THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1955.
The STOWAWAY FROM RIO
เม ย
STOOD for moment on deck, gazing at Guanabara Bay as the liner left was re- Rio Harbour. I
tour in turning from a Brazil which I had made to gather, material, for a book.
The bay with its hundred isles, the two gigantic rocks that rose sheer out of the water, the distant line of the majestic Serra do Mar. Mountains made a scene of grandeur. I reflected,
that
DID IT HAPPEN?
• This story -- another. In the series of FACT or FICTIDE tiles by famous- writers —might hava"" Kappened. Or is it simply. a, tall story ?ă Tomorrow the answar, viliche published.
there
and one night we went out on A sightseeing tour through the lowest quarters of the city. We were going through one of the dark narrow alleys when we came upon two men having a fight. One of them went down....
I saw the other › raise his hand. He had
knlie.
ས
He made oft as I ran for- ward, and when I bent over the poor devil lying in the gutter. I saw that he was dead then at the end of the deserted alley some excited gesticulating men appeared.
"The police are coming
There 100t
METACS INT
his tones as muttered.
"Don't mocA
don't call
** 10 200
He
the
Anished pentence
by slightly And
raising the Tevolver,
we mustn't be mixed up in this." my friend said. He dragged me by the arm
to run.
*
Drawing by
Koolman
me.
and we began to which I could hide during the gave me an opportunity to clear Only when we got safely day. I was the newest form of every plate on the table before The man behind it was star- to his house did I discover that stowaway.” was a fitting end to my lng at me tergely; there was in bending over the murdered travel adventure.
Ship was füll
How little did 1 foresee, as a I turned to go below, that adventure of a startling and unpleasant nature was just about to begin.
I
as he man.
menace in his tones muttered:
"Don't move. don't call out or ." he finished the sentence by slightly raising the revolver
Admittedly, I felt too para- lysed with fear to do either.
He indicated a chair. "Now
Lock the door." he now com- manded. He kept me covered as I obeyed. I was disappointed in my had Although cabin. booked it only at the last sit down."
I
not moment, had pected to be allotted inner cabin, with no port- hole, no wardrobe and very little space. With some mis- givings I hurried to the purser's office.'
ex- A flash of anger momentarily an quenched my alarm. "I will not sit down. I want to know what you are doing here in my cabin."
"It isn't yours. It was booked for me. What do you mean by changing quarters after sailing? That's the one thing I hadn't reckoned on."
my noterase had slipped from my breast pocket. It con- tained letters bearing my name and the address of my hotel.
The assassin"
"My friend was appalled at the danger I was in. They will for murder,' he sak. get you
rou don't know the Brazilian police as I do. You must hide, here until I can get you away.'
Then
The next day they were on my track. The papers were full of the search for the English assassin. Things looked ugly for me.
my friend had an Ingenious idea for getting me out of the country. He booked a stateroom on this ship. Then half an hour before she sailed, he cancelled the booking.
*
His manner was so convincing I could not doubt bin. "Now you know everything you won't give me up?" he pleaded.
"You can't expect me to help you." I began.
"It's at least one risk which
he doesn't involve you,"
DON IDDON'S DIARY
Americans Weren't Even Pretending To Be Neutral
New York. Wales as well as from London. THE Students Public led to Tredegar and gave
American columnista travel-
US)
Opinion Poll tele-close-ups of Aneurin Bevan, phoned me the day They travelled to Warwick and before the polling and ask- X-rayed Sir Anthony Eden. ed: "Who is going to win the British election?"
