THE TWO STORY-TELLERS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume V, Issue 234, 2 March 1883, Page 5

THE TWO STORY-TELLERS.

The clergymen of tw 0 adjoining parishes in Forfarshire, about the end of the last century were both alik e remarkable for an infinite fund of anecdote, a B well as for a prodigious willingness, or rather eagerness to disclose it. W hen one of them happened to be present in any company he generally monopolised, or rather prevented all conversation. When both were present there was a constant and keenly-contested struggle for the first place. It fell out, on a certain morning, that they breakfasted together, without any other company, when the host, having a kind of right of precedence, in virtue of his place, commenced an excellent but, very long-winded story, which his guest was compelled to listen to, though disposed at the end of every sentence, to strike id with his parallel and far more interesting tale. As the hoßt proceeded with his story he poured hot water into the tea-pot ; and so completely was he absorbed in the interest of what he was relating, or rather perhaps so intent was he to engage the attention of his listener, that he took no note of what he was doing, but permitted the water first to overflow the veßael into whioh he was pouring it, then the table, and finally the floor. The guest observed what was going on ,• but being resolved for once to give his rival ample scope and verge enoug h, never indicated by word, or look, or gesture, that he perceived it, till at last, as the speaker brought his voice to a cadence, tor the purpose of finishing the tale, he quietly rsma,rk.ed.i" Aye';' ye may Btop noo—it's, running out a.t ' the door I " ■. . ( li , IIUU-U. .J- Lin i mmm