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READIOUR
F RO M
VE S
ARCH I
CLASSIC
READS
2018
Riches No
Diamond Could Buy
PAGE 30
TRUE CRIME
The Case of the Murdered
Mother-in-Law
PAGE 46
READS
human adventure.
Long reads mixed
dom ......... 24
+ PLUS a special free gift
ill’s Wit and Wis
Winston Church
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Contents
October 1978
24 WINNIE, WHISKERS AND
A WORD OF WISDOM
A boy on the cusp of manhood
is inspired by meeting Winston
Churchill. F U LTO N O U R S L E R J R P. | 70
September 1973
April 1974
30 RICHES NO DIAMOND 64 THE SINKING OF THE COMET
COULD BUY The fishing party was in good
My old schoolmaster had finally spirits as they set out for a day
saved enough to buy his fiancée on the sea. Until the bilge started
a ring. Then I wrote to him. flooding. M I C H A E L R E I L LY
J. W I N STO N P E A R C E
May 1940
January 1980 70 MY AUNT BATTY
38 “THANK YOU, ROSIE” A loving and funny portrait of a
A hauntingly poignant story of woman who changed every life
an unusual friendship. she touched. KAT H L E E N N O R R I S
A R T H U R A . M I LWA R D
November 1990
January 1985 78 THE TROUBLE WITH MOLLIE
46 THECASEOFTHEMURDERED There are dogs that seem born
MOTHER-IN-LAW to become champions. Naughty
Nathaniel Carter was arrested for ‘Tip Top’ Mollie wasn’t one.
the savage murder of an elderly EVERETT SKEHAN
woman. The chief accuser? His
estranged wife. G E R A L D M O O R E January 1956
86 THE FIRST BIG RADIO
December 1969 BROADCAST
56 NOW... WHILE THERE’S TIME Radio broadcasting for the
Each day with young masses was unproven until
children can feel like a week. someone proposed a blow-by-
But the wonder of childhood is blow account of a title boxing
quickly over. E D B A R T L E Y match. J. A N D R E W W H I T E
January•2018 | 1
Contents
September 1933
96 WHAT’S IN A WORD? THE DIGEST
The English language is alive 16 Health
and well – and constantly
19 Pets
evolving. JENNINGS HAMMER
20 Travel
June 1955 22 Money
102 THEY BROUGHT HOME 131 RD Recommends
THE WRONG BABY
It’s a nightmare scenario: the REGULARS
child you raised is actually not
your own. M U R R AY T E I G H B LO O M 6 Letters
8 My Story
April 1976 12 Kindness of Strangers
112 CRIME BY COMPUTER 14 Smart Animals
First came computer systems.
37, 76 Points to Ponder
Cybercrime wasn’t far behind.
54 Personal Glimpses
R O B E R T S . ST R OT H E R
93 Quotable Quotes
December 2004 94 Testimonial
118 OUT OF THE BLUE 101 Picturesque Speech
The inspiring story of how a teen 136 Puzzles
surfer overcame the odds after a 138 Trivia
shark attack. B E T H A N Y H A M I LTO N 139 Word Power
CONTESTS
7 Caption Contest
HUMOUR
SEE
P. | 118 PAGE 11
2 | January•2018
Explore, Interact, Inspire
BEST
READING
OUR
FROM IVES
ARCH
CL
CLASSIC
READS
CL
CLASSIC
READS
2018
Rich s No
Diamond Cou d Buy
AGE 0
2018
Riches No
Diamond Could Buy
PAGE 30
TRUE CRIME
“We Brought Home
he Wrong Baby”
The Case of the Murdered
P GE 02 Mother in Law
TRUE CRIME PAGE 46
The Ca e of the Mu dered
M ther in Law
P GE 6 “A Crazy Idea” The First Radio Broadcast .... 86
Cr z I ea T e F r t ad o r a ca t 86 Winston Churchill’s Wit and Wisdom ......... 24
Winston Churchill’s Wit and Wisdom ......... 24
Editor’s Note
Classical Treasures
SINCE WE STARTED PUBLISHING up the topics, get lost in the choices,
a Classics Edition back in 2012, the until finally agreeing on the line-up.
editorial team has looked forward Then it was over to Hugh, whose
to rolling up our various sleeves and deftness in bringing the many eras
getting dirty in our library archive. together using beautiful illustrations
Dusting off the covers of the issues was a joy to witness. My particular
published as far back as the 1920s is favourite in this Classic compilation
always fraught with danger – not to life is ‘Thank You, Rosie’, first published
and limb – rather, of soaking up more in January 1980. This article is a
hours than the working day allows. tear-jerker – something classic Digest
Victoria began the task back in stories manage so well. I dare you to
July – her knowledge of the archive read this story and not choke up!
is outstanding (and her sleeves the Enjoy these timeless classics and
most dusty!). Ever-keen historians do share your thoughts – we’d love
Melanie, Greg and I would then size to hear from you.
LOUISE
WATERSON
Group
Editor
(STANDING,
FROM LEFT):
GREG BARTON,
VICTORIA POLZOT,
MARGARET
M C PHEE, LOUISE
WATERSON,
MELANIE EGAN
AND MICHAEL
CRAWFORD.
(KNEELING, FROM
LEFT): MARC
M C EVOY AND
HUGH HANSON
Vol. 194 RD SHOP
No. 1152
January 2018
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shop and Readersdigest.co.nz/shop
EDITORIAL Group Editor Louise Waterson
Chief Subeditor Melanie Egan Art Director CONTRIBUTE
Hugh Hanson Digital Content Manager FOR DIGITAL EXTRAS AND SOCIAL
Greg Barton Digital Editor Michael MEDIA INFO, SEE PAGE 11
Crawford Content Editor Marc McEvoy
Associate Editor Victoria Polzot Senior Anecdotes and jokes
Subeditor Samantha Kent Subeditor
Send in your real-life laugh for
Life’s Like That or All in a Day’s
Margaret McPhee Contributing Editor
Work. Got a joke? Send it in for
Helen Signy Laughter Is the Best Medicine!
ADVERTISING Group Advertising Smart Animals
& Retail Sales Director Sheron White Share antics of unique pets
Advertising Marketing Manager Thomas or wildlife in up to 300 words.
Kim Sales Support Manager Lucy Madden
Kindness of Strangers/
REGIONAL ADVERTISING CONTACTS
Reminisce
Australia/Asia Sheron White, Share tales of generosity or an
[email protected] event from your past that made
New Zealand Debbie Bishop, a huge impact in 100–500 words.
[email protected]
My Story
Do you have an inspiring
PUBLISHED UNDER LICENCE or life-changing tale to tell?
BY DIRECT PUBLISHING PTY LTD Submissions must be true,
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for more information.
January•2018 | 5
Letters
READERS’ COMMENTS A D OPINIO
6 | January•2018
an ongoing learning process for this
senior citizen in her twilight years.
The gift of learning, whatever the
mode, should be a continuous and
welcomed process for us all.
LORRAINE POINTON
WIN
WIN A PILOT CAPLESS !
FOUNTAIN PEN
The best letter published each
month will win a Pilot Capless
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P H OTO S : I S TO C K
January•2018 | 7
MY STORY
A Lifelong
Connection
A penpal promotion in the Digest
started a friendship spanning the globe
8 | January•2018
how I met Angela Jones from Passaic, For years we only wrote letters, but I
New Jersey, US. clearly remember our first phone call
We soon became firm friends and one Christmas. My family was having
wrote long letters (snail mail in those a picnic at the beach while Angela’s
days) about our lives, what we read, family was snowed in.
movies and our day-to-day lives. We Angela was with me in love and
also wrote about current affairs in the support when my husband served in
US, Australia and around the world. Vietnam and also when my marriage
Angela was in a clerical job and broke up and I became a single mum.
went to college at night, eventually She was there with me all the way.
becoming a home science teacher at We were interested in politics and
Clifton High School. I retrained and many long letters went back and
went to work in my local high school forth between our living rooms,
library, where I worked for 20 years. we both learned a lot, sometimes
P H OTO : iS TO C K
January•2018 | 9
was elected, but not so when Donald
Trump won.
Angela visited Australia in 1988
and went to Expo in Brisbane, Uluru,
the Great Barrier Reef and my home
in beautiful Port Stephens. She fell in
love with Australia. She has visited
five times and has travelled around
so much that now she’s a great
ambassador for Oz. In fact, when she
earned her PhD, it was on Australia’s Angela (left)
and Patricia.
Indigenous people.
The penpal
I prayed with Angela when her form in a 1965
husband, Jimmy, died and sent her Reader’s Digest
a toy koala that snored to comfort
her. I went to the US for the first time
in 1992 for her daughter Maria’s recently retired from the US Army
wedding. I met her beautiful, warm after serving in several bases in the
and fun-loving family and had a Middle East.
terrific time. Angela has a Driza-Bone and an
While there, I gave a talk at her Akubra and she says, ‘G’day mate’
school. The 1500 students could with a dreadful New Jersey accent.
not believe it when I superimposed I’ve sent her parcels with Tim Tams,
Australia over the US and told them Vegemite and lots of books. My next
we had cattle stations larger than parcel will include The Dinkum
Texas and that kangaroos did not hop Dictionary of Aussie English. She loves
down the streets. actor Hugh Jackman and introduced
After the local newspaper herself to him at the stage door when
interviewed us, the Parker Pen he was in ‘The Boy from Oz’.
Company got in touch and presented We’ve travelled a long journey over
us each with a beautiful pen – a very the past 52 years; we’ve loved and
appropriate gift. laughed and cried together, shared
We’ve had many happy times our lives and learned lots, all thanks
together and still write long to the Reader’s Digest.
letters. I have a huge family now
with grandchildren and great-
Do you have a tale to tell? We’ll pay
grandchildren, some of whom live cash for any original and unpublished
nearby. Angela has granddaughters, story we print. See page 5 for details
but no greats yet. Her son David has on how to contribute.
10 | January•2018
0NLINE
10 Weirdest
Scientific Studies
of the Year
Liquid cats, insect gender reversal,
and the right way to carry a cup of
coffee – it’s the best of the best from
the annual Ig Nobel Prize awards.
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January•2018 | 11
KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
New Place,
Brighter Faces
An imaginative art project brought
a neighbourhood together
BY K AT H R Y N R E N N E R
This story first ran WHEN JAN AND BRIAN DUTCHER moved to San
in Reader’s Digest, Diego for Brian’s new basketball coaching job at San
August 2004. Diego State University, the neighbours smiled and
introduced themselves. But there were no ‘bring a
plate’ invitations, no recipe swapping and no car
pooling for her daughters Liza, 12, and Erin, 15.
“The families really didn’t know each other, and we
missed that,” says Jan. “We have moved a lot and are
far from relatives. Neighbours are our family.”
So Jan, a self-taught artist, decided to repeat a
project she had done for Liza’s fifth-grade class: ask
each person to paint his or her face on a big canvas.
The finished piece would become the Dutchers’ new
family portrait.
P H OTO : I S TO C K
12 | January•2018
a square. The first to stop in were breast cancer, came in her wheelchair
kids riding by on their bikes. “They to watch the fun. Neighbours began to
thought it was cool,” says Jan, but offer their support.
the adults weren’t so eager. “Most When the worst happened and
said they hadn’t picked up a paint Wendy died, they stood by her
brush since kindergarten,” she husband, Bill, and invited him over
says. “They were afraid they’d mess for dinners.
it up.” But as word slowly spread, This year has been different in the
they came, some using their driver’s neighbourhood. Families take turns
licence photos as models. hosting happy hours. They share
Then something started to happen. birthdays and swim in one another’s
They came back – to see who had pools. “We’re watching over each
painted, or if they could recognise other now,” says Jan. “Just like in
who was who. While in Jan’s garage, the painting.”
they began to chat about remodelling
Share your story about a small act of
projects, schools, jobs and families. kindness that made a huge impact.
Almost daily. Wendy Schucholz, who Turn to page 5 for details on how to
lived across the street and was fighting contribute and earn cash.
January•2018 | 13
Smart Animals
were never far from their mum. scare Mummy like that?”
My husband was inside oblivious I think Adam and Eve fell asleep
to all the commotion so I called out, while Maisie was feeding. She
“Going to see what is up with Maisie!” probably wandered away, which is
As I entered the paddock I said to what goats do when they are foraging.
Maisie, “Come on, let’s go find your I have since learnt that windy weather
kids.” So off we and about 16 other can make goats disorientated and
14 | January•2018
Maisie must have become confused anorak and carting a camp-chair to
and ended up at our gate, agitated and a makeshift hideout amongst the
without her kids. bougainvillea, Rod spied the mystery
We all headed home and as I was exit in the furthest corner of the pen.
going through the gate back to the In a split second, one small section
house, Maisie bleated as if to say, of the wooden lattice swung in the
“Thank you!” breeze, allowing a much larger
opening. Little Miss Black Chook
Little Miss Chook and sprang through the opening without
the Brush Turkey so much as a single wing flap. She was
SUE HINCHEY gone in an instant! Rod sprang from
The battle lines were drawn. In one the hideout like a fox in pursuit. He
corner was the black chicken with couldn’t keep up but he did see the
escapee tendencies; in the other object of her affections – a handsome
corner was my frustrated husband. brush turkey in the nearby bush!
In January last year, Little Miss Rod met the challenge with even
Black Chook had been making like more netting and Little Miss Black
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape, Chook had to give up her daily jaunts
flying the coop around 8am each across the way. Seems the chicken
day (between her 7am feed and wasn’t the only one crossing the road
being let into the yard at 9am) then and the brush turkey will have to find
returning promptly at 1pm. Initially, a new playmate.
my husband, Rod, and I were worried.
How did she get out? Had she
managed to fly over the two-metre-
high fence and where did she go to for
five hours each day?
Ten metres of chicken wire and bird
netting had been strung far and wide
along the back fence from the roosting
shed to the neighbour’s border; a
huge project that had turned the back
boundary into an impregnable barrier
… or so we thought. Being outwitted
by a chook was too much for Rod
so there was only one solution:
You could earn cash by telling us
Operation Keep Her In. about the antics of unique pets or
One rainy morning, three weeks wildlife. Turn to page 5 for details
after her first escape, donning an on how to contribute.
January•2018 | 15
THE DIGEST
5 Easy Fixes
for Weight-Loss Headaches
Headaches can be a painful side-effect of your
efforts to slim down. Here’s how to reduce them
BY A D R I E N N E FA R R A N D P E R R I O . B L U M B E R G
16 | January•2011 8
Experts don’t know exactly why, drink daily while you’re dieting, but
but suspect it may have to do with use skim milk and avoid kilojoule
narrowing of blood vessels in the bombs like flavoured syrups and
brain, which also reduces the brain’s whipped cream.
supply of blood and oxygen. Not
getting enough electrolytes may 4. EXERCISE AT A
also contribute to dehydration REASONABLE PACE
headaches. Besides causing If you’re new to working out or if you
headaches, being dehydrated can pushed yourself harder than usual,
actually undermine your weight- you may be experiencing an exercise
loss efforts. Research shows it’s easy headache. They can occur before or
to confuse hunger for thirst, which after working out. Although the exact
can lead to overeating. cause is unknown, these headaches
z Tip: By the time you feel thirsty, may occur because of changes in the
your body is already a little blood vessel of the brain, according
dehydrated, so guzzle water or tea to the Mayo Clinic.
often. Have a glass of water with every z Tip: Always warm up before a work-
meal and between meals. out to ease your body into movement,
and don’t overexert yourself.
