1955-05-07 — Page 8

DID

IT

HAPPEN

WAS on the stage

`at the time, acting in

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1985,

THROUGH the WINDOW...

One more in the

a piece of Lonsdale at series of fact or the Apollo Theatre. One night I received a note: "Must see you after the show tonight. Geoffrey. Mel

drum."

This surprised me be cause Geoffrey was not a close friend of mine and we

had not seen

much of one another since he had been successful in the city. How- ever, I sent back a message that he could call at my flat

at 11.30,

Ho was ir 1 flushed and he excited condition at when arrived and had obviously been drinking. After the usual intér- changes he sat down and said

very

fiction stories ~ by

famous people. All these tales MIGHT

have happened.

• The problem is

căn

you detect

which are fact and

which are fiction?

impressively: Will you couldn't lay hands on the man swear on your solemn word et I saw, we'd have to appear in

to breathe a court,"

hand

syllable of what I am going to tell you to a living soul?"

I gave outh

It was not likely that I

On

As should want to paes Geoffrey's candidences, I gave the required oath. He then u folded his story, which began with a declaration that he was,

I had no further suggestion to make and simply advised him to ell the truth, adding that his presence in a married woman's bedroom at two in the morning, though irreguler, was not a proct of illicit relationship.

"May, one ask what a man is doing in a married woman's bed- room at two in the morning?”

having an affair with Lady "Looking at a picture or scree

(I cannot mentiori the real thing."

name), the wife of a popular "Oh, for God's sake, be cabinet minister.

They had been at a dancing club one evening the previous wock and he had. taken her

home at

ser jous!"

"What does Lady L want you to do?”

"Nothing."

two in the" morning. "And let on innocent man

Her husband was away in Scot- die?" land, the servants were in bed. "Oh, and except for a light in the hall alibi he'll be able to prove an

the house was in darkness.

They went to her bedroom side window

"bodrom, the

Geoffrey was a fellow with

"Suppose he can't? Many a man has been hanged on of which looked circumstantial evidence alone." Dcross a very narrow alley into the back windows of a house in Park Lars. Before switching on dozens of friends. Why had be the light, he crossed to the side chosen me to share his guilty window to draw the curtain. conscience, I asked him.

"I noticed

3 TALE and a "Well you're 2, sympathetic woman having a fierce argument sort of bloke and you've never

by Hesketh Pearson

● After 20 years on the stars, Mesketh Fearon gave up acting for writing in 1933 Since then biographies have poured from him. They incinde best-selling tires of Shaw, Conan Doyle, Dickens and Oscar Wilde. Flis latest is about Sir Walter Scott, Pearson, who is 87, married for Use second time in 1951. He lives in Maida Vale, lists his hobbies at walking, talieing, idling,

the trial, and that it the worst happened I would be compelled to make a public declaration in court.

The trial lasted three days and the evidence against the man in Had the dock was considerabă.

i not known he was innocent. 1. should have betted heavily on his guilt.

wwy

Drawing by

Į TURNED back to the

window and stered enca mara_ints the room across the way. Then, for the first time, I saw the man'...

from

"Facing the window in the room opposite was a long mirror, After the summing-up I was which covered all the wall-space from where I stood. stretching

·iac. *1ews

the visible corridor outside the court when When first I had seen the two Geoffrey, hatless,

they were standing in wild-eyed, people, panting came bounding up the such a way as to prevent me stairs, caught sight of me, drove them; but when next I looked

noticing what was beyond a corner, and gasped: had seen me into

myself; a horrified "Thank God! I thought I'd be

edition of myself, framed in the too late,"

darkness of the room behind ine, which, in the state of my emotions at the time, I had taken to be the unlighted pas- which the murder sage down was backing.

No doubt

I know!

"The jury

won't be long.

I said grimly. -

"Listen!"

in the room exately opposite the been burdened with a moral There's no doubt of the verdict, one we were in. Not more than conscience." five yards separated' the two

The

back to me, the

they filled the entire space framed by the window and I

trom

burdening

me

with an

الربا

"

thinking, but no answer came to

he whispered windows and I could see them "That's hardly a sound reason fiercely. "I told you that in distinctly.

man had his for

some vague way the man I saw иде that distance, in that woman was immoral confidence," I blurted in that room reminded me of light, my features transformed facing him a little to his right; ut:

someone I had seen but couldn't by fear, and convinced in my Well, that mentory has mind that it was someone else. place. We discussed the problem been giving me sleepless nights, my face had seemed but vaguely could see nothing beyond. Sud- vixed the only way out of the wink, I kept thinking, thinking, about it: I am the man: I saw." overy angle, but I was con- and last night 1 didn't sleep a familiar. There can be no doubt denly the man raised his hand; difficulty was for Lady L to take the light caught something bright the blame of a week's silence my eternal question. Where on Press reporter appeared running As he finished speaking a in it; and

at that moment the and to say that she alone had earth have I seen that fellow? in the corridor and made for the worwin screamed.

