How They Indulged Their Proclivities for "Shouting."

Otago Witness, Issue 2527, 20 August 1902, Page 73

How T hey Indulged Their Proclivities for "Shouting."

Blue Ribbor.itos, to whom the increase in the habit of treating among business men causes such anxiety, will hail with enthusiasm an innovation which, while satisfying the generous impulse of the treater, do<^ not affect the sobriety of himself aud hi-, friend. The other evening the shopman in charge of a well-known chemist's \va ; about to shut up for the night when thrco very intoxicated men reeled into the estal' lishme-nt. Each one was chewing an nn lighted cipfar, and bore facial expres=ioi which denoted befuddled brain?. Tin* linpd up along the counter with the-ir c l^ bows on" the showcase, looked at the worru-d a=si.-tant, and then around the shop "What'll you have?" asked one of then' '•Toothbrush," laconically answorod tho ■nißii n^xt to him. "I'll have- the same." said the next oro ''Me. too," chimed m the fir^t speaker. Each one selected : shilling Lns-h, and put it in his pocket The shopir.in jrave a sigh of relief a the treater handed him the money in pa> ment. ''Step a mint," said the worst wrecked nion of th"- three; "have one wit 1 me. Hand out the. soap." Out camp an assorted variety of toilet soap, and each jtuux jzrAvely selected, a cat,©,. Kb* ihjeei

stood for a minute, smelling their soap in apparent enjoyment, and then deposited it in their pockets. "One more 'fore we go," 6aid the third man: "what'll it be?" "I'll, take liquorice in mine," answered one man. I "Aright; liquorice for three," added the 1 third man. The liquorice was produced, pach man gravel}- selected a stick, and having thrown their cigar-stumps on the floor, the three revellers marched out as decorously as possible ur.dei the circumstances, ■ each with a stick of liquorice between his lips !