IRISH TIMES ODDITIES:DELAYED ACTION: A carrier pigeon brought news to its owner in Forst, near Berlin, that a German battalion was surrounded in Italy. The message was four years too late. September 8th, 1949
THE BETTER BITE
A country doctor, after examining his patient, a ruddy, fat farmer, decided that leeches, properly applied, would benefit the old man, so he told the much-perturbed wife what to do.
Upon his return a day or two later he was surprised to find the patient much thinner, his face expressing much uneasiness.
When he asked the housewife how the leeches had acted, she hastened to reply, "Well, I thought them little leeches wouldn't do him much good, so I put a couple of ferrets at him."
- JJ Spotten, Cornesker, Doogra, Killeshandra, Co Cavan.
September 24th, 1910
VOTES FOR DOGS
Victoria, BC, has a peculiar municipal franchise. Each person paying a two-dollar dog tax is entitled to vote.
Six enterprising ladies voted on the strength of a single dog. One ingenious lady, unable to get a real dog in time to qualify, took out a licence for a China dog on her mantelpiece.
May 25th, 1907
SAVED BY A SERPENT
Thaung Tha Din, a villager of Yezagyo, was out shooting birds with a catapult when he was attacked by an infuriated bull, writes Reuters from Rangoon.
He ran to the nearest tree and quickly climbed out of reach of the animal, which remained underneath. Then he heard a hissing sound and, on a branch a few yards away, saw a deadly python slowly advancing towards him. He ducked as the snake lunged at him, missed his footing, and fell on the bull's back. This so scared the bull that it raced off, leaving Thaung stunned, but otherwise unhurt.
January 17th, 1935
KANGAROO HUNTING IN MEATH
The Beau Parc Staghounds met at the hill of Mullafin, near Somerville, on Monday, January 6th, the gallant master having determined to test the relative superiority of such ferae naturaeas kangaroos, Barbary sheep and Tralaia deer, contrasted with the ordinary red deer.
At 12.30pm Cyril Lambart treated the wondering crowds on the slopes of Mullafin to the unusual spectacle of a young Australian kangaroo, which looked like going, when it was, unfortunately, surrounded by the too-eager crowd.
A fine specimen of the Barbary sheep, lately received from Baronscourt, was promptly liberated by order of the sporting master, and went away at a clinking pace down the grassy slope, scattering the crowd right and left, thereby releasing the kangaroo, which was then secured.
After 10 minutes lay hounds were laid on, and went away at a rattling pace, partly on the line of the kangaroo, but finally settling down on that of the Barbary sheep, gave men and horses a grand spin of 20 minutes over a fine but big country.
The novel quarry attempted an impossible jump, landed safely in a marshy spot, disturbing a large flock of wild duck, and was taken and conveyed to a neighbouring farmyard.
Within half an hour the noble and well-known stag Gromsthorpe was enlarged at the neighbouring hill of Sirlly, and went away in splendid style in the direction of Harristown, and wheeling sharply to the left, was safely housed in Somerville Demesne after a brilliant run of 28 minutes. All present declared that they had enjoyed a most novel and agreeable day's sport.
January 9th, 1890