Part 24 (2/2)

A lady up North was asked by her black maid, whose face had been terribly battered by her infuriated husband, to send to the shop for new teeth, in pay ”two bob es accumulated This is a fact, and therefore comparable with the anecdote which tells that a military bandmaster deiranted his discharge

A FASCINATED BOY

Seas swa across the bar of a Northern river Exerting theed to save the boat, but all the food on board was ruined, and blankets and clothing saturated Hungry and dejected the party prepared to put away the time until the weather calmed In the afternoon, fortune sht, and with the assistance of those on shore, et into safety and shelter

All hands were liberally treated to needful refreshment ”Say when!”

said the cheery Boss, as he poured a revivifying dose of whisky into a pannikin held by the expectant but shi+vering boy The elixir gurgled and glittered before his fascinated eyes until the pannikin held enough for two stiff nobblers, without evoking any polite verbal restraint ”My word!” said the Boss, at last, ”that boy can't say when”

AWKWARD CROSS-EXAMINATION

Mickie and Jinny being privileged became familiar, and spoke all sorts of confidences in the ears of their hters, a blonde and a brunette The contrast in the types of the girls puzzled Mickie He took an early opportunity to cross-exaht he could obtain confidential infora Glad?” he asked ”Yes, Mickie”

”Same mother?” queried Mickie ”Yes, of course” Then ca question: ”Same father?”

THE ONLY ROCK

Soinality is clai little anecdote, for al the ht centre-board cutter, the Boss, as steering, asked Willie, whose local knowledge was being relied on: ”Any stone here, Willie?” ”Yes,”

was the response, ”one fella” The words were yet on the lips of the boy when the centre-board jurily remonstrated the Boss Willie--”No more Only one fella You catch 'em!”

SAW THE JOKE

Our blacks saw ”friends” on the nal fires Mickie said, ”Me tell 'e basket”

Cross-exaeneral invitation to his ot 'ee of the black's vision, which was truly telescopic, as we frequently verified with a pair of powerful field glasses, but not to be thought inferior in this respect, he solemnly declared that he saw Jinny's cousin on the beach strike a light for his pipe At first the irony of the re across the sea), saw the joke and gave a wild exhilarating exhibition of a and screeching, hardly able to tell Mickie the fun, and when he was let into it the pantohout the day at intervals, Jinny apologising for her boisterousness with reiterations--”Misser Johnssing say he been see 'eht 'em pipe!” Jinny still rehearses the story at frequent intervals, and with hysterical outbursts

ZEBRA'S VANITY

To half civilised blacks a racecourse is an earthly paradise; a jockey, a sort of de ”Zebra” in charge Returning, she was a roo machine Zebra, trouserless, scarcely took the trouble to look round as he informed her--”Me make 'eht riding breeches was not restrained, and the consequence was in the nature of a disaster

LAURA'S TRAITS

Laura was a bad girl Like Topsy, she acknowledged her naughtiness, but never attempted to reform A considerable quantity of , and her mistress asked--”You been drink milk, Laura?” ”No, missis, me no drink 'eered on her lips Laura lived in a quiet home, where there were no children, and few dishes to wash The State Orphanage was not far away, and the children thereof paraded every day on their way to the State school Gazing at the long processiontwo by two Laura, with a far away look in her eyes, said--”Missis Me no like wash 'ea these fellas!” Laura ont to be sent to Sunday school, where her ere precise and deained her credit, and ood conduct tickets Once she was overheard at her devotions--”Please, Mr God, ood woman!” She was sick, and hercastor oil, but Laura ht, Laura, suppose you no take 'eo for doctor” ”No, no, missis Me die meself!”

A variety troupe visited the town, and Laura was taken to a perfor the ”freaks” were General Mite and his consort Laura caa piccaniny!”

ROYAL BLANKETS

Nelly was extravagantly fond of pictures; anything, from an illustrated advertisement up, pleased her, and when the subject was not very obvious to her she would indifferently gaze lovingly upon it upside down A pair of fine photographs of King Edward and Queen Alexandra in all the sumptuousness of their coronation robes was shown her, and she was told that ”fella King belonga white her deer on each alternately, Nelly said--”That fella man; that fella Missis! My word! Got 'nother kind blanket!”

HIS DAILY BREAD

The Govern the duty of s race On the coast several mission stations have been established where the blacks of the neighbourhood are gathered together and, under discipline teht to take care of themselves The system is under the supervision of an experienced official, entitled the ”Chief Protector of Aboriginals,” and he tells a story which throws rays of light in more than one direction

A pluned to a hbourhood, presented himself at the head office, and with a rather rueful countenance answered a few of the preliained, particular questions were asked

”Yis,” said the boy, ”a town have spell”