1955-02-19 — Page 14

8

15

TOP of the COLUMN

SWAYE

London lorena beba

THE CHINA MAIL,” SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1985.

The fish salesman's son invented Peter Cheyney

PETER CHEYNEY: PRINCE OF HOKUM. By Michael Harrison. Novillo Spear-

man. 161. 303 pages.

P

ETER CHEYNEY'S ad-

by

GEORGE MALCOLM THOMSON

vice to those wanting don't be afraid to wear your to write was simple heart on your sleeve." and practical: "Be brief; be

It is a pity that Michael conddent; be

audacious, Harrison did not take this advice, He reaches page 60 of this biography before announcing the birth of his hero.

A British Crossword Puzzle

12

6

14

10

18

19

20

21

122

23

124

25

27

E

ACHONS

3 Ghostly (0)

8 Eager (4)

9 Faine (8)

11 Feign (8)

13 Mene uit (4)

15 Nautical (8).

18 I'ui bondage (8)

EES

18 Saucy (41

21 Flags

(8)

23 Begged (8)

26 Minute pastoge

(4).

27 Muse (8).

26

DOWN

I Platform (4)

2 Fute (4).

Large Aneriesin teline (4). Chastise (4) Extent (5).

(3).

" AFSpirit ().

10 Detalls (5).

12 Foolish

(5)

14. Negotiate (8).

the akin 10 Bury (5).

17 Antelope (3).

19 Geometrient gure (5).

20 Swift (8).

21 Wuse (4).

22 Clever

(4).

23 Midday (4).

24 Simmer (4).

YESTERDAY'S CROSSWORD.--Across: 1 Gruner, 4 Sorts,

7 Amicable, 8 Usage, Direct, 11

Enhance,

15

13 Recluse, Untrue, 18 Cross 19 Abridged, 20 Ledge, 21 Lurked, Down: 1 Ouard, 2 Narre, 3 Debates, Sleuth, 5 Retainer, 6 Serene,

10 Reckoned, 12 Neutral, 13 Recall, Ended.

Was

Peler Cheyney

of lofty aspira- creature tions; an idealist. The world was constantly and cruelly falling short of the hopes he planned in it. Cheyney's re- sponse was to create another world of glorious and gikledt [imagination and to place himself firmly-or as firmly us possible-in the middle of it.

Ideal man

ut his entry in

Looks Who's Who:

dent means."

Tall? He was over alx fot. Slim? That was hurdler. Cheyney was 15 stone, But, in his own he could oven overcome way. that disability.

One of the heroes in his stories is "Slim" Callaghan,

COLUMN OF THE UNUSUAL ABOUT

PARADE PEOPLE, AND PLACES AND THINGS

Robinson

in a

4

and

•

Marchesino 1 ay s

•

giris in the friendly dog and like a great

prisons.

•

*

*

There's an H (for headgear) 1.re fashion In Britain's

It started when 200 women prison officers were told they were to get new hats to replace the pork-pia variety they hated the men about the place to see them in.

MYSTERY Stery is lost Contesca 'de Lazara

300, Paris's, 100, Moscow's 10 more than three times as much CRUISE woek joined a threatened with extradition" and Berlins A trip from, as the British 'private's starting

thip in England by the mayor

one end to the other tales 14 wage of £10 a month.. Southouse Cheyney, "Evelyn" to take them

And the poacotime bonefta was a later improvement, bor-know where.

to-they didn' The Counters, who has 20 or minutes. The train carries 500

offered under the GI Bill of Nor did they 30 dogs of one of his officers know

her own, anyway, passengers. rowed from

Rights have won plenty of men how long In the Igns of Court O.T.C. cruise would Inst.

the mystery rescued tome of the dogs from

Italian floods.

Mila's Dr Giuseppe over to the Army for good. LOVELY ́ when "Peter" came later sull,

All they know was that they When the mayor said they'd Edgar Wallace

that would suggested

sall for an

British girls have unnamed have to go, the prople of Avola LEGS "Evelyn" was too long.

