HOW JABEZ BALFOUR WAS UNKNOWN

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8141, 28 November 1894, Page 1

HOW JABEZ BALFOUR WAS UNKNOWN

An English resident tit Salta, in the Aigentiuo Republic, in the course of a letter on Argentine afl'ihs, gives the following n mvtivo of how J.vbi /. Balfour was arrested. Ho bays : "1 cannot retrain from mentioning the interest which Mr Biidgett, our English Consul in Buenos Ayios, manifested in Jabe/, fcjpencer Balfour. 1 don't believe you quito know how Jabez was run down, and it i^ time I told you the real story. Some months ago a common friend from 8 vita culled at the consulate to .see the consul, and on his way through the patio haw a photogiaph ot .1 iboz on the wall. lie immediately recognised in it the portrait ol the man to whom ho had let a house at iSalta a few weeks pioviously, and told the consul of tho fact. Mr Bridgett said very little but did a great deal, lor within the (shortest possible time, armed with the necessary documents, lie was on his way to tS.ilta, 900 miles northwards leaving woid that if inquired for ho had gone down to Monte Vido to gel married (the only feeble part of the business, as Mr Bridgott is tho mobb coniinnod bachelor that ever walked). Arrived at Salta, he interviewed the Governor, and befoie Jabez could stir ho was astonished by a carefully-planned arrest, which took all the wind out of his bails, and left him nothing but tho law courts to go to for v po.s-.iblo protection All this btory .•jounds simple ; but Salta is so situated that, had Balfour received a hint that ho was being looked for, half an hour would have been sullicient tor hnn to pub him,self out ot reach of danger and pursuit by quietly starting for tho Bolivian frontier. Every credit is due, therefore, to our consul."

Many mou strive for funo who wouldn't Imvo kho &ligh'o^t idea what to do with it if they had it. •Justice O'Uallor.m : " ILwo you any children, Mn, Kelly T Mrs Kelly ; " I havo two liviu' an' wan maaiiod."