Sit down for a moment, we will not detain you long, our story will interest you, we are sure, for it is most commendable, brief, and–singularly true. A poor widow, in the city of Philadelphia, was the mother of three pretty children, orphans of a ship-builder, who lost his life in the corvette Kensington, a […]

We do not now recollect what philosopher it was who said, “it’s no disgrace to be poor, but it’s often confoundedly unhandy!” But, we have little or no sympathy for poor folks, who, ashamed of their poverty, make as many and tortuous writhings to escape its inconveniences, as though it was “against the law” to […]

A gentleman from “out ‘town,” came into Redding & Co.’s on Christmas day, and leaning thoughtfully over the counter, says he to Prescott, “Got any Psalms here?” “N-n-no,” says Prescott, reflectingly, “but,” he continued, after a moment’s pause, and handing down a copy of Hood, “here’s plenty of old Joe’s!” The out-of-town gentleman gave a […]

I remember an old “Joke” told me by my father, of an old, and rather addle-headed gentleman, who some fifty years ago did business in New Castle, Delaware, and having occasion to send out to England for hardware, wrote his order, and as he was about to despatch it to the captain of the ship, […]

A great deal has been written, to show that the literary business is a very disagreeable business; and that branch of it coming under the “Editorial” head is about as comfortable as the bed of Procustes would be to an invalid. It may doubtless look and sound well, to see one’s name in print, going […]

“A gentleman by the name of Collins stopping with you?” “Collins?” was the response. “Yes, Collins, or Collings, I ain’t sure which,” said the hardy-looking, bronzed seaman, to the gaily-dressed, flippant-mannered, be-whiskered man of vast importance, presiding over the affairs of one of our “first-class hotels.” “Very indefinite inquiry, then,” said the hotel manager. “Well, […]

“Marry in haste and repent at leisure,” is a time-honored idea, and calls to mind a matrimonial circumstance which, according to pretty lively authority, once came about in the glorious Empire State. A certain Captain of a Lake Erie steamer, who was blessed with an elegant temperament for fun, fashion, and the feminines, was “laid […]

There are a great many good jokes told of the false notions formed as to the character and standing of persons, as judged by their dress and other outward signs. It is asserted, that a fine coat and silvery tone of voice, are no evidence of the gentleman, and few people of the present day […]

Few persons can readily conceive of the amount of cigars consumed in this country, daily, to say little or nothing of the yearly smokers. The growing passion for the noxious weed is truly any thing but pleasantly contemplative. A boy commences smoking at ten or a dozen years old, and by the time he should […]

After all the vicissitudes, ups and downs of a soldier’s life, especially in such a campaign as that in Mexico, there is a great deal of music mixed up with the misery, fun with the fuss and feathers, and incident enough to last a man the balance of a long lifetime. While camped at Camargo, […]