as old-an aristocracy that despises labour and real merit, and reveres only wealth. This is much more the case at the South than at the North, and I am sorry to say that it is often to be found amongst professors of religion.

Reader, while I have been narrating these frolics. of my youth, I have felt a great degree of solemnity. The young ladies and young gentlemen that whirled with me in the giddy dance, where are they now while I am recounting these follies? Many of them are numbered with the dead, and amongst the number that young lady I waited on that night. Such follies are a waste of precious time, if nothing worse. I cannot say, as some have said, that there was no pleasure in these amusements. But it was but momentary. Where there was an ounce of pleasure there soon followed a pound of pain, as is generally the case when we yield to the dominion of feeling instead of reason. Moses was wise when he chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."

CHAPTER IV.

BEFORE entering upon an account of my business transactions, that none of the striking features may be wanting in the picture, I will give somewhat of my military career, for it will be observed that I

have " seen some service" on the "field of glory," where men display their patriotism in defending their country against an imaginary foe, and where they can show forth their valour and military skill in defeating an enemy of straw. Here I secured golden trophies of renown, and received an official title that would give me rank with the master of an old scow-boat on the Erie Canal. But glory is glory, and the man that has a smack of war in his composition will wax valiant at a militia company training, though the clangour of death sound not in his ear; and perhaps the absence of danger adds not a little to the heroism of the titled sons of Mars in "these piping times of peace." Not to derogate at all from the "glory" (such as it is) attendant upon the profession of arms, I may be allowed to remark, that, in my humble opinion, the militia system of our country, as at present constituted and displayed on days of public muster and parade, is a very great nuisance, and scarcely less inglorious to our country than to the officers distinguished by its titles, and to the "high-privates" subject to its (want of) discipline. It ought to be abolished, or thoroughly revised. It has doubtless much degenerated since the days of my martial honours. But I must not detain my kind reader with further reflections on this subject. Let us hope that the day will soon come when the sword shall be beaten into pruning hooks.

About the year 1822, Daniel Dygert, G. V.

Orton, of Winfield, Herkimer County, and myself, with permission of the commander-in-chief, raised a volunteer company of about one hundred men, for the 27th regiment of infantry. They were a band of noble young men-well-made, spirited, and as ambitious fellows as ever shouldered a musket in time of peace. I had ever felt from my boyhood a martial spirit—I felt the soldier within me, and panted for renown:

"I'd heard of battles, and long'd to follow
To the field some warlike lord."

And even now, after having laid all carnal weapons aside, the sound of the spirit-stirring drum and animating fife, the roar of the booming cannon, and the clangour of arms, at once rouses those sleeping energies and inspires a thirst for war. But notwithstanding what the phrenologist has said of my so very great courage, had I been called upon to face a real foe where blood was likely to be spilt, it is quite possible I

"Had run, forgetful of a warrior's fame,

While clouds of friendly dust conceal'd my shame."

Yet, during the three years I bore the command of that company-the largest and best equipped I think of

any I have ever seen in the country-—I drank in more vainglory than in all the rest of my life. Amongst all the faults and foibles of my life I do not know that I was ever charged with being haughty or scornful by the poorest or humblest person living.

Nevertheless, when that company was brought into a line by the subordinate officers, with the signal to the captain that all was ready, the whole body as a single man presenting their glittering arms, their tall white plumes waving in the air, and the music brought to the centre, Louis Philippe might have envied me my glory as I advanced to my post amidst three cheering salutes from the pealing drums and fifes, while the ensign measured the time by three graceful waves of the star-spangled banner of my country, and, as I replaced with a military air my tinseled and richly-plumed chapeau on my youthful head, while my right hand clasped and drew from its silver-plated scabbard the sword that hung by my side, then did my heart swell with a most military pride. I bellowed out the word of command loud enough to be heard throughout the ranks of Bonaparte's army: "Attention, the whole ! Shoulder arms!" &c., and thus the vastly scientific evolutions of the field were performed with the utmost "pomp and circumstance of war."

Reader, I recount these particulars of my history that you may witness how great a fool empty titles will make of a man. If you could but know how many hard day's labour, and how much money it cost me to support the cause, and "treat" my men, you would certainly think that I must have been a very great military fool. And all I received for my trouble and fatigue was to be dubbed CAPTAIN HENRY, as far as I was known: a title that has ac

companied me ever since, like the mark set upon Cain. I fain would rid myself of this inglorious distinction, but I am not allowed to descend from this "bad eminence."

It was customary in those times to "wake up the officers" on the morning of parade days. Accordingly, long before day till the time for mustering, there was an almost continual roaring of musketry under the officers' windows. The first gun was a signal for the captain to throw open his doors, well stocked with rum, brandy, gin, sugar, &c. These bad customs, I am happy to say, are now nearly done away with. The first time I ever got corned was on one of these dangerous occasions, which cost me a severe admonition and nearly spoiled a valuable suit of clothes for me. I got to knocking off hats with one of my comrades, which ended in throwing each other's hats into a dirty mill-pond-into which I plunged for mine, (having just enough in my head to make me feel a little amphibious just then,) regardless of clothes or consequences. Here was a beautiful spectacle, worthy of the decorum and glory of a modern militia parade! What a proud exhibition for full-grown men! My young friends, despise such foolery; respect yourselves, and resolve to be men.

And now, with my patient reader's permission, I will enter upon some of my business transactions, with their beginning and ending-transactions various, many of them important, most of them dis