could distinctly perceive the heavy and sup- arrived safely, but with the loss of his favorpressed breathing. He immediately turned ite and spirited horse. In an excursion after over, as if awakened, and the assassin, doubt- buffalo, having killed one, he dismounted, less, with dagger in hand, hastily retreated— | and leaving his horse near it, he took fright, Whisperings were again heard, and during and dashed off to the woods; and probably this conference, something fell upon the floor, fell int› the hands of some fortunate hunter, which sounded like the blade of a knifeor party of strolling Indians. With this short Silence, then, as of death, reigned for a while digression, I will close this narrative, by re-when Col. T., raising himself up, called marking, that, to set aside all doubts as to upon the fellow in the room for a light. He the character of these ruffians, (if indeed, appeared to be aroused, unwillingly, as from there could he any,) it is only necessary tí a profound sleep, and in a surly tone asked inform the reader, that a few months subsewhat was wanting. The Colonel remarked quent to this period, a gentleman from Newthat he did not feel well, and wished him to Orleans was murdered near this establishget a light brought up. After some delay, ment. A thorough search was made by othhe got up, drew on his boots, (leaving his hat, cers of justice, which led to the detection of over-coat, &c.) and requested the man to this very band. They were tried, convicted wait with the light a few moments at the and executed at New-Orleans, not more than door. He left the room, and as soon as he twelve months after the narrow escape of was beyond the reflection from the light, di- Col. T. T. rected his course towards the river. Walking briskly, he had reached half the distance, The following is abridged from the "Cabwhen signals of a shri whistle were heard close in his rear. Finding that he was pur-net of Natural History, and American Field sued, he pushed forward and gained the em- Sports", by the editor of the New York bankment of the river, where he discovered American. a light from a boat at shore at the distance of nearly half a mile.

AN ADVENTURE.

How direful are the effects of revenge.

It was on as beautiful an autumnal day, as ever ushered in the Indian summer, that I made an excursion after game among a groupe of mountains, or rather on a link in the great chain of the Alleghany range, which runs in a north eastern direction in that part of Pennsylvania which bounds the New York line.

The signal as again repeated, and quickly answered in a direction which would intercept his course to the boat. He proceeded cautiously, and discovered a nian crossing his path, midway between him and the boat. Keeping within the shadow of the woods, the Colonel approached this dangerous point, and with his full speed, succeeded in passing the robber at the distance of a few yards, and gained the boat. Ere he reached it, the for several miles, without success, for a I had kept the summit of the mountains whistle was heard in quick succession, and breeze had arisen shortly after sunrise which in a few minutes, the dog, a fine spaniel, rattle through the trees, and made it unfawhich the Colonel had seen at the house, vorable for hunting on high ground; and incame up to him, and wheeled back instantly deed the only wild animal I saw, was a bear, to his master. The boat's crew were soon that was feeding on another ridge across a aroused, and made acquainted with the facts. deep valley, and entirely out of reach of my They generously offered him protection and rifle shot; I therefore descended the mountassurance of safety, but were unwilling to ain in an oblique direction, towards the salt return with the Colonel immediately to re- springs which I soon reached, and after findcover his horse and baggage. Colonel T. deemed it sufficiently dangerous to at spot for another mountain on which I intending others had preceded me here, I left the tempt it in the morning. As soon, how-ed to pass the remainder of the day, gradualever, as it was light, they proceeded to the ly working my way home. This mountain house. The horse was found where he was was covered with chesnut trees, and here it confined. His baggage had evidently been thoroughly examined for money, which, for the other ridge, and found he had disappearwas that I caught a glimpse of the bear from tunately, he had secured about his person.ed but a short time previous to my arrival on But of the motley group who composed the evening party, all were missing except the old Creole and the Negro. Without explanations being asked or given by either party, the Colonel resumed his journey the boatmen accompanying him to the road: and with out further adventures with the robbers, or bandits, reached Baton Rouge. From thence he had company to Natchitoches, where he

this mountain; I followed his track for three miles, for chesnuts lay in abundance on the ground, and bears, like hogs, root up the leaves in search of food beneath, and it no doubt had lingered about here eating its food until my near approach gave warning of its danger; this I could discover, as the leaves having been wet by the melted frost on the top, a path could be traced where

the bear in running had turned the dried part of the leaves uppermost. I quickened iny pace along the mountain side and around the torn of the mountain, with the hopes of surprizing the bear, and after a rapid chase for the distance above mentioned, all proved fruitless, and I relinquished further pursuit. Warm with this exercise, and somewhat fatigued, I descended the mountain side, and took my seat beside a stream of water which gently washed the base of the mountain, and emptied itself into the head of the waters of the Susquehannah.

