It were less bitter! Sometimes I could weep than a cent a copy more than the white paper | Or, had he whispered when his sweetest kiss costs, simply because there are 100,000 people Was warm upon my mouth in fancied bliss, who are willing to pay four cents each morning He had kissed another woman like to thisfor a daily newspaper. If, now, it sold only 10,000, which would be the utmost that it could furnish in season without some elaborate printing machine, it would be obliged to expend a far less sum in procuring material, and must also charge a much higher price. The subscribers would get a much smaller and poorer article, at a much greater cost. It is true that a large portion of the receipts of a newspaper are derived from advertisements; but it can get a large number of advertisements at high prices only because it has a large sale. Reduce the sale, and the revenue from advertisements is reduced in a ratio fully equal. So I built my house upon another's ground; And when that heart grew colder-colder still, All-any thing but him. It was to be; The principle might be illustrated in like manner in the case of almost any machine applied to any manufacture. It is indeed true that a machine may temporarily throw a num- I say again-he gives me all I claimed, ber of persons out of their usual employment. I and my children never shall be shamed; But in nine cases out of ten, as we have shown He is a just man-he will live unblamed. in the case of the printing-press, it in a short time adds to the number of men actually employed in their special trade; and in the tenth and exceptional case it opens new employment of a kindred nature. A COMMON STORY. For his too, somewhat. Let him stand unblamed; I never sought him in coquettish sport, Or courted him as silly maidens court, Only-O God, O God, to cry for bread, And wonder when the longed-for prize falls short. And so my silent moan begins and ends. I only loved him-any woman would; I was so happy I could make him blest! Ah me! if only then he had been true! He had given me love for love, as was my due! Or, had he told me, ere the deed was done, No world's laugh or world's taunt, no pity of friends None knows-none needs. I have a little pride; And I shall take his children to my arms; And haply, as the solemn years go by, DINAH MARIA MULOCK. THE NATURAL WEALTH OF VIRGINIA. HE termination of the war, and, with it, | Idaho, Nevada, and Colorado. But of what Tthe overthrow of that institution which has practical avail was all their knowledge, so long ever acted as the only and insurmountable barrier against the true development of the South -either by spontaneous action or by aid from abroad-are rapidly concentrating the eyes of the whole nation upon the surprising natural wealth which Virginia contains, and are likely to reveal a grandeur and amount of resources of which the world had hitherto but a very remote conception. Any one, on taking a glance at the map of the United States, will notice that extraordinary chain of mountains rising, like a magnificent anomaly, from the vast level expanse of a whole continent. This mountain chain-the Alleghanies and the Blue Ridge-indicate the course of one of the most extraordinary belts of richness to be found in the world. This golden zone can be distinctly traced, in one unbroken line, over a length of more than 500 miles, extending all the way from Maryland to the southwestern extremity of North Carolina, and running parallel with the Alleghanies. Its width is, in its broadest part, from twenty to twenty-five miles, and at times it is contracted to a distance of only two or three miles. The value of this region, however comparatively unheeded and neglected by the world at large, was by no means unknown to scientific men, both native and foreign. Throughout the whole of the California excitement there were plenty of learned and practical people who were well aware of the fact that, within two or three days' easy travel from New York, the teeming soil of Virginia was concealing the very same wealth which hundreds of thousands are willing to go and delve, thousands of perilous miles away, in the wilds of California, as slavery-that selfish and obdurate sentinelstood barring the door of progress, not only against foreign but even local enterprise? But for the overthrow of that institution Virginia and all her treasures would have been to-day, and for ages to come, a sealed book to the rest of the world. Professor Frederick Overman, one of the most skillful mineralogists of the age, says, as far back as 1851, in his work entitled "Practical Mineralogy:" "There are gold-bearing localities in Virginia and North Carolina which, if not equal to those of California at present, will be of greater importance in the future, and, I predict, more sure and lasting." In another place, while favorably comparing the mineral formation of Virginia with that of other more renowned localities, he says: "It may be asserted, as a fact, that all native sulphurets, particularly all the sulphurets of iron, contain gold. As sulphurets can not possibly penetrate any rock but from below, we may naturally conclude that the heaviest body of such kind of ore must necessarily lie deep in the earth. This conclusion is supported and confirmed by practice; for all pyriteous veins are invariably found to improve in quantity and quality with the depth. This circumstance speaks very favorably for the gold formation of the Southern States. We have here a belt of gold ores of unparalleled extent, immense width, and undoubtedly reaching to the primitive rock, which, on an average, can not be less than 2000 feet deep. Here is a mass of precious metal, inclosed in the rock, which can not be exhausted for ages; and, in this respect, the region in question-Virginia and North Carolina-is the most important of all known gold deposits, Cal- | not only to minutely describe every rod of her ifornia not excepted." The gold regions