1948-12-18 — Page 14

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THE CHINA MAIL, "CHRISTMAS-SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER 18, 1948.

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5th Floor, Holland House.

CALDBECK MACGREGOR & CO., LTD.

The Leading Wine And Spirit Merchants

*

In The Far East

Since 1864

"The Connoisseur Comes to Caldbeck's

| SHORT STORY.

CONTINUED. FROM PAGE 13.

since we came. We've

lot

Holy Sterling.

a

CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE SKY

"A lot of those trees have just happens,"

Dut in

Baniling. |_ "We're awfully" tired," asid reached haturity," added Spray, "Well try for London."

Banting finally. "We'd like to "Most of them are being tapped "Music is music, even enemy got sume sleep." twies a day, And komn of our musle,” sald Martin softly as he Jo and Rost went nway with blacks have been collecting and stopped Banting's hand on the with the three men to show curing wild rubber for us ever dial. “And this is the first music them where they would sleep. we have heard, except for what Markin sat alone by the fire. got we have been auto to make our thinking of all sorts of strange mackerell" exclaimed cives with crude petive Instru- things, such as snow And how ments. But what is the name the frost on a windowpane feels of that piece they are playing?" on a winter momkg-ot Spray. The men shook then heads. and how strange it was that she As a child, Martin had been should have remembered the able to go the piano, and play | ship'u music, And then he by cur any tune he ever heard, thought of her eyes, how lovely structive to do. So the six of us even tho túnes he made up in they were by moonlight and how went in for it. And now all of his own mind. Buy this music he would like to see them by the us know everything there is to was different, unknown und yet light of the show. know about the

of known. For him it had a haunt- This same growing

moon would be lug, very intimate quality, al- | shining down right now

beating aud thudding of his own where there was know. The un

It meant heart.

believable something tu

moonlight--he hin. something~-

love that had

"Well-Spray's voice, was ex- Hanatory-"I know it may seem n to fulle to you, pitiful even. But we needed something con-

Ол

rubber. We could get a job any most as if once it bad boen the places on the earth's surface

where in the world where

grow,"

"Futile.

Baniling's pitiful!" voice gently mocked her, "Tou have probably done more for

thion your country

any other how we need that rubber!"

"But aren't we in the Belgium Congo?" asked Martla. "And hasn't Belglum

an

Quite by accident, he glanced at Spray and saw that her face was averted. He could only see the curve of her cheek. Why, that lovely curve of her cheek had been the very first thing

about her he had noticed, "No.

"I've got it!” he thought sud- you're in English-owned Nigeria, which is rather different. denly. "It was the selection that and don't worry about the Eng-the day I first saw

ship's orchestra was playing on

her. lish and the Americans not being Italian air, it was.

Sorne She able to get that rubber out. Can bert, too. Her lips are quivering, be done, will be done, will be What came to me on that day done. But now you must tell us came to her, too. It has never about yourselves."

gone away. But how can we get As Rod and Jo went on with to each other? It's as if there there story, Martin

suddenly were a thousand walls of gloss knew that his jungle was between us. entirely different place from It's time-that's what it is. theirs.

For the very first time. Time is that invisible stuff we he was realizing that to them it can't get through. And nothing had not been a moming

world

can be dune about time. It's the one thing no one can fight agalist. There'vo been too many years of surly behaviour on my part. Too much coal, politeneers on hers.

All that's a habit by now. It's forever too late."

Martin sat there still and shaken by this realization as the others went on talking

"Listen, what's that?" askert Spray,

of groznness and freshness. Per haps that wor because they hadn't hind his ability to connect it up with' the personality of Spray.

As he listened to the talk of Rod and Jo, Martin saw that, to them, the Jungle had always seemed deadly and dangerous. Their Jungle had been false, flamboyant and flaunting.

"The Jungle people know the A thin wall of the native huts seven deadly sins the white man down in the compound, Spray knows," sold Jo. "And then got up at once and, excusing seventy more far deadlier. Dark hersalt, went off in the direction tortures, cannibalism, unspeak of the sound able orgies, voodoos, charts for "That is Kitu," explained Ann the knowledge of which these to the mon, in matter-of-fact black peple barter their inmor-way.

