Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-12-09
Our San Frauci,Co Correspondence.
SAX FRANcrsco, December g, 1865.

- ~ 4NAENSAoSSD
ED. GoID HILL News - Dear SIR
Ths inevitable last day is already again
upon me, and nothing done yet towards
preparing myweekly letter.-Ths fadAisi
that the weather has been so abominable
for the past week that I have been drawn
by irresistible impulse to the "dead
house" almost every hour, and have only.
been able to conquer the desire to commit
suicide by seeing how miserable those
who have taken the law into their own
hands and shuf1ed of this mortal coil,
appear when exposedlto the gaze of the
curious public at the Coroner's Office.
This alternative disgust with the world
and disgust with the idea of being ex-
posed on a board and having all my little
memoranda, love letters, etc., ETC., hauled
over, read and commented on by the un-
washed and unsympathizing public and
paraded in the public prints, has been so
constant that I have had little time to
think calmly Of anything else, much less
to write about it. Talking of this pleas
ant subject, did it ever occur to you that
at times We have
SUICIDE as AN, EPIDEMIC.
Such is the fact, whether you have ever
noticed it or not. The facts of one sui.
eide are hardly made known to the public
through the press, when another and an
other follow in quick succession. This is
the case in all communities, and at all sea-
sons of the year. This cholera of the
moral world is like its prototype, the Ash
attic cholera, always raging as an epidemic
or disappearing entirely from view. 1t
does not "run average" like rheumatism
or ordinary insanity. For some weeks
we have had no symptoms OF the disease
in town, but this week it has broken out
afresh, and we shall have cases by the
dozen before we are done with it. Three
notable cases have occurred this week.
On Monday, Constant Hubert the hair
dresser, No. 603 Montgomery street, was
found dead in his sleeping room, behind
his store. A bottle Of the solution Of
cyanuret Of potassium, by his side, told
the story of the means employed, but the
impelling cause of the rash act was found
in his pocket-two pawn tickets for his
watch, diamond pin. etc. He had been in
business here for fifteen years, or nearly
that length of time-had a fine stock Of
goods in his line, and enjoyed the favor Of
the fashionable world, but with all this
seeming prosperity, was in the last stages
Of financial embarrassment, and too weak
to meet his troubles manfully, he sacri-
feed his life. How many moro there may
be in San Francisco who, like him, are
suffering all the mental anguish which
comes from the desperate necessity Of
keeping up the appearance of prosperity
while struggling with dispairing energy
with relentless adversely, which must o n
quor in the end, is only a matter of con-
lecture. That evening the corpse Of q
soldier of the Fourth Infantry California
Volunteers was found under the bushes
out near Point Lobos. A rife by his side
and q bullet-hole through his head, from
chin to top Of skull, told the story Of his
death, but what caused him to think Of
suicide il, indeed, he thought Of the mat
ter at all, and did not yield, as thousands
Of others have done, to the mere irresistible
impulse of the moment, cannot be c%onjec-
tured. He was to have been mustered out
on Friday last, and had considerable money
due him. He went away from camp at the
Preside some days before, and mustered HIM
self out " once for ALL" Yesterday morning,
Robert Howard, Foreman Of Broderick En-
CINE Co., No. /, was found dead in his bunk
at the engine house, on Howard street. He
was "a years Of age, in the flush Of health
and manly energy the day before. He was
engaged to 4 girl Of fifteen, who deeply loved
him, but thought-very sensibly-that her
mothers advice to wait a year or two was
good, and resisted his entreaties to be mar
ried yesterday. On the evening before his
death he walked out with her, and on bidding
her " good night" said carelessly, "Well, as
we are not to be married tomorrow, | shall
20 to some distant country, but you will hear
from me :" She heard from him next day,
when one Of his old companions showed her
a card, found in his pocket, on which was
written. "C:-Tell Nellie I die for her, but
will be with her all tho time. Tell the boys
to love Nellie and protect her for my sake y
He had gone to the distant country from
whence no traveller returns.
But the glorious sunlight is pouring into
my room in all its splendor, the storm which
has prevailed for a week past has gone, and
I think I may we'll afford to turn from this
gloomy subject to one more in keeping with
the hour. Tomorrow ONE that dear old day,
THANKSGIVING.
Doubly sacred now, and halfowed by recol-
lections and associations which grow more
abundant and more holy with each passing
year. And when did We as a nation or as
individuals have such reason to thank God
with OVERLOOKING hearts for his unnumbered
blessings rs we have now? A year ago when
I wrote you on this subject we were still in
doubt, the storm Of pitiless war still swept in
all its violence over the land, VIC were hated
aud despised abroad and arrayed brother
against brother at home. We could only
thank God that p~eStilence and famine had
not been added to civil war, and that there
was still hope for a nation capable OF making
such sacrifices as we were then making, and
displaying such gigantic energies and re:
sources. To-day all is changed. We still
feel some Of the effects OF the storm, still see
traces of its force all around US, but the sun
of victory shines bright overhead, the winds
have gone down, the waves are subsiding
slowly but surely, and peace, lasting, honor
able, well earned, has come to bless the land.
Where we were hated and despisCd a year
since, we are now feared and respected, and
those who plotted against us and aided our
enemies are preparing to meet our demands
for recompense FOR wilful injuries done with
what grace they may, and with as little out
lay Of money and as slight sacrifice Of pride
as possible. As I look back on the bloody
record Of the last four years, and look for
ward to the glorious future opening before US
and our children, I feel that we above all
other nations Of the earth, have rea son to
give thanks to the Giyer Of All Good, and
with full hearts sing "Te Deum Laudemw :"
TIKI SENATORIAL MIDDLE.