THE CHINA "MAIL, WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1955.
Nathaniel Gubbins
W
HAT is my secret attempting to disguise evidenco
worry? Why do of digestion.
It has nothing to do with the Il-bomb, have given
the
murmulado
I go mooning My male common reader has about the Sea not wiped Neat with that old twenty- napkin. He has blown his nose from his mouth with the paper past-eight mouth?
on it. And his heavy moustache is stift with marmalade and full of crumbs and cerents.
Thore k nɔ fun lounge for up worrying about that. It. them. Thoy have walked the has nothing to do with in- dreary half-mile to the sea. The come tax. I have become They are in the bench.
woman has taken off accustomed to Governments common
her common holiday shoes. She stealing the money I might is going to paddle to ease her nued for my old age.
cornmei bunions,
20
re-
IL
11] My secret worry
longer. secret no concerns the recent announce- whether you believe it mun!, or not, that the Feverbrook Press has a higher proportion intelligent rich,
cultured and (one might assume) nobly born renders than any other group of newspapers.
of
Therefore, In
עננן
The common mon has folded his common jacket to make a seal for himself, disclosing his common red bruces. He is now opening the paper to read this common column, though It is clot doubtful it to common will understand a word of it.
morbid At The Bootmakers
same seaside
state of mind It is not surpria- ing that have a vision of two newspaper readers taking their holidays at the resort this morning.
The one who is reading the morning edition of the Fever brook Press is staying t the best hotel. As you have al- ready learned he is rich and/or cultured and/or nobly born, Possibly all three.
He has Anished his 'breakfast the and has delteately wiped marmainde from his Ancly chiselled, aristocratic mouth with a spotless, shining napkin.
Servile waitors hoping for 3 big tip have ushered him into
The sun lounge,
where he re- elines in a luxuriousiy cushion- ed chale and opens the only paper at for rich and/or cul- tured and/or nobly born readers,
immortal As he reads The prose, savouring each thought fully modelled
his pentence. aristocratle head nods approval and Hometimes the finely. chiselled mouth smiles at
be Willicism too mubtle to appreciated by the vulgar.
L
And where are my euminon rador and his common wife?
Red with shume, I will tell
you.
They are staying at Ozono boarding house in a back street half a mile from the sea.
#nished their They have breakfast. They have calen 119 nuch as possible to get their money's worth
and
are
not
It was an establishment where they made bools to mea- sure, to last a lifetime and at u price I could hardly afford. Al the time it represented a whole week's wages,
The manuger who wore morning dress ùnd pearl grey spata, took one look at my shabby tweeds and had to make up his mind quickly whether I was n tramp
an eccentric millionaire. I think he must
that I was have decided tramp because he warned me about the cost,
or
n
When I agreed to it he bow- od me to a chair and a footstool. Then he mapped his Angers slaver two
la leather and aprons appeared. They dropped on their knees
on either olde of me and wrestled gently with the knotted laces of my old, unpolished shoes,
They finished their unincing removed my A himself
CORRESPONDENT signing in a dead-heat,,
Old Fogey
and disclosed two bare han shoes
through written to an editor saying that tocs showing
my he wears his old hat for years undarned rocks, and years because he is frigh tened of the superior attituds of some of the younger
West End hatters.
Although I think he is a sly old. Togey to worry about a new hat at his age, he bas my sympathy beenuse I an termined of use hatter myself.
He takes your old titfer, the thy thing you love so much, gingerly in his clean hands and glances casually at the maker's name. If it happens to be his own you may get off with n severe look for wearing a good- it so long.
It happens to be the mange of another and cheaper hatter he gives you the same kind of Loka valet at the old ancestral home would give to a guest wearing gent's pay sultings.
He then helda it under the light, notos the grease spots and the dust and backs away from it as if it might explode.
