NEW ZEALAND CHERRIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1496, 2 March 1887, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND CHERRIES.

Inventlvontfa will amuse others than those who aro familiar with the flavour of Fow Zealand cherries:— A frnit dealer m Market quarb, Capetown, Inoensed at the liberties taken by loafers with hia wares displayed at the door, plaood half a gallon of cayenne pepper pods m a basket, labelled it. " New Zealand Cherries," and hung It In a conspicuous place m front of his stand, [v a few minutes tha next door merchant sauntered up, inquired how trade wai, picked up a New Zealand cherry, placed it m his mouth, and suddenly left to attend to a customer. The Her Dr Bolly next rounded to, observed that the yellow fever news from Memphis wai not ye»y encouraging this morning, and— ah ! it had been years since he had eaten a New Zealand cherry ; whereupon he ate one, remarked tbat it- was soperb, wiped hid weeping eyes on his coat- sleeve, supposed that New Zealand was getting warmer every year, wished the dealer good morning and departed, lamenting the weakness of his eyes m the •anight. A chronic dead beat then came up, took a mouthful of oherrles, spluttered them out, with an impreoation, all ovet the fruit; stuffed a pear? a banana, and a bunoh of grapes into his mouth to take out the taste, Informed the dealer that be would have him proseouted for keeping green fruit, and went down the street to the pump. .A lady with two ohildrwa next appeared, stopped to admire the oherrles, asked if she mightn't taste of them she had never seen any before— supplied tha children and walked away— walked away with a face fiery with scorn and anger, while the ohlldren set up a howl that brought all the people to the doors and windows, and drove all the polloemen off the street. Thus the fun went on all tha morning. The fruit dealer never laughod ao much m his lif a. The ocoupants of tha adjacent and opposite stores and a shoal of small boys soon learned what was up, and watched and joined m a ringing roar as eaoh new victim tried the oherrles. Finally, a solemn looking countryman lounged up, inquired the price of them' ere New Zealand cherries, Invested ia a pint, and having tasted them, upset. the frnit dealer's Btock-ln-trade, and •• went for " thi dealer, who had to beat a hasty retreat, much to the delight of the small boys who congregated ia the vicinity, By this time the fruiterer has learned that it is a very clever man that can play a joke for any length of tlma without In the end being found oat.