517, In the building of frame houses, six or eight firms as the historians of the Reformation tell us, the are pretty largely engaged, in this city and BrookElector Frederick of Saxony had a strange dream. lyn. Spaan & Co., No. 11 Park Row, have The monk Luther appeared to him, writing upon shipped, for various firms in the city, 100 portable the door of the palace-chapel at Wittemberg in his section houses, built on their plan, to be carried dominions. But the pen which Luther handled over the isthmus on pack mules; also, 175 houses, of sizes varying from 12 feet by 16 feet, to 90 feet was so long that its feather-end reached to Rome, by 65 feet, and from one to three and a half stories and shook the Pope's triple crown on his head. in height, for shipment around the Horn. There The cardinals and princes of the empire ran up remain to be sent, by this firm, something over 100 hastily to support the tiara, and one after another houses, belonging to various parties, among which tried in vain to break the pen. It crackled, how-is a large hotel, three and a half stories high, 180 ever, as if it had been made of iron, and would not break; and whilst they were wondering at its strength, a loud cry arose, "And from the monk's long pen issued a host of other pens."

The Elector's dream has been fulfilled in our own day. The long pen of iron sprouting forth hosts of pens is in our hands; and every day grows longer. It has reached to Rome, and much further; and shaken popes and kings, and emperors' crowns; and foretold, like the pen which Belshazzar saw, the fall of thrones and the ruin of dynasties. It has written much of wars and revolutions, and garments rolled in blood; and must write much more. But it is the emblem and minister of peace—and the Long Pen shall yet vanquish the Long Sword.

From the Journal of Commerce.
HOUSES FOR CALIFORNIA.

feet front, and 90 feet deep, to be erected at San
Francisco, under the name of the Astor House. It
will have 100 rooms, 10 stores on the second floor,
and a wide, ornamental entrance. The plans will
shortly be exhibited at the Merchants' Exchange.
Another building, of a similar character, is con-
structing, three stories high, and 30 by 65 feet, for
a Frenchman, recently from Illinois. The average
cost of the dwelling-houses is about $400.
street, have built 450 or 500 houses, most of them
Messrs. Robbins & Treadwell, No. 111 Broad
a story and a half in height, and 15 by 25 feet.
About 120 are now in progress for Capt. Billings,
who is also having 80 others built by S. P. Lin-
coln, of Brooklyn, costing $150 or $200 each.
Among them is a bowling-alley, 20 by 70 feet,
will form the cargoes of the ships Sartell and Lau-
built by Mr. Robbins; also two hospitals. They
rens, the former of which sails next week.
same parties are building 120 houses for Capt A.
Miner, with which to freight the ship Diadem to
sail in a week or two. They are accompanied by
a kind of mineral pigment, called Beman's Cottage
Paint, which is alleged to possess qualities making
it superior to ordinary paints, and is withal much
cheaper. It cannot fail to impart to the clusters of
California villages a grotesque and pleasing effect,
by its greatly varied shades of color.

The

THE rapid settlement of California under the influence of the gold fever has given rise to a traffic of a novel character, namely, the exportation of dwellings, hotels, churches, and buildings of every description, framed, and ready for erection upon their arrival at their destination. From Boston, Mr. S. P. Lincoln is building a hotel for Messrs. Maine, and various parts of the Eastern States, we Churchland and Whittemore, to cost about $1000, hear of individuals or companies largely engaged and to be completed five days after the commencein house-building for California, or exporting lum-ment of the work. It is 60 by 30 feet. Attached ber-while from this city and vicinity it may be safely estimated that not less than 5000 buildings have been sent out since the commencement of the excitement," or are now under contract. Doubtless many fortunes will be made, and perhaps not a few lost. Still, 50,000 or 60,000 men, with constant accessions to their numbers, suddenly landed in an inhospitable territory, most of them deitute

66

to it is a kitchen, 15 by 30 feet. It goes out in the ship Rowena. The ship Hampden, last week, took out a hotel for Henry Elliott, 30 by 40 feet, with panelled doors, shutters, &c. Four houses have also been made for Mr. Warburton, president of the Hartford Bank, and ten for Dr. Hulse; also a hospital for Mr. Morris, and seventeen dwellings for Mr. Elliott. Mr. Denta is connected with

another firm, at No. 50 Broadway, which has gone pretty largely into the house-building business. Their sales, thus far, are not less than $40,000.

From a Correspondent.

