The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1854-01-12

eAS Sch'os vi AlneTlca-8nu not glory HOne'
We want engineers, too. Within the
next fifty years, thousand tunnels will
have to be evacuated, ten thousand bridges
will be built, a million miles of railroad
must be laid out, the whole Rocky Mountain
region is to be made accessible; and things
are to be done which we can no more an
ticipatc now, than the people Of the year
1900 could have anticipated railroads, tele-
graphs and steamships. What field for
men of science and talent! The American
mind is singularly adapted to enterprises of
this kind; and it is with the utmost conf
denee, that we urge young men who can
choose what they will do, and who have no
fancy for an ordinary, hum-drum career, to
give the profession of engineering serious
consideration. 1t is profession for MAN!
1t takes him out of-doors, up mountains,
along torrents, across prairies, through for
ests. lie becomes intimate with nature
while he uses the forces of nature to subd
nature; and there is something SO honestl
palpably and greatly beneficial in what
not refuse him his respect. Look at Cole
mel Scrrell, who bridged the Niagara Lefor>
lie was twenty-five years old, and did the
same service for the St. Johns on his we'd
ding trip. There is something better in
that than supplying the mind over "noral
philosophy" and other antiquated trash in
tile "senior year."
And there is the great difficulty. We
want men Of action; but the main effort of
our schools are to produce men of talk. An
engineer who had OCCASION, some time ago,
for two assistants in surveying for rail-
road, addressed the following question to
three professors of mathematics attached
to three colleges of high repute:-"In the
class about to graduate from your institu-
ton, are there any young men competent
to 60 upon the road Immediately and make
surveys, without any assistance from me-"
There were none, and the professors frankly
said so. What fact is this AS prep
aration for the duties Of modern life, our
college course is scarcely of any use Mt all;
and We care not who hears us when ".
say, if a young man is resolved 10 run n
great career in an active, manly profession,
let linn keep out of college. That young
man has no four years to waste! his knowl-
edge must he real, positive, modern. He
needs trained eye, trained hand, broad
chest and long wind: not, n stimulated brain
merely. lie must learn how to do this and
that for himself. lie must be man of the
world, educated in the world, by the world,
or the world.
We cannot pursue tile subject farther at
present. The sum of the whole matter is
this: the talking professions have had their
day; the active professions are going to
iasse theirs; the aissus' e4sthn hare
sH6k Ssk etl41S tl41S fse asw xst5l xl,
y
:! -
-; -:
,s,-Ize9BoeRlI k!1E1S.
,esheissey NAM. 5 ] usfif Is q -
talioe af the 9Th Regiment t'of fa~e, under
orders 10 emit for India--tllat zr ai.sa
country, whcrc seTmany of our Gravc conn-
try,nen have fallen victims to the climate,
and where SO few have slept in what SOL
dicrs call "a be.. of g!ory"-were assembled
in the bacrack yard of Chatham, to he in
spectcd previously to their passing OF board
the transports, which lay moored Mt the
Downs.
1t was scarcely daylight, when the merry
drum and fife we're heard over all parts of
the town, and the soldiers were seen sally.
ing forth from their quarters, to join the
ranks, will, their bright freIocks on their
shoulders, and their knapsacks and cantcans
fastened to their backs 10y belts rs white rs
snow.
Each soldier was accompanied by some
friend or acquaintancc-or 10y some indivi.
duel, with deeper title to his regard than
either; and there was n strange and some
times whimsical mingling of weeping and
laughter among the assembled groups.
The second battalion was to remain ir
England, and the greater portion of the di
vision were present to hid farewell to thei
old companions in arms. Dut among tlt
husbands and wives, uncertainty rs to thei
destiny prcvailed-for the lots were still t.
he drawn-the lots that wefe to decil,
which of the women should Hccuittrahy til,
regiment, and which seoufd fptilaiH Gtiiind
Ten of each company were tU te taken, ant
chance was to be the only arbitrator. With
out noticing what passed elsewhere, l con
fined my attention to that company wlicl
was commanded by my friend, Captain Le
don, a'brave and excellent officer, who, l an
sure, bas no more than myself futsotte,
the scene to- which, I refer.
The women had gathered round tho flag
sergeant, who held the lots In lis car--te
4 of them marked ITO eo"-anG all tile 9th
containing tl,e fatal words -to remain" j
was moment of dreadful suspense, an
never have seen the extreme of anxiet
Z SO powerfully depicted in the countenance
Of human beings as in the features of eac
I of the soldiers wives WHO composed til
J group. One advanced and drcw hcr tiske
1 it was against her, and sl,e retreated sot
) 6ing. Another; she succeeded and gi,
s ing d. loud huzza, ran off to tho distaiI
: ranks to embrace her husband. A. tl.ir
) came forward with hasteaing s.era; teal
J were already chasing each othertlosual,
checks, and there WAS unnatural palcness .
her Interesting and youthful .coantenade
; She pat her small hand into the setgsspt
!, CAP, and Isaw by the riso and Gall 81 ii
hbosom, even more dian; her looks fefssse,
q sEShe antotLed the paper, tlooksdsupon il ID
al III. L j n n 4 a