THE · CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1955. T
MICKEY FINN
(Persian style)
HAD just come off a road convoy three days out from Bagdad and hud half the dust in Persia 'on my uniform and the balance of it down my throat when 1 walked into Weinstein's Cabaret on the Lalezur. It had been hotter than an orchid-house in Bagdad, but, driving through the Paytok Pass, we ran into snow; and the nearer we got to Toherun the colder it became.
The great gold dome of the morque at Kom sparkled
like
ley
an electric globe in the nir and the streets of Teheran seemed to huddle together for warmth against the
refrigerat
downl swept
A blasts that from Mount Demavend.
DID
IT? HAPPEN
'Another story in this FACT or. FIC TION series to keep you guessing. this Weinstein's ("V for Victory, Double V for Velnstein" was the old rascal's slogan) a band of Free Bulgarians
t to burst your swinging it cardrums and a free (and easy) Armenian burmaid was sling- ing out the vodku-vermouth at 10 centen glass.
Inside
down on
of the world anyway.
Astonished
was
She
life inside yourself, don't you?” "Sometimes I tink I dunt really live dis life at all-that I never bin in this country, But dunt tink I am onhappy. I hat guld times, and my friends, too."
"Let's have good times 40- morrow, What about lunching with me out at Darband?"
"Orlright. You fetch me at twelve."
I was there on time. In the. dingy lobby of her latel a Syrian clerk sat polishing his nalls. When I
asked foc Mademoiselle Mickey he told me she would not be back till even- and disbelieved him ing. I walted half an hour, but came away at last, telling myself that many a better man had been two-timed before by a cabaret girl and that 1 had best think no more of it. Next day I went visit a Red up to Tabriz to
that Army division training to defend the Caucasus and it was a week before to got back Teheran. Night are rarely scen in daytime and, though, I was up and down the Lalezar constantly,
1 Did
birds tale really happen? The answer will be published tomorrow
I glanced round the cabaret,
at the rows of sweating soldiers
WOR in
I never saw Mickey or any of her col- leagues from Weinstein's.
Then one evening I ran into of Ellison,
friend Sandy Washington days. The wine of reminiscence flowed free and it was not long before we found ourselves at Weinstein's watch- ing the dancers and drinking Persian brandy.
Mickey was dancing with a
A chance
All that mattered was
SKE
sightd-
with such sweet restina sion-and said: "I used so mind trouble once-a- time, but
ROLO
I know how to deal woldim.."
by Alaric Jacob
WAR correspondent in the Western Deart and in Rustio, Alaric jacob bas spent most of his journaliste fif abroad, his longest asılgamenta baing Washington and Moscow.
He is 45 and lives in Chelsea with his actress wife, Kathleen Byron:
ไม่
Besides, this can't happen to chill of the grave, with the
me."
The sight of her eauntering in easy assurance with her man, brought me to my feet, I strode out of the cafe and almost ran
NATHANIEL GUBBINS
AM glad to see that shoulder, we are soon lost In tho with bol- in answer to a letter in new picture story, a newspaper from a horse Silcker.
loons, of Cliff McCoy and his South African Baying the The story begins with action British seem miserable and in the first picture, which is neurotic there has been a more than you can say of first paragraphs of many stories In spirited reply from another The Times. visitor who found us happy, healthy, and cheerful.
bu Ho
Clif ices an unarmed Indian on horseback being chased cowboys Aring revolvera. If the second correspon aks his horse: "What goes on dent is right I can only down there?" but, as the horse offer the opinion that wo either doesn't know DT won't are keeping up our reputa- answer, clip gallops to invosch- tion for grinning and gate.
bearing things,
ment?"
fourth picture
the
Most of us have grinned our In the way through 7110 world war, Indian falls off his horse, and
have Older people
grinned in the Mth Cliff da facing the saying: "Howdy, their
way through two. No cowboys,
the excite- doubt we have enjoyed the ex- gents. What's all perience.immensely.
