Somebody is driving into the yard! Who is it, girls?" said she, adjusting her "Scotch pebbles" and peering cautiously from the window. "Oh, it is Mr. Norridgewock! I s'pose like enough he has got some errand with your father; but then, as he has lost his wife lately, it is likely he is looking out for another, and I don't want to put myself in his way to encourage him, nor to make talk."

So Aunt Dilly retreated to the citadel of her own room, fully convinced, dear old soul! that she had had and neglected-not to say rejected -another "chance to get married."

IN

SIGN-LANGUAGE.

N General Marcy's book, "The Prairie Traveler," one of the most interesting passages gives an account of the signs used by the Indians in their communications with strangers. Their system of signs stands to them in lieu of all foreign languages whatever, and constitutes in effect a kind of universal language. "The signs," says the General, "are exceedingly graceful and significant, and what was a fact of much astonishment to me, I discovered they were very nearly the same as those practiced by the mutes in our deaf and dumb schools, and were comprehended by them with perfect facility."

Perhaps no better idea could be given of the extent to which signs can suffice for intercourse than by showing how the art is practiced among the deaf and dumb, to whom it is indispensable. Let us suppose we spend an hour in an institution for this class.

School has just opened for morning lessons. The pupils take seats for a writing-lesson, with which exercise the school-work to-day commences. One who is late in getting to his seat disturbs his neighbor, and mars the formation of a letter. Instantly the offended party assumes the perpendicular. He fixes the disturber with his glittering eye; he then moulds his face into a scowl, importing unmistakable anger. He clenches one fist, and grinds the desk with it; with the forefinger of the other hand he points to the blotted or otherwise ill-formed letter. He then jerks up his forefinger, and, so to speak, harpoons the offender with it, dashing it menacingly in his direction, and shaking it so for a quarter of a minute, gives a suppressed grunt, and is down again to his writing. The defaulter receives the reproof with humility, admits its justice by nodding mildly, his eyes the while assuming a deprecating expression, being enlarged to their utmost, to show how completely he sees himself in the wrong. The fingers of his right hand begin to comb circularly on his brow, to intimate some confusion existed in that quarter, or, in other words, that the affair was an accident, and no harm meant. He then turns round to those about him who are watching matters, changes his expression into one of contempt, puffs out the smallest of puffs, as if the bubble would only take that quantity of breath to blow it away, and slightly shrugs his

In a little while the eye of one wearies of her copy-book, and wanders about for relief. It is arrested by the snow-flakes beginning to fall. In excitement at the discovery she beats the desk, and when all start up amazed at the interruption, and fasten their gaze on the interrupter, who is still drumming like the towncrier with news to tell, which he avoids proclaiming until his audience be large enough, her eager eyes and dancing movement, as she hitches up and down, bespeak the importance of the forthcoming announcement. Her schoolmates grow angry at the delay, and draw down their eyebrows. Forefingers are stretched out, and waved from side to side, at first gently, while the eyes express inquiry, but are soon wagged rapidly, and with vehemence, putting the question more decidedly as to what the matter is. The drummer now taps on her teeth, and shakes her extended arms, to imitate the quick flying of a bird, without, however, doing the forward movement that properly accompanies the mimic representation of flying. By this she intimates that there is snow-something white, that is, or of tooth-color-coming flutteringly down. red is lip-color, yellow is neck-color, black is eyebrow-color, etc.

