A Suprise Visit.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 91

A Suprise Visit.

Some Government clorks possess a sense of hi.iriour. Trac?s of fun have .been known to appear in official documents, but it need not ho said that official superiors frown upon its uso. and endeavour to suppress all such manifestations of frivolity. By the time a man gets to the head of a department he has very little humour left. A lat< Minister of Customs walked into one of the offices of his department for the first time, immediately after his -appointment, and found them all harmlessly lark- ■ ing. j

I The most humorous of the clerks, thinking the visitor was a stranger, who had come into the room hy mistake, demanded in v peremptory voice: "What's your busi- | ness ' ' i "My business?" said the stranger, very much surprised. "Yes, sir — your business. If it is about j the declining birth rate, this is the wrong ! shop. We ai-e all married men with lai'ge j families. If it is to see the Minister he has just been, summoned to attend his Majesty at Windsor Castle to discuss proI hibiting the importation of German bands." "Will you teli me your name?" Risked the Minister gravely. "My name is George Washington Roosevelt, distant relation of the American President." "Indeed ! Mine is So-and-so. lam the Minister of Oustoms. I see how well the Commonwealth is served." The unfortunate clerk looked round with a sniile, as if expecting applause f • the skill with which he was managing the humorous possibilities of the situation, when he became aware that all his companions were working away with the utmost earnestness. He realised his mistake in a moment, and could only ejaculate: "Goodness gracious! I thought you were a crank, who wanted us to let his goods in free." — Melbourne paper.