There is also income tax. horror of flesh opce lovely fast
You can almost hear his calm, as he looks uni- so quict volce Then
the shop slipping into the oblivion of de- There is nothing we like through window I EK W Rosa, the cay.
much as having nearly it our afraid at the pointed guns of the You know they are Armenian,
her strolling with
On the dressing table I pleked earnings stolen from us and I bod men. arm laced in that of a Peralan officer, saturnine in his mustard-me pieces of paper scatter- for one, am almost hysterical bad men because of their evil
I read fabes. among the disordered articles with delight when
Then, as we read the balloons coloured cjook, and hooked of make-up. What had been a that I have paid for the expen- sword.
sheet of Army notepaper had sive medical treatment of some together, the leading bad man
saya da Clift: been torn and torn up again, luto unknown foreigner
out of my way, fancy pants, i ro-
were not enough It the
to tiny fragments. On them
make us happy there is the ex- We're taking that Indian back leed my own handwriting. cognised
Nobody to town." From far off 1 heard the clerk citement of insecurity.
owning u house knows when It is the term "fancy pants," to Mickey's hotel. The Syrian 539. I passed out of the room some
"Leave her, it is no use."
to CHIT'S local
Government a sarcastic reference clerk Jooked started when
that down elegant trousers, Psked
little for Mile, Mickey My the sun shone brightly on the authority will knock it
helpless him
girl to couple of voice must have been very loud. stairs. Closing the door softly and pay
laughter. In fact, she laughs no "Sorry, sair, Mces Mickey la chind us, the clerk said; "As pounds compensation.
This makes us laugh like mad much and waves her artis so Mickey is not receiving
you sco, sir, "She's receiving me. Give me receiving low I modo no:
because if it happened in Rus- wildly that my cars are full of that key."
he added: "But Isia people would shake their candy-loss before we can
the In the last two pictures understand that on Tuesday, to heads and say: "Those wicked on with the story.
bad men accuse the Indian of being will be quite a party.”
horeo thief and Cliff, celebrate her 23rd birthday, zer Communista.”
Then there is postwar noise, looking stern now with. Who but a miserable
out, says: gung actionary
at a
the
no answer.
the
comment
Regret
or
1
re-
indifferent to pro-
of
a
reduces
get
both
"Maybe he is, but until it's
I had put down a couple of white girl in cabaret can't go. these when I saw a girl sitting I get ride in lorry to Teheran. by herself in the corner.
"It's midwinter and two days was tall and very thin and
hung we stick at Hamadan in the of soft gold hair
She snow. But the Grick who drives her shoulders.
Then when we wore a brown silk dress with looks after me. long sleeves. Her face was white get here he say I must work pay
I leant over and snatched the and dreamy, her eyes large and many weeks in cabaret to
She had that look you him my fare. This I commence fat old frak!, but dropped him
I heard the clerk time. brown.
Gay as soon as she saw us. She was the thing to do is to think as key and run up the stairs 'two in the Rooshian came.
Σ used to see in Garbo
in pursuit, like Pay-00 gentleman, very pollte, so sweet that my resentment little as possible about
You have to absorb come running
banged on the door. There was close-up; lost and forlor, like and he says: " link this Grick against her melted immediately, wound.
the whole
yourself in thoughts of nor- pick him I heard her excuses without
I tied the key and a girl who finds world slipping away from her hot Griek at all. I
be up. So I am no longer troubled caring it they were sincere or mality to give yourself a chance thrust it open.
gress does not enjoy the roar of proved none of you galoofs is nol. care, and doesn't really
to heal.
elaying a finger on him." The room was in darkness. I
motor-cycles, I dla for
My heart was sore That is what
with pity faster and faster Mickey
the
I ask the little girl what she cause she never thought much with the truck driver."
mechanically and a bitter regret for her. next few days. In any case, my switched on the light.
fully the floor,
the thinks will happen in the next bicycles, and jea
instalment. Soviet visa would arrive at any was lying on
dressed. She had evidently
And for myself. After the first propezing at the bar, and I said: "I bet
that moment now and I would have fallen out of bed in that state.
moment of believing I had found screaming of jet aircraft which
"expect," she says, with a you had plenty of trouble since."
