aws out all the
literary talent which may be lying dormant in their souls--so that any
one desirous of becoming a writer, has only to take a trip to that
fascinating region, and at some unexpected moment he will awake with
rapture and delight to the blessed consciousness of having blossomed
into a flower of genius, and, as such, will feel privileged at once to
deluge his family, his friends, and the world in general, with the
brilliant results of his most delightful discovery.

* * * * *

THE PROFIT OF PURITAN PRISONS.

Spain has commissioned a Mr. AZCARATE, a Cuban, to visit and report upon
our penal institutions, and the gentleman is now in the country. We
trust he will not fail to visit the Connecticut State Prison. There he
would unquestionably obtain numerous hints for improving the Spanish
system of prison torture, or even that in vogue in his native land, for
political prisoners. There he might learn how Yankee thrift, applied in
this direction, makes the starving of convicts even a more profitable
business than manufacturing wooden nutmegs. Perhaps not the least
valuable information he would gain, would be the best method of goading
obnoxious prisoners into revolt, and thus obtaining a chance for
disposing of them, legally, by a capital conviction.

* * * * *

AN OPEN CONGRESSIONAL COUNTENANCE.

It is oddly enough objected to the re-election of a certain Member of
Congress from Massachusetts, that "he can't open his mouth." It might be
answered that Gen. BUTLER is quite able to open his mouth wide enough
for the whole delegation. The mouth may be opened for two purposes,
viz., speech-making and swallowing; and it never appeared to us that
there was any lack either of Bolting or Bellering in the House of
Representatives. However notably Honorable Gentlemen may play the game
either of Gab or Grab, it isn't so clear that their constituents are
much benefited by these accomplishments. If all they want is an
open-mouthed Member, why don't the Massachusetts men import a
first-class crocodile, and send him to the National Menagerie in
Washington?

* * * * *

SPREAD OF AMERICAN PRINCIPLES.

It is with a heart full of patriotic pride and gratitude that Mr.
PUNCHINELLO observes the adoption, in his dear native Italy, of the
manners and customs of the Land of his Adoption. At an election recently
held in Rome, about som