A GOLDEN CHARACTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 2, 12 December 1911, Page 8

A GOLDEN CHARACTER.

The famous auctioneer of old—anxious to soil a rather doubtful properry —painted it in too fulsome terms, and at the last moment endeavoured to save the situation by adding that candour forced him *to state that there were to drawbacks in it, “the litter of rose leaves and the noise of the nightingales”—found a prototype in a Police Court near Sydney the other day. A young fellow of mournful aspect and innocent demeanour appeared in answer to a charge of having conducted himself in a very hilarious manner in the public thoroughfare. The arresting constable declared that the defendant was actually and unmistakably intoxicated at the time he took him under, the fostering care of the police station. The very, suggestion caused a blush of horror to chase a frown of indignation across the young man’s features. And he forthwith called a friend to bear testimony to tiie purity of his character. The friend, looking the picture of neatness, with his hair carefully parted down the centre and curled at the sides, came into Court and manfully stood by his unfortunate comrade. “Drink, did you say t” lie observed, in countar-blast to a pertinent question from the police, “why, that man’s as true as gold you could fing him on the counter, and you would not hear a crack in him.” As nobody attempted to prove the assertion by practical experiment, the witness continued; “Drink. You can take it from me he never touched a drop in his life*. Drink!” he shivered as though the icy blasts of winter had suddenly cauglit him unawares. “Why you couldn’t get him into a hotel if you wanted to; 1 believe ho would sooner die of thirst.” 'The witness caused, and seeing the look of consternation on the face of the police, ■who must have thought they had arrested a veritable angle, threw in a depreciatory remark by way of bringing his friend within the limits of human nature. “But he’ll drink ginger beer,” ho added, as he smiled expansively at the magistrate.,