A SINGULAR DISCOVERY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2537, 22 February 1877, Page 2

A SINGULAR DISCOVERY.

The following circumstances are narrated in the Burrangong Chronicle. A very curious incident occurred, at/the sale of some effects recently disposed of within a few miles of .Young. For a long time the deeds of some property concerning a house and premises and about 100 acres of land were mislaid, and could not be discovered. It was supposed that they were irrecoverably lost, and application was made at the Begis-trar-General's office in Sydney for a copy of the missing documents. The persons interested were unable, however, to give'a satisfactory description of the property, and the consequence was that '.their application was not successful, for the simple reason, that they could not „ accurately describe the property conveyed. The family was still in possession of it, however, and did not manifest any further care in the matter. Upon the death of the surviving parent, which took'place recently,, the children began to adjust affairs and to look into the matter, of the landed property. The same difficulty presented itself as of old; the deeds could not be found. The furniture was sold, amongst which was an old stuffed chair, made out of an I old ale cask, well padded, and used, exclusively almost, by the departed male parent of the ramily. This discarded article was removed . by one of the sons of the family;'"forl some time it was used by,him in the parlor ; then it was taken into the bedroom; finally it found its way into the kitchen, as a lounging seat for Mary Ann. This son got into difficulties, and gave a bill of sale to one of his creditors, over the entire lot of his effects. The man taking the inventory was pleased, with the comfort the old chair afforded him, fnd having an eye to business, put it down, with the intention of buying it should it be put up '* to the hammer, a result he foresaw was immediately pending. A few weeks' time justified the prediction. The son's effects were sold, and the family being in ■ reduced circumstances, many articles were bought in by private friends < for - them. The old chair, however, was " spotted " by the man who made the inventory and was purchased by him for Is 6d. This sp exasperated the servant girl, that, taking up au axe, she deliberately cleft the chair in twain, when, lo ~, and behold ! was discovered to view in its interior, not only thq.missing deeds of the property, but a will, and a sum of £900 in notes and gold, and various valuable trinkets. The bailiff was so dumbfounded that he appeared to have lost all reflection, for certain it is Mary Ann took possession of her unlawfully acquired property, g which, however, in all honesty, she immediately handed over to her master and mistress, whose joy can wall be imagined. ;,.-.: