PRACTICAL JOKE ON A RAILWAY INSPECTOR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8274, 21 September 1888, Page 2

PRACTICAL JOKE ON A RAILWAY INSPECTOR.

Amongst the many roilwny inciients on record, the following, from the Age, may well find a place :— "Four railway Inspectors wero travelling frjra Oakleigh to Melbonrne. They had a compartment to themsolves, and tbe time passed pleasantly enough, until one of tbe party suddenly nttersd a wild shriek, and began to execute »n impromptu dance on tbo Boor of the carriage. For a moment bis companions thought that bo had been seized with sadden iasanity, but the point of an augur protruding from t"ue cushion against whioh bo bad been loauing, explained the mystery. Someone in the next compartment hrul bored into tho partition, and tho point, after penetrating tho timber and tho cushions, had finally embedded itself in tbe inspector's bick. The injured person seized hold of the aaget*, when it van withdrawn with faoh violeuce that bis Gofers wore bndly bruisod. At the rexf, station the officials made a descent upon the adj ining- c uipartmonfr, nnd discovered an inebriated railway labourer, penoefnlly reposing by the side of ihe olFaad'inft instrument. He was at once seized and conveyeJ to the wa'ch-bonse, where ho was indentifiod as It. J. Connolly, a railway employee. The inspector escaped with slight injuries."