1956-12-15 — Page 17

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR

FESTIVITIES

CHRISTMAS EVE

Gala Dinner Dances till 2 a.m.

PENINSULA HOTEL, 1st floor.

REPULSE BAY HOTEL.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Special Tea Dance 4 30 p.m.-6.30 p.m.

REPULSE BAY HOTEL.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Gala Dinner Dances till 2 am.

PENINSULA HOTEL, 1st floor.

REPULSE BAY HOTEL

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1958.

"FINTEX" SUITLENGTHS and CASHMERE

Viscount scr

COATINGS

Gift

Suggestions

DRESSING GOWNS

and CARDIGANS

for Ladies and Gents

“JAEGER" OVERCOATS

SHORTCOATS

and TWIN SETS

1

A LARGE and EXCLUSIVE VARIÉTY

OF

DISTINTIVE NOVELTIES,

EVANS HANDBAGS,

EVENING BAGS, COMPACTS,

SCARVES,

Tickets are on sale at both Reception Offices.

and at the Company's Head Office, Telephone House,

2nd floor, Hong Kong.

THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.

Exquisite blends Elegantly packed

NUIT DE NOEL CHRISTMAS NIGHT

CARON

Perfumes

PARIS

ON SALE AT ALL LEADING PERFUME COUNTERS

Imported from Holland!

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CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

Corynight by seangement with the Stanchester Gudan

WE NEVER

SAW

[

UNCLE HENRY AGAIN

I

tu

back WENT Heat harkl the other

I day.

had bean driving through

The

BY

A CHRISTMAS STORY

HAZEL MEYRICK

West country on business, Father would say nothing, but

resist And I couldn't

the retire to his study, muttering to temptation to see the old himself, and promptly start

write sermon on the evils of place again.

but

When we were el ildren it had seemed apuradise. Now I saw IL for what it really was vast, rambling, unwieldy house, the delight of us children the despair of our mother.

There were no eriet now of

Indiana, whooping thehy

shrubbery,

way round the

no tossed houps and shuttlecocks down in the drive. A new baby Jay in a perambulator (45

curale Was Jawn, and a new mowing the grass in the after-

tom sun.

I thought of those mases at Heathfield, and,

of all, of Uncle Henry.

stay

the

Christ- most

tu

and

cut up scraps of old material to Henry make stars, but Uncle to always provided the Onishing touch, sometimes the doll to go on top, or a coloured clown, or candies.

perhaps mother enjoyed Uncle of all, for Henry's visits most

imes were hard and we didn't gel many visitors. Henry always brought something for mother. Sometimes it was a shawl or a dress, a string of coloured beads, or a jug which played a tune when you took it off the shelt. And food-you never saw

The afternoon train had come and gone, and there was no signi of Uncle Henry.

On the

"Perhaps he'll come evening wue," said mother.

we lit the such food -- plump turkeys IT grew dusk and

with

of strings festooned

lumps for tea. Then we heard

coming the sound of the trap drive,

WO flew, unges, bollies of cordial and

up the wonderful French pastries.

That'll bring the colour to falling over one another to be your cheeks, Emily," he would first. But the trau was empty say. Uncle Henry was mother's or nearly empty.

To os enldren, Uncle Henry brother. was Santa Claus and Rip Van Winkle combinedt. He came

Christinas <very brought with him

fascinating E always arrived in a whirl stories of the big outside world, on Christmas Eve, and de- ludes of the new horse buses

parted again on Boxing Day, In and cubs, of fine ladies in their fine for the pantomime season. splendid gowns, and, of course, He invertably sported some

Tales of the theatre.

thing new.

Once it was

on

Out

