WEEK-END CHAT

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1923, Page 8

WEEK-END CHAT

GRAIN AND CHAFF.

(By

Mackay).

‘•Character writes its name on a man’s face in indelible ink. ’ “Soane people have faith in odd numbers —usually number one.” ‘Life, like a nettle, will always , hurt the man who lays hold of it gingerly.” A nervous Karoro resident went to , Parkinson’s and asked for some weed killer. The assistant eyed him ■ keenly. “Oh, i-it’s q-quite all right,” said ; the customer, “I’m a b-bachelor!” ; One High Street four-year-old said to his father : “Daddy, I. think I'se very ill.” : “What’s the matter?” asked his : father. ~ - “I'se full of beg pardons, daddy,’ as he put up his hand to his mouth. « During the Ministerial visit to 1 Barrytown a visitor from Greymouth was shown round one of the farms by the youthful son of the owner. 1 “Who do those pigs belong to, ] sonny?” the visotior asked, looking t at the next door sty. j( 1 “They are the old sow’s, mister. ’ I “I know that. But who’s their t master?” “That there little black ’un. He is a beggar to fight!” < The match-seeking enthusiasm of c certain defeated professional boxers t is not now shared by two boxers who, c after waiting months for a fight that ] would bring them into the limelight, j each got his chance, and each got \ beaten. After their fights they com- T pared notes. c “Rum thing,” said one, “I got a t bout, and now I’m blessed if I can j get about!” 1 1 “Same here,” nodded the other gloomily. “I got a round, and now, dash me, if I think I’ll be able to f get around again!” I 1 It was one of those evenings .when c romance seems to hold the world in c a light, but firm grip. Outside the v leaves stood out so fresh and green, j touched by the 1 magic hand of spring, There was a touch of frost in the air, and inside one Greymouth draw-ing-room a. fire was burning brightly c in the grate. J The belle was reclining, her dainty t toes stretched out to the blaze, her v eyes now blue, now an iridescent grey I in the flickering firelight. Kneeling 1 by her side, one could vaguely dis- 1 cern the figure of her adoring iover. 1 “Darling,” he whispered—“darling, r will you marry me?” s “Yes,” she replied drermily—“yes; r we have no bananas to-day!’ r

Overheard last Sunday on the Greymouth wharf : — “How I envy you sailors,” said the sweet young thing. “It must be wonderful to gaze on the broad expanse of the ocean and breathe the clear salt air.” “Yes,” replied the stoker “it must be.” The man was not a Coaster, who when asked to give a recommendation for a patent medicine, said : — “It is the best medicine I have ever tried. 1 bought half-a-dozen bottles for my mother-in-law. She was at death’s door when she began taking it, and it pulled her through.” University exanrinations have been held at Trinity Hall this week. “Did any question embarrass you?” asked a friend of one of the entrants. “Not at all,” answered the student. “The questions were perfectly clear; but the answers puzzled me.”

It was alter a- Westport “novelty” social, and the younger daughter of the house told a visitor that “Sis was a lucky girl.” “In what way?” asked the lady. “She went .to a party last night,” explained the lass, “where they played a game in which the men either had to kiss a girl or pay a forfeit of a box o fchocolates.” “Well, how was she lucky?” “She came home with thirteen boses of chocolates.” A visitor with a large nose was invited to tea with a Runanga woman who had a talkative child, whom his mother warned severely not to pass any rude remarks during the meal. The boy’s eyes were fixed on tho caller so long that the mother frowned upon the child, whereupon he shouted: — “It’s all right, mother, I’m not going to say anything. I’m only looking at it!”

Talking of his experiences, one Grey bank manager recalled the following :—A customer at one of the branches called at the office and cashed a cheque on, her own account. Shortly afterwards she returned and asked to see the manager. She explained that, unfortunately, she had lost the money somewhere in the town. Would the manager kindly stop payment of her cheque-

'ne Hokitika sport is an optimistic soul. His pals, whom he infected th his enthusiasm, followed his tips blindly this week, with disastrous results. His selection came in nearly st and he had to face a number or disappointed friends on his return on Thursday. “See what you’ve done!’’ wailed one of them. “And you told me I could put my shirt on that horse!’’ “And did you?” “Yes, worse luck!” “Well, then,” replied the sportsman, “see the money you’ll save on laundry bills.”