True; but with all these it is only a highway to " - giving a downward motion with his thumb. "As things are conducted there, it is worse than anything in these regions, and in making the exchange, a man finds his tortures less than-above. Here, his business is regular-pay sure-risk nothing; no care, no disappointment, no broken hopes, no defalcations. He exactly gets all he expects, and that is more than even you can say of California, with all its beauties. But, come, sit down in the rocking-chair. You've had a hard road to travel in getting through, and need rest. I shall soon be done with this experiment, and will give you my attention."

I sat down, wondering how I got there, trying to collect my thoughts, and intently watching the gentleman in black, to see if I could divine what he was doing.

Directly, he took the retort off, and stirring the contents up with his forefinger, as if it had been perfectly cold, uttered, in an under tone to himself, "Not worth a -; not a single redeeming quality in this political soul." He opened a side door and hurling it out, called to some unseen person-" Stow it away among the defaulters, Moloch; there's nothing in it that can be redeemed." Turning round, he drew a large armchair directly in front of me, and sitting down looked me steadily in the face for a moment, and then humorously inquired: "So you've been engaged in the Quartz business?"

"Yes, sir."

"Made money, I suppose?"

"Well, not exactly; have a first rate lead and excellent prospects, though."

"Humph! Fine country for prospects -get splendid prospects from the highest peaks of mountains."

"I mean the lead will pay when we get at it right-prospect of paying, eventually, good."

"All the same; when you get on the summit of one hill you see another be

fore you get to it you unexpectedly find deep gulches to cross and stupendous rocks to move, and you may become exhausted by the way, and fall helpless before you begin to climb the summit, eh?"

“There is truth in your metaphor, sir, and I confess it applies to me; but I have not lost hope, and thought I'd go a little deeper to find a richer vein, if I didn't quite starve."

"Yes, so you kept digging with a jacko'-lantern before you till you've dug through, and find yourself in -Below, and gone to ".

"The Devil!" I exclaimed, involuntarily, as the truth of his remarks flashed upon me.

"And so you kept on, and on, and on, with a kind of gambling hope, till you've 'gone in !' Well, it's the daily history of California. You are not the only man who has fallen through the Trap. Some go in on Quartz, some on Politics, some on Merchandise, some on stealing, and in various ways."

"But you

don't class me with thieves and politicians, surely?” "By no means-only among bad calculators. You undertook a business you didn't understand. You was dazzled by a few pretty specimens, and jumped to the conclusion that you had a fortune in your grasp, and incurred expenses, and went into extravagant improvements, upon hope which your lead would not justify, which you would not have done had you understood the business; for, if properly managed, it will pay now, and the result will be, it will fall into the hands of more prudent men, who will realize a fortune; while you-have gone in."

His words cut me to the quick. I felt their truth, and sighed, when too late, for that prudence which might have saved me, and prevented my going-below.

"Do not be offended with my frankness," he continued. "Men often charge their misfortunes to me, when I have had nothing to do with them. How often do you hear them exclaim, 'the Devil's in

sented itself. It was an open lawn, extending as far as the eye could reach, with illimitable rows of trees of all climates, covered with luxuriant fruits and flowers. Lamps brilliantly lighted shone from among the branches, emitting a strong sulphurous odor; while the fruits and flowers, so pleasing to the eye, partook to a nauseating extent of the taste and smell of the thick atmosphere of the place. Immense crowds, (of both sexes, seemed to be engaged in dancing and various voluptuous amusements; some singing or shouting in high glee and revelry; some cutting up high antics; some rattling dice boxes, and going through various and incessant motions, as if in excessive excitement; some quaffing liquids from yellow goblets made of brimstone, apparently with the most repulsive grimaces; yet, strange to say, with all this apparent glee, with all these outward signs of enjoyment, not a sound was heard! Seated upon raised platforms, richly canopied, were bands of music, apparently discoursing rich melody, to which the dancers were keeping time; yet, while they went through the motions of playing, not a note was emitted-not a sound reached the ear, or cheered the heart. They were silent bands-silent as the grave. The violin player drew a spectre bow; the trombone performer swelled and puffed, with distorted visage, in vain; the drummer rattled his sticks upon air; even the shrill fife disturbed not the ear with a single note.

Dressed in rich attire-in silks and lawns, while diamond rings, and crosses, and golden chains, glittered on their fleshless fingers-the women whirled through the mazy dance; and men and women, although glittering with jewels, presented to the eye ghastly, pale, careworn, anxious, and sunken countenances, and as occasionally a whirl raised a dress, it exhibited to my wondering gaze a shrunken, fleshless ankle, a naked bone the last sad relic of humanity. O, it was horrible-too horrible to gaze at; and instinctively I hid my face in my hands.

"Till eternity ends," he replied. "Although the wife left the husband, and the husband the wife, in Californiathough the wanton and the roué were seeking new mates and new excitements in the Golden Land—there is no changing partners here, till the dance is ended; the fickleness of man or woman on earth does not extend to-below; and they are now enjoying all the actual realities of their fancied pleasures before they had actually gone in."

"Doubtful enjoyment," said I.

"What they feel now is positive," he replied, seriously; "there is no doubt about it. But come this way and view another scene."

He led me through another door, and from it a magnificent Panorama was presented. A city upon an island in the sea. There were towers, and temples, and palaces, glittering in the sun-light, and ships at anchor or pressing forward with sails all ataunto; there was active bustle on shore and busy life upon the wave; ferry-boats and small craft were busily plying upon the waters; there was no rest, no quietness; all seemed upon the move, with a restlessness that struck the beholder with strange emotion.

