"YOU OLD DEVIL."

NZ Truth, Issue 107, 6 July 1907, Page 4

"YOU OLD DEVIL."

A Hsrrible Case, of Mistaken '■ Identifr.

An unfortunate adventure which recently fcefol one! of our most dignified judges is the subject of deep couasnisora>tion ajQongst his friends. . He was doing the Napier circuit, and entered, the Hawke's Bay Club after a\ frying day. Now, if aback view is *tS^ cen of the noble pleads of His Hono^. and of a well-known squatter m tbev district, it would be -difficult for th» \^ best friend of either to distinguish t'other from which. Thds unforturwit* rear resemblance is responsible for the tragedy. His Honor was seated with his back to the door, when (we will say) Brown r who has sheefl-rsbis-ing tendencies, entered, and, descrying one whom he todk to be an old friend (name Smith, for the purposes of this paragraph-).,' he atlvancaa stealthily, and catching Mm by the ears, remarked, "You old devil ; hanj you ; so you've come up to the racw. You ought -to be ashamed ©L^your- - seflf.' : F?.ch word of this oaservatio^.-' was punctuated by pulling the Lea^T of thse victim from side to side. His ' Honor struggled m the fefute's grasp, and finally got his face m a ' line with Brown's,- .who let v o suddenly. After recovering 'from a~Tirain storm into ;SF / 4kh the awful npss oi the situation A/^%3l«ns;ed hiitf, he exhausted - -IL ~ JkiAfi/^ft§~-ef*apis}Q^ •"jcn-oTv n to polite sqciety, and prayed for an earthquake or a tidal wave TO OBLITERATE THE SCENE. His Honor took it very well, and regarded the aEajir without perturbation, while Bripwn staggered blindly ouj;. of the ropm. Brown related his misery to Rjobinson, who kssps racehorses that j other people loss money on, and JfloWnson was much amused. "You. killy fool," he said, betw^Bn choired.- "don't you know Sniat-^ better/ than that '{"' anil he exploded. "a£ anyrate," retorted Brc^n, "no One has bepn gam>e enough till now to wfing tdio ears of a judge." Robinson wa^derod through the rooms giving hysterical expression to his ecstasy, when whom did " foe espy but his bid fri-emi. squatter ■Smith, sittins;iwith hitJ back to the door. He advanced, a.,ul punching the head playfully with his closed fist, Robinson shrieked in r an agony <>f enjoyraont :" -m •Just— ban-K — fancy—bang— feikinu;-i-bang-an old— bang— fooi—bang-lik*. -" you r bang~for,a Jtidge of the ' Supreme Courv -bang.r b an .g!! bang ! ! tact* Robinson. Jt was the Jurtceih Tiio.custflmary reii i s hercwTth ! drawn O "/cr the sub^^ont proceed-. ]mn. o«t«r m;nrc.i ror-Uic feeling |S^^Vt^ HisHtra -^