STORY FROM ANTHONY TROLLOPE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Kumara Times, Issue 2334, 20 February 1884, Page 3

STORY FROM ANTHONY TROLLOPE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

The following is one of the stories in Anthony Trollope's autobiography : " On one occasion, in the performance of my duty, I had to put a private letter containing bauk notes on the secretary's table—which letter I had duly opened, as it was not marked private. The letter wks seen by the Colonel, but had not been moved by him when he left the room. On his return it was gone. In the meantime I had returned to the room again in the performance of some duty. When the letter was missed I was sent for, and there I found the Colonel much moved about his letter, and a certain chief clerk, who, with a long face, was making suggestions as to the probable fate of the money. ' The letter has been taken,' said the Colonel, turning to me angrily, ' and, by G— ! there has been nobody in the room but you and I.' As he spoke he thundered his fist down upon the table. ' Then' said "I <by G- ! you have taken it.' And I also thundered my fist down—but, accidentally, not upon the table. There was there a standing movable desk, at which I presume, it was the Colonel's habit to write, and on this movable desk was a large botle full of ink. My fist unfortunately c;\me down upon the desk, and the ink at once flew up, covering the Colonel's face and shirt front. Then it was a sight to see that senior clerk, as he seized a quire of blotting paper and rushed to the aid of his superior officer, striving to mop up up the ink; and a sight also to see the Colonel, in his agony, hit right out through the blotting-paper, at that senior clerk's unoffending stomach. At that moment there came in the Colonel's private secretary with the letter and the money, and I was desired to go back to my own room."