THE SYDNEY METROPOLITAN.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 104, 30 September 1874, Page 3

THE SYDNEY METROPOLITAN.

“A rather practical joke,” the Mount Alexander Mail relates, ‘‘was perpetrated the oilier evening on an over-sanguine speculator in horseflesh capabilities by a jocose typo. About 11 o’clock, just after the receipt of the Sydney telegram announcing the result of the racing for the Sydnej Metrop a ‘ grass’ hand came in from the billiard-room in connection with one of the leading hotels in (he town where commercial men most do congregate, and anxiously desired to know the winner of the cup ; and the compositor who was ‘ setting up ’ the M.S. of the telegram imagining that the ‘ grass’ had been deputed by some of those interested to ascertain the news, and knowing that it was not right that news of such importance should be made public before the issue of the paper, decided to perpetrate a ‘sell’ by supplying an erroneous ‘tip,’ and therefore .told him ‘ Goldsbrough.’ This news was soon heralded to the company, and, coming as it did from a ‘pressman,, was accepted as gospel. The joy of some of the company knew no bounds ; belltoppers were thrown to the ceiling of the room, and jumped on when they reached the floor, and when the effect became somewhat abated, one of the commercial men announced himself as the lucky holder of Goldsbrough for the Sydney sweep, by which he would be the winner of something like £IOOO. There were about 20 gentlemen present, and the ?/?i-lucky holder of Goldsbrough ordered the waiter to bring in drinks for all hands, which was done, and he was congratulated on his good fortune. Again the glasses were replenished, and again the company toasted the man of commerce ; but eventually the company broke up. and the supposed lucky one retired to bed, but there was no rest for him that night—he could only dream of seeing Goldsbrough passing the judge’s stand two lengths ahead of the field, and think of himself as the winner of the great Sydney sweep. He was up early to see the morning papers, expecting to get a confirmation of the good news, but his feelings of disappointment can be better imagined than described at seeing the name of ‘ Sterling,’ not ‘Goldsbrough,’ at the head of the list. His friends on the previous evening laughed heartily at the ‘ sell ’ that had been perpetrated on their friend by the precocious typo. Our man of commerce says he will never again ask a compositor to divulge the secrets of his office, especially at such a cost.