of leisure, he sets out trees and shrubs-thus year by year, beautifying his place, and rendering it not only more comfortable, but also worth more money, in case he should ever desire to sell it.

Capt. Pepperidge takes great pleasure, and perhaps a little innocent pride, in his place-though to say the truth it is by no means costly. He loves better to spend his time in making it more comfortable and pleasant; in setting out trees, improving the grounds, mending the fences, &c. than in going about to talk politics, or gossip upon other people's business, or in hunting a tavern bar room. In short, his home is comfortable, pleasant, delightful. It is neat and orderly, inside and out. And he has made it so; though his wife, having happily felt the influence of his example, contributes her share to the good work. His children are well dressed-well educated-well behaved. Can such a man be a drunkard? Can he be vicious? Can he be wicked? Who has so good a chance of health, and wealth, and happiness! Who so likely to be respected by his neighbors? Who so likely to do good by his influence and example. Come, Capt. Wideopen, I pray you, and learn a lesson of farmer Pepperidge!

Let us look at the practical effect of Pepperidge's example. Formerly this village was called Uneasy-Swamp, and was inhabited by a set of people becoming the name. They were poor, ignorant, idle and uneasy. They were jealous of all rich people, and considered the unequal distribution of property a dreadful evil. They were equally jealous of the wise, and considered the unequal distribution of knowledge a nuisance to be abated. They were also jealous of the virtuous, and hated nothing so much as a just and honest man. In short, they were, half a century ago, where some conceited but ignorant and uninformed people, are now, willing to level every body and thing to their own standard. If a candidate for office was up, who addressed their prejudices and coaxed them with promises,-though meaning to cheat them he was the man for them. The more ignorant a magistrate-the more mean-the more base-the more fellow feeling rendered them kind-and the more ardently they espoused his cause. Such was UneasySwamp, a place which has its image still in some parts of the country.

But Pepperidge came among the people and set them a good example. They persecuted him-reviled him-ridiculed him-broke down his fences at night-and played him sundry mischievous tricks. But he was patient, and tough, in his patience, as the tree that gave him a name. And he overcame them at last. One by one, the villagers began to imitate him. The small brown houses gradually lost their look of squalidness and disorder. The Swamp emerged from its shadow, and became a cultivated valley. The little farmers, and the humble mechanics rose from their degraded condition; education spread its light; industry, frugaliity, showered down their blessings, and Uneasy Swamp became the flourishing village of Economy.

And thus, though none of the people are what is called rich, none are poor. The small houses, are neat, and the fruit trees, the blossoming shrubs, the green grass, around them, declare that the people are happy. They are not mad in the foolish chase for riches, which is destroying more peace in this country, than all the bodily diseases our flesh is heir to. They are now, from better knowledge, satisfied that the rich man shall possess his wealth, both because they perceive that generally speaking the laboring classes are the happiest, and that the security of property is the only steady impulse to economy, industry, providence and the other important village virtues. They are more fond of knowledge, for they perceive that it increases their power of being happy. They respect talent and wisdom, for they know that these are gifts sent by Heaven, for the guidance of man to happiness. In politics they are stanch republicans, but always give their votes for men of sterling integrity. A man who has the general character of being an artful intriguing office seeker, has no chance with them. They are perhaps a little prejudiced against cities and city people. If they ever have any thing to do with a lawyer, they go to one who has been bred in the country, and one who was in early life a farmer? they think, and think justly, that while this rustic breeding, gives a man a habitually honest and plain turn of mind, it also renders him more knowing, sagacious, and favorable in his feelings in respect to country people.

I cannot better close this skecth than by introducing some lines which are much esteemed in the village of

Economy; every man, woman and child knows them by

heart.

"Let order o'er your time preside,
And method all your business guide.
Early begin, and end, your toil;
Nor let great tasks your hands embroil.
One thing at once, be still begun,
Contrived, resolved, pursued and done.
Hire not, for what yourselves can do;
And send not, when yourselves can go;
Nor, till to-morrow's light, delay
What might as well be done to-day.
By steady efforts all men thrive,
And long by moderate labor live;
While eager toil and anxious care,
Health, strength, and peace, and life impair.

