Miscellany.

Bruce Herald, Volume X, Issue 955, 6 November 1877, Page 3

Miscellany.

JOE THOMPSON AT THE GOYEENOE's BALL. " Bohemian" in his odd notes in the 'Brisbane Week' relates the following delicious, morceau, which we think to good tb be lost :— " You dont know Joe Thompson, the Victorian racing man, do you ? Neither do I; but. I heard a good story of him the other day from a Melbourne friend. Joe is one of thoEe shrewd, illiterate, and by no means too conscientious men, who have amassed large fortuneslby "making book" on horse races, . Except for his fine clothes, fine house, furniture, horses, and equipage, he is the same rough old piece of goods as when he used to hawk fish and sell hot pies. By some unaccountable means or other be recently got an invitation to Government House on the occasion of, a ball there. When Sir George discovered ', the mistake, he deputed to' Capt. Pitt the delicate and disagreeable duty of getting' Joe 'out' of tnat' as speedily as possible^ The captain started on hiß errand, and,after a short search discovered the bold hero diligently and conscientiously getting outside as much of the vice-regal champagne as possible, and, at the'same time, relating to an amazed knot of listeners pithy anecdotes of the turf and personal adventures of a decidedly stirring character. Captain Pitt took Joe on one side, and as gently as possible, informed him that he had got in. by mistake and must get out agaiu as soon as he conveniently could. ' All right old maD,' said Joe, * but just let us two 'aye another bottle of fizz fust.' To this the captain consented as the readiest means of getting the man away peaceably. When the bottle was empty, Joe prepared to depart, affirming in the most vehement and emphatic manner that he didn't bear the Governor the least malice in the world. He then held out his hand to Capt; Pitt, ab though to shake hands, but slipped a sovereign into his fingers, whispering as he hurried away, 'I alius treats sarvaofs same whether their masters is civil or not;' Before tbe captain could recover his astonishment and band back the money, Joe was gone. I used to know Captain Pitt very well when he was in Brisbane here, aod: I Gan thoroughly understand what his feelings would be under such circumstances." •