A MEAN ADVANTAGE.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 52, 30 June 1880, Page 2

A MEAN AD VANTAGE.

A story is. told of a traveller who armed/, at a country inn one bitterly cold winter's^ night, only to find a double cordon drawn;, around the firei at which he could not even get a glimpse. Wait ing: to sap if he could obtain a seat* and seeing no probability, he fold the waiter to open a hundrtd of oysters ■and bring tbem out. toi his horse. "But .will hejeat them ?" i suidtlie'aßtonishedjwaiter, t% You just try him," was the laconic reply.The bivalves were operated . upon, and a regular stampede to the stable took place to witness their demolition by the four- : footed epicurean. The moment the coastwas clear the, /horseman selected the. best seat, and waited the. advent of jthe crowd who quickly returned . with the inewrs that the horse would not eat the oysters. ." More blessed fool he," said the traveller, " hand • them here to me," and while his shins were being nicely toasted, he made, thecoateuts

pf f he dish oujcljly disappear; Jt strike* me, Mr. Q-raff, the court bailiff, jnust bare heard that story, and determined to utilise it. Dqi'ing. an adjournment of fhe novr famous case Eroka Pareha r. OsbQ^ne, the official paid a yisjt to the hotel for jj^e purpose of dining, when to his disappointment he found the table crowded with M**?i witnesses and others concerned m the oase alluded to. Judging by the earnestness w^th which they epgaged m the work of taking m cargo, he did not think it likely there would be much left for him, if he were to allow^. it to continue. S.o standing at the, door he called out "Eroka Pareha v. William Qsborne," and two seconds ufterwards the road to tlie Court was dotted with black specimens of humanity, some with mouths and others with, hands fullpf portions of their rudely disturbed meal. It is needless to say that the case did not come on until Mr. Graff had v fairly replenished the inner man.