Part 27 (1/2)

At an examination of a school in Edinburgh, a gentleman asked one of the scholars by what name they called property that descended from a father?

”Patrimony,” answered the scholar; ”And what do you call it when descended from a mother?” ”Matrimony,” was the reply.

_An Officer's Wife._

One of the town's officers of Ayr was struck severely by accident on the head by his wife. After the fray was adjusted, the wife said to her husband, ”Henry, had I killed you, and I been hanged for it, would you marry Kate M'Lauchlan?”

_Highlander and Parrot._

An honest Highlander walking along Holborn, heard a cry, ”Rogue Scot, Rogue Scot.” His northern blood fired at the insult, drew his broad sword, looking round him on every side to discover the object of indignation. At last he found it came from a parrot, perched on a balcony within his reach, but the generous Scot disdaining to stain his trusty blade with such ign.o.ble blood, put up his sword again, with a sour smile, saying, ”Gin ye were a man, as ye're a green geese, I would split your weem.”

_An Irishman._

An Irishman one day was walking on the streets of Belfast, found a light guinea, and got 18s. for it. Next day he was walking, and sees another, and says, ”Allelieu, dear honey, I'll have nothing to do with you, for I lost 3s. by your brother yesterday.”

_Captain Silk._

In a party of ladies, on it being reported that a Captain Silk had arrived in town, they exclaimed, with one exception, ”What a name for a soldier!” ”The fittest name in the world,” replied a witty female, ”for Silk can never be Worsted.”

_A Clever Son._

A Farmer's son, who had been some time at the university, came home to visit his father and mother; and being one night with the old folks at supper on a couple of fowls, he told them, that by the rules of logic and arithmetic, he could prove these two fowls to be three. ”Well, let us hear,” said the old man. ”Why, this,” said the scholar, ”is one and this,” continued he, ”is two; two and one, you know, make three.” ”Since you ha'e made it out sae weel,” answered the old man, ”your mother shall ha'e the first fowl, I'll ha'e the second, and the third you may keep to yoursel.”

_Breaking the Commandments._

A Clergyman who wished to know whether the children of the paris.h.i.+oners understood their Bibles, asked a lad that he one day found reading the Old Testament, who was the wickedest man? ”Moses, to be sure,” said the boy. ”Moses!” exclaimed the parson, ”how can that be?” ”Why,” said the lad, ”because he broke all the commandments at once.”

_Not Lost but Drowned._

A Leith merchant being on his usual ride to the south, came to the ford of a dark river, at the side of which a boy was diverting himself. The traveller addressed him as follows:--”Is this water deep?” ”Ay, gaen deep,” answered the boy. ”Is there ever any person lost here?” ”No,”

replied the boy, ”there was never any lost; there has been some drowned, but we aye get them again.”

_A Just Remark._

A certain son of St. Crispian, who resides in Paisley, lifting up his four cornered hat the other morning in a hurry, found it filled with his wife's fal-de-ral-lals; in a fit of wrath he exclaimed ”Gudesake, Janet, what the de'il gars you stap a' the trash in the house intil a body's hat.” ”Trash, indeed!” exclaimed the indignant spouse, ”stap it on your ain head, and the biggest trash in the house'll be in't.”

_Scotchman and Irishman._