3. CUT CAFFEINE SLOWLY
If you’ve ditched the soft drinks or 5. AVOID ARTIFICIAL
coffee as part of your slim-down SWEETENERS
plan, you may be going through According to a study at the
caffeine withdrawal. According to University of Washington, Seattle,
CNN Health, experts estimate that some people may be particularly
about half of people who cut back on sensitive to aspartame, which can
caffeine experience headaches and lead to headaches. Aspartame might
other unpleasant symptoms. be found in some diet drinks as well
z Tip: Don’t cut caffeine cold turkey. as foods.
Instead, try gradually decreasing z Tip: If you suspect artificial
your caffeine intake. Remember, sweeteners may be triggering your
caffeine isn’t a diet devil, but it’s often headaches, keep a food journal to
consumed as part of sugary drinks or watch for patterns. Consider using
coffees loaded with extra kilojoules honey in your tea or coffee; as a bonus,
from sugar and milk. For most, it’s research shows it has fat-releasing
fine to consume one cup of a caffeine properties and is healthier than sugar.
January•2018 | 17
HEALTH
4 Ways to
Stop
Technology 2. LIMIT SOCIAL MEDIA USE
Social networks have transformed
18 | January•2018
PETS
How to Care
for Your Ageing Pet
Tips for a healthy and happy old age BY S O P H I E TAY L O R
19 | January•2018
TRAVEL
they are made in the local leather good and staying warm all winter.
tanneries before appearing on local Copenhagen’s Sommerfuglen shop
stalls – or being shipped overseas and is a great place to start for both
hawked at ten times the price. knitwear and knitting wool.
20 | January•2018
INDIA: HAND-CARVED WOODEN SCOTLAND OR IRELAND: WHISKY
BLOCKS Commonly used in Few presents delight males of
India for printing on textiles and advancing years more than a bottle
clothing, there are numerous floral, of the good stuff. Scotch (Scottish
geometric and animal-related whisky) is generally peaty and made
designs. Beautiful as ornaments, the from malt; Speyside and Islay are
block stamps can also be used for particular hotspots. Spelling their
scrapbooking, card-making, textile variety with an ‘e’, Irish distilleries
printing, pottery and ceramics. typically produce a smoother, less
smoky blend.
BELGIUM: LACE Along with the
small town of Binche, the world’s FRANCE: HIT SUPERMARKETS
finest handmade lace shops are such as E.Leclerc and Casino for
found in Bruges and Brussels. Plenty awesome presents including fashion
of small bobbin pieces are available socks, striped French kitchen towels,
to buy, including collars, cuffs, pillow and Le Petit Marseillais soaps and
covers and veils. shampoos as well as skincare brands
such as La RochePosay and Avène.
THAILAND: SILK Exquisitely soft
and designed with oriental flair, Thai ARGENTINA: WALLETS Renowned
silk is the best in the world. Scarves for its tough, gaucho-style leather,
and ties are the optimum items, but Argentina is the perfect place to buy
cushion covers, tablecloths, bags, gloves, bags, belts or, most obviously,
bedspreads and purses all make wallets. Head for Buenos Aires’ Villa
great alternatives. Your best bet is a Crespo barrio, and specifically the
boutique like Jim Thompson. stores lining Calle Murillo.
January•2018 | 21
MONEY
WHETHER YOU’RE ON A LONG road Nichols also says that your phone
trip or stuck in traffic during a daily could receive too much power,
commute, it may seem harmless to especially if you’re using a cigarette
plug your phone into your car’s USB lighter port to charge up. Most
port. But unless you’re desperate, cigarette lighters can supply up to ten
charging your iPhone during your amps, while most chargers use one to
commute could be a big mistake. three amps. A malfunctioning charger
(And by the way, charging your can provide inconsistent power
iPhone like this could ruin its battery.) to the device, resulting in sudden
Why? For starters, the USB port in surges that could damage the internal
your vehicle probably provides less components.
electricity than your phone really Charging your phone could drain
needs to charge. As a result, your your car’s battery, too. This usually
phone might stall while it charges, isn’t a big deal for those who own new
or worse – barely charge at all. This cars with healthy batteries, Nichols
common battery-saving iPhone hack says. But if your car is older, you might
actually hurts your charge, too. want to avoid charging your phone
“Many people may notice that on through its USB port.
their commute home from work their Most importantly, it’s not safe to use
phone charged very little (if at all) your phone while operating a vehicle.
during their 30–60 minute commute,” “Anytime a person’s hands leave the
says Brad Nichols, wheel or eyes
a technician at leave the road, it
Staymobile. “This becomes incredibly
is mostly due to the dangerous for
fact the phone is them and the other
using more power people around
than the car charger them,” Nichols
is supplying it.” points out.
22 | January•2018
CLASSIC
READS
2018
Our pick of the extraordinary
mixed with inspiration
OCTOBER 1978
Winnie,
Whiskers
and a
Word of
Wisdom
It took one of the world’s great heroes
to perceive the man in the boy
BY F U LT O N O U R S L E R J R
January•2018 | 25
WINNIE, WHISKERS AND A WORD OF WISDOM
26 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
Two men were helping him as he he drinks too much. Do you know
moved unsteadily towards his cabin. It what Lincoln said when people com-
seemed to me that Churchill actually plained that Grant was a drunk?”
wanted to go in the opposite direction, “No.”
but the men, with determined gentle- “He said, ‘I’ll send him a case of
ness, guided him firmly to his door. whisky if it will help him win the war.’
Both incidents disturbed me. This Do you know what Cromwell said
was not the way I had expected a god when he sat for a portrait?”
to act. At breakfast on “No.”
the morning before “The painter wanted
the tea, I told my father to flatter him, but Crom-
what I felt. Church- “Look!” he well said, ‘Paint me,
ill was rude; he was shouted, pointing warts and all.’”
intemperate. to a name. I read My father was silent
“And you are judging it aloud, in for a moment. Then he
him?” My father took said quietly, “You are
a deep breath. “More disbelief: becoming a man. You
than 50 years ago, this “Winston should know that no
man rode in the last Churchill” one is perfect. Certainly
great cavalry charge not heroes. You must
in history. He escaped develop a sense of …
from imprisonment in proportion.”
the Boer War and, although there was That afternoon as I dressed for tea,
a price on his head, made it back to I was not only chastened, I began to
England. In World War I, he devised a tremble with a kind of stage fright. I
great plan to bring the war to a swift had taken a fool’s measure of, not a
conclusion. The plan failed and for god, but a very great man. Now I was to
years he lost his political power. Then meet him. Suppose he were to take my
he warned the world about Hitler, but measure? (“Tell me, young man, what
no one listened. Finally, when all his are your thoughts on the Boer War?”)
predictions came true, when it was I can remember how cold my hands
almost too late and when America were as I walked with my parents
still remained neutral, he inspired his to Churchill’s suite. “Who were the
country to fight the Nazis alone. He is Boers?” I asked suddenly.
one of the greatest orators in history My father turned to me. “I’ll tell you
and has written some of the greatest later,” he said. “Now remember no one
English since Shakespeare. And you is perfect. You, for example, have a ten-
are troubled because he is publicly fas- dency to talk too much. This afternoon
tidious about his food and you think I expect you to listen!”
January•2018 | 27
WINNIE, WHISKERS AND A WORD OF WISDOM
28 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
bomb, do you think they would hesi- peace. You should say it, young man,
tate to use it?” every morning when you wake up.
My father blinked. Then his head You should say it to yourself, every
snapped and he stared at me. Im- time you stand before the mirror
mediately I regretted my words. But when you shave!”
Churchill seemed delighted. At those words, my head began to
“Well, that would all depend, swim. With relief, I could see that my
wouldn’t it?” he said. “The East might father was no longer angry at me, and
have three bombs; the West might I sat in silent glory as the talk contin-
have a hundred. But, then, supposing ued – talk about coming elections,
it was vice versa?” about the Atlantic Charter, about
My father started to speak, but Mao’s recent victories in China.
Churchill continued. “You see –” he When tea was over, and we were
mumbled with the same deliberate walking down the corridor away from
rhythm, his voice growing louder with Churchill’s suite, I was exultant. “Can
each word, “you see – with the atom you believe it?” I cried. “He actually
bomb – (the room was growing quiet thought I shaved!”
again.) it is all a matter of – (there was My father stopped and looked at me
still conversation in the far part of the carefully. “If I were you, “ he said, “I’d
room) it is entirely a matter of – of –” find a mirror and take a good look.”
He seemed to be at a loss for the In the bathroom of my cabin, after
precise word to complete his thought. much examination, I saw the truth.
I did not perceive that he was merely There, under my nose and on either
waiting until he had the attention side of my chin, were the unmistak-
of the entire room. At that moment, able hints of whiskers. They were so
all I knew was that for some reason soft that my fingertips could barely
my father was not going to rescue feel them, but they were there.
Churchill from his sudden excruciat- I found my mug, my brush and my
ing inability to express himself. razor. I made a lather that could have
“Sir,” I said, and my voice seemed serviced every man on the ship. I lifted
to crack, “do you mean that it is all a the razor, looked in the mirror and, in
matter of – proportion?” the deepest voice I could manage, I
Wide-eyed, my father leaned for- spoke my first words as a man.
ward in great agitation, but Churchill “You know,” I said, “it is all – ah, it is
raised a majestic hand, and pointed entirely – a matter of proportion!”
that commanding cigar at me.
Currently on the cinema circuit, Darkest
“That is it, exactly!” he said. “Pro- Hour is a war drama, starring Gary
portion is a very good word, and it Oldman as the newly appointed British
is too often forgotten, in war and in Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
January•2018 | 29
SEPTEMBER 1973
Riches
No
Diamond
Could Buy
How a postponed engagement ring made
possible half a century of help for needy
students in more than 90 nations
BY J . W I N S T O N P E A R C E
January•2018 | 31
RICHES NO DIAMOND COULD BUY
32 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
cot ton fa r m. A feel i ng of bei ng made us feel that we could, too. His
‘marked by death’ made the weak, blue serge suit was a bit shiny, but he
skinny and frequently haemorrhag- could always find a dollar or two for
ing orphan determined to learn, a child who was hungry, or lacked
and savour, everything he could, to shoes or couldn’t afford books.
derive the utmost from every day. Though I didn’t know it then,
Finding his country school woefully Teacher Howard made his first loan
inadequate, he often had to teach in 1926 – to Richard Pierce, who was
himself. $25 short of being able
“If you will let me to enter Wake Forest
live,” young Charles University that year.
promised God, “I’ll He could always Howard went to the
tr y to do something find a dollar or bank, borrowed the $25
special with my life.” two for a child and handed it to young
Working his way to- who was hungry, Pierce, who hesitated
wards a master’s de- just long enough to
gree at Wake Forest or lacked shoes declare, “I’m not taking
College by preaching or couldn’t this as a gift. One day
on rural church cir- afford books I’ll pay you back.”
cuits, at the age of 22 The big advantage of
he made a more spe- being paid back had
cific commitment: he not occurred to How-
would do his best to see that boys ard until then. “All right!” he said,
and girls in his rural area would shaking Pierce’s hand warmly. “Do
have better schooling, and an easier repay me when you can, and that way
time, than he had known as a child. we can use the money to help some-
body else.”
CH A R LES HOWA R D soon became Thus began what later would be-
my favourite teacher and hero at come the Howard Memorial Chris-
the Youngsville school. He taught tian Education Fund, Inc., named in
everything from simple spelling to honour of Howard’s parents. In a lit-
Latin, French and geometry – to every tle black memorandum book he jot-
age from six to 20. He enlarged our ted down: “No. 1 … Richard Pierce …
lives with Bible stories and with the $25.” It proved to be an encouraging
poetry of Tennyson, Keats, Kipling investment. Although Pierce made it
and Browning (“A man’s reach should through only two and a half years at
exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven Wake Forest, he learned enough to
for?”). We thought our ‘Teacher’ become business manager of Raleigh’s
Howard could do anything, and he big Dorothea Dix (Mental) Hospital
January•2018 | 33
RICHES NO DIAMOND COULD BUY
just three years after he started there suspicions to herself – mainly be-
as a psychiatric aide. Pierce not only cause she had not wanted to get out
repaid the loan that launched him of courting range either.
towards success but made several A few years later, the couple moved
contributions to the Howard Fund to Buies Creek, where for the next two
(as hundreds of other beneficiaries decades Howard taught a Bible course
have done). The non-profit fund, in- at Campbell College. He had to move
corporated in 1952, has no overhead fast to teach every morning, then
except the roof of the cover his preaching cir-
Howa rds’ modest cuit in the afternoons
home from which they and nights, his battered
personally distribute The non-profit old car showering
the money. fund has gravel along hundreds
Only in one series no overhead of miles of Carolina
of loans – to Student except the country roads. Alma
No. 3 – can Howard was just as busy. She
be suspected of a n roof of the was often up at dawn
ulterior motive. This Howards’ to help with the garden,
was the arrangement modest home the cows and the pigs
he m ade for A l m a that provided most of
Da rk , t he br u net te their food. At services,
soprano he fell in love sitting in the choir,
with one Sunday when he preached Alma would mind the latest baby
at her hometown of Roseboro, and (there would be four) while Charles
she soloed with the choir. Through preached. When the time came for her
a third part y, Howard lent Alma to sing, he took over.
enough money to keep her at Mere-
dith College, in Raleigh, through her BRILLIANT AND ELOQUENT, Howard
senior year. Otherwise, she would was at one time or another offered
have had to leave school and go to the pastorates of many big-city Bap-
live with relatives far outside his tist churches in North Carolina and
steady courting range. lucrative positions at more than
On the first night of their honey- one university. But he and Alma be-
moon, in 1931 – two years after Alma lieved that they could do more good
gave up her diamond – Howard con- right where they were. W henever
fessed that he was the benefactor possible, the couple tried to talk and
from whom she had borrowed. Alma pray with each student they decided
confessed in turn that she had sus- to help.
pected all along, but had kept her “Lord,” they asked, “give him
34 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 35
RICHES NO DIAMOND COULD BUY
36 | January•2018
LESSONS
S FOR LIFE
One form of social blackmailing I cannot give you the formula for
I have always resented is calling success, but I can give you the
someone weeks and weeks ahead formula for failure, which is:
of time with an invitation, so that Try to please everybody.
he cannot possibly plead a previous LAURENCE STERNE,
engagement if he doesn’t feel like RD DECEMBER 1967
accepting. Common decency
requires that you give a man a I have never been bored an hour
chance to lie his way out politely. in my life. I get up every morning
SYDNEY J. HARRIS, wondering what new, strange,
RD JUNE 1957 glamorous thing is going to
happen, and it happens at fairly
A meal is not simply food but also regular intervals. Lady Luck has
the spirit in which it is eaten. Meal- been good to me. I fancy she has
times should be the occasions for been good to many. Only some
the happiest kinds of exchanges and people are dour, and when she
learning – for cheerful, not solemn, gives them the come-hither with
communion. A bad meal can be her eyes, they look down or turn
redeemed by good conversation, but away. But me – I give her the wink,
a good meal can be irretrievably and away we go.
ruined by bad conversation. WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE, WRITER AND
ASHLEY MONTAGU, RENOWNED NEWSPAPER EDITOR,
RD JANUARY 1960 RD NOVEMBER 1975
January•2018 | 37
JANUARY 1980
“Thank You,
Rosie”
It wasn’t much – a few words and a
tiny bouquet of lilies of the valley.
