A SHREWD SIMPLETON.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1039, 25 May 1883, Page 4

A SHREWD SIMPLETON.

The West Australasian is responsible for the following :—“ A Sydney merchant heard of some highly desirable blocks in the Northern Territory which he determined to take up.. There were a good many forms to fill in for forwarding to the Lands, Office at Adelaide, and, seeing that the first applicant always gets the preference, it was desirable to bb particularly; careful that no one likely to make use of it improperly should obtain the information ns to boundaries of which the merchant was possessed, and which would have to appear in his applications. So he picked amongst his clerks a shock-headed office lad named Jason to do the clerical work, because, being the stupidest man in his employ, he seemed likely to be the ; safest. He gave Jason the forms, and showed him how to fill in the descriptions. When evening came Jason had not finished his task, which caused the merchant some annoyance, as the mail left for Adelaide that night. Next morning the work was done, and the applications were dispatched by the first opportunity. In lime a reply was received to the effect that the land in question had already been! taken up. Enquiries elicited the, information that the successful applicant was n Sydney man rejoicing in the name of Jason. Seized with well-grounded suspicions, the merchant sought his. office lad, and asked him whether he had any relatives of the same name as himself,' and whether he had furnished such relative with information respecting the applications he: had filled in ? ‘ No,’ said the boy, with the, utmost, coolness, ‘ I took the land up ‘ Then you . will be good enough to transfer it .at, once tome,’ replied our merchant, boiling over with rage. 1 1 shall do nothing of the kind,’ answered Jason. Thereupon Jason Was summarily expelled. The youth had despatched his own applications ' on the day he received the forms, taking care that his- master’s should nptt ibe ,ready! for that i;mail., : In order to . pay ; the deposit ,he had to borrow £2OO, which he had some difficulty in domg. A day or iw’b after his expulsion from the merchant’s office he presented himself" to his creditor, and asked him*' Whether he wished’ to have his loan-returned. ‘Ah, I shall be only too jglad,*said the latter, ‘ even without interest.’ ‘ Without interest ? No fear 1’ said Jason, * I’ll be generous.” Sitting down, he wrote out a cheque for a thousand pounds. After a little he had married a wife and departed for England, taking with him £IB,OOO which he had netted by his land speculation;”