1940-03-29 — Page 16

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 29, 1940.

IT'S THE YOUNGER GENERATION

"What is the trouble, Miss Marsh?” There was something vaguely re- miniscent about the girl in the green beret. He looked sternly at the assis- tant and was somewhat abashed at a glimpse of a smile on Green Beret's lips. He felt himself blushing.

This was absurd.

and

better

Father and son fated one another was gratifled to hear the assistant's in-dered moodily into the Advertising ""You'll insist on wider across the old-fashioned mahogany, solent tones change to mild apology at Room, and crossed to the desk where newspaper advertising?" desk, their faces flushed with argu- his approach.

the Sunday advertisements were ready **I will.". ment.

for him.

"And on additional lifts?” The same old story. Hickman's had "Additional lifts.”. taken twice the space and used it ten: "And on a bargain basement to com- times as tellingly. He stormed out of pete with Hickman's?” - the room, and half collided with a girl.・ "Good Lord, Jean. The old man'll who was entering at the same mo- go stark staring mad . But I'll in- ment.

sist on that, too."

"And you'll make him send you on a buying trip to France and Germany and Italy." In the darkness of the taxi he did not see her smile..

Old Forbes took off his pince-nez with a gesture of finality. It was a movement the significance of which was known to every one of the hup- dreds of employees of Forbes and McSweyn. With a smile which suffus- ed every inch of the pink face under the shining bald pate, he said, con- clusively:

"No, my dear Hugh. The policy of Forbes and McSweyn has always been solid and conservative

It's no

use

-

30

He turned for relief to the assistant's' sullen face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Forbes. But madam asked for Four Wolf stockings and we don't stock them. I was just trying to convince her that these are just as good." ·

er ...

Hugh walked across the gloomy

He did not notice the little start office with ill-concealed impatience which Green Beret gave at the assis- and stood looking across the busy

tant's words. When he turned to pacify street. His eyes were fixed on the her, her expression was perfectly com- bare, gleaming facade of Hickman's posed, although there was a twinkle Store across the way.

in the green-grey eyes.

Again something foolish happened In the spare efficient lines of Hick to his heart, and he felt himself blush- man's building was expressed the

ing, "I . threat to their own business which he them for you, madam?"

can't we get yearned to combat. With an inward

Before she spoke he knew that her groan he watched the throng of eager voice would be the most musical he shoppers, surging 'round Hickman's

had ever heard in all his thirty-five windows, invading their doors. Their

years. She picked up her bag from own windows were invisible. But

the counter. "Please don't bother. It's without seeing them he knew that no perfectly all right”. such crowds were being drawn to them.

Hugh turned towards his father. He'd said all this before, and would say it again.

"It's galling for me to see the old Arm losing out, and everything I sug-· gest doing to even things up squashed without a trial. If you didn't want me to pick up new ideas why did you send me to study retail store methods in the States and Canada? - If you'd let me try just one or two stunts, I'd beat Hickman's at their own game...

#

Forbes senior broke in calmly, "That's all very well, Hugh. But we've always served the best people in this town: your methods would anta- gonise them. .. I know your inten- tions are good, but you want to move too fast..

Hugh moved impatiently towards the door. “I suppose you won't be con- vinced until Hickman's close us up." He slammed the door behind him.

Forbes senior watched him go with something like relief. He disliked these arguments. Damn Hickman's. Forbes and McSweyn had been run- ning successfully for fifty years on sound, conservative lines. And still would!

This morning he felt rather tired and old. He phoned that he was not to be disturbed for fifteen minutes and locked the door; when you're sixty- five a nap in the middle of the morn- ing is a better reviver than a cup of coffee. .

Confusedly, he watched her move gracefully through the department. A green skirt, and she was gone. last glimpse of trim ankles under a

He roused himself guiltily from his reveric, and turned to the assistant...

"Why the devil-" he grumbled, and stopped short.