As the waves rippled in the breeze, or gently rolled before the prow of some stately ship, lurid flames of fire seemed to flash up, ever and anon, as if the sea itself was inflammable, yet there was no smoke to darken the air-no hissing or crackling as of a burning element. Anchored in the stream was a stately ship, of beautiful proportions, with every thing about her to make her a model for the world. She was surrounded by various small craft, and there appeared to be many passing and repassing over her sides, and at times there was apparently much confusion, as if a struggle was going

"The California-but lately arrived in the roads. She has but just dropped her anchors, and a mutiny has broken out among the crew. She was badly officered, the crew were overworked and subject to unusual hardships, and are desirous of changing their commanders."

As I watched, the confusion increased; a black flag was flying at the mast-head; in a moment the ship was deserted by the small boats which surrounded it-various persons were either thrown or jumped overboard—a bright splash, a wreath of flame followed, and they disappeared forever. It was apparent that the mutineers had triumphed the black flag was hauled down, and soon the Stars and Stripes were waving in the breeze, and order appeared to be restored.

Not long after, I noticed a splendid barge running down towards the ship, under a full bank of oars, with the words, "The Bates," painted in glowing letters upon her stern, when suddenly a wild, unearthly melody broke the awful stillness which hitherto had reigned, of— "Rowe, brothers, Rowe, the stream runs fast, The watchman's asleep, and Vigilance is past; There's gold in the safe-the key 's in my fob Work with a will, we'll be paid for the job.

Rowe, brothers, Rowe."

As the symphony ceased, the barge neared the ship; in a moment the chain snapped from the anchor, and the gallant ship swung round, and was drifting helplessly towards the rocks. Destruction seemed inevitable. I closed my eyes in dismay, as I thought of the end of the hapless crew; but the gentleman in black touched my arm, when, looking again, I saw that the crew were awakened, another anchor had brought her up before

she grounded, and the broad pennant of

"Pshaw! what you witness is but an every-day affair. So the upper world is governed-a continual struggle for place and power; and those in the ascendant to-day may 'go in' to-morrow. With man it is unceasing struggle, incessant strife; and as he chooses his course on earth, so will be his career below-without rest, without content, with no satisfaction to himself; the very restlessness which absorbs him above continues here below, never ending but with eternity. Give him wealth, he is not happy; poverty is but the cause of increasing lamentation; power is but the means of stirring evil passions; and though his bones may moulder in the grave, his spirit is still indulging its wild career and unhappy propensities here below."

"Do all men then find a-a home in your dominions?" I asked, with some hesitation.

"Hi! no," he replied, briskly. "Some are such hard cases, that I won't admit them; and then some are not fit for our society."

"Hum! What then becomes of them?"

"O, they are sufficiently punished above. Indeed, there are tortures there worse than any we have below, and that entitles a man to consideration,when he goes in.""

"I cannot comprehend."

"Why, for instance, there's B********, a noted politician of the upper sphereone whom I never could do anything with

has received the reward of his crimes and transgressions from the people themselves"-and the gentleman in black seemed delighted.

"How, if I may presume to ask?"

"Why, things became so bad, they could not stand it any longer, and ban

"Most inhumanly condemned him to continue editor of a newspaper."

"Barbarous! I blush for my species." The gentleman in black led me back into his parlor, and was in the act of ordering refreshments, when a distant sound reached my ear, of "Old Block! Old Block! where the d-1 are you?"

"Just as I expected," said my companion; "you are sent for."

"Why, who in the world can be calling me?"

The trap-door suddenly opened above, and a tall, slim, and not ill-favored individual dropped down, with the usual "Humph!"

"Old Block," said he, "I've had a d-1 of a chase after you. I found your bones in your cabin; the flesh was gone, the old blanket worm-eaten and rotten; but without the spirit to animate the body, the bones were of no account, so I determined to have that if I went to-down below for it. I knew I should find you here, unless you were annihilated. Mr. Block, you're wanted above."

I looked at the stranger in some surprise, scarcely comprehending his mean

ing; but I was relieved by the gentleman in black, who came to my aid with—

"Ha! ha! ha! Old Block, permit me to introduce to your favorable acquaintance Capt. F**** S******, 'the Last of the Fillibusters.""

Intuitively we grasped each other's hands, and were friends from the moment. Had he not brought me out, I might have been boarding still below; for the gentleman in black seemed loth to part with me. Of him, however, candor compels me to say, that I found him a gentleman, with more honesty of heart than many I have found among men; and I made up my mind that he is a slandered individual, and that mankind are too apt to charge their own delinquencies upon him, when his chief offence has been in leaving them to themselves.

The gentleman in black politely escorted us to the front door of his mansion, where we found a huge steam-wagon; a recent invention, as he assured us, of a Sacramentan, of whom he had purchased a right to run on his roads; and seating us properly, let on the steam, and in an instant the Last of the Fillibusters and Old Block were standing beside the old cabin in the upper world, where I picked up my bones, and with Frank walked off, none the less wiser for my prospectingdown below. OLD BLOCK.

TELEGRAM. From news items of the other side, it appears there are many who object to this word as an innovation too great for endurance. Now it seems to me to be just the word we need, for the beauty of any language is conciseness and perspicuity, and this word is brief, clear and comprehensive, meaning the same as telegraphic despatch.' Because it is of Greek derivation (tele and gramma), is no reason why it should not be used. The same reason would lead us to discard hundreds of words, now in common use as geography, from ge and graphe, and theology, from theos and logos; and in fact it While I am convinced that much confusion is so with all words ending in ology or graphy. might arise from a hasty approval of new words, I am also satisfied that "telegram" is far preferable to the conjunct "telegraphic despatch," and will, in spite of opposition, come into general use.

A.