1955-05-23 — Page 47

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THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, MAY 23, 1955.

FOOTSTEPS ON

THE STAIRS

by Spencer Chapman

He has written story that is quite likely fiction; at the same time it COULD HAVE HAPPENED

He leaves you to debate the question-kich will be answered tomorrow—*

DID IT

HAPPEN?

At tea before the dance, the conversation turned on ghosts-perhaps a question of mine had been respon-. sible for this, I do not re- member.

"Isn't this house supposed to be haunted?" asked a girl cousin of the daughter of the house.

The

come

but

$

a moment

Only a fes minutes Later, i seemed, I was attling bolt upright in

bed. A coulst · hear a tren zied hammer. ing

on the wall..

DRAWING BY KOOLMAN

NOW the FRENCH

THE NEW. FRENCH PLANE

WHIP US

W

HY is Britain trailing behind in the jet age? It is nothing new for the Americans to beat us in the postwar skies. But now the French, too, are giving us a supersonic whipping.

Their latest plane, the 1,000-mile-an-hour Trident, with a jet engine helped out by rockets, has just CLIMBED at a speed faster than sound.

press and when they went up Th

terrifying silence. tion of any kind in the linen- even more

soon it

would start all there shortly before dawn, in- over again.

1 Presently

heard hurried tending to let him go with

found he was steps coming up the stairs. That

Yes, this is supersonic climbing-not in a dive, not warming, they dead. So they carried him out- will be the girl and her lover

on the "level," but with nose up. side, weighted him with stones coming to take the I hoped And it is yet

"Yes," replied my host, shade hesitantly, it seemed to me. But they haven't been seen lately," and rather abruptly. he changed the subject. I think NE often reads of It is now many years since some of us were longing to ask

people's hair stand this happened, but I will try who they were. ing up in fright; but to recall as faithfully as pos- later my hostess, as if to prevent

subject

renewed, being to how many of us, sible what led up to it."

started talking about ome Aus- in these carefully regulated

tralian friends who had been When I was still an under coming to stay the next week just won't allow the matter questioning her. For some reason days, has this actually hap-

Cambridge, I

and who had just rung, up to 4o be discussed. pened? Straightforward graduate at

invited during Was

the say that the date of their sailing

"Do tell us all about it," the "fear, which so many of us

felt during the war, dries Christmas vacation to go to had been put back and to ask if

that very girl and I asked almost together,

"Well"

she said. "Crackers a dance at a famous old they could

evening ip the mouth, causes a

that's what we always call the old body told me that hundreds sensation as if one's stomach house in Westmorland. As

prayed they would of years ago, a man was ALT is all at once insupportably the friends with

dered in this house. Apparently "They say that on the night came into my room. heavy, as if full of mercury, was staying lived at the

a great-great-aunt,

she of the year that this happened when and one's whole skin, includ other side of the county, and

was a girl here threw over her ing the scalp, pricks and it is not much fun returning

As a consequence of this sud- boy friend, and he took it so you can still hear him scream- he decided to do ing and beating on the door of tingles. But only stark hor- from a dance in the small des change of plan she asked badly that

the linea-press, And mufled her in. ror-as opposed to cold fear hours of the morning on a me if I would mind moving cut her

"He rode over here one daris steps going up and down stairs particularly horror of motorcycle, I had gladly of the large spare room on the

that I had been winter's night, tied his horse to as they carry the body down" the other "And I suppose park... in the cak tree something that cannot be accepted an offer to spend allotted, and occupying a small

tell you two married and lived happily Crackers can evad explained by earthly stand the night there after the room in one of the attics.

said the afterwards," which one-and climbed up a ever arda, can actually make the dance.

drainpipe, as he had done many girl. short hairs on the nape of une's neck rise and even

-

stand on end.

5

I am

whom I

Small room

casily frightened. Having been brought up and because I take an almost in the Lake District, I well

very

Arst floor

Murdered!

