CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR
FESTIVITIES
CHRISTMAS EVE
Gala Dinner Dances till 2 a.m.
PENINSULA HOTEL, 1st floor.
REPULSE BAY HOTEL.
CHRISTMAS DAY
Special Tea Dance 4 30 p.m.-6.30 p.m.
REPULSE BAY HOTEL.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
Gala Dinner Dances till 2 am.
PENINSULA HOTEL, 1st floor.
REPULSE BAY HOTEL
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1958.
"FINTEX" SUITLENGTHS and CASHMERE
Viscount scr
COATINGS
Gift
Suggestions
DRESSING GOWNS
and CARDIGANS
for Ladies and Gents
“JAEGER" OVERCOATS
SHORTCOATS
and TWIN SETS
1
A LARGE and EXCLUSIVE VARIÉTY
OF
DISTINTIVE NOVELTIES,
EVANS HANDBAGS,
EVENING BAGS, COMPACTS,
SCARVES,
Tickets are on sale at both Reception Offices.
and at the Company's Head Office, Telephone House,
2nd floor, Hong Kong.
THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.
Exquisite blends Elegantly packed
NUIT DE NOEL CHRISTMAS NIGHT
CARON
Perfumes
PARIS
ON SALE AT ALL LEADING PERFUME COUNTERS
Imported from Holland!
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CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
Corynight by seangement with the Stanchester Gudan
WE NEVER
SAW
[
UNCLE HENRY AGAIN
I
tu
back WENT Heat harkl the other
I day.
had bean driving through
The
BY
A CHRISTMAS STORY
HAZEL MEYRICK
West country on business, Father would say nothing, but
resist And I couldn't
the retire to his study, muttering to temptation to see the old himself, and promptly start
write sermon on the evils of place again.
but
When we were el ildren it had seemed apuradise. Now I saw IL for what it really was vast, rambling, unwieldy house, the delight of us children the despair of our mother.
There were no eriet now of
Indiana, whooping thehy
shrubbery,
way round the
no tossed houps and shuttlecocks down in the drive. A new baby Jay in a perambulator (45
curale Was Jawn, and a new mowing the grass in the after-
tom sun.
I thought of those mases at Heathfield, and,
of all, of Uncle Henry.
stay
the
Christ- most
tu
and
cut up scraps of old material to Henry make stars, but Uncle to always provided the Onishing touch, sometimes the doll to go on top, or a coloured clown, or candies.
perhaps mother enjoyed Uncle of all, for Henry's visits most
imes were hard and we didn't gel many visitors. Henry always brought something for mother. Sometimes it was a shawl or a dress, a string of coloured beads, or a jug which played a tune when you took it off the shelt. And food-you never saw
The afternoon train had come and gone, and there was no signi of Uncle Henry.
On the
"Perhaps he'll come evening wue," said mother.
we lit the such food -- plump turkeys IT grew dusk and
with
of strings festooned
lumps for tea. Then we heard
coming the sound of the trap drive,
WO flew, unges, bollies of cordial and
up the wonderful French pastries.
That'll bring the colour to falling over one another to be your cheeks, Emily," he would first. But the trau was empty say. Uncle Henry was mother's or nearly empty.
To os enldren, Uncle Henry brother. was Santa Claus and Rip Van Winkle combinedt. He came
Christinas <very brought with him
fascinating E always arrived in a whirl stories of the big outside world, on Christmas Eve, and de- ludes of the new horse buses
parted again on Boxing Day, In and cubs, of fine ladies in their fine for the pantomime season. splendid gowns, and, of course, He invertably sported some
Tales of the theatre.
thing new.
Once it was
on
Out
"These
things came for you sald the afternoon train,"
parcels Tom Harris, handing over to father. "I should have
brought them out before, but the snow's been that thick couldn't get up the lane."
We unwrapped the parcels. There was
hoop a new
for William, which stood as high as box of painted wooden pure he did, a Fur Uncle Henry was one of silk cruvat with a jewelled pin, skittles for me, and for Eliza- The last of the actor-managers. another time
was a gold beth a wonderful wax doll that "My half-hunter watch which chimed cried mams. with He had a concert party.
long. falr he the bours, and once he arrived ringlets
soft white kli hand of strolling players" called it.
of
and
in a motor car. You've never button boots. For mother, there players indeed," see such
senn
commotion us it was a silk parasol of breath- "They're caused in our village.
taking loveliness, and some strumming
"Band
*nort father would nothing but rogues their way up and countryside,"
DU
down
119
It was large and red, and you gloves to keep her hands warm; the ellinbed up steps and sat on top. for father a pair of luxurious
11 had a long brake handle of leather silppers. brass, remember, and bright We knew they had come from polished headlamps.
