THE PASSING SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 4, 6 January 1938, Page 6

THE PASSING SHOW.

(By THE MEN ABOUT TOWN.) Sheer carelessnes-s Lad caused Sam to lose hi# pencil at the races the other day. By feeling in his pocket- at least half a dozen times he had given himi THE CIGAR. self a light massage, but 1 the necessary stub of j pencil \ras not produced. Approaching Ted, : who happens to Ik? the big shot of the club, J Sam ventured the opinion that Ted wouldn't ihave a spare pencil on him. But Ted did. and j passed one over. Sam replied with a cigar. At that moment .Toe. who. by tiie way. has not lone since returned from a trip abroad, where he represented Xew Zealand at the Coronation, came up. Ted shook hands, and then said. ''Have a cigar"—and ]>assed over i the one Sam had just given him. -Joe was still on deck when the last race was run.— Johnny. "With the midnight chimes to-night the i Christmas season coiner; to an end—for January 6 is Twelfth Xight, or Old Christmas Dav. a<? it was called in OLD CHRISTMAS the davs when one was DAY. encouragt_d to rejoice and be merry with all the levity in one heart. Twelfth Xight brought to an end all the festivities of Christmas — which was recognised as a twelve-day festival rather than a three-day holiday. The Feast of the Epiphany, ag it is known in ecclesiastical circles, celebrates the giving of the gifts, to the Holy Babe by the Three Wise Men —gifts of gold, in token of His Royalty, of frankincense. to illustrate His Divinity, of myrrh, to symbolise His sorrows. But Twelfth Xight was through the medieval ages the great time of rejoicing and the customs connected with this day are manifold. Chief among them is that of the "Bean King." A huge cake was. baked and in it was hidden a bean, as we hide tokens in the Christmas pudding. Whoever di<~covered the bean in his slice played the part of a royal king until midnight—and the end of the festivities. It was a favourite time at the royal courts for masques and dances, charades and plays; a continuation of the miracle and morality plays of the earlier ages when there were pre at processions in the churches, with characters portraying the Three Wise Men carrying their gifts down the aisles to offer them at the altar. But the tradition has died. And Twelfth Xight, with it-s richness of festival, its merryness and jovialitv. its customs once known across the Continent, is now no more than a memory in literature —Val. These insurance Mokes.. They knock politely at the door, insinuate themselves, and start talking, swiftly, explosively, convincing]".", cunningly. They brook THE CANVASSER, no stopping, no interruptions. no questions. Their task is to talk you into spending vour monev on a policy in their com pan v. Agree, and they tell you you have only to sit back and watch the bonuses arrive; refuse and vou brand yourself the biggest fool in the Dominion. They bristle with information, pamphlets, enthusiasm >• nd optimism: they are undaunted when you knock them back and free \\ith prophecies and handshakes when you sign the policy. They like refusals for "the first ten or twelve interviews—refusals and ■ knock-backs get their bloc-d up and put them realK on their metal. And when an insurance agent, gets his blood up and is really on his metal his freshet of information cannot be dammed or deviated. Started, and fairly on his way. he is like the brook that goes on for ever (according to Tennvsonh And if you listen loner enough you will ),e convinced against your better judgment that his proposition is a copper-bottomed ah-o]ute. T«-dav. however, we heard of an insurance agent who gave up the ghost. Here is part of a letter from t.ue family black sheen, now in the Waikato: . . And the bos# got" his ! electric milking machine at last. We were ! •-i ripping the last few cows the other morning ' when the insurance cove I was tellino- V ou aUm at rived. He had been pestering the bosand me tor at least a year, without success. !t had been raining the night before, and the cows had made a terrible mess in the corner near the shed. He came slipping across about seven o'clock and started talking right away. The boss started to show him the new apparatus to quit hi- talk, and he at once ' shoved his hand into the works. He touched! sometnmg that the boss had taken the lid off ; and the whole business sparked and flashed j fire like a foundry. The boss jumped back. ' swearing, and bashed against the last cotv; ' the cow bu. ked and swivelled round, kicked '■ oyer the milk bucket and stopped a healthv ! Kick ;n the stomach from the boss. Then the ! boss looked repentant at kicking the best cow 1 and turned ,n search of the insurance a-vnt i He was logging it across the top paddock to'i hi* car. The bos* sent him a message that ! it he came on the place again he would stick j a fork mto linn. I am watching event*" Ai bus. I ! i Tins is the story as told to me. Tliev 1 were play,no- * o]o . two friuj . and cjx ajjd j had consistently picked up such terrible cards j AMPLF he - had 01lly bce " j AmfLty able to "prop" twice His SECURITY, associates had been going i solo almost everv second , l and. and. as Dave had been passing over four ! notes each time, the wad he began with shrank to the thickness of a lead pencil. But everv- ; thing comes to he who waits, and when just ! *oout broke to the world Dave nicked up ace i king, queen, seven times trumps, ace. kin«> V\ ithout hesitation he said. "Abundanth in ; ..1 :>t i ell. veil, little poy. abundanth j n thrumths. is it? said Abe. "Veil, put up! ilie money in case vou set beat." This was ! i body blow for Dave, 'because all he "could * produce, notes and silver, was £o (! / H j ■leaded with the other players to trust him !• -it he went down he would pay next dav on j .he trek of ten o clock. All his pleadings were 10 good Then he tried a new line of attack. \> , °"ld they place the hands in envelopes seal !< hem up. and give him half an hour to ™ I: :he money? After much serious consideration !' his was agreed to. and Dave dashed off to!' us banker. The bank was just about to close !i yhen Dave entered and immedvtelv asked for P :iie mana rer. .Mr. Chen tie]]. Mr. Chennell was !l ■ut. but his lieutenant. Mr. Carbovs wa= in ': us office. Would he do? I n such a desperate j position anyone would do. and Dave was I hown mto the office. He explained to Mr -arboys that with Abe. Tsadore and Ros'enlaum he had been plaving solo all the anc* loon The cards had gone against him" till '< 'p picked up ace. king. queen. seven times 1 rumps, with ace. king. Of course, he had to - :o abundance. "I niust go it. Mr. Cat-bus. N tlv poor father would tun in his o-j-ivp if jil lidii tgo it. Do let me have terventv pounds "j" le t'leaded. "I'm snrry. Mr. Isaacs. b„ t 1 don't P inderstand a damn thin- you are talkingjc t■ and in any case your account is over"- '« rawn. f.et out. you are a damned impostor." !l t was the following day when tiie manager < Jr. Chennell. called Mr. Carboys snto ~ the j t ffice. heady. Mr. Carboys." he said. "I have ic -een t.linking of making one or two transfers jc have decided to place you in charge of all" mall branch office of ours in a farmin" district >t ind I might tell you that ace. king. queen' n even times trumps, with ace king, is ample t ecurity for twenty pounds—aye. up to £100." a -Johnny. P n i THOUGHT FOR TO DAY. h Unter robing with pure snow and crowns « if starry ice the grey grass and baie bough*, o —Shelley.