RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 21

RANDOM RECOLLECTIONS.

CYANIDE TOMMY.

(By J. McCOMBIE.)

"Cyanide" Tommy was assayer to the Roaring Gimblett G.M. Coy., and his salary was £200 per year, paid in monthly instalments. He came in with the "boom," which produced such an extraordinary crop of mining monstrosities, and resulted, in so much disaster for the New Zealand goldfields. Like tlie majority of hia compeers, Tommy's services were more of the ornamental' thim of the useful order, but he sat tight all the same, because some of his relations had sufficient influence to keep him there. Another peculiarity characteristic of the class to, which Tommy belonged was the close attention he gave'to small things, while big affairs were allowed to look after themselves. Li other words, he stood close by the spiggot while the values flowed out unrestrained from the bunghole. Tommy was a great ladies' man, and his general get-up, on high days as well as holidays, was simply marvellous. As young unmarried ladies were rather a scarce commodity at "Pancake Flat" our hero's particular weakness was the barmaid at "Flannigan's." Miss Kermodc was a magnificent specimen of the blonde order of womanhood, who was civil to everybody, but friendly to none, and even the roughest patrons of the pub were compelled to treat her with a certain degree of respect. Thia lady had only just come from Melbourne, where it was rumoured that she had recently been plaintiff in a breach of promise case, claiming heavy damages from a- high-class medical man with an extensive practice in that city, and that the jury decided in favour of defendant.

Thero is no doubt that she was a highly-cultivated woman, whose knowledge of music, both vocal and instrumental, was far beyond the average.

Tommy was her pet aversion; nevertheless, he stuck to his guns manfully, and left nothing undone that was likely to win her confidence. It is possible that time and perseverance might have softened her heart towards him if a certain mining magnate, reputed to be a millionaire, had not arrived on the scene. This man made the running very strong from the first day of his advent, and within one week it was easy to see that he was first, and all the other suitors nowhere. Now poor Tommy was to be seen in the bar more often than was good either for his health or his pocket, and the object of his affections would not favour him with even one of her coldest smiles.

One afternoon Tommy came into the bar parlour, where he called for a glass of whisky, which was served to him in the usual way. He added some water, tipped in a white powder, which he said was cyanide, and coolly informed the barmaid that he would be a dead man in less than ten minutes. Then he lifted tlie glass and imbibed every particle of the contents.

Miss Kermode'g screams penetrated the whole building, and very soon several men reached the parlour, where Tommy was laid out writhing in apparent agony. Several of the onlookers seized him by the arms and legs, while Flannagan compounded an emetic with mustard and water. This was forced down his throat, followed up by the whites of several eggs, and the better part of a bottle of olive oil. Tommy did his level best to avoid taking anytlung, but he was in the hands of powerful men, who made him swallow every drop of the mixtures. Now the resident medical man put in an appearance, and applied the stomach pumpp, which left Tommy as limp as a wet dish cloth on washing day. As soon as he could get his breath, Tommy looked scornfully around his attendants and said: "You blithering idiots, it was a headaciic powder I took, but you would not give mc a chance for anything in the way of explanation, and now I'll shoot the whole darned lot first opportunity."