BIG BROTHER BILL AND THE BAIRNS

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 16

BIG BROTHER BILL AND THE BAIRNS

TWO ESSAYS ON lEUS ’ FIRST. I always think that the shape called “ bell-shape ” is one of the most beautiful iu existence; the curves are so lovely, though very difficult to draw, as f have often found. I do not know how people thought of making things in that shape, unless they copied the idea from flowers, but 1 have noticed there always appear to be “bells” in season in flowerlaiid. At one time this fact used to puzzle me a good deal, but now 1 think i know the reason. When we are all asleep in lied the pretty fairies come tripping out to dance in' the moonlight. Now (as we all are aware), dancing is nothing without music, and so it has all been cleverly arranged—an orchestra of bell music rings for the fairy revels from carlv spring to autumn. No doubt they begin with the delicate peal of the lily of the valley, followed by the deeper chimes of the hardy bluebell. Later on other flower bells take up the note. How the great Canterbury bell must boom out when Queen Mab and all her attendant fairies appear! In autumn, when the frail hardbell has disappeared, together with other instruments of the fairy orchestra, the millions of tiny heather bells play their final music for the dance. Then the fairies regretfully settle themselves for their winter rest, and the bells’ work is done. SECOND. Bells arc things what ring. They are generally found on street doors; then you can pull them and run away, which is grate fun —unless you got caught. Other bells arc on bicycles, and it is when you forget to ring these that you get into trubble. It is no good tinging them after you have run into fowkes, as it only makes them madder still. Our made Emma says she hates bells, and so do I ' I think our school bell rings twice a day too often; and that is all I can think of to rite about bells. 1 hope it is quite enutf. A FUNNY FISH Old Mrs Jones went out one day (.So seaside people tell). Barefooted in her usual way, To catch some shrimps to sell, And had the startling luck to get A baby mermaid iu her net! She w'rapped it snugly in her shawl To show' her husband; he Refused to be surprised at all, For he had been to sea. He only said he thought she’d rather Have waited with her merman father. The little thing began to cry, Her shiny scales grew dim, Till wise old Mr Jones said: “Why, Of course, she wants to swim I A deep-sea merman’s little daughter Can’t be contented out of water.” They tilled the bath, and in sbo sprang— Her scales like silver Hashed, The song of summer surf she sang, And, gracious—how she splashed! She loved the bath; could they refuse it? Though no one else, of course, could use it. ' Then Mr Jones’s bath night came, And what was he to do? (Now if yon say it was a sharno I shan’t agree with you) They took the merman back his daughter Where nice old Mrs Jones bad caught her I

THE PRINCESS AND THE MUFFIN MAH A BED-TIME STORY The Princess Bovina was extremely fond of muffins; but she was allowed to have them only twice a week. “ When f am grown up,” sho said one day, “ I shall marry a muffin man, and have muffins for tea every day, instead of only on Tuesdays i ;d Fridays.” When the king, her father, heard this, he banished all the muffin men in the kingdom; for, though the princess was not yet grown up, she was growing very fast, and had to have all her best frocks made with tucks to let them down. The princess wept bitterly when the muffin men were banished. However, she went on growing up as fast as she could, until, one day, the fast tuck was let out in her best cloth-of-silver frock. When the king was informed of this he said that in that case the princess was quite grown up enough to be ■ married. So he ordered the court portrait painter to paint the princess’s portrait, and had copies of it sent to every kingdom for many miles round. Though the princess declared that the court portrait painter had made her look a perfect fright, no less than six princes fell in love with the portrait, and, having dressed themselves in their finest velvet suits, they mounted their horse and rode at top ■speed to her father’s kingdom to ask the hand of tlie Princess Lovina in marriage. The king received them very politely, and sent for the princess. But all she said was:— “ I am going to marry a muffin man.” Five of the princes came forward, one after another, and, kneeling gracefully on one knee, begged her to alter her decision. But she shook her head each time and repeated: “I am going to marry a muffin man.” But when it came to the turn of the sixth prince, who was the tallest and* handsomest of them all, instead of kneeling on one knee, and entreating the princess to change her mind and marry him, he came forward, and, bowing low, asked: “Can you make toffee?” The princess was so surprised that all she could say was, “ I don’t know.” Then she added, “ Because I have never tried.” Tlie prince bowed again, and said: “1 am sorry, but I have vowed to marry no one who cannot make toffee. So I must wish Your Royal Highness good-day.” And -before she could think of anything to say he had bowed himself out, mounted his horse, and ridden rapidly away. The five other princes also mounted their hores and rode slowly and sadly away; while the king took off his crown, polished it on his sleeve, and put it on again hind before, and remarked : “ Well, this is a pretty state of things. Six fine, handsome princes ejected in one morning.” “Five, Pa,” corrected the princess. “ Yon forget that one of them rejected me. It was extremely rude of him—' <

