Ashely Tobias, Jr., wondering why people are always forgetting social engagements, or getting the dates mixed up, but never forgetting the day the time in the place of a football game.

He recalled an evening he has some friends around to his home for an informal get-together . . . Walking to the door minus coat, he was surprised to be greeted by a couple dress to the highest degree of formality . . . They had his informal affair mixed up with a big, formal blow well the following night.

Mr. Tobias, as president of Columbia Executives club, has brought several of the countries most interesting lectures, big men in their fields, here . . . The appearance has been booked of Dr. Morris Fishbein, one of the leading medical men in American.

Dr. R. B. Durham, who should have been included in the list made public recently of the nation’s ten best dressed men.

Howard Cooper of the Laurens Advertiser here for the state press meeting . . . Howard was graduated from the University and there is nothing he likes more than the smell of printer’s ink.

James H. Hammond giving SH and T a cigar . . . One of those two-for-a-nickel products . . . Mr Hammond, who gave out cigars during the recent county election with “I ain’t runnin’ for nothin'” printed all the rappers, asserted that it was a good thing he wasn’t running, for if the voters, actually smoke the cigars, he would have tailed the ticket.

Miss Gale Johnson making her debut into the business world by becoming secretary of Columbia Merchants association . . . She is not only a good reason for the wordage, “gentlemen prefer blondes,” but she can type, too. Versatile, eh?

Some day SH and T will have his own private office, a telephone with a lot of confusing buttons on it, and a secretary to dictate to.

Witnessing a wedding yesterday in probate court at the courthouse, the bride groom failing to kiss the bride afterwards . . . Being probably too nervous due to his audience.

L. Wiliam Brown, city probation, officer, finding his automobile in balky mode again yesterday.

James D. Walters he was having difficulty in learning at what hour, Martin Dies, the Texas congressman would arrive here for his Monday lecture. . . And Roy Powell adding that an investigation might be necessary to find the investigator.

Miss Geneva Dipner, attractive Wollworth employee, eagerly anticipating this weekend as she is planning to go to her home at Chappells.

The Thirtieth division’s new selectee recruits putting on a real show on the division’s drill fields as the cadre’s experienced officers and non-coms put them through their paces . . .Old bulger commenting that the new drill, as the recruits are learning it today, is “a darned sight easier” than it was in the days of the first World war. . . “You had the squad movements, then,” he siad, “and they were tough to learn. And all that right front into line and on right into line. Shucks. Today about all you have to do is know your right hand from your left hand and that’s all there is to it.”

Conversing with Dr. G. E. McDaniel, Director of the division of preventable diseases of the state board of health, who opined that the flu epidemic was gradually fading . . . Doctor McDaniel pointing out that the present epidemic rose in California and spread rapidly across the nation . . . An an epidemic of influenza razz anywhere, he said might spread, might not . . . The New England and Great Lakes states are still largely unaffected.

According to figures released recently by the United States department of public health, there were 166,000 flu cases reported in the United States during the first two weeks of this year against 22,000 cases for the first two weeks of last year . . . During the week ending January 11 there were 89,000 cases reported, against 12,000 for the same week in 1940.

Doctor McDaniel pointing out that the figures probably represented about one-fifth of the actual number of cases . . . Many cases remain unreported or are reported late.

Attorney General John M. Daniel recalling his experience as editor of a weekly newspaper in Saluda county some years ago.

BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARIES: H. A. Dengate of Charleston, Benj. D. Riegel of Ware Shoals, Dr. Carlton A. Brown of Ridgeland, D. E. George of West Columbia, Samuel W. Rose of Blaney, Cornelius R. Page of Aynor, C. P. Wofford of Spartanburg, C. Flint Rhem of Hemingway, Edward P. Cave of Columbia, J. D. Moorehead of Gaffney, Hugh G. Brown of Sumter, William S. Solomons of Columbia, Samuel Buchanan Love of Richmond, E. O. Hull of Rock Hill, Lee DeHihns and Gibbes DeHins of Columbia.

Wedding anniversaries: Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Wiles of Columbia, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Lee Odom of Bennettsville

Notable birthday anniversaries: Dr. Walter M. Riggs, 1873; Frederick the Great, 1712; Charles Kendall Adams, 1835; Judge George E Prince of Anderson. Goal discovered in California, 1848.