THE ACTOR AND THE COCKATOO

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2, 9 January 1908, Page 37

THE ACTOR AND THE COCKATOO

An amusing story concerning Mr. Andrew Mack is going the rounds in Melbourne.. He and Mr. Harold Ashton were motoring back to Melbourne from Geelong, after a recent' performance there. In- the darkest hour of the night the motor-car broke down. They found a. farrrvhouse close by and knocked at the dobr^for assistance. A response came .immediately in a .somewhat raucous voice—' What's that ? ' Mr. Ashton courteously and apologetically proceeded -to explain the trouble. Again when/ 'he had finished came 'the question, "what's that?' '.Mr. Ashton,- in a higher key,' again explained their difficulty, and again came, the' query, ' What's that ? ' In a slill louder voice Mr; - Ashton. once more detailed the circumstances, of the- breakdown- 1^ and still ' What's that ? ' was all he could elicit from;

his unseen interlocutor. After this performance had been repeated several times, . and Mr. Ashton was beginning to lose all patience, another voice joined in. The -owner, of the latter explained to Mr. Ashton that he (Mr. Ashton) had been holding his somewhat onesided conversation with the domestic cockatoo.