Miscellany: Nov. 18, 1929

“TIME brings all things.”

Rest

In Africa, telegraph linesmen, long mystified by the destruction of wires over the veldt, discovered that languid giraffes use them for head rests.

Bobber

In Louisville, Ky., Alfred Ormes, Hallowe’en apple bobber, took a fierce nip fr£ a large apple, dislocated both jaws.

Toxophilites

In Bernardston, Mass., Raymond Phelps, eight, killed a squirrel with a bow and arrow.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, a herds-boy, twelve, killed a lioness with a bow and arrow.

License

In Manhattan, Antonio Laspino, cobbler, secured a gun and a hunter’s license, went to Van Cortlandt Park, wandered about shooting at songbirds, hitting golfers. When arrested he proudly showed his license, wondered why he was fined $25.

Sporting Life

In Pittsburgh, on the opening day of the small game season, one hunter was killed, two dropped dead, three bystanders were seriously hurt, 13 others wounded.

Smash

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, a street car crashed headlong into a circus elephant. The front of the car was smashed, the elephant lay unconscious. For two hours he held up traffic, while his mate stood by. trumpeted, allowed no one to approach.

Peeper

In Owensboro, Ky., a woman telephoned the police in the night, said a man was peeping in her window, that she was holding him at bay with a pistol. Rushing to the house, police found a cow, munching her cud, looking in the window.

Toad

In Toledo, one Finley Fackler, workman, found a live toad in a hollow of a concrete block at a Baptist Church.

Bullet

In Chicago one Benjamin Friedman was shot in the mouth while pursuing a gunman who had held him up. He spat out three teeth, chased on, wondered where the bullet had gone. At a hospital he learned he had swallowed it.

Heart

In Kirksville, Mo., gunmen accidentally shot Mrs. William Wilson through the left breast. She did not die. An X-ray showed that her heart was on her right side.

Mix

In Havana, a baby born to blonde Senora Caridad Perez developed black eyes, dark skin, kinky hair. A baby born to brunette Bernardina Vega became blonde, blue-eyed. Senor Perez sued for divorce. Police investigated, found that the babies, born in the same hospital, had been bathed together, mixed. Senor Perez canceled his suit.

Christian

In North Platte, Neb., one George St. Clair, 22, strangled his 18-year-old wife, said:

“I met my wife, June, at a revival and married her because she was a Christian and lived as God wanted her to. We said grace at each meal. At breakfast one morning the idea occurred to me to kill her for fear she might stray from the Christian life. This plan was strengthened by the fact that I soon lost my job and was unable to care for her.”

Wag

From Manhattan a letter was sent addressed by a wag to Booth Town, Conn. Smart postoffice men correctly delivered it in New Haven, Conn., native town of Albert J. (“Albie”) Booth Jr., famed Yale footballer.

Sextuplets

In Malmesbury, South Africa, a white girl gave birth to six boys. Three died shortly after birth.

Guardian

In Indianapolis, one John B. Ellis fell into the street from his wagon. As he lay unconscious his horse wandered over, gently placed its hoof over Ellis’ head, kept it there until help arrived.

Wild Oats

In Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, a Persian cat puzzled its owner by yowling, squirming. He found that some wild oats, blown by the wind into the cat’s fur, had gotten under the skin, had taken root and were sprouting.

Damage

In Los Angeles, one Nicola de Pento, who lives near a cat and dog cemetery, declares that the burials depress him, have ruined his property. He asks $10,000 damages from the cemetery.

Damages

In Pittsburgh, L. P. Gregory, insurance man, compiled a list of odd claims for damages which he has investigated and found genuine in the last 15 years:

A claimant rubbed himself so hard after a bath that he dislocated his neck.

A claimant dropped a pencil, struck his knees together to catch it, ran the point into his leg.

Friend of a claimant, joking, put carbolic acid in his bed.

A claimant sitting in a street car had a shovelful of hot asphalt thrown into his lap by a careless workman in the street.

A claimant was embraced by a friend, had her rib fractured.

A claimant, conversing in a hallway, was stepped on by a horse which wandered in.

A claimant kicked a thief out of his store, broke two bones in his foot.