number of people would seem to imply, as in other cities, in consequence of the suburban character of so many of the residents. The dwelling-houses of these are generally isolated, having large open grounds on every side, which are used for gardens. Rare exotics, the finer fruits, the peach, the nectarine, the orange, fill these spaces, and, with the vine, impart a rich, tropical character to the aspect of the abode, which itself may be neither very large nor very magnificent. Ample piazzas and verandahs, ranging from 1 to 3 stories, give coolness and shade to the dwelling. The houses are of brick or wood; there are few of stone. Charleston exhibits a peculiar taste in architecture. It is like no other city in the Union in this respect. There are few regular blocks or rows of buildings. There is no uniformity. Each man has built after his own fashion; and there are some singular emanations of taste; but what is lost in propriety is gained in variety, and with fine gardens, open plats of shrubbery, shade and fruit trees, the orange, peach, etc., creepers, vines, the rich foliage of the magnolia, the oak, the cedar, the Pride of India, girdling the white dwellings and the green verandahs, the effect is grateful and highly picturesque." Scattered through the city are a number of small public squares, the principal of which, the Battery, commands. a fine view of the harbor.

The public buildings are numerous and handsome. The most conspicuous are the City Hall, Court House, Police Court, Custom House, Jail, Workhouse, and South Carolina Hall.

The schools of Charleston have always been famous. They embrace all classes, from the public primary school to colleges of a high grade. The principal establishments of the higher class are the Military Academy, conducted by the State (one-half of its pupils being State or free students); the Charleston College, founded in 1788; and the Medical College of the State of South Carolina. The city contains. several fine libraries, among which are the Mercantile, Apprentices, and City Libraries. The Art Society and Historical Society are excellent institutions, and each possesses a valuable collection of works relating to its objects.

The benevolent establishments are well conducted. They consist of an Almshouse, an Orphan Asylum, and a Hospital, together with several humane and charitable societies. The cemeteries are among the most beautiful in the world, and are greatly admired.

The city contains over 30 churches, several fine hotels, about 4 daily newspapers, and several weeklies. It is lighted with gas, and is sup

plied with water. It is governed by a Mayor and Council. In 1870, the population was 48,956.

During the late war, the city was subjected to a severe bombardment from the United States batteries on the bay islands, and was severely injured. It is now slowly recovering from this damage, and the old buildings are being replaced with better and more convenient edifices.

Charleston is connected with the principal cities of the Union by railway, and by steamers with the Atlantic and Gulf ports. It is the centre of a large coasting trade, and possesses some foreign commerce. It exports more rice than any other city in the Union, and is next to New Orleans and Mobile in its exportation of cotton. It has also a large trade in tobacco, lumber, and flour. Considerable shipping is owned in the port. The commerce of the city was entirely destroyed by the late war, but is now rapidly reviving.

Charleston was settled about the year 1679, by an English colony acting under a charter from the British Crown. The expedition was led by William Sayle, who became the first Governor. Some years later the settlers were joined by a number of French Huguenots, who had been exiled from their native country on account of their religion. Its growth was greatly retarded by the fierce fevers incident to the southern coast, and by many other difficulties; but it surmounted these, and by 1731 contained 600 houses and 5 churches. It took an active part in the troubles of the Revolution, and, although it contained a large number of persons devoted to the royal authority, sided with the colonies. On the 24th of June, 1776, a British fleet under Sir Peter Parker, consisting of 9 ships of war, attacked the American fort on Sullivan's Island, which commanded the entrance to the harbor. The fort was unfinished and badly armed, and was garrisoned by only 400 men under Colonel Moultrie. The British were repulsed with severe loss, and came near losing their fleet. In 1778, a severe fire consumed 252 houses. On the 1st of April, 1780, Charleston was besieged by the British under Sir Henry Clinton. It was defended by General Lincoln and a small American force, who held out until May 12th, when they surrendered, half the city being in ruins and the people starving. The British held the city until 1782. In 1783, Charleston was incorporated as a city. In 1796, it was again ravaged by a fire, which destroyed nearly a third part of the city and property to the amount of $2,500,000.

Charleston was the centre of the Secession movement which resulted

in the civil war. The beginning of hostilities—the bombardment and capture of Fort Sumter-occurred here. The harbor was closely blockaded during the war, and the defences of the city were frequently attacked by land and sea, and the city itself was subjected to a severe and destructive bombardment. After a long and desperate siege, it was recaptured by the United States forces on the 18th of February, 1865.

MISCELLANY.

AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF SERGEANT JASPER. Jasper had a brother, who had joined the British, and who held a similar rank in the army. To this brother he was warmly attached, and actually ventured into the British garrison at Ebenezer to see him. His brother was exceedingly alarmed, lest he should be seized and hung as an American spy; for his name was well known to many of the British officers. "Do not trouble yourself," said Jasper; "I am no longer an American soldier."

"Thank God for that, William," exclaimed his brother, heartily shaking him by the hand; "and now only say the word, my boy, and here is a commission for you, with regimentals and gold to boot, to fight for His Majesty, King George."

Jasper shook his head, and observed, that though there was but little encouragement to fight for his country, he could not find it in his heart to fight against her. And there the conversation ended. After staying two or three days with his brother, inspecting and hearing all that he could, he took his leave, returned to the American camp by a circuitous route, and told General Lincoln all that he had seen.

