M
< THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1955.
A spot of peace
• "DARL
DARLING," they said to each other, "what peace
But then strange things began to happen in the quiet Cornish cottage. Or DID they? The question you have to answer is.
Y husband aid it was my idea and I said it was his, but however much we wished to avoid the blume for it afterwards we were keen enough to take credit for it at the time. We were not working, well in our London' flat: Theatres and cinemas waylaid Dudley and I am a telephone gossip. He had to complete a play by a certain time and I had to finish a book. There seemed only one thing to do about it: to go away somewhere quiet.
Friends found us a Cornish cottage. We were ecstatic about ita description. Oil lamps were cosy, pumping water would cure Dudley's deskitis, there would be no interruptions, and no distractions. "Well Cottage" was close to the sea and had no neighbours for miles. "It'll pay the rent itself," we said. "We'll turn out double the amount of work in an atmosphere like that."
We let our flat, we piled all our belongings into
the .Eur-we sel olt. I would be easy to say that thought it we
was sinister, that "sensed ". the
We
something
anitate We sel fout in it, but we did not. We were
enchanted by it. Me Disney
self might have been responsibl for the architec ture.
"Well Collage" could have been bullt for Snow White. A thatch- ed por made a fringe over the damond window. giant panes,
tap- twilyhocks
vcl u {1 old! door, a wak Cobble-stone path led up to the pale-pink wash-
d front,
fuchsta grew
- THE manifestations increased-glasses bottles were thrown ut us,
wild in the gar- den, like great claret-coloured bells. Even the butterflies seemed outsize. Birds sang, and tangled aver the pump, roses swarined
and sweet The air was heavy with summer scents and the sun- shine felt mellow and warm in the bones. "Darling," we said together, "what pence!"
Fairy tale
and
We don't know who realised it
We were trying to hide i first. from one another. It was our practice to mull wine in
and we each worked evening.
the
IT DID I
HAPPEN (?)
Ava's Goodbye to Hollywood: She Wants a Home in Spain
London,
VA GARDNER and
Hollywood have de
By DAVID LEWIN
}
this
pikhing something In picture *Bhowan Junction.* And haven't felt that before in my pictures-except maybe
Not professionally, of worried about the piano. among film peoplo
wood anyway. But there are dog-tired at night, but it is
there pressures
elded to call it quits. sent on to Europe. I'm gates. I never made my friends onco. I get home (she lives in in Holly a flat overlooking Hyde Park) course-but from now on Can't get it insured-it
that don't worth it. I've even stopped Hollywood will no longer be is certain to arrive in apply here, I've looked at going on wingdigs around the home for Miss Gardner, thousand pieces. I'm not most countries now and I have town.
" still be working after Miss Gardner herself is in worried about the rest settled on Spain.
new my
contract wasn't London at
the moment there
much
"I want a place just outside this-but
only two films a year. finishing off six months' furniture and I'm giving Madrid-in the suburbs. If I says
don't find the right place I'll Some of them may be a plece work a film called it to my sister."
tha build something. I'm not going of cheese-1 don't have Junction" in
approve "Bhowani
scripts in Why the decision.
to rush 12 and go in half right
advance, If some of them are back when it joined him on the which she plays an Anglo- leave
which prepared. Hollywood firelight's
made in Hollywood I'll go hearth to share the
Miss Gardner Indian girl. Within a few beckoned their
there-but home will be Spałin. Ռ flow. Frequently
days Miss Gardner, at 82, when she
19 and was leaves for Spain to buy, or working as, a secretary? build, her dream house.
on
The answer will be published tomorrow.
be back in the chair. I was
to a certain п prey coming amount of apprehension.
As I went towards the animal marking were very similar, the took pains never to let it out only way to tell them apart was advanced upon to wait until one of them dis- of my sight.
It appeared. It practically cross-eyed.
We soon learned that "Well
"I'm selling up in Holly- allowed me to come within a
was known to bo few feet of it and then with no Coltage"
wood," she told me. "After it haunted. The locals had merely outward sign
been too polite to faded into thin grey smoke.
