Mr Multy on Conversation.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 49

Mr Multy on Conversation.

"Conversation," said old Mr Multy, "is a peculiar thing. Just think of it, Mrs Multy, how much there has been of it from Garden of Eden time* down. Of course, Adam did all the talking for a while, bat when Eve came it was, we infer, different. I have often wondered what sort of conversation that couple had, Mrs Multy; for, of course, Adam never lost bis collar button down the back of his neck, and Eve never had her clothei-liue break and let a week's wash fall down in the mad, beeauie— because — but that's another story, as Ruddy < Kipling says. "Still, Adam escaped a, great many things, my dear ; you will be obliged to admit that. I don't believe that Eve ever got him to driTe a nail under a shelf in a dark oorner of the pantry, behtnd.tbe flour barrel, where he didn't have room to swing his hammer more than- four inches; and if she didn't, oE course he never had the hammer slip and mash bis thumb, and ' while h& was gyrating around with a look of avfal anguish on his face, and his thumb in his mouth so far that no bad words coald get out— at such a time, I say, my dear, he was never obliged to bear hia wife'erem&rk, sweetly* «Were

you trying to drive jronr thamb-nail, Adam,' dear?' For in those days, to far s»s I cSa learn, Mrs Mnlty, it was not considered gooff form for wives to try to be funny at fchtf expense of their husbands' sufferings, as d<i some whom I could mention in this age of the' world." And Mr Multy gave Mm Malty a look whioll ought to have frozen her heart* blood, bub which only made her smile, as if at the ro< membrance of something ludicrons ; and pr«* sently Mr Mully'* face relaxed and he grinned a little himself, took a bottle of arnioa down from the clock shelf and poured a little on hif rag-bound thumb, wound up the clock for fear he might forget ifa on Sund»y morning, and went up to bed without uttering another word, though be could be heard chuckling gently tk he ascended the stairs.—^few. York Truth,