This was the tourth time I had been asked the question in
Although naturally mast newspaper space went to Eden, Bevan, who is known here as ? Britainty bad boy, a deep-dyed Red who is allegedly anti-
as many hours by pollsters and American, was profiled and dis- commentators. Even the House- sceted at length. wives' League seemed determin- Americans
ed to get a forecast. I had calls the
were
were amused by
from something called the So- H gingerly decorous way the and Labour Parties Political Knowledge, ciety for
used
television. To all the callers I said:
I am told that the President "Eden and the Conservatives
and Secretary Dulles are having will
win
and I guess the discuity trying to decide where majority at 57.2
There had been polls and the Big Four conference should
be held. resurveys here for weeks. Do not
Russia's proposal of Vienna the let anyone tell you' that
hasn't aroused any enthusiasm, not intensely Americans
not have enough- interested in the results of the and Lugano, which Britain sug-
election. They were gested, did absorbed
"Plaini
Stockholm may be the In
Man's hotels ""ABCs choice. Guides to Westminster,"
the
and British Election," of
the and
White "Whitehall House" pamphlets. They were also Very few people wanted the Labour Paity to win, and I don't know of a single have newspaper which would welcomed a. Labour victory.
plied. "I can never forget what you've done for me. Knowing His gratitude for these atten- you, too, has meant so much tiens was touching. Once, as a You have enriched my life,"
I had secretly sheltered. On the morning the liner chlich and tended in an outhouse a docked I awoke to find the stray kitten that I had been for- bathroom where he slept was blöden to bring into the house. empty. My stowaway
had that in slipped away in the night. It must be admitted some dim way the stowaway
Master-mind reminded me of that kitten In looking to me for care and pro- tection.
"But you wouldn't let me down when my life is in dan ge," he said. He began to urge, to plead, finally to implore. have never known anyone with such a compelling personality. The anxiety, the hours spent made him in confined quarters, began to But his desperation eloquent. He shattered my ob- tell on him. He grew haggard jections one by one, and think and drawn. To take his mind of half. hypnotised me otherwise his agonising position, I would how could I have agreed to encourage him to talk to me.
with him for share the cabin
He was well read and much the rest of the voyage?
travelled, and had I not been so worried and fearful I should bave found him a most interest- But my relief ing companion. when the end of the voyage was in sight was incalculable.
Final planS
Much travelled He was to sleep in the bath- zoom at night and conceal him "Disguised, I strolled on board self in the wardrobe by day. I At first he looked doubt-
on the pretext of seeing, friends was to act as cover for him and ful about my request. The
I studied him. But for the cold off. There is always a big crowd keep a look-out. He said I had
I had by then got into the ship was full, and he could determined glint in his eyes he on sailing day; and, unnoticed, been sent to him by Providence,
habit of starting if anyone not give me other accom- had a sensitive intelligent face, I slipped down to this cabin. I If so, Providence had done me
Then with a flash of intuition I had a suitcase with rations that a very bad turn.
addressed me, and of looking mdation. Then he looked sensed that he was as afraid of would last me the voyage, a bed
'That voyage was a nightmare nervously over my shoulder. through the sailing list and me as I was of him; but I knew and a bathroom, a wardrobe in experiment. Apart from the fear Had it lasted much longer I of what would happen to my might have had a nervous exclaimed: "There is one
reputation if it was discovered breakdown!. empty stateroom on A Deck.
that I was sheltering a man la It was cancelled only half
my cabin, the consequences what would happen to him in plans were. such a case haunted me. But he was always so bumble grateful. I pitied him.
an hour before we sailed, and will be empty for the voyage, I can arrange for you to have that,"
"But a stateroom is so. expensive." I objected.
· Don't more
. "Not
in this case. The change-over won't cost you any extra." And this most bene- called a volent of pursers steward to collect my luggage from D Deck and take it to my new quarters,
CESTY
They were roomy, luxurious, with 3 writing desk, chairs, a large wardrobe and-- "oh, joy private
by FLORENCE A. KILPATRICK
[BS. KILPATRICK, the hamorous writer
Mand novelist, with more than 40 novels, seven plays and innumerable articles to her credit, has a manis for travel. Many of her books have an African back- Paradise Ltd., like this story, was ground based on her travels in Brazil. But perhaps her best-known 'novels are her series of tên *prizabeth books some of which have been broadest by the BBC. She ia married to a farmer editor and wrlier. They have two daughters.
he was desperate, and in his desperation might do foolish things with that revolver.
