CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS. SUPPLEMENT
CHRISTMAS
"Burays fall back on bluff! LUFF, my dear, we must
We can go through most things as long as we don't sacrifice-our- pride. Once we allow people to feel sorry for us we lose our self-respect and theirs!" Bar- bara Dent heard again the em- phatic tone in her aunt's voice as she had talked to her in the old cottage in Kent only a few weeks before she died and left ber alone in the world "Look at me." she had said with that expressive movement of her small hands; "all these years people have envied me my happiness.. my contentment they would have been very surprised had they known the truth, that there hasn't been any real happiness for me. except what you have given me, dear child. That weat long ago with the going of one person, but unhappiness doesn't kill: we just go on living and "making ourselves and other peo- ple believe we are happy. AIT the world asks you to do is to be bappy or at any rate, appear happy-and to listen attentively to its own troubles?"
Barbara resumed her walk on deck Well she could justly feel she bad succeeded on the ship in “bluffing." Thank good- ness none of these men and girls she had spent the last few weeks with knew of her loneliness on leaving England and her dread of Hong Kong, which she was so fast approaching....... Dear Aunt Margaret. who had com... -prised her whole family for as long as she could-remember- had insisted that after she died her niece should come out to ber sister in Hong Kong. Now Bar- bara was on her way. and her dread of this new life almost amounted to fear, but the little old lady had been right--never wear one's heart on one's sleeve; it might help for the moment, but didn't pay in the long ram
"Hello, Barbara!” came the hail from a member of the group of men and girls standing near the stairway. "Just the person we want. We need inspiration. The sports committee can't offer us anything more original than the same old programmefancy dress ball sort of thing. Now don't fail us! We are depend- ing
produce some on you to brilliant notion from that sleek little head of yours. You've never turned us down yet."
"You absurd creatures!" Bar- bara protested. laughing. "Here am I the only one of you that hasn't travelled dozens of times
before, and you turn to me for suggestions! Well..... how would it be if you came down from your heights of sophistira- tion and sought amusement în the simplicity of a village game? You'd find it! Let me se now. As it is nearly Christ- mas it might be fun to”
The mention of Christmas promptly turned the conversation from the question of a game to " other channels. The shin was
to be in Hong Kong on Christ- más Eve," and there were many plans in the making.
*Dinner at a hotel for mỆ the old boy is kiing the pro- verbial calf! And then for that cheerful little hole in
"Oh, where? I believe you've discovered some new place, Tom- kwy. Goodness knows we need something fresh
in Hong Kong- Where is it?"
"You are too
child." he teas-": ed
"A nice little dinner and then home to bed for you! --and hang up your 'stocking !” He ducked to avoid the book that accompanied the "brute!" thrown at his head.
"And what are you doing o Christmas Eve, Miss Dent? You some gay plan, too, I suppose?"
have
Barbara turned quickly to the man who had just joined the group. "Oh yes, of course." Aunt Margaret would have been surprised had she heard her faltering over this answer to a simple question. "My aunt has arranged for people to take me out that night. A very gay party probably. She hesitated- and then 'went -on: "And you? You are going to help give the colony its Christmas coat of red "paint, too?"
Graham Barton's voice was casual as he answered:
"Oh, yes,
We can't neglect Christmas, can we?" He felt ab- surdly disappointed. He had hoped that this girl and he might have arranged something together for Christmas Eve, but, as she was evidently going' to some much brighter party, he must not let her know he was at a loose end or she might feel sorry for him and try to take him into her party. "Some of the old crowd have fixed some- thing up for me. Haven't seen them for such years, F'll hardly know what they look like!"
He would like to have talked more to her, have learnt more
11
CANDLES
of what she was feeling about coming to Hong Kong. She had been so sympathetic and under- standing when he had told her of his tremendous disappoint- ment at having to leave the Army, of the death of his father, who had meant so much to him, and now his reluctant return to Hong Kong to manage his 'father's affairs.... They had been such friends on the ship all these weeks, but only up to a point. Beyond that he had al- ways come up against the same barrier as she were afraid he would pierce the reserve she to bold Was was determined she really as happy as she ap peared to be? Sometimes be wondered....
They wandered together to- wards the dining saloon, where afternoon tea was in progress.
Barbara was glad she had-con- cocted the story of her party on Christmas Eve.. It was silly of her to have hoped they might · spend it together; she might. have known he would have friends waiting for him. The friend- ship of these weeks told her that he would have upset his own plans rather than allow her, to be alone that evening..........
"Good-bye. happy Christmas.” "Don't be rash!" "Probably run up against each other in the early hours of the morning!”
From her cabin Barbara heard them-leave the ship as it lay be- side the wharf. She stayed until she thought most people had gone and then she dressed and took the ferry across from the mainland to the island In spite of being alone she felt a What thrill of expectation. would it bring to her, this new city?.... The thought of the future was so indefinite that she resolutely put it away from her and determined to enjoy the in- terests of the day before her.
Hong Kong! How beautiful it was, Barbara thought as she looked across the water blue in the sunlight with only the shadows of the junks playing upon it. Later as she walked down the street she realised she had not expected such buildingzz nor such beautiful shops. She smiled to think of the pictures she had drawn to herself of Hong Kong correct an far!
very far from.
How different Christmas WEE -in-Hong-Kong How foolishly
wrapped up in our own environ- ment we are, Barbara thought. Until-to-day she had never asso- ciated Christmas with anything but snow. She thought of the dark slum areas she and her aunt had visited, where mothers- and children alike tried to keep the excite- warm and summon ment of Christmas. She wished they could feel the warmth of this lovely sun..
ass
pow
It was strange that one could feel more lonely at this time- than any other. It was a time for reunion, for home happiness. She felt an alien amongst the excited
of shoppers, all intent
their Christmas buying there wasn't anyone who would expect a gift from her to-morrow morning. --- She watched a young woman choos- ing a little Christmas tree. Such a small one, it must be for just two people, Barbara reflected. On its branches wére ting enn- dies. They would light them together and smile as they made plans for the year to come. ««»
"How much is that tree?" she found herself asking the har295– ed assistant, but before he re- plied abe had realised the foolish- ness of her inquiry. What would she do with a tree? She hurried out of the shop. She would buy a new hat instead. Much more sensible, she assured berself
but the tree bad been so pretty with its red and yellow candles.
"Henri's" The name above the little green" door attracted Barbara's attention, and she de- cided that she would have dinner there.
With a welcoming flourish of nis hands the French proprietar ushered her to a small table in the corner near the window.
“Madame will take dinner alone?"
Barbara smiled at the regret in his tone.
"Yes, alone: And I would rather not have the Christmas fare, thank you. Now, let ne see." She studied the
She felt she could not eat roast tarkey and Christmas padding zlope
+
"Ah! But what a pitee! On the eve of Christmas! The monsieur-voila he also dinez alone, and like madame he sɛy: "No turkey, no plum padding.”
(Continued on Page 28.)
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