JACKO SERIES.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16815, 5 June 1926, Page 16 (Supplement)

JACKO SERIES.

JACKO ENJOYS HIMSELF. Jacko never minded how slippery the pavements were. He was so nimble that, as he said, it took more than a hit of ice to knock him over. But other people weren’t so lucky, and ono morning Jacko saw a big, heavy man come what he called a frightful cropper. “No hones broken, I hope,” he said

politely, handing the man his hat. “Fin bruised all over," groaned the man. “I shall have to go homo. I’m much too bad to go to work to-day.”

“I’ll sen you borne,” said Jacko, grasping him by' the arm. The man shook him off. “I can mahage by myself,” he said. “But I should he glad if you would run down to my place of business and tell them I shan’t be coming in to-day." jacko was only too delighted when he found out where he bad to go. The man was a telephone operator, and Jacko thought it was a splendid chance of seeing the inside of a telephone exchange. He started off down the street at a terrifle rate, and rushed into the Post Office in such a hurry that he collided with a laijy who was hurrying out with her arms full of parcels and sent them flying. She wasn’t at all pleased about it; and neither were the Post Office officials who were all very busy, and hated a disturbance. "Telegrams further up the counter,” growled one of the man, going on with what ho was doing, and not listening lo what Jacko had to say. And when Jacko went further up the counter he was told that parcels were round the comer to the left —in fact, he soon gave up asking anybody the way, and went through the first door he saw, which luckily took him into the telephone exchange. Jacko’s face lit up. “This looks like some fun," he said. All the telephone operators were sitting at their instruments, with metal things over their ears, and none of them paid the least attention to Jacko. At last he saw an empty place and slipped into it.

“Cool I'll do that fat man’s work for him!” he said. No sooner had he put on the carpieces than a boll rang and a voice said; “I want Monkeyvillc 503.” “Right you are, sir," answered Jacko, But a few minutes later the bell rang again, and the same voice said angrily: “I asked for Monkeyville 503, and you have given me the wrong number.” “Sorry you’ve been t-r-r-oubled,” sang out Jacko. And he fumbled about with the switchboard and had another shot at getting the right number.

But the bell rang once again, and a furious voice shouted: “Wrong number again 1 Call the supervisor! I’O ” But Jacko didn't wait to hear any more. He slipped off the stool and fled. The voice was his father’s!