Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-04-17

scribe the manner OF ballOttlDg in those Statos
The towns are divided into alphabetical districts.
A letter from Modena says:
! You 60 up one OF those large staircases which
you see only in Italy, and which would almost
contain modern house, roof and all: in tbs
passage up stairs Is an individual who relieves
you of canes, umbrellas, and other offensive
weapons; you open the door and find yourself
in large hall of the 10th century, painted with
armorial bearings Of the different members Of
the family of the Pepol, Gn one of the houses
of which this poll is held,) paved with marble
1nosaics, and hung with series of family por-
traits, which seem to look down with curious
astonishment on the desecrating proceedings be-
| low. Especially one gentleman in a red robe
looks intensely on an iron stove which has been
temporarily in the middle of the hall to take off
the chill of that mass of stone Almost opposite
the door is long table, about which are stand
ing dozen gentlemen or so with their great
coats and hats on The table is covered with
several large reglster-looking books and writing
materials in the centre of it.
| Before the table is wooden box about four
feet high, on the top of which yon perceive four
seals, and in the middle of it slit something
| like that in poor-box Two gentlemen are
always at the side Of it, watching it as if it con-
tanned treasure. The voter comes in, not quite
knowing where to CO. He is directed to 60 to
the table. A fair haired, tsll gentleman, asks
him politely for his name. 1t is the president
of this section, Minghetti, one OF the few polti-
clans who have made themselves name during
the late events in Italy. The register Of names
| is opened, sign is made when the name of the
voter is found. and the latter puts in his sched-
ule. 1t disappears ia the sealed box, because
the form requires it.; but the vote is no secret,
for almost every one without exception carried
his vote 10 bis hat or cap, and took it off to put
| it into the box, and on every ticket l saw the
vote was for annexation.
/ SUCCESS IN LIFE-Beniamin Franklin attrib-
uted his success as a public man, not to his tai
ents or his powers Of speaking--for these were
but moderate-but to his known integrity of
character. Silence it was" he says, Il had so
much weight with my fellow citizens. was
but bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to
much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly
correct in language, and yet generally carried
my point" Character creates confidence in men
in high station as we'll in humble life. It was
said of the first Emperor Alexander, of Russia,
that his personal character was equal to con-
stitution. During the wars of the Fronde, Mon
taigne was the only man amongst the French
gentry who kept his castle gates unbarred; and
| it was said OF him that his personal character
was worth more to him than aregiment Of horse.
That character is power, is true in much high
er sense than that knowledge is power. Mind
without heart, intelligence without conduct,
| cleyerness without goodness are powers in their
way, but they may be powers only for mischief.
We may be instructed or amused by them: but
it is sometimes as difficult to admire them as it
would be to admire the dexterity of pickpock-
ct or the horsemanship of highwayman.-
Truthfulness, integrity and goodness-.dual-
fJ,0f hmm nat 10 t.rnnf h
form the essence of manly character. or as one
of our old writers has it, 'sthat inbred loyalty
unto Virtue which can serve her without liv-
cry" When Stephen Colonna fell into the
hands of his base assailants, and they asked him
in derision, "Where is now your fortress ~
"Here," was his bold reply, placing his hand up
on his heart. II is in misfortune that the char
acter of the upright man shines forth with the
greatest lusire ; and when all ese fails, be takes
his stand upon his integrity and his courage.
FRAUDS IN TRADE-When people read that
the gold watches they buy have really very lit
tie gold in them; that the jewelry they purchase
is one halt of it bogus and their gold and silver
ware is not worth the fifth of the value set upon
it, they are struck with the enorlnity of the
fraud practiced on them by dishonest dealers
but there are o her frauds, which, though less
extensive in single instances, are far greater in
the aggregate, of which they are the daily vic
TINS Shopkeepers frequently find their goods
short in the specified number of yards in the
piece.
1t was proven in an English Court, quite re-
Gently, that very distinguished maker Of sew
ing cotton made up short spools for certain mar
kets. In the article OF sewing silk and knitting
zephyr, we are informed there is the same kind
of fraud perpetrated, and, considering the enor-
nous and very nearly universal use of sewing
silk, this fraud must prove very profitable one
to the dealers The standard weight of sewing
silk is l6 ounces to the pound .s vs
i Custom has reduced this to - ounces. The
practice of dishonest dealers is to put up oun-
ces to the halt pound instead of 6, and in some
cases ounce, and even ounce packages have
been offered to retailers in this city to be sold as
6ounce packages. A fraud Of equal magnitude,
in view of the present rage in knitting in zephyr
woods is thus effected Each pound of zephyr is
divided into Is laps which are sold without
weighing. as containing each one ounce OF wool.
Full weight would be 16 drachms to the ounce
lap, or if stored in over dry atmosphere, 10 "a
drachms; but the fraud consists in putting up
only 15, IA, s12 or 10 drachms in each ounce lap,
the number of laps in pound being the correct
number-l6. These frauds are difficult to de-
tect, as the dishonest dealer is provided with
false weights, which make his goods appear ON
trial to be correct.-Phil. Ledger.
| SINGULAR INFATUATIoN.-The New Orleans
Delta says that well known planter in Iouisi-
ana, and possessing wealth, recently went to the
city in search of amusement, aud directly visited
the museum of Signor Vannuchi. A giantess,
Miss Sarah Morehouse, was exhibiting herself at
that establishment, and to her the planter rails
ed his eyes--indeed he was obliged to raise
them, for she was seven and a half feet high, and
his feet were only five. The planter at once