1957-08-10 — Page 18

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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1957.

FEATURES

SHORT, SHORT STORIES ABOUT

SLANG PHRASES

"Nuts To You!"

NO

So you think you're using

the intest in slang phrases when you say some- thing like, "Nuts to you!" Well, you are really being old-fashioned, for the say- ing originated long ngo.

Young men in olden days went calling on their beat girls, just as now, but they had to deelde how well their attentions were being re- ceived by what the girl served them in the way of food.

Various dishes meant certain things. But everyone knew that a plate of nuts offered by a girl to a man caller meant a definite "No." Hence the say, "To you, nuts."

I

FEATHER IN HIS CAP

In the time of the famous Black Prince, all princes and noblemen went to great exprose to import fine feathers to adorn their hats. Then someone sug- gested using small feathers to decorate soldiers who had shown unusual courage and bravery,

In later years, when a person won an honour of any type, he was likely to refer to us a feather in his cap.

During the Middle Ages horses were used for everything-farm- ing, transportation, battles and Any knightly #curnaments. animal that was much larger than ordinary was reserved for royalty and the very rich, and wes called a "great horse" or "high horse." Eventually, pride and arro- gance come to be associated with such mounts. Now to get on a

giving high horse" dirplay of haughtiness.

means

It was before the seventeenth century that English housewives

MAKE A

HOW THING

OUTFIT

LAND A POLE (BAMBOO, MAPLE, BIRCH) ABOUT 6 OR 7 FEET LONG.

JJJ

NUTS

learned to combine waste fats and potash Into à semi-liquid soap. Though it was harsh and inefficient by modern standards, It was highly prized in times when all ning aids werc scarce and expensive.

So it became the practice for a person wanting a favour from

FOR

BOYS

HOW TOM LOSES

SATURDAY

By VIVA WHITTINGTON

OM HART looked out in-

To the sunkt day. The long white cloud fingers seemed to point happily to- ward Bulder Creek. Brown trout would be walking in the clear, rock-strewn depths. His new polo waa ready, the worma dug and--

"Tom!" This Mister Nancy bounced into the room, blonde | curls quivering. “Hurrý, you'll

be late to Mr King's."

Tom scowled. Usually, ko didn't mind helping Mr King in the store every Saturday. • It was kind of fun to see the dif- ferent kinda of equipment all shiny after he'd polkhed them to a high gloss. And there" wos something special Mr King had wanted him for today.

But all he could sce was the Ans of trout flipping lazily at him.

"Phooey on Mr King!" Tom said coldly, not feeling as brave us he sounded. "Tell him I'm sick. I'm going fishing."

"Oh!" cried Nancy, scand

some public official to pave thealised. "Tom Hart, that's a big

(PHOOEY

ON WORK.... I'M GOING FIGHING

AND GIRLS

AA Million-year-old 'Relic'

1

COURIOUS long-billed

A bird called the kiwi still

fives as kiwis lived in pre- historic times. Her habits are as strange as her looks. and her looks are strango indeed!

very

In the first place, even though she has wings she can't fly. Although she's supposed to have a tail, you can't see one.

The bill is long and slightly curved with nostrils at the tip and stiff hair-like feathers at the base. Tho feet and legs are strong, and the toes bear sharp claws that are good weapons against natural enemies.

*

EFPER

Keeper persuades shy kiwi to' ralwo iis head for a portrait,

When a worm

in seized, the base of the beak guldo her in And the ways of the kiwi kiwi dons not fork it from its the dark, just as a seclog-cyo are different from those of burrow, but pulls it steadily dog guitica a rightless person.

She has a vicious kick and until it entirely exposed. most any other bird. These And in New Zealand (where can outrun a man. birds are said to stamp upon the kiwi live) a single worza Per-the ground, causing such a may supply a sizable meat, for over a yard It vibration that earthworms some species are

jong. to come to the Kiwia дго most activo at night. Scnative bristics at the

surface.

Tom called his dog, and they nehed trying to hold it. marched down the road, Scout's spiralon ron in his eyes. brown

tail wagging happily. seemed like ages that he had For a short white, Tom thought been slowly reeling in the glant are forced

trout. of Nancy and Mr King.

"Girls?" he told Scout dis- "If you do, I'll give you that

"Shy

The fish leaped again, twist- gustedly.

old goody- scarf you wanted."

ing to get away, and Torn's foot "Nuts to your old scarf. Me goody sisters."

"Woof?" barked Scout - sipped. quiringly.

nb and I won't do it."

way with a gift of homemade soup. And because of this, "soft soup" eventually came to mean any form of wheedling flattery.

Perhaps one of the most in-King needs you. You know he teresting terms handed down by especially asked you to come the ancients was the one con- carly today." cerning the sowing of "wild oats."

