A FEMALE HERMIT. THE following account is taken from one of a series of letters recently published in the National Intelligencer, descriptive of a tour to the sources of the Potomac :

the county alms-house. We inquired as to her appetite, and she replied, "Oh, I eat very little; I never eat much, sometimes nothing in a whole day, and I am well acquainted with hunger." As to sleep, we also questioned her, and she said, “That's "Delighted, however, and deeply impressed what troubles me most; I cannot sleep now; as I have been with the scenery of this Al- I am so old, and so I lay on my bed thinking pine land, I have been far more interested in of my great, good and sweet Father in the an old woman whom I had the pleasure of heavens." We asked her how she managed seeing. Her name is Elizabeth Golding to obtain the necessaries of life, and she said Goldizon, and she resides in a log cabin, en- that she did not know, only that people who tirely alone, directly at the foot of the gorge travelled on the road sometimes stepped in which has taken her name. She is of Ger- to give a little coffee or flour, her main stay man origin, and represents herself as one being a small garden of vegetables, the brush hundred and twelve years of age. She was fence around which has been built by her born, according to her own words, "within own hands; and the garden being just the two days' ride of the city of Philadelphia, in neatest one I ever beheld. As to her sight, Pennsylvania," and her father was a soldier it was as good as ever, and she was unacin the Revolution under Washington, and quainted with the use of spectacles. We she, herself, was in the immediate vicinity asked how much money it would take to of the American camp at the defeat of Gene- keep her the rest of her life, she replied ral Braddock, of which event she habitually that ten dollars would take care of her for a recounts a number of interesting and start- long time, more than a year. As a matter ling incidents, closing each paragraph with of course, my companions and I made up a the remark that the battle-field was wet, little purse for her benefit, and when we gave very wet with blood. She has been hus- it to her it seemed as if she would embrace bandless and childless for nearly half a cen- us in spite of our disinclination. tury, and for many years has lived as now, in the solitude of the mountains, utterly alone. Indeed every thing about the old woman was peculiar and strange. In stature she is quite small, and her hair, which is as white as snow, is very long; when engaged in conversation, her countenance fires up exceedingly, and she accompanies each sentence with the most animated of gestures; her voice, though still strong, is altogether beyond her control, having an unnatural tone; But the reader must have an idea of the and the wrinkles running entirely over her home of this being; in truth, it baffles deface and neck, are as deep as we might im- scription. Her nearest neighbor is some four agine them to be after having been furrowed miles off, and her only companions in her by the tears of even one heart for so long a solitude are a little dog and cat. Her cabin time as a century. She was clothed in the stands near the water's edge, and directly on simplest manner, having on her head a cap a hill side; it is without a window, but light in made of brown cotton, a frock of blue home-abundance comes in from the gaping roof spun cloth, and upon her feet nothing but woolen socks.

Indeed, we made her a number of trifling presents, and she expressed her gratitude by weeping and assuring us that her "Father in the heavens would bless and make us happy wherever we might go." And I can assure the reader that the tears shed by that old woman of five score years and ten were not the only ones that sprung into the eyes on that occasion, albeit we were all unused to weeping.

and sides of the black and mouldering habitation, the chimney to which is of mud and During the whole time we were in her sticks, and in a dilapidated condition. Her cabin, she was smoking some bitter weed in bedstead is made of small pine sticks, with a corn cob pipe, and, though haggard and the bark still on, her couch consisting of hemworn to a marvellous degree, she had a pleas-lock boughs, covered with straw, upon which ant smile, and when either of her guests happened to utter something that was novel to her ear, she would exclaim, "Oh, yes, that is wonderful!" Her only means of subsi-tence, for years past, has been obtained by making hickory brooms, but even this means she had been compelled to give up, for she could no more climb the mountains to obtain the proper material, and, though she seemed to be perfectly certain that she would be provided for, she expressed the greatest dread of

are two or three wretchedly worn bed quilts. In one corner of the room are two or three shelves, on which are displayed her cooking and eating utensils, the original cost of which (and they were old and worn) could not have been more than one dollar. An old stool answered the place of a chair, and a board nailed up the side of her cabin her only table; hanging from the logs at the side of the bed are two or three old gowns, which help to keep out the air and rain; she is also the

