OUTDONE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 17, Issue 5, 20 January 1903, Page 7

OUTDONE.

" I hare oo patience with gossips eter nally praising silence," said a oeitain man " 1 rather like a dish of chat. " Of course ] get my ideas stc leu. Many men owe a din nor 10 the witty things they have picked u| from me. I console myself. I got thun as tboy did. " Bat I can listen on occasion; in modera tiun ef coutse. I can doze through i country preacher's Bermon; and m aeciely during dessert, I can listtsn to a mother praises of her charming daughter or he wonderful rod. A.t hoine-ah, well—o courge. I listen there. But I have mj revenge; 1 talk-in my sleep.'' " Yes, T cas listen. But f draw the lin at the barber. The other day 1 waß leavini the barbor'is with my eais aching, though had taken a dose of quinine to save them when there came iDto my mind a play I hai Been in whioh i«ne of thß characters pretend to be deaf and dumb until the last act. •« Why could not Iflothat ?" "Next day I wrote on a slip of paper—- '•* Deaf and dumb. Only a hair cut. H Bhampoo.' " Armed with this and full of happ: anticipation 1 entered a barber's establish menl. With a dull Bmila I thrust thi paper into the propiietor'a hand. Th knight of the Bcissors read; and us herea< his countenance beamed with unholy light He took a penoil and scribbled on the othe sside of the paper, I took it from him, am managed to make out the words—"'Soam I, Delighted. What a goad looj talk we shall hare.' "