the profound knowledge of cowboy such sweet she was pleased to see me now. to fly on to Moscow. So I made I called out to the clerk, "Phone the sad key to Mickey's charac- might break all your windows She sighed-with
bad men have "the piots, her was sound barrier? around resignation--and sild: "I used to An. Armenian girl called Rosa a vow, and kept it, not to enter out to the her over ter at last, it then seemed that when they crack through
the mystery Weinstein's again,
Why, they might even fall on stolen the horses and are diam- and
her. Astonished to see such a girl mind trouble once-a-time. But joined us
kept Sandy
Then one day a ragged little
Even deeper than before. Did I heard the clerk say: "A this girl, who seemed all com- before the authorities can knock worry, When I get home
your house and blow it to bits ing the Indian. But you needn't I went In a Persion cabaret,
now I know how to deal wid occupied while Mickey 'im."
spent the evening
together, Persian boy came to my billet over and asked her to dance.
For zis we cannot 'ave
pounded of sensibility and affec
send you my copy every week afloat
wave of surging with a letter. Inside was a hotel doktor? 011 Conversation Was
tion, detest the whole race of it down. which Mickey had ze doktor every day."
I usually for nothing, though When the curfew came and Intimacy. Sandy, meanwhile, menu on
men? because her English was of the
Mickey's face was dead white,
charge 2d for it,” sort Uut, spread out thin, will the tribal chants of the four was getting more than merely written: "I am sorry for what
Why I not see you with scarlot patches on
Could she have, known some occurred. scarcely cover a sixpence. But Allies had been played, she let drunk, and at curfew time
Please to show I am cheek bones. She was breathing sorrow so profound as to make Lake her home, In the asked her to wait while I got any more? she managed to tell me how she me
silvery chill of the streel, I got there.
back to would take him 1941 1 play cabaret in tritely remarked that it was my friend into the truck that good, come fake coffee with me heavily through her open mouth, her reject. life entire, in favour his tomorrow noon at Grimaldi's. Her hair was tangled and the of fantasies out of a bottle? Was
Tools of it, over the temples, the love she might have given IT is while I am reading the Dream Sequence hard to believe one was in the r
camp.
I could not have been Yours Mickey,"
with sweat. Her me mortgaged, beyond hope of first leader in The Times.............................. Orient.
than five minutes. gone more
that the little girl who is my THE London bus was flying to of beautiful fragility had redemption, to alcohol? I got back Mickey
moon.
Molotov, was But when
quite gone. Tearwater had rum That afternoon my visa come guest suggests that I might pre the
·· driving it and Marshal Bulgarin was gone.
from the corner of each eye,
Teher, never to ter to read her paper. and I left
the conductor shouting. She tells me that a new cow- was Have you ever been wound-
staining the cheek. The mouth return. And it is this weight of In the convalescent stage
nanswered questions that holds boy serial is beginning in the "Fares, please. All fares ready, Mickey in my mind today. current number, and I gather please.
that this is a chance of a life- time. WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED
difficult
But they 1 am
I
Cairo, Money good. say I am eietny allen. keeked out. First to Haifa.
Then Beirut umn keeked out, Kecked out again. Cross desert in bus to Bagdad-bistly place,
I
"I duni try." she said. "Such a night is yulst like Finland."
"I guess you don't notice your surroundings much. You lend a ed?
A calendar watch you can afford
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"HE calendar watch bas become as essen-
T
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the
I gave the boy a fow reals and dropped sourly, the mouth of a he ran off through the snow making with my acceptance, little Indentations like
a bird where his feet touched the white expanse,
on
I sat there in Grimaldi's, As right
sick woman.
Half 'full
One
time,
I wondered: Then I saw the bottles. "Will she fall me again? Could empty, lying on the floor, with such pointless malice be pos- its label torn off, but when I sible? Maybe this is a Finnish picked it up I smelt the brandy. bed Or else she The other, half full on the practical joke.
tin mug becks to prove me, as women table, on which was
under- without a handle. Then did in the Middle Ages."