owner of a spinning-wheel; and from the SPIRITUAL RECOGNITION. crevices of logs around, above and every where depend bunches of herbs and flowers A LITTLE girl of my acquaintance, a lovely which she had gathered in her rambles; but and precious child, lost her mother at an age there was a taste and neatness displayed in too early to fix the loved features in her rethe management of the miserable furniture membrance. She was as frail as beautiful, of the room which gave it a really cheerful and as the bud of her heart unfolded, it aspect. We asked the old woman if she seemed as if won by that mother's prayers to never apprehended any danger while thus turn instinctively heavenward. The sweet, living so utterly alone, and she replied, "Of conscientious and prayer-loving child was course not; who would harm a poor, forsaken the idol of the bereaved family. But she being like me? I ain't afraid even of the faded away early. She would lie in the lap bears, for it is only last fall one came down of a friend who would take a mother's care here and scratched up my garden, but I drove of her, and winding one wasted arm around him off with a big stick.” her neck would say, "Now tell me about my mamma?" And when the oft told tale had been repeated, would ask softly, “Take me into the parlor, I want to see my mamma." The request was never refused; and the affectionate child would lie for hours, contentedly gazing upon her mother's portrait. But

Up to this point, every thing we saw concerning this aged woman was strange, but we were still more astonished to have her rivet our attention to her wild movements and address us to the following effect: "Men, I thank you for your goodness-I cannot read, but my Great Father has told me in my heart all about it. There is a Heaven, men, and it's a happy place; and there is a hell, men, and it's a dreadful place-they both will never have an end. Now, men, good bye; you have been good to the old woman, but we must part; good bye; we shall meet once more at the judgment, but only for a short time. Live, men, so that you may get to heaven." And so we left this strange being; and I am confident that long after her bones shall have mingled with the dust, one trio of travellers, if still living, will remember with wonder and pleasure, their interview with the "Hermit Woman of the Alleghenies."

TOBACCO.

HERE are two or three hints for juvenile tobacco smokers and chewers, which we extract from the Boston Olive Branch, and are worthy of being treasured up.-Drawing Room Journal.

"Pale and wan she grew and weakly-
Bearing all her pains so meekly,
That to them she still grew dearer,
As the trial hour grew nearer!"

That hour came at last, and the weeping neighbors assembled to see the child die. The dew of death was already on the flower, and its life sun was going down. The little chest heaved faintly-spasmodically.

"Do you know me, darling?" sobbed close in her ear the voice that was dearest; but awoke no answer.

All at once a brightness, as if from the other world, burst over the child's colorless countenance. The eyelids flashed open, the lips parted, the wan cuddling hands flew up, in the little one's last impulsive effort, as she looked piercingly into the far above.

"Mother!" she cried, with surprise and transport in her tone-and passed with that

breath into her mother's bosom.

Said a distinguished divine, who stood by that bed of joyous death:

66

"If I had never believed in the ministra

tion of departed ones before, I could not

doubt it now!"

"Tobacco has spoiled and utterly ruined thousands of boys, inducing a dangerous precocity, developing the passions, softening and weakening the bones, and greatly injuring the spinal marrow, the brain, and the whole nervous fluid. A boy who early and freely smokes, or otherwise largely uses tobacco, never is known to make a man of much energy of character, generally lacks physical TO YOUNG MEN.-Don't rely upon friends. and muscular, as well as mental energy. Don't rely upon the good name of your anTo people older, who are not naturally nerv-cestors. Thousands have spent the prime ous, and particularly to the phlegmatic, to of life in vain hopes of aid from those whom those of a cold and more than Dutch temperament, tobacco may be comparatively harmless; but even to those it is worse than use less. We would particularly warn boys who wish to be "any body" in the world, to avoid tobacco as a deadly poison."

they call friends-and thousands have starved because they had a rich father. Rely upon the good name which is made by your own exertions, and know that the best friend you can have is an unconquerable determination, united with decision of character.

THE LOCOMOTIVE.

A GLEE, in four Parts---Words and Music by CHAS. COLLINS, Jr.

NOTE. As introductory to the performance of this piece, it is suggested, that a number of male voices should imitate the engine in its starting,-"psh," "psh," &c.; commencing slowly, and gradually accelerating the time, until the end of about twenty-four measures, when the voices will immediately commence the music. On the twelfth line of each verse, some one will introduce the whistle. The above opening exercise, may also be repeated for an interlude. (ORIGINAL.)

