AGED.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 30, 26 July 1890, Page 20

AGED.

An Irishman was ordered to make a coffin, which he did ; and to paint the inscription on the lid, which he did after a fashion that caused a little excitement in the churchyard. By dint of following the written copy, he managed to get as far as ‘ Michael O’Kafferty, aged—’ ; but, try as he would, he could not imitate the twenty-eight. At last, he remembered that he could write seven, and that four sevens made twenty-eight. So he finished the inscription, ‘ aged seven thousand seven hundred and seventyseven.’ When they came to bury Michael, the coffin stood at the grave-side, and the priest spoke as follows: — ‘ Ah, he was a fine lad. He’s lying theie so still, taken away in the very prime of loife. Young he was, too, only —’ Here the priest looked down at the coffin plate to see how old Michael was. 1 He was only,’ said his reverence again, and he put his glasses on, anil went nearer, to see how old he really was. ‘He was only,’ he continued, ‘seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven years !’

Lynv Novelist : Darling, 1 have been untrue to you. I love another. Husband : W-h-a-t! ! ! Lady Novelist : Calm yourself, dear, calm yourself. That is only what mv heroine says to her husband, and I wanted to see how the husband would act.