A FISH STORY

Once a group of tourists who were staying at a hotel in Birmingham were having dinner in the restaurant. Fish was brought and while they were eating it, some of them told interesting stories about finding pearls and other valuable things inside fish.

An old gentleman, who up to now had listened quietly to their conversation, at last said:

"I've heard all your stories, and now I'll tell you one. When I was a young man I was employed in a large importing house in New York, and, as is usual with young persons, I fell in love with a pretty young girl. Very soon we were engaged. About two months before our marriage was to take place, I was suddenly sent to Birmingham on very important business. I left my sweetheart, promising to write to her.

I was obliged to stay in Birmingham longer than I had expected. At last my work was done, and I could leave Birmingham. But just before I left for home, I bought a beautiful and very expensive diamond ring, intending to give it to my sweetheart.

On my way to New York, I was looking through the morning newspaper, which had been brought on board by the pilot. Suddenly I saw an announcement of my sweetheart's marriage with another. This made me so angry that I threw the ring overboard. A few days later, when I was dining at a hotel in New York, fish was brought. While I was eating it I bit on something hard. What do you think it was?"

"The diamond ring," cried his companions. "No," said the old gentleman sadly, "it was a fish-bone."

1. Where was a group of tourists staying once?

2. What did the tourists do while eating fish?

3. What did the old gentleman who had listened quietly to the tourists' conversation at last say?

4. Where was he employed, when he was young?

5. Whom was he in love with?

6. When was their marriage to take place?

7. Where was he suddenly sent?

8. Why was he sent to Birmingham?

9. What did he promise to his sweetheart?

10. Did he return to his sweetheart in time?

11. What did he buy before going home?

12. What did the man read in the morning paper on board a ship?

13. What made him very angry?

14. What did he do with the expensive diamond ring?

15. What happened to him when he was eating fish at a hotel in New York?