The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-01-15
GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.


r.I A Chicago genius has invented a one-wheelcd
velocipcdc, The next Improvement will dis
,pcnso with wheels altogether. l1na ur Zoo,
An English paper announces that the United
States contains lO8, 100000 hens. ~ .r,g
e' JEFF Davis and family will pass the winter in
the South Of France. :. ". @ :, ...., d,
Thieves lately stole tho carpet from a rural
church near Cincinnati, and when II was newly
carpcted brought back the old and stole the new
one. ...'.. ......r .... r.. ...urt.# ...F .'r.
,ur A monomaniac husband In St. Louis thought
everybody wanted to poison him, and compelled
his wife to tnste each dish before be ate Of It,
When II came to pills the woman rcbelled.
A letter from Yokohama gives The particulars
Of a tragic affair which happened on a ooolie
ship. first supposed to be the Italian barque
Proydcnzia, but which proved 70 be the Clyal-
to, which sailed ON Callao for another part Of
the South American coast. When two days
out the coolies took possession, made the crew
fast to an anchor and consigned them to the
depths below, roaming the cap. ain, who prom
ised to navigate The ship TO China. But he
evidently changed his mind, as he took them to
some placc north Of IIakodadi, probably the
Fox Islands, and there, upon ptetencc Of get
ting foOd on shore, lac left with his servant, but
returned no more. ~ The coolies then took the
vessel to Ilakodadi. They refused 70 give any
satisfactory account until the United States
sloOp of war IrOquois was sent thithcr, when
the truth was wrung out of them. '''
The prctticst actress in Pm;s c,usoi great
Auttering in the breast Of rich foreigner.
The other night he presented himself at her
house, hay:ng taken the pt',aution foprrsele
his arrival with p. iket containing ten thouc-
and franc notes. Her reception OF him was
charming and everything he couhl wish. On
taking leave of the fender object Of his passion
he said, '.Pcrmit me 10 cal again, some time,
my dear child" "Arcy you then 70 very richf"
asked tho innocent, casting down her eyes.
D. The Dominion Of Gambia is suffering from a
plethora Of silver coin. Binks win not take II
on deposit, and the t''ls Of stores, the pockets
of welt-te-Go people. are overloaded with i.
Most of this surplus coin is of Philadelphia orr
gin, and bears the G. gle on it, f,,e. " .''I d.
That must have been a very unhappy indi-
vidual Of whom John FoJier said that ''his
memory was nothing but a row Of hooksto hang
up grudScs upon ..r,,i. y-.. ,r,r ,,..,, IA
Il Captain Hoba,, of the English navy, who at
present figures os Hobart Pssha, in command Of
the Moslcm feet, was in the service of the slave
holdersas blockade runner during our civil
war, and after having done all that lay In his
power without losing money, to prevent the tri-
unph Of liberty in America, he has naturally
drilled into his present position as mecenary
or the sultan, fighting against the progress in
the East. ..... ,r'
A professional thief e,capi three nights in
succession las. month, from the "suthorities"
of Tallahassee. Florida. Amer looking at the
hole through which he made his third escape,
the authorities dc ,larc themselves utterly dis
gastel at its diminutivc sire, and gave up look
ing for him. q, ,.... ..,..f., I,.r.. a. 9,,-I
A farmer near bloomington, ILL.,, r emily lost
three children in most remarkable manner.
He star.ei with his family to ride to Blooming
ton, miles. in a wagon. The three children
were put down in the bottom Of the wagon. care
fully wrapped up in straw and buffalo robe
The father and mother occupied the front seat
thinking their little ones very comfortable. On
raising the robe at the end Of the journey all
three were found frozen to death. They had re-
maipcd perfectly quiet, and undoubtedly died
without pain. rarrn ail .Hrol" uw"
Amer school exhibition at sharpsburg. KY,
on Christmas eve. Q Numbered the young men
repaired to drinking saloon. where two Of them
Joshua Sharp and Dick Taylor. qusrrelled and
went into the street with pistols to settle the
matter. Sharp .,ok position on one side Of the
street and Taylor on the other. about one hun
drci feet apart. Sharp said, "Are yoa ready"
Taylor replied. az am" They then began to
6rc. -sbarp's pistol missed fire the first time.
giving Taylor the hrst Ere. which was harmless.
They then fred about the same time, and were
both instantly killei. Sharp was shot through
r>u2,n 49, A. - 49,