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George Alexander Stevens

A Christian Heroine.

E are indebted to Mrs. E. F. Ellet's most admirable work, "The Women of the American Revolution," for the following exciting incident: "A body of settlers in Burke County, N. C., not long after the commencement of the Revolution, began to retreat from their settlement, in a solid body, with their wives and children in the centre, and the keen-eyed, hardy men forming a hollow square around them. "Suddenly the attack began. The men, nerved to the utmost heroism by the presence of all they held dear on earth, fought on with dogged bravery, making the red line shrink back into the woods, when, to their dismay, their powder began to fail. "A cry arose from the brave defenders-a despairing cry-for powder. "The cry was not unheard. Amid the shrinking group to whom that call seemed the knell of destruction was one Christian heroine, whose heart had been in silent, constant prayer, yet withal a woman of forethought and action, who had brought, not her jewels and trinkets, but what might be priceless in the hour of need. This woman had brought a good supply of powder. She spread her apron on the ground, poured her powder into it, and going round from soldier to soldier as they stood behind the trees, bade each who needed powder put down his hat, and poured a quantity upon it. Thus she went round the line of defense till her whole stock, and all she could obtain from others was distributed. "At last the savages gave way, and pressed by their foes, were driven off the ground. The victorious whites returned to those for whose safety they had ventured into the wilderness. Inquiries were made as to who had been killed, and one running up, cried : ""Where is the woman that gave us the powder! I want to see her?" ""Yes! yes!-let us see her!" responded another and another; 'without her we should have been all lost!' "The soldiers ran about among the women and children looking for her and making inquiries.

Directly came in others from the pursuit, one of whom observing the commotion, asked the cause and was told: ""You are looking in the wrong place,' he replied. ""Is she killed? Ah, we were afraid of that!' exclaimed many voices. ""Not when I saw her,' answered the soldier. 'When the Indians ran off she was on her knees in prayer at the foot of yonder tree, and there I left her.' "There was a simultaneous rush to the tree, and there to their great joy, they found the woman safe, and still on her knees in prayer. Thinking not of herself, she received their applause without manifesting any other feeling than gratitude to Heaven for their deliverance."

The foregoing is an instance of the dangers encountered by the early settlers, who forced their way into the wilderness, cleared away the forests, made homes for themselves, and braved the trials of the new world in order to gain a liberty denied them elsewhere.

D Is it Anybody's Business? 'S it anybody's business, I If a gentleman should choose To wait upon a lady, If the lady don't refuse?

Or, to speak a little plainer, That the meaning all may know, Is it anybody's business If a lady has a beau?

Is it anybody's business When that gentleman doth call, Or when he leaves the lady, Or if he leaves at all?

Or is it necessary That the curtain should be drawn, To save from further trouble The outside lookers-on?

Is it anybody's business, But the lady's, if her beau Rideth out with other ladies, And doesn't let her know?

Is it anybody's business, But the gentleman's, if she Should accept another escort, Where he doesn't chance to be?

If a person's on the sidewalk, Whether great or whether small, Is it anybody's business Where that person means to call?

Or if you see a person While he's calling anywhere, Is it any of your business What his business may be there?

The substance of our query, Simply stated, would be this:

Is it anybody's business What another's business is?

Whether 't is or whether 't isn't We should really like to know, For we are certain, if it isn't, There are some who make it so.

Very Deaf.

EAF, giddy, helpless, left alone, To all my friends a burthen grown:

No more I hear my church's bell Than if it rang out for my knell :

At thunder now no more I start Than at the rumbling of a cart:

Nay, what's incredible, alack!

I hardly hear a woman's clack.