National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-07-29
The Baby Overture.

Under this caption Elihu Bur1itt gives
a graphic account of the formation of So
clety Ill California at the commencement
OF the gold excitement there. After tell
ing OF the rudeness and 'oughness of
times before the advent of woman among
the miners, he continues thus
After a while, two or three wives
were sent for by their husbands and
now for the first time, the sight and voice
OF woman greeted the gold diggers.
Her advent was hailed with wonder and
delight. No English princess of the
blood could have attracted or inspired
more admiration, in her walks through an
English village, than did the first woman
who walked among the log huts and cab
ms of San Francisco. After a year or
two several of these rude homes had
wives or sisters in them, and society be-
gan to take shape and form under their
influence. The umkempt, rough, sun
burned miners began to wash their faces,
and tidy their dIess and department into
"A more respectable semblancc in this new
female presence. Home thoughts and
memories of far.oif mothers and sisters
were set into softening exercise by it.
Perhaps the thought even of an infant
school was suggested rs M institution in
their little wooden town.
The little wooden town grew rapidly,
and 1t began to assume some of the small
appurtenances of civilization. They
built rude playhouse, and called it
theater, and extemporized an orchestra,
numbering several fiddles, a bass yiol, a
trombone, and -wo OF three other instrll-
ments These entertainments were en-
| loyed with great relish by the hard work
ing men, and the house was sure to be
well filled whenever opened. More wives
and sisters We're brought on from the
Northern States, and bv-and-by a little
voice was heard in one of the rude houses
OF the village. After while some of
these new corners graced the theater with
Their presence, and We're greeted with eX-
I pressiye looks OF admiration and delight
/ One evening the first infant born in the
settlement, of American parents, was
brought by its mother to the theatre.
just as the orchestra was in the midst of
Il crashing brnrufu the little thing put
forth n sudden cry, that pierced the mu-
sic OF all the wind and string Instruments
with Il treble that none of them could
make. 1t was the first note of human in
fancy that had been heard for wears by
the great majority Of the audience. Not
a soul of them fell to Interpreting its po-
htlcal significance. No one heard in that
quavering cry the bubbling utterances of
an infant State, hailing the world from
Its cradle or the cries of the tirst-born of
a young nation. No such speculations
hlled that minute of common emotion.
mat infant cry was to them all the self
voiced memory of their childhood, and
its life on the other side of the continent.
A stalwart gold digger, with locks like a
grizzly bears and face like the tan.
gave the sentiment of the whole house in
Its true expression when he shouted,
stop those iiddles and let the baby cry
haven't heard such a sound for ten
years ! The whole audience applauded
the sentiment. The fiddles stopped play
ing ; the orchestra listened with eager
and delighted ears. The Baby's Over
ture was the only music of the moment.
AS it rose and fell upon the gamut of its
treble, PIT, box and gallery burst forth
INTO cheer alter cheer of delight and en-
thusiasm
Such was the Babys Overture at the
birth OF new State, that ere long will
count its Millions aud lead the Pacific
empire of the English-spcaking race