CRUELLY SOLD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1837, 25 January 1888, Page 3

CRUELLY SOLD.

' An amusing incident, which occurred not a hundred miles from tbe borders of Tuapeka, ha» just been reported. A bank clerk, having received notice of removal, set to prepare himself for the journey. He had a lot of old clothes which be had worn out, and which he wanted to get rid of in some way, so ho made np a tidj parcel, bat it in a black bag, and by tbe light of the moon wended his way to a river near by. Picking oat a pretty deep spot, he tied the bundle to a briok and dropped it. That tame night tbe village policeman was waited on by a young couple who informed him that whilst sitting on the bank of the river studying astronomy they noticed Mr. Brown, of tbe Intercolonial Bank, steal quietly to the deep hole, take a young infant from his bag, and drown it witb a heavy stone tied to its neck. Here was a sensation, and a right-down first-class case for a constable who badn't one for fully six months; so determined to make the best of it, Oomtable O'Hooligan, obtaining assistance, proceeded witb a grappling iron to the spot indicated. The news soon got abroad, and, before many minutes, on the bank of the river stood a policeman, two parsons, three Chinamen, a journalist, a bank manager, a Salvationist, and seven sympathetic females. After about an hour's search, the iron hook got attached to a bundle, which waa carefully drawn to the surface and deposited with an air of victory, not unmixed with horror, on the bank. The work of investigation was commenced. "Tbe heartless villains," exclaimed a parson; "the wretches," sobbed a female; "poor little angel," articulated tbe Salvationist ; " welly wicked Eulopean," rejoined a Chinaman, la a minute tbe contents were laid out on the tuaaocks. They comprised a pair of ■eatlets pants of the masher pattern, a couple of well-worn ehirt fronts, an old pair of gusset boots, a few old socks, a ornahed bat, and a thread- worn swallow tail, in the pocket of which was found a lady's pocket handkerchief, a peppermint lolly, a fine toothed comb, and a pawn ticket. The inquest has not yet been held.