Soon after he made another trip to the English garrison, taking with him his particular friend, Sergeant Newton, who was a young man of great strength and courage. His brother received him with his usual cordiality; and he and his friend spent several days at the British fort without giving the least alarm. On the morning of the third day, his brother observed that he had bad news to tell him.

"Ay! what is it? asked William.

'Why," replied his brother, "here are ten or a dozen American prisoners, brought in this morning, as deserters from Savannah, whither they are to be sent immediately; and, from what I can learn, it will be apt to go hard with them--for it seems they have all taken the king's bounty."

"Let us see them," said Jasper. So his brother took him and his friend Newton to see them. It was indeed a melancholy sight to see the poor fellows handcuffed upon the ground. But when the eye rested on a young woman, wife of one of the prisoners, with her child, a sweet little boy of five years, all pity for the male prisoners was forgotten. Her humble garb showed that she was poor; but her deep distress, and sympathy with her unfortunate husband, proved that she was rich in conjugal love, more precious than all gold. She generally sat on the ground opposite to her husband, with her little boy leaning on her lap, and her coal black hair spreading in long, neglected tresses on her neck and bosom. Sometimes she would sit, silent as a statue of grief, her eyes fixed upon the

earth then she would start with a convulsive throb, and gaze on her husband's face with looks as piercing sad as if she already saw him struggling in the halter, herself a widow, and her son an orphan. While the child, distressed by his mother's anguish, added to the pathos of the scene by the artless tears of childish suffering. Though Jasper and Newton were undaunted in the field of battle, their feelings were subdued by such heart-stirring misery. As they walked out into the neighboring wood, the tears stood in the eyes of both. Jasper first broke silence. “Newton,” said he, "my days have been but few; but I believe their course is nearly finished."

Why so, Jasper ?"

"Why, I feel that I must rescue those poor prisoners, or die with them, otherwise, the remembrance of that poor woman and her child will haunt me to my grave."

"That is exactly what I feel, too," replied Newton; "and here is my hand and heart to stand by you, my brave friend, to the last drop. Thank God, a man can die but once; and why should we fear to leave this life in the way of our duty?"

The friends embraced each other, and entered into the necessary arrangements for fulfilling their desperate resolution.

Immediately after breakfast, the prisoners were sent on their way to Savannahı, under the guard of a sergeant and corporal, with 8 men. They had not been gone long, before Jasper, accompanied by his friend Newton, took leave of his brother, and set out on some pretended errand to the upper country. They had scarcely got out of sight of Ebenezer, before they struck into the woods, and pushed hard after the prisoners and their guard, whom they closely dogged for several miles, anxiously watching an opportunity to make a blow. The hope, indeed, seemed extravagant; for what could two unarmed men do against ten, equipped with loaded muskets, and bayonets? However, unable to give up their countrymen, our heroes still travelled on.

About 2 miles from Savannah, there is a famous spring generally called the Spa, well known to travellers, who often stopped there to quench their thirst. "Perhaps," said Jasper, "the guard may stop there." Hastening on through the woods, they gained the Spa, as their last hope, and there concealed themselves among the thick bushes that grew around the spring. Presently, the mournful procession came in sight of the spring, where the sergeant ordered a halt. Hope sprung afresh in the bosoms of our heroes, though no doubt mixed with great alarms; for "it was a fearful odds." The corporal, with his guard of four men, conducted the prisoners to the spring, while the sergeant, with the other four, having grounded their arms near the road, brought up the rear. The prisoners, wearied with their long walk, were permitted to rest themselves on the earth. Poor Mrs. Jones, as usual, took her seat opposite to her husband, and her little boy, overcome with fatigue, fell asleep in her lap. Two of the corporal's men were ordered to keep guard, and the other two to give the prisoners drink out of their canteens. These last approached the spring, where our heroes lay concealed, and, resting their muskets against a pine tree, dipped up water. Having drunk themselves, they turned away with replenished canteens, to give to the prisoners also. "Now, Newton, is our time," said Jasper. Then, bursting like lions from their concealment, they snatched up the two muskets that were resting against the pine, and in an instant shot down the two soldiers who were upon guard. It was now a contest who should get the loaded muskets that

fell from the hands of the slain; for by this time a couple of brave Englishmen, recovering from their momentary panic, had sprung and seized upon the muskets; but before they could use them, the swift-handed Americans, with clubbed guns, levelled a final blow at the heads of their brave antagonists. The tender bones of the skull gave way, and down they sunk, pale and quivering, without a groan. Then hastily seizing the muskets, which had thus a second time fallen from the hands of the slain, they flew between their surviving enemies and their weapons, grounded near the road, and ordered them to surrender; which they instantly did. They then snapped the handcuffs off the prisoners, and armed them with muskets.

At the commencement of the fight, poor Mrs. Jones had fallen to the earth in a swoon, and her little son stood screaming piteously over her. But, when she recovered, and saw her husband and his friends freed from their fetters, she behaved like one frantic with joy. She sprung to her husband's bosom, and, with her arms round his neck, sobbed out, "My husband is safe-bless God, my husband is safe." Then, snatching up her child, she pressed him to her heart, as she exclaimed, “Thank God! my son has a father yet." Then, kneeling at the feet of Jasper and Newton, she pressed their hands vehemently, but in the fullness of her heart she could only say, "God bless you! God Almighty bless you!"

For fear of being retaken by the English, our heroes seized the arms and regimentals of the dead, and, with their friends and captive foes, recrossed the Savannah, and safely joined the American army at Parisburgh, to the inexpressible astonishment and joy of all.