pavillion, or gothic orchestra for the band of every pinnacle is livid with flame, and the musicians; and in front of it is an immense whole space for several acres glitters with platform, where thousands dance at intervals the radiant splendor of the countless thousduring the evening, whilst the band is playing. ands of these tiny lamps! Behind the orchesIn another direction is a representation of the tra, or gothic pavillion, is an immense battery, interior of a palace, where kings and queens similar to that boys play ball at sometimes, and courtiers are seen decked in their royal fifty feet high and as many broad, the entire robes and courtly costumes, and engaged in surface of which, is covered with these little regal festivities. Over the way is an immense lanterns, so ingeniously arranged according to hippodrome, circular in its shape, where as- their different colors and shades, as to repretonishing feats in horsemanship, and of physi-sent an immense painting, or rather a glorious cal agility, are performed by men, women and mosaic of fire-and in the centre, in literalchildren. And in the rear of that, are the ly blazing letters, these words: THANKS wonderful Stylactite Caverns, dimly illumina-KIND VISITERS!" feet! 66 ted. Far down, in a sequestered, retired spot, The entertainments of the evening consist, is old "Zadoc's Grotto," the fortune-teller, first, of music performed on a great variety of who for a few pennies will reveal the fortune instruments by the band, who occupy the paof any one who has faith enough to favor him villion; and whilst they play, the multitudes with a call. In one corner of the gardens is dance as they may list, on the great platform an enclosed space, perhaps an acre in extent, in front. Then an interval is allowed for parnot illuminated, where may be seen the faint taking of refreshments, or for surveying the outlines of a gorgeous city; columns, monu-statues, fountains, panoramas or wonders of ments, towers, castles, palaces, fountains and the place. When at a certain signal, the colossal statuary dimly appear; and in front crowds assemble in front of the rostrum or of it floats, waving to and fro, a huge balloon, stage to witness the dramatic and comic perslowly filling with gas, whose greater diame-formances. After that the bell rings and the ter, when completely filled, is sixty or seventy [doors of the great circular hippodrome are opened, and the anxious thousands pour in These gardens are opened to the public like a flood, until every box, circle and tier is every evening during certain seasons of the filled to overflowing, and witness for an year, whither thousands resort. The illu-hour or two the astonishing feats there permination is splendid and beautiful beyond de-formed. And then the band in the orchestra scription. It is effected by means of thous-plays again, and thither the throngs assemble. ands and tens of thousands of tiny lanterns, And thus one kind of entertainment succeeds or very small semi-globular glass cups, the another in rapid succession, until half-after size of a very small tea cup, of every variety seven o'clock-then the multitudes rush as of colors -some are red, some are green, though some great prize was at stake, to the blue, yellow, orange, &c. Little wire han-dark place where the balloon is now ready to dles are attached to these Liliputian buckets, ascend. which contain oil, camphine, or some very in- Twelve persons, male and female, enter the flamable substance. These little lanterns are cars, paying their hundred dollars each, for strung along on wires which extend from their passage-now the weights and ropes bush to bush, from tree to tree, from pillar to that held it down, are disengaged-the music pillar, from tower to tower, from pinnacle to plays, the guns fire, the multitudes shout, and pinnacle, in all possible directions. And not the "Great Nassau" sublimity ascends to the only so, but these little blazing semi-globes clouds! After this, the exhibition of the fireare grouped together into every conceivable works takes place, which light up, and play shape and fantastic figure. For example, two over the pinnacles, domes, spires, and palaces hundred and forty of them will be so grouped of the aforesaid panoramic city. This I canas to represent an immense cluster of grapes; not, dare not, attempt to depict-description another cluster represents some beautiful bird; falters-it is inconceivably grand and beautia third is a glorious rainbow! In short, every ful. Thus one species of entertainment sucshrub is a burning bush; every tree is loaden ceeds another, until one or two o'clock at with blazing fruit; every path and gravel night, when the crowds disperse, and retire to walk is arched with radiance-every statue their homes and lodgings. is wreathed with this glorious brilliancy;| I have given a hasty and imperfect descrip tion of one of the places of amusement in As he had no business abroad, I advised him London, thinking it might be interesting to the to stay at home. juvenile portion of your readers. ROBERT HOE: A REMINISCENCE.. times. BY LAURIE TODD. The fever seized him, however, in less than a week. I procured an eminent physician; my wife and I nursed him. In seventeen summers that I have nursed among the sick, I do not think that