FADING FLOWERS. BALLAD. SONG INDEXED SUNG WITH GREAT APPLAUSE BY BISHOP AND HORNCASTLE. POETRY BY BEAU MONDE-MUSIC BY R. K. BREWER. THE BURNING SHIP AT SEA. The night was clear and mild, As their lamps lit up the sky, And there rode a gallant ship on the wave- Slept the sleep of death that night, Found a grave. All were sunk in soft repose, Save the watch upon the deck; Of the horrors of the wreck, To the mother, or the child, or the sire; Now the flames are spreading fast- Now the deck is all a blaze; now the rails- Are the sails. No one heard the cries of wo Still before the burning foe they were driven. With a wild and frenzied stare, Some leap over in the flood To the death that waits them there; Others quench the flames with blood, And expire in open air; Some, a moment to escape from the grave, But their death is near at hand- From his briny ocean bed, When the morning sun awoke, Was the monumental pyre that remained; OLD SPANISH BATTLE-SONG. Fling forth the proud banner of Leon again; in his hammock: the officer of the watch read the funeral ser Let the high word-Castile-go resounding through Spain! ceived the corpse, which followed, the same voice before men- The voices are mighty that swell from the past, A DREADFUL MUTINY. It takes a great deal to make a sailor mutiny; it is not done by merited punishment. A sailor knows as well as his officers do, when he deserves flogging; but if he knows he does not deserve it, every lash cuts deeper than the flesh, and leaves a scar which it takes a long time to wear out, if it is ever effaced. Men in that ship were expected to do what was impossible: a whole watch of fore-topmen would sometimes be flogged for being a few seconds after the main-topmen, and the last man on the topsail yard was sure for it. John Simmons was second captain of the top, and as smart a sailor as ever hauled out a reef-earing. One evening, some time after my being disrated, I was aft at the lee helm, as there was a fresh breeze of wind. The Captain came upon deck, and I could see by his detested face, that the devil was in him: his nostrils were compressed, and his upper lip curled up like a scroll. He took two or three short and hurried turns-looked aloft, and swore at the officer of the watch, for having slacked off the lee fore-topsail brace-called the quartermaster an old lubber, and gave symptoms of the return of his madness. He then reared out, Turn the hands up, reef topsails, and I'll flog the last half-dozen on the lower deck." The men came rushing up from below as if the devil himself had been driving them. "Now," said he, taking out his watch, “I'll allow you one minute, and I'll flog every man of you if you are not in time'way aloft, lower away the topsails." The men flew up the rigging like lightning, and, the command, "trice up, lay out, take in two reefs," was hardly given, when it seemed the sail was reefed, the men off the yard, and the sail at the mast-head again. It was done within the time allotted, but on looking up, a point was discovered untied in both fore and main-topsails. The Captain very humanely gave them another trial, and the reefs were shaken out and the sail reefed, as quickly, and as well as before; but John, who was at the lee yard-arm, in his anxiety to avoid being the last man on the yard, made a spring at the lee rigging, he missed his hold, and fell upon the deck!-poor fellow! every bone in his skin was broken! poor "What lubber is that?" demanded the Captain of the forecastle officer. "The second captain of the fore-top, Sir," replied the Lieutenant. "Pitch him overboard, and be -, then," returned the Captain. This horrid mandate was not obeyed; the doctor was aft, and ran forward to see what could be done; but his promptitude was useless: poor John was dying. When he fell, I was close by him, and ran to him, and raising his head gently from the deck, supported it on my arm. The doctor wished him to be removed to the sick-bay, but he said faintly, "Don't touch me-good bye, shipmates-God bless you all"-and as the glaze was coming over his eyes, he recognised me, and his last whisper was-"Poor Jane-give-give," his head fell back powerless on my arm, and he yielded up in agony his last breath. "Shipmates," murmured a hollow sepulchral voice close at hand, "remember!" Had you witnessed the countenances of the men on the lower deck at supper that night, you would never have forgotten it: I never have; and although perfectly ignorant of what was in contemplation, I saw they were at the highest pitch of desperation. That night, poor John Simmons was sewed up tioned, in a still more awful manner, called out, "Remember!" The officer of the watch looked round him before he recommenced reading the latter part of the service, but all the men near him appeared to be as ignorant, as to whom the sound came from, as himself. A solemn "Amen," was pronounced, echoed by the same voice, which concluded this melancholy ceremony. I think it was the next day, (a man-of-war brig, the D, was in company,) I observed several of the men going from one mess to the other, whispering something. One in particular, a man who had been a boatswain's mate, but disrated and flogged, because the Captain thought he was not laying on the lash as he cught to have done, was very active. It was his voice, I am almost certain, that I heard repeat the word-'re member;' but every thing was so conducted that I knew nothing of what was brewing. It was the night for scrubbing and washing clothes, always done in the middle watch. I was between two of the guns abaft on the main deck, scrubbing a pair of duck trousers. I