GENERAL NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 15 May 1913, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

OXK 6000 TURK A DAY. Sir Robert Baden-Powell told some amusing narratives at The Times Book Club some time ago, of the anxiety of the Boy Scouts to do one good turn a day. "One hoy in Toronto," he .said, "was in bed before lie realised that he had forgotten the daily obligation. He heard the noise of a, mouse in a trap, so he opened the trap and—gave the mouse to the cat. —(Laughter.) In ease they should forget, the Scouts wear their ties with the ends loose over their waistcoats until they have done a good turn; then they tuck them in." XIXLUCKY THIRTEEN.

Mr R. W. Bowen has presented to the museum of the South wark Centi .1! I ilhrarv (sa.v s the Standard) a collection oi' strange objects, the relics oi the short-lived "Thirteen Olub,' an association which wns formed to combat everyday superstitions. The relics, which coTnprcse a skull, a bioken mirror, and a coffin-shaped s.altcell'i', were used at the last dinnei of the London Thirteen Club held at Holburn Restaurant on January 13. 1891. Mi- Harry Furniss presided over the dinner, which was he'd ir Room 13. There were thirteen tables, with thirteen diners at eacli, •jnd were waited upon by cross-eyed waiters. Thev also wore green ties, and for <button-hole s had peacock feathers. Dinner was announced by the smashing of a hirge mirror, and on the way to the dining-room the guests walked under a ladder. Durinc»- the evening the toast-master announced : "Your chairman will shiver looking-glasses with, you," and immediately there was breaking of glass all over' the room, 'Mr Furniss, who is still alive, presented the thirteen chaivmen at the tables with a nocket knife each. The club is WW defunct, but the superstitions still live.

I ASP H YXIATTOX REVOLVERS. For the first time a trial was made recently of the new revolver furnished to the Paris police, which, instead of killing outright. send* the person aimed at into a state of unconsciousness. This revolver (says the Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent) has been invent.-.! with a view to < avowing tho killi.:i'. T of notorious cnmin.ds of the Bonnofc and Garuier type, but Oil this occasion it was not utilise.! to overpower a cnnrnal of such a de.perato ehanieb'i-. Tt- was meii'igiven tikis practical _ test to redcr-e into a state of submission a mnchnr.v who had barricaded himself in h;> room at Passy, and, arm«d with a revolver, had resisted all attempts to dislodge'him. The police were se-n<. for, who judged it wise to make a trial of th" revolver referred:. -t n - Armed with steel shields and th;* revolver, they mounted the stairs, .bn". were met by a h n iil of bullets, wh:"n fortunately all missed their mar 1 :. Tho madman, a young Creole named Pothin, then commenced running from one room to another ailong tile corridor of the house, but at length overcome by fatigue, lie settled down in a room at tho end of a corridor. The inspectors then advanced, shield in one band and revolver in tho other, and having broken a window, fired wiith the ',' as P^>" x ' at i n ß .revolver 1 .-" When they Entered they found Pot-hin lying stretched on the floor unconscious, but otherwise unhurt. Thus tho efficiacy of this invention has been demonstrated with great success. As soon as Pothin wa s taken into the fresh air he regained his seuG-.is.

WHY THE "BABY" CRIED. In th© Rue St. Jjazare stood a poor and meanly-clad woman, who stopped passers-by, crying, "Give me a ponnv for food for my babv," as she pointed to a wailing infant in her arm s (relates the Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail). But an observant policeman interfered. It was only when tbe woman made a particular movement that the infant squealed, and investigation showed that a string, which she worked with ,her feet, was tied to it. The apparent cruelty resulted in the woman's arrest. Great wa.s tho astonishment at the police Headquarters when the injured "baby" was found to be a large doll, whose vocabulary consisted of "Mamma" and "Papa." Further, in tho "baby's" clothes were linen articles pilfered from tho stalls in the street.