The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-12-31
Letter lPOn New orleans.
Correspondence Of the HAwK-EYE.

u NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec. ~.
There 10 . fine prospect hero for Christ
mas in every respect except the weather.
I do not presume 70 say that Christmas
win be POSTPONED on account Of the
weather." but just how it can Seem any
thing like It, or make any respectable pre-
tensions to that welcome holiday, without
the slightest feather Of snow, the smallest
icicle, no skates, no c0astng, no frost in
the air nor in tho earth, no Overcoats nor
furs, no trees clad in wintry robes, nor
house tops covered 20 deep that Nicholas,
welcomest Of saints, could scarcely find
the chimney 70 let himself and pack
and declaming Of him below-how it can
be Christmas without any Of this, seems
phenomenon. The orange trees are hang
ing full oftheir golden fruit, and the groves
below Algiers look as if they had caught .
perpetual sunset. The river 10 full OF or,
ange luggers from the coast, and the stalls
in French Market are fragrant with the
flowers. Peach trees are tout" with their
delicate pink blossoms, and ] caught .
chap across the river the other day in the
very act Of planting q new crop Of pota-
toes. In the face Of all this, respectfully
protest that there must be some mistake
about Christmas sin these parts" Never
theless It il insisted by nell informed per-
D.
or sixty thousand shOp-keepers and mer-
chants, AZ also by drunken man here and
there il the city, that the almanacs are
right, and, consequently, that am wrong.
The almanac should unquestiouably dis
pute wete it not corroborated by the testi-
mony of the pious individual or two above
referred to. The shop-keeping evidence
consider Of very little mportance-though
the windows on Canal street are dazzling
to- vi NM MI nm M nnY,v
and every manner of fabric which could
please the eye. The looms of France would
seem to have sent their choicest labors to
glitter in the windows Of the city, which Of
all others is their favorite on this CONT
nent. The book stores display their hand
somes. editions of Voltaire-and would
you take that as an evidence CT the ap-
proach Of Christmas7 They also Sc: out 70
the eye many of those choice editions from
the press of Routledge, London, bat WISE
~ they keep the price concealed. Why is
it they do not label books as they some-
times do trousers and waistcoats in the
windows OF the c,othiers-on,y so much p
Many Of our American editions, sp!endidly
bound and wretchedly printed, are set in
the windows to attract the eye OF those who
care more for the appearance Of the book
than the subjects it treats OF, and such
prices az they do ask for them! After all
/ think they only pattern after the other
shop keepers in this respect, in the prac-
tice Of . little sly deception. The toy stores
fall far short Of the brilliancy and juvenile
attractiveness Of those in Northern cities,
and do not make comparative display with
the immense establishments which are 80
anxious to attract the larger children. By
which I suspect that the holidays are notso
zestfully looked forward to by the "small
fry" here as in the North, where winter
gives Q thousand opportunities Of enjoy
ment which here are scarcely known.
The theatres seem to be doing their ut
most 70 eurpase each other in special at
fractions. They do not stop for Sundays
indeed that seems to be the day more ex-
cluaively Get aside for pleasures than any
their most attractive bills, and all the one
horse shows, and the markets and cafes,
and saloons are crowded. There is AZ much
difference in the manner Of the observance
Of the Sabbath In this city and in towns at
the North, ~ there 10 difference between
the political institutions Of each section
Everything runs here on Sunday. and
thy rebels flock to DR.. Beattie's church
and there 10 large flock ofthem. Soldiers
and other loyal people attend Or. New
mans church. But the parades and shows
and business and traffic on al sides, cause
man 'unaccustomed 70 such Obsery ance
OF the DAY, to dispute with himself and the
almanac very frequently. as to tho day Of
the week.
1would not wish to intimate that this
city is in the condition Of two certain onee.
| Of ancient times, which in default of few
strictly moral and upright persons, were
severely scorched. Nevertheless am Of
opinion that there il plenty Of room for the
labors OF those who Relieve with DR.. New
man, that Christianity and loyalty 20 hand
in hand. and that freedom was not given
to 6e the privilege of few but OF all.
The feminine rebels of this city have al
last fallen on to the killinge8t plan Of show.
Ing their disloyalty that could be imagined
You may sec them on the street, in the
theatres, churches and every wh here, with
one solitary curl hanging down over the
lett ear, TO distinguish them from the IN.
persecuted crowd. And by this sign you
may know they are the genuine martyr
eeses. Notwithstanding their undying It.
,acnMent TO the Confederacy and thei,
sosye-s who went Off into II, many OF them
nave become 20 tired awaiting tho return
q tne Aforesaid chivalry. a. 70 bestov
themselves upon vile Yankee officers. ~
mus Pine away the rest Of their iivee
: oe''>' 7, Fl. 3.