Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-30
Letter Frvm San Francisco.


After three weeks Of almost contin-
ual rain, we are at last favored with a
spell Of fine weather. This morning,
early, a very heavy frost fell, and the
streets in the suburbs and the sur
rounding hills are now covered with
white garment. The change in the
weather has come very opportunely,
for our storekeepers especially, as now
they will stand a good chance of dis
posing of the tempting wares they
have prepared for the purchasers OF
Christmas gifts. Business, outside OF
this particular branch, is very dull,
with the exception of stocks. At this
time these last named speculative
commodities are booming.
THE HAVANA LOTTERY.
Although the sale of lottery tickets
is strictly forbidden in California, yet
considerable business has been done
in San Francisco in Havana lottery
tickets, more especially this present
month, numbers being desirous of try
ing their luck in the great Christmas
drawing. Fortune has favored the
bold in this city, two Of the largest
prizes have been won by parties resid-
ing here. the first prize Of $500, 900 by
q number Of men who heretofore have
not been greatly favored by the good
gifts of this world; the other Of $780,
600 has been won principally by the
men at one of our largest mills. This
streak of good luck will give an i'm
petus to the sale of the tickets. To
counteract this, q movement has been
started, headed by influential men, to
stop this species of gambling by prose-
cutting all who take part in 1t. Whether
the movement will succeed is doubt
full, the glittering bait is too tempting.
SHOP LIFTING EXTRAORDINARY.
An old stager in the shop-lifting
line has come ignominiously to grief,
in the very act of trotting off, laden
with her ill-gotten spoils. Fancy her
skirts were lined with sheets, towels,
stockings and a motley collection of
similar articles. 1t is wonder how
she managed to stagger through the
streets SO heavily laden; but her pc
culiar gait attracted the eyes of
watchful "knight of the star" who
trOtted her off to the City Prison.
Poor Kate Maloney, her little game is
played out, for she has been up before,
and therefore it is felony now. The
State Prison looms in the distance for
her. She tried Intellectually to make
away with herself, but either the
knife was not sharp enough, or else
the Prison keeper was too sharp, for
the attempt was vain.
REVIVAL PREACHING.
A female preacher has turned up in
our midst, and nightly attracts crowds
of believers and unbelievers to the
chapel wherein she officiates. Mrs.
Van Cott is the lady's name, and she
is a "screamer' can assure you. She
has most wonderful flow of Ian
guage, interlards her discourses with
telling anecdotes, filings the devil, hell,
and such like names and places about
in most indiscriminate manner. Her
presence fhas created somewhat Of q
revival feeling with some of our young
men. It is to be hoped she will do
some good, for there is plenty Of room
for improvement in the majority of
the rising generation. All "fast," a
great deal "tOo fast"
A DUKE IN OUR MIDST.
By the arrival Of the italian war yes-
sci Garibaldi, we are hon6red with the
presence Of a real live Duke, who is a
midshipman on board Of said vessel.
His Serene Highness the Duke of
Genoa is but boy, but he would'have
been pampered and fawned upon by
numberless people if he would have
permitted. Fortunately for him he
has good excuse to check all festivi-
ties that were to have been gotten up
for his especial benefit, such as balls,
dinners, theatricals and such like. The
recent death Of the Duke of Saxony,
grandfather to the young Duke places
the whole Of the Royal family of Italy
in mourning, and with so good an-ex-
cuse, he is allowed to wander around
as he pleases, without being pestered
and pampered by his well-meaning
but mistaken countrymen.
ADJUSTMENTS.
Benefits are In order at the various
theatres, usually the ease just before
the HOLIDAYS or tho theatres would all