and 1 would not think of marrying him if he begged me to do so ten times a day for a month —but, all the same, I wonder what toffee is made of?” “I have not the least idea,” said the king. “You had better ask the chief-of-all-the-cooks.” So the princess sent for the chief-of-all-the-cooks,' n d when he came she asked: , “What is toffee made of?” And he answered: “Toffee, Your Royal Highness, is made of butter and sugar. And it should be boiled iu a silver saucepan. “That sounds quite easy,” said the princess. “Order 201 bof butter and sugar and a dozen uew_ silver saucepans. Tam going to learn how to make toffee.” But the princess found it was not so easy as she had expected. She burnt the butter and sugar,' she burnt the bottoms of ail the silver saucepans, she burnt her face, and she burnt her fingers; and the king complained very much because the bills were so heavy and also because everything, including the princess, was so sticky. But all the children for miles around rejoiced, because every morning they came to the palace, and the princess gave them the burnt toffee she bad made the day beiorc. Then one day she heard the sound of a muffin bell. At first sbo could not believe her ears;‘but there wms no mistake about > it, and 'as she threw up the window ■‘and leaned out she saw someone coming down the street dressed all in white, with a flat, white cook’s cap. Ho was carrying on his head a tray covered with green baize, which hid his face, and was ringing a bell. He saw the princess leaning out of the window, and asked:— “Does Your Royal Highness want any muffins?” “ Oh, yes,” said the princess, clapping her hands. “ But 1 have spent all this week 7 s pocket money, and 1 can t pay for them.” “That is of no consequence whatever,” said the muffin man. “ Unless,” went on the princess, “ you would like some toffee. It is quite fresh and all my own make.” “ I should prefer it to anything else,” said the muffin man. “ Dam passionately fond of toffee.” “ Then catch,” said the princess.

And she threw him clown a piece. Bui in catching it the tray overbalanced, and most of the muffins were scattered in tho road. The princess gave a cry of disappointment and then a cry of surprise.

For the muffin man was none other than the sixth prince! “ Not only do 1 like muffins,” ho said, when he and the princess and the king, her Dither, a littie later were alf three sitting at tea together and were eating buttered muffins—enough having been saved for that purpose— “ but I have learned how to make them.”

“And I,” said the princess with a blush, r ‘ have learned how to make toffee.”

“ In that case,” said the king, as he helped himself to another muffin, “it seems to me that all you have to do is to get married and Jive happily ever after.” And so they did.

WHY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS ARE GALLED BOXES Wo always call a present given at Christmas a Christmas-box, whether it is really a box or not. In olden lines alms boxes were placed in the churches on Christinas Day to receive gilts of money for the benefit of the poor, and these , gifts were distributed on the following day, which thus came to be be called Boxing Day. Later, the watchman, apprentices, and others used to go round from house to house collecting for their own benefit, and to receive the money gifts they had little earthenware boxes. Ever since those times Christinas presents have been known as Christmas boxes. THE CHRISTMAS ROSE A little Eastern maid—’Tis thus the ; lory goes— Was first of all to see ’ The pretty Christmas rose. Beside the liumbfo inn, Where lay the Infant King, She stood, a child forlorn Who had no gift to bring. Around their God in Heaven Are angels, in a band. Who take the children dear And lead them by the hand. And one, who loved the maid, Had marked her gentle sigh, And now, on sno.vy wing, To comfort her drew nigh. “Weep not, my child,” she said; “ Look down, and thou wilt see A gift that thou canst bear, Which God lias sent to thee.” And there, beside her, bloomed The ros" that Christmas brings; for. B in ah V: ' To Him, the King cl Kings. PRINCE TICKLE’EM A lovely princess sat alone in a tower, With three dreadful giants to guard her; For twelve weary months she had lain in their power, Oh, surely no fato could be harder.

Prince Ticklc'cm started one bright Christinas morn, When frosty and cold was the weather, And vowed he would rescue his Jady forlorn By the aid of his magical feather. With this he was able to tickle a man And render him helpless with laughter, And thus he obtained, by this excellent plan, Whatever he chanced to bo after. He reached his princess in the dead of the night, And her gaolers, no longer defiant, Were sound asleep, and with grins "of delight _ . He tickled each slumbering giant. They woke, then they smiled, then they grinned, then they laughed, e Then they choked, then they roared, then they doubled And rolled on the ground till they seemed to be daft, Tho’ each was a little hit troubled. They didn’t mind laughing, because they grew fat. But ’twas silly to laugh without reason, And so they pretended to laugh at the cat, Till the animal thought it was treason. Then Tickle’em rode o’er the snowladen track, With a bride, who was well worth the winning, But tho’ this all happened so many years back," Those giants have never stopped sirlnnimr.

