THERE IT IS AND THERE IT WILL STAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1499, 7 August 1880, Page 27

THERE IT IS AND THERE IT WILL STAY.

Father Soully was chaplain of the Ninth Massachusetts Regiment during the late war, and as such was zealous for the moral welfare of the men under his care. He was specially opposed to gambling, and never hesitated about acting vigorously whenever oocasion required. One day, half a dozen of the officers were having a little game of poker, and, as the " pot" amounted to nine dollars and seventy-five oents, there was great excitement as to who would be the winner. Just as the question was decided, Father Soully sprang in under the tent-flap, grabbed the stakes, and put them into bis breast-pocket, with the remark ;

" There it is, and there it will stay 1" No remonstrance was offered, and he walked off with the confiscated currency. In a little while pay-day came round, and the usual collection was made for the ohaplain. father Scully was soon informed of the amount, and sat in his tent, waiting for it to be brought to him. In a short time, the officer who had undertaken the collection — he was one who had been disturbed at the game of a few days before—approached with the money, which he handed over. The chaplain counted it, and then turned sharply to the new-comer with the question : "Where's the other nine dollars and seventy-five cents ?" Drawing himself up, he slapped his hand on the breast of his coat, and answered : " There it is, and there it will stay ! That was my pot you took."