1955-04-04 — Page 1

D

-THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1955.

THE FIRM OUTSIDE

THE STORY of the film that has been breaking records everywhere

SEVEN BRIDES

for Seven Brothers

No one. washed the dishes. Or

O you trust, your ad the meals.

husband? Have you sewed their shirts and ever been able to trousers, replaced their trust him? It is my buttons, kept them spick and span in case com- belief that no man, even

to call a when persuading a girl to pany came become his wife, has ever result of which company Seven brothers told fewer than nire lies out of 10 statements about his Pontipee were a wild, true feelings, intentions, and unprincipled, background.

never came to call.

The

ravenous,

ighting,

raucous,

reckless.

collection of yours hooligans. It would be enough to And only the eldest of them, make a woman cynical about Adam realised that what was the male sex except that a wrong with them why the nights seemed so long and the

surprising number of happy winter so much longer, was a marriages have developed lack of one thing. Wives,, from the ingrained habit of

That autumn day that Adam

a man to deceive, confuse, trapped me he had ridden into

trick, and bemuse the girl he is determined

off to the altar.

to carry

3

Take case of me. Milly. Brown. I there was. girl who W persuaded to marry under false pretences, don't go further than me,

Rarely has a proposal seemed so full of bliss; and rarely has the reality turned out to be so doggone different.

VET you see in me a content

town locking for a wife, I didn't know it was going to be me.

Η.

TE walked into the town store 2nd, after handing over his sack of berver skins, was told by Mra Bixby, wife of the proprietor, that he was 60 dollars in credit.

He flung them down, straigh- tened up his spare, strong body, jutted his masculine chin and said: "Mrs Bixby, I'll trade you for a new plough, two tubs of lard, a barrel of molasses, 251b. of chewing tobacco-and you

Yed not to say adoring, wife, wouldn't have a wille under the

I married a man who turned out

to be a master of make-believe wife."

'husband who

knowingly pretended

to be taking me, his bride, back to a para- dise of happy home- life-and pitches her, Instead, into a bear- garden, a madhousë,

There were MO ments, at first, when I, would have preferred to be married to a cougar.

4

"Ary

A woman has tricks...to make the lyingest man a loving spouse,

into

counter there? I'm looking for a with a pretty face, I didn't have to worry about getting married. special Every customer who came brand?" asked Mrs the house asked me. Bixby, sarcastically. То счету опе

of them. I im-

Leonard Mosley

writes this

version of

the film

But every woman has

woran

her tricks, and every can turn even the lyingest man into a loving spouse.

story of how I This is the Milly Brown, was deceived. And learned to love .....

started one autumn day in

Pontipee rode into town from his farm up in the hills. Every body in Oregon knew about Adam Fontipec. Except me, y

They knew that he was the eldest of seven brothers. They knew that, up in the hills, there seven brothers lived a wild and uncouth life.

Ireton in 1860, when Adam

There was no woman in their

· No household.

one kept the homestead clean. No one cook

He grinned. Well, mediately said: "Yes," because I

yes. I like widow

woman

D that

had always looked forward ain't afraid to work, cooking my own

"There's seven of us Place is like

men.

a pigsty."

Mrs Bixby's expres-

ping my own my own floors.

- sion wiped the grin feeling

huve

in

to

meals, chop-

wood, scrubbing

But always, as soon as I said "Yes I would get a sinking my stomach-and off his face.

to take it all back and "Let me tell you, none of our refuse, after all. girls are going to go off to bear. But when Adam sat at my country with you to wash and table, sampled and approved of clave for seven-slummocky back- my stew, and then said: "How woodsmen. There's 10 men for about marrying me?I put every woman out here. You matically nodded my head and want a wife? You'll have to go didn't get a sinking feeling. cast and get one."

"I've got a farm up in the hills," he said.

"A good farm : Instead he went out and got There's timber land and high me.

grazing meadows. Sheep, milk At the time, I was working at cows, 50 acres of wheat....

Well, i didn't know about the restaurant in the town, cook-

for visiting six other brothers. And, not ing.

having that sinking feeling. farmers, serving up drinks, chop said "Yes." And that very wood for the kitchen, mornina, in spite of everybody's pin scrubbing the Ecors, and doing a number of other odd chores warning, Adam Fontipse and It was a busy life, but there were surprising gaps in it when I felt terribly lonely.

the meals

The shortage of women being what it was, and being a girl

Headache

Do not wait patiently for your suffering to end Toke for tablets of CAPASPIN dissolved in half a gloss of water, and headache will soon vanish

CAFASPIN

The small tablet with the big elect

Let the Future Scholar

have a Start Now!

