RECKLESS ADVENTURE.

Western Star, 8 November 1935, Page 4

RECKLESS ADVENTURE.

DEATH ON MOUNT EVEREST. With his notebook and a roll of films beside him, a daring young Englishman was recently found dead over 21,000 ft up Mount Everest, H c was Captain Maurice Wilson, and it was in May last year that he waved farewell to three native porters who had accompanied him to Camp 3 and set out alone to attempt a feat which had proved beyond the powers of a highly-organised expedition. Though ordered to return, the porters waited for him a month before sadly making their wav back to civilisation. Captain "Wilson had flown a Gipsy Moth to India in 1933, intending to land on the highest peak in the world and plant a Union Jack there. But the independent King of Nepal forbade him to fly over hj s State, so the airman sold his machine and resolved to try on foot. Having trained himself to live rn dates and cereals, he assumed the disguise of an Indian porter, and, engaging three natives to carry his food and equipment, made his way unchallenged up the slopes of Everest. His body was found !by a party preparipg the wav fo r a new attempt to scale the mountain next year. They buried it reverently in a crevasse, and raised a cairn as a memorial to this most heroic (if most reckless) adventurer

EARLY BIRD. \ A negro woman shuffled up to the desk. She answered the investigator’s (uestions briskly. Her age?—Just seventy, suh. Any children? —Yessuli, a daughter. The daughter’s age?—Seventy-five. The investigator frowned. How could chat be?’ ‘Well, the applicant explained promptly, ‘you see, I got married awfully early.’ NIGHT SHIFT. ‘I shall have to put you fellows in the same room,’ said the host. ‘That’s all right,’ the guests replied. ‘Well. I think,’ said the host, ‘you’ll hnvp a comfortable night. It’s a feather bed. ’ At 2 o’clock in the morning one of the guests awoke his companion ‘Change places with me Dick.’ he groaned. ‘lt’s my. turn to lie o n the feather. ’ TURN ABOUT.

The skipper of a tramp steamer, in writing up the log recording an eventful day, rounded off his task with the entry : ‘Mate intoxicated.’ To the mate, who indignantly protested on read in? it, tli e skipper retorted, ‘Well, it’s true ain’t it?’ On the following day it was the mate’s duty to write up the log, and he completed his account with ‘Skipper sober.’ The captain stared at it for a moment —then exploded. ‘Well, it’s tine, ain’t it?’ was the mate’s rejoinder. NOT WHAT SHE .MEANT Mrs Jone s (away from home on holiday. in a letter to neighbour next door): ‘Dear Mrs Smith, —I’m so awfully s'»rrv to trouble you, but I’ve come away without putting anything out for the cat Would you put something out- for it. please? It will eat anything, but don’t put yourself out.’ PROOF. Fjist Farmer : I see, according tu the paper, you r boy is a very fast runner. It says he ‘fairly burned up’ the track during a race on Bank Holiday Monday. I suppose you were there, and saw him do it? Second Farmer : "Well, I was there alf right, but I got there too late to see the race. However, I did see the track,' and there was nothin’ but cinders. HE DIDN’T MIND.

A very young and pretty gi,l who had gone to see s>me territorial manoeuvres was eo startled by the unexpected firing <jf the rifles that she s creamed and stepped backwards into the arms of i f-u: prised young man. ‘Ch,’ she - aid. blushing, ‘I was frightened by the rifles. I beg vour pardon.’ ” ‘ ( ‘Not at all,’ said the young man. ‘Let u s go over and watch the artillery. WITH APPLE SAUCE. The park orator was getting all worked up l.tell you,’ he rattled on, ‘this co-m try is gradually going t 0 the dogs AVo are spending more tha„ we can ’afford. Soon there will come a- time whim wo shall be bankrupt. AVe shall b e like the prodigal son; w e shall have to eat the food of swine. After that what shall we do?’ He paused am] glared at his audienee. inning the silence came a voice from tile back, of the crowd : ‘Eat tile pi -s of course, matey,’ it said. “ "

HE THOUGHT IT M:uk Tu ; ,;„. the famous author, onco Played ge]f with an American bishop -wm \.:’s (lew.-tod to the game. At tho am.'teenth hole they were all square ' , ' vl, “ tho “honour” L‘ d is hall earehilly. to„k a couple of piai-tu-e swings, then made a mmhtv “ V| !>e-and missed the hall compfeteRe said nothing ‘Bishop.’ said Mark Twain, ‘that h.vu-d ,nnSt P, '° fiU,e si!enw I ever

Gardeners complain that the weather !.T, ; S OW ;';!. r, ;’ Ull the growth „f Vegel• ' i'% " lil * ' s "I’oded most is +b 0 km. of vegetable that will flourish under conditions s 0 favourable to weeds An American declares tint b,, • l>."s climbed noaWv 40 i.e,- c, 1..;v,,5t W.. I~r ,1,0 A ".. ‘■S™ 1 , *