Yet they brought me strange
comfort in a trying time
BY A R T H U R A . M I LWA R D
January•2018 | 39
“ T H A N K YO U , R O S I E ”
40 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
She nodded and said nothing. unseeing, into the water, trying to
I came to rely on these encoun- get a grip on myself. When I turned,
ters to a remarkable degree and one Rosie was standing beside me. She
evening gave her a small picture of touched me gently on the arm, just
Adrian, a duplicate of one I carried as she had the first time we met.
in my wallet. I wrote on the back of “ ’Ere” she said, proffering me
it: “Thank you, Rosie.” She looked at something wrapped in white tissue
it for a long moment before wrapping paper. “They’re for ’im. You’ll put ’em
it in her handkerchief on ’is grave for me,
and putting it care- won’t you?” Thrust-
fully in her purse. ing a tiny bouquet of
T hen, f i na l ly, t he Thrusting a tiny lilies of the valley into
telephone call came bouquet of lilies my hand, she made a
from t he Children’s of the valley into sort of choking sound,
Hospital: “I think you my hand, she turned and ran.
had bet ter come at A mass of wreaths
once.” made a sort of covered the grave. In
He looked so small choking sound, the centre of the pro-
lying there, his grey turned and ran fusion of f loral trib-
eyes fixed earnestly utes the tiny bunch of
on mine. I leaned over lilies of the valley con-
and wiped the perspi- trasted sharply with
ration from his forehead. the vivid roses, daffodils, tulips and
“Daddy, why a re you cr y i ng? anemones that surrounded it.
Daddy, I’m frightened. Oh, Daddy,
is it going to be all right?” I TIMED MY RETURN from my final
“Yes, darling, Daddy’s here. It’s visits to the hospital vicinity so that
going to be all right.” The tiny hand I would pass by Waterloo Bridge
clasped in mine relaxed its grip. rather late in the evening. I wanted
W hen it was over, the t wo com- to tell Rosie that I had delivered her
passionate nurses put their arms flowers. But I saw nothing of her. I
around my shoulders and led me could not imagine what had hap-
away. pened to her.
I went out in the London streets – Summoning up my courage, I
and it was night. made my way to the nearest police
The following evening, after tak- station, not many blocks distant.
ing care of necessary business at With the unfailing courtesy and
the hospital, I stopped on the bridge genuine helpfulness of the British
and leaned over the railings, gazing, policeman, an officer listened to my
January•2018 | 41
“ T H A N K YO U , R O S I E ”
story of looking for a friend. He eyed “Just a moment, sir,” the officer
me a bit quizzically. said and retreated to an inner of-
“Yes, sir, I am almost sure I know fice. Within minutes he returned,
to whom you refer,” he assured me. carrying a brown purse with a large
“She was regularly in the vicinity of card attached, evidently a listing of
Waterloo Bridge. Her regular ‘beat’, the purse’s contents. He looked a
you might say. Her name was Rosie, little excited.
wasn’t it?” “Yes, sir,” he assured me, run-
“Yes, yes,” I said. ning his finger down
“That’s the person I’m the list on the card.
looking for.” “There are two snap-
“I’m sorr y, sir,” he “Do you still have shots in the purse.”
told me quietly. “The her purse?” He opened t he
person in question is I asked. “Would it purse and handed me
dead. We picked her be possible for two photographs. One
up in the street several was a replica of t he
nights ago. Apparently me to see it?” picture I held in my
a heart attack.” The police officer hand. I turned it over
“Did she have any hesitated and read in my own
relatives, any family?” handwriting: “Thank
I asked. you, Rosie.” The other
“No, sir, I’m sorry,” picture was of a small,
t he pol icema n sa id. “ We went dark-haired girl.
through her purse, but there was no
identification of any kind. Cosmetics, I H A D ONE MOR E PL ACE TO GO.
matches, cigarettes, handkerchief, a The following day I took the train
couple of pictures. That was all.” to London and made my way to the
“Do you still have her purse?” I Children’s Hospital. I recalled Rosie
asked. “Would it be possible for me mentioning that she had a friend
to see it – to look into it?” ‘Ben’, who was a porter at the hospi-
The officer hesitated. “Well, sir, tal. I inquired at the porters’ lodge. A
that’s rather an unusual request.” middle-aged man with a kindly face
“Look, officer,” I continued, tak- came forward.
ing out my wallet and withdrawing “Yes, indeed,” he assured me. “I
the picture of my son from it. “This knew Rosie. She used to stop by reg-
is my son. If the person you picked ularly, you know, and inquire about
up is really the one I am looking for, your boy. I used to get a report for
there will be an identical picture in her from the ward about him.
her purse.” “She wasn’t always in the line
42 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
of business she was in when you afternoon and cut the grass and
met her, you k now,” Ben contin- take flowers. I went with her a time
ued. “She used to be a waitress. It or two.”
was after she lost her girl she went I k nelt beside the tiny mound.
on the street. The little girl died in Lacking shears, I tried to pull the
here, you know, six years old. It was longest grass, grow ing lank and
about a year ago. That’s when I first weedy now, with my hands. I filled
met Rosie – she used to come here the blue vase with water from the
and visit Gerda. That was the child’s tap in the corner of the cemetery
name. After the little one died, Rosie and replaced it on the grave.
never went back to the waitress job.” Unwrapping the tissue paper from
“Ben, can you tell me where Rosie the small bouquet I carried, I placed
is buried?” the lilies of the valley in the vase,
“No, Guv, I can’t,” Ben said. “But thrust the paper in the pocket of my
I can tell you where the child lies. raincoat, rose from my knees and
Rosie used to go there every Sunday walked rapidly away.
AFTER A FASHION
RD JULY 1987
January•2018 | 43
HUMOUR
1940S 1950S
While in New York on leave recently, Shortly after moving to a new town
I saw a small truck loaded with I remembered that it was time for my
glassware back out of a factory third polio shot. My wife suggested
driveway into the path of a large that I go to the obstetrician under
truck. Most of the glass was broken whose care she was. At first I baulked
in the crash, and the driver seemed at the idea; but, not knowing any
on the verge of tears. other doctors in the community, I
A big crowd gathered, and one gave in and made an appointment
benevolent old gentleman said for the inoculation.
compassionately, “I suppose you On the day of my appointment
will have to make good out of your I quietly took a seat in the corner
own pocket?” of the waiting room, trying to look
“I’m afraid that’s so,” lamented inconspicuous among the women
the driver. in maternity clothes.
“Well, well,” said the gentleman. A moment later the nurse entered,
“Here’s a dollar for you. Let me pass saying, “Good morning Mr Lewis.
your hat around and I dare say some The doctor will see you next. By the
of these kind people will help you way, we must know for our records –
out, too.” will this be your second or third?”
More than one hundred people ALFRED LEWIS, RD JULY 1959
dropped bills into the outstretched
hat. The driver, stowing the money 1960S
away as the crowd dispersed, On Christmas morning my sister
nodded towards the retreating back opened a large box from her
of the benevolent old gentleman. husband. Inside she found a card
“That’s what I call a real smart that said: “Merry Christmas and
man. He’s my boss.” Happy New Year”. Under a second
JAMES P. HODGES, RD MARCH 1946 wrapper was a card: “Be My
44 | January•2018
Valentine”. More paper and ribbon everyone was pointing and laughing
came off to reveal “Happy Easter,” at his car. When he arrived at his
“Happy Birthday” and “Mother’s office and parked the car, a man
Day” greetings. Finally she worked came up to him, slapped him on the
her way through “Happy Wedding back and chortled, “Wild night, huh,
Anniversary” to the gift, a beautiful buddy?” Bewildered, my husband
mink stole, and the final card, which got out and walked around the car.
read: “Gal, you’ve had Hanging from the
it for this year.” 2000S antenna was a bra.
J.V. RHODES, He had hooked it as
RD DECEMBER 1964 My musician son he drove out of the
decided to play his garage and under the
1970S guitar at his own indoor clothesline.
I was taking my wedding reception. THEODORA KNEVEL,
girlfriend for a drive. That day, tuning RD MAY 1983
At a red light, I pulled his strings was taking
to a stop behind longer than usual. 1990S
another car and “It’s a little harder To help a friend lose
made good use of the to do this with a ring weight, I told her
waiting time by giving on,” he apologised to she should switch
my girl a kiss. But my the waiting guests. to lower-fat foods,
foot slid off the brake, That’s when a man including skim milk.
and my car rolled called out, When she said her
forwards and gave a “Everything’s harder family would only
gentle bump to the with a ring on.” drink whole milk,
car in front of me. PATRICIA LEONARD, I suggested she
The driver RD MARCH 2005 keep their regular
immediately got out container and refill it
to assess the damage. with skim milk.
When he walked up to my car This worked well for quite a
he said, “For a driver with two while until her daughter asked one
heads, you sure don’t know how morning whether the milk was OK.
to use them.” “Sure,” my friend answered, fearing
GERRY SPAPE, RD MARCH 1973 she’d been found out. “Why?”
“Because according to this label,”
1980S the daughter explained, “this milk
Driving to work one day, my expired two years ago.”
husband couldn’t understand why WAYNE MAZZONI, RD JUNE 1997
January•2018 | 45
JANUARY 1985
The Case
of the
Murdered
Mother-in-Law
Nathaniel Carter was stunned by
the verdict: guilty – with 25 years to life
in prison. To Carter’s family and friends,
it became a crusade for justice
BY G E R A L D M O O R E
January•2018 | 47
T H E C A S E O F T H E M U R D E R E D M O T H E R - I N - L AW
48 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 49
T H E C A S E O F T H E M U R D E R E D M O T H E R - I N - L AW
January 25, 1982, after his divorce Nelson consulted Peekskill Police
from Delisa had become final. Mrs Commissioner Walter Kirkland, who
Parker’s sense of the man told her he had retired earlier from the New York
wasn’t a killer. Now, as she watched City Police Department. “I’ll look into
the bailiff lead Carter away, she was this,” Kirkland said, after scanning
spurred to action. the court records. “But I’ll work just
That evening, back home in Oss- as hard to prove Carter guilty as I do
ining, Mrs Parker phoned Lt James to prove him innocent.”
Nelson, an old ac- K i rk la nd decided
quaintance on the to start his investiga-
Peekskill police force. tion with Nate Carter
Nelson listened to her
Leads had gone h i m sel f. Sec u re i n
story. He knew Carter’s unchecked. his judgement of hu-
family to be good peo- Witnesses who man nature, he knew
ple. He had watched had seen Carter Carter could tell him
Carter grow up and play more about the case
basketball. The whole
the day of the t h a n a n y one e l s e ,
business seemed out of murder were not both by what he said
character for him. Nel- interviewed and what he chose not
son said that if he read to say. Kirkland made
the court documents, arrangements to see
he might understand Carter in prison.
what had happened. The Peekskill police commissioner
was surprised by the man he met.
Superficial investigation Convicted of a brutal killing, Carter
Cathy had kept a complete file on was calm and easy in his manner.
the case. Her mother told her to take There was no sense of hatred or re-
it to Nelson. As he read the file, he sentment about him.
saw that the investigation had been “Did you kill Clarice Herndon?”
superficial. He would not have ac- Kirkland asked bluntly.
cepted such police reports from his “No sir, I did not,” Carter replied
men in Peekskill. Too many leads had evenly.
gone unchecked. Witnesses who had “When I left that day,” Kirkland re-
seen Carter on the day of the murder calls now, “I was determined to con-
were not interviewed. Joseph Fife, tinue the investigation.”
who had been around Mrs Herndon’s Over the next few weeks, Kirkland
house courting Delisa the night before called on the people Carter said he
the murder, was questioned only once had been with on the day of the mur-
by telephone. der. Every one of them substantiated
50 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
Carter’s story. Blue had bank and realised they had two elements miss-
postal receipts and witnesses to sup- ing at Carter’s trial: a motive and a
port his account of his activities with person whose past showed a capacity
Carter on September 15. Cathy added for violence.
that Delisa had been jealous of her
and had once threatened her with Mounting frustration
a knife. But to get Nate Carter out of prison
On December 28, 1982, Kirkland for another trial they had to show
wrote to Judge Milton Mollen of the that the first trial had been inade-
Appellate Division. New York City quate, or that there was strong ev-
laws mandate Legal Aid Society rep- idence indicating Carter could not
resentation when an accused person have committed the crime.
cannot pay for a defence. Murder is Meanwhile, Carter had been in-
excepted from this mandate, un- carcerated at Great Meadow Cor-
less there is a special court order. rectional Facility in Comstock, New
Kirkland sought such an order from York, located nearly 320 kilometres
Judge Mollen. from Ossining. Cathy managed to
About ten days later, Judge Mol- visit him every six weeks. She also
len wrote back to say he had given did research to help the investigation.
the case to the Legal Aid Society. “All we could do was to keep working
The case was assigned to Lawrence and never give up hope,” she says.
Halfond, supervising attorney of the Carter was still dazed by what had
criminal defence division of Legal happened to him, but he found the
Aid in Queens, and veteran investiga- strength to deal with prison life. He
tor Ettore Perrazzo. They interviewed had a growing faith that the Lord
every person mentioned in police re- would see him through the ordeal.
ports and then followed up every lead In June, Ha lfond and anot her
those people offered. Legal Aid attorney, William E. Hel-
They soon learned that Delisa lerstein, sent a lengthy memo to the
Carter and Mrs Herndon had had Queens Count y D.A.’s office and
serious differences around the time succeeded in persuading them to
of t he murder. Neighbours told review the case. Halfond suggested
them that they had quarrelled over that the D.A.’s investigators talk to
whether Delisa could bring a man Delisa again. He had a hunch that if
into the house at night. A back- she had killed her foster mother, she
g round invest igat ion turned up might now be feeling guilty.
several instances when Delisa had On September 6, 1983, Delisa met
become violent and attacked people. with the D.A.’s men. At first, she sim-
Sudden ly t he Lega l A id tea m ply repeated her earlier testimony.
January•2018 | 51
T H E C A S E O F T H E M U R D E R E D M O T H E R - I N - L AW
Then, suddenly, she said, “You know an idea. If a trusted friend of Del-
the truth, don’t you? Nate didn’t do isa’s equipped with a hidden tape
it. A guy named Cunningham did it.” recorder could get her to discuss
The investigators were stunned. the case, they might learn the truth.
Then Delisa said she had to pick up He suggested the idea to the D.A’s
her son. They accompanied her to investigators.
the school and waited outside. Del- Joseph Fife, the man who had
isa went in and left by the back door. come home with Delisa the night be-
Several days later, fore Mrs Herndon was
dete c t i ve s t r ie d to killed, was persuaded
quest ion her again. to wear a ‘body wire’.
She had spoken to an Suddenly, she On October 5 and 21,
at tor ne y, how e v er, said, “You know 1983, accompa n ied
and now she refused the truth, don’t b y t w o det e c t i ve s,
to cooperate. Because you? Nate Fi fe d rove to Ha r-
the D.A.’s office had lem, where New York
taken Delisa before a
didn’t do it. pol ic e had loc ated
grand jury to secure A guy named Del i sa. Fi fe t a l ked
Nat e’s i nd ic t ment , Cunningham did” with her while detec-
and because she had tives listened over the
not waived her right to radio. On both occa-
immunity prior to her sions they heard her
testimony, under New York law she say that the mysterious Anthony
could never be prosecuted for any Cunningham, not Nathaniel Carter,
part she might have played in Mrs had committed the murder.
Herndon’s death. Subsequent ly, Delisa lef t New
As the days dragged on, Halfond York, and police found her in Bristol,
grew increasingly frustrated. Delisa Connecticut, on January 17, 1984.
had cleared Nate and accused an- Again she was questioned about
other man, yet Halfond was unable the murder.
to get Nate released from prison. That same day, Cathy and her
mother, Halfond, Perrazzo and Kirk-
Last-chance gamble land waited anxiously in the Queens
Finally, Halfond began to suspect cou r t room where a hea r i ng on
that Queens D.A. John J. Santucci whether to reopen Carter’s case was
was waiting to find the real killer be- to take place. Time for the hearing
fore he had to face the publicity that came and passed. Suddenly, San-
would certainly surround Carter’s tucci and his aides arrived. “Larry,”
release. So Halfond came up with Santucci whispered to Halfond, “my
52 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
detectives picked up Delisa. She Bristol. Nate went home with Cathy
confessed.” to begin his life again.
