1940-07-19 — Page 2

THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, JULY 19, 1940

SHORT STORY

UNCHANGING WORLD

was

By

Stuart Jackson

WHEN Relf brought Jessica back and have me ordering more, and be mooning after these young much to learn in a belated begin-¡get me drops." And she shuffled

ning. to the cottage to tea he knew who's going to pay for it, that's hussies who-

from the kitchen. "Mother!" he cut in with a But could he ever break from There was an it meant walking right into trou-what I'd like to know?"

understanding ble with his mother. But he was Granny looked placidly up from clarity that surprised even him- the tradition which tied him? Oh, that when those pains troubled self. "You'd better know that I but there must be well-paid night Granny it was Relf's prerogative driven to desperation by the old her, pikelets.

The she loves me. work for a sturdy chap such as to administer, her "drops." and elemental fact that Jessica! "Eh, dear?" she asked mildly, love Jessica, and

he in the city, surely? The posi-business called for n steady hand. and he were desperately in love, cupping & hand to her ear. Granny We want to get married."

"Married! what on, pray?". Her tion would be reversed then. When old Doctor Dennison had He left the girls at the gate was not so much deaf as a post,

voice was thinly sarcastic. "Per-Here, he worked by day and stud-first prescribed them he had said: while he went indoors to preparejas deaf as a pose.

Edith Duncan turned away im-[haps you'd like the wench the way. Jessica, gravely gay and

to ied by night. In the city he could Three drops to a dose, now-and come here to live, and have me work by night and study by day.not a dribble more!" For the darkly pretty, understood the way patiently. things were. She had the courage; "Silly old woman!" she mut-keep her!"

Time for sleep? How little one bottle was labelled "Poison."

sleep when a It was then that Relf Duncan, needed

piquant So it was at of her love. She slid a reassuring tered. "I believe she can hear as;

Relf's hand, that

hand into his.

well as I can if she likes."

out of his inward bitterness, said dream was the stimulant!

Granny received the small glass "I'll be with you soon as you

Granny, having no other home the one cruel thing he had ever Thus Relf Duncan, bowed by of water containing her drops. But to go to, lived with her daughter said to his mother, and it was love and ambition, as he walked she always insisted upon fetching want me, Relf."

He went into the kitchen. on sufferance. Edith Duncan's its very truth that stung her.

the bottle herself. and not even back into his mother's kitchen. Granny, of the quizzical eye and taunts slipped off her like ice off "I've been keeping you ever: "Well, Mother, you've met her Relf knew, let alone his mother,

back. When her love of "pikelets," was sitting an elephant's

in since I was old enough to get a now."

where she kept it hidden, as hide before. a veritable furnace of a doubt, be deaf,

Granny's job. Mother," he said in a low "Yes, I've met her."

it she did. For Granny was not fire. She was wielding the toast-philosophy.

voice, "and I'm not thinking of

without a certain cunning which "Well, don't you think-—-—---? ” fork as though it were the in- "I've done the pikelets, Edith," stopping now.”

"I told you before she came in comes of very old age. signia of a ritual.

she croaked, as though nothing: Edith Duncan threw up her what I think, Relf." She seemed Presently she came back with Hullo, Gran. Where's Mother had been said previously at all. hands and uttered a plaintive cry. more unresponsive than ever, "I've the bottle clutched in her quaver- Granny looked up at Relf and "Fine 'uns, too, they be. Did you

"So it's come to this has it? seen по reason to alter myling hand. smiled; a smile that held some-get 'em from Durkin's?**

After I've worked my fingers to opinion. Of course, if you've got "There you be, Doctor thing of gnarled reminiscence. "Oh, you and your pikelets the bone to bring you up, you're it in your mind to drive me from can," she said; and she cackled

"What's that, dearie, Oh, your Here, I'll butter them. You've no going to begin tossing your shil- house and home, then you'll not with laughter, because mother. She's up to her room, I eye for economy at all. Now, Relf, lings in my face!" Her voice rose take heed of my opinion, anyway. ways thought that bit of whimsy daresay. Colder, Relfie, bain't it? what are you standing there far to crescendo. "I've said before How a bit a boy like you can think was such a good joke. It do get into me old bones sun-without taking off your coat?"

and I say again, there's the mo- of marrying any smirking little But one evening. soon after, for Her son glanced at the table. Itdern son for you! Selfish. Not a wench that happens- mat cruel.'

the first time, Granny was unable Edith Duncan came into the was laid for three.

