The Placer herald., 1860-04-28
Gen. Washingtons Cook, when the Genl
was Pl eSident

celebrated artist in his line. His name was
Hercules, and he was Familiarity called Uncle
llarkless. Trained i the mysteries of his
profession from early youth, in the palmy
days of Virginia, when the smoke of her
thousand chilnneys gave token of her gene,
rous hospitality. Uncle llarkless was at
this time, as accomplished master of the
culinary art as could be found in the United
States. He was dark brown man, not
much above the middle size but possessing
an almost fabulous strength which reminded
one OF his namesake of classical antiquity.
The chief cook yloried in the cleanliness and
nicely of his kitchen. The slightest spe,k
or spot that could be found en- the tables or
dressers was visited on bis underlings with
summary retribution. But the chief glory
of Uncle llarkless was in preparing the
great Thursday dinner, when members of
Congress sat at the table of the President
During his Iabors on this banquet he requir-
ed some half dozen aprons, and napkins with
out number. His presiding genius brought
order and discipline into the bustling scene.
When the steward in snow white aplo on, silk
small clothes and stockings, and hair in full
powder placed the first dish on the table,
the clock being on the stroke Of four, the
labor of Hercules were brought to an end.
While the leaders of the republic were en-
gagged in discussing the dinner the chief
cook retired to make bis toilet for an eve
ming promenade. His receipts from the per-
quisites of the kitchen often amounted to
two hundred dollars a year. Most of this
sum was avished on his dress, though he
was by no means a model of manly beauty.
His wardrobe was selected with fastidous
taste, and regardless of expense His linen
was of the purest white, and of the finest
quality. Black small clothes, wais,coa', and
stockings of costly silk. EXCHANGED the spen-
dor Of his array. His highly polished hoes
rejoced in large silver buckles, which GOV
cred considerable part of the foot. The
grand costume was completed by a blue
Goth coat, with velvet collar, and bright
metal buttons long watch chain dang ing
from his fop, a cooked hat, and goldhealed
cane. Invariably passed out at the front
door, the porter making low bow, which
was promptly returned. His appearance
among his fellow lorngers in Market street,
then place of fashionable resor,. attracted
not Il little attention, which was highly en-
joyed by the important functionary.
YEAKNING FOR CAlIFoRNIA.-The number
of Californians who voluntarily return from
the Eastern States after accomplishing the
long cherished anticipation Of going home"
is worthy Of remark. Letters written by
others who has settled down by their old
hearth stones, show an i'll cocnealed yearn-
ing after their former pioneer home, or dis
satisfaction with their present location No
matter how deep their home affections, or
how great the prvaion or bad fortune en-
countered here; no matter how pleasant the
greeting of old friends or the enchantment
of old scenes, the Calitornian's heart still
yearns towards his Western encampment.
His heart is with the Young empire whose
birth he SAW, and whose growth he nurturcd
with a fostering hand. lie cannot take up
the thread Of prosac history after the episode
Of adventure He is tormented like Snbad,
with wanderers desire even in the midst Of
competence. And the spell of Calypsian
climate is over him still He misses the
equable serenity of the haIf-ye summers
the exhilera'ing atmosphere, and grateful
YIELD of a spontaneous soil. Pinched bv
rosts in his Atlantic retirement, he looks
back ongingly to the warm rains that mark
the winters of his old Pacific home, restless
and perspiring through the sultry summer
night in his eastern dwelling, his fancy fol-
lows the setting sun to the COOL starlit
nights Of his beloved California. For the
young empire, by some subtle spell, ever
TINS holds her subjects. Powerful and des
potic, she ignores the alien. She had said,
"Once Californian always Californian"
Northern Californian.
The NATIONS WIrnour FIRE.-Accor-
ding to Plinv, fire WAS for long time un-
known to some Of the anciel Egyptians; and
when Euxodus (he celebrated astronomer)
showed it to them they were absolutely in
rapture. The Persans, Phnncians, Cracks
and several other nations acknowledge that
their ancestors were once without the use of
fire, and the Chinese confess the same of
their progenitors, Pompanius, Me'a, Plu
tarch, and other ancient authors, speak of ma
:ions who, at the time they wrote, knew not
the use of fire, or had but just learned it.
Facts of the same kind are also atlested by
several modern nations. The inhabitants OF
the Marian Islands, which were discovered
in 1861, had no idea of fire. Never was as
tonishment greater than theirs when they
saw it on its descent of Magellan in one of
their Islands. At first they believed it was
some kind of animal that fixed to and fed
upon wood The inhabitants of the Philip
pine and Canary Islands were formerly
equally ignorant. Africa presents even in
our own day, some nations in this deporable
state.
SPLENDID DREss.-From an English pa
per's correspondence we learn that, at Cal