IRISH TIMES ODDITIES:DOG SAVES CHILD An Alsatian dog leaped over her master's head into the waters of Rushcutter's Bay, near Sydney, to rescue a little girl from drowning, says Reuter's correspondent.
Malsa Callow, who is nine, was paddling at the foot of some steps at the edge of the water. She slipped and fell in, as she could not swim, all her struggles carried her further away from the steps. At that moment James Brady saw the child.
He raised his hands over his head to dive off the wharf, felt something brush lightly over his head, and saw his dog, Loch Lady, land in the water.
"I knew at once what had happened," said Mr Brady afterwards. "Loch Lady has been trained to leap over my arms when I hold them out. She thought it was a signal, and she obeyed without hesitation, though she knew the leap would take her into the water."
The Alsatian, which is only nine months, old swam to the girl, and gripped a jumper which she was wearing at the back of the neck. Then the dog swam back to the wharf, keeping the child's head above water. She was not even scratched.
January 31st, 1933
NO MORE CINEMA CATS
Cinemas in Mexico City need no longer keep a cat on the premises to kill the rats, a commission weeding the capital's outmoded city laws has announced.
March 28th, 1975
DOCTOR'S SEVEN DUELS
Dr Franz Sarga, the "duelling doctor", told Reuter of his plans for fighting the rest of his duels for his wife's honour.
He fought the first two of his opponents in a field outside Budapest yesterday, shooting one in the arm.
"On Saturday I will fight three sabre duels. These leave four more to see about", he said. "I am going to settle my affaires dhonneur and then resume my peaceful profession. People do not seem to realise I am only a victim of the social custom of duelling, and that I must ask satisfaction for serious insults."
November 26th, 1936
SLEEPWALKER'S DEATH
An inquest was held at Westminster yesterday on the body of Henry Stovell, aged 82, of independent means, a sleepwalker, who fell 50ft from a window.
Recording a verdict of "accidental death", the recorder said it seemed to him that Stovell may have seen pictures of a man apparently suspended head downwards in mid-air in Piccadilly Circus.
He may have dreamed about this photograph, and while asleep got out of bed automatically and unconsciously reproduced the conditions and tied a string round his feet, apparently meaning to suspend himself from the window.
December 15th, 1926
STOWAWAY STUDENT
A Canadian law student who stowed away on the Irish Hazel, in Canada, "to see what the world was about and see relatives in Dublin", was conditionally discharged in Bristol Magistrate's Court yesterday.
The magistrate asked a probation officer to give the student, Ronald Edward Hammond (21), some help to get him to Dublin.
Hammond said that he had interrupted his studies and worked for two American airlines in the Arctic Circle, but could not get permanent employment because he was not a US citizen. He could not afford to continue his studies, so he stowed away on the Irish Hazel.
January 15th, 1960