IS IRA IN?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8666, 5 July 1906, Page 4

IS IRA IN?

The late. Francis Coggin for a long time was a director of the Indian Head National Bank, Nashua, N.H. (says the "Boston Herald.") During the last years of his directorship the present cashier, Ira F. Harris, was at the head of the. institution.

It was Mr Coggin's custom to visit the bank daily, and invariably as he opened the door he would say, in tones that oould be heard all over the bank, "Is Ira in?" Mr Harris grew very tired of this, much to the amusement of the rest of the bank. Finally, the phrase came to be a byword with tbein. During the summer preceding his death Mr Coggin looked very bad, but was able to get out and make hie usual visits to the bank. One hot day in July the clerk 6 were sweltering over their work, when in walked Mr Opggin, with his usual salutation "is Ira iD?" "Yes," said Mr Harris, "I am here. It's a pretty hot day, isn't it?" " Hot 1 You don't call- this hot, do you ? You ought to have been with me one summer down in Georgia. " And Mr Coggin proceeded to, telL what hot weather really was. . After he had gone out, Mr Harris spoke up as follows:— " Doesn't Mr Coggin look bad? lam afraid it won't be long before he will be where the weather will be hot enough for him." " Yes," piped up the correspondence

clerk, " and the first thing that he will say when he opens the door will be, 'Is Ira in?"'