POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER
"Considering all things, darling, I've come to the conclusion that smoking's
17
worth the risk.”
THE CHINA MAIL,
THE MAGICIANS IN A DUEL -
THE
FIRST
DECADENT.
By James Laver, Faber and Faber. 251. 283 pagos.
F
OR it
chief in the French Ministry of the In terior, whose job it was to expel undesirable
alions from the country, M. Boris Karl Huysmans kept de- cidedly curious company.
He consorted first
SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1954,
INTERVENED Nobody Hurt
Result:
with men
of the and
of letters and women town, then with occultists
Black Magic. of practitioners Departmental At last he fled in panic to the
Church,
was writing one of When his books, he did so in offico hours, declining firmly to deal with departmental Bles until his literary task was completest.
His civil service colleagues, with open whom he regarded contempt, were disgusted when -uver the ends of his seniors
Wha made ---Huystans
Legion of the Chevalier
'Honneur. They objected b
11444 written which opinion of thr pornograpine books section of Une Ministry) More than dubious in inoral
his
His conception of duties as a salaried official
of the Republle was corres- pondingly peculiar.
A British Crossword Puzzle
ACROSS
3 Maggot (4).
7 Scent (5).
8 Give out (4).
9 Frank (4).
10 Summary (7).
12 Relate (4).
15 Ward off (5).
18 Kind of gun (4).
19 Seed (5).
21 Gloss (5).
22 Family (4).
23 Bend down (5),
20 Mark of servitule (4).
29 Took
30 Ear
over (7).
part (4).
31 Platform (4).
32 Bread Ingredient (5).
33 Watches (4).
24
12
ни
Kause
tone.
~
were
'Two disgusts'
SCHT
1
BOOKS
by
GEORGE MALCOLM THOMSON
the
were
rc-
whom
Д
between the muzzle of n
tho and the foot of volver Cross, Huysmons's colleagues had If they at the Ministry, rend
book, would have that another alter- considered
Was not to be over- native fooked-the lunatic asylum.
Huysmans now took up with
occultists, among the civil war was raging.
by Challenged to a duel hostile magielan tu Hungarian marques). Huysmans refused to But then a friend took light, up his cause. Powerful incanta- uttered an euch They were not without ide. effect,
The horse Liking on. com bulant to the field of honour
and vicious stood paralysed
for 20 minutes,
The Buysmans 1 20 significant tremble"
refused to leave the French writer of the end of bullet
Since withough pistol of his adversary. And,
In the et, neither party was nobody in Hilton is ever likely
of magle to read one of his extravagant injured, each school
could claim a moral victory. books, Laver's biography, sympathette and frontea), brings
Black Mass Interesting a strange,
Huysmans florn Paris, 1848) became a civil servant in order to avoid becoming a lawyer.
I chose the of two disguests, lesser." He began his literary career as a young disciple The "Naturalist" schnol founded by Zola. In theory,
Credulous, talented, eccentric,
Title
more
tost
Lo
19
20
I Fruit (5).
DOWN
2 Ape (7).
1 More mature (D),
5 Inclination (4).
6 Dansel (4).
D Sign (4).
11 Cookers (5).
13 Black (4).
14 A breathing organ (4).
Claw (5), (4).
10
17
Pale
18 Look for (4).
20 Froilcked (7).
22 Geometrical gure (4).
24 Article of furniture (5),
25 Banquet (5).
27 Precious stone (4
28 Otherwise (4).
YESTERDAY'S CROSSWORD.-Across: 1 Basset, 71, 9 Prior, 10 Monia, 11 Inns, 13 Demobilise, 15 True, 16 Oats, 19 Restaurant, 22 Pasir, 24 Raven, 25 Drink, 28 1916.
27
Duenna. Down: 2 Axiom, 3 Scrub, 4 Tumult, 5 Sinister, 6 Pian, 8 Liner, 12 Spent, 13 Drop, 14 Observer, 17 Trial, 18 Atoned, 20 Undue, 21 Alien, 23 Arld.
Than
century.
personality.
17
"Natural- In consisted of faithful, de- talled description of the world
#1 was;
le practice it was faithful only to the seamy side of the world.
