A CHEQUE FROM THE SAME BANK.

West Coast Times, Issue 358, 15 November 1866, Page 3

A CHEQUE FROM THE SAME BANK.

Not long since there came to one of the hotels of this town a pleasant looking, talking, energetic, and business sort of body. — ' Well, landlord, what have you got, rump steak, eh ? oyster sauce, eh ? bottle of sherry, good, eh ? send 'em up.' Dinner was served, the wine despatched, and a glass of brandy and water comfortably settled the dinner ' Waiter,' said the traveller, coolly and dispassionately, wiping his mouth with a napkin, ' Waiter, I am awkwardly situated' ' Sir !' said the waiter, ' expecting a love letter ?' — ' I cannot pay you.' ' Sorry for that, sir — I must call master.' (Enter landlord.) 'My good sir, you this is rather awkward — good dinner ! capital dinner! famous wine! glorious grog ! — but no cash I' The landlord looked black. ' Pay next time— often come this road — done nothing to-day — good house yours — a great deal

in"the bill way.' The landlord looked blue. 'No difference to you of course ?—? — pleasant house here — plenty of business — happy to take your order — long credit — good bills.' ' There is my bill, sir - prompt payment— l pay as I go.' ' Ah, but I must go without paying. Let us see — bill 17s. 6d., but let us have a pint of sherry together, make it up a pound — that will square it.' ' Sir, I say you are a swindler, sir ! — I will have my money.' — 4 Sir, I tell you I will call and pay you in three weeks from this time' exactly, for I shall have to pass this road again.' ' None of that, Sir — it won't do with me — pay my money, or I'll kick you out.' The stranger remonstrated— the landlord kicked him out. ' You will repent this,' said -the stranger. ", The landlord did repent it. Three weeks after that day, punctual to his word, the stranger re-entered the Hotel, the landlord looked very foolish — the stranger smiled, and held out his hand—' I've come to pay you my score as I promised.' The landlord make a thousand apologies for his rudeness, "so many swindlers about, there's no knowing whom to trust." Hoped the gentleman would pardon him — 1 Never mind, landlord ; but come let's have some dinner together; let us be friends ; what have you got, eh ? — n couple of boiled fowls, eh P nice little ham of your own curing ! good ! greens from your own garden ! famous — Bottle of sherry, and two bottles of port, waiter, this is excellent. Dinner passed over, the landlord bobbed and nobbed with the stranger, they passed a pleasant afternoon— the landlord retired to attend to his avocations — the stranger finished his 'comforter' of brandy and water — and again addressed the waiter — 'Waiter! what is to pay?' 'Two pounds ten shillings and threepence, sir, including the former account.' ' And half-a-crown for yourself ?' ' Makes two pounds, twelve shillings and ninepence, sir,' replied the waiter, rubbing his hands — ' Say two pounds, thirteen shillings !' said the stranger with a benevolent smile, and ' call in your master.' (Enter landlord, smiling, and hospitable — ' sorry you are going so soon, sir.') The stranger merely said — with a fierce look, I owed you seventeen and sixpence three weeks ago, and you kicked me out of your house for it.' The landlord began to apologise — ' No words, sir ! I owed you seventeen and sixpence, and you kicked me out of your house for it — I told you, you would be sorry for it — I now owe j r ou two pounds thirteen shillings — (and quietly turning his coat-tails from his seat of honor) — you must now pay yourself in a cheque on the same bank.' — "Auckland Penny Journal."

The Star Epef Company, Bendigo, is about to adopt a new mode of paying the miners employed by it, so as to make them directly interested in the success of the mine. It is proposed to give each miner fixedwages of 20s per week, in addition to which, if the quartz yields 6s per ton, lie will get 5s extra, and 5s extra for each additional Is per ton till the wages amount to L 3.