ONE THING AND ANOTHER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 302, 10 June 1879, Page 3

ONE THING AND ANOTHER.

(Collated from, our Exchanges.)

Under the heading of " Truth stranger that fiction," the Manawatu Times has the following:—" During the hsaring of an application for a protection order and custody of children, heard before Mr Ward, Police Magistrate at Foxotn, at a late sitting, some facts were elicited, which, were they not substantiated upon oath, would certainly be worthy of but small credence. A woman named Rosanna Bond, living at Bulls, applied for a protection order,"and to have the custody of her two children, one a baby aged twenty-two years, the second being ten. In support of so singular an application, and in explanation of the somewhat paradoxical appellation of " baby" bestowed upon an adult of twenty-two, it was sworn in evidence that the" child" has never, from the time of birth, increased one inch in stature, or an iota in maturity. Notwithstanding the number of years which had passed over the head of the sought for ward, it appeared tha: it had to be carried about in the arms, can neither speak nor recognize anybody, and required to be spoon-fed like a newly-born baby. _ During the hearing of the case it transpired that while neither bodily nor mental development had occurred, the usual facial change in conformity with the number of years had taken place, so that to the beholder there appeared a woman's head on an infant's, body. The father and mother had lived very unhappily, and being separated, the latter wished to have the custody of the charge, of whom she seemed particularly fond. Under the circumstances, the Court made an order that she should have custody during the lifetime of the child, which, it considerd, would also probably embrace its infancy." "You young scamp," said an elderly gentleman, as he caught a little urchin in the act of picking his pocket, " aren't you ashamed of yourself ? You so young and a thief already !" "Oh gammon," retorted the urchin, " I like that! Ain't you ashamed of yourself —you so old and ain't got a silk pocket-handkerchief yet!"