of Virginia differ in many respects from those of other localities. In California, for instance, gold is most abundantly found in the trap-rocks, or those of igneous origin; but in the Southern States it is not. In the gold-bearing strata of Virginia trap-rock is frequently found intruding, but it does not appear to be the matrix of the gold. Syenite, gneiss, green-stone, and porphyry appear to be rather the primary sources, and the pyrites are evidently the immediate matrix. All iron pyrites contain gold, and often silver-only excepting those of the coal formation-and the extensive gold deposits of Virginia may be said to be literally one continuous belt or accumulation of veins of iron pyrites. Most of the gold-bearing rock which has hitherto been mined in Virginia is principally a kind of talcose slate, somewhat resembling soap-stone, but not so greasy to the touch. This slate is red and ferruginous at the surface, but, at a greater depth, is filled with small crystals of iron pyrites which are decomposed near the surface and appear as peroxyd of iron, giving the slate a brown or yellow tinge. This slate is a metamorphic rock, and runs in a regular belt parallel with the Alleghany mountain chain. The gold found in the State of Virginia occurs in exceedingly small grains, often so fine as to be not only invisible to the naked eye, but undiscernible even by the assistance of a strong lens. This is the case even when the ores are worth three or four dollars per bushel. Some veins of the slate region contain coarse gold, in grains as large as the head of a pin and even larger. These are generally found in veins of quartz in which the pyrites are concentrated into larger masses. Where the pyrites are disseminated in fine crystals through the mass of the rock the gold is found to be very fine. In the first pyrites the gold is often invisible, even if, after separation, it appears to be coarse. By natural or artificial decomposition the gold becomes visible, the pyrites are converted into oxyd of iron, and, by aid of a lens, the gold can be detected embedded in the oxyd of iron. Another form in which native gold is not unfrequently found in Virginia is in quartz, in which it is embedded. Solid white quartz, both in veins and in crystals, is found, in which the gold appears in spangles, plates, grains, and also in perfectly developed crystals. Throughout the gold regions of Virginia copper pyrites are found in all the metallic deposits. It invariably accompanies the gold-bearing iron pyrites, and is always considered a good indication of richness. Cases have often occurred in which the largest amount of treasure has been abandoned because the miners had not the knowledge or proper appliances for separating the precious yield of gold and copper. To give any adequate description of the mineral wealth which Virginia contains would be VOL. XXXII.-No. 187-C entire length, embracing hundreds of miles, but to enumerate almost every mineral of value hitherto known among mankind. It is not in gold alone that she abounds, but, scattered in profusion over almost her entire surface, are to be found-iron, copper, silver, tin, tellurium, lead, platinum, cinnabar, plumbago, manganese, asbestos, kaolin (porcelain clay), slate clay (fire clay), coal, roofing slate of the greatest durability, marbles of the rarest beauty, soap-stone, sulphur, hone-stone equal to the best Turkey, gypsum, lime, copperas (sulphate of iron), blue-stone (sulphate of copper), grindstones, cobalt, emery, and a variety of other materials that we have hitherto been compelled to import or to do without. Indeed it may be said, without exaggeration, that in the single State of Virginia, in the most singular juxtaposition of what might be considered geologically incongruous materials, is to be found an almost exhaustless fund of God-given treasures, more than enough to pay off our whole national debt, and only awaiting the magic touch of capital and enterprise to drag them to light for the benefit of man. The writer of this article made a tour, in the month of August last, through a portion of the gold regions of Virginia in company with three very eminent geologists and mineralogists; two of them old native Virginians, and the other a resident of Kansas. The portion we selected for visiting was three of the richest mineral countries in the immediate neighborhood of the James River and Kanawha Canal: viz., Goochland, Buckingham, and Fluvanna. In these three counties alone we visited no fewer than twenty-five rich and well known mines, teeming with gold, copper, silver, roofing slate, copperas, granite, and many other valuable materials. The first place we visited was Belzoro Mine. This truly splendid estate is situated some fifty miles from Richmond, on the White Hall Road, and about seven miles from Columbia, the point at which the mineral treasures of this region come in contact with the commercial world, through the James River Canal. The Belzoro Mine may be said to be the very centre of one of the richest nests of gold deposits to be found any where in Virginia-perhaps on this continent; for not only in itself but in all the properties immediately contiguous to it: viz., the Marks, Collins, Eades, the Big-Bird, etc., evidences were scattered every where of the whole earth teeming with mineral wealth. I really believe that on one and all of these estates (especially the Belzoro and that of Lancelot Marks immediately adjoining) there are whole acres of ground where every scrap of rock, each handful of soil contains more or less of the precious metals. The great antiquity of the Belzoro Mine is evident from the fact that crucibles, made by the Indians, or, perhaps, some remoter and unknown tribes, have been found on it, bearing a who is now engaged upon it. There are four gold-bearing quartz veins on this place, all of which have been prospected and found to be exceedingly rich. It is with this place as with many