Miscellany.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 485, 8 March 1881, Page 3

Miscellany.

DOUBLE SUICIDE FROM FEAR

Hungarian papers reported a peculiarly painful case of double suicide committed by two shepherd boys, aged 10 and 32, near Karlsburg. The ho lads were in charge of a flock of sheep turned out to graze on some grass land abutting upon the Karlsburg Arad Railway, and had been several times reproved by the watchman stationed near the pasturage ground for allowing them to stray on the line. On the 6th ult., just as the Arad express came in sight, several sheep In d wandered down the embankment, and were in danger of being crushed by the train, from which, howthey were rescued by the timely intervention of the watchman in question, who, as soon as the train had passed, [ called up the boys and told them that he would have them severely punished for neglecting their duty and his repeated warnings. The terrified lads held a consulation as to how they might escape the threatened penalty, and came to the conclusion that the best and only way of getting out of their scrape would be to drown themselves and so escape punishment. One of them had just had a new hat, adorned with a gay peacock's feather, given to him, which he sold for thirteen kreutzers to a little peasant girl who had been at play with the boys when the dreadful menace of punishment had been imparted to them. With the price of this hat he purchased some small loaves, and the three children sat down by Marcs to hold the " Pamona," or death feast, and this being terminated, the boys climbed the parapet of the Marcs bridge. Their tiny playmate counted aloud, " One, two, three," and at the word " three " they sprang hand in hand into the river, sinking immediatly under the broken ice with which the surface of the stream was partially covered.