Too Close Imitation.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 27

Too Close Imitation.

On one occasion, while on a jouruoy through Italy, tha P'.pe halted at a imall village, the inhabitant!-, of which resolved to send some of I thfir piiiiciDal men aa a deputation to hia Holinebs. The Mayor, who was to head the deputation, Diopoaed to present him with soma cf the chiaf produce of tho country, consisting; of pino nppJes, figs, and cream. Ifc was a( cordingly arranged that each member should carry some tigd and cream in silver basins, the pine-apples, however, being dis» penßod with.

Before sotting out, tho Mayor thus addressed his followers :

"As you do not very well know how to conduct yourselves before exalted personages, you imitft watch me closely, and do as you has ma do. '

Tug prooeiraioti was formed, with the Mayor stalking msjesticilly in iront, furnished, like his foll'iwero, with a baßin of figs in his left baud and another of cream in his right. The do ir of tha room in which his Holiness sat vaa opened, and the Mayor repeated his caution to those bbhiad him.

It so happened that there was a step down into the ro.m, but the Mayor failed to notice it. He stumbled, and the shock sent his beard and face into the cream basin.

Trying to recover himself, he only made matters worse, for be fell upon his knees with his bands and basin under him, and his creamed face raised imploringly to the representative of St. Peter,

The other members of the deputation, thinking that this was tha proper ceremony to observe in the presence of such a distinguished personage, dipped their beards in tho cream, thraw away their vessels, and bent down on their knees, at the same time casting a halfinquiring aud confident look at their lender, »b if they meant to say : " You see we ara all rfghfc ; we have carefully followed your example."

The Pope was at first astounded, but coon burst into ft fir. of the moat bd'iterous laughter, i while his attendents, thinking that the deputation had come to mock their master, begi n pelting them with tho scattered figs. Tfao Mayor hobbled out of the room, closely followed by his bretharn, one of whom whispered to him, " How lucky it ia for ue that we did net bring the pine-apples. How nicely our heads would bavo been battored with them."