Concert Pitch.

Manawatu Standard, Issue 1508, 17 November 1885, Page 4

Concert Pitch.

We believe we are correct m stat- . ing tjiat the following ,story will! be new to hiost oi our reade.ts. The late Bey. Norman Macleod, when; m, liis first charge, was frequently much aunoyed by a donkey which resided m a /nSighbouiing. outhouse, and which'-made night Mdeons with its unearr^jy/^bra'y.s. It : had a voice wbH:e\Sihan th j an the o£ a pnnip bijua frosty morning, and was .proud of it. When it was going to ; make a remark its tail" rose to the horizontal, its -nose was thrust forlips p&rte/l, and) tffe'M beast blew his infernal blast. It was vain for even the most earnesc prejicher to attempt J;o compose vn discourse whileythia statlofitKing ■'* wpnt on, and Norman . at lasjL became desperate, j Something had to be done, and^ Ncir-' ( ,m£(n-res.olv< l .di he i»o 1 tio^t/o^p'elishin theWtempt. He .jwentto. inspect his donfceyship, and noticed the approaching .symptoms pf a 'bray were always the fame — first, the raised, ..tail?; second, the nose forward ; and, third, the parting of the lips. He v at oneo 'reSblved to go to the root of tlie matter, , arid % having fastened a forty-pound weight to the musician's tail, awaited the result. Presently 1 there 1 wei'e indications, of.a movement onitlie^Darb, of tlie jackass ; the neck was extended,, 1 the lips burled, arid the 'tail rose to the pivotalppint, and. ,no further. This donkey thought there was a slighj; v mistake T r ßQ|oftwhej:e^hje|iiCatsd, .Ije~flecte(l) and tried again. The front .■ part-^some of it— was "all r f^Et7'bui; the epuilibriumcpujd not be reached; After a t another attempt was made and|f ailed. He thon seemed to realise it [w^s Vhat, the Arabs call kismet (fate), aud^griye^ to the in-i evitable. i^nfchadl^imphed over 1 matter, *and the disconrae was finished that evening, at least, m peace. Next morning NormWi went *to> itee how it farerl^ith . his inharmonious; friend. n e reached the stable! he /mind? the' jjackass standing witbJ "droopin^heicl and '"tail, looking the! most dejected and miserabje animal,in rGoUi!*Jufiivei'-«e.'- Having reiiibVed -thY s^one, Jiejs.tood .by irb watch (what the; effect would be.— For a long time thej idonkeyjt gitve lio siori. luifinej ••gave his lai'la. slight twitch ; it moVed! freely. r lt seemed jns'if a • I'rtsid 'had! brien taken off that 'animal's mind, ' He tried again ; sure enough,* bin tail had,regained its former freedom,* aso.i raising it high m the air, he relieved : hi"* over^bnrdened feelings by bnfc ' long^ldnd'cdn'centratod " Hee-haw!" —-while Norman fled from' the spot.