895

races. While bets were making upon different horses, she selected a small horse that was in the rear of the coursers as the subject of a trifling wager. Upon being asked the reason for doing so, she said that the "race was not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong." Mr. Sterne, who stood near to her, was struck with this reply, and, turning hastily towards her, begged for the honour of her acquaintance. They soon be came sociable, and a good deal of pleasant conversation took place between them, to the great entertainment of the surrounding company.

pectable connexions and character. She gave him her
heart, with the promise of her hand upon his return
from London, whither he went to complete his educa-
tion in the law. From causes which it is not necessary
to detail, the contract of marriage, at a future day, was
broken, but not without much suffering on the part of
Miss Græme. To relieve and divert her mind from the
effects of this event, she translated the whole of Tele-
machus into English verse; but this, instead of saving,
perhaps aided the distress of her disappointment in im-
pairing her health, and that to such a degree as to in-
duce her father, in conjunction with two other physi
cians, to advise a voyage to England for its recovery,
Her mother concurred in this advice, but for another
reason besides that of restoring her daughter's health.
This venerable and excellent woman had long laboured
under a disease which, she believed, would have a fatal
issue. She anticipated the near approach of death; and
that it might be less terrible to her, she wished her
daughter to be removed beyond the sphere of the coun-
ter attraction of her affections from the world of spirits,
which her presence near her death-bed, would excite.
This feeling is not a solitary or casual one, in the human
mind. Archbishop Lightfoot wished to die from home,
that he might dissolve more easily his ties to his family.
A lady in Philadelphia, some years ago, in her last mo-
ments said to her daughter, who sat weeping at her bed-reflection, and composition.
side, “Leave me, my child; I cannot die while you are
in the room." Many instances of similar conflicts be-
tween religion and nature have occurred in domestic
history which have escaped general observation.

Upon her return to Philadelphia, she was visited by a numerous circle of friends, as well to condole with her upon the death of her mother, as to welcome her arrival to her native shores. She soon discovered by the streams of information she poured upon her friends, that she had been "all eye, all ear, and all grasp," during her visit to Great-Britain. The Journal she kept of her travels, was a feast to all who read it. Manners and characters in an old and highly civilized country, contrasted with those to which she had been accustomed in our own, accompanied with many curious facts and anecdotes, were the component parts of this interesting manuscript. Her modesty alone prevented its being made public, and thereby affording a specimen to the world, and to posterity, of her happy talents for observation,

In her father's family she now occupied the place of her mother. She kept his house, and presided at his table and fire-side in entertaining all his company. Such was the character of Dr. Græme's family for hospitality Mrs. Græme died, according to her expectation and and refinement of manners, that all strangers of note wishes, during her daughter's absence, leaving behind who visited Philadelphia were introduced to it. Satarher two farewell letters to be delivered to her upon her day evenings were appropriated for many years during return; one, upon the choice of a husband, and the oth- Miss Græme's winter residence in the city, for the ener upon the management of a family. These letters tertainment not only of strangers, but of such of her contain many original ideas, and the most ardent ex- friends of both sexes as were considered the most suita pressions of maternal affection. The tenor of these ex-ble company for them. These evenings were, properly pressions may easily be conceived by the following sen- speaking, of the attic kind. The genius of Miss Græme tence extracted from the introduction to one of them.-evolved the heat and light that animated them. One "I have rested for some time with my pen in my hand, from being at a loss to find out an epithet to address you with, that shall fully express my affection for you. After a good deal of deliberation, I can find nothing that pleases me better than 'my own dear Betsy'."*

Miss Græme spent a year in England, where she was accompanied by the Rev. Dr. Richard Peters of Philadelphia, a gentleman of highly polished manners, and whose rank enabled him to introduce her to the most respectable circles of company. She sought, and was sought for, by the most celebrated literary gentlemen who flourished in England at the time of the accession of George the third to the throne. She was introduced to this monarch, and particularly noticed by him. The celebrated Dr. Fothergill, whom she consulted as a physician, became her friend and correspondent as long as he lived. An accident attached the sentimental and then popular author of Tristram Shandy to her. She took a seat upon the same stage with him at the York

*Mrs. Græme left letters to several of her friends, to be delivered to them after her death. The following is an extract from one of them to Mrs. Redman, the wife of the late Dr. John Redman:

"I have been waiting with a pleasing expectation of my dissolution a great while, and I believe the same portion of grace which has been afforded me hitherto, will not be withdrawn at that trying hour. My trust is in my heavenly Father's mercies, procured and promised for the all-sufficient merits of my blessed Saviour, so that whatever time it may be before you see this, or whatever weakness I may be under on my death bed, be assured this is my faith; this is my hope from my youth up until now. And thus, my dear, I take my final leave of you. Adieu, forever. Sept. 22, 1762.