After so many delays and so much This miscarriage of justice has
worry, Cathy broke into tears. Nate, spurred efforts to change New York’s
quiet and composed, was brought immunity laws. The governor’s office
into the courtroom and released. plans to resubmit a bill in early 1985
He rushed to embrace Cathy. He – dubbed by some the Carter Bill –
thanked Kirkland, Halfond and Per- which would exempt from future use
razzo. He hugged Mrs Parker. After in prosecution only the information
28 months in prison, the nightmare given by a witness during testimony.
had finally come to an end. The witness him– or herself would
On Januar y 25, 1984, the same not be immune.
people again gathered in the Queens Now employed at an IBM office,
cour t room to hear t he shak ing, Nathaniel Carter says he isn’t bitter
tearful Delisa confess. She said that about the experience, although he did
she and her former foster mother decide last summer to take legal ac-
had argued. W hen Mrs Herndon tion against the City of New York and
“smacked” her, Delisa went to the several police officers. “I didn’t have
basement, got a knife and “started money to fight for my freedom,” he
stabbing her”. says, “but I had my faith in God, my
A f ter t he hearing, Delisa, im- family and friends. I always knew it
mune from prosecution, returned to was going to be all right.”
January•2018 | 53
Personal Glimpses
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE LIVES OF THE FAMOUS
54 | January•2018
“No, I’m no relation,” she replied. Andrew Carnegie was called on, as
“Then, I’ll give you my frank usual to make good the New York
opinion,” Balzac exclaimed. Philharmonic Society’s annual
“This child is slovenly and probably deficit, he said to his caller: “Surely
stupid. I fear he will never amount there are other people who like
to anything.” music well enough to help. If you
“But master,” the woman laughed, raise half of what is needed, I’ll give
“that book was your very own when you the other half.”
you were a little boy in school.” Next day the man returned to
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, report that he had succeeded. As
RD FEBRUARY 1938 Carnegie wrote out the cheque for
the balance, he asked: “Do you mind
A lady once wrote to me that she telling me who gave the other half?”
had just had a baby – stillborn, and “Not at all,” said the canvasser.
her heart was broken; she had no “It was Mrs Carnegie.”
desire to go on living. Then, one GENE FOWLER, BEAU JAMES: THE LIFE
evening, her husband had turned AND TIMES OF JIMMY WALKER,
on the radio and she heard my RD AUGUST 1953
concert. It made her want to go
on living again because there was A British magazine sent multi-
beautiful music in the world. She millionaire J. Paul Getty a cheque
did not sign her name because for £200, asking for “a piece, not
she did not want me to think she any great length,” explaining his
wanted a reply – she only wanted success. Getty complied as follows,
to tell me. in its entirety: “Some people find
The letter haunted me; I felt I must oil. Others don’t.”
express my thanks. So my secretary JACK O’BRIEN, RD AUGUST 1973
called up every hospital in New
York. We had nothing to go on but Early one morning in 1971, a rumble
the date of the letter, but after hours awakened Charles Richter, the
of phoning we found her. The same pioneer in seismology after whom
day I sent her a photograph which the Richter scale of earthquake
I inscribed to her: “From Arturo magnitude is named. His reaction to
Toscanini, Detective!” the 6.6 earthquake was anything but
BERNADINE SZOLD-FRITZ IN ROB scientific. Recalls his wife, Lillian,
WAGNER’S SCRIPT, RD AUGUST 1940 “He jumped up screaming and
scared the cat.”
On one occasion when business JOHN NOBLE WILFORD IN THE NEW
magnate and philanthropist YORK TIMES, RD JUNE 1986
January•2018 | 55
DECEMBER 1969
Now…
While
There’s
Time
A father and his infant
daughter travel different roads.
But there are also lovely moments
when they walk together
BY E D B A R T L E Y
January•2018 | 57
N O W. . . W H I L E T H E R E ’ S T I M E
58 | January•2018
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relationship with him, except that Suddenly she bolts from the room
she found him easier to carry while (she seldom walks) and I hear her
performing her chores. naked feet slapping against t he
I can do my own work fairly well wooden f loor outside. She returns
during most of these chores, and with Dumpty. She holds him up to
so I concentrate on Melville. (“Dis- the window, stretching him out by
cuss the similarity of the alienation his two pathetic, triangular arms
theme in Bartleby the Scrivener and and whispering into his non-existent
Kafka’s Metamorpho- ear, “Bib-bibs, Hindy,
sis.”) I am on my way. bib -bib s ! ” D u mpt y
Unfortunately, I had sm i les. It ’s a much
not counted on the ar- “Bib-bibs, bib- w ider sm i le t ha n it
rival of the “bib-bibs”. bibs!” shrieks used to be.
(“Bib-bibs” are birds. Meghan, her eyes I leave them in con-
Again the derivation alive with versation and return
eludes me.) to my desk . W it h i n
“Bib-bibs, bib-bibs!” expectation. five minutes she ap-
shrieks Meghan, her She insists I come p e a r s b e f o r e m e ,
eyes alive with expec- to the window wearing her mother’s
tation. She insists that shoes. She reaches up
I come with her to the to the typewriter keys
window. and depresses four of
“In a second. Just let me finish them simultaneously.
this question. Have you read Kafka’s “No, thank you, Meghan. Daddy’s
Metamorphosis, Meghan? You hav- seen your work. He’ll do it himself.”
en’t? You’d really enjoy it.” She backs off. Out of the corner
The sarcasm leaves no mark, and of my eye I can see her go into the
she pulls me by the hand (two fin- kitchen, watching the grop swim
gers actually) towards the bedroom around in his circular world. I can
window. I see myself as a slow-wit in see that the water in his bowl needs
some southern novel, being led oaf- to be changed.
like to watch the bib-bibs. And we Back to t he test. Determined.
do watch them. They chatter inces- (“Discuss illusion and realit y in
santly and leap abruptly back and Benito Cereno.”)
forth on the lawn just outside our “Don’t even ask, Meghan. Not to-
apartment window. Meghan is ab- day.” She stands in front of me with
sorbed, but as I watch them I won- her shoes and socks in her hand. I
der whether I parked the car under know the pattern. First the shoes
a tree last night. and socks. Then the stroller. And
January•2018 | 59
N O W. . . W H I L E T H E R E ’ S T I M E
pretty soon we’re in the park. She’ll the Hat, even that ancient copy of
want me to pick her a dandelion, National Geographic with the pen-
or leaf from that tree the hurricane guin on the cover ...
knocked over but didn’t uproot a Good Lord, she’s got them all.
few years ago. And she’ll clutch that With her free hand she tugs at my
leaf or dandelion the way she always sleeve.
does when we walk to the park. Oh, “No, Meghan,” I snap irritably.
yes, I know the pattern. “Not now. Go away and leave me
She rests her head alone. And take your
on my leg, just as she library with you.”
d id w hen s he f i r st T hat does it; she
lea r nt to wa l k . She “No, Meghan,” leaves. She makes no
used to br i ng her I snap irritably. f u r t her at t empt to
plast ic comb or her “Not now. Go bother me. I can fin-
hairbrush (once it was away and leave ish the test easily now
a toothbrush) and rest without interference.
her head on my leg me alone. And No one trying to climb
while I combed her take your library onto my lap; no extra
hair. That ritual, how- with you” f i ngers helpi ng me
ever, ended only after type.
a few months – much I see her standing
too soon for me. quietly with her back
Finally, she leaves, and I watch her facing the sofa, tears running down
frustration as she sits on the f loor her cheeks. She has two fingers of
and tries for several minutes to put her right hand in her mouth. She
on one of her socks. The art proves holds the tragic Dumpty in her left.
too elusive. In years to come she’ll She watches me type, and slowly
put on stockings or leotards with the brushes the tip of Dumpty’s anaemic
ease and grace of a ballerina. But arm across her nose to comfort her.
today a tiny pair of socks defeats her. A t t h i s m om e n t , on l y f or a
She sees me looking! Back to work. moment, I see things as God must
(“W hat is the significance of the – in perspective, with all the pieces
motto carved on the bow of Benito fitting. I see a little girl cry because
Cereno’s ship?”) I haven’t time for her. Imagine ever
She pats t he w icker chair, t he being that important to another
comfortable one we sit in together to human being!
watch TV or to read, and she hastily I see the day when it won’t mean
gathers her books – The Poky Little so much to a tiny soul to have me sit
Puppy, The Magic Bus, The Cat in next to her and read a story, one that
60 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
means little to us, realising some- to go on the swings for a while. Bring
how that it is the sitting next to each Dumpty – and your red sweater, too.
other that means everything. And It might be windy down there.”
now I see the day when the frail, At the word “park” the fingers
loyal and loveable Dumpty will van- leave the mouth. She laughs excit-
ish from the life of a little girl who edly and begins the frantic search
has outgrown him. for her shoes and socks.
I resent Dumpty for an instant. Melv ille w ill have to wait, but
He’s consoling my girl, and that is he won’t mind. He waited most of
my concern, not his. She and I have his life for someone to discover the
few enough days like this to share. miracle of Moby-Dick – and died
So the paper slips gently into the top 30 years before anyone did. No, he
drawer, the hood slides over the type won’t mind.
writer. The test will get done some- Besides, he’d understand why I
how. Tests always get done. must go right now - while bib-bibs still
“Meghan, I feel like taking a walk spark wonder, and before dandelions
down to the park. I was wondering if become weeds, and while a little girl
you and Edward would care to join thinks that a leaf from her father is a
me. I thought maybe you would like gift beyond her measure.
SIGNS OF LIFE
RD MAY 1965
January•2018 | 61
HUMOUR
Laughter
THE BEST MEDICINE
62 | January•2018
remarkable, and that one morning and now I don’t know what he
while leaving his tent, he had looks like!” JAY TRACHMAN,
spotted a leopard. RD NOVEMBER 1990
That’s when one of the listeners
said, “Oh, I thought they were born “Why aren’t you dating Carol
that way.” anymore?” a guy asked his friend.
WADE MCLAUGHLIN, RD MARCH 1973 “I couldn’t stand her vulgar laugh.”
“I never noticed that about her.”
When a homeowner heard the price “You weren’t there when I
for cleaning his chimneys, he said, proposed to her.” JUNE STOPPARD,
“Forget it! I’ll clean them myself!” RD NOVEMBER 1990
“OK,” said the chimney
sweep with a shrug. Overheard: “I’m
“Soot yourself.” trying to keep up with
1977
EDWARD STEVENSON, the Joneses, but every
RD MAY 1979
“So,” said the attorney, time I catch up, they
“you want a divorce refinance!”
1980S on the grounds that DAVID SNELL,
Question: What do you your husband is RD JANUARY 1997
say to a baby wearing careless about his
designer jeans? appearance?” 2000S
Answer: Gucci, “That’s right,” said the I got thrown out of
woman. “He hasn’t
Gucci, Gucci. a mime show the
made an appearance
MARY DERSCH,
in over three years.” other day for having a
RD MARCH 1982 spasm. They thought
GEORGE E. BERGMAN
I was heckling.
IN THE AMERICAN
Wife: “If our marriage LEGION MAGAZINE, JEFF SHAW,
is a fifty-fifty deal, RD OCTOBER 1977 RD FEBRUARY 2002
why haven’t you raked
up your half of the What do you call
leaves?” someone who has just printed 1000
Husband: “Your half is on puns off the Internet?
the ground, dear. Mine is still on Well e-quipped.
the tree.” BONNIE STOVER, RD JUNE 1986 J. PICKETT, RD APRIL 2003
January•2018 | 63
APRIL 1974
DRA
IN R
LIF
The
Sinking
of the
Comet
While the old boat didn’t look very
seaworthy, none of us thought
it was a deathtrap
BY M I C H A E L R E I L LY
January•2018 | 65
THE SINKING OF THE COMET
THE BOAT WAS 45 MINUTES LATE, however, we saw the Comet coming
but the guys were taking it well – con- in. We were disappointed – her hull
sidering the fact that many of them planking was battered, her deck
had been on a night run and driven seams needed chalking – but a cheer
directly to Point Judith harbour with- went up and we all rushed aboard.
out sleep. We were mostly truck driv- There was some delay in letting
ers from Rhode Island, and we had go. The deckhand was a young boy
chartered the Comet for 6 o’clock this named Ralph Nickerson, and it was
morning of May 19, 1973, for a day of clear that this was his first trip to sea.
deep-sea fishing. Also, Jackson’s orders shouted from
Joe Faria was taking a lot of kidding the wheelhouse were sometimes
because the whole thing had been confusing. We finally got underway
his idea. About a month ago he’d told at about 7.05.
me, “I ran into this old friend Mike I noticed then that the Comet ’s
Jackson, and he’s bought himself a stern had very little freeboard. There
boat that he’ll charter for ten dollars couldn’t have been more than 45 cen-
a head if we guarantee 25 men. He’ll timetres between the sea and after-
supply crew, tackle and bait.” deck. Comparing it with other boats I
I was supervisor-dispatcher at the had been on, I knew that the distance
St Johnsbury Trucking Company in should have been greater. I saw my
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and I be- friend Al Charron staring at the af-
gan talking it up to the drivers: “You terdeck with a worried look, too. If
guys are always complaining that only we had spoken to each about it!
we don’t do anything together. Well,
Joe’s got something great.” “She’s taking water!”
Soon the required 25 men had The day was clear, but a flood tide was
signed up, and the trip was on. But bringing huge waves, while a south-
when the Comet hadn’t appeared by westerly wind was whipping them
6.45 that morning, we began to kid in the opposite direction, creating a
Joe. “How much did Joe lift off us so bad chop. As the Comet moved into
far – $125?” a voice demanded. “Not the open sea, the first wave heeled
bad for a boat that don’t exist.” her sharply to starboard, lifted her as
The four teenage boys in the group it ran beneath her, rolled her back to
– 18-year-old Steven Gercey and his portside and then sent her plunging
16-year-old brother William, and into the following trough. Everybody
their cousins, Andrew Girczyc, 14, and on deck staggered and clutched at the
Stanley, 13 – began to worry that their handrails. After about 15 minutes of
first ocean trip might not take place. this, Joe told me he was going to talk
At f ive minutes before seven, to Jackson about turning back. In a
66 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 67
THE SINKING OF THE COMET
began talking at once: “I can see out of the water. But, as the ship
Block Island ... the tides will take grew smaller with each turn of her
us there ... we’re in the transatlan- screw, our screams turned to curses.
tic shipping lane and freighters go Finally, she was a smudge on the
through here all the time ... the Coast horizon, then nothing.
