Overheard in Whitaker Street.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4418, 1 June 1909, Page 3

Overheard in Whitaker Street.

(To the Editor ) Sir, —A poor old Irishman, an ex-soldier, gripping the ground with two sticks, iu order to keep on his feet, met a fellow-countryman of his outside a certain office in Wnitakcr -street a few doors above your own, when the following conversation was overheard : Pat.: With the vibration of all the now machinery in the muddle office I greatly wonder you can get a grip of the ground. Poor Old Soldier : True for you, but did you hear the machinery groan just now

Pat. : Faith I did, in the name of the Saints what was it ?

P. O. S. : Another injustice to ould Ireland; sure they'do bo trying (o get the machinery to spell Celtic with a “ K.”

Pat. : The curse of Cromwell on them, but sure after the way they murdered poor Shakespeare on Saturday last, I’m not surprised at anything the machinery dees.

P. O. S.: Did you happen to bump up agaiust any directors this morning 't Pat. : Sure it’s making fun of me you arc now. Mau alive, in the name of all that s above and below Heaven how on c.ii'th ' v,, ild a man le-'p buthump against one or two, sure man a:.V" tlmy aye ns

pleulilui iu tlie town now as tirj hairs 111 the beard of a goat Directors, indeed ! Sure I was tired bumping. There’s a Chairman Director, Managing Editor Director, Secretary Business Director, and a whole bunch of the ordinary oommon, or garden directors.

P’O.S.: I suppose now, Mr Managing Editor Director, knows everything that g.:es into the newspaper ? Pat : Do you mean to say a man with such a business air as he has would be asleep ? Of course he loots over a proof before tho paper comes out. Sure man, that’s what he’s paid for. Ho does that in the interest of the Company. P O S. : How can there bo a Company when the newspaper tells us itself, every edition, that it belongs to Chas. F. Spooner, the n an, who, when the editor; called some of our young men untruthful and who up to the present has forgotten to apologise, although that ould skinflint of a Montgomery has reminded him about it more than once. „

Pat; ; Well, I heard it was a Company, and if such is the case I suppose they took over all apologies that were due when they took over the newspaper. But how do you make out it belongs still to MrC. F. Spooner P. G, S, ; Just open your earn till I read you a notice which appears in every issue, with the proper date attached :—“ Printed and published by the proprietor, Chas. F. Spooner, at his registered printing office, Whitaker-street, Te Aroha. Sat., May 20, 1900.”

Pat. : Faith I’m off, one gets more news outside the muddle office than inside. How the office cat must laugh every time Mr Managing Editor Director walks past. , P. O, S. ; Yes, true for you, and do you think Mr Secretary Business Director goes without his little laugh ? Pat. : Man alive, sure the public will see tho humorous side ot it too and have their laugh. P. O. S. ; I think what His Satanic Majesty said when he went farming in County Cork applies to the inside of the muddle office.

Pat. : What was that r P. O. S. : When it came to shearing the pigs he said, “ Great Cry but Little Wool.” Pat. : True for you ; erupt}- vessels make most noise.

Just then the office cat came out with a broad smile on its counting-house and both Irishmen moved off.