BREEZES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 February 1935, Page 4

BREEZES

Painted Lady. The Fair One: “I want you to paint my portrait, please.” Artist: “I would rather not, madam. I make it a rule never to copy other people’s paintings. ” # Remembrance! Violinist: “Did you notice that old man crying while I was playing my Friend: “Yes. He told me your playing reminded him of the old days when he was happy.” . Violinist: “Was he a violinist?” Friend: “No, he used to keep pigs.” * * * * Fabulous Treasure Lost.

The disappearance of over £3,000,000 worth of precious objects • during the transference of the Chinese . State treasure from Peking to Shanghai early in 1933 has just been discovered, according to letters received in Marseilles. The Chinese police are investigat•ing, and efforts are being made to locate the director of the museum and his secretary. The Imperial Treasure of Peking consisted of tribute levied on subject princes over a course of many centuries, and was of such size and splendour that its value was incalculable. Early in 1933 a large quantity of the treasure was removed to Shanghai on the ground of danger of a Japanese invasion. # * * *

War on Skylarks. Farmers in Gloucestershire have declared war on skylarks, which they accuse of stealing their crops, especially growing wheat, and they have asked their County Council to induce the Homo Office to lift the ban which has long existed on shooting the famous singing bird. The agricultural committee of the Council will shortly consider the matter. Everyone seems to agree that the British skylark does little harm. With the cold weather, however, come flights of larks from Northern Europe, who cat whatever crops they can find. These foreign invaders have aroused the ire of tho Gloucestershire farmers, who have been careful to say that they have no grievance against the British bird.

Bird-lovers are asking how a farmer is to know whether the bird he is about to shoot is a British lark or one from overseas.

Cornea from Another’s Eye. For four years Mrs Eleanor Winder, of West Dulwich (London) has been totally blind. Now she can see again. Mr B. W. Rycroft, honorary surgeon at the Royal Eye Hospital, St. George’s Circus, London, performed on her one of the most delicate operations known to surgery. This is how it happened. Nine years ago Mrs Winder had to have one eye removed. Later the other became affected. Four years ago it failed completely. She was in the Royal Eye Hospital recently receiving treatment — an apparently hopeless case of blindness—when another patient was admitted with an eye so badly injured that it had to be removed. That gave Mr Rycroft an idea—the idea, of attempting to graft the healthy cornea of the injured eye on to Mrs Winder’s eye. In 25 minutes he successfully completed the two operations. Mrs Winder’s eye was bandaged. She was taken to a darkened room. In a few days tho bandages were removed. The effect was small. They wore replaced and removed again exactly a week after the operation. Mrs Winder wept with joy. She could see again. “It was as though the electric light had suddenly been switched on,” she said.

Social Censorship. America’s new Social, Register is out. So are many of the famous names that figured in the last edition. The Register—equivalent to Britain’s “Who’s Who” and “Debrett”— is only a thin little volume. But to the TJ.S.A. its black cover is the black cap of social execution _ to those whose names do not appear within. The unknown dictators of the black hook —nobody knows who prepares the list —have not scrupled to erase the name of Mr Elliott Roosevelt second son of the President, for the “social crime” of divorce. Ilis marriage was dissolved in Reno by the former Elizabeth Donncr. He has married again. His new wife was Miss Ruth Goggins. The register contains the names of all members of the President’s family, with the exception of Elliot. His divorce was the first in the history of the White House. Miss Mildred Tilton Holmsen, who has been presented at Court, and who figured in last year’s book, is now omitted. She startled society by wearing shorts when she appeared before a Reno judge to seek divorce. They were striped shorts, and she wore no shoes or stockings. She walked out of the Register on her bare feet. Women who marry outside the charmed circle are doomed to disappear from the book.

The Social Register contains 40.000 names. It is eleven pages slimmer than last year. It recognises 110 clubs, including tho American Yacht Club at Rye. __________