Eltham Fruitshop

A man walked into the shop of a Chinese fruiterer at Eltham the others day, and his attention was arrested by three healthy-looking Chinese boys, a whose ages would be from about 9 to 13. Though not :in anthropologist the man's interest was aroused in these, representatives of one of the greatest Eastern traits.  He had never seen Chinese boys at work or at play before, and as he watched these three sorting fruit he endeavoured to engage the Chinaman in charge of the shop in conversation about them. "Are those your boys," he asked? The shopkeeper acknowledged the relationship. and the customer, to keep the conversation going, remarked that they were fine hoys. The Chinaman needed no encouragement to talk after that. "No like-ee work," he said, "too much play-play all time. Eatum up all a plofit, too." He reflected a moment, and then went on: "Too much row—row  —row all-ee time: sometimes fight, too  fight, fight, all-ee time." "Oh, well,"  he said, after another little pause, "can't  help-ee," in a tone which conveyed to the customer his appreciation of the saying, "Boys will be boys. Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 301, 17 December 1920, Page 2