THREE SHORT STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2454, 27 March 1901, Page 68

THREE SHORT STORIES.

THE EEWARD OF VIETTTE. A benevolent old gentleman invited a number of poor children to a treat in his beautiful grounds. Among the many good things he provided for their entertainment were excellent strawberries and cream. Seeing hovy the children enjoyed these, the I good man, wishing to point a lesson, addressed them : | "Well, boys," h© said, "I hope you have enjoyed your strawberries and cream Y" "Ye 3, sir," was the reply in lusty chorus. "But suppose, ' he continued, "that instead of having been invited here you had stolen over my garden wall and helped yourselves when no one was looking, you would not have enjoyed them half so much, would you?" "No, sir," replied the chorus. "And why not?" queried their benefactor. To this question there was no immediate response. At length, however, a little urchin, rather bolder thar the rest, piped out : " 'Cause we shouldn't have had no cream with them !" the bishop's THrtrifPH. The late Bishop Selwyn delighted to tell the following incident in his varied experience : — While Bishop of LichfieJd he was walking ono day in the Black Country, and observing a group of colliers seated by the roadside in a semicircle, with a brass kettle in front of them, he had the curiosity to inquire what was going on. "Why, yer honor," replied a grave-look?-ing member of the group, "it's a sort of wager. Yon kettle is a prize for the fellow who can. tell the biggest lie, and I am the umpire." Amazed and shocked, the good Bishop said reprovingly, "Why, my friends, I have never told a lie that I know of since I was born." There was a dead silence, only broken by the voice of the umpire, who said in a deliberate tone, "Gi'e the Bishop the kettle." AFTER THE LECTURE. Mr S. R. Crockett had this experience re* cently, which he relates with keen apprcci*tion. It was after one of the two or three public lectures that he ever delivered. A heavy, solemn-faced Scot came round after the tragedy, and shook him by the hand in a melancholy manner. "I hae read a' your bulks," he «aid ; and, after a pause, he adde. 1 , ''up to this." Mr Crockett expressed his thanks. The man was silent awhile, and tried again. "You dinna do this for a livelihood':" ha asked, referring to the recent lecture. "No," replied Mr Crockett meekly. "I was thinking that," said Mr Crocketl'a critic uith still deeper solemnity. CHAMBERLAIN'S S COFGH REMEDY A GREAT FAVOURITE. The soothing and healing properties of I this remedy, its pleasant taste and prompt and perman cv.res have made it a great favourite with t-co^d everywhere. It is especially prized by mothers of small child- ! ren for colds, croup, and \s hooping cough, as it always affords quick relief, and as it contains no opium or other harmful drug, it may be given as confidently to a baby as toj an adult. For sale by all Dealers. Price, Is 6,1 and 3=!. — A rinj be.ire is now a prominent o!iai' 1f»1 f» tcr ;\t American wedding*. Neivou- budogrooms often had so much trouble to pioduce Hie ring at tho exact rrrment, keeping tho ceiemony waiting whilst they fumbled m every pocket, that some ingenious individual lnt on the üba of intrusting the ring to some spcciil official. So a small boy, clad m Coiut costume, cariies the important ring on a white satin cushion mid stands bjj tha best inaii.