Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-11-08
THE SOAP TREE.

| We noticed some time since, the use in Califor-
MIA OF the soap plant From the author of "a Cam
| pagn IN New Mexico" we get the following par
| ,culars respecting it. lie says: "NVe first met
on TINS part OF the road, with tho species of palm
called by us soap weed from the fact that the Mex
leans use lis roots substitute for SOAP for which
IL answers very well. Indeed ii is considered SUI
Per'or to 1t for the washing of woolIens. believe
1t Is rightly named the lechugua. This singular
shrub, which is 10 be with on the prairies but
where 1t never grows 10 any considerable SIZE con-
slsts OF a trunk very pithy, surmouned by fine
mead OF stit leaves each of which is about two feet
and a half in length, and armed at the end with
long thorn. The leaves project from this stalk on
all SIDES, and set as close as possible and are of
dark green color. The flower is white and very
pretty As each years foliage decays, it drops
down agalnt the trunk, of light brown color
These dry leaves, when fire is applied flash up
like gunpowder. and burn with n light. Our night
marches could be marked by their flames which,
as the nights were cold (allhOugh the days were
Comfortably were cheering. have been thus care
full in describing this plant for several reasons one
Is, ITS many uses,--of the leaves the natives make
their hats also when dressed like hemp il is form
ed into ropes and sacks, looking like the material
known as Manila hemp, though coarser These
plants have slnguIary provoking quality; being
from two TO eight feet in height they will assume
to the eye in the twilight the mos, deceptive forms
To- the sentinel they will appear forms Of men
ana many an unconscious soap weed has run the
chance OF a sen,ry's shot from not answering the
challenge "Who goes there" II your mule or
horse has strayed from camp, and you start hunt
for him In the grey of the morning, you are sure to
be led first in direction and then in another by
one of these shrubs which from short distance has
taken the form of your animal. Time after time
you may have been thus deceived, yet never SEEM
Ing to learn experience from a soap weed.'
SCIENTIFIC PRoPHECY.-About nineteen wears
ago MIR. Halt, of Wilton, Connecticut, then a re-
markably good student in his Collegiate course,
was suddenly deprived of his reason and his mem
Dry. In those circumstances, his father Rev. Mr.
HAT, sent him to Hartford but finding no relief
he sent him TO DIR. Chaplin, OF Cambridge, Mass
The Dr. said there was relief for him a, that
tme,-but at the age of ihiry-siX or seven, there
would be n change; that the brain was too much
expanded for the Uranium, and there would be at
that age contraction, which would enable it TO act
healthfully.
His anxious father and family saw their hopes
peremptorily deferred for nineteen years That
time has recently expired and TO their great low
the prophecy is fulfilled. The man began to in
qulre for his books, if he had jus, laid them down.
and resumed his mathematical studies where he
left them.
There was trace in his mind OF this LONG
blank in his life, of any thing which has occur
red IN If, and he did moi know that he was almost
forty years of age
The circumstance OF greatest interest is, that
whereas he went into this state of arrangement i'm
deep religious anxiety, he came out of it with
christian hope. which had been obtained with
out the knowledge of his friends short time before
W. 7. JONI Of Com.