POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 61, 10 September 1945, Page 4

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FLAGE

The automatic telephone exchange if more than 60 years old. « -a .-■»■' Nature has given to men one tongue, bat two ears, that we may hear from others twice as- much as we speak. —Epictetus. -:> -::- * Did you know that the longest item of news ever telegraphed to a newspaper was the entire New Testament as revised which was sent from New York to the "Chicago Tribune" in May, 1882? •» « •" VERY GREEN. Arm-in-arm the two young lovers strolled through the moonlit orchard. "Listen, John!" she whispered. ;'Do you hear the trees moaning and sighing." "And so would you be sighing, answered John, "if you were full of green apples." EX-GOVERNOR. In drizzling rain a long bus queue stood outside the Mansion House (London). The bus pulled up and four passengers climbed on. The fifth was about to mount the platform when the conductress barred his entrance with outstretched arm: "Full up." she" said, and rang the bell. The would-be passenger—a welldressed little man—philosophically retook his place in the queue. He was Lord Huntingfield, former Governor of Victoria and former Acting GovernorGeneral of Australia. •:;• * * - . FROM A CONSTANT READER. T.L.M.: A literary note from New Zealanders in Italy comes from one of my grandsons in the Forces over there. He had the privilege of a wonderful tour of ancient and modern Rome. Although facile with the pen, St. Peter's left him wordless. He was in a group that had audience with the Pope. He heard Ben. Gigli in grand opera. He found the graves of the English poets. Shelley and Keats. And look: he paid an Italian boy to clean up the two graves! Kia Ora to all Coluinneighters. •::• -::- » STRANGE NAMES. Percy Flage,—l was most interested in the item (written by a postscriptor) appearing in the "Evening Post" of September 3 re strange names. It just brought to mind that some time during the year I read a marriage notice in our local "Parish Magazine where a Mr. Winter married a Miss Night: "Winter—Night." . Strange to say, the surname Night was spelt without the "X," which is the usual way -of spelling it. Such being the case it made it more unique. All the best to Column 8. ■::- « * MISUNDERSTOOD. "She's fast." The maid he indicate*, looked demure. And as she passed with downcast eyes My countenance expressed surprise. Slie looked so sweetly innocent and pure. "You seem to doubt my word! snapped he. "That girl is quick as quick can be. She does her 40 on 'er bloomin' 'cad, An' cleans up ev'ry milker in the Sha3!" J.A.W. Pahiatua. -::- «■ . -«• WHAT A MAN! Meanest man in Brighton (England) is Mrs. Dorothy Meesham's husband, according to Mr. Justice Cassels at the Lewes Assizes. With an income of £2000. all Francis Walter Meesham allowed his wife was 10s a week, from which she had to buy her own food. Granting the wife a decree nisi on the grounds of cruelty, Judge Cassels said: "Meesham treated his wife as a I domestic servant, but no servant would have tolerated his treatment for five minutes. "Mrs. Meesham had put up with :, for nine years, and had been reduce*, to a state of complete nervous collapse." Mrs. Meesham told the Court thsbecause she once was seen in company with a Canadian soldier, Meesham forced her into a chair and assault© her. When she refused to make a statement, he stopped her allowance altogether. She was astonished when he disclosed to the Court his £2000 income, because she always thought they were poor. The Judge granted her costs and the custody of their child.