t I'm over _forty-five_."

"In what year did you make your appearance on this mundane sphere?"

"I don't know what you mean; but I'm over forty-five."

"When were you born?"

"I don't know; but I'm over forty-five."

"How am I to know you are over age?"

"I don't know and I don't care; but I'm over forty-five."

"When were you forty-five?"

"I don't know; but I know I'm over forty-five."

"You must give me some proof that you are over age."

"I've been in the country thirty-six years, and I'm over forty-five."

"That does not prove that you are too old to be drafted."

"I don't care; I know I'm over forty-five."

"I shall not erase your name until you prove your age."

"I tell you I've been in this country thirty-six years, and I went
sparking before I came here, and I'm over forty-five."

"Will you swear it?"

"Yes, I'm over forty-five. D----d if I aint over forty-five."

"Well, I will exempt you."

"I don't care whether you do or not, for _I've got a wooden leg_."

NEW USE OF BLOOD-HOUNDS.

One fine summer's Sunday afternoon, as a steamboat was stopping at a
landing on the Mississippi to take in wood, the passengers were
surprised to see two or three young, athletic negroes perched upon a
tree like monkeys, and about as many blood-hounds underneath, barking
and yelping, and jumping up in vain endeavors to seize the frightened
negroes. The overseer was standing by, encouraging the dogs, and
several bystanders were looking on, enjoying the sport. It was only
the owner of some blood-hounds training his dogs, and keeping them in
practice, so as to be able to hunt down the runaways, who often
secrete themselves in the woods. It was thought fine sport, and
useful, too, in its way, ten years ago.

But now the same hounds are being made use of, all through Alabama and
Mississippi, and, we have no doubt, in other of the Southern States,
to hunt down white men hiding in the woods to escape the fierce
conscription act, which is now seizing about every man under sixty
years of age able to carry a gun. Nor is this the worst. It is found
that those camped out are supplied with food brought them by their
children, who go out apparently to play in the woods, and then slip
off and carry provisions to their fathers. To meet this exigency,
blood-hounds are now employed to follow these little children on their
pious errands, and the other day a beautiful little girl was thus
chased and overtaken in the woods,