Miscellaneous.

Colonist, Issue 16, 15 December 1857, Page 4

Miscellaneous.

Melancholy and Fatal Accident.-— Some time ago William Wilson, Esq., from London (brother to James Wilson, Esq., M P., the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and Walter, John, and Geo, Wilson, extensive manufacturers in Hawick) purchased a house upon the sea beach, a little to the east of the town, intending^it as, a marine residence during the ■ summer months. He and his family had been residing here for some time, and they were all in the habit of bathing frequently, and they were all good swimmers. - Three of .the young ladies and a servant girl had- gone-.-in to bathe on the morning of the -12th September. The two eldest, Helen and Alice (aged respectively 17 and 14), having ventured out into deep water, and the tide receding at the time, they were carried put to sea. On hearing their piercing screams, the servant girl gave the alarm. The scene, however had been witnessed from the house by Mr. William Wilson and his second son James, a fine young man about eighteen years of age who both dashed down the beach, and plunged into the sea, in order to rescue those near and dear to them from their perilous situation, but alas! melancholy to relate, the whole four met a watery grave. There was scarcely any person on the spot at the moment, but as soon as the alarm spread through the town, hundreds rushed to the scene, but it was too late. Two or three brave fellows plunged into the water, and succeeded, after an arduous struggle, in bringing out the bodies of the son and eldest daughter. They were both breathing, but before they could be conveyed into the house the vital spark had fled. The body of the . youngest daughter was washed on shore about seven o clock in.the evening; but Mr. Wilson's had not then been recovered. To add to the horrors of this tragic scene Mrs. Wilson was an eye-witness of it all. In a state of mind bordering upon distraction, and with the energy of despair she also plunged into the sea, and had she not been forcibly restrained by some gentlemen present she would have shared the same fate as her beloved husband and, three children.-— HawiGk-Advertiseri ~ ;y. \ / G^ / •■' : ;The Electric TELEORAPHv—Che New York Herald, in a recent issue, publishes an elaborate and interesting document illustrative of the progress of electric telegraphic science throughout the world. From this sketch it appears that of overland and submarine telegraphs there are completed and in course of construction at the present time— Miles. United States (overland).. .. ..38,000 South America ditto ... . .'■" , ; 1500 Europe ditto .. .. .. .. 37,900 India ditto .. .., .... 5000 Submarine (Europe and America) '.".'. 950 Living, as we do, in the midst of the changes indicated by these statistics, we are unable fully to estimate the social and political revolutions which are being silently, but rapidly wrought in the internal condition and the external relations of all nations. In such a state of things it is natural to look forward with rational expectation to the time when even Australia shall be brought into electrical rapport with the mother country. — English Paper. The Bravery of Forgiveness.-—For-giveness is the most refined and generous point of virtue that human nature can attain to. Cowards have done gOod and kind actions; but a coward never forgave—it is not'in his nature.

Tiie Miseries op a White NeckCloth.— Grood-LooMng Swell: I declare I never will wear a white neck-clotii again! — His Facetious Friend: Ha; I suppose, my dear fellow, if the truth were known, that some one has been mistaking you for> the waiter?— G-ood-Loohing Swell: No, sir, it was a thousand times worse than that, for an ugly old maid began making •-sentimental love to me under the delusion, I really believed, that I was a pet parson! I suspected every minute that she would be asking me to send her my measurement for a pair of embroidered braces!— Punch. Lablache—The Emperor of Russia, on learning; that the elder Lablache was ordered on account of his' health, not to think of again appearing on the stage, has sent to the great artiste his nomination to the dignity of " his Majesty's singer," accompanied with « gold medal enriched with diamonds, bearing the inscription, " Pour distinction ;" the medal to be suspended from the neck by the ribbon ot the order of St. ■ Andrew.— Atlas. "'" ■■■' - ■ " ■■'■ v >' " "■_-_»