COURTSHIP UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1415, 7 June 1917, Page 29

COURTSHIP UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

Canon Hannay (“George A. Birmingham”) tells this story in the “Daily News”: — “There is a story told of an English soldier who wished to marry a French girl. It seems a wild kind of story, but it will be credible to anyone who knows the extraordinary range and capacity of the Entente language. “ ‘I suppose,’ said the officer whom the man consulted, ‘that since you’ve got engaged to be married to the girl you speak French?’ ‘Oh, pretty well, sir,’ said the man. ‘Quite well enough to get on. I know “pas bon” and “na poo,” and a few sentences like that.’ “It seemed insufficient for the intricacies of courtship. ‘That girl knows English, then?’ said the officer. ‘Pretty well, sir. Quite good enough to get on with. She knows “Good afternoon” and “Come for a walk,” and a few more words like that.’ “ ‘What about the question of religion?’ sa’d the officer. ‘She’s a Roman Catholic, I suppose?’ ‘She was, s’r,’ said the man; ‘but I explained all that to her, and she’s Church of England now.’ “After all, most rel’gious controversy boils down into ‘pas bon,’ said repeatedly, with emphasis, and all that is really necessary in the renunciation of forsaken faith may be summed up in the words ‘Na poo.’ ”

A big spoonful of Scrubb’s cloudy ammonia in a hot bath works wonders with tired humanity, and is a restorative of great value after a long day of work or amusement, to which those who play hockey, golf or tenn ; s can amply testify. Then, in the matter of washing lace or muslin ties, or even a white silk blouse, the result of putting them to soak •‘n a bowlful of water with a tablespoonful of this ammonia and there

leaving them for a time seems to be that the dirt comes out by itself. As there is, in consequence, no rubbing required, a series of gentle squeezings in a lather of warm soap and water being quite sufficient, frail fabrics last much longer than they otherwise would.