Page
AROUND THE WORLD WITH
A DISHCLOTH
0
NE morning I decided
My
enthusiasm disap-
to go round the world, peared altogether when he
I woke as stale as an added that I'd have to put
old biscuit and know that 1 up 2600,
had to get away. I Was So I decided to join the Mer= · tired of life in a big city, chant Navy. I had a romantic tired of smart conversation idea of warm, red evenings on in pubs, tired of good food rusty old tramp, imping slowly along the South American and sleek living, and, most const. But what could I go 637 serious of all, tired with I had no experience. Someone told me the Norwegian Mer-
myself. My profession made chant Navy would take me on, things worne. A photo
no telophone their London grapher has too much time shipping line. "Just a minute," on his hands. He can't said the man, "If you've had no click all day long, and I had experience our upper age limit
dislike taking grown to
Next 1 trudged wearily many of people who miles along portraits
the docks to the wished to look different office of a possible shipping com- but the answer was the from what they really were. pany,
sume: 11 small boat couldn't The big money in photo afford the risk of signing some graphy lies in fashion and one on who had never been to
sea before. advertising. but I prefer "Try a passenger line," taking. street "snaps" as Cecil
the
scenes, an advised, "they might take Beaton you on as a steward"
called them when he BILW some the other day, and these are unsalable.
That dream
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1955:
by DANIEL FARSON
. DANIEL FARSON: I» 28. The son of author. Naglay Farson, he is a free-fanda photographer and writer, "
was tired," he says, "of life in a big city » · and tìród: with myself. It was time for a change of scano. 56
{ pinnod a notice on my door: 'Gone round the world,
back in four months,""
cleaned. Today my hands are certainly not the same, my knees don't feel too good, and I feel completely different towards, the Mrs Mops of this world.
I still can't think of the deep, hot, Iron jungle as my
home,
spacioueness of the cabin.
He asked how old I was, and week's time. Report here three although I was surprised at
con- days beforehand. speaking with the weary,
judge temptuous volee of a
that
on
Taken aback
I was accepted by the Union,
at
the
"A Londoner!" he exclaimed, "well. I'm from London, too." For a moment I thought he was going to say what a coincidence.
t
One thing
There are seven other berlht to give na long a scn- unable tence as he would like, he said paid my three guineas member and already some of the others who if I cared to go to their ship, and emerged a seaman at have arrived: an Irishman, office in the docks I might get lost.
Teddy-boy; a young chap has done several trips on, the taken
as a "fireman-coal-
surprised, ship before, and an old one on My friends WETO heaver" 1 cared to take, and their comments were un his Brst trip whose foco lighted course in something or other
"What helpful.
ridiculous with astonishment when I told beforehand.
thing to do" or, from a girl him I lived in London. friend, "How frightful; think of you sweating down below," They all seemed rather annoyed. In the last couple of days. I've I hurried to the docks. There already had a tasto of the life the scene resembled a stage-set, to come, rising before six to A report on board, and limping recking with atmosphere.
night to forgo TOOM, Agures lounging back to London around it, men lining up behind finish certain work, It was time for a change
So off. I went to the City, iron grilles, notices on the walls,
The liner is a large one, of scene. What better than headquarters of one of the big For a moment I was intimidated,
but I learned how helpful nearly 30,000 tons, and the pre- to see the world? Admitted- South American Ines,
parations, the loading of food can be when a sca- ly it's the fashion nowadays, still holding on to that dream. strangers
mon I saw was certainly man, hearing what I wanted, and supplies, which I've always everyone seems to be doing friendly, something I was begin- told me of a big Line that was taken for granted, are immense. My first job was scrubbing a cance, raft, or taxi, ning to appreciate, but equally needing crew. The man behind
corridor. it, by
of Two
$13
were the metal-work said that if and I soon heard of a sketch unhelpful. He asked me what
had been doing fund exclaimed was taken on by the Ling the ordered to do this, but the only buckets we could find that was needing a crew,
delightedly: Then why don't Union would then probably square The first hop will take a you come as
condition of belonged to another part of the a ship's photo accept the bearded grapher?
as I could ship. We can manage that employment as far year," said
Finally, with on impassioned enough, for you don't 500. owner as we crouched in the easily
nole in my voice, I begged the on by the
steward, "Please, pienso couldn't cabin the size of a table- have to be taken
Pool,"
we borrow two buckets." cloth.
