Adventures of a former Feilding Resident

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 112, 7 March 1885, Page 2

Adventures of a former Feilding Resident

We have received a letter from a valued correspondent in Wellington, in which ho gives an amusing sketch of the adventures of a stout gentleman who for a brief period favored us with. his presence. His career was not un- j chequered here. He commenced as a chef de cuisine at a hotel, but finding this occupation did not run on all fours with his ideas of the dignity of labor, he threw up the appointment and rested from his labors — sub teymine fas/i — and devoted his idle moments to the consumption of good ale, and the enlargement of his Jfckgadj^r^ffipiently capacious person. Finding %hat this" line of life did not do in the midst of au industrious people, he cast about for an easy means of existing, and concluded that an oyster saloon was a "long felt want" in Feilding which he burned to supply. He took our local perruquier into his confidence, and as the latter had a shop to let, terms were soon arranged, and a thriving business commenced. " A change came o'er the spirit of his dream " when the subject of rent cropped up. He vacated those premises and took others which presented greater advantnges. Again business prospered with him, and "all went merry as a marriage bell." He " weiidedthe pen of a ready writer," and opened business relations with quite a number of confiding Wellington business people, who were good enough to supply him with tho wherewithal to make "life worth living." In fine, he "struck oil," and with even the smallest modicum of honesty, he was assured of a comfortable livelihood for himself and his family for the rest of His 2ays ; but he couldn't be honest, hinc Mac lacrimat. We commended his modesty •when he advertised, for he would never allow his name to appear in typo. Now we know why — he had been somewhere before. But to our story : One day " His place knew him no more " — " Ho had folded Ms tent like the Arab, And as silently stolen away." And such unhappy ones as had been "charmed by the tongue of the charmer " kept their regrets prudently to themselves. It was discovered that a Mr Edwards and family ha/1 gone to Wellington from Foxton, and the connection between the two was easily discovered. On arriving in Wellington apartments were taken in a first-class hotel, where a pleasant week was passed. Finding thu accommodation somewhat limited, and at the same time expensive — he had to pay — a house was taken from a well-known "old identity" at a high rental, which the family took possession of, but in the name of Captain Andrews. The family was well exercised and instructed, and Mrs Captain Andrews rose to the occasion, for she acted her part to the lift*. While her gallant " sailor boy " went over to the other Island she gave out that he was gone to Auckland, ' ' The butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker" were quickly in attendance on the new comers,- and orders on the most liberal scale were given and executed. But, there was a Nemises on the track — fiat justiciu mat ctxlum — which in this case means, i when roughly translated, " Let justice Tbe u"oh,e ; * Kvan^mßdvop on him." An old and suspicious creditor, who was victimised for some harness, set a watch, on the house, but discovered that notwithstanding his alertness his enemy had taken such excellent precautions that he had escaped him. The wife and all the other belongings were shipped for the south in one steamer, while the "gay oysterman" took ship by another boat which left twenty minutes before. We understand that a clause in the Polite Offences Act will be brought to bear on this Jeremy Diddler, and the good folks of Blenheim — the sphere of his intended future usefulness — savedfrom one of the most artful dodgers Wellington has yet seen. Our correspondent concludes :— " I have done a good deal of trade with Feilding and this is the first occurrence of the kind — an fact, the postmark "Feilding" has hitherto been a safe passport with me — but it seems the wickedness of the outside world has reached even Feilding." We may conclude by saying that it soon had to quit.