Was

As the recent conversation was still in my mind, I recall asking jokingly if my new room haunted, and receiving an assur- ance that my hostess had cer- tainly never seen the family ghosts and moreover she did not believe in their existence.

masochistic joy in overcom- knew that the house where I could see that the girl who ing this weakness, I have the dance" was to be held had raised the subject at ten uften, particularly had the reputation of being was by no means satisfied with when rock climbing, been haunted, and though I be the evasive answer she had been given. So I was not surprised by lieved in what are generally when, soon after the meal had almost incapacitated fear; yet only once have I referred to as ghosts, I did been cleared away, I heard her

the experienced

phen not think they were harm- questioning her cousin, menon of my hair standing ful, and in any case I had

wa

and threw him into the meat away, I

SPENCER CHAPMAN must be the most adven- turous schoolmaster in history. He xplored the Arctic, penetrated to the secret Tibetan city of Lhasa, was the first to climb the 24,000ft. Chomol. hari in the Himalayas done with one porter.

He fought behind the Japanese lines in Malaya and then wrote The Jungle is Neutral.

Earlier he taught at Gordoastoan, Frince Philip's school, and was handmaster et King Alfred's School for British children in Germany. He gave that up to drive otron Airica in a lorry, taking his wife and three sons fail ander seven) with him,

and

"Net

and

their

victim

not another blow at the British aircraft in-

been 80 bashful dustry, which has about producing supersonic planes.

I could hear muttered voices ext door and could aren die tinguish grunts and a thud or two on the wall as if a heavy body was being dragged with difficulty across the floor, then

there was silence,

ON A BLACK day for British aviation...a news inquiry

by W. A. WATERTON

The ting, thin straight- But

what is BRITAIN far we have bullt By now fear had exhausted winged Trident is the eighth doing? Sc

plane to fly only nine types of supersonic itself. I was cold and shaking type of French

Eight of these have" all-weather been able to get through the sound barrier only by diving steeply from high altitudes.

A

all over, but I seemed incapable faster than sound. One of these aeroplane, of any more feeling, as if I was types is a heavy, a spectator looking at myself fighter and bomber, dispassionately from great Four French planes are Only one, the English Electric distance. I wondered what to regularly flying above

the P.1. has been able to "get do next. I knew very well I speed of sound in level flight through" on the level. But it had not dreamed what had pccurred, but I could not imagine myself describing it detail by detail to my matter- of-fact host.

Did not know

AMERICA has been flying years away from squadron ser- rocket vice-and only one prototype

faster - than sound

powered and jet-powered aero- has yet flown."

planes since 1947.

Two years ago an American research aeroplane flew at more

Whose fault?

J.

British-designed than twice the speed of sound THE only

plane capable of faster- and nearly four miles higher than sound speeds yet at for than any British place has squadron service is the Hunter. ever flown.

And it equips squadrons,

only

four

By now it was almost dawn, the daylight my the and with replied at ail,"

returned. I dressed courage "Yes," was the answer. the times before, apparently,

"The But daughter girl's room.

of the house.

25 of them myselt hurriedly and went

Yes, despite the manufac- on end to such an extent never then been conscious house is certainly haunted, and get into the

fancy claims, super- than 25 different turers' that instinctively I put up of such a presence, and had an old woman who is staying unfortunately for him the girl's new boy friend soon deserted

flight

British here to help Mummy with the new boy friend was already her and she was so overcome downstairs intending to go out

with aircraft have Bown sonic my hand because it felt as assumed I was one of the house-party and who used to be there.

with remorse that she eventual- anything to get out of this NO fewer "It appears that they heart ly went off her head, poor girl, ghastly house and walk and U.S.

barrier. Aghters is still more of a stunt walk until

the it was time for beyond

sound

2 practical fighting if unseen fingers were great majority of people a housemaid here, was telling

up the drain

Fourteen of these are in service than actually being run up the who did not see or feel such me about the family ghosts only him climbing

"But for heaven's sake, don't breakfast, this afternoon. But Daddy would pipe, and the girl and her new

As I crossed the hal? to the -many are already obsolete manoeuvre, manifestations. nape of my neck.

of production. be furious if he knew I had been lover decided to set a trap for let Daddy know I told you

And at speeds of sound our He'd

absolutely front door, it suddenly opened, and out be Him, The girl pretended to be this.

to my surprise my host types are faster than sound in planes cannot compare with the asleep while the man hid behind furious."

