Ο
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1954.
A NEW SHERLOCK HOLMES STORY STARTS TODAY
N glancing through pancs. These Inclement nights friend rald thoughtfully, "When
my notes, I find itro invariably the herald of" Hils words were interrupted by recorded that the
a rush of foot on the staircase, night of November the door was burst open and 10 saw the first heavy bliz- our visitor stumbled into the zard of the winter of 1886. room.
up
#
The day had been darkc
He was a short, stout man, and cold with
bitter wrapped A
in dripping searching wind that moaned mackintosh cape and wearing a against the windows and, as bowler hat tled under his chin the early dusk deepened by a woollon muffler. into night, the street lamps the glimmering
through
gloom of Baker Street dis- closed the first flurries
SHOW
of
and slect swirling
along the empty glistening pavements.
HOW-
the butler from Borne wealthy household rushes on the spur of the moment through, a storm in order to full songelows on my htimbla carrot, I amni tempted to visualise some affair of grester moment than a broken till."
"My dear Holmes!"
"1 would stake a guinea that Holmes there ka allvery beneath that,
The Adventure
of the
I
Scarcely three weeks had passed since my friend Sherlock Holmes
moor
and
had returned from Dut- on the conclusion of that singular case, the de- tails of which
have
recorded elsewhere under the name of the Hound of
the Baskervilles and, though
ABBAS
"The camellias had gone”
RUBY
several inquiries had been by ADRIAN CONAN DOYLE W
brought notice since that time, none
to my friend's
Was of a
al
hands.
observu
"Then let us judge for our selves,' smiled Mrs Dunbar, and Sir Jalta went upstairs and brought down the Jewel-case, As he opened it on the table and they all crowded ladyship told lamps in the
conservatory as
Dgo. Captabi Musterman was very good to me and got ine this job with his brother-in-law, and from that day, to this I've never let him down. I've been con- tent to keep my wagos, hoping that eventually 1 might save enough to buy my own cigar shop.e
EDDIE CALVERT
IS FED UP WITH
"OH MEIN PAPA'
ОН
By René MacColl
"Go on with your story.". "Well, sir, I was in the hall, having sent the stable boy for the police, when 1 caught Captain Masterangan's voice
LTHOUGH it has turn- lots of tremolo) for the lale through the half-opened door ed into an irresistiblu Lord Derby at Knowsley, and of the library. 'Damn
hit on both sides of plans, for a career as an elec- John, I wanted to give a lume the
trical engineer had been junked. Log a chance, said be,
put
Atlantic, a wailing blume myself
Eddle was invalided out of the now that i didlament of a song entitled
Army in 1042, not tell you
past history. Oh, Mein Paph" is not borrowed from his papa, set out and with 215 He must have slipped in here everybody's plate of syrup.
to conquer the chaney, erratic, while everyone was in the con-
and tension-strung world of servatory and—
Not, for example, Mac dance bands and show business. Coll's. And not, more sur-
"I waited
Huis
i
In 1843 he got to London, at
Dance Orchestra. "Next 1 dis-
for no more, sir,
It was tough going, although, but telling Rogers the foolmani prisingly, that of a 82-year- that if anybody wanted me then old walking success story a week from his first job with a when he started getting £5 10s. find me they would
with Mr from Preston, Lancashire, Manchester bond, "I felt like a Sherlock Holmes, 1 ran here
Eddie ("Golden millionaire," through the snow, believing from named round, her
not Lips") Calvert, all I've heard that you will not me to light the
think it beneath you to save
For Eddie has put £15 a week with the B.B.C. from injustice vno who hos already paid his debt to Society. "O.M.P" into the very big covered the night clubs," aur- You are my only hope, sir, and time by dint of a limpidly murs Eddie with an awe newly -My God, I knew it!"
trumpeted record which has awakened down the years. "You word 'club' The door had down open and so far sold close on ono and low, until then the a tall fok-haired man, wrapped a half million copies all over a slate club or a working-man's only meant something like to the ears in a snow-powdered the world, may hit three club to me. But suddenly....
million before the upward Yes, suddenly the going got
long thin lingers on the other's they would be coming shortly in wrist. On previous occasions I see the red camelitos, But there
Holmes's almost were no red camellias." mugnetle power for asserting sense of pênce and comfort over
nature to appeal bad tilted the lampshade, so that overcoat. Ah, dki 1 not say so the minds of those in distress. the light shone towards the door "Even so, I do not see how it was so in this case, and the either to his love of the and, for
moment, the man you surmised it nor the wealthy wild paule-stricken gleam faded FAIL to understand.”
