HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16907, 5 December 1922, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING A PIONEER. A lecturer on vegetarianism in a Highland village remarked in the course of his address:—“lt is to tho pioneers of big movements that the ere dit and honour belong, not to the foi lowers, and exhorted his hearers to become pioneers of vegetarianism in that neighbourhood. At the end ot h:s lecture he wag approached by an old lady, who thanked him for speaking so kindly of her son William. - Bur i think you’ve made a mistake,” revflie.i the lecturer. “ I don’t know your son. and 1 m not aware that I mentioned him to-night.” - Yes, yes,” said the old lady; “ William is one of those pioneers of big movements.” “Oh, I see, ' replied the lecturer. “ What’ is your son. madam?” “ AYhat is Wii ham?” said the proud mother, in h surprised tone. *• Why. he walks m front of a steam-roller holding a red flag.” BRINGING UP FATHER N Aliss Binnie Hale was forbidden by her father. Robert the famous comedian, to think of going on the stage. Binnie, however, was ambitious, and, hearing one day that a chorus girl was wanted in “ Follow the Crowd.” in which her father was then playing, she applied and” was engaged. The first intimation the dismayed father had of hi«» daughter’ disobedience was when, happening to glance round during his first act op | the stage, lie saw hen- in the chorus. i It nearly made him forget his part ! A GOOD AYIRELESS YARN. A Alasonie friend had been seen home by his friend at a very late hour on the previous night ; they might have had very important business that- hai detained them to a late hour, but tii*£ docs not matter. They had home Into ; that had been the ufiploa* nnt point at the time. Old Highurn had pushed Paterson gently in at tho front door and had left him. The following morning the two friends mei. There was anxiety on Highum’s lace. He was a bachelor, and it did not mat tor what time he reached home at night ; hut. greatly as he respected Airs Paterson, he shared her husband’.s fear of her. “ Did your wife read you a lesson last night when she woke up when you came home?” Highurn asked. “No: I managed to deceive her, - answered Paterson, in high glee. “ 1 stood in the hall an hour, delivered a lecture on civic righteousness, told a bedtime story, and sang three gran 1 opera selections, and she thought she had forgotten to turn off the wireless loud speaker.” SHARK BAIT. They use human shark bait on the north-west coast of Australia. The fi>h orman is bait, too. Whilst on their six months’ cruise in the north-west tho men on the sloop Geranium saw many lea is by natives, including a tussle be tween a big shark and a strapping native chief. The men said they were fishing for sharks, and had caught sev oral when “ a grand old man shark. ’ twenty feet long, was sighted. He nosed all their bait suspiciously, but refused to fasten his jaws over it. A native dived in. Immediately the shark attacked the native, making for his leg. The native dived, and through the clear water the men of the Geranium could see his dusky form yards below the shark. Then their vison wa« obscured by thick clouds of blood. Just as all were giving up the dusky prince as lost, his head bobbed up through the blood wreathed in smiles. He had ripped the shark’s belly with his knife of bone. Another exploit that filled the Gera nium men with wonder was that of i ravage who swum through shark-infest ed w-aters to where the sloop was moor ed. two miles distant. AVith a host of other natives, he left the shore for the long swim. Through the glasses the whole performance was watched from the Geranium. AVith a mil© covered only ten were left in the swim, and none save the hero entered into the last r half mile. Ho refused the invitation to come on board : a plug of tobacco was thrown to mm by one of th© men. and. quite contented, he used the side of the sloop as a kicking board and struck out for shore.

EFFECTIA’E PREACHING. A dramatic presentation, depicting some phase of Biblical history, take the place of the regular Sunday night sermon, is an innovation of Rev Roy L. Smith, pastor of Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church. Minneapolis. The first attempt was a dramatic presentation from the closing days of St Paul w hen tli© Christian missionary was im- ! prisoned in a Roman house and attended by Luke, his physician and writer I of the Third Gospel. The dialogue dealt j with the history and future of tlj • J Christian church. Mr Smith carried j out the part of Luke and the other | minister that of St Paul. Two members of the congregation acted as Roman guards. The pulpit was removed from the platform and curtains stretched to make a scene resembling the interior of a Roman house. Footlights and an overhead light helped to make the scene real. “ I believe that this is an effective way of preaching,” Mr Smith said. ETON TAMER MAT’TETV The people who attended Captain Li lido’s lion taming exhibition at the Li«more (New South Wales) show got their money’s worth in excitement When Lindo entered the oage to begin the performance tlve lion rushed at hit i and seized him by the upper part of the arm. Undo managed to struggle free, but before he got away the ]io:i struck him with his paw, tearing through his clothe j and scoring his back badly with it: claws. Tremendous excitement was caused in the crowded tent. A number of women fainted and others shrieked, and the sides of the tent swayed outwards as the crowd hurried to get out before the lion did Lindo escaped from the cage and slammed the door on the lion. Tho I ion-tamer was covered with blood, ano it was found that- his injuries were so # severe that he was conveyed immediate Iv to hospital. On© of the spectator-* who claimed to have had experience with lions, said that the thunderstorm which was threatening at the time of the occurrence, and which hurst soon afterwards, may have affected the beast’s temper. DISOBEDIENT DUSTMEN. Eight AYestminster City Council dust men have been punished for accepting gratuities from householders. The men, it was report«xi at the last council meeting, had been suspended for a week, deprived of good conduct stripes, which carry extra pay, and transferred to other districts. The council decide.! to take no notice of a petition of pro test sent in by 71 of its workmen, who alleged that it was “ a. generaf%>ractic© to accept gratuities.” “ All our employees know that if any official or workman accepts a tip he is liable to dismissal,” said the Mayor of AVest minster, Air G. AY. Lawrence, in an interview. “ The next offender will be dismissed.” It wilL l>e difficult, however, to eradicate the tipping system. J