Summoning reporters, Plastic Surgeon I. Daniel Shorell (TIME, Aug. 12) announced in Manhattan: "The British press has made urgent inquiry from me within the last 24 hours as to whether I performed a face-lifting operation on the Duchess of Windsor. ... I wish categorically to deny that I performed such an operation in Miami. Furthermore, may I suggest that you of the press accept official announcements of the Duke and Duchess. I was absent from the city to operate on another prominent person--not the Duchess. Furthermore, I shall soon go to the Bahamas on a pleasure trip, not to be construed as a trip for the purpose of operating on the Duchess."

Into a Rotary luncheon in Atlanta bounced Businessman James Aloysius Farley, chairman of Coca-Cola Export, piped: "I'm no longer selling stamps or looking for votes."

Displaying a fresh nutbrown beard, plump, exuberant Author Christopher Morley played Pandarus, a wily, two-timing businessman of Troy, in the Roslyn, L. I. production of his play, The Trojan Horse. All authors (notably Chaucer and Shakespeare) who wrote about Troilus and Cressida, explained Playwright Morley, wore beards.

Visiting McCook, Neb., Jack Dempsey paid a call on McCook's leading citizen, 79-year-old Senator George W. Morris, The Senator eyed Jack's dashing sombrero, and remarked that it was a fine hat. "Let's trade," suggested Jack. Out walked Boxer Dempsey in the Senator's prairie-blown grey felt.

Grave, grey Nicholas ("Miraculous") Murray Butler forewent the "merry" in greetings to his Columbia students, wished them instead "a safe, quiet and fortunate Christmas given over to strengthening ourselves for whatever stupendous task of idealism and faith that the year 1941 will bring us."

Abandoning his 33rd floor aerie (in Manhattan's New Yorker Hotel) as well as his customary winter costume of long underwear, red golf socks and high-laced shoes, genial, ghostly, 84-year-old Hermit-Inventor Nikola Tesla (Tesla induction motor, Tesla pump, Tesla transformer, some 700 other patents) indulged an old enthusiasm for prize fighters, went down to dine with a fellow Croat, Welterweight Champion Fritzie Zivic.

Created Lieut. Commander in the Navy and saluted by Secretary Frank Knox as "an old, old friend and one who carries with him a punch in the minds and heads of young men," Gene Tunney, onetime Marine and heavyweight champion of the A. E. F., took charge of physical education at the Pensacola, Jacksonville and Corpus Christi stations.

Though Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles pointed out that "Her Royal Highness came to the U. S. upon the invitation of this Government, and is a guest of this country under unusual circumstances," Maryland ruled that Norway's Crown Princess Martha, who lives not far from Washington in a house the President helped her pick, will have to pay a State income tax if she stays.

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