A bit odd
The
I was
tne, #
İ
After writing letters and fill- ing in forms I went for my final interview with the chief steward of the Line. I was taken aback when I was offered a clerical job in the purser's office.
Soothing
The kind man mercifully gave
"But I want to give up photo- graphy," I sold, "that's what I'm trying to get away from." He shook his head sadly.
But, talking to some stewards "There'll be two others, I admit I was depressed, but who had just landed, I got the one of them's a bit odd I'm this was becoming something of impression that in the "cushy" afraid, rather moody, a little a personal challenge, zo I went job I had been offered I would to the Pool to see if the Union have been neither crow пог violent at times -- we'll be would take me on
passenger, and also this would going along the Atlantic
along the part The man at the desk looked not count as "experience." At Ridge to begin with, we'll me up and down scathingly. I the end of it all I would be no closer to my South American stop at the islands, they're winced under the scrutiny, and
quite
to make things more embarras run on a cargo boat.. unin- fascinating,
sing, I had come to the wrong habited."
office.
Reliability...
I returned. "Very well then Utilities steward. Sailing in
2
It's all too new to form any opinions. So far thero is only one thing I miss-steep. Never has it seemed so precious to me. I was up at five this morning, to report back, and staggered up to London again for the last time. I've bought jeans and shirt, and the regulation blue stacks and white stewards' jacket from the stores. I packed few personal possessions, in- cluding seasick pills.
In a low hours we shall be at sco. First port of call, Trinidad, then San Francisco, Vancouver, across to Honolulu and
Suva, Sydney and New Zealand. Back through Colombo, Aden and Sucz
....
As I ran out of the flat to in und wo started scrubbing, catch the last train, I planed a which like gardening can be
the door. "Gone soothing, but is maddening when notice on people walk on the wrong side round the world, back in four and leave a trail of black prints has just
опе
months,"
· (COPYRIGHT)
JOHN BALL takes tea
with a killer
The detective
Meet
crime-
Superintendent John Ball of Scotland Yard,
whose fighting record provides the latest chapter in. this series, Great Caste of the Great Detectives of Today. John Ball is a 51-year-old Londoner the only cockney" in the Murder Squad. Fulham: one 201 daughter,
Lives married, with
and
опе
Dresses meticulously Started professional career as clerk to Mr Croom-Johnson, K.C., later Mr Justice Croom- Johnson. Left to seek more adventurous life with the police. So far has
succeeded. hobby: gardening,
The murderer
GEORGE ALBERT HALL
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but times are changing
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TO LOVE
by DENISE ROBINS
stay
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L
and
could gat
T
HE men who make up Scotland Yard's Murder Squad are in the main genial, shrewd individuals whose cynicism is temporod by the tolerance of long experience of human nature,
They possess patience in Inexhaustible quantity... their, tempera remain unruffled even in extreme provoca tion.
ever seen
The only really angry detectives I have have been those called upon to investigate the destruction of a child. To their minds, always attuned to cold logic,, child murder remains a crime beyond comprehension.
The man Scot-
land Yard sent
to Halifax last by PERCY HOSKINS
year to tackle the mysterious
-year-old of
Mary Hackett is no later went along to examine the exception. And to London-born church cellar. The furniture John Ball, soft-volegd, taciturn stacked in the corner had now detective superintendent, mur been joined by two pots of paint der is no stranger. He solved, with the lids removed, Whyt among others, the "Murder in Were the point fumes intended the King's House" mystery-the to smother something else? shooting of Elizabeth McLindon, housekeeper to the late King George of Greece.
THE SANDPITS
On September 21 another entry- went into caretaker Hallis diary.
