ARE MEN PRACTICAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5656, 29 August 1896, Page 6

ARE MEN PRACTICAL

MRS YOUNGWIFE S REFLECTIONS ON HEARING ABOUT A DOG-FIGHT. " And yet they say that men are practical," said Mrs Toungwife the other night. It was at dinner, and her husband had brought a friend home with him. On the way over from the car the two men had stopped to watch a dog-fight, and, quite naturally, they were full of the subject when they came in. " You remember, Bob, that bull terrier of mine, don't you ? " the husband asked his friend, as they sat down to wait for dinner to be served. The friend remembered. "Well, sir, I kicked a patent-leather shoe all to pieces on that dog once, trying to make him let go of a little poodle that he had by the neck." " Don't say so ! Well, they've the very rlovil of a grip when they onco tako hold." " Yes, sir. Finally I took him up and tried to knock the little thing out of Bob's jaws by hitting them against a tree." " Did you finally get them apart ? " " Yes, the little fellow's eyes were getting pretty dull and glazed when I managed to get my stick between Bob's teeth and pried them open. It was a close call for the poodle ! " " You act as if you enjoyed it," said Mrs Young wife, with a disgusted expression. " Oh, I assure you, my 'dear," very hurriedly, "I was quite — quite horrified. Didn't I tell you I kicked my shoe to bits trying to get them apart ?" '" Humph ! Why didn't you carry snuff if you would own such a beast of a dog??' • " Snuff, my dear ?" " Yes, I don't think you would have had to sacrifice a shoe if you had given the brute a good big pinch of snuff." " Er, yes, I suppose that might do." " A pail of water would be just as effective," said the friend loftily, to show that he knew a thing or two about dogs. Mrs Youngwife looked at him. " Yes/ she said. " And then it would be so convenient a thing to carry aroiind with you— a pail of water ! You could carry ono on each arm when you went out to walk with the dog." The friend looked embarrassed. " No, that wouldn't do," said Mrs Youngwife's husband., thoughfully, " but it would settle things quickly to build a fire under them." Mrs Youngwife looked tired. " It's a balky liorso you're thinking of, dear," she said. " I haven't had a liberal education in dog fights, but that doesn't seem to be just the remedy." "Dinner is served, ma'am," from tho doorway " And yet they say men are practical," murmured Mrs Youngwife to herself. "Why will that maid persist in Bayirg' ' ma'am ' ? "