1955-09-14 — Page 4

by Christopher

Sykos

CHRISTOPHER SYKES s author of Four Studies In Loyalty, Two Studies in Virtue, and A Song of a Skirt. He has also been effective In diplomacy, Journalham and the B.E.C. Sykes was born in 1907. -the escond son of the late Sir Mark Syket. He h married (one son) and liver In Dorset,

S

THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1955."

THE MYSTERY PARCEL

Byzantino art or Yorkshire batter. He a passionate individualist, ዜ new-style Tory, anti-State, pro-free- enterprise man.

One Saturday he and I hat planned to go away to spend the week-end with some friends, and it had been agreed that he would cook dinner on the night of cur arrival. I reached Pad- dington Station before him, and got two window scats, Pre- sently I saw Gregory walking up the platform, hatless as al- ways, and carrying a Amall amall Buftease and a large round pack- IR MAX BEERBOHM age done up in newspaper.

noticed

to my surprise that he

part

1

WON

once said that people was not walking along; he was rarely look like art of

group. As though themselves. It is a leading a procession he great truth: the man of walking a little ahead of un plato official-looking man in genius can have the stare of

clothes and regulation boots, and an imbecile; a total fool can two policemen in uniform. The have a noble presence. My tour of them were all walking atory concerns the fact that through the crowd together, ns a famous murderer of our one with a rhythmic crunch, I time did not look in the was about to wave to him when a lady asked me to help her to least like himself, but like a put her sulleage on the rack, high-minded scholar. He and, unfortunately for Gregory, was at the top of his pro- but fortunately for the story, I fession, having made away responded to this appeal to my

higher self. with at least six people in circumstances of indescrib able brutality.

I will call him Froyle. He was the subject of a nation- wide search at the time I speak of, and photographs

An argument

that

I stepped back into the com- partment with the result Gregory, walked by it without seeing me, and walked on with h retinue to a compartment bigher the train. Then when

up

DID IT HAPPEN?

Another story to keep yan guessing. The answer will be given tomorrow

"I saw Gregory clutch at his pockets and then

run, run, run like a ́panic-stricken madman,"

•

for your rights, the police will leave you alone. You must never *appeaso* tyrants, that is the point. You must stand up to them

and remember that you are not just so many numbers to be pushed' around like counters,"

And with eyes blazing with righteous indignation, he turned back to his compartment, where he looked for somewhere to put his parcel, which by this tímo WIN becoming very highly coloured and sticky, and really needed fresh paper.

Dense crowd·

I was trying hard to get to him now, but found. I could not get through the crowd which had grown desed. I waved to him, but he did not soo

me. I decided to join him later

on the train. The two policemen were still watching him, but she plain clothes man had vanished from. sht perhaps because he was on the train N was now. 15 than a minute before departure ume.

And then to my amaze ment I saw Gregory clutch at his pockets-and then run, run

ike a pani

parle-stricken madman, run like the eternal fugitive from justice, while the station broke irto parkiemonium.

A frightful thought seized me that my friend really was the murderer. as watched him run with the rapidity of terror. incredibly fast, the whole length of the platform, while whistles blow in their hundreds, and powerful blue ams signalled. I

in the newspapers had made had fixed the lady's suitcase I encroachment upen humen free- you are not going to have the can only suppose that, by pre- everyone familiar with his went up the platform to fini dom, as n nail in the coffin of pleasure of seeing me sur arranged plan, ommbush posts To my surprise I liberty, and part of the abolition rendering my hard-won liberties were taken up at all ways out lofty forehead, piercing gaze my friend.

drew himself up under the law just to satisfy of the station, for Gregory was and finely chiselled mouth. found that he was the centre of of man. He

argument with the police. A haughtily and said

your whim!"

not stopped. He ran, he slid, he I must not excite too much better man than I would have

"Why do you wish to see

As he spoke

he shook the came to a halt at the tobacco parcel, and the effect of this was kiosk. Agitatedly he bought a interest in Froyle, however, barget into the argument and my identity card?"

Gregory's side and

to derange the contents, and the packet of 20 cigarettes, and ther because he is not the hero taken

newspaper became discoloured a ran, not as officially expected ghastly red. An elderly lady out, but back, to his compart- fainted. The policeman pulled ment. my

out his pocket book "May I have please?" he said.

of my story. That part is strengthened him in his ordeal, but, knowing my Gregory, some- played by my friend thing told me that it might be Gregory James, a high fun to see what was happening minded scholar who pro- before helping.