Guard must have heard our SOS.” Now the cold resumed its deadly
Al Charron and I looked at each work. It stunned us and sapped our
other. We were both pretty sure no will to survive.
radio call got out. But Al Charron suddenly
our immediate prob- began to st rike t he
lem was the raft, which water and yell. “No, by
was covered with a I felt tears in my God, no! I’m not gonna
sheet of slippery fibre- eyes, and looked die out here without
glass. In these seas, no away. Then I saw doing something. I’ll
man could stay on top a triangle of swim for help.”
of it. We all had to re- T h i n k i ng he w a s
main in the water and white cloth delirious, I grabbed
cling to the man-lines. nearby. We stared his arm. He jerked it
I clamped my jaws on at it dumbly free and pointed to a
my chattering teeth wooden bench t hat
and fought the leg w e’d s a l v a ge d a nd
cramps that jerked my lashed to the raft. “I
heels up under me. As the cold pene- can keep afloat with that bench. We
trated, a sort of stupor came over us. gotta do something or we’ll all die
Suddenly one of the men was cry- anyway.”
ing shrilly, “A ship! A ship!” “I’m a better swimmer than you
Jolted awake, we saw a tanker are, Al,” I said. “And you’ve got a wife
headed in our direction. When she and kids. I’m not married. I’ll go.”
was about three kilometres off, Al and The bench was about 2.4 metres
I held Brian on top of the raft while long and 60 centimetres wide. When
he waved his orange life jacket wildly. we got it free, I positioned my left arm
The rest of us yelled, cheered and over it – leaving my right arm and
laughed. She came within 150 metres legs free for swimming. Brian’s head
of us but her rust-streaked hull kept appeared suddenly opposite me. “I’ll
on sliding through the water. We could go along,” he said. “If I have to drown,
hear the continuing throb of her pow- it might as well be with you.”
erful engine. She wasn’t going to stop! I gave him a grin and said, “Well,
We thrashed our arms and legs let’s go.”
in frantic efforts to raise ourselves We swam as hard as we could, but
68 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
we were just two ant-like figures on a me onto the deck where I lay gasp-
chip of wood. The sea would take us ing. “Others out there,” I whispered.
where it wanted to. “The Comet sank...”
For a time, we joked to keep up our The next thing I knew I was be-
spirits. “Hey, I’ve still got my wallet,” low deck in a bunk, wrapped in a
I said. “Let me know if we come to a blanket and being fed coffee. In the
toll booth.” bunk across from me I saw Brian.
“Don’t be a big spender,” Brian Over the next 45 minutes we heard
warned. “Remember you already the creak of rigging and the growl of
blew ten bucks to go fishing.” the engine as the boat manoeuvred,
When we could no longer joke, we stopped and started. As each survi-
talked quietly about the things in life vor was brought below, I said an in-
we’d miss. Brian said, “It’s hard to ward prayer of thanks.
believe that we’ll never have another I began to hope all had been saved,
brew together at Murphy’s Lounge.” but when the Decibel finally headed
I felt tears in my eyes, and looked back towards Point Judith I knew they
away. Then I saw a triangle of white had not. Joe Faria and Al Charron told
cloth nearby. We stared at it dumbly, us that after Brian and I had gone
finally realising it was a sail. We for help, Steve Gercey had lost con-
screamed and waved – or thought sciousness and slipped away from the
we did. We were drugged by the cold raft. His uncle, Walter Girczyc, had
and couldn’t lift our arms out of the drowned, as had young Nickerson,
water. The sail moved past. We were the deckhand, and the Comet’s owner,
invisible men. We gave up. Bill Jackson. In all, 16 men had died.
On May 22, 1973, the US Coast
Bring her around Guard convened a Marine Board of
Yachtsman Richard Lemmerman was Investigation. When the hearings
sailing his 12 metre sloop Decibel to ended, two stark facts were revealed:
her home port of Manchester, Massa- the Comet had no inspection certifi-
chusetts. She was about in the middle cate, because Jackson had never sub-
of Block Island Sound when crewman mitted his boat to a safety inspection.
Mark Standley called out, “There’s Nor did he have a personal licence to
something out there in the water. skipper a boat for hire.
Looks like a couple of damn-fool kids Now I wonder. Had I thought to go
in a kayak. I wonder if they need help.” into the wheelhouse before we sailed
Lemmerman said, “Let’s not take and found no Coast Guard certificate,
any chances. Bring her around, Mark.” would I have tried to talk the men
W hen t he sa i l i ng boat c a me into walking off the boat? I’m not
alongside, strong hands wrestled sure. I know I will next time.
January•2018 | 69
MAY 1940
My
Aunt
Batty
Eccentric, kind, single-minded
and revered by everyone whose
paths she crossed
BY K AT H L E E N N O R R I S
ILLUSTRAT ION: iSTOCK
January•2018 | 71
M Y A U N T B AT T Y
EVERY TIME I THINK OF AUNT BATTY that. Yet somehow they manage to do
I laugh, and that, in itself, is a tribute what they have to do and what they
to her memory. Every time the other want to do.
girls and boys who grew up under For one thing, people were always
her forceful influence begin to dis- doing generous things for Aunt Batty.
cuss her, her absurdities and idio- Her father and mother had been
syncrasies and unreasonableness, among San Francisco’s leaders in a
and her sheer sweet goodness, they pioneer day. From the beginning their
laugh, too. And sometimes they’ve home had been a real home, in the
been caught wiping their eyes after centre of a mix of Mexicans, Chinese
the laughter. and Indians, gold-seekers mad with
She was not really my aunt. Her impatience, criminals and adventur-
mother’s sister had been my grand- ers, and sinister types with pockmarks
father’s second wife, if anyone cares and dagger scars on their faces.
to work out the relationship from Scared, weary, dusty young New
that. But she stood, by age and na- England wives, descending fearfully
ture, in the position of an aunt. We from covered wagons, found an oasis
were orphaned when scarcely out in the home that had a good woman
of childhood, six of us, and how we in it, and children and a garden.
should have weathered the storm at Before Aunt Batty was born the first
all without Aunt Batty nobody cares city library was established in the
to imagine. roomy basement of the old house.
Not that she had money. She never A colony of other homes had risen
had money. She was widowed, with roundabout. Her father was lawyer,
four children to raise, when I remem- patriarch, friend to them all, and her
ber her first, her one asset a large, position, as ‘one of Judge Thompson’s
shabby, bay-windowed house in the girls’, was established beyond distur-
sunshiny neighbourhood of San Fran- bance of any tides of time or wealth.
cisco called ‘The Mission’. In person she was completely unim-
Here Aunt Batty rented rooms, pressive; small, stout, grey, bustling.
cooked for boarders, clipped yellow Only an inconspicuous middle-aged
marguerites and banksia roses to sell little woman, yet there was some-
at the Women’s Exchange, gave mu- thing confident – indeed, royal – in
sic lessons at an old square piano, her manner. When she said to a traf-
and knitted baby blankets on order. fic officer, “I am leaving my car here,
She never mentioned money as im- my man; just keep an eye on it!” he
portant, or seemed to worry about cleared his throat, hesitated and
having it or not having it. It sounds obeyed, even though the disreputable
ridiculous, but there are persons like vehicle, loaded with wet bathing suits,
72 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
spades, coats, cameras and picnic bas- a cabin at Tahoe was put at her dis-
ket, might be all but touching the ‘No posal for the summer, she was always
Parking’ sign. When to a circus usher appreciative, but never overburdened
she calmly suggested, “We’ll have a with any sense of obligation. Her own
few more chairs in the box please!” rule was: “It’s mine, and so I can give it
he quietly went and got them. When away”; and she probably thought that
she reached authoritative hands for everyone else felt the same way. Her
a strange baby in a streetcar, the home was a clearing house for rugs
mother instantly sur- and cribs and New York
rendered the child. hats and the clothes
And the baby always Minnie Stedman sent
stopped crying and When she reached her when Minnie went
stared at Aunt Batty authoritative into mourning.
as one bewitched, as hands for a “We’d only hang ’em
possibly it was. strange baby, the up in a closet until you
Aunt Batty loved girls grew up to ‘em!”
life as no other hu- mother instantly she would say firmly,
man being I ever knew surrendered to some reluctant child
loved life. She never the child or grandchild. “Now
did things that didn’t they’ll be worn every
interest her, and she day this winter! Tom,
never had enough time you take that suitcase
for those that did. She never went to over to the Millers this minute.”
lunch or dinner parties or played One afternoon three chilled beg-
cards. But she cooked and knitted gars asked for food. They got a meal,
and cared for everyone’s baby, played and as they left Aunt Batty turned to
old songs on the piano, was needed the rack where the men of the house
in every house where there was sud- hung their coats, and selected the
den sorrow or sickness. To the end three shabbiest to give her guests. It
she bicycled enthusiastically; pasted was an hour or two later that a puz-
up endless scrapbooks; gardened zled daughter came into Aunt Batty’s
until she was earthy, perspiring, sun- kitchen to explain that the plumbers
burned, ravenous and cramped. Her were finished now, and ready to go
garden never had a completed look, home, but they couldn’t find their
but her stocky figure and battered old coats. Wallets, pipes, handkerchiefs,
hat were somehow an always pleasant tobacco and whatever else plumbers
sight among the weedy borders. keep in their pockets were of course
When the opera came to town and gone, too. But the story on ‘Ma’ was
someone sent her a box, or when considered well worth the expense.
January•2018 | 73
M Y A U N T B AT T Y
We came to depend upon her hon- “Thank you, Bat,” he said. “I’m not
esty as a very rock under our younger afraid.”
lives. Between Aunt Batty’s quiet Nor was he, from that moment.
“You’ve got a sick baby there” and Simple middle-aged brother and sis-
her equally quiet “Well, this little fell- ter saying goodbye to each other, there
er’s made up his mind to stay with us was a dignity, even a magnificence,
for a while” lay life’s extremes of fear about the little scene.
and relief for young mothers. Her When, after long years of discour-
saying “The way to be- aged plodding, the
gin living this ideal life skies broke for me and
they talk about is just I had a chance at a job
to begin” has stayed She married off on a morning paper,
with some of those sons and I took my doubts and
long-ago boys and daughters, took despairs to Aunt Batty.
girls as the very base children to “I’ve wanted this –
of their philosophies. I’ve prayed for it – I
She faced whatever circuses and never thought I’d get
came without f linch- beaches, made it! But they want me
ing. One rainy after- gingerbread today – today – and
noon she sat with her what about my job at
only brother in a hos- the settlement house?
pital room; her fingers It’ll take weeks to find
knitting, her voice serene. She had another resident and break her in!”
answered his question; the essential “Take it,” commanded Aunt Batty.
question. Yesterday a strong healthy “You’re free at the settlement house at
man, planning for his future and that five o’clock; you can hold both jobs.”
of his motherless children, he had “But I have to gather social news, a
been struck down by a derelict truck. whole column of it, every day!”
And today was the end. “I’ll manage that,” Aunt Batt y
“You lie here for an hour and think promised serenely.
it over,” she said. “I’ll give the chil- And she did. I was at the post-
dren supper and send them in to earthquake settlement house, with its
see you. You’ve had a good, full life, sewing classes, mothers’ meetings,
Peter.” rehearsals for the Christmas play, and
“The girls?” he faltered. cooking school, until five o’clock. Then
“I’ll see to the girls. You needn’t be I raced downtown to the newspaper
afraid.” and called Aunt Batty. Aunt Batty had
He looked long at her. To his eyes been telephoning all her old friends
came sudden peace. all day. An engagement was to be
74 | January•2018
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announced; parties were planned; conviction that the stubby hands, the
people were going to Europe and eager mind and the inexhaustible love
coming back from Hawaii. that was part of her were preparing
For three weeks I held both jobs, themselves for new fields of labour.
worked from eight in the morning At the end she said quietly that
until midnight. Never in my life have Dave, the husband of her youth, had
I been happier. It was training, it was been with her since sunrise.
hope, it was the opening door, and “He held out his hand to me just
I knew it. That winter I met the man I as he did when I walked out of Mam-
was to marry; there were plans, there ma’s house in Powell Street with him
was a future. 47 years ago,” she told us, and there
And I couldn’t have done any of it was something shy, radiant, bridal
without Aunt Batty. in the half-smile that lay like light on
Well, that was all there was to her, her face. “Going off with Dave, I felt
a blunt, busy, stubby-handed little such a scared girl! I hardly knew him
widow who lived in a dilapidated at all, it seemed to me. But I know
old house, married off sons and him now,” her whisper went on, as
daughters, took children to circuses her eyes closed.
and beaches, made gingerbread and “There’s no scare now, Dave! Hav-
trimmed Christmas trees, gardened, en’t I been sick for the sight of you all
nursed the sick, welcomed every new these years, dear!”
baby as if it were the first in the world, And so all through these years we’ve
and loved on Sunday nights to gather known that there was an Aunt Batty’s
a group of young singers around an house somewhere, a house with dim
old piano while she played. gas-lighted halls and big, shabby
Rising from a long, joyous lunch rooms where placid fat babies are fin-
table one Sunday, she leaned on her ishing bottles, and children are whis-
oldest son’s arm. pering over homework, and brides
“I think you’d better help me up- are rustling silk gowns. A house of
stairs, Bucky,” she said. She hadn’t whose attic boys and girls take noisy
called Tom that since he was five years possession on rainy afternoons, and
old. We sat in stricken silence, for I in whose kitchen, over baking pans
think we all knew, then. and chopping bowls, women murmur
For two days she lay looking at us their endless household wisdom.
serenely, only disturbed when the We know that somewhere, some-
children were too much silenced in time, we’ll all be back at Aunt Batty’s.
the halls. And she gave us in parting For to us who knew her, of what else
perhaps her finest gift, the last of so ca n b e ma d e t h e Ki n g d o m o f
many! I mean the sharing of her own Heaven?
January•2018 | 75
Points to Ponder
LESSONS FOR LIFE
Prejudices, it is well known, are blood, toil, tears and sweat always
more difficult to eradicate from get more out of their followers than
the heart whose soil has never those who offer safety and a good
been loosened or fertilised by time. When it comes to the pinch,
education: they grow there, firm human beings are heroic.
as weeds among stones. GEORGE ORWELL,
CHARLOTTE BRONTË, RD MARCH 1997
RD AUGUST 1986
Architecture is the alphabet of
There are a lot of good reasons a giants: it is the largest set of symbols
cat makes an ideal pet. Cats are ever made to meet the eyes of men.
quiet. They need very little space, a G.K. CHESTERTON,
minimum of care and they’re clean. RD MARCH 1997
A cat won’t attack the mailman or
eat the drapes – although he may People are like stained-glass
climb the drapes to see how the windows; they sparkle and shine
room looks from the ceiling. when the sun is out, but when the
HELEN POWERS, darkness sets in, their true beauty
RD AUGUST 1984 is revealed only if there is a light
from within.
High sentiments will always win ELIZABETH KÜBLER-ROSS,
in the end. The leaders who offer RD NOVEMBER 1977
76 | January•2018
To awaken quite alone in a strange Hope is a light diet, but very
town is one of the pleasantest stimulating.
sensations in the world. You are HONORÉ DE BALZAC, RD FEBRUARY 1961
surrounded by adventure. You have
no idea of what is in store for you, The wonder of a single snowflake
but you will, if you are wise and outweighs the wisdom of a million
know the art of travel, let yourself go meteorologists.
in the stream of the unknown. For FRANCIS BACON, RD FEBRUARY 1961
this reason your customary thoughts
– everything, in fact, which belongs Pierre Auguste Renoir, the French
to your everyday life, is merely a painter, when asked how he
hindrance. The tourist travels in his achieved such natural, delicate
own atmosphere like a snail in his flesh tints in his nudes, is said to
shell, but if you discard all this and have replied: “I just keep painting
sally forth with a leisurely and blank and painting until I feel like
mind, there is no knowing what may pinching. Then I know it’s right.”
not happen to you. RD MARCH 1973
FREYA STARK, RD NOVEMBER 1956
The man who sees badly always
It is a paradox that just when sees less than there is to see;
technology has made it possible the man who hears badly always
for parents to spend more of their hears something more than there
time than ever before in training is to hear.
their children, they should foist so FRIEDRICH WILHELM NIETZSCHE,
much of the responsibility upon RD MARCH 1973
the schools.
HENRY STEELE, RD FEBRUARY 1961
January•2018 | 77
NOVEMBER 1990
The
Trouble
with
Mollie
This puppy was written off as
too wild to win – until a gutsy trainer
recognised her champion’s heart
BY E V E R E T T S K E H A N
January•2018 | 79
THE TROUBLE WITH MOLLIE
“COME GET THIS DOG!” Fran D’Err- “but she’s not too particular about
ico yelled. “She’s at it again.” The pointing them.” Most setters have
setter pup was on another rampage, an inborn habit of stopping in their
tipping over wastepaper baskets, tracks when they find a bird and
scattering laundry, gnawing on the ‘pointing’ – staring fixedly at the spot
basement stairs. until their gun-toting master arrives.