Familiar green grey eyes under au- burn hair looked into his with a hint of a smile in their depths.

"I'll even do that, Jean, although "You!" he stuttered in his amaze- I'm afraid it'll give the old man apo- Where did you spring plexy. Now give me a kiss and say it's a bargain

ment:" from?"

ཝཱ

"

The smile persisted. "I beg your. It was agreed. Jean's price was his pardon, Mr. Forbes. But I'm the new promise to assert himself. assistant in the Advertising Depart- The ostensible purpose of the annual ment. Mr. Forbes senior engaged me meeting of buyers and executives at

just after our last meeting. Again that tantalising smile.

Forbes and McSweyn's is to give the lesser luminaries a chance of a say in Hugh began to feel that working as the policy of the store for the forth- merchandise manager for Forbes and coming year. Practically, however, it McSweyn, even with limited powers, degenerates info a monologue from was going to be a far more interesting Forbes. senior, who tells his attentive job from now onwards.. I was dependants what the policy will be... just getting a little local colour before As Hugh looked at his father's face my interview. I'd been making fake and then at the circle of Amazons and purchases in a number of departments, males which comprised the buyers, his So sorry if I seemed to waste your heart turned to water. What chance valuable time."

was there of impressing this crowd? Was there distant mockery in her To his surprise, Jean was present, tone? Hugh felt absurdly embarrass- trim and alluring, with pencil poised ed, and cursed himself for it. "See above an open note book,

His eyes you later Miss

must have betrayed his surprise, for his father said, rather uncomfortably, "Miss Robertson: is taking down the minutes of the meeting."

?!!

"Miss Robertson." He tried to make Up in his office, Forbes senior un- his voice sound important without any locked his door in a thundering bad considerable success. He pointed rue- temper. He was annoyed with him- fully to one of Hickman's advertise- self for sleeping too long, and still ments. "We need new blood in the more annoyed with whichever of his Advertising Department, goodness only

minions dared to disturb his slumbers knows." by banging on the door.

He checked himself hurriedly.. This It was Green Beret. Grey-green eyes was no way for the merchandise man- looked with amusement at the old ager to talk to a ridiculously young

Short Story

- By Russell Heatley

man's astonishment. “Yes, Mr. Forbes. recruit to the staff. She looked so It really is I.

"

He stared. "I'm sorry

Good heavens!" Blank incredulity replaced annoyed astonishment.

"Jean McSweyn!”

Green Beret smiled. "Right first time, Mr. Forbes. Or shouldn't this tableau be called The Return of the Sleeping Partner? Sorry I didn't

let you know. But I thought it would be rather fun to descend on you un- expectedly It's been fun alto- gether. Coming home after being abroad since I was four." "Sit down, sit down."

absurdly young and trim and smart.

During the next week. Hugh found it necessary to make a surprising number of visits to the Advertising Room. There were few mornings of afternoons during which it was not urgently necessary to discuss some thing with Jean. He called her that after exactly three days.

It was going to make things harder than ever.

Up to a point the meeting went smoothly on its time-honoured course. Then, slowly at first but with increas- ing fluency. Hugh uttered his amazing ultimatum. Inwardly he was sick with apprehension. But all the time, as he saw his father turn first, red, then purple, and the amused sniggers on the faces of the assembled buyers, he was fortified by the occassional glances. from the green-grey eyes opposite.

When he sat down, he saw his father rise to speak; he knew that he had failed.

He could have wept.

Then the miracle happened. · He could hardly belleve his eyes when he noticed that the green grey eyes were no longer level with him: Or his ears when he heard her opening words

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a little secret to divulge. I must confess: that I have been working among you. under false pretences, but with a pur-

What was more surprising was to pose." find someone who exactly shared his Her voice was quiet, but had a steely feelings about the way the firm was determination

"conservatism can going, someone who shared his own

his own be overdone .we need new me- knowledge of up-to-date store methods to combat new competition. thods overseas, someone who agreed and as the largest shareholder and vir- with him on almost every point when tual controller of this business, I must: he expounded his scheme for the add that I entirely and emphatically. downfall of the ever encroaching agree with Mr. Hugh's recommenda~- Hickman.

tions.

