OUT AND HOME.
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By "The Extractor."
Bis dat qui cito dat.
An old Americaa aphorism remains on my mind which is to the effect that "Insurance is the art of keeping a man poor through life in order that he may die rich." This was probably conceived by some long-suffering individual who was afflicted with " too much insurance agent." I have never dared to spring that maxim on my immediate friends in that lucrative branch of business, because they are all so voluble, and I should -surely capitulate. Insurance men, too, are what a friend of mine ence described as "professionally nice fellows," so one gets little chance.
Anyhow, whether you insure your life or not, you must hand out to somebody a premium for your lorry or your car, and as I have at last. secured a new vehicle I have gone quite naturally to my friends, the British Dreadnought Underwriters, Ltd., who have taken ray sasad and ill fortunes in hand before. In that connection I am quite glad-to see, by the bye, how promptly they pay up when anything happens. Two chars-abanes at Oldham were burnt out recently, garage as well, and within" a little over a week a cheque for £3,200 was sent by the unquenchable H. G. Olden. I am going to try iny hardest-not to let mine take fire, because I want the use of it, but "if it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly."
" Shell " and the War.
One cannot help but admire the thoroughness with which the Shell group tackle-everything ; their moneymaking for themselves, and incidentally for shareholders, is a constant marvel to us. We like to dabble a little in stocks and shares from time to time, in an effort to get some jam with our bread and butter, and only the fact that we have so to criticise Shell methods frequently in the users' interests keeps us personally from investing a trifle in their tancerns. I am led to these reflections because I have . just received the second edition of a most excellent book from them entitled "The Shell that Hit Germany Hardest." It contains copious drawings and maps, entirely confirming.one's ideas of the magnitude of Shell war-time activities. This book is well edited and most informative.
In Nortonland.
A chance meeting at Birmingham with Tom Norton, of Nortonville—I mean Llanclrinded Wells—led me to spend a very comfortable fortnight's holiday in that Mid-Wales spa. I am all the time for the air of the hills, finding it more revivifying than mere sea air. I found even during that very hot spell in early August that one could get in two rounds of golf per day most comfortably, whereas great lusty friends of mine on the east coast found it too hot to play at al Certainly. I missed the bathing, but there ! water was laid
on to the hotel, and W i hat s better than a bath just before dinner I
However, I am only dipping into these holiday notes because it occurred to me it would be of interest to tell of Norton's golf link char-habancs. Hehas fitted up a one-ton commercial ohassis with a. Dixie body, and it proceeds at regular periods from what he calls the Automobile Palace, in the centre of the town, up to the spot where there is always a breeze, up a narrow road, a lot of it one in four, and usually a atop made for a gate to be opened ; but what a boon for the votaries of the Royal and Ancient game who have not y.at received delivery of their new car, and these are many.
Norton goes -up in it himself when he has time for a game, and is greatly tickled to hear the visitors (not knowing him) explain to each other exactly how he has built his enormous business.
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Some Motor Patients.
Whom should I meet on arrival at. my hotel but T. F. Woodfine, the secretary of the S.M.M.T., taking the cure in all its seriousness, completeness and dreariness. He told me wistfully that the water taking and the baths absorbed his day ; it was useless to attempt anything else. The only time I saw him cheer up during a fortnight was when my motor papers arrived. He 'read The Tithes, too, religiously, including the advertisements, and he worked up saturnine comments about the gameof golf, which seemed to ease his mind. Towards the close of ray stay Henry Sturrney unexpectedly arrived, also for the cure, so these two were then able to compare notes and symptoms. At another hotel hard by was Mitchell, of Notting-, ham and a -director of Caledon Motors, full of saline and sulphur, but in great high spirits, as the place had made a. new man bf him. ,We spent a day together on the hills, and had a thorough good time—as I did also with C. L. Freest-on, who came 'down from town on Mr. Rapson's Rolls-Royee2 shod, of course, with Ranson tyres, of which much is heard just-now.
Both Tom .N orton and brother Jack did much to make me desire to revisit their breeze-swept hills.
A Sprightly Paper.
A recent number of The Link, this being the house journal of • the " Coventry " ChainCo., Ltd., shows extraordinary versatility and humour. This little magazine was only born in this spring tra-la, and if it can only keep up its present sprightliness, it will be really looked forward to. They have things to chronicle down in the Midlands. Why, the Coventry Chain Operatic Society produced Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury," and such is the camaraderie in that part, that it was put on at White and Poppe's hall, who in return produced their revue, "The Buccaneers, or H.M.S. 'Profiteer,' " at the " Coventry " canteen. This is the proper spirit, and one valuable new departure is that the heads of departments take a, hand in writing for this journal. I seem to recognize amongst the contributors an old favourite named Pudden'-head Wilson.
A Fine Finish.
That irrepressible spirit, H: J. Haley, of American Motor Supplies.,Ltd., is responsible for a statement to the effect that he received a communication from an applicant for employment, who in a fervent desire to finish up his letter in what he thought was the approved fashion, let off the following: "Thanking you in anticipatioen for past favours."
011a Podrida.
The "Orwell" electric vehicle recently made a successful run from Ipswich to Birmingham, charging Up at various stations en route. Northampton was known to be the only stopping place without a proper charging station this was provided against by taking a spare accumulator.
The Bergougnan solid tyre, known also as the
—Gaulois, will be on the British market in quantities very shortly now. Mr. De Gory is demobilised from the French Army, and is picking up the. threads and eagerly looking for an establishment to found a jamdon depot again. It is easy to be wise afterwards, lant'it is a -pity they parted with their premises in
Great Portland Street.
The Herbert Frood Co., Ltd., makers of Ferodo brake lining, use Avon Sunstone special pneumatic tyres for their fleet of vans, and have nothing but praise for the way that they have carried out their work.