The Republican journal., 1870-07-28
THE BABY OVERTURE.

Under this caption Elihu Bulriu gives a
graphic account of the formation of society
in California at the commencement of the
gold excitement there. After telling of the
rndeness and rougmess of times before the
advent of woman among the miners, he con-
Times thus:
After 4 while, two or three wives were
sent for by their husbands and now for the
first time, the sight and voice of a woman
greeted the gold diggers Her advent was
hailed with wonder and delight No Eng
lish princess OF the blood could have attract
ed or inspired more admiration, in her walks
through an English village, than did the
first woman who walked among the log huts
and cabins of san Francisco After Il year
on two several OF the homes had wives or
Sisters in them, and society began to take
shape and form under their influence. The
unkempt, rough, sunburned miners began to
wash their faces, and tidy their dress and
department INTO more respectable sem
blance in this new female presence Home
thoughts and memories Of far-otf mothers
and sisters We're set into softening exercise
by it. Perhaps the thought of an infant
school was suggested as an institution in
their little wooden town
The little wooden town grew rapidly,
and IT began to assume some of the small
rude play house, and called it theatre, and
extemporized an orchestra, numbering
several tiddles, a bass VOL, 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 we'll filled whenever
opened More wives and sisters were brought
on from the Northern States, and by-and-by
a little voice was heard in one of the rude
houses OF the village. After Il while some
OF these new corners graced the theatre
with their presence, and were greeted with
expressive looks of admiration and delight
One evening the first infant born in the settle
ment, OF American parents, was brought by
its mother to the theatre Just as the
orchestra was in the midst of crashing
bravura the little thing put forth sudden
cry that pierced the music of all the vino
and string instruments with a treble thai
none Of them could make. 1t was the first
note Of human infancy that had been hearc
for years by the great majority of the audi
ence. Not soul of them fell to interpreting
its political significance. No one heard in
that quavering cry the bubbling utterances
of an infant State, mailing the world from its
cradle, or the cries of the first-bom of q
young nation. No such speculations filled
that minute of common emotion. That
ihiitlll cry WIS 10 tleIll I'LL Inc SeII-VOlceC
memory of their childhood, and its life or
the other side OF the continent A stalwar
gold digger, with locks like grizzly bear.
and face like the TAM gave the sentiment Of
the whole house in its true expression wher
he shouted, stop those fiddles and let the
baby cry | haven't heard such cry fol
ten years. The whole audience applauded
the sentiment; The iiddles stopped playing
the orchestra listened with eager and delight
ed ears. The babys Overture was the only
music of the moment. As it rose and fell
upon the gamut Of its treble, pit, box ana
gallery burst forth into cheer after cheer O.
delight and enthusiasm.
.Such was the Baby's Overture at the
birth of a new State, that ere long will coun
its millions, and lead the Pacific empire O
the English-speaking race"