thought there was an unusual noise with the wash deck buckets, and looking up, I saw several of the men apparently larking-throwing the buckets at one another. The Captain sent out of his cabin word for the men to make less noise, but they 100k no notice of what was said; on the contrary, they made more noise than before, taking the shot out of the racks, and throwing them about the deck. At last the First Lieutenant came up, to inquire into the cause of the disturbance, when one of the men insulted him. He returned to his cabin and brought up a sword, with which he went forward among the men, and endeavored to restore order. He was knocked down, run through the body with his own sword, and thrown out of a port. Seeing this horrid murder, I left my trousers unfinished, ran on deck, and aloft to the main-top. From this place I heard the shouts of the infuriated mutineers, and the groans of the dying; and every now and then, the splash of some mangled victim, committed to the waves. The men had broken open the gunner's store-room, and possessed themselves of arms and ammunition. The Captain, hearing the uproar increase, opened the cabin-door, and came out. He was no sooner seen, than one of the men gave him a blow with a hand-spike, and he retreated to his cabin. Four or five of the men rushed in after him, armed with cutlasses, boarding-pikes, and muskets with fixed bayonets. The Captain endeavored to defend himself with a short sword, and for a time kept them at bay. So much did they dread him, that they shrank back, and were afraid to strike; when one of them-John Morris-called out, do you fear, men? spike the and gave them an ex "What ample by running him through with a bayonet. My late antagonist-if it was done on my account, I am very soriy-was another of their victims, and only two or three of the officers were exempted from the carnage; among them was a midshipman, and at the time sick in his cot; his life was saved by one of the mutineers, who was his countryman. I was soon joined by two or three others of the peaceably disposed, who, like me, were horror-struck at the bloodshed going on below; and we did not quit our station until after the day broke. The main deck was covered with blood; it was the blood of our officers, many of whom were as good men as ever lived. I have often, since that time, stood upon a bloody deck, and thought light of it, for it was blood shed in our country's cause, and in fair fight. As to the captain, if he had possessed a thousand lives, he deserved to have lost them; but bloodthirsty cruelty alone called for the murder of the rest. A boatswain's mate now took the command, and called a council of war. Some were for cruising for prizes as a pirate; some wished to leave the West Indies, and take the ship into a French port; but the greatest number voted to run her into the first port they came to on the Spanish Main, and give her up to the Spaniards. The latter plan was carried into effect, and the next day found us at anchor under the guns of a heavy battery. SOULT AND WELLINGTON. They met amid the bloody fields of Spain, There met they, and like gods of battle stood, Again they met—'t was on a summer's day, With crimson banners torn, and swords blood-wet; When all the bells of joyous London rung; When window, balcon, roof, and parapet, Where thronged with people and with garlands hung, And one God save the Queen!' pealed from the nation's tongue! There met they; and like brethren, side by side, With an according gladness clapped their hands, And that those mighty warriors met with sheathed brands! DANGERS OF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. It was a bright and beautiful night in October. The wind was steady from the southwest, blowing a gentle breeze-the sea was as smooth as a fresh-water pond, and its tremulous surface reflected the beams of the silvery moon. The whole scene was well calculated to sooth and tranquilize the mind, and to fill the bosom of the dreamy youth, or the imaginative poet with images of peace, of joy, of happiness-as the good ship Endymion, after a passage of one hundred and twelve days from India, bound to Boston, was standing in under all sail, toward the back of Cape Cod-expecting every moment to make the Light on the Highlands. At this time a group of hardy, weather-beaten, rough-looking tars, who composed the starboard watch, were assembled on the forecastle of the Endymion, and were whiling away the time and amusing each other by recounting scenes and events in which they had participated in by-gone years, when approaching the coast of New England from a foreign shore. They soon came to the conclusion, unanimously, that it was the most dangerous coast in the world-"For, d' ye see," said old Bob Bunting, "if you are bound for Boston Bay, there are dangers from whichever side you come. If you come from the South, there is Nantucket Shoals, with all the big and little 'rips' without number, on the one hand, and George's Shoal on the other. If you come from the Eastward, there is the rocky and deceiving coast of Cape Sable, with the Seal Islands, which dash to pieces many a gallant ship, on the North, and George's Shoal on the South. To be sure, if the wind and weather were fair, it would all do very well; for then the skipper, if he could tell the difference between the main truck and a tarpauling hat, would be able to find out what he was about, and could make a good land-fall. But the worst of it is, a fair wind on the coast' is almost always attended with foul weather in the winter, or a fog in summer; and a westerly wind, which is always clear and cool, is