NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2046, 25 October 1919, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Curious things do happen in life occasionally, says the Times. One Palmerston North lady found this to be true on'Saturday. "Wearing the latest thing in spring hats —n decorative piece of headgear set off by a couple of feathers—she was sedately going about her business in the Square when suddenly a sparrow made a swift, dart at the feathered headpiece, a moment later dying triumphantly away with half a feather in its bill, and leaving an astonished and embarrassed damsel to ruefully survey the damaged hat.

An amusing story was told as the outcome of a recent sly grog-selling case. A sly grog-seller sent an order for a special brand of whisky Jto an hotelkeeper, enclosing £3 10s. He bad used another man’s name, as suspicion was already resting on Ids own, and the hotelkeeper, not having the brand which was required, unwittingly sent the money to the wrong man, who very promptly pocketed it. The wrong Mi’ Right is now awaiting the outcome of any further misuse of his name by his sly grog - friend. —King Country Chronicle.

Vulgar display, says the’ Melbourne Argus, is one of the abstract subjects which legislators will have to consider when they attempt to lix prices. Mr Bruce Smith, M.ILIC, cited an instance recently in Winch a shopkeeper found that he was forced to he a profiteer or submit to his goods being left; on his hands. Lace marked at Is (id a yard was unsaleable, until a bright idea occurred to the salesman to mark it at (>s a yard. “Hot cakes” could not have gone off faster. One may draw a picture of the vain simpleton who made the purchase complaining with secret pride that she paid (is a yard far the lace, while some nervous young person held to her horrible 'secret that the luce cost her only Is (id. Some women feel compelled to pay high juices because they are |)resvuned to be able to atlord it, while those in circumstances not so good have not the strength of mind to he content with less costly aj>parel.

A story which caused sonic amusement was related by the chairman (Mr M. H. Oram) at Tuesday night's jirohihition 'rally in the Opera House, Palmerston. At a certain continuance meeting, he stated, a small hoy ajijieared ac•coinjmnied by four newly-born puppies which he desired to sell. Are these liquor imps? asked a facetious visitor, and on being assured that they were, imrehased two. A fortnight afterwards (ho prohibition party held a rally in the same hall, and there at the door stood the same boy with bis two remaining jmjis, who, lie assured every passer-by, were genuine prohibition jhijis. At; last his assurances got him a jmrcbaser, hut simultaneously the man who had imrehased the first two came along. “Hullo,” he said, “you told me a fortnight ago that they Avere liquor jm|)s.” “Well, so they were,” said the hoy, “Iml now they have their eyes ojam. 1 ’

The death has taken place at KingscliH'e, Northainploiishkc. of John Harloek, bootmaker, aged 02. When 21 ho lust the use of his legs, and invented a winding lilt which ho had . iixed in his bedroom directly over His seat in the shop, lie was wound up nightly through an ojietiing in the ceiling to the bedroom, and let down again in the morning. In the Suirremc,Court of Trenton State, New Jersey, the defendants hr a suit brought by a Daniel Balts inger for payment of £I,OOO for a 03-aerc farm, said they had brought it on Balsingcr’s representation that part of Captain Kidds’ treasure was buried there. They said Baisiager told them a spirit had a|)j)eai'ed to him and indicated where the pirate’s gold was buried. They had dug, they said, all over the farm without finding gold.