The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-14
FIRST GRAND BALL IN YOSEMITE.

We were campcd on the bank of the
MERGED river. about Il mile above the
hotels in the Yosemite Valley. There
were four of Mathew, a man from
Nisalia, n university student. and the
writer. Mathew and were travelling
companions. We had started along
from the City of Oaks, had campcd
and cooked together, fought mosque
toes at GHysOn, swan the slou9hs of
the san joaquin, and swcltcrcd in
unison upon the great alkai plains be-
fore reaching the cooling Sierra. The
man from NislliA and the student had
joined us in the valley, and together
we dwcltin harmony in two canvas
tents beside the river, and in front of
tic great Yosemite fall.
All IN all We were very happy
Above and below us on the river
were campers from San Jose, Stockton,
and other parts Of the Stale, aud in
every camp except our own there was
a pretty gin. The valley tcemed
with Ilcbcs IL boomers, and a iolicr
crew never walked The echoes Of that
wilt paradise Trey nrtcd, rode
astridc, raced and lumblcd about on
the groun like kittens, and there was
no daredevil enterprise too spicy for
them. AT night they would somc-
times invade oar camp cu ma-Sc, and
the student WIS III his glory. lie had
guitar, and could sing. and possessed
faculty OF making love TO tour or
five girls 1t One time which filled the
man from Nlsaia ami the writer with
envy.
For ten days our felicity was com
plClC. These were in the 700 old
times, when but ono wagon road led
into Yosemite Valley, and when a
white shirt was Il rarity and Sarato-
ga trunk II sacriIcgc. Men went to
Yosemite to get rid Of the smoke and
the noise OF the city, and to free
themselves for season from the con-
venlionaliticS of society. In huge
boots and blue shirts, unshaven and
unshorn, they stood face TO face with
nature, and went away better men for
the interview. These days were coming
to 40 end. however. A new wagon
road leading into the valley was about
TO he opened, and we were destined to
witness the INAUGURATION Of Il new
era. Fashion and dress and the friyol-
tiles OF conventional life were to i'll
wade natures last stronghold and take
possession.
IL was thought, however, by the
residents aud pleasure seekers in the
valley, that this was fit subject over
which TO rejoice, and day was fixed
Tor grand turnout and celebration,
to be crowned in the evening by
dance Mt one Of the hotels. Every
one was invited to participate, and
hutler OF plcaourablc expectancy
rcigncd in the various CAMPS. We
Were the only exceptions. On the
evening before the celebration we sat
around the campiirc--all four of us
silent and gloomy. The river ran
gayiy past, and the last rays of the
setting sunlit up the great fall, which
hung like a golden cloud against the
wall Of rock above us. The voices of
happy stragglcrs could be heard,
laughing anu caroling through the
valley, and everything seemed out of
tune with our detected spirits. The
student, who was the saddest man of
the four, was the first to break the ST.
lence.
"Well, boys" lie remarked, "in the
Language OF an eminent divine, what
are you going TO do about it2' The
stage came in this afternoon loaded
down with kid-gloycd swclls from
san Francisco and Sacramento, and
new batch will doubtless be In to-
morrow. They will probably try to
make the ball tomorrow evening
such heightened affair that a man
without white shirt and calf.skin
gaiter will stand no chance"