The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-07
FROM DAYTON.
rrespondence OF the star.

DAYTON, o., Jan. 6.
Well, the New Year is lusty little
fellow, and already, though not yet
week old, can stand alone and claim his
own as no New Year before him mas ever
done. Whenever before has the cherub
banished the seductive wine from his
entertainments as he has this first day
of the leap-year? Certainly our native
male population stood out their very
numerous calls with more dignity, gen.
tlemanliness and praiseworthy sobrietv
than ever before-all thanks due to the
ladies' careful attention to the whispers
of this same smart, young New Year.
Leap-year, too! Doesn't it seem the
most fitting of all years tor the Centen-
NAL to chance upon? 1 wonder il the
"Queen of the West' made any more
noise than did the Queen of the Miami
name patented-on the last night of the
old yearp What the "Sfidertown Rou CHS"
lacked in screams the Rag-tads made up
in wells, and the Knecht battery echoed
the thunder tones of the Royal ALI. -,
met cannon of.the Soldiers Home yeter-
anss Then there was telling chorus OF
firecrackers, tin pans, torpedoes, pistols,
horns, trumpets, rockets, musketry,
bells, shouts and shrieks. Several OF
our good, honest, worthy citizens went
mad, and instead of placing tight in
the window for thee, brother, they JAM
med the edges and sllls and cross pieces
to overflowng with short stumps oil
reeking candles; and so the New Year
opened his bright. knowing eyes in the
glare of a patriotic fire that was but a
, dim and duh ember compared to the
flames of loyal enthusiasm that
burnt upon the heart-altars Of these men
of America.
For the purpose Of raising funds
wherewith to finish the erection OF the
, beautiful monument at Soldiers Home,
Col. Wood kindly loaned his picture Ell
titled, general 10 Hookers Figat
! Above the Clouds" to the two energeJic
a men who were interested in the monu-
ment, for exhibition. 1t has been on ex.
thibition for the past week or two on the
open lot adjoining the Courthouse, in
!, frame building erected for its especial
; accommodation, and furnished with sky.
. light, gas, seats, opera-gl glasses, &c. The
' price Of admission was twenty cents
each person, and surely one got the
worth OF his money, for the picture could
not be gone over questioningly, admir-.
. lingly and critically, in less than long
j. half hour. The picture is IL by 30 feet,
the very center of it occupied by the
famous Lookout Mountain. To the
: right, as one faces it, at good miles
distance, it seems, there is meadow
swarming with cavalry troops; while
a behind them the debris of burned rail
: road bridge has choked the river be-
Tween two stone piers.
| M the Left one aepa the cut through
q the base of the mountain and the curve
of the railroad leading down to Chatta
lnooga. In the nearest foreground there
< is company of men drawn up in line
= with their backs TO the spectator. These
. lmen-of the common rank aud file-art
q shown only from the shoulders up an(
are life size. One teels himself to b
standing OH gentle elevation in view
8 Ing the picture, and to be looking dow
r upon these nearest figures. One fellow
n a rough customer at any time-bronZe'
and hardened now in the service, /
!. turning with a vulgar sneer upon hi
! lugly mouth to speak to comrade; while
directly behind him-tnat is to sa
> nearer the spectator-stands an aristC
cratic young scion of some more Chris
L tian house than the rough has eve
:, known, engaged in examining the loc
u Of his trusty gun. The eyes are down
Z cast and deer shadow from the ca
Z brim reaches across the upper part Q
a the fine tace.
v Still, he too is in the "common. ran
Is and fiie"-what story does it tell Of
somebody's darlingi Beyond this groul
OF men---or rather IL seems rows OF hat
-raggcd, begrimed hats, torn, and wit
a touch here and there Of the bullet
there Is the chief point and center of tn
picture. Gen. 10 Hooker, backed by hi