"The Biter Bit."

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 77, 8 December 1887, Page 4

"The Biter Bit."

A curious old Otago settler, reputed to be enormously wealthy '• pegged out" a few weeks ago leaving his earthly possessions to his only child—a maiden daughter of some forty summers. Living in a remote mining district where women were scarce and '* hatters ” plentiful, the daughter had several suitors, but the old man, who wanted to save the wages of a servantgirl, always managed to shoot them oS with bad language, old boots, an ugly dog, and other arguments. When at last be had been duly planted in the local resurreetion-paddock the suitors Shored courage, made friends with dog, and renewed their attentions to the disconsolate orphan. At this Juncture, while the neighbouring settlers were trying to figure up how many thousands the girl was worth and the suitors spending money on hair-oil and conversation lozenges, a dainty young clergyman—a new arrival in the district, who had dreamt dreams of weded bliss and a big farm—eame to administer the consolations of religion to the fatherless one and warn the poor thing against the temptations of the world and the danger of being led away by the mercenary and unsanctifled, To save her from any unholy alliance, the man of many prayers offered himself up as a holocaust on the alter of her affections, so to speak, and in a very short time they were made one, dear brethern, and would have been happy ever afterwards but for another hitch which, alas, eventuated to mar their felicity. Sad to say, the old man’s estate did not cut well. His liabilities exceeded his assets, and the holy young cleric found himself the husband of an heiress who inherited by her father's will some hundreds of debts, with neither youth, beauty, education, nor manners as a set-off. The old rivals have ceased to envy him:—Sydney Paper.