FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 811, 4 November 1929, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” THE QUALITY OF MERCY “Thank you,” said the prisoner, on being sentenced to five years. “I thought you would have given me twenty.”—A touching incident at the Dunedin Supreme Court. He did not churlishly berate The author of his penal sentence, Nor sorrowfully contemplate The term imposed for sweet repentance. Perchance, legitimately peeved, He might have registered resentment. Not him ! His issue he received With deep contentment. How few in any social ranks Would welcome five long years’ confinement. Yet here’s a man who murmurs, “Thanks,” With every sympton of refinement. Less cultured felons might, indeed. Have judged that imposition plenty. Not so this quaint exception. He’d Expected twenty. Such dismal pessimism p’raps Was measured by a stricter standard Than now prevails for such a lapse. ’Twas just the normal term he landed; And though just now he hates to seem In grateful sentiments deficient, In five years’ time may be he’ll deem It quite sufficient! DEEP DOWN One of tlie more obscure forms of advertising which, the Auckland Advertising Club might well consider during its current convention is the walking posters who stand outside picture theatres to advertise the film on show within. The human elements of these displays may be required to don fearsome garb. Some portray Indian warriors, others are soldiers, cowboys, explorers, and uow there is even a diver on the job. The representative of the gallant fellows who earn their living under the sea is panoplied in all the essentials of the diving-suit. He has the heavy metal helmet on his head, and perhaps between aspirins wonders if it is all worth while. * * * NOISES OFF By a happy coincidence a play that gives more “noises off” than any other staged in Auckland for many a year is here in time to supplement the efforts of those commemorating the gunpowder festival tomorrow. At every performance of “Journey’s End” the clamour of its shell fire and kindred detonations goes ringing across the city. It would be unfortunate to give the impression that the moving and beautifully acted play is notable merely for noise. But the noises of machine guns, distant shell-bursts, trench mortars, and other warlike manifestations, all combining to reproduce the wonderful atmosphere which helps to make the play remarkable, really are a feature, though not even the loudest of them is more effective than the ringing cry of “stretcher bearers,” long-drawn and full of anguish, echoing down the line as it did in the bad old days that a play like this keeps vivid in the memory. 1 PRODIGY * 1 There are some people to whom the swing of a tennis racquet comes naturally. They have some optical equipment which lets them sight an approaching ball with Just that much more quickness and clearness that makes a champion. There are others who fall, naturally Into golf. A little coaching a little elimination of this fault and that, and they are getting down toward the scratch mark. But how rare it is to find the qualities that make a champion at both golf and tennis combined in one man! That is why a small tribute to Mr. Edgar Bartleet seems in order. While holding the New Zealand tennis title, an honour richly earned, he goes forth amiably and wins the championship of one of the most important golf clubs in the Dominion. There is no guarantee that a year or two may not see him taking the Dominion title in this sport as well. To those who moon about in the rabbit class it seems not only remarkable, but even a little unfair. FREE FOR ALL If the Women’s Christian Temperance Union brings to all its noble works the same enthusiasm as that which inspires its crusade against the Otahuhu brewery, the next spectacle arranged for the delight of a grateful public will be prayers at the wrestling matches, to which, it will be remembered, the Union recently voiced some exception. There is, however, one paramount reason why prayers at the wrestling are unlikely to materialise—the members of the delegation would have to pay to get in. A fee of 7s 6d a head is sufficient to damp the enthusiasm of even the most rabid reformer. Happily nothing like this is likely to mar the success of tomorrow’s adventure. The highways are free, gloriously free, and no charge will be made by any Highways Board or County Council for the space occupied during the prayerful proceedings scheduled to take place outside that plain white-walled building, which, like some centre of simple devotion (even unto the weatherboarded belfry! raises its shingle just south of the Tamaki.