minish hostility, make men or nations acquainted. | ing the last volume, the Eighth, the Easy Chair reWith the utmost admiration of the principle of our Government, with the deepest interest in the development of American society, as possibly prefiguring a higher civilization than that of England, and with the most intelligent and noble sympathy in our present struggle, Goldwin Smith saw this country racked with cruel civil war, and did not doubt for a moment that the war was itself a sign of the great although painfully late fidelity of the country to its own principles. His faith in the result was confirmed, and his hearty admiration of the tendency of American life increased. But he felt a just pride in the fact that the civilization of this country was an offshoot of that of his native land, and that in real purpose, however obscured it might be by jealousy and ignorance upon both sides, the two nations are essentially brethren. He came from the England of John Milton and John Hampden to the America of Washington and Franklin; and while we are friends of that we may smile at the Brummagem England of the Deerhound and the London Times.

quired it to give an account of itself. Upon which the sturdy volume replied that he hoped a glance would show how much thought and labor and money he had cost; that he alone carried under his muslin jacket no less than eight hundred illustrations, of which more than five hundred related to the war, and that of these more than a hundred were portraits of our famous soldiers and sailors who are multiplying themselves every day. The sturdy Eighth averred further that his pockets were full of sketches from his regular artist correspondents who marched with every great division of the army, as well as plenty of tales, essays, and poems by all the best writers.

"That is pretty well," answered the Easy Chair; "and how much do you consider yourself worth, my fine fellow ?"

"I alone am worth six dollars," he replied; and, stepping to the window, he shouted as if he expected to be heard in California, "and I, or any of my companions, will be sent for that sum without further expense to any body who wants me, to any point in the United States accessible by express, and not more than three thousand miles from New York."

"And which it is an uncommonly tempting offer," the Easy Chair thought he heard Mrs. Lirriper again murmuring; "and if any body wanted the whole

perfect an illustrated history of the war which deeply regret but as no fault of ours can only hope its speedy termination and all for so slight a sum and most valuable for children, and indeed every body is children when it comes to pictures and portraits."

THERE is to be a bust of Thackeray erected near the monument of Addison in Westminster Abbey. The news comes just a year after his death, while his memory is perfectly fresh, and the genial holiday season recalls his noble heart and tender sym-eight volumes together couldn't find any where so pathy. In one of the Roundabout Papers there is a picture of him drawn by himself. He is standing with his back toward the spectator, looking with some children at a Christmas pantomime. The form is his; the likeness is characteristic; but he will never turn about; we shall never see his face again. Yet how pleasant and natural the glimpse of him among children whom he dearly loved! Indeed, he was a boy always. His heart had a boy's readiness, and thoughtlessness, and impulsiveness. How angry he was with the Mr. Yates who gossiped about him in print! It was an elephant tossing his trunk at a midge. But because he was a boy he had that wonderful knowledge of youth which fas

"We're quite of your opinion, ma'am," exclaimed the Easy Chair and the stout little procession which is still standing in its pretty uniforin dressed for review.

Editor's Drawer.

cinates them in his books. Ah! if he could finish THE QUEENS OF SONG are celebrated in one

for us "Denis Duval!"

There is also to be a tablet to Thackeray at the Charter House School in London. For Charles Lamb's sake many a musing traveler turns his steps to Enfield, merely because Elia lived somewhere there. And how often hereafter will the grateful wanderer seek out the Charter House and listen with almost painful emotion to its evening bell, not only because Thackeray went to school there, but because Colonel Newcome died there!

A new and beautiful uniform edition of Thackeray's works-a model of typographical excellence, and illustrated with a portrait expressly engraved for the edition, with the delightful original illustrations carefully reproduced-is in preparation by the Harpers. Some time we hope, and before long, there may be an adequate biography of this manly, simple, noble English humorist.

REPOSING quietly upon four legs the Easy Chair was lately surprised by the entrance of an imposing procession which sounded, as it approached, like the coming of the marble-footed Commendatore in the opera of Don Giovanni. The company proved to be nothing less than the eight completed volumes of Harper's Weekly, neatly dressed, or bound, in muslin-which it is cool for the season, as Mrs. Lirriper would say, but good for permanent wear. Accost

of the most delicious and delightful volumes published in many a year. The Drawer man has been reading it, and reveling in the sweet intoxication of the car, as the triumphs of these celebrat ed singers passed before him, and the memory of many whom he has heard on the stage came back with the freshness of early love. Let all who love music (and who does not ?) get this charming book, and thank the Drawer, while they read, for telling them of the joy in store for them.