ANNE GREME."

while she instructed by the stores of knowledge contained in the historians, philosophers, and poets of ancient and modern nations, which she called forth at her pleasure; and again she charmed by a profusion of original ideas, collected by her vivid and widely expanded imagination, and combined with exquisite taste and judgment into an endless variety of elegant and delightful forms. Upon these occasions her body seemed to evanish, and she appeared to be all mind. The writer of this memoir would have hesitated in giving this description of the luminous displays of Miss Græme's knowledge and eloquence at these intellectual banquets, did he not know there are several ladies and gentlemen now living in Philadelphia, who can testify that it is not exaggerated.

It was at one of these evening parties she first saw Mr. Hugh Henry Ferguson, a handsome and accomplished young gentleman who had lately arrived in this country from Scotland. They were suddenly pleased with each other. Private interviews soon took place between them, and in the course of a few months they were married. The inequality of their ages, (for he was ten years younger than Miss Græme) was opposed, in a calculation of their conjugal happiness, by the sameness of their attachment to books, retirement, and literary society. They settled upon the estate in Montgomery county, which Mrs. Ferguson's father (who died at an advanced age soon after her marriage) bequeathed to her. But before the question of their happiness could be decided by the test of experiment, the dispute between Great Britain and America took place, in which it became necessary for Mr. Ferguson to take part. He joined the former in the year 1775, and from that time a perpetual separation took place between him and Mrs. Ferguson. Other causes contributed to prevent their re-union after the peace of 1782; but the recital of them would be uninteresting as well as for.

eign to the design of this publication. Mrs. Ferguson passed the interval between the year 1775 and the time of her death, chiefly in the country upon her farm, in reading, and in the different branches of domestic industry. A female friend who had been the companion of her youth, and whose mind was congenial to her own, united her destiny with hers, and soothed her various distresses by all the kind and affectionate offices which friendship and sympathy could dictate. In her retirement she was eminently useful. The doors of the cottages that were in her neighborhood bore the marks of her footsteps, which were always accompanied or followed with cloathing, provisions, or medicines, to relieve the nakedness, hunger, or sickness of their inhabitants. During the time general Howe had possession of Philadelphia, she sent a quantity of linen into the city, spun with her own hands, and directed it to be made into shirts for the benefit of the American prisoners that were taken at the battle of Germantown.

the Philadelphia Library, with a tribute to the memory of the translator by Mrs. Ferguson. The mind of her niece, Ann Young, was an elegant impression of her own: she married Dr. William Smith, of Philadelphia, and lived but a few years afterwards. She left a son and daughter, the latter followed her mother prematurely to the grave, in the year 1808, in the 30th year of her age; after exhibiting to a numerous and affectionate circle of acquaintances, a rare instance of splendid talents and virtues, descending unimpaired through four suc cessive generations.

The virtues which have been ascribed to Mrs. Ferguson, were not altogether the effects of education, nor of a happy moral texture of mind. They were improved, invigorated, and directed in their exercises by the doctrines and precepts of Christianity. To impress the contents of the Bible more deeply upon her mind, she transcribed every chapter and verse in it, and hence arose the facility and success with which she frequently selected its finest historical and moral passages to il lustrate or adorn the subjects of her writings and con

She was well read in polemical divinity, and a firm believer in what are considered the mysteries of revela tion. Although educated in the forms, and devoted to the doctrines of the church of England, she worshipped devoutly with other sects, when she resided among them, by all of whom she was with a singular unanimity believed to be a sincere and pious Christian.