"They'd gone, sir! Gone, bizarre or to challenge that remained motionless, staring at household."
slowly in the man's eyes. across the rown while the
now, give me the very single one of them," cried "Come, unique combination of logic us
Holmes picked up the limp facts, Sherlock Holmes enjoined catered the conservaky,
our visitor hourself. "When I and deduction which de muisture from his sodden gar-
You will dark stains
jus after a moment. that the pads of both thumbs
stood there holding the lamp "My name is Andrew Joliffe," pended for its inspiration et dripped
above Watson.
my head and wondering In a began our visitor He would have been a comical are darkened, upon the intricacles of the the carpet.
man of sedentary type, I know and for the past two years!
more calmly, if I was stark mod. There was figure, with his tubbiness and
the famous shrub all right, but problem which lay before it.
unly one occupation that will fat fact:
framed in its account for the equally of dis-ve been employed na bulier to of the dozen wus crackling in encireling muffler, were it not
Sir Joìm and Lady Dovertum at colouration. The man polisnes Manchester Square." of helpless the grate, and as for the impression
back leaned
"Sir John Doverton, the torti- sery in the man's brown eyes silver with his thumbs." In my chuir ant and in the shaking hands with
"Surely. Holmes,
leather Burist*** Ict my eyes which he plucked at the absurd
would De more usual," I wander about the tow beneith his chin.
protested.
A
mercy
untidy cosiness of our sitting- room I had to admit that the
wildness of the night and the seɲAKE off your coal and come rattle of the
the slect upon
to the fru," said Holmes window panes served merely to increase my own sense of con- tentment.
On the far side of the fireplace Sherlock Holmes was curled up in his armchair, languidly turn ing over the pages of black
marked "B** itulex which he had just completed under "Daaker-
book
certain entries
In
<
kunily.
"'I
must indeed apologie,
for my
untoward gentlemen, intrusion," he began. "But I fear have risen that circumstances which threaten-threaten—”
"Qutek, Watson!"
senseless upon
But I was too late. There wHS a thud and a groan and there ville," and giving vent lay our visiter occasional chuckies and ejacule- the carpet. tions as his eyes wandered over Selzing some brandy from the the names and notes covering skleboard, ran to force it isp while Holmes, every page of the volume.
loosened the men's craned over my
between
I
"What do you make of him, Watson?" he asked.
had flung down The Lancet, who had with some idea of encouraging mulier, my friend to touch upim me or shoulder.
which were two of the names strange to me when, beneath the sobbing of the wind, my ears
"He has had a severe shock," sound of the I replied. "From his appearance, emight the faint dior-bell.
he seems a comfortable, respect- "You have a visitor," I said. able person of the grocer class "Surely
and doubtless we will and out Holmes replied, laying aside his more about him when he has
"And book.
urgent recovered," business." he illed. with
window glance at the ratiling
a
t
!!
***
"On ordinary silver, yes. Very fine silver is Buished, however, with the thumbs, and hence my conjecture of Q well-to-do household, As for his sudden departure, the man has rushed into the night in patent-leather pumps despite that it has been showing since six o'clock. There, now, you are feeling belter, added kindly, S our visitor
ned his eyes. "Doctor Watso and I will help you into this clair, and after you have rested owlle doubtless you will tell us your troubles."
already!"
The
he
3
cupe, strode into the room.
"Alt, Gregson, pecting you."
"NU doubt, Mr Holmes," replied Inspector Gregson drily. Well, this is our man and so we'll be getting along." great blossoms which I had admired on it this very afternoon there remained not so much as a petai,"
Sherlock Holmes stretched out a long arm for his pipe.
"Deur, dear,"
sak he, "This But pray Interesting
לו
your
"Yes, sir. In- deed, there's them that say that bla is most gratifying. flowers, and espe- continue cially his famous narrative." red camellias, mean more to Sir tell them. Juhn than even the Abbos Ruby and
fla other family treasures. I take it you know about the ruby, sir?"
