POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 8

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FLAGE

Admiral Byrd had more than one close shave at his base in Little America even if lie could not manage a hair cut. * * « If Mr. David Jones and his political friends, are not satisfied with tin; Finance Minister's handsome amende honorable, they will be hard to 'please. * ♦ » Then (remarks "Bolivar") there was the Scot wlui, when invited to :i silver wedding, and being told to bring a silver gift, took along a pair <if silvernsh. Our political correspondent, T. Party, writes:—While the advent of the new Democrat Party may or may not bo welcomed as adding just one more party to confuse the minds of the electors, it would seem that the really democratic thing to do would be to have one party for each elector. Thero is safety in numbers. » * » IT IS TO LAUGH. "Balbus Minor," who confesses to being 10 years of age, storms into this feature with the following yarn:— Irishman: Did you ever hear the joke about tho Egyptian guide who showed a group of touvists two skulls of Tutankhamen, one •lien lie was a boy, and the other when lie was a man1' The bmw Scot: No; let's hear it. ■-• -i! » 10 TO 1 AGAINST AIK BACB CRASH. After niuiiths of secret negotiations the poo) of leading English and American underwriters recently announced their premiums for tbe Centenary Air Race. For aircraft up to a value of £1000 the premium is 20 per cent., over. £1000 and up to £10,000 15 per cent., and from £10,000, which comprises the majority of the entrants, 10 per cont. Tho pool will return one-third of the premium to competitors in the event o£ no claim being registered. As for indH viduals, the pool insures them for death' only at S per cent., but for death or disability the premium is 10 per cent. * a * TIPS. On leaving Budapest the King ofl Siam distributed over £.40 among the staff of the hotel at which he and his entourage had stayed. As things (jo that is a considerable tip, even for; Royalty. The most spectacular of all tippers was tho Tsar Nicholas, who; when he visited England nearly a century ago, handed out gratuities on a; most lavish scale. When he stayed at Windsor for Ascot Week Nicholas gavo the Royal housekeeper £1000 and distributed £2000 among the servants. Each of the leading members of the Household received a gold snuffbox, with the Imperial guest's portrait set in diamonds, valued at £500, and there was, quite literally, a sackful of rings, watches, pins, and brooches for thu Master of the Household to dole out; among the lesser officials. * * TALKING OF SPRING— Stirred by the spring propaganda 5a this column, O.L.C. weighs iv with this story of tho Papuan native whobecame it good aud loyal advocate of Christianity .in its oldest form. One Friday, however, his spiritual adviser caught the. young native sitting with: his un-Cliristian friends by the lira outside his house in a village not far from Moresby— caught him not merely,mark you, in contemplation of things sinful, but, indeed, in flagrante delicto* "What name?" exclaimed the missionary in disgust. "Mo lookim you, you. kaikai (eat) pork 'long Sunday! You savoo good you cookim 'longtime you dio pinish, 'Jong this fellow aom't^irig. 'E bad too much I" Tho boy was up in arms at once. "This feller 'c no pork," he declared earnestly. "'X fish true, pat-er!" Fish! The missionary declined to bo convinced. Thei boy oxplained, however. Before he had been converted, ho pointed out, he had been called Tovaruruai, but when hq had accepted the whits man's faitli water had boon sprinkled upon him, and he had thenceforth borne the name ofi Peter. "Aright," ho went on. "Before, name belong this feller 'c pig, 'n pork. Now mo throw away likik (little)! water along 'im, 'c fish. Me no kaikai meat 'long Friday!" * * ♦ BOUTS-RIMES. How's this.' Bent on pleasure, blithe and gay; (Of such life I'm very fond), Going on my own sweet way, Sue!) a happy little blonde! Dressed in smartest littlo suit, All the world to me seems splendid, •' Latest roadster mine to boot— Now wake vp —the dream is "ended! I. M. DAFT. Now, here's a, competition gay, Of theso Bouts-Rimos I'm really fond; Watch the bright thoughts that como my way, 'Tis Nordic genius—I'm a blonde. Of Nazi-brown my "swagger" suit, I am of Aryan lineage splendid; AVo give our foes the "Blucher" boot. Heil, Percy. Heil! My hymn is ended, PEARLEEN. * * * HOAX. That story of the famous hoax pcrpe* tratcd by Willie Clarkson, wigmaker,reminds us of tho cobbler's daughter who "spoofed" all England. On April 3, 1817, a young, comely, dark-eyed womnn, with red and black shawls wound turban-wise about her head, was found wandering at the village of Almondsbury, near Bristol, and taken in by Mr. and Mr*. Worall, of Knolo Park. She told them in gibberish mixed with Malay ami Arabic words, and by outlandisli "gestures, that she- was Princess Cavjibcio of Javasu 'abducted by, pirates from her home nnd deserted at. Bristol. For. leu weeks Ca aboo lived with the Woralls. Learned men, linguists, mid world travellers flocked to sco her and listen to her strange language. The amazing part of the whole business is that this uneducated girl was such a cou.suminutc actress that never for a, moment did she give herself away, although all sorts of traps were laid for I her. One gentleman announced to her that she was the most beautiful woman ho had ever met, and she never stirred a hair. Conclusive proof of genuineness,, they said! Sho was taken to Bath, dressed in a turban stuck with seven peacock feathers, and all the quality flocked to pay court to her. The newspapers were full of the doings of the mysterious Asiatic princess. An Eastern traveller brought her a Malay sword and dagger and she gavo extraordinarily expert exhibitions of fencing. Sho persisted in climbing to the roof to play. Caraboo became a growing wonder', until she was exposed by a woman with whom she stayed for a short while :it Bristol. Oaraboo's real name was Miiw Bnker, ti Devonshire scrvmit girl. She had picked up her knowledge of the Kasl. from a foreigner in London. Tin' discovery of the hoax set ;ill England laughing. She was pushed off to America and eventually returned to Bristol, where she lived to the age of 72, always stratif^ in her drivs and always followed hv urchins shouting '' Caiuboo." ,