dead ahead. And in bad weather, Cape Ann or Cape Cod are ugly places to run for, and you may not see them until you are hard and fast among the rocks or breakers; and if you miss them both, and find yourself close in with Nahant or Cohasset Rocks, with the wind blowing heavy right on shore, it is any thing but pleasant, lads, I 'll assure you. And after you have been lying to for two or three days, in thick weather, without being able to get an observation-and then shape a course, you are about as likely to make Boon Island Ledge and the Isles of Shoals, or the Old Man Shoal and Great Rip, as Cape Ann or Cape Cod-or, perhaps, Green Island, or the Hardings, or Nantasket Beach would appear all at once right under the jib-boom. "I remember," continued old Bob, "it was in the brig Nimrod, with Captain Clearweather. We had a long passage from Gibraltar-were on short allowance, and all were anxious to get into port. We struck soundings on George's one night, and run for Cape Ann with the wind at North East, and fog and thick weather rapidly coming on. But we kept a bright look out got sight of the Cape-a glad sight it was, too-and bore up for the entrance of Boston harbor. Our captain was a good sailor, and was well acquainted with the Bay, but as the wind had veered into the South East, and it began to blow very hard, and to rain very fast, so that we could not see more than a mile or two ahead, and a dark night beside, we found that we were in a pokerish situation, and felt rather streaked. We took a couple of reefs in the topsails, and a reef in the courses, and made all ready to claw off if possible, and every man was at his station ready to brace round the yards. The chief mate was on the fore topsail yard, looking out-the captain was walking the quarter deck, and I know must have felt rather bad, for he did not want to stand off and lose a fair wind, to be followed by a stiff north-wester, and perhaps be beating about for a week or two longer-and he was afraid to keep on his course toward Boston light, for fear that the current or bad steering, might shove us out of our course, and that Cohasset rocks, or the Graves, might bring us up all standing. "At last, when we got, as the Captain concluded, within about three miles of the light, and it could not be seen, and no prospect of better weather, he made up his mind to run no longer, but down helm, haul on a wind, and try to work out of the Bay. I never felt worse in my life, than I did when I heard him give the order to brace up the yards, and haul her close on a wind. The helm was put down, and the yards were braced fore and aft-and while we were getting on board the fore tack, the clouds seemed to lighten up for a moment and away broad off on the lee bow, was seen the revolving light. 666 Light, ho!'" screamed two or three voices. 666 Light, ho!" bawled out the mate from aloft. “Light, ho,'” answered the Captain from the quarter deck. "It is Boston light! my good fellows-it is Boston light! Square away the yards again, boys-up with your helm-keep her to W. S. W., and we shall soon get a pilot.' "The storm increased after this, and it blowed and rained great guns-but we, nevertheless, kept sight of the light, and stood on-and in Light House Channel we fell in with a pilot boat-and no man ever received a heartier welcome than Wilson did that night, when he stepped over the gangway. Dark as it was, he run her up to town. How he found the way through the Narrows, I never could find out-and anchored her off Long Wharf. The next morning the wind came out from the north-west, butt-end foremost-and if we had not got in as we did, we should have had to beat about in the bay, nobody knows how long-with but precious little to eat to drink-and perhaps have got wrecked at last." "What time of the year was it. Bob ?" inquired Bill Davit. "It was somewhere along in November, I believe," said Bob. "At any rate, we got in the week before thanksgiving." "The coast is sometimes bad enough at that season, in all conscience," said Bill Davit-" but did you ever come on this coast in the winter season?" "No," said Bob-"I never did-nor never will, if I can help it." "Stick to "You are in the right on't," exclaimed Bill. that and you'll do I have-and met with the rubbers too." "Did you have a tough time? Come, Bill, tell us all about it," exclaimed, as with one voice, several of the crew. "Well," continued Bill Davit, "you must know” But Bill's yarn was cut short before it was well begun, by an order from the mate to haul aft the main sheet-and the promised tale of his sufferings on the Winter's Coast was ne cessarily postponed for a brief period. BACHELORS. A Tuscaloosa paper says that a bill has been introduced into the Senate of Alabama, to impose a fine upon all bachelors in that State. Single gentlemen of twenty-five are to pay five dollars for their privilege; and those who have persisted in their obstinacy for a longer period are sentenced to pay five dollars for each and every year over that age. This latter clause will bear hard upon veterans. Bachelors, it appears, are a fated race-lawful objects for every body to have a fling at. The Legislature of Alabama are not the only conclave of wise men that have aimed legis ative inflictions against this unoffending portion of the community. A project of similar import was gotten up not many years ago in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; which luckily failed, however, when it was ascertained that all petitions in behalf of the measure came from middle aged and single ladies. But the suspicious eye of the law is the least of the evils