GENERAL NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 166, 4 July 1908, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

It is a peculiar fact that Africans never sneeze, neither ,lo their descendants, if they be pure Mooded, although tl'.ey be domiciled in oilier parts ol" the world.

The lirst hotel in Europe for women only,\iiud managed and staffed by w> meii. has just been opened as an experiment ill Zurich by the Salvation Army. In riveting with pneumatic hammers two men and one beater average 500 rivets in ten hours, whereas by hand 230 rivets is a good day's work for three men and one heater.

What is supposed to be. a huge tooth from the lower jaw of sonic prehistoric monster has been found in the bed of the Itiver Tees, just above Socliburu. it weighs 21b. Ooz. The British soldier carries a helmet which weighs nearly li/,1b.; the helmet of I lie Prussian infantryman.weighs only a trifle over 1-loz.; while the Italian is still belter oil'with a kepi which 'urns the scale between lloz. and 12oz. A movement, originating in Philadelphia, is liipidlv extending throii"hoi;l the Stale, to set aside Ma'v [oth each year as •■ Mother's Day," Even- man, woman, and child pledges that day to wear a white carnation "in honour of the bol mother who ever lived."

There has been placed in the sanctuary of the high altar at Westminster (London) Unman Catholic Cathedral a huge carpet from Smyrna which, on a - count of its size -;t2ft. long bv 121'!. wide—bad to be specially made in Turkey, the work taking 'six months to As he was Die oulv man with young children in a district of Lane County, Oregon, Mr. John Larkin formed a school committee, of which lie was elecicd chairman and his wife clerk. Airs. Larkin was installed as teacher bv the chairman, ami the five little Larkiiis now go to school to their own mother, who is reniuueruled by the Stale.

A strec-t hookiiiaker was charged at n London lOast-end police-court the olher day and lined Cltl, llii: maximum for a first, oll'euee. lunm entries found in his notebook it was shown that, his earnings for a week were as follow:—AJoniUjv. win .CIS; Tucsdav, win .CHI Ids; Wednesday, win .Clli' Ills; Thursday, loss ,C 7: Friday, win ,Cl 5 10s; Salurilay. win Clli Ills: Sunday, win .CI'J. The Australian Commonweull h l.'usloms Department has hud to cudgel ils brains in order to decide whether lurlle is lish. An act of the Commonweal!h Parliament provides that a bounty is ))iiynl)li! on preserved iisli. An enterprising speculator in Northern Australia has been producing preserved lurlle on an exleiisive scale, and he clainieil the bounty uinler the Act. lint, after much consultation of dietarians, the lV;.;U'tineul decided, thai the turtle i.i not a lish. bul a "reptile." The (.'nniiniSsioiiiT of Taxes (says the liishorue Herald) in the pursuit of in-i-.-iiiß lax, forwardcil the usual demand last year I'm- a return of a certain person's income. This person having died the notice went, to his solicitor, who reporicd (he death of his client last duly. This vear a similar notice has been received, lo which the sumo solicitor has just replied: "fast duly I informed you of the death of mv client, .Mr. —„ I have now lo inform vo'u that he is still dead."

A h»rse lately (says an exchange) came to a strange end. He was asleep in his siall one night, and apparentlygot nightmare. Tie sprang up in a frenzy, and threw himself about in Ills Stall lo such an extent that be-injured himself very seriously. When lie was quiet enough (n handle, ho was simply covered with wounds, and hopelessly'gone in the loius, .■ ~.*■"

A Smuggler. fhe chief of the New York oustoma-Caf. Bin Byrne—pressed the button of an eleotrid (jell ana then began to pace majestically JJP and town his office. """& appeared at the door. /•" SendiCurtis at once," he said ourtly. ~-' The chief resumed his walk, which waa : soon interrupted by the arrival of Curtis, a [keen-eyed, ,cleen-shaven man of about thirty, .who respectfully saluted his superior officer. '' Inspector, I have just received this cable from Paris'."

Curtis tjook the form in his hand and rapidly read contents. ■ k " Purvis has sailed by Lucania with hundred thousand!, dollars' worth of diamonds. Ijook out for champagne.'' "- The inspector handed back the cable and looked enopiirit'-gly at the captain. " Sou must collar him this time. It is simply scandalous the way that Purvis has been escaping ycfu. To my knowledge, bo has got through \with his load at least six times." \ " I will do my best, sir." " Your ropnUtioli is at stake, inspector." "1 will have biijo this lime. The champagne is a hint. |I wit! keep my eye on that." | ' The liueaniii w.ts making a vary rapid trlj,. There uue not passengers, and they wi>* all incliiij'd to he sociable. Perhaps the .Vjbi popul.it iiiiu w.n lie: Honorable Cyril Cclium, v.!].) v.e.oi. out of his way iv.v.i 1.e.: i.:.n.; i.;,. ie.-rsi. d.JerdiJ not get .11.;: .; iv:.:,'■. iiim ui.c'ii Iviuaoi w-,11 OUfJ i0,.,:.:ir.,m hoii a!, dr.r.v poker. '■ 1 It I. .1 p'.-eeiic ;o lor,:: to tu».» •':■!. lb- - „ V-.a-0i,.,,.„. I\.:rio;-7;n,,i!i1.0, v1 , "willi d ,'.'.;..., 0: ;.;,..' :,..,,•, eio..''. »a baow,'' he re i'.e: ii iiia.vU.y C.r.i \..d.i large, stateroom Ibree leu lo »o a:::ie about it o'clock at ui;:.Mt to s .nip :j ',':.; wine-- and to play poker iiii.ir'a'iiy ile: bob. giiijered a few hundred

