POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 106, 1 November 1939, Page 10

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FLAGS

' Mr. Nash: "... fruit is a' splendid ifood." Yes; when one can afford it. , ■» * * | Camou: Repeal of Amerit i's Neutrality Bill will mean crashrandmiscarry for the gontle Nazis. * * * . The only thing wrong with the German propaganda is the German propaganda. * ■» * Add anomalies: The anti-militarist who lands a high job on the home front. QUITS. Emil Ludwig (well-known historian) took a bang on the head from a statue of Jerome Bonaparte—but figured it just squared accounts between him and the brother of the great Napoleon. Jerome, who was King of Westphalia and who has been dead for eighty years, was the subject of some disparaging .remarks by Mr. Ludwig in his "Life of Napoleon." While Mr. Ludwig was looking over historic relics "in the Napoleonic Museum at Ajaccio City Hall the bronze statue of the Emperor's brother fell from its niche and struck him on the head. The author, was - taken to a near-by pharmacy, and a municipal councillor rushed up to' apologise. "Don't apologise to me* Mr. Ludwig replied. "I had too many tbhings to say about Jerome of Westphalia in my book. He has his vengeance now. We are quits!" # «. » BRAIN-TEASERS. Latest solutions to hand: Silva (1), Hanover (1 and 2), Allan (1), No Piker .. (1 and 2), Alice (2), L.J. (2), Sylvia (2), Little Dorrit (1 and 2), George (1 and 2), Kaiwarra (1), M. T, Purse (2-—a newcomer), and Andraed and 2—another newcomer). Silva,'by the way, was omitted from the Monday list, but magnanimously let us off with. a caution. From The Karorites this acknowledgment: Please accept, our belated thanks for your kindness.in answer- , ing our question. With 8.1.N.K.'s aid we were able satisfactorily to conclude > our argument. We (P.F.) have to add that no credit is due to us in this matter: it is 100 per cent. B.LN.K.'s, who went to considerable trouble to lay hold on the essential legal facts. • # ♦ INFORMATION DEPARTMENT. J. G. Falder writes:—Please settle this cribbage dispute:— Pegging 5 card crib. A plays 3, . , B plays 4, A plays 2 and pegs 3, B plays 5 and pegs 4, A plays 3 arid pegs , •? The question is:—When A plays his. second 3, does he peg 4? And if not why not? A pegs his 4. • Wager writes:/ Would you please settle for us per medium of your interesting column a small wager on the merits-of a crib hand. As you may guess in a camp of this nature, crib is a popular pastime, and so the argument has become a little heated. The .". hand consists of three sixes and two threes. One faction sayis' this should be 16 and thejdtlier '20. *vr Twenty is correct. Colonial Scot: Could you please tell' • me through your column whether or,. not the Scottish regiments who pdssess . kilts wear them into battle, and did they wear them in 1914-1918? All the best wishes and luck to your excellent column. Ceremonial kilts were not worn by . the Scottish soldiery in the World, War. After some difference ol opinion betwixt the Scots and the military - authorities, a compromise was reach- . cd. A khaki "apron," that is, a khaki .. kilt, was worn. * # ■ ■» "OUR GLOOMY BARDS." Slim Jim writes: Tom Mills's reference to Mick Keane reminds me to . send you these few lines which, as A "M. Cormac " he wrote for the "Bullei tin" many years ago. It is not word perfect, but close enough I hope—l write from memory—to show the , humorous scorn with which M.C.X. lashed the writers of silly sentimental sloppery. How he would have dealt . with these mushy crooners who today % sear our very souls! Why are our bards in a state of gloom? Why do they sigh for the lonely tomb? Why do they sit in a darkened room, . And strum sad songs on the strings, ofdoom? Is joy all dead? What huge disaster or what fell blight" Has robbed each one of his delight? Why could none of them hold her tight And not leave go? Why do their hearts in chorus bleed?, Why have their hopes all run to seed? ; Is Ward* the cause? Is it -due- ta Reid*? Why all this woe? Oh, damn the days of the long-ago, And the crimson kiss, and the murmur low, And the twin-souls wandering to and fro! Damn and blast!! *New Zealand and Australian Premiers of tlie time. • • « ASTONISHING PEOPLE. (Edward the Fanatic.) ' This is the strange story of Edward Wightman. He thought he was the . Messiah. We do not know when he was born, but he came of a" Leicestershire family, though he seems to-have ; lived,in Staffordshire, at any rate for a time, writes G. In the reign of James the First there were various meetings held by religious bodies in the neighbourhood of Burton-on-Trent, Puritan divines addressing those who gathered' there. To these meetings went Edward Wightman, who soon distin- . guished himself by his wild assertions, ■' and his fervour, a fervour which even' the.most fervent there soon came to be afraid of, for he was as a man caught up by the spirit. When James the First arrived, during a progress. v «• Royston, Edward told him that grace, had come upon his own spirit, and that ; \ he was God upon earth. As Barnes claimed to rule by divine right, he V was not pleased to find the deity in the Midlands, and Edward Y^ightman was ordered to be examined by the Bishop of Westminster. The upshot of it all was that after various courts had met it was found that Edward persisted in his claim to be the fulfilment of Bibli- . cal prophecy, and that he was, indeed,. a religious fanatic, slightly unbalanced. . He was condemned to the stake in 1612, the writ being directed to the Sheriff of Lichfield. The crazy fel- , low was chained to the stake and the fire kindled, but when he began to be scorched he writhed in agony and ' screamed out that he would recantwhereupon the crowd rushed up to him, threw aside the burning logs, and set him free. Some days after, however, Edward was ordered to make a ( formal recantation. He refused; so for a second time he was chained to the stake, the fire kindled, and his soul went up while he shouted out his be-:' lief in his own divinity. He was the last person burned for heresy inJEnf* , yland. _______________________________ . ■ - .