"Nor think a life of toil severe;
No life has blessings so sincere.
Its meals are luscious, sleep so sweet,
Such vigorous limbs, such health complete,
No mind so active, brisk and gay,
As his who toils the livelong day.
A life of sloth drags hardly on;
Suns set too late, and rise too soon,
Youth, manhood, age, all linger slow,
To him who nothing has to do.
The drone, a nuisance to the hive,
Stays, but can scarce be said to live;
And well the bees, those judges wise,
Plague, chase and sting him till he dies.

"With punctual hand your taxes pay,
Nor put far off the evil day.
How soon to an enormous size,
Taxes succeeding taxes, rise!
How easy one by one discharged!
How hardly in the mass enlarged!
How humbling the intrusive dun!
How fast, how far, the expenses run!
Fees, advertisements, travel, cost,
And that sad end of all, the post!
This gulf of swift perdition flee,
And live, from duns and bailiffs free.

"In merchants' books, from year to year
Be cautious how your names appear.

How fast their little items count!

How great, beyond your hopes, the amount!
When shelves, o'er shelves, inviting stand,
And wares allure, on either hand;
While round you turn enchanted eyes,
And feel a thousand wants arise,
(Ye young, ye fair, these counsels true
Are penn'd for all, but most for you,)
Ere fancy lead your hearts astray,
Think of the means you have to pay."

RUSTIC FELICITY.

MANY are the silent pleasures of the honest peasant, who rises cheerfully to his labor.-Look into his dwelling -where the scene of every man's happiness chiefly lies; -he has the same domestic endearments-as much joy and comfort in his children, and as flattering hopes of their doing well-to enliven his hours and gladden his heart, as you would conceive in the most affluent station.—And I make no doubt, in general, but if the true account of his joys and sufferings were to be balanced with those of his betters-that the upshot would prove to be little more than this: that the rich man had the more meat-but the poor man the better stomach;-the one had more luxury—more able physicians to attend and set him to rights;—the other, more health and soundness in his bones, and less occasion for their help; that, after these two articles betwixt them were balanced-in all other things they stood upon a level that the sun shines as warm-the air blows as fresh, and the earth breathes as fragrant upon the one as the other;and they have an equal share in all the beauties and real benefits of nature.

THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE.

On the 14th of March, 1792, the Commissioners of the city of Washington offered a premium, by advertisement in the public papers, for a plan for the President's house, and another for a design for the Capitol, to be presented on the 15th July.

The plan for the President's house, presented by Capt. James Hoban, was approved, and on the 13th of October, a procession was formed for laying the corner stone of that building.

The President's house was wholly constructed after the designs and under the direction of Capt. James Hoban, and the interior was rebuilt by him, after it had been destroyed by the enemy in 1814. It is situated at the westerly part of the city, at the intersection of Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and Vermont avenues, which radiate from this point to a centre.

The

It stands near the centre of a plat of ground of twenty acres, at an elevation of fourty-four feet above the usual high water of the river Potomac. The entrance front faces north, upon an open square, and the garden front to the south, opens to an extensive and finely varied view of the Capitol and most improved part of the city, of the river and Potomac bridge, and of the opposite Virginia and Maryland shores. The building is one hundred and seventy feet front and eighty-six deep, is built of white free stone, with Ionic pilasters, comprehending two lofty stories of rooms, crowned with a stone balustrade. north front is ornamented with a lofty portico, of four Ionic columns in front, and projecting with three columns. The outer intercolumniation is for carriages to drive into, and place company under shelter; the middle space is the entrance for those visiters who come on foot; the steps from both lead to a broad platform in front of the door of entrance. The garden front is varied by having a rusticated basement story under the Ionic ordonnance, and by a semi-circular projecting colonnade of six columns, with two flights of steps leading from the ground to the level of the principal story.

In the interior, the north entrance opens immediately into a spacious hall of forty by fifty feet, furnished simply, with plain stuccoed walls. Advancing through a screen of Ionic columns, apparently of white marble, but only of a well executed imitation, in composition, the door in the centre opens into an oval room, or saloon, of forty by thirty feet-the walls covered with plain crimson flock paper, with deep gilded borders. The marble chimney piece and tables, the crimson silk drapery of the window curtains and chairs, with the carpet of French manufacture,