"Police and' firemen searching," he wrote.
Cimo
"Found
body of little girl in church. Had to go down to police Q
Felt upset and USUALLY a man who takes for a time.
life in its stride, Ball went annoyed."
Thère
are the to Halifax without the
facts behind usual
As they enigmatic smile on his film-actor that diary entry.
arrived Hall turned on hia features, but with a relentless ar determination to find the child, customary friendly greeting for the police party. But when ha dead or alive.
Word noticed they
carrying two spades he became very He had been told that weeks earlier the little girl had "You have no right to go.dig-
gone out to play, never to re- ging here," he cried. turn. She had said: "I am going not going to let you in.",
And that was to the sandpits."
the last time her green-frocked
little, figure was scen.
Meanwhile the local police
angry.
"I art
THE SCREAMS
dig-
had searched shops and houses; PUT in they went and reservoirs had been dragged; a D ging by the light of storm derelict cometers had
boen lanterns uncovered the body of
scourd: Age - old
lifted.
tombstones the missing child from a heap
Ha August 15 George Albert of rubble a foot deep below the
newly appointed
care floor.
taker of the Congregational
There was still little evidence.
Anyone could
Ond
church across the road from the against Holl Hackett home, had assumed the have entered the church. mantle of Samuel Pepys and gate had been unhinged for was writing a diary of the crime years. Yet what stranger would
have come back that had shocked the $7,000 in to pile more and more furniture day after day habitants of thir Yorkshire
over this cruda grave? Town
caretaker continued to "Still no trace of the missing offer his help and made due
The
| pirl widespread search,” he note of the fact in his diary,
wrote,
>
THE THEORY
*On September 24 he wrote:
"Saw Superintendent Ball, told him about the screams:"
Hall's story now was that af the time Mary disappeared he FROM the very outset Detec. heard a child screaming. Why Superintendent Ball had he not remembered such an worked on the theory that the important fact before? A police. child had been murdered. And man had told him of the search her body was still in the on August 13. Why hack ha district so too, he thought, was, omitted to
it then? to mention murderer.
With these queries unanswer Why, he reasoned, should a ed, Superintendent Ball went on stranger delay hia escape by checking this fact and that--azuch stopping to hide
the body ao eventually the final piece of the thoroughly? So foot by foot he Jig-saw fell into the place, went over the ground
already
Into Mr Hall's diary, a jew
THE BODY
the
September
7. Scotland Yard
O census was taken had to turn to a' and 'sublinia-" again woman. will pick and of the population of ion of natural hunan paston choose. She will juslet on being explored by the local pollee.
home and indulge in woood as well is won, and so the British Isles be- good works or look after other regain her rightful position. days later, went this entry:- fore 1801, but we do know people's babies. that since that time women For generations there has In the past a man
detecttuce came this afternoon THE caretaker, he discovered, had told a doctor on Septem- have
among the behave quite badly held, the numerical been an ugly ruch
girls as soon
eligible away with it because he felt to search church and school. I ber 21 (the day the body was superiority. And it is the male has appeared on the scene, pretty sure of being able to
helped them."
found)
that the girl had been Superintendent Ball, it killed by three hard blows on one type of superiority they It hasn't been so much a case of make fresh conquests whenever
not present at the back of the head. Tacklech have not wanted. For, in- "reluctant debutante"
happoned, was as the and wherever he desired this particular
'He
search but the on the point Hall said he stead of doing them any been for too
reluctant 'male. There have could boast of his conquests. officers who were noted that received this information from good, it has turned them choose from,
many girls to He could make a girl feel that whereas on a previous search the Murder Squad man's assist- and hordes he was doing her a favour by some into the pursuers and the match-making mothers after the leading her to the altar. In round the church basement,
furniture was strewn all btective-Inspector Dennis men into the pursued, which blood of any bachelor who fact I once heard a certain was now stored in one far
an unnatural state of might be brought up to scratch. gentleman say to his wife (who affairs.
is
་
of
The
But things are changing. In the Victorian era there market is still going to be com were rows of females known as, petitive, but it will be the mater "wallflowers" pathetically wait who will compete, The females ing for partners, all too often will be able to sit back with a grabbed by their better looking benevolent anile, sisters.
