Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-06

'Put girdle round the moon in forty minutes.
Shakespeare.
Thus boasted the swift winged Puck,
to his lord and master, the princely
Oberon. 1t is quite probable that the
immortal Shakespeare thought he was
"laying it OF an inch thick" when he
put this sentiment into his mouth.
But The experience Of later times has
has convinced the admirers of the great
bard, that "there are more things in
heaven and earth than were dreamed
of in has philosophy" To US of this
day, the activity of the fairies courier
is but frozen laziness, and his light
footed feets emo great shakes"
What are all the imaginings of the
poet to the realities of this day? This
age of jagged thunder and bottled
This era, when galvanism
makes our door plates, electricity talks
for US, and the sun takes pro6les.-
Now, when the quiet tea kettle, sing
ing lazily On the hob, may be made to
perform the Iabors of Hercules, or
develope the energies of new Prone
theus. When the same principle
which discharges child's pop gun
may be used to propel not only potato
pellets, but letters, bundles, and packa-
ges; and when it is only necessary to
get a pump to draw the air out of a
tube as boy would whilst sucking
cider, to drag after it mighty cars
freighted with merchandise and men.
Is there aught like this in old roman
ces-or will not the Arabian Nights
lag far behind the truth in century
hence?
Forty minutes to put girdle round
the earth! Why. Professor Morse can
do it Sin less than no time" Put his
electric wires from here to our antipode
neighbors, the Chinese, and what
would be the consequence? This ma
ton is bound to ''go ahead" the &C.
lestial people cannot "come to tea"
with US. In the race to eternity we
beat them twelve hours, that being the
difference in astronomical time. Sup
pose the special reporter for the Chi
nese press expressly engaged to trans
nit to his employers whatever trans
pires Of interest among outside barba-
rians, should have something of inter-
est to report. Knock, knock, goes
Young Hyson on the writing key of the
telegraph at Philadelphia; instantane-
ously-ding, whiz-go the register
and pens at Kantung, making the pig
tails of Old China stand on end with
establishment. Buzz, off it comes,
take it to the newspapers. This in
formation comes from America to Chi
ma instantaneously, and where is time
now? This is December 3ls:, among
the crockery men, and January LIST in
the right angled city. These events
transplred on January 1st in Philade|-
phia, here we have full account in
Canton on December 3lst. Hank to
the lively chorus of the news boys
|"Here'S the extree,"' moons brother
and suns fust brother" -great news
from the flowery country; here's all
that's gong to happen tomorrow a
mong the Kwa Kurs. "Here's full
account of all the people that's going
to be taken up and fined for firing off
the old yeer,' here's the only list OF
New Years presents what's going to
be made tomorrow to the Yankee la
dies; here's the extra Golden Lilly;;'
here's all to- morrow's news in advance
of the mail. Extra MOONS Brother,
extra Golden Lillyn
The wanders of this talking machine
have not yet begun to be understood,
and the extent of its availability can be
scarcely imagined. What we will be
able to do with it twenty years hence,
who can conceive?
We can easily suppose that fond
husband at Philadelphia might hold
quite domestic colloquy with his
wife at New York; such as
"Dear Mary, iii be home in the
nine o'clock line, have some corned
beef and cabbage for dinner, and some
hot whisky punch, for I've got bad
cold"
To which, in few words, the de-
voted wife answers:
"Dear Charles, tie an extra hand
kernhief around your neck; the beef is
in the pot, and the cabbage is al! rea-
dy. I've got no whisky, and some
one has stolen my purse and all my
money"
"That's just like your careless way;
ask Mrs. Jones to lend you dollar
but stop, never mind, I've just given