Learning

10

Read

Learnin

Leand

Spett

Count

from

SOUTH CHINA MORNING 'POST, LTD.

HONG KONG A. KOWLOON

were married.

Too" "rough" and untidy. But say cleaned them up a bit, and

taught them manners?

It was a pleasant surprise to And that, underneath all that hair, they were quite handsome. To get them to shave, all I did was to hold back their food.

To make them learn to bath regularly and learns politeness, stole into their dormitory

I

while they were asleep and took away their outer clothesmanci told them they wouldn't "get them back until they promised to 'conform.

it took them two rebellious hours fuming round the house in their underwear (I had taken care to open all the windows and let the wintry breezes come in) before they gave in.

By the beginning of December

I had them spruced up like pine frees. They all stood up when I came into the room, pullest out a chair for me, and called me "Ma'am." I even took then all through a course of dancing. And then, just before the winter snows came down, Adam took them into town to go To bring back,

court the girls in town, six

from all

wives....

Tomorrow: The brothers seek their brides

Cammings

LABOUR

PARTY

H.Q

A LETTER

COMMUNIST PARTY

G

DON'T USE H BOMB FIRET NO H BOMB DOWN WITH .......U·S·A. ! TALKS WITH

THEN

WHY NOT JOIN us!

RUSSIA

London Express Service

FROM

THE PALACE

set the Professor on the road to success

OR 20 years I have Amiable eccentric or inspired publicist?--

been reading of Albert

I cloaks and cocked hats. Of

SHE HAS A ROYAL TOUCH

ANNE SHARPLEY

TEACHER of dancing, deporte, Iment and character to the Royal family, the titled classes and the wealthy for three reund, generations *a tiny, golden haired grandmother called Marguerite Vacani,

With no titles or stately homo in her own background she has taught the

Princess Queen, Margaret (and some say the Duke of Windsor) how to look royal, the aristocracy how to look gracious, and the wealthy how to look aristocratic.

And she does it by starling them young.

At less than two

years. the good Edwardian standards are. instilled into her pupils (as they are now being taught to Prince Charles, and Princess Anne),

Kindness

And it is all done by extreme kindness.

Affection is imparti- ally distributed to all Miss Vacant's "dear, dear puplis,” and even the stranger can be come "my sweetheart" and carn

"Bless

little heart," after your

1

half an hour's acquaintance.

No child, however clumsy, receives anything but praise until, with this encouragement. the arrears are made up.

Miss Vacani does not recog nise change. The same nursery exercises and itile dances to a rumpty-tumpty upright piano have been taught to all her pupils. all the time.. She will

admit this includes the royal family of Spain but will not discuss her other royal (British) pupils' lessons except to say. "They're pets. They're so good,

don't know."

does she recognise economic change. Her Tees have never been increased from three guineas for 10 lessons for the under-Aves and 10a, more for the older pupils in nearly 40 years.

Edwardian

"Although Mies Vacani seldom takes lessons herself now (she supervises" at the Falace, but her niece, Miss Betty Vacani soturally gives the lessons) her portrait

as a golden-hatred Edwardian goddess dominates the classroom in her school in the Brampten Road.

Lessons have a decorous but partyfled air. The teacher sets a-glorious

verimple by wearing

frock with cecklace of brillants. Princes

the

suminary sketches and briefings Merjam of Johore, arrives in on

drawings. into detall

Three eming coat and bennet. Fried at Avenue correct wer and boys are in century kitchen others occupy a converted 18th-o-emelle and red ballet shoes are House

(which has three usual short supply (three to 17 Unfortunate is it that Miss room in the place,

etens in all), the only gasliti

Vecani

not able to be there to give of her unforgettable

Many millions are being or

have been invested since the war: Sinatrations as "How not to"

i buildings. designed by

Richardson. Not that his own entfel

13

followed by "How to" She can amounts to much. "By the time be irrepressibly code and then the fces reach me from 80 to 85 will put on a flowing grace and

increase in height

bat MAS percent has already gone

estonishing before she drops to architec- preduction costs. In

a curtsy that is still flawless you are cut to spend

has

to and been the exemplar not to make it. It all

debutantes for 30

In-

Edward Richardson's that is the enigma of the 74-year-old boss fondness for dressing up in Johnsonian knee breeches, of the Royal Academy, Professor A. E. the crystal chandelier and Richardson, whose own work is helping parties and churchwarden to change the face of London. oil lamps, the harpsichord-

smoking that go on at Avenue House, his place in Bedfordshire. Of the occa- when his daughter WAS very much in love. Ision

fell architectural commissions

No money, off. wearing 18th- his sentor, smuggled close to Adam as

work came *he part- goes. we drove back on the cart to his century patches and pan- design and history at Birkbeck new

T

His reconstruction of Trinity ners' way for a year. Both, College. Another chuckle. was so I

happy that niers, went to a party in a suppose I was thirty seconds I imagine, contemplated switch House, Tower Hill-ny finest gbing through a canyon, I started

ine to

samething more re work is intensely admired by to sing. "I want to cheer, I sedan chair borne by under- ahead of my students."

munerative: selling matches others than himself. But what graduates in garb to match, said.

