How It’s Done !

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 238, 22 December 1888, Page 2

How It’s Done !

GETTING A YANKEE START. Gisborne has earned such an unenviable name for itself in the past that one feels disinclined to record anything which would remind us that we still have some very clever people in our midst. Still it is the duty of the scribe to record events as they come under his observation, without regard to any touch of sentiment in the matter. Not so very long ago a small artisan settled in Gisborne, and in very unpretentious premises he began to carry on his trade. What he did for a living shall remain a secret, and inquisitive people must rest content with the information that it had to do with men’s understandings. Now, anyone who has much to do with Gisborne affairs knows the utility of making a big splash, and so when the aforesaid diminutive establishment burst into a large firm, under a high sounding name, no one thought anything more of it. We are not given to be surprised in Gisborne, and we are too polite to be shocked. Possibly, no more would have been thought of the matter did not Her Majesty’s mail one fine morning bring to one of our citizens a small parcel of goods together with an invoice and a consignee’s letter. When he opened this he was struck with astonishment, for within it was a bill giving credit for a small amount received, and charging him with the postage on the aforesaid parcel. Matters were getting highly interesting I He had neither ordered the goods nor sent the money! He looked at the address again. It was for him—there could be no mistaking it, although it was addressed to the care of the aforesaid firm. Both Christian and surname were there and he was the only one of the name in the place. He would continue his research and try to find an explanation. The next thing to come to his view was a debit note of £lO odd dated some months back. Now our friend is very modest, but he could not help feeling elated at the fact that so much credit was given to his name. He, however, feels aggrieved to think his name (for circumstances make it certain it is his name) should have besn used without his consent, and were it not for the fact that the firm in question is possibly in a good financial position he would perhaps feel uncomfortable. The only explanation of the affair is that the ruling power in the firm thought a stranger’s name would be more acceptable to the manufacturers than his own. The manufacturers, too, may think they are fully secured. Taking all in all it looks suspiciously like a fraud. Who says Gisborne is behind other places m producing clever men ?