Des Arc citizen., 1859-04-15
The Value of Bit of Knowledge.

uc tdkuC O1 d 4JAt OA AAASWASA6S' Tn the course of our miscellaneous reading, we came across the following good story, which illustrates the value of bit of practical information, when ap- piled at the right time:
 In the Plaza before St. Peters, at Rome, stands the most beautiful obelisk in the world. It was brought from the circus of Nero, where it had lain buried for many ages. It was one entire piece of Egyp- tan marble, p feet high, l2 feet square at the base, and 8 feet square at the top, and is computed to weigh 470 tons, and it is supposed to be 5000 years old. Much engineering skill was required to remove and erect this piece of art 2; and the cele- brated architect, Dominica Fontane, was selected and engaged by Pope Sex'us V. to carry out the operation. A pedestal, {, 30 feet high, was built for its reception, and tue obelisk brought to it's base. Many were the ingenious contrvances prepared for the raising of it to its last resting place, all of which excited the deepest interest among the people. At length everything was inreadiness, and a day appointed for the great event. A great multitude assembled to witness the ceremony and the Pope, afraid that the camor of the people might distract the attention of the architect, issued an edct containing regulations to be kept, and i'm posing the severest penalties on any one who should, during the lifting of the gi- gantic stone, utter single word. Amid suppressed excitement of feelings and breathless silence, the splendid monument was gradually raised to within few inches of the top of the pedestal, when it's upward motion ceased l; it hung suspend ed, and could not be got further the tack le was too slack, and there seemed to be no other way than to undo the great work already accomplished. The annoyed ar chitect, m his perplexity, hardly knew how to act, while the silent people were anxiously 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 difficulty and how to overcome 1t, and with stento- ran lungs he shouted, < Wet the ropes Y The vigilant police bounced on the culprit and lodged him in. prison the architect caught the magic words, he put this propo- sition in force, and the cheers of the peo- pie proclaimed the success of the under taking. Mex, day the British criminal was solemnly arraigned before his holi- ness his crime was undeniably proved and the pope in solemn language pro- nounced his sentence to be--that he should receive pension annually during his life time.
 These little facts stored up from obser- vation, can never do the owner any harm and may some day be of great utility ; and this story only proves the value of re- membering small things as well as great ones. for nothing that is useful is too in- significant for man to know, and there is no knowledge that has not its use.
 A DILEMMA.-The following example of nicety of conscience is as good jest as it is model truth:
 Dr. Adam Clarke, the author of the celebrated "Commentaries on the Bible, on being admitted into full connection with his religious denomination, was ask ed, as usual, certain questions. Among other questions always asked at that time was the following: "Are you in debt s' Though rather whimsical incident, this question was likely to have deeply pug zled and non-plusscd MT. Clarke. Walk ing in the street that morning, with an other preacher, a poor man asked half. penny. MT. c. had none, but borrowed one from the preacher who was walking with him. The preacher happening to g out of town, he could not see him during the day to pay this small sum. When ht stood up with the others, he knew no what to say, when the question, "Are yot in debla' should be proposed He though "if say am in debt, they will ask mt how much and when say l owe on' half-penny, they will naturally suppose m' to be fool. If say am not in debt this will be a lie; for owe one half-pen ny, and am as truly under the obligation to pay as if the sum were twenty pounds and while l owe that, cannot, consistent l ly with eternal truth, say am not Il debt" He was now most completely with in the horns of dilemma and which t take he knew not; and the question belns put to him before he could make up hi mind-"Mr. Clarke, are you in debls' h. resolved the difficulty in a moment, b answering-''Noton one penny.
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 | A New York editor thinks, from tn manner shirts are made in that city, there ougf to be an '.inspector of SEWERS" Tue edite went to the expense of new shirt the otht day, and found himself, when he awoke in th l rnornino crayylinp ont between two of tn