HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17039, 12 May 1923, Page 8

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. NATURAL. The recruit* were lined up for inspection, when the orderly officer observed with amazement that one of the privates was minus his hat and coat. “ Where’s the rest of your uni form. - ’ he demanded fiercely. “In the barrack-room, sir,” replied thy Tommy. “ Then go and get, properi> dressed at once,” was the stern comman - The man dashed off, and a few moments later returned with his coat on. but *till without his hat “Where’s your hat, doit?” roared the officer. Back went the man, and soon appeared again with hat and coat complete. The officer looked at him for a minute. Then “ W hat have you done with your rifle?” he bellowed. “ Left lb in the barrack-room, sir,” was tho answer. “Good heavens!” shouted the other. “ You’re a fine soldier What were you before you joined up?” Plumber’s mate, sir,” was th*» allsufficient reply. CIGARETTE PIONEER. A man who can speak twenty lan - guages, and who is eighty-seven years of age, was the first man to make cigarettes for the benefit of the British Islands. He is a Mr Nicholas Goundouris, a Greek who became an American citizen. It was in 1858 that he brought ten bales of Turkish tobacco to England and started to make cigarettes, which were then unknown. “ At first,” Mr Coundouris says, “ only a few people adopted the new habit; they included the then Prinoe of Wales and Lady Mordaunt. It took much patience and perseverance befqre cigarette smokine became popular,” Mr Goundouris is one of he most picturesque figure* in London.

FIFTY-TWO YEARS A LIBRARIAN. Few men can know more about hooka than Mr John Frowde, who ha© retired after firty-two years’ work in public libraries. For the last thirtytwo years he has boon chief librarian at Bermondsey, where he established something like a record by issuing a total of over five million book*. Mr Frowde tells & good story of the great John Buskin, who was asked to open the first public library—a temporary building of iron—at Barrow. The famous author wrote back refusing indignantly to perform the ceremony, because. he said. “ he hated all temporary things. and particularly iron things.’ f WILL-MAKING HUMOUR. The oddity of testators often finds its most remarkable expressions in the arrangements they make for their obsequies. Thus, not long ago, a man Union Town, United States, left the sum of £SO to be spent in providing a hundred negro©? to march in front of his coffin, for a distance of four miles, singing the coon songs he had loved during life. Another testator, of Mons. bequeathed £6OO to five friends, the legacy to be spent on a series of banquets at specified restaurants. An angler who died recently left £2O to provide an outing for the members of his club, at which he hoped ‘ good sport would be enjoyed and no mourning worn.” He further directed that his ashes should be carried in a bait-can t<s the riverside, and, before a line was cast, scattered from a boat over the surface of the stream. The great Duke of Marlborough evidently could not resist the temptation of a farewell “dig” at the Duchess wnen he left her “ £40,000 wherewith to spoil Blenheim in her own wav, and £15.000 to keep clean and go to law with.” There is also a distinct note of spitefulness in this extract from thG testament of a Mr Kerr, who, after declaring he would have left hi* widow £IO,OOO if she had allowed him to read his evening paper in peace, added : ,K But you must remember, my dear, that whenever I commenced reading you started playinr? and singing. You must, therefore, take the consequences. T leave you £1000.” WIRELESS FOR POLICE. Major Yitty. who is in charge of the wireless department of Scotland Yard, has had wireless telephony installations fitted on the roofs of one or two of the motor vans used by the “ Flying Squad” of detectives. At a recent test with one of these vans, the installation on top looked like a spring mattress of a bed with exceptionally wide meshes. The experiment* aim at showing how far wireless can be used to co-ordinate various forces of police engaged on the same investigations, one being to connect by wireless two vans travelling in different directions. Is tbe doom of the criminal class at

LEARN A WORD A DAY. When the average person read* his book or newspaper, he usually passes over “ big” words without the least thought as to their meaning. For instance, he may read that So-and-So “ came from an opulent family.” Now, if he doesn't know what “ opulent ” means the sentence conveys nothing to him. On tbe other hand, if he is aware that the word means “wealthy.** he probably thinks to himself: “That chap’s people are well off.” It- is surprising how a geoef vocabulary helps you to speak and write well. You feel pleased with yourself when you com© across a stiff word and are able to give tbe meaning right away. It's a good plan to learn one word each day. Get a pocket dictionary and carry it about with you. Look up a strange word each morning. ascertain rzs meaining. and try to use it in a sentence. Think about the word at odd moments during the day and v o*l*ll find that by the evening you’ve learnt it so thoroughly that you'll never forget it. If you do this your memory will greatly improve and your knowledge will be considerably extended. FOOD EXPERTS DINE. In a West End London hotel recently a dinner was served to so critical an audience that the soup might well have become cold with fear, and! the salmon redder with self-conscious-ness. The occasion was the anniversary dinner of the Universal Food and Cookery Association at the Grand Hotel. The menu, which, in the circumstances. may be taken as representing the most appetising and delicate dishes in season, was—Huitres de Whitstable. Gourmandises Scandinaves. Consomme double aux Paillettes d’Or. V elou te M a rgoton. Darne de Saumon poche. Sauce Hnllandaise. Concombres au Sel. Cotelettes d’ Agneau Mentonaire. Pommes Nouvelles Persillees. Poularde du Surrey en Casserole Maison. Couers de Laitues Bergere. Asperges vertes au Beurre Vierge, Poires fraiohes Pompadour. Corbeilles de Douceur*. •Cafe Noir. The Poires fraiches Pompadour, a melody in pears and ice-cream, was specially oomposed for the evening by the chef of the hotel, M. Perries