REFLECTIONS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1181, 21 October 1882, Page 2

REFLECTIONS.

[By

an Old Boy.]

Wh£N a fellow hua beeu through the mill himself, but still retains a spirit of devilment within him, although too old or too wide awake to fall a victim to those traps by which once upon a time he was so easily caught, nothing is more amusing than to watch the growing youth or young man being quietly played with and fooled to the top of his bent. It was a few nights ago I had some important business to transact with a friend—well, to tell you the truth, we were thinking of purchasing the business of the Union Steam Shipping Company, but the arrangement fell through, as we discovered we were sume few hundred thousand pounds short of capital. However, that is neither here nor there, As our business was of a private character, and we were in a public room, standing near the mantelpiece, in an hotel, we naturally turned our backs upon the others present. Suddenly I raised my eyes for inspiration as to where I could best obtain the loan of about a million or so, aud noticed a handsome mirror, which reflected all that was going on in the room. In one corner was seated a young gentleman, who, although little past the twenties, was evidently suffering from defective eyesight. Then, seated upon a sofa near, was a well-built goodlooking young fellow, who looked as if he could either give or ward off a blow should he get into a bit of fistic “fun with the boys.” Not far away was a burly-looking gentleman of rather riper years than the other two. He was carefully dressed, and “ with his chin new reaped showed like stubble land at harvest home.” This, I may mention, is a quotation from Shakespeare, but I do not altogether coincide with the simile. Now, as I gazed into the mirror I noticed that although pretending to be friendly each one wished the other at Timbuctoo or some other outlandish place. I wondered why this state of things should exist and puzzled my bruin to discover a solution of the mystery. Suddenly from a door at the side of the room appeared the “ solution.” There entered a charming and fascinating creature. “ She was a form of life and light, that, seen became a part of sight.” The quick glitter of the eye, the smile and the honeyed accents with whieh the three greeted the “ solution ” revealed to me the position of affairs at a glance. It brought me back to the days when I would also have entered the lists and have endeavored to obtain even a smile from so lovely a creature. But there’s no use taking one’s memory back some—well, it’s an awkward admission—thirty years ago. In those days, well, we old fellows were just as impressionable as the youth of the present time, perhaps even more so, and having had our day must not begrudge our boys a little harmless flirtation. As Sam Slick says “It’s human natur’.” The “Solution ” advanced first to the gentleman with the defective eyesight. He seemed to be in the sevent Heaven of delight, whilst the good-looking young fellow and the burly gentleman scowled fiercely. For some two or three minutes I heard a sound similar to the cooing of turtle-doves, whilst the others’ faces became black as midnight. Suddenly the “ Solution ” turned her attention to the good-looking young fellow, who immediately removed the mourning garb from his face, and smiled as if the corners of his mouth had an important business appointment with his cars. Again were soft and dulcet sounds heard, and blacker grew the visage of the burly gentleman, who clenohed his hands and looked unutterable things, whilst the gentleman with the defective sight looked ou aghast. By a graceful movement on the part of the “Solution” the scene was changed; the burly gentleman’s eyes were lighted up ; the black suit which had clothed his face vanished, and his hands played nervously with his watch-ohaiu. Again I heard soft sounds, and again I thought of the long gone-by. Mr reverie was, however, interrupted by my companion saying, “Come along, old man; let’s have a drink.” We drank, and left.