WILD OATS

she was right.

a

"Oh, qulet," Tom told him he idcked a pebble from the path,

Carefully, te wound

□ worm

THE 'GROW-BIG' DRUG

+

Texas ranchers have increased the meat-bearing size of their cattle by mating them with Brahma bulls from India.

The introduction of colchicine, the grow big drug into every day animal husbandry what

of re-

Kiwi eggs are the largest of those of any living bird. Some weigh almost a yound...about a fourth of the body weight of the mother!, The malo sits on the egg for eleven wecka unh! It hatches.

The name "dwi” was given to this odd bird by the natives of New Zealand. "Klwil Kiwi!" is the sound the male bird makes, so the natives call it

that.

Ho falted wildly, trying to as regain his balance. Both of his hands dropped downward as he foll und one slapped sharply He climbed the grassy bank against a rock. The sharp sting.

NE of science's newest TOM WAVERED, He knew and gozed happily on the cool made him cry out.

But when he looked up his ONE

discoveries has come

The natives husted the kiwi But he hadn't got to go ash. burbling water of Balder Creek heart thudded into the very loes

for food and used the aking for Saxons planted oats early in English history.

ing all year. And yesterday Jim onto the sharp number six hook of his sneakers. The sweat new from experiments by animal

feathered garments. This na- But they noOU Joues had come by with

and cast out into the centre of pole was fouling downstream, and plant geneticists cager

tivo hunting, plus the hunting found out that if the grain was string of fish that looked tu

whirling in the eddies. the stream

and foxes mads neglected it quickly reverted to Tom's cavlous

Tom plunged into the water, to inercase the world's food

of dogs, cats cyca almost a is wild state, and then the seed

He wailed. Suddenly, there

the kiwi almost disappear, mile long. One Sillurday--what

rod up. rumbling his way toward the supply.. difference

There is a kiwi in the United from it was practically useless.

did one Sa.urday was a bending of his

Afishing rod. But the water car- "Buy."

Colchicine is a drug ex- accelerate the creation breathed,

volutionary mrinals.

States, ried it always just a little bo-tructed from the meadow Seed from wild oats produced | make?

Her name is Belle and beauty!" thick blades, but light leads,

It may go far toward solving sho arrived at the San Diego then," said

* It was foolish and wasteful to

place, If you think

Tom's breath came hard as saffron.

scientists the greally increased food needs Zoo over a year ago. Belle was sow such seed, but old folks

all there is in the

over-increasing TOM PLAYED him carefully, he kept doggedly after his prize have

that of ta

world a gift from the government of couldn't convince the youngsters

New Zealand, an the fish broke water, making possession. Once he touched i colchicine is a "chromosome population. of this. So if a youth wished to

s splash

had the that ingled along Another ry, and he

increaser," a sort of "grow- try a crop of wild oats, he might

Tom's veins. He ran along the pole in his hand. just as well learn by experience,

water's edge, heedless

He made his weary, watery big drug." of the they sald.

slick, muddy footing.

way to share, muttering to the

Scientists in Sweden have The trout was closer now, but barking Scout, "At last."

doubled/ and still fighting.

Tom lay

panting, already there, he roused Finally,

himself tripled the size of rabbits. It was had

enough to examine the rod. ever seen.

simply added col- They The 1sh had soapped off the

So the phrose eventually came to mean youthful folly.

---M. G. SHELTON

"You go, "Take my Mr King is world.""

Tom.

He picked up the flexiglass rod and whistled to show ho didn't care as he walked from the room,

Nancy shouted down tho stairs at his retreating back, All light, I will. I bet I cau do it better, anyway!"

*

Je

the biggest one Tom and his arms

BUY ABOUT EARLY BASEBALL PLAYERS

ZO FEET OF

FISH LINE.

3 OR 4 SMALL

HOOKS AND ASINKER.

3.THREAD LINE THROUGH CENTER OF CORK WITH A LARGE NEEDLE.

TIE HOOK

AT END

OF UNE.

CORK ABOUT 12 INCH

ACROSS

4.CLAMP SINKER ABOUT HE

FEET FROM HOOK. Į

TIE A LOOP UNDER

SINKER TO KEEP

IT FROM SLIPPING

DOWN.

5.FIX CORK ON

LINE SO IT WILL ALLOW HOOK TO HANG JUST ABOVE BOTTOM.

CORK 2

SNIZEŮ

==

TIE A LOOP ABOVE CORK SO IT WILL NOT PUSH UP.

̈6. BAIT HOOK SO IT LOOKS NATURAL WITH A GRASSHOPPER

WORM OR A FISH EGG.

ROOK

BAIT

WERE SPARTAN

TN baseball not all the.. heroes et into the newa

paper stories.

