Curiosity Rewarded.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 52

Curiosity Rewarded.

Mrs S , the chief gossip of X, a flourishing " toonie " iv Midlothian, does nofc always meet with the succass which her interest in other folk's concerns deserves. She recently experienced a severe reverse, fcbe faefcs and circumstances of which are a3 follows : — Mrs S was returning by train from Edinburgh, the only other passenger in the compartmeub she occupied being au English gentleman — a stranger. Mrs S ,as her custom was, endeavoured to " draw " fche stranger, but he, being a prudent man, adroibly answered her questions with exasperating evaiiveness. A!/ length, as fche train was approaching X, the slvungir ssked : '• Is the nexfc station X ? " "Oc course ib is," replied tha gossip with alacrity. "Why did ye no' tell me before ye were gaun there ? That's where I belong fcae. Wha dae ye want tae see there ? " "Well," said fche stranger smiliDg, "I want to see — bufc are you well acquainted with X ? " ■' You're cnly losin' time asking such questions," responded Mrs S testiiy. " I ken every mag, woman, and child in the place. What I dinua ken aboofc whafc has transpired in X within the ksb 50 years is co' worth kennin'. .Will that satisfy ye ? " ''I do nofc doubb what you say," replied fcbe Btxa.B|*er; "bufc I don'fc think you know much abouS tbe person I wanfe to see there." "We'll see aboofc that," said Mra S nervously. " Wba dae ye want to see there ? " The stranger replied, •• I nant fco sea myself there. Now, whafc do you know aboub me ?" Mrs S threw up tbe sponge.