1955-06-09 — Page 4

Page

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1955.

Two Cups of Coffee...

la it FACT or

FICTION? Tomorrow you will see the author's

angicer and

another

story in the series-that-

keep-you-guessing.

O, once again, every- thing was going everyone

wrong;

was being unhelpful, if not obstructive: and even inanimate objects seemed inspired with malevolence.

This was at Rome Airport last November, when I had to get home in a hurry for

a date with the BBC at 10

sunity,

DID IT HAPPEN?

307

The old man took back my cup and continued to serve the rest.

with hot coffee and paper cups, the price of which--he declared in a thin shaken voice-was thirty fanes

Athirst for such solace, we all piled into the corridor making for the exit. Feople stood on my foot, kicked my ankle, struck ma in the kidneys. Then I lost my temper. Was I not nurtured at the blathplace of Rugby foot. ball I put down my head and Kot to the coffee in the fore- frent of the pack.

The cup was in my hand be tere I remembered that I had no money. I had to hand it back saying. "Je n'a pas d'argent," And nobody of all that lot offered to stand me that 30- trane drink.

Robert Henriques

Mommande. Colonel, Robert David

Paisano Henriques wields a typewriter ... odročiły, at a gue Such seven is the prize-winning No Arsa. Na Ansour and Captain Smith and Company are· 194`'truit of ha formiósklo dual dexterity. These dayn Hesriques -- Rate 49 um forme the Catwolda, where Dres with his wife Vivies, since of Viscount. Bazr. ated. Ita in a spero-time wiht and has appeared is Any Questions? and other audio programmer

money from her private purse, refusing anything in exchange and telling me only where, at some vague date 1 might With this somehow repay her.

The old man. took back my cup and continued to serve the rest. Some moments later my words got through to his de- crepit brain. He looked up and monicy, thought, I could at

while they paused

all least send a telegram to the clamoured at him, while the BBC. engine whistled and the guard ordered us to re-embark.

o'clock the next morning. been landing at Heathrow. But The Tramontana was blow as we flew northward, the

But that was not necessary. ing, an icy wind off the stewardess assured me that I

When we reached Paris. the mountains which swept the should reach Paris in time to catch the night ferry and be in

The old man seemed oblivious tile grey Frenchman whispered. sky pale blue and

Londen for breakfast.

I was in a thoroughly nasty

of in my ear at his car would be mood as I observed my fellow to everything but the echo But at the BEA desk they

a spare Italian, my email. He was unshaven awaiting him and had suid: "Thick fog over Lon-

Moments later they told us passengers - French,

clothes were raged, ts boots

Events

unbelievably dona delay of not less that the north of France was Belgian, Duh, Swiss, German, and shivering er trening. His place in it.

broken and he had a bare toe and be-. than four hours." In four alp covered with fog, and we Egyptian. Gik, and one very

very lonely than dark,

nck. He propitious, or else he was a man no farther NCI

Wildered mas from Aden who showing through a hours we ought to have been shoutel

Lyons. Thence we must con-

spoke only his own

kind of asked: "Qui n'a pas d'argent?" of great influence, for he dis- covered on my behalf that, for in Town.

(Who is without money?) tinue by train.

certain Arabic.

unspecified reasons, "Me," I said.

ม

4

sensu-

dirty

Lyons st dusk was tionally cold. In a big. shed the French Customs played counter. evilly with our baggage for a

couple of hours.

asked

there . I

*!; guarantee that a 'plarie will get us in Paris tonight? They said not. I asked the same question, at the Air France "Surement they said. An air- plane was leaving shortly, and they had a spare place on it. I transferred my ticket from BEA and sat down to walt.

.

No departure..

On

Penniless

Evil was, abroad. Each human its worst noture was turning side upwards in a dozen dif- ferent tongues.

Except for him, whose face was pathetic and patient, the expressions of all the others were infinitely disagreeable.

The whole lot of them had heard my complaint and my predicament. Some of them had wallets bulging with notes of 10,000 francs, but nobody offered to help.

One seat

He held out a cup,

saying:

If you are without money you have need of coffee."

