GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2428, 13 May 1922, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

John Swanda, farmer of Muscoda, Wisconsin, shot and killed his wife and then committed suicide recently, erasing the last two sides of an “eternal triangle.” Two years ago Matt Havlak shot and killed himself after a quarrel with Swanda over Havlak’s wife, Sonia. Havlak claimed the other man had been too attentive. Shortly after Swanda married the widow. Neighbours reported the counle had been unhappy and had quarrelled frequently.

A pathetic story ,comes from an outlying district (says a Geraldine correspondent). Mrs W. Leonard, of Beautiful Valley took her three little children on a visit to a neighbour who lives on the opposite side of the Opuha river, and during the day the children of the two families were playing in the orchard. On Mrs Leonard calling to them the youngest, an engaging little fellow who had not long passed his second birthday, was missing. From inquiries it appeared that the little boy had left the others saying he was going to his daddy. The anxious mother and her friends made diligent search in which the neighhours joined later, and this was kept up all night l without avail. The next afternoon, however, the body of the child was washed up on a spit in the river. Evidently the little fellow had made a straight line for his home and had walked into the river at a point where it was deep and ran swiftly. ,

The bobbed-haired brigade in Britain has a leader, Miss Faith Colli, the actress who did much to create the vogue of bobbed-hair by her appearance a few years ago in “Dear Brutus.” Miss Colli, who bobbed her golden brown hair, when she went on the land during the war, wears it in wavy curls and has never regretted it. Famous artists were enthusastic advocates of bobbed hair, according to the Daily Mail. Mr Agustus John says: “What objection could there possibly be to bobbed hair'? Peronallv, I think it is convenient and not at all objectionable when worn by the right person. What kind of head should the right person possess? Ah! that is impossible to define.

An old time tragedy of the Paris Central Markets has been recalled by the death at an advanced age of a woman who for many years made a poor living there by overturning garbage cans and selling anything of value she might find therein. Her name was unknown, and for nearly half a century she was merely called “Chinese.” Fifty years ago it was fashionable for persons in high society in Paris to pass a riotous night in the cafes and stalls of the market. On one occasion a fashionable woman, one of a gay party, was robbed of her jewels and money, presumably by her escort. Left penniless, she refused for reasons easily surmisable, to communicate with her husband or her family in central France. Instead she sought employment and gradually fell into extreme poverty. She got her nickname, owing to her invariable habit when asked about her former life, of replying: “Ask no questions I am a princess from a far country.” Formerly the proprietor of an engineering business employing seventy hands, and now forced to live on charity, a Loughton, Essex, resident was summoned for non payment of rates. He attributed his position to having to pay excess profits duty, and stated that lie had come out of business a year ago with £2OO instead of thousands, as he should have done. ' He was unable to obtain any employment, and was living on the charity of his daughters. He had applied, to the Relieving Office for out-relief,' but because more than 30s a week was corning into the home this was refused. There was only His Od a week to provide six people with food, boots, clothing, etc. He had had to sell most of his furniture, and bis house was now practically bare. Mr J. W. Faulkner, the rate collector, said the overseers had instructed him to apply for a distress warrant, and this was issued, but not to be put into operation until after seven days.