He has now worked
Lrick ch slogical
On
you
a psy- you. Ashamed to wear the in- sanitary thing he despises will be lad to buy anything and get out of the place with something on your head.
mo-
My most embarrassing ment eccurred not in a halter's shap but in the establishment of Lendon's leading bootmaker.
Jack & Daphne Barker
London's sophisticated charmers.
at the
Parisian Grill
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"Shall we take the measure- nents, sir?" asked the manager. I said no, I had changed my mind.
I thought you might, sie,"
ho said.
At a motion from him the slaves put on my shoes again.
"Gocki morning," I said to the manager, "and thank you."
"Thank you,” sir." he said, brushing his. hands together like a man who had performed an unpleasant task.
Unde Nat, Baby-Sitter
I
tho feos for Now that
baby-sitting have gone up to 155. night hereby particularly effer my services, to the desperate young couple who promise "a sig night-cap to male sliters on duty after
pau."
}}
My qualifications are that am a father, a grandfather, and godfather. Although I must admit I am not always sure which end of a small baby is which once Gagged a baby with a nappy-I can handle infants without dropping .or breaking them, and can even entertain them if I allow small fingers to be pushed up my
nostrils.
I am also fairly honest, saber when given responsibility, and have no followers.
-
"Wait till that last. Bod's put his light out and gone to sleep, then BANG through the sound barrier by accident."
1.
London Express Barvice
A mission
for
Odette
A pact made with Odette in the shadow of
death... another story in our FACT or FICTION
series. Did this really happen?
morrow the
answer will be published.
All
but in
The American,
who spoke
German, asked
the questions.
were
surrounded by her familymed. friends, her colleagues,
Old-fashioned
proaching. Frau Knopf did not zone, and the oficial allowance Had she been a prisoner at expect to survive.
for a British officer on duty was Ravensbruck? She nodded, only three dollars a day. After Had she met a woman there' Transports of prisoners
A slight pause, Moreover, I can say that even
lii being taken to the gas much argument 1 had managed called Odette? it most bables scream or have
to secure a paltry 12 dollars-12 Then another nod. Yes, she This cloak chambers. PETER before it came in. APTAIN
Her turn.. she dollars that stood between Frau remembered Odelte. fte at the first sight of
me,
was not at thought, was imminent, CHURCH ILL'S and dagger routine
Knopf and destitution. they grow accustomed to my
Did she, during her Imprison- "But I have a feeling that
For that,
Odette had at last mont, hand something of great appearance. When they have
story in this series All the kind of work I was ac-
you will come through," she discovered was her situation. value to Odette? been sick once over my shoulder
Bet me thinking of customed to in my job.
personnel bound for
told Odette. "And I would like Back in London after the war. I can get them into that
change at See-
you to do me a favour." position in time-we usually get the first and only time I Trieste had to
her
quite chummy.
met his wife, Odette. It bach,
spite My chlor difficulty bables is feeding them, because in York last year,
with was after a lecture she gave of the crowd on
And form
tiny Plat most babies of my acquaintance have their meals outside their meeting her transported me, found my man faces. In fact, I have often in imagination, back
to Most how wondered
they get Austria, back to my strange troops
rapidly for the nourished at all.
quest for an unknown transit camp. A woman who had made a solitary major pact with Odette in the remained stand- ing by his com- shadow of death.
partment,
There was an occasion when I tried to feed a little girl with
the
soon
аг the
mad c
I salute d.
Identity Cards
by W. F.
Cousins
THIS Is the second story about Odette Churchill in the Did It Hoppen? series. The tint was by her husband. This one is told by Captain W. F. Cousins, who was an Army PRO in Austria from 1946 to 1953, when he returned to England with his wife, the doughter of a Hungarian baroness, ond their son, born in Vienna.
Although he was demobilised fast year, Coptola Cousins is still in close touch with the Army-on the staff of Soldier magazine.
