Mr. Wheeler made the chain, and its links were hauled across New Jersey, to be finally strung across the river, where it did good service. By building a fire under one of the links and then using a sledge-hammer and a chisel, it was ultimately cut apart. * * * * * The Colonel was a bluff old fellow, and all the officers liked him except for one thing, and that was his jealousy of the commanding officer of a neighboring post. He would grow irritable whenever this officer's name was mentioned, although he invariably brought the name up himself. One evening some of the mess determined to have some fun with the Colonel, and possibly put a stop to his pettishness. "Colonel," said one of the officers, "it's queer, but you'd think Major D ---- [the neighboring commander] had studied spelling. I got a letter from him to-day, and how do you think he spells 'here'?" "He doesn't know much," growled the Colonel. "I suppose he spells it, h-e-a-r." "No." "Well, h-e-e-r." "No, that's not it." "H-i-e-r," ventured the Colonel once more. "Guess again." "Well, I'd have to be as stupid as he is to guess any other way of spelling it. Wait a moment. Does he spell it h-u-e-r?" "No, Colonel." "Well, then, how does the man spell it, anyhow?" "Why, h-e-r-e, as it should be." The Colonel rose with wrath in his eyes, and snapped out: "Gentlemen, I'm too old for such joking," and then left the room and slammed the door after him. * * * * * Doubtless few know that the New York _Journal of Commerce_ originated what is popularly known as a newspaper extra. When this occurred times were troublesome in Europe, and the great revolution of 1830 was approaching. Naturally America was anxious for early news, and all the newspapers of New York equipped small boats that cruised about the harbor, waylaying the large packet vessels arriving from abroad to get the tidings. The _Journal of Commerce_ conceived the plan of sending out a small schooner to intercept the packets two or three days ahead of their arrival. The originators of the plan were laughed at, and told that it would in the end ruin them. Results proved otherwise, however, and when the semaphoric telegraph announced their schooner in the offing, and later, coming up the bay, the crowd would gather around the office of the paper. They had to wait until the extra evening edition was ready, and then one of the partners would sometimes read the news aloud to hundreds of citizens, while thousands of copies were sold. This schooner was the first American news-boat of any size. * * * * *