Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-04-02
The Value of a Bic Of Knowledge.

4He V1lue OF q 6kG OI hn0Wleuge.
In the course of our miscellaneous read
ing, wo came across the following good
story, which illustrates the value of q bit of
praotieh information, when applied at tho
right time!
In the Plazza before ST. Peters at Rome
stands the most beautiful obclisk in the
world. Itwas brought from the circus of
Nero where it had lain buried for many
ages, 1t was one entire piece of Egyptian
marble, ~ feet high, t2 feet square at the
base, and feet square at the top, and is
computed to weigh above 470 tons, and it
is supposed to be 1900 years old. Much
engineering skill WIS required to remove
and erect this piece Of art; and the ccle-
brated architect, Dominica Fontne, was
selected aud cngaged by Pope Sextus V.
TO carry oUt the operation. a pedestal, 30
feet high, was built for it's reception, and
the obclisk brought to its base Many
were the ingenious conJrivauces prepared
for tho raising of it to it's last resting place,
all of which excited che deepest interest
among the people, At length crorything
wis III readiness, and day appointed for
the great event a great multitude assen-
biGd to witness the cereulony and tho Pope
afraid chat the c,aruor of the people might
distract the attention of the architect, rs
sued an cdlct containing regulations to be
kept, and imposing. the scrvercst penalties
on anyone who shuaid, during the lifting
OF the gigantic stone, utter Single word,
Amidst suppressed excitement of feelings
and brcathlcss silence, the splendid monu
nent was gradually raised to within few
inches of the top Of the pedestal, when it's
upward motion ceased it hung suspended,
aud could not be got further; the tackle
was too slack, and there seemed to be no
other way than to undo the great work al.
ready accomplished,
| The annoyed architect in his pcrplcxi-
ity, hardly knew how to act, while the 81.
lent people were RnxionRy Watching every
motion of his features to discover how the
problem would be solved In the crowd
Was an old British sailor, he saw the diff.
Guilty. and how to overcome it, and with
stcntorian lungs he shouted, "Wot the
ropes !" The vigilant pulice pounccd on
the culprit and lodged htm in prison; the
architect caught the magic words, he put
his proposition in force, aud the chcers of
! The people proclaimed the success of the
great undertaking. Next day the British
criminal was solemnly arraigncd before his
Holiness; his crime was undeniably proy.
cd, and the Pope in solemn language pro-
nounccd his sentence to be--that he should
receive pension annually during his life
| time.
These little facts stored up from obscr-
vation, can never do the owner any harm,
and may some day be of great utility and
this story only proves the value of remem-
herring small things rs well as great ones,
for nothing that is useful is too nsgnifi-
cant for man to know, and there is no
knowledge that has not its use.
FIVE PERSONS DnowNED.--In Rails
county, Mo-, on Thursday nf last week, Mrs.
ltebecca Hayden, widow lady, and her
four children, while attempting to cross
Salt River, were all drowned. They were
in buggy, which they endcavored to drive
across the ford, when it upset.
AUaUsTA, March 24,-L Gregg, Chief
Engineer on the Florida Railroad, has been
shot dead in, Jacksonville, by Alfred T.
Sears--both are Massachusetts, engineers
Sears has been arrested and plccsd in jail
1t is feared that the populace will hang him
There Was great excitement as the etoamer
left Jacksonville.
LIsTESING to lady who was pouring out
a stream Of talk, Jorrold whispered TO the
porson next hhp, "She'll bc coughing soon,
and then wo can strike in