Trying to speak with a calmi- ness and courage I was far from feeling, I said: "Supposing you explain and please put down that gun. It might go off, you know."
He did not smile. But he put bathroom. the revolver on a table at his As I began to unpack I can side and sat down facing me. He gralulated myself on my good, began to talk and as he did so luck. Then I heard a movement his face was distorted with fear. which made me turn sharply.
"I've been staying for some I was taking into the barrel
Rio," he 450
Service time on holiday in Webley
bogan. "I met a friend who lives revolver.
a
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and
Whenever I could. I got sup plements to his Iron rations. I ordered an enormous breakfast
I asked him what his final
£5
very partisan. met
Mrs Hobby BEFORE the President leaves D the United States he will probably reganise his Cabinet.
Mrs Oveta Culp Hobby, who as Minister for Health, Educa- tion and Welfare, is responsible I never met him, again. But
for the distribution of the I heard of him. I saw his pic
Salk anti-polio vaccine, is to be And betting ture, too, in the papers, where
replaced, although the excuse described he was master-mind of a
THERE was no pretence at will be that the lady is needed band of crooks." His latest
neutrality, except In back home in Texas.
- Mrs Hobby, a relentlessly exploit concerned the loss sus-Washington, where White House Lained by the
Bolivian Mines and State Department officials
ambitious woman, recently Syndicate of a certain packet
made the unfortunate state- diamonds during the transit of
were saying: "Of course, the
ment: "No one could have the sto to Rio from Mette British election has absolutely foreseen the public demand for nothing to do with us, just as Grosso,
the vaccine." American Presidential elections have absolutely nothing to do with the British." No one was deceived by this.
of
stones
Without my help he might succeeded in getting have never the diamonds out of the coun
try. How clearly now I under- stand his meaning when he said I had "emriched his life." At all events the rogue had a sense of humour!
WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED
DIC IT REALLY HAPPEN?
YES
NO
⇓ Put your fick in the space abore and kvog this panel by you tantil tomorrow
"I'm going to disappear the night before we arrive," he said.
My friend in Rio has arranged....when the ones will be given with for a chap to pick me up in a motor boat,"
I was puzzled. "Your friend's
to be served in my cabin. I arrangements seem to be most brought fruit from the table. I comprehensive, Aren't you tak- had lea served on deck, which ing an unnecessary risk?”-
ogether stary ju this" ancler by ..
BERNARD MILES
· · Did' yesterday's story-The Priest and the Sick, by Edward Hyams actually kappen? The answer is: NO
I'M NOT SULKING, SAYS
Washington.
F there is one man in
the United States who. has complete faith in
By Hugh Dundas
On Broadway there was a fair amount of betting on the elec tion.
Bookies were giving 5-1
There is an acidulous poem ...
Words going around entitled to a Lady in Distress for Doing Nothing or Ever Less."
The
rate of polio vaccine inoculatiers in New York City has now slipped to 69 percent.
The
President has made
any changes in his
on the Conservatives,
In Toots Shor at the bar I saw a man plonk down a $50 scarcely bill on the Conservatives Cabinet since he took office, unlike President Truman, who winning.
There were election argu- was constantly hiring and firing. three Secretaries of ments in the fancy saloons and had around town and in the dives State.
OT
Third Avenue, underneath the rusty elevated railway.
American
Mr Truman, very sprightly and ebullient seems to
have
his
his
American coverage of the recovered completely from election has been comprehen- sericus operation of a year ago. sive, Apart from the resident He has almost completed
in correspondents Great Britain, teams American political reporters have toured the country. There have been long dispatches from the provinces and Scotland and
memoirs, for which he receives of approximately a million dollars (the tax arrangements have not yet been worked out).
SALK
Not long ago the ex-President wrote a music criticism for the Saturday Review of Literature and the publisher claimed that these were the first words that the ex-President had written for publication"since he left the White House.
