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: ....OUR SHORT STORY.! —*—
OUR SHORT STORY. —*— JIMMY FAGAN'S LOST LOVE. i BY BIDE DUDLEY. I I Charley Fiske, conductor of the orchestra of the Hamilton Opera Company, was at breakfast in the company's private roOOm; he stirred his coffei and gazed out of tne window. Heiety Yarin, ooinedian, sat on the table Two" or three minutes went by, and Fiske st.ill gazed. Heisty. stood it as long as  out of it, -Charley!" he' sai d. "Come out of it, Charley he- said. "What's the matter—home-sick?" • "j"vot me!" replied. the conductor, smiling. "I was just thinking of Jimmy Fagan, our last season's solo tenor. To-morrow we are booked for Chesterley, aren't we?" "Yes," said H^istv. But what of it? » Did Jimmv come from Chesterley?" "Yes He used to be a clerk in an iron- monger's store there. He had a wonderful tenor voice, and often sang at concerts and in amateur theatricals. One night, 4bout six vears ago, Hamilton and his friends attended a. social of the. Eiks at Ches. terlev, and Hamilton heard Jimmy sing. Next" day he persuaded the tenor to join his company. "That's the way he got me in Pres^pn, said Heisty, "enly I was in a cafe." "I'll never forget about Jimmy," Fiske went on. "He was in love with a girl in the town, but he had a rival whose father was weal thy. Jimmy wasn't earning more than three pounds a week when the Opera Com- pany came to the town. When Hamilton offered him five pounds as tenor soloist in his company he went to the- girl, and with- out mentioning this offer, asked her if she intended to marrv him. She said she cared a. great deal for but didn't think he could support her as befitted, her station in Jife: Can vou oeat that? A- station in life hfc Chesterley D "Turned, him down, eh?" "Flat! It broke Jimmy up. He found Hamilton without delay and joined the com- pany. Most of the details were learned by the fellows after the new tenor had become acquainted with them and had grown confi- dential.. "Heavens! but that boy could sing. And, believe me or not, his unhappy love affair mellowed his voice and made him throw his heart into h. work. He used to try to forget her, except when he was singing his solo. Then, it seemed, he appeared to be singing to her. He admitted to me once that he pictured her in his mind as he sprig. He had a Folo called There's Nobody Just Like You,' and every time he Bang it tears would, come into his eyes." "Sentimental chap, ch?" "I should sav so." "What about the other girl?" "She married the other fellow a month after Jimmy left Chesterley. They settled down and got on all right. All Chesterley knew about Jimmy's love -aff iir. "The next season when we went back to- the town a dozen people asked me about Jimmy, and they were all disappointed to learn he wasn't with us that year. They told me they realty believed the girl love-d Jimmy. But then—you know how people in smill towns talk. I used to see the girl at the operq. every time we visited that town. She a lNyays.sat .1 in. the right-hand stage box, and I used to imagine that she attended in the Hope that Jimmy might appear." "Fagan only stayed with the company one season, I understand?" "He was with us that one season, and then went to Durham to live. He got an appointment to sing in a big church there. But he came back last season. He hadn't been in Chesterley for four or five Fcn r. "Last. season we came upon Jimmy again, He walked in one morntng when we were re- hearsing and upset the whole performance. Such a handshaking there was! Such a fusil- lade of ior most of us knew him, and were delighted to see him again. "Hamilton asked him what he'was doing, and Jimmy Replied -he was thinking of re- joining the company. Hamilton was de- lighted at that, and in less than no time Jimmy was down in the programme as tenor once more. His voice was just as good as ever. "Next morning "he handed me the orchestration of a new ,,ong entitled 'I Love You Still.' and told me he was going to smg it in the fir?t part. It was a pretty ballad oSne JW a- fellow ? sentimenta! as Jimmy could ?kevery'te!Hng. Jimmy said it wasn t published and I didn't ?k him any more about it. I rehearsed the orchestra m it, and by the time we reached Chester ley. Jimmv was ready to sing it. "We'd all forgotten about Jimmy s romance. Being pretty busy, it didn't, occur to me at first that Chesterley was Jimmy a old home and the liome of his lost love. He didn't *say a word about it, but