The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-24

Q. Is basketball a very old game?
A. The game was invented in 1891,
and during the past quarter of a cen
tury has become one Of the most popu-
lar in the field Of sports. 1t was in
instructor Of Springfield, Mass at
single sitting.
Q. Where is the old IT, S. s. Consti-
ution, the ship which had such a fine
record during the war of 1872?
A. This old frigate. which was bet
ter known by its nickname, "Old Iron
sides" is in Boston harbor at the ples.
emf time, near the spot where 1t was
originally built in 1897, About 1880 1t
was proposed by the secretary Of the
navy to dismantle the old frlgate and
sell her. This excited public indigna-
tion which found expression in the poem
odd Ironsides" written by Oliver Wen
del Holmes, and saved the ship
O. How did the American colonists
come to adopt the "Rattlesnake F1ag?"
h, G,
a. This flag is said to have orig
mated from the humorous suggestion
made by a writer in F'ranklin's paper
The Pennsylvania Gazette" that in
return for wrongs which England
forced on the coonists cargo of rat
tlesnakes be sent across and distrib
uted In st. James Park and other
places of pleasure, Col. Gadsden, Of
the marine committee, presented to
the continental congress, Feb 3, 1916,
IAN elegant standard. such as to be
used by the commander chief of the
American navy; being yellow flag
with representation of a rattlesnake
coiled for attack"
Q. Has the United States ever
coined fifty dollar gold pieces?
A, The only gold coins of that de-
nomination ever minted were those
made in 1915 for the Panama Pacific
Exposition. These were sold by the
Exposition company. There were only
30l9 Of them minted,
O. Is Paderewski. the great pianist
still premier of the new republic Of Po-
land2 r. G..
A. He recently resigned as premier
of Poland and will return to America
soon to resume his musical tours. 1t is
said that he has been impoverished by
his sacrifices for Poland.
O. Has Robert Underwood Johnson
the newly appointed ambassador to It.
ally, sailed yet for his new post?
A. He expects to sail about March
IS He recently called at the White
House for his final instructions before
leaving for Rome.
O. What states did not ratfy the
prohibition amendment to the consti-
tuition? u. c.
4. Connecticut New Jersey and
Rhode Island refused to ratify the 18th
amendment,
Q. What president was tailor by
trade? RK.
A. In his early life President An
drew Johnson was tailor At the
age of ten he was bound out as an
apprentice to a tailor He did not have
any schooling and educated himself as
best he could. 1t was not until after
he married Eliza MCCardle that he
learned to write. His wife taught him.
Q. Are there more possible straights
than fluShes in poker2 +. NJ.
A. There are 5,10S hands in which
five cards of one suit APPEAR In 81
cards OF a standard deck There are
10, 200 combinations in which five cards
in sequence of mixed suits may appear.
.. Is II proper to present your card
at the door when making social calls
or to leave 1t when you depart?
r. J. q.
A. When calling, il you are me, at
the door by a maid or butler, this per
son will have a tray upon which YOU
should place your card. II YOU are met
| by the lady of the house. wou should
place your card in the silver tray that
Is usually at hand in the hall for sucn
| cards, or should this be lacking, the
card should be left upon the table. II
is immatsrial whether you place the
| card on the tray upon arrival OF As
parture, but che act should be done "
unobtrusively AZ possible,
Q.-What is comprised in the metro
poIitan district OF New York city,
| T.. L.
A.-Besides Greater New York, it in
cludes Is cities, Al boroughs, villages
| II towns and II townships 1t covers
an area of sl692S acres.
Q.-Has the cost of living advanced
more in this country than 1t has in Eu-
| rope?-L. r.
A.-The bureau of labor statistic.
| says that living costs abroad have in.
| creased approximately per cent NOR,
than in the United States, In the pas
year the cost OF necessities has jumped
D. per cent In this country. ms com,
! pared with 1863 per cent In France. IL.
pee cent in Norway, 2l0 per cent IL
Sweden and ISL per cent in Italy, II
Australia and New Zealand the increas,
was onlp about one-half what 10 wa!
in the United States, being IS per cen
for the five-year period.
Q--Who was the first American sol
der in France TO captHre D GermaI
prisoner?-R &. $.
A.-The war department says that OF
the night OF Oct 1928, 1917, Private
Adam Blasikowski and John Cochanski
both OF Polish extraction. captured Pri
vate Lechhard Hoffman, the first Ger
man prisoner captured In the world wa
by the American army. The prisone