BOYISH WIT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 10, 13 January 1933, Page 9

BOYISH WIT

Some very much appreciated examples of youthful, spontaneous wit were given to the audience at; a civic reception today to the Boys-Band.of the Youn" Australia League. . J Speaking.in. a nappy vein in reply to the Deputy Mayor's address,' Mr.»J. S. McCxowan, who is in charge of the party, delighted the . audience with a number of anecdotes about the present party and others with whom' he had been concerned. Ho told them of ono boy, aged 9, who was being billeted by a gentleman who had some difficulty iri walking as a result of an injury to his knee. . In trying to make conversation with the boy, the gontleman mentioned that he was racing a horse that day. After a period of,puzzled inspection of the gentleman the boy burst out, "Well, if you ask'me, I don't think you'd be able to race a horse, or anything else." During a visit of a party of American boys to Australia last year, Mr. McGowan .saia, one of the visitors was asked to speak on "Unity." After giving his views on the. subject the* lad added that unity was something that one banana said to its mates, "Onco we get away from the bunch, boys;- we'll eet skinned." ': Another story related.' by Mr. McGowan told of a boy who was seen by the gentleman ho was lDilleted with going out with a lantern. In reply to a question the boy said that he was ■going out courting. "What," cried'the gentleman, "going out courting with a lantern! When 1 was a young man I went out courting, but I never took a lantern with me." "Yes, and look what you picked," was the? instant reply. ■ ■ . : Mr. Gladstone .Hill, the advance manager of the party, also had a story no tell, this ono at the expense of Mr. B. W. Catbn, the conductor of the band. A cricket match, said Mr. Hill, had been arranged between the band .and the boys of the Y.M.C.A."eamp at Palmerston North. Mr. Caton told the boys that ho would like to go in first, and spent a considerable time impressing on them his merits as. a cricketer, ending by saying, "Well, is that all set? I'll go in first." The youngest member of the- party, who had been taking it all in, then came to the front, "Yes, but you're not picked, " he informed the discomfited conductor.