This is not sa. Mr Truman wrote an article for the Daily Mail, before the Coronation, after I had gone to Kansas
he said, "tell them they are City to see him, wrong.
"If they want proof they can ip in business in some spare and it in the Empire. Canadians "Tell me honestly," I said "is About Jenner and the troubles space knew about in a
who manufacture the stuff in had with the smallpox municipal hospital.
Government Laboratories in the Salk anti-polio vaccine Dr Salk really unperturbed? he
nearly 200 years ago. that man is Dr Jonas E. Is he perfectly confident? Is it vaccine
"I persuaded a fund to put Torente are going calmly ahead friend true he is going ahead with his About is
Alexander up the money, and left him to with their programme. They are Salk.
work
with as though nothing had Fleming "I he were here he get
it. That's my
Tell them that." not worried. would agree it is following the system here." usual pattern."
Washington was being happened? swept by emotion over re Or is he hiding, taking his test tubes? ports of children contracting refuge among polio after having injections Sulking?" of the vaccine.
"
Arid Jonas E. Salk?
'THE PROOF
In the plane on the way back to Washington I thought: Em glad, I made this trip. When "He came here in 1947," said
the time comes for my children "If people to have an inoculation I will There was not
He got up to go. a moment's Dr MeEllroy. "He came with a hesitation about the answer, I modest salary and nothing but in Britain think there is some- take them along not only with when I flew up to Fitis- can promise you this," said Dr. faith and my support. I set him thing wrong with the vaccine," confidence but eagerly. burgh I expected to find at McElroy. "Salk is not de- least the echo of this comm- pressed. He knows the vaccine tion in the research department is all right. of the medical school where Dr Salk and his associates developed the serum.
So
Broadway boom
THERE is a boom on Broad-
way. Twelve new pictures have opened in less than a week and the theatre thrives.
Moura Lympany gave a party for Myrna Loy the other night and 1 dropped in to say hallo. Miss Loy is as pert and piquant as when she played opposite William Powell in the "Thin Man" series,
I also saw Joan Crawford at the Plaza. They say of Joan; The word 'star' was made for her"
on Russia Dropping Work On H-Bomb
"He never claimed he had Anished the job, of course. Salk's only concern all along has been that things might be done prematurely.
But only one thing worries Dr Salk and his friends: It is the amount of time wasted in what "All he wants now is to be left they call "all this ballyhoo,” « alone so that he can get back
he's not worried. And
was met by a young man into the lab. Take it from me, whose full-time job for the am L moment is to guard Dr. Salk from outside distractions so that
be can make up lost time on his work
WHOSE FAULT?
The
Intelligence chiefs believe that the...
A chiers De
2
By CHAPMAN PINCHER
the
the Hon. comes to regard as an extension of the trainer's hand.
moves
Russians may have suspend- bydrogen bombs and atomic liminary to an early intensifica
QUIRK No. 2. If a lion is ed work on the hydrogen weapons; or
tion of the Communist cam- imable to retreat far enough. bomb.
They may have decided to pain to outlaw atomic weapons when it "fight-distance" is in-
to part of a drive to stress the fringed it automatically the H-bomb Soviet scientists have not ditch
Intentions of Deaceful
forward to defend itself by He passed on à message from
political motives. They may Soviet dean. stubbed out a tested any improved version believe that they have a
attack. the doctor, who regretted he cigarette and immediately lit of the experimental H-bomb chance eventually of getting The work now published dates could not talk to me. For a few another with a big lighter.
other back to 1850 and has unques-- So to make a llon move to- days he was allowing nothing The thing is following the which they exploded a year hydrogen bomba
atomic weapons banned by tionably been held back by wards him the trainér approaches
security considerations: international agreemerit.
Its it when against some
high-level political decision
to take him from his work insulin, sulpha drugs, penicil-
usual pattern," he said. and nine months ago.
the laboratories.