thought for a poor mother. If "But don't you

to fetch her drops for herself. Relf kitchen at that moment. She was "Mother," he began, and paused.

was alone with her when the a querulous woman whose hair was "Yes, Relf?"

mother here like you've just ""We've got to get married!" twisted in tight strands about her "Would-would you mind put-

Granny cocked an eye up at her "Got to ???

ing gone to visit a neighbour. thinly-veined forehead. Hier ting out another cup? I've brought

Her face blanched. She seemed The pains had never been so inouth was drawn in with the ex-someone along to tea. She's at the

"Eh, what's that, dear?" she to shrink.

paralysing. They held Granny pression of one who had tasted gate now."

asked again, but without any "You mean that

rigid in her chair, unable to stir this-this life and found it sour.

vital interest. Granny was im- piece of yours is going to have a a leg. Her mouth was contorted, "It's-Jessica, Mother."

patient for her pikelets.

In-the-apprehension of "Jessica who, may I ask?"

her breathing quick, shallow. "Oh!" Edith

"I must have - me drops, Duncan gestured outraged convention she could not "Oh, you know. Mother-Jessica

petulantly, as one driven beyond bring herself to finish.

Relfie," she gasped. on that fire again." Edith Duncan Joyce.'

Relf saw what she meant. Hel "Of course, Granny. Tell was one of those insensitive peo-. "Now, Relf, we've had all that endurance.

Relf stood his ground. A girl flushed. For one wild moment hej where they are, and I'll get them." ple who rarely feel the cold. out before. You know as well as

At first she seemed disposed to "We'll be into another hundred-I do that you can't afford to have like Jessica inspired a fellow to thought to take advantage of her hold the information from him

out any truck with any Jessicas, or do that. His voice was firm as he gullibility, this contretemps whichThen, as another spasm took her,

Her voice cut sharply in upon

them.

"Mother! you've been.pilin' coal

weight before the week's

"She?"

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understand,

Dun-

she al-

I'd ever dared to talk to my Mother?" Relf cried intensely-pains came on; his mother hav-

daughter,

said:

me

her, stricken air implied. But as "Well, I'm going to tell Jessica one who had so frequently had she gave him a searching look to come into tea, anyway, his emotions exploited, he could, with pain-filled eyes. Mother."

not bring himself to exploit the "Aye," she muttered eventual- He went to the door and called emotionalism of others.

ly, more to herself than to him, her in. His mother planked, a

to be "No, Mother, it's nothing like "I reckon young Relfie's

[trusted.. . In me room... in fourth cup on the table as though that," he said, almost regretfully,

a black box. it scorched her hands to handle In her relief, she sniffed.

Look behind Lit.

That's one good thing, then," the loose brick, back o' the chim- "Oh! Mother --" But what ney-place. Come straight Duncan sat bolt upright, stiff with was the use? It was inevitable back, mind you."

He went to her room, wonder-

Tea was a tensed meal Edith

that

propriety which demands that argument must always end to that though a domestic bomb-his disadvantage. He sank dis-ing. Her manner had seemed shell may have dropped five min- consolately in a chair while his queer, furtive. He found the loose utes before, no casual visitor shall mother went

[brick in the chimmey-place where

to. her room.

be permitted to notice the debris. Granny; shuffling her old bones in a re was never lit; withdraw Jessica, in her anxiety to be nearer the fire, began to make it. Yes, there was the black box. placative, assumed a strained little clicking noises with her tongue. He opened the box and gasped smile. which Relf's mother mis- "Poor Relfie;" she said sud-at what he saw inside. read as being an

For besides the bottle labelled implication of denly.

there was "Poison" superior influence.

He gave the old woman a sad

something was monosyllabic, dourly troubled. little smile. Tacitly, these two else:-there was a heap of long- Only Granny munched amiably, were allies in understanding,dulled and tarnished gold; a sight accumulated, secretive sovereigns,

Relf himself

sucking in the butter from her though they never aired their pikelets with appreciative lips.mutual grievances one to the that set his pulses racing..

The ordeal by tea-cups over, other, But to-night he could not£50 in gold in that black box. There must have been at least Jessica made her excuses to be help it. gone. No good, she recognised, "I'll never be able to amount Fifty pounds! In his astonishment. that he was would be served if she lingered. to anything, Granny," he told her elf declared Mrs. Duncan's attitude was utter-miserably.

į"damned." You artful old thing, ly uncompromising.