Italian ire.

www

Are you sure you're not making

a tevable, mistake in

inventing this, George?"

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

World Caprint by arrangement with tha Manchester Quardian

there was one single French air- A YOUNG MAN FACES THE CHOICE OF A CAREER

of

place, with the crack pilot all France, dctermined to leave fsg-bound Paris at 6.30 am. and somehow get itself to fog- bound London. More astonishing st, the airplane had just one spare seat.

did in

fact the

go

to

་

It left from Orly airport, and "But I cannot pay." I said, although we were threatened offering him English silver, or with an emergency landing near

Portsmouth, we

expertly struggle We were at last put in a bus Shaking with anger he - HeathrowW fog. I had half an and taken to dinner. In Lyons, swered: C'est moi qui vous hour to spare when I My own particuler complaint in the very heart and soul of cffre le cafe.” And sternly he Broadcasting House.

French cooking. with three watched me drink i wiile my hours to kill until the train left fellow-travellers chattered with at midnight we should at least anger while the engine whistled cat supertly! This was not the finally and his trade vanished.

As the train pulled out, he second cup into my pushed a hand, and I was kit in the packed co.rider among those thirsting and frustrated people, with my coffee steaming exquisitely,

2

cose.

An hour later the familiar process was at work. Nothing

that I wa5 in effect Was happening, nobody knew was anything, and

the announce penniless. All the other passen

booked On menty coming over the loud gers, having

different Froneh line, "had naturally pro- speakers in several linguages were all acoustically vinter themselves with French currency. Naturally I had not. corrupt and unintelligible.

money I had the these occasions, I always con- In English Unale writing my "Song of the miserable £5 which we are al- lowed to take abroad in our "Airport" which begins:

pockets, I had some Italian lire left

I had syon,

travellers But at Lyons Airport cheques. there

possibility of The French alrphine left at changing any of these into a w about the time we ought to have single frane,

Point of No Departure Terminus of Tinic....

по W3.3

Captain Morgan

RUM

The drink that pleases all tastes

SERVED HOT OR COLD, LONG OR SHORT, SWEET OR DRY

Sole Distributors: GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD.

Tels: 20136, 36361.

St. George's Bldg., Hongkong.

THREE

SILENT

Ah, coffee!

my

WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED

AND

FOR THE DUKE OF KENT IT MEANS STRIKING A BALANCE

WHERE DOES HE FROM HERD:

By DOUGLAS CLARKE

1

:

2

What has there been in all appreciate this to help to him the

ways of impulses and thought which drive the com mon man in this rowdy, raucous, fast-moving twentieth century?

And now to send him

Into more

an environment

It is my belief that the bat-

LITTLE "limelight bellewed that he is a beneficiary Belgium, the King of Siam, the tered old man worked the trick, I do not know how many hearts

was thrown on the from trust funds said to be Shah of Persia. Finally there he changed, but they certainly

worth about £2,000,000-set up has been Sandhurst, included my own. Perhaps that 19-year-old Duke of

by the late Queen Mary. was enough? I was made deeply Kent when he appeared re- ashamed "of

former

HOBBIES? He is fond of 111-

cently at all humour-and thereafter every-

a London first

music: he visited the Wagner night. thing went right.

Festival at Bayreuth last sum

fair shot; the It was just enough to re- mer, He is a mind us how sparing is the Duke of Edinburgh has been his

instructor, Ee is

keen 4 public attention he gets in

But amateur photographer, comparison with his younger motor-cars are his great passion. sister, Princess Alexandra.

And yet, of course, the pre- future activities and carcer of this young seventh in direct succession to TE loves to watch motor- Throne, are natural and Hracing. He drives a car - perfectly legitimate matters for and, remembering his two ac-

A little grty Frenchman with a beard and with the rosette of Chevalier in his button-hole,

I did have a spark of grace. was exerting his authority. It Catching sight of the dark," seemed to be considerable. We bewildered, lonely face of the were whisked away from an un- man from Aden, I gave him my saw the brilliant, white finished meal to catch an earlier SUR train a very slow and meander Hash of his smile. But he did ing train, which would get us watched him look around and

not imself drink that sup. Paris by four in the mominantly hand it to the little grey There were fog rings round Frenchman with the beard and the bleak lamps, and the plat- form was desolate and

Strange things then started to But not quite empty! A very happen. First the stewardess of 'old man came pushing a trolley the air crew came to offer me

empty.

rosette.