I had remained sitting on a fallen tree, whose branches extended considerably into the water, for perhaps an hour and a half, when of a sudden I heard a rustling among the leaves on the mountain immediately above my head, which at first was so distant that I thought it merely an eddy in the wind, whirling the leaves from the ground; but it increased so rapidly, and approached so near the spot where 1 sat, that I instinctively seized my rifle, ready in a moment to meet any emergency which might offer.

by jurups, and a second plunge into the water convinced me that the bear had good cause for its precipitation; for here, pressing hard at its heels, was a formidable antagonist in an enormous Panther, which pursued the bear with such determined inVeteracy, and appalling growls, as made me shudder, as with a chill.'

The panther plunged into the water not more than eighteen or twenty yards from me, and had it been but one-third of that distance, I feel convinced I would have been unheeded by this animal, so intent was it on the destruction of the bear. It must indeed be an extraordinary case which will make a panther plunge into water, as it is a great characteristic of the feline species always to avoir water, unless driven to it, either by ne cessity or desperation; but here nature was set aside, and some powerful motive predominated in the passions of this animal, which put all laws of instinct at defiance, and unlike the clumsy hustling of the bear through the water, the panther went with bounds of ten feet at a time, and ere the former reachThat part of the mountain where I was ed the opposite shore, the latter was midway seated, was covered with laurel and other of the stream. This was a moment of thrilbushes, and owing to the density of this shrub-ling interest, and that feeling so common to bery, I could not discover an object more the human breast, when the strong is comthan ten yards from me: this, as will after- bating with the weak, now took possession of wards appear, afforded me protection; at mine, and espousing the cause of the weaker any rate it conduced to my success. The party, abstractedly from every consideration noise among the leaves now became tremen- which was in the wrong, I could not help dous, and the object approached so near, that wishing safety to the bear, and death to the I distinctly heard an unnatural, grunting panther, and, under the impulse of these noise, as if from some animal in great distress. feelings, I once more brought my rifle to my At length, a sudden plunge into the water, shoulder, with the intention of shooting the not more than twenty yards from me, uncov-panther through the heart, but in spite of ered to my view a full-grown black bear, in-nyself, I shrunk from the effort,-perhaps tent upon nothing but its endeavors to press it was well I reserved my fire, for had I only through the water and reach the opposite wounded the animal, I might have been a shore. The water on an average was not victim to its ferocity. more than two feet deep, which was not suf- So soon as the bear finding there was no ficient for the animal to swan, and too deep possibility of escape from an issue with so to run through; consequently the eagerness dreadful an enemy, then, on reaching the opwith which the bear pressed through the wa-posite bank of the stream, it shook the water ter, created such a splashing noise, as rairly from its hair like a dog, and ran about fifteen eclined through the hills. Without scarcely feet on the bank, and laid directly on its back a thought, I brought my rifle to my shoulder in a defensive posture; this it had scarcely with the intention of shooting, but before I done when the panther reached the water's could sight it correctly, the bear rushed be- edge, and then, with a yell of vengeance, it hind a rock which shielded it from my view; made one bound, and sprang with outstretchthis gave me a momentary season for reflec- claws and spitting like a cat, immediately on tion, and although I could have killed the the bear, which lay in terror on the ground, bear so soon as it had passed the rock, I de- ready to receive its antagonist; but the contermined to await the result of such extra-test was soon at an eud. Not more easily ordinary conduct in this animal; for I was does the eagle rend in sunder its terror-strick wonder struck at actions which were not only en prey, than did the enraged panther tear in strange but even ludicrous,- there not ap- scattered fragments the helpless bear; it appearing then any cause for them. The inys-peared but the work of a moment, and that tery, however, was soon unravelled.

