PRACTICAL JOKING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1072, 10 November 1882, Page 3

PRACTICAL JOKING.

A practical joke sometimes has consequences which are very unexpected and nearly always very unpleasant for some one This is shown by' an incident which occurred in Wellington last week. . A gentleman named Reading went into an hotel with a picket of tickets, intended to bo used as ball programmes, peeping out of his pocket. Someone gently removed them and handed the purloined property to a bystander named Rickards, who, little dreaming of the consequences, dropped them behind the bar. When Mr Reading sought for the cards, with the intention of filling them in, he “got mad,” and finding nut that Mr. Richards had been seen with them threatened to have him arrested. Gentler counsels prevailed, and he entered into negotiations for the return of his property, which ho did not obtain for some days. The delay had rendered it necessary tor Mr Reading to get 12s fid -worth of ball programmes printed, and he sued Mr Rickards for the amount, and got a verdict in his favor, with costs At the close of the case the defendant, who was r ther excited, was cautioned by the Magistrate to keep quiet. He replied that ho would not pay a debt he had never incurred, and said the Magistrate might “do as he liked.” Mr Hardcastlo then ordered that he should not be allowed to leave the Court, ami after the lapse of a few minutes told him he had been guilty of contempt, and asked him if he desired to express regret for the words he had used. Mr Rickards said he had no intention to say anything disrespectful to the Court, and was then allowed to depart. What became of the joker who had caused all the mischief does not appear. Moral : First be sure of your man before you play practical jests.