AN INTERESTING FAMILY GATHERING.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 135, 20 March 1873, Page 2

AN INTERESTING FAMILY GATHERING.

Tn« Parkwood correspondent of the Queanbean Age writes : — A very novel and interesting meeting took place here on the 6th instant. Mr Thomas Southwell, one of the oldest residents of the district, and who by his industry and frugality has attained to great prosperity, and amassed considerable wealth, wishing to sco his numerous family of children and grandchildren assembled around him, and believing the gathering would be as great a treat for them, invited them to a dinner at tho paternal homestead on that day, being the sixtieth anniversary of his birth. The invitation was thankfully and affectionately responded to ; and at two p.m. on tho day named they had all assembled (not one living of the numerous family being absent) and sat down to a sumptuous dinner prepared and laid in a large marquee erected close co Mr Southwell's residence. At one end of the table sat the father and grandfather of that large family, with his sons i (iiro of whom being married were accompanied by their wi>es and children) on his right hand, and his daughters (of whom five — including two step-daughters, the present Mrs Southwell having two daughters by a previous marriage — being married, were attended by their husbands and children on his left. At the other end of the table presided Mrs Thomas Southwell, senior, the worthy partner of the father of that interesting assemblage and excellent mother of some and stepmother to others of them, ft was, indeed a sight well worth beholding — a venerable patriarch with no less than sixty-nine children and grandchildren (that ia nineteen eons and daughters, ten sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, and forty grandsons and granduughters) crowding round him, ihoir faces beaming with delight and all of them pictures of health and happiness. After partaking heartily of the good things provided for them, Mr Bembrick, husband of Mr Southwoll's eldest daughter, in a very neat and appropriate little speech, spoke gratefully of their father's kindness to them all, both then and at all times past. lie felt thankful to God, he also said, for having spared their denr parent to them so many years, and hopod that God in his merer would spare him to them yet for many years to come. Ho concluded by calling upon his brother-in-law, Mr T. Southwell, jun. (Mr Southwell's eldest eon) to present to hia father a small token of their love —a bible. The sacred volume, a large, elegantly-bound, illustrated edition, bearing the following inscription, was then given into tho hands of Mr Southwell : — " Presented to Mr T. Southwell on the occasion of lm 60th birthday, as a token of esteem, accompanied with earnest prayer that many years of sunshine and happiness may yet be given. By his affectionate children. Parkwo-'d, February 2nd, 1873." Mr Southwell, who was evidently much affected by the dutiful kindness of his children —manifested in a manner which took him entirely by surprise — replied so feelingly and affectionately that ere he had finished scarcely a dry eye was to be seen, and ho ended his fathwly. counsels by beseeching Almighty God to bless them. At tho close of tho speeches a fresh supply of eatables was served up for a few friends who had assembled to congratulate Mr Southwell on his birthday. The rcmaidder of the day was spent in various pastimes which occupied till long after dark, whon all retired to rest wishing him on whose account they had met inanj happy returns. of the day. 1 may mention that Mr Southwell presented his grandchildren with a shilling each in remembrance of the day. — 12th February.

Some of the tales told of Gulf St. Vincent •liarki, says the South Australian Advertiser, sound so much like romance that really many person* are disposed to treat " nabby " with I an incredulous smile, when he lands from the fishing-ground with a tale of " seeing n shark 30ft long." At the head of the gulf at the present time tho roracious monsters are in great numbers, but only an occasional straggler is seen in the roadstead. There was one turned up on Wednesday night in a most unpleasant manner, when it molested a midshipman of the Clio. It appears the young officer had paddled in a canoe oi far as the Semaphore Jetty, then made a round among the vessels in the anchorage, and finally was returning on board. On nearing the vessel, a shark attacked his tiny craft, and completely crunched a hole through the bottom The shark, of course, capsized tbo wholo concern, and the wonder is low the midshipman escaped, but it is supposed tho shark in biting through plank and timbers, diversified by an occasional copper nnil, had formed no agreeable relish for what was evidently intended for an evening repast. In•tantlj on the signalman observing tho accident, the gig pulled to the spot, and rescued the youngster with the mutilated canoe. Eatlwr a lesson, this, recalcitrant "Jacks," who, to desert, would fain §w im ashore from vessele at anchor outside. Within the last few days n volatile and cheerful auctioneer was seduced from Collins street to conduct the sale of a r ieco of building laid at a fashionable marine township. A very short time after the arrival of the steamer which conveyed him to the scene of action, he was expiating on the splendour of tho situation to an admiring but somewhat iHent crowd. During one of his most poetic flight 3 m to the altitude of position, he win interrupted by a sheepish-looking lad, who •aid, "Sur*, it's under water in winter j wasn't it there the circus was drownded out ? " It \» us no use goiwg on. Yielding to inevitable fate, tho auctioneer took down the lots he had put up, adding, w ith playful irony, "Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your attendance, but would suggest, upon •11 j future occasion of the kincl, the employment of tht local nurtioneer!" — j£ghs. A stud of iu'vrnty-eight greyhound*, belonging to Mr W. A. Chrke, of Howdon, of which siTty-^even were ' sapling?, 1 wnro *r\<\ vi London recently, nnd realised 171 1 guineas, the Urgwt sum on record One firit sraoon gicvl cuiid brought UJO gmucui.