And since Odetle Chur- porridge. I got the first spoon-chill is not the woman to "Major Row?" ful into her mouth. The next break faith, I had found We exchanged time she turned her head sud-myself on what seemed to and went off to denly and the porridge into her left ear,
be a wild goose chase. I did the bar for a not know where the woman drink. From his
Major was living.
produced a toy.
two or three measured Inches on each side, and heavily sealed. On the top was written the name: Frau Mathilde Knopt.
Although most people would of porridge dislike an earful this little girl loved it so much that she offered her right ear for the same treatment. When both cars were full of porridge I abandoned a hopeless task. handed over the spoon and told the child to feed herself.
fow minutes her Within # face was a mask
of porridge. It was not only in her ears but In her eyes,
up her nose, all over her hair, down her neck, and anywhere but in her mouth. She ended her disgust- ing meal by pouring the rest over her head and crowning herself with the basin,
I was then that the porridge queen took a sudden fancy to an uncle who didn't bother about the rules. She tottered round the table and flung her porridgy arms round my neek. It was an embrace I shall never forget,
POCKET CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER
**The trouble fi; whenevir 1 [do conie I meet: euch exten: Ordinary People!!!
Six years ago ...
I could not even be certain IF she was living, I knew only her name and the few details I had Just been told, over i glass of beer on a remote frontier plat- form, by a inan I had never met before.
was
B
1.3
over-
heroine and whelmed by the honours she
had earned, Odette was tortured For the first time there was a by her memory of the tall, trace of animation, but it was dignified woman who had asked only momentery. She was wary, her a favour in Ravensbruck.
and seemed to be asking her- bele,
"Why do they want to sho answered,
Broken health
know?"
"Yes,
But
The American
a ring."
turned to me.
#She seems to be your Mrs
ask
Was the alive? Odette made Knopf." he said. "Satisfied?" inquiries and found she had "Ask her to des
describe the been moved to another camp. ring," I
"Betier tald,
still, She got on to the track of ex her to draw it if she can." prisoners who had survived that
She was given a pad and a camp, and discovered that at the pencil. She described the ring end of the war, Frau Knopf had with la elaborate, old-fashioned escaped the gas chamber. More setting. ая sho sketched it, OVCT, she hed been re making united with her husband
a.lile dot for each diamond. I counted 13 dots.
Wrecked years'
an
At that stage, Odette sought the help of the War Omed.. · She looked round to make Through their own channels thes sure they were not being watch traced Frau Knopf and her hus ed. And then she produced the band as far as un address near ring. It had been with her Salzburg. There the trail ended. At last I was able to open the throughout her imprisonment. The professor and his wife had package. I felt her eyes on Somehow she contrived to hide been living in complete poverty, as I broke the seat and removed, "Your job is to locate Frau it whenever she was searched.
Old. Aheir health broken, their, from its bed on colton-wool, he deliver this package to her per- former life, her one Knopf,"
told me, and It was all that remained of her home gone, the professor with elaborate gold ring set with 13
tangible out
Presumably they diamonds. I heard her glyc really. We don't know her
link.
had no longer, been, able 10 had! work. address, but she is almost cer
want you to keep it for afford the room to which the little cry, agit flashed' in' the tainly in the American zone of
she told Odette. "If I had been traced. Me"
spring Sunlight coming through Austria. Take of It's survive, you send it back to me.
care
the window, While I compared It had taken, a long time for it with the drawing she had until you've traced her. said worth £1,000 and don't open it It
her the shrugged not."She You shoulders. "At lenst le Nuzls War Ofee to ellelt these mido,
facts decided recte control Odelte are not to break the seal until won't get it.',
to she has described the contents."
delay no longer. If "But why give it to me?" was not easy for dvilians to Knopf, no question of that, Odetic asked. "I'm the Inst
move from one zone to another
when I got back to "But what on earth are the person. Find someone who's at that time. The probability Klagenfurt and sent my terse
not under sentence of death. I was that they were still in the signal, "Mission co
After Odette's lecture, I asked to be introducted to her,
"Mrs Churchill," I bluntly, "do you remember Frau Knopf?"