Upon hearing, in one of her visits to Philadelphia, that a merchant once affluent in his circumstances, was suddenly thrown into jail by his creditors, and was suffer-versation. ing from the want of many of the usual comforts of his life, she sent him a bed, and afterwards procured admission into his apartment, and put twenty dollars into his hands. He asked for the name of his benefactress. She refused to make herself known to him, and suddenly left him. This humane and charitable act would not have been made known, had not the gentleman's description of her person and dress discovered it. At this time her annual income was reduced to the small sum of one hundred and sixty dollars a year, which had been saved by the friendship of the late Mr. George Meade, out of the wreck of her estate. Many such secret acts of charity, exercised at the expense of her personal and habitual comforts, might be mentioned. They will all be made known elsewhere. In these acts she obeyed the gospel commandment of loving her neighbors better than herself. Her sympathy was not only active, but passive in a high degree. In the extent of this species of sensibility, she seemed to be all nerve. She partook of the minutest sorrows of her friends, and even a newspaper that contained a detail of public or private wo, did not pass through her hands without being bedew ed with a tear. Nor did her sympathy with misery end here. The sufferings of the brute creation often drew sighs from her bosom, and led her to express a hope that reparation would be made to them for those sufferings in a future state of existence.

I have said that Mrs. Ferguson possessed a talent for poetry. Some of her verses have been published, and many of them are in the hands of her friends. They discover a vigorous poetical imagination, but the want of a poetical ear. This will not surprise those who know there may be poetry without metre, and metre without poetry.

The prose writings of Mrs. Ferguson indicate strong marks of genius, taste, and knowledge. Nothing that came from her pen was common. Even her hasty notes to her friends placed the most trivial subjects in such a new and agreeable light, as not only secured them from destruction, but gave them a durable place among the most precious fragments of fancy and sentiment.

Several of her letters have been published in the Port Folio.

There was a peculiarity in her disposition, which would seem, at first sight, to cast a shade over the religious part of her character. After the reduction of her income, she constantly refused to accept of the least pecuniary assistance, and even of a present, from any of her friends. Let such persons who are disposed to ascribe this conduct to unchristian pride, recollect, there is a great difference between that sense of pover ty, which is induced by adverse dispensations of Providence, and that which is brought on by voluntary charities. Mrs, Ferguson conformed, in the place, and manner of her living, to the narrowness of her resources.— She knew no want that could make a wise or good wo man unhappy, and she was a stranger to the "real evil" of debt. Her charities, moreover, would not have been her own, had they been replaced by the charities of her friends.

The afflictions of this excellent woman from all the causes that have been mentioned, did not fill up the measure of her sufferings. Her passage out of life was accompanied with great and protracted pain. This welcome event took place on the 23d of February, in the year 1801, in the 62d year of her age, at the house of Seneca Lukins, a member of the Society of Friends, near Græme Park. Her body was interred, agreeably to her request by the side of her parents in the enclosure of Christ Church, in Philadelphia.

Should this attempt to rescue the name and character of this illustrious woman from oblivion, fall into the the hands of any of the female readers of the Port Folio, who have been accustomed to feel an elevation of soul in contemplating the honor which Madame Dasier, Madame Sevigne, Lady Rachel Russel, and Mrs. Rowe, have conferred upon their respective countries; let them exult not less in reflecting, that a similar honour has been conferred upon the United States, by the singular attainments and virtues of Mrs. Elizabeth Fer guson.

Mrs. Ferguson was a stranger to the feelings of a mother, for she had no children, but she knew, and faithfully performed all the duties of that relation to the son and daughter of one of her sisters, who committed *A singular incident laid the foundation for the lite them to her care upon her death bed. They both pos-rary acquirements of this young gentleman. Before his sessed hereditary talents and virtues. Her nephew, 12th year he was an idle boy; about this time, his aunt John Young, became under her direction, an accom- locked him in her father's library, for four and twenty plished scholar and gentleman. He died a lieutenant in hours, as a punishment for some offence. In this situa the British army, leaving behind him a record of his in- tion, he picked up a book to relieve himself, from the dustry and knowledge, in an elegant translation of d'- uneasiness of his solitude. This book arrested and fixArgent's Ancient Geography, into the English lan-ed his attention. He read it through, and from that guage. A copy of this valuable work is to be seen in time he became devoted to books and study.

1829.1

CHARTER OF LANCASTER.

397

THE CHARTER OF THE BOROUGH OF and other things of what nature or kind soever; and also LANCASTER.

GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, of GreatBritain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. WHEREAS our loving Subject, JAMES HAMILTON of the City of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, Esq. Owner of a Tract of Land whereon the Town of Lancaster, in the same Province, is erected, HATH, on the Behalf of the Inhabitants of the said Town, represented unto our trusty and well-belov ed THOMAS PENN, Esq; one of the Proprietors of the said Province, and George Thomas, Esq; with our Royal Approbation Lieut. Gov. thereof, under JOHN PENN, the said THOMAS PENN, and RICHARD PENN, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietors of the said Province, and the Counties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, the great Improvements and Buildings made, and continuing to be made in the said Town by the great Increase of the Inhabitants thereof, and hath humbly besought them for our Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the said Province, to erect the said Town of Lancaster into a Borough, according to certain Limits and Bounds hereinafter described, and to incorporate the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the same with perpetual Succession, and to grant them such Immunities and Priviledges as might be thought necessary for the well-ordering and governing thereof.

THEREFORE KNOW YE, That we favouring the Application of the said JAMES HAMILTON, on behalf of the said Freeholders and Inhabitants, and willing to promote Trade, Industry, Rule and good Order amongst all our Subjects, of our special Grace, certain Knowledge and mere Motion, have erected, and by these Presents do erect the said Town of Lancaster into a Borough for ever hereafter, to be called by the name LANCASTER; which said Borough shall extend, be limited and bounded in the Manner it is now laid out, pursuant to the Plan thereof hereunto annexed.

AND we further grant and ordain, That the Streets of the said Borough shall forever continue as they are now laid out and regulated.

AND we do nominate and appoint Thomas Cookson and Sebastian Grooffe to be the present Burgesses; and the said Thomas Cookson shall be called the Chief Burgess within the said Borough, and Michael Byerly, Mathias Young, John Dehoffe John Folkes, Abraham Johnson, and Peter Worrall, assistants for advising, aiding and assisting the said Burgesses in the execution of the power and authorities herein given them: and Alexander Giblony to be High-constable; and George Sancerson to be Town-clerk: To continue Burgesses, Assistants, High-constable and Town-clerk until the fifteenth Day of September which will be in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fortyfour, and from thence until others shall be duly elected or appointed in their Places as is herein after directed. AND we do by these Presents, for us, our Heirs and Successors, further give, grant and declare, That, the said Burgesses, Freeholders and Inhabitants within the Borough aforesaid, and their Successors for ever hereafter, shall be one Body corporate and politick in Deed and in Name; and them by the Name of the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, one Body politick and corporate in Deed and in Name, We do for us, our Heirs and Successors, fully create, constitute and confirm by these Presents; and by the same Name of the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Lancaster, that they may have Perpetual Succession; and that they and their Successors, by the Name of the Burgesses and Inhabiants of the borough of Lancaster be, and at all times for ever hereafter shall be, persons able and capable in law, to have, get, receive and possess lands, tenements, rents, liberties, jurisdictions, franchizes and hereditaments, to them and their successors in fee-simple, or for term of life, lives, years or otherwise; and also goods, chattles,

give, grant, lett, sell and assign the same lands, tene ments, hereditaments, goods and chattles, and to do and execute all other things about the same by the name aforesaid: and also, that they be, and shall be for ever hereafter, persons able and capable in law, to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all or any of our courts or other places, and before any Judges, Justices, and other persons whatsoever within the province aforesaid, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes and matters whatsoever. And that it shall and may be lawful to and for the Burgesses and inhabitants of Lancaster aforesaid, and their successors for ever hereafter, to have and use one common seal for the sealing of all business whatsoever touching the said corporation, and the same from time to time at their will to change and alter.

And we do for us, our heirs and successors, further by these presents, grant full power and authority for the Burgesses, Constable, assistants and freeholders, together with such inhabitants, house-keepers within the said borough, as shall have resided therein at least for the space of one whole year next preceeding any such elec tion as is herein after directed, and hired a house and ground within the said borough of the yearly value of five pounds or upwards, on the fifteenth day of Septem ber which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-four, and on that day yearly for ever thereafter, unless it happen to fall on Sunday, and then on the next day following, publickly to meet in some convenient place within the said borough, to be appointed by the chief Constable, and then and there to nominate, elect and choose by the ballot, two able men of the inhabitants of the said borough to be Burgesses, one to be high Constable, one to be town clerk, and six to be assistants within the same, for assisting the Burgesses in the managing the affairs of the said borough, and of keeping of peace and good order therein: which election shall be taken from time to time by the high Constable of the year preceeding; and the names of the persons so elected shall be certified under his seal to the Governor for the time being within ten days next after such election; and the Burgess who shall have the majority of votes shall be called the chief Burgess of the said borough. But in case it shall so happen that the said freeholders and inhabitants, house-keepers aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse to elect or chuse Burgesses and other the officers in manner aforesaid, that then it shall and may be lawful for the Governor for the time being to nominate, appoint and commissionate Burgesses, Constable, town clerk and assistants for that year; to hold and continue in their respective offices until the next time of annual election appointed as aforesaid, and so as often as occasion shall require.