I ever saw a case so violent but it terminated in death, his only excepted. IN September, 1805, the yellow fever preOn the fourth day, generally the crisis, the vailed to a fearful extent in this city. As I burning fever was coursing through his veins, never left town while it was raging, I and drinking up his English blood. His skin was sitting in my tent door in the cool of burning, dry and yellow, heart-sick, homethe day, and lifting up my eyes, I be- sick, all-bound sick; and his spirits sunk held a stranger, a rare sight in these fever down to his heels.. I sat by his bed-side, he He was moving from Cedar street fastened his restless eyes on mine : Oh, Mr. along Nassau, having his face set toward T., Mr. T.,,I shall die, I shall die-I never Maiden Lane. He walked in the middle of can stand this; and he threw his brawny arms the street, and was reading the sign-boards on across the bed, as if going to grapple with death. 66 the right and left. He paused in front of my Die," says I, "Robert! to be sure, open door, and mine was the only store we must all die, but you are not going to die open in the block. As he stepped in, he said, this week." 66 Mr. In this I spoke unadvisedly with Thorburn." my lips, but I thought of Pope Pius and his I in- bull, to wit, that the end would sanctify the He was under the influence of pow«Ierful medicine at this moment; I knew there would be a lull, as the sailors say, soon; and I meant to take advantage of the circumstance, to persuade him to live if possible. Fancy kills and Fancy cures. I left him for fifteen minutes. On my return, I felt his pulse; said L "Robert, you are fifty per cent better already. I hope to see you walk from the bed and sit by the window to-morrow." I sat by his bed, conversing, to cheer his spirits. I continued, "Death is nigh at hand at all times and in all places; but my impression is that you I hope to see you "Where did you learn my name?" quired. "I saw it over the door," said he. have just come on shore from the ship Draper, from Liverpool. I am a carpenter by trade; my name is Robert Hoe; I am now in my eighteenth year." Says I, "Robert, was your indenture fulfilled before you left England?" Said he, "I never was bound, I learned my trade with my father; I can't find work, I have no money;, can you recommend me to a house in a healthy part of the city, where I may board till I get employment, when I will pay them honestly." means. will not die of this attack. I knew the heart of a stranger, having been a thriving master builder, married to one of a stranger myself, and there was so much of the bonny Yankee lasses, and to hold your honest simplicity in his speech and deport-grand-child in my arms.” ment, my heart warmed toward him; I gave From this hour the fever left him. Shortly him a chair and ran up stairs ;; said I, "Gude after this, the fever disappeared from the city. wife, a stranger standeth at our door; shall He became a master builder, and died in 1843, we take him in?" "If thee pleases," she aged 56. But his name will never die, while replied. "If he takes the fever, will thee types are set, and printers breathe. Hoe' help me to nurse him?" "I will," she an- Printing Press is probably the most useful swered. "Thank you, dear, for this; God discovery that has blessed the world, since bless you. “Now,” says I, "come and look the first sheet was struck from the press. on his honest English face." The impression Formerly we paid one hundred and fifty cents was favorable. Says I, "Robert, this neigh- for a Bible; now we buy one as good for borhood is accounted the most healthful in the twenty-five cents. It may be said of his sons, city; you will lodge here; if you take the (a rare occurrence in this country,) that they fever, my wife and I will nurse you; you are better men than their father, inasmuch as shan't go to the stranger's hospital." His they have added many improvements to their eyes spoke thanks more eloquent than words. father's plans. Mr. Hoe dwelt in New York thirty-eight nothing to do, I would take care of the boy. years. After his recovery from the fever, in This to her was a great relief; so, compara1805, we met times without number; his ne- tively speaking, I carried the boy in my arms ver-failing salutation was, "Grant, as the in- over the waves of the Atlantic. strument under God, I have to thank you for Now, this boy is Collector of the Port of my recovery from that fever." I have re- New York. In the arrangement of Proviceived many tokens of kindness from his dence, he is the man and I am the child; he worthy family of sons and daughters. And in turn, carries me in his arms. Or in plain nothing in my past life affords such pleasing Scotch, he gives me an office in the departreflections as this act of duty and humanity ment, whereby I earn enough to keep soul to a stranger. When his aching head lay on and body together. The sovereign people my breast, as I held the cooling draught to his need not infer from this, that I spend Uncle parched lips, I little thought that in this head Sam's money for nought. The office must be lay the germ of a machine destined to revolu- filled by some one, and though seventy-nine, tionize the world of literature, and shed light I can perform the duties of my department as on the dark places