She was taken aback for a moment. "Frau Knopf?" she repeated. Then, "Of course. In Ravensbruck. Then you must be
"Captain Cousine," I told her. "I'm stationed in York now, but I was in Austria in--how long ngo was it? Six years?"
The
contents?"
Her story
"A ring." I think the major was enjoying his part in the affair and the look of mystifi- catlon on my face as repeated "A ring?"
now,"
shall never get out."
"They won't kill you the woman said, "The war will soon be over, and they'll think twice before they murder more British subjects. Please take it. I know I can depend on you."
Miraculous
any
American zone,
Threadbare
did
Yes, 1
And
the was
J
Tight!
Frou
to
the War Office, I the look in her eyes, oscured though they were by tears: a look I havo sem only on that single occasion. It wan not "Yest, it must be," Odette
Just the finencial, value of the said. "The War Office told me
All this I explained to the ring, and the food and "todging about your part in the affair."
British liaison officer in it would buy. It was the look Salzburg. Ho called in an of hope, long doe
bandoned, and Cloak and dagger
American Counter- Intelligence now restored Major R-told me the bare
offleer, who in turn summoned While I was holding out the This, then, is the story of outlines of the ring's history,
tho gendarmerie. It
not ring to her across the desk, Odette and
Frau Knopf. I and Odette gave me the missing
take their combined efforis long Frau Knopf looked back, over Almost against her better to trace a Frau. Mathilde Knopf, the wrecked, years, to that played only a very minor role details at York last year. I was just the postman.
Sho
allowed her Was she the right one? She was distant act of trust, and it had and Frau Knopf were judgment Odette first I heard of It was when the prisoners together in the hell of self to be persuaded. Her own asked to report to the Brish not called hor. telephone rang in "my office in Ravensbruck concentration situation was desperate, but the isison office at two o'clock on Klagenfurt ono May morning in camer well, Odette was not, abla renowed hope. And when she
They did not know each older woman's faith gave her my second day in Salzburg.. 1948. I was an Army public
She was dressed in black. relations officer in Austria, and to mix much with other pri- WRE removed from Ravers Her clothes were threadbare. soners. But they had a talk bruck, she concealed the ring and
She was still tall, but thin, and my chief at the War Omee was one day and Frau Knopf, a tall, took it with her, in spite of the stooping, her hair while, her on the
the line.
greying, rather reserved woman; danger to herself if it should ralhes
faer deeply lined. Lite, had preulier with great air of, dimity over he discovered mission for you, Cousins h about hor, told. Odetto
dealt hamhly with her and lets I kept fingering the package its traces. said. "It's too complicated to of her story.
a little
my pocket as the train took. tell you about now. You wut
Hor husband was a professor, me to Salzburg, headquarters of She seemed nervous as the get full details from Major Him who had refused to compromise the American zone. Army red faced us, looking rather
oficial, Mie's on his way to Qritwie and wii they wish and came miraculously cut to send me on
regime, Her own tape, which Had been so I suppose, in our various you are to meet him on the
uniforms Nervous, yes, but station platforın at Beebad family wai
originally from
Kumania. Even my mission, was now makicom da faced so many ofcere, o It resigned, too, and bliter., she Carry out his instructions Lo the in the heavily guarded denince almost Impossible for me to lotter and raport back to me of the torture camp, the Nazis plete laat
Kakiny, uniforms in her life, Wefk when you've done it.”
could not keep from the pris had only four days in which what did they want this time? hi He told me the trulo 1 had to: <deem the news of German dó- to do the job. Currency rosteless. I fall me did not greatly, parykke give Comm |ingot, and I wwe pacing up and folayan) (bara rovious that tións: were severe, el xeeded at The American uwhof: póke
down the platformí. Brood hour, the find won that tak mas ape, douers, o alay in the, American: German, anked the quizadonesEARNING,
WORLD' COPYRIGHT BESERVED.
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?
YES
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