HOW DID HE ESCAPE THE FLOOD.

West Coast Times, Issue 7077, 2 May 1888, Page 4

HOW DID HE ESCAPE THE FLOOD.

An Irishman there was who got an order for a coffin in which to enclose the body of a young man, the most famous angler in all the country Bide. Pat was a good joiner, and made a good coffin ; but not being much of a soholar, when he came to painting the dead man's name and age on the coffin plate, Patrick found himself stumped. He managed to get on to it the words ''Michael O'Rafterty, aged——," but the 28 which should have yone down hewaa unequal to, andknewnot how to do it. With a view to completing the job, Pat sallied forth and asked a neighbour's boy what made " twantyate." "Why," said the lad, " fower sevens is twenty-eight." " Ah, beggorra," says Pat, " thrue^for you, that'll do for me, I can make a seven," and in duo time the coffin plate appeared— " Michael O'Rafferty, aged 7777." When they came to bury Michael the coffin stood at the grave side, and the priest spoke somewhat as follows : — Ah, he was a fine lad, and he's lying there so still ; taken away in the very prime of loife. Xoung, too, he was only ," and here the priest looked at the coffin plate to see how old Michael was, '• He was only," said his reverence again, and put his glasses on and went nearer to see how old he really was. "He was only ," he continued,- "My goodKatty, he was seven thousand seven hundred and ueventy-aeven. Thunder and blazes, how did he escape the flood ? "