I was re- minded of it that afternoon when I saw people greeting the tenor in the street, and again later, when I saw him walking past tb,e home of the girl and looking at it in what I thought was a wistful way. "He was across the street, apd apparently so nervous he was almost tiptoeing alcr.g\ I was passing in a niotor-ca r aeMI-VI by a local man, and he pointed out the girl's house and told me the old story of the tenor's romance. Just about that time I noticed Jimmv, and it immediately occurred to me that Jimmy hadn't forgotten by any means. "At supper time I ventured to remark that I'd seen him near his old flame's home, but he pai-sed- it off with a grin. It didn't appear to me that he was bothered much. "But listen, Heisty! That night, at the opera Jimmv set the- whole town talking. The fact that hé was with the company had spread all over the town. It also becamfl noised about' that the 'girl was -to sit in the right-hand stage box at the evening per- formance 'accompanied "toy her mother. Ches- terlev was all worked up by 7 p.m. Every- "bodv wondered if Jimmy had forgotten, Hamilton afterwards told me the curiosity on the part of the, people to see how. Jimmy and the girl would act added a hu noted pounds to the gross receipts.. The fellows in the company whispered Jimmy's romance all through the drcsshig- room' before the curtain went up, and when Billy Mahan. the dancer, looked through the curtain and saw the girl in the box, the company was a mass of subdued excitement —all but Jimmy.. He was as cool as a encumber, and pretended not to hear the conversation flying around. "Jiromv was got up regardless,' and' I must say he looked a' man any girl migftt have been proud to own. When the curtain went up he was only about seven feetsfroni the girl. So far as we could see he didn't, "look at her until his turn camfe to sing. Then he looked, vou bet vour life. ."Starting the first verse, Jimmy looked squarely at the girl, and lord! but he sang. It seemed as though he was trying to rebuke her with his art, ft that's a good way to put it He threw his heart and soul into the song, and tears came into his eyes. The audience was absolutely noiseless, as though- spellbound. Jimmy shot that little love pong straight at her. As for the-girl-well, she !Oat there like a log.. "The chorus was real love stuff. It went like this:— I love you still, I love you still; No pow'r on earth my love. can kill. Where'er you are, whate'er you be, You still are all in all to me.' "That was the sort of sentiment the song contained. And Jimmy poured it into that girl's ears laden with what seemed to be the heartaches of a. bst love. The people in the audience looked from one to the other. The girl smiled, and seemed a bit uneasy. V "When Jimmv sat down the applause was a riot. He took three bows, but that didn't satisfy the audience. So he sang a third kverse, and concluded with the chorus, all the while shooting his gaze across the foot- lights into the eyes of the girl nn the 'box.. "When the audience finally quieted down Jimmy slippèd away and went to his' dress- ing-room. We didn't see him any more until we reached the hotel. There we found him asleep in bed. Next morning he appeared to be as happy as ever: Nobody mentioned the girl or the way he sang to her, as every- body feared he'd be embarrassed. "We weren't due ti)- leave Chesterley until 11 a.m. About ten. o'clock Jimmy and I strolled down town and into the poet office to see if there were any letters for any of us. A group of about fifteen townspeople was there. When they say Jimmy curiosity began working on them. Finally, an old fellow with white whiskers decided to quiz the tenor a bit. He approached Jimmy with the rest of the gathering at strict attention. How do, Jimmy? he said. "Why, how do you do, Mr. Barnes!' the tenor replied. Um—er, you have been away from town about four and a half years now, haven't You? Something like that.' Um--er, well, I heard you sing last nisrht. You did?' Ye4 Um e'r, nice song, that. "The townspeople were edging closer. Each one was all attention. You liked the song, eh? came from Jimmv. Create I said the old man. 'It just seemed to-er fit the occasion.' It aid? I Yes. I bet you wrote that song your- self? I didn't,' Jimmy replied. 'I re- ceived it from Durham four days go Well, who did write it? My wife.' cc < Youl- wha ? Old Mr. Barnes fell back a pace, amazed. Oh, heavens! ho exclaimed. "Jimmy had told the truth too."
