The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-31

WASHINGTON, OCT, 90, 1880.
I lave never seen anything more bril-
liantly beautiful than Baltimore was
in her holiday attire. Baltimore is
in many respects sui gentris in cit
les. She is out of debt, so one of her
citizens told me- is large stakeholder in the
best paying railway corporation in America,
and always has u surplus in her treasury.
Under these abnormal circumstances she had
a right to indulge in little extravaganza on
her birthday, and to have what Captain
Murphy Mcguire calls "high old time"
even if she is n century and half old. Ac-
cordingly her costume was gotten up in gor-
geous style, and millions of jewels sparkled
in her crown. Long before we reached the
city the decorations greeted us. The Ralay
house was gay with black and orange
drapery, relieved here and there by a star
spangled banner, and from this place until
We ran into the depot of tho Baltimore &
Ohio railroad at Baltimore, every house was
bright with color. Leaving the depot, our
eyes were fairly da2zled by the brilliant col
Orias GA every SIDE. White, black and orAuye
Lord Baltlmore's c0lors, given to the CITY
along with his name-iormed the theme Of
this sonata in color There were innunernble
variation in every pc sihlo color, or com
binalion OF color, that fancy could devise or
ingenulty could 'Necu,e, And this not only
on the principal streets or the public build.
ings, but everywhero-iro the harbor. wherp
the Shipping was exquisitely decorated, To
the smallest cottage in tho suburbs every.
thing was gay with holiday apparel. Every
day there was u grand parade or procession.
and nj night the whole city was illuminated
Now, any city can get up procession and
illustrate in various tHbleaux the progress of
civilization but Baltimore is the only ono
which can adorn and illustrate h procession,
with the genuine old original star spanstd
banner which Francis Key saw wave when
? he wrote the famous poem the banner
made by Mrs. John Ross, wife of n haber
dssher in Philadelphis, and immor,aized b,
the poet as waving over the Gland of the
tree,''etc. he eitwas actually Def 'ro our eyes
and there near the harbor was the fort iron
whose battlements it was seen waving after III,
smoke of the battle had rolled away. OF
course the star spangled banner was PLAYED
by all the bands, and on all occasions, and So
, was Maryland, my Maryland" with an oo-
casional dash of "Dixie. The illuminations
far surpass anything Of the sort | ever saw
and this was every body's verdict. A rather Gu.
rious episode, occurred to ,hree of us Texans.
who went over one evening to hear Levy
play the cornet. As we left tho depot, one
OF the party male enquiries ola policeman AS
to the best way TO go, etc, which WAS very
courteously answered, and we went our way
We had probably gone hundred stems
when the policeman overlook us, and said
"lf you will go that direction and turn TO Tho
right, you will see beautiful lone star. ),
We looked at each other and wondered If tb,
man knew we were. Texans, and had "A pecu.
liar interest in lone stars, Sure enough there
high up on a telegraph pole was grea
fve-pointed star, formed of white and golt
and green and crimson lets of GAS
When we reached Baltimore street and look
cd down, we were fairly bewildered By tn,
gittering vista which stretched out before us
Arch after arch of sparkling lights and daz
cling colors spanned the street. High in tn
air the dome of the city hall arose. covere,
with rowsof gas IS from base to summit
The prettiest effect was made by a crow
and star so high up thai ii actually seemed
new constellation. This beautiful ILLUSION
was on n shot tower.
The Baltimore Sun had secured Grafula'
famous baud, and its rival, the American
hsd rs nm offset got Levy to play on its bal
cony, AS these papers have their building
just opposite each other. everybody coul,
hear both attractions, which performed alter
nately for our delight Ii possible, LEWIS deli
cious notes sounded better IN the clesf nich
air than in concert hall. A little ineiden
which occurred during the concert illustrate
the power. that reputation has ON som
minds. Let Now York 90 crazy over a mn,
sician and everybody thinks il treason not I
admire that musician. Grafulas baud bs
also solo "coynetst." He Is a short s.ou
man like Levy, and he wears moustach,
and here the resemblance ends. His playin
was like braying, when compared with N
dulect tones of Levy's cornot, but party
ladies mistook the Grafula man for Lev,
ana hung entrauced upon his labored roi
ladies', ana heavy trills, and most unmusic
attempts at cresendo, while the real arts, q
inc other balcony was treated with co,
The city was crowded the wholo Tan as,
OF iesuv''y' andevsry day was chsrsC.sris;