of the earth, whose habita- well as when in my twenty-ninth year. I netions are full of horrid cruelty. ver ate the bread of idleness, nor will I while can grasp a hammer, or blow the bellows. I have made these remarks without the About seven years ago, I stept from the I cars in a country town. Among those who were looking on, stood a man of genteel ap- knowledge of any of the parties referred to. pearance; said I "Sir, I wish to stop here for It is to cancel a debt of gratitude, due the giver a week; I don't like to put up in a hotel, can of all good, and to men, his instruments; you direct me where I may lodge in a private and to remind my neighbors that a deed done family?" He said he could. We entered with a good intent, seldom goes unrewarded, the next street; he stopped in front of a res-even in this life. "Cast thy bread upon the pectable two-story brick tenement; on the waters, thou shalt find it after many days." front stoop sat a comely matron. She might In my case, the promise is fulfilled to the very have been twenty-eight summers; on her lap letter. In 1794, I cast my bread on the wasat a babe. Said my friend to the matron, ters of the Atlantic Ocean; in 1851, I found "Gude wife, this is Mr. Thorburn, from it floating on the shores of the Hudson RiNew York; he wishes private board for a ver.-N. Y. Observer. week; can you accommodate him?" "Yes," The following touching stanzas are from says she," for a year or for a life-time, if it is his wish. Oft has my father told me, when he was sick, and a stranger, that Mr. T. took him in and ministered to his wants." "What the pen of Wolfe, author of the Burial of Sir was your father's name ?" I inquired. "Ro- John Moore. They were written soon after bert Hoe," she replied. "And is this your child?" "It is." I held the babe in my arms; it smiled on my face. "Now," said I, madam, this day my prophecy is fulfilled in your eyes; it's just forty years at a critical moment in your father's life." ANOTHER CASE IN POINT. I sailed from Leith, in Scotland, 13th of April, 1794, in the good ship Providence, a name propitious, bound for New York. Among the passengers was a lady, having with her in charge four or five young children. The father had gone before, to prepare for them a habitation; no small undertaking, when three months was a tolerable passage. Among the children was a boy, seemingly of four year's growth. He was lively and playful, always on deck. His mother was in continual fear on his account. I told her, as I had the death of a beloved wife: IF I had thought thou could'st have died, But I forgot when by thy side, That thou could'st mortal be: And still upon that face I look, And think 'twill smile again; But when I speak, thou dost not say If thou could'st stay, e'en as thou art, Mrs. Swisshelm, the lady editor of the Pitts-teresting. burgh Saturday Visitor, thus discourses on infidelity: 4. Treat your pastor with a cold and uninviting civility, and then complain of him because he does not visit you. The Boston Investigator, an infidel paper comes to us, and on the margin written, "Ma- 5. Neglect to pray for a blessing upon him dam, please exchange." With great pleasure, and his labors, and then complain of him besir. We never saw the Investigator but once cause the church does not prosper. before, and that was ten years ago. We read 6. Be always finding fault with your pastor, it carefully, and one sentence in it we shall and yet regret that he is not more popular never forget. The writer was speaking of with the people. 8. Neglect to provide for his necessary wantsh, and then complain of him because he wants his salary. the tendency of the doctrine of grace to licen- 7. Be very lukewarm and worldly-minded tiousness, talking of the license a Christian and yet complain of him for want of zeal. might feel to sin, because of his hope of a pardon through a Savior, and boasting of the superior morality of the creed. He introduced the negative side of the argument in these words. "But the poor infidel has no God, no Heaven, no Jesus Christ, no Hell." Do all these things, and you will never fail to have a poor pastor. ANECDOTES OF ROWLAND HILL. No words ever struck us with such benumbing force. What a poor, homeless orphan. What a helpless, desolate child. A man without a God to love or a heaven to hope for; a IN an article entitled "Ministerial Tactics," sinner without a Saviour. No elaborate de- the "Watchman and Reflector" has the folscription of woe unutterable, ever conveyed to lowing anecdotes, illnstrating the manner in our mind the picture of despair which did which Mr. Hill converted enemies into these words. We never said "Our Father," friends: with the same overwhelming meaning, with "It is well known that when the late Rev. the same overwhelming desire to be acknow- Rowland Hill, of London, commenced his ledged as a child! Our Father! What if we ministry, some eighty years ago, there was in were cast into the regions of space, to wander many parts of England a settled aversion to a loose atom, without any centre to attract us, evangelical religion; so that, notwithstanding no light to cheer, or a sun to warm; nothing his position in life, and his eminent talents, before, nor world behind, and an invisible, ir- he was not unfrequently the object of