THE ROYAL CHIMNEYS.I
THE ROYAL CHIMNEYS. I The following statistics may perhaps in- terest serae people. I,n the Houses of Par- liament there are nearly five hundred chim- neys, and they are swept three times a year, i.e., during Christmas, Easter, and autumn vacations. Each thorough sweeping of the I smoke chambers and chimneys occupies five men for six weeks, and is technically called "a fixer." These chimneys are particularly awkward to sweep. It „is, ot was, done by means of a ¡-opt} and a seven-pound shot in the cc'iiae of a circular brush, which was lowered from tho roof. At Buckingham Palace there are over six hundred chim- neys, aitd to this number may be added two hundred for thQ Royal Mews, where all th< State coachmen live.,1 At Marlborough Houso there are upwards oi\ a hundred chimneys to sweep. The Home, Colonial. India, and the Foreign Offiecs, together with the Local Government Board, have five hundred and fifty-five chimney between them. At the South Ker,,gi,ngton Museiiiii there were, or are, one hundred chimneys to be swept. At the British Museum one hundred and fifty; the authorities there keep men of their own to do the work. At Charing Cross Hotel aTo three hundred and fifty chinixievs, at' the Hotel IMetropole eight hundred and fifty, incl, at Queen lAnne's Mansions—a block thirteen stories hi^b—over a thousand chimneys in one block. ————— —————-
iARCTIC HYSTERIA.I
i ARCTIC HYSTERIA. I In a paper dealing with the University of Oxford expedition to Siberia, Mr. H. U. Hall referred to the striking psychological effects of long daylight end long darkne&s in high latitudes. As to the former, apart from iiie tendency to shorten sleeping hours in order to make the greatest possiMte use of the long day, there seems to 00 afkind of stimulation of the nervous system, urging people to a feverish .and purposeless activity. This is especially noticed in newcomers, but the natives are not exempt from it. On the other hand, the coming- of the long winter night is followed 'bv a kind of reaction, though no general depression of vitality is apparent. With the cessation of work the' period of sociability begins, and the circum- stances favour a lapse of self-control. This is the time when ""Arctic hysteria" is likely to show itself. "Such, for instance, is a form of hysterical seizure for which the Tun. gus have a special name, > in which the patient pings improvisations of his own which are likely to contain absurd exaggera- tions or laughable glorifications of himself." The writer records a case in which one of these hysterical boasters represented him- self as a g-od and. was killed by some of his follow-t ribesnien, who were also apparently aITedcd by the disorder. ————— o- —
I FLAG FUNERALS.I
I FLAG FUNERALS. I Britain is the only country which allows its historical flags. to go into the pawnshop or auction-room. One such flag, after hav- ing waved over the 39th Foot for three years during the of Gibraltar, was actually found covering the sofa cushions of a trades- man's f.itti'ng'-roc.m! In lc88 the 1st Bat- talion Gloucester Regiment recovered from a pawnbroker -at York four Sags, which it had home from 1795 to 1810 through the Egyp- t jall and Peninsular campaigns. There may be seen to-day in the Kendal Parish church ii, pair of the old colours of the 2nd Bat- talion Border Regiment. They were rescued in 1888 by Lord Archibald Campbell from a London upholsterer, who had advertised them for sale as though they were mere win- dow curtains. To prevent old colours meet- ing with -such fates many have been' «re- matcd, with great ceremony, and the ashes preserved carefully in a box. Others have been buried with full military honours, among them being- sets belonging to the King's *0wn Scottish Borderers and the 2nd Battalion Woroest?r Regiment. I
ITITLES; WHICH DECEIVE.
I TITLES; WHICH DECEIVE. Manv » book has 'owed much of its initial I popularity to a deceptive title. When George Borrow WTote. his famous work, "The Bible in Spain," he was an accredited agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society in that country, and it thus found its way into thousa.nds of Puritan homes with the, idea that,, it was a real, genuine "Sunday book." That this is by no means the case everybody knows wh<f has read it. At any rate, the" Sunday" part is like Fal- staff's bread compared to his "sack." Lots of people were similarly dooeived when Mark Twain issued his famCSus "New Pil- grim's Progress." They thought it was the "further n-cLventures of Christian, Bunyan's hero, or &oi)io member of his family, on their May from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, and were a good deal shocked when they discovered that there was a laugh on every page, which, of ^course, put it right out of court for Sunday reading!
[No title]
Increased pensions to-widows and dependants I of officers of the Mercantile Marine who have lost their fitloc- tluoit,-h. enemy action are under consideration, said'Sir A. Stanley in the House of Commons. Wages increases, including war bonuses, granted in June added, over £ 550,000 a week to the pay of about 1,500,000 people, of whom 1.200,000 are in the coal and cotton industries, says the "Labour Gazette."