"I

it's her baby)

to be on hand,"

certain it wasn't

was

only purnding 1 shall ever know.*

and her face in that ilght was very quiet and domuro. But ha was sure she'd gold that,

at

them to be properly married.

and for

he'd led the life of a too sheltered, Up until their jungle experience,

Spray had been in closer touch very fastidious young artist. with life than he. And she knew hint they couldn't have even one is here in this jungle without starting out together on the sort there is

For him, na ho sat there, dizzy / It was the velce of his thoughts was as if all the torment and Iram his overwhelming joy, it and had only a purely religious furmoll within his mind ware significance. But when he turned, suddenly ended. Ito had found there she was at his able

with but, only a very short time ago, a white wrapped bundle in her

that the whole world was "He's our very own Christmas war. He'd have to go to war, too. baby," she said. "A fine boy. suddenly full of a deep peace,

But his own private world was was damp In that hut, and I

He understood everything now. wanted him to have some dry 14 had all come clear for him, On warmth,

That was so like her. She was had said to him that she didn't that other jungle night, when she an angel. Ant Martin was wish believe they'd get Ing, all of a sudden, that he could gnon, that had been

out of herdt

exnetly live over agahi all those gullen what she had meant. bours of the post four years,

Spray had thought it would be "Spray," he said, "why can't sometime, while for him it had you crystallize hours and minutes been never. She'd believed in and freeze them, somehow 111 the ability of her brothers to water a waterfall? I don't find her, She'd been as sure want to leave here. I want it to

that they wouldn't. And the be now always. And it isn't be wanted everything to be fair and cause I'm afraid to go and fight square between them," made him bellove the moonlight. In the war, Spray. I want to do here in the depths of the jingle,

thal." had been more beautiful than 1 know, Martin." Her velce anywhere else in the work.

wis wonderfully soft. When he was old, he would t's just that-well, this is a probably be obsessell by the concaradise, Spray. I think it is the viction that the moon had alone here every night chiring the four yeurs like a lovely, tullblown flower. But why did that moon always remind him of Spray?

And now the moon, as if it were in league with her to for- over elude him, slipped beneath a dense black cloud. You coul think someone had pressed i button kotnewhere, the WHY

For instance, on that other those stars come shining out And, for him, in a moment the

night so long ago, it Spray had ke lights on a Christmas tree. Jungle scene became transparent really believed as he did that and he was seeing Spray as he they would never be able to get They were the large, plorcingly bright stars peculiar to the fun- hnd never seen her. Spray at out of the jungle, perhaps ho Christine dance with hor blue would have had that kiss, and- cle..

There was one star that out shone gray eyes wide, rapturous and But he didn't need to have hez then bil. It was like the star that shines at the top

the vain to avoid the mistletoe which It wasn't important any longer. of tree. the sert of star you'd wish hung in every doorway.

It was the peace in his heart, "Spray," he said, you said the that was important. on if you were a chili-to some

was the day marry a beautiful girl and word mistletoe. Just to say the Aral line he had felt anything to write at least one famous plecs word is to have it here. The resembling it since the day he of music. Those had been his twn sky is this

mistletoe, and thead first seen the beauty of her wishes when he was a child stars are the mistletoe bmrics face. It was a Christmas peace. They were the same now, except] Spray, it is over your hend." That was the only

to way that as a

"Yes, man he could realize

ເຕ murmured.

and describe it. they were utterly futile and there came a inocking, glint Jul

And now he could hear a lovely would never come true.

her eyes which were so myster-soft music playing. Note by note, lously shadowed by those long to could follow it in all

ashes. "But be carful

of the fasciting complexity and know unbly. He's little."

exactly what was going to como "That darned baby," le choked.ext. Why, it was his overturet even while he know that

to The music that meant Spray to have shown jealousy just then him. He had it safe and sound. would make her angry.

He would never lose it again. "Yes," she salt, nd in that The moon had come out from "Yes, it is a darned sweet baby had come true. light he thought he could actually behind its block cloud. The star She waited a minute, and then tored sleepily in one of the trees, Be sparks fly from her eyes, WIS gone, but his two wishes

The girl had almost vanishedt from his sight forever. As for the music-even the echo of it had been gone now for a long time. It was all like a snatch of dance inusis coming from the hear balloon which he would ns a child when he was sinking closed the door to the off to sleep before his nurse wing. Even then, mus and the thought

of

"Look at the star, Martin," came ther sort voice at his side again. "They're like penris. No, they're like those pearly berries of romantle voyage from which is no return. Stupid of hin that grow on the mistletoe. Bernt to have understood. There'd member the mistletoe?"

always been too much that was "Pearts

mistletoe on the

unspoken between them, Perhaps His voice was husky there always would be. memory." and chocked.

af

very mischievous as she tried in

answer to that unanked question.