Financial his projected or bootlaces at the keeb, for

Times

building in. ex B

Then one morning

Street? When the perspective. manna dropped into

drawing of this project was

I

farm

ון

Kathleen,

father walking behind with z lanthorn.

By

FRANCIS ́ MARTIN

oa

MORE IMPOSING

plece

д

ture

last. - LUMMET

moen

what un

an

Cannon

st Journal, "which,"

30

years

(price one guinea the curtsy lesson).

Hes, volet, bracing, sometimes brusque and fill of matoes, must ring in royal and aristo cratic heads when

Spirits "Go ahead," said Adam,

sink and graciousness temporar only deserts ("I can it I I shouted. And "Hooray," instantly from the canyon

"Get up and git down to "). came

At twenty he bought himself

Her eyes are fearlessly blue back my voice: "Hooray."

Richardson chuckles at a silk hat and frock coat to look their letter-box.

The letter was from Bucking shown at the Royal Academy over the bright lipstick that Said Adam: "It's Echo Pass.

anzuished the memory. "Halfway more imposing. As assistant to

am Palace. Somebody high up Leonard Stokes, "good architect

from certain stresses the firm set of her "Taint safe to raise your voice

The mouth. And it is pleat of her. irascible man Might start an down the village street, but an In the winter.

including. nan, always in the Household had read a

she KIVES

cold plain re that avalanche. See all that snow he remembers, "we were losing his temper, a tiger to recent work by Richardson

cream" (her only beauty treat fects Richardson, cocking an waiting up there? I cussed my stopped by the village con- work for," he got £120 a year Regency architecture "It was I

ment) the same ring of virtus as horse too

to edit

"plain cold water." loud crie winter and stable because the chair had and another £250 for lecturing, who started the Regency re- the snow slipped-and we were

King's concurrence, wanted him myself" Elizabeth Byers, with whom snowed up till spring."

no rear light. I explained the married an Irish girl, viral," he claims and with the ironical, brow, "I used

Questions One critic found the design the Regency extremely dull. Another, lump- Yet she I said: "I don't mind being we were carrying a parcel had fallen in love at a Christmas to improve Duchy of Cornwall

has many secrets, snowed up with you."

with Her age, her height and her The constable scratched his party. "She's with me still A Properties in

That is manner. The main job was the ing Richardson's design And then we came to the farm, head and let it go at that.”.

wonderful marriage.

development pro- origin fire all questions she will that bas never something

reconditioning of Tor Royal, a ses cther and I found that there were six

biz

house on the edge of Dart jects nearby, talked darkly wave aside (Miss Vacani is one ather brothers too.. What

SENSE OF MISSION

faltered. brothers! There was Benjamin

For Frank Verity. the theatre moor which the King fancied as a "spoliation of the of the people who does Literally

Richardson puts allls wave questions aside). country pleasance for the and Caleb and Daniel and

architect, he designed new in-

into one bag and' gives. The Vacant method is fought. Ephraim and Frank and Gideon - Amiable eccentric? Hardly. sides for the Seals in Charlotte young Prince of Wales, a

them a good shading.

all over London by Vacani- he "These people," all of them as covered in hair Inspired publicists, That is nearer Street and the Empire, Leices-

trained teachers. "have never seen a building that And visitors to her Dresden- as spes,,

quarrelsome as the mark, perhaps, Fourth ar ter Square; and kept himself monkeys.

rises, groups,alled dat in Curzon Street are chitect" to be elected president of stylistically up to the mark by

old - Fleet

Street

Richardson remodelled Tor really ground. They only treated to a. view of an enorIDICLES The house was a mess. When the Royal Academy in two cen- sketching

Professor Richardson, courts, Wren doorways, Wes- Royal and built

a swarm of from the

think of a building from the piece of cardboard, as ble as 1 ecoked my first meal they turies, fought to get the largest help brisit, small and 74, has been in minster Abbey details and the coltages and one or two farms

windows on ground

on both sides are her "country I had to beat them over the professional and social swim like, mostly during lunch hour with deep relish. He had one, waist up. They expect shop. Mies Vienni hanself, Written

are putting shops every classes." the hands with a red-hot spoon these 40 years, buoyant and "Between the ages of 15 and 30, talk with George V and remem- we

I lied 200 sketch books of 40 bers every word of it, lovingly.

in this country." have where

They spread as far as North to make them pause while I said bobbety as a cock.

was an "The King

We have said,

umberland. Miss Vaceni, dice effect is ruinous.” in grace.

