THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 3433, 31 December 1885, Page 3

THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

An oTd soldier, who was brooght up at ehwß-M. Court yesterday for using bad language, thae laid him open to a charge under th* folic* Offence* Act, made sooj* reference* frj lb* " geod old times," which, perhaps, m« worth chronicling. After giving some youthful cricketers who bad appeared in evidence against him * pwcw of his mind, the veteran w*rri«r recdfed the days when he was yuuog and vigorous, and spoke as folI»w» :-"Ye«* agi», jour Worship, it was thowght t»« fting of if a man swore or g<>t drunk. Bas." ho addsd, in a deptecitifig tone, "lbs times are altered now-a-days. Thero was no Salvation Army or Blue Ribbon when I wasayonng man." Then h* warmed up as an incident of hi* early soldiering occurred to ihim. "It's*, «if," he said, "in my young days s» oaring was thought nothing of. Why, the very first despatch ever 1 took, the officer swore at m* f'r being behind time.** " Ah," said Mr Beetbam, R.M., " but you mint re- ! member we're getting better and better i every day." The delinquent looked as if b* was prepared to dispute the troth of this proposition, but evidently thought that in his place discretion was the better part of valor; and baring assured the Bench that b« would " never swear any mor*,'* h* was allowed to go, after being detained tfll th* rising of th© Court.— Lvttsleoa Times.