ON OUR SELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 226, 19 November 1900, Page 4

ON OUR SELECTION.

Oxi night after the threshing. Dad lying on the sofa, thinking; the rest were sitting at the table. Dad ipeke to Joe. "How much." he said, "is 700 bushels of wheat at six shillings I" Joe, who was looked upon as the brainy one of our family, toek down his slate with a hiat of scholarly ostentation. " What did y' Say, Dad—7oo bags f" "Bushels! jßusfcfe/" "Seven un—dred bosh—els of wheat— wheat w«s it, Dad I" , ••Yes, wheat /" " Wheat —ao ... At what, D*d«" " Six shilling a bushel," "Six shil—lists —a . . . A, Dad 1 We've not done any at a; she's on'y showed us per /" "ferbaah 1, tuen!" I " Per bush—el. That's 700 bushelsj of wheat at six shillin's per bnshal. An' y'r wants ter know, Dad V "How rouoh it'll be, of coarse." "In money, Dad, or—or—?" "Yob; money I" Dad raised his voice. For a while Joe thought hard, then set to work figuring and robbing out. The rest of as eyed him, envious of his learning. Joe finished the sum. "WellT from Dai Joe cleared his throat. We listened, '•Nine thousan' ponn'." Dave laughed aloud. Dad said •'Pshaw 1" and turned his face to the wall. Joe looked at the slate again. "Oh! I see," he said, "I didn't divide by 121' bring V pounds," and laughed himself. More figuring and rubbing out. * Finally Joe, in loud, decisive tones, announced: " Four thousand no 'undred an' twenty ponn', fourteen shilling an—" "Bah I You blockhead 1" Dad blurted out, and jumped off the sofa and went to bed. We all turned in.