And we further will and ordain, that the said Burgesses for the time being shall be, and are hereby impow. ered and authorized to be conservators of the peace within the said borough; and shall have power by themselves and upon theirown view, or in other lawful manner, to remove all nuisances and incroachments on the said streets and high ways within the borough aforesaid as they shall see occasion: with power also to arrest, imprison and punish rioters and other breakers of the peace or good behaviour, award process, bind to the peace or behaviour, commit to prison, and to make Kalendars of the prisoners by them committed; and the same to return, together with such recognizances and examinations as shall be by them taken, to the next court of Quarter-sessions of the County of Lancaster, there to be proceeded on as occasion may or shall require; and to do all and singular other matters and things within the said borough as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes, as Justices of the peace in their respective counties can or may lawfully do.

But before any of the said Burgesses, Constable, Town clerk or other officers, shall take upon them the execu

otherlaw

and seal of one of the said Burgesses, or any
ful way or means whatsoever, for the use of the said
Corporation. And in any such case, it shall and may
be lawful for the said inhabitants to proceed to the
choice of some other fit person or persons in the stead of
such who shall so refuse.

tion of their respective offices, they shall take and subscribe the oaths or affirmations of allegiance, and such other oaths and affirmations as are by the laws of our government in such cases provided, together with the oaths or affirmations for the due execution of their respective offices. And every chef Burgess so elected or appointed from year to year as aforesaid, shall within And it shall and may be lawful for the said burgesses ten days immediately after his election, present him-high constable and assistants for the time being to a-semself to be qualified, by taking the oaths or affirmationsble town meetings as often as they shall find occasion: aforesaid, before the Governor for the time being, or be- At which meetings they may make such ordinances and fore such other persons as the Governor shall think fit to rules, not repugnant to, or inconsistent with the laws of appoint for that purpose: and on failure of his so present the said province, as to the greatest part of the inhabit ing himself, unless disabled by sickness or other reason- ants shall seem necessary and convenient for the good able cause, such as shall be allowed of by the Governor government of the said Borough. And the same rules forthe time being, another chief Burgess shall from time and orders to put in execution; and the same to revoke, to time, and as often as occasion shall require, be appoint- and alter and make anew as occasion shall require.ed in the stead of such person so failing to appear and And also to impose such mulets and amerciaments upon qualify himself as before directed: which Burgess so to breakers of the said ordinances as to the makers thereof be appointed by the Governor for the time being, shall shall be thought reasonable; to be levied as above is diand may enjoy his office until the day of election next rected in case of fines, for the use of the said borough, ensuing such his appointment. And the chief Burgess without rendering any account thereof to us, our suc having qualified himself in a manner aforesaid, shall and cessors, or to the proprietors aforesaid, their heirs or may enter upon his office; and the other Burgesses, Con- successors. Also at the said meetings to mitigate or stable, town clerk, or other officers shall and may qualify release the said fines and mulcts, upon the submission themselves for their respective offices by taking & sub- of the parties. scribing the oaths or affirmations aforesaid before the said chief Burgess, or before any of the Justices of the peace of the said County of Lancaster for the time being, who are hereby authorized and impowered to administer the

Bame.

And we do further will and grant, that where any doubts shall happen to arise touching this present char ter, that the same shall in all courts of law and equity be construed and taken most favourably and beneficially for the said corporation.

In testimony whereof, we have caused these our let ters to be made patent. Witness George Thomas, Esq.; with our royal approbation Lieutenant Governor of the province aforesaid under John Penn, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute proprietaries of the province aforesaid, and of the counties Newcastle Kent and Sussex, on Delaware, the first day of May, in the fifteenth year of our reign, Anno Domini, 1742. Lancaster Borough, ss.

