THE GOOD OLD TIMES.
Captain Reginald Jones and Captain James Smith, demobilised, meet accidentally in the waiting-room of a Government office. Their acquaintanceship had originated in a shell-hole near Plum-Tree Farm in 1916.
Reggie. Cheerio, old egg.
Jimmy. Same to you. Doing anything?
Reggie. Lord, yes! I've been pushed on to the directorate of the pater's firm.
Jimmy. Congrats!
Reggie. Stow it, old man; I'm simply worried to death. The whole cabush is on strike.
Jimmy. The blighters! What bunch are they?
Reggie. Stone-breakers.
Jimmy. Not the stone-breakers, surely?
Reggie. Yes, the stone-breakers, perish them!
Jimmy. And are you here about it?
Reggie. Sure. The junior director gets all the dirty work to do.
Jimmy. What a coincidence! I'm on the same stunt, old thing.
Reggie. Board of Trade?
Jimmy. Rats! Organising secretary of the Stone-breakers' Union.
Reggie (after, gasp of surprise). Lucky devil.
Jimmy. Rot! I'd chuck it if I could afford to. Don't you wish sometimes you were back at Plum-Tree Farm?
Reggie. Crumbs, Jimmy; but weren't those the glorious days?
"EX-CROWN PRINCE'S HORSE TO RUN."—Heading in "The Times."
Like master like horse.
