Here and There

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 22, 1 December 1906, Page 32

Here and There

The S.eMuful Ma*. Thinks firstly and deeply, and speaks last and to the point. Taya promptly and eolleets as he pays, rather than pay as he eolleets. Practises strict*, business economy, but not meanness. Is courteous in manner and appreciates the commercial value of cordiality. Is honest, not only from policy, but from principle. He considers success lacking self-approbation as failure in dis» guise. Is careful in retails, knowing that they are the mortar which binds his operations. Possesses executive ability to a degree which renders him appreciative of ths valuable points in employees. How Bridge Got Its Name. The following ingenious explanation is given in Mr. W. Dalton's book "Saturday Bridge.” of the origin of the name of this popular game. Some twenty years ago there lived in (treat Dalby, Leicestershire. two families who took in turn* to visit each other’s houses and play a game of cards called "Russian Whist.’’ The only road of communication between the two houses lay over a broken-down and somewhat dangerous bridge, and on a dark night the departing guests would say to their hosts: “Thank goodness it's your bridge to-morrow,” meaning that the others would have to cross the dreaded bridge the next night. Thus arose the title “Bridge.” ♦♦e ■ Blnslies When Rain Falls. Among the many wonders of the vast Florida swamps there is nothing more surprising than the blushing-tree. This tree is not common. It is only found in the densest thickets of those interminable marshes, whose luxurious vegetation is a revelation to explorers. It actually blushes when the rain falls upon it. This phenomenon at first seems incomprehensible. It never fails to astound those who see it for the first time. The mysterious and beautiful glow of colour which it assumes in a rainstorm baffles description. The Seminole Indians, who once ruled Florida, have always known of the tree, and have in their musical language words signifying the maiden tree, which reddens at the coming of her lover the rain. When the cool rain drenches a tree, a changing of colour is noted. Gradually. yet unmistakably, the green line gives way to pink. In a few minutes the green fades from sight. Only in a few half hidden spots beneath broad branches ami on its trunk is there a tinge of green to lie seen. The tree is as pink as the cheek of a healthy girl.

After an hour or more, when the shower passes over, the wonderful tree assumes its familiar green once more. As it is changing back to emerald the spectator smldenly realises the secret of the phenomenon. Certain tiny insects and not the tree itself change colour. Iliese peculiar parasites are possessed of the power of chameleons. In the bright, warm sunshine they are greener than the tree on which they live. But when the chilly rain falls upon them they contract their tiny liacks and become a pretty pink in colour. Millions of these change the tint of the tree and impart to it a blushing aspect. Is A»Klo-Saion Friendship a Myth ? In the New York " Critic ” “ An American long resident in England ” says that if he were to live in England for a hundred years he could neier forget that he was a stranger in a strange land. Time lias convinced him that nowhere is it so hard for ati American to feel at home as in England. This dees not seem to augur well for an entente cordiale between the L'nited Slates and England. The writer says:—■ ~ I'he truth is, we never have under-

