"THE BITER BIT"

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1682, 8 October 1887, Page 2

"THE BITER BIT"

*> _ Joslah Miller went to an lnsurano3 company to get a polioy on one of his vbesela that was about to sail from the West Indies to New York with a valuable cargo. The insurance was heavy, and so was the premium, because the ship was not rated very well at Lloyd'B. Mr Miller paid the premium, and was told to call In a day or two for the policy. He called several times, but the clerk always had an excuse to offer, The President had not signed the policy, but would do so when he came In, and the document would be sent round In a day or bo. One morning a man came to Mr Miller, after a. breathless ride on relays of horses from near Montawk, and reported the ship a total wreck on Montauk Point; Mr Miller went to the insurance offioe and said, m a loud volop, to the olai k : •' You needn't mind about the polioy. I've heard from my ship. You can give me back my premium money," Before the clerk could think what to say the President of the company stepped out from his private office, with the policy m his hand, saying : '-I'm sorry, Mr Miller, but your policy has been signed and waiting for you two or three days. I meant to have sent it to you, but'it was lying under some papers on my desk." Mr Miller tcok the document and noticed that tha ink of the signature was not icy. As he turned to go, he aaid ; "I've heard from the ship, Soe's gone to pieces on the Montauk Point, a total loss."