But we open it again to copy an incident in our line. Mrs. Billington was the great vocalist of the London stage about the beginning of the present century. One night when she was singing at the very height of her splendid voice, and carrying every thing before her in a storm of song, her husband, who was seated in the orchestra, considering that the trumpeter did not accompany her with sufficient force, whispered frequently to him, "Louder! louder!" The leader of the band, agreeing with Billington, repeated the same command so often that at length the indignant German, flinging down his trumpet in a rage, turned to the audience and exclaimed, in a tone of angry remonstrance, "It be vary easy to say 'louder and louderer,' but, by gar, vare is de vind?"

Now if any of the readers of the Drawer want the Drawer to laugh louder, or make them laugh louder, let them supply the "vind."

A WRITER in Providence, Rhode Island, vouches size. They have but one room, which answers for for the truth of the following:

It was

one bottle to them after a fortnight's total absti- | Polywog Bible with the Hypocrisy in it." nence? They were still dry! Before the bottle some little time before his friend decided that it was quite empty Soulé snatched it out of the hands must be a Polyglot Bible containing the Apocryof Clark, held it up to the light, eying it critically, pha. The same individual one day related to an took one more swig, and then said, "Now, boys, admiring group of listeners some wonderful event for another bottle!" Raising the window-curtain, which he said "happened way up North, where the it was but the work of a moment to catch a hundred 'Squeemox Indians live." flies and put them in the bottle, to be drowned with the small amount of brandy remaining. Rushing back to the hospital steward in as breathless haste as before this time holding up the bottle containing a spoonful of brandy and an equal amount of flies-cried out, "See there! Is that the kind of brandy you dispense to a sick man here?" With as many apologies as Soulé would wait to listen to, the poor steward handed him another bottleful of brandy, with which he returned to his comrades. The noise which soon issued from Lieutenant Clark's quarters attracted attention, and a good many other officers took a taste of the second bottle. Even the Colonel himself felt inclined to indulge; but as he never drinks, he punished himself by smoking a cigar.

THE Drawer is sometimes accused of speaking lightly when serious things are up for remark, but it seldom gets off so solemn a joke as the Presbyterian Record does when it calls on the good people in the oil regions to give largely to the Church, and says: "If God's people do not sanctify their rapid accumulations of worldly goods, they may learn at no distant day that their grease-spot will be removed."

The Bible says, "I will come and remove thy candle-stick out of its place;" but the Record substitutes grease-spot, with a taste somewhat worse than questionable.

I OVERHEARD the following the other day between two grave fellows, and send it to the Drawer: "If you had your choice, what death would you die of?"

"Why, old age, to be sure. What would you?" "Oh! I would be petted to death by a clever wo

man."

"Well, that would be capital punishment, to be sure!"

THE three that follow are from the State of Michigan:

VARIOUS instances have been cited to prove how lazy a man may be and live; but it remains for a Michigander to cap the climax. One hot day during the heated term of last summer one Mr. Fof Jackson County, was observed to throw himself down on the grass under the spreading branches of a shade-tree, and to exclaim, emphatically, to himself, "There! breathe if you want to-I sha'n't!"

SOME years ago, in the great State of Indiana, lived and flourished a popular young preacher. He was not specially noted for his gravity, and some of his friends expressed an opinion that he was entirely too wild for one of his profession. A little girl of some ten summers replied indignantly that it was not so; at least, if he were wild at times, "he was tame enough in the pulpit!" and there the defense rested.

REV. MR. E, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was inimitable as a child's orator, and was never as we know of disconcerted in addressing the little folks but once. He was addressing some Sunday-school scholars, and was in his usual popular and effective way enforcing the duty of gratitude to God for His blessings. "What," said he, "would you say to me if I were to give each one of you a fine new suit of clothes?" From every part of his youthful audience bright eyes twinkled with delight, and a chorus of boyish voices answered, “Bully for you!"