"1 ran back to the library to But it is impossiblet" 1 caw the cried her ladyship. Bowers myself when I plucked one for my dress Just before "The man's been at the dinner.' port! said Sir John, and then, thrusting the jewel-case into the table drawer, he rushed for the conservatory with all the rest of them at his heels.
Bit the camellias had gone."
"One
moment," interrupteri "When were they seen
"I know of its existence. But tell me in your own words."
"Well, it makes one frightened just to look at it. Like a big drop of blood l is, with a touch of devil's fire smouldering in its Holmes, heart. In two years I had seen inst7" The man clapped It only bree, for Sir John his hands to his it in
in the sule in his keeps locked up like
some deadly "Rested awhile!" poisonous creature that shouldn't before dinner, they were there elght o'elocit. But the cried wildly. even know the of
light
To about day. "My God, sir, they night, however, I saw for the
no matter, Mr 16 must be after me second time. It was just after dinner, when one of our guests, Captain Masterman,
suggested
head.
he
to Sir John that he should show
them the Abbas Ruby- rllent, Walson,"
זו
J
"Who must be after you?” "The police, Sir Johm, all of them! The Abbas Ruby has been stolen!"* The words rose "Tut, I think
almost to a shriek, that we might
My friend venture A little further,"
leaned forward and placed his my
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Interposed
"I saw them at four, and as her ludyship picked one shortly
Holnes. It's the ruby?" flowers are of
"Ab!"
UR visitor leaned forward in
his chair.
"The library
Our
readily admits to
had
a
more hestie than we were ex-graph fades, and has to date tougher and
netted the Preston pride ever. Up went the money-18, £20, £30, £45 a week - but £10,000,
Eddie, in the 1044-G period, It has also indirectly landed sometimes found himself playing in four different night clubs Eddie, who the life of "World's Greatest every night. wretched Trumpet Player," with a near cilent leaped
to nervous breakdown. For on a
to visit "Buiten-day
United feet. I'm Innocent! States, where they gave him a never touched it" record of you-know-what made he walled.
nii at gold, to mark the booming sales, he contrived only a scant The police agent three nights of broken sleep. smiled sourly,
and drawing from his pocket a flat box, he shook it under his prisoner's
Jove.
his
the
MARRIAGE
NE of these jobs was crisply
terminated
Eddie when bopped the manager On the
nosť.
That, plus being exposed for
The manager had reprimand- the
Arst time $12 £ Chicago ed him for taking a drink with "convention"
in full cry (the
a guest in the bar. "I saw this "God save us, it's the jewel-anual get-together of the Music lovely girl on the dance floor," case!" gusped Jolliffe.
Operators of America, where
says Eddie, “and gave her tie There, he admits i Where the award was made). plus bandsman's glad eye.
Got i was it found, you say? It was various diet troubles, produced right back, too, so I asked her found where you put it, my man, in collapse when Eddie gut back to have a
drink." under your mattress.".
to London. Jolie's face had turned the
A few months later they were "I feel as if there's u vold married, colour of ashes, "But I noveri
and today chic and right behind me, and I may be pretty Josephine Calvert, former- touched It," he repeated dully.
"One moment,
backwards into ly Gregson," in- going to fall
the Chiot cashier in # terposed Holmes. "Am I to un-It,” remarked Eddle as he toyed movie chain, la Eddie's
have derstand that you
the with a trout at lunch. "I'm manager-"and
you Abbas Ruby?"
better, but still a bit wacky." "No," he replied, "the case was
But it cannot empty.
be far, and Sir John is offering a C Ward of five thousand pounds." May I see the case? Thank you.
was empty for
WHIPPING
his out
Icas,
he
CONTRAST
have a shrewder."
elief couldn't
Ist those days, when the wor was ending. Eddie was begin- ning to get recording dates, and doing the odd broadcast with bonds
Maurice Winnick's, C Doar
me, what a sorry ADDIE is short, with a tip-
Joo Loss's, and Harry Roy's. The lock unbroken but tilted nose, large, dark eyes, Then he sight.
