“Ashes to ashes!” But instead of either dust or ashes the gleam of a nugget flashed back from the coffin lid. There it lay, resurrected from eternity while the lamented was being returned to the mould.
Without a moment’s hesitation the Recorder dropped his prayer-book, jumped into the grave, heaved the deceased out of the property and exclaiming in a loud voice:
“I claim everything seven hundred and fifty feet North and South and six hundred feet East and West. Everybody get off the premises.”
He pulled out two six-shooters, cleaned his estate of spectators and put up his location notices without delay.
The interment took place the following day in a vegetable garden.
§ 334 No Trouble to Show Goods
Holbrook Blinn, the actor, was playing an engagement in London several years ago. One afternoon he went out to Epsom Downs for the racing. In the crush at the paddock he was addressed by a Cockney of a slinky appearance:
“Sye, Guv’ner,” said the stranger, “wouldn’t you like to buy a diamond scarf-pin hat a bargain?”
Blinn shook his head and started to move off, but the importuning stranger detained him:
“Wyte a bit please, Guv’ner,” he pleaded, in an eager half-whisper; “don’t go yet, you’ll never get another chance like this. Hy pledge you me word of ’onor you won’t regret it if you buys this ’ere pin. Pure w’ite stone and a nobby settin’. Worth twenty quid, if hit’s worth a penny. And yours for four pound cash.”