And we do further grant for us, our heirs and successors, to the Burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants, house-keepers aforesaid, and their successors, to have, hold and keep within the said borough two markets in each week, that is to say, one market on Wednesday, and one market on Saturday in every week of the year for ever in the lot of ground already agreed upon for that purpose and granted for that use by Andrew Hamilton, Esq. late of Philadelphia, deceased, as by the deeds thereof to John Wright, and other Trustees for the said County of Lancaster, may appear. And also two fairs therein every year, the first to begin on the first day of June next ensuing, and to continue that day and the next day following; and the other of the said fairs to begin on the twenty-fifth day of October follow-L.S.) ing, and to continue that day and the next day after. And when either of those days shall happen to fall on Sunday, then the said fairs to be kept the next day or two days following together, with the free liberties, customs, profits and emolument, to the said markets and fairs belonging, and in any-wise appertaining, for

ever.

And we do hereby further grant and ordain, that there shall be a clerk of the market for the said borough, who shall have the assize of bread, wine, beer, wood and all other, provisions brought for the use of the said inhabitants, who shall and may perform all things belonging to the office of a clerk of the market within the said borough: and that John Morris shall be the present clerk of the market, who shall be removable for any Malfeazance in his office by the Burgesses and assistants aforesaid, and another from time to time appointed and removed as they shall find it necessary.

GEORGE THOMAS.

This is to certify, that the above is a true copy of the Charter granted to the inhabitants of the town of Lancaster, in the county of Lancas ter and province of Pennsylvania. IN TES

TIMONY Whereof, I have hereto set my hand, and caused the seal of the Borough aforesaid to be hereunto affixed the first Day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty.

JOHN HOPSON, Chief Burgess.

READING, May 23.

On Tuesday evening last, we had heavy and repeated showers of rain accompanied by sharp flashes of light ning and loud claps of thunder. At about 4 o'clock the county jail was struck, the fluid decending through the roof and chimney near the eastern end of the edifice, tearing a hole in the former about 9 inches in diameter, descending a rafter from the point to the end, complete ly shattering and splintering it, and finally taking the wall to the bottom, where it evaporated. That portion of the fluid which was conducted by the chimney, en tered a room in the second story, perforated the floor And we do further grant unto the said Burgesses,high close to the hearth of the fire-place, and descended in Constable and assistants, and their successors, as much to the family sitting room of Sheriff Bickel,in which were as in us is, That if any of the inhabitants of the said bo- his daughter & two grand-children the one 5 the other 2 rough shall be hereafter elected to the office of Bur-years of age. The oldest child was lying on the carpet gesses, high Constable or assistants, and having notice asleep, and the youngest on Mrs. B.'s lap. The room of his or their election, shall refuse to undertake and exwas represented as being illuminated, and fears were ecute that office to which he is chosen, it shall and may entertained from the circumstance that the child on the be lawful for the Burgesses, high Constable and assist-carpet did not move, although the clap of thunder shook ants then acting to impose such moderate fines on the person or persons so refusing as to them shall seem meet; so always that such fine imposed on a Burgess elect do not exceed ten pounds, and the Fine on the high Constable or an assistant elect do not exceed five pounds, each to be levied by distress and sale of the goods of the party refusing, by warrant under the hand

the building to the foundation, it had been struck. It was lifted up and carried by a neighbor to his own house and did not become perfectly reanimated for several minutes. We are glad to state that the child sustained no injury, and was in a few hours after as lively as usual For several hours, a strong sulphurous smell pervaded

READING, Penn. June 6.

399

morning at four, and arrived in this city at 1 o'clock and 20 minutes, performing the route in 9 hours and 20 minutes, which I understand is the shortest passage ever made before.

A PASSENGER.

The Lehigh Canal.-The first load of Coal passed through Leigh port lock on the 9th of June. Two Our enterprising fellow-citizens, Messrs. Lane and boats laden with about 40 tons and drawn by one horse, Orrick, have introduced here among the blacksmiths, reached us in safety and proceeded on Wednesday the bituminous coal from Clearfield county, via the U-morning to Bethlehem. The indefatigable manager, nion Canal. We yesterday examined a cargo recently Friend White, was on board, and hundreds of our citireceived; but claiming no credit as mineralogists, we of zens were assembled to greet him. Lehigh Her. course are not prepared to expatiate upon the quality of this newly introduced fuel. As far as our judgment goes, however, we deem it in no particular inferior to the Liverpool or Virginia coal.-Berks Journal.

