WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 83, 6 January 1928, Page 8

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT RANDOM

(By

T.D.H.)

The severe winter in Europe this season lias once more brought the wolf into prominence again, and the killing of eleven girls bv a wolf pack in Hungary, as recorded this morning, is a reminder that Europe is still lar from free of dangerous wild animals. Wolves were once plentiful enough in Britain, and as late as 1433 Sir Robert Plumpton held laud in Nottinghamshire in return for service in “lighting the wolves” in Sherwood Forest. Nothing, however,' has beeu heard of wolves, in England since the days of Henry VII, four centuries back, when the last of these seems to have been exterminated. Their disappearance in Scotland occurred at a much later date, for there is evidence o£ wolves in butlicrlandshire as late ,as 1713, and in Irelaud they were last reported in 1766.

No country in continental Europe has vet succeeded in freeing itself of wolves, for they roam from Russia right across to France, in which country a bounty of about £3 a head is paid by the 'Government for each wolf slaiu. ’ About thirty years back it was estimated that the forests of Russia contained something like 170,000 wolves, which devoured over 200 children or travellers per annum, the wolves and bears between them also destroying about 500 horses a year, 1000 oxen, and 4000 other domestic animals.

Although wolves are numerous in North America, there is considerable difference of opinion as to whether the American wolf will attack a man. brota the far north of Canada in 1923 came a report that the bones of an aged trapper, and of two Indians who had been sent to search for him, had been found surrounded by the carcasses or sixteen timber wolves, killed by the Indians before the men were pulled down bv the wolf pack. 'This story was discredited bv members of experienced Canadian back woodsmen, who. flatly refused to believe. it. The ‘ lorqnto Globe” suggest the views of one pioneer Mr. T. W. Thomson, dealer in furs at Ignace, as more likely to know the facts than any other person. Sir. Thomson said: “We do not know ot this here, as it is supposed to have happened about 70 miles north, but personally I do not think there is anythin” in" it. Wolves are very’ numerous around here, but 1 have lived in this country for 25 years and have yet to hear of any one being killed by wolves. During the past ten years or over I have been buying raw furs from trappers and Indians, and have neverheard anv such tales that turn out true” Some other authorities, however, were not so sure that Canadian wolves were not man-killers.

\n anecdote on spelling and phonetics in Scotland :■ A woman entered a draper’s shop in Edinburgh and began to inspect a piece of goods. The following conversation ensued: — Customer: “Go?” Shopkeeper: “Ay, oo.” Customer: “A’ oo? . „ Shopkeeper: “Ay, a’ 00. Customer: “A’ ae oo.’ - ’ Sl.c’-keeper: “Ay, a’ ae 00. You will, no doubt, need this translation furnished by the “Christian Register”: “Wool?” “Yes, wool AH wool?” “Yes, all wool. All one wool?” “Yes, all one wool.”

According to press reports, traffic conditions in Cleveland, Ohio, have come to such a pass that school-children wear metal identification tags similar to those worn by soldiers in the world war. These tags are to aid the police in finding the parents of children injured in crossing streets.

The American custom in catmg with a knife and fork is to cut up the meat into small pieces and then lay the knife aside and eat with the fork. In the “Manchester Guardian” an interesting correspondence has developed into the origin of the difference in British and American table manners in this detail. The fork was a late addition to the tabic outfit, and the person . who is credited with its introduction into England is Thomas Coryat, who set out on a tour of Europe in 1608. He wandered on foot, and published ms experiences in his entertaining “Crudities, which deal, inter alia, with •■Stone Tombcs, great gates, and manners of the people. w . Besides Hie height o£ many a Tower and SnaHes? P butterflies, black sheep, black ho*JB« and storks, ... And the neate use of eating ineatc with

It was in Italy that he observed the custom referred to in the last line. The Italian and' also most strangers that are commorant in Italy,” he states, doe alwaies at their meales use a little forke when they cut their meate.” Coryat was so much impressed by the delicacy of the customs that he carried a fork with him for the rest of his travels, and on returning home he was often chaffed for what was regarded as a piece ot affectation. As Coryat died in 1617 it is not supposed that forks went to America with the Mayflower in 10-v.

“Nah!” the street orator is quoted an saving in London “Opinion.” “Any more interruptions and I finishes up leavin’ ver ignorant of the ’omble time# hi which yer lives.”

Speaking of ' malapropisms, writes M G in the Boston “Transcript, L heard recently of a coloured brother asking when his deceased neighbour was going to be ‘interned.’ ‘She am t goin’ to be interned,’ was the answer, ‘de family done decided to have her incriminated.’ ” BRAIN AND BRAWN. (“The mechanism whereby mind and matter interact has not even begun to be explored.”—Sir Oliver Lodge.) When as I plough the riven sward, My mind involved in Beating a trifling ball toward A thing they call the pin, And far. and fast the divots fly, But little flies the ball, I also wonder how and why The thing occurs at all, By what mechanic bond, I ask, Are mind and body knit, . Whereby each limb performs the Last The head allots to it ? How does the brain command the bones, Or fail to, as may be, (A) In the case of Bobby Jones; (B) In the case of me? 1 do not probe the larger case, Or ask invself if all That’s going on behind my face Is purelv ‘physical, If thought" decision, knowledge, doubt, Evolve, as Science tells. From atoms frolicking about In my cerebral cells, Or if a spirit from the void Enters the mortal frame, And makes it think and get annoyed About a footling game. These things do not concern me. All I wish to" know is why I cannot paste that piffling ball, No matter how I try. —“Algol,” ui “London News.”