ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 8277, 19 October 1905, Page 2

ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

Compiled From Various SoureST An American paper says that, by the bravery of Miss Lucy Ernst, the life of Ralph Schonchut was saved, after he had been bitten by a rattlesnake at PorterLake, Strndsburg, in Pennsylvania. Both are children of well-known Philadelphians, the boy being about seventeen and tbe girl a little younger. They went out to get bark to make souvenirs, and while the young man was stripping a small tree a rattlesnake struck him in the right arm just below the shoulder. Miss Ernst at once offered her help. She ripped the boy's shirt open, and saw that his arm was getting dark. She then took his penknife and cut a gash in his arm, and sucked the poison from the wound, saving his life at the peril of her own. Charles Howard, a sturdy little barelegged, flaxen-haired boy of seven, who resides at Limehouse, was lately the hero of the East End of London. He was siltingtin •-- the steps of Ratcliil Stairs, Duke's-slreet, eating an apple, when lie was suddenly roused by loud screams of torror. Rushing to the edge of the water, ho saw a gir]|jk thirteen struggling for life. She had goirP down, and was sinking already again. The bravo little lad, without hesitation jumped into the water, which at this spot is about ten feet deep, and safely brought the girl to the edge of the stairs. A crowd'had meanwhile collected, and the rescuer and rescued were loudly cheered and carried to their homes on the shoulders of men. The mother of the girl took the little fellow in her arms, and, sobbing in her gratitude, kissed him for saving her child. AVhen seen by a newspaper representative, and congratulated on his gallant conduct, the little fellow replied: " I couldn't see her drown, could I?" The public was once accustomed (says the New Zealand Herald) to hearing of building operations being brought to a standstill by differences between employers and employes, but is altogether new to be visited by tho same unpleasant phenomenon as the result of differences between two bodies of capable, intelligent, and business-like men. Just how the trouble arose would puzzle an Arbitration Court judge to discover, for each side appears to regard itself not only as altogether in the right, but as suffering from the mistaken conduct of the other. The result is that a great many innocent men are about idle, while an important and pressinjSc industry is being delayed, private interest™ injured, and public prosperity affected.