LEASK'S LUCK.

NZ Truth, Issue 143, 14 March 1908, Page 5

LEASK'S LUCK.

A SHETLANDER'S SAD PLIGHT.

Truebridge's Bumble-like

Bumptiousness.

A pathetic figure occupied the prisoner's box m Wellington S.M. Couort recently. Time was when Charles Edmondson Leask cut a considerable dash m his native Shetland, and wasn't particular about a pound or two when it was a. matter of entertaining * his friends,' but lavishness and unhappy speculation brought about the usual result, and amongst the. many revenges wrought by time was the committal of pauper Leask to the Ohiro Home. Bobby Stout, C.J.. used to work for Leask 's father m the islands where the diminutive ponies come from. That was before the future Cabinet Minister and Chief Justice tried his 'prentice hand at schoolmastering. and if any illustration were required to show the ups and downs of this remarkable world it will be found m the rise of Stout and the fall of Leask. It is an excellent story, With a moral, wherewith to emphasis for the children tne fact that Virtue and intolerance of beer have their just reward, and a foolish generosity to all and sundry is liable to deposit the philanthropist m the gutter. Leask did ihings m style m his young days; owned ah expensive yacht, desired his [ friends to fill 'em up m fizz, and went | the pace generally. He might have got over- this had it not occurred to him that his native town was destined to become^the popular watering i'^prt of Britain. . His. fortune went itr'the erection of cottages which the tourist didn't arrive to occupy, and one <fa~ the cheerful lunatic found himself faced with insolvency. The good old kawlinies are THE REFUGE OF THE BROKEN and the incapable of tbe United Kingdoms, and hither the bungling Shetlahder drifted. Stout didn't act so badly by his bankrupt compatriot. He got him ... a temporary clerkship at ten bob a day. after fortune's victim had spent a short time m Wellington Hospital suffering from general break down. It is not a considerable time since Leask turnhied out of the public service, and his subsequent career was on a distinctly downward grade. Latterly he had been , given to sleeping put, and freo.uentlv. found it necessary to cadge silver from strangers, m a cultivated tone of voice. He is 52, but looks considerably more, and ,m countenance resembles Balfour at his worst. He had a dentist brother m Napier doing a pretty extensive business m the gum-diggjng line, and if that molar-mpver is anywhere within cooee of these remarks he might be induced to do something for his relative, who has been accommodated at the public expense. The clderh' failure mightn't even have that shelter long, for residence m the Home depends upon the whim of a person named Truebridge who magnanimously informed the Bench that " 'I' will give him a chance." This conceited individual had just refused admittance to another aged derelict ; but remarked, haughtily, "'V will consider the matter if he applies at, the, end of the month." "I" wall do this and "I" will do that. What the blazes are Truebridge' s bosses doing that they permit hipi to pose as the owner of the institution ? Poor old Leask will have to be civil to this extravagant bounder. ,