A RACE FOR LIFE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 13 May 1882, Page 3

A RACE FOR LIFE.

Ou Sunday night last, between cloven aua twelve o'clock, a aorio-comio affair occurred at New Plymouth. It seems that Mr Roy, solicitor, who had retired to bod, heard, or fancied he hoard (the formentis said is the correct version), some person in an unoccupied room in Ins house, followed by a noise as if an inner door was being tried, Thinking he liatl better obtain assistance, ho quickly m the house od succeeded in getting the assistance neighbour a knight of tjKil. However on a proper instituted, no one could be found. They then, it would appear, separated, each on his own aocount to scour tho neighborhood for tho offender, tlio blacksmith being the tat on the scent, for almost immediately be saw, as he thought, two suspicious looking characters, and nothing daunted, as lie was armed with a stout stick, he made for them at rather an urgent rate, ihey, supposing him to bo a lunatio at large, or something of the kind, and fancying the stick to be a long knifo, ran for their very lives, and he, quito certain he was after the right persons, followed. The result was one of the quickest events evor recorded in the way of a foot race. Eventually tho two turned suddenly down ho3t Cottiers' side-passage and eluded pursuit, the pursuer being tno far behind to know exactly what had become of them, It now turns out that the "suspects" were two commercial travellers, very woll known on this coast as two who can well enjoy a little joke, but as they were on this occasion so terrified as to actually barricade the side-door of the Criterion Hotel, where they entered whon bein? pursued, it is said that they at any rate considered discretion the hotter part of valour on this occasion, Tho racing part of the business has caused a genial bit of merriment, in which all who know the parties have joined, the moro serious part of tho matter being loft for the polico to look after.