Had!

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3695, 28 October 1880, Page 2

Had!

One wet and chilly evening this week as a kind-hearted young bank olerk wu going Grahamstownwaras along Pollen street, he' was accosted by, a levied* looking nan in tattered raiment,, and bearing an enormous swag opt Us back. The tramp asked oar friend the way to Burke street, and' the latter* after gating pityingly on the poor devil before hint, volunteered to point ont the road. : So the twain went on together, and the tramp told his tale of woe. He had walked overland from Tauranga, and had'nt a single blessed sixpence in the world. He wanted to go to Burke street to sleep in an empty.house there, as restaurateurs and lodging-house keepers had driven the word " tick " from their dictionaries. By the time they reached • well-known Grahamstown pub, the yovng olerk'g bowels of compassion were thoroughly well opened, and that cord of heart that.works in unison with the cord of the purse was strongly touched. JHe stopped right short and said to, his companion, "Don't go to Burke street; Here's half-a-erown for you to get a bed and breakfast," and then went horn* happy and feeling about 30 o.p. virtuous. Judge of his revulsion of sentiment when, - on taking an early walk next morning, he! espied his quondam acquaintance of | the previous evening;, asleep in a vacant allotment as drunk at half-a-erwnYworth of, beer could make him. He said as; no along, "That's the Uuttime I'll be had, anyhow. P This narratife is a positive faot, and- if anyone is inclined to doubt it, just step round to the Union Bank and ask for the,young, man who lends half-crowns.

A correspondent signing k himself " Leyden Jar," writes to the Pall Mali Gazette on ' the subject of puflishing ruffians. He says:—" Flogging ifc! tnay be admitted, has its drawbacks. It is not only painful, which is what we wans, but it is also often disabling, and sociefrrip hardly justified in crippling any ofw members, unless it means to keep then! permanently afterwards. Now, lasting" injury to the spine has, it is said, often followed a good flogging with the oaljf Why, therefore, use it, when science pro! Tides us with a more, than efficient substi- . tute ? A galranio battery is the snbstitute I would propose. Electrify gar*, rotres, wife-beaters; brutally cruel cattle drovers* and the like., Give them shook* , proportionate to their criminality;; Begulate it,, as yon can precisely, ajseordJug to ; their strength. Any electrician could construct a machine 1 which would allow of graduations of pain, from the well-known ' pins and needles' up to,a jarring which, would resemble the breaking of bones.'' And the point to be borne in mind is that the infliction could be stopped instantly, and would leare little or no evil or dis» abling effects afterwards. It would also admit of frequent application. I fancy •» garroter' who had been condemned to a': month's electrifying every day would be unusually reluctant to have the expstvj ment repeated. I heed hot point out also how much more suitable this system is to the' advanced condition of humanity and 1 enlightenment' we hare attained; as combared to the old-fashioned cat-o'-nine-tails." He looked over all the papers on the news-stand, not finding what he wanted,, Says he to the plump, jprettyjprl clerk,' " I want a companion. —" What' lit ? " she blushed.—" I want a companion," he repeated.—" Oh, yes, sirj I h*tt you - now," and she chewed the oorner of her apron. "Well—well—do you think Is would do?"— The wedding cards art out.