THE BISHOP'S LOST TELEGRAM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 953, 21 October 1910, Page 4

THE BISHOP'S LOST TELEGRAM.

'■ Bishop; Neligan,'' who :has; jesignedj•■the Anglican- Bishopric;.; of:)Ancklandvon: account ;'of; ■ai ■ serious'' breakdown; : : in if' his health, -received a- : sheaf \: 'of.■;.telegrams priori to,: , 'departureji.for; : them, •of^opnr^j;;;cime-;froniv;;--;'iuck]fittdj-and, > cqnveyed', such: Irishes ■.;as il g6bd-by«, .God-speedJ; unsafe'' and -pleasant: .voyagej. ;and;jrestbratjon; v 'tO;;heatoc>>.Thfl ; / : ]3ast lninute" pas^engerTwiis':cAospictio.us'°. , l)y .'his dbsenfte,; but' his"plac6 ; "was-'taken:j)y Va "last nuaute".;telegram,;.■which,■ :: ii:uor« tunately,''met'Tvitli a : .tiagi6]fatel; It'iwas drowned. STh©'- tragedy ; 'occurred. : in'fthis ■way;,-The: gangway,:had ; been drawn up before a'diniinutive' telegraph 'boy;'.arrived, ;and' : the>steamer had' got a f ffiw. feet! a'way-from: the : ffharf.-;-.The boyifhad a resourceful ; ; ,min4^fßβ ; 'tecognise(t; at on(»4hat-m :the;'teethv.o|'the stS;;irind which blew'.'he toVJ tlirow: the; telegram;, by: i b'ut*. he : ,thonght /he ;cpuldy:manag6;:;to* landifbag and;all oii'•'the', , .shipfs , :' ( de6fci;'-' , He trietl-itj but : either ,the -steamer's cook,."missed; the i catch i or .'.■ the';: bag' hit: one: : Of;; the' atanohions—at■ifanyrafe , .! bag and '•' telesirami fell; into : ;thft:^ateri'.-viltyV.was: ; : :a;.-.tense" nioment;.; The spectators afloat and "ashore looked 'ok- with 'interest. j;\-'.'A; drowning, man could not have- attracted' more attention. ■ The':bag.went down'very. slowly, A ■ hook on the ,«n<J of a : rope .was, produced; ,-but »the- was':,too short Then , a boat-hook, made:.itsi'appearance, but nowi the bag was.beginning to fiH and sink, and. the boat-hook could noti'be manipulated,.satisfactorily i; ':iirojh the. whar£;-'-vAll hope, |however,'was'mot yet afciiidoned;;"-- , -^;..tp , ye?'liidder;.'.-\ras-.;let. down; ovct . the ship's' side,".and; a','seaman. desceided,.to get to .work at; close-quarters •with the,hook;'r.but byrthe ; time;'he was-, ready 'for/action-bag.:and..messagei".fjh'ad disappeared from sight. :.'All'.eyes.' irerp now directed to the -telegraph "boyi- Whose telegram .was; it?.:. It ; .was: for the .Bishop;. but when DrJ Neligan was informed of his loss, h6 waj not.overwhelmed yrith'.grief. He ( the ninety and nine telegram6, l and -was not oyerbtirdened with anxiety. ; to Save the;6ne : . which-.was lost. His sympathy wee 'with the little messenger, for. he 1 , has two small, boys of hfai' own,\one. a young New: Zealander.- Hβ threw: a couple of shillings on shore to" soothei-jthe : - bbyfs.'troubled feeliigs,;. and perhaps : help to meet; the cost in case an inexorable * Department made-him. replace the lost bag..; :The 'steamer .then .'moved off, and.one caught -a last glimpse of the Bishop smoking/ the 'pipe of ;peace:; and waving farevrelr'.to;;friends on; shore. He will probably have; to. wait till he reaches London before 'he learns;'the .contents .of! Hhat "last.: which., met with a watery , grave;:'in Wellington Harbour.,; "''V ;---C.:\.;.V; : '■■>-; : ". '■■■'■'...:'': -:' ;>|