He was Mistaken.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 35

He was Mistaken.

" Nice child, very nice child," observed an old gentleman, crossing the compartment and addressing the mother of the boy who had just hit him in the eye with, a wad of paper.' " How old are yob, my son ? "

" None of your business," replied the youngster, laking aim at another passenger.

,'^Fine boy," smiled the. old man, ,as; the paVent . regarded her offspring ,yvith Ipride. •• A remarkably fine boy. <> .What- is your name," my son. 1" ■ ' ■>. ">.".•* ' t "'Puddin 1 Tame 1" shouted tha'/ou'ngster,

with a giggle at his own wit.

"I- thought- so," continued the old man pleasantly. •• If you had given me three guesses af it, that "would have 'been the first one I would Have struck on. Now,* Puddiu', you can blow those things pretty straight, can't you ? "

" You bet ! " squealed the boy, delighted at the compliment/ "See me take that old fellow over there ! "

" No ! no ! " exclaimed the old gentleman hastily. " Try it on the old woman I was sitting with. She has boys of her own, and phe won't mind."'

'• Can you hit the lady for the gentleman, Johnny ? " asked the fond parent. Johnny drew a bead and landed the pellet on the end of the old woman's nose.

But she did mind- it, and rising in her wrath soared down on the small boy like a buzcard. She put him over the line, reversed him, ran him backward till he didn't know which end of him was front, and finally dropped him into the lap of the scared mother with a benediction whereof the purport was that she'd be back in a moment aud skin him alive.

"She didn't seem to like it, Puddin'," smiled the gentleman softly. " She's a perfect stranger to me, but I understand, she is a matron of a truants' home, and I thought she would like a little fun ; but I was mistaken."

And the old gentleman sighed sweetly as he went back to his seat.