Sometime in his life Cheyney ocean to search for underwater offered to take them all. This it all over Italian girls when it SCARED When Derick Broad-

olinglas Boy

head Williams, formed a mental picture of an company.

an unnamed ofl came after the Countess gave a comes to legs and log show HIPPO

And wheị is Dr Marchesant

driving along man; he Ideal

sparu mutt to a professor friend he spent his life

And the secret is being well of hers living in Avola,

to be casting aspersions on the Westom Ugandu road, Ci)- becoming it. The ideal was tall, kept, Postmarks on letters from Many had never seen a dog signorinas? It's the man who countered a wandering hippo, he slim, soldierly, tough, fearless

er the camen to their folks back before and

for Remigio stopped to let it go by.. giris the professor's dog hires the and engaged on romantle enter home will tell nothing. The quickly made Triorida with Poonc

one, Italy's biggest imprezaro. But the hippo wasn't having #ised judo and revolver shooting; toyal Navy corvette, is carrying dog roge spread,, prises: Cheyney fenced prac ship, the Selslim, a

former, children in the town. Then the The issue arose when it turned any. Shaking his head happily,

out that they are no fewer then he

sauntered hoped for a regular commission

a helicopter. And a hailcopte În Avola now,' you are not 12 British chorus

put his paws after the 1914-18 war, in which can tako

letters a fong way somebody of consequence unless show "We Bre •All

DeciGED' on the side of the car... he was badly wounded; was a saya akipper Commander John you have

which opened in Muan recently, The lieutenant,

a'dog.

car's fenders crumpled wl:0, when ho

Henckley

Dr Marchesans explained: 100 an accordian and the coor had somehow warried in 1920, become

For three young men in the

"British girls have longer legs was stoved in. That scared the 11 be-medalled captain. on the same occasion, his father crew

In the little village of Also more beautiful logs. And hippo and he went on his way the voyage will have a HIS

are always plak com- again. Crusoe touch. Each HOUR Corfontaine, near Lille, they "of indepen-will live alone for six months

蘊 there hadn't been was described as

plexioned." of bamboo-and-thatch

This state hut Are since 1912,

Bus aren't they, as legend has FASHIONS 200 miles away. while the ship scoure the seabed affairs reduced fireman Michel

It a a little frosty Cornee to a stole of prostra-

"Ah," says the doctor, "they're IN PRISON had he never will bo They

radio men, tion because

and always rumpus going on punctual

behaved on and off paced at points 25 miles apart, a chance to wear his smart blue always controlling Instruments to plot uniform except once a year for perfectly

the stage." the ship's position.

the Bastille Day parade.

bear the All

Finally he could mysterious-in a very For Cheyney lived two lives,

While That awkward social moment lonely place that his own and those of his charac-island, or jungle, or desert,

frustration no longer. could bo

villagers were watching a stroll when the man who has invited ing theatre show he set fire to you to lunch hands you the a barn, called out the brigade restaurant menu and you begin

Which pbemed to please every- and fivod a rich and magnificent wondering if you can let him

in for the oysters at 18/- or body-except the lower-ranking hour.

Lille Assizes sent him to got ought to choose the liver and prison officers who ate getting

at for two years, Somebody had bacon sputted him posing dashingly for banished may at last be tired of walking round in tiny

from our lives.

caps which sit in the The Tour

d'Argent, swagger their heads "ce a monkey on Paris restaurant where Princess an elephant," they may.

And when the women wore Margaret dined and every roast

pervect bears A special told about their new issue the duck

La on the

men said they wanted now hata Identity number,

They Anid Manager too.

the high- offensive against it. Claude Terrall sys that in ranking officers strolled round

and future only the hast will

be in good-looking hats and with handed a monu marked with plenty of gold braid.

Guests will be free to all seemed a matter of rank, prices. choose what they fancy in bliss- though. And the Prison Com

missioners and they did not ful ignorance of the cost.

want the "few remaining

between the high distinctions"

and the not-so-high oneers officers to be whittled away.

that But persuaded Anally

the not- thore was something so-high officers' complaint, the commissioners decided to find out how much it would cost to issue 3,600 of them with new

ters. Both were a little more

highly coloured than reality. But they were plausible and engaging, Cheyney believed in

lied in the recond.

