A PUZZLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1932, Page 16 (Supplement)

A PUZZLE.

Read this i ’.tliout looking at the answer: —

I tnoK to taking

heard you throw" my Answer: I overheard you undertook to overthrow my undertaking. (Sent by Merle Druce.) Why is a bad cold a great humiliation ? , , Because it brings the proudest man to his sneeze (his knees). Why is a doctor the meanest man on earth? Because he treats you and then makes you pay for it.

(Sent by Ruth -Sheerin.) What is to be? A verb - ... What fish is found in every birdcage? A perch. What is deeper than the ocean? Its bed. What makes a road broad? The letter B. Why are plum stones lika milestones?

Because you never find them in pears (pairs). Which is the smallest county in Ireland? Cork, because it will go into a bottle. What is found in every sea and not in every ocean? The letter 8. When are houses like books? When they have storeys in them. What is that over the head and under the hat? Hair. (Sent by Otelia Jennings.? How many hairs are there in a dog’s tail? None; they are all on the outside.What bird reminds you of a good time? A lark. Which chins are never shaved? ' Urchins. Where can money always be found? In a dictionary. What is that of which the common sort is better? Common sense. (Sent by Jack Coatsworth.) What night is the longest in the whole year? A fortnight. • What has no legs but can run fast? A tap. Why are hot rolls like caterpillars? Because they make butter-fly. (Sent by Edna Jennings.) THE SNEER THAT STAYED. iSaid the porpoise:,“l never have seen touch a crush! Wherever 1 I go it’s all muddle and rush. It’s time that we made a few laws in the sea, And settled this scramble with rule and decree.” “Indeed, you are right,” said tae cumbersome cod, "That shark has just given me such a sharp prod! Every fish gets in another one’s way. We ought to make rules that we all can obey.” This talk of the sea traffic wasn’t quite new, But all the sea creatures expressed the same view, And now got together to choose a wise fish Who’d make law and order to everyone’s wish. They decided that no one should get in the way Of any sea creature by night or by day. But when they had banished prods and collision, They couldn’t decide who should sign the decision. "The honour is great, so let's race,” said the pike, “I’ll give the signal and judge if you like; Line up in a row from the sprat to the whale, And swim to the rock called the Hardy Sea Snail.”

This seemed very wise, so, with fuss and commotion, They formed a great line in the midst of the ocean; “Away!” cried the pike, and like arrows of steel, They started —excepting the deaf conger eel!

Now in that great race the flat flabby sole Was so far behind that he ne’er reached the goal. "Who’s first?” he cried shrilly, "Tell me who’s first!” "The herring!” they shouted, with one mighty burst.

'The herring! So common, such very low fry,” Sneered the cole, as he twisted his mouth all awry, And ever since then it’s been crooked, my dear, As a punishment for that unkind, nasty jeer. CLEOPATRA, QUEEN OF EGYPT. Cleopatra was a beautiful Egyptian girl who was born 60 B.C. She was so charming and graceful and clever that she nearly always obtained her desire, for people admired her so much that they became her slaves. Her father, King Ptolemy Auletes, died when Cleopatra was I'7 years old, and she, with her brother Ptolemy, ascended the throne. There was one person, however, who would not allow her to have her own way, and that was her brother, who tried to take the throne away from her. Cleopatra was determined not to be dethroned, and decided to ask the famous Roman general, Julius Caesar, to help her. She was very closely watched by her brother’s friends, so she devised a clever scheme. One of her servants one day carried a roll of carpet on his back, and took it to Alexandria, where Julius Caesar was staying. What was Caesar's surprise as the servant put the carpet carefully down on the floor when out sprang the beautiful Cleopatra, who threw herself at his feet, asking for help. Caesar promised to help her, and did so, staying in Egypt until Ptolemy was eventually murdered and Cleopatra regained the throne. Some years later Julius Caesar was murdered, and Mark Antony succeeded him as the greatest man in Rome. Cleopatra then tried to make Mark Antony a slave to her charms. She had a wonderful ship built, with a canopy of gold cloth, sails of purple silk, and silver oars. Then Cleopatra, with a golden crown on her head, reclined in the boat under the golden canopy, and sailed to Tarsus, on the River Cydnus, to see Antony. He lost his heart to her completely, and went back to Egypt with her. Then, so that he could stay with her, he divorced his wife, Octavia, whose brother, Octavius, declared war against Cleopatra. Antony was killed and Cleopatra taken prisoner by Octavius, who intended to take her back to Rome. Sooner than be kept a prisoner, however, Cleopatra determined to kill herself. Ordering her servant to bring her an asp, a deadly serpent, concealed in a basket of figs, Cleopatra dressed herself in her queenly robes and crown, put the asp in her breast, and died within a few moments from its sting.