Characteristic.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 78

Characteristic.

English, Scotch, and Irish have each their peculiar constitution of mind, which a great wit once illustrated by their different modes of answering a question. Ask an , Englishman what you please, and he re- j plies promptly, but seriously, like a per- j sou who means business. Put the same question to a Scotchman; he deliberates and answers warily, or meets you with a cross question. But desire an Irishman to have the goodness to respond, and he mv" 1 mediately makes a. joke. __ j Three choice spirits dining on a. certain , day at a tavern in IJondon fell to discoursing upon national character, and one proposed to test the wit's remark. Agreed, the spokesman of the party calls the waiter and accosts him thus: "Thomas, what would you take to sit for a night outside St. Paul's?" Thomas (smartly) : "A guinea, sir." "Go and find us a Scotchman." Thomas returning shortly afterwards with a Caledonian of his acquaintance, the question is repeated. "Well, Sawney, and what would you take to sit all night outside Slfc. Paul's?" Sawney (after a, pause, and in a slow up-and-down-hill tone): "What would ye gie?" A porter from Ireland, similarly interrogated : "Now, Paddy, my boy, what would you "take?" and so forth. Paddy (archly) :• "Faith, then, I'd take a bad cowld." The truth of the illustration had been triumphantly vindicated.