[
Bringing aeule sensibilities to the task. hils nastrils quivering they sniffed everything that had a bad smell," Huys-
muns
3.
the
wrote
News Ostusiness Huysmans
callers at
vitriolic attacks on the architec- ture at Lourdes, Huysmana died in 1007. His last action was to dictate the invitations to his own funeral. For once, the first decadent behaved Like AD efficient civil servant,
THE SPANISH TEMPER. By V. S. Pritchett. Chatto and Windus. 15. 219 pages.
unseen
yot it
it
THIS is something more than a book of travel in Spain,
into of meetings with Spaniards, i
the is rather an inquiry meaning of the word "Spanish"
There is something
"Spanish" is not simply geographi- which cal, or racial, or religious. is not "European," yet be explained away as “African It Η an
connective issue
vo uniting bullights and gipsy muale, stupid governments anxi reactionary landlords; A building like the Escorial (magnificent but hardly sane) and the 20th-century cathedral at Barcelona (completely mad).
of this in search
clusive common factor, Pritchett roams over Spain, sharpening his gift scenes and per- for phrase 01 sons, probing into the crevices character-the of the national mortal laziness, the immortal price. He has taken with him Travelling companion Hot about, sound Liberal disapproval: pestered by there
that is much in Spain the Ministry. A needs reform; much that is
ali
n-
of this sensational having
W lat
PARADE
44
Britain's women- folk together,
spcht £80,000,000 cosmetics, he said.
Men's haircuts 'presented
A COLUMN OF THE UNUSUAL ABOUT PEOPLE AND PLACES AND THINGS
pel
Nor do their labours end Americn. Mr Iguchi's UNNATURAL How many of
thono
the pretty, with
workc WAVE...
In the idiosyncrasy, it appeare, is talk- curly heads of fields.
to himself during a The supervising signor ing aloud hair one wees are naturally sees to it that a meal is waiting conference, wavy?
for him within half an hour (or
Colleagues of the Ambasador Less than half, according to less) of their retum home. And who have sat with him around Mr J. Eaton, resident of the it is too!
the conference table explain National Hairdressers Federa-
that this is not disconcerting tion, who had been checking up
MARRIAGE A priest in until Mr Iguchi gets excited He is then on the subject.
about something. Mexico City who Thirty percent
or Britain's MELEE
recently asked a apt to drown the words of women, Mr Eaton told a meet- wedding congregation whether whoever happens to be speaking ing of the Federation
at they know of any cause or just officially at that moment, Swansea, went last year to a
impediment for not completing hairdresser for a
Matters are also complicated permanent the marrlage ceremony dia- when Question Time comor wave. Another 21 percent and
covered to als consternation around. It is not the generally homo perm.
that someone did know such a
that delegates thing. The "someone" was the accepted rule
should stand when raising a on still legally-married wife of the hou
would-be bridegroom.
for discussion, and as Mr point Sret IA
the time talking all more, she was carrying her baby Iguchi le no diffeully for the trade, he add-in her arms. Before the priest is colleagues ind it difficult to ed.
could cancel the ceremony the know if he la meant to be talk-
is just friends
thinking. were lug or Thousands of young fellows rumplainant's
Unabashed whenever someone bla Wanted to look like Hollywood causing havoc in the church.
question of Someone thoughtfully phoned rulses the film actor Tony Curtis or he
Mr habit, the police and four
Iguchi stalwart unnerving + Prussian officer-Erich von Stromhelm, for instance.
Mexicans arrived in a Jeep, merely
that he himself explains They took one looks at the light is the one to suffer if anyone.
and called for reinforcements "You may all be thinking all by radio, Not until 10 jeep-loads manner of things about me..... of riot squad men had broken and I'd never know!" At this their WDY into the milling reply hia colleagues usually congregation was anything like drīti diplomatically away. order restored,
Finally, when
peace reigned JAPANESE A Japanese stylo again, the priest asked the wife "KINSEY" "Kinsey Report" is why she had not come forward SEARCH Japan's imperial
in the process of before if
household she knew of the FOR ROYAL being completed by Professor wedding.
busy looking for BRIDE
for bride "I didn't want to stop him versity. The Professor has marrying
Crown Prince Akihits, So far someone else", she been in constant touch with
said. "I just thought it would
10 "possibles" have been lined up Professor Kinsey during
be
and may, interesting
at any moment, 10
what three
of investigations would happen."
chosen for the special two-year years into the pex life of Japanese,
pre-marriage So far Professor Torli has in- RED WAR
thousand
AFTERMATH now nye years Japanese men and women using
Communists were the Kinsey technique. He has since discovered that 00 percent at defended in the war in Greest, essential Japanese husbands have "rela- dramas tionship" outside their homes, campaign and that 85 percent of Japanese bachelors and 5
of Week percent Japanese husbands have homo- Fexual tendencies,
way
And ir that was the they wanted it, well, that was the style they were given. No jextra charge, unless the "do" was extra special.
