A POUND OF DITTO.
An honest old man, rather ignorant of the improved method of abbreviation, on looking’ over his grocer’s bill, occasionally found charges like the following : “To 1 lb. tea —to 1 lb. ditto.” “ Wife,” said he on one occasion, “ this ’ere is a pnrtty business. I should like to know what you have done with so much of this ’ere ditto.” “Ditto Ditto?” cried the old lady —“ never had a pound of ditto in the house in all my life.” So back to the tradesman went the honest old squire in high dudgeon that he should have been charged with things he had never received. “Mr B.” said he, “ I shan’t stand this ; wife says she hain’t had a pound of this ’ere ditto in the house in her life.” The merchant thereupon explained the meaning of the term, and the squire went home satisfied. His wife inquired if he had found out the meaning of the ditto. “Yes,” said he, “It means that I am an old fool and you are ditto."
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SOCR18930819.2.22
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 August 1893, Page 7
Word count
Tapeke kupu
176A POUND OF DITTO. Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 August 1893, Page 7
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in