All Sorts

New Zealand Tablet, 9 February 1911, Page 262

All Sorts

One way to expand the chest is to have a large heart ill it. It saves the cost of gymnastics. Any work, no matter how humble, that a man honors by efficient labor will be found important enough to secure respect for himself and credit for his name. Some people are apt to look at the faults of their neighbors through a telescope; at their own through the instrument reversed, or not at all. Teacher (in a kindergarten physiology class): * Harry, can you tell me the function of the pores of our bodies?' Harry: ' They are things we use to catch cold with.' Guineas were first struck by Charles 11., in 1660, from gold brought from Guinea. They were fixed at 21s in 1717. The first sovereign was coined in 1817, in which year the guineas were finally withdrawn from circulation. ■ Teacher: ' Now, Willie, what is the meaning of the word transparent Willie: 'Something you can see through.' ' Right. Now give me an example.' 4 A ladder.' Mrs. Howard : 'Do come to see me soon ! I live around the corner from your house.' Mrs. Coward: ' Thanks awfully, but since we have our new motor I never call on anyone who lives less than twenty miles away.' Little Willie came in whimpering. His uncle asked him why he was crying. ' What is the matter?' ' A b-boy hit me, uncle.' 'Well, why didn't you hit him back?' 'I d-did, uncle; I hit him first!' The lady of the house was a handsome woman of a mature order of beauty, and when she had completed her toilet she gazed fondly at herself in the glass, and remarked to her new maid ' You'd give a good deal to be as good-looking as I am, wouldn't you, now?' 'Yes'm; almost as much as you would give to be as young as I am.' It is not believed that this epigrammatic young woman will bo chosen again at the expiration of her present term. The recent rose show given in Paris recalled the fact that the oldest rose tree in the world is believed to be one which grows on a wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim, Germany. Eleventh century records make mention of expenses incurred by caretakers of the Cathedral in maintaining this tree, which covers the wall to a height of twenty-five feet, and is twenty inches thick at the root. Kittens are not taught to kill mice, but do it instinctively, according to the conclusions of two observers. Ihe instinct is aroused suddenly by the movement of the mouse first appearing during the kitten's second month of lire, while still feeble and scarcely able to eat a young mouse. If not first aroused until two or three months later, the instinct becomes less and less quickly responsive, and the practical inference is drawn that if a kitten is to make a good mouser it should bo allowed to exercise its killing instinct while very young. It is a common experience amongst mountain climbers to find butterflies lying frozen in the snow, and so brittle that they break unless they are' very carefully handled. Such frozen butterflies on being taken to a warmer climate recover themselves and fly away. Some insects Which habitually hibernate, as larvse or pupai, do not suffer from being frozen even for a lengthened period; but what is known as an open winter, with its alternations of .wet, warmth, and cold, is far more fatal to them. .'.,.. , A certain sportsman went out for a day's rough shooting Not being a particularly good shot, the bag was nil, and, as he did not like to return empty-handed, he bought a hare in the town on the way home. He presented it to his wife, who, after expressing her thanks, thoughtfully remarked: 'lt was a good thing you shot that hare when you did, John; it wouldn't have kept another day.' The beautiful but little known Straits of Magellan, winch are situated at the southernmost point of South America, were discovered in 1520 by Magalhaens, a Portuguese navigator, who made the first passage in 37 days 1 hey are 320 miles in length, and the passage, which is now accomplished in fewer hours than it took Magalhaens days, is an event never to be forgotten, it being almost impossible to describe the majestic grandeur of the scenery which greets the eye on every side. The huge snow-covered mountains, which rise precipitously from the sea level to altitudes of 6800 feet contain many glaciers, whilst the waterfalls, formed by the melting snows, leap in sparkling cascades down their sides. The natives who inhabit their shores are probably the lowest type of savage in existence possessing but little intelligence, dirty and ignorant, and mt sp SS-r he int ? nse cold > wearing scarcely any clothing! Ihe Chilian settlement of Punta Arenas is situated towards the eastern entrance, and enjoys the distinction of being the globe s southernmost town, >