AT THE TEA TABLE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12084, 23 June 1920, Page 5

AT THE TEA TABLE.

SOME TOPICAL TALKS.

“Novelists have often,” remarked the Critic, “referred to what have been called ‘the spacioua days of Good Queen Bess,’ when there was scope for the adventurous and it was possible for daring men to lead lives of wild excitement in the struggle for rich prizes. I wonder if the fiction writers in the future will look back on the present days of Good King George and invest them with the halo of romance. There are certainly maaj adventurers in evidence and they are helping to make history both in the East and the West, We recently heard of one in Persia setting up himself as a leader and of Tamerlane’s descendantdeclaring his intention to imitate his ancestor and march on India. Before that also D’Annunzio was Eiumiug, ai d Trotsky am! Lenin were controlling a former great Empire. Now a descendant of Garibaldi, the Italian Liberator, is scheming to rise to eminence in Montenegro on similar lines to those adopted by the Fiume operator.” “It is only history repeating itself,” said the Cynic. “Most of the royal dynasties began with successful adventurers who grasped power and held it until they became established. Some, like Napoleon, did not hold it long, but even yet some European thrones are occupied by the descendants of his relatives or generals. The original Garibaldi was a king maker, and possibly his descendant may become the same.” “The hapless House of Hapsburg, ” remarked the Critic, “supplies an example of the insecurity of things in this vale of tears, for though it held power for about: four centuries it collapsed with suddenness and now' assassins are plotting to exterminate any surviving members. The late head was a man of many sorrows, who saw his line become like ‘the far famed Appiau way, that ended in a mire,’ ” “If the stories are true,” said the Cynic, “the ex-Kaiser has also reason to fear the hand of the assassin, It is easy to understand that, he maj' have aroused the spirit of vengeance in some of his former people whose relatives were sent to their death, while of course the Belgians have still more reason to desire his death. ”

“Unfortunately,” laid the Critic, “our cable sender has lately been contradicting himself ou many occasions, The other day he told us that William was ill and one can scarcely imagine that in this case he would be likely to become available as a target for the guns of Germans or as an object for the club of a Belgian. ”

“There was a good®solid reason for his illness, 1 ’ said the Cynic, “for a Commission is now sitting to establish an International Court of Justice. That fact ought to make the world’s greatest criminal feel ill, indeed.” "In the meantime,” said the Critic, “I notice that the German people are well in the fashion with ago slow policy applied to disarmament. It is satisfactory, however, tc see that the, principal Allies are not inclined to stand any delay in this respect” “The fashionable women who practice the go slow policy are being roundly condemned by the clergy, ” remarked the Critic. “It is however, a libel ou tbo animals to describe their doings as farmyard, morals, lor these fashion slaves are unnatural. It is also one of the most singular features of modern fashionable life that its women have lost the sense of modesty. “"No wonder the New Orleans priest who refused, to marry a half dressed bride ordered the lights to be lowered. Judging from recent photographs appearing in some of the Home illustrated, papers, some of the costumes worn are positively indecent.” “You should say the little that ie worn makes the brazen females indecent, ” said the Cynic. “They don’t leave much to the imagination. , I have heard it said, however, that it is not always good policy to put. all the goods in the window, lest; they become faded or shop soiled, and Jose their value. Imagination, is a great factor in our lives, and sometimes realities repel” “Have you noticed?” asked the Critic, “how little value now seems to b© set on human life? The Great War accustomed ua to tales of horror, and now we are scarcely thrilled when we hear that the Albanians have butchered a few hundred Italian prisoners, or a Mexican bandit has slaughtered hundreds of women because one tried to slay him.” “It has not taken long for Australia’s bad example to be followed,” remarked the Politician. “The South Africans have gaily voted themselves increased salary out of the public parse, Let ns hope that the constituents of all these plunderers will at the next elections show them that their value is not what they estimate it themselves.” “The Africans were moderate, however,” said the Cynic, “for they grabbed only £2OO extra while the Australians seized a very much larger amount. Theft is theft, however, whether it is of a small or a large sum, or whether it is from the till of a tradesman or the purse of the public. In each case it is a breach of trust. ” “I see we have got something from America at last that is not ‘the biggest thing on airth, stranger,’ ” said the Critic. “Cur doctors say that an epidemic they are now contending with is American smallpox. The adjective denoting diminutiveshould make every patriotic Yankee blush with shame.” A JAYB PBNNE.