1939-12-30 — Page 5

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 30, 1939

Potted-Best-seller Serial: second day

THE HOPKINS MANUSCRIPT

By R. C. SHERRIFF Author Of "Journey's End"

A story telling how the world faced calam- ity when the moon fell-written by one of the last Englishmen alive. .

FOREWORD

(From the Imperial Research Press, Addis Ababa) ·

THE Royal Society of Abyssinia discovered "The Hopkins Manu-

script" two years ago In the ruins of Notting Hill,

It is the only personal day-by-day record yet discovered that gives us the Intimate feelings of an Englishman during the days of the Cataclysm.

It should be remembered that for a hundred years after the col- lapse of the "Western Civilisation” the peoples of the East destroyed everything that existed In their own countries to remind them of the days when they lived in servitude to the "white man."

The mainland of Western Europe, once inhabited by the French. Germans, Italians, and Spanish, has long since been colonised, and every vestige of its past civilisation swept away.

"The Hopkins Manuscript" was discovered by an expedition to England organised by the Royal Society of Abyssinia. A young scien- tlat diacovered a much decayed wall of red brick that collapsed un-

recess a email vacuum flask. der pressure, revealing in a

The manuscript within it had survived where millions of books, exposed to the climate, had perished.

It raises the shadows from the dead limbs of a once powerful nation as the glow of a match might dispel the darkness from the de- aert of Sahara. Yet it is all that we have to tell of the days when the legendary "Moon" shone.

The Manuscript

To-day, when all attempt at organis- ed government has long since passed, I look back in admiration at the skill and foresight with which the authori- ties handled matters in those critical weeks of the New Year.

I do not know to this day whether the December moon caught them by surprise. I rather think that it did. I believe that they had hoped for it to wane without exciting undue curiosity, but the clear sky of Boxing Night, aided by the exceptionally dry air and a snow-covered. land, all but wrecked their carefully arranged plans.

A committee under the chairman- ship of the Prime Minister had for months been preparing the steps by which the public were to be made conscious of the approaching calamity. After the moon of Boxing Night the committee decided that delay would be fatal, and acted at once.

*

鄂

*

The morning Press was silent, but the news "broke" in the evening papers of December 27..

"Unusual Lunar Phenomenon," an- nounced my paper. Owing, it stated, to an exceptionally clear sky and a rarely experienced refraction of light from the snow, the public had been given the opportunity of seeing the features of the moon more clearly and brilliantly than in many years past.

It was further stated that given clear skies and a continuance of the snow upon the ground, the phenomen- on should be visible for at least a week until the moon waned.

lowes this with interviews and

sts who enlarges upon every greatest skill. The "grazing nanimously adopted. It wris ails of comets had frequently out doing the slightest damage, moon was a solid body, it's si

re

earth

was

only that of a

d

The Hopkins Manuscript, written in a neat school-masterly hand by the light of a primitive lamp, survived the extinction of Europe....

time, make official statements, but To my surprise he showed little in- these will be limited to bare necessity." terest in this. There was a dreamlike, There was something verging upon far away look in his eyes, and a wave the comic in this extraordinary pro- of pity swept over me. The poor gentle gramme. Only to-day do I realise how old man was pitifully unequal to his heroically the world responded, how task. pitifully it culminated.

On the evening before that epic Sunday I walked down to the vicarage to see Mr. Edwards. I knew that the old man had received his instructions and that he would now be struggling with the terrible task of preparing his to-morrow's service. message to the people of Beadle at

their mothers-old gentlemen muffled in greatcoats. Here and there an ama- leur "expert" stood with a

group and mountain ranges usually invisible around him as he described the craters

to the human eye, and an old man

"I know what you are striving to with a telescope on a tripod was coin-write at your desk to-night. Mr. Ed- ing money at a penny a look.

wards." I said when the maid had ad- mitted me to his study and shut the door "I know what you are called upon to do to-morrow. I have known for three months."

*

Upon all sides one heard exclama- tions of delight, "Isn't it beautiful!"— "If only it always looked like that!" I

His face filled with alarm and I | nearly laughed out loud. Never before

had I enjoyed my secret so hugely. I hastened to explain. I told him that I longed to jump on to a seat and tell had been numbered among the select the truth to these open-mouthed star-few to share the secret from its birth. gazers, but never by word or infer- ence did I arouse suspicion in Aunt Rose's breast. When we got home we sat up till past midnight: describing the scenes to Uncle Henry,

weather

Upon the third day the broke. A thaw set in, and for a week the sky was filled with heavy :cloud. By the time it had cleared the moon had gone. The Governments all over the world, apparently, only explained away that December moon by the skin of their teeth.

A week after Christmas I return- ed to my home on Beadle Hill. My

is extraordinary calmness of mind proved by the fact that on January 2; according to, my diary, I actually bought six little Bantam-hens and pro- ceeded to bring them into condition for showing!

But it was a very short-lived armis- tice with the truth.

Upon January 20 the new moon was due: The Government realised: that further deception would be impossible. It would appear at the end- of: thạ This deliberately Jocular-means- of } month twice its normal size)- dealing with the matter did far more At the last meeting of the Lunar- to allay suspicion than any:'ambunt of Sóclety. I attended-the-jaatrof-valls: I- carefully sugared scientific- explanathilak-the-president","announced: the tion:re

3.Government's decision, hem met

The phenomenon caught the public: "It has been decided that the Church imagination. The two followingcnights | shall break the news: from the peripit, were brilliantly clear" and the whole on Sunday morning, the 21st. By this of London': turnedtout,saks itcaiyays/means six dayswith-etupse before the will turn out, to enjoysmineeship public will see the enormously in-

On both nights...I walked with my | cm aunt:: In-Eyzbe:Park: Mi

severely krtised byla hankalp casseryrhilar: playing:

Buff.com: Chiistemas vni

ferric rest at harang.

it wes

thought

asʼan astonishing sights of the

(40), and fro)-nac

OFF THE RECORD

fla

FORE

on.

"I think that I can help you." I went

The old man raised his hand to in- terrupt me.

"It is not terrible," he said. "Nor will my people think it so. If God has or- dained that our work upon this earth is finished, then it is not for us to question Him. There will be none to grieve

we shall all be happy.

#

I was moved by the simplicity and sincerity of the old man.

"But the world isn't going to end to-morrow, Mr. Edwards." I said. "It isn't going to end with your sermon there's three months ahead

"

(Continue on Page 15) three months of torment.

Bv Ed Reed

"Sorry, Bir—that's the nearest thing to'w cow I could And to

put on the track!”

Here's Luck

EWO BEER