So

The idea of cold occurs in connection with the snow. It is expressed by sinking the head between the shoulders, and gathering one's self up as much as may be into a ball, to keep in the vital heat. In like manner the fingers of

It is

each hand are gathered tightly together, and the fists pressed in upon the chest. Shivering is done. The teeth chatter. Eyes twinkle with comic pity, while long breaths are slowly taken in and slowly given out again. One little fellow, who has been regarding the snow with any thing but a friendly look, bemoans himself with no comic undercurrent; he puts his open palm upon his breast, then with sudden vehemence flings back his hand, shutting his eyes the while, and turning away his head, to intimate that the very sight of it is too much. His amused neighbor smacks his lips and pats his breast, to signify how entirely different are his feelings. curious to note how pleasure and its opposite are talked of stomachically; the signs for these sensations being first used at a period of life when enjoyment is centred in the single shape of food. The notion of cold being welcome to any one, offends the first speaker; he doubles up his fist hard, and raps upon his brow, then jerks his forefinger toward the party who has ventured the distasteful heterodoxy, and resumes the rapping till his brow reddens. To rap thus denotes the idea of stupidity, as if one rapped and rapped where nobody was at home. The charge of being stupid, so forcibly made, is received with quite a charming smile. The accused sits erect, and expands himself, to enjoy over his whole person the grateful influence. He slowly brings in his hands upon his breast, and there presses them hard, the one over the other, the mode in

UNITED STATES.

Mississippi still undecided.

When our last Record closed the Army of the Potomac, under General Hooker, having crossed the Rappahannock, was engaged with the Confederate forces under General Lee. The failure of this movement to accomplish the results which were aimed at is known. For the details we must rely wholly upon the accounts of newspaper correspondents, no full official reports having been published. The design of this movement is evident. Instead of attacking the enemy in his intrenchments near Fredericksburg, as General Burnside had done, Hooker proposed to turn these works, gain their rear, interpose between them and Richmond, and thus compel Lee to retreat or to fight outside of his intrenchments. To do this he was obliged to advance into a country with the topography of which he was imperfectly acquainted, while it was thoroughly known to the enemy. The preliminary steps were successful. Deceiving the enemy by feints of a crossing at points three or four miles below Fredericksburg, General Hooker pushed three divisions of his army to Kelly's Ford, twenty-five miles up the river, where they crossed without opposition, then wheeled to the south, and reached Chancellorsville, a solitary mansion near a cross-roads, five or six miles southwest of Fredericksburg. A strong cavalry force, under General Stoneman, had been in the mean while dispatched to make a wide detour and destroy the railroad leading from Richmond to Fredericksburg, so as to prevent reinforcements from reaching the army of Lee. Of this expedition we shall speak hereafter. Soon after the crossing at Kelly's Ford the other divisions of the army passed the Rappahannock at points lower down, but still above Fredericksburg, the attention of the enemy being diverted by the feints made at crossings below that city. These divisions joined their comrades near Chancellorsville, none of them having met with serious opposition. Thus, on the 30th of April, the entire Army of the Potomac, with the exception of a single division under General Sedgwick, which was left behind at the former position near Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, had crossed the Rappahannock, and, having turned the left of the enemy, had gained his rear, and were massed near Chancellorsville. At this time General Hooker issued his order, noted in our last Record, to the effect that the "enemy must either ingloriously fly, or come out and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him."

Thus far the object of the movement had been attained. The Confederate intrenchments, from the front of which Burnside had been driven back, were turned. Our forces were behind them, and Lee was forced to come down from his fortified heights and meet Hooker upon open ground. The forces in the field can only be roughly estimated. They were probably between 60,000 and 80,000 on either side, ours rather outnumbering theirs. The action, or series of actions which ensued, commenced on Saturday, May 2. Our line of battle was drawn up facing the northeast, looking toward the intrenchments behind Fredericksburg. The enemy's left overlapped our right, and on this point the attack was VOL. XXVII.-No. 158.-S

