" Hoo did Pharaoh Dee ?"

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 86

" Hoo did Pharaoh Dee ?"

I was one day conversing with Dr Williams (Archdeacon Williams of Cardigan) about schools and school examinations. He said, "Let me give you a curious example of an examination at which I was present in Aberdeen. An Enßliih clcigyman and a Lowland Scotsman visited one of the beet parish schools in the city. Thcv were strangers, but the master recei\<?d thorn civilly and inquired. 'Would you prefer that I should speer these boys, or that you -hould speer thorn \ ourselves 9 The Enslish clergyman having ascertained that 'to sneer' meant quest on. desired the muster to pioccrd. lie <lul ro with <>ieat succe-s. and the boy*; answered numerous interrogatories a> lo rho Esnclu-. fiom E<r\i>t. 'Th< % cler^wnan then said he would be srlad in h.s tuin to speei the boy- and began 'Hon did Pharaoh die?' There was a dead iilencp. In this dilemma the Lowland gentleiivui 'nterposcd. 'I think, sir. the boys are not accustomed to voui English accent.' and inquired in broad Scotch. 4T ioo did Pharaoh dee* 1 Again there was a dead =ilonce, till the master said, 'I think, gentlemen, you can't speer these boys; 1 will show you how.' And he proceeded, Tat cam to Phawraoh at his hinder end?' (i.e., in his latter days). The boys with one voice answered, 'He was drooned;' and a smart fellow added, 'Ony lassie could faae told you that.' The master then explained that in the Aberdeen dialect 'to dee' means to die a natural death, or to die in bed, hence the perplexity of the boys, who knew that Pharaohs end was very different." — Fiom "Archdncon Sinclair's Sketches.'"

- iJu ' so-called palUnce is merely lazi-