Geraldo's was with the hinges
Fleab-und there is a hint of melan Orchestra, smashed.
bul "one day I coloured velvet. But surely" choly about him, despite the realised there was no future in vast success which he enjoys. just playing in other people's *Their names,"
Bub as for "Oh, Mein Papa," bands. So I started my own Holmes languldly.
and practically starved through rather explained to me "Names, sir? Ab, you nican the guests. Well, there
few minutes," he con- W Holmes laid the jewel-case record wasn't supposed to be were only a
resentfully that that side of the 1010." Captain Masterman, who is her tinued almost in whisper. beneath the reading lamp and the main
The tide turned-"but it was attraction. and "But when Sir John, fair de- examined it closely. "Most in the other side, entitled "Mystery Eddle
It wns ladyship's brother, Lord
a long, long obb, bolleve me." Lady Brackminister, Mrs Dun-
mented over the mystery of his teresting," he said at length. "By Street," which Eddie liked, and began making more and more crashed variety, and bar, the Right Hon. William flowers, returned and opened the the way, Joufte, was the ruby Radford, our member of Parlia- drawer, the Abbas Ruby, to-
which was intended to sell the records. mounted?" ment, and Mrs Fitzsimmons- gether with its jewel-case, had
disc. Leming."
vanished as completely as the locket and chain.
"It was set in a carved gold
But oh, Mr *To form a contrast," says red camellias."
Holmes
Eddie, "I played 'Papa'
very For a moment wo szi in
"Rest assured I will do my simply, No frills. A 'throw- silence broken only by the best for you. Well, Gregson, we away. So what happens? It tinkle of burning embers will detain you no longer." failing in the grate.
The Scotland "Jolifte," ⚫ mused
Holmes snapped a pair of handcuffs on dreamily, "Andrew Joliffe. The our unhappy visitor and 'I would prefer to show you the Calterion diamond robbery, was moment later the door had closed red camellias in the con- it not?"
behind them. survatory," said Sir John,
The
The man buried his face in specimen that my wife is wear- his hands. ing in her gown is surely more beautiful than anything to be found in a jewel-box, as you can judge for yourselves."
Holmen cribbled a word on his cuff. "Pray continue," said hc.
"I was serving coffee in the ibrary when the Captain made his suggestion and all the ladies began to clamour to see the gem.
CITY
SEEM to remember
I reading something
about "little words,"
"I'm glad you know, Sir," he muttered at last. "But as God is my judge I've kept straight since I came out three years
Yard min
WORLD COPYRIGHT The Adventure of the Abbas Ruby will be continued on Monday.
A
SUCCESS
turns into a smash hit,”
THEN, Just July, Eddie recorded "Mystery Street"-"with just Eddie's papo, a shoe-repairer, another tune on the back." That who likes to play in brass bands tune on the back caught on in around Preston in his spare Britain; faded; became a hit in time, was not angry when he America, and is now high in our discovered that seven-year-old hit parade.
Eddie had been practising with
Now fortune is sorring to his father's cornet on the sly.
for Eddie High C
Calvert Instead, he encouraged him,
and his 18-carat golden trumpet. At 12, Eddle was playing a In America they offered him solo ("Home Sweet Home," with
9,500 dollars (£1,250) for a three-minute spot on TV. He
couldn't say yes because of some shemozzle with the musicians' union, but he expects this to be cleared up soon and is probably headed for Hollywood.
"But, as for 'Oh, Mein Papa," with hearing the "It's
OF FROZEN FACES
And recently a man gave his I'm fed up By WINIFRED GASKIN
which like pebbles dropped Friends out shopping speak in turbs the echoes. The crowd into ล pool, form ever- hushed tones, and the buses and springs to lite and surges to widening ripples in conver- cars, the vans and coaches, the
wards the open doors. There is in sation or thought.
bicycles even, slip by as if they, too, were bating their breath,
Whoever wrote that never tried the pebble-in-the-pool It is unpardonable to pound technique in an English a born in London except on suburban train.
strongest provocation, even in treas where it is legal. And There, the conversational oven when it is vital to use pebble makes not even a the gay flourish,
this just resort, the result is not chink against the rock as it like call, or the cheery toot-
the trumpet falls to rest in granite teot of other cities. It is an im- gloom.
pallent, little chord expressing annoyance at having to commit this social error.
