, 1864-04-24
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

A Paris correspondent writes Of the mask
cd ball Of the Grand Opera: There ia not
more disgusting sight under heayen-except,
perhaps, some Of the infamous shows of the
infamous places Of this city, and they ore not
lack the throng which gives the bad prc-emin-
ence to this Scene. Il does not strike
stranger us 1t does IN old resident A Astran-
ger does not, cannot see, what's going on.
This is no paradox It is one Of tic best
established truths in natural science that an
observer can only sec the things with which
he Is 1amiliar-which he has been taught to
look for: Hence photography is inconpara.
bly, better descTiber Of animals, plants, or
shells than the profonndest zoolosisr or bo-
tanist or conchologist. There are faces, there
under bis bow, which make the Parisian's
gorge rise All wear one ylsnge, all possess
Que voice to the strnnger. The mefcenary
character Of society has Influenced these b Ills
IN another way; Formerly women Of society
had their "Weakness'' (by the way, Hallam
did not know the value of thc wo7l! ,:diylexe)
G1tthen 1t was really weakness; now it Ii
strength. Then it was the gfddy heart which
whispered the syEcn's strains: no \ 1t is the
bFain which calculates and financierS. Then
conversation was secret; now it is matter
stead Of going to the bull as their weak-heart-
cd mothers did, have other aud much more
elaborate arrangements. There is one old
characteristic Which the ball still retains-its
noise The nproar is deafeuing. The Or
chestra is large one and in it there Is an un-
sual proportion Of brass Instruments, whose
noise Is thrown out into the body Of the
theatre with unusual volume. The orchestra
is placed ut the extremity Of the stage far
.thtst from the foot-lights. The stage wall
throws sound out into the great seml-circle
In great waves as they break on the ear shat
tQTtnr 4 q 10 sfA Ar fhnri ir,-
parties TO separate and lose themselves Id the
immense throns, cries go up from all parts Of
the building and In nine OF ten iauguages and
twice as many dialects, designed to show
:one's place md lure friends to 1t. This hub
'bub breeds hubbub. Everybody screams for
some imaginary missing friend, andpoitcn in
caricaturing the broken French heard from
English or German lips.
"A correspondent in Naples gives an account
ot trial which recently took place in that
anything that the world has ever heard. 1t
appeared In evidence that band Of brigands
had attacked the house of some priests, natn-
q: cd Paeqaale Vescusi.. his nephew, Giacomo
: Fescuhi, and Ale1sndro Ruotolo, in the noun.
Trims Of TAburne, and sent an ordor to their
families to release them for l., 1000 ducate.
THIS amonnt was finally reduced one hale
But the family being poor, could only scrape
!; together few hundred dollars, and a quanti-
ty Of bread, cheese and wine, which were
sent on to the bEigands.
The ruftinns pronounced the bread bad and
the mone} insufficient, and Giona, the bro
ther oi Caprlano, the Bourbon General, throw
INF himself On the old priest Giacomo, aud
compelling, him to kneel, cut Off an ear with
knife stolen from the victims house. The
priest Ruoto}o nearly fainting at the sight,
Invoked the Medonnn, when the brigand,
with u threatening roice exclaimed, ''Silunce
here only the devil is to be tnro6edrf The
ear was dispatched to the family, aud at Last
1900 ducats were sent In the vain hope OF
recovering the uncle, This sum was also
pronounced insufficient, and the murder Of
The venerable old priest Glacomo WIS deter
mined on. The bloody scene Was concluded by
GIopa first, and afterwards dl the band, stab
bIue him with upwards ofone hundred blows,
when the body, still paapitatirg aud breath
Ing, was thrown into pit dug on the moment,
'ond covered up with stones :,
Another witness, an old man seventy years
of age, md the uncle OF another murdered
mai, deposed that when the priests ear had
been cut of, brigaud suatchedit, and ate Z
portion Of 1t, but Gfona took it from hlm.
| aying: '.This Is not to be eaten, but to be
sent 10 the family" After tbs wretch had
Sumplacenly, picked his teeth, and taken
AWAY. the threads Of flesh, he ent about say
| ing: .*My taith how sayory are the ears Of
| urlesis!' while lis campaniou }oked him,
Hs,1ng, "You: like priests ears? they are
| gcud, eh?' Another aged priest narrltcd the
! i.u..:rr ofhis nephew, who had been decosed
up tie mountains. He was first stabbed and
shot in a number Of places, his head was then
cct cit and pipe beiog put In the mouth,
v, + placed III the sill Of Il window. His
| limbs were cut of, and hung on the treea
near Mt hand, with placard on each, bearing
the words, aSo arc spies treated. This IS
the tutr Tint awaits iraitors!' Afterwards
The reminder oithc body ~Gs cut in norsels,
roastt over large fire;7 and eaten by tue CAM.
hnl supporters oi Divine right and the Bour-
bone ..sPasqua.e Papa wanted me to eat some
too, .,ii For the love OF God ~ replied, e.
conrot |. Z revolt at it.'' "You WON'T, won't
;you ~ ~as the auswer. swell tomorrow
ne will eat your fcsh-.