The stream of water was not more than ten rods in width, and before the bear was two-thirds across it, I heard another rustling, on the mountain side, among the leaves, as if

monient was one of unrelenting vengeance; for no sooner did the panther alight on its victim, than with the most ferocious yells, it planted its hinder claws deep in the entrails of the bear, and by a few rips, tore its an

tagonist in pieces. Although the bear was full grown it must have been young, and in want of energy, for it was so overcome with dread as not to be able to make the least re

sistance

subject does be write or speak so often and so well, as on the duty of doing good to each other. Feeling never wrote a paragraph in the newspapers, nor spoke where ten people could hear him; but there is not a cellar or a

Satisfied in glutting its vengeance, the pan-garret in-street that he has not been into, ther turned from the bear, and came directly and there are hundreds of people that pray to the water's edge to drink, and allay the for him every day of their lives. Sentiparching thirst created by so great excite- ment is the admiration of his acquaintment, after which it looked first down and ances; Feeling the delight of his friends. No then up the stream, as though it sought a better illustration can be given of the difplace to recross, that it might avoid the wa- ference between them, than was shown in ter; and then, as if satiated with revenge their conduct on one particular occasion. A and enjoying its victory, stood twisting and mutual friend of theirs had died suddenly, uncurling its tail like a cat, and then commen- der circumstances of peculiar affliction, and ced licking itself dry. The animal was now leaving a large family nearly destitute. Senwithin thirty-five yards of me, and seeing no timent heard of his death as he was going to prospect of its recrossing the stream, I took an evening party, where he spoke of his derest for my rifle on a projecting limb of the parted friend, and of his irreparable loss to tree on which I still sat, and fired directly at his widow and children, in such a way as to the panther's heart. The moment I dis- bring tears into the eyes of all who heard charged my rifle, the monster made a spring him; but in a short time the conversation about six feet perpendicularly, with a tre- turned upon other subjects, and Sentiment mendous growl, which reverberated among became as lively and entertaining as ever. the rocks, and fell in the same spot whence Feeling also heard of it as he was going to it sprang, with its legs extended, and lay in this same party, and he turned about and this situation, half crouched, rocking from went home, for he loved his friend too well to side to side, as if in the dizziness of approach- feel in the mood to join a gay crowd while ing death. I saw plainly that my fire was he was yet unburied. The next day Sentifatal; but I had too much experience to ap- ment sat down and wrote a beautiful letter proach this enemy, until I could no longer to the bereaved widow, while Feeling went discover signs of life. I therefore reloaded about and collected a subscription for her my rifle, and with a second shot, I pierced use. Sentiment published an eloquent obitimmediately behind the ear; its head then uary notice of his friend, while Feeling paid dropped between its paws, and all was quiet. his funeral expenses. Feeling adopted one On examining the panther, no marks of of his sons, and educated him, while Sentiviolence appeared, except where my riflement named one of his own after him.— New balls had passed completely through, within England Magazine. a foot of each other; but on turning the animal on its back, I discovered it to be a female, and a mother, and, by the enlargement of her teats, had evidently been suckling her young. From this circumstance, I supposed the bear had made inroads upon her lair, and more than probable destroyed her kittens. I was the more convinced of this, from the fact, that I never knew from my own experience, nor could I gather from the oldest hunters among my acquaintance, an instance wherein a panther and a bear came in collis ion with each other, or entered into deadly strife; and again, no circumstance but the above would be sufficient to awaken that vindictive perseverance in the passions of a panther, which would lead to the annihila

material used in England alone amounts in Consumption of Silk.-The quantity of this each year to more than four millions of pounds weight, for the production of which red. Fourteen thousand millions of animamyriads upon myriads of insects are requited creatures annually and die to supply this little corner of the world with an article of luxury! If astonishment be excited at this fact, let us extend our view into China, and survey the dense population of its widely-spread region, whose inhabitants, from the Emperor on his throne to the peasant in to the labours of the silk-worm. The imagi the lowly hut, are indebted for their clothing nation, fatigued with the flight, is lost and bewildered in contemplating the countless numbers which every successive year spin their slender threads for the service of man. There are two men of my acquaintance, Dr. Lardiner's Cabinet Encyclopedia. of nearly the same age, property, and standing in society, one of whom is a man of feeling, and the other a man of sentiment. Sentiment is rather a more gifted man than Feeling; writes and talks well, and on no

tion of so formidable an animal as a bear. Philadelphia, Dec. 1831.

