BEN TILLETT AND THE BARMAID.

NZ Truth, Issue 143, 14 March 1908, Page 8

BEN TILLETT AND THE BARMAID.

Peculiar Pranks m a Pub.

Loving Labor Leader and a Lady.

Ben Gets a Warm Time.,

That' very superior sort of person, Ben Tillett, English labor leader, social reformer, and general censor and supervisor of everybody's morals, had an; adventure last Monday nie;ht of which doubtless he is not particularly proud, says Melbourne "Truth, of February 29 last. Ben, m fact, was actually assaulted. Not by a bloated capitalist ov purse-proud aristocrat or any member of the class against whom Ben. is always prating. Ben. was biffed by a man who objected to the very pressing attention^ the great social reformer was paying to his wife. It is deplorableto find a person who is eternally lecturing the world at large on its morals going m for surreptitious canoodling, but the truth must be told. Even Homer nodded, so why should not the VIRTUOUS BEN OCCASIONALLY UNBEND ? - The facts' of the. matter are these. On Monday night Ben. was giving the! much-ahused capitalist a rest. He wa's not exhorting the people to arise and knock off their chain and hang the capitalist on the nearest lamppost. He was certainly doing some but the audience onthis occasion . consisted of one nice plump young lady. We almost weep as we write.it ; but, as We said before t the truth must be told. Ben. was m a pub. Perhaps he only went m there to study the capitalist at close quarters, hut, anyhow, this pub.— it is one of the most fashionable m, Melbourne—English labor, leaders generally do things m style— was almost deserted on this particular occasion. There were only m the : bar Ben. and the barmaid, and one other individual, who was an interested spectator of the ways of a social reformer with a riiaid. ...

THE MAID IS' PLUMP AND PLEASING,

so there is some excuse for Ben s conduct. Ben., however, is a married man, and Mrs Ben. is m Melbourne with him, so he should have kept a tight rein on his amorous proclivi-. ties. It so. hapnens that the barmaid m question is, a married woman, and her husband occasionally drops m to see her. pn this Monday night Ben. was "going it" particularly strong, although, m justice to the lady, it is only fair to say. that she., did not encourage him. There is no stopping a social reformer when his blood is . up, however.". Beh .and his , blandishments 'became more 'pressing, and ultimately, when the barmaid had occasion to come from behind the counter, lie passed from words to deeds. He seized the lady round the waist and attempted to kiss her. It was at this unlucky moment that the lady's husband dropped into the bar to see her. At first he could not seemuch of her, because the

LADY WAS WELL NIGH SMOTHERED

m the gallant Ben.'s embrace. When he realised what was going on. however, hubby gave a yell of wrath. He | was «-- not flattered because a great English moralist and. social reformer condescended to trifle with, his wife. On the contrary. He promptly waded into Ben: Ben.,. who made no attempt to defand himself, but he appealed for mercy. The appeal was not allowed, so the discomfited reformer made for the door. The outraged husband, hatless and vowing vengeance, dashed after him. Tillett distanced the infuriated husband, and when last seen he was streaking swiftly for the horizon.

HIS CLASSIC COUNTENANCE

was somewhat marked m the encounter, but doubtless Ben. will be able to explain that the capitalists of Melbourne hired bravos to murder .him. Either that, or the time-worn story, ' that lie was chopping wood, will he necessary. Needless' to say, he had not appeared m that lar .pub: since. The lady, ' aft^r a stormy interview with her husband, succeeded m convincing him that she was not to blame. He drops m to see her more frequently than of yore, however, and he has publicly announced that if a world-famed social reformer will call at the old address he will receive the second instalment of a thrashing. Ben., however, will 1 probably find it safer to deal with the capitalist rather than the angry husband.