WHILE the United States transport with troops on board, was lying at Cairo last spring, Captain C's wife visited him, and was of course greatly interested in what she observed going on.

She had noticed the sentinel passing to and fro at the shore-end of the stage-plank, and as a dark, rainy night was setting in, she was observed to be more quiet and thoughtful than usual.

At length, looking up at her husband, she asked, "Are you going to keep that poor soldier out there Isn't it queer sometimes when we have an idea in the rain all night?" When it was understood clearly in our minds which we wish to express, how who she meant it was explained to her that it was a little excitement or embarrassment will "mix up" necessary to do so; but that he didn't have to rethe words in which we wish to clothe it terribly? main there all the time, being relieved by two othA good man had the honor once upon a time of hav-ers in turn. But she didn't seem quite satisfied, and ing a minister by the name of James to dine with him. Imagine the good pastor's astonishment when, on sitting down to the table, his worthy host addressed him in these words: "Mr. Blessing, will you please ask the James?" He attempted, as soon as he comprehended what was required of him, to "ask the James;" but alas for the credit of the cloth, laughed outright in the midst of it, thus proving that ministers have a realizing sense. of the ridiculous as well as ordinary mortals.

HERE is a specimen of murdered Queen's English which out-Partingtons Mrs. Partington, and has moreover the merit of being an actual fact: An illiterate man who hailed from Down East had occasion one day to purchase a new Bible, and as it was quite an event to him, the next neighbor he met was duly informed of the fact that he "had got a

presently asked again, "Couldn't you let him come in on the boat and stand under shelter?" This proposition was promptly negatived, and her innocent solicitude on account of the imagined hardship to that "poor soldier" became so apparent as to cause a smile among the listeners. A short silence followed, during which it was evident she was devising in her tender little heart some scheme for his relief, when suddenly a bright idea seemed to have struck her, and looking up into her husband's face with a countenance full of anxious hope, she said, "Dear, couldn't you lend him your umbrella?"

In the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin, resides the pastor of a flourishing church, and on the night of November 21, 1864, the members of his congrega tion were to give him a donation party. Ten years since he was married to his present wife, an accom

plished lady. The Sunday preceding the donation |
visit, after morning service and benediction, Judge
Dean arose and asked as a favor that the congrega-
tion would remain till the pastor retired. His wish
was complied with, when he again arose, and said,
with the deep look of wisdom peculiar to the man :
"It is to be hoped that this audience will not for-
get the donation party to-morrow night. Besides
being the night set apart for donation visit, it is the
anniversary of our pastor's tenth wedding!"

OLD Billy Taylor, whose good stories and witty sayings will long be remembered by his acquaintances, used to relate the following: When I was young, just admitted to the bar in Kentucky, I was appointed by the Court to defend a man who had been indicted for the murder of his mother. Determined to make out of the matter as much reputation for myself as the case would admit of, I took the accused aside and told him it was necessary for me, as his counsel, to know the whole truth in reference to the charge against him. After assuring him that what he might say to me could not be used against him, I put the plain question, "Did you kill your mother?" "Yes," was the reply. "What made you do it?" Because," said he, "she wasn't worth wintering!"

and young. One of the boys was endowed with a big pair of slogy boots, and on the succeeding Sabbath went to church much more occupied with the boots than the sermon. At the noon intermission, when good old Dr. Proudfit came around, as was his custom, to catechise the youngsters, the boy's thoughts still ran downward. The old Doctor coming up to the boy, in his turn, inquired of him, "John, who made you?" "Father found the leather, and old Phenix did the work!" was the natural but unexpected reply.

Up in Morris County, New Jersey, lives old Uncle Pete, who always votes the ticket that bids the highest. A few evenings before the last Presidential election some Republicans went to his house to outbid some Democrats who had been there. But Uncle Pete informed them he had sold his vote three days before to the Democrats for ten dollars. He was told that if he would carry his ticket and the ten dollars back to the one who gave them, and vote the Republican ticket, they would give him twenty dollars, which offer Uncle Pete immediately accepted. Just as the party had left the house they heard a couple of men coming up whom they knew to be Democrats. Being convinced they were on their way to Uncle Pete's, they hid themselves till the second party had passed into the house, and went back Not long since a Company of negroes was raised to listen. The Democrats had hardly become seatin the town of Piqua, who were to join a certained when Uncle Pete said: "Gentlemen, you called colored regiment being organized in Massachusetts. The night preceding their departure for the camp of rendezvous a meeting was held in the African Church, at the close of which the vencrable minister, in a prayer, made the following remarkable request: "That when these men went on the battlefield they might be as bold as lions and harmless as doves!"

