CHINA EMAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT NOVEMBER 26, 193
"FALLEN STAR"
affair we
note to
ed. She sent a poli Rudy at the Wardour Street of fices of Excelsior Films, asking the favour of an autographed photograph. At the end of a long week, his reply came (in his own handwriting, too!), thanking her for her friendly interest. And there was not one photograph, but three!
It was unfortunate that when Hilary, in a quiet corner of the garden, was reading Rudy's let- ter for the twentieth time. Bob discovered her
"Oh, come and play tennis," he grumbled. “You're getting a dreadful little slacker, Hilary.”
No not to-day." she answer- ed, hastily Pm-I'm not feel- ing I mean I've got a bit of a headache."
Headache always headaches? I don't think there's anything wrong with you, and if there is you ought to see my father. He's got a particularly nasty medicine. for lazy little girls.
Bob stopped suddenly stoop- ed, and picked up the three pre
Hilary cious photographs that had placed face downwards on the grass.
"Heavens!what a nasty face: Looks like one of those "Wanted for Murder things you see out- side police stations. Signed and all, eh?"
"Give them to me,” said Hilary. in a small, hard voice.-
- Bob handed them over, and said again: "Oh, come and play! What about the county team? you want to get in "
Don't
"No. I don't, and that's that." said Hilary, and moved across the lawn towards the house.
To which Bob replied: "Silly little film fan 1**
Which was rather rude of both of thera
In the following fortnight, Hil ary played only two games of tennis. She played very badly. Once she found herself bitterly regretting she had ever looked on Rudy's face--but what was the use of regrets now? She wrote for, and received, two more sign- ed photographs. It hurt her that this time Rudy did not send a personal letter.
But one morning, a remarkable thing happened. Hilary received a thick envelope marked "Pri- vate." Inside was a ticket for a trade show of Rudy Challenor's latest and biggest film “Sout Adrift” There was also a note in Rudy's handwriting inviting her to tea with him when the show concluded.
She stared blankly at the tic ket-then at the letter. At length, she said, a little breathlessly: "Oh, Dad, will you please take me to lunch with you in London to- row 1 Awa friend has sent me ticket
new-ilm. – I sim-
alise her as a young w intelligence.
It rather shocked her to find the cinema so crowded. She
fed furtively at neighbour- faces to see if Rudy was near her He was not and strangely, she was relieved. Then the lights flickered out.
She could not enjoy the film. Now that she was to meet the real Endy, the scenes seemed curiously artificial She wonder- ed if he would ask her to meet him again. A little nervous lump came into her at the thought of speaking to him...
At last, she was in the foyer, with people streaming past her. And there, at the top of the mar ble steps, in the midst of a crowd of fat, smiling men, was Rudy. With a faint pang of disappoint- ment, Hilary saw that his hair was straight, and much darker than she had supposed. He came towards her and she smiled. He massed on. Though she was cold and weak inside. Hilary put her fingers on his arm
"Good afternoon, Mr. Challen- or." she said. "Tm Miss Strange Rudy puckered his forehead. "Strange? Strange?
Oh, yes, you're having tea with me, or something, aren't you? You'd better come to the hotel in
my car
This was scarcely what Hilary had hoped for. He turned and she followed him to a Daimler car drawn up beside the kerb. A pity, somehow, that he had a chauffeur. She wished he would notice her more. As she - sat down beside him, and the car moved into the line of traffic, she remarked:
"It's very kind of you to ask me to tex
“That's all right” said Rudy magnanimously. "Gosh, I'm glad that business is over. I hate crowds.”
"The film was very nice," said Hilary_ nolitely.
Tripe that's what it was. There wasn't a respectable actor in the cast, except me. And look at the story they gave me. TE beats me what you film fans will swallow."
"Oh, well” said Eflary and paused. It was difficult to know what to say. "Oh, well it was only a film story, I know. But those beautiful dogs you al ways have
"Filthy brutes! I hate 'em. Strikes me you young women
come
to see the dogs instead of me. As a matter of fact my first company ever
wife and Hello, here's the
an Alsatian hotel I can give you a few min- ntes before I dash of”
Rudy led the
"Well I'm
rink You'd
the tea
and things He Egyptian cig
his forehead with s
reeking of Eau de Cologne. But there are limits which even a great film star cannot safely overstep. After recounting at length two harassing experi- ments in marriage, Rudy fell to generalising on the characteris- tics of women as a sex. Hilary whitened, and asked him quietly-
"If you believe that why did you ask me to tea with you?” "Because," said Rudy. thought you might be amusing
"Then," said Hilary, "I think you're about the biggest pig Eve ever met"
Rudy exclaimed:
"Good for you!” and quickly, ""Very well, Miss Spitfire I'm sorry you've been t-r-r-1 bled?
Hilary wept bitterly into her pillow that night. At seventeen, it is hard to foresake your ideals, even when they have been rudely shattered for you. She rose early, and spent a busy ten minutes tearing up Rudy's pic- tures, and burning them in the grate Bunty nosed into her room, and stood watching the smoke curl up the chimney. His tongue was tolling. It was almost as if he were laughing.
And later when Bob found her prodding plants in the garden. she raced away from him, and shouted "Hello, Bob, you ass! Wait a jiffy while I change into my tennis things
Perhaps this story should rightly end there. But it is enlighten- ing to watch Bob while he waits He pulls a letter from his pocket and reads once more
"Dear Mr. Willis,
When
think
me a
low, because:
ben we met rester- day I told her more hes about myself than I care to think about. Perhaps one of these days you ling will do me the service of her I really am a bachelor, and that my greatest messes in life are dogs and Chopin.
*She is a very admirable young- lady, and if I were you, I should take an early opportunity of tell- ing her so. Here's wishing you both all the luck in the world.
"Sincerely yours.
"Budy Challenor THE END.
NEWS FLASHES
Television Possibilities A
I believe declares President Roosevelt, that ston
of us realize teles established in bon this country
be long before teles it possible to visu
breakfast table the front pages of the daily newspapers, no matter how remote we may be from the place of their publication and dis- tribution.”
What Humanism Offers
"In place of Christianity, clares Rev Isaac Hartell, D.D., of St. Albans, Professor Hud propounds a nebulous and ethereal system from which the supernatural is to be eliminated. The earthly
He
ment of our conditions is pr ed as the true aim of life would have us exchange a theolo gy for a sociology
Equal to a
fine liqueur
plada
ated:
miss. Tll be -thirty, so
mère
time
Hilary
teen
Red Hillary
er.
"I can tell
White Horse
blindfold! And to think that at one
time I used simply to ask for
White Horse is just like a fine liqueur !"
Sole Agents for S. China: JAEDINE MATHESON
Isoda!