perseresistable nothing driving us thence! Oh! the cution. On one occasion he had intended to dread horrors of such a situation. No hell, preach at a large seaport on the western coast; no God, no heaven, and the universe becomes but a considerable number of sailors, under a hell. Past, present, and to come; around, the influence of the ecclesiastical leaders of above, below, there is nothing but the black- the district, assembled together, swearing that ness of despair, a dreary void, a sunless and he should not preach. In the very height of hopeless future; and what greater hell can their threatenings, he arrived on the spot, ana inquired, with all the apparent indifference of fighter, and therefore put himself under his an entire stranger, what was the matter. He protection as a gentleman; that if any diswas informed that no preaching could be per- (turbance should arise, he should rely upon mitted, and that any attempt to introduce it him to quell it; and at the close of the serwould only call into use the bludgeons with vice, he would be glad if he would accompawhich some hundreds of them were armed. ny him in his carriage to dine at Hawkstone. "Well, well, gentlemen," said he, with the The fury of the man was entirely subdued; most perfect good temper, "if you say there he promised his best efforts to maintain quietshall be no preaching, of course I shall sub-ness, which he actually did secure, and went mit to your wishes. I did not intend to say away at the end of the service, apparently anything to offend you; I only meant, if I ashamed that he had intended to interrupt so had preached, to have said somewhat from, complete a gentleman, in his wishes to do [naming a text,] and then just to have remark-good. Did not this conduct show that Mr. ed By this time his commanding Hill understood human nature ? person, gentlemanly address, and a voice com دو bining music and power, had awed them into BIBLE-DISTRIBUTOR AMONG silence, and for three quarters of an hour or THE more, he went on to tell them what he would have said if he had preached, till his whole audience were in tears. We need only add DURING the revolutionary troubles of the that their prejudices were subdued; he preach-year 1848, a band of robbers had established ed again and again, and thus laid the fourda- themselves in the great manufacturing town tion of a very large and prosperous church. of Lyons, in the south of France. They were How much better was this than either scold-rough fellows, with faces that looked only fit ing them, or appealing to the arm of the law for the gallows, and hearts as hard as the for protection. street-paving of the town. To judge from At another time, while he was visiting his their appearance, they would think no more father and family at Hawkstone Hall, he was of taking away a man's life, than of blowing earnestly entreated to visit a neighboring out a rushlight. But nothing prospers in this town, where the small meeting house had world without some sort of government, and been closed by the hand of violence, and the these robbers knew it: so they chose one of inhabitants were entirely without evangelical their number for a captain; and in this case, instruction. On his arrival, the house was it was the one most accomplished in all kinds crowded, chiefly with enemies of the Gospel, of robbery and murder. And then they raised and his friends entreated him not to preach, their hands to Heaven, and swore that none as, among other plans, the opposing party had of them would ever leave or betray the band; obtained the presence of a most notorious and that if any should, nevertheless, break prize-fighter, on purpose to annoy the preach-the oath, the rest would pursue and kill him. er personally. But Rowland Hill was one of And now they went forth to plunder and murthe last men in the world to flinch from an encounter like this. He declared that he would preach, even though he died in the attempt; and having obtained an exact descrip- At this time, there was assembled in Lyons tion of the person and dress of the prize-fight- another band, which, like these robbers in er, he made his way unguarded and alone to the forest, sent out their messengers in every the pulpit. Looking around him from the direction, and so hunted after all sorts of pulpit, as he never failed to do, his eye caught people. And where these messengers appearthe pugilist, when he very respectfully beck-ed, many a one has trembled. It is true they oned to him. The man, apparently full of were not armed like the robbers, with pistols fury, ascended the pulpit stairs, when he told and such murderous weapons; but out of him his name was Rowland Hill; that he was their wallets peeped large and small books: the son of Sir Richard Hill, of Hawkstone and when the messengers read out of them, it Park, and a clergyman; that he was come to was to many a listener as if a two-edged the town to preach, and had been told that sword pierced through his soul. For in the some bad men intended to disturb him; that books was much written about the holy God, he had full confidence in his talents as a prize-who brings sinners before His tribunal, and der; and all the people of the neighborhood who, besides their heads, had temporal goods to lose, were full of terror and dismay. |