BY AND BY

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLX, Issue 14654, 3 February 1941, Page 7

BY AND BY

MAN WHO PUT THINGS OFF. “Never do to-day what you can put off till to-morrow.” This was Mr John Robinson's motto. He lived at Kendal in his later years, dying there at the age of 85 years, and it is not known that anyone was very sorry when the Dreath was out of his body, for he was a difficult person to get on with, and rather queer. He was queer m this respect: That he was always going to do something by and by Everyone in Kendal knew him as “Old By and By.’* One of his odd ways was to attend auction sales and bid for anything which he saw someone else was determined to have. It was a nasty trick of his, especially as he had no use for the articles. That did not matter. He would go on bidding for it—if he had a score of such things or could never hope to use one of them—and when anyone asked him what he would do" with it he would say, “Oh, it will come in by and 6y.” For years he kept a horse at an inn in the town. But he did not ride. He said that he did not mind paying for its keep, and that he would be riding him by and by. He r ever did.

He was often asked to lend his horse to someone who needed a steed to go upon a journey, and he rever refused. He said: “You shall have it by and by.” It was as good as a refusal.

To the very end he declared he would go out* hunting, buying guns and dogs. Even a few days before he died he bought some new bags for bringing home whatever mightfall to his gun. “But you never go hunting,” said the man who sold them.

“I haven’t been yet, ' was the bland reply, “but I intend going by and by. ’