What "Ægles," in The Australasian, says.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2902, 4 June 1878, Page 4

What "Ægles," in The Australasian, says.

In one of the well-known little cities of the plains, where saltbushes are more j numerous than magistrates, there was was lately a somewhat characteristic display. A prisoner was charged before the JBench with intoxication. Now, unfortunately, the Bench (in the person of the only J.P. who had been that morning bagged for duty) was itself drunk. After hearing the evidence, his worship, who had still some foggy idea of the fitness of things, interspersed a few hiccups with this excellent address:—" Pris'ner —ought to be "shamed of yerself—let this be —last time—brought 'fore me. You're discharged, but mind what you're about!" There are, it appears, ingenious telegraph operators in a neighboring colony. The other day a gentleman had occasion to telegraph to a friend. The telegram, which contained 17 words, he despatched by his office boy, giving him a florin for payment. The lad, on returning, banded to his master ,6d in change, remarking that as the telegraph clerk did not happen to have a penny to make up the full change, he had "added an additional word to the telegram." On further inquiry it appeared that this additional word wa3 " Eeply," which, though superfluous, did no harm, as the wording of the original message necessitated an answer. A coloured cabman was on a moonless night patiently waiting on a suburban stand for a chance passenger. After a time one of the able-bodied guardians of the night passed by, peered into the cab, and then deliberately proceeded to take the horse out of the vehicle. Cabby looked on with patient curiosity, but at length broke out with, " What the deuce are you doing ? Is the horse mine or yours? " The constable started into consternation, and then explained, " I never seed your black face."