TIT-BITS FROM HERE AND THERE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 291, 8 September 1928, Page 24

TIT-BITS FROM HERE AND THERE

NAPOLEON’S PAPERS FOUND. • A collection of Napoleonic manuscripts from 1793 to 1797 have been discovered in the library of Count Zamoysk, of Russia. These papers are mostly in Bonaparte’s writing, and contain drawings and plans relative to the Italian campaign. They may settle the French argument as to whether Napoleon was the only sole author of the war. It is thought that Kurnick Castle obtained them through Countess WaJowska, Napoleon’s Polish mistress, and the Polish Government will have them published. THE LANGUAGE BAR. When McAllister, the American “Flying Cop,” was at the Olympic Games, he was unable to follow his custom of passing genial comment upon the infirmities of his competitors. He tried in vain, but found the competition too cosmopolitan for his vocabulary. He opposed Luxemburg, Spain, Turkey, l and the Philippines. PAYS FOR A FREE SHOW. A London business man saw Channing Pollock's anti-war play "The Enemy” recently, and was so enthusiastic over it that he bought all the seats of the theatre to give his employees a free performance. The firstnighters for the play included the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London. Mrs. Baldwin, wife of the Prime Minister; Sir William Joynson Hicks, the Home Secretary, and several other Cabinet Ministers, as well as twenty-four members of Parliament. EGG OMEN. Governor “Al.” Smith, the United States Presidential candidate, received recently a freak hen’s egg with “S” formed by the twisted shell, which was laid by one of the sender’s fowls. He wrote “A. E. Smith will be elected President. Even the chickens ' are clucking about you.” POPE BREAKS PRECEDENT. The Pope broke a traditional custom at the beginning of August. He shpuld have descended into the Pauline Chapel to pray for a special indulgence. Instead of entering the usual chapel he went to his private apartment. The reason for the change is that he sprained his ankle, and it pained him. BURGLARS BIT—AND BETRAYED THEMSELVES. Two burglars broke into the house of a wealthy stockyard director and stole everything they could. The thieves found an apple, and each took a bite, and found that the fruit was reallv soap. From the teeth marks, the police identified the criminals, and they were sentenced, at Breslau, to seven years’ imprisonment. THE SECRET OF THE GUILLOTINE. When Paul La’sgi was asked if he had anything to say before being guillotined for participation in the murder of two old men he said “I am going to pay for my crime, and I do not see whv Renaux should not pay for his. We swore at the time not to give one another away, but. he gave evidence against me at my trial.” He then made a rapid statement that each of them killed one of the victims, and five minutes later was a head shorter. TUNNEY’S GIFT TO BYRD. Tunny’s gift to Byrd was not a black eve, but: a cheque for a thousand dollars, for his Antarctic flight “Mj* own cheque is a very humble indica tion of my faith in your purpose, wrote the boxer. “SEE GREEN’’—SEA-GREEN. The London omnibuses will, now be painted green instead of red, the former colour being more restful to the eye. This change will bring London into line with Paris, Copenhagen, and Rome. It is related that in a North of England town, the tramway manager’s office inquired, by telephone, what colour some new trams would be painted. “See Green” (the engineer) was the reply, and the trams were painted “Sea-green.” AVIATION AT SCHOOL. Highgate School. London, has had an aerodrome built upon the roof. The bovs will be taught by Royal AnForce men, and a hangar has been installed. The school has an Avro and a Snipe plane, and a 325 h.p. rra " strong Siddeley “Jaguar” and a M h.p. Napier “Lion.” The object of this scheme is to let the boys study flight, so that they may ultimately enter the Air Force. A STORY OF O. HENRY. Mr. “Bob” Davis, who edited “Munsey’s Magazine” for a quarter; of a cent urv, told recently a story of O. Henry" (William Sidney Porter). He found the story-writer in a cheap Italian hotel and offered, him £l2 a week to write introductions for the New York "World.” After a couple of months, the managing editor dismissed him because he could not write. Mr. Davis mentioned that O. Henry always shaved facing the blank wall,, in a corner of a room. O. Henry said that he could then imagine that he had a mirror, but be could not do so in the middle of the room. CAVE MAN SURGEONS. Five thousand years ago, Sawbones, the cave man surgeon, was boring neat little holes with a stone drill in the cranium of his patients. Dr. John Nihlln, a Swedish archaeologist, who has been excavating in the Baltic Island of Gotland, has lately examined a number of skeletons found there. The poor, old cavedwellers, he declared, suffered much from toothache and rheumatism, brought on by climate aud the diet which caused jaw defamation. Often epidemics of rackets swept through the coinunity, aud man only lived for four or five decades. The surgeon of those days was quite skilful with his auger when boring the skulls, to relieve the pressure at certain points, and apparently most of the patients still lived after his miuistrations., ALIVE AFTER THREE HOURS IN RIVER. A sorrowing Canadian father had his grief suddenly turned to joy. He was carrying the body of his little daughter, who had fallen into the St. Lawrence River, and had remained there for three hours, when' he discovered she was alive. The doctor who was called, explained that, when the child fell into the water, she struck her head, and this stopped the -working of the heart and lungs, and .she floated motionless until pulled out. ELECTION VOTES UNCOUNTED. Six weeks after the election for the Reichstag, it Was discovered that the votes from fifty districts in East Prussia had not been counted. Four thousand six hundred of these were cast for the Socialists, and would have entitled them to another seat. This seat will probably be granted to them, so that the Reichstag will now number* 153.

