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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 169, 8 July 1876, Page 4

The Melbourne Echo says :—Mr Witcher, a Collingwood butcher, is disgusted with the keenness of the rising generation, as exhibited particularly in his own posterity. Some time ago Mr Witcher bought a pony, which suited his boys exactly, and they wraogled over the animal to such an extent that the old gentleman conceived tbe happy idea of getting au immense amount of work out of them during the coming season, and at the same time restoring harmony ia the family, all by a neat device. He announced to the boys thai he would put the pony up to auction to them, the pay to be made in work, and the boy bidding most to take the pony. He thought himself brilliant, the old gentleman did, but be was green compared with the boys. The auction came off, and the valuable pony, to the old man's grief and astonishment,, was knocked down for two pounds one shilling to the youngest boy. The rsseals had formed a ring to prevent competition. Then the boy sold the pony for fifteen pounds, paid up the father, and divided twelve pounds nineteen shillings among them. They conspired against the author of their being in a shameful way, those sharp Collingwood boys. Mary.—"l say, Mrs M'Carthy, this ere's a very bad cabbage." Mra M— " Shure now, and is it, honey? Then pick another. Bless yer, young cabbage is like young sweethearts —you must thry half-a-dozea 'afore ye gits a good wan?,'