Ways of Living.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 359, 26 March 1903, Page 2

Ways of Living.

—♦- RUINED BY PETS. ;»SXBESPITE the fact that they are cf<» villainously mischievous, there jftkfe are few more popular pets than jackdaws. But the sense of humour they undoubtedly possess often causes a vast amount «sf trouble. To what extremes their love of playing jokes upon people may extend is strikingly shown in the case of a young author, who but for his pet jackdaw might have had a brilliant career. \ After having succeeded to no small degree as a short-story writer, this author, who was but six and twenty, essayed to startle the world with a novel in which he had the utmost Confidence. His confidence, however, received shock after shock by his novel being returned by one publisher after another. Losing faith in himself, doubting his ability to write a successful novel, after ten or twelve refusals of his MS, he submitted it. for the last time, before destroying it, to a firm who had offered to give it most careful consideration. After a lapße of some weeks, he returned home one day from a short holiday to find his MS. awaiting him without so much as a word of thanks or regrets from the publishers. Brooding over his disappointment for a few days doubtless unhinged his mind, for he took an ' overdose' of a Bleeping draught with fatal consequences. The very next day there arrived for him a letter from the publishers who had last read bis nouel, asking for a reply to the letter which had been sent him by the same post as his MS. Inquiries proved that a letter had arrived with the MS., under a separate cover, and MS. and letter had been placed on the author's table together Suspicion fell upon the author's pet jackdaw, which was allowed the freedom of its master's wriiing-room. As a result of a long search the letter- was discovered in one of the jackdaw's secret food-stores. It expressed the great pleasure the novel had given the publishers, who offered to publish it on very generous terms if the author would make one or two minor alterations, and return it to them. The novel has been a most decided success as a posthumous work. A beautiful white cat ruined a Midland frm of engineers some time back. The cat was the office pet of the head of the firm, and the two wero much attached to each other. When the engineer was working at his table the cat generally reclined on his shoulders One day the engineer was drawing up an estimate for a big contract his firm was to tender for, and the cat was in its usual place acress his shoulders dozing comfortably. Suddenly the cat, feeling itself slipping, started, and clutched its master's arm in such a way as to cause his p a n to run through a big item in his estimate. The engineer having, however, finished his task, failed to notice what had happened, and being pushed for time fell into the plot fato was scheming. He called his head clerk, instructed him to add up the items, copy the estimate, and send in the complete tender at once. He stroked his cat an affectionate farewell, and set out soon after for the South of France, where his firm were carrying out their first important contract, the construction of a steel viaduct. The Elip of that Whits cat drew the engineer's pen through an item of £8,600. Toe clerk omitted the item from his copy, and thus the tender was £3,600 less than the lowest possible sum for which the work could be done. The engineer had allowed no room for profit in his estimate, as he was anxious to obtain the contract, knowing it would lead to other and bigger thin? a falling to his firm. The tender w«s accepted, and being a contract had to be stood by. Tba logs it entailed was greater than the young firm could suffer, and bankruptcy resulted. It may often have been remarked that eome dogs, particularly puppies, have an t xtraordinsry liking for cne<ving leather, parchment, vellum, and similar things. This prospensity, strong within a foxterrier, once deprived a young man of a fortune of upwards of £30,000, and because, counting upon inheriting the fortune, he had run himself considerably into debt, brought about his absolute beggary. Adopted whan a boy by a childless widow of wealth, he was 'brought up to understand that he would come in for the bulk of the lady's estate upon her death. Somehow or other he managed to so displease his benefactress that she made a will entirely cutting him off from bene? fiting by her death. Subssquently, however, a reconciliation took place ; a fresh will was made, and the adopted son was given to understand that 1 some £30,000 had been left to him Upon the old lady's death,, the second will, which, of course, revoked the other, was produced, and formally read. It fulfilled the testatrix's promise of | £BO.OOO edd to her adopted son, and disposed small sums to members Of her j family. After being read, the will-ra britf, single-, Bheefc document, on parchment, as the-law then demanded—was left on a table in a rroni and the heir's fox-terrier was shut up alone in the room with it. When the will was thought of, and sought, all that could be found of it was a moist, blotchy pulp, bearing numerous marks of dog's-teeth, Not a word of the whole document was readable, and the will being thus unprovable, the previous will, which was still in existence, had finally to be filed. Probably no dog ever before or since cost its master such an enormous sum of money;