Uncle Henry all right, but there Uncle Henry's car had solid was no letter from him, no rubber tyres with holes in them word of explanation. that
went right through. You "I expect he's got himself a engagement in one had to feed it constantly with Christmas
of those rowdy music halls," said father, aniing disdainfully. "Your brother has become too grand for us, too grand to spend
URING the summer, picture postcania would arrive from the seaside resorts where Uncle Henry was currently Ing (If fine, on the wet, in the pier pavilion).
water, especially on the hills. perform- "The old girl goes best in the
beach,
if winter," said Uncle Henry, Jerk-
Ing the starting handle. "In gr
We never had enough money summer she's the very devil. his Christmas in a simple coun- for a trip to the sca, but Uncle The engine gets too hot and we try vicarage. He's probably Henry would conjure up a pic have to keep stopping to let it drinking himself to a stupor in ture of it for us, os
sat cool down, but in the winter those gin palaces he frequents."
round the fire.
We
"You see the gentlemen out in we'll beat those bleyclists any
day."
their
striped
blazers and straw boaters promenading оп the
Bands," he would say.
"And there are the bathing
Mother said nothing, but I could sce she was upset, and later, when I went upstairs, I could hear her crying.
Christmas
cama und went, Uncle
machines which you wheel JNCLE Henry took mother out without any sign of our
motoring once. She wore her Henry, and mother never spoke
down to the water so the ladies
cun bathe in private,"
Sometimes
perform for us plece he had her face as well. But this didn't
But But
we
of him.
ON New Year's Day, father
over his
Sunday hat secured by a huge Henry would beekeeper's vell that covered
villagers. Father, composed himself, a mime called deceive the "Columbino's Dream," in which was extremely cross,
"You're a disgrace to the was reading the latest news" he played, for our benellt, the
Emily," he said. “A papers from- London when he parts of Harlequin, Columbine parish,
at some- wife should behave suddenly started up and Pierrot, all rolled in one curate's
saw there. Mother thing he We used to stuff
our hand with more decorum."
looked Mother said nothing. She put came and mouths ta kerchiefs into our stop ourselves giggling at the away her motoring vell and she shoulder, gave a little cry and sight of Uncle Henry cavorting never went out in the car again. hurried from the room.
suc They thought they had children went for parlour. about
the in
Ая cooded in burning the paper so.
Wo mother was so touched by his rides, and what rides!
should not that she
through often bowled
the country that we children performances cried a little.
Janes at the incredible speed of know, but by one of those tricks ten miles an hour, Uncle Henry of fate, the only page that did used to teach us comic songs. not go up in smoke Immediately
Shouting
"Why has a cow was the one which bore, în got four legs at the top of our small-type headline: Unemploy PUNCTUALLY on Christmas Voices, we used to whizz: across ed Actor sent to Gaol.
Evo, Tom Harris's horse the countryside, and we were: That was how Uncle Henry trap would jog up to the door still singing when we pushed had spent his Christmas-in-a and we would rush out to meet the car back up the hills again prison cell, for stealing a It.. Down would
step Uncle to home. It had no root, of doll, a parasol, and a pair of Henry, laden with presents and course, and if it rained we used, gloves, so that we should not go smelling distinctly of what
to poke our heads under Uncle without, th William called "Uncle's scent" Henry's ulster. but what father called "The demon drink."
Father foight many long and bitter battles against the demon
af
Wax
Father seemed more sad than angry about Uncle Henry,
KWe must: bend the" presenta bask" he told mother.
No Arthur mother sounded
drink, and in consequence he ONE Christmas, Uncle Henry determined, Henry would not Uncle. Henry, didn't arrive. There was no wish, that. He did it for us, so argued a lot with under holi word dot tire but we but not give to pionmoet ons yo this morning, Arthur Henry our paper chains de usual, waiting the price. Nothing we can would shout cheerly? Are ing for him to dress : the free do would help him. Copp they stoking them up for me Mother was awfully good, as we nover, saw Uncle Hendy
making decorations; she would lignin2993)
GLOVES,
TIES,
CUFF-
LINKS
and DRESSING SETS
ETC.
designed by
fashion specialists
ELITE (KOWLOON) LTD.,
230 NATHAN ROAD TELEPHONE 63240
MONGKOK NEW BRANCH
632A, 634 NATHAN ROAD
OPENING FÖR BUSINESS SOON ABOUT MID DECEMBER 1956
NORTH POINT BRANCH 380 KING'S ROAD TELEPHONE 7-71188
ELITE STYLES LTD.,
QUEEN'S ROAD C. CHINA BUILDING TELEPHONE 26072, 26277.
Gifts
Suggestions
FOR HER:
Cashmere Coatings.
Cashmere Dress Wool.
Wool Jersey.
French Angora Woollen,
Cashmere Suitings. Novelty Tweeds.
Silks.
Brocades.
Etc.
Etc.
GIVE THEM QUALITY GOODS FROM
A HOUSE OF QUALITY
FOR KIDDIES:
FOR HIM:
"Chilprufe" Underwears,
Viyella Socks.
Baby Blankets.
Worsted Sultings.
Tweeds.
Viyella Shirtings.
Tootal Scarves.
Wolsey Socks.
Pyramid Handkerchiefs,
Ties.
Etc...
Etc.
"Baims-Wear" Cardigans, Jumpers, Sults
Etc.
Etc.
ALL AT BARGAIN PRICES GIFT COUPONS ARE AVAILABLE
Käyim
Kayamally's
Camarvon Road. Grand Hotal),