CHANGE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 841, 19 April 1906, Page 21

CHANGE.

The “New Zealand Times” says that the trick of carrying round a large cheque or banknote, and of presenting it to tradesmen in return for serv ces already rendered, is not altogether new. In country townships where payment of wages is by monthly cheque, one sometimes hears of men who have “travelled” on all the “pubs” by presenting cheques after boniface had insufficient cash left to change them ; but as a hotelkeeper can protect himself by simply refusing to cash cheques, the extent of his victimisation should not be very great. The presentation of a bank-note for, say, £lO, is rather a different matter. A few of these make a big hole in the cash of the average tradesman. Here is an incident—it occur-ed in Wellington—illustrating that

the tradesman s not always caught on the hop. Seven men dine at a restaurant, some of them are about to pay, but another nudges them back; he will “shout.” He presents a note. Restaurantkeeper smiles, takes it upstairs, returns with nine packages full of silver. Pours them out. on the counter (tak ng pains to mix them up), and proffers the customer £9 13s in shillings and half-crowns, all in a pile. Clever man sees the game has gone against him, says he will find 7s. “Can’t take it,” says the restaurantkeeper, “you said you had no other money.” “Give me back my note.” “In the sweet by-and-bye. ” “I won’t take your silver.” “It is not the sort of article I would summon you to remove.” Finally the clever man gulps, empties th • silver into all h s pockets and the pockets of his overcoat, and departs amid the jeers of his confederates.

Most people know what salary means. Lat n—salarium, from sal, salt. The Romans served out rations of salt to their soldiers and civil servants. The rations altogether were called by the general name of salt, and when money was substituted for the rations the stipend went bv he same name.

A reverend gentleman was getting shav- '■ ed. The barber’s hand whs shaky, and the breath was laden with the fumes of liquor. At last the expected happened—the blood flowed freely from a cut in the parson’s chin. He looked at the barber severely. “See,” said he, “what comes from drink ng whisky.” “Yes, sir,” replied the barber, “it makes the skin very tender.”