We understand that a proposal to send a relief party to America
to rescue Scotsmen from the threatened Prohibition law is under
consideration.
***
It is rumoured that _The Times_ is about to announce that it does not
hold itself responsible for editorial opinions expressed in its own
columns.
***
A correspondent, complaining of the tiny flats in London, states that
he is a trombone-player, and every time he wants to get the lowest
note he has to go out on to the landing.
***
In Essex Street, Shoreditch--so Dr. ADDISON explained to the House
of Commons--there are seven hundred and thirty-three people in
twenty-nine houses. A correspondent writes that a single house in the
neighbourhood of Big Ben contains seven hundred and seven persons,
many of them incapable, and that nothing is being done about it.
***
"The Original Dixie Land Jazz Band has arrived in London," says an
evening paper. We are grateful for the warning.
***
Over two hundred season-ticket-holders live within a mile radius at
Southend. We suppose there must be some attraction at Southend to
explain why so many season-ticket-holders live there.
***
We are pleased to be able to throw some light on the mystery of the
Russian who was not shot in Petrograd last week. It appears that he
ducked his head.
***
We await confirmation of the report that an American has offered to
defray the cost of the War if the authorities will name it after him.
***
The Surplus Government Property Disposal Board is making a special
offer of eighteen-pounder guns to golf clubs. For a long shot out of a
bad lie the superiority of the eighteen-pounder over the Sammie cleek
is conceded by all the best golfers.
***
Westgate-on-Sea has decided to abolish bathing-machines. In future
visitors desiring to bathe will have to do it by hand.
***
Mr. KELLAWAY informed the House of Commons the other day that the War
Office has forty million yards of surplus aeroplane linen. It seems
inevitable that some of it will have to be washed in public.
***
A woman aged twenty-six, mother of five children, told the Old Street
police magistrate that she could not read. How she managed to have
five children without being able to read the Defence of the Realm
Regulations is regarded by the authorities as a mystery.
***
At the Royal Drawing Society's exhibition there is a picture painted
by a child of two. Pictures by older artists, with all the appearances
of having been painted by children of this unripe age, are, of course,
no novelty.
***
"Whitehall Wakes Up," says _The Evening News_. An indignant denial of
this charge is hourly expected.
***
A Northumberland man last week declined to draw his unemployment pay
on the ground that he was not actually wanting it. His workmates put
it down to the alleged fact that a careless nurse had let him fall out
of the perambulator on to his head.
***
"Unless Russian women join the Bolshevist movement," says Herr RADEK,
"they will all be shot by order of Lenin." This confirms our worst
fears that these Russian revolutionaries are becoming rather spiteful.
***
A new fire-engine has been provided for Aberavon. As a result of this
addition to their appliances the Aberavon Fire Brigade are now able to
consider a few additional fires.
***
A large rat with peculiar red markings on its back has recently been
seen at Woodvale, Isle of Wight. In consequence much alarm is felt
locally, as it is feared that this is an indication that the rodents
on the isle have embraced Bolshevism.
***
The correspondent who, as reported in these columns, noticed a pair
of labourers building within a stone's-throw of Catford Bridge, now
writes to say that a foundation stone has been laid.
***
Philanthropists are warned against a beggar who is going about saying
that, when wounded in France, he was so full of bullets that they took
him back to the Base in an ammunition wagon instead of an ambulance.
***
The reported decision of the Sinn Fein Executive, that policemen shall
only be shot at on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, has definitely
eased a situation which it was feared could only be coped with by
arresting the instigators of such crimes.
***
In a recent suit for alimony a wealthy New Yorker complained that his
wife used a diamond-studded watch for a golf tee. If she had only
wasted the money on a new ball he would never have complained.
***
Experiments in rat-killing, says a news item, are being carried out at
the Zoo. At the time of writing the reticulated python is said to be
leading the whale-headed stork by a matter of three rats.
* * * * *
[Illustration: _Husband (just arrived home)._ "WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU
BEEN DOING WITH YOURSELF?"
_Wife_, "ONLY THE COAL-MAN'S BEEN AT LAST, AND I SIMPLY COULDN'T
RESIST GIVING THE DEAR MAN A KISS!"]
* * * * *