BREEZES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 March 1932, Page 4

BREEZES

Pilots to Nelson. Brigadier W. I. Joy, of the Salvation Army, who arrived at Plymouth recently from Central America, said that the biggest surprise he had abroad was to find that the Mosquito Indians in Nicaragua could speak English. This knowledge, he explained, had been handed down from generation to generation from the time when Mosquito Indians acted as pilots to Nelson and other British sea captains who were exploring the creeks and waters of Nicaragua. Banking! During the war, a sprightly young officer wanted to overdraw his banking account £SO without security, ’the benevolent bank manager gave the young man a paternal lecture on the danger of such an advance from the bank’s point of' view. “What would happen to the bank,” he asked, “especially in war-time, if it gave overdrafts of £SO, without security, to all its young military clients?” The youth listened patiently, then he patted the elderly manager on the shoulder and ■said: “I’ll tell you what is really the difficulty, old bean. You’re losing your nerve.” ‘ ‘ Brave ’ ’ Onlookers. “Any message for your mother ]” called a. wag in the circus tent at New Plymouth, as a rather bashful-looking youth answered the call for a volunteer for a William Tell act, in which the champion lady rifle shot was to lire at a mark on his head. He was in no danger, for she scored a dead centre hit. The next request was for someone with a cigarette to step into the ring. Broad smiles greeted the appearance of a small youth, who lit up nonchalantly. “Does your father know you smoke?” said one of the circus men. ‘‘lie’s not here,” was the reply. Soon the boy returned to his seat, the ash having been neatly shot off the end of his cigarette with unerring accuracy. Decorated Dog Heroes. One of the most interesting sections at a famous dog show which was held recently was devoted to dogs who had saved life and performed other acts of bravery. They were the dog V.'C.’s. The canine heroes are of ail breeds — many of them, in fact, are mongrels, unable to boast of any pedigree at all. Sometimes, indeed, the mongrel seems to make up in courage, loyalty and intelligence what he lacks in “class” and appearance. Among the recognised breeds with a reputation for bravery, the St. Bernards and the Alsatians are probably unrivalled. One St. Bernard, Barry, saved no fewer than 40 lives during the time that he was rescuing wayfarers lost amid the Alpine snows. As for the Alsatians, innumerable stories arc told of their courage and sagacity during the war, when they were used as ammunition carriers and messengers, and on ambulance work. 7T vr "w Latest in Footwear. The idea that nothing good ever came out of tripe can no longer last. 1 Some devotee of tripe has found a new and artistic use for it that should prove a great success. Specially treated and tinted, tripe is being used now as an ornament for the latest shoes. In a celebrated Bond Street shoemaker’s, a London reporter was shown an eUgant afternoon shoe of the most up-to-uate pattern with the new tripe dimming. The trimming is very beautiful. The surface closely resembles that of a reptile sivin witn an unusually large scale. Each scale Is finely ribbed, with lines radiating from a central point. Along these lines and round the edge of the scale runs the colour, giving a delicate effect of shading on the beige background. The tripe had been tinged with green, as the shoe was of green Kid. Tripe, pr. pared in this way, is being ased most successfully in a variety of . oiouis io haimoiuse with tne skins with which it is combined. The new freak of fashion is masquerading under a fancy name, ol' course. ***** All was NOT lost. The Duke of Wellington on tiie eve of his death (1851)" Thame God, 1 will be spared from seeing the consummation of ruin that is gathering about us. ’ ’ Disraeli (1849) said:— “In industry, commerce, and agriculture, there is no hope.” William Hitt said: — “There is scarcely anything around us but ruin and despair.” Lord Shaftesbury (1848): “Nothing can save the British Empire from shipwreck.” Wilberforce in the early 1800’s said: “I dare not marry, the future is so dark and unsettled.” Queen Adelaide said: — “I have had only one desire —to play the part of Marie Antoinette with bravery in the Revolution that is coming on England.” Lord Grey in 1819: — “I believe everything is tending to a convulsion.”