Year: 1871

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John the Heather" has been giving us 8
free exhibition of fireworks for the last few days
while, like free entertainment, of every kind, has
been greatly appreciated. He has also had open
house since Saturday with candied fruits, tea
and cigars for his visitors, and the result is that
John at present is rather a popular character.
Indeed, there is such general desire to frater-
nize with him that one would imagine that the
old conundrum "can the Ethiop change his
skin" had been practically answered in the af-
frmative, and that John had suddenly stood
forth no longer " Heather Chinee," but con-
yerted Pagan vested with the privileges of the
franchise, and having decided inclination Dem
ocratic-ward. Strange to say, this new-found
friendship has been developed in classes which
have hitherto been thought Johns btterest ene-
mics. Street roughs who, but a week ago,
would have considered it a solemn duty "to put
head " on him for daring to brush by them on
the sidewalk, have been partaking of his hospi-
tality with a graceful condescension that must
forever disarm Celestial malice. Street gamins
who three or four days ago would have believed
they were neglecting one of the iujunctions OF
the decalogue if they had failed to open bonn
bardment on any stray Chinaman they saw, have
been patroniziug his comestbes with a most
creditable forgetfulness Of past INJURIES and even
the lunch table politicians who for years innu-
merable have assembled in street corner conven-
tions to deplore the evil consequences of Chinese
cheap labor, have been betaking their hungry
stomachs to the Chinese quarter with noble
determination to forgive their foe and dine at his
expense. In fact, such beatifc mingling of
antagonistic elements has not been heard of
since the days of Esop when it is related that
some foolish sheep asked a starved wolf to sleep
in their fold (Which he did and supped off lamb),
and can scarcely be expected to occur again un-
til the next Chinese New Year, unless that long
promised millennium takes place before hand


1t is pleasant to have to chronicle this good
feeling as it shows that the natural repugnance
of the Caucasian to associate with the Celestial
can be overcome by kind treatment and that if
the Chinese do not cultivate the acquaintance, it
Is entirely their own fault, they can easily do
so by Judicious exercise of hospitality.


MIDNIGHT GALE.


On Monday night we had what is said to
have been, the heaviest gale ever experienced in
this latitude, indeed people whose memories can
range through more years than my own say it
was the stifest storm ever known on this Coast
1t commenced about nine o'clock with fitful
gusts of wind and dashes of rain, which quickly
increased into furious blow and peltng del
uge. AT twelve o'clock the force of the wind
was something tremendous, and the racket out
of doors was almost deafening Awnings, sign
boards, chimney pots and other unsubstantal
gear were crashing and falling in every direc-
ton, while to add to the elemental war a heavy
peal of thunder rolled over the city and reused
all those who were still sleeping from their beds.
For the next half hour fash after fash of blind
ing lightning was followed by one continual
crash of Heavens artillery, the wind meantime
roaring like tornado, and volleys of hail and
ice pouring down with rattle that must have
sent thrill of delight through the hearts of the
GLACIERS. In the middle of the hurricane an un-
finished three story brick building on Mnna
street was blewn down, falling through the roof
of woodenE ouse next door and killing FIVE per-
sons. The ipping in the Bay rode out the gale
without mud damage, though vessels arriving
in port are az more or less crippled by its fury.
AS far as heard from, the storm swept all over
the State and even extended across the Sierra.
The fall OF rain during its continuance was
nearly two inches in San Francisco, while over
in Oakland it was only one. 1t was the first
time that many of our juveniles had heard thun-
der, and the general opinion amongst them seems
to be that it discounts earthquakes altogether.
Take it for all in all it was a storm to be remem-
bered, especiallpin locality where such phe-
nomena are neai unknown.


BURNING OF THE LINCOLN SCHOOL HOUSE.


The incidents of the gale and the sad loss OF
life attending it, claimed a monopoly of public
attention on Tuesday, but Wednesday an
other disaster occurred which has served to di-
vide the interest of the week On the morning
Of that day the Lincoln School House was dis
covered to be on fire, and Notwithstanding the
strenuous exertons of the fremen, the greater
portion of the building was destroyed. The
Lincoln School House was erected FIVE years ago
at cost Of 100000 and was justly considered
the finest edfce for educational purposes on the
Pacific Coast. 1t had accommodation for twelve
hundred pupils, and the average attendance was
about thousand. The calamity could not well
have happened at a worse time, as the school
fund treasury is all but depleted, and hundreds
of children are waiting for new school houses to
be built before they can commence their educa-