I
of distress
Cold water
mention
I sat down, took two aspirins Arst. Nor was the eat the only to keep matters "other resident" under its roof. and decided
As the leaves began to full and Tram Dudley.
the ane evenings shortened, the manifestations increased. Glasses and bottles were thrown at us, and furniture and carpels' were heaved about. Sleep became nearly impossible, and our work was suffering sorely, but having let the fat we were obliged to At midnight heavy remain.
I was back and at work at my desk when he returned, 1 gave him a confident smile but con- centrate I could not, I was on the back of his chair. I closed footsteps crossed the floor below them and opened
caine stumping upstairs. both eyes and
had. it that they be- quickly. I was walking across Legend
Lo
the floor, I closed one eye and longed to a smuggler who had squinted after it. I looked up used the coltage in the days invel Dudley's troubled when it was an inn, and tied his from #lance. "You're not overdoing horse to the pump. But
the noise he made I could have things, are you darling?"
belleved more easily that tied himself to the pump There sent the horse upstairs.
The next day T was drenched. A bucket of cold water was poured over my head.
was no damp stain on the cell- the ing, there was nobody in house nor was there a sign of bucket. When Dudley came in I said the first thing that entered my head. I said that I had been washing my hair.
"You don't usually do it by fully yourself submerging
He had clothed, do you?"
finished the sentence scarcely before he was soaked. As be- fore. It came from nowhere, Dudley is a past master of the British understatement. odd!" he observed, round,
a table in front of the fire. We were glad of it sometimes, some
at
both
10
"How looking
Lightning dash
That evening we had invited people we had not long party
I noticed that
Audrey Erskine
Lindop
WHEN, at the age of six, Audray
Lindop, doughter of colone!
In the for Cost, was chased by o tiger nobody cllowed her to cry. Soldiers doughters," she was told The phrose firmly," NEVER ery."
became a life theme for Miss Lindop and she used it as the title for an of her six navals. Violence is ker Inspiration, but she writes her books in a trim South Kensington (lot. She has willten scripte for films and also wrote some of Tommy Handley's radio acp).
we
down
he
and
13
years.
to
با
my "That happened with home in Hollywood, and I didn't get all that happiness
рге out of it. So now I'm pared to wait."
Ava
an
Can this chango in "Well, it's happiness. I There won't feel kind of secure and Gardner be traced to the fact
that she is fast becoming over here in be many regrets. I was content
actress as well as a personality never really happy there. Europe. I have been star? Talle to her about that
working here on and off and she becomes shy. a small house for four years and now I in Hollywood which I have have made up my mind to sold. My piano, my silver, stay. my linen and stuff
that
I'm having
"I have
and like
"It is not that I want to get away from the im factory
GOVERNORS AND
"Well, I never went to drama chcel or anything like that how could I learn to act a lampshade or a tree at drama class? But I feel I'm accom-
to
"Why did I pick Spain--and not Rome, for instance? How can you explain why you like one place better than the others? The people-or the way things are done or the infor- mality? I don't know. All I know Is I'm leaving Holly- wood, and I don't think any- one there will be surprised. . I been around much lately, anyway.
"Let's have some coffee: I'l make it.
haven't
GOVERNORSHIP – PART
TWO
EL
FINDING THE RIGHT MEN TO GUIDE
or execrate
By Harold Ingrams
Harold Ingrams, CMG, OBE, is a student of Colonial affairs and author of many books, including "Sevon Across The Sahara," and "Hong- kong." After thirty years in the Colonial Adminis- trativo Service, he was until recently advisor the Colonial Office. on overseas information
best is the
Into
i
at
have
In theory at least trade union leaders, with all their know- ledge of handling dificult human material, should had a good training. They can be men with common opinions But and uncommon abilities. Ernie Bevins are not common. 1 can conceive of it as admir- able if the governor. In the play "His Excellency" came to life.
