A Cent per Cent Man.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3124, 8 February 1889, Page 3

A Cent per Cent Man.

, We often hear stories of tlie high of interest which is charged by .'■Whose accommodating gentlemen wlio loud iuonoy on personal- security. ■ We once knew a man to be sued lor £lB, and he had to pay it because he had been foolish or good enough to back a bill for a " fiver "for a friend. . - The bill was dishonored, aud the debt for £5 blossomed into another foruearly three times the amount, A cose of something of the same kind lias just boon before a Dunedin Court. 'A man was in want of 11, , and he asked a money lender to let him have" so much monies," This request was nt once entertained, and he was pressed to take 1 not £7 but £lO. He consented to accept the offer thus kindly made him, and borrowed " a but while he bocame liable for that sum he did not receive it all. £2 12s Gd being deducted as interest at the outset, g.Tho borrower was to refund the ftnoney in two months, This he did , JRot do, but paid ten monthly instalJ \nents of twenty-five shillings, which totalled up £l2 IDs, or nearly double the sum which lie had received. He thought this should have extinguished his debt, in equity, at all ovents if it did not do so in law. Not so thought the money lender. He told his patron that the ten monthly instalments of twenty-fivo shillings were only " interest "for the non-payment of the £7 odd, Acting upon this view of the mattor, he sued the borrower for £lO, although lie had only lent it little ovor £7 originally, and had been repaid £l2 10s. A lawyer, who was onco a prominent clergyman in Dunedin, was found to appear in Court to

support this monstrous claim. Like Shylock, he concluded that "the jjjmid" was eyerythiug. The Justices not seem disposed to look at anything except the equities of the case, and gave judgment for the .defendant with a guineas co3ts, Notice of appeal was given but we think it likely that no higher Court of Justice will be insulted by asking it to reverse the magistrate's decision.

■'if Taking in TooleIt is not always that an actor cares to confess that he has been fooled by a fellow craftsman. Mr Toole how- ■ ever tells the following good story in his" Eeminiscences" ;—lt happened at" Ye Olde Englishe Fayre" which I organised in 1881 at the Albert Hall. Mr Toole and Mr Barrett were both to play in tho Wost Theatre. Mr Toole lost his way in the corridor, and, seeing a clerical

gentleman standing in the shadow of the door asked, "If that was the way to the West Theatre," "Theatre, sir?," says Barrett, recognising Toole, and disguising his own voice, "Yes, sir," responds Toole "I Jjelieve there is a Theatre soinewhero wjsbout here. May I venture to enquire the name of the gentleman whom I am addressing?" "Myname is Toole said the comedian," " What! Tbolo the play-actor ?" asked Barrett with an expression of pained surprise. " Yes, J. L, Toole," was the reply. " Why do you ask'?" " And you are Toole, the comedian!" exclaimed Barrett, half turning away. "Is Toole the comedian such a horrible person ?" responded Toole, warmly. "He may not be; but the Xthe so-called profession to which he * belongedis a dreadful one." " Dreadful!" exclaimed Toole, "dreadful. Why"dreadful?" "The Theatre, sir is an immoral thing; it always has been; I fear it always must be. Oh, my dear friend, be warned in time, Leave it while yet you may find the better path," " Leaveitl" exclaimed Toole, "I don't know who you are, but you must allow me say you are a very bigoted—not fl&say impertinent—parson." "Parson sir!" exclaimed Barratt,. " that is the character I am assuming at this moment." "Thenyou are assuming it in a very offensive manner, sir, and I am sorry to seem rude in making that remark; I have known, and do know, many of your cloth, and have invariably found them men of charity andbenovolonce, and —" "That will do Johnny, old Mend," • said Barrett, in his own voice, "I have made a clerical euor, evidently. You'd better get on, or you'll miss your cue. They have called you, I believe ever so long since."

At the fourth series of the Christchuroh wool sales to-day, the buyers refused to bid nioro than farthing advances,[and retired in a body from the room. They afterwarda agreed unanimously neither to attend the sale or buy , any more wool hi Christchuroh this fason," unless farthing bids are adopted, ||lthe half crown charge for delivery wool to the Bhip discontinued.