American types. level or climbing flight. walked in.. The Jilted one let win-

"I do hope you were disturbed,"

ROLEX

Over

250,000

Officially Certified CHRONOMETERS

the cell stain at the

The dance, as far as I can remember, was a great success,

and

not

Nine

·

Then whose fault is it? Bri-

dow and

Steing the girl appar but it is so long ago now that retainer of ours who had come can planes are not experimental tain's engine manufacturers are

ently asleep in bed, took

he said, "An old And, mark this-these Ameri-

are freaks. They

practical not to blame. Rolls-Royce and remember a single for the week-end to help with black silk scarf that he had I cannot

night Armstrong Siddeley engines brought for the purpose, and one of my partners. After the the dance had a fit of some sort fighters all-weather.

and lighter bombers power two French, one Swedish, was just about start strangling last galop and the singing of

in the night and we had to get Aghters

one Australian and four Ameri- Lang Syne I at last her when-zerk! he fell sense Auld

an ambulance and send her off equipping the U.S. Air Force,

can supersonic fighters. climbed the narrow stairs to less to the ground.

to Lancaster. Luckily she was The other man had cracked my attic room and

was soon

up in the attic so I hope nobody him on the head with a poker fast asleep.

else heard."

Only a few minutes later, it stemed,

I was sitting bolt up right in bed. In the next room

Apparently his wife had not told him that at the last minute my room had been changed,

he had grabbed from the fender. Ther they bound and gagged him with his own black scari.

At that stage I suppose they discovered they had hit him too a man fearful noise was going WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED hard"

en. To my horror I could hear interrupted. "Not at

at all" s

all," she replied. "He a frenzied hammering on the muffled screams. It to show signs of coming wall and

began

to, and they wondered what was then that my hair stood on

on earth to do with him. The end when I realised I was text

man wanted to finish him of door to the haunted room. then

and there, but the girl I suppose I cught to have wouldn't hear of it. In the end rushed downstairs to awaken

dragged him up into

they

A

little room

at the top of the my host, but I was far too ter

#lied to move --I could not house where his cries wouldn't

put on the light. I just ever disturb the rest of the family, sat up in bed listening to the and locked him into a big ghastly shindy going on linen-press that was kept door.

there.

"Unfortunately-or had

mar

'intended it? know-there was

A

next

the The hammering and scream- I do not ing would work up to a cres by an no ventila- cendo, to be followed

These planes are elaborately fitted with guns, rockets, radar, and electronic navigational and. many of them that already the landing aids. And there are so Americans have been able to equip other friendly countries with supersonic planes,

DID IT REALLY, HAPPEN?

YES

NO

TH

Put your fick in the space above and keep this gone by you wată iomorrow ..when the answm will be giren—alth whether story in this series by

+1

PETER de POLKAY

⚫ Dld. Saturday's story--Ho Must Have Been Buried Alive, by Douglas. Du actually happen? The answer? YES.

*

In a year-

are Americans

Thick wings

plane makers. Britain's

the blame must lie with They have stuck to out-of-date methods of construction that re- quire thick wings for strength. But thick wings mean slower planes.

And they have fallen behind also in ways of controlling planes at producing Ave other types super-speeds so our planes do of warplane that are faster not compare in "handling" with

than sound on the level or in those of other countries,

Every

a climb. Inside a year the B-58

country is having will roll out a-supersonic trouble with developing proto- four-engined delta bomber, types of new faster-than-sound heavier than Britain's Vulcan, planes. The point is that the Valiant or Victor.

other nations are having their The Swedes, Canadians, and troubles at around 1,000 miles Australians are also producing an hour. But Britain is having "supersonic-dive" fighters of her troubles around 700 miles an native or "American design. hour.

DOES A WIFE PULL IN VOTES?

By JILL CRAIGIE

making an opponent seem thoroughly insignificant. I re- commend it to the wives cf Liberal candidates.

