The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-25 00:00:00

Lamentable Scene at a Fire.

On Monday afternoon the most intense and pain-
ful excitement was caused in Ladybank and the
surrounding district by a melancholy occurrence
which took place at the little village of Monkstown,
situated about 500 yards west from the junc'ion of
the Perth and Dundee branches of the North British
Railway, resulting in the destruction by fire, within
a very short space, of four cottages and the death of
three persons. Monkstown is a small village, com-
posed chiefly of those thatched houses which a few
years ago were very common in that part of Fife-
shire, but of late years have been rapidly giving
place to buildings of more commodious and
safer construction. About four o'clock in the
afternoon smoke was seen issuing in dense
volumes from the roof of one of the cottages,
which was occupied by a labourer employed on
the roads named John Muekarsie, and the inhabi-
tants of the hamlet, appreciating the danger to which
they were exposed, at once turned out to assist
in putting out the flames, which immediately after-
wards began to shoot forth, and speedily enveloped
the building. The attempt, however, which the
very nature of the structure rendered hopeless
almost from the first, was soon seen to be
utterly futile ; and in the absence of fire en-
gines, and every effective means of throwing water
upon the flames, the fire rapidly spread to the roofs
of the neighbouring cottages, and in not more than
ten minutes after the outbreak was first observed
four were blazing. The unfortunate inifabitants,
seeing the impossibility of saving their dwellings,
attempted, while the flames were confined to the
roof, to save the more valuable pieces of furniture
—a foolhardy carefulness which was the occasion of
a melancholy accident. In the absence of her hus-
band, Mrs. Muekarsie, in whose house the
fire broke out, assisted by her son Richard
and a young man named David Anderson, an
apprentice joiner, was thus engaged when the
burning thatch roof fell in upon them, at once chok-
ing up the doors and windows, their only means
of egress, and by loosening the burning straw and
woodwork of the roof, causing the fire to burn all the
more fiercely. The three persons inside the house,
if not killed by the falling debris, must have been
very speedily suffocated, and, the hamlet being at
the time deserted by nearly all the male population,
any attempt to extricate them from the burning
mass was impossible. The bodies, when some time
afterwards recovered, were found to be dreadfully
scorched. After this fearful warning no further
effort was made by the other cottagers to save their
household goods, and the unhappy and excited
women and children were reduced to the situation
of helpless spectators of the sad sight. Before five
o'clock, or within an hour of the first discovery of
the fire, the four cottages were burned to the ground,
and nearly everything they contained was destroyed.
So rapid was the spread of the flames that some of
the villagers, and those who were assisting them in
saving their furniture, very narrowly escaped with
their lives.

az-
CI Coct
Trani dirsubt

HER MAJESTY, &c•

'WINDSOR CASTLE, April 24.
The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness
Princess Beatrice, drove out yesterday afternoon,
attended by the lion. Flora Macdonald.
Their Royal Highnesses Princess Louise, Prince
Arthur, and Prince Christian went out riding.
Lady Churchil and Major Elphinstone were In
attendance.

Her Majesty walked and drove this morning; 3e.
companied by Princess Louise and Prince Archer'
Princess Beatrice rode in the Home Park.
The French Ambassador arrived at the Castle
yesterday, and had the honour of dining with the
Queen and the royal family.
Lord Raglan and Major-General F. so-10111;i
C. 8., have succeeded Lord Skelmersdale
Colonel the Hon. A. Liddell as Lord and Groom
in 'Waiting.

VISIT OF THE QUEEN TO THE DUKE D'AUMALF:
—Her Majesty, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses
Princesses- Louise and Beatrice, drove from Windsor Grits
at a quarter past three o'clock yesterday afternoon i°
an
open carriage drawn by four greys, which was precededl9l
two outriders, and followed by a travelling carriage, 112
which were Lady Churchill and Lord Alfred Paget, the
lady and equerry in waiting. The royal party proceeded
through the Home Park and Frogmore Gardens, leaving
the royal grounds near Albert-bridge, and from thence ,
Old Windsor, across Runnymead to Egham and Chertseii
t
where they changed horses ; thence they went by the usual
route to Bushey Park, for the purpose of paying a visit °,
the Duke d'Autuale. The Queen and royal party returned
to the Castle in the evening to dinner.
The Queen of Denmark and the Prince of Wales:
attended by Madame de Bille, M. do Castenschiold, and
Captain Ellis, visited the exhibition of the Institute n',
Painters in Water-colours yesterday at the gallery in Fall'
mall.
The Prince of Wales rode out yesterday, attended
by Captain Ellis.
The Earl and Countess Stanhope and Lady gal
Stanhope have arrived at their residence in Grosvenor'
place from Chevening, their seat near Sevenoaks, Kent'
A marriage is announced between the Bar
Brownlow and the Lady Adelaide Talbot, fourth daughter
of the Earl of Shrewsbury.
The marriage of Viscount Pollington and Miss
Venetia Stanley Errington was solemnised yesterdaynt S;
George's, Hanover -square. The ceremony was performed
by the Hon. and Rev. Arthur Smile, uncle to the bride-
groom. The bride was attended by the following Y°lll
ladies :—Miss Stanley Errington, Miss Maud Lindsay;
Miss Mirabel Lindsay, Miss Meritia Hon. Aline
Willoughby, Hon. Louisa Edvv ardes, Hon. Caroline ,-
wardes, and Mies Avril Beaumont. The bridegroom Wee,
attended by Mr. Charles Milnes Gaskell. Sir Rowlancni
Stanley Errington entertained a large circle of relatives°
friends at breakfast, after the ceremony, at his residence'
5, Stratford-place. Lady Sarah Lindsay was prevented by
severe indisposition from attending the marriage.