1935-12-27 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1935

Dead Reckoning

(Continued from Page 9.).

Doris was preparing the meal. But turned as I entered. - Never before had I seen the look that'l saw in her face at that moment -- fear battling with resolve.

"Who is that boy I asked her. "I have already told you, father." she answered: "he is a young man named Thorpe-Edward Thorpe."

“Ah," said L, momentarily at a loss,

young man named Thorpe. here?"

And why does he tome!

"We love one another," she told me, looking-full-into my eyes with no hint of timidity: “we are en- gaged to be married.”

I could not speak I could not even protest when, at no invitation of mine, this youth had the effron- tery to come in to supper. world-my twin worlds-rocked under my feet:

The

L

It was 1 terrible meal. speechless, at one end of the table. my daughter, pale but courteous. at the other, and this clown set -between us, regaling na, as he no doubt thought, with anecdotes of life down South.

And this was not enough, but he must come into the kitchen after- wards and help to wash up. He said it made him feel more at home. Now, it has been my custom. ever | since leaving a civilisation that I abhor and finding comfort in this far corner of the earth, to help wash up when I am at home.

The thing is part of the routine of life, and as such demands pro- A nice adjust- per management

ment of the water's temperature is Decessary, for if too hot it way crack glass and china and ruin knife bandles; and if too cold, in spite of a certain amount of soda. it fails to remove grease.

Then, too, it is my invariable habit at the end to turn the wash- bowl upside down to drain, and spread the dishcloth upon it to dry. It occurs to me that these may appear small matters to some, but is not life composed of such, and do they not often tam out to be the greater? And our uninvited quest disorganised the entire rou- tine by pathetic exorts at buy- foonery such as tying one of Doris's aprons about his waist making a napkin-ring climb his finger by a cirentar motion of the hand, and laughing openly at whet he evidently regarded as our fads.

The spreading of the dishcloth on the washbowl appeared to amuse him most of sil

"I suppose you always do that,"

he said.

"It is the custom in this house." said I.

"And when you come to think of it, why not?" he reflected with His handsome scad at an angle.

""There are many things one has to come to think of -before one knows anything," said L

And at that he laughed good- naturedly.

At length he went : From my easy chair in the living-room heard the last "Good night” and his assured football on the veran- dah steps. Doris came straight to me. I knew she would Perching herself on the arm of my chair; as "She used to when a child, she en- circled my shoulder with her azn. Do you hate him, father?” she ask ed_me.

I answered her question with an- other.

"Do you fear terris ? For the look in her face that evening had shocked me.

ased to sometimes," she said.

"but not now...

"And what has worked the

formation 77

trans-

She leaned over and whispered in

my ear.

I held her from me and stadied her as though for the first time. She}] "was young, beautiful, fragile, yet she

was stronger than L. I am no fool.) I knew that nothing I could do or say would have one particle of weight with her now. She loved, and was

loved.

“Then I have nothing to say.” said

“Nothing?" she questioned me, and again presently, nothing that

And at last I heard, myself; mat tering the absurd formula of wishes for their happiness

was bound to come some time. It had come, that was all, and I made the best of it. Of an evening that boy would sit with us and make suEKTS- tions for the betterment of the busia-}

business. He pointed out new blood was needed his blood. By heavens, how he talked and there is an insidious power for morda

ter them aften enough, with youtalai

enthusiasm behind them, and

zescire themselves into "deada.

I cannot explain wen in zynek.

came about, but this

to take my ketch to

she would

the

BY GOLLY-"IT'S TWO O'CLOCK AN'I PROMISED DINFY I'D CALL.

HIM UP-

MRS.JIGGS-I MUST CALL'UP THE BUTCHER BEFORE HE CLOSES UP HIS SHOP-

I WANT THEM

ALL RIGHT ON THIS DESK-

NOW-I'M GONNA CALL UPEVERYONE I KNOW-AND EVERY ONE I DON'T WANT

TO KNOW==

©1935, King Festas Syndicats, Inc,

Cesat. Butain rights merved.

Rosie's BEAU

BY

GED MCMANUS

Registered U. 2. Patent Office.

I'M GOING TOHAVE AVANILLA

SUNDAE-

CAN'T YOU

SEE IMA WAITING

TO USE THE 'PHONE?

Bringing Up Father

HURRY UP- ¡HAVE AN IMPORTANT: *PHONE CALL TO MAKE-

MA MAC

YOU'RE GONNA,

HEAR A LOT OVER FOUR

'PHONES-

?

JCANTM W DO

ECTUS WE RDER.

OPIAM

WHAT DO YOU THINK

I'M STANDING-

FOR?IM GO

USE

HELLO-YEA-O.K~.

ALL RIGHT, MR- JIGGS-THE PHONES ARE ALL WORKIN-

SEND OVER A LEG OF LAMB- AND HAVE YOU

PKG'S FEET?NO LDONÍT MEAN

PLEASE 85 QUE

CAN

HEAR

EN

ca

ON

ON

NOR

ALL-

ALL-RIGHTILL

TAKE YOU TO THE DOOR-

I'M CALLING FOR MRS. 18 MRS PHIL ADELFIA IN?

| OF COURSE I'M

NOT SAYING

ANYTHING-

BUT I HEARD

SHE

IMLIST TALK ROSIE OUT

ROSE-MY PET- MY

OF GOING TO THE MOVIES|| EYES, HURT TONIGHT. TONIGHT- I'VE ONLY GOT||ICANT LOOK AT ANY

FIFTY CENTS- MOVIES LET'S GET

TO MY NAME-

SOME SODAS IT'S JUST

ENOLISH FOR

SODAS-

I'M GOING

VANTE

•HO

12-1

HELLO GRI

DOWN AND VON

USINA SODA

HE NEW

THAT

I'M HAVING MADE

I KNOW “THERE'S A PHONE IN THE LIBRARY OF MY HOUSE-BUTK WANT. FOUR FOR MY

·OWN USE IN MY ROOM-

ND RIGHT AWAY-

MESE

MAN HT

O-HE

THE

"PHONES IN IMMED

SO LONG-F THEY. GTOUTOF ORDER- "UL SEND FOR YOU

HELLO-EDDY YES-I'M GOING TO THE DANCE

HURSDAY-

TA-TA-

HELLO-IS THIS THE

EPHONE COMPANY? WELL THIS 15 MRJIGGS- GO RIGHT OUT TO MY HOUSE AND TAKE ALL

HOMES OUT OF

MY ROOM-

RIGHT-

IT'S THE GYPSY IN ME

BE N

WE CAN. TALK-

IT?

YEA!

WET

PAINT