San Andreas independent., 1857-08-15

NO. AZ.
MATRIMoxY-In the selection of husband,
Young lady should look for truth, propriety,
aud decorum rather than for station, wealth, or
good looks Courtship allows her all the OPP
portuntes necessary for this study of mans
character: so however delightful this proba-
tionery period may be to the imagination and
to the susceptibiities, it is filled with serious
responsibility. There is an interest attaching
to 1t, that should impart thoughtfulness, be-
nightly and refinement to the whole being OF
the man and woman. As the Threshold of a
new life, it should be guarded against all sim
lster lnlluences-all insidious tendencies, all
Weaknesses, and all liability to fall into tempta-
ton Courtship cannot be too pure or its
course too strictly watched 1t is the sweet
communion and nterblending of two souls,
previous TO their second marriage and unity in
tins life and the life beyond. Its very trivial
ties ought to be fenced around with respect
and no indccorous jestng no SANDERS, no weak
levity, no dark suspicious, no want of faith
should be allowed to cast their grim shadows
on It's path-all should be bright, hopeful, pure
as the flush on the vrginal check after the ROSY
lips have received the first kiss of kind and re-
spectful love. Marriage, too, should be en-
blematic of the union of mind to mind, and
heart to heart. 1t is well to build matrimonial
happiness on physical sympathy-better still,
if heart extending to heart; but the mental
adaptation, and similarity of views, relative
to the great principles of action, and of the re-
latons to society, should also be taken into con-
sidcration; for the bodily attractions must fade,
and the ardor of affection may cool, or be d-
yerted into another channel therefore, the
minds purposes must be elevated and stable,
and It's energies will be found to diminish but
slowly with increasing years. marriage
founded upon this mutual understanding has
little chance of being wretched both parties
ever finding the self-same mental beauty they
once admired, and constantly deriving from
each other the benefit of mutual interchange of
thought, sympathy and cndeavors.-Porter's
Spirit Of tie Times.
EXTENSION OF THE CAPITOL AT WAsHNGToN-
The foundations of the connecting corridors be-
tween the centre building and the two new
wings of the Capitol, now nearly completed
and ready for the superStructure of marble
The cast-iron brackets for the support of the
columns of the great central dome, have all been
elevated to their places, and the brick-work be-
tween them is now going rapidly forward.
The magnificent ceiling of the House hall is
nearly completed, and the Scaffoding is being
effect from the floor of the chamber than from
the top of the scaffolding, from which only q
view has heretofore been attainable. In this
case, in many others, "Distance lends en-
chantment to the view" and the view from the
floor is truly magnificent.
Two kinds of marble are used in the struct-
ure of the new wings,-the common white mar
bic, brought from Quincy Massachusetts,, and
used in the walls and colonnadcs, and Tennes-
,In Il
brought from that State, and used in ornamen-
tation principally for mantle-peces ,balustrades,
&c. The latter variety is susceptible of a very
high polish, and in variegatcd beauty cannot
be surpassed by the most skillful polish.
The main corridors of the extensions are now
being laid with encaustic tiles. \ large corps
of artists are engaged in painting and frescoing
the walls and ceilings of the basement ROOM
The most novel operation progressing
about the Capitol is the turning, in the Capitol
machine shop, of immense marble columns for
the new Post Office building. These columns
are twenty feet long. and about three feet in
diameter They are placed on an immense steam
lathe proportoned to their magnitude, and re-
volvc about once q minute. The chisels are
stationary on the side, and are fed by an imper-
ceptible longitudinal motion of the carriage on
which the column is placed
In one Of the statuary shops we notice new
model recently received from Mr. Crawford at
Rome. The design is that of an Indian boy re-
turning from the chase with his dog al his side.
and a duck and rabbit hung over his shoulder
on his hunting-stck.- Washington Lnion
RUINS OF 4 DAY.-A beautiful little cloud of
silver and gold fingered on snow peak Grad
ualy 1t took the shape of castle and built up
spires and battements till it looked as though
some great intelligence had moulded the vapor
into form. 1t was gorgeous little structure.
and the last light of day came up from the west
and played about it, because it was too glorious
and spiritual a creation to be hidden in the
folds of night. But the trees below began to
bend their stately heads, the vapory towers
reelcd and fel the walls tumbled down among
the trees and the phantom castle went out with
the day.
flower pcepcd out timorously from amonc
the rocks; it was not the gayest dressed of ali
Flora tayorltes, but it was the first born of the
spring time, and as it lay upon the frozen bosom
OF earth, the flower looked innocent and beau
titul In the evening it was dead beast had
trodden on it, and it, too, died with the day.
a young child leaned her head on her moth
ers breast, and went to sleep. Had a snow
flake fallen on her brow it would have lost none
OF Its chastity, and the mother looked down on
tie sweet face as it rose and fell with her own
"iO"'"hS, anu lclI as eNultant and triumphant
as though jewel had fallen from a constella-
tion IN the heavens and sparklcd at her feet
But IN the evening" when the big trees lost their
shadows and stood like grim and silent sentinels
over spectral camp, little, sinless soul fol-
lowed an angel away, and left the broken cas-
tie and the dead flower and the mothers hopes
IN the ruins of that day.
ANOTHER OVERLAND MAIL.-James E. Birch
1t appears, has received contract from the
; government for carrying local mail from San
Antonio in Texas to San Diego, California
This is to be semi-monthly and has no con-
nection with the $600,000 contract let to But
tcrfield & CO. Mr.. Bircl is to receive for his