The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-22
FOREIGN NOTES.

-Adelina Patti is said to invariably wear
necklace of rufled silk, with an immense dia-
mond in the centre under the chin.
Thomas Carlyle pays culy sl25 for the rent
of his house, and has never seen his landlord.
He is periodically directed by an attorney to
pay rent at such place, and he suspects that
the cheapness of his tenement is brought about
by Lhe connivance Of friends.
Another case of spontaneous combustion is
reported by L'Union Medlcale, In an article
from the pen of DR.. Bertholle. The subject of
it was woman thirty-seven years old, who
was addicted to alcoholic drinks. She was
found in her room with the viscera and some
of the limbs consumed, the hair and clothes
having escaped The very minute description
Of the state In which the deceased was found
shows that ignition could not have been COM
municated from without.
The other day wealthy French country
man, whose son was studying law in Paris,
paid visit to his hopeful scion at the capital.
After dinner, father and son took stroll
through the streets, looking al the various fine
buildings. Finally, they stood still In front OF
a very remarkable and characteristic building.
"what building is this, my ?" inquired the
father. ~ don't know, papa," replied the son,
"but will ask the Sergeant de Vile, who is
standing behind u.s." The Sergeant de Vile
informed them that it was the law school,
where the young man was believed to have
attended lectures for year past
al Paris correspondent ofthe New York Her.
aid has had special Interview with Pierre Bo-
naparte, now in confinement in La Conciegerie
Prison, in that city, for shooting the late Victor
Noir. On entering he found the Prince sitting
near the iarthest window, converslng with six
gentlemen. The scribe was cordially well
coined and Immediately introduced to the
Princess, who was seated on sofa near by.
The Prince was dressed in blue cloth jacket,
buttoned to the throat, and voluminous trow-
sers of lighter color; he also wore gloves and
spurs In the course of conversation the
coming trial was but little referred to, and
never with apprehension as to Its result. The
only one of the party on whose brow could be
occasionally detected the slightest anxiety was
the Princess. The frank, open bearing of the
Prince enlisted the sympathy of all. After
lengtheaed visit the correspondent rose to de-
part; the Prince took of his glove, crossed the
room, shook hands and thanked him for the
call. The impression the Interview left upon
the mind OF the writer was that the Prince is
more deserving Of pity for the distressing po-
siton in which he Is placed, than of the vitu-
paration and abuse which have been so un-
mercifully heaped upon man awaiting trial
for crime the punishment Of which Is death.
The reforms in the French electoral laws
projected by Olivier, it is asserted, will give
to the country proper representation OF all
parties in the Legislature. The law provides
that France shall be divided into electoral cir
subscriptions, containing about 5000 voters;
but heretofore the government has been In the
habit of arbitrarily rearranging the districts
so as to secure maJoritles for It's supporters.
This system prevails to moderate extent IN
the United States; but as the redistricting only
occurs at fixed intervals, the evils are not SO
great as if, previous to every election, the e3-
ecutiye were to shift the precincts so as TO Sc
cure the return of official candidates. NGer-
rymandering," however, has failed to regulate
the elections in Paris, and, as natural conse-
uuence, that large city las become the centre
Of the most violent partisans. and returns such
candidates as Rochefort. The new electoral
law, it is asserted will return to the correct
principle, and divide the departments Into
electoral districts without regard to the politl-
cal predictions of the voters. But as every
new experiment may result unfavorably to
the wishes of the projectors, so Olivier fears
that the territorial electoral districts will re-
turn members hostile to his administration,
and hestates about sending to the Corps Leg
islatifthe draft of the law. 1t is asserted,
however, that before q change can possibly
take place Olivier will certainly hold office
for eighteen months.