REALISATION.

Otaki Mail, 17 May 1922, Page 4

REALISATION.

(Chapter 15, Continued.)

By F. J. Eyder.

Long before the appointed time for the hall to open a large crowd had assembled. Anyone to have witnessed the crowd would have thought that some great singer was going to give something Out of the common and could never have imagined a little commonsensed dream could draw such a crowd, but just as mother had put it Mr Jones was the talk of the town, and as this

was to be his final address many that had not previously heard him had become interested, hence the great crowd. Long before Mr and Mrs Jones arrived the hall was filled to overflowing and hundreds could not gain admission. Mr Jones upon arriving was as you may guess, overjoyed to see the people that had become interested, and even mother looked quite contented, for she felt sure nono would be disappointed. When Mr Jones went on the stage you could have heard a pin drop. I am very pleased, ladies and gentlemen, to sec so many of you hero, but there is a vast crowd/still outside, and I want you to excuse me until I can tell them that I will address them to-morrow evening. Mr Jones then went to the hull door arid announced that he would address all that were there; and many more who cared to come* the following evening. At tins the Crowd cheered and then, knowing there was not a hope of getting in, dispensed. Mr Jones mounted the stage, and to his surprise mother said: Mr Jones, I would like to say a few words first. Certainly, mother, I know from experience that you are quito capable if needs be of taking my place, so go ahead. Now, Mr Jones, you should not tako to fooling with me when you have such a crowd waiting to hear what you have got to say. However, ladies and gentlemen, all I ask of you is this: As Mr Jones has now spoken to us on some dozen or more times for nothing, and he has always been given a patient hearing. I ask you again to accord him the same attention.. Mr Jones then said, ladies

and gentlemen, one would think I was some great person of repute to sec the crowd here, who have come to hear a little old simple dried-up man tell you a fairy tale or a ghost story. What do you think I can toll you that will interest you so? However, by the look

of you I can see that you are expecting something spicy, so hero goes. Ladies

and gentlemen, for some time past J have been dreaming of a huge fairy union, and tlie other night I dreaml i that I saw in reality all that I had pieI turod in my mind. Oh, Mr .Jones. J

\ trust that it has a better ending than j the last dream you related to us. I'am i very pleased to tell you mother it has. land if the ending of this one does not ! please you then you are hard to ple.ise.

! Well I dreamt that I had been asleep I for a long time, and that somehow or I other I got into touch with the people then living, and things had so changed that I could not understand when; 1 was. The people were all oil' to work iat (5 a.m. However, while I was standl ing there amazed and seemingly halt' dazed a lady approached me and said good morning. I was pleased, she spoke English, and my first wurds were. oh. dear Miss, do tell me where J mil, for I am lost. Oh. you are in New Zealand. Oil no. that etuniol be, (or J belong to New Zealand, and things are not like this; why our people don't go

j to work in short pants, and the women j do not dress in such simple, nice little , dresses. Why, half of them go to work ; dressed to kill, and may have powdered faces and everything else to match. ' Oh, that is'the way they went to work .50 vein's ago. but not now. What do I • you mean? -Why you see how we are dressed. What's wrong? All that is j wrong is that I am lost, and I cannot I understand what's amiss. Well, pray j toll me what year it was when you left New Zealand. Why it was .1921. Ah.'

that accounts for your being out of l touch with things. Why. it's now 1951, '.just 30 years ahead. Oh, I can"readily I understand you being lost, for I know. j from what I am told, and what I have read we have made wonderful strides I since then. Why, in those days you '■ did all sorts of mail things, for instance all the people seemed to think of was

money. Pray tell me if you do not ! nvw work for money.' "What do you I work for? Well, we still work for ! money, but we do not value money as i you did in days gone by. I have read : in those days your god was gold, and ; all and sundry tried to jjet rich ! quick or else was too lazy and indolent j to work, and you also, in many eases, ji worked from daylight till dark. Pray 1 now, tell me what hours you work now .' j Well, we start as a rule at 7 a.m. and ; knock off at 11 a.m. And what then.' Why we go home of course! What with only half a day's work done. Yes. that's all, and whatever do you do the i i other half of your time. Well, in these times everyone is tanght the strictest' economy from the time they can toddle; ' that lias saved a huge amount of waste ■ and. the simple manner in which you j see us dressed saves endless amount of j work. That was done in your time, ! then to-day we are taught from, infancy '.that honesty is the best policy, and in fact in all our factories we have all the I old znottos that you used to have but i never took any heed of them. They ! are struck up in all prominent places sand one reads "waste not. want not," 'wilful .waste brings woeful want," ■ |"a stick in time saves nine," and I God help those that helps themselves.'' and thousands of others with a like j meaning. J (To be Continued). ~'-, v