be had
end
Na Colony; whether It be St Helena with un- der 5,000 inhabitants, $0 over or Nigeria with milljon, to be a Governor is to hold great office. He is to the local inhabitants often much more distant- und olympian than the Monarch is to us. Yet he is by no
done His ability to get things
Another often-tried_class aro means free of criticism as pean politics have moved
the deepest jungle and Europe will not be forgotten. Maybe
membern of the Home Civil. for from scemingly nowhere the met to a small cocktall
from this same simplicity of outlook is once again threatened
the We were grateful that "Well the Crown is in Britain. sea wrack would rise and leave and during it
Service, and naturally had joined me on the a chill and
a handicap. More suavity Colonial Omee in particular. My had a reputation for damp atmosphere Dudley
assuring Cottage" evening wagon. He was just One
might
than he commands is have over the house.
usually arst experience of this. category The papers may flay his the East, things may change. for his when Dudley had gone
one of our guests that we found otherwise
peculiar policy while he rules and This raises the often-debated needed in dealing with Aslan po- was a dear old man who had Cornwall
delightful Pequired a somewhat decided
entirely
one ourselves. We became so usual cliff-side walk
his question whether the Cruiting Itleians. His tendency to equate been told the Colony when there was a faint mew
criticism
honest (whether forgo the wing. I had had
or been accustomed to strange appari- revere
given was
a delightful, insubordination
quiet place' in which to We thought the locals o trifle little enough of it in all con- from the doorway, Out of ted tions that we were aph to take memory when he has gone. ground for governors. I disclaim act) with odd at dist. They seemed to be science, and one wouldn't have corner
of my eye I observed them too much for granted. I. In my day it was still cus- any bias and still believe that not always help. His plans were one's days of labour.
friend was there watching us, waiting for some-
con- thought that a glass or two my tabby
for Instance, camo
tomary in the Gold Coust for though good governors may by good and his sincerity thing. But we had heard that would
Dudley stretched out a to affect the able be
the again.
Truly a remarkable sparsely
when the nature of things reasonably spicuous, local politician slow hand for a cushion. Then morning very
be expected to come out of the obviously made a lightning dash across the Corns had a reputation for
There was a colourful Cornish
man. It is not unlikely in these brain. But it was renmining aloof until they were affecting mine. I had seen a
and weil the room on all fours and ram- character in the drawing-room mentioning the name of Sir Colonial Service they may well days when the pace of nation- used to strangers, and we
solid
allsm clashes with the wisdom with a
merry Gordon Guggisberg to add be found elsewhere. gold car-ring and we must have struck fed to have been a stray, but med it down on the cat, thought
I made a mental the
one is going of seeing where eyes.
"of blessed
In the course of one riot it there wis
that them as stronger than most.
tell Dudley that I fetched it a saucer of milk. a few seconds
to
more Templets may be fell to my lot to go with Then there o When brought it, the cat was astonished silence.
needed and one hopes they will Attorney-General and see him smuggler had presented himself memory." The front door led out was a prolonged yowl of rage. and sat down to sew a button
there but generally for
retreat, The Inside of "Well Collage" gone.
In his shady country I once read (in the Straits When Dudley raised the cushion
the kept up the fairy tale. Ancient of the living-room, and
We found him reading Homer to infuriated
Times) and very real Tom on my scanties. I addressed the
an epigram "IE
I recognise no other criterion short spells."
with all the files of the last you beams crossed over the dipping the milk out on the step.
bocked snarling
phenomenon and swearing
tion sevenly,
effect that governors are on than finding the best man avail-
Not all soldier-governors bedroom tonight, my celling, black oak boards shone
few days undealt with and with able for the Colony. The great- be their arrival from him with its tall come up to
breathless however. I was on a under whom away
flue brush, would you mind trying to be
the worst est Governor hope, soon become
when Sir great sense, of injury that the blown out like a
to us quict? My embarrassment was
fate that has befallen the have served was certainly Sir mission to Gibraltar
him. Dudley turned round
that the coller was a flesh and sheepishly, "I thought it wasn't more than acute when I realised country, but shortly after their Brian Rebertson, and though the Kenneth Anderson was Gover- goods were not as described to
departure belong to the good British Zone of Germany blood pedlar who had come
am sure that there," he explained,
not colony 1 old times. display his wares.