In Princeton, Massachusetts, at one time there were only two Democrats in town. A Democratic President had just been elected, and ore of the two aspired to the office of postmaster. He found no difficulty, as he was the only competitor, in getting the appointment. He was a very ignorant man, and after having entered upon his official duties several letters came to the office addressed P. M. Here was a quandary! He could not conjecture who P. M. was. A large number had accumulated, when one day he happened to think that there was an old farmer living in town named Paul Myrick, so he bundled up the letters and sent them to him!

ANY one ought to be able to see the point of the following; but if he can't see it, and is anxious to do so, let him enter the army:

Two Scotch miners were quarreling. One of them was very boastful, and was making considerable parade of his valorous deeds. The other quietly listened until boaster had talked himself down, and then said: "Oh yes, yer brave, nae doubt. Tak aff yer shirt an' shake it, and ye can say ye stood where thousands fell." Report says boaster was annihilated.

SOME thirty years ago, in Washington County, New York, before ready-made shoes came in vogue, a venerable shoemaker, Old Phenix, was in the habit of going from house to house, and there making up shoes and boots for the families under his jurisdiction. Among the rest of his customers he visited the family of one Mr. Parish, and shod old

upon me the other day, and offered ten dollars if I
would vote the M'Clellan ticket.
I am poor, and
took your money and the ticket. Here are both,
take them back; I never sell my vote!" They tried
to urge him to stick to his first promise to them;
but it was no go; for Uncle Pete said, "There is no
use to talk, gentlemen. I am a Lincoln man, and
have been for over ten years!" And getting a lit-
tle warmed up at the thought of the twenty dollars,
he continued, "No, gentlemen, there is no use try-
ing to change my mind, as I always vote on princi-
ple, and money can't buy my vote. I am a Lincoln
man, and have been a Lincoln man all my life!"
While the Democrats left in disappointment, the
Lincoln men felt sure of Uncle Pete's vote-unless
a higher bid came before election.

AN Irishman, Pat by name, was employed in one of the Newark manufactories. Pat had a habit of getting on sprees and neglecting his work when it was most needed. Mr. W, one of the firm, and who had the supervision of the establishment, frequently remonstrated with him, but to little purpose, until one day, as Pat came in rather the worse for the "crathur," and became rather noisy, Mr. W- - called him into the office. After a while Pat came out, when a number went to him to hear what Mr. W- had said this time. Pat said:

"Misther W- is a fine man, a very gintleman.'

"Well, what did he say to you ?"

"Och, an' sure he talked kindly to me-just like a fahther. An' sure he is a kind-hearted Christian, an' wouldn't harrum the feelin's of the manest man in the wurruld."

"Well, what did he tell you?" "An' sure Misther W is a fine man, an' he spaked to me jist like a kind fahther; an' told me if I ever came in dhrunk agin he wud kick me out of the shop!"

A LEGAL friend sends us the following account

of a trial which occurred many years ago in WMassachusetts:

who happened to be acquainted with the Irishman,
and wishing to show his friend some of Pat's wit.
"Good-morning, your Honor," says Pat.

One of the smartest attorneys in W— was called on one day for the defense in a suit for the value of sundry bean-poles. His client instructed him: "Fact is, Squire, I had the bean-poles; but we was alone when I bought 'em, and alone when I come next day after 'em; so I don't see how he can prove it." So the attorney appeared at the trial day, when the plaintiff produced an old pocket-book, in which he swore he kept his accounts, and in which he had charged two dollars for the bean-poles. This evi- "Well," continued Pat, "there was once a good dence made the case look squally for the defendant, old Quaker who had an Irishman living with him, who hastily called his only witness, and he swore and the Quaker told him that if he kept on and that he heard the defendant say he never had the served him as faithfully as he had until he (the bean-poles. Even our non-professional readers will Quaker) died that he would take him to heaven see that to admit such a statement is an admission with him. In the course of time the Quaker died, by the party himself without the solemnity of an and the Irishman went to heaven with him. But oath. But the plaintiff's lawyer "didn't see it;" when it was known that there was an Irishman in he was struck by the quantity of the evidence rath-heaven there was a great time, and he was ordered er than its quality. He cross-examined the witness to leave, but he refused to leave, unless he was put again and again; but the latter stuck to his state-out by a regular course of law; and they searched ment that the defendant did say he never had the heaven all over, but the divil a lawyer could they bean-poles. find; so there was one Irishman, but never a bit of a lawyer."

