FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 569, 23 January 1929, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By

“THE LOOK-OUT MAN.”

DERANGED A prisoner at the court yesterday had a rooted objection to entering the court room. The sub-inspector said he was showing signs of being mentally affected. When Daniel strode into the lion’s lair It’s possible the onlookers detected Upon his brow some evidence of care , The pallid hue of fear, the glassy stare — Which showed that he was mentally affected. King Charles, with outward courage, played his part Regal of mien, and clad in vestments natty, He went to death as though to masque or mat t ; Yet doubtless felt some qualms within his heart, Which emphasises that the King was bafty. When William of the Hohenzollern line Was asked to take the field with his army. Or lead his fleet on one last exploit fine. Timidity compelled him to decline; But then the man was obviously balmy. So when ice sinners take our final walk. And to our last assignments are directed, If in the fiery ante-room we baulk We’ll hear the sub-inspector’s line of talk; u lt’s all right. Boss, they’re mentally affected. McShovel, BUMMER FEVER The Ulimaroa was nearly sent into quarantine yesterday because one of the passengers h&d. a rash on his arms. It was finally diagnosed as a case of insect bite. There is an epidemic of that sort of complaint in Auckland at present. REPLY A WAITED Mount Eden Borough Council was surprised when a donation sent to a London hospital drew a letter of thanks reply from the New Zealand Minister of Internal Affairs over two years later. More surprised, however, was an Aucklander who sent a letter to a lady. She did not reply until many moons had passed, and inquiries elicited the information that the envelope had caught in the folds of a larger one addressed to a city in Italy. The invitation to the annual ball of a suburban football club had been received by a Neapolitan signorina, who had returned it with thanks. IN THE SWIM The growing popularity .of Lyttelton harbour as a swimming pool was illustrated yesterday when a deer and a heifer being unloaded from steamers took the scuppers in their stride and swam strongly for Diamond Harbour. In this case the animals were recovered without even the need for resort to artificial respiration, but a similar case in Wellington harbour a few years ago ended in serious loss foij; the owner of the beast concerned. The animal "was a racehorse, King John, imported by Mr. T. H. Lowry for breeding purposes, and a large price had been paid for it in England. It took fright when being lifted off the steamer, and plunged into the harbour. Efforts to drive it. ashore or capture it in the water were unsuccessful, and the exhausted beast was drowned. There is hardly an animal except man that can’t swim when put to the test. In the deep forests of the Amazon country the natives lived for years, until the white men came, in ignorance of the fact that it was possible for a human being to swim. The cayman-infested rivers of their homeland doubtless accounted for their ignorance.

GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE The recent Chicago divorce case, in which bridge was the cause of the incompatibility is now history. American files give the evidence of the plaintiff. Mrs. Ruth Kelso Wood: i “On December 20,” she said, “we were playing at the home of my cousin. I doubled a four-diamond bid, and the opponent took his ten tricks. My husband flew into a rage and struck me. On February 26, when we again found ourselves partners, I trumped his aes* lead.” “How did that happen?” asked the judge. “Mr. Wood didn’t wait to see why I played it that way, but stood up aud struck me. It was really a fumble on my part. After this we separated for a time, but made up with a solemn pledge never to play together again. We were happy together until August 19, when we played with some friends. Mi". Wood doubled a one no-trump bid, and I forgot to take him out of it. Again be hit me, and we have been separated ever since.” The smitten wife got her divorce, and the husband, an insurance broker, will have to find another wife to castigate. In granting the divorce, the judge said: “If husbands and wives didn't play partners in bridge there would be few matrimonial failures.’’