is no colony--including there Outside a Colony a Governor even that intractable proposi- sheds his glory and
catches tion, Kenya-in which he would buses like other me Nor can not have succeeded. he expect to go scot free if he has put himself above the law. a
ent. It was
I put
an
in the firelight and the tire liseli When I turned round, the eat tok up nearly half the room, was curled up in a chair. I bent An old kettle hung from a chuin down for the saucer and carried and sizzled comfortingly under it over to discover that the eat the chimney-place wille sweet had disappeared. I put the milk
shifted
and and down on the step again logs smelling
cat stood up the crackled in the grate.
when
Jack & Daphne Barker
WAD
London's sophisticated charmers
Parisian Grill
TO-NIGHT
Michael Boder at the Grand Piano
Reservations
THREE
Telephone 27880
SILENT
Grey swish
For an
10
the
to
A visitor intending stay several days with us spent one night. Polite inquiries proved I discovered that his experi- that he had water thrown over ences had been exactly the same him, his face slapped and his us mine where the ghost cat was bedclothes removed. He took
there one suitcase of ours back to London concerned. It was minute and gone the catch it, the car.
and with him to lighten our load in When we saw him off once when he went do his hands went right through it at the station I thought it better We managed to induce the not to mention that curled up real stray to accept our apologies in the carriage beside him, and
we imagined that it had believed I had seen a small grey forgiven us when it scratched to cat.
window that But there was a grey swish, a 4hud of tour
paws landing ол the floor and nothing to be scent Dudley told me gloomily: "I haven't opened! the window yet. It's the one that really isn't there."
The true stray was never at
Other Resi home with "The dent"
come in at night,
our
SALESMEN
whom
1
Washed out
words
received
Most Required
of
was
the
Lord Wavell said trades of statesman and soldier, All sorts of things have hap- "Both are branches of the same pened to Governors. They have craft, the governance of men and "died in office; been assassin- the ordering of human affairs." ated, have fallen in baltie, laid
It was no emply compliment violent hands upon themselves, resigned, been imprisoned, do when Mr Bevin referred to posed, expelled, restored, im- General Robertson as a "soldier-
statesman." That he should be peached, tried, recalled hanged"; but I never heard of statesman, "a man of common uncommon ablli- opinions and more than one being eaten.
ties," is certainly what is most required of a governor today,
be
лог
are
No Opinion
the
屁
it
excellent In the course of my job
Another Governor, fell to my lot to interview the in the Colonial Offer, was apt. Communist leader of a trade to try to treat oil problems as union. Presuming that because if they were commented on in came from the Colonial Office I a series of minutes in 'a lo; must be of some importance, he presented with a number of begged me to use my influence opinions he would conscien- to get the Governor's term tiously try to pick out acceptable office extended.
features in each without at- tempting an opinion of his own.
No Avail
of
A
Here again, there is a figuro
GROVernor It
д
good
Str
In this category who is the sub- "There has never been
ject of current controversy. It Governor like him," he said, "he would certainly have been my walks about in a pair of old opinion that if any Home Civil flannel trousers and
a tennis Servant would make
would be shirt and talks to everybody,
Cohen, a man endowed and his wife knows woman in the town who is go with a great personality and very definite ideas of his own, ing to have a baby."
Canon Grace made a thought- Everybody in Gibraltar found
Governor human, keenly ful observation on him in the
Cohen Interested in their affairs
Colonial
Red Paint
This Governor
As it so happens the latest guber- soldier occupant of a had invited natorial chair will certainly long a chief, with his warriors, to remain as a subject of contrp. the
and Spectator." "Mr dinner. versy when the subject is dis- House a Government
man the
They arrived in full dress red cussed. paint. Not knowing what
Remarkable Man
WIN
class prepared to fight for them. From a first
Ofice a perusal of many office fles I Secretary who would work him- was surprised to find how much self to the bone for the African Andrew Cohen, Sir military governors had stood up peoples. for civilian rights against ser with a tendency to impatience vice demande,
hen his will is crossed, has when proved himself a Governor un- The politician has also been fitted to work with the African." tried as a Governor. In carller days the Colonies received their is too soon to guess how posterity, any case he is young and it. full quota of bankrupt MFS will judge kn.
and faithful back-benchers who needed some reward.