WIL
the
the breath of the
I studied a Persian. paper stocd why room smelled closely, without understanding a rank; why word. After 20 minutes I felt drunken girl, when I bent over in my bones
being had her again and tried to shake her I was third time. for the
Then I into consciousness, struck me "Third time lucky, with something of the terrorising thought:
A
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?
YES
It is living dangerously that makes us all so cheerful, Wild, Wild West
"If you
118
her
Bix
With many thanks for hindness I pay her for second-hand coples in advance.
evere
Among--the passengers British National Service man, start today," she with long. golden hair flowing
his
saya, "you won't miss any of it." over his shoulders, and
Her paper is the same price mother who was taking him to "The Times"-4d and I the moon to evold an Army hair must say that for those who cut.
2:5
NO
© Put your tick in, the space chore and this panel by you until tomorrow when the cerver will be given-wick another story in thất miles by a ve
STANLEY MAXTED
● Did yesterday's story-Pasteboejā. Charten Landstacia - netrally Happen? The answer ist NO.
by
prefer
exciting
stuft Eke Thero was also a Teddy. Boy Tarria the Jungle Boy, Our who threatened Bulgardin with
Sammy Gang, and
Speed Sub.
to letters Civil Servania'. Pay,
and
Hie a razor, when he asked for the about fare, and a film star (male) Oxford who was going to the moon-be- Road Plans, and Gold Coast cause he owed 2300,000,000 In- Politics. It is certainly worth come tax, the money.
The National Service soldier
So we throw away The Times was crying in his mother's lap and while the little girl because his seat was munches candy-floss over my fortablo. The Teddy Boy tried
* Reaction To Malta's Plan
"T
O great and uncon- quered Britain the love of the Maltese and the voice of Europe confirms these islands". Since 1814, that inscrip- tion has looked down on Palaco Square, Valetta.
Can colonisation work in reverse? Could M.P.s from a colonial legislature sit in the House of Commons halping to govern the people of the United Kingdom? This problem, one of the tricklest in the history of the Commonwealth, has bean posed by Malta.
►
study all the implications with the greatest care.
For
to cut everybody's throat,
Marshal Bulganin said:
brid
"I wanted to meet the Bri- tish people. And here they are,**
He then
offered everybody vodka and caviare..
at
да
The bus was travelling 18,721.9 miles an hour. earth was the size of a football. growing the moon was spd
ing bedstead Binger and bigge
travelling 1983.2 miles an hour was adck overtaking us. It was driven by
carrying asie Isle an Army sergeant
the British Parliament was calmed, arst, and remost, to govern Britain, and
sent only the Brisa people to the home islands
nearby dependencie
of Man and the Chaan Islands par of als bes, he only bas- have no Members of the House rigere, kas prin Inobmor 01- of Commons. But Alertherm land does as well is
Veliade a belly landing, on
By FRANCIS NOEL-BAKER, MP It symbolises the free association of the tiny territories ruled by Britain can- His Party won 23 out of 40 local Parliament af Balist. Để th herein Test Watch Mediterranean islands of not ever hope to live, aa com- seats in the Maltese Parliament, Malta and its dependent pletely independent units. and its programme is now
the
Gozo, with the old Empire Practical obstačica of geography official policy of Malta's new Colt, hiriandrtoming wis being Ablayed. There
arms.
Now the old Empire is process of transformation.
It
so-called
people,
соп-
..
The
and Statham
tet ble near whil",2huskov
Atha trylig
o see it was ervice man's
between Bogland and, Rubela the
of board showed Zhukov hot, fut Northern Ireach, v111 be often 5981, ad Krushchev not out and economies are too great. Government which he heads. which was ruled from the For come parts of the Weal
cricket commentator For the Maltese
Prime mentioned.
