Fraternity-Testvériség, 1961 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1961-01-01 / 1. szám
1 10 FRATERNITY At various times dogs have been used as i'eligious symbols; e. g., Anubis, god of the Egyptians 25 centuries ago, and Tien Ken, heavenly dog of the Chinese. In cold climates, dogs such as the Chihauhua were used regulary as heating pads. Ladies of fashion once wore dogs as important items of costume. Toy Poodles, Pekingese and other small breeds were especially popular. To return to modern times, however, perhaps the most dramatic chapter in the partnership of man and dog began just a few months ago when a dog made the first trip into outer space. It’s a chapter that is still being written. In fact, when man finally does set foot on celestial soil chances are his most ancient ally and friend, the dog, will be right there at his side. EIGHT MINUTES UNDER WATER Houdini, who was a Hungarian born escape artist, almost ended his career in the Detroit River as a result of a slight miscalculation. To excite interest in his show, he had scheduled a free public exhibition in which he would be hurled, handcuffed, into the river. Unfortunately, the river was frozen solid when the day arrived for the stunt, but Houdini gave instructions for a hole to be chopped in the ice. On schedule, Houdini dropped through the hole, securely manacled. The crowd watched anxiously for his reappearance. Ordinarily it took him only a little over a minute to free himself and swim to the surface. One minute passed . . . two . . . then three. At the end of the fourth minute, police surgeons and other physicians voiced their opinion that Houdini had done his last stunt. Newsmen began sending off messages, while everyone stared hypnotically at the black hole in the ice. A diver finally dropped to the ice, lowered a rope into the hole, and slipped into the icy water. At that very instant Houdini bobbed up at his side. Later he explained that the current had carried him downstream while he was disengaging the handcuffs and he hadn’t been able to find the hole in the ice. Fortunately, he had an idea. Swimming slowly to the ice, he found a layer of air about half an inch thick. By poking his nose into it, and breathing cautiously, he was able to fill his lungs. Altogether he spent a total of eight minutes under the water. By the time he had returned to his hotel, newspapers were announcing his death.