1
Different Trades.
From then on, "Well Cottage" The next morning was quiet. there was a telegram "Suitcase coming back." Strange happen- out in our ings had brokon
London house; heavy visitor's as we came to call the footstops had mounted the stairs ghost cat. He would growl
General Templer is a at midnight, glasses and bottles under his breath and arch his had flown about, and there kept do with the plates on the table for whom I developed
but realising their paint would
when on appearing and disappearing gpoll the rod plush chairs, they served with him in Germany.
greatest admiration a little tabby cat.
the plates between what he did when clearing up With the return of the cult- inserted
a derelict country left Hercules case. "Well Coltage" became its their persons and the chairs. haunted self again. We felt.ex- This moved His Excellency unplaced, hausted at the end of our tenancy. When we arrived back to unrestrained laughter. The in London we ran into a friend chief and his warriors beft in sven for a huff at once, and he pursued we had not
them to the beach, trying to months, "You two look washed
He showed, however, no capa out," he said. "Why don't you soothe them down.
city for suffering tools gindly, take some little place in the
When they reached their canoe whether they were politicians, through one five-year terin and
Yet the fact is that being country and get a spot of peace they chopped off his head and journalists or civil servants, then to quality for a Governor's and quiet? Have you ever broiled it; They then set wall motive or retired. He mistrusted pension had to be given another Under-Secretary in the Colonial Colonial no Office and boing a thought of Cornwall?"
with it and, since they were We've been thinking over cannibals, one assumes they ate politics, and it is no disparage GH. somewhere else.
it and only left the rest of him inent of his genius and energy avall; for by the time it was Governor are two quite differ-
he ha
not got the over he had drunk. himself to ent trades. By the time a man has reached either rank the because they had not room for statesmanship of General Ro- death.
probability is that he is. It..
bertson. I was confident how-
Yet it is often argued today atted to perform the other, eves that he would be just the that since governing is no long This story has art obvious
for eighteen
er plain-sailing administration it Whether or not Colonial meral, to which I must return man for Malaya
months to. two ufera, and
int le political experience which is Governem
Dro
considered in the next article. But as a rule events have proved
to needed. Of whichever party, have, been a success in the good governors have usually re- enough.
they do not peem to have been Colonial Office, the experiment Ured quietly,
markedly successful.
of trying them, has boen, drop- ped. Maybe a slight omphalo- I imagine that one could point seepsis prevents the Colonial to some political Indian gover once from appreciating that nors who fave been successful Under-Secretaries are unlikely
***
Largest. Morning Olroulation
Largest Afternoon Ciroulation
Largest Sunday: Ctroulation
since.
WORLD
COPYRIGHT BEBRAVED
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?
YES
NO
© Put your 'tick in the spaer 'abera and keep this panel by `yor, antii – žamortim
do nhóm the same if bà như là enether slory in this varies by
Capt. Frank H. Shaw
• Did. Baturday's story—Oni). Ma Natura-Boy, Toby Hanny Hlf-actually:" happants!THE
....
to
BOY
had
this
suitably A Timesitador. Strangely
from the fow,
entitled "A. Breathless Two Colonial held, have become older Years summed up his admini elatesmen at home. Maybe pre- stration woll:
I remember one who toltered
To
eminence in administering dark
arket impatience of muddle but who have been succeed
ext Africa, Orient realms
un-
soon has not made for similar and delay, his saldiety; habit of the rank of statesman, Political to be successful in colonies. capacity at Westminster. By the soeire overy sliuation in clear sense is cortainly Indispensable nature of things, algularly few cut it onetimes too clear out), but it is not at all the poor handworld Copyright New Common have known much about their terms and his ubiquitous energy British poliical experience own country through most of galvanised the administration nécémarily provides want"'. in. Uber caiwan, Now that Burow info many essentiae; setvlies, needed in emergent, Africa, ar
Nakaalila,, London) 3
To be concluder
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