A PRACTICAL JOKE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVIV, Issue 4412, 16 January 1897, Page 4

A PRACTICAL JOKE.

How very misleading circutri'stances rany be made to appear was given a very plain proof in the Wellington Magistrate." Court a few days ago during the hearing of a wife's application for a judicial soparation from her husband. The defendant in -the ca'-e was-(says the "Post") eudeavofing to cover his own shortcomings by throwing into relief those of his better half, and with this object called a witness to show that his (defendant's) wife had cne night during her husband's absence gone out in his (the husband's) clothes.' The witness who gave this evidence went as far as to say that he saw tho woman put the clothes on, but on the Bench expressing astonishment at this, he admitted that he was confused, and that he did not see her dressing, bn^ afterwards. The whole story put a nasty aspect on the woman's conduct, but this was quite cleared away when she explained the reason for the masqtjenuje. She was always up to playing jokes, she said, and oue bright moonlight night sbe thought she would have a lark with Charlie (the husband). Be was alwnys thinking someone was stealing his fowls, so she determined to dress up in his clothes, take a pup nnder one arm and a rooster under the other, and go out and meet him as he came home, and make him think he had caught the tbief When 1 ressed the witness before mentioned admitted that, the facts were as stated^g^lie woman, though he did not explain wny he had attempted to put so different a complexion upon the affair.