California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Volume 12, Number 12, 28 October 1859 — Leaves From My Journal—No. 9. [ARTICLE]

[For the California Farmer.]

Leaves From My Journa l—No. 9.

M. A. HARLES.

Tiik sun descending in ft flood of glory, lit "P magnificently the huge clouds tlmt hud been gathering all the afternoon nroiind the brow of Mount Diablo. Twilight erased the glowing colors nnd robed the clouds in a mourning clonk, nnd now, us I write, night deepens every shadow. How sultry it is I Scarce a sigh of wind is heard, nnd the trees in front of tho Institute look like the mysteriously black-cowled monks one rends of in Home. The straits nre marked out by a faint line of light j the lumps iv the distant villnge glimmer like will-o-wisps; the bell nt the Pacific Works strikes slowly and its tiiusic.nl echos as it tells rite eleven o'clock, seem to warn me of another hour of life gone, another step towards eternity. Hurk ! wns tlmt thunder 7 A flash of lightning which seems to suffuse the heavens with liquid lire anil illuminates for an instant the landscape, answers my question. It is dark again, and the singing of the waves is the only sound that disturbs tbe oppressive solemnity of the hour. A distant rumble is licnrd, and again the lightning blinds me; but this time the lire dnrts zig-zag upwards anil bursts in myriad jets of flume. Curiously I now watch the rare spectacle Sometimes the lightning glitters nroiind the bend of the mountain, like as jewels would flash upon the brow of a Lady Macbeth at the bed-side of Duncan. Again it seems to flood all nature and to sketch every outline of the scene in livid fire. Now it frolics from the horizon to the zenith nnd glistens as do the serpents in the tangled foliage of the Isthmus. Kver und anon it unites in presenting a coup Jcul of such startling splendor that one fancies that Jove himself wields his tbnnderboltl ami that the Titans have made old Diablo the scene of another contest, or we i nn imagine Satan marshaling Ins hosts. As crash after crash almost shakes the earth, we can see the hosts of bell forming in battle-nrray. As the blinding light gleams fearfully to the eye one can almost see the lender and hear him as he shouts

"Death's coal-black pall Bo now our standard ! lie our torch the glare Of cities fired! our Hfcs tho shrieks that fill tho air." But lo! the clouds nre vanishing, the thunder has MSSId, the lightning is held back, v soft light steals softly up from behind the horizon and one breathlessly fancies that Jehovah has said "peace I" and at the command Satan has lied back again to lull.

Tiik. Don-on Oitwittkii.—When Dr. Dodge, an eclectic physician, wns lecturing ou the laws of health, and particularly oil the evils of ten and coffee, be happened to meet one morning at the breakfast-table, a witty son of Erin, of the better class. Con venation turned on the doctor's favorite subject, be addressed our Irish friend us follows : ' Perhaps you think I would be unable to convince you of tbe deleterious effects of tea and COll'oc 1" '•I don't know," said Krin, ''but I d like to be thcro when you do it." "Well." said the doctor, "if I convince you they aro injurious to your health, will yon abstain from their use 7" ' Sure and I will, sir." "How often do you use coffee and tea 7" said the doctor. '•Morning and night, sir." "Well," said the doctor, "do you ever experience a slight dizziness on the brain on going to bed. ' "I do, indeed I do," replied Krin. "And a sharp pain through the temples, in and about the eyes, iv the morning?" "Troth I do, sir." "Well," said the doctor with an air of confidence and assurance in his manner, "that is the tea tad coffee." "U it indeed ? faith and I always thought it was the whisky I drank." The company roared with laughter, and the doctor quietly retired, lie was beat a.