A Famous Blunderer.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 52

A Famous Blunderer.

M. Calino, She popular Fjreach siaapleton, who performs in the hu-nouroua literature of France much the s%me f anction tn&t the fcrai ditioual Paddy does in Eagtish literature, has been made the subject of a grave study, ia wbicb. his innocent stupidities ara carefully analysed. He is nothing more or less than a convenient personification of a type of the harmless blunderer and complacent lack-wit found in all ages and couafcries. In France his sayings reflect, however, something of fclia picouresque- ; ness which, is charaeberisbic of the uaxioa. 1 C-ilino's blunderrings, ib seems, began afc aa early age. He had nob craft; enough to tell a lie th it would hold water for a moment. One day at school be got into a fight wifch a companion, and came horns wibb. a gash on his forehead. "How did you gefc that cub?" asked his father. "What cut, papa?" " Why, that greafc gash on your forehead." "I bib myself there, papa." " Bib yourself ! Why, you couldn'fc bltfl yourself on your forehead." "I got up on s. chair fco do ifc, papa." iMfcer in life Calino delivered himself of Ihe following bit of wisdom :—: — " As for m°, I don't care io ouch, for tee sun as I do for the moon. You see, the aun only | cornea after it gets daylight, %vhaa -we could see jusb sa well without it ; bufc the nioon'a some use — ifc shiues at nighb." | Early one morning, whea Calino was cub wifch i his gun, he saw a robin iv the garden of his I friead Camilie. He aimed at ifc, bufc ifc dropped below the top of ths wall. Then Oalino went i into the house, crepfc upstairs softly, stole into i Camille's bedroom without waking Camille, who was in bod, pointed his gun out of tha window afc the robin and fired — bang ! Camilla leapod out of the bed in wild confusion and alarm. j " W — w — why — w — w — what's tha matter ? " ' " Ob, did I wake voa up ? '" said Calino. j " I pullad the trigger jasfc as softly as I could."