CHAMPION FAT MAN SPENDS £25,000 A YEAR. The fattest; American, Mr. Emeny Titman, died recently, at the age of 39. Some time ago, with a weight of 50 stone, he consulted a medico, who told him that lie had only a year to live. As he left the doctor’s surgery, he decided to follow the Biblical injunction to “eat and drink, for to-mor-row we die,” and like the rich man in the New Testament, he “fared sumptuously every day.” At the end of the year tie was only 39 stone in weight, and minus his money. He became a Turkish bath masseur, and a taxi-driv-er, for the doctor’s word was not far out, and it took eight men to lift his body into the coflin. WHEN QUEENS SHAVED. The latest addition to the Cairo Museum from the tomb of Queen Hetepheses, the mother of Cheops (about 4500 8.C.), the builder of the Great Pyramid, includes two gold razors, sharpened on one edge only, and three rectangular hones, with four sharp sides. Also five copper razors, a manicure set, and a very fine copper needle, witli an eye. REPORTER-EXPLORER ON STAMP. The famous explorer, H. M. Stanley, who previous to his African adventures, was a reporter on the “New York Herald,” is portrayed on the latest stamps of the Belgian Congo. This set has been issued to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his discovery of the source of the Congo. Stanley is the second newspaper reporter to • appear upon a postage stamp. Bouchier, a “Times” correspondent in Bulgaria, had his portrait upon two stamps issued by that country. 500 CASES OF FOSSILS. For four years the British Museum has had an expedition in Tanganyika. These explorers have gathered 500 cases of dinosaur and other fossil remains. The funds are nearly exhausted, and the work may end in December. The annual cost is £3OOO. BOTTLE-FED RHINO. The smallest rhinocerous ever in the London Zoo arrived recently. The baby came from Kenya (British East Africa) and it is fed with a bottle. Enter its cage with empty hands and it will manifest no interest in you, but if you carry some milk it will follow you like a dog. ' KAISER PRAISES ATHLETICS. When Ray Ruddy, the New Yorlt swimmer, was at the Olympic Games', lie visited the ex-Kaiser, and obtained an autographed souvenir book from him. The former monarch questioned his visitor about the Games, and lauded the benefits which athletics conferred upon participants. EDGAR WALLACE HAS AN ADVENTURE. When Edgar Wallace, the detective story writer, was in Berlin last month a gentleman, faultlessly dressed, met him and asked if he had seen the “Criminal Museum.” On being informed that he had not, the stranger said that as an expert in criminal matters he would like to rectify the oversight. The pair were received with all friendliness by the police officials, and they toured the relic rooms. At the finish the guide informed Mr. Wallace he was “Baron Egloffstein-Oertel,” who has just served six years in gaol for the most' subtle of frauds. If Mr. Wallace were to look through his re--ord he would obtain fine material for many books. ' ■ - PIGEON AND ITS FRIEND.... A Liege man found an exhausted homing pigeon in his garden some weeks ago, and when it had recovered returned it to the owner. Since then it flies to its rescuer, waits on the window until it is given a grain, and then flics ..back again. THE NEST HOLE. Away on the Wildwood Golf Club course, New Jersey, a hawk has built its nest beside the fairway. Many committee meetings were’ held to decide the fate of the nest, but, led by Mr. W. Hunt, one of the governors of the' club, the executive allowed the bird to remain for sentimental reasons. Recently, however, Mr. Hunt drove a tee shot which appeared to travel straight down the fairway. Jn vain he hunted for it, and then hearing a commotion in the hawk’s nest, he investigated and found the missing sphere, together with half a dozen others. Two of these bore the names of other governors of the club. Another meeting wits held to determine the nest’s fate,, but we cannot say what happened. BELOW GIBRALTAR. A company had recently been formed to excavate the site of the ancient city of Carteia, near the Rock of Gibraltar. A Spaniard, Evaristo Ramos, was laving house foundations there a year ago, and unearthed a marble sarcophagus, besides other relics of and Roman origin. WORLD’S QUICKEST SHOT. Mr J W. Walford fired sixty rounds in 60 seconds at Bisley, in the presence of several witnesses. An 18in. s< l ua s® target was placed 25 yards from the loophole, and when the test was completed sixty punctures were found, showing that he had hit it with every shot. He also burned the stocks from the barrels of four rifles. Each rifle burst into flame, after being tired “rapid” for several hours. The marksman’s hands were protected by special gloves. WHO WANTS A BODY? Two wives asked for an older td bury a 77-year-old talior at Leeds recently. Mr. Simon Mendal Yule, the deceased, married according to the Jewish faitli in 1873, but; deserted his wife and married again in 1908. One of the ! contending counsel, while admitting ' that the first wedding was not registered, according to English law, claimed that that did not invalidate v GOLD TREATMENT FOR CONSUME TION. For four years two Danish surgeons have been collecting statistics as to the success of the Sanocrysin treatment for tuberculosis. The Sanocrysin, which contains 37 per cent, of gold, is. injected into a vein or into the muscles, in conjunction with a horse serumThey found that Of 98 cases, only rimproved, and those might have improved in any case, 21 were unchanged, 28 became worse, and 37 died. The "British Medical Journal” states that the results do not warrant it being credited with any curative value. COFFEE-GROWERS WATCH MOON Coffee-growers watch the moon just near beginning of August, September, and October, the flowering months of the Brazilian coffee trees. A trade tradition declares that if it rains at these periods the crops will be damaged by cold weather and frost.