Or playing “snooker”
Daily Malta Chronicle and Garrison Gazette, Wednesday 24 November 1897
ANSWERS TO EXAMINATION PAPERS.
Dear Sir,
The objection to (a) is that the fair one, if so courteously approached, may accept, and then where are you? (b) savours too much of familiarity, and you may bet your bottom dollar that, if you use it, you wo’nt get asked to that girl’s next Cotillon show; (c) presents many advantages: you can if you are let in for 14 either dodge it, or insist on going in to supper while it is on; and granted you are possessed of the brains of a jack rabbit you will either be in your little bed or playing “snooker” long before 26 comes: added to this if you specify ton much what dances you have left, the person you ask will probably, seeing through your shallow artifice, very properly say she has none at all left: thus by sticking to (c) you will have been polite and still have avoided undue fatigue and the rapid manufacture of small talk.