Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9192, 23 March 1908, Page 2

" Bluebeard '' originated in France, and was called the " Romance of the Chevalier Raoul," the historic figure being a certain Giles de Laval, Lord of Raiz. He was marshal of France in 1429, and though a brave and fearless soldier was addicted to vice and violence; and from this fact was charged with the wholesale murder of young women, whose blood he used for the purpose of diabolical incantations. From these circumstances the web of the story is spun. A Norwegian inventor has' patented a suit of clothes which will protect its wearer from drowning. ' The clothes are lined with a non-absorbent material made of specially-prepared vegetable fibre which, without being too Tieavy, will effectively hold up the weight of a man in the water. Twelve ounces of the new material will, it is claimed, save a person from sinking. The invention has been tested with favourable results at Christiania. Successful trials were also made with rugs com- , posed of the same material, capable of supporting; two persona in the water.