"Stuff an, nonsense!" exclaimed you, Granny! Relf saw his sweetheart to the the old woman, with surprising Unwittingly, though he did not gate. They looked desperately into spirit. "Young fellers didn't let know the true import of it, he had uncovered Granny's great each other's eyes for a moment, themselves get done out o' things, secret"me coffin money," als and saw deep desire and an abys-in my day." mal hopelessness therein. The "Things aren't the same nowa-she called it to herself, young lovers clutched each other. days. Granny. You see, there was

One fear, and on alone, had her "Oh, she hates me, Relf!" The so much waiting to be done and afflicted Granny ever since girl's voice was a sob.

discovered then. There were early years of hardship: the fear. "No, dear," he told her huskily, chances for an ambitious chap of being buried "on the parish" "she doesn't really. It's just her exploration, inventions, and the or in a pauper's grave. She had way. You see. She'll come round." like."

scraped and saved and hoarded He tried to infuse conviction into "An' so there be now, I'll wared in life that she might be decent against that calamity, impoverish- rant," said Granny. "Silly old

That was her macabre "Oh, Relf, we'll never be able to woman, am I! Not so silly but in death. be married-and we must; we what I know true love when I do ambition, a flame, that burned as must!"

see it and true love can move

fiercely within her old heart as "Yes, my darling, we must," he mountains, Relfie My Martin--temporal intensities rage in the cried as urgently. "I'm going-back your grandpa was took

souls of the young. with

It was with an abstracted air

his tone.

to talk to her now. I'll make her summat dread when he were in 'see reason."

"

his prime. Incurable, they said that Relf went back to the kitchen Like lovers of another age, it 'twere. Well, there bain't no pro- to give Granny Her drops. Fifty was in sweet sorrow that they per cure found yet-an' that were Dounds! parted. Their kiss might have be-a tidy while ago. That's summat, He drew some water from the tokened the last evening of earth.for a start, that do need dis- tap in the scullery, and poured

He went leadenly back to the coverin', bain't it?"

the drops, returning to hand the cottage. Bitterness, bright and. She drew a whistling breath potion to her. She gulped the sharp as the stars above, cut into after what had been such an ex-stuff down avidly, and began to his being. This, then, was love! tended effort of speech.

feel better. almost at once. Then And this was living! A tender, "Yes,. Granny," the boy agreed. her quizzical eye fastened upon lovely thing reduced to crude "But even so, you want some-her grandson. economics. A fettered heritage of thing behind you to get a start. I "Happen you saw summat.else poverty from which any attempt want to be a surgeon. But I can't in the hox besides me drops, eh, to unshackle himself was destined be one just like that." He snapped Relfie?"

his Angers. "I'd have to go to a "Maybe I did, Granny," he mut If that were life, then how medical college before I as much tered. could youth survive it? Since this as had a chance."

to be frustrated.

:

..

"Ha!" she waggled an artful

was love, to go one's way without] "You'd want a bit o' money by finger at him-"how you do know it would be but a base counterfeit you, I' daresay?" said

of living!

cautiously.

Every mother's son. might differ, His eyes shone with but opportunity should not. Ho longing.

Granny Granny's little secret. Our little |secret, from now on, Relfie, Ye'll intense say nothin' to your mother?" Her

voice was plaintively anxious.

"All right, Granny," he heard himself saying, "not if you don't want me to."

Fifty pounds that old woman had! While hn and Jessica-Oh, From that night onwards a God what a world!

laboured on the land, as his "Oh! if I only had £50 or so father had done before him, but just to get away--!"! The had no real fidelity to offer the She seemed to withdraw into land. The earth was good, but he herself like an old and wrinkled was spurious, because his ego did tortoise, an not belong to the exacting earth."Who'd have 50 she mum His hands were strong but he felt bled from within her shell. them to be fashioned for more'de- "That's the trouble," said Relf, strange look was apparent in the Ilcate operations. than those de-forlornly. "I might as well wish face of Reif Duncan. His mother manded by the ploughi

for a fortune!"

noticed it, and so did Granny, who To become a surgeon was Rell "Poor Reine;"croaked Granny rarely had an ̄cye for anything Duncan's dream. That was why, again, dismissing the matter. but her interminable pikelets. when the day's work was done. "Ouch!"

Relf, taxed, was' evasive. Ho A spasm of pain pos- he had trudged

fs remoto, two miles to sessed her.

onewallding night-school three times a week "Your pains again, Granny?" he through a phantasm, His voice for the past two years. There was asked solicitously.

› was stratnad," staccato; his man- so much studying to be done. So "Yes, dearle

(Continued on Page 7)

'must go an

was