I

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

YES

NO

Put your tick in the space above and keep this pani by you until tomorrow when the antem witi be ghran-with another story is this series by

CLAUDE HOUGHTON

Did yesterday's story All £yes Tum to the Man from Maxes, bay' Ceoffray Cofferelimactually happen? The answer is: "YES___

DON IDDON'S DIARY

sent

concern and discussion.

Accidents

once

where his social contacts wit

be largely limited to a handful of young men of a smail, select clase is this not to squander a priceless opportunity?

For the Duke, 20 in October,

is now at a most impression- Public

How much do we know about cidents last year, some may wish able age. He has completed his he pursued this hobby with less formal education; now he enters mature him?

the phase when he INCOME? His father left verve and more care.

educate himself enough to £ 157,000. In addition, it is

SOCIAL LIFE? He is said to artd young enough to respond to feel more at ease in the informal the great trends of feeling, the

fears and' enthusiasm15, atmosphere of nightclubs than

the He broad attitudes and emotions at sedate, society dances.

which move likes fun, mixes well, drinks an occasional glass of whisky. smokes a little, and allows In- timate friends to call him Eddle.

THE STRIKE

STRIKE IS HURTING

OUR

PRESTIGE WITH AMERICANS

And his intended CAREER!

Now this is the subject on which many thoughtful people are beginning to ask some blunt questions. This is where a pub- ie argument shows signs of breaking out..

For the Duke will be passing

ordinary men

and women in the modera world,

How

he best absorb '+ all this?

Well, here is one way. He could go into industry. He

could get acquainted

beside him at the factory bench,

THE DUKE

New York, Tuesday. "The headlines here are cries that there must be no big new star and has been EMORANDUM to the grim: *Eden

to Call Out more Yaltas he is not show flooding the television networks out of Sandhurst in about two with common man by working M railway strikers, if Troops. Rall Strike Ties ing it.

The

He merely says:

with Davy Crockett

grammes,

the

pro-

There are 200 manufacturers

months. His life is on the threshold of a new phase. And

The Duke wants to enter the Regular Army," His mind is set on a commission in the Royal Scots Greys,

they care: "You have Up 80 Percent of Britain. "There will be no appease

The result is aeclossal in the public interest it is of done tremendous damage to Only

you can change ment."

Crockett craze. Hundreds same importance that he should Britain's reputation and them."

of thousands of American make the right choice. American election prestige just when the Bri-

children Many here compare the campaign is what the na- dressed in Crockett frontiers-

are going around What is the present plan? tish were at the pinnacle of

railway tie-up to the General tives call “hotting and popularity

influence

up."

man jackets, Crockett coonskin Strike of 1926.

Some of the likeliest De- caps. They have thrown away here.

Americans feel sorry for mocratic candidates are step- their Hopalong out£ta, "Americans do not con- demn strikes they have Eden and angry with the ping down to leave

but strikers. My doorman said way clear for Adlai Steven making Davy Crockett items many of their own -

this morning: "I 800. they did

not expect the to me British, the 'sporting, fair never thought the British. play, British. to hit Sir would do that to a man Anthony Eden a foul blow who has done so much for only a day or two after he had begun his job as Bri- tain's newly elected Prime Minister.

SALESMEN

***

Largest Morning Circulation

Largest Afternoon" Circulation

Largest Bunday

Circulation

them."

Looking Ahead

shirts,

hats, toys, boots, moccasins, guns, daggers, etc

- Few people are wearing and sales will total over campaign buttons or putting $300,000,000 this year. stickers on the windows of

their ears..

