THE HUMOUR OF THINGS.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2789, 12 May 1911, Page 4

THE HUMOUR OF THINGS.

An elderly lady awoke one night recently to find that the jewel-box at the side of her bed was being robbed by a masked man. The lady controlled herself and feigned sleep, but she noticed a strong odour of eucalyptus that pervaded the man's garments.

As soon as he was gone she opened her window and screamed for assistance. But the thief had made good his escape, nor was he captured for a considerable time.

Subsequently there called at the office of a pawnbroker a gentlemanlylooking fellow who wanted to pledge a few articles of jewellery.

Now, the pawnbroker had received a list of the gems stolen from the lady in question, and he saw that none of them was shown bj' the gentleman ; but he had read in the newspaper accounts of the robbery about the strong odour of eucalyptus that the lady had noticed, and he at once became aware of'the smell of the fragrant oil pervading bis world-be customer's clothing.

His suspicions were aroused, and he summoned a policeman and told his story. The result was the capture of a notorious burglar and the thief of the lady's gems.

Father B— was remarkable for his ready wit. On one occasion while travelling I on a steamboat, a wellknown sharper who wished to get into the priest's good graces said :—

" Father, I should very much like to hear one of your sermons."

" Well," said the clergyman, "you could have heard me last Sunday if you had been where you should have been."

" Where was that, pray ?" "In the county jail," answered the hlufl jnriest as he walked away.