A LITERARY GENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 254, 2 November 1897, Page 5

A LITERARY GENT.

" FOND OF READING."

At the Police' Court to-day a shabbily dressed old fellow named Joseph Welling pleaded not guilty to stealing a book, value 3s 6d, the property of the Auckland Free Public Library. Tt appeared that a lady had borrowed the book from the Library lending department, and left it one morning recently in the porch of her verandah. When she returned the book was gone. It was afterwards found by Constable Hutchison in Joseph's swag.' The latter's story was to the effect that a "tall man with a black moustache" offered to sell him the book. "He told me that it was a good tale book," said Joseph, "and as I am fond of reading, sir, I give him threepence for it. The other threepence I piomised him 1 didn't give him, for I haven't seen him since." His Worship remarked that if he was so fond of reading he would have been able to read the name of the Free Library printed on the book. He was. sorry he could not believe £he accused's statement, One month's hard labour would be the sentence of the Court.

For the benefit of those curiously inclined, it may be mentioned that the " tale book " to which Mr Wellings took such a fancy was the well-knownjunovel "The Awakening of Mary Femvielfc " r,