OVER THE WIRE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 824, 21 December 1905, Page 39

OVER THE WIRE.

In a big New York apartment house is employed a coloured girl whose best young man called one evening, fully determined, as it was learned later, to propose. But his courage failed him, and after the usual evening gossip, he went away with the important question still unasked. No sooner had he reached the street than there came over him the fear that if he waited another week it would be fatal to his chances. The idea came to him to use the telephone. He called up the apartment, and his Maria answered. Evidently he recognised her voice, but he wanted to make sure, for Maria s mistress heard her say: “Yeh-as, I’m Maria ’ There was a long talk from the other end of the wire while Maria held the receiver close to her ear, and smiled happily. Presently she said: — "Why, cert’nly, I’ll marry ye, honey, cert’nly. Er—er —what’s de name of de gen’leman speaking?”

A London resident writes thus of his visit to the seaside:—“The sea - front seemed crowded, and I asked a waiter what sort of a season they were having. 'Very poor, sir,’ he replied. But, I, 'there are plenty of people about. 'Yes,' he replied, ‘there are too many. They are not the right sort —all ginger beer persons.” “Your head,” remarked the garrulous barber to the Irishman in his chair, “is twice as large as mine'.” “But Oi suppose that head av yours .do be big enough for you,” said the genial son of Erin. “Why, certainly.” answered the tonsorial artist. “Av coorse,” continued the Irishman. “Pfwat’s th’ use av a man. having a big trunk whin he hasn’t any clothes to put in it?” Many a girl has broken-off her engagement to a fellow because of his past, and. many another because of his presents—to some other girl.