DIPLOMATICALLY DONE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8841, 30 January 1907, Page 1

DIPLOMATICALLY DONE.

The agent for Perkins's P&rfect Polishing Powder walked briskly up the path to Mies Priscilla Prim's residence. Miss Priscilla and her 6ixteen-y ear-old niece were engaged in practising a pianoforte duet. "Madam," ©aid the agent, stopping respectfully at the French window and taking off his hat, ." I feel sorry to interrupt you, and should not do so but that I have in my bag an article which will so lessen the work of your house that you will have much more time to spend in the musical exercises in which I see you are now engaged." Mies Priscilla brought the wiisdom of sixty years of fecus on him through her spectacles and waved dismissal. "I shall be -sorry, if you don't try Perkins's Perfect /Polisher," said the agent. "Of course I shall not press it upon you, but as I came up the. walk and saw you and your sister sit-' ting there I thought " "My niece," said Miss Priscilla, conscientiously, but in a tone of unusual, mildness. "Niece!" .-ejaculated the agent, and raised his eyes to heaven, in default of words. " Really, madam, of course I must believe what you say, but " " Let me see what you have, young man," interrupted Miss Prim, '" I don't object to labour-saving goods on principle, for I don't believe in growing old before my time," she added, affably. Ten minutes later the agent turned his back on three tins' of the Perfect Polishing Powder, and Miss Priscilla went into the house to hunt up some long-discarded curling-tongs.