The Sun. — 1861-11-11 (London, England)

JOHN WASHINGTON."  The Plenipotentiaries of the Confederate States, viz., the Hon. Dudley Mann and the Hon. W. L. Yancy, dined with the Fishmongers' Company on Saturday evenin e„, His Excellency the Russian Ambassador arrived at Chesham House on Saturday from visiting her Majesty at 'Windsor Castle. His excellency will give a grand entertainment to their Imperial Highnesses the Grand Duke and Duchess Constantine on Tuesday next at Chesham House. There is a select circle invited to meet their Imperial Highnesses.  The Duchesss of Wellington arrived at Apsley House on Saturday from Windsor Castle. Her grace leaves town to day to Join the duke at his shooting -quarters in Norfolk.  FOLKESTONE WiTs.—All sorts of curious stories are still told to illustrate the perfect guilelessness and crass ignorance of the ancient Folkestoners. Most of these tales are, of course, mere fictions and pleasant conceits of their enemies. The amusing ballad of the "Folkestone Fiery Serpent" humorous y recounts how the sagest municipal functionaries of the place, startled by the unwonted apparition of a fine large peacock—a genus never before seen within their borders—took counsel together, before sallying forth to encounter it, as to how they could best capture or slay the terrible monster, which could not have struck greater terror into their hearts if it had been " Gorgon, or hydra, or chimera dire." This simple-minded, stay-at home race, were afflic'ed with none of your modern furore for travel. Any adventurous member of their body who had made a pilgrimage of fifteen miles to Canterbury was ever afterwards looked upon as an oracle of wisdom and knowledge, and in the local vocabulary was dubbed "a foreigner,' by reason of his distant peregrinations. The same incurious people are said on cue occasion, when threatened with a visitation of small-pox, to have spread their fishing-nets over the town to keep out the malady—or at all events enablo them to catch it, and then drown it in the sea. Again, a parochial conclave, after grave debate, once issued a solemn order for having the parish church " white-washed blue," and then removed to a better site by pushing it isideways with men's shoulders.. But there is no end of the ridiculous stories which have been circulated at the expense of the Folkestoners—a plain honest people, like most other Kentish men, albeit now over.." bright" in intellect ; and it is difficult to conceive why they should have been specially singled out to be the butt of the local satirists. The malignant ingenuity with which they have been assailed may be judged of from the fact that a willing, centuries ago, discovered that the lettersof which the word Folkestone is composed will, when transposed, form the anagram of " Kent fools." Years have since then rolled on ; Time—the Avenger—bids fair to tar' the laugh against the scoffing rivals of the erst-despised n perriseed township. The vast changes incident to the intro introduction of railways and steamboats have opened a eranewwr stone, both in regard to its material prosperity eity for Folks if the and the awakening of its dormant intelligence. magical influence of some po ent talis.man ttohethliettlde,ignmiistyeraobfles, squalid fishing-village has attained dsome new stree ts, villas thriving, bustling port, han in every direction, hotels, and marine terraces springing up and giving promise of still greater developments of wealth and splendour. Folkestone has long escaped from its subserviency to Dover, to which it now owes scarcely a nominal fealty.—From the St. James's Magazine. SUICIDE IN A WATER BUTT .—A coachman, named Young, in the employ of a gentleman in Chesterterrace, Regent's-park, was found drowned in the water butt of the stables on Friday morning. It is said that he committed suicide in consequence of the excitement he was thrown into by the difficulty of finding his way about tow with the carriage, he having only lately arrived from ilfracombo,