We are so fortunate as to be located in a section of the town where large numbers of Chinese have pitched their tents, and we have remarked with much interest the character and habits of these people. From early morn until late in the evening, these industrious men are engaged in their occupation of house-builders, of which a great many have been exported from China, and the quietness and order, cheerfulness and temperance, which is observable in their habits, is noticed by every one. Search the city through and you will not find an idle Chinaman, and their cleanliness exceeds any other people we ever saw.

The buildings brought from China are generally 20 feet square, one story in height, and 12 feet from the floor to the ceiling. The timbers are round, and many of them very crooked. We have noticed, in several instances, the erection of China buildings of double the size described above-but we suppose that in such cases two separate frames are erected together, thus forming a single building. The first movement after raising the frame is to attach the window, which consists of a frame and blinds, without sash. The blind is so constructed as to close itself by its own weight-the slat being of double width outside. The timber is very uniform in size, and about six or eight inches in diameter. The boards are well seasoned, and resemble American cedar. The price of a Chinese building, such as we have described, including the erection, is $1500. The building, however, consists of simply the frame and covering. They are brought from Hong Kong.

AUTUMN.

BY WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, OF CONCORD. A VARIED Wreath the autumn weaves

Of cold gray days and sunny weather, And strews gay flowers and withered leaves Along my lonely path together.

I see the golden-rod shine bright,

As sun-showers at the birth of day,
A golden plume of yellow light,
That robs the day-god's splendid ray.

The aster's violet rays divide

The bank with many stars for me, And yarrow in blanch tints is dyed, As moonlight floats across the sea.

I saw the emerald woods prepare

To shed their vestiture once more, And distant elm-trees spot the air With yellow pictures softly o'er.

I saw an ashburn scarlet red

Beneath a pine's perpetual green,
And sighing branches hung their head,
Protected by a hemlock screen.

Yet light the verdant willow floats
Above the river's shining face,
And sheds its rain of hurried notes,

With a swift shower's harmonious grace.

The petals of the cardinal

Fleck with their crimson drops the stream,

As spots of blood the banquet-hall,

In some young knight's romantic dream. No more the water-lily's pride

In milk-white circles swims content,
No more the blue weed's clusters ride,
And mock the heaven's element.

How speeds from in the river's thought
The spirit of the leaf that falls,
Its heaven in this cold bosom wrought,
As mine among these crimson walls.
From the dry bough it spins to greet
Its shadow on the placid river,
So might I my companions meet,

Nor roam the countless worlds forever.

Autumn, thy wreath and mine are blent
With the same colors, for to me
A richer sky than all is lent,

While fades my dreamlike company.

Our skies grow purple-but the wind
Sobs chill thro' green trees and bright grass,
To-day shines fair, and lurks behind

The times that into winter pass.

So fair we seem, so cold we are,
So fast we hasten to decay;
Yet through our night glows many a star,
That still shall claim its sunny day.

From the New York Evening Post
THE HOURS.

THE hours are viewless angels,
That still go gliding by,
And bear each moment's record up
To Him who sits on high.

The poison or the nectar,

Our heart's deep flower-cups yield,
A sample still they gather swift,
And leave us in the field.

And some fly by on pinions

Of gorgeous gold and blue,
And some fly in with drooping wing
Of sorrow's darker hue.

And as we spend each minute

That God to us hath given,

The deeds are known before his throne-
The tale is told in heaven.

And we, who walk among them,
As one by one departs,
Think not that they are hovering
Forever round our hearts.

Like summer bees that hover
Around the idle flowers,
They gather every act and thought,
These viewless angel hours.

And still they steal the record,

And bear it far away;

Their mission flight, by day or night,
No magic powers can stay.

So teach me, Heavenly Father!
To spend each flying hour,
That, as they go, they may not show
My heart a poison flower.

Pittsfield, Sept., 1848.

ORIOLE.

CHAPTER VI. THE JESUIT'S STORY.

66 it

him.

