A SMALL BOY’S EXPLANATION

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1038, 18 February 1882, Page 4

A SMALL BOY’S EXPLANATION

Amelia had invited her “ best young man to the evening meal. Everything had passed off harmoniously until Amelia’s 7-yearold brother broke the blissful silence by exclaiming. “ Oh ma, yer oughter seen MiLighted the other night, when he called to take Amy to the drill ; be looked so nice, sittin long side of her with his arm ” “ Fred 1” screamed the maiden, whose face began to assume the color of a well done crab —quickly placing her hand over the boy’s mouth. “You oughter seen him,” continued the persistent informant after gaining his breath, and the embarrassed girl’s hand was removed, “he had his arm—” “ Freedie 1” shouted the mother, as in her frantic attempts to reach the boy’s auricular appendage she upset the contents of the teapot in Mr Lighted’s lap, making numerous Prussian war maps over bis new lavender pantaloons. “ I was just going to say,” the half frightened boy pleaded, bet ween a cry and an injured whine, “ he had his arm—” “ You boy 1” thundered the father, “ awav to the wood-shed.” Aud the bov made for the nearest exit, exclaimed as he walsed. “ I was only going to say that Mr Lighted had his army clothes on, and 111 leave it to him if he didn’t 1” . The boy was permitted to return, and the remainder of the meal was spent in explanations from the family tn regard to the number of times little Freddie had to be “ talked to for using bis fingers instead of a fork.