AFFECTIONATE INQUIRIES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 142, 4 October 1876, Page 3

AFFECTIONATE INQUIRIES.

(PhiXtuMphhm tlu.tlrt.inu)

Parke/ fuM't been out in California for w iirly4>trty years-: but last winter h*--jjllio rfl K'ist! f'n.rt paid !V vi.iU 0» lib "in

\ .yirong other acinar ntanc6» ot former :,!(/», fie met Mr. M'Gonn, cm! V-«Vrut he was sorry his* wife wp,h out if town, as fie would like I'arker to see

kjf. ' '' And how is she V asked Parker ; " I Kinomber her well. Mary Jones she was ■afore you married her. Splendid woman t \iid how U she, anyhow V ' " t am sorry to say Mary is dead ; been loud more than twenty years." " Oh* I beg pardon," said Parker. M ex■n«ii ma stirring up old griefs. But how , yo'.tv second wife t Fine looking woman, •|| bet. M'Oorm, yon were always the „vftillest man at falling in love with pretty (fomen I ever saw. What b she t Brwnotttv * vtntnre to- say. Ain't yon going ; ( i introduce me to her V" " tt'» not—not a pleasant stibjeet to ij scu3 s—but—-but—my second wife was aid away in the grave more than fifteen [ours ago." "You don't aaya»? 4 Oh, I know, of ■ourso, your second wife, of coarse, is luiwl •, t forgot about it. Did I say yonr ouond wife f I meant yonr third instead >f your second. And how is she? it'tionn, I must know that woman. Ininduce me, will you? Hang me if I luit't stay in town, till I know her." " That will be impossible, Mr. Parker. Ily thmt wife has been an angel ever since flirt." " Well, now I declare it's too bad. I Hid no idea—of course I didn't mean anything. Let's see, it".* ten years since I§&>, lin't it. I Ten, yes. Well, now, old ullow, you'lt forgive me for tearing up ouv feelings in that way, but I'll make it 11 rig; it by asking you how tnthunder b our present wife—yonr fifth (" " iHr. Parker, you are mistaken again. have no tilth wife. I~" " Welt, then, your sixth. How is she I 'anion rue, old boy, for saying that yon avu been going it. Six wives, in thirty em's, and here f am not married yet. low, how is Mrs. Oorvn No. fc."

" He. Parker, the tatty with whom 1 vo at prudent, is my fourth. 1 don't tike !m tonu in which you speak of this subnot-" „ ..

"Oil, yott don't, don't you l Welt, rlum a man shoved 'en* underground liketot do, he oughtn't to talk about his senibility. t don't care how your wife ts. I»;"g,your entire family." ! l?tu , la*f*>,twok the early train for Cali-