POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 116, 13 November 1939, Page 6

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

St PERCY FLAGE

The R.A.F. know their onions—and the Nazis' too. # * * It's devoutly to be hoped that the Finnish-Soviet deadlock doesn't develop into a headlock. * ' • * ■ *- # Doiig is anxious to bknow who will be the villain of the peace when ths war is over. *- ■» « R.J.P. asks: Is it the war that has made Wellington get the wind up over' the Exhibition? Auckland visitors ' especially will take pains to hold their hats on and keep their umbrellas furled. # . » #. SHADES OF DANTE! Philip Gibbs's "Across the Frontiers,* published last year: "Every nation is arming ferociously, for the cause of peace. It is a fright* ful paradox which may lead to in* fernal laughter." (Page 240.) LINDY LOO. » * • ' FIRST THINGS LAST. Ching Jen-Jui, a scholar born during the last years of the Ming Dynasty, protested against the decisions of a Manchu Magistrate and was sentenced to death. His last words were written in prison and sent to his son: "Decapitation is most painful and deplorable and now I have been sentenced to face it. Do not forget, my son, that peanuts and dried bean curd make a good combination. It has the taste of the best ham." « « * FATHER OF 888! An Englishman living in France left a will in which he admitted being the father of fifty-six children, to each of whom he left something. In this age of small families so prolific a father seems a phenomenon, but his is by no means a record. , Rameses II had 162 children and Bishop Luttich ot Belgium has sixty-one. A Russian peasant .named Ririlqv had seventy-, two: no fewer than fifty-;seven by-his first wife—four sets of quadruplets, seven sets of triplets, and ten pairs ot twins, all of whom lived. At seventy he married again and produced sbc pairs of twins and one set of triplets! The father of another large family, was King Chulalongkorn of Siam, who died in 1910. He left 3000 wives and 370 children; but first prize must surely go to Mulai Ismail, who ruled Morocco and was the,father of a regiment oil 888! . «■ » * . ~ . BRAIN-TEASERS. Contrary to expectations, all wa* not quiet on our front on Saturday evening; rather the reverse. Actually we had a busy time. Hataitai was thfll first to break the silence; she is estab* lishing a record in that respect Efpee: came next; we hadn't heard from hirial for several Saturdays. Third on thai list was RJ.W. with a No. 1 an<* Margaret of Kelburn followed with! No. 2. Hanover scored a nice double, as did Frankenstein, Diana, antf 8.1. N.K. Diana had followed somd. of the crack golfers at Miramar and! was deeply impressed by the worW displayed,. .The legal and architectural elements of 8.1.N.K had a bone to picH with us." They charged us'with »ay-< ing "put one. over" solvers " ia, . th«| No. 1, threatening tis with a suit fo* something or-other. The basis <ofth<* plaint was that you coiddnt turn, a 91 into a 6 by standing it on its head* We denied the soft impeachment, pro«i testing that we had done so, as has various Postscripters. There the mat* ter stands for,the moment. It was at jolly interlude, which ended up ml an exchange of views regarding cciV tain aspects df the ancient game. Latefi on M. W. Roche, not long, returnee! from sojourning" in some West Coast bush, came across with No.' 2, Just Me, Carter and Newtown with Nos. 1! and 2, and L.8., 8., M.J., and X.Y.Zi (newcomer) with No. 2. The Sab* bath brought Silva, who clued out both! problems—the first not without soma brain-searching—and Amos Minus Andy,"from somewhere on the Horn* Front, who likes "The Post's- crossword puzzle, too. # * # HITLER, BEWARE! ' Herr Hitler, you've .'certainly' earned the prize , For being the champion teller of lie& Though Goering and Goebbels do play} a great part, They are still a long way behind youi in the art. Ananias, I'm sure, was a novice t* you, And, compared with, your lies, hi* would almost sound true. , Just where you will finish, tis hard! to foretell, - But Old Nick will be jealous if you. go to hell. Your earthly career will soon com© to an end, And with your reputation you won't . have a friend. Before your vile carcass goes under the sod Get down on your knees, man, and make peace with God. The Poles, Czechs* and Jews you. have tortured and slain Can never be brought back to this life again. But to those that are left you can make restitution, * And by doing so, merit Divine absolution. Take warning, Herr Hitler, ere mor« blood is shed. Millions would like to see yours flow* ing red. You left opportunely from the Munich beer hall, > - j But, remember, the next tune yotf may get the call! NOTA BENE. # «- * A STORY OF STORIES. Some ingenious admirer of Dicken» has produced the following, which! seems, 'writes Nemo, to contain the names of all the works of the great novelist. "Oliver. Twist"' had some "Hard Times" in "The Battle of Life,'* having been saved from "The Wreck " of the Golden Mary" by "Our Mutual Friend" "Nicholas Nickleby," who had just done relating "A Tale of Two Cities" to "Martin Chuzzlewit," dur-1 ing .which time "The Cricket on the Hearth" had been chirping right merrily, while "The Chimes" from the adjacent church were heard, when "Seven Poor Travellers" commenced singing "A Christmas Carol." "Barnaby Rudge" then arrived from "The Old Curiosity Shop" with some "Pictures From Italy" and "Sketches by Boz," to show "Little Dorrit," who was busy with "Pickwick Papers." It was at this moment that "David Copperfleld," who had been taking "American Notes," entered and in-' formed the company that the "Great ' Expectations" of "Dombey and Son" regarding "Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy" had not been realised, and that he had seen. "Boots at the Holly Tree Inn" taking "Somebody's Luggage" to "Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings" in a street that has "No Thoroughfare" opposite "Bleak House." where "The Haunted Man," who had just given one of "Dr. Marigold's Prescriptions" lo an "Uncommercial Traveller," was brooding over "Th* I Mystery of Edwin Drobd."