The sound brought Lady Leen the murderer, who was not

and I I decided to make a Last stairs, shouting to a friend as he from the door

to Lady L this morning passed the verdict of the court to know what had happened. I me promising to make her do so. told her briefly; *Draw the

to dress, and scene, 1 began A week went by before he while standing in front of the WORLD

COPYRIGHT · RESERVED curtain at once,'

said. I called one afternoon to say that mirror I noticed she turned back to the window in she absolutely refused

for the first to do a distraught frame of mind, anything. I was in a pretty

time how ill I booked. Some- stored once more into the room nervous condition by that time, thing in the expression of my across the way. Then for the becaure the arrested man bad face stirred а memory, and a fuah, I knew who been sent for trial and I felt the m

and she wanted the arrested man. Geoffrey le Bracing mself for the coming "Guilty)"

first time I saw the man.

"He was facing me row-m personally responsible for the had been in that room."" fact he seemed to be looking state of the poor fellow's mind. straight at me, though as our "If you or she refuse to act,

Was in darknets be then I will," was my threat. couldn't have sem me-and he

** No door which I now word of honour—”.

dow

was backing out of the room. "But you gave me your solema

was opposite the win- There he was, framed in the darkness of the passage beyond, and I don't think I shall ever forget his face.

Only one thing

was

"It was white, drawn, bag. gard,

terrified. There something familiar about it; H felt I had seen it before, but though I have since tired my brain with thinking, I can't re- member where.

"Anyhow, I can, swear to one thing he was not the man whó bas been arrested for murder and whose photo appears in this evening's papers. So what the hell am I to do?"

I begged her

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

YES

NO

Put your tick In one of the spaces above and keep the He paused "Hurry up," I

till panel by you .said.

Monday when the Within half an hour I was at

andwer will be given--with another story by

"Oh, to hell with that! This Lady L'S, begging her to take nan's life has gǝl to be saved, me to Ade bedroom.

Though

踏 and if it can't be done without was awkward at that time in the breaking my word I'll break it morning, with all the servants and make the mast of my about, she didn't hesitate, the dishonour."

moment I explained the

He did not call again; so 1 necessity. At once the whole wrote to say that I would attend thing was plain.

CAROLA OMAN

Did yesterday's story "Tea With Mahmoud” by Anita Leslie-actually пар pen? The anawer: YES.

OFF AFTER THE FAIRIES

There's only one thing you A infantry

By JOHN MCKENNA

London. There are people who

་་

And he thinks now that he is HARD-BITTEN ex-gularly deb fairies at the hot on the trail of real evidence bottom of the garden-lots off of their existence which will. can do" I replied "Go straight

officer in the The "wes folk" re- convince all the doublers. And to Scotland Yard and describe Chelsen, London's art quar arrange the garden layout when when he

has thir he will you saw."

ter, hopes, to become world they and it in bad taste, do the produce his real masterplece, "And ruin Lady L?" "I hadn't thought of that. All expert on something most of weeding, sit watching while "A Guide Book to Fairyland." the same you can't let an inno-18 haven't thought about bumango. ther work

What

cent man be hanged merely to since we left our mother's One young married couple save Lady L."

"She made me wear not to give her awDY","

"Then she must describe what you saw as if she had seen it,”

They'd want to know why she hadn't given the information a

knee--fairies.

room like a bewildered moth.

have seen a ten-inch ballet- Het Alasdair Aisin May dressed fairy flying round their Gregor, Journalist, one-time Socialist politiciar and explorer. And a soldier was afraid to Says MacGregor: "There are enter his but because a two- Zar more reliable sighting foot high elr stood inockingly un reports than for flying saucers" guard outside his

•And he is to round M GIA BẢO

MacGregor doesn't really

in book called "Fairy

hut.

froin

"Ther you must do it and Help pouty In 30 him to think that people ace fairies in take he blame for the delay, people loves Brital from the traditional form beca swearing them to secrecy about townsblk as well as country they remember them the circumstances, dweller Even from perfectly childhood picture books,

Imposible.

Her husband is sober Servicemen and devoit personal friend of the Home members of the clergy..

be told. Besides, it the evidence Statistics may soon prove that wong sing against the fellow the fairy population is on the

I believe," he says, more likely that the story book descriptions were Arst written down by people who

TO THE DIZZY HEIGHTS!

PROPHETIC ÉYE GETS THE

WHO IS DIANE CILENTO?— Her mother is a doctor too. So

the picture above shows her are her sisters and brothers:

SHE went to drama school in dancing in the unreleased film, "Woman for "Joc."

America but scored her first stage success in London:

SHE was born in New Guinea, Her father, Sir Raphael Cilento, is a tropical medicine expert.

