A PEPPERY COLONEL.

North Otago Times, 3 December 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

A PEPPERY COLONEL.

"On one occasion," says Anthony Trollope, in his autobiography, "'it was my duty to put a' private letter, containing bank notes, on Colonel Maberly's table, The letter was seen by the Colonel, but before it could be dealt with, he was called from the room. On his return it was gone, In the meantime I had returned to my room in the performance of some duty. When the letter was missed, I was sent for, and there I found the Colonel much moved about this letter, and a certain chief clerk, who, with a long face, was making suggestions as to the probable fate of the money. "The letter has been taken," said the Colonel, turning to me angrily, "and confound you, there has been nobody in the room but you and I!" As he spoke, he thundered his fist down upon the table. "Then," said I, "by Jove, you have taken it!" and I also thundered my fist downbut, accidentally, not upon the table. There was there standing a moving desk at which, I presume, it was the Colonel's habit to write, a nd on this movable desk was a "large bottle full of ink. My fist unfortunately came down on the desk, and the ink at once flew up, ■ covering the Colonel's face and shirt-front. Then it was a sight to see that senior clerk .as he seized a quire of blotting paper, and rushed to the aid ol his superior officer, striving to wipo up the ink; and n sight also to see the Colonel, in his agony hit straight out through the blotting paper at the senior clerk's unoffending stomach. At that moment there came in the Colonel's private secretary with the letter and the money, and I was desired to go back to my room 1