Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-09-13
Novel application Of Electricity, or nsp
way TO pap old Debfs.

Novel application Of Electricity, or nstD
way TO pay Old Debfs.
A Certain ply STEFAN, who possessed a
powerful Electrical Machine, discover
ed a sheriff making rapid strides to.
wards his house; and suspecting from
circumstances that he had some designs
on his personal liberty, the worthy Ill.
ID made preparations accordingly, to
ward Oft the anticipated attack. At
taching a conductor (irom his electoral
apparatus to the knocker on the front
door, he then charged the machine to
avery high degree, and waited the re-
! suit The steps which ascenGed to the
front door had an elevation of fourteen
feet-clo,hed in all the Importance of
the law, the sheriff assembled, and with
a firm CRAPS seized the fatal knocker.-
Instantly he found himself at the bottom
oil the steps. After having recovered in
some measure from a blow given by an
invisible power, and having collected
his scattered writs and executions to.
gether with bis scattered senses, be
made . second attempt, wondering at
thus strange method of paving debts.
Meanwhile the doctor had again char.
ged his faithful conductor. No sooner
bad the sheriff again dared TO touch the
fatal knocker, than he found himself
twelve feet nearer the centre of the earth
asecond time. Remembering the old
adage, beware of the third time he
immediately quit the premises, leaving
the doctor in full possessiono OF the ''cas-
tie" he had so well defended.
The fIo,Cer Forget mc-not. Mills, in
ms work upon chivalry, mentions that
fhe beautiful flower called Forget me-
not was known in England as earl, as
the time of Edward w. and in a note.
be gives the following pretty incident,
In explanation of the name:
Two lovers were lettering along the
margin of a lake, on a fine summer eve
ning, when the maiden discovered some
flowers OF the Miosotis growing on the
water, close to the bank of an island, at
some distance from the shore. She ex-
pressed a desire to possess them, when
her knight in the true spirit of chivalry.
plunged into the water and swimming to
the spot, cropped the wished for plant;
out his strength vas unable 10 fulfill the
ooJeci OF his achievement, and feeling
that be could not regain the shore al
though very near it, be threw the flow
els upon the bank, and casting a last
anectionate look upon his lady love. he
sald, forget me not" and,was buried
IN the water.
Ostriches.--The Boston Traveller
mentions that three live ostriche, were
brought to that city by a brig from the
Cape de Verbs. The captain procured
them from a caravan of animals, The
Traveller says, that "the largest, only
elght months old, liz a natural posture,
IS nine feet bigh-the others are youn
ger and smaller, but seem growing We
ry rapidly. They swallow bones. bro
Ken stones, IRON nails, SC with avidity.
and the gastric fluid of the stomach nos.
sesses the peculiar property of dissolv
ing them in a little timei The plumage
IS at present rather d~isordered. as thew
piueKeo each others feathers on the
passage. The bird has but two toes on
the foot; the leg large, and white as a
mans arm, is a great curiosity of itself
lis eye is large and vacant, and what is
remarkable, the ostrich appears entire
iy destitute of attachment to its own
species, or those who have them in
charge. The natives oftentlmes ride
them; and though their wings are toe
small for flying, their speed over the de.
sefts OF their own native country. i.
greater than the ~fleetest Arabian horse
Walking MatcA-Robert Skepper
the British pedestrian, has finished hi.
arduous task of walking from Winches,
ter to birmingham and back, fifty ST,
mules. tor twenty successive days. Thi,
ieatis, we believe, the create st of it,
klnd ever performed in England or any
Other country. :
f''ea4 az rJrieaddebar - When the Mas
sachnsetts branch OF the Cincinnati society wa
l3rintd' ~ consisted 1856 members: il has nov,
ai-eF a petl"d ot44 years, only 40 of the oriaina
"'sM2erS ieii. IS oaly Of whom are able 10 Al
'eA" tue yearly meetings Of the society.