MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3684, 13 April 1898, Page 3

MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

An Australian statesman, and one of the Federal delegates, when the guest of the Victoria Eacing Club at Flemington a few days ago ' stole off unawares,' as the storybooks have it, to study life on the flat. Wearing a tall hat, and carrying a white umbrella, his presence attracted attention in a place where beaver hats are unknown, unless when used for advertising purposes, and white umbrellas have a use, and a significance apart from that for which they were originally designed. As be was not laying the odds, the distinguished statesman was naturally regarded as an ex-quisitely-dressed welcher, waiting to open business when opportunity might favour his mission. A plain-clothes constable, "believing he had seen the gentleman somewhere before, and knew no good of him, dogged his footsteps wherever he turned, which, natural, added to the interest with which the ordinary habitues of the flat regarded him. ' What's the niatter; what do you mean by following me, sir ?' asked the statesman, as he turned sharply oa the coDstable. * Don't try to me, mister,' said the other, 'jour mate's just been run in for card trick, and the sooner you the better.' The distinguished gentlemen, muttering, l&e the man in the song, '■ This is [". *>° place for me,' found his way wck to bis friends as quickly as Possible.