+

BRIDGE

the first: his readers almost be- BANNED known

Las been

Major Reginald Evelyn His success as a writer, which l'eler Southouse - Cheyney came after 15 years of literary controls the Cheyney Or- struggle, was based on a simpio

speed; formula:

plenty ganisation, embracing all physical violence, a hint of sex of international activities in and an idiom which the British renders believed to be American writing, investigation and

and which Americans found research. Father, Arthur amusing. The formula paid off William Thomas Cheyney,

His hard-drinking, blonde Co., Clare, Ireland. Clubs: loving, punch-drunk heroes hit Public Schools, Devonshire, the public taste. And, they Recreations:

brought Cheyney fame Criminology,

and riches based on a sale which as the peak, reached two and 4 half millon coples a year.

fencing, golf.

It conjures up a pleture of a "good" family, perhaps some landet

property. 12 milltary wayward life;

background, possibly some adventures in the genteeler reaches of espionage It was all in admirable harmony with Cheyney's monocle,

smu!! maustache. Komi clothes, luxurious flat.

The facts behind this facade, as they can be pleked out of the lack superfluity of Michael Hurrison's prose,

were no less honourable

somewhat

different.

Street.

but

70 a day

is life was on a lovel with his strident writing. Consider

Le Bridge, on it is ira Egypt, banned by the Alexandria police as 11 game of chance.

And

a new

A

bigger quarrels have wo hired photographers at the started up since Bridge was height of the blaze! stopped then over went on round a green baino table,

ROMAN Now you can visit the Heason in

Egyptian ROUND ruins of ancient Rome law banning all games of chance

by underground train. in publle

underground, places clubs.

and private The new electric

started by Mussolini in 1938 and This

prevented

opened last week, gives you Egyptians entering gambling rooms In ride from place to place at 60 casinos and nightclubs which miles an hour. specialised mainly In baccarat and roulette.

But the chief of Alexandria's vice squad-charged with con- trolling gambling-went deeply

nto the matter.

The

Juw listing forbidden games adds:

"and any game deriving from any of these.

Said the vice-chler: "Bridge

three marriages; the statistics:

70 cigarettes a day; dication at must be related so it is banned the rate of 4,000 words an hour. unt!! somcone proves to the Ho had strong colour pre-contrary." Judice and he was

was a member of Oswald Mosley's New Sir Party, wit & special interest in

out throwing interrupters mcotings. He left £62,000,

Cheyney was

adolescent whose maturity was Indefinitely

the

an

a

11 begins in front of the bathe hullt by the Emperor Diocletian. First stop is under the Church SIGNING

which UP

of

A

with

DOG

little In

Avola, Sicilien town of 3,000, RACE of

it doesn't have to be a boxer or a poodle just any old mutt will do.

Birth: Whitechapel High postponed. Waiting for it to a Billingsgate arrive, he became the being of Futher: fish salesman, later 111 the his dreams. His writing had all Salvage Corps, grandfather;

power of a passionately London cut driver. So much for expressed illusion. His per County Clare. Mother: an ex- sonallty should be sought in his

woman who

Action made owh

rather than in Name: Reginald Michael Harrison's blography.

cellent 14 Unsafe 18 Tudor, 17

corsets.

VIGNETTES OF LIFE

DON'T GUESS.

BETTER NO NAME AT ALL

THAN TO CALL

MRS. VAN ROOT-DE-TOOT

MRS. SMITH.

Because Avola-which up to

•

Cem

Gla In Europe to like the

Life Anny

not better than their British buddies do.

WORRIED ACTRESS

St Peter in Chains houses Michael Angelo's famed statue of Moses.

Ferther,

on the Coliseum, a of quick glimpse of the Arch For in the last three months Constantine

and the Palatine, the number of U.S. Army men Then, the

Maximus. Circus

The In Germany who signed up for fourth stop is near the Pyramid regular service was, on ratio, of Caius Cestius, the fifth beside twice as many

as the British caps. the ancient Basilica of St Paul. Army volunteers there in the

The

decorated last six stations ato

months. The figures: ancient Roman

Out of a total statues, vates and mosates found during strength of 250,000 men in Ger-

many, 5,991 GIs enitsted or excavations.

