HE KNEW IT ALL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2131, 6 March 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

HE KNEW IT ALL.

The youth had been patronising the youug ladies by vouchsafing choice biU of superior wisdom. You remember what Ciusar said when he was about to cross the Rubicon ?" said the old gentleman. "Ceitainly," replied the youth, with a careless glance of pity at the young ladies, who, of course, could not be expected to know everything that % man knows. " Aud, of course, you are equally familiar with the life of Peter the Hermit ?" continued the old gentleman. " I should say that I waa," replied the young man quickly, but not without a slightly troubled look on hit face. " And Semiramide," the old gentleman went on, "you remember hit tamous saying?" "Yes," gasped the youth, wishing that the old man might be struck with apoplexy as soon as convenient. "I am glad you remember it," said the old gentleman with animation, "for I've clean forgotten it. Now, if you'll be kind enough, and no doubt the ladies will be glad to hear it also." The youth by this time wished that the old gentleman had died in infancy, and m for the ladies, he couldn't help thinking how much better it would have been had thay never hcen born. "By the way," pursued the old gentleman, seeing the youth hesitated, "who was Semiramide! He had something to do with the last Franco-Prussian war, hadn't he ?" "Yei| oh, yes," replied the youth, catching at the bait with eagerness, while something like a giggle was passed around among the young ladies, as if it were a paper ot caramels. " And Peter the Hermit was instrumental in* bringing about peace at tho close ot* that struggle ?" " Yes." The youth said this very faintly. "But CV'iar held out, and matched his shattered force into tho Wullachiin piincipulity ?" "That's the way I remember it,' replied the youth, with a desperation bom of despair. Then the old gentlemen looked at the youn<£ ladies, who were engaged in htuffing their mouths full of pocket handkerchief ->, and then he looked at the youth aud exclaimed — " Ah, air, how I envy you your efure of knowledge ! What u comfort you must bo to your paieuts !" Thfti tlic youth got up aud went into tho dietili ->s night, and cursed the old {rcntlcmiui bfhind hi« back. And the youii^ ladius laughed in uuison, but the noi-e t>f their l.iuvjWi w.it» overborne by tho muiry peal* of Ihe old gentleman.