The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-04
Letter from San Francisco.

how and entering into our good graces with the
same grand fourishes which accompanied its prede-
cessors. To speak plainly, i think each year comes
with a trihe more impudence, with a sort OF nom
chaIant help-yourselfi fiji you-can Rsanher. As we
find the wrinkles and gray hairs, I1ns win laugh ;
we might as well join hands with the old gentleman,
bid him welcome, and have q merry-maEing alto
gether. t
The holiday season is finished. We certainly feel
better that it has been. and sorry to part with 1t so
soon. Every soul Of us is content to settle down to
the business of life with more zest and pleasure.
Why. these holidays are like the oasas in deserts,
they fit us for future labors.
What a gay time have we had For three weeks
no rain fell the sky was cloudless. Out came
equestrians and out came pedestrians The Gill
House road was filed with the former, Montgomery
and Kearney streets with the latter rich and poor
could enjoy alike the bright sunlight, and have an
opportunity Of gazing at the really beautiful wares
exposed 30 temptingly for sale. Our people have
been more generous within the last month than We
expected in our widest flights Of fancy. Our
Mayor. Mr.. Selby. has given his entire years salary,
s 4,2Q0, for charities. F.sbsfl ~
Monday. the 26th of December, was a decided
gala day for the poor. A number OF leading mer-
chants provided themselves with baskets and Travelled
through the streets soliciting contributions for the
different asylums ; they were escorted by the Preside
Band and the San Francisco Cadets. One lady in
the Grand Hotel contributed a plain gold ring, which
afterwards brought over one hundred and twenty
five dollars at auction. Two loaves Of bread also
realized handsome sums, when sold at auction TO
wealthy citizens.
"The secret pleasure Of a generous act,
- Is the great minds great bribe." II -, -
l cannot tell how large was the amount collected
by these gentlemen, but it was something handsome
enough to materially assist all the asylums. In con-
nection with charities / am reminded TO mention the
great work going on in this city regarding the
Christianization of the Chinese subject that will
interest your readers, considering how many Of the
race live at the Hawaiian Islands.
The Chinese Mission Institute
Has lately been established on Washington street for
the express purpose of ~affording Chinese men,
women and children, the advantages Of a Christian,
American education. Owing to the kindness Of the
superintendent, Rev. o.. Gibson, l am enabled to de-
scribe this really fine institution. On the main floor
are three large schoolrooms with folding doors be-
tween them ; when desirable. these can be opened
for public and religious exercises. On the second
aoor are more school-rooms, as we'll as a complete
suite Of apartments for Mr.. Sing Mi and wife, mis-
sionaries from China, daily expected. The third
floor is used as a female department exclusively, and
contains four large rooms. There are also in the
building suites Of rooms for Mr.. Gibson's family, a
library, and rooms for the assistant teachers. All
the teachers employed are 6rst-class. Two Of them
are from our corps of public school teachers these
attend only to evening classes. The school is now in
excellent working order, and the Chinese manifest a
wonderful desire to become Americanized. Think
how vast is the undertaking proposed by the Insti-
tute two thousand women in our midst, all Of them
heather, most of them slaves ; two hundred chill
dren, and l know not how many men,-but their
number seems legion. All Of these to be reached, IL
possible. We cannot hope TO see the Millennium in
our day but one thing is certain, If we are TO re-
ceiye these Asiatic brothers and place them on an
equal footing with ourselves, our surest and best
plan will be to Christianize them, and that as rapidly
as the work can be done. "a tDcDs
Choral Hydrate.
, The papers are full Of matter concerning this so&-
The Chronicle has made some startling revel-
about the deleterious effects of Choral Hgdrato
rs prepared and sold by b. b.. Thayer, druggist,
the Grand Hotel. This Journal asserts that
several sudden deaths, which have occurred recently,
Ire entirely owing to the use Of this so-called
. Elixir and has published a number Of testimO-
from prominent physicians discouraging its
purchase. The Bulletin, on the other hand, al
though it did not present its patrons with three
of editorial as did the Chronicle, contained
'ards from MIR. Thayer. This gentleman declared
he assertions Of the ChrontcLe to be false ; SAID that
he opinions purporting TO cmanate from prominent
were not eerestly worded. and that tho
um of the whole affair could be easily obtained by
merely noticing the fact, that ne had not advertised
the Chronicle, while he had done 90 largely Ia
he Bulletin. Considerable exeitement has been
aused about these articles in the different papers ON
he Choral Hydrate. Many people, somewhat ad-
Iicted to its use,' contemplate n f~udicious examine
ion Of the compound which they fbnve been taking.
Which, however harmless in itself, might not be good
or all people under all conditions. After what has
said, we must agree that ordinarily there is too
much carelessness In letting drugs leave the chemists
the advioea of relinble physicians. The
care should be observed that no dangerous
fall into the hands of ignorant persons.
I is not generally conceded that the people, whose
udden deaths / referred 20, died solely FROM the
fleets Of Chlora! Hydrate, but the Chronicle clinRs
0 that belief most tenaciously.
Brief Items.
New Years Day was not observed by callers as
luch as usual. There was q great deal Of riding 70
he beach, fishing 90 Long bridge, and running Of
, the country. Among those who kept the customs
( the day, there appeared to be less drinking.
ladies offered coffee instead Of wine, and this In
goon step IN advance. We can only hope each
ear VIII 40 Its share towards correcting the evils Of
Two hundred pictures, oil paintings, arc now for
Aie at auction in the building next 10 the beautiful
ew store Of Messrs. Davidson & Co. many OF them
re said to be very fine, while all Of them are cheap
the prices asked, and thus afford poor people an
Of Identifying their homes.
The Count Of Monte Cristo - is playing nj the
California Theatre and draws large houses
lightly. The scenery is said TO be very beautiful.
ner than any ever exhibited in our city. grw
''Tbe Musical INSTITUTE - always on the alert 20
lease the popular heart, has agreed to give n series
{ popular weekly afternoon concerts, putting tho
Omission fee to fifty cents, and promising ~ render
hoice music in the best possible msnner, The con-
erts will be held in the Mechanics Pavilion, and
commence punctually at 8 o'clock in the aftet-
DON. 1
One word for the great billiard match held Iast
'riday evening between Dion and Deery, the cham
non players. Dion won the game and the $1,000
Witnessed by a large audience Of interested in
In fashionable circles, it Ia nov 0et,ino