SOUND BONE

A popular way to spend a vacation some years ago was to make a voyage on one of the coastal steamers. These steamers had many ports- of-call in all the bays around our shores. Two of the names I remember were the "Kyle" and the "Prospero". The history of these steamers is legend.

A chap who made a trip on one of these steamers related this story. When he went aboard, he met a merchant from one of our outports, whom he knew very well. This made the trip very enjoyable and they spent many hours chatting.

When the merchant arrived at his destination, they both got off onto the wharf to say farewell. While they were talking, an employee of the merchant came over to them and this conversation took place.

"Skipper, did ee zee zound-bone when ee wuz in Sin Jons?"

"What do you mean, did I see sound-bone when I was in St. John's?"

"Well, dat feller dat wuz down 'ere inspectin' de feesh lass fall, ee wuz so t'in we christened 'n zound-bone."

"He was really thin, was he, Bill?"

"Well, zir, ee was so t'in dat when ee put 'ees 'ead on d'piller at night, ee 'ad to hopen 'ees mout' to git nuff skin to cover hees heyes."