Si. miy >U')k lightship appeared but too *i",i -lioni Velhanits point of view. They were jn-.:. in lime to be boarded that evening, iii"! a', 7 o'clock the Una Cy.il I'eltiam was swell in u to'ir-wheeler. His dressingcaso was beside him, on the roof of bis cab there rested :•, 1., ige portmanteau and a deal case. Upon the hitler was stenciled " Heidsicl; Dry Moiiopolo, IS!):!." iJe gave the cabman Jirections to drive to the Hoffman flouso. He looked sharply around, lint tailed to see the keen-eyed young man who called a hansom and gave the same directions to the driver. Upon arriving at the bote!) lie engaged ft eit!in;r room and bedroom en suite. ".Send my baggage up,"■ho said to the y.M'tor, "at once, please. I want to dress," he added. "What about the case, sir?" the porter naked. " That can come up too," Peliiftm replied, carelessly. lie leisurely began 16 dress. The first while tie did not, please bim, ...The bow was not good. "Hang the thing!" be exclaimed, irritably. Another one was taken, when suddenly ft knock was heard at the door, "Coni» in," he called. A young nuui, neatly dressed, with the kit Of u commercial traveller, entered hastily. "How do? Glad to see you." " You have the advantage" .Pelham said coldly. "To what "

" Just come to have a glass of wino with you." "Eh?" "Yes. I peeler champagne and ——." "Any particular brand may I ask?" _ - "I'eii'sielt, preferably." .."indeed. Any particular year 1" Cyri) dr-.ml.d languidly.

"Well, I think l!0;j will do. It is handy," be rejoijfc-d, poireing at the case. 'Tile i™. ,iicn trie -.1 onnanothcr. The visitor's expr. idou iIM not change, and at lasS Pelbain turned aw.iy.with a laugh. He rimy the bell, mid when lite waiter earache ordered him lo open the ease of wine. "I've got you this lime, Purvis," the inspector said with achueklo.

" I fail to understand you. My name ic Pclhnni," the other rejoined quietly. "Who may you bo V"

"fnspcclor Curtis—very, much at your service, and so anxious to drick yourhcalth." " Very nice of you, I'm sure,- I am never loath to stand a policeman a drink.-',' Willi dexterous ham!, Pclbam removed tho wire. Ho then drew the cork, but there was no resounding " pop." j "Flat That's strange," he mmi'inured. "I'll try another bottle.-' "Kever mind. I'll drink that. Let mo pour it out."

The inspector took the bottle and quietly implied its contents into the glasses. Ho peered eagerly; and swore under his breath.

"I think wo will try another bottle}" lie said at last.

IVlham took up another quart. "s., " Curious, isn't it?" he remarked when there was no "pop" to the second bottle. IJcidsick ou;;ht to he good." "Pear it out," the inspector ordered. The champagne was poured out. Again the inspector was di sap pointed. He, emptied a third bottle himself, but with a like rostilt. No "pop," no "fizz," no sparkle -not even of diamonds.

Bottle after botilo he opened, and he became Hilary as lie held the twelfth and last. Polham still smiled sweetly. " Mow you've finished, perhaps you would like lo take the bottles with you?" " Yes, I will," he rejoined shortly. i-. ; Polham again rung the bell.

"A quarter of Iloidsick, "J3, quickly," 1» ordered of the waiter.

This time there was a resounding "non." He quickly tilled the tumblers. " Uei.ter luck next time, inspector," he aid, genially, as he raised his glass to bis lips. Oj » .

Muffled in a fur coat, the Hon. Cyril Telham might have been seen somo few days, later diifing to a small house off Twenty-, third sti cot. He wag quickly ushered into ' office and an elderly mini cagorly rugV" j,a " Have you got 'em ?" lie orie'd ear sd in.

" You bet," was the laconic tqr' o erly. Pclham leisurely took off " the pockets of which ho d' "is eoat, from twelve champagne corks. ' ew . one by one, he took his knifo and • With deft lingers one, disclosing ti - sliced off the end of shake, and two ' ™'"' steel cylinder. A fpil to the, '; w ° r th ™ lustrous diamonds "wfabio gl t ',-m Mmilal, T m <* until °£gems. ' WltU "wndorlul display ••tS^^s:;;^° a -i-iated.