The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-26
r, ON the Ns,o Orleans Piedyuns, January g..
suoxy-xtor.n I'm New Orleans.

The announcement may appear strange, but
truth is stranger than fiction all the world over,
and il is not less true than strange that New Or
leans was visited yesterday afternoon and last
evening with regular, steady fall of snow that
lasted several hours.
At first it difficult to say whether the small
white particles that iioaed about 30 lightly and ca
priciously were not asles waited 10 US, Is fire.
quently the case, from some distant and burning
prairie. Presently. the fine atoms came down
straight, swiftly and compnctly, umbrellas were
raised coat-collars were turned up; the pave
Inents looked very damp; windows opened;
faces peered out inquisitively. "Snow' Yes. it is
snow!' was the general exclamation, from natives
and strangers, old and young, white, brown, vel
low, and black. Ladies, who had never been out
| OF Louisiana cried "Mon Dieu" by dozens, and
held up their hands in mingled wonder and excite
ment. Troops Of little dsrkies ran crying with
fright to their mothers; several venerable Congo
negroes down town declared positively that the
clouds were coming down in pieces; counting
room doors were lined with staid merchants
watching the fall of the downy drops; squads Of
boys raced about in wild excitement catching
"leathcrs;" whilst every few steps you met some
ruddy northern man, who rubbed his hands and
smiled, and held other signs on bis countenance
that he was thinking Of the pleasant times whom
seigh-riding and he were warm fricnds.
After while the small shot OF concealed water
changed into large. downy fakes-old- iashi oned
snow flakes-such AZ we read OF in Dickens's
Christmas stories, and which suggest such plea
SAINT family pictures of glowing hearths, social
chats. and domestic comforts, in warm and COM
Portable parlors Soon the balconies were covered
half an inch deep; hats and coats were slvered
over and even the long streets were invested with
u pure white raiment, through which here and
there peered some obstinate round stone mound
Of rubbish.
IL singular sight-something to stare at
| and to laugh at and be merry over. Falling snow
always has the latter effect on us, good reader,
whatever it's influence on you. 1t was singular to
see men hated to the eyes and coated to the nose
60 rushing through the soft shower, gently falling
and unheard, Of feathery atoms; to catch glimpses
| Of parti- coored coachnen and omnibus drivers
dashing rapidly by; Of gas lights burning dimy, as
il waiting for nero breath-a mere snow flake
to extinguish them. Ii was more singular to be
able 10 scrape up great handfuls Of the cold drip
ping white down from the balconies and roofs, and
| even from the streets. and engage in round or
two of snow bang with ones friends
Surely there is something wrong s0me,Dhers!
Either we are getting into the north pole or the
north pole is rousing up with long pole. Where
is the sunny South gone to- What We to do3
How we to call the South now, unless it be the
"southern South with northern principles?" What
docs the Oldest inhabtant say? Did he ever? Let
us be careful Of what we do; prepare for a sudden
change from this place to somewhere else-no mat
ter where; and in the mean time recommend to the
police to be about! 'This weather ia most intoe-
rable and not to be endured" said an ancient po
liceman; therefore let the police get out search
warrant Is for old "sunny" clerk Of the climate
and bring him back, dead or alive!