PLAYING ON HIS FEELINGS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2781, 21 February 1882, Page 2

PLAYING ON HIS FEELINGS.

The Dunedin^ 11 .Star V fells the following joke A licensed victualler in one of Dunedin’s fair suburbs was greatly put put lately by a somewhat laughable occurrence, which we relate as follows : A stranger happened' to drop into mine host’s bar about dusk,of one day a fortnight ago, and before taking his departure he said he vyould leave his swag, which he would call for at some later period. Of courae no objection was made to this little arrangement, and the Svvag was accordingly left behind when the stranger went. Now Boniface, who is gifted with an unusual- amount >of curiosity, ' could 1 ■ not- test satisfied until he had examined "this’ swag and as he carefully and,,gradually ran his hand over it he' wasstkrtled to find that the outline of the contents assumed that of the human form, f Ijfot caring to take the - responsibility I .'bn his own shoulders of opening, the swag, he thought it advisable to seek the aid of an officer of the law, one, of whom fortunately was passing' along the street ,at the time, so die beckoned-to him, and, having got him to His side, Boniface poured forth ''in' agitated tones into the officer’s ready*ear the grave suspicions he entertained that some fofil deed had beep-committed, A quickly procured and the two men wire soon closeted in the room where the mysterious swag lay. Boniface held the light whilst the constable set'to work to unfold the bundle. The first object that came to view w-.gla,pair of,infapt bands. This caused a cry of horror to burst from Boniface, „who’, averred; that -he knew when he first saw the swag that there was a body in- it, because the bluebottle buzzed around it, and there was a strange odour coming’ from' it. Further untying, and then appeared a pair of legs, With stockings and boots on. This brought things to a climax with Boniface,? n*nd be cried aloud in his agony, “Oh God! oh God!" His fingers refused any |onger to perform their wonted office*; the candle dropped ; his , legs, trpmbled violently, ‘ and be could 1 scarce stand upright. Things were quite the opposite way with the officer, who was only / stimulated to fresh and greater exertiops.as each further discovery was made, .At last all the ‘'knots' were loosed, and there layi.in all its beauty, what do you think P—a ventriloquist’s doll. Boniface is slowly recovering-;