Most true it is that

the

over it, while the water, rising every instant, threatened to carry it away. He approached the "As nearly as I can recollect," he said, father and daughter. What words he used were was in the month of May; and the spring, always the young woman to allow him to save her life. never known; but he seemed to be persuading beautiful in these Alpine regions, appeared to have come forth with tenfold splendor. The She, however, pointed to her father, and shrunk sun's warmth, in that season of the year, thaws from the deliverance she was not to share with the mind as well as the earth. People put on sportive looks for the summer, and the joyous of the Jesuit, now passed over the pine, for the pur"A young man, emboldened by the example ness of their feelings is represented externally by bright-colored clothes. Suddenly the clouds gath-pose of aiding in the pious work of preserving the ered, and hung from ridge to ridge, entirely roof- father and his loving child. All saw there was The rain descended in floods, ing over the valley. Through tunnels, as it no time to be lost. were, in their substance, the thunder rolled in- the furious stream increased momentarily, the cessantly; while the lightning flashed downwards, pine began to be touched and shaken by the waves; with a brightness so vivid and piercing, that it and the villagers, who looked on in comparative threatened to consume, utterly, both man and safety, soon felt how little hope there was of beast. Then followed indescribable torrents of deliverance for their neighbors. They lifted up rain, descending as from the open windows of their hands to heaven-they prayed for them; heaven, until every brook and streamlet swelled but the storm seemed to beat down their words, to a torrent, and the Rhone rushed through its while their hopes were swallowed up in the dark The little group now bed with tremendous force and velocity. In the wrath of the elements. midst of the storm, a noise was heard in the approached the pine-the father and his supporter mountains, compared with which the thunder advancing first, and our brother and his beautiful shrunk into a whisper. It appeared as if the companion following. foundations of the everlasting hills had been vio- race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to lently shaken from their place. All the villagers the strong.' The man of years and feebleness, hurried to their doors, where they stood, pale and against all hope and expectation, reached the trembling, not knowing what to do. Then came shore in safety. But at the very moment his foot touched the land, a stream of whirling eddies another frightful crash. The curtain of rocks which you behold yonder, disparted from top to struck the pine, swept it forward, and plunged bottom; and out rushed an irresistible flood, with the Jesuit and the girl into the boiling flood. a roaring like that of the ocean. There was no Danger produces, sometimes, a strange effect time for flight. Instead of quitting his hold, Terror paralyzed all limbs. upon the mind. Onward swept the torrent, ploughing up the and striving to make for the bank, our brother plain in various directions, flooding the fields and clasped his companion in his arms; and they sunk together. the gardens, overthrowing walls and houses, and Some days afterwards, their hurrying forward their ruins towards the Rhone. bodies were found far down in the channel of the Several hundred persons were drowned in a moRhone, fast locked together in the embrace of death. We buried them in the same grave; and ment. But some, who happened to be in situations favorable for flight, escaped destruction. the good old man, her father, still lives to visit "There was one cottage, inhabited by an old the spot where the once warm heart of his child man and his daughter, which stood near the lies cold. It will not be long before he joins her brink of the great chasm, through which the in the grave, because he is old and feeble, and principal arm of the waters was roaring and foam- has nothing in this world to support him. But ing along. The channel was widening fast by he is a pious Christian, and hopes to be greeted the earth crumbling into it; and it was evident in heaven by the soul of his beloved daughter, as the cottage must go in a few minutes. A young well as by him who lost his life in the endeavor brother of our order stood on the opposite bank, to save her. I tell you these facts," said the beholding with pity the young woman wringing Jesuit," without ornament or amplification. In her hands, imploring pity and assistance. Her itself it was a very touching thing to see, though father, ill and feeble, had tottered to the door, it is little or nothing when related."

where, seeing death around him on all sides, he stood transfixed like a statue. His daughter now approached, and now retreated from him, looking wildly towards a small group on the opposite bank. What she said could not be heard, as her voice was drowned in the thunder of the torrent. But our brother formed his resolution. A pine tree, lopped and barked, lay near him on the ground; he entreated the bystanders to lend their assistance in throwing it across the chasm. When they had done sorounded, slippery as it was he made his way

CHAPTER VII.-SLEEP AND JEWELS.

In the inn at Brigg, which we reached early in the evening, we found a number of English people, who, however, kept all together, and held me out no temptations to join them. It is a fact, which most persons must have observed, that the moment a man leaves his own fireside, he strives, by putting on grand airs, and otherwise, to pass for what he is not. He alters the tone of his voice, throws additional dignity into his aspect and gait, and, if he expects to be overheard, dis

courses on topics calculated to display his conse-sent of the governments of Piedmont and the quence. Most travellers do this, rendering them- Valais, pass into Italy in less than a week. His selves thereby extremely disagreeable. For my-behavior at supper put me strongly in mind of a self, at least, I hate people of consequence, and prefer conversing with the ragtag-and-bobtail of society; persons altogether without pretensions, without titles, and, often, also, it is to be presumed, without cash-these are your truly merry companions on a journey. The Roman poet says, "The poor man sings in the midst of thieves, because he has nothing to lose ;" and travellers who are very nearly in that predicament usually take things easily, and rely confidently on Providence to provide them with breakfast, dinner, and a diligence.