The

line

practically enlisted since November. ends 'nowhere-in a field where sheep But since August only 1,952 of still graze near the huge marblo tho 149,000 British Army men have decided to make the Army Mussolini put up for

their career. the fair that was never held.

Despite its long name the Metropolitana-the underground is eno

of the shortest in the world, just 61⁄2 miles, compared with New York's 400, London'a

now has never hnd any dogs 1942's World's Fair,

has suddenly

gone dog-crazy. Everybody wants one--the mayog wante one and the poorest villagers do, too.

So humes have been Morin for the 180 dogs cocted on the Isle of Capri by the kindly,

the

Aid For Name-Forgetters

́ ́ME' T'WIFE MR.M-M-

'I DIDN'T CATCH HIS

NAME /*

--

re-

Allow for differences in total strengths-art ratio works out at two to one for the Gis.

There are two good reasons: The U.S. Army private gets £32.10 a month,

en avaruge

BY HARRY

WEINERT

-YOU HAD A PHONE CALL FROM MRS. – BR- MRS.

YOU KNOW---- MRS. WHATS-HER-NAME`/`

back of

British aclaesa Ruby Miller hos

Shox o problem.

about the night

and

up

still worried when the chair go walked dcross the stage.

And the night, there was extra character in the cast--the ghost of a grey nun.

村

Miss Miller has decided to make the mystery public, happened when she was playing in Through the Door," a play about mediums and ghosts, at London's Galety, Theatre, now closed.

On stage, Miss Miller saw the ghost of the nun "come out" of the wall, cross the theatre, and enter a

box. The performance almost came to # dead halt. Then she and the cast went on. Suddenly, part of the cat, a "scation table the cast held it began to, v bruto,

A member

of

down. Whlic he was doing that

a choir

started to move. 1.

moved clean serom the siege. The audiener was delighted. They thought it was part of the trickery. But Mias Miller

swears it wasn't and that it startled the cast nearly cut of their wits,

"HAVE-A-LOOK” Samaria, SURGERY

an Asrican native, has been renamed "Have-a-Look". by hospital authorities in Bula- wayo, Southern Rhodesia, Samaria had a pain in the stomach, so he got a knife and opened up his stomach to

have

a look. "Now he is recovering in hospital-and his stomach fa se |painful as ever,

“WHAT NAME ARE

YOU USING NOW?

HEH HEH "

SOMETIMES YOU CAN

18

REMEMBER THE NAME BY

BEING SUBTLE.

"YAKITTY":"

PULL YOUR CHIN INTO YOUR. COLLAR AND MUMBLE.” THIS IS A GOOD SYSTEM-- BUT IT TAKES CO-OPERATIÓN —— A DUMB WIFE CAN WRECK IT.

COPA. IES BY GENERAL FRATURES CORP. TM WORLD, RIGHTS RESERVED.

STALLING - NAME WILL COME

WHO WA

AND BY

Wangy-

SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE CALLED SOMETHING ——-—-—.

THATS FOR SURÈ

A HEARTY HELLO OLD MANI

AND A VIGOROUS SLAP ON THE SPINAL COLUMN

ARE ALWAYS GOOD:

BARBS

BY HAL OOCHRAN

COME hubblem

can't figure which is more dangerou allowing the wife to drive the

· now can ́or refusing to let her,

When น banquet speaker starts off by saying he's not much of a talker, why does, be tuvo to go ahead and prove ··

Friends take so much, dide vantage; of the fellow with a heart of gold that her seldom has any of it in his pocket.

...

Big-time Wrestlers and easy to get into the money, but they often wind up flat on thela backs.

The

sorríebody.

Harmony,

forced to play second fiddle in

tome

THERES THAT PHONE CALL NOW- “YOU FOLKS MAKE.

YOURSELVES ACQUAINTED

satisfactióni

tims