A Book Fiend

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 27, 1 September 1891, Page 4

A Book Fiend

A good story is told in the Otago * Daily Times' by a correspondent, of an incident which bef9l an eminent Dunedin lawyer the other day on board one of the Union Company's boats on the passage from Lyttelton to Wellington on professional business/ On going down to his cabin he saw from the. array of books and papers strewn around that he «ras not the only inmate. Instinctively he conjectured his travelling companion was |'|a book fiend," and he hastily retreated to the deck, leaving behind his professional blue bag, ticketed with his name and address, which he had tossed into the upper bunk. On deck he met an acquaintance, to whom he confided his story and his suspicions. The friend replied sympathetcally that there was a spare berth in his cabin at his service, and the lawyer without further ado turned n. When morning broke^the lawyer iaw that a third person shared the cabin with them, a genial stranger, whose pleasant talk was grateful to the ear. Drawn into conversation the lawyer recited his little adventure. He had shifted his quarters owing to the undesirability of his cabin companion. " Well, that Is a coincidence, " said the genial one. "To tell the truth, I also am here under false pretences. When I went to my cabin after the passengera by the express came on board, I saw in the other berth a lawyer's blue bag with the name of upon it. I don't pretend to be ; a very particular man on board ship, but one must draw the line somewhere ! "