STRANGE DISCOVERY OF LOST PROPERTY.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 3 October 1877, Page 3

STRANGE DISCOVERY OF LOST PROPERTY.

A very curioufc incident is recorded by the " Burrangong Chronicle" as" Effiving. occurred at the sale of some effects recently disposed '6f within* a few miles of .Young. For a long time- the* deeds of some property concerning" a house tfnd premises and about 100 acres of .land were mislaid, and could u»t be discovered. It was supposed that they were irrecoverably lost, atod tfpplilcation was made at the Registrar-General's office m Sydney for a copy of the missing documents. The persons interestedwere unable,- however, togiveasatisfac-

tory description of the property, and the consequence was that their application was not successful, for the simple reason that they could not accurately describe the property conveyed. The family was still m possession of it, however, and did not manifest any further care m the matter. Upon the death of the surviving parent, which took place recently, the children began to adjust affairs, and to look into the matter of the landed property. The same difficulty presented itself as of old ; the deeds could not be founds The furniture was sold, aindngst which was an old stuffed chair, made out of a"n old ale cask, well padded, and used) exclusively almost", by the departed male parent of the family. The! discarded article was removed by .one bf the sons of the family ; for some time it was used by him m the parlor ; then it Was taken into the bedroom ; finally it found its way into the kitchen, as a lounging seat -for Mary' Ann. The son. got into difficulties, and gave & bill of sale to one of his creditors over the entire lot of his effects. The man' taking the inventory was pleased with the comfort the chair afforded him, and having 'ap. eye to business put it down, with the 1 intention of buying itj should it be. put Up to the hammer; a result he foresaw was immediately pending. A few week's time justified the proceeding. The son's ' effects were sold, and the family being m reduced circumstances, many articles were bought m by private friends for them. The old chair, hpWeverj Was •' spotted" by the mftn who made the inf entory, .gnd was piirchfised by him for Is 6d. This so exasperated the servant girl/ that, taking up jan axe; she deliberately clef t the chair m twain ; when lot and behold ! was discovered to view m its interior not only the missing dee*ds of the property, but a willj. and some £900 m notes and. gold, and various valuable trinkets. The bailiff was so dumbfounded thrit lie appeared to have lost all reflection, for certain it is that Mary Ann took possession, of the un* lawfully acquired property/ whibh., however/in all honesty,- she immediately handed over to her master and mistress/ Whose joy can well be imagined.