Fran’s husband, Roger, had his “Well, keep her a while and try her
own problems with the dog. When- out,” said Gilley. “If she’s got what it
ever he t urned her loose in t he takes, we’ll talk about competing her
woods near their home in Maine, in field trials.”
US, she ran far and wide, hellbent
for the next county. She was a beau- LIVE FOR TODAY
tiful pup, with a darkly flecked sil- That first night, Mollie howled for
ver coat, a coquettish white face so long that all the other dogs in the
patched with a black bandit’s mask, kennel began barking. W hen Pat
and large mischievous brown eyes. went out to quieten her, she jumped
But she was too wild for their res- all over him.
idential area, Roger decided. So he “What does she think this is?” he
called Frank Gilley, a local dentist asked his father, Pat Sr, who helped
and fellow grouse hunter, and of- out at his son’s struggling business.
fered him the dog. “I’m running a kennel, not a nursery
“I’ll need to look at her papers,” school.”
Gilley told D’Errico. “And I want to “Seems to me like that pup’s a
see her run.” people dog,” the older man replied.
Two weeks later, Gilley was show- “She’s not too keen on living in a
ing the dog to trainer Pat LaBree. kennel.”
“She has outstanding breeding,” said “Where’s she going to live? In the
Gilley. “I’ll call her Tip Top Mollie.” house with me?”
LaBree watched the dog streaking His father chuckled. “Kind of looks
across the fields behind his Wilder- that way, doesn’t it?”
land Kennels, her head high in the Mollie had a ball that summer chas-
wind, her tail waving merrily. “That’s ing woodcock and quail through the
a sensational puppy!” he exclaimed. alders and fields behind Pat’s kennel.
“I want her, Frank.” Then one August night, she came
Just then Mollie tore through a home with her nose radiating dozens
covey of quail. The birds whirred of needle-sharp porcupine quills.
crazily, and she chased them to the Pat spent the next two hours pull-
far horizon. ing quills from Mollie’s muzzle with
“She likes birds, all right,” said Pat, a pair of pliers. When he finished,
80 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
the dog was dazed and bloody and dashing over some distant hill. But
whimpering softly. That was the first the next day he’d be at it once more,
night Pat took Mollie inside to sleep driv ing home commands, repri-
on the couch. manding Mollie when she refused
The next morning, he found his to obey.
hunting boots chewed full of holes. One summer night, Pat sat impa-
Mol l ie gave her i n nocent look, tiently in the truck, listening at the
thumping the carpet loudly with open window for Mollie’s bell. She
her tail. Pat wondered had gone AWOL again.
if he was wasting his Then he remembered
time with a renegade. the evening in Vietnam
But it was her ver y The next when he and his friend
w i ld ne s s t h at h ad morning, he Happ y ret u r ne d to
attracted him in the found his hunting base in Lao Cai. They
first place. boots chewed needed to unwind, but
As a soldier in no passes were being
Viet na m, Pat had full of holes. issued. So under cover
been a renegade him- Mollie gave her of dark, they jumped
sel f. T houg h deco- innocent look the fence and stole into
rated for valour, he the village.
hated to follow orders The next morning as
a nd was a lway s i n Pat was sneaking back
trouble. He and Mollie understood to the barracks, an MP grabbed him
each other. Besides, his kennel was from behind. “All right, soldier,” he
going broke, and he needed a cham- said. “They’re going to bust you for
pion to attract more boarders. Mollie this.”
might be his last chance. “Hope you had lots of fun,” the first
However, few others had faith in sergeant told Pat, as he ripped off his
the dog. Cleaning the kennel one stripes, “’cause you’ll have plenty of
evening, Pat’s father asked, “Is it true time to think about it digging those
what other trainers are saying, that latrines.”
Mollie won’t be a winner?” I’ll give Mollie time to think about it
Pat fumed. “Don’t listen to them. too, Pat thought angrily, then he wor-
Someday you’ll see. They’ll all see.” ried she might have been killed on
the highway. Mollie didn’t know how
AWOL to play it safe any more than he did.
Mollie nearly drove Pat crazy those He jumped out of the truck and
first three years. “That’s it,” he’d picked his way into the thick cover.
say. “I’ve had it!” as the setter went There, just a few hundred metres
January•2018 | 81
THE TROUBLE WITH MOLLIE
82 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
Pat had seen that same faraway look oxygen and anaesthesia.
in the eyes of fallen soldiers as they The tree root had missed Mollie’s
drifted towards oblivion. No one had heart by only three centimetres. De-
been able to save the soldiers, and he spite heavy bleeding, no major artery
doubted if anyone could save Mol- had been severed.
lie now. It was more than three kilo- “What are her chances?” Pat asked
metres to the nearest road, probably a after the operation was over.
lot further to a vet. “I ca n’t g ua ra ntee a ny t hing,”
Richie Frisella, one of the trial mar- Zahora said, “but I think it went well.
shals, came running up behind Pat. A lot will be up to the dog now.”
“Emergency!” he shouted into his CB
radio. “Badly injured dog here. We WAR WOUNDS
need help fast.” Pat went to his motel room and began
The voice of another man came pacing. He tried to sleep but couldn’t.
thundering through, a kilometre or Close to 3am, with the television set
so away, and he relayed the call to hissing on a dead station, he started
breeder Bob Fleury, who was in his to drift off.
truck on a gravel road at the limit of Pat dreamed he was crouching in
radio range. “You just caught me,” a helicopter, gripping his machine
Fleury said. “I’m on my way.” gun. He heard explosions all around
Pat cradled Mollie in his arms. and saw enemy fire from the jungle
“Hold on, girl,” he said. “You’re going below. Slugs and shrapnel ripped into
to make it.” the helicopter.
Then he hurried down the trail to “Look out!” he screamed, bolting
the road where Fleury was waiting. awake; his chest pounding and sweat
“Get in!” Fleury shouted as the res- dripping. He thought about the time
cuers scrambled towards his truck. he and his friend Happy rescued a
He knew the only vet open on Sunday screaming soldier.
always closed promptly at noon. The soldier’s platoon had been
Once out on the highway, Fleury pinned down by enemy fire, and as
dodged in and out of the holiday traf- they ran for the rescue choppers,
fic. Just as they approached the veter- the teenage soldier had stepped on
inary clinic, he saw Dr Richard Zahora a mine. As Pat and Happy dragged
backing his car out of the driveway. him to the chopper and safety, the
“Another second and you’d have lost kid passed out from the pain.
me in the traffic,” Zahora said, taking Pat wondered what would happen
Mollie from Pat. Inside, Zahora put the to Mollie. Even if she lived, she might
dog on the operating table and gave never have that spark again. They
her a painkiller. Then he administered don’t come back, he thought.
January•2018 | 83
THE TROUBLE WITH MOLLIE
The next day, Pat got to the clinic Just 14 months after her near-fatal
early. Zahora was smiling. “You’re accident, Mollie stood at the break-
not going to believe this,” he said, away of the Grand National Grouse
guiding Pat to the kennel area. There Championship in Allegheny Moun-
was Mollie, wagging her tail furiously tains, Pennsylvania. Richie Frisella,
as Pat approached. the marshal who helped save her life,
“That’s the way some animals are,” was judging the competition. “It’s a
Zahora said. “An injur y like this miracle she’s still alive, never mind
might have a man laid running,” Frisella said.
up for several weeks. But Mol lie was
But what a will she’s more than just alive
got!” Suddenly Mollie as she raced across
snapped into t he r u g ge d r id ge s,
RETURN point beside a cover i ng k i lomet re
ENGAGEMENT
small thicket. Pat after kilometre in her
As Pat watched Mollie quest for birds. With
stumble and sink into walked ahead of less than 60 seconds
the wet autumn leaves her, and a grouse to go, she came over
a few weeks later, he roared into flight a h i l l a n d s t a r t e d
thought, I’m making dow n i nto a g rass y
a big mistake. The dog swale. She looked ex-
was gasping for breath hausted. We’ve lost it,
before they got half way across the Pat thought.
training field. Her spirit was outrun- Suddenly Mollie snapped into point
ning her legs. beside a small thicket. Pat walked
“What will you do with her?” Pat’s ahead of her, and a grouse roared into
father asked one day when Pat carried flight. It was a grand finale to a mar-
an exhausted Mollie from the field. vellous performance.
“What can I do?” said Pat. If a dog That season, Mollie registered wins
couldn’t win in trials, it was a liabil- in several more trials, and by Labor
ity. Mollie had to hold her own, or Day weekend, 1986, she and Pat were
she was out. ready for their biggest challenge – a
It was a tough winter that year, but return to the Northeastern Woodcock
Pat kept working with Mollie, and her Championship in Rhode Island.
stamina grew. Then in early spring, “I don’t believe it,” Pat said a few
Mollie ran strong and hard for almost nights before the competition. “We
an hour. True, she tired late in the run, drew the same course where Mol-
but as far as Pat was concerned, Tip lie was hurt.” From the moment Pat
Top Mollie was almost back. whistled her on, however, Mollie
84 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
attacked the woods relentlessly. The Champion. The little renegade setter
gallery held its breath as she flew by had come back.
the cedar stump that had impaled her, On the road returning to Maine,
never hesitating. with Mollie nuzzled in his lap, Pat
Halfway through the hour, Mollie thought about the teenage soldier he
slammed into point. She was buried and Happy had rescued. Something
in a stand of pine and poplar, 30 me- told Pat that he had made it back too.
tres off the path. When Pat and judge A few days later, Pat was walking
Danny Nein approached, a woodcock towards his truck with his father. “I’m
spiralled up and glided over the trees. thinking about expanding the kennel,”
Then the ground exploded as two Pat said. “Maybe add 20 more runs.
grouse thundered off. Their noisy de- Mollie’s brought in business.”
parture would have rattled many dogs, “For next autumn?” his father asked.
but Mollie stayed frozen as moulded “That’s a long way off, isn’t it, son?”
steel. It was as fine a performance as “You’ve got to plan ahead, don’t
any trainer could hope to see. you, Dad?” Pat replied.
The judges thought so as well. The older man smiled. Mollie was
Two days later, Tip Top Mollie was sitting at attention in the driver’s seat.
named the Northeastern Woodcock He could see she was ready to run.
CARTOON QUIPS
RD JANUARY 1993
January•2018 | 85
JANUARY 1956
The
First Big
Radio
Broadcast
The dramatic account of how a
‘crazy’ experiment launched the
era of radio for the millions
BY J . A N D R E W W H I T E
January•2018 | 87
THE FIRST BIG RADIO BROADCAST
88 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 89
THE FIRST BIG RADIO BROADCAST
90 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 91
THE FIRST BIG RADIO BROADCAST
92 | January•2018
Quotable Quotes
WISDOM THROUGH THE YEARS
January•2018 | 93
Testimonials
SMALL MAGAZINE, WIDE REACH
Five
Readers
- One
Digest
THE SUN DISAPPEARED as my man stirred himself to reach down
boat train left the harbour of Turku a brown leather case from the rack
for Helsinki. Then the rain began. and take from it a yellow booklet
I had a window seat in the train on whose cover I read the name
compartment, my fellow passengers Reader’s Digest. He was English, I
being three gentlemen and a lady. presumed. He opened the book and
These foreigners were probably in read page after page without lifting
my Finland for the first time, so I his head.
wished they could see our beautiful The gold-toothed passenger, after
country in glorious sunshine. eyeing his fellow passenger like a
At first my companions peered out hungry man watching another man
the window, but when the villages eat, suddenly got to his feet. Fumbling
yielded to mile after mile of forest – in his coat pocket, he pulled out a
which you often see from a train in booklet with crimson covers:
Finland – they began to lose interest. Sélection du Reader’s Digest – the
The lady leaned her head against French edition. He too began to read.
a cushion and closed her eyes. Now our pretty lady awoke with
A stockily built male traveller a start and saw the rain drizzling
yawned wide enough to betray a down like a fine veil, curtaining her
gold-capped tooth. The second from outside the world. She sighed,
94 | January•2018
then opened her bag and took out belonged to the same circle of
a booklet with a light blue cover. readers, we marvelled at how small
Det Beste, I observed – the Reader’s the world is, and how wide the reach
Digest in Norwegian. of this international magazine.
“But what about you?” I thought, As we talked we discovered that all
glancing at the third gentleman. of us – in spite of our different
“Won’t you join this international nationalities – had a lot in common.
circle of readers?” As though the Most had very recently experienced
thought were compelling, he soon hunger, cold, deprivation. We had
turned from contemplating the trees known either the reality of despotism
and drew from his pocket a green- or the fear of its imminence. Yet none
covered book – the Danish edition of us felt such personal and national
of the Reader’s Digest. ordeals to be the most tragic of
On a rainy day, rolling through human experiences. No, we all agreed
Finland, four people from different – a Frenchman, a Dane, an
countries were reading the same Englishman, a Norwegian and me –
magazine in four different languages. the great enemy of our time is a loss
In my native country, somehow, I felt of hope. And each of us was
excluded. So when the newspaper constantly reaching out for whatever
seller appeared, we could use as a
I bought a copy weapon against
of the Reader’s Digest despair, the common
Finnish edition. We had entered enemy. We all felt that
I wondered when the that train the little magazine that
others would notice compartment as each of us then held
that all were reading offered hope on every
the same magazine in five strangers. We page and – more than
five different tongues. left as five friends hope – practical as well
This did happen, and as spiritual help in the
soon we were viewing world’s present battle
each other with new interest. against confusion and desperation.
The Norwegian lady and I began We had entered that train
comparing our books and their compartment as five strangers. We
contents. The Danish gentleman left as five friends. Actually, we were
and then the other two male six friends. For each of us carried in
companions joined in. We switched our pocket the mutual friend and ally
first to one language, then another, of the others.
the better to exchange ideas. SEERE SALMINEN, FINNISH JOURNALIST,
Amazed and amused that we BOOKMARK: FEBRUARY 1948
January•2018 | 95
SEPTEMBER 1933
What’s
in a
Word?
The English language reflects the history of
its speakers. It is constantly evolving
BY J E N N I N G S H A M M E R
I L L U S T R AT I O N : i S T O C K
January•2018 | 97
W H AT ’ S I N A W O R D ?
98 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
junket, a dessert for invalids. Jonquils ‘gravel’. Pheasant comes from the
are a rush out of which baskets were name of a river in Asia; and coach is
made. The milk from which junket the name of a town in Hungary, as
was prepared was strained through sedan is of a French town. Peach is
these rush baskets. Later, the name Persian; potato Haitian; currants, ‘rai-
of the basket became applied to the sins of Corinth’. Thug and assassin are
curds themselves. From the French East Indian; copper was ‘brass from
we get pedigree, a word influenced by Cyprus’. The Moors have lent tariff, the
birds. The marks on a name of their piratical
genealogical table stronghold, Tarifa. Cal-
resemble the feet of ico, madras and muslin
cranes, and pedigree Borrowings from come from cities of the
means just that. other languages East, as does damask.
Fi s c a l o r i g i n a l l y are a record of Magnet is ‘Magnesian
meant a ‘small purse the travels and stone’ from Magnesia
of woven twigs’. Libel in Thessaly; gin is a
was first a ‘little book’. activities of the corruption of Geneva.
