PAPERSPAST

"Misery"

By MARS

Little Bill, one of the shutting gang, ■discoreJied that "Misery" one cold, wet, winter's morning, asleep in a GB - r - He was lying on a seat-cush'on, a thre;ad-barie blanket and an old sack being h's only covering, his "busted" boots acted as his pillow. . • . "Hullo," said Bill, "what In hell are you doing here?" "Misery" awoke, jumpteld to hfe feet, disclosing a slight, poorly clad figure — underclothing, a pair of dungaree pants and an old coat constituted his wardrobe —he was blue with the cold! I've jus , be a havin' a sleep," he said, "I'm broke an' ain.'t got nowhere filse t o go .... been out here two months: —believed a lying 'ad' I saw Kα a plaper at 'home. , '* t. Littl© Bill's eyes grew misty. "Well, if that isnt a — ! Gome with jpe," he said. Ten minifies later "Misery las Dick, the wag. dubbed hjrn) ate ravenously of the food the raalwaymen shared with him. Seatejd in front of their warm fire, he told them his history—he had fought at Mons, arid had been thrice wounded, and, as Tonl remarked sarcastically, was treated' "like a hero by a gtateful country." H,e came to New Zealand, being lured here by one of those high fainting "ads." our Government see fit to have inserted in some of the "Home" papers' On arriving in these "Doonly Isles" he was speedily disillusioned. HE HELPED TO SWELL THE RANKS OF THE UNEMPLOYED. Finally, having spent his scanty store of hiard-£arned savings, he was found "camping ouft." in a railway car, by an oilskin-clad shunter, on a wet cold winter's morning! Before "Misery" left us we "raked , * up a few bob and soins clothes for him. Dick, who lives near, went home to what money, etc., lie could get. His wife was of the opisaion that he wjanted it shilling to join in a " ke S party," but his very earaestoese having convinced her otherwise, fUe little woman gav,e Mm the 5/- she had carefully saved up to buy some little article of feminine adornment for herself. We all did our bie&fc to help, Little Bill off his. socks and 'giving them to 'Misery," the poor chap having none. Our "Boss" m&naged to get "MUery" a job about a week later, j "MISERY" HAVING TRAMPED THE COUNTRY MEANWHILE. The first thing he did when he got work was to join the iatoour Party—MASSEY", PLEASE NOTE!

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