cFUN -AND FANCY.I
c FUN AND FANCY. I Slie: "Tomkers has been arrested for do. sertion." He: "You don't say so! Wife 01 Army?" "I have so much on my hands at present that I don't know what to do." "Why no try some soap and water?" "Father," asked the hope of the family, "what is untold wealth?" "The property you keep from the income-tax list, my son," was the reply. Aunt May (horrified): "Good gracious, James, what would your mother say. if she saw you smoking cigarettes?" Janies (calmly): "She'd have a fit. They're her cigarettes." Tommy (yawning at 8 a.m.): "A river must have a pretty good time, it seems to me." Dick: "Why?" Tommy: "Because it doesn't have to get out of its bed." Sharpe: q saved a girl's life this morn- ing." Wooden: "Why, how was that?" Sharpe: "'Well, I was smoking. (I)1¡I the tram, and she said, 'Pardon me, sir, but that cigarette is killing me.' So I threw it away and smoked another." Mother (severely): "How dare you take the money from your missionary-box?" Willie: "Didn't vou say I was a regular little heathen?" -Alather: "You are far worse." Willie: "Well, I was saving the money for the heathen, and first come, first served." Mr. Bacon: "What's the baby crying about now?" Mrs. Bacon: "Why, the poor little thing has both hands in her mouth and she hasn't any place to put her toes. Boreleigh: "Nice dog! "Have you Borel('igh dog! 'Have ,y.ou taught him any nice tricks since I was here last?" Miss Smart: "Oh, yes, if you just whistle he'll fetch your hat." Miss Sharp: "Can it "be true that you made a bet at your club that if you pro- po?d to me I would accept you?" Mr. Flightiv: "Well, I've proposed. Will you" Miss Sharp: "How much did you bet?"you?" "He: "I can"t decide whether to go in for painting or poetry." She: I'd go in for painting if I were you. He: "Then you've seen some of "my paintings!" She: "Oh, no; but I've heard some of your poetry!" "A woman never knows what she wants." "I should say a woman never knows what she wants until she knows she can't get it." "Whisky has ruined the reputations of many men." "Yes," replied Bottleman; "and at the same time I ain't so sure that lot of men haven't done their share to ruin the reputation of whisky;" < "It's always dangerous to jump at con- clusions," said the careful man; "you're liable to make yourself ridiculous, to say least." "That's right," replied the other.. "I jumped at the conclusion of a ferry- boat once, and'missed it." Flossie: "I didn't accept Reggie the first time he proposed." Ftnny: "No, dearie; you weren't there!" ———" A man named Dodgin had recently been appointed foreman in a brickyard, but his name was not known to all the employees. One day while on his round he came across, two men sitting in a corner smoking, and stopped near them. "Who are you?" asked one of them. "I'm Dodgin, the new fore- man," he replied. "So are we," replied the .other workers. "Sit down and have a smoke." Teacher: "Now, what is the highest form of animal life?" Child: "Thet giraffe,. mum. "Fore!" yelled the golfer. The woman on the course paid no attention. "Fore he shouted again with no effect. "On," sug- gested his opponent, in disgust, "try her with three an s-co lo-ven-threeNI" ,uL6ok here; Bob, what did you shoot at me for? I ain't got no qtfarrel with you." "You had a feud with Bill Jenkins, didn't ye?" "But Bill's dead." "Well, I'm his cxecutor." Ilubbv: "Whv don't you learn to punctu- ate?" Wife: "The idea! Why, I put more- commas and dashes in what I write than anyone else I know of." "Miss Oldbird keeps me guessing. I never know what she is about." "Oh, she's about forty-five." "Is your tunic padded?" gurgled tho loveiv Amelia to Sergeant Jones as she re- posed gracefully on his manly breasts "No; but why do you ask that?" he proudly in- quired. "Because it is so much softer than Sergeant Green's, or even Sergeant-Ma jor Brown's." They Oll't even speak rfow. The/Gentleman: "No, my man, this is not N o, mine. It was a five-pound note I lost.' Paddy: "It wor a fi' -pun note before Oi got it changed, sorr." The Gentleman: "What did you get it changed for?" Paddy: "Ocq. sliure, ao that the owner could conveniently reward me." a Big Sister (shouting to Bobbie): "Bobbie. You're wanted to do an errand." Bobbie I (fhouting back): "Tell inotber I can't-do it now. I'm busy." Big not mother who wants you, it's father." Bobbie (hastily): "All right. Tell him I'm coming." Mildmay had never been in the habit of punishing his children, leaving that dis- agreeable duty to his wife, but the other da v one of his numerous progeny became f very -unruly, and he was obliged to say, I "Flora, if you don't keep quiet I shall have to whip you." Pooh," retorted the little t o whip y ou Poo three-year-old, with a contemptuous -toss of her dainty had, "yoir Isn't the. mother!" Peggy had just returned from Sunday- school, where ■ she ikad been for the. first time. "What did my little daughter learn this morning?" asked the. fond father. "That I am a child of Satan," was the reply. Clare was perched upon the garden wall swinging her chubby legs and singing at the top of iier sound little lungs. "Be careful, Chile," said her mother, who passed by; "you might fall and break your bones. I'm airaid you'll get hurt." "Oh, don't be "fraid," ,,iie answered reassuringly; "I did fall down yesterday, and -I never even erncked." A little girl had been ill, and had struggled through the e-arlv stages of conva- lescence. She had taken "nourishing" broths and "nourishing" jellies until she' was weary of them. One morning she elec- trified the family by sitting bolt upright in bed, and saying "I want you to take notice. I':n not going to take any more nourish- ment. I'm hungry, and I want my. dinifer, and not another mouthful of nourishment will I eat."
