JACKO IS BORED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20110, 31 March 1928, Page 22 (Supplement)

JACKO IS BORED

Jacko was always very pleased when his mother took him on a shopping expedition to the next town. He was specially pleased one day when, having finished her shopping, she found they had an hour to wait before the bus left for home.

“Just fancy; we’ve an hour to spare!” she told Jacko. “Now what snail we do with it?”

Jacko had quite a lot of ideas, but unfortunately his mother didn’t approve of any of them. She wasn’t at all keen, on watching a football match, and the thought of a visit to a shooting gallery made her head ache. “1 couldn’t stand all the banks!” she said with a shudder. Jacko couldn’t think of anything quieter, but suddenly his mother herself had an idea.

“I know. We will go to the picture gallery!” she saidJacko wasn’t at all keen on that; he very much preferred shooting galleries! But Mrs Jacko seemed so anxious to look at the pictures that he didn’t make a fuss, and off they w r ent. The paintings were very fine, and Mrs Jacko was greatly impressed by them. “Just look at that lovely landscape!” she exclaimed. “Now, isn’t that beautiful!”

Jacko grunted. He was hopelessly bored; the whole place was much too solemn and staid to please him. “I vote we go somewhere else,” he said at last. “I’ve had enough of pictures. ’ ’

But Mrs Jacko hadn’t had nearly enough, though she admitted that her feet were getting rather tired with all the standing about. Still, there were seats in some of the rooms, and she settled herself on one of them with a smile of contentment on her face.

Jacko hated sitting still, and it wasn’t long before he had gone off on his own. “I shan’t be long, Mater!” he called out. “Sit there, and rest while I have a look round!”

He didn’t find anything more exciting in the way of pictures, but one thing pleased him enormously, and that was the floor. It was very highly waxed and polished, and very slippery “Coo! I wish I’d brought my rollerskates!” exclaimed the young rascal, and he took a running slide the length of the room!

Unfortunately an official immediately sprang up from nowhere and stood in front of Jacko with his arms outstretched.

“How dare you!” he gasped. “The very idea! ”

But he didn’t get any farther, for Jacko bumped into him with such force that he began to slide too, and away they both went the whole length of another room, ending up with a crash against the seat on which Mrs Jacko was sitting. “Beg pardon, Ma’am, I’m sure!” gasped the man when he could find his breath. “It’s this young rascal’s faultI’d like to give him a good caning!”

“No need to do that!” said Mrs Jacko. “I e U see he has it all right when we get home!”