The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-05
The Baby Overture.

Under this caption Elihu Burritt gives
n graphic account Of tho formation Of So
ciety In California Mt the commencement
OF TO gold excitement there. After tell.
Ing Of the rudcness and roughncss oftimes
before the advent OF woman among tho
miners, no continues thus:
"After awhile, two or thrcc wives wcre
sent for by their husbands; and now for
the first time. the sight and voice Of q wo-
man greeted the gold diggers. Her advent
was hailed with wonder and delight. No
English princess of tho blood could have
attracted or inspired more admiration. In
her walks through an English village:
than did the first woman who walked
among tho log huts and cabins OF San
Francisco. Afler year or two several
of these rudo homes had wives or sisters
In them, and society began to take shape
and form under their influence. Tho un-
kcmpt, rough, sunburned miners began To
wash their faces, and tidy their dress and
department into more respectable sem.
bance In this new female presence. Home
thoughts and memories of far-oG mothers
and sisters were set into softcning exercl'o
by 1t. Perhaps the thought even OF an In.
FAINT school was suggested rs nm institution
In their little wooden town.
"The little wooden town grew rapidly
and II began 20 assume some OF the small
nppurtcnances Of civilization. They built
rude play-h, use. and called II theatre.
and exteniporized an orchestra, number
Ing several fiddles, n bass viol. n trombone.
and two or three other instruments.
These entertainments were enjoyed with
great relish by the hard-working men.
and the house was sure TO be well filled
whenever opened. More wives and sis
tcrs were brought on from tho Northern
States, and by.and.by u little voice was
heard In one OF the rude houses Of the VII
lage After n while some of these new
comers graccd the theatre with their pres
encc, and werc grccte,i with expressive
looks of admiration and delight. Ono
evening the first infant born In the settlo-
ment, Of American parents, was brought
by Its mother To the theatre. Just rs the
orchestra was In the midst OF u crashing
Jraruru the little thing put forth sudden
cry, that pierced the music Of all the wind
and string instruments with treble that
none of them could make. II was the first
note of human infancy that had been heard
for years by the great majority OF the ar-
dience. Not soul Of them fell TO inter-
preting Its political significance. No one
heard In that quavering cry the bubbling
utteranccs Of an infant State, hailing the
world from It's cradle, or the cries Of tho
frst-born OF n young nation. No such
spcculations filed that minute Of common
emotion. That infant cry was TO them all
the self.voiced memory Of their childhood.
and It's life on the other side OF the conti-
nent. A stalwart gold-digger, with locks
like n grizzly bears and face like the tan.
gave tho sentiment of the whole house In
Its true expression when ho shouted, Stop
those fddles and let the baby cry! l
haven't heard such n sound for ten yearsr
The whole audience applaudcd the scnti.
ment. The siddlcs stopped playing; tho
orchestra listened with eager and delighted
cas. The Baby's Overture was the only
music of tho moment. As II rose and fell
upon the gamut of its treble, pit, box and
gallery burst forth into cheer after cheer
of delight and enthusiasm.
"Such was the Baby's Overture Mt tho
birth of new State, that cre long will
count Its millions. and lead the PHciiic en-
pire Of the English.spcaking race"