HOIST WITH THEIR OWN PETARD.

Manawatu Herald, 1 May 1900, Page 3

HOIST WITH THEIR OWN PETARD.

An instance of how men's sins are sure to find them out occurred in Palmerston on Friday night. About nine o'clock two young men, who had been out on a bit of a razzle dazzle, in blissful ignorance of where they were going, wandered into the back yard of the Police Station, and took refuge in Sergeant-Major Ramsay's jpoal shed. Presently they were seized with a humorous turn, and commenced to throw chunks of coal on to the wash house with the object, p& they afterwards explained, of "killing flies." Hearing the noise the Sergeant.Major went out to see what it was all about, when he was saluted from the depths of the coal box with, " Hullo, old man, is this a boarding house?" "It is," replied the genial Sergeant-Major Ramsay, and politely invited them into the station, where he explained they could get a' bed. With the Bkifl of a practised hand her navigated them into the public room, for their legs were very unreliable, and on arrival there one otthem took the Sergeant-Majo? into his confidence, and explained as a good joke how they had "lifted" a pair of boots from one of the shops in town, and as ocular demonstration of his smartness, he produced the shoes from, a large bag which he carried in 4iis hand, at tlie same time expressing regret that they had not had time to get two pairs. Sergeant-Major Ramsay then felt duly bound to undeceive them, and as gently as he could broke the news to them that they were in the lock-up. Their . subsequent remarks we understand, were both painful and free, and therefore not fl| but the seven dayß^®rd" which they received at the Court on Saturday morning will tend to convince them that- even the smartest men get caught in the simplest manner. — Standard.