The Sun. — 1863-12-26 (London, England)

COLONIAL HERO.  The West Australian Times of Oct. 15 contains the following :—An incident in the life of a poor man was related last week in the course of our criminal sessions that, in a former age, would have excited general admiration. Two shepherds were in charge of one of the flocks of Mr. John Hassell, at a remote station. There was no other station within 20 miles of them. One afternoon, some time ago, one of these men while occupied in his hut, which was only composed of stakes and rushes, fancied he heard a groan at a little distance. Going outside he again heard the sound of low moaning, and soon discovered his companion, Chas. Storey, lying insensible in a brake, and covered with innumerable spear wounds, Carrying him on his back to the hut, he laid him on his kangaroo skin rug, washed and probed his wounds, succeeded in extracting the barb of a spear which was buried in his side, and ultimately restored him to consciousness. It turned out that Storey had been attacked by a band of natives who wished to seize the sheep. This was admitted by the native witnesses at th 9 trial of —lit' th one of the party for the murder of Storey, who eventually died of his wounds. The two unfortunate men remained awake all night-one in extreme pain, the other carefully attending upon him. Next morning the natives surrounded the 1-, and began throwing spears, which completely passed throughy Sallied forth. Ho bo sides of it. Finding that they would be murdered, Edward Ladbury, the witness, who told the tale in simple, unvarnished terms, took his only Weapons, his andbill-hook, i tahndhibsoeldolat, so as only to hpoacdkceotvkenreifde the bill-hook display the handle, which the natives took to be a . '-t I Ile threatened o e threatened to fire upon them unless they withdrew, and after some deliberation they sullen,' remained in fear day the men re of y retired. All that their return. D • During the next night Storey said he felt bettr, endeavour to make their escape to le‘i, and they resolved to r. Hassell's next station, 20 miles distant. At 2 o'clock stole out of the hut. the morning they stole in .. their bedding and effects, and Storey clung to his arm.sl After crawling about 150 ho could go no farther, yards the woundedt 1n en leavesaid him to his fate, and save himself. and urged Ladbury to o be almost impossible to rescue Store but Ladbury It app ear determined not to leave him to cy,hurried forward with his load and dertain death. He eposited it a quarter of a mile off, then returned for his comrade, hoisted him on his back, and carried him ed to the same spot, where he exchanged him for their personal effects (the sole property of these poor si fellow \ • , Which he again carried a quarter of a mile further, Then he returned for his friend, and thus they Journeyed, one nearly dead of his wounds and the other exhausted with his exertions, for a distance of seven miles, When they reached a spring of water. Here they remained a while, scarcely able to crawl any further. Ladbury could no longer carry Storey, but he managed to drag him along. After a miserable journey of two days and a night they reached M dead. The wo ur. Hassell's station atman, aft r n Jerrymungu ep, both of them n y weerl as sent forward in a cart to the hospital at cessary rest, Albany, where his sufferings were terminated by death. Few men have better deserved the Victoria cross than this humble shepherd, Edward Ladbury. What struck us most forcibly about the matter was, that his conduct elicited not a single comment or remark from either court, counsel, or jury. From which ho are inclined to infer that such acts are far from singular or uncommon in this country. For our own part, we feel it to be only one degree lower than a crime to allow such an instance of generous selfdevotion to pass without the tribute of applause ; and, although in this, as in most other cases, virtue is likely to be its own reward, Edward Ladbury may return to his hard life with the consciousness that he has nobly earned the sympathy and approbation of his fellow-minnists.  A FLAVOUR OF TIIE LAST FRENCII NOVEL !A fantastic novel by Theophile Gautier is just now the rage it is called "Lo Maudit." M. Louis Ulbach, who reviews it in the Temps, states that he has " devoured those three volumes, sincere as a confession, touching as a romance, and terrible as truth."