New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-01-07
London, Letter.
Irregular Correspondence
T.ONDON Decemher 70 1877

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We are threatened with a Christ
mas such as that with which Lon
don was visited nineteen years ago,
and which is believed to have been
the hardest ever known in England.
It is seldom in the neighborhood of
London, at any rate, that skating
commences so early as the first week
in December. London is surround.
ed by a belt of thickly wooded coun.
try. It is also to a certain extent,
a seaport town, and the sea breezes
sweeping up the Thames render it's
temperature comparatively equable.
When the wind sets from the eastit
brings with it, no doubt, that pecu.
liarly horrible cloud known as Lon
don fog. But the London fog, dense,
dirty, unwholesome, and sitting as
it is may be, is yet warm and, as
those who have observed the wealth
err cannot but have noticed, when
the frost commences the fogs cease.
Meantime severe weather of the
good old.fashioned type has set in,
and almost everybody is looking for
ward to winter such as those
known to our fathers, and in which
Dickens revelled. In the streets for
some weeks past, slight coating of
snow, alternated from time to time
by sharp, biting frost, has done it's
best to hinder traffic and to thin the
ways. The Metropolitan Rail.
way has been densely crowded with
passengers who, under ordinary cir.
cumstances, would travel on foot or
by omnibus. Cabs have begun to
disappear at early hours, and belat.
ed diners-out have had, only too
often, to wend their way home on
foot through the nipplng cold. The
shops have put on something more
than their accustomed Christmas
garment of decoration. The wood.
cock, wild goose, and capercailzie
seem to be larger than ever. The
boars' heads are more rotund and
more suggestive of baronial halls
and college banquets. The pelt on
deer, and even on the hare, and the
familiar rabbit, seems thicker than
ever; while large importations of
white hares in their winter garments,
OF white ptarmigan, and other such
strange denizens Of northern climes,
serve to remind US how steam is
gradually welding the earth into one,
until Norway and California are
practically as near to London as the
Settles or the extreme Highlands.
On the fishmongers' marble slab lie
hugh Dutch and Canadian salmon.
frozen into solid masses, and cells az
stiff as rope, that has been exposed
tor hours to driving sleet, with the
thermometer at zero. Grocers and
butchers are more assiduous than
ever in the scenic effect with which
they display their wares. Never be.
fore has the show of prime Joints
been more prodigal, or the store of
spice and sweetmeats heaped up be.
hind plate glass more lavish. In.
deed even in the suburbs. it is i'm.
possible to walk many yards without
being reminded from the appearance
Of the shops alone that, apart from
the still more patent reminders of
the weather, Christmas is close upon
us. Add to all this the huge fosters
announcing pantomines and other
Christmas entertainments; the show
OF bon-bons and nicknacks and fancy
articles destined for Christmas gifts,
the exquisitely designed subtleties
OF Christmas cards, the display of
sealskin jackets and mutfs and fur.
lined gloves and Langtry tippets; the
ostentatious exhibition of listers in
every variety of style, color, texture
and pattern; the regular appearance
with the morning post delivery of
letters soliciting aid for charitable
institutions; and-not the least sig.
nificant token Of all--the increased
civility of policeman, turncocks,
railway guards, postmen, and others
whose income is supplemented by
Christmas boxes; and you shall find
it difficult indeed to assent to the
sceptical proposition that Christmas
As festival is dying out, and that
the 25th of December is little, if at
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