"Pat, my friend and myself have had quite an argument this morning as to whether there ever was an Irishman in heaven or not, and we have concluded to ask your opinion on the matter." "Faith there was one," says Pat.

"Well, how did he happen to get there?" says the lawyer, at the same time nudging his friend to notice Pat's witty answer.

Here the case rested, and it was agreed to leave it to the justice without argument. But his Honor angrily declined to give judgment. "How could he decide a case when there was one witness on each side, and so the testimony was equal?" But being told that it was his duty to decide, he said he should give judgment for the defendant, with costs against the plaintiff. "For though the testimony was equal on both sides, that of the plaintiff's was interested, for he testified in favor of his own bean-poles, while that for the defense was given by a third party who was disinterested." And so the defendant got his bean-poles, but never paid for them.

SOME thirty years ago, when the military organization in Maine commanded more attention from the "assembled wisdom" of that State than of late, a law was passed prescribing the uniform of militia officers, which provided that, at the May trainings, they should wear "black citizens' hats!""

In the rear of General Grant's head-quarters at City Point is the camp of Head-quarters Cavalry Escort. While passing through this camp last week I overheard the following dialogue, coming from a group of soldiers lounging under a shelter of pine boughs.

Says A. "I tell you that a majority don't elect the President."

Says B. "I know better; it does elect, and there ain't nothing else can elect."

A. " Well, it ain't so in our State, any how." B. "Well, if the majority don't elect I should like to know who does ?"

A. "Well, I'll tell you who does elect: it's the Pleurisy."

B. "The what-i-sy? What the is that?" A. "Well, I don't know exactly, but I know it ain't the majority."

A. was right. He only got the pleurisy for plurality, that's all.

A TALL Sucker volunteer, who is in this city "on detached service," having lost his health, and having but little faith in the skill of army surgeons, called upon Doctor S-, a resident practitioner, for treatment. The Doctor gave the case a careful examination, and wrote out a couple of prescriptions, which he handed the soldier, at the same time giving the necessary directions as to diet, etc. Being asked for his bill, the physician blandly answered, "Fifteen dollars, Sir." Our boy in blue opened his eyes pretty wide at the (to him) fabulous price of the slips of paper, but slowly drew the greenbacks and counted out the amount.

Going to the nearest apothecary's he handed in the mystical papers, and the compounds were speedily made up and given to the soldier, with the intimation that "two and a half" was expected as an equivalent.

"Why," said our friend the Sucker, "I just paid an old feller fifteen dollars for that stuff."

"You paid the Doctor for the prescription," replied the vendor of pills; "this is for the medicine."

"I tell you I paid that old chap fifteen dollars, and I won't pay another cent. Now you just leave these bottles right here, and give me the prescription, and if that old secesh sawbones don't make it all right I'll break his head for him."

So taking the prescription and assuming an air of injured indignation he proceeded to the office of Dr. S. Marching straight up to that gentleman, he addressed him :

"Look here, old feller, didn't I pay you fifteen dollars for this 'ere rag?"

"Yes, Sir-yes, Sir," says Medicus. "Well, this pill-shop man down here wants to make me pay two and a half more."

"That is right, my friend. You see I only charge you for the prescription; the medicine is extra." "Medicine! You fellers want to skin a feller

A CONNECTICUTER sends to the Drawer the fol- because he's a soldier! You can't come it over me, lowing:

Two lawyers were walking out one summer morning when they were met by an Irishman noted for his ready wit. "Good-morning, Pat," says one of the lawyers,

though-I'm a veteran! Now you just give me back my fifteen dollars and take your old prescription!"

The Doctor disgorged the money, and our Illinois Yankee threw down the prescription in disgust be