SHE lives In a £4-2-week Kensington Bat:

I KNOW I'M OUT ON A LIMB

· BUT I SAY THIS GIRL IS

THE NEW AUDREY HEPBURN

THIS IS THE FACE THAT'S HEADED FOR FORTUNE

JOHNNY HAZARD

GUESS YOU KNOW ALL ZA ABOUT ME, PALÈNOW HOW ABOUT FILLING ME IN ON

·HOT MUCH TO TELL, SNAP! MY NAMES JOHNNY HAZARD w RIGHT NOW I'M AN

UNEMPLOYEDE

PILOTI

'I'M FLAT BROKEJ. [AND I REURE, FIRST. THING TOMORROW ||MORNING TILL TAKE OFF FOR THE LOCAL AIRPORT AND SCARED

V-UP A JOBI W

SAY, COULD BE I "CAN HELP/ I'VE GOT -A BUDDY AT CRESCENT AIRPORT RUNS THE LOCAL CHARTER AR SERVICES

LEONARD MOSLEY tips a super-career. for Diane Cilento: pictured today by PROPHETIC

EYE

London. Brando and Grace Kelly, two

AM not going to old students back for a special make any reservations appearance.

She promptly nicknamed

**M**

or qualifications about Brando (who was in the old it. Here goes Mosley out shirt phase of his career)

Greasy Collar: and the lofty on a limb again..

Kelly became "East Wind."

on

I hereby forecast world She came to England from fame, star status, and dizzy. New York and entered drama success for a beautiful school here, and has beer. young blonde named Diane her way ever since. She is enormously healthy, abounding Cilento.

in energy, full of independence By this time next year she and high spirits, bounding like will be a name on everybody's`a. beautiful" kangaroo from, jab ps and a face and Agure in to job, enjoying herself terris- everybody's mind -- an inter- cally.

national name in films and

theatre, the Audrey Hepburn of Her scooter :

1936,

Bay, this after brooding picasantly over the girl for the past seven months:

Her arrogance

In "Passage Home" she gets rolled all over the ship In 2 terrife storm.

In her new film "Woman for Joe," she appears in tights, a striped bathing suit, and, a white cloak.

This makes nonsense of her claim that she will never pose she pin-up pictures and knows it.

Seven months ago I Arst saw her, on the stage in London in a small, but fierce, part in that melodrama about Hollywood, for "The Big Kalla."

She was dominated by the male star of

Miss Cilento knows a lot of the show, but every time she things in fact. She is shrewd, moved her clean limbs across

she is beautiful, she is talented the stage and threw back her and she knows how to get arrogant head, I thought: herself talked about. (By riding girl could keep a play around town on a motor-scooter, or a film afcat if they gave her for example, in tight-atting the right lines and situations." jeans.)

new

be a star.

Now bave seen ber doing Watch for her. She will soon that very thing for British Alm called "PASSAGE HOME."

She one girl in an all-mate story about a voyage across the Atlantic.

much

a

I thought this Australian girl was so skilled, so seasoned," so mistress of her part that I found it impossible to believe she is only 21. She looks about 17 but acts like a wise and worldly woman of 40.

When her father

(see the

Facts Behind Fame below) was

BIGGEST CLAIM IN HISTORY

sent by, Australia as a delegate From Gordon White

to the

York Alted Nations in New ast best plays she found herself

got herself enrolled at drama school. In one of her

in a cast which included Marion

FACTS BEHIND FAME

SHE has Italian

the (hence, say her beauty); and

10

ancestors

connoisseurs,

SHE was married in February an Italian 24-year-old Journalist Andrea Volpe.

Signe in salp-table scene fram" Passage Home

By Frank Robbins 2

UNITC THEN YOU STAY MERE WITH ME TILL GIVE YOU A BLANKET AND A MORE OVER- YOUR HEAD // WHO COULD ASK FOR, JAYTHENE MORE?

Wellington, N.Z. Wadventurer called Kupe dark-skinned

stepped into a canoe on some Pacific island 1,400 years ago and paddled southward to New Zealand. he did not know what he was starting.

"He did not know, for instance, that his trip would long after start one of the biggest property claims known to history. Bigger than anything the Communists have ever tried.

Kupe's canoe ground ashore in New Zealand about the year 550. Eight hundred years later

followed in

many more

some

a

greater migration trva

Hawall-setting out in their long outrigger

guided by the stars alone and reached New Zealand, half dead, after one of the greatest naviga-

feats in history.

hey had paddled northward for reeks men, women and children the first ever to make the long voyage, following the

·four stars of the Southern Gross, until they saw land...

At first it looked Eke cloud. on the horizon. And they called it "Aotearoa" (land of the long white cloud).".

New Colony

There they set up their new colony, and today they number

first white man didn't come until 1842. He was Dutchman called Tasman, who dickexit” | land; : burt,

Rave New Zestatal, its marne.-

In 1789 a British captain, James Cook, rediscovered " New Zealand charied and mopped it, Tought with the Maoris here

and there and declared it British,

Then last week in the Maori Land Court, a Mauri,

proudly

remembering the voyage of his áncestor : Kupe, claimed the $3,980,000 square miles off the Pacific Ocean which, he said, was really "The Sea of Kiwa"

the property

of the Maori

sternly

Whe

Judge

cinnest

when hearing the evidence the claimant brown Tameti Pethikuru,” and seld that though the cout had very wide, powers he did not think it had powers that wide-hardly wide enough even to stretch outside New Zealand's territoria) Waters:

situation

for a

San Miguel

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