Didn’t Return.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XI, 13 September 1902, Page 696

Didn’t Return.

Jem was his name, and he dearly loved a joke—never missing an opportunity of displaying his ready wit. He was employed in a wholesale chemist's and one day a youth, apparently from the country, entered the warehouse and at onee accosted Jem, stating- that he was in search of a job. “What kind of job?” inquired the wag. “Oh, a’most anything. I want to git a kind of ginteel job; I'm tired o' farmin’ an' can turn my hand to anything.” “Well, we want a lad—a good, strong, healthy lad as sample clerk.” “What’s the wages?” “Wages are good. We pay sixty pounds a year to a person in that situation.” “What's a fellow got to do?” “Oh, metely to test the medicines —4hat’s all. It requires a stout lad, one of good constitution, and after lie gets used to it be doesn’t mind it. You see we arc very particular about the quality of our medicines, and before we sell any we test each parcel. You would be required to take, say, about, six or eight ounces of castor oil some days, with a few doses of rhubarb, aloes, croton oil, and similar preparations.” “Some days you would not be >equired to take anything, but, as sv general thing, you can count upon, Hay, from six to ten doses of something daily. As to the work, that does not amount to much—the testing department would be the principal labour required of you; and, as I said before, it requires a person of very healthy organisation to endure it. But you look hearty, and I fancy yop would suit us. “That young man,” pointing to a pale faced, slim looking youth, who happened to be present, “has filled the post for the past two weeks, but he is hardly stout enough to stand it. We should like you to start at once, if you arc ready, and if you say so we'll begin to-day. Here’s a new barrel of castor oil just come in. I'll go and draw an ounce—” Here the applicant for a berth, who had been gazing intently upon the slim youth, interrupted him with: “No—no, no—l think not—not today, anyhow! I’ll go down and see my uncle, and if I decide to come I’ll come up termorrer nnd let you know! ” As he did not return it is to be supposed he considered the work too hard.