Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-02-15

large houses for some Eve or six weeks back. The
scenery is by far the most beautiful ever produced
on the stage here, and constitutes the principal
attraction of the play. An entirely new effect is
produced by the operations of double action
panorama, the front one being pierced IN imitation
of foliage. and the moon with its reflection upon
= brilliant sheet of water being perceptible through
tbe interstices The acting of the piece ismercly
ln.ssable. the painter and machinists having done
their work much better than the actors perform
their parts -e
Our City Directory for 1856, has just been is
sued Unlike the Directories of other cities, it
ignores the existence of all who are not either
housekeepcrs or shopkeepcrs. but from these
classes it presents aggregate of a, 200 in the
city, exclusive of the rural districts OF this num-
Der there are no less than one thousand Smiths.
eighty of whom plain John Smiths, three
John A. Smith, five John B., seven John c., two
John D., one John E., three John f., six John g.,
FIVE John H., &c., &C., including one hundred and
forty-onc John Smiths, either with or without a
middle letter to their names. There are one hum
dred William Smiths, ffty-nine James, forty
Charles, thirty-fonr Joseph, thirty Thomas, and
twenty mine Samuel Smiths.
The names of 4s0 Browns are recorded, next
in order comes the Johnsons, Of whom there are
500, then 260 Joneses. The blunders and mis-
takes which consequently being occasioned by
this similarity of names must be very perplexing,
and sometimes decidedly humorous. As for that
ubiquitous individual, John Smith, there isscarce-
iy any conceivable good or bad act that he does
not commit in the course of the year. Growing
Jolly at night on carousal, he is locked up IN the
watch house or fined by the Mayor; the next day
we hear of him as candidate for Congress or
some other important station, then he is convicted
of burglary or manslaughter, and the next day
elected Deacon of Church. He marries, hedies,
but soon returns to life, and marries again. He
emgrates one day to California, and the next to
Kansas or Ore ION. He goes to the wars, fights
bravely, and yet runs away. In short, he is more
changeable by far than the chameleon. He is
wise and simple, witty and dull, pious and pro-
faae, stingy miscr, yet the prince of good fell
lows. de is true steel to his lady love, yet en-
gagged to hundreds of the fair SEX He is faithful
to his party, politically, but he belongs to the
Democrats, the Wings, the Abolitionists, and it is
whispered round town has actually joined the
Know Nothings. He is tall and short, with red,
white, brown, black, grey hair, and blue, grey,
hazel, black eyes, He is as lean as weasel and
stout young elephant, and he who wishes
to find living illustration Of all that is good or
bad, need only look for John Smith.
Notwithstanding the severity Of our laws against
the sale of lottery tickets the traffic is still extern
sively indulged in here, and hundreds of thous
ands of dollars are annually expended in this
way. Within day or ogo cunning swindle
has been perpctrated upon these gentry, by which
they have been most efTectually bitten. The
operators By some shrewd management had the
true drawn numbers of recent lottery held back
and falls. ones corresponding with the numbers on
the tickctsin their possession, sent ON here. The
policy men eagerly swallowed the bait, and the
temptation of swinging discount induced them
to cash goodly number of the fictitious prises.
1t is said that SEQ 900 changed hands in this city,
and that one individual has lost $50, 900. AS it
is illegal transaction all round, the parties have
no redress. s
Our markets have been quite inactive of late.
Flour sells for from So 81 to So per bbl; Rye -Four
Sc ; Corn Meal $4,25; Wheat 81, 10 to 81 25; Rye
81 ,22atl "a; Corn 92a97c Cattle for from IS to
81 / per 100 lbs.
Truly Yours, 90