6LUB WINDOW.¡ ;——!
6LUB WINDOW. ¡ ;— — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the distinguished author, tells the following good yarn. "Hoping to be the first to relate some un- welcome news, says Sir Arthur, "a youth rushed into the house and said: Father, I hM a fight with Percy Smith to-day.' 'I know vou did,' replied the father, soberly. Mr. Smith came to see me about it.' .I Well,' said the son 'I hope you came out as well as I did.' Mr. DouglaS MacLaren, the actor, tens a I good story concerning an Aberdonian who had come south in order to spend a fort- night in London with an only son. After I their fiist greetings at King's Cross Station I the young fellow remarked, "Feyther, you are not lookin' weel. Is there anything the ) matter?" The old man replied, Aye, lad, I I have had quite an accident." "What was ) that, feyther?" "Mon," he said, "on this ) journey frae bonnie Scotland I lost my lug- jouriie21v "Dear, dear, that's too bad! How did it happen?" "Aweel," replied the Aber- donian, "the cork cam out." Mr. G-. K. Chesterton, the author, was educated at St. Paul's School. For some time his tastes lay in the direction of art, and it was through reviewing art' books for the "Bookman" that he was induced to embark on a literary career. Mr. Alexander Johnston, J.P., a director of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and well-known as a business expert, tells the following good business story:—A cer-* tain merchant died, leaving to his only sfln- the conduct of his extensive business, and great doubt was expressed in some quarters whether the young man possesed the ability to carry out the father's policies. "Well," said one kindly-disposed friend, "for my • part. I think (Henry is very bright and eapable I'm siire he will succeed." "Perhaps you're right," said another friend. "Henry is undoubtedly a c' ever. fellow, but, take it from me, old man, he hasn't got the head to fill his father's shoes." Sir H. Rider Haggard has had an exceed- ingly interesting career. In his" young- days he acted as secretary to the Governor of Natal, and subsequently served as lieutenant and adjutant of the Pretoria Horse. He has been called to the Bar, but Moes not prac- tise.. After writing, his favourite pursuits are gardening, shooting, and farming, of which he knows practically all that there is to know. #. Lieutenant-Colonel J. B. Rosher, D.S.O., is' responsible for an amusing anecdote con- cerning a certain" General newly arrived on the Western Front. The officer in- question was, it appears, handro. over to the guide detailed to take him on a tour of inspection through his section of the trenches. The guide, a short, hefty, "non-com," gave all his directions in a hoarse whisper, and the General, who was tall and slim, bent him- self nearly double so as to avoid showing his head. At length the General felt he could stand it no longer. His back was nearly breaking in tivo, and he came to the conclu- ;ion that he must straighten up for a few mornente, even if he did. have to risk a siriper's bullet. So. turning to the guide, he whispered. "How far away is the nearest_ Roche?" "About four miles," came the whis- pered reply. "Four miles!" roared the astonished 'General. "Four mil" Then what the blanketv blank are you whispering for?" "Can't help it, sIT." answered the guide, still whispering. "Been like it for aver a week. Werst cold- I've ever had." II Sir Evan Jones says that while in a eer- tain Government oiiiee he overheard the fcl- lowing dialogue -between two fair type- writer tappers: "Isn't it terrible the way we have to work these days1" "Rather Why, I typed so many letters yesterday that last night I finished my prayers with truly. » Sir William Crookcs is a believer in spiritualism—which brings to mind a good story. When Mr. Will Crooks, tIb. Labour member first stood for ^Parliament, q friend f Sir William, hearing that "Will Crooks" had been elected an M.P., congratulated the celebrated scientist on his "victory." "But. it's the other Will Crooks," replied Sir William; "I shouldn't have a ghost of a chance if I stood." "But I thought voir believed in ghosts?" remarked his friend, flippantly. "I do," agreed Sir William; "but it would take a very smart election -agent to poll them." The following very neat retort is credited. .,to Lord Willingdon, that fine old sports- ;man. Lady AVillinl-ld- on 's brother,- Mr. A. Brassey, was M.F.H. of the famous :Eastbourne pack, and cn-e day, owing to the death of a local landowner, the ques- tion arose as to whether it. ivoul(i be quite