An Extraordinary Elistment.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, 3 December 1887, Page 7

An Extraordinary Elistment.

In the town of Julich there lived and worked a tall young carpenter. One day a well-dressed, posiiive-looking gentleman (Baron Yon Hornpesch, the records name him) enters the shop ; wants ' a stout chest, with lock on it, for household purposes; must be of such and such dimensions, six fe«t in length especially, and that an indispensible point— in fact, it will be larger that yourself, I think, Herr Zemmermann. What is the cost ? When can it be j ready ?' Cost, time, and the rest are settled. ' A good stout chest, then, and see you don't forget the size j if too short it will be of no use to me mind !' ♦ Jawohll Gewiss 1' And the positivelooking, well-clad gentleman goes his way. At the appointed day he reappears. The chest is ready. ' Too short, as I dreaded,' says the positive gentleman. 'Nay, your honour,' says the carpenter, ' I am certain it is six feet six,' and takes out his foot rule. * Pshaw, was it to be longer than yourself.' c Well, it is.' ' No, it isn't.' The carpenter, to end the matter, gets into his chest, and will convince any and all mortals. No sooner is he in, quite flat, than the positive gentleman, a Prussian recruiting officer in disguise, slams down the lid upon him, locks it, whistles in three stout fellows, who pick up the chest, gravely walk through the streets with it, open it in a safe place, and find — horrible to relate— the poor carpenter dead, choked for want of air in this frightful passage of his. It is gratifying to learn that Hompesch was imprisoned for life.