Over the RA he presides with pages each. That

the post-boxes, manages to give the kingression that outside London. There is one vast, un- broken rural tract,

ings.

13

"Why didn't you tell me about them?" I asked Adam

DEEP RELISH

a near-mystical sense of mis architectural education in it some very beautiful houses sion. In nearly two hundred self." "You years the RA has never made a

He boked sheepish,

mightn't have come."

You should have

warned

Well,

* he once said.

NCDET? Think of the

STRUCCLE

Yes,

City

says,

The

the West of England?

TWO YEARS I said, very beautiful. No Victorian asked

the King. Ve went down to the "7ew Victorian, sir, I said. draughtsmen's office. There the 'Generally speaking,

PRA showed me some of the Times detail draw-

That was all. But it sufficed. Fancial

commissions began

its numbers. It is missioned a countywho had con- Arabian

house, bilk-

bere.

gee

pight

out

of the

immense

the entrance./

thought that, for the rest of myelly the Academy would lose found. Their competitive plans down there, took one look una sculptures round the dial in the

style

of Cellini or Goujon. That's the way, to be moderni

me" I stormed. Why don't men artists of merit who either didn't Then breakaway, independ eighteenth century tell the truth to their wives be- get the RA badge at all or (as ence, struggle. He and a friend fore they marry them?"... in the case of Augustus John) from student days, Lovett Gil, Richardson now had a future tags, which are taking two Adam baked even more down-got it ages after they had won took, a spare-time office over an behind him, so to.nyak. Plumray, years for complets cornice Is fallen.

Lion ell-monger's shop in Red general recognition.

was supported by pillars of crystal As for me, I was appalled:

reflects Mr Presi Street at 10s, a week, working upon the young Arm "It was yes,

glass. They'll be floodlit · at turning back dent, there's something in that there evenings and Saturdays, ke There was

the exfect of an giving "But any academy is jealous of Their pow. was married. I loved my

tiara.

And look at husband, even though he had increasing

"Did the Prince of Wales ever this magnificent bronze clock be use Tor Royal?" I inquired. so grossly deceived me. But the extremely difficult to open the ed them: when the plans were

I wont door. If it were opened too ready he was nowhere to

"Not a bit of it. He went over days, I might have to cook and

for a

a public building at Stirling, wash and sew and quarrel with prestige,” k thore six wild brothers was Think, too, of the second highly praised by the assessor said, I'm not going to stay in grand manner, bronzes in the terrifying.

raters whom the RA has glori and tipped for first prize, were that darned place! fed. Something in this, too, turned

The name

plate was Alma-Tadema. His paint on their door, a piece of

pinned

by gary, up cardboard, was torn down ings are over-precise, sugary, up WHILE Adam slept, I criedumie. Yet they made him RA passers-by as though in sy

and worried and schemed We struck 4 very bad bolical derision. All the dice mier than ever. vast blocks in It took me about two weeks to

throws seemed adverse, the city, stately war memoriels, The because I

against it

It my

Richardson and

and cathedrals to be repaired, vint facade had looked aggressive town and find me and marry Of his own merit he me-why couldn't the brothers ways had a clear idea. for Manchester The opers from butz shells. At his office for the headquarters of some find themselves wives too?

A seventeen, a perky articled house duly went up. It stands in the West End twenty chain store. I went away leil In their present state it was pupil, he was lecturing twenty today. But the original pro architects toll talentedly in ing myself how opulent and ma- obviously impossible. They were students, some of them ten years moting company failed. Other Richardson's wake, turning his justla it was going to be.

agrees Mr President, "There weren't Spot "because we

And today?

VAST BLOCKS

no such thing RS' Only variation. This

must express Adminis- Power It must be a

The commissions are plum City Palace-Dot #factory for

eloquence in meş-

work it out and then I had the Period in the nineties I know. Before Improving, things got university, colleges; venerable marginancial Times Baswer. If "Adam" could go to sell the has al- Gill designed a new 'opera house age churches to be recreated and hard-faced to me, multable

even worse,

ARTIE'S HEADLINE

| J" All right, dad, you finish playing with. rain set—I'm read take, you: co í pás cír