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Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 189, 12 May 1928, Page 25

Pennies are not popular at Colon, as n party from an immigrant ship discovered recently on landing for a sightseeing expedition, on the way to New Zealand (states the “Sun”). The effect of three coppers which were offered to an old woman vendor of peanuts was magical. The old hag flew into a fury and screamed such maledictions at her customer that lie tied —without his peanuts. The value of copper is apparently not appreciated in Panama, hut the immigrant did not return to try the effect of a silver piece. A Scotsman's struggle between thirst and bawbees occasioned considerable banter at his expense, later the same day. Approaching a vendor of water-melons, another old woman, he haggled with her in traditional style till she reluctantly brought her price down from 2s. to 6d. At this stage the Scotsman pretended to move off without the melon. He went about 50 yards, but thirst triumphed. .lieturning, he offered the 6d„ but the wily old woman raised her price to ls„ and remained adamant until the purchase was completed at that figure. It was a crestfallen Scotsman who tried to explain his failure to his companions who had watched the negotiations from a distance.