stood one another since our forefathers left England, because they could endure the country no longer; we never shall understand one another while America remains America and England is the England we know. “ In his isolation John Bull opened the floodgates of his affection upon us, of a sudden recognising in us not merely a friend, but a relation. AVe ceased to be Yankees — we were transformed into Anglo-Saxons. AU Britain rang with the new entente cordiale. the English language apparently having no word for so un-English a sentiment. Tlie Anglo-Saxon is an alliance to keep on misunderstanding one another and pretending we think it friendship—that is. if we in America hold to the part of the bargain assigned to us. But the American cannot change his independence nor the Briton shake off his prejudice.” Sam Got the Pants. In Atlanta there lived a well-to-do young man who was noted for his eternally immaculate appearance, and iu fact was considered the Beau Bnimmel of that town. He had a coloured valet named Sam, who had just two ambitions in life—one to please his master, and the other to some day marry Lindy Pell, the handsomest Creole in that section. The master accidentally stained his finest pair of trousers with some paint, and. calling Sam. directed him to get the pants cleaned. Sam took them first to his own sanctum, and, after admiring them from all sides, slipped them on. He hardly knew himself, as he strutted ma jectieally in front of his mirror. Those pants would clinch the argument with Lindy. He took them off and carefully laid them away. Sam approached his master with a woe-begone look, announcing: “Yuh cain't do nuthin’ with dem* pants, nohow.” "Did you take them to the tailor, Sa ni ?” "Yassir. and lie says you niought as well frow ’em away." “Did you try good soap and water?” "Yassir; scrubbed 'em till I was brack in de face.” “Well, did you try benzine?" “Shush, but she wouldn’t touch dat spot.” “Utn-iii. well, did you try ammonia?” Sam grinned. ’•Yassir, and dey fits me fine!" Uncle Sam as a Colonist. Much has been heard of the experience of the United States as a colonising Power—using “colonising” in its broadest sense —in the Philippines, but less is known of the manner in which the greatRepublic has Imine the burden of empire in Guam, the largest island of the Marianne archipelago, which was ceded by Spain at the close of the war in 1898. Superficially, the island is not very extensive, having an area of about 180 square miles with a population of some 10,000, of whom 7000 are collected in the capital. Agana. As a naval .station, however, Guam is of considerable importance. In some respects, it seemed at first as though the inhabitants had not benefitied by the change of ownership. The United .states did not take kindly to the idea of paying for the upkeep of the dependency, and in an official report on the island, which was drawn up a couple of years ago, it was pointed out that, whereas under Spanish administration the yearly expenditure amounted to about 35.000 pesos, of which only some 4000 pesos were raised by import duties and direct taxation, the rest coming from the Spanisn exchequer, muler American administration in 1902 the expenditure amounted to about 49,000 pesos, the whole of which had to lie provided by the local population. Yet, in spite of the increased taxation, the service of public schools had to be suspended on account of lae.< of funds. Gradually, however, matters are adjusting themselves. Schools have been reopened, and last year the Naval Gov-

ernor was able to report that the FeOeral Government had “already assume# the medical treatment, care, and supply, of medicines to the sick of the whole population. the. extension and rare of roads, telephone service, harbour improvement, and a portion of the cost of school maintenance. ’ Fairness requires, moreover, recognition of the change whk-h is reported in the character of the administration. It is declared to have lieen almost impossible'at first to make the inhabitants realist that the object of officials was not personal gain, and the disinterested regard shown for the welfare of the general population is represented to have made a great iiuprension on the islanders.

India's Comedy King. The coronation of the agitator Banerjee as King of India was performed in a large quadrangle attached to a private house in Calcutta, in the presence of a great crowd of spectators. The “Amrita Bazar Patrika” states that Banerjee was fanned, decked with garlands. canopied, anointed, and crowned like a real king. Banerjee’s own journal, the “Bengalee,” published a laudatory account of the ceremony, according to wh'eh the leading Brahmin pundits of Bengal and other provinces were present, standing in groups around Banerjee. Over his head was placed a richly embroidered umbrella, while a white chowrie was waved before him in royal fashion. Then, while the pundits chanted Ved-c Mantras, a floral erown was placed upon Banerjee’s head, amid loud shouts of " Ramie Materam” f Hail, Motherland!) from the assemblage. After benedictions had been pronounced Banerjee delivered a speech iu which he urged the people not to allow their resources to be drained by fore gn commerce. Be declared that the tallow, blood, and bene of cows and swine were used in foreign manufactures, and referred to the English method of s zing cloth, maintaining that Hindus and Mahometans alike should not use foreign manufactures which were objpetionabie on religious grounds.—Reuter. Something lake an Hotel. The Hofbrauhaus of Munich is, perhaps. the oldest and largest saloon in the world, owned by the King of Bavaria. and patronised by an average of 12,000 customers a day. On holidays the number often runs up to 15.000 and 16,000, notes W. E. Curtis, in a letter from the Bavarian capital. Nothing to drink is sold but beer, brewed at the royal brewery, which was started by King Ludwig the Severe in 1255. Tlie present Hofbrauhaus was built in 1644. ami the beer was brewed on the spot until 1878. when the brewery was moved into the country to less expensive quarters. There are seats for 1500 customers—• plain woollen benches without backs, beside plain wooden tables without covers. In the garden or eourt are 100 empty beer barrels set on end •which are used for tables. The steins, which are very heavy anil hold a quart of beer, are piled up in stacks before the bar on the floor in the morning, where they remain until they are used. When a customer wants beer he picks out a stein, takes it one of the basins of running water which line the walls, and washes it himself. Then he carries it to the counter and hands it over to the bartender, who fills it up with beer from the barrel. There are 100 steins of beer in each barrel, and from 90 to 100 barrels are consumed each day. The price is .Til a stein, and the profits support the hospitals of the city, although the king could claim them if he desired to do so. as the brewery and the Hofbrauhaus belong to him by inheritance.