A Penny of Observation
AR3fADO : How haat thou purchased this experience ? MOTE : By my penny of observation.
(Love's Labour's Lost.)
CONSCIENCE MONEY.
By a rare combination of lofty principles and legal acumen, Miss Millie Offenheim has cleared £5,000 under the Sunday Observance Act (1781) from a set of sacrilegious cinema- proprietors. Our admiration for her selfless devotion to the nation's spiritual welfare would be even more breathless than it is had she not, two days before the issue of the writ, changed her name to Orpen : " under which designation, perhaps," said Mr. Justice Rowlatt, " she could more colour- ably come forward as the champion of the English Sunday." It was a thousand pities that she made the change. It smacks overmuch of caution. Has it not been established (Blozvforth v. The Proprietors of Brighton Pier, 1901) that all common informers smell equally sweet, whatever they are called ? True, the risk of having one's action characterized as " un-English" in a court of law is one not lightly to be incurred, for that is the very ne plus ultra of disgrace : but for our part we think Miss Offenheim (to us she will always be Miss Offenheim) could have ignored it with impunity. For has she not discovered a short cut, not only to riches, but to fame as well ? And what country whose laws give access to so desirable an end can afford, in these times of depression, to disown those who profit by it ? But we must admit that it is lucky for the lady that she and we are grown up, and have put away childish things. Among children— so barbarous and unenlightened is their social code—the common informer, or sneak, is very often not rewarded at all, but is rather subjected to all kinds of indignities, and even sometimes to physical injury. But as the years roll by we come to see these things in a truer perspective. There will be no one to throw boots at Miss Offenheim as she says her prayers to the god whom she has served so lucratively.
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