 A 10-year-old girl sneezes for 21 days. An Indian game leads to an Indian massacre. History proves that it does repeat itself. Yes, friends, this is Lindsay McCarrie. Back once more for another session of Can You Imagine That? My courts and I have dug up a lot of interesting items for your amusement and amazement. So, stay around and we'll be back with you in just one minute and a half. And down by historians, quoted by almost everyone at one time or another, is the Hackneyed and Trite phrase, history repeats itself. About Hackneyed as it is, Trite, though it may seem, it never loses its truth, through usage. Many are the examples of its proof, but one of the most dramatic and startling parallels of history to prove this saying, I discovered in two sets of newspapers, published 300 years apart. One set of newspapers were the first to be printed in the English language outside of England and were published in Amsterdam Holland, beginning in the year 1620. The other set of news items came from dispatches emanating from the same part of Europe as the first, but 300 years later. Now to begin, listen to this modern dispatch of October 18, 1918. Be it known that we, the people of Czechoslovakia, have proclaimed the Republic to be known as Czechoslovakia on this day. And in July 1920, at the Conference of Ambassadors, it is hereby agreed that the borders of the Republic of Czechoslovakia are confirmed by the decision of this Conference of Ambassadors. That was in 1918 and 1920. Now go back 300 years to the year 1620. On November 4, in proud Bohemia, this scene takes place. In the name of the Almighty, in whom we place our trust, I crown thee Frederick, King of Bohemia. In thy hands hath been placed the protection of Bohemia against all invaders, against those who would destroy the state. Guard it well, King Frederick. Thus did history repeat itself. In 1620, when Frederick was crowned King of Bohemia, and in 1920, when the Republic of Czechoslovakia was confirmed by treaty, but born in trouble, torn with wars, that nation has been tossed to and fro on the deep and rough waters of international diplomacy. Emperor Ferdinand of Austria, in an alliance with certain other princes, made war on Bohemia. A dispatch from an Amsterdam paper of the year 1621 states that the English ambassador who has been at the assembly of Regensburg has been told that whatever agreement could be arrived at had been hindered by the soldiers in Bohemia. The troops continue to fight with the soldiers of Jagranddorf's in Silesia. That was in 1621. Now listen to history repeat itself again in this dispatch that reached the press of the world on September 14, 1938. Open fighting broke out today in the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia near Eger. 2000 Sudetans armed with machine guns, rifles and pistols, battled hundreds of Czech troops and police. And still more along the amazing parallel of history from the Amsterdam paper of 1620. The enemy has captured some of King Frederick's cannon together with ammunition, forcing the king to retire back into Prague. The time again changes, but the locale remains the same, Bohemia or Czechoslovakia. The date? September 13, 1938. Flash to the newspapers of the world was this startling announcement, grim in its impending threat of war, terrifying in its simple finality. Dispatch, special bulletin, Prague, Czechoslovakia, September the 18th, 1938. The Czech government today rejected the Sudeten-German ultimatum, which was to have expired at 1 a.m. The ultimatum briefly was this, that the Czech government withdraw declaration of martial law and remove all Czech police from the Sudeten area. The Czech government flatly refused to bow to the demands. War is imminent while street fighting still goes on in the Sudeten area. Determined to fight off the attack, threatening independence, Czechoslovakia went ahead with war plans, strengthening fortifications, mobilizing troops. Now move back in time once more, suddenly in 1623, crushing defeats were overwhelmed the Bohemian nation. And in the month of June, 1623, in the city of Sedan sits a man, once King Frederick of Bohemia, now a man without a nation. He writes a letter to his wife. The end has come. I shall go to hug, perhaps there to plead again. Oh my dearest wife, I would to God that we possess but a little corner of the earth where we could rest together in peace. Thus wrote Frederick, King of Bohemia, in 1623. And once more, history repeats itself. Listen to the parallel. The time, October 5, 1938. Another