Year: 1859

eight feet OF snow TO tall without lntermis-


sion, and in midwinter it is almost invaria-


bly, of a light dry character But, by those


who arc experts in travelling on the Norwo-


gian snow-skates, pedestrianism is not con-


templated with dread, but rather ns a source


of pleasure. The rapidity with which they
move over the country with them is astonish


ing. They travel with far more ease and


make much better time with them than can


comfortably be made on foot in summer


the average speed made being about eight


miles an hour. Finally, the Norwegian


snow.skate is great institution, and as they
are Of such pre-eminently practical utility to


us poor denizens, and as the majority of the


readers of the DEMooRAT are perhaps not fa-


miliar with them. will take the chance of


making myself tedious to your host of read


ers, and of forfeiting your pardon for the


space occupied in giving description Of


them.


The length is matter of taste, averaging


from eight to eighteen feet-but few using


them shorter than fourteen feet-and / be-


ieve the regular Norwegian never uses them


less than eighteen feet. Their width is about


four inches, with concave bottom, and as


thin, of course, as is consistent with the


requisite strength. They turn up in front in


the shape of cutter, and never was there


cutter manufactured capable of gliding over


the snow more gracefully. The foot is firmly


buckled on, little to the rear of the centre.
This section is indebted to Charles Nelson, q
Norwegian, and the most indefatigable and
self sacrificing expressmnn that ever invaded
these inhospitable dominions of nature, for
an introduction to that elegant and expedi.
tious travelling vehicle. Charley will shoul-
der his scventy.fve pounds of express mat
ter, mount his skates, and glide off as grace
full as a feather on the placid curreni of the
Mississippi Messrs. Francis and c. Bump,
our worthy express firm, have secured Char-
ley's services for the winter, wlicn is still
iurther evidence of their heretofore marked
determination to cater to the reading desires
of the community, let it cost what it will
They take little the most trouble, and un-
dergo little the most exposure and depri-
vation. for the sake of being prompt and
punctual in delivering their express matter,
of any other firm was ever acquainted
with. Their conduct is governed by such
strict urbanity and devotion to business, that
they not only gain the confidence of all those
with whom they come in contact, but they
retain it. When one is sitting here in com
Portable house by warm fire, listening to
the bowling of the fierce storm without, aud
looks up and catches glimpse of the poor
expressman working his way through the
storm, for the purpose of furnishing us with
a knowledge Of what is going on outside OF
these snowy mountains. he can appreciate
the services of that public benefactor. The
expressman occupies no mean po-
sitson in these lonely, dreary hills, whatever
light you may view him in, in the valley. He
is with us. you might say, the very life and
support of the better portion of our citizens.
If the merchant deserves a just need of praise
for furnishing food for the physical system,
the expressman deserves tenfold greater
commentator for furnishing food for the
mental system. To truly intellectual man.
a deprivation of the litter is greater afflic-
ton than the former. 1t is a sad fact, and as
ehring as it is sad that talent is very, very
much neglected and abused in California
Young men of very high order, and prom
isng degree of talent. can be seen playing
cards from morning till night, and for no
other purpose than to "Aill time"


What a sud sight, and how fearfuly SOL
emn to contemplate! Could such young
men as are in the habit of thus idling away
their time only be made to fully realize that
it is duty they owe to themselves, their
friends, society, and their God to cultivate,
heautify and adorn whatever natural talent
they may be fortunate enough to possess
We're it in our power to correctly compute
the actual loss which the world of science
has sustained within the space Of two thous-
and years, in consequence of n deficient cult
tivation and development of natural talent
it would be one of the mast astounding
problems that the world has
ever known. We evidently owe it to "the
powers that be, to cultivate our minds and
make ourselves Of as much benefit to our
fellow men as it is possible for us to be, but,
aside from that there are other motives for
ourselves. believe that our happi
ness, not only in this world, but in the world
to come, is, and will be- in an exact ratio
with the talent, education and development,
both intellectually and morally, that we may
be fortunate enough to possess. The more gen
eral and extended our knowledge is upon all
the refined topics Of science, of course the
greater is our scope for the security of hap
piness. And entertaining the view that ]
do that the road beyond the grave is life
continued the same rule that will apply to
life this side of the grave, will apply with
equal force to that on the opposite side.


Gentlemen, entreat you to provide your
selves with pen, ink and paper, and books
and make a solemn resolve that they shall be
your exclusive source of entertainment, in
stead of cards, and mark my word, you will
be both better and wiser men when spring
arrives; money could not hire you to waste
another winter in the idle and pernicious
practice of card.playing; and you will thank
ME for this advice Another reason why our
conduct should be correct, is the influence of
our example Now don't you draw your
selves up in disdan. and deny that your ex-