AS USUAL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1050, 18 March 1882, Page 4

AS USUAL.

The commercial traveller of Philadelphia house while in Tennessee approached a stranger ns the train was about to start, and said : “ Are you going on this train ?” “ I am.” “ Have you anv baggage r” “ N 0,.”; ’ “ Well, my friend, you can do me a favour, and it won’t cost you anything. You see. I’ve two rousing big trunks, and they always make me pay extra for one of them. You can get one cheeked on your ticket, and we'll euchre them. See ?” “ Yes 1 see; but I haven’t any ticket.” “ But I thought you said you were going on this train r” “So [ am. I’m the conductor.” “Oh I” He paid extra, ns usual. STKICTLY TEMPERAIE. On the sleeping ear of an L., I'., and TV. train, recently, a traveller noticed an old, white-bearded gentleman trying to get into a linen duster. The young and spry traveller rushed to his assistance, and in helping him with his garment noticed a good-sized "whisky flask protruding from one of the inside pockets of his coat. Being -of a waggish nature, he appropriated the bottle, got the coat on the stranger ;aud then pulling out a flask, said: — “ Will you take a drink ?” The old man did not recognise the bottle, and, drawing himself up, remarked rather severely : “ No, sir ; I never drink.” “ It won’t hurt you,” said the wag its the best.” “ Youngman,” said the old gentleman, intending for all in the car to •hear, “if you persist in drinking whisky you will be a ruined man at forty. It’s the curse of the land. When I was a boy my mother died, and the last thing she did was to call me to her bedside and say, ‘ John, swear to me that you will never touch a drop of liquor ’ ” .Here the old man clasped his hand to his side pocket, found it empty, and recognising the bottle in the hands of the other, he-continued : “ Except my dear boy, an occasional snifter while travelling.” And reaching for the flask he prosit to his lips, amid a howl of laughter which shook the whole car.