FEELING AND SENTIMENT.

M.

Delusion and weakness produce not one mischief the less because they are universal.-Burke.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE CONNECTICUT COURANT.

VOL. III.

THE FLOWER OF THE DESERT.

BY MRS. HEMANS.

APRIL 3, 1832.

"Who does not recollect the exultation of Vaillant over a flower in the torrid wastes of Africa --The affecting mention of the influence of a flower upon his mind, by Mungo Park, in a time of suffering and despondency, in the heart of the same savage country, is familiar to every one."-HOWITT's Book of the Seasons.

Why art thou thus in thy beauty cast,
O lonely, loneliest flower!

Where the sound of song hath never pass'd,
From human hearth or bower?

I pity thee, for thy heart of love,

For thy glowing heart, that fain

NO. 3.

From the Christian Examiner.
READING.

The present, beyond all former times, deserves to be called the age of reading. And yet we suppose there never was so much reading, which so little answered the great purpose of reading, as that which is now occupying the leisure hours of millions in the civilized world. We say of millions, and indeed the time employed in this way has become so great, the business of reading has become so vast a business, that, like other great employments, it deserves to attract the attention of the moralist.-And truly we know not why there should be a recognized duty in regard to the use of property and the

Would breathe out joy with each wind to rove-- government of the senses, and not a recogui

In vain, lost thing! in vain!

I pity thee for thy wasted bloom,
For thy glory's fleeting hour,
For the desert place, thy living tomb→→
O lonely, loneliest flower!

Isaid,-but a low voice made reply:
"Lament not for the flower!

zed duty in relation to the employment of time and the direction of the thoughts; why waste and dissipation are to be regarded as trifling evils or venial errors, because they touch, not our incomes or estates, but the inherent interests, the very talents and treasures of the mind.

Nay, there is given to every human being Though its blossoms all unmarked must die, a mind; there is given to him this brightest

They have had a glorious dower.

"Though it bloom afar from the minstrel's way,
And the paths where lovers tread,
Yet strength and hope like an inborn day,
By its odours have been shed.

"Yes! dews more sweet than ever fell

O'er island of the blest,

Were shaken forth, from its perfumed bell,
On a suffering buman breast.

"A wanderer came, as a stricken deer,
O'er the waste of burning sand,
He bore the wound of an Arab spear,
He fled from a ruthless band.

"And dreams of home, in a troubled tide,
Swept o'er his darkening eye,
As he lay down by the fountain side,
In his mute despair to die.

treasure of existence, with the express design its most essential distinction in the capability that he should improve it. The gift possesses of being improved; it may be every thing with improvement, and can be nothing without it; so that he who neglects to cultivate his mind, can scarcely be said to receive it; he is scarcely less than guilty of the folly and ingratitude of rejecting the proffered gift; and that too, be it said with reverence, the highest gift in the hand of Heaven to bestow. It is, therefore, the first and most imperative duty of every human being, it is a duty like that of self-preservation, to cultivate his mind, his whole rational and moral nature. We say not, by reading necessarily; there is not always leisure nor education for this; but by all the means that are given, by all the discipline of life, by all the tasks that are set for our sense and virtue. Yet, we none

But his glance was caught by the desert's the less say, to those who have the requisite

flower,

The precious boon of heaven!"

And sudden hope, like a vernal shower,

To his fainting heart was given.

"For the bright flower spoke of One above;
Of the Presence, felt to brood,
With a spirit of pervading love,

O'er the wildest solitude.

"Oh! the seed was thrown these wastes among,
In a blest and gracious hour!
For the lorn one rose, in heart made strong,
By the lonely, loneliest flower!”

leisure and ability-by reading.

We must be allowed to say, with these views, that the subject on which we are com menting, that of reading wisely and profitably, rises into great importance. And we ask therefore with corresponding interest, to what account are the reading habits of our people turned?

