Revolutionary Anecdote.

In the year 1778, when the combined forces of France and America were contemplating an attack on Newport, R. I., Gen. Sullivan arranged his army to march against the British forces. He disposed his troops in three divisions; the first division was ordered to take the west road, the second to take the east-road, and the third to march in the centre. The advanced guard having arrived within three hundred yards of the British, commenced throwing up entrenchments. The British then fired a few scattering shot, which passed over the heads of the Americans without doing any injury. The American guards were placed about thirty rods in advance of the army, and within speaking distance of the guards of the British. In full view were five or six hundred horses feeding, which excited the enterprise of a young man by the name of Mason, about twenty years old. This young man, in open day, and in the presence of both armies, conceived the bold design of carrying off one of these horses as a prize. In a low piece of ground between both sentinels, were a few scattered elders, by means of which he contrived to pass both lines undiscovered, and made direct for the pasture, where the horses with their saddles on were feeding, and the bridles slipped about their necks. Among these he selected the best horse he could find, which he mounted, and after leaping two or three fences, entered the road which led to the American army. As he approached the British guards, he put spurs to his horse and passed them before they had time to recover their surprise; when he received the fire of both sentinels at the same time. But our hero had the good fortune to

escape unhurt, and arrived safe in the American camp with his noble prize, when he halted, and in a dignified manner, drew from his holster both his pistols, and extending his arms, discharged them both in triumph.

But the alarm given by the sentinels called out both armies, and the panic extended even to the British fleet in the harbour. Alarm-guns were fired for many miles up and down the coast, and the whole country was filled with the utmost consternation. The British army paraded in front of the fort, expecting an immediate attack. The troops immediately sprang for their horses, when lo! one poor red coat was seen wandering alone, destitute of a horse. The cause of alarm was soon discovered, and both armies retired.

Our hero, after exhibiting his horse in proud triumph for about two hours, sold him to one of the officers for five hundred dollars, a reward worthy of one of the most bold, daring and successful enterprises of which history can boast.

How to Pay a Doctor's Bill.

A singular old gentleman was waited upon with his surgeon's bill, for the purpose of being paid. After cogitating over its contents for some time, he desired the person in waiting for his answer, to tell his master, that the medicine he should certainly pay for, but that he should return the visits.

Reason to be Thankful.

A very worthy, though not a particularly erudite, underwriter at Lloyd's was conversing one day with a friend in the coffee-house on the subject of a ship they had mutually insured. His friend observed,

"Do you know that I shrewdly suspect our ship is in jeopardy?" "The devil she is," replied he; " well, I'm glad that she's got into some port at last."

Wilkes.

At the period of Wilkes's popularity, every wall bore his name, and every window his portrait. In china, in bronze, or in marble, he stood upon the chimney-pieces of half the houses of the metropolis; he swung upon the sign-post of every village on every great road throughout the country. He used himself to tell, with much glee, of a monarchical old lady, behind whom he accidentally walked, looking up, and murmuring within his hearing, in much spleen, "He swings everywhere but where he ought!" Wilkes passed her, and, turning round, politely bowed.

Dean Swift's Opinion of Faults.

Dean Swift had a shoulder of mutton brought up for his dinner, too much done: he sent for the cook, and told her to take the mutton down, and do it less. "Please your honour, I cannot do it less." "But," says the Dean, "if it had not been done enough, you could have done it more, could you not?" "Õh, yes! very easily." "Why, then," says the Dean, "for the future, when you commit a fault, let it be such a one as can be mended."

The Mother of General Greene.

Among the many ladies who distinguished themselves for their patriotism, charity, and other good qualities, in our revolution, there is one whose name ought not to be forgotten, and who, in our opinion, is equal in merit to any that flourished in our coun

try, and they were many at that time. About the commencement of our revolution, and as soon as it was ascertained that Nathaniel Greene, afterwards General Greene, intended to join our army, in defence of his country, a deputation of Friends (commonly called Quakers), and to whose society he then belonged, by order of their meeting, waited on him to endeavour to dissuade him from it, and after listening to all their arguments on the subject, he informed them that he felt an irresistible propensity, not to be got over, for joining his brethren in arms. He thanked them for the interest they had taken in his welfare; but he could not comply with their request. When the deputation took an affectionate leave, and left him, his mother, who had been listening with all the anxiety of a fond parent, used her best endeavours to prevail on him to stay at home, when he told her it was impossible. After a pause she burst into tears, with this remarkable observation" Well, Nathaniel, if thee must go, it is possible that I may hear of thy death, and if it is God's will that it shall so happen, I hope I shall not have the mortification to hear of thee being wounded in the back." Comment is needless-a Spartan mother could not have said more; but Mrs. Greene stands pre-eminently superior to the mothers of antiquity, as her education was so different-she was bred a Christian.

Playing the Fool.

A lady beating a tune on a table, as destitute of harmony as time, asked another, if she knew what she played? "I do," answered she; "you play the fool."

Inscription for an Apothecary.

The following was, in consequence of an evening's frolic, inscribed by some wags of Oxford, over an apothecary's door :

An eminent barrister had a case sent to him for an opinion. The case stated was the most preposterous and improbable that ever occurred to the mind of man, and concluded by asking, Whether, under such circumstances, an action would lie? He took his pen and wrote,-" Yes, if the witnesses will lie too; but not otherwise."

Sheridan.

When Sheridan's life was to be insured, Mr. Aaron Graham, the magistrate, was applied to, in order to know whether Mr. Sheridan was, at that period, living a more regular life than usual. “I believe he is," said the justice; "but understand me; I think he is more regularly tipsy, every night now, than he has been for several years past."

Impartiality.

It is known to all who are acquainted with the early history of Kentucky, that the first emigrants settled in small squads, like the first settlements in all other frontier countries, for mutual defence. The