One Way of Getting Rid of Them.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 61

One Way of Getting Rid of Them.

" Tibbs is an inveterate joker," said Gibbs. "That is why I sent the life insurance agent who was pestering the life ou*t of me around to see Tibbs. I told the agent that Tibbs had been talking for some time of getting his life insured for a good round sum.

" It worked, and the agent departed in haste to look Tibbs up, while I congratulated myself upon gelling rid of a bore.

" Later in the day I chanced to meet the agent in the street, and halting me he said angrily: —

" ' Look here, what do you mean by sending me to insure a man with one foot in the grave? I suppose you thought that you were doing a funny thing, but I'm hanged if I can see anything funny about it.' " ' What do you mean?' I gasped. "'Mean?' he shouted. 'I mean that my company isn't in the business of insuring corpses. You made me feel like a fool approaching a man to insure his life when he hasn't three days to live. I actually hurried away for fear he would die while I was there. The next time that you feel like being funny, place your wretched joke somewhere else than inside a graveyard.'

" What he said gave me an awful shock. I had not seen Tibbs for some time, and was not even aware that he was ill, so I hurried down to his office to see what the matter was.

" I found Tibbs in his usual health, so far as I could see, but before I could demand an explanation another life insurance ■ngenl entered the office, and turning to Tibbs began the usual harangue. " But before he could say a dozen words Tibbs was seized with a terrible fit of coughing that caused the agent to stand aghast. "' My dear fellow,' said Tibbs, between epasms, ' I'm awfully glad you've come. I have just made up my mind to get insured for £5000 ; so you can make out the papers as soon as you like.'

" But the agent was already halfway to the door, having mumblgd something about another engagement, and that ho would call again. " ' It's ,the only way to get rid of them,' said Tibbs, coming back to the normal."