The Sauk Centre herald., 1940-02-22


Superstition. coupled with little
salt, all but caused an international
incident at the Belgian Pavilion at
the worlds fair the other evening
or at least for a few minutes It
looked as if it might. A young wom-
an and young man were quietly
enjoying their dinner when the
young woman accidentally upset the
salt shaker. Having heard since
childhood that spilled salt meant q
fight, she picked up the shaker and
shook it over her left shoulder three
times. Then believing i'll fortune
averted, she was about to resume
eating when the waiter rushed up.
He made most careful inspection
Of the salt shaker and apparently
finding it intact inquired most cour-
teously as to what was wrong. The
young woman told him that every
thing was all right. But the waiter
persisted and so she explained about
spilled salt. The waiter shook his
head sadly and went away.
When he came back, he had a cap
tain with him. The captain made
some courteous inquiries and re-
ceived an explanation. He asked
that it be repeated slowly. That was
done. With a puzzled look on his
face. he went away and came back
with a head waiter. The young
woman, no end abashed because so
much attention was being attract.
ed, explained very carefully that 1t
was an American belief If salt were
spilled the only way to avoid fight
was to throw some over the left
shoulder.
Then the head waiter, with defer.
ence in voice and manner, inquired,
But with whom does mademoiselle
desire to fight?"
mo one!" all but shouted the
young woman almost driven to des-
peration by the fact that the eyes Of
all diners were directed toward her
table. mo one in the world"
''That is good" returned the head
waiter and departed with the cap
tain.
From then on, all might have been
peace if it hadn't been for the young
man. Everyone was looking at the
young couple as if they were crazy.
he averred. The only thing to do
was to pay the check, skip the
rest of the meal and get out fast.
But getting out wasn't so easy. Ev-
eryone from the head waiter on
down seemed to take their decision
as an affront. So, In English and
French, there was more argument
and more stares. The couple finally
escaped. But never more will the
young woman throw salt over her
shoulder. 1t didn't prevent a fight
she and the young man battled
all the rest Of the evening and
haven't spoken since.
Speaking Of International matters
there is that "puzzle" which is SELL
ing heavily on the lower East Side,
up in the Bronx, and on Broadway.
The price is a nickel straight on
the East Side and in the Bronx but
on Broadway some Of the venders
ask a nickel for two. Nevertheless,
the Bronx and East Side sales are
the heaviest, the demand being so
great 1t Is difficult in some instances
to rerlenish stocks. The puzzle is
simple-merely four pigs printed on
a piece Of paper along with direc-
tions as to how to fold the paper to
make a fifth--and when the paper
is folded correctly, there is a pic
ture OF Hitler.
Getting away from the interna-
tional, what is perhaps one Of the
shortest police-escorted trips on rec
ord is now being given the comedi-
ans, Abbott and Costello, every Fri
day night. On that evening, they
have a broadcast at the CHS Play
house on Forty-fifth street at 8:45
p. m. To get there is simple mat
ter. But their first scene in 'The
Streets of Paris" also comes at
8:45 p. m. So 'The Streets Of Par
is" producers, already having held
the curtain 10 minutes, take no
chances on further delay. After the
broadcast, Abbott and Costello are
police escorted with all possible
haste to the Broadhurst theater-
which Is the very next block.