decorous to let the hounds go out. As a way out of the difficulty Lady Willingdon suggested that each dog should have a small crape bow tied round its neck, thereby showing proper respect for the dead without interfering with r r t. "I hardly think," put in her husband, "that it will be neces- sary to decorate the hounds with crape: surely it would be nnfficic-nt if they were all in full cry." One of the busiest men in America is Charles Piez, head of the .Emergency Fleet Corporation. Mr. Piez was visited by a certain contractor, and this individual had delayed the shipping programme by rafious shifts xind dodges. Mr. Piez's reception of 'him, tlierefore, was very cold. "Mr. Piez," he said nervously, "I'm sorry you are not satisfied with the way I'm dealing with my contracts." Mr. Piez shook his head. "Its' not your dealing that I mind," he said. ¡It's your shuffling." « Paderewski's home is on the shores of Lake, Geneva. Westward from the small town of Morgee there is a" deeply wooded park, in. the centre- of which "Stands his Swiss mansion. The park is open to the public, but an inner gate leading to the chalet bears the -warning legend in French: "Do not enter without ringing. Look out for the dogs." Here? lives and labours Ignace Jan Paderewski, happy in his domes- tic life. tic llfc. The Rev. F. B. Meyer tells the following striking story: "Long years ago I remem- ber two ladies coming to me—sisters-— whose mother had recently did, and a dis- pute had arisen- between them and their father about her property. So far as I re- member he was mgnopolising what had. been loft in part to them. In* consequence a breach had occurred which had separated them, though circumstances compelled them to live together in a lone part of the coun- try.. These sisters had passed through all experience- of Divine illumination fjranted to few, but they dreaded to return 'home because of the ï,ita bIe ice-barrier which had grcufvn up between them and their only surviving. parent. They sought help, and there was only cne thing-to say: You must love him, and to do so you must begin at once to express your 'love. On arrival home, go straight to his xoom* and without a word of reference to the past salute him with a dt^ugJiter's kiss.' They said that it was impossible. My reply was Offer your lips to the love of God, and let it flow thr ou Ih them. I heard after from them that- tile effect was magical..The father broke down. and asked their for- giveness. It was as when- one day of sum- mer changes the whole aspect of* Nature."
LARGE. DESTROYER HIT OFFI…
LARGE. DESTROYER HIT OFF I FLANDERS COAST. The Secretary of the Admjjalty makes ti,i following -inuounceiumt:- I During the period July 11 to 17, inclusive, Royal Air Force units working with the Navy in home waters have maintained anti- submarine and escort patrols. Bombing raids have been carried out, when weather was favourable, with good- results. Enemy destroyers have been sighted off the Flanders coast on several occasions and attacked with bombs. A direct hit was ob- tained on one large dc-sl-rover. Our formar tions have also attacked destroyers with machine-gun fire. On one of these occasions five enemy sea- planes approached at beginning of action, but immediately' withdrew. Enemy aircraft love been active, and have attacked our boynbing- and 'pnt-rol forma- tions. Three hostile machines have been de- Istroye-d and four driven down .ut of control. Two of our machines are missing and two collided and vcrashed. One of our machines en anti-submarine patrol observed an enemy seaplane upside down in the sea, no occu- pants. Enemy attempts to salve the torpedo-boat destroyer recently sunk close to Zeebrugge bv a bomb from one of our machines have been greatly hindered by our bombing for. mations. I t -0
I :OFFICERS FOR THE LAND.…
OFFICERS FOR THE LAND. I An interesting scheme for, placing conva- I [escort officers en the land was considered at a meeting of the South Essex Fiimc, Irc,. Unipn at Romford, Lieutenant Ellis said the scheme originated with the Ministry of Labour. • Farmers were asked to provide a homely home for convalescent officers who wished to learn agriculture for adoption' as a- profession after the war. Payment' of £3 or £2 "10s. a week had been suggested, but that would be largely a matter of arrange- ment with the individual farmers. The officers in question were all men from Cam- bridge University, and the arrangements were bemg- carn.ed. out 1rv Colonel Waymifii, of Cambridge. The chairman said the scheme was deserving of the support of all farmers.
