EXCITING EPISODE AT GREYTOWN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3584, 11 August 1890, Page 2

EXCITING EPISODE AT GREYTOWN.

Stem CMbo,

A popular newspaper man, whoso location may be vaguely described ns being at a township between Wellington and Masterton, gave a highly interesting exhibition of his " going" and "staying" powers on Saturday night last, The performance, though inadvertent, had not been advertised, but the omission did not detraot from its enjoyment,

The official horse, by name " Gassivelaunus," to which was attached a two-wheeled trap, was the pace* maker on the occasion, and an admirable one it proved itself. We could not hare believed there was such an amount of." go" in our literary brother had we not seen him so distinguish'himself, The little episode had its origin at that part of Main Street, Greytown, known as "The Bridge." Our hero had been paying a nocturnal visit to a friend's hen-roost, and was loading-up poultry in the rear of tho trap, He then took out his purse to' pay for the feathered cargo/. Whether such an unprecedented proceeding as this latter irritated the nerves of 'Cassivelaunus' or not, will never be known, but he suddenly sprang forward, made a dash for liberty, and got it. The pace down Main-Btreet was something fearful, and the owner of the turn-out who is an exceedingly heavy-weight, made a very poor sccond'in the race, It was, however, not for want of exertion or style, for when ho. put his foot down he meant it, and the reverberations of" nineteen stone," as it pittercd, pattered, along tho thoroughfare might have been hoard for miles around, and Greytown was convulsed- to its very core. Past (he Post Office flew the horse and trap, lights extinguished by the jolting, and on camo tho puffing and panting pursuer, coat tails extended by his speed. To tho Foresters, Arms stables went he: " A horse! a hoiM! everything I possess for a horse," was his cry. A horse was forthcuming, but the stable-keeper, who seemed familiar with members of tho" Fourth Estate," said he would prefer to ride in pursuit himself. By this tinio one or two others, also mounted, had "chipped in," and tho chase had become a really exciting spectacle. On* ward, onward, faster, faster, lamps broken, cushions flying, fled the runaway, until tho ruins of tho burnt bridge caused the downfall of tho" Cassivelaunus," and to a pause he came, The damage done was not great—a bent step, two fractured lamps, a broken splashboard, was the lot, But the vehicle's contents had strewn the rond along the whole course, aud the owner, still laments their loss, A double cradle, being large, was afterwards picked up, but he will feel obliged if those who find any ofjthe following articles, whioh are still missing, will return them to him, viz,, a ham, an infant's feeding bottlo, a crayfish, two nightcaps, a livo bald-headed rooster, and three pounds of sausageß.