The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-11-20
GENERAL NEWS IrEAs.

The telegraph announces the death, on Bat
urlay, of Gioscchino Rosini, the great Italian
dramatic composer, at Pussy, near Paris,
France, In his 77th year.
The citisens OF Portsmouth, N. H., are crcu.
hating petition to have the city credit loaned
toward the construction Of . railroad between
that city and Dover. All travel and freight
now goes by the roundabout way Of Newman
ket Junction, eIept small share that goes by
small craft up the Cocheco river.
An old lady at St. Josephs, No., and her two
grandchildren, were bitten by rats few weeks
ago, and have since died from the effects Of lie
bites.
Gen. Rawlins. chief Of staff to Gen. Grant, ID
said to be In consumption, and In such bad
way that serious fears Of his death are enter
tanned.
History might have been entirely reversed II
Noah had started . Temperance society, or taken
up any other branch Of agriculture, PLANTED
corn instead Of grapes, or gone into sheep or
poultry, or the frost or mildew had blighted
his grapes, or the screw Of his press had broken.
Had any one Of these things happened, he
would not have got inebriated, there would
have been no curse, no nieger, no Democracy.
Or, the same result would hsye occurred, had
Hams children died Of the diptheria. The
course" for o long time, has rested on the
wrong racc of people, as the Csnaanitcs did not
20 TO Africa, they stayed In Asia. Their teri
tory included those New Yorks Of the Old World,
Sodom and 6omorrah.
The first instance Of Chicago pulpit being
occupied by female preacher occurred on Sun
day last In the Church Of the Reieemer Uni
versalist) where Rev. Mrs. Chaplin Of Mount
Pleasant, Iowa, addressed very large audiences
In the morning and evening with considerable
effect.
Adjutant General Townsend reports that the
entire strength Of tho army proper, infantry,
cavalry and artillery. on the Both September
this year, was 43,74l men, Of whom 1900 at
least win be mustered out by expiration Of en-
listment before New Years Day. The loss by
desertion this year was far less than last year.
The expenses Of the army establishment have
been curtailed In every way. II Is again reo-
commended that enlistments be made for Ave In
stead Of three years, rs at present.
Baron James Rothschild, the head Of the
great banking h.m, died Paris Monday.
Careful observation BY scientific men has
proved that the greatest known velocity OF the
largest ocean wave Is nine hundred miles an
hour.
Two prisoners who recently escaped from an
Illinois Jail, afforded remarkable instance Of
thoughtful consideration In moment Of success.
After having gagged and bound the jsilor and
rolled him into their cell, they kindly put o
pillow under his head, spread q blanket over
him, and told him to ring the bell II he wanted
anything.
The Washington Erening Star says that Rev
erdy johnson Is considered failure, and that
the present administration would be glad to dis
place him, lift could be done without too great
modification to him.
There Is q human simlitude In Chelsea,
Tenn, which has been appropriately called
Pepper. Some two years ago he adopted an
orphan child Of ten years, whose life since then
has been series Of suferings. She has been
starved almost to death, whipped till her body
was q mass Of welts and raw flesh. tied up by
the thumbs, and generally abused In the most
inhuman manner. Last week she committed
some trivial offence which exasperated Pepper,
and he determined upon novel punishment.
Seiring the child by the hair, no dragged her
into the kitchen, heated the poker ed-hot, and
commenced literally to tattoo his victim. She
screamed, entrcated and prayed, but all In
vain. Pepper drew the heated iron at least
twenty times across her face and arms, until
the skin began to peel of In large fakes. This
frightened him so that he dcsisted. The little
girl ran frantically to the house Of neighbor,
where her wounds were bound up,and measures
taken to bring Pepper to punishment.