Below Hugh Forbes was making his morning tour of the shop. He passed

There was the faintest trace of agi- through the men's clothing department tation in Mr. Forbes voice. At sixty- on the third floor, and called the buy- five it is disconcerting to have your er, a dour individual who had been ex-partner's only daughter descend buying coats and suits for thirty years. upon you out of the blue. Especially Someone who nevertheless main-⠀⠀⠀ Hugh didn't really hear.

"Oh, by the way, Stewart. Don't you if she owns more than half the shares tained an impenetrable reserve when He was overwhelmed-but not near-- think a man's department should be in the business, and has formerly it came to talking about herself, even ly as flabbergasted as Forbes Senior, on the main floor? I see Hickman's taken no active interest in it. He though she let him take her out.

"

have adopted the idea. A man wants to hop in and out quickly.

The buyer looked at Hugh suspicl- ously, scenting some change which would disturb his mature equanimity. He did not really fear this young mer- chandise manager with his new ideas. Old Mr. Forbes kept him pretty well in his place.

"Well, sir, if I may say so, I think things are pretty right as they are After all, men do come up to this floor..

Not very hopefully Hugh made a note that an alteration should be sub- mitted for his father's consideration.

In the Ribbons and Laces, an Ama- zon of a woman buyer objected to his criticism of one of the assistants who was taking advantage of a lull in busl- ness to knit a gaily coloured jumper, In the Silk Stockings he became aware of an altercation between a cus- tomer and one of the assistants. And

at a customer!

He saw, with a quickened heart- beat which he tried vainly to suppress, green-grey eyes in a pale face sur mounted by perfect auburn curls and

green beret. **

Straightening his tie, he walked up In his professional man and

wagged his forefinger excitedly.

And someone altogether adorable.. "Well, well, well! I suppose you'vė Fear of Hickman's was succeeded by just returned for a holiday. Or do another kind of fear; fear that Jean you plan to live in this country now would turn him down when he asked that your poor mother's death no to marry her. longer makes it necessary for you to live abroad?"

He waited apprehensively. Some how the length of silk stockinged leg which Jean displayed, and her care- fully carmined lips looked incongru- ous in his gloomy office,

She dropped the bombshell, lightly, carelessly.

"Oh, no. I'm here for good.".

who could do nothing to save his face. but adopt Hugh's proposals almost in their entirety.

Hugh and his brighter and better

and:

his advertising, his extra lifts, bargain basement. Also his tour of Already he fancied she despised him France, Germany and Italy, Jean went for knuckling under to his father so too, and they made it a combined buy-- much. He thought he had noticed a ing trip and honeymoon. faint contempt in the grey green eyes when he announced that some pet, scheme which she had enthusiastically approved had to be turned down be- cause of objections from Forbes senior.

He proposed one moonlit evening They talked for a while. Anyone while they drove recklessly up and who knew Mr. Forbes would have told down the street in a taxi after the you that the number of times his theatre. pince-nez travelled from nose to case His words, flowed incoherently as and back again, meant that he was stray wisps of her auburn hair tickled decidedly worried.

his chin "You see how things are, darling," he concluded rather lamely "But if you say, "Yes' I'm going to put my ideas at the meeting. And it the old man doesn't bow to the vitable I'm going to quit "

of

There was worse to come,

"I'm going to take an interest in the business. But I want it to be anonymous to begin with!!

Monday was always – a distressing day for Hugh, for on-Mondays his first The intoxication job was to look over. Hickman's Sun- made him feel as if he could day advertising. Invariably this led to mountain.

ormný ačene wi his father which he vainly pleaded for

appropri

do that

answered

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