ALL BORROWED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 7 (Supplement)

ALL BORROWED.

A truly shiftless family cannot imagine a scheme of existence which, does not include a literal system of borrowing riglrt and left, wherever there is anything to be borrowed.

'Why didn't you come to school yesterday, Maggie?' asked a teacher of one of her pupils, a bright-eyed Irish, child.

'Tim, he had my mittens, ma'am, and 'twas too cold for me to come without 'em, mother said.'

'Why, how did that happen? asked the teacher, turning to Tim, who was also in her class.

'Oh, he just borryed them off me till he had his new ones from father,' hastily interposed Maggie. 'Same as Terence borryed my boots last week whilst hit? own was mending,' explained Tim, handsomely. 'Maggie's the good little girl, and I'd not take her mittens 'less I needed them.'

'Does your mother '.like to have you borrow each other's things this way?' asked the teacher, endeavouring to preserve a severe expression of countenance. 'Mother, ma'am!' cried little Maggie, in a voice as shrill as was consistent with her respect for 'the teacher.' 'Why, when mother takes a notion to be going pUt, she borrys my scarf off me, . and I Sister Cely's hood off her, and Sister Agnes's coat off her, and the whole of us have to stay at home.' ' After which the teacher thought it wise to forbear further 'questioning.