Selling Out

NZ Truth, Issue 943, 22 December 1923, Page 7

Selling Out

DAVIE'S DRAMATIC DEPARTURE.

(«3y '\!r.A.C.S.">

For some, considerable time Brown had given the matter serious thought, and, eventually forwarded an enticing advertisement to the city paper. for Sale, bush farm, soo acres, 80 acres cleared, store. weekly turnover £sO. good seven-roomed dwelling.^ up "-to-date cottages on property, two minutes from railway, five minutes from school: £2000; a snip. apply DAVID BROWN. N-r-^ — .

AU the following week, prospective buyers journeyed from near and far to view the property, some of them with the hard cash m their pockets, hoping to clinch the deal on arrival, but 10, the seven-roomed dwelling: was, m reality, a few wooden huts each mounted on a sledpe, and all coiipledtogether at different angles, it being necessary to go outside to enter the adjoining room. The store contained a few tins of bully-beef, biscuits, tobacco and some milk cans. From inside appearance it evidently had once been used as a cow-ball. The five up-to-date cottages on the farm, as described m the alluring advertisement, Were only unpatnted tin sheds, most ot them with chaff bags doing service for windows, and. naturally all unoccupied.

"Have you got a buyer yet, Davie?" was the usual question everyone asked on entering the store. "Yes. by Jove," was the unexpected reply. "A chap just out from the Old Country has bought the place and I'll be going away next month;" .... • -..*'

The news having spread like greased lightning, a farewell social was arranged. The send-off promised to be a very successful. one. On the eventful night, traps, buggies, wagons, etc., rattied along all roads leading to the sohool hail, and long before the appointed hour of commencement, Davie could be seen outside one of the back doors of his home vigorously scrubbing his neck, which certainly had not seen water for many a day. In opening the function the chairman referred to Davie's many sterling qualities, with such, appreciation, that the guest of the evening began to secretly wonder if several m the audi--ence. including the speaker, had brought along the money to pay their long-standing accounts. After several residents had spoken ln high esteem of the departing family, Davie, on their behalf.waß called'on to reply and, with the assurance of a born orator, he stepped on to the platform, "Ladles and gentlemen and the chairman." he commenced, 'Tm much obliged for this farewell social. I don't want to make a ion* speech, but I'd like to thank the women of the district for beln' kind to the missus. As I said, I don't want to make a long speech, but while I'm 'ere. Td like to ask some of y«r"a if you brought along the money to settle yer accounts as I'll need it to pay our train fares tomorrow, cos I have to wait till the pommey chap wat'a bought the place, gets his money out from *Ome. He's a good sort of bloke, Just like meself, but I don't think he'll let Bill Smith and Arry Jones and a few more of yer run up suoh big accounts as yer did with me." (At this remark several m tho audience were noticed to shuffle uneasily m their seats.) "I don't want to make a long speech, so ni just repeat what the chairman acs: 'Yer aU toeing -yer best friend and yer don't know if." (Loud and prolonged applause).