THE TEST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 7

THE TEST.

' SEEN AT A MARKET AUCTION. She looked that type of hard-working , middle-aged woman who would be quite used to saying to herself, or anyone elso who would listen —"They can't fool me!" Not that anyone, least of' all the auctioneer, wanted to fool v. her or anybody. He was there to quit the goods, and did so in the main without any flowery embellishments. After finishing • the cucumbers and parsley, a couple of sides of bacon were thrown at his feet. - "Now, here you, are, real good bacon from Auckland, or ,-,; Boraewhere,";.. said: r.the. .;", auctioneer.. ''That ;blue you see there," >he" ooii-; 'tinue'd,.'as 'his''--assistant. 'industriously o ■■ wiped, fhe 'mould and 'dust 'off ..the' ;'■';;;-.. bacon;*:;''shows that ■ the animal .blue-blooded. ..'•■■lt's;-.,coming through. • .K-. Now,'.then,'/what- do;,you; say, at,;per: .-; - pound ?.'•',_;'..Our. :lady ; ..friend;,,eyed : .the -".;;■ '■; bacon ;.with: dull suspicion, 'said■ some-; '....-•.'.thing:,to',her; friendj and:then- began-'"■;'■'■''.-a;little-co"medy.:. Taking a,hasty;glance •'■;• round- .to. ;see that she-;.was/not :.;th6 . : observed of.'■' alls observers, ..;: ..drew, ;a, long, .rapier-like .-'. hat-pin.; from. ;■-., her ; hat, guarded; for: the, fraction of an ' /,:iristant,/,and:With;a. : . deadly ;eye: thrust' it. iup /to - the ■;. hilt in ."the '. blue-blooded .'>:■ pig.;,.Then,:quickly withdrawing'.it,;she ' drew "its slu'uy: blade ..slowly .under, her :.nose,.:,and having.'done : ,so\pulled a' wry ; •'';'• 'face. ;,.H4r.A.;friend's,• nose-i was.,. then 'honoured and she, haying ;,: comcided r with,a;;grimace;;fuli;of. l mean7, : : ;ing,';.the Jittlo.;.woman. with;the ■■: . : v :fool-ine .'expression,.replaced,the ') pin. in. ■i;/her; hat,;-and promptly lost I .interest■ in j '■; the.'';bacon-;.:sale. Here, wasi,a Woman' ;;.;;&t : .last,who-lived up to her,expression.