AN OFFICIAL "SWEEP."
Apropos of a late race, taja a contemporaiy, a good fi'.e comes from one of the West-End Government offices. Like the dubs, writes a oontempora'/t they often get up what it familiarly known as an official "sweep," to which the highest ai weJl as the lowest clerk may subscribe. The head of a department whioh shall be nameless took two shares, and then went out of town for a few days. On bis retina, the day before the race, he found on his table two cards, on one of which was written "The Duke of Parma," and on the other " lord Ol'fton." He rang the beU for tbo messenger. " When did the Duke of Parma call here? " ho inquired. " Doc't know, s'>." " WeD, wben did Lord Clifton come P " " Can't say, sir," replied the messenger. " Veiy odd ! " said the chief, end foithnith he went to the second in command, and asked him whether he knew when the d ; it>ngc""ahed visitors hai caMed. " Duke of Parma ?" obseired the second in command, after a Httle consideration. "It mask be the ex-Duke of Paiiim. lam sure I haven't a notion when they came." Thereupon the head of the department ceo* for bis pxlvato secretary. "Mr Jones," said h*, "do you know anything about this ? Wben did these gentlemen call? I have asked everybody, and nobcdy seems to hare seen them." *■ For some moments the private secretary's life was ia danger j Uw betting was ten to one on bis splitting bis side*. At last, when he had somewhat recovered, he whispered, in a faint voice, "It's the sweep, sir!" " Sweep, sir ! What sweep, sir P" exclaimed the head of the department, getting angry. " The offioial * sweep,' sir." " The offioial sweep, sir .'" cried the chief, fairly losing bis temper. " And how dart the
offirul sweep, sir,- come into my room and put cards upon my table with these names upon them?' 1 _ . . At this juncture' the betting was a hundred to one against the recovery of the private secretary, and for a second or two at least life was supposed to be extinct. At last he came round, and the matter was explained. Of course, the names on the cards were simply those of the horses which bad been drawn m the "sweep." But the head of that department has looked a trifle sci ever since, and it seems very doubtful at present whether h« will try his luck next year.
AN OFFICIAL "SWEEP."
Star (Christchurch), Issue 2431, 7 January 1876, Page 3
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