ONE-LEGGED PEDESTRIAN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 212, 28 August 1908, Page 3

ONE-LEGGED PEDESTRIAN

[ A LONG WALK. I Tile residents of peaceful Hainua on Wednesday stood aghast on their doorsteps at tile sight of a one-legged man 011 crutches passing along the road (says the bketuhuna Express). He pulled uu at the hotel and called for a whisk v. "You are evidently a newchum on crutches/' remarked the publican. "That's just where you make the mistake," retorted the monopod, "for these sticks and I have been associated one with the other this past twenty-nine years." The publican became inquisitive, and the old man told his tale. He had walked from New Plymouth, and had been eleven days doing the journey. The longest distance covered in one day was sixteen milees, but this had beeii rather too much for him. It was a long walk to Wellington, but lie would eventually get there, though he feared His Kimutaka hill would lax his physical strength. He was getting old, and his destination was the Old Men's Home, where he looked to spend the rest of his (lays.

THE SEQUEL.

"I walked down from New Plymouth to Wellington," was the surprising statement made by a one-legged man who 'dumped into the Wellington .Magistrate's Court on crutches 011 Tuesday morning 011 a charge of insobriety. Defendant, who looked a" feeble old man, has been frowned on by fickle fortune of late, and the police were in a quandary as to what was best to do with liini, as lie had only Is 3d in money, and in his maimed condition could hardly be expected to work. Questioned by his Worship, defendant stated that it had taken him four or live weeks to "crutch" his way from New Plymouth to Wellington. Friends had helped liini on tile way down. The old man did not want to go into the Ohiro Home, but expressed a wish to go back to a station in Marlborough, where he had worked at one time. "You will be found dead on the road one of these days," said his Worship, but defendant looked 011 the brighter side, and replied cheerfully: "Xo I won't, sir, 1 never sleep out." His Worship said he could not force him to go into a Home against his will, and the only thing that could be done under the circumstances was to convict and discharge him.