Samuel Hinkle, the supervisor of Northampton township dug out of the road, a sand stone weighing between 4 and 500 pounds, as round as a cannon ball. He intends to send it to Philadelphia, for the use of the ship Pennsylvania. Ib.

The York, Pa. Recorder states that damage was done in crops, fences, and other property, in the south eastern section of that county, by an excessive fall of rain on In an excursion on the Broad Mountain, in Schuylkill Tuesday week. The oldest inhabitants in the neighbor-county, during the past week, we were somewhat surhood assert, that they never before witnessed such an prised at finding it literally alive with Locusts. Every out-pouring of the waters. It appears also that much tree, bush and even the ground appears covered with injury was done by the storm, on the same day, in Lan- these merry insects. They do not appear there, as we caster county. The Journal states that six barns were were informed annually, and it lacks five of the sevenconsumed by lightening, several mill dams destroyed, teen years, since we were last visited by them in this and one or two mill houses injured. The Conestoga quarter. Reading paper. rose with great rapidity, and several arks and rafts from near Safe Harbour, were carried down the Susquehanna; their fate not yet ascertained.

The York, Pa. Recorder, says "The jail of this county is at present empty-not an individual being confined therein for crime or debt. The like has not occurred before for nearly two years."

YORK, June 2. During the past week young wild pigeons were abundant in this neighbourhood. A considerable number were bagged, but instead of being as fat as butter' most of them proved to be particularly lean. They are not yet full fledged, and are comparatively tame. It is said that in some places they have done much injury to ap ple orchards by eating the young fruit.

Several sections of this county, in the neighborhood of Easton, sustained considerable injury during the storm of wind and rain, which visited us on Friday afternoon last. A great number of fences were blown down, trees torn up by the roots, barns uncovered, &c. in exposed situations, fields of rye and wheat also suffered materially, the stalks being blown over and broken off by the violence of the gust; fortunately it came unaccompanied by hail, had it been otherwise our farmers would have sustained much greater losses.

Since writing the above we have learnt with regret, that there has been hail in parts of Bethlehem and some other more remote townships, to complete the destruction of grain, and that the rain fell so abundantly as to sweep away entire fields of corn.

RAPID TRAVELLING. The new Express Line of splendid post coaches between this city and Easton, Pa. owned by our enterprising mail contractor, James Reeside, left Easton this

WASHINGTON, (Penn.) May 30. Multitudes of the migratory locust have made their ap pearance within the present week in this neighbourhood, and they are beginning to locate on the fruit and forest trees.

Major Wilson, Engineer of the Pennsylvania rail road, and Col. De Witt Clinton, Engineer of the Juniata Canal, have resigned their offices.

Mercer, Pa., May 23.-A number of families arrived in this village from England during this week. They will settle in this vicinity, in the neighbourhood of Mr. North, by whom they were induced to emigrate. They appear like able and good farmers, and will be an accession of no little consequence to the county.-Gazette.

a common hoop net out of the River Schuylkill on the Numerous draught of Fish.-The subscribers hoisted 22d of May, 1829, which had been in the water only forty-eight hours, containing seven hundred and ninety-nine fish, and one fish's head, and two turtles; (the fish were all cat fish except about a dozen which were scale fish.) Yet the net was not broken. The fish were truly counted.

Though we are not fishermen, yet we challenge our neighbours, or those who please to excel this in multitude; taking the same means.

Coventry Township.

SAMUEL WILIAUER, WM. WERSLER.

Marietta, Pa. June 5.

Since the commencement of the Pennsylvania Canal, between this place and Columbia, about 60 buildings have sprung up like mushrooms, along the line, almost connecting Manetta and Columbia into one continued town. The middle, also, may vie in population and bustle, with both the extremes.

Orwigsburg, Schuylkill co. Pa. Jan. 5.

The resources of our county are becoming daily deve loped. Within the last week an extensive body of Iron Ore has been discovered on the property of Mr. John Dribert, a few hundred yards from this borough, near the turnpike leading to Pottsville. They have already dug down a considerable depth and bored still further, and there is every prospect of a large body. The ore is pronounced to be of the first quality. A few acres of the land was this morning sold to a gentleman of Reading for 1800 dollars.