Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-01-23
old Friends-Regularity OF Life.


Forty years ago, this present October, two
young merchants of this city, who had been
school-felIows together, met on a bright au-
tumnal afternoon, after the business of the
day was over, in front of the old Tontine COT
fee House, and as they walked up Wall street
together, one said to the other, =" Come and
dino with me to-day. Monday seems dull
day, and my wife and l like to have some one
dropin socially and dine or tea with us" The
invitation was accepted, and after dinner, as
they sat over their wine, Omitted to a couple
of glasses each, and talked of their school days
and of their pleasant intercourse in the year
that succeeded, they agreed to dine with each
other on alternate Mondays unless prevented
by sickness or other causes, so long as they
should live. Time passed on; sons and daugh-
tiers were born to them, grew up, married,
and settled in life; grand children, too, have
not been wanting. New York has grown from
one of the plainest of little cities to be one Of
the greatest cities of the world; her commerce
has increased beyond the widest dream of i'm
agination in former days; hotels and ware
houses line her streets, steamers and other
shipping her wharves, and private dwellings Of
more than princely elegance her uptown
squares and avenues, Fall on scale of such
magnifcencc, that he who had prophesied of
such things, would once have been thought
an enthusiastic dreamer. Our whole coun-
try, and indeed tho whole world, has chang
ed in the same ratio, until the mind is lost in
conjecturing what two score moro of years
will produce. Eleven different Presidents have
governed our own nation, and the older ma
tons of the world have changed their rulers
from revolutions and other causes again and
again. Such are the changes time have made,
and still these two old friends, hale and
healthy yet, may be seen on every Monday
afternoon, going up the street together to full
fl the mutual promise they made in early
manhood. They. set high standard, at the
commencement of their merchantile life, of
what an honorable, upright merchant should
be, and have never departed from it; and if
they have not been among the wealthiest of
the merchant princes of the Empire City,
they have had enough,-and have spared not
little when the demands of public and pri-
waite charities have been presented to them.
origin OF the American Flag.
A few weeks since, a paragraph going the
rounds, inquired when the present United
States flag was adopted. The Cincinnati Ga
zette replies thus! The following is the origin
alresolltion adopting the Stars and Stripes !;
"In Congress, June 16, l777: Resolved, that
tho dag OF tho thirteen United States be thir-
teen stripes alternately red and white; that
tho Union be thi3teen stars, white, In blue
field, representing a new constellation" AS
new States we're added to the Union, from
time to time, new stripes were added to the
FLAG. till the number had increased to fifteen OF
twenty. At length, about thirty years ago.
the stripes were reduced by act of congress to
the original number of thirteen.
"a southerner gave dinner party to a
few friends, who happening to converse about
Sambo's power of head endurance, the gen
tleman said he owned negro when no one
in the party could knock down or injure
by striking on the head. a strong burly fell
low, laughed at the idea, and as Sam, the
colored fellow was about entering with the
candles, the gentleman stock behind the
door, and as he entered, Sans head receiv-
ed a powerful sockdologer. The candles
fiickered little but Sanlbo passed quietly
on merely exclaiming Gentlemen be care
full of de elbows, or de lights Will be distin-
guiseds
Improved PIANo.-It IS stated that a
Frenchman named n. Alexander, has invent
ed a continuance for giving the piano pro
longed sound. For many years this has been
songht for IN vain. It Wts impossible to OBJ
tainiA stained note, like the human voice OF
the violin. The inYeRtiOn is said TO be very
simple
REFOh1. If / were 50 unlucky Is to have
4 stnpid son; would certainly, BY all means
make him 3 psgso said an officer. a cieC-
EFman Who SEas 81 The company calmly re-
9iied g Yor diteFently rom ycur e.
& content Ritl 60 "a icg sun
oEe ana MINOR injuries general
md let lhe World rush alon & IS mildly and 81
ecishf 1t Pleas