1935-08-30 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1935.

:

They Have Ears

(Continued from Page 90

She gave a faint disconcerted frown; but she was not without

resource.

"I shall sit with you for com- ̧ paw she wrote.

"That is very good of you. Will you have a book?”

Flavia followed by Mr. Burnaby. passed along the shelves, but found nothing to her taste. He ecommended Samuel Butler's

Alps and Sanctuaries but shej shrugged her shoulders. He hand- ed her "Orvieto Dust." and she wrinkled ber nose.

At length she took the "Tatler" from among the journals on the; table and settled in the chair op- posite him. Mr. Burnaby made her a courteous bow, and once more sat down with his book.

The silence was broken by her -turning of the pages. She moved restlessly in her chair, and every now and then looked up at him.

Attracted by a coloured drawing of a Russian dancer as L'Oiseau de fex, she handed it to him for his admiration..

"Charming." she said, moving her lips very slowly and distinctly. But he was not looking at her -face.

-"Queer! Quite queer?" He com- mented.

She leaned over and looked at: the title of his book. It was Burton's "Anatomy of Melan choly."

She put her finger on the word "melancholy" and shook her head in gentle, coy reproof.

•

Mr. Burnaby acquisced in her reproof, but went on reading.

Flavia returned to her chair. She sat sulkily with the "Tatler" in her lap, and no longer turned its pages.

The silence was now disturbed inly by the faint ticking of the clock, and the barely per- reptible sound of Mr. Burnaby's breathing. The larke, volume rest ing on his stomach rhythmically rose and fell as he read.

Mr. Barnaby, with the sex- sibility for which she had given; him credit, could feel her waiting. to pounce on his attention as if it} were a bun, and she a dog.

He was a generous man.

When

a vivacious young lady claimed so small a favour it was churlish to bestow

the inanimate

הם . it

“Anatomy.**

He shit the back and smiled at ber.

Encouragingly, but through 20 April mist of sympathy, she re- turned his smile.

There is a great gulf fixed be

tween us." he said.

"Again" she took a pencil.

"Not a great gulf. Only a lit

the one

"It is charming of you "tó-con- sider it so."

She handed him another paper. "I feel that I understand you.” You are sympathetic with my loneliness." He hesitated before uttering the final word.

She nodded eagerly.

C

**I wonder if I might tell you.my

@story," he said thoughtfully..

"Do. Please do," she scrawled. "You would understand"".

Her smile reproached his doubt. He stood up and rested against the mantelpiece. He looked with impersonal approval at the thin hand which he held out for warmth.

“Five years ago," he said slowly, "I could hear perfectly, But I was not less lonely than I am now. You may have noticed that when a man reaches late middle age, the young avoid his society. To some extent he is a wet blanket. It may be that they suspect his dis- approval, or that they feel respect for him demands that they shall subdue their hilarity. My friend, Fraser of Balgowrie says that when a man reaches his sixtieth Fear he should walk out of the room, and leave it to the light- hearted. In fact, I believe that he considers that one should then walk out of the world "by way of Kensal Green.”.

“But I did not want to walk out of the room I am intensely in- terested in the ideas of the young. and am amused by their gaieties and sight moral extravagances. I. prefer the bizarre blossoming of the youthful spirit to the pessimis” tic wilting of Fraser.

"But the young would not accept my preference. They would have me dull my intellect while it was yet keen. They would have me see only black and grey though my retinta - could yet reflect colour. They would all ["me" "before" ty time.

I

room the laughi

men stood up and o

(Continued on Page

► BERZSETTENERESTSHEENTRANTOFITERATURRESPONDE

LISTEN. DAL- IF YOU WANT TO BE BOSS OF YOUR HOUSE YOU GOT TO ASSERT YOURSELF · LOSE

YOUR TEMPER-

8-4

TEOST IT: WHEN

| GOT MARRIED

ILL START IN BY KICKIN", THE DOOR DOWN-ILL. SHOW THIS HOUSEHOLD

1 MEAN BUSINESS

WHEN MY TEMPER

IS UP-

WELL- WHOS

THE MIDGET?

Rosie's

BEAU

GED.N-MAMUS

Registered U.S. Patent Ofcr

Bringing Up Father

WHY A MAN LIKE YOU LETTIN' A WOMAN BOSS YOU SLAYS ME-IT'S AN INSULT TO YOUR MANHOOD-YOU-THE MAN

THAT WAS BOSS OF HUNDREDS OF MEN......

OUT OF MY WAY- WHERES MY

WIFE?

OH, FATHER- I WANT YOU

TO MEET MR JIM NASTICS THE FAMOUS FOOTBALL.

STAR.

WELL OF COURSE, IHAD TO CONTROL MESELF -

WITH THE WHOLE

POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE KITCHEN -

BUT I MUSTNT

GIVE IN-

YOUR WIFE IS ON THE *PHONE. BOSS

SORRY, SIR- SHE HASNT. COME BACK

FROM SHOPPING.

WELL-I'LL TALK TO HER LATER-IM THE- MEANTIME I'LL FIRE

THE COOK-IVE AL WAYS WANTED TO

DO THAT-

YOU HEARD WHAT TSAID-GIT OUT- ILL NOT SPEAK

TWICE-

€ 1933, King Features Syndique, Inc., Gren Britain rights reserved.

GEE! IM LONESOME - I WISH ROSIE AND 1 WERE MARRIED AND WE HAD A LITTLE LOVE- NEST MARRIED MEN

ARE THE HAPPY »

PEOPLE.

-BALL WHY DIDNT YOU

SAY THAT: 1 WAS OUT?

IM GITTIN' MAD JUST THINKIN' ABOUT IT,

SO LONG- NOWGO, |HOME AN ́"GOOD

| LUCK TO YOU B

WHO'S THAT GUY WITH

THE FOOLISH

MAP?

OH YES, MRS. CHATTERLOTS- ILL TELL THE

BOSS YOU WISH

TO SPEAK TO

HIM

WHAT?I SHOULD SAY NOT- ALL YOU THINK OF IS SPENDING MONEY-WHO? WELL IF THEY

ARE COMING TO DINNER IM | NOT COMING HOME-

YOU SHUT UP. DONT TELL ME TO SHUTZZ

UP.

(1935, King Features

YOURE RIGHT-PETE-

I'M GOIN' TO BE

BOSS FROM. NOW ON-

RATS-AN" | WUZ ALL SET TO BAWL HER OUT-WELL-WHILE I'M STILL MAD-I'LL GIVE ME

DAUGHTER A PIECE OF MY.

MIND-

YEH WHO DOES HE. THINK HE

IS2

HES MARRIED TO THE BOSS,

HIS WIFE WON'T LET

HIM THINK.

OH, THERE YOU ARE? JARVIS SAID YOU WERE

MAD- WELL-

SAY SOMETHING")

DO YOU HEAR

•ME?

•ME?

MAGGIE DARLIN,

WHY SHOULD

BE MAD?

IT'S THE GYPSY IN ME

84

I COULD SPEND THE RESTOF MY LIFE INA

CANCE-

MCMS