Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1907 — Charon’s Boat. [ARTICLE]

Charon’s Boat.

On one of the lakes in the north Island of New Zealand, near Auckland, there was a hotel much frequented by fishermen. On one occasion when a gentleman, whom I will call Mr. X., was staying there he was taken seriously 111, and the landlord, supposing that he could not possibly recover, began to think of making preparations for his visitor’s death. Knowing a man who was a pretty fair carpenter and had owed him money for some time and seeing little chance of being repaid, he told him to make a coffin for the sick man. The coffin was duly made, but Mr. X., Instead of dying, as he ought to have done, recovered, and there was therefore no uge for the coffin. The landlord, not caring to be at the expense, included a charge for it iq Mr. X.’s bill, whq, on seeing it, natural, ly enough demurred to paying for something which he had not ordered, and did not want. The landlord said Is was very hard that the loss should fall on him, as he had only done it for the best, and Mr. X. at last agreed to pay for it. Determined to turn It to some account, he had a keel put to it and used it as a fishing punt during the remainder of his stay at the hotel.—London Telegraph.