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Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12772, 19 April 1910, Page 4

Achille Cinfriguini, like the famous Greek hero from whom he takes his first name, may be vulnerable in his heel, but there is no doubt about his head ; it is decidedly hard, and almost but not quite, invulnerable (writes, a correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" from Italy). He strolled into the hospital, at Orvieto, and submitted his head to examination. He had undoubtedly sustained a very severe fracture, for the top of his cranium resembled an egg after it has been smartly tapped hy a spoon. But he retained perfect mental lucidity, and was able to give a clear explanation of how his mishap had occurred. He had had a little difference of opinion with his uncle, with whom he lived. Should they have fried eggs for luncheon or an omelette ? The question was debated with some heat, and at-Uast tho uncle lost his temper. He seized a shovel and beat his nephew with it about the body. As this did not convert Achille to the fried eggs, the uncle tried the effect of a log of wood, with which he dealt his nephew a severe blow on the head. That did net s«fctle the dispute, bnt it nearly settled Achille, who fell to the ground He jumped up again in a moment and ran five miles t<i the station, where he took the train to Orvieto, the nearest town to his native village. On nis arrival, as already stated, he walked coolly into the hospital and submitted his battered skull for treatment. The chief surgeon was obliged to remove ! several splinters of bone, hut he does not despair of a complete cure— unless complications arise.

Lessons in English aro in future to I bo given in the national schools of Peru. The "Book Monthly" tells tho story of a little discovery in Paris. It happened before the floods came. A wandering book-buyer decided to give n couple of francs for an old volume, which ho happened upon in one of the collections along the banks of the Seine. Ho turned over its pages -n the evening, atjionie, and found, no which were purposely stuck together. He opened them carefully with a knife, and inside he found three bank notes of a thousand francs each, together ■with a message: "Friend, whoever thou art, tlious hast road this book to the end ; be legatee, without remorse, of this little fortune. It is all" my pen has. brought me in fifty years. May the Muses be more favourable tothee,, for thou art surely a man <.t letters." Thcjn came the initials "H.Z.," tho aaZte, January 10, 1848, and the number of a street in Paris.

A gentleman owned a dog; *.er. T good watch-dog bub noisy. Ownsr of dog was very deaf, and did not boar much of it ; but the constant barking annoyed neighbours. Frequent c« mplaints came from the neighbours. One day a friend stopped the, owi'-r of the dog in tlie street, and sail: "Good morning, sir. Wo had a 107 pleasant visit from your wife ye-i.er-day." The owner of .the dog, mt hearing properly, thought it was another complaint about tho dog. ll*. replied : ' 'It shall not occur again. 1 am going to have her chained up.'"There are some mothers who seem to bo quite unaware that beefsteak pudding aud gin are not a proper diet for a baby of twelve months." — Bishop of London. A woman never knows what she wants until sho realises what she can't have; before that, she's as changeable as the wind. — Elizabeth Martindale.