Pamphlets that con- English-speaking A morris dance is really
tained defamator y people a Moorish dance. The
announcements were verb squash, meaning
made small; hence ‘to crush’, is an entirely
the relations between different word from the
little books and scandal. Code, like noun, ‘a gourd’. The former came into
Saxon book, was a group of wooden English from Old French, and the lat-
slabs on which something was writ- ter is Algonquin Indian.
ten for permanent keeping. Banquet Sincere means ‘without wax’. Until
meant a ‘little bench’ where people rather recently pretty meant ‘sly’. Just
drank. Somehow it became extended as pretty has come up in meaning,
to a grand feast. Bankrupt meant ‘to another Saxon word, silly, has gone
break the bench’. In Florence the down. Originally, it meant ‘good’ or
money table or bench was broken ‘happy’. Touchy looks more like touch
to show that the money changer had but is merely a misspelling of techy,
failed in business. meaning ‘peevish’. Reindeer does not
Later borrowings from other lan- mean ‘a deer driven by reins’; rein
guages are a record of the travels meant ‘deer’ in Norse, and deer was
and activities of the English-speak- the Old English word for ‘animal’.
ing people. Candy comes from Ara- Pantaloons comes from an old
bic, which had it from Sanskrit; the play of Italian origin. A character,
word means ‘to break’, or as a noun, ‘Pantaleones’ – ‘all the lions’ – wore
January•2018 | 99
W H AT ’ S I N A W O R D ?
rather baggy trousers, and the name of their speech, they try to improve
of the character became localised to the pronunciation of not too deli-
the clothing. A farmer who calls his cate words. Hiccup is often written as
cows home with ‘So Bossy’ is using hiccough. It is obviously an imitative
the same phrase that Grecian herds- word and is not derived from cough.
men used: boss is the anglicised form Welsh rabbit often appears as Welsh
of the Greek word for cow. Coward rarebit. The phrase is a euphemism
was for a long time thought to be a such as ‘Cape Cod turkey’ for cod
slurring of the pronunciation of ‘cow- fish, or ‘sea venison’ for porpoise.
hearted’. Really, coward is a Latin de- Good people once believed that King
rivative word meaning ‘to drop the Charles was so fond of a certain cut
tail.’ When in chess we cry ‘checkmate’, of beef that he knighted it, giving us
we never think of Persia whence the sirloin. Really, sirloin is a misspell-
game came. Checkmate is Shah mat ing of surloin, ‘the top of the loin’.
meaning ‘The king is dead’. Pantry and buttery have no connec-
Once a Fletcher was an arrow tion with pans and butter. Pain was
maker; a Gifford was a philanthro- a Norman-French word for bread,
pist, one who gave; and a Webster was and it was kept in the pantry, and the
a weaver. The Dyers had their trade, buttery was a place for storing butts
as did the Jenners (those who joined (casks) and bottles.
materials) and the Brewers. The The conditions of a full language are
Clarks were clerks or learned men; a full life. So long as English-speaking
and the Spencers were retail clerks. people travel and do and feel, we shall
Lord Sandwich gave his name to have new words as fresh as crumpets
slices of bread and meat, Lord Ches- from the bakery. And so long as we
terfield to a coat, General Shrapnel to have the energy to make new words or
a missile of warfare. reapply old ones, we can know that
When people become conscious English is alive.
C O N D E N S E D F R O M T H E P I T T S B U R G H R E C O R D , J U N E - J U LY ‘ 3 3
100 | January•2018
Picturesque Speech
HOW ELSE WOULD YOU SAY IT?
January•2018 | 101
JUNE 1955
They
Brought
Home
the Wrong
Baby
A chance meeting leads to a terrible dilemma
I L L U S T R AT I O N : I S T O C K
BY M U R R AY T E I G H B L O O M
January•2018 | 103
THEY BROUGHT HOME THE WRONG BABY
THERE ARE NO OUT WARD SIGNS started tumbling down around him.
t hat Lew is and Gladys Baughey “Ernie,” he told me, “had a happy
of Fairfield, Michigan, have been kid’s hop, full of ginger, green eyes,
through one of the most heart-chill- a little snub nose and ears sticking
ing experiences possible to parents out, and I thought: that’s funny, the
any where. Their concrete block boy looks enough like my Diane to be
house, their 1949 car, their dog, their a twin.”
TV set, their four children – all mark Pete Royer started talking about
the average family of modest means. the car, but he could see that Lewis
Gladys, 29, tall and attractive, enjoys wasn’t really listening.
cooking, f lowers in the house and “Pete,” said Lewis, “your boy Ernie
music – just like millions of other looks like my little girl Diane.”
women. Lewis, 32, is a home-loving, Pete turned to look at Diane, who
bespectacled, sturdy six-footer who had now come down the porch steps.
makes about $125 a week driving a His face grew troubled, but only fleet-
big truck-trailer. ingly. He laughed: “You’re right. There
But on this quiet plateau of every- is a resemblance. But you should see
day life, one day stands out in the my cousin: he’s a dead ringer for Red
Baugheys’ memor y like an over- Skelton.”
whelming, fantastic Everest: the day Now Lewis’s thought took a spurt.
in 1950 when they learned beyond He remembered suddenly that Pete’s
doubt that their daughter Diane, then divorced wife, Laura, had had a baby
three and a half, was not their own girl about the same time that Gladys
child; that their real daughter was had – in the same maternity ward in
being brought up by another family the town’s only hospital.
in the same town. Where was Pete’s little girl now? he
In 1950 Lewis and Gladys Baughey asked. Pete told him that since the
(rhymes with talkie) were living in a divorce the child had been boarded
Michigan city about two hours’ drive with an elderly couple outside of
from their present home. For obvious town. When Lewis suggested that
reasons they have asked me not to they drive out to see the little girl,
pinpoint it nor to name the other key Pete Royer decided to humour him.
people involved in this strange drama. After all, a potential car buyer ...
One day in May, a man I will call At the elderly couple’s house, Roy-
Pete Royer, who wanted to sell his er’s daughter Bernice, three and a
car, stopped in front of the Baughey half, was playing in a sand pit. “I just
house; Royer’s five-year-old son, sat there and looked at her and I got
Ernie, hopped out. In that moment sick inside,” Lewis recalls. “I didn’t
Lewis Baughey’s quiet little world dare say a word to her. I had to get out
104 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
of there until this made some sense.” last night and only thought your
W he n t he y r e t u r ne d t o t he baby had a lot of black hair. Anyway,
Baughey house, Lewis blurted out you know how babies change when
his fears and both men forgot the car they’re this age.”
sale. They sat and talked it over. Pete The second thing Gladys noticed
Royer began to remember things that was that her baby’s identity brace-
added up. let – a catgut-and-beads affair – was
“You know, Lewis,” he said, “when missing from her leg. The nurse had
Bernice was born she an answer for this too:
didn’t look like anyone babies of ten k icked
in my family or in my t he bracelets of f i n
w ife Laura’s eit her. “I just sat there their cribs. “But don’t
She was dark-skinned and looked at her wor r y. We have t he
and brown-eyed; all and I got sick baby’s footprints for
ou r ot her k ids a re inside,” Lewis identification.”
light and fair-haired.
It made trouble ... ” recalls. “I didn’t TOO WEAK TO ARGUE,
His voice trailed off. dare say a Gladys had a l lowed
That evening Lewis word to her” herself to be persuaded
told Gladys what had and had not mentioned
happened. At first it to anyone else what she
didn’t make any sense later came to look on as
to her. How could such a thing hap- a mother’s aberration.
pen? But as he talked she, too, re- After he heard this, Lewis tele-
called odd incidents. phoned Pete Royer. The latter recalled
There had been six beds in the hos- something, too. While Laura was in
pital room. Gladys had come in on hospital, she had cried because the
the morning of December 19, 1946, baby refused to take her breast. On the
and had her baby at 1.50pm. Laura, in day she left she felt she had the wrong
the next bed, had had her baby four baby and had told her husband and
days earlier. Gladys saw her baby for her father so. The latter took it up with
the first time that evening. The child the hospital administration, and was
had a lot of black hair. The following assured that the idea of baby mix-ups
morning when the nurse brought the was a common one among women
baby in, Gladys noticed two things: just after confinement, and that the
First, the baby had practically hospital’s identification system was
no hair. When Gladys remarked on foolproof. In the face of this calm and
this, the nurse only laughed. “Oh, apparently scientific explanation, the
you probably were a little grogg y Royers had dropped the matter.
January•2018 | 105
THEY BROUGHT HOME THE WRONG BABY
Now the Baugheys were certain heredity. Lewis asked Pete Royer if he
that Diane, whom they had brought could bring little Bernice to the clinic
up as their own, belonged to Laura on the same day that the Baugheys
and Pete Royer; and that Bernice took Diane. Pete agreed.
Royer was really their own daughter. W hen the day came, the three
Late that afternoon, Lewis per- parents drove to the house where
suaded Gladys to drive out with him Bernice was staying. Gladys got out
to see the child. One look, and what- with Pete, who told the little girl they
ever doubts Gladys were going for a ride.
still had vanished. Gladys put on a new
“It wasn’t just her blue d ress she had
curly hair and brown A surprising bought for her. Bernice
eyes and the ears which number of hugged Gladys, and
were just like mine,” parents think that made Gladys cry.
Gladys recalls. “It was they go home At Ann Arbor, Lewis
everything about her. told the stor y to Dr
That was my little girl. with the wrong Charles W. Cotterman,
I wanted to run and baby, the doctor a young genetics spe-
take her in my arms, told them cialist who had heard
but Lewis wouldn’t let of similar cases before.
me. ‘Glad, if you go to A surprising number
her,’ he said, ‘we’ll both of parents think they
break down and bawl our heads off. go home from the hospital with the
And that won’t be any good for the wrong baby, he told them. But he kept
girl, and it won’t be any good for us. looking from Diane to Pete and from
We’ve got to be sure first.’” Bernice to Lewis and Gladys. “I could
But how? Looks alone didn’t mean tell he was seeing what we’d been
too much. But there was one way Gla- seeing all along,” recalls Lewis.
dys had heard about: blood tests. Dr Cotterman explained that blood
tests were an invaluable aid in deter-
THE HEREDITY CLINIC of the Uni- mining parentage but were of little
versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor use if both sets of parents involved
was not far from where the Baugheys had very similar blood characteris-
lived. Founded in 1940 as part of the tics. Then he took blood samples from
University’s Institute of Human Bi- all of them and they drove home.
ology, the clinic was the first of its Now a nerve-wearing wait began.
kind in the country; to it have come Dr Cotterman had warned that blood
thousands of perplexed parents and tests took time and often had to be re-
doctors with troubling questions of checked by independent serologists.
106 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
And soon Lewis and Gladys realised Diane’s special Rh blood factors
that the blood tests even if favoura- were found to be identical w ith
ble to them, would by no means solve those of Pete and Laura Royer, and
everything. Bernice’s Rh factors belonged in the
“I almost wanted Dr Cotterman same blood family as those of Lewis
to tell us that the kids hadn’t been and Gladys.
switched,” Lewis says. “Because if The laws of heredity are quite clear
they had been we were up against on this point: these special Rh blood
something I couldn’t face: we’d have factors cannot appear in the blood of
to give up Diane.” a child unless present in the blood
Two fretful weeks went by before of one or both parents.
the first report came from Dr Cotter- The Baugheys excitedly telephoned
man: he and the other blood experts Dr Cotterman. “Now what do we do?”
were certain that Gladys could not He suggested that they talk to the
be the mother of Diane. But he had doctor who had attended Gladys at
to get a blood sample from Laura the hospital. After checking with Dr
before he could be sure of anything Cotterman, the doctor, distressed
beyond that. and apologetic, visited the Baugheys.
This was arranged, and on June 26 “Lewis,” he said, “this is an aw-
Dr Cotterman completed his tests. He ful thing. We’ve got to make it right
also received a report from Dr Alex- somehow. Now I want you to trust me
ander S. Wiener of New York, one of to try to straighten it out quietly – so
the world’s foremost blood experts. please don’t go running to lawyers.”
The Cotterman and Wiener findings Says Lewis today: “I suppose I
agreed completely. On June 28 the could be taking it easy now instead
Baugheys heard from Dr Cotterman. of wrestling a 16-ton trailer, if we had
“We are completely convinced,” he sued the hospital. But we don’t hold
wrote, “that Diane and Bernice were with lawsuits. Besides, we had a bug
interchanged.” in our heads.”
How could they be so sure? As The Baugheys wanted both girls;
Dr Cotterman later explained, they they couldn’t bear to give up Diane,
were fortunate. If this had happened whom they had brought up as their
before 1940, no blood test could own for three and a half years.
have proved that the children had “We had a happy home,” Gladys
been interchanged. But since then says. “Lewis was making a good
the Rh factor in blood had been living. It was unthinkable to us that
identified and charted, and it was Diane should be boarded out as Ber-
by analysis of the Rh types that the nice had been.”
case had been solved. Pe t e a nd L au r a R o y e r w e r e
January•2018 | 107
THEY BROUGHT HOME THE WRONG BABY
persuaded at last that the Baugheys and people often mistake them for
were right. It was the best thing to twins, although there is no real re-
do. So the necessary papers for the semblance. The Baugheys let that
release of both children were signed. explanation ride rather than go into
One evening in early October, the the harrowing details of the real
Baugheys drove out to the home relationship.
where Ber n ice was stay ing a nd When I last visited the Baugheys in
picked her up. their home I brought along toys for
“Glad drove,” Lewis remembers, the girls and a portable tape-recorder
“and I held Bernice in my arms. We that fascinated them.
stopped at a store and I got her an Bernice begged to talk into it and
ice cream cone because she was then hear herself. She held the micro-
crying. When she finished the cone, phone tightly, smiled at her mother
she nestled close to me like she be- and began:
longed there. It felt good holding her “My name is Bernice Baughey. I am
that way. eight years old and I want to tell a
“W hen we got home, I rocked story about a good king and queen
her to sleep. She looked at me as if who went looking for their long-lost
she was going to cry again, and all little princess who was in another
I cou ld say w as: ‘It ’s OK, now, castle. They looked and looked, and
honey. I’m your real daddy, and then they found the little girl, who
you’re always going to stay with us.’ didn’t know she belonged to the good
Her lips stopped trembling, and in king and queen. She looked at them
a minute she had fallen off to sleep and liked them and went home with
in my arms.” them to their castle and lived happily
Diane and Bernice are eight now, ever after.”
CAUGHT IN PASSING
RD FEBRUARY 1955
108 | January•2018
HUMOUR
January•2018 | 109
ALL IN A DAY’S WORK
110 | January•2018
As a student nurse, one of my first when half of us were out sick with
patients was a little girl who had food poisoning.
spent considerable time in hospital. GARY MASTOBERTI, RD JANUARY 1998
She seemed relaxed and familiar
with everything. I was to count her 2000S
heartbeat, and nervously reviewed in Our family-owned restaurant is the
my mind what I was going to do. setting for many of our discussions
After warming it on my hand, I about how to handle the customer
placed the stethoscope on her chest. who asks, “What’s good tonight?”
I listened intently but heard nothing. Obviously we would never serve
Even when I moved it slightly, still anything that we didn’t think
there was no sound. was good. But I braced myself
I didn’t dare look at the girl’s one Saturday night when I heard
parents for fear of upsetting them the dreaded question posed to
with the knowledge that I wasn’t my husband. He calmly replied,
hearing the beat of their child’s heart. “Anything over $13.95.”
