SEVENTH EMPTYING. 12 J 



and get it." Leaving her bundle in his charge, she departed, 

 and in half-an-hour she returned and peremptorily requested 

 that her bundle might be handed to her. " Have you got 

 your character ? " asked the manager. " No," was the 

 answer, " ah hev'nt ; but I've getten yours." 



A certain minister gave it out from the pulpit one night 

 that he had had a call to a larger sphere of labour in a larger 

 town, with a larger stipend. He could not, he said, make 

 up his mind, and was going to take some time to think of it, 

 and pray for light more light. A fortnight later one of the 

 congregation met the pastor's eldest son in the city, and 

 asked if his father was going to B - . "Well," said 

 Johnny, aged 13, " Pa is still praying for light, but most of 

 the things is packed." 



A West Riding manufacturer, in a small way, went home 

 to the wife of his bosom one evening with a Fizziwiggian 

 smile on his face, and ordered her somewhat unceremoniously 

 to put the kettle on the fire. When she hesitated, wonder- 

 ing what he could want with the kettle at 9 p.m., he repeated 

 his order, but still smiling pleasantly, with the pertinacity of 

 a Malvolio. When at length she complied, he said, " Now, 

 lass, I will tell thee ; we have just finished stock-taking, and 

 a right good year we have had, and, now we are on t' right road 

 to fortune, so thee and me will have a glass of grog apiece, 

 and we'll have one every night, because now we can afford 

 it." So the grog was consumed that night, and every night 

 for about a week, when he walked in on one occasion, with a 

 long face, and said bluntly, " Takthat kettle off! " " What- 

 ever is to do ? " said his better half. " Why," said he, " yon 

 clerk o' mine is a fool ; t' stock-taking is all wrong ; he has 

 gone and added the year of our Lord in." 



