THE FISHLIKE BRITON.

Mataura Ensign, 14 February 1916, Page 3

THE FISHLIKE BRITON.

CALLOUS ISLANDERS. VIKXKSK .IOCBXAI.'S VIKWS. It is alwavs uood to he able to see ourselvo> as'others see us. even il we I have Hi ;.'.o as lai :'s Vienna to do it. i Imu- this reason no doubt a welcome will i be extended to a social study ol" the ! ftnylMi which occupies considerable | space in> the '.Nones Wiener JourI nal': ■ [ It ix a. mistake to suppose that this war owes its origin exclusively to British etivy and malice; it is in a. ureat. pari, due, though indiiecily. to Hie innate callousness ot the Km-dish character. Tlie islanders have no use lor sentilneni. of any kind; they regard its maniiestal ion as. a shameful weakness, and every single individual aiuony; them views war. so lone; as it does not directly ali'eei, hiniselt. lavorably. VF.IiY I'lSliV. The lishlik.. coldness which makes the. Britons so hatelul. in opposition to the all'eetionaie cordialiiy acierises the Au.stiians and the South I Hermans. :m a Iso. t:xeinplilied in I'< relish I'amilv life, which is chilleil by it as by a. Lhick h.oar I'ro.st . The very circumstance that they talk about their own children as "eneiimbi anoes" shows this ulainly enuuiih. A miii never kisses li i.s father! rarely even his mother. He would consider it beneath his dignity to caress his mother, who never becomes his coniidiante. Kvoit' anion"; married couples there is nothing but. coldness, overlaid, with a veneer of

hypocrisy. 'Here 'us a ease in ;oint: A husband returning homo liuds his spouse re-

clinin.e; or. the sofa readme; a fashion journal. Wit hunt any preface he says io her : "I am uoiim for a trip ill an aeroplane." "lieallyr All rijiht." is the answer. "But- are you sure the life insurance company will pay up if au.vihiiii; happens 10 yon ? ;l)oes the policy provide ior such a cai-el" BRJBIXH .M A.M.MA. Someiinies. of course, this ,np|)ai'eu't absence of sentiment may bo carried ton tar. especially when it. prompts us t.> charge our children for what they eat. It is, however (as any railway j'orier will .admit), perfectly natural when it is displayed in such n ease as t hat, related below :

I Alter tin's we cannot be surprised at 11 the foilowine dialogue between an I'-11 Ci,- ' .llshman and a railway poller: ''A s<i'i--lon 1 accident, sir.'' "Indeed?" says itho iiassi 11 l': ■r. "Vi's. ihe two front ears enliiely slil'shed," replies the ; porter. "Kealh!'" "Yes. and. unfortunately, your servant is aaioi'.e; the jdcad. ■('111 into lour pieces." "Tt that sol J '' says tl;e calmly. ""Yes; .what; shall I do?" asks the porter, j "Brine; me that piece of my servant 1 coiifaininv. the keys of niv safe." j If the husband re<|uire.s some special .service from his ui!V. he must- buy her jW'itli LCo'd. In the same way. the ,<laliL r liler is obliged (prellv to slip some money into her motlier'.s hands it she iwislre... her duly invited fiance to net a eood dinner. i When the married son eome-: on a lew daws' '."sit. |(> Ids parental home. lie finds, on the dnv' of hi- departure. the bill for wiial he has eaten aniTer his elate. The -on. as conscientious •■1 h ; s t'athei. only opens his curse. however, when he is convinced that he , has riot been overcharged. Thus it jM>mo'i:iies hapyens thai the Mm ob- ( serves ; --■ j ' and him. but I have oiilv eat en the , ham." To which the worfhv father ro- ' p.'ii - ; "The ••'•'";' ler iool Vim; The I 1 LCis weie oil the tab'e; why did you i no;. ( 'a i, t hem ,''