1931-12-18 — Page 12

CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT,

Have Others Share Your Christmas Joys

"SOMETIMES," one of the most generous- spirited women in the world was heard to remark recently, "I am persuaded that in our zeal for doing for others we forget that charity begins at home.

our

"By that," she explained, "I do not mean just exactly within the four walls of our habitation, although that is certainly the first place that should command kindliness and our help. I mean more par- ticularly within the four walls of our friend- ship and our acquaintance. I mean where there are people, men and women, who may appear quite able to take care of themselves and provide themselves with, everything necessary to their life, but who, if we take time to consider their individual cases, we will realise to be bereft of and unable to provide for themselves, the things that make for real happiness.

Share Happiness with Others. "We are so likely to pass by these friends of ours when Christmas comes," she pursued. "We are 'rushed to death' with

THE GIRL WHO BOUGHT A SHIP.

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ing me the price of the Amazon, the same to become her properly at twelve noon to-

that is, to-day." morrow;

"Mad!" muttered the roly-poly one. "Yes, Lord Gantry," said the manager, "I was beginning to feel that way myself about the young lady. So, thinking to humour her, I jocularly informed her that she could have the Amazon for half a million pounds!"

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"Good, very good!" chuckled a voice, and there was some ironic laughter.

The manager bowed and continued: "And then, gentlemen, she opened her bag, took out a cheque, asked for a pen, and wrote a cheque for the amount! And here it is." "Absolutely cracked!" exclaimed the noble lord. "Let me see it..

"But, gentlemen, at the same time she requested me to ring up her banker, and to oblige her I did so and the banker inform- ed me that it was quite all right!"

"What!" shouted seven voices, and the gentlemen bounced from their seats and crowded round the holder of the cheque. "Norma Forstallistair!"* cried "Good Lord, she must be the daughter of Six Million Fortallistair!"

*

one.

"But what on earth does she want with a ship?” cried someone.

"Why, we could build a new vessel and pay a fat dividend on the ordinary this year, ånd -

"Gentlemen," pleaded the manager, “let me remind you that the lady will be ringing up for your decision within fifteen minutės from now."

"It must be done!" asserted his lord- ship. "In the present depression this money is a perfect windfall!. Mr. Barrett, have you gone into the matter?"

the multitude of matters that draw us in the whirpool of holiday preparation. Yet, if we take time to analyze our personal pro-

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gramme, the chances are that it is indeed a too closely personal one, and that we have allowed no margin for anyone else except those of our immediate family who make a

had buzzed.

In the next ten minutes the board dis- cussed and decided as many details as it normally did in ten weeks. for the telephone The manager took up the receiver. "Miss Forstallistair," he said presently, and his voice shook what wonder? He had just been voted £1,000 by way of bonus!

the Amazon is yours!"

"Thanks so much! My banker will fix everything with you, and my Christmas Eve party will be all right. Good-bye!”.

Mr. Barrett repeated the message to who wondered, naturally his directors, enough. What the deuce a Christmas Eve .party had to do with the case. The roly-poly chairman, however, slapped the table ex- claiming: "Gentlemen, I wish we have met her. We'll name the new ship Norma.

น

could

the In the library Norma fell upon elderly lovers.

"I've bought the Amazon, so it can't sail to-morrow!”

"I

**1 must

And then she bolted for her boudoir. "Bob," feebly remarked Lady Hilyard, thought you said 'shopping'?”

"Yes, I ought to have said ‘shipping,' he returned, and became alert. ring up Co.in at once and tell him I've charc- ed to hear that the sailing of the Amazon is cancelled. Were Master Charles to learn of it first. he might pull off another trick."

"You are not going to tell Colin what Norma has done?"

"Not now; not until I have her per- mission."

:

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"She will never give you that, Bob!" "You must persuade her, Julia. I don't, think it will be so difficult, now that she can be certain that Colin cares. That poor little farewell letter of his must have told her everything."

