The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-01

drove up alongside, and hailed the driver. The
coach stopped, the driver looked frightened. and
everybody wondered, to see the landlord covered
with mud, and his horse foaming with sweat.
Ben jumped out of the buggy, and got into
the stage; when the driver, thinking that he
had hired the landlord to bring him after, was
on the point of driving of, when the latter
yelled out
" Is that passenger in there ?"
Yes," replied Ben.
Are you sure?"
Yes, sirree," shouted our bachelor friend.
Which one is ?"
It's me-" replied Ben with grin.
lou !" Numbered Boniface, "what the
devil did you do with them spoons ?"
put them IN the coffee.pot, may it please
your honor; you will find them all safe" re-.
piled Ben, with curious twinkle in his eve.
Sold, by ginger, by that darned Yankee -
yelled the landlord, while the passengers roared
with laughter and putting the whip to bis
horse, drove back, resolving to give the passen.
gers ever afterwards ample time for dinner.
ELECTRICAL CLoCKs.-A new get of time.
keepers has been recently placed in the City
hall, New York, regulated by electrical ap
Paratus. There are eight of them, and ali are
controlled by one; the machinery Of which il
contrived so as to break and unite an electrical
circuit, at intervals of a second This il o.
iected as follows: One of the pinions of the
| clock revolves every minute, CARVING a 80 breaL
circuit wheel which is provided with tbirt0
teeth tipped with platins, and thirty interye
ning spaces. This wheel is connected with one
pole OF the battery, and the other pole is Joined
10 an elastic strip of platins, which is placed in
such position near the wheel as to touch the
revolving teeth successfully. At the point of
touch the electrical circuit is Joined, and at the
space between the teeth it is broken-and bv
those alternating operations a corresponding
movement is produced on similar wheels in the
electrical clock. With each rupture and each
closslng OF the circuit, the minute wheels of ALI
'ne CLOCKS are driven around one second. and
when the machines are all in order tbev 80,
snow precisely the same time. The whole
number of clocks provided for by the ammo.
prlatiation (S3,O00) are thirty. All the de-.
partments in the buildings about the Park will
De furnished with these clocks, and one will
probably be set up above the entrance of the
City Hall, to be Illuminated at night.
CHINESE WEDDING CEREMoNIEs.-On tho
ausplclous day itself, fastened to witness The
lsuy leave her mothers home, about sever
U CLOCK In the evening. She was in a lttIa
room, to which her earliest association. III
been confined, surrounded by woman AID No.
rons, (her mother among them.) ween;no and
waning. She had trimmed herself, powdered
her face, roughed her lips, musked her roboo
ana, as she could afford them, displayed he,
nnest jewels. Had she been too Door IN bova
Jeweiry by her, she could readily have snn,
Pleu herseii at the nearest pawnbrokers. At
iae' Tue Orioal chalr was at the door, with chair
tators stood outside, eager, if not impatient 20
catch a glimpse of the sil-niang. GIiae III
new woman S
after the procession was duly arranged. the
bride was carried out of her room. as if - -
{ a'"'S, Dy her brothers, and she was placed IN
1 1! nuptial sedan seemingly in q HELPLESS con.
uitlon. when carried out of her fathers bouoo
S Sne was lifted over pan Of lighted charcoal
L MS precaution was explained as necessa-v 20
prevent the lady carrying off with her ali The
soou fortunes OF the family. That is one in.
with Tiny tlutIIrig Uvrru,-,--.- -. eo..u-
wore singulsrly shaped hat with veil Of
beads, &c, that almost covered her face Every
symbol of gaiety was exhibited, identified with
their notions of q wedding occasion, when, ac-
cording to their phrsseology, "the pbeaixes
cling in harmony" and compatible with the
bridegroom's finances.
The whole retinue hurried on amongst wind
ing streets lined with staring spectators, pre-
ceded by men and boys with torches and crack
eTs. BY this time a messenger had announced
that the lady was a-comin'," and all was astir
at the bridegroom's, where the gates were
opened to receive the gaudy banners, pink UNI
brellas, red boxes, and other pieces of baggage.
which heralded the rapid approach of the bride.
Presently the chair bearers rushed in. Three
heavy crackers minated that the bridal sedan
had actually come. This conveyance was at
tended by four bridesmaids on foot, in black
dresses and with pink ssshes; but they were
old women. A singular.dressed mistress of
ceremonies came out to accost the young bride.
As che stepped out of her chair, horse saddle
was laid on the floor, over which she had to
stride. Her four maids supported the lady in
passing into the inner apartments Here she
met the bridegroom, who, by the way, had to
be searched for, and led out for introduction TO
his future companion-a farce sometimes play
ed at a Chinese wedding as if to denote ex-
IRENE modesty, or timidity, on the part of the
husband, in entering on his new responsible
ties.
The couple, oil meeting, knelt down, and
paid their religions derOirs TO Heaven. Next n
document, with the marriage contract, wss
publicly and distinctly read. Worship was
then paid at the ancestral tablets of the hus-
bands family. After this, the pair was con.
Quoted into the bridal chamber, which was i'm.
mediately crowded with friends and visiters.
Here, standing side by side, two cups Of wine
and strip, joined by a scarlet thread, were ex-
changed between the couple. This part of the
ceremony was concluded by what is called sab
chung, or throwing plateiul Of various fruits,
berries, and CONNECTIONS, among the crowd of
spectators, who were eager to pick up what
they could. On this, the bridegroom " came
out of his chamber rejoicing" The bride was
detained within to be unveiled, and to change
her upper dress, which by this time must have
become excessively cumbersome.
FANCY WORK FOR AMATEURs.-The Buffalo
Aduertiser gives an account of very curious
method of preserving fruit, having received a
pear covered over with a coat of copper by the
electrotype process. Not only the surface of
the pear, but the stem and bud, are covered
with a smooth, even, aud impervious copper
surface. We are aware that many curious
experiments of this nature have frequently
been made, but should think that the idea
might be almost indefinitely developed in ia
king casts of many organic objects now copied
with great difficulty. There are many varie-
ties of grasses, fruit, MOSES, insects, or she'll
fish, which might be grouped and coppered, or
otherwise coated with metal, and which would
serve as excellent models for artists. Boquets
OF this nature could be very easily made, not
only by the professional electro platter, but by
any ingenious amateurs; and we are confident
that those who have obtained the proper appa-
ratus, and made q few successful experiments.
would soon prefer this to any other branch of
fancy work. Brackets or vases, surrounded
with such imperishable ornaments, would. if
tastefuly designed, be most exquisite works of
art. Naturalists could by this means bring