Volume 159 / Book 1 — Book I., Proposition 20.

Theorem.—Any two sides of a triangle are together greater than the third side.

Let ABC be a triangle.

Construction.—You know the eleventh hole? Well, let B be the tee, and let C be the green, and let BC be my drive. Yes, mine. Is it dead? Yes.

Now let BA be your drive. I'm afraid you've pulled it a bit and gone into the road by the farm.

You can't get on to the green by the direct route AC because you're under the wall. You'll have to play further up the road till you get opposite that gap at D. It's a pity, because you'll have to play about the same distance, only in the wrong direction.

Take your niblick, then, and play your second, making AD equal to AC. Now join CD.

I mean, put your third on the green. You can do that, surely? Good.

Proof.—There, I'm down in two. But we won't rub it in. Do you notice anything odd about these triangles? No? Well, the fact is that AD is equal to AC, and the result of that is that the angle ACD is equal to the angle ADC. That's Prop. 5. Anyhow, it's obvious, isn't it?

But steady on. The angle BCD is greater than its part, the angle ACD—you must admit that? (Look out, there's a fellow going to drive.)

And therefore the angle BCD—Oh, well, I can't go into it all now or it will mean we shall have to let these people through; but if you carry on on those lines you'll find that BD is greater than BC.

I mean you've only got to go back to where you played your third and you'll see that it must be so, won't you? Very well, then, don't argue.

But BD is equal to BA and AC, for AD is equal to AC; it had to be, you remember.

Therefore—now follow this closely—the two sides BA and AC are together greater than the third side BC.

That means, you see, that by pulling your drive out to the left there you gave yourself a lot of extra distance to cover.

You'd never have guessed that, would you? But old Euclid did.

Come along, then; they're putting. You must be more careful at this hole.

I think it's that right shoulder of yours...

A. P. H.

Our Candid Candidates.

From an election address:—

"Should I get returned as your representative you will have no cause for regret when my term of office expires."

—Provincial Paper.

"The strike of the mechanical staff of the 'Karachi Daily Gazette' has ended."

Evening Paper.

We wondered why everybody looked so pleased in London that day.

"Since her treatment with the monkey gland Miss Ediss has received enough complimentary nuts to stock a market garden. An ornate basket of monkey nuts fills a prominent place in her room, and two cocoanuts tied up with coloured ribbon strike the eye of the visitor."

—Sunday Paper.

In that case we shall postpone our intended visit until Miss Ediss is herself again.

MANNERS AND MODES.

NOW THAT MEN'S ATTIRE IS SO COSTLY WHY NOT TAKE A LEAF FROM THE LADIES' BOOK OF FASHION AND LET THE TAILORS HAVE DRESS PARADES OF THE LATEST DESIGNS?

THE CULT OF FACE-READING.

'Erb (a cinema habitué). "See wot 'e's saying, Em'ly? 'E's still at the office and won't be able to get 'ome to dinner."