The census of 1953 shows us
had accused him of doing nothing for her):
"I married you, didn't I?”
corner.
As
"It was as though someone wanted to make a dump there," the officers told the Yard man.
THE WELCOME
What caretaker Hall'did not know was that it was not until six hours after his conversation with the doctor that the polles themselves knew the cause of death
and this information was still a secret known only to three parsons and Hawking was not one of them.
At his trial Hall found, with the all his wriggling and, twisting, not evade tha
Only
CO Superintendent Ball began that there were 14,383,000 malca I've сусп heard foreigners to take an interest in To 13,861,000 females in the remark that the English wives new caretaker. He began that he could
to working age group. The pen have a thin time because their dulum will continue to swing in husbands patronise them. Well, "play him as an angler would accusation: "You must have
been at the murder to know,H- play a fish. For as far back as I can re- this new direction until, by 1983, the British husband won't bo He would drop in and be The jury found him guilty member the name "spinster it will be the women who hold able to patronise his wife much
without knowing why the child greeted with An effusive is only an appellation for the the superiority in numbers. In longer. For 1003 not only
Hackett was murdered. Mary welcome and an invitation to girl who has mireed the boat, so doing they will lose a lot of will be have dimculty in get-tea.
one person could really The forlorn, the pitiable old the old status,
And caretaker. Hall, for a man and he was milenced, for For once man ting his woman at all, but he' thousands of such stops being hunted and returns have to compete for her with with a bad memory as he pro- over by the majd. Yet
Stale at Leeds women over the last 150 years to his
rightful and
Prison primeval a horde of other anxious males, fessed to be, began to remember
"at 8 am on April 22, have
remained unmarried not place as the hunter, he will And when he's got her he'll come interesting, things. so much because of a personal have to put his best foot for have aversion to matrimony. as
to mind his p's and q's example, he recalled, seeing a be ward. He won't have so much in order to keep her.
Ward,
strange man in the church cause they could sat find a hús-
us opportunity to kiss and run There'll be no banch
alternatives grounds and gave an elaborate: THE caretaker's, diary is silli away. He may find he'll have
among the exhibits in the were to give up the scalping habit around the corner for him. It description of him.
Strange he.... will be the girl who will be
should have murder
dossiers at Scotland cei their and stick to one of curls. made Once again the male peacock able to walk out and and halt omitted to mention the matter Yard. The last entry reade
"September 20, Mary Hackett So Superintendent Ball wives and mothers will spread his tall for the a dozen love-starved men ready earlier, the defective thought.
coth burled today. But nobody asked them. They female and Romeo will wait. and walling for her.
Itinued to pay his occasional drive. didn't get a look in. So they under Juliet's window.
social visits, and a few days.
Many Buch wome
possibly
uttamictive iri youth and would have Excellent
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN
EQ, WATCH THIS FIELD. IF YOU SEE THE TOUR IST HOLD HIM AND CALL ME AT ONCE.
I'LL TRY- BUT HE'S SLIPPERY.
Once
LOTRAR WE MUST SEARCH FOR A STOUT LITTLE MAN, HEAVY GLASSES, TOPCOAT, CARRYING A SUITCASE** * CALLING HIMSELF A’TOURIST?
(COPYRIGHT)
By Lee Falk and Phil Davis'.
.>
IS SUCH
HE LOVES WHAT HE CALLS! REAL' STEAKS. HE SELLS PILLS FOR FIVE DOLLARS, TO MAKE YOU TWENTY | YEARS YOUNGER FOR A WIEN”,
A MANE
SOUND STRANGE
STRANGIA, 1 BELIEVE, THAN ANYTHING YOU
AND I HAVE EVER
-KNOWN T
1034.
For
Went to whigh-
(COPYRIGHT)
MAGICIAN
Gelberg