A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 32, 6 February 1879, Page 6

A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Many yeare ago an Irish officer, Captaiu O'Flanagban, returned to England from Malta, where he had been stationed, and he was fond of relating the wonders he had ssec Among other thingß, he one day, in a public coffee-room, expatiated on the excellency of living in general, among the military at Malta. "But, ' said he, as for anchovies, by the powers, there is nothing to be seen like them in the known world ! I have seen the anchovies," he added " grow upon the trees with my own eyes, inany's the hundred times ; and beautiful'a the grove of them that the Governor haa in his garden on the esplanade." A gentleman present disputed the statement that anchovies grew upon trees, which the Irishman, with much warmth, re affirmed. The lie was given, and the upshot of the matter was an agreement to exchange shots. The next day the parties met, attended by their seconds ; they fired, and O'FJanagban's shot took effect iv the fleshy part of his opponent's tbigh, which made the latter jump a foot from the ground and fall flat upon his back, where he lay fora few seconds in agony, kicking his heels. This being observed by the Irishman's second, be said, " you have hit your man, O'Flanaghan, that is certain. I think not dangerously, however, for see what capers he cuts." " Capers, capers !" exclaimed the Irishman; oh, by the powers, what have I done ? What a dreadful mistake !' ; And, running up to his wounded antagonist, he took his hand, and, pressing it eagerly, thus addressed him :— " My dear friend, it you are kilt lax your pardon in this world and the next, for 1 have made a bit of a mistake, and it was capers I saw growing upon the trees at Malta, and not anchovies at all."