Division which had been posted here, routed it at once, and drove it in confusion from the field. The rout of this Division was only prevented from becoming a serious disaster by the bravery of the Second Division, formerly under the immediate command of General Hooker, but now led by General Berry, who checked the advance of the enemy. The Confederate General Jackson, familiarly known as "Stonewall Jackson," was fatally wounded on the evening of this day. He had gone with his staff beyond the line of the Confederate skirmishers, and on returning, the party being mistaken for a body of our cavalry, was fired upon by his own men. He was struck by three balls, two of which passed through the left arm, the other through the right hand. The left arm was amputated, but he died eight days after. With the possible exceptions of Jefferson Davis and General Lee there was no other man whose loss would have been so severely felt in the Southern Confederacy. During the night of Saturday an attack was made by our forces upon Jackson's Division, who were forced back from the position which they had gained. Taking advantage of this success, General Hooker made such changes in the position of his troops as were rendered necessary by the events which had occurred, and awaited the assault of the enemy on the following day. The attack was made on our left early in the morning, and after a severe action, which lasted six hours, the enemy gained possession of the plank road leading past Chancellorsville to Fredericksburg, and our forces were drawn back and concentrated nearer to the Chancellor house. The enemy had thus won some ground in this action, but had gained no important advantage and suffered severely.

In the mean while General Sedgwick, who had been left behind at Falmouth, perceiving that the enemy had withdrawn nearly all his forces from Fredericksburg, crossed the river, stormed the heights from which Burnside had been repulsed, and then, on Sunday evening, advanced some distance toward Chancellorsville, along the plank road, where he encountered a strong force of the enemy, who lay directly between him and Hooker's divisions. On Monday the enemy, abandoning the attack upon Hooker, turned in force upon the corps of Sedgwick, and drove him back upon and out of the fortifications which he had captured, and compelled him to recross the river. The crossing was effected during the night of Monday.

Early on the morning of Tuesday a severe rainstorm set in. The rivers began to rise rapidly, threatening to cut Hooker off from his supplies. Apprehending that his position would become untenable, he resolved to retreat to his old position on the other side of the Rappahannock. The order was given on Tuesday morning. Roads were cut to the fords, and at 10 o'clock in the night the retreat was commenced, apparently without being suspected by the enemy. By daylight the whole army with all its trains and artillery was safely across the river. General Hooker issued an order "tendering to the army his congratulations on its achievements of the last seven days. If it has not accomplished," he

says, "all that was expected, the reasons are well known to the army. It is sufficient to say they were of a character not to be foreseen or prevented by human sagacity or resources. In withdrawing from the south bank of the Rappahannock before delivering a general battle to our adversaries, the army has given renewed evidence of its confidence in itself. In fighting at a disadvantage we would have been recreant to our trust. Profoundly loyal and conscious of its strength the Army of the Potomac will give or decline battle whenever its interest or honor may demand.... By our celerity and secrecy of movement our advance and passage of the rivers were undisputed, and on our withdrawal not a rebel returned to follow. We have made long marches, crossed rivers, surprised the enemy in his intrenchments, and whenever we have fought we have inflicted heavier blows than we have received. We have taken from the enemy five thousand prisoners, and fifteen colors, captured and brought off seven pieces of artillery, and placed hors de combat eighteen thousand of his chosen troops. We have destroyed his dépôts filled with vast amounts of stores, damaged his communications, captured prisoners within the fortifications of his capital, and filled his country with fear and consternation."- -The enemy, however, claim a decided victory in the whole series of operations. General Lee, in his congratulatory address to his army says: "Under trying vicissitudes of heat and storm, you attacked the enemy strongly intrenched in the depths of a tangled wilderness, and again on the hills of Fredericksburg, fifteen miles distant, and, by the valor that has triumphed on so many fields, forced him once more to seek safety beyond the Rappahannock."- -Of the losses in men and material on either side no accurate estimate can be formed. It is affirmed by the Secretary of War that only one-third of our forces were actually engaged in the battles, and against these the whole force of the enemy was hurled in solid masses. As they gained no solid advantage except their first one in the rout of the Eleventh Division, their loss at other points apparently exceeded ours; here, ours probably exceeded theirs. The enemy claim to have taken a large number of prisoners, and immense quantities of small-arms and supplies, besides many cannon. We find nothing to confirm this statement; and as Jackson was soon checked in his success against the Eleventh, and the guns which he had captured were retaken, and as the retreat was wholly unmolested, the trains being sent in advance, it would seem that these claims are unfounded. A statement compiled as far as possible from official reports makes our losses in the battles of Chancellorsville, or "the Wilderness," as they are named by the enemy, to have been killed 1512, wounded 9518-in all 11,030, to which are to be added about 2500 missing, who are probably prisoners. A great proportion of those set down as wounded were only slightly injured, and were soon capable of service. The incidental statements contained in the Southern journals confirm the opinion which was formed on other grounds, that their loss in killed and wounded was at least equal to our own, while in prisoners it was certainly greater. General Hooker's statement that they had 18,000 men put hors de combat is probably nearly correct. To our loss, as above estimated, of 13,500 men at Chancellorsville is, we presume, to be added that of Sedgwick, which was severe. Upon the whole, it may be concluded that, while the prestige of victory remains with the enemy, the actual loss on each side was about equally divided.

