How Sheridan's Ride Was Written

It cannot iucrease bis fame to state how " Sheridan's Ride " oame to be written ; but as a curiosity of literature we give the following version tbereof, believing it will ba found correct. Mr. Murdoch, the tragedian, had devoted biraself during the earlier years of our struggle, with a noble and sölfsacrificiag patriotism, to the ta.-k of raising money for tbc Sanitary Ooramission and all other benevolent projects intended for the benefit of " cur boys in blue." He liad delivered lectures and recitations all over the country, the proceeds going to, tho objects we have named ; and at leogth', when the war was drawing towards its close, bis numerous friends in Cincinnatiproposed a magnificent ovation for Mr. Murdoelï's own benefit - his finances having soraewhat suffered from his unselfish an 1 unsparing efforts 'm the cause of the soldier and the country - At breakfast on the morning of tho benefit-night, Mr. Murdoch, who was stayiug at Mr. liead'a house (and, by the way, who had been chiefly, or at east very largely, reciting Mr. Read's noble lyries and battle sketches duriirnthe two years preceding), remarked to lis poet friend : " I'm sorry, liead. that you did not give mo some original íoem for to-night. Something new and 'resh that would rouse the audience and set the blood leaping through my own veins as I spoke. The fact is, I feel rather a dread of this occasion ; and without some stimulus of the kind cannot speak as well for myaelf as I did for thors." Mr. Road suggestod that it was not jot too late. If Mr. Murdoch enlly wished it, he would try his hand at something new. Murdoch, however, persisted tbat it was too late - firstly, because poets cannot a!ways write to order; and secondly, beeause he, Murdoch, would require sorae hours to study vvbatever Mr. Èead - even in the brief space allowed him - miht find his muse willing to offer. " Nevertheless," said Read, " I'll try. That Rido of Sheridan 's from Winchester to Cedar Oreek we have been just reading about gives me a snbjVct ; and if you stay bere some few hours, I'll run up to my library and see vvhat can be done." In less than three hours he returned to the breakfast parlor and placed in the hands of the tragedian, equally delighted and astonished, the perfect manuscript of that noblest and most fiery of all our warsongs, "Phil. Sheridan's Ride." A elergyman said in a recent sermón, .Lat the path of rectilude had been travled so little of late years it had comdetely run to grass. Owing to laek of funds, the work on he Capítol extensión wil! bo discontinu-' d until Gongress makes further appro jriations. Tho HerahVs letter from Virginia Jity, Sept. 9th, reports the election of Jol. McLeon, the Democratie candidate br Delégate to Congress, by 1,000 majority, and all of the Democratie tickets. Rev. Dr. Franeis Wayland, who was more than twentyeight yars President of Brown Utiiversity, was prostratod by a purnlytiö stroke on Tuesduy last, and diud on Saturday, aged 69 years. A special to the Herald, datcd Washington, Oct. 2d, says : On the first of last January tlu're wcre 200 genera! hospitals iu the country, with thousauds of patients under treatment. At present thero are but forty, coutaining about 7,000 putients, and by the aid of tbor ooghly scientific surg;i(!al troafment, tog-elher wifh a liberal expendituro of money for wooden legs, arms and thingg of that sort, the Medical Department is rapidly reducing that number, No cxpensü is spared by the Government in Harting its shattered defendors in tho world again, as near as possblo, as good as Dew '