Worrying the Query Editor.

Otago Witness, Issue 2443, 9 January 1901, Page 69

Worrying the Query Editor.

"The question, sir," said the chairman of the delegation, "is an important one, but more difficult to answer than you would think, when you first hear it. We have wagered a matter of three glasses of beer and two cigars on it also, so there is a double reason why you should be very careful in answering it."

"Fire away," said the query editor, shortly. "Well, you see, it's this way," explained the spokesman. "Over in our district there were two men named John Jinks, and they were father and son. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly. Go ahead."

"Well, last night they were both burned to death in the same house, ?nd to-day, when we were making up a list of those who lost their lives, the boys insisted on putting down ' John Jinks, sen.,' and ' John Jinks, jun.' " "Quite right," asserted the query editor. "That's what we came to ask you about," returned the spokesman. "Of course, we all knew who was meant, but technically " "Technically it was exactly right," interrupted the query editor.

"Sure?"

"Sure ! Of course, I'm sure. How else would you refer to them?"

"Oh, if you're co dead sure about it we're not going to dispute you, but you ought to take all the technicalities into consideration."

"I have," thundered the query editor. "If you can advance any reason why they should be referred to in any other way, fire ahead ; if you can't, get out and let me go on with my work."

"Well," said the spokesman, slowly and deliberately, "I figured it out a little differently. You see, the old man lived downstairs and the boy lived on the floor above, and the fire started in the basement. Consequently, it stands to reason that the old man died first."

"What of it?" demanded the query editor. "Why, when the old man died, the young man ceased to be 'junior,' didn't he?"

' r Um — ah '

"And if he did, he was not John Jinks, jun., when he died. Consequently, no John Jinks, jun.' died at all. That is the way I figured it out, but, of course, a query editor is always right, and if you say that "

The chairman of the delegation dodged, and a paper-weight struck the wall. Then the delegation retired, while the query editor kicked himself around the room, and declared that the next man who tried to play him a second edition of this trick would not live to tell of it.