AMERICAN NOTES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 114, 14 April 1870, Page 6

AMERICAN NOTES.

The "Providence Journal" publishes the following episode in the life x>f George Peabody: — "A story has been going the rounds of the newspapers giving as a reason why Mr. Peabody was never married, that he adopted a young girl, whom, after she grew up, he wished to make his wife, but finding that she preferred a clerk in his establishment to the chief of the house, he ' never told, his love,' but calmly gavo her up, and saw her married to a younger rival. Of the truth of that story I know nothing, but I can vouch for this that I am how going to relate. More than thirty years ago, in the school of John Kingsbuxy, was one of the fairest daughters of Providence. Her school education finished, she went with friends to Europe, not, however, before having given her youthful affections to a young man whom she had met in a sister city. But before

marriage, adversity came upon him, and he found himself in no situation to marry. He was not willing she should waste her youth and beauty in waiting through long years, so he released her from her vows, and they parted, she going, as I said, to Europe. There she met George Peabody, then, speaking, a young man, but one who was already making his mark, and whose wealth was beginning to pour in. He saw her, and was struck with her grace, her winning ways, and her loveliness, and he * proposed.' Her heart still clung to her loved one across the wide Atlantic, but after some time she yielded, perhaps to the wishes of her friends, perhaps to the promptings of worldly ambition, who can tell ? She became the affianced wife of Mr. Peabody. After a little interval she came back to this country, and soon after her arrival, met her first love. At sight t>f him all her former affection came back, if, indeed, it had ever left her, and Mr. Peabody, with his wealth and brilliant prospects, faded away, and she clung with fond affection to her American lover, and was willing to share a moderate income with him. All was told to Mr. Peabody, and he, with that manliness that characteiised his every action, gave her up, and in due time she was marx-ied. I well remember, when in London twentyeight years ago, hearing all this talked over in a chosen circle of American friends, and also at a bi'illiant dinner party given by General Cass, at Versailles, it was thoroughly discussed. Whether, in his visit to this country, Mr. Peabody ever met his once affianced bride I cannot say. After several years of wedded bliss, death took her husband from her side." The New York "Tribune" briefly - describes an affair which might have been terrible in its results :—": — " Soon after 11 a.m. yesterday (December •27), while an immense throng was gathered in ..St. James's Eoman Catholic Church, some evergreens hung near the organ took fire from a gas jet. In an instant the congregation made a rush for the doors. The narrow stairway leading from the galleries became packed, and several persons leaped to the ground floors upon the heads of those in the body of the church, many of whom were struggling to escape. Women fainted, others screamed loudly, nnd the crush hear the doors was frightful, and the destruction of many of either sex and all ages was momentarily threatened. The priests from the altar appealed to the congregation to retain their seats, and Detective Mahoney, of the Fourth Precinct, who was in the church when the panic cominexiced, sprang upon a railing,* and also assured the crowd there was no danger. The appeals and assurances finally pi*evailed, the alarm subsided, and the Mass was continued. Notwithstanding the excitement, no one was seriously injured, so far as could be ascex'tained, although "" many were thrown down and traxnpled in the first rush to escape." From San Francisco, of date Dec. 27, it is stated — The Ixeaviest earthquake shock ever experienced in Eastern California and Nevada occurred about six o'clock last evening. The shock was felt with mox-e or less severity at Sacx-amento, Marys ville, Gx-ass Valley, Nevada Oity, lowa Hill, Stockton, Chico, Truckee, and other neighbouring towns. At Virginia City, Nevada, walls wex*e thrown down, floor bells rang, and clocks stopped. The consternation \l%s general. The fchock was felt severely on the lower levels of all the mines. The vibrations were north and south, and lasted about ten seconds; At Reno the shock was preceded by a low rumbling) which lasted neax-ly two minutes, alarming the inhabitants. The expx-ess train bound west was detained about an hoilx', between Wadsworth and RenOj by large rocks and eax*th thrown on the track by the earthquake. . The day after Christmas-day Mr." G. F. Train appeared at Tammany Hall, New York, as a preacher. The fact had been advertised in the following manner :—": — " To night, Rev. George Francis Train preaches on ' Old Fogies of the Bible compared to the beautiful character of the Saviour. 1 The" same discourse suppressed last Sunday evening by the bigoted Puritanical Cooper Institute Trustees. One man against 30,000 preachers." At the appointed horn-, Mx\ Tx*ain, " x-esplfindent in brass buttons and white kid gloves," presented himself before a crowded

audience, and delivered' a discourse thus described by the " New York Times " :—": — " He opened the vials of his wratli upon the American people, and conveyed to them the agreeable information that they were a 'set of toadies, flunkeys, and cowards.' Several institutions of modern society which have at least the respectability of age and good standing in the community were soundly abused, among them the Church, the medical faculty, and the press. He also took upon himself to set history right in several important particulars, and informed his audience that a certain cargo of choice teas was dumped into Boston harbour some years ago by the Fenians. He detailed the experiences of particulai'ly extensive travels over all the continents of the earth, and interlarded his discourse with numerous snatches of 'epigram, 1 composed on the top of the Rocky Mountains, and in various other out-of-the-way places. The result of all bis various observations appeared to be that all the world was sunk in degradation and ignorance, and only one man can save it, and he was George Francis Train, ' the only one man in the country who is not owned.' The subject on which he was specially announced to speak, ' The Old Fogies of the Bible,' was the only topic not touched upon. He px-omises to favour the country with successive repetitions of his moral and entertaining exhibition until lie « prevented by the arduous duties of President of the United States, which he expects a grateful people to thrust upon him in 1872, if not sooner. Grant is to be impeached for his particular benefit."

The tendency of American juries to acquit murderers on the plea of insanity is strikingly illustrated in two cases just published in the " Philadelphia Press." John Hickman cut his wife's throat at Chandlers ville, Illinois, and the despatch adds :—": — " This is the second wife Hickman has killed. He was acquitted of the first murder on the plea cf insanity. " From Pottstown, Pennsylvania, another despatch tells us of the murder of four women by one man, not all at the same time, but at four successive periods — years elapsing between each. This man also has been declared insane. He has suffered for none of these terrible crimes.