January 10

"YOU like to learn new words, don't you?" I said to our friend Lorna.
"What have you found new, Francis?" she asked with a smile.
"Arctophiles," I answered and was pleased when she looked puzzled.
After thinking for a few minutes, she gave in and I explained, "It means bear lovers, the teddy kind."
We all laughed as we looked round her sitting-room. There were teddy-bear book-ends, a picture of a teddy-bear and, occupying a corner chair, bears of assorted coulours and sizes!
"Well," she replied, "I supposed it does apply to me, but I prefer to be known as a lover of teddy-bears. It's much warmer sounding, somehow!"