I glanced at the girl’s KAREN W. BOYER,
face and moved the 2003 RD JUNE 2000
stethoscope slightly
once more. She smiled I was in a bank when A paramedic friend
shyly and whispered, a man entered with a of mine arrived at
“Nurse, you have to dog on a lead. When an accident scene
put those in your ears.” he asked if it was OK one day to find a
M.K. WHITE, to bring his pet in, man trapped inside
RD APRIL 1997 a teller said, “Yes, a car and bleeding
provided he doesn’t profusely. As she
In the factory make a deposit.” and others tried to
where I work as a JOHN REED, free him, he looked
mechanical engineer, RD SEPTEMBER 2003 at her and said, “Be
the employees were positive.”
honoured with a “Yes, we are being
banquet for our exceptional record positive,” she responded. “We’ll
of five years without a lost-time have you on the way to hospital in
accident. We all enjoyed the catered no time.”
buffet of turkey, ham, salads “No,” said the man. “That’s my
and desserts. Our safety record, blood group – B positive.”
however, was shattered the next day PAUL OLIVERI, RD DECEMBER 2003
January•2018 | 111
APRIL 1976
Crime
by
Computer
Along with their incredible efficiency in
centralising information and facilitating
mass access to it, computers are
dangerously vulnerable to fraud
BY R O B E R T S . S T R O T H E R
January•2018 | 113
CRIME BY COMPUTER
114 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 115
CRIME BY COMPUTER
cheques in it. Some Youth Corps em- In Detroit, two engineers misdi-
ployees had the agency’s computer alled their own time-sharing code
run off 100 extra cheques drawn to by one digit and accidentally broke
fictitious names, and in nine months into the secret file of the president
made off with $2,750,000. of the time-sharing service. They
Attack from Outside: Comput- stole a top-secret program from the
ers can also be raided by outsiders. service and used the computer for
One of the simplest, most direct at- three years free of charge until an-
tacks was made by a other operator noticed
man who walked in the heavy activity on
to a Washington, D.C., that line late at night,
bank and opened an The standard and precipitated an
account. He took ad- reply when a investigation.
va nt age of t he fac t customer noticed Theft by Capture:
that the bank’s com- and complained S ome t i me s c r o ok s
puterised bookkeep- capture a computer
ing system identified a was: “Whoops, completely. They may
depositor by symbols our computers buy one, or take over
printed in magnetic goofed” a company that uses
ink on his individu- one. In other cases,
a lised deposit slips the management of a
rather than by his sig- company may subvert
nature. Once he obtained his own the computer.
magnetised deposit slips, the thief The $2 billion Equity Funding Cor-
stealthily substituted them one day poration of America scandal, the
for the bank deposit slips left on largest computer-assisted fraud thus
desks in the bank lobby for the con- far uncovered, was a case of the lat-
venience of customers who didn’t ter sort. The computer aspect of the
have their personalised deposit slips fraud started in 1970 when company
with them. sales began to lag.
For the next several days, every To save their business, top officers
deposit made by customers who began investing and selling totally
filled out the lobby deposit slips by fictitious life-insurance policies to
penning their own name and num- several big reinsurance firms. The
ber was automatically deposited by reinsurance firms willingly paid the
the computer to the crook’s account. bargain prices offered for policies
After three days the crook withdrew because they expected the policy-
the $100,000 or so that had accumu- holders to pay premiums for years
lated in his account – and vanished. to come.
116 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 117
DECEMBER 2004
BO
RE
Out of
the Blue
We bring you a reader favourite
about a courageous young girl,
and what’s become of her today
BY B E T H A N Y H A M I LT O N
January•2018 | 119
2002: In a more carefree time, before the attack, Bethany shares
a board with her best friend, Alana Blanchard
when suddenly there was a f lash actually hear it cracking on the reef
of grey. from a long way away. “It doesn’t
That’s all it took: a split second. I seem like much is happening,” I said.
felt a lot of pressure and a couple of “I guess we should head back,”
fast tugs. I saw the jaws of a 4.5 metre Mum said with a sigh. She was equally
tiger shark cover the top of my board disappointed. “Maybe the surf will
and my left arm. Then I watched in come up tomorrow.” I knew that if I
shock as the water around me turned didn’t surf, I would be home doing so-
bright red. My left arm was gone cial studies, English or maths. Because
almost to the armpit, along with a I was working to be a professional
120 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 121
OUT OF THE BLUE
122 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 123
Circa 1999: The Hamilton family (left to right): Cheri, Tom, Bethany,
Timmy and Noah – with Ginger, their Shar-Pei
to will the feeling back into my legs so was young, in great physical shape,
I could run in there and see you,” he the cut had been direct rather than
admitted. “I had no idea how bad you a ragged tear, and my calmness had
were – I prayed all you needed were kept my heartbeat slow enough to
just a few stitches.” keep the severed artery from quickly
But just as his heart had told him draining my blood supply. Every-
that I was the one who had been one’s fast reactions had also been a
attacked, it also told him it was much big help. “Look,” he told her, “a lot
worse than just a few stitches. of things had to have gone right for
Mum had been informed only her to make it to this point. She’s got
that I’d been attacked but given no everything going for her.”
details of my injury. As she rushed He also was optimistic that I would
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y H A M I LT O N FA M I LY
to the hospital, her longtime friend, be able to compensate well with one
Evelyn Cook, reached her on her arm in the future. In fact, he figured
mobile phone. “Cheri, she’s lost that even a prosthetic arm might
an arm.” Mum dropped the phone, have a 50/50 chance of being prac-
pulled the car over to the edge of tical. “A lot of kids get used to mak-
the road, stared at her two hands on ing do without the missing limb,”
the steering wheel, and broke down he told my mother. “And Bethany
weeping. is a fighter.”
Dr Rovinsky assured my parents It took t wo operations to treat
that the odds were in my favour: I my injury. Dr Rovinsky first had to
124 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
January•2018 | 125
OUT OF THE BLUE
our house and radically cleaned the he hadn’t seen the island come to-
place, putting flowers everywhere. gether like this for a cause since the
For two weeks, every night, someone aftermath of the 1992 Hurricane In-
showed up with dinner. People kept iki, which devastated most of Kauai.
stopping by and offering to help out W ho would have ever t hought I
in any way they could. would be as important as a natural
I was also really moved by the num- disaster! The bidding was fast and
ber of people who wanted to help furious, and when it was all over, do-
raise money for my nations from the night
family. People didn’t totalled about $75,000.
ask us; they just looked It made us feel humble
at the situation we were People didn’t ask and loved.
in and said, “I want us; they just That aloha spirit
to help this family. looked at the wasn’t limited to Ha-
They’re gonna need it.” situation we were waii. My folks, check-
On Saturday, No- ing their postbox, were
vember 15, o nly a in and said, astounded to find
couple of weeks after “I want to help thousands of letters
the attack, hundreds this family” awaiting them, from
and hundreds of peo- all over America and
ple descended on the the world. In the enve-
main ballroom of the lopes were good wishes
Kauai Marriott in Lihue for a silent along with cheques or cash, some-
auction that included more than times hundreds of dollars, sometimes
500 donated items. Because I was a five-dollar bill. We really don’t know
still trying to build up my strength, why so many people wrote, prayed or
I couldn’t attend, which was a bum- gave, but we are very, very grateful for
mer, because I’m the type of person each one of them. One organisation,
who never likes to miss a fun party – Save Our Seas, learned what had hap-
especially one in my honour. pened to me and heard me say in an
On a huge stage, some of the interview that if I couldn’t surf again,
island’s most sought-after names maybe I would take surf pictures. So
performed, such as surf legend they offered to train me. It was an
Titus Kinimaka and singer Malani awesome offer. But first there was
Bilyeu. Even rock icon Graham Nash, something I had to do.
formerly of the legendary Crosby,
Stills, Nash and Young, came to sing WAVES OF JOY
on my behalf. The day before Thanksgiving a small
My dad was f loored: he told me group of family and friends went with
126 | January•2018
2005: Surfing again meant learning how to get to her feet by
putting her hand flat on the centre of the deck
January•2018 | 127
OUT OF THE BLUE
128 | January•2018
2015: Bethany
Hamilton at Swatch
Women’s Pro, San
Clemente, California
January•2018 | 129
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Books
A
few months after acclaimed South African
Nelson Mandela writer Mandla Langa has
ended his five-year completed that task using
term as President of the the great man’s unfinished
Republic of South Africa, draft. Dare Not Linger is
he sat down to write the a vivid and inspirational
sequel to his autobiography account of Mandela’s
Long Walk to Freedom. The presidency that saw
P H OTO : G E T T Y I M AG E S
January•2018 | 131
Movies
Stronger
DVD (Drama, Biography)
S
tarring Jake Gyllenhaal,
Stronger tells the true-life
story of Jeff Bauman, the
man who, on April 15, 2013, lost
both his legs when two bombs
exploded during the Boston
Marathon. After regaining
consciousness in hospital,
Bauman was able to help identify
one of the suspects, however, his
own battle was just beginning.
With the support of his girlfriend,
Bauman – a reluctant and flawed
hero – began the long journey
to physical and emotional
rehabilitation.
Based on Bauman’s co-written Forever My
y Girl
memoir of the same name, the film (Drama, Romance)
questions the nature of trauma
B
and what it means to stay strong. ased on the novel by Heidi
McLaughlin, Forever My Girl
stars Alex Roe as country
music superstar Liam Page, who
chose fame and fortune over love.
Page was all set to marry his high
school sweetheart, Josie (Jessica
Rothe), but left her at the altar.
However, he has never got over
Josie or forgotten his Southern
roots and the small community
where he was born and raised.
When he unexpectedly returns
to his hometown for the funeral
of his best friend from high
school, Page is suddenly faced
with the consequences of all that
he left behind.
132 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
Darkest Hour
(Drama, Biography, History)
T
his thrilling account of Winston
Churchill’s darkest hour during World
War II is beautifully directed by Joe
Wright (Atonement). It’s 1940, and as the
newly appointed Prime Minister of Britain,
Churchill has ‘the full weight of the world’
on his shoulders. The fall of France is
imminent with Allied troops trapped on the
beaches of Dunkirk by Hitler’s forces.
Churchill must negotiate with political
rivals Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup)
The Commuter
(Mystery, Thriller)
and Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane), and face
L
the ultimate choice: negotiate with Hitler iam Neeson
and save the British people at a terrible cost stars as Michael
or rally behind the nation and fight on McCauley, an
against inconceivable odds. Gary Oldman is insurance salesman
unrecognisable as Churchill, capturing the whose daily commute
manipulative good humour, slyness, home from the city
strength and courage to lead that ultimately takes a dangerous
changed the course of world history. turn. After meeting
a mysterious fellow
commuter, Joanne
(Vera Farmiga), he is
forced to find a hidden
passenger on board the
train. Michael works
against the clock to
solve the puzzle,
realising that a deadly
plan is unfolding and
that he is unwittingly
caught up in a deadly
criminal conspiracy.
The Commuter, directed
by Jaume Collet-Serra
(The Shallows), is fast-
paced, action-packed
and also stars Sam Neill,
Elizabeth McGovern and
Jonathan Banks.
January•2018 | 133
The Leisure Seeker
(Adventure, Comedy, Drama)
B
ased on Michael Zadoorian’s
novel of the same name, The
Leisure Seeker stars Helen
Mirren and Donald Sutherland as
Ella and John Spencer. After 30
years of marriage and still very
much in love, the Spencers decide
to dust off their 1975 Winnebago RV – The Post
nicknamed the Leisure Seeker – and head (Biography, Drama)
from their home in New England down to
I
Florida to visit Ernest Hemingway’s nspired by the true
former house in Key West. events that led to
The literary destination suits John, the exposure of the
a retired English professor sinking further Pentagon Papers, Tom
into the forgetfulness of Alzheimer’s. Ella, Hanks stars as The
less interested in literature and dealing Washington Post’s editor,
with her own health issues, is happy to Ben Bradlee, with Meryl
stop at diners and spend nights at Streep as the paper’s
campsites where together they watch old first female publisher,
family slides. Katharine Graham, in
Even as John’s mind slips further, he director Steven Spielberg’s
and Ella recapture their passion for life The Post.
and love for each other. Set in 1971, the film
centres around the stand
that The Washington Post
and other leading news-
papers took against the
White House over whether
the press had the right to
publish classified military
documents that charted
the escalation and futility
of the Vietnam War. The
massive cover-up spanned
four decades and four US
Presidents, culminating in
the Nixon administration’s
attempt to restrict the
freedom of the press.
134 | January•2018
READER’S DIGEST
Pod asts
s
HOW TO GET PODCASTS TO LISTEN ON THE WEB: Google the website for ‘The West
Wing Weekly’, for example, and click on the play button. TO DOWNLOAD: Download an
app such as Podcatchers or iTunes on your phone or tablet and simply search by title.
the same or
more. E L B
SUGAR, PLEASE Put the four-pot weight on one of the scale pans and the one-pot weight on the
other. Pour sugar into the pan with the one-pot weight until the two pans balance.
January•2018 | 135
BRAIN POWER
Puzzles
Challenge yourself by solving these puzzles and mind stretchers,
then check your answers on page 135.
BY MARCEL DANESI
PACK IT IN (DIFFICULT)
You must fill the three-by-
three-by-three box below with
copies of the pieces shown,
made up of three cubes each.
( PA C K I T I N ) D A R R E N R I G B Y ; J E R R Y M A N D E R G O E S T O W O R K ) R O D E R I C K K I M B A L L
The L-shaped pieces cost $1,
while the stick-shaped pieces
cost $5. How inexpensively can
you completely fill the box?
136 | January•2018
BRAIN POWER
brought to you by
JUICE UP
4
R
GA
SU
K D
I F
B
ALPHABET FIT (MODERATELY DIFFICULT)
Insert the letters A through L, one per square,
so that no two letters that are consecutive in
the alphabet are in squares that touch, even
at a corner. Five letters have been placed to
get you started.
BRAIN POWER
Trivia
1. What is normally the only piece of 8. Capri pants are named after
clothing that Bugs Bunny wears? what? 1 point
1 point
9. In which language did Anne Frank
2. True or false: humans have the write her diary? 1 point
same number of neck vertebrae as 10. ‘Shell shock’, a condition first
giraffes. 1 point identified during World War I, is now
3. Just do it: what’s the name of the known as what? 2 points
victory goddess found on many 11. What film features the British
Olympic gold medals? 1 point actor Peter Sellers delivering the
4. The United States was the first famous line, “Gentlemen, you can’t
country in the Western hemisphere fight in here! This is the War Room!”
to gain independence from
m 1 point
European rule. Which nat ion 12. Who was ‘Born to Run’
was the second? 1 point in the 1970s and ‘Born in
5. What is the Irish name the USA’ in the 1980s?
for a 3-leaf sprig of clover? 1 point
1 point
13. Which restaurant
6. The Aztec war god chain has the most
Huitzilopochtli was named outlets: Kentucky Fried
for what bird? 2 points Chicken, McDonald’s or
7. What fantasy novel’s
Subway? 2 points
15. How many degrees
title refers to Orthanc in does the minute hand 14. Which chess piece
Isengard and Barad-dûr travel on an analog clock has the lowest value?
in Mordor? 2 points in one minute? 2 points 1 point
P H OTO : I S TO C K
16-20 Gold medal 11-15 Silver medal 6-10 Bronze medal 0-5 Wooden spoon
with around 8,000 more outlets than McDonald’s and 25,000 more than KFC. 14. Pawn. 15. Six.
10. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 11. Dr. Strangelove. 12. Bruce Springsteen. 13. Subway,
7. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien. 8. The island off the coast of Italy, near Naples. 9. Dutch.
ANSWERS: 1. Gloves. 2. True, they both have 7. 3. Nike. 4. Haiti. 5. Shamrock. 6. The hummingbird.
138 | January•2018
BRAIN POWER
Word Power
Talking Tough
You might say we’re using strong language this month.
Our vocabulary quiz features words about power – having it,
getting it or lacking it. After flexing your mental muscles,
turn to the next page for answers.
BY E M I LY C OX & H E N R Y R AT H VO N
January•2018 | 139
WORD POWER
Answers
140 | January•2018
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