He went off to the 'phone, and before long came back looking pleased.

son, Senior, is laid.

Does Colin suspect trickery?"

"All very favourable, my dear. Denni- up with lumbago or "Lord Gantry, I have!" replied the something, and Master Charles, who has manager. "Thinking it right to be pre-gone to Manchester, won't be back at the pared for a possible acceptance of the offer. office before the holidays, so Colin is safe I have stopped the loading: I have option from further trickery." ally booked berths on the Great Star boat sailing on the 27th; I have, also optionally,:| arranged concerning the cargo; and I have did. drafted a 'phone, or wire, message for all ing. the intending passengers only thirty- | after seven, fortunately as follows: "Owing to Eve. Julia, you must somehow gain my per- him the truth about the mission to tell unforeseen circumstances

"Pro-Amazon. Unless he gets a big shock, no- thing will happen to-morrow night, or ever.”

—

"Hear, hear!" from the board. ceed, Mr. Barrett!"

"Don't suppose he would tell me if he But I have an idea that he's wonder- At first he didn't seem to realise that, all, he would be here on Christmas

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1931.

natural claim upon this precious time of ours.'

So if we think over what she said, we, too, will come to see that when we plan that part of our Christmas which is to make good times for others than ourselves, we must look beyond our regulation provision for the poor, our contribution to the local charities -these are just a regulätion and necessary part of our bringing joy to others. must look closer about us and find among those who cross our lives so frequently and so casually, that we are inclined to forget them as needful of a little of our personal attention when the Christmas comes.

Give Without Restrictions,

We

Sharing Christmas does not mean standing like policemen at the door of charity to see that only the "deserving" get their Christmas joy, and that only in due.

Sharing Christmas means proportion. ministration that will carry joy generously and extensively wherever joy is particularly needed.

—

He took

"Perhaps you are right!” "I am

for once in a while.' her hand. "If only I had got a big shock on Christmas Eve, thirty years ago

"Dear," she murmured, “let's look for- For lack, as ward. It was my fault, too. some old poet has said, of ‘one brave word!' I'll do my best with Norma.”

But when she spoke about it to Norma, Norma emphatically answered "No!"

Talking of shocks, it was a pretty severe one for Charles Dennison, who arrived just in time to dress for dinner, to see among the guests in the hall the man he had ima- gined as safely outward bound.

Drawing Colin aside, he asked roughly: "What the devil are you doing here??

Whereupon Colin's cloudy suspicions "The sailing of the Amazon took shape. was cancelled at almost the last moment,' he replied with restraint.

"Why didn't you wire me?"

"In the first place you had given me to understand that you had no responsi uility with regard to the Buenos Aires trip; in the second place, there was nothing to be done, since there is no other saung .. when, the 27th a faster ship, I believe of course, I shall be prepared to sail.”

“That's a question for reconsideration," snapped Charles. He turned away came back. "Sorry if I was ratty," he said, "put the unexpected sight of you fairly took me back. See you later.'

and

ว

Arrived in his room, Charles dropped upon a chair and cursed the management of the B. A. Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. Colin's alsence on this night of all nights would, he had conceived, have hurt Norma, girls were might even have offended her

and it would have been a unreasonable! simple matter to impress her with the idea that Colin, though an awfully sentimental cnap, had cheerfully undertaken the trip with a glad eye, as it were, to the main chance. Then he noticed on the small writ- ing cabinet a telephone. He had not doubt- ed Colin's word, yet suddenly he determined, at the risk of being late for dinner, to have it confirmed. He would ring up one of the directors of the company.

"Sorry-to trouble you at this time, Mr. Darbyshire; but is it the case that the sail- ing of the Amazon has been cancelled!"

"It is, Mr. Dennison! H'm! Unfore- een circumstances." A chuckle.

"A strike, I suppose?' "Not at all. Simply unforeseen circum- stances. Ha, ha!"

!

"I'm afraid I don't grasp the idea, Mr.

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