THE BITERS BIT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 957, 9 July 1908, Page 23

THE BITERS BIT.

This is a story of a “boomerang Joke.” The return hit therein cited is certainly decisive and deserved. It never pays to tell people that they do not look well. A young man in a certain office put up a joke on the book-keeper, who was a quiet, steady, serious, chap. The joke was for everyone to tell the victim that he looked very, very bad indeed. It was wonderful what this effect would have. It was a hot summer morning when the joke began. The office boy started it. “Ain’t you well, Mr. Quail?” he asked. “Yes, of course. Why. Quail asked. “Why, ye look so pale, said the boy. “I feel all right,” returned Quail, calmly, and he put on his office coat and set to work. But when a shipping clerk told him he looked ill Quail frowned and said he had had a bad night, that was all. When the cashier asked him what made him have such a queer colour he said his heart felt strange. For an hour or so Quail was tormented with anxious inquiries, full of gloomy forebodings about his health. Finally, with an impatient worried gesture, he threw down his pen and hastened, to the office of his chief. He was gone about five minutes. When he returned the chief was with him.

“Men,” said the chief, raising his hand to command the attention of all, “as Mr. Quail is sick, I have granted him ten days’ leave of absence. Please arrange to divide his work equally among you while he is gone.”