HUSBAND fighting an Indeed, nowadays many Socia– election campaign could lists and Tories like to boast that, they do not kiss babies. "It' no more appear on the plate part of their tactics to sug- form without his wife than gest that only their opposite the Chancellor on Budget number would eo underrate the Day without his red box, telligence of electors by re- wife of a candidate get the electors to attend meet

sorting to such methods. Tradition insists

Michael Whether presence.

her on

she's

Foot, MP,

•

re-election

rearing a family or pursuing win votes? Certainly pot the can who is seeking world. Most people have to

The question is, what does

didate's wife. Even if she pos a career, she must

some-sessed the personality of Lady how disentangle herself to Barnett, the shape of Marlly

appear before the electors.

Catholics, Seventh Day Ad

vertists, Sabbatarians, Small

THICK OF FIGHT

+1

Towards the end & the cam- paign, I succumb Happily to the illusion that I have helped win a vote of two,

BLURRED ISSUES.

"Because I work for my living," I replied, "and because I don't wear hats."

acquired some

numbers on

the

I cannot believe that

is influenced Our second main task is to British electorate

particular attention

my by hats, Even so, I am giving ings,

wardrobe. Not that I would com- TV is new to our part of the Dete in the hat line; but I have cunning little the A-line. This quired their sets within the Last three months. If they just goes to show how easy it is prefer to stay at home and to catch election fever. Mource and the fervour of Mrs not be too difficult to make watch Down You Go rather Although, in my heart of Fankhurst, she could hardly com people see that the House of than discuss the issues of the hearts, I do not believe that the She is also expected to drop in and TV. The

pete

against party machines Commons would be a far poorer day, I see nothing short of candidate's wife is in the least 15 more enlightened

sabotage at the power stations important, what she learns on strangers, discuss their probe electorate, the more in place without my man.

for bringing them out,

mother matter. This is the lems over innumerable cups of personal elections.

time when people speak their tea, visit hospitals, institutions,

minds. We really do get the faktory canteens, meet Homan

impression that we have our ingers on the pulse public Finally, what to wear is not opinion. During the campaign many a Socailet wite wit «Our main task is to keep our irrelevant. Traders, Women's Guilds and I, personally, have never suc

whisper in her husband's ear; endeavour to me like Rogaity, ceeded in changing anyone's husbands in good spirits. When She will be thanked for doing mind about politics. I believe nerves are a trifle trayed it does This will not be a fat-shoes-

"You know, darling, it was no more than anile over and our views are the result of not do to Bay "Didn't you and-macintosh election, For one over again. She will even be temperament rather than reason rather stray from the point thing, it is almost summer, for a pity we didn't take eggs off

the radion." presented with bouquets, and are modified only by events. when you answered that ques- another, our opponent is Jean

Hon about balance of payVickers, I have heard a great And many a Tory wife will Never is a wife made to feel Despite these misgivings, I ments?", Nor is 11 wise to repeat deal about her. But whenever I whisper. more needed.

will Bght to win. It is easy election rumours, such as: ask what she talks about, I am "You know, darling meat enough to take these lotty views "Everyone says you're in the told only about her appearance, really is rather dear." Of course, it is all most fat in the privacy of a London pay of the Kremlin,"

"Quile the model," said one Perhaps this partly accounts bering But the chance that # has the alightest effect on the home; but once in the thick of

The choice of a book at bed of our supporters, "slim, always for the blurring of certain poli-

wearing beautiful

Bulta

and tical issues, For many the seems to me as likely as the fight they become untenable.

time can help to preserve one's rining on the penny pa

After all, I begin to tell myself sense of perspective. It should extremely dashing hatt, Surely choice at this election will seem

[You've heard

about Joan to be between different shades The demand for the candidate's wife is based on the assumption my assumptions are unproven, either be wildly frivolous, like Vickers's hata? Ma that the mere spesacle of do No, the direct question: "Did Love Autonduse, of a historical she's here, there and every

another. medic felicity, impresses the asked P. G. or electors. This seems to me as you vote for your MP. on classic, like The Outline of don't you come down often and doubtful a vote-wither as baby. account of his wife? I soon History,by H. G. Wells. The provide some feminine Jelasing.

persuade myself that it should latter has the advantage of position?"

least for the candidate's wife it is a simple matter blacc or white? buk

How can anyone seem quita 10 pristine white as her man?

!