butler in the service of the Margravine of Anspach. That lady, in whose history there were many little odds and ends with which she did not wish common fame to be acquainted, gave this same butler a guinea to hold his peace on a particular point; but the money took him to the tavern, where, drinking good wine with his friends, he grew warm and communicative, and related the very anecdote which her ladyship most especially desired to be forgotten. Hearing afterwards of his indiscretion, she reproached him, when he ingenuously replied, "Ah! your ladyship should not have given me money, but have let me remain sober; for I am exactly like a hedgehog-when I am wet, I open."

As I have said, I did not make up towards my countrymen, because they appeared to be of far too much consequence for me. It was years since I had been in England; and I, therefore, was not Monsieur Carli, until the wine began to soften at all familiar with the current topics of the day. | his heart, had affected all the airs of a small diploOur countrymen, of course, are all politicians. matist, and would, if possible, have made a mysNot that, as a rule, they understand politics, but tery of the fact that the sun shines at noon-day. that it is the most exciting topic with which they At supper his tongue grew supple, and scattered are acquainted. They now talked of the princi- about confidence as a cow's tail scatters dew-drops pal notabilities of the day, whose names, though in the morning from the grass. He professed sufficiently respectable, need not be repeated great relish for our society, swore we were the best here. Political reputations are easily built up, fellows he had ever met with, and said it would especially in England; where any man of fam- give him the utmost possible delight to travel ily or fortune, with a slight dash of industry, and round the world with us. Unfortunately, howa very moderate amount of perseverance, may get ever, our intimacy was destined to be cut short at credit for all manner of public virtues. He has that luckless town of Brigg, unless-which was but to select a hobby-horse for himself, and to ride very unlikely-there was a gentleman in the party it with moderate steadiness, to be set down for a who happened to have a passport for himself and great patriot, and be looked upon as an adorable his wife, and yet had left his wife behind him. creature among the ladies of his party. Time," In that case," cried M. Carli, in great animation, of course, squares his account with fame-that is," he could take Madame under his protection, get dissipates his pretensions into thin air, and leaves her over the frontier as his own better-half, and him overwhelmed amid the formless ruins of ob- then, of course, deliver her to me. For myself, I livion. But he is not the less a notability while could easily climb the hills a little, and so step he lives, and vanity always whispers in his ear into Piedmont without a passport.' that he will form an exception to the general rule, and be remembered forever.

Events appeared to have framed themselves just as Monsieur Carli wished, for I happened to have I found myself at supper, purely by accident, exactly such a passport, except that it would have beside Madame Carli, whom I had treated during enabled me to take over the frontier seven other the day with something like neglect; my atten- persons, in addition to his wife. When I mention having been absorbed almost entirely by the tioned this fact, and offered to take charge of Madisciple of Ignatius Loyola. She was now re- dame Carli, the little man was transported with joy, solved that I should do penance for my sins, and as a week at Brigg would, he owned, have been for some time would only converse with me in the death of him. Besides, he did not doubt that the most distant and formal manner. I am not the cholera was close at his heels; and as it was the least in the world a materialist; but have still to escape this fearful malady that he had hurried found by experience, that a good supper and so rapidly out of France, there was nothing he sparkling wines produce a wonderful harmony in would not have given at this moment to be lodged our microcosm, and incline us to gossip and phi- safely on the other side of the Alps. It was now Janthropy. What the dishes at Brigg consisted agreed that Madame Carli should be Madame St. of, Heaven only knows. I never pry into mys-John till our arrival at Duomo d'Ossola. teries of that sort; but eat, if I can, whatever is While this arrangement was in the course of set before me, and am thankful for it. I only completion, Madame Carli and I were engaged in know that everything that evening seemed very passing a separate treaty of peace. I had already nice, and that the wines were perfectly delicious. atoned for the negligence of the day, by all sorts Monsieur Carli, since his arrival at Brigg, had of submissions, till we were once more as free and made a discovery which discomposed him consid- gay as ever. This, of course, was partly owing erably, which was, that, having left France dur- to the supper and the wine, which put us first in ing the cholera, he could not, without the con- good humor with ourselves, and then with every

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