On, on, goes the iron horse, for thus he's inclin'd,
But here's the slow stage coach, and friends left
behind;
On-on, like a flash, past the plain and the gorge,
The factory, foundry,- and now by the forge:
The passengers, whiling the long hours away,
Are bumping, and rocking, and jumping all day;
Each moment receding,brings forth something new
Yet quickly are landscapes and towns lost to view;
A tavern,-a cottage, a mansion,-a ridge,-
A steeple, a hollow,-a highway.-a bridge,-
The church and its grave-stones like spectres ap-

The beasts at the whistle are trembling with fear;
Across the green grain fields the husbandman toils,
The sweet hay and clover afford him some spoils;
On rumbling,-on tumbling,-now nearing the
place,

With a snore and a roar,-he quits the swift race.

574

ORTONVILLE.- -GEN. JACKSON ON PREACHING.

"ORTONVILLE."

ble for the manner in which he discharged his duties, and that he would consequently be at liberty to choose his own Secretary.

THE caption of this article will be recognized as the name of a tune, which is fami- The minister returned his respectful acliar to all, and has been almost as extensively knowledgments, but before taking a final used since its publication as Old Hundred. leave, sought his especial advice in regard to While attending the Musical Convention of a young gentleman then in the service of the Messrs. Hastings & Bradbury, a short time since, Mr. Hastings, the composer of the above named tune, related to us the history of its origin, which may not be uninteresting to our readings.

A father was quite indifferent to his little offspring, while the mother was very affectionately attached to it, and wrote a little song, and requested Mr. Hastings to compose music appropriate to the words, which he did after much labor to get any thing simple enough to be suitable. The song was learned to the little girl by the mother, to sing to her father. The following is the first verse of the song:

"Father, father, kiss thy child,

Hear my little song:
While my mother sweetly smiled,
Father passed along."

State Department, and who was highly recommended by the (then) Secretary. Gen. Jackson promptly said, "I advise you, sir, not to take that man, he is not a good judge of preaching." The minister seemed puzzled, and observed that the objection needed explantation.

"I am able to give it," said the old hero, and he thus continued: "On last Sabbath morning, I attended divine service in the Methodist Episcopal church in this city. There I listened to a soul-inspiring sermon by Professor Durbin, of Carlisle, one of the ablest pulpit orators in America. Seated in a pew near me, I observed this identical young man, apparently an attentive listener. On the day following, he came into this chamber on public business, when I had the curiosity to ask his opinion of the sermon and the preacher.

"And what think you, sir, the young upIt was not the intention of the author to start, with consummate assurance, propublish it, but while compiling the Manhat-nounced that sermon all froth, and Professor tan Collection, in an unlucky hour the com- Durbin a humbug. I took the liberty of saypositor called upon him for a tune to fill out a page, and he had nothing prepared. This tune lay before him, and in the absence of any thing else, he sat down and arranged the harmony, and published it to the Hymn

ing to him-" My young man, you are a humbug yourself, and don't know it." And now, continued the venerable old man, his eye lighted up with intense animation, rest assured, my dear sir, that a man who is not a better judge of preaching than that, is wholly unfit to be your companion. And besides," he added, "if he were the prodigy the Secretary of State represents him to be, he would be less anxious to confer his services upon you-he would rather be anxious to retain them himself." The President's advice was of course followed by the ambas sador, and the young man's subsequent career of vice and folly proved that the General's estimate of his character, albeit founded upon a common-place incident, was substantially correct.

A FABLE-In the evening of a summer day, the setting sun saw a vapor dense and unwholesome, which spread itself over the flowers, gardens, and meadows. You have well chosen, said the Sun, the time of my departure to taint the beauties of nature. Enjoy for a time the triumph of thy malignity; I will come back to-morrow morning and put an end to your existence.

In the winter of 1832, President Jackson conferred the mission to Russia upon a justly distinguished son of Pennsylvania. Before the newly appointed minister, however, had departed on his mission, he deemed it due to the President to ask his counsel in reference to the selection of a Secretary of legation. The President declined all interference, and remarked to the minister, that the United Moral.-The Sun is an emblem of truth, States Government would hold him responsi- | which, soon or late, will put an end to slander.