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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 308, 14 September 1874, Page 4

A few years ago, a farmer, who was nQted f) fqr bis waggery, stopped -at a tayero he was in the babit of ceiling at on his way from Boston to SAlem. The landlady had got the pot boning, for dinner, and the cat was waebipg her face in the corner. The traveller; flunking it would be a good joke, took off the pot lid, and, while th^jaqdjady was absent, put grimalkin into tha r ; pot with the potatoes, 1 , and th^a porsaed bis journey to Salem. The amazement of the landlady may be well conceived, when on taking up the dinner, she discovered the addition which had been made to it. Snowing well the disposition of her customer, she bad no difficulty in fixing on tbe aggressor, and she determined to be revenged. Aware that he wonld stop on his return for a cold bile, tbe cat was carefully dressed. The wag called, as was expected and pussy was pat upon the table among other cold dishes, but was so disguised: that he did not know his old acquaintance. He made a hearty meal,; and washed it down with a glass of ale.. 7 . After paying his bill, he asked the landlady if she had a cat she could giver Jnm, for he was plagued aln^oet- to death with mice. She said fiSe JWWi-OQti fo r »he bad. lost her.s. * What,' flaid-yhe,. * don't .you know where it is?' .« Oh, yes,' replied the landlady, 'you have just eaten it!' Between the year 1830 and the year 186851' the -bosh of this colony disappeared .ajt the rate of 133,526 acres per.annom; says an Oiago contemporary. Between 1868 and 1873 the consumptiou w&~<fo"th© : iraie of 633,200 acres per annum, /"At the present rate of consagPtion, the remaining area will have been' eisnauaied in less than twenty years. The consumption of timber in Otago between 1830 and 1868 was at tbe rate of 484J acres per annum. Betweenthat date and the end of last year lt s*MU*4**i #|29° acres, at which rate the remaining area of bush in the province^ jfiJl disappear in about 44 year's."' *