for is one of the British Ti and was oiking anothel it this was British Isles. For the Indies, for example the solu- Minister Mintoff's plans
Northern Ireland has loc Lead Maltese joined Britain, dur- tion may be federation with union with Britain would
neighbouring territories similar- to the sharing of all the social part of the United ing the Napoleonic Wars, n placed. Others may seek benets our
of Welfare State, with a strong community by their own choice. Their complete Incorporation inte and to equality of opportunity interest, custom, culture
tradition. Malta's case la ge islands became a British bigger national unit. But for and equal wage-rates and
but were
"non-vlable" ditions of employment with different, never three colony,
no general doctrine British workers. It would
THE BALANCË. colonised by force of British colonies,
has yet been finally worked mean, too, a big jump in taxes oul,
to raise them to the British level. Malta's income tax is two shil- in INTENSE INTEREST
In Maltese MPs me with lings in the pound; in the United In the House is growing into a free Common- That is one reason willy the Kingdom the standard rate 19 they would ba wealth of Nations. Ten years Round Table Conference which nine chillings.
voters in Malta only, at th ago, its memberg numbered six mols at Westminster on Sop In fact Doctor Mintoff's plan wolks be helping to governe mother Independent States. Today, tamber 19 to discuss Malla's for political integration is large people of the United Kingdom and sal ha Ireland has left us (formally, at future will attract intense in the result of economie pres in an extreme and hypothe The Army sergeant i tried to least), but Ceylon, India and terort both in
Britain and rures in overcrowded, unproductical-case, this exprosion of cut the soldier's long hair bun Joined, Pakistan
have
Bo there
throughout the Commonwealth tiva Malia. Most of the 315,000 "colonialism in reverse could the Teddy Boy was fres" with are eight. And the process still and Colonial countries.
inhabitants (at ta density of 3,000 mean that tiny group of his razor and shaved the Gold continues.
Const and
Members might hold so
soldier's head... When the For
Conference's 4b0
de to the square mile) now live at Maltese Members Nigeria are next in line for
low standard,
two mother tried to intervens between rd, constantly the balance West claims may herald an entirely a Independence, and the
now conception of the relation threatened by unemployment equally matched British Parties. Teddy Boy shoved her head too, Indies are not far behind.
work ship between Britain
and and largely dependent
Nevertheless, on both sides of He also shaved the heads of the NEW DOCTRINE
non-ilable Colonies on the Armed Services which the House, there seems to be fim star and the income-tar which cannot stand alone, run the British and NATO bases much sympathy for the Minton collector.
Last March, Doctor Dom Min- Complete union with Bastain plan. And, during the Con- Marshal Bulganin said: "Now
Malta Labour Party tought could solve there problems.
older will be we all look like real soldiers. General Election: Its pro
fairly ropromosind along with Let's have a party" 'A PRECEDENT Unlike
Tho Income-tax collector members of DİMTİNA ramme was dramatic.
An some other leaders
Meanwhile, for the Common- ment and Opposltlost.napped handcuff on the lion Mistol called not for
stars wrists and', saked: “When Newer enco. When they reach that closer, union. He proposed that may set a precedent which other how the Conference will go. But the Teddy Boy Coked him second stage they can freely
my and the party went on doc Choose whether they think their Malta should gradually be in territories would wish to follow. But already, most of
corporated into Britain's
and nights former Imperial Power colleagues seem to be asalaning seven days interests will be better served
Trance, for example-have that Malta's ploe, for union Zhukov yurak kayachey Phill intaining inside the Comical Anencial and social synty already tried the Integration of will be accepted, and that, ofter runnk between the costs monwealth, or whether, like until over a period of twenty
possessions into the 141 years of British rule, tho becomes ste
an integral oversea Burma, they prefer to sever all year, United Kingdom: mother country? But dont us, Maltese will be granted the 14,002 met out and formal links, magari yan
But there are still some so He also proposed that some would be, the United Curtis, right to become fill clans of 10.210 pat
the United Kingdom
tartalom i ceptions to this pateral rule, A- MPW should, alt in the House. Above all, the United
of
Parliament at Westminster, muLNÍ few of the very small, isolabaci
To guide this transformation, a new doctrine has been deve Inped. It has become accepted that the peoples of all the coun- tries of the old Empire have an inherent right, first to self
thoso
tha
ference,
both
די
government, then to indepen Chlonie with Britain, but for wealth, ́ Doctor Mintolfs plan. It is a little early to predios is the next bus back to vari
· poll-
Other
the