Now to this question we are about to give a strong answer, because we feel strongly and if our language shall appear too strong, we trust that something will be forgiven to

loftier sphere, this should be the object. And to accomplish this, there should be a settled and serious design, we believe, if not a definite plan. A definite plan, indeed, a course of studies for this purpose, is what many have ability and opportunity to mark out and pursue. But all may entertain a settled design of this nature, which would prevent them from giving up their minds to waste, or indolence, or mere amusement.

the strength of the feeling. But the truth | have some object beyond mere recreation, is, in our apprehension, that the common beyond mere entertainment; that it should reading, the popular reading, almost the have for its distinct and leading object the whole reading-when you go beyond news-improvement of the mind. To become wispapers and pamphlets--almost the whole er and more intelligent beings; to know book-reading of this country, that which is more and more of all that our Creator has pursued by multitudes at least as serious given us the power to know, of nature, of business, is novel-reading. This, if not lite- the mind, of the eternal principles of truth rally, is virtually true. Four-fifths of the | and virtue; to add continually to the stock books, which are perused by the generality of just and valuable ideas, and to the power of our readers, are literally novels. But of just reasoning upon them; to cultivate what is not literal novel-reading, is very like all our faculties, throughout the whole of it, and answers little better purpose; it is life, as if it were a school to fit us for nobler reading, not for improvement, but for en-action and a higher advancement in some tertainment, and for entertainment of the lowest kind, that of the moment, that of the fancy or curiosity. The children's reading is all virtually novel-reading, and cannot perhaps be much else. That of multitudes of young ladies and easy gentlemen goes scarcely beyond the child's task. And as for professional men and soi-disant scholars, what many of them do-tell it not in Germany! publish it not among the savans of Paris! At any rate, thousands of minds We presume that we lay down the law of of considerable cultivation, thousands and all intellectual, and, also, of all moral imten thousands of men and women very well provement, when we say, that to this end the educated, nay, (for we must make a case of powers of our nature must be tasked; more it,) the vast majority of readers in the coun- than amused, more than employed, they must try spend almost all their reading hours, if be tasked. The heart, in this progress must not in literally reading novels,-that we sus- overcome temptations; the mind must overpect is, with many, not far from the truth come difficulties. To do what we did yesafter all, yet in reading without any plan or terday is only to confirm ourselves in the poproject, or thought or imagination, of self sition then taken. To advance, we must do improvement. This may seem to be a slight more than we did yesterday. The first proevil, and not deserving of such serious no- cess, the process of repetition, is doubtless tice among so many evils that are greater; important. It strengthens habit; it fixes and yet we have a, sort of odd and uncom- the acquisitions of knowledge and the perfortable morality about us, that will not al- ceptions of truth. But to recall the same low us to think this either right, or reasona- ideas, or to repeat the same efforts for ever, ble, or wise, or worthy of rational beings. would not be to advance. One may read forWe cannot rid ourselves of the impression, ever, and if his mind passively resigns itself that beings, who are endowed with a mind, to the same entertainment, or mechanically have something to do with it, besides letting runs the round of the same ideas, he will be it run to waste, or merely providing for its growing none the wiser, nor stronger; he amusement. Other things they are desirous will be, for all his reading, as really stationato improve, their estates for instance, and ry, as if he had slept through the years or the the methods of acquiring property, their man- ages. There must be a grappling with new ufactures, their modes of tillage, their ships, thoughts, and new forms of thought, in ortheir houses; yes, they have plans and pro-der to become intellectual and to grow strong jects for improving these; it is not enough to in intellect. There must be something studbe amused with them; it will not do to be ied; something searched out, that is not at entertained with bargains, or to make sport first obvious; something investigated, that of merchandise; but to improve that mind, will task the powers of reasoning; something in which are centered and summed up the on which the mind will feel that it must whole value, interest, dignity, happiness, and pause and concentrate its utmost efforts. design of our existence; to add, with sed-Labor like this must come in among lighter ulous care, to that inward wealth, is a pro-employments of the mind, or we would not ject which, so far from being considered as a give much for any man's reading. We duty, is held to be too visionary and Utopi- would not give much for it, that is, as a means an to discuss, even as a matter of specula-of mental progress. It may answer other tion.

But the principle which we contend for, having made these qualifications, is this; that reading, as a general pursuit, should

purposes, but these we are not considering. The question before us is, How shall the mind be strengthened and improved? And we know of nothing that will answer this