CAN A MONKEY SWIM?

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1316, 20 May 1897, Page 9

CAN A MONKEY SWIM?

All sorts of funny questions come over the telephone- into a newspaper office'*. Somebody is always making a bet on somes queer proposition or other, and the decisice* is left in many cases to some of the news rpapers, No sooner is the bet made than the men who have put up the money, or promised to do'so, hie themselves to a telephone and ring -ap " the editor " of the paper to which tho decision has been left. Some of the propositions advanced are ©neugh to make a mule laugh, and some are sent over the telephone just to worry the man who answers the ring, and possibly to catch him with some trick. The other day, for instance, some fresh_ boy rang up a newspaper to ask for a decision on this proposition : »• Is ifc legal for a man to marry hiff widow's sister ?" The young man who answered the 'phone refused to " bite," and told the int quirer 'that his question would be answered through the columns of the papery if he would write it out and forward ifc with his name and address. That is the. rule in most offices. This particular question never came, of couase. ' But the other night there came one that was too good to lose, so the young man who received it answered it on his jpwn account. " We've made a bet," said the fellow who rang up the office, " and we want you to decide." "This place doesn't decide bets," was the answer. " Never mind the bet, then. Just decide the question, will you ?" " Well, what is your Question ?" " It's this," came the answer. " Can a monkey swim ?" What an easy one I The young man at the 'phone smiled happily, as he put his mouth down close to the transmitter and softly whispered—- " just go down to the lake and jump in. Then you'll find out all about it." And then he gently rang off and went on with his work.— Detroit Free Press,.