The gloom, of course, is the fabled English reservo-the bult of humorists, the despair of foreigners.
And those who underscore the carriages stopy silences note,
Rush Hour
darn thing," says Eddio,
six-inch rull
ilfe to save his dog.
It almost seems as if the Eng-like having a lish, believing themselves to be jammed through my head."" as "thers" soo them, have built We left the restaurant and up the tradition of cold reserve strolled round to Eddie's modest off Charing public-an unwritten law walk-up flat, just standing room only, and not passed down the generations. Cross Road. much of that. Silently they plle Or perhaps they just do not On the way we stopped to buy in and overflow down the pass- care how" "Ithers" see them. his.recording of "O.M.P."
is the only one of his records age ways. And there they stand and wait.
The chatty little child of five that he does not keep proudly is smiled upon; but the twelve-at home. "Couldn't bear to, "Mi-the-dose" (Mind the year-old boy will change the Rene, but I do want doors) the guard calls, and the smiles to frowns if he cannot sit boar Mystery Street' doors slide together. Sometimes sill.
back--I mean front.” a body la but half insido. Swi
wordless, those within squeeze In public transport, the chat- tighter together or the guard ter of foreigners is tolerated lends a hand to ram in the with indulgence. After all, they human overflow a little further, weren't brought up in English "Mi-the-dose" again; the doors traditions. But an Englishman elore, the train pulls out. is a target for displeasure when
he breaks the rules.
Each ono ja preoccupied... reading, knitting, staring. Even strap-bangers remain aloof from the neighbours who jostle them.
More Noise
L
1
UPROAR
It
you to
on tho
the living-room of the flat wo quickly, achieved uproar, From
the gramophone CETO
Eddie's rendition of "Mystery
Street" followed by his newest mumiyor "Midnight.
THO
King's Cross, at rush hour, is
telephone ·ond- front door. top, that London stems a chilly probably one of the world's
But are the English really so I come from a city with abells were going. Eddie and city to its strangers. In public, busiest railway stations. But it cold and indifferent? See the population not greater than one Josephine were carrying on a its nine millions seem to walk could surely qualify for the light that comes into their eyes of London's smaller boroughs. conversation about business, and hushed on tiptoe as it in some title of "most subdued." In the when a woman enters the train But in comparison wo make Eddie's dog was barking happily, vart cathedral,
Underground there is life with a small child-the friendly more nolso than London's mill- Do you blame me for having need for loudspeakers. The smiles, the whispered remarks, Ions.
a nervous breakdown?" asked Into Piccadilly Circus, hoart.
guard's voice is easily
the overttires heard all of London, abe stroots empty, with no vocal effort on his part. lines, to the child.
of friend
the maestro plaintively. When I came to Britain you know, I do feel I'm helping "But, But except for the hum of
your ago from British Culana to educate the people in this traffe, there is little other The scurrying thousands look No the English are not roafty I felt lonely in the lines of country with my playing." naise. Here is action, swift and straight ahead and through each cold. In the dark of a cinema or London's streets. Today, a wo-
"Educating them?" I queried. steady, but somehow strangely other with so many blind pyes, theatre they can enjoy the most man laughed loudly and my muted.
"Yos, educating the
them to buy although their ear, registered offence, Beldom do people appear to elustvo, joke, The crowds in Oxford Street, meet a cherished alend. And it musto hall humour is often in And how my own land will
I turned over London's great shopping centre, they do, few would dare to call telligible only to themselves. be strange after the silences of undry Street), and put on
best ilustrate the out in recognition. "noise" of the worldz would be, Ilke shouting in
For that are sentimental over arians who stride plong on first searing notes started to
London--the pustyZooted, pedes “O.M3. But hardly largest city. Hurrying, they all church.
animais. A family of cats on a rubbers test they awake and well through the room, whet the pavements, and, spili, priedus
"bombod sito in the City, receives, sundos of their soeping ances midle bounded over and switched egriously Into the FORDWAY, The thunder of the trader inj dally 2. Jurich bundet from fors; the relentless tram E, MOLARKE | CREA But they are mostly
Not: that,” Eve beggod, emerging from the tunnex die wat kinen on nearly buildides, ing Nice Bono on a distant where anythrow but that
mora
・hod the
..
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