others of the richest to be found throughout Virginia-machinery has never been properly applied to the development of their resources, and the boundless treasure they contain may, therefore, be said to have been literally untouched. rude resemblance to an acorn cup, and mani- | Woodfork, then followed up by Coward, then festly devoted to the use of melting the pre- by George Fisher, then Minor Webb, and finalcious metals. Gold was first discovered here ly by Lancelot Marks, the present proprietor, by surface-washing in 1832. The property then belonged to Mr. William Southworth, and gold-washings continued, with varied success, up to 1849, when it was purchased by the present proprietor, Mr. George Fisher. It contains 382 acres a large portion of which is well timbered. Mr. Fisher, who is considered the ablest mineralogist of Virginia, has been working it for veins ever since 1849, and has already discovered seven most valuable ones, varying in width from 2 feet 6 inches to 30 feet, in which the whole strata is gold-bearing. There is one hill of 30 acres on which nearly every square foot of mere surface well repays for washing. As much as $300 per day has been obtained from one crushing machine alone, and $100 per day frequently from six ordinary stamps. There are about 50 acres of creek and branch flats, every part of which will well repay surface-washing. This property also contains copper, lead, and iron; many beautiful specimens of these ores having been found there. Nuggets of gold, weighing from 4 to 7 pennyweights, have also been frequently found on the surface. The Marks Mine may be said to stand next in rank among those we visited in this immediate neighborhood. This very valuable property, comprising 250 acres, is bounded on three sides by famous gold mines: the Eades, the Big-Bird, and the Belzoro, just described. Surface-washing was commenced here in 1830 by The Marks Gold Mine can best be reached by packet from Richmond to Columbia, thence by hack, 7 miles, over a good road; or by carriage from Richmond, 50 miles. Irrespective of its mineral wealth it is a rich and lovely farm, with a good dwelling-house, kitchen, tobacco-houses, stables, etc., also well inclosed fields, excellent orchard of old fruit trees, and deliciously cool and unfailing springs of water. There are about 50 acres of the land in cultivation, besides pasture, and about 100 acres of heavily-timbered land, sufficient to last the estate for very many years; while abundant water-power exists on the place to run an cngine for the purpose of mining. Among the other mines we visited in Goochland County were the Lowry, Nicholas, Hughes, Collins, Eades, and Waller; all of which bore the same proofs of redundant undeveloped wealth, and possess a thousand agricultural attributes to tempt the immigrant irrespective of the mineral treasures they are known to con tain. In most of these nothing was being done, | conversing with them. One of them, "Bill," or had ever been done, but the simplest surfacewashing with the rudest appliances. At only one of them, the Waller, did we see any thing like an active attempt at working, and, in this case, although they had only proceeded a few feet into the ground, they were already being amply repaid for their labor. an evidently shrewd fellow, told us that while he was at work at the old mine, for the Fishers, he kept $2000 that he had "found," and put it out to interest. This statement we afterward had the means of fully corroborating by a totally different channel of information. Being desirous of knowing what Bill was "finding" now, we put the question to him plump lay by his little egg-shell full of "pickings." At that rate we could not exactly calculate how much "pickings" went to his co-workers, and how much of legitimate earnings to his employer; but the yield should be something handsome to admit that ratio of discount, whether in the way of picking or stealing. The Waller Mine was discovered in 1831, when Cole and Woolfork carried on surface-ly, and were told that every month he could washing there for four months. Veins were discovered by Moss in 1832. A splendid one of brown oxyd of iron, 6 feet thick, was laid open by Messrs. Fisher, and worked by them until William K. Smith purchased the land. He afterward sold to Messrs. Richards, of New York, who worked it twelve months and then sold it to a London (England) company at a large sum. Through the mismanagement of the agent it failed, after abortive efforts of two years. The agent was represented to us as having been an incompetent and worthless man, who cared much more to spend the money of the company than to use it judiciously in developing the mine. The London company sold it to the present owners, Messrs. Dabney, who own the west part (comprising 219 acres), and to Mr. Anderson the east part. Messrs. Turner, Hughes, and Co. are now opening a shaft on the west part, near where the best "diggings" were formerly worked, and which is represented in the adjoining sketch. While watching the negroes at work, lowering and drawing up their buckets full of the auriferous earth, we seized an opportunity of The Waller Mine is, unquestionably, one of the richest in Virginia. The matrix of the gold there is decomposed sulphuret of iron and rotten quartz, and the vein is from one to twelve feet in thickness. No shaft has yet been sunk over 75 feet, and the best ore has always been found at the bottom of the shafts. The works have always hitherto been stopped on account of the appearance of water, as the proper machinery for getting rid of it was lacking; and this may be said of almost every other similar past effort in Virginia. There is first-rate water-power on this place, and every opportunity for rare and profitable mining operations. From Goochland we proceeded westward, into the equally rich county of Fluvanna. Here we visited and examined minutely the fine gold mines of Moseby, Chalk Level, Fount |