* BETTER MEAT AND BREAD. 1
BETTER MEAT AND BREAD. 1 Mr. Clynes, Food Controller, speaking :n I North-East Manchester, said we, had now reached a stage where the wheat reserves of j this country were absolutely t safe, even if I, the war should last a considerable time. This would enable the Government to release I orroaier quantity from the reservis a rid I allow the people to get better bread soon. I fnev would also be able greatly to improve j the (??Htv of meat, as instead of the con- i Rumptiou bpi?? 70 per cent. of imported meat ?nd 30 per cent, of home-fed meat, the jJ proportions would be reversed, with im- j ported meat nearer 20 per cent. than 30. per celft. • j i
I ENEMY AEROPLANE OVER THANET.…
I ENEMY AEROPLANE OVER THANET. ,I A hostile aeroplajne paid a brief yj"jt to nur coast on TLm'?lay evening. Imme- diately on b<'in? ?rp<t on ?o ranc-hine tULH- and made off. Following is the report i.ui d from the Press Bureau:— A hostile aeroplane, flying at a great alti- tude, appeared over Thanet. at about 15;;O p.m.-Fire was opened-on the machine, which at once turned east and proceeded to sea. < r ANOTHER RAIDER. I Ou Saturday morning another German aeroplane crossed the coast. As in the case of the previous visit, fire was at once opened by the land defences, and the machine the laii d de f enc?. turned and made off. Following is the offi- cial -report:- At hostile aeroplane flying at a great altitiide crossed the Kentish coast at 9.25 On fire being apened the machine at Ollce, tnrped eastward and proceeded to' SC:.1. ..i. l
J COMMON SUPERSTITIONS. i
J COMMON SUPERSTITIONS. i The" origin oft some of our common super. •'titions is not far to --eek but the founda- t i (-) f .other-s is completely* lost in the ob.-curity of i gcs. Some beliefs are his- torical—the general avoidance of sitting down thirteen at table, for instance; ;,i:d the custom of saying "bless yon to a per- son who sneezes. The latter practice comes from the ancient Egyptians; but who can explain why the blessing should be nullified if you are so polite as to say "thank you" in reply? Why should a briile avoid being married in a blue gown Ami what is the origin of the eoupiot which, bids her wea? Something old and something new, Something borrowed, something blue? Friday being by o?nera.! coD?ut an. in-  fucky day, 01,z can ?nite underhand* ?. r.cy hesitation about marrying on that dry; though it is said that if you marry on Friday you will never lack love, whatever oU>er misfortunes may befall you. If vcii wish k. know on what day to be married, the old rhyme will tell you. Monday for health, Tuesday Jor wealth, Wednesday the bo", day of all: Thun-day for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday never at all.
BITS ABOUT LIGHTNING.I
BITS ABOUT LIGHTNING. I A wet winter means a thiuider-and-bgrt- ri "Lightning travels nearly a | million times faster than thunder. I>ignt> ning does sot generate heat in its path -an- i less" obstructed. Sheet lihtlling' is but, the reflection on the clouds of a flash e^sewnere. [Forked lightning is due to the dividing of the flash bv certain objects it approaches. Kevs. watches, rings, and brooches inciei.j danger of being struck by lightning. The cau»e of. death by lightning is the de- struction of the nerves by the electric cur. lent*.
".FRIDAY.I I
FRIDAY. I I Friday marriages are "for losses," and fuperstitious couples who are getting mar- ried avoid this day. Shipping returns of all countries show a much lower sailing Tate on Fridav than on any other day of the week. Friday is America's lucky day. Cohimbiis discovered land- on fbit, day; the pilgrims landed on a Friday, and Washington was born oa a Friday. The Talmud, the book containing, the civil laws of the ancient Jews, says that Adam was created on a Fridav, sinned on a Friday ,and was thrust out of Eden on a Friday.