man, another century, but the situation, listen. Therefore, I, Edward Banish, resign my position as president of Czechoslovakia because I feel by doing so that I shall remove an obstacle to the new conditions which now confront the state. And the finale, go back again to the 17th century. The tramp of soldiers echoed through the streets of Bohemia. General Tilley's men, victorious, taking Bohemia in the name of their master, the Emperor of Austria. Back to the 20th century, to October 6, 1938. The same country, only the time is different. Marching into Bohemia, into Czechoslovakia are troops of a dictator. Adolf Hitler's jubilant fighting men. The tramp of their boots echoes and re-echoes through the streets where once marched the men of General Tilley, a Frederick, a Ferdinand. Yes, history does repeat itself. Oh, there, what's all this? Sounds like a hay fever convention. And if it is, the sufferers can sympathize with little 10-year-old Bertha Turner of Crossville, Tennessee. Why? Well, according to a news item we dug up, Bertha had started sneezing and for 21 days. Just think, 21 days had kept it up. Her family told the doctor that when the sneezing occurred, Bertha sneezed as many as 200 times in succession. Can you imagine that? But fortunately, at last reports, she was recovering. Did you know that one of the oldest games on the North American continent enabled an Indian chief to bring about one of the bloodiest massacres in Canadian history? Yes, what started out as a game ended up in a massacre of almost every English soldier in Fort McChilly, Mackinac. In 1763, Canada became a British possession and the Indian chief Pontiac, who hated the English, resented it. But he swallowed his pride, apparently, and invited the English to witness a game of baguette away. Or, as we know the game today, lacrosse. The commandant of the fort wisely declined, fearing a trap if his men got too far away from the fort. But later, in his quarters, Pontiac is back, sir. Hey, all right, show him in. Very good, sir. Now what do you suppose he's up to, sir? Shh, here he comes. Will you find out, Lieutenant? Great English father, it is in your heart to think Pontiac speak with double tongue that he plan evil while holding up hand of friendship. You thought Pontiac's braves would attack English soldiers while they are out of fort. That is not true. So Pontiac has commanded his braves to play in front of fort where you can watch without leaving fort. I say that's great. Lieutenant, I'm sorry, sir. Great Pontiac, we accept. May my heart be blackened for thinking evil. True to his word, Pontiac brought his braves to play the game of baguette away all across in front of the fort. The commandant saw to it that the lines of play were not posted too near the fort. Then, in the middle of the game, I say, sir, those Indians really play for all they're worth. Just look at them club each other. They have been known to kill each other. In a game of baguette away. Lieutenant, sir, doesn't it seem to you that they're moving nearer to the fort? Why, it does, sir, but that's nothing to worry about. Those two medicine men marking the goals have been on the move. Oh, that often happens, you know. Yes, I know. I suppose there's nothing to worry about. Of course not, sir. We may as well take advantage of all Pontiac's gesture of peace and enjoy the game. Wait. What is it, sir? What's the matter? Quickly, order all the men into the fort. This is a trap. Those Indians are reaching for tomahawks. They wouldn't do that if they were just playing a game. The game has given them the chance to get close to the fort. You're right, sir. It was a trap. It's too late to get back to the fort. The men are surrounded. And it was a trap. Under cover of the game of lacrosse, the Ottawa Indians surrounded the English soldiers, poured into the fort and tomahawk every Englishman in sight. Thus, what started out as a game ended up as a bloody massacre. Comes now the time for another oddity in music, or rather, we should say, similarity. In browsing around the world of music, we've picked up quite a lot of interesting facts. And here's one you can play detective with. First, we're going to let you listen to our pianist play a bit of Russell of Spring. Now, listen again. Did you catch any resemblance to a popular number of a few years back? Well, rather than have curiosity get the better of you, we'll play the popular number for you. It's Sweet Little You. The able care of your own announcer. This is Lindsey McCurry saying to you.