No one yet has tried recruit the followers Davy Crockett, but the LIKE Sir Anthony Eden, mocrats, who are usually

Eisenhower more President

enterprising and

The ballad about Crockett is

Tradition

IN that ambition to follow a career in one of the Services the Duke, of course, is sub

a bestseller, top of the hit scribing to a well-establishet

Or, if it is still fity years too soon for a Royal Duke to serve an apprenticeship in a factory, he could widen his knowledge of life by travel, Already he knows Europe fairly well. And he has made one trip to the Far East; it was by a very wise decision of his mother that he spent several weeks with her, around

bis 17th Ethday, visiting Singapore and Borneo and Hongkong. But most the Commonwealth and Empire. he still knows only through books. ・・

OF

educate

"parade, and department stores tradition for young royalty. His Now would be a splendid to are offering $5,000 for brief late father spent eight years on time to remedy that, I say the

of the Royal Duke could hardly personal appearances of Fess the active st of De- Parker; of whom I had never Navy. His uncle, the Duke at himself better than by going

Gloucester

was commissioned tar abroad to study and grasp heard until a few weeks ago.

the King's Royal Rife Corps the vision of Empire. But I at 19, later transferred to the say, too, that he should do it cavalry, and reached the rank the right way.

has the forthcoming Big publicity-wise than the Re- Four meeting on his mind, publicans will probably try as well as strikes and the to claim them. threat of strikes.

The astonishing Ameri- cana, the world's wealthiest and most powerful people,

New Craze

On Broadway

THE theatrical season is wind

ing up on Broadway. There were 70 productions, 20 of them comedies and 15 musicals, The

of captain before going on the Army's half-pay list.

But the question asking is this:

people are

are going into the Big Four THERE is a tremendous Richard Aldrich, the producer most relevant training for the for bed, and

Davy Crockett

dreadful here.

craze

Informality RECENTLY winter- sporting showmen promise an even Docs life in an officers mess at Kitzouhel, he stayed at an bigger season next year, any longer furnish the best and ordinary boarding house-146, breakfast and in the who wrote "Gertrude Lawrence young men of the Royal Family? obviously revelled

experience. There is the clue, as Mrs A., ir seeking Gr

It may well be that nowadays conference with

Let him now go on his Garson as the "perfect choice"

á Service career, spread over further travels with the same care and caution.

to play his wife in the film several highly Impressionable informality. No pomp. No sti Davy Crockett was an old version of the bestseller, Greer years, is more likely be stul protocol, Let him spend two The President and the backwoods hero who wore a will probably accept,

tifying than useful to them. Is

three years knocking Secretary of State are being coonskin cap, had a rifle named

British actress Joan Collins not altogether too narrow and cheerfully about the Commoo warned almost every day "Ole Betsy, and was known as

is climbing high here and will rigid and confined a preparation wealth without elaborate com .01. the Wild to button

star in The Girl in the Red for the kind of publie respon mitments

precise ·Prom up their wallete

sibilites that fail to royalty? Velvet Swing" with Ray

grammes and see that they at least

Perhaps inevitably there har The Duke is mechanically return to the United States He fought for General Muland and Farley Granger,

Humphrey Bogart, Lauren been little in the Duke's up-minded. If he wants to know with their shirts.

Andrew Jacksort in the Indian wars, was elected to Congress, Becall, the Gary Coopers, Jack bringing to broaden his under what makes the ordinary folk

of these racy,

de of the Empire tick, there is one Millions of

Americans and rode to Texas to join the Warner, Judy Garland were all standing

fine way for him to discover; their going to Las Vegan for Noel mocratie unes. would prefer that President Alamo defenders in Eisenhower did not sit down gallant-last-stand, in which he Coward's opening at the Desert He went to a select prepara the answer. He can go out and

aled.:

tory school near Wokingham meet the with Russia's Bulganin and.

Groucho Marx, and Coward He spent three years at Eton Match this experience against Walt Disney has made a film are trying to persuade Helen Then came Le Rosey, the the cribbed, confined atmq- Krushchev at all, the

called "Davy Crockett, King of Hayes to co-star with Groucho school of kings in Switzer sphere of an officers mess. If the President is listen the wild Frontier" which has in Disrself," which Coward land (Fees £600 a year. training for public life,

Other Old Boys Baudouin of there really be any comparisont ing to all this advice and the made the actor Fess Parker a adapting for the stage,

the

or

can