HIS BEST CUSTOMER
The Central Advocate, Balaklava, 20 December 1907
HIS BEST CUSTOMER.
“Please, sir,” said Willie, to the small newsagent, “I’ve come for mother’s Christmas-box.”
“Now, that’s what I call artful.” thought Mr. Snooker. “What’s your name, my boy?”
“Timmis.”
“H’m,” muttered Snooker to himself, “I can’t recollect any customer of mine with that name. You’ve made a mistake, my boy. I don’t think your mother buys her books or papers here, does she?”
“No, Mr. Snooker, I never said she did,” replied the youngster with a candid truthfulness far beyond his years, “but Mrs. Miggs, who lives next door to us, does. She spends a horful lot of money at your shop, she does. She buys ‘The Women’s World,’ and ‘The Boys’ Friend’ and the local papers and all for ’er family, every week, and mother borrows all the papers from ’er regular as clockwork!”