It was an appeal to my lower vided an exception to the rule that people do not look self and I responded to that too, at the edge of the little like themselves. He looked crowd. exactly like a high-minded scholar.

1

stood

Gregory was addressing one of the uniformed polleemen. He is a passionate Individualist who has an unreasoning hostility to wards the forces of low and He is the greatest living order and repression, expert

the on

Eastern

Fiery temper

'Arrest me'

my

your name,

Human rights

Great delicacy

his

the

but it

train had travelled several

of

AT PUBLI

MEETING

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

Cummings

MAY

INTEREST, YOU IN A SCHEME

TO BLOW up RESIDENCE

THIS UNDESIRABLE

ANY

VOLUNTEERS

"

IF GUY FAWKES HAD LIVED IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY BRITAIN

London Express Service

Nathaniel Gubbins

HE

man

Tspends

any good,” said the man. "The to a man. And so does wife being on the big side, it moor." took a bit of time to have....a look-sce at her tummy

$

Dart.

"You've been in Dáirtmoor?”?...‚' asked the men, edging away from me.

Then 1 understood what was bagganing, and

owed understanding to the poster of a weekly magazine on the book- stall, for en it there was printed

I think that at the spectacle "James." gigantically enlarged photo-

of him doing so the police graph of Froyle, It was clear

This was unexpected. The recognised that Gregory was not from the whispering in the policeman

exchanged a glance a murderer, but a man of un- with the plain-clothes officer, crowd which was growing round

usual impulsiveness. We saw no the door of the carriage that "May I have your

second more signs of an official chase.

When. I joined Gregory others besides me had noticed name?" he said.. the resemblance of brow, eye, "What do you mean, my whole incident seemed to have and finely chiselled mouth. But second name? I don't go about passed from

mind, none of this was understood by with an assortment of names. was clear from their looks that "Yes?" he was saying irritably, Gregory, (It is another great I've told you my name. James. the suspielens of our fellow been not yet quarrelsomely.

Do you hear? It is my "Yes? You say truth that in spite of the inven

name, travellers had Roman Empire and he you want to talk to me. All tion of mirrors and photography James! James! James! I have allayed, nor were they until the finds relaxation from his right. Talk away. What do you people don't usually know what no 'second name","

and Gregory was giving a miles cook want to talk about?" He had they look like.)

"I took James to be your. austere studies in

"I am not obliged," said the personal or first or

who always put his suitcase inside but was

'Christian vigorous lecture on the delights ing. He admires the

still holding his parcel.

tell you policeman, "to

his holidays name. I take it that James is in of British cooking. He referted ancient dishes of our coun- "I would like to

to his horrible, blood-stained see your reasons.

fact your second name?”

of the

here was on the seat

but parcel in the course "Then I," shouted Gregory, try and specialises in black identity card," said the pollee

harangue and enlarged on

• when you have, the best men on the opposite the Sea Nest where puddings, goose pie, and an, for these things happened "am not obliged to pander to

wall-prepared I read my newspapers in fatuous

of pleasures

in the country on the job you in the days of identity cards. your

Inquisi ultra-British things of that Gregory had his on him. Any fiveness. If you like to arrest "You have that kind of sub- sheep's head, a dish, he said, fine summer weather,

lonow you're all right.. I ex- "Twelve years altogether."* I which is anobbishly despised by

pect you could pues kind. He is a man of fiery one else would have produced me, and overpower me, you may human official mind," screamed

said, "but I was lucky I didn't "Cheer up," he said when he

names if you tried,"

get a lifer after I coshed the temper, always ready for a the thing, and the story would possibly succeed in dragging my Gregory, "which cannot under some fools, but is nevertheless a

have come to a lame end. But identity card out of my pocket, stand any simple statement; I great delicacy.

saw me. "It may never happen,"

old tobacconist. It was fortun- scrap with people who dis- Gregory, being who he was, saw but you'll have to do it by force have told you my name, and if He said that he had, by luck,

Visualising an operation with him about the policeman's

request as an by heaven, for I warn you that you persist in disbelieving me able sheep's head, which

I been able to obtain an admir The man had made this same some of the enormous women ate there was nothing much in the till. Four shillings and remark to me on a certain day visitors I had seen in these shall call the-I shall have the would cook that night. He said

sevenperco ho'penny to bc in August ever since 1948. It parts, I could only think of matter raised

exact." in Parliament, he had bought it from a very

was intended as a reproof and Dorman, Long, and Vickers- and will I

& criticism of the sour ex- Arinstrongs, but said nothing. ruined!"

