Annihilated.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 65

Annihilated.

It was m a tramcar, before the Boer ultimatum, and the subject of conversation was the Transvaal crisis. "By George!" exclaimed a sunburnt young man who had been vigorously condemnir«f the Boers, "I hope it will come, to fighting.'"' "For shame!" said a clerical-looking passenger, who had been advocating tfie- peaee-at-any-pnee policy.- "If you were a - soldier and had to figh-fc yourself, you would not be so anxious for war." "I'm an Army Reserve man of ono of the regiments warned to hold itself in i^kuucs to go to the fronfc, and if they coll ont the Reserves 1 am certain to be saut to tho front too, retorted the- young man The- clerical passenger" was somewhat disconcerted'at this retort, and tiie other i\4.l

gors sniiled their pleasure at his diseomfituie.

'' 13ui you don't think of your parent'-* anxiety," he said ; "think of your old fathei'-> grief "

"His father's anxiety," said a fierce old white-mousiaeheil fellow in Ihe cornpr. "i.-> that there won't be war after all, and his grief is that lie's too old to fis-hl hims-eU !"

And the clerical passenger sadly left the warlike atmosphere of the car for a »cat on the roof.