1941-08-30 — Page 6

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THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 20, 1941.

Unsung Courage Of Britain's Shopfolk

(By DOROTHY A

LOVELL)

-I WAS PAYING a bill, Bills still arrive with persistent regularity despite the cessation of much else. I took the money out of my bag, and while waiting for the receipt, chatted to the little shop| assistant.

She was immaculate, from her glossy curls to her manicured nails, and made me feel ashamed of my dusty condition. It is difficult not to be dusty these days. I had made my way around the 'fringe of a huge cràter and craters have a habit of being dusty.

On the other side of that wall,

"What's there to eat?” she ask- I told myself, immediately behind ed. "I want a nice meal if I can get that bright young face, a high it; you can't hope for more than building had

and been one real meal a day now." gone, had crushed right away from roof to she ran her eyes over the curtail- cellar, leaving nothing but pro-led list of dishes.

"I'm +3 big truding ribs, and doorways lead-woman," she went on, "and you ing nowhere, and fire-places don't get bits of cheese, and things clinging to unprotected walls. like that to fill up odd corners

I looked at the fireplaces around

me in the showroom. There were plenty of them -- polished, glow- ing, elegant - displaying all the latest types of modern heating. I looked a the painted walls, at the richly grained doors with their glass handles, at the scarlet leather seats of the chromium chairs, and I felt the comforting warmth of well-being that per- vades such showrooms. That thing outside, that desolation had momentarily disappeared. It was impossible for two such extremes to exist at the same time.

Got Through÷All Right

"Saturday night was a bit noisy, wasn't it!" come the voice across the counter. "I was in one of the worst parts chose that special week-end to stay there with my aunt! But we

got through all right." She gave a little laugh, and folding the receipted bill carefully, handed it to me. As she did so she looked straight into my eyes.

"Why don't we feel it more than we do?" she asked. That is the question we are all ask- ing. Why don't we feel it more than we do?

She is safe, I told myself as I went away. She didn't get the direct hits. Her job is still there. She isn't looking at the havoc in the roadway or at the traffic crawling along

at Ave miles an hour in order not to bring down more of the toppling structure. That is why she doesn't feel it.

In Another Store

these days!"

Che waen't complaining. Her good natured face rose cheerily above the collar of her coat, and her light blue eyes were merry.

"The street's in a mess," she

HORROR TALES FROM BERLIN

"

to

the

While Berlin-radio accuses the Russians of torturing wounded German officers death, "Pravda,' Soviet

newspaper, says an order by a German general 'has been found saying that the shooting of Russian prisoners "should be more sys- tematic."

Berlin radio says one German officer's body had been burned with soldering iron "found nearby."

who owned it took a delight in constantly changing her window display, and my eyes were al- tractively set out on ways falling on fresh objects at- red velvet.

strips of

informed me by way of something to say. "All glass and hose pipes. And the little old sandwich shop down the steps in the Court

Even if I managed to get past perhaps you know it? it's gone. the bow window in the front, I You can't help feeling sorry was caught by an aperture at the you've lost 11; I used to dodge inside through which could be seen there most days for a chat and a

a stove glowing among an assort- laugh."

ment of books, china and glass, all marked at prices that seemed remarkably low.

Music Helps A Bit

Her meal arrived, and she didn't speak again until it was finished. Then she sat back in her chair contentedly.

And now the little place was no more than a heap of smashed wood and rubble, of charred pages loosened from their bindings, and blackened pictures parted from "It's nice hearing the music," their frames. In and out of it she observed. "It makes you feel all, as if trying to hold the re- more nonnal. That's what I al-mains together, wound the strips ways say its best to be normal of red velvet. A worden had if you can. I'm one of those as mounted the heap and was drag- can put their troubles off push ging torn and broken things from: them into to-morrow as the wreckage.

haven't got them with me if you know what I mean. It's the best way, isn't it? Keeps you happy!”

The young woman was there, too, taking the objects from him and placing them together in pathetic ! groups on the ground, It reminded me, in t'ome grotesque way, of the bran tubs we used to have at

· parties, "except that the rubble not the wrapped-up gifts we used to find,

was

That was the large woman with the fluffy hair, who had been picking up glass all the morning, if not in a shop at any rate in an office; who had waded through debris and hose pipes in order to ge: her one good meal, and who was short of cheese "and things

I spoke to the young woman. like that, to fill up odd corners.".I told her how sorry I was that told myself as I walked

But she hasn't lost her job, the place had gone and asked if away she would be able to carry on the She business elsewhere. She looked up cheerfully from a collection of crumpled prints at her feet.

through the broken streets.

doesn't really feel it because her job is still going on.

Antique Shop Gone

"Oh, yes," she said. "I've taken a shop over the way. I'll be open- ing quite shortly!"

But then I remembered another shop a large store that had suffered severely from enemy And then I came upon the tiny 'Why don't we feel it more than action on that same Saturday antique shop, or rather upon the we do? Surely, if anyone had 'a night. Most of the front had corner where the shop had stood, right to be shattered she had? gone, and when the assistants, for it was no longer there. I had Yet there had been an almost many of whom had already lost been fond of that little place. It triumphant look in her face while their homes, arrived for work on had afforded me much pleasur- she spoke to me, as if, through the following Monday morning, able anticipation whenever I went the very suffering, some great the mass of fallen debris was so that way, for the young woman' new thing was being born. 35, thick that they literally had to sweep their way in. A side of the roof was open to the sky, and to add to the cônfusion, a pipe had burst and one of the floors was flooded.. So they collected wader from the shoe department and tackled that job.

"We had to keep things going, you see,” said one of the girls brightly when the salvage sale „was in full swing five days later.] And then she turned to serve te customter. Not silk ones, Mad- am," I heard her saying, in the Im- perturbable voice that no blitz can change, but we have a few large size in lisle at 2/11/"

Why don't wel feal it more than we do?.

I thought of the large person; with a mop of fair hair sticking out beneath a felt hat, who had plumped herself down at myctable in the busy, cafe and had imme- diately begun to talk.

Talk Barriers Toppled

Londoners, before the war, were

one and everybody but the know- ledge that we are all in it toget- her has changed things in many

GAS WASH BOILER on HIRE 75c. MONTHLY. not in the habit of talking to any

RITE, CALL OR PHONE

HONG KONG & CHINA GAS CO., LTD. She spread out her hands in

Central Showroom.

#Gloucester Building. (Corner of East Arcade)..

Telephone 24704:"

Kowloon Showroom--

246, Nathan Road (Corner of Jordan Road). Telephone 57341.

front of her and looked at them with a smile, "Been picking up glass for hours." she explained. All the windows have been blown out, but the fob's there all <right.".

I handed her "the" menu.

Music, dancing and romanos kaynotes 20th Century Fox's latest hit, "The Great American Broadcast,” věhloh stare Alice Fayo,Jack Oakle, John Payne and Cesar Romerp. Featured in the picture fu a onat honded by Mary Beth-Hughes,, Fonturad spots are filled by The Four Ink Spote, The Wiers Brothers and The Nicholas : Brothers.