Toril of Jupan's Saitama Uni-
countess insisted be should changing too rapidly and in the terviewed over scurt her a Black Mass. The wrong direction Archbishop of Colombo, partly of variance with the
offered
tem-
But be has also brought lik- Church,
unlimited ing, enjoyment, belief in the
In the supplies of consecrated wafers Spanish people.
end, for the Black Mass. Huysmans these qualities give special kept iwo green flies
his charm and understanding to his lesk, one labelled "bores," the admirable modern portrait of a other "lunatics."
great and difficult nailon,
011
Fearing that he was going to he began lo ces morally,
church and tried to in monasteries. of succession always hoping to And
of
on
allend
studies Iwo working-class girls living
Verge of prostitution- favourite subjert of research among the Naturalists. But he had no real interest in alums
and social problems; still less desire to reform then.
Alternatives
His next novel concerned perverse aristocrat who turned
his back on reality to dwell in a world of the imagination. This Betitious personaJEA
kep! Kaily roloured ilsh In 2411 nyuarium fited with coloured Witer.
the Ash eould come to no haern; they were made o!
etal.
Huvi Work,
read this
feverish
Huysmans had now
a critic remarked that
lo choose
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
WHAT ARE THOSE
› ONION SETS
DOING THERE ?
I PLANTED
ZINNIAS
-THERE /
"WHAT HAPPENED
BLUE JEANS
AND
FLANNEL
·SHIRT '7'
M V K V M-MM-
THE TOO-LATE DISCOVERY
TO THE
SPRING PROM, AND THE DISCOVERY THAT IT ISN'T „ONLY THE FLOWERS THAT BLOOM IN THE SPRING.
ASTHAT HE N
JUST WAIT UNTIL
HE DISCOVERS H{FOR SIX BUCKS)
COULD HAVE
FIXED IT HIMSELF.
"HMM-THESE
THINGS FIT
| ALL RIGHT LAST
SUMMER!
“JUST THIS LIʼL NEEDLE IN THE CARBURETOR
WAS STUCK,
THA'S ALL!
ове where the music and the com-
pany would be to his taste. But his genius for seeking out the eccentrie did not desert him after conversion.
LIBRARY LIST
that
R
1.10
the
are
SCU
Although it
is
resulting from that beitg enaated. Two occurred Jast of when an ex-officer the Greek Army beheaded his
nother with sword and threw her body into a nearby ditch, keeping the head as a memento.
wounding hand-grenade
Arrested, he confessed to the "I killed her because she was a Communist and I never liked Communists."
Within hours of the officer's arrest, a hand-grenade exploded in another Greek village, killing and variously people ve
The another six.
thrower turned be an Army enthusiast discovered that friends the who
all vlilage thna Communist-inclined.
remembered what the Communists did to my country.
during the war-and suddenly lost my temper and threw the grenade."
his
WETO
Д
•
ba
course in court etiquette and other ceremonials all of which must be learned by "any future Empress of
Apart
Japan.
from this period
education royal the Prince's bride should ulso be from two to five
than her royal years younger husband. The late Emperor
Taisho (grandfather of Crown Prince Akihito) was 20 when he became engaged to the 15-year- Empress Teimei. They were married
two years later, Hirohito's Emperor gagement was announced whent he was 18 and the present Em- Their press Naguko was 10. engagement lasted six years.
DWII 471-
Because of these precedents, the selecio girls from whem the Crown Prince (just 20) may make his final choler, are believed to be not older than 10 and some only 14. There are rumours that the imperial would like a household Cupida
have
ex- future Empress to perience of "Western customs."
