CHRONICLE. 



95 



Jolin Wyiide, a respectable malt- 

 ster. The floor, it appears, was 

 loaded with a large quantity of 

 wheat, hut not being properly se- 

 cured, some of the timbers gave 

 way, atul the whole was instanta- 

 neously precipitated through a se- 

 cond flo!)r into the kitchen, where 

 Mrs. Wynde, her aunt, four chil- 

 dren, and two female servants. 

 Were sitting'. An alarm being 

 immediately given by a man ser- 

 vant, who happened fortunately to 

 escape, though buried nearly breast 

 high, the most prompt assistance 

 was afforded, and in less than half 

 an hour the whole were dug out. 

 The three younger children were 

 <lead from suft'ocation, and the two 

 servants from violent contusions 

 on their heads. Mrs. Wynde, her 

 aunt, and the eldest daughter, mi- 

 raculously escaped death, the aunt 

 and daughter being found in an 

 upright situation, covered about 

 breast high with fallen timbers, 

 bricks and grain. Mrs. Wynde 

 was the last that was discovered 

 upon the floor, under the whole of 

 the ru4)bit.h, and, by proper exer- 

 tions, was soon recovered ; but iier 

 immediate inquiries about the cliil- 

 dren, and her lamentations when 

 informed of the fate of her family, 

 were heart-rending beyond descrip- 

 tion ; indeed, such a truly distress- 

 ing scene was scarcely ever wit- 

 nessed. Mr. Wynde, who had 

 been subpoenaed to Worcester as- 

 sizes, arrived next morning by ex- 

 press, and those who are husbands 

 and parents may feel, but catmot 

 describe, his situation — bereft, in 

 an instant, of nearly the whole of 

 his family ! 



17. At the Northampton as- 

 wzes, held last week, Richard Lock 

 was indicted for stealing a silver 



watch in the dwelling-house of 

 E. Green, of Middleton. The fact 

 being proved, and the j)risoner 

 having been called upon for his 

 defence, he addressed the Judge 

 nearly as follows: — "It is usual 

 for persons placed in similar cir- 

 cumstances with myself to endea- 

 vour to extenuate their offences ; 

 to that I shall not presume. I have 

 forfeited my life, which has been 

 a continuation of captivity and mi- 

 sery. The only thing of which I 

 have had any thought or conside- 

 ration for the last six months has 

 been death. I am weary of life, 

 and hope for a better in another 

 world : and I request that your 

 lordship will pass sentence on me, 

 and that it maj' be executed as 

 speedily as possible." He was 

 found guilty, and sentence of death 

 having been passed upon him, he 

 exclaimed — " This is the happiest 

 day I huve seen for 20 years !" 



21. The frost has been so ex- 

 cessively severe in the Baltic this 

 winter, that the Sound, between 

 Copenhagen and Sweden, was 

 frozen over, and the communica- 

 tions over the ice, by means of 

 sledges, open and uninterrupted. 



26. Ramsgate. — Late on Thurs- 

 day afternoon last, a route arrived 

 here, for the detachment of the 

 2nd Dragoon Guards, or Queen's 

 Bays, at our barracks, to march to 

 the head-quarters, Deal, the next 

 morning, and from thence for 

 Portsmouth, to embark, and join 

 Lord Wellington's army. Ac- 

 cordingly, between nine and ten 

 yesterday morning, the detach- 

 ment was on parade, under arms, 

 and left the barracks, at which 

 time a most melancholy circura 

 stance took place. A private dra- 

 goon, named George Gregory, 