SO FORWARD!
What work? ing the vaccine?
-you
and
Taming Lions
Liv even diphtheria, and toxin This weapon had the The Russians are still building case must be that result of obstacle and cannot retreat. Then when the lion is getting too near take years to develop power of only 1,000,000 tons up masive supplies of big guns these things. Then the process of TNT, compared with the and
other conventional
the trainer, moves back a dew goes out to the mat
manufacturers,
which would have
paces until the no-man's-land" 15,000,000-ton punch of the
which the Hon must have round use in a war fought Was he check- and you get setbacks."
I asked Dr McElroy the U.S. hydrogen bomb.
with hydrogen bombs.
itself is restored," kon thought that faulty Vaccine
CECRET of the astonishing ali "mass Checking? No! At present could be responsible.
Allied experts believe that. If
destruction power which lion tamers In this way the lion tamer can the work is all concerned with
were banned, this wield over their savage animais Possibly, but it was much the Russians would be unlikely weapons
stocks of this conventional, armament would revealed by Dr. IL Hediger placed between him and the indiace a lion to mount a pedestal. Burther developments. No going more likely that the children to build up
had polio already
give them back over old ground.
weapon without trying to in- then When
Swiss scientist who has studied prove it and improvement superiority.
the psychology of Brimals in animal and can leave it there to
calm down was useles8.
After many "lessons" the Hon that work on the H-bomb would He claims that a lion tamer
were
they
did
military
Dr Salk is not content with the vaccin which a mild not be achieved without" the 80 to 90 percent effective- Manufacturers could be at at least one further test ex- Intelligence chiefs are satisfied 2008 and circuses. ness of the vaccine as it is. He fault, of course. All Dr plosion. thinks he can make it 100 per- McElroy knew was that the
not have been suspended for orders bis animals about by regards the pedestal as a resting cent. And that is what be is vaccine used
Possible Reasons by Dr. Salk was
capability, Incle of technical
be test in peace. working on now,
And any
This view is reinforced by a exploiting three quirks of lion place where it will temporarily sate perfectly safe. A middle-aged, middle-height other vaccine manufactured and
mass of scientific reports about mentality Soviet alom research;
QUIRK No. 3. In every group. Just QUIRE NO. 1. A lion man with the face and shoulders checked in precisely the same WHAT could be the Soviet
instinctively moves away I of Lons, wild or captive, there of a boxer came into the room, way was equally safe.
leaders' purpose in suspend released by Moscow
another creature approaches is a clear-cut social order. McElrey, Someone came in and re-ing wore on hydregent weapons? It was Dr William S.
Published in the Proceedings nearer to it than a certain dis-
the By cleverly exploiting Dean of
of Pittsburgh Medical minded Dr McElroy he was. Intelligence experts suggest of the Soviet Academy of fance called the "fight-distance.” "boss" Hon and the wish of the School
und,
next only to Dr expected at e meeting.in "Oh, two posible reasons,
Sciences, the reports show that
their soc others. to Lavrove Salk himself, the man who has let them talk without me for
good train most
to win the fight the time he said. ·
The Bassians may have Russian scientists are in some 50, to make a lion back away-
his animals about the And mother coziette, went abandoned: any hope of respects ahead of the Aliles in from him, the trainer moves positions, a
Sorward or flicks his whip which of Ting so, precisely that they' Just pole beside me and into the asabay, Enother came | achieving their aims by research on the atom structure.
sat down
look as though they are being SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. LTD. pulled out a packet of cigarettes out of the packet,
war because of the Foreign Office advisers believe of Russian The release overwhelming ad- that
"Prychology of Animate by Zoos pushed and pulled by inviable
Butterworth: 201. wires Lalking about medical went cu sucks at completed
"information is a pre- and Circuses,
HONGKONG
$8.50
Published by
Her
KOWLOON which he chain-smoked through-In his
out a 43-minute talk,
lobal
he Allies'
具