JONATHAN GUY Have you ever heard of Jonathan Guy? He always said, “ I’ll have a good try.” If he went to take a part in a race, He walked to the spot with a smiling face; Alert, he watched for the word to go. If one said, “ You never will win, you know; You’ll waste your energy, Jonathan Guy;” He only said, “ I’ll have a good try.” He stood at the foot of a hill one day, The summit looked miles and miles away; Afar on the top the snow gleamed white, And the sun lit it up with a glorious light. And Jonathan’s face was set and stern, But he knew the praise such a deed must earn, And they said, “Do you think you can mount so high? ” And Jonathan said, “ I’ll have a good try! ” He took his place in a match one day, The foes were strong—there was need of play. The old school’s honour was at stake; If only some hoy could a century make! In imagination ho heard a roar, The shout as the score gob more and more. _ , “ You’re the next man in, do your best now, Guy! ” And Jonathan said, “ I’ll have a good try.” You’ll he ready to hear that he ran his race, And, starting well, kept the foremost place. That he gained the mountain’s topmost height, And stood where the snow was gleaming white. That he made a century—won by four— And the school bad never heard such a roar. And all because of Jonathan Guy, And his good bravo motto, “I’ll have a good frv! ” —B.O. R.

KITES IN KOREA In Korea the boys spend a great deal of their time at pines and sport. Their favourite game is kite Hying—and kite lighting! What cricket is to the English hoy kite flying is to the Korean. When you try to imagine how difficult it must ho to fly kites at all in a city like Seoul, the capital of Korea, full of narrow streets and alleys, yon begin to realise that only enthusiastic and ingenious boys could make this sport a success. The Korean kite, , which is often homo manufactured, is rectangular in shape. Its bamboo frame is covered with strong native paper, and has a circular hole in the middle. Kites are of various picturesque colours, and their owners give them names —such as “ Red Skirt;” “ Blue-stripped Skirt,’ “Black General,” and “Red Star”— these names being written on a disc of coloured paper pasted on just above 1 the middle of the kite. A kite may be quite expensive, and, the cord is sometimes made of coloured silk. A rich man will pay as, much" as 10s to buy a good kite for his son. I The young Korean princes used fo fly very costly kites, and with a cord made of sky-blue silk. Not infrequently the most expensive part of the outfit is the string or cord, because so much of it is needed, and it must bo, very strong to allow the kites to, fly high. The reel around which the kite-string is wound is quite a clever arrangement. It is provided with a long handle which runs through the middle, and the bodyof the reel is so made that it rewohes, and pays out the string according as the kite may tug—just as tin; lino on the reel of a fishing rod runs out when a fish is pulling. Instead of a. tail such ns an English boy’s kite possesses, the Korean kite has a triangular piece of white paper—known as “ Crow’s loot —pasted on to each of its own lower corners. These bits of paper used to be long streamers, but Eiey have, been shortened because they were so inconvenient in the fighting contests between kites. There are other curious points about a, Korean kite. For instance, every kite must have an “ eye ” painted on it—or how could it see which way to go? So reasons the Korean boy. Among the many legends as to, how kites became such favourites in Korea we can quote only one or two. During a war with Japan four centuries ago, a certain Korean general found that his soldiers grew dispirited by defeats, and at last altogether lost heart through the appearance- of some falling stars in the sky,. So the general made a kite, to which ho fastened a small lantern, and sent, it up 011 a dark night. When his soldiers saw this light in the sky, shining like a new star, they took it for a sign that they would win. and set about renewing the struggle wuth fresh energy. But the oldest story about kites is told of a certain famous general who, 1,500 years ago, was sent .o conquer the Islam: of Queiparl, ivhhh i>- no'-i part ot Korea. This general found tne king of Quelpart strong and brave; and when the invading army by their superior numbers eventually succeeded in landing, they found the ispit.il of the island fortified and harncauad in a remarkable fashion. The city wall was built of volcanic lava—sharp stones of which are found in those parts--and was fenced with “ thistles of great size and very sharp.” It seemed impossible for the Korean army to capture the place. Yet to go back defeated would mean death to the general; so he devised a plan by which to enter the city. He ordered his soldi its to construct thousands of huge kites, each one strong enough to lift a man. Then, on an appointed day, these lutes were all flown, and the army was lifted e'er the sharp and dangerous barricade and unexpectedly landed in the city, to the dismay of the inhabitants! Ihus tne capital of Qufipart was captured and submitted to the Korean general,;, anc. evei since that umo the hoys cf Kc-iea have been flying kites in his honour. THE LOUIE RECIPE One of ’ the family wants to know how to sugar peanuts. Here is the simplest way; Take two cups of sugar and one cup of water and hall a teaspoon of cream of tartar. Let it boil, but do not stir after it has commenced to boil. Boil the syrup until it “cracks” when a little is dropped into cold water. Now remove the syrup from the fire, and dip the nuts from which the brown skins have been removed. Use a hat pin or a darning needle to dip the nuts. Drop them as i they are dipped on a piece of greaseproof paper. You can sugar orange quarters, apples, or any fruits in the same fashion. —Cheerio, everybody. BIG BROTHER BILL. f