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T!J President of the Xat?on? Free Cl"lrc'? O?nei!. will spend the first' -eek m August wit-h tho Grand Fleet and officially conduct services amongst Free Churchmen. Sir DonaJd Maclean has been adopted as the Liberal candidate for the-new constituency of South Midlothian and Peebles-t»hire. At 'an aerodrome in South Essex, John Dunbar, twenty-nine, a single man and a first air mechanic, was "sucking in" on a machine, when 'the propeller started a-nd inflicted fatal in rimes. #
436 PRISONERS CAPTURED Al…
436 PRISONERS CAPTURED Al METEREN. — —' OUR LIKE ADVANCED. The following messages from- "Sir Douglas Haig have been issued by the offlee: Saturday, 10.33 a.m. As the result of our operations yesterday our line in the Mcteren s -cter has been ca- vartced on a front, of about .1,000 yaids, 3U<t both tho. village of iteieren and the group of buildings to the south-west of it kn^\n as Le Waton, are now held by our troops. r £ he enemy effcred resistance ()P- tho. extrerne left of ciir at;nek, but at other points our objectives were gained? i ripidty and without great dwhculty. lU'mber of prisoners reported is 426. English troo p « carried out. a successfu^l. raid during the night i.c^x Beaumont I IIair»el, and captured a few jiiisonere end a gun. Further north, English trccps pushed our line forward on a front of about A nnlo south 'of Hebuterne after sharp fighting. Hostile artillery has been active in the neighbourhood of St. Tenant and Tpres. Saturday, 8.40 p.m. During the day cur minor operations in the R?butcrne ?cctcT have bc?n c()ntmH,d with .-?cce5s. UR?r the pressure of <?r trro? the cnem? has been compc!?cd to withdraw from Rossignol Wood, between Hebuterne and Bucquoy, and this impor- R(? l)ut(-rnt- an<l d t h. ?' tant local feature is now in ?ur po?pssion. The enemy was followed up closely by out; troops, and suitcted a. number of casualties.' Our total captures in yesterday's opera- tions at Meteren amount' to 453 prisoners, ten trench mortal's, and fifty machmcgnns. Si,-iclav, 10.50 a.m. A few prisoners and machine-guns were captitred by -us during the night in raids and patrol encoi/nters south-west of La. Bassee and in the Merville and Dickebuach sectors Beyond artillery activity on both sides at different points there is nothing further to. report from the British Front. MINOR ENTERPRISES. Monday, 10.16 a.m. r Further ground was made by our troops yesterday south-east of Hebuterne, and a hostile bombing attack in this neierhbour. hood was repulsed. We captured a few pri- soners. In conjunction with French troops, we carried out a successful minor enterprise last night south of Yillers Bret&nneux, cap^- turi-ng a-few prisoners and machine-guns. Our raiding parties entered the enem trenches during the nig-ht, at Neuville- Vitasse, at Calonne-sur-la-Lys, and north of Bailleul, and brought back prisoners. A hostile raid In the last-mentioned sector was repulsed. Hostile artillery was active in the Locre sector. Monday. B.10 p.m. Except for some hostile artillery activity at different points, particularly south of Arras and east of Nieppe Forest, there is nothing to report from the British Front.
CHERISHING TnE CHESTNUTS.
CHERISHING TnE CHESTNUTS. Few people know that Vie, owe Chestnut Sundav. as an institution, to a cobbler. The Ranger of Bushcv Park in Timothy Bonnet a time was Lord Halifax, who attempted to exclude the public ficm the grounds. Timothv began au, action against the petr, who r-torted by erecting barriere at the L'ates. Te the cobbler promptly de- molished. and this apparently brought Lord Halifax to his senses. Anyway, he gave up theflght, and Bushev Park, with its won- derful array of cllestndt-trees, has been on to the public ever since. —
NAMING A STATE.
NAMING A STATE. British Columbia is a part of the Eta pi re r.ccvdiarlf • associated with Queen Victoria. It was originally proposed to call the place 1 Xcw Caledonia, but Qu-een Victoria pointed 1 out to her Ministers that this Same w.s alteady borne by a French p-ossessi-nu m tne Patilic.' She suggested British Columbia. and.the happy thought became a fact. Que-; n Victoria was invited to christen the capit .l of British Columbia, and she chose, the tii-8 cf New Westminster. That city afterwards diminished in importance, and oerioed to bo the political capital. But the new and pre- sent capital, Victoria, aisn pp;'?tn?.tt? t1>3 of t?e late Qiie?,,ri Can,,t d ?i 'i; c.?iupction of the late Queen with Canad.
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For having dropped a eat from a thiic-story window at Sutton's Restaurant, Laurence-hTl", Bristol, where he was lodging, James Bare, fifty-one, "was sentenced to a. month's had labour. The Labour. Party is stated to urging that failing eyesight amongst railwaynx n shall be scheduled' for compensation Tinder 1í;, Industrial Diseases Act.
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