THE MAN WHO WAS MIXED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3272, 28 December 1881, Page 4

THE MAN WHO WAS MIXED.

' Really, but I hope you will excuse the intrusion,' said the shabby-looking man as the insurance agent looked up. ' Tou are excusable, sir. What did you wish ?' ' Well—you— see—l'm a bit mixed. Was it Napoleon or Washington who crossed the Alp.* ?' ' Napoleon, of course.' 'Just so—thanks. I was inclined that ■way myself, but yet I knew that General Washington was always scooting around, an: 1 , he might have taken it into his head to cross the Alps. Good day, sir." He passed down the hall thirty feet, and then returned and protested : ' Say, don't think ill of me, but I am still mixed np—dreadfully mixed. * Will you answer me one more question ?' ' Yes.' 1 Was it Nero who commanded the snn to stand still ?' 'No ; it wa9 Joshua.' ' I had an idea that it was Joshua, but I didn't dare put money on it. Nero cas always fiddling around, you know, and I had a dim idea that he might have taken a whack at the sun. Very much obliged to you, sir.' This time he went half way down stairs and returned on tiptoe. The agent looked np and saw him in the door, and sharply queried : ' Well ?' ' Mixed again!' pleaded the stranger. 'Say, I want to ask you just one more question.' ' Yes.' ' Did you ever lend a man a dollar to help bim on his way to Columbus to see his dying wife ?' 'JNever! You are thinking of old Diogenes, Ho used to shell out to every dead beat that came along.' ' Mixed again, by thunder !' muttered the man, as he passed down stairs.