Some of the men who did the most to keep baseball alive and growing paid with blood and pain to do so.

The finest catchers, espe eially, paid with their foc'h in order to keep baseball alive. For In long time, travelling baseball teams always carrici more catchers than pilchers:

Very low catchers lasted four years in bareball without losing most of their teeth.

To see a catcher standing be- hind a plate with blood drip-

ping from his mouth

rn uneommon sight in bal's early days,

was not base-

Every game was really a tisí of endurnee for the nine men who played, thanks to the "no suhelilute" rule. It a man was. hurt and unable to continue playing, his team simply had to continue playing. without him untes or until he returned to the game,

At first, the wearing of gloves to protect the hands was con- sidered a

sign of weakness. Even though the official base-

ball grew harder and harder to

SAFE HOME!

THUO

Pitchers also

had to be mea of great endurance. The ballers had right to holler out

yond his reach.

The discovered

hook and leader and several chicine in breeding. feet of fine, The Fest Wod snarled hopelessly around 130 reel.

Tom looked at his dog. "Come on, Scout," he sighed. Let's go home,"

THE ROAD BACK was twice whether they wanted a low or as long as Tom trudged it a high ball. It took mine balls wearily. He wondered about

to wolk n balter in those days.Nancy and Mr King,

Overhand pitching was 1- Suddenly, a noise reached his legal. The pitchers had to throw cars. What in the world? sidearm. It was nothing for a pitcher to pitch twenty to forty right after the Eames, one other,

The

Then he knew what it was! Mr King had wanted him to do. Hu This was the parade day. wns to have decorated Mr King's float and rode on it. How he wanted fol

The floats passed near him and Nancy Waved from Mr King's streamer-decorated font,

first ba:cbull players played for the sheer love of the gume. To play baseball for money was considered anim- Something like a' tear dropped

moral and wicked "thing."

The

wha

the

un-

on Tom's hand just as Mr King]

behind first baseball players spoke

hlm.

"Well, were actually paid for Tom?"

not per- their service were mitted to live with the rest of

team. The name of all these known heroes, without whom 1 today baseball as we know

not exist, are avould probably

gone forever.

But the pastime they loved has grown great.

periment.

MILKING

AIN'T

"WHAT, IT

USED TO

BE!

Tom watched the parade out of sight. "I'll be there, sir."

Scientists Canadian animal And he meant it

have worked for years to pro agree-duce the cattalo, a cross-breed

of buffalo and domestic oDW.

Even Seout barked mcnt.

Baron Munch's Garden:

-He Liked To Plant Things That Saved Trouble

By MAX TRELL

TN his own little house at the 1 end of Book Boulevard Hvod Baron Munch, Where is Book Boulevard? It runs behind the bookcase between the table and the curtain,

Book Boulevard is lined with. houses Mother Goose has ber house, Alice has her house, Sim- ple Simon and the Pleman have their houses. Folks that every- one knows live on this famous streel

At any rate, Knart and his alster Hanid, the Shadows with the turned-about fames, along with their friends Teddy, the Stuffed Bear, and Mr Punch and Gentral Tin, the Tin Soldier, often walked down Book Boulo vard to visit Baron Munch,

Best Storyteller

"I'm just starting my plant- ing", al Baron Monch.

"But you

thatin

can't do Hanid said "Eggs don't grow in the ground,”

"You're mistaken,

my dear," said Baron Munch. You've

Tom looked up miserably.

Did I did I If colchicine works with rab-

"No one in the work," Hanid "I'm sorry, sir. lose my job-forever?"

bits, why shouldn't it work with sald, een tell stories like, Baron, Mr King looked stern "Not pigs, sheep, cows, and even ele-Munah, If you learned to be dependable phants? It is all à multer of ex- "The trouble is,” said General heard of eggplants, haven't you?”

Till from now on."

"you can't ever be sure

Mr Punch was about to ex- whether they're true or not" plain that eggplants had nothing "Well," said Mr Punch, "I to do with eggs but Baron Munch they're good starics, it nimost was already talking about some- doesn't matter."

thing else. By this time, they reached

Butter And Buttons They cold Baron Munch's house weather endurance qualities of found him in his garden. He

"And in this' row," with a friendly

ho said, the buffalo, along with the better) greeted them

smile.

pointing to a row that circled meat of the domestic cow.

"I'm just about to start my going to plant buller and but- around a group of trees, "'I'za With colchicine added to the breading ritual, it is not impos-planting he said.

Everyone was very interested tona." the cattalo of

This time it was in knowing what Baron Munch aried out: "Butter and buttons) Knert who future may be bigger than an intended to plant in his garder. You can't grow butter and but

OF THE

THE PROBLEM OF

MAYA EMPIRE

handic, the first baseball playersTT'S hard to imagine a refused to use gloves.