The last sentence quoted from General Hooker's congratulatory order refers especially to a brilliant expedition accomplished by a body of cavalry under General Stoneman. The object in view was to cut off the communications between Richmond and Fredericksburg, and thus prevent Lee from receiving reinforcements. But owing to continuous rains, which prevented the passage of the rivers, the expedition set out too late to attain this-the great body of the enemy's forces around and beyond Richmond having been already sent forward. The expedition, 2700 strong, crossed the Rappahannock simultaneously with the passage by Hooker's army, and without serious opposition gained the rear of Lee's position at Fredericksburg, and then separated into three divisions, each directed against a particular line of communication. All of these effected their object more or less completely, damaging the railroads and destroying much property. The main body, having reunited, commenced their return on the 2d of May, by nearly the same route on which they advanced, and with little loss rejoined the main army, from which they had had no intelligence, on the north side of the Rappahannock. They had moved for nine days within the enemy's lines, cut the canal which was his main source of supply, torn up bridges and portions of the railways, and inflicted great damage by destroying large amounts of commissary stores. Still, as General Hooker had no information of the success of this expedition, and had abandoned his position on the south of the Rappahannock, it has little permanent effect upon the issue of the campaign, beyond showing that the entire force of the Confederate Army of Virginia was massed under Lee at Fredericksburg. The most dashing exploit during this expedition was accomplished by a regiment of the Ira Harris Light Cavalry, under command of Colonel Kilpatrick. Leaving the main body at Louisa Court House on the 3d of May, he reached the Fredericksburg Railroad the next morning, destroyed the dépôt, and tore up the rails for miles; then pushed on to within two miles of Richmond, and captured prisoners within the line of fortifications; then turned to the Chickahominy, burned a bridge, ran one train of cars into the river, and burned another loaded with provisions. Resuming his route on the 5th, he surprised a cavalry force of 300 men, captured 35 men, burned a wagon-train with 20,000 barrels of grain and large amounts of stores, eluded a superior force of the enemy's cavalry who were in pursuit, destroying in the mean time a third wagon-train of the enemy, and on the morning of the 7th reached our lines at Gloucester Point. The march of 200 miles around the enemy's army was accomplished in less than five days, with a loss of one officer and 37 men, while of the enemy more than 300 were captured and paroled.

A still more brilliant expedition has been accomplished in the extreme south by a corps of Illinois cavalry, under the command of Colonel Grierson. Leaving Lagrange in Tennessee, near the border of Mississippi, on the 17th of April, they traversed almost the entire length of the latter State, riding a distance of 800 miles through the heart of the enemy's country, in fourteen days, and arrived at Baton Rouge, in Louisiana, on the 2d of May. In this expedition over 1000 prisoners and 1200 horses were captured, miles of rails on two important railroads were torn up, and stores to the value of four millions of dollars were destroyed. The map upon the following page shows the region passed through by this expedition.