Its

A macaw chat-

twin souls in order to obtain per-being born, and Spray promised sonal reveTISE,"

"All our black women worship "All that seems very incredi- ble, especially that

selling your the ground Spray walks on awa soud part," observed Hughald Jo. "She's the only one of Bantling. "But, of course, others our three gals who has been able

beautiful women have come back and told much to get their adoration. The black

dancine had a strange, myster- her eyes grew shyly mischievous. and as he leaned in adoration ious glamour.

"nut I the same story. Still, I don't be men, 100, feel the

guess other bables could toward the beautiful girl and the sathe way, lleva it,"

It's sort of kindness and pract:-It was like the star of Bethlehem. Her volse faded. But he was sure that he was truly the happiest,'

How bright that star, was now!

be ulcer. Some day, maybe steeping Christmas baby, he knew collty she has which they like,

"Yes, I can see that," Bunting come a soft veice atik ein me dyes were cast down.

"Martin, look, the bew Baby" she'd wipered, "yours and most fortunate man in the world. returned, "And" so we are to have a baby on Christmas Eve. His voice was suddenly wearys "Well, I'm afraid it will be a long ume before Christmas cm meant very much to any of us`except, another Bghting day."

"But it can't be stranger to you than the news you had for us," said Martin, eming to the defence of Rod and Jo. "After all, maybe we don't really be. lieve your story."

"Bui ni yon have to do Jy listen to one news dash over our chort-wave radio here." Banting returned. "Hure, Mantu," he sald, beckoning to his head bear. er. "set up the radio."

Eagerly. the six of them crowded around, But what they first heard was music instead of words.

"It should be Christmas rarols," said Spray.

Their voices went on and on. There were stil} great

many questions to be asked and an swered, but now that Spray wasn't there any more, everyth 1ing seemed dull and flat. And Martin noticed that even they, who had only known her for such a short time, were able to

"It's coming from Rome, as it sense it, too.

WHERE MAN'S CHRISTMAS

ASPIRATION IS FINDING EXPRESSION

كا

By C. G. Chenevix-Trench

outlook. Thanks to

the

Peace on earth is sull the new Christmas prayer of Western preaching of. Canon C. E. Raven, man, but wholesale destruction who appears 10 be the Only likely to be his fate on theulogin of note who can claim Christmas day as on any other a systematic training in biology, day in the calendar.

readers and listeners are begin- The brotherhood of Man? An ning to realise that man is not ever-receding mirage, say those alone in his painful march to- who see the chessboard of life ward the "far-off. divine event wholly black. But conceivably, to which the whole creation they are mistaken. It may be moves."

that here and there on earth The aesthetic sense is strong in mankind is approaching the dis- many birds. Terms adem cir tant ideal by a winding road.

nests with dowerets of sea-pink,

form by commuted in extreme

of ants and

If peace on earth is as yet no the long, artificial avenue to the more than a dream, we British lyre-bird's "bower" is decorated are undoubtedly moving in the with brightly-coloured shells and direction of a more kindly, Chris-

pebbles. Duty towards one's tlan attitude towards our hum-neighbour is ble cousins, the animals.

The evidence of this trend is bees. The point emphasised by antaistakeable. It is to be found, Dr. Roven is that in the course first, in the recent upsurge of in of evolution such so-called "in- terest in the wild life of Great stincts" are inherited and refined Britain.

Despite the desperate by humans and lead, in time, to shortage of

the news the crown and consummation papers and periodicals find room evolution, the perfect man. for articles on our naiive birds, pattern was revealed to the beasts, reptiles and insecte, and world by the Godman whose there is no bottom to the demand birth in Bethichem we celebrate for books on natural history sub- on Christmas day. Hence, mal- jects.

treatment of lower forms of life Disapproval has spread even may be said to be an outrage to the making of collections of against Divinity itself." birds skins and

eggs and In

many a village it is definitely

Ceylon's Lead

ابه

His

bad form to rab nests. School- Meanwhile, by some mysteri boys are

encouraged to find aus telepathy, the wild creatures them, leave them, undisturbed of these inlands seem to have sen- and write essays about them

sed this change of heart on the Quite the most unpopular. In part of their former persecutors, dividual in a certain neighbour and to be responding to it. hood is a man who shoots every

door in nature, it has rare bird he come acres, for his observed, appears to be turning) collection. He is obliged to in-3 on a hinge.

drunkard sanda doorg

Some been

W

THE END

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