I but that, unfortunately, what pression assumed uncon- . By this time the crowd around with the hurry, there had been dously whenever I saw him. "And as for the boy," said the carriage door had grown to

In

the man,

don't suppose him since you'd know

last be large, Gregory began to no time to pack it properly

a waterproof covering, and so he address them on human rights, had been obliged to take it away

Year, Eat? He eats everything always making his points by wrapped up in his evening

in sight. And grow? I'll swear shaking the parcel, thus further

he's grown an trich since yer-`' disrupting the Contents. Tho

terday. But it's his brain that plain-clothes officer stepped for

worries me." werd and murmured privately to his colleague.

Fearing the child mad I thought would be tacticss.

agree

An event unique in the history of watchmaking

The 250,000th

ROLEX CHRONOMETER!

THE ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE- JUST, worn by the most famous men of our tape. The 250,000th Rolex chronometer -- a Datejust --- la now on the wrist of one of the most eminent

owen la the world. Waterproof in its Dystor case, elf-wound by · Perpetual “rolor" mechanison, Ilahows the date in a window on the dial.

Facts & Figures -

The Holon Red Soak orsached to a watch showa that is best aðtained an Official Timing Cariti ente from a Swiss Government Testing Station, with the gravel itile of chronome DET»,

The Swiss Watch Industry During 1953 Produced

33,030,000 WATCH MOVEMENTS

But only 48,628 of these won the right to the name of t CHRONOMETER, of this 48,628, ROLEX produced 30,555 Year after year, Rolex have produced more Officially Certified:' Chronometers than any other manufacturer. Altogether, Rolex have obtained, Three out of Four of all Official Timing Certificates ever awarded to Wrist Watches.

ROLEX

"A landmark in the history of Time measurement

he

see that you are good butcher near the station,

WILS

he Investigation, The probably saying, had better be continued by stealth on the train, and for the moment it was bitter to breaks it off so as to avoid an uproar. The police withdrew to watch from + distance,

"And there you see," Gregory wound up his address to the crowd, as the great blue figures walked off, "that if you standi up

пожарарет.

WORLD COPYRIGHT LESERVED

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

YES

NO

• Part your tick in the mate above and keep this panel by you until tomorrOW ...when the answer will be givsamgilà another story in this series by man

Jim Phelan

ITO The Yesterday's Professor, by Robin Maugham Letually happen? The answer las NO.

Smokers Are Feeling

The Pinch-Of Snuff

By J. W. TAYLOR

THE recent scare linking smok- Harding, Jack Train and Hugh

ing with lung cancer, plus Morton,

the high cost of tobacco and Snuff is tobacco ground 'to cigarettes, have rocketed the sale dust an acented. Something of shuff in Britain, where the like 500 tons of it is used each habit has been steadily growing year by the takers at anything In popularity since 1939.

up This 18th century fad, which fest type. had gradually fallen into neglect, The expert addicts have long

It was also a frst shot in a non-stop monologue which would continue for two weeks wes I hid myself bevind shut windows and locked cars.

I knew that, unless It rained, the man would be on the seat every morning at 9 am, for 14 days. Later on he would be in my favourite seat in my fav ourltc tavern.

remembered

at when there was a short- age of tobacco he was in my favourite tobacconist's trying to buy up my favourite cigarettes.

"I can't think why you look so miserable living in a place like this," the man said "The sca always in front of you, Ozone in your lungs day and

"

their

ол

might be a comment

▼

'Give You Chance”

66HAT are you doing for a asked the W living now?" man, moving to the far corner, of the sest,

"Well," I said, “an old lag can't get respectable employ ment. Society doem't forgivo.

I easily. But for some years made a packet as a con, man. When Australian farmers, visit- "The trouble with that ing London, were simpler than boy," said the man, is that they are now I sold them gold he's too clever.

bricks. In fact, his

An old trick but existent at the time, even

~hool-teacher sam it'fright- work

cing

m

•he knotes, 23

amo

mines

the sangka hem may in South Africa 16.South Afr Vietcons. Iake your boy; I was very

and burn himself 12. But,

gut, and you never

will clever at school and much what, clover when I grew up.",

night if you keep your win to be. That boy

dows open. Why, you ought to be as happy as a sandboy and as fit as a flea"

I told him the local doctors were usually kept busy, ticularly in August, 2

par-.