So great was the public and

world without wheat.

private feeling about being able But the ancient Indians of to "handle the ball like a man" the New World had never that the first baseball gloves heard of it. were flesh-coloured.

'ZOO'S WHO

THE ALASKA BROWN' BEAR IS AN EXPERT FISHERMAN NADING INTO A STREAMST STANDS STILL - TIL A SALMON SWIMS NEAR, THEN SCOOPS UP THE FISH WITH A STROKE OF THE

PAW.

(BUMP

THE GUINEA FOWLA GLOSE RELATIVE OF

THE PHEASANT,WAS INTRODUCED INTO EUROPE BY PORTUGUESE EX PLORERS IN THE IUN CENTURY

MOSQUNDEF ARE FOUND AS FAR NORTH AS THE ARCTIC CIBCL

They lived on corn, or mal; v. Fifteen hundred years ago in Mexico and the northern part of Central Amerien, the Mayn empire was one of the most the advanced civilisations in

world. Their knowledge of the stars was probably greater than that of any other country. Their buildings нете amoog

the world's largest,

So we are amazed

*

Do

that such people had practically knowledge of proper farming methods.

plant Corn they Aret cleared the foros. The trees

wine ringed, with a stone axe to kill them. When dry, they

rafins eatne

THE MAYA AND THE

CORN

STONE ROLLER

CORN GRINDING

UTENSILS

GRINDING STONE

WATER BOWL

PLANTING CORN WITH

WOODEN STICK -

Tant

And

were burned. Then, when the The fourth year the Mayan occupation the whole area had ame in May, everything farmer would burn more forest become a gray plain. was ready for planting,

to start another patch, I-And in meant there was no land lett The Maya had no wark

ani- from three to ten yearst time, which could grow com. mais and all their gundeating the trees on the Orst patch The Maya knew nothing was done by hand. Their only would be grown up, ready for about fertilising the poll. tool was a wooden planting burning again.

ứt they had no corn to eat, they But after burning had been would starve,

So they moved / northward, The first your dicy got a fair carried on for many years, the ly good crop, the second year trees would fail to come up. No Jeaving behind them forever the about two-thirds sa much, the mom corn could be grown on éltles which had⠀⠀ Saken shem thind your about one-third as the land. Selentista calmante hundreds of years to build,g moch. No weeding was donn thab after shout. 1,000 years:

MR. S. CRAGGE

stick

The cattalo

sible

that the

clephant.

BALS tho

This brings lateresting post-plant things that

*Well" he said, "I like to

SIVO

The trouble

Planting Eggs

bilities into the picture. milk-producing abilities of a Dow aired with the aid of cai- chicine may be measured not in quarts, but gations.

"For instance,

ruh

In this row,"

ton! You've got to buy them la 4 store"

"Dear fellow," wald Baron Munch. "Haven't you ever heard of buttercupa? Haven't you ever heard of bachelor-buttons? Now body buys them in a store. They can be grown

Even without the aid of the and be pointed to a long row

along the stone wall grow-blg drug, some remark-running able multiplications of animal "I'm going to plant frosis Baron Munch went right on:

There's nothing like having

Khart had no answer to this.

sizes have occurred.

For example, Charles Van-crop of fresh eggs every morn- "And here," he said, in this row !tress added 80 per cent of edible ing i just come out here and with the fence around it, I'm go

meat to ordinary chickens when pick them whenever I needing to plant sams tigers, some he produced the Vantreas Crosa, hem.”

llons and some eats,”

Rupert and the Old Hat-37

Odmeded squeaks with pleasure only place for the hit là in your

at Rupert's newa." What, some · ·beid but ir kus so ta,ummide diren. so that the sten'w plosan's fall out;:

· body to talk to lor finir whole

די

- months le can't believe it, Flowko i'va brushé mięty pina-to-

Easton, it camfully inside your kael you : zloka... it ? **- mind how Report – chichiste promet zat!?!. Ploseded mosa the "Eined's say racion's neat and the Idar and Copa down and Ropart supurtant Ching, in how to be ky guta on slowly with the" work of I've looked sit over you and shá 27 peopằng the next.

1

A great shout went up. Every one burst out loudly that Barca 24unch would find a imporsible to plant tigers, lions and cats but the good-natured Baron Münch

amiled

odcock" he said, "you're all wrong. I'm going to plant figer Miles and dandy-lions-oma people call them dandelions

and "eritalis.”

· Everyana, guaped in airpaclan,

Regular Flowers ....”

“But come to think of it,” the Baron said, un bo invited all bilà Friends to sit down and have. Some tea and oške, “I think I'll just planh "the rogular things. roaci, and violets and Gaiales und

poppia