WHO DOES Proof that equality femininity THE WORK and
rarely (I ever) go
• THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE, together comes from Italy where, 1054. Raymond Postgate.
north strictly in the
İcminine Cassell, 56. 408 pages
Gast-
signorinas wear allies and satins, ronomie geography of Great nylons and high-heeled shoes Britain. proving
both
and leave the jobs to their men- starvation and dyspepsia can folk. In the south, however, the be avo be avoided by the thoughtful | average signorina does a signor's student. Book that fulfils En work and squads of girls build out to important and unselfish civilis-houses, work barefoot in ing mission.
flelds and carry weights more in in line
with weight-lifters
• LEON BLOY. BY Rayner with teenage signorinas, Heppenstall. Bowes and Bowes
Nor do they find much equality affairs" Gs. 62 pages. Leon Bloy (briefly, for all their labours. Instead, the wittily, introduced by Heppen- their menfolk relax, and it is a monks ul the neighbouring stall) was a French Catholic
common sight in the South to see Monastery of Solesmes. She writer (died 1017) whose on Italian sitting lazily in the was saved from the wrath of Christianity had a highly in sun wearing a large sombrero... AWKWARD Mr Sadno Igucht,
HAPPY the Vatican through her friend- dividual flavour, e.g., learning
Japan's new, able and ordering his womentolic to HABIT ships in royal circles.
of the loss of the Titanic, be
and ambitious DOCS work in the fields, in rags and Devoling his lust
wrote, "Millionaires have been years to
using long-handled hoes to peck Ambassador in Washington writing the life of a Dutch salat drowned... the sweetest con- at the hard soll for 10 hours a already getting himself talked
and to
about in solation." of appuiling austerity
day.
diplomatic circles
Some of the richest pages of comedy in Laver's story concern an abbess who influenced him deeply, Mme. Bruyere. She had the convenient capacity of being in two places at the same time and the imprudence to encour-
love "mystical between fier
nuns
and
Discoveries That Bloom In The Spring
#
I ACHE LIKE A
FRESH PUNCH
IN THE NOSE / “
THE DISCOVERY THAT:
THINGS AREN'T THE SAME AFTER A WINTER, SPENT IN AN EASY CHAIR..
COPA, 1964 TY CERAL FRATURES COM, TM-WORLD RIGHTS RESERVED.
THE DISCOVERY THAT WORMS, BUGS & CO. ARE RIGHT BACK IN BUSINESS.
ALONG COMES SPRING AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
INGINERS
THE
men
BY HARRY
·
WEINERT
"HOW! COME YOU ARENT AT
BASEBALL
PRACTICE—
ARE YOU "THAT GOOD ?"
DISCOVERING THAT PAINT BRUSHES CAN BECOME
PETRIFIED IN ONE SHORT WINTER.
- IF YOU MEAN THAT OLD FISHIN' POLE – ITS UP THERE AN
I
13
*
life and
"In Dog's Life"- but not in California, In America's Golden State of stars, stunts and sun- shine, dogs--enys Dr Robort Stocking, a local vet-are BO happy that one dog wouldn't
notice a two-tailed dog it li saw one.
aro **more
Dogs in California (also ac- cording to the canine expert) down-to-earth, realistic, direct and straight. forward" than dogs anywhers else on earth. They also rense when things go wrong, and to beat your wife in front of ม Californian dog will worry it no end.
no
"If
bo
you want your dog normal," says the doctor, "give normal home, Dogs pro just as much affected
by their surroundings as humans."
Finally, you're too late and your dog has already gone com- pletely crazy, walks backwards and talics to itself, then send fu. to Д psychologist. A dog psychologist, of course.
If you
don't know where to and one, there are three in California. Where else?
Kangaroo dance sweeps the U.S.A.
Roo
NEW_YORK: A now dance, "Roo Kangaroo," threatens to push the rumba, mambo, the creep, foxtrot and the waltz into the. background and take over ́ às the U.S.A. No. 1. dance craze.
It is a mad medley. that. combines the American barn" dance, the Cuban rumba with; the Australian aboriginal sorris": bateo - chant
The Infectious chant of the Roo Roo Kangaroo" was in-" troduced for the first time last year, and singo then has beers popular in every city where orchestras have introduced it. }
Crowds aro``dancing. toʻlt at ach popular places as M hatter's Rainbow Room, the Hotel Roosevelt, the – Astos Hotel Roof, and in ballrooma
י'
In Detroit, Philadelphia,
Cleveland and Boston,
At New York's - Manhattan contre... thei donesty, -ósught by the medioy's: excuberacIDO, SWEDC cubato "the, street, servamär "Roo, Roo, Kangaroo,” Kopya trend, before › police: aqued could hard them back