Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-12-30
HOLIDAY MATTERS.
SOME REFLECTIONS BY AN OLD COR.
RESPONDENT.
Happy Children = Odd Christmas Pres.
ents-Return to
Zone.

Christmas of 1882 was and is not and
it was the happiest, heartiest Christmas in
years To start with, it was perfect day,
such an one as but now and then blossoms
from the heart of season, opens, ripens.
and falls in the fullness of glory into a star.
lit night as lovely as itself. 1t seemed az
If joy-bells rang through the city, and tin
horns l know shouted stridently by the
score. Yet l have no doubt there was
misery enough had it been uncovered.
Turkey rose to % cents per pound, and
prime beef kept pace with it. There was
ONE PLUM PUDDING
heard OF made of thirty eggs, fruit, and
just flour sufficient 10 hold it together.
The echoes from the chants on Sunday
sung IN commemoration of the coming day
still changed solemnly when the sun
dropped, and little girl standing in the
front door bent her ear to catch the sound
which ever eluded her. 1T seems to me
hear something" said she, "it isn't peo.
pie and 1t isn't things, but hear it - She
| oAu oo nave yuu anu i, DuC WnQt
II is, faint and uncertain, yet clear at mo.
ments, not one OF us can tell. IL seems
sometimes, as if it might be strain drift.
ing in from the space which is filled with
harmonies. A lady whose soul is attuped
to melody, in speaking of Nilsson's singing
sald 1t was so exquisite it made me
faint; Tor moment or two I was delirious:
l felt myself floating away as if her voice
| had v-,p ~
music sharp thought he had attended lust
as good concerts for dollar. Perhaps it
was the thought that he only paid dollar
Tor these latter which helped to his enjoy
ment. 1t was mistaken notion of mine
That great people are great In character,
dignited, lofty minded necessarily. It is
comfort to me to find that Nine. Nilsson
is very breezy, good natured person, who
doesn't by any means dwell
ON THE NIGHTS
Forever; that she comes down to be a gen.
uine woman, delightful-hearted, but very
likely given TO her tempers occasionally like
the rest OF us. A young Swedish girl who
| went back to Stockholm for her education
speaks so afTectiopately OF Nilsson-really
as she might be one of us. She saws the
great singer is beloved in Stockholm, and
that she has much sympathy and interest
in those who have musical aspirations.
Also her people were poor till she had the
means to lift them from that condition. and
she gave each of her seven brothers farm.
She visits them whenever she can, and
then she goes racing over the couatry on
horseback just as if she did rot sing di.
vinely and give such exquisite pleasure to
thousands and thousands. | have been
reading Metternich and Nine. de Remusat
lately, and declare it struck me to learn
how that great Napoleon used to 90 round
pinching the ears of the court ladies, tell.
ing doubtful stories and absolutely
DEFYING ETIQUETTE
On all occasions when ii suited his master.
ful whim. And this beside things that
were very great deal worse. Is it not a
comfort to say, as you read of Lodi of AR
cola, Marengo, Jena, Austerli'z, that if
you didn't distinguish yourself there, at
least you never could be so bad as Ma.
poleon? Why, yes, it is. Now comes
some one who says that Washington-ou
own dear George" sWore like troop
er y Nothing was ever so like JUNCTION to
my soul as that. Is he not saint by com.
mon consent? Whoever was held in ven.
GRAFTON like unto Washington? Doesn't
every one know he is gone to heaven?
Well, at least, If | am not the patriot of
10 you know l never "swore like q
trooper" and il the gates unclosed for the
sinner who did, perhaps also they will not
refuse to stand ajar while l, who have had
another sin. enter. A physician declares
that Washington was as surely the victim
OF ASSASSINATION as Lincoln and Garfield,
for the first was the victimtof the MN who.
though wise as that DAY and generation.
doctored him to death. 1t is now posi-
/ lively asserted(tha Washing .on died of
di ehtheris. then not suspected and not un.
derstoo6 He was bled repeatedly, as was
the custom then for all disease, and while
the General exhausted was sinking to his
death the physician took up the lance to
bleed him again. Bleed me no more, 4"
entreated Washington family, "let me
die in peace !" When say
DIPHTHERIA,
1t sends shudder through me, and l
think of all the children dear to me, WOE.
dering if it be possible they will all escape
when each one seems in danger. met a
woman bereft to-day, and because she can
not bear to stay in the house che wanders
about that way, with her remaining two
children. | could have taken her in nv
arms and cried with her, bat how is it best
to show ones sympathy? A simple gar.
gle, highly recommended in the beginning
of a sore throat, is tumbler of vinegar in
which is dissolved Tablespoonful Of salt
and half teaspoonful of soda. l tried it,
and it cured mine, but it mightn't yours
| One OF our homeopathic physicians SAYS
that no child need die of diphtheria when
it can be taught to gargle its throat with
alcohol, diluted to half strength with wa
ter. Another physician, well along in
years and therefore OF long practice, says
he never lost a case of pneumonia, and he
never gave medicine for it; he gives bran
dy, brandy, brandy. There did 1 not
hint Of misery moment ago, and have l
I o. now lifted the edge of its covering? 1t
is just as well to speak of trouble and hap.
piness in a breath, for they always march
side by side. ''You must dake de bitter
NIT de shveet, as the old German quoted
to me to-day, leaning over the fence and
blowing aureoles of smoke round his. head.
| think l never saw happiness done up in a
bigger lot than at Woodward's Gardens on
Christmas Day. As money was paid at tn
| gate a numbered ticket was given and this
presented to Santa Claus at the huge tree.
gave present from off the laden branches.
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LITTLE
FOLKS
Were there, and all the little bows had
tiny trumpets and the girls small dolls or
pretty mites of baskets. OF course these
articles were bought by the quantity, and
the management made money but was
it not a pretty way to make a little money !?
The twenty-five ostriches passing through
are detained here SIS an attraction for a
short time. They are ugly, bob. tailed,
two.toed birds, with faces like animals,
and as they go about their pen they sort of
teeter along like woman in sick room,
stepping softly and easily to make no noise.
But when in bit of hurry they lift their
wings little and give them fluff, and
then yeu see wkere the lovely feathers
grow. Gne little girl stood explaining to
her companion about the ostriches. "And
they're going to take them down to Los
| Angeles to make an orange grove" she
concluded, with an air of having told quite
all there was to be told about ostriches
| Quite the prettiest present have seen this
year for girl was that provided for the
little daughter OF one our large hardware
dealers. 1t was o small stove, not itself of
home manufacture, but perfect in every de.
tail. Its fre-pit was intended for wood of
a hands length it's oven had an automatic
shelf beating ovens were at the back, the