which this unfortunate class have to dread. Society looks askant at them; persecution cleaves to them with a kind of natural affinity. A bachelor is considered as a sort of disintegrated atom adjunct to nothing-an existence without entity-an unclaimed isolation-a wandering light that is reckoned neither among the planets nor the fixed stars. He is a wayfaring passenger that must carry his own budget; he belongs to the floating population-of little use except to count one in the census. The State values him only at the rate of his poll tax. But if this were all, he might submit with patience; he might arm his spirit with meekness and go through the world with nothing to mark him except a resigned look.But let him be ever so willing to pursue his course in quiet, running against nobody, every body will be sure to run against him; he is snubbed on all sides; his forlorn condition is imputed to him as a crime-a crime done with malice prepense and aforethought. He may say, after the manner of Shylock -"Hath not a bachelor eyes? hath not a bachelor hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same Winter and Summer, as other men are?" He might say all this; but it would be regarded like the expostulation of a partridge in shooting time; he would meet with no more sympathy than an oyster. One would think that the merits of individuals might plead effectually in favor of the species. John Locke and Sir Isaac Newton-reverend patriarchs both-might be expected to stand as bulwarks against reproach, to the comfort and protection of all their followers in single blessedness. But whatever respect may be paid to their opinions in matters of philosophy, they are no authorities here. Even their august names are not free from the sneers of upturned noses. Many eminent philosophers have been bachelors-perhaps the truth is that single gentlemen have a turn that way. They take to philosophy as some men are said to become patriots-all other resources having failed. This, however, is but a conjecture -but they have ills enough to endure to make philosophers of every one of them-especially Peripatetics. Socrates, indeed, the greatest of philosophers, was a married man-but he was a philosophical bachelor first, and he took a wife" in concatenation accordingly." He had found out that it was by the suffering of many trials that one's philosophy had been transmitted to all who have done the same since. We know not with what favor the bill above alluded to will be received in the Legislature of Alabama-such assemblies often act in a very strange manner. Some have attempted to justify this sort of legislation by saying that all luxuries should be taxed. We shall not dwell upon the subject, however, having already said enough to show our regard for justice and a true sense of sympathy in reference to a worthy class who have suffered no little opprobium.-[Baltimore American AN IMPORTANT ASTRONOMICAL INVENTION. Mr. Russel, of Georgetown, has invented and constructed the most perfect apparatus for the easy and practical attainment of Astronomy, that we have ever seen or heard of. It is in the form of and working on the same principle as the terrestrial globe; but, instead of the heavenly bodies being transcribed on the surface only, they are reflected likewise on the ceiling of the room, in all the figures of the heathen mythology, large as life, and so simple and plain that "he that runs may read," and in a few lessons understand thoroughly the whole principles of this neglected but vastly important science. The apparatus is about sixteen or eighteen feet in circumference, and formed of brass rods; and, when divested of the transparent covering which represents the stars and figures of the heathen mythology, shows, by reflecting on the ceiling, a miniature resemblance of the rising and setting of the sun, moon, and principal constellations, as well as the variations which cause the change of the season. In fact, the whole action of the heavenly bodies are here represented as plain and simple as if it were possible for man to bring the heavens within so narrow a compass. The plan of the ecliptic, as well as the cause of the eclipses, are beautifully illustrated, and even the motion of a comet in its course around the sun is plainly set forth. We understand that several scientific gentlemen have examined and greatly admired the apparatus in all its details.There are yet many others in the District who, though they have been invited, have neglected to call and examine it. We would therefore remind them to call at an early day if they wish to see this important invention, feeling confident that they will be pleased, while at the same time their opinions will be of service to the inventor. Mr. R. resides on Washington street, near the canal.[Georgetown Advocate. "LAUGH AND GET FAT." BY E. M. FITZGERALD. Lack we motives to laugh? Are not all things, any thing, every There's nothing here on earth deserves To frighten us poor laughing sinners: One plagues himself about the sun, And puzzles on, through every weather, Whether he shines at six or seven ? At last they'll plague him out of heaven! But laugh, like me, at every thing! Another spins from out his brains Fine cobwebs to amuse his neighbors, And Messrs Longman pay the money! To Mercandotti, when he met her, He's gone to Sweden to forget her! But make one very thin and taper; Please God, I'll keep on 'never minding." A laughter mine 's a glorious treasure: Is half a pain and half a pleasure: Why feel a-thirst while folks are quaffing ?- There's nothing half so good as laughing! But laugh, like me, at every thing! |