" don't know anything about that," said the man, "but I know I feel different as soon as I stop out of the train. A couple of lungfuls of this air and I'm starving. Do Hou know what I had for breakfast?"

Before I could say I didn't care he told me.

and auditor, a judge

UT EVER a Prime Minister

Wouldn't it be falny

too

"Tugre's nothing like that "abong my boy," said the man, Perips not," I) said. “Buk

turned out to be the father you never know, could teach of a future Prime Minister of Edgland?" I suit it would

"

'In Dartmoor?

6WXJELL,” said, the man,"I've

been tong a lot about myself. Who about your I've often wondered what your line fa”

At this moment I saw my opportunity. He was a chance of getting rid of the man for

'Boy Too Clever' good. to 12s ed on ounce for the

A

ever want

speak to

If I told you my line," EREALS and milk," he said, "I don't you would

Two eggs and two again."" 'raphers, fried bread and po- tatoes, and six slices of toast and marmalade. What do you think of that?"

now gives a useful boost to the since learned the correct rifun!. country's export earnings, for a It is, of course, permissible to parallel muff revival is occurring lay the snuff on the

back of in many other parts of the the hand and snif it up the world...

nose like a vacuum cleaner, In many parts of Britain, but the more graceful... and.. stuffing is almost as firmly es- correct.

procedure is to "in- As I didn't know what" to tabilahed as it was in its heyday. troduce 1 to the nostrils" think I made no reply. between the reigns of Queen between the tips of the thumb Ance and King George IV. Many and, forefinger. men are taking it up because it

of the British Modical Journal,

is more economical than tobacco Snuff-takers have the support smoking and, they say, just as thus: "One ounce of the best satisfying.

They are not alone in their stuff should last about worten are faking snuit, as were paychologiall

the

adkiction. Almost as many month, satisfaction as

the sama

20

cigarettes daily, which would

one or two things."

["141`trouble.

под

to leave

12 Por alone,aid the man

self, delighted. I wouldn't have to meet the Tile pest, CT you promise not 16_fell<phybody about me. It's a small town and you know what small towns are ke

"I'd never do a thing like that "1⁄2 hold] the "man, "You're sinned and you've paid, No man phould have a per

พ.ศ.

If all men, were like you," I saki, The World Would be man batter place.

Tanis

expect you've reared now "Go on," the man sold, le "Except for the odd spot of can't be da bad as all that, blackmail," I said. "But overz You haven't been robbing that game's almost up. They go bank, have yoμ?”

*; straight to the police. I suppose

you wouldn't be interented "Not for some time," I mic, an investment?": "I'm getting too old for that contradik

ma now."

་.

"No thanks,” said the mana (c) “It's a diamond mine" t

"And do you know" sald the man, "I could eat it all

again. Every single A "Get away with you” sali saldi, "in South Africa. You can crumb. And so could the wife. the man, "You're kidding/" - pr the shares now at five bic and so could the boy, I ex-

elf In a year or two they'll, bij I 'said. "No, I'm not."

"INVORY 25. I wouldn't let every- pect you remember the wife. and the boy?”

broke into my first bank when body into this, but... as you've I was 21. We got away with been so docent about everything konside Places £5,000, but after the share-out. I'll give you the chance. If you

adulging in the habit in the allout five quinces It:l'always' mikpect residenta "jo: ros - there' wasn't much for me; as I bought. £1,000 worth of thờin k

18th and **10th centaries. A supply of muff goed regularly “snuff-taking replaced smoking, member their wives and child by afe mall each month to Ciracle It might beggar the Govern ran out of hundreds all looding Fields at Capri, one of the faith-ment but - Jim would banish" | much; the same,

amölcer's, cough, roduce”, tha

A banth of sniffers sety fleidenon of, nicotine, poisoning.

the betrees, singers and

women leading the devotees of and would solace the doctor, în || their actigið hWarda, is though -HE

the Promintas miklá addieta me Bly expense of His diagnostis" (Phone

Culbert or smalli'ene

was the baby of the gang. The this moment you'd be worth I broke into another bank and 220,000, in no time." * was caught after, a ruining gun When Looked round the man O course, the wife's bets fight with the pollen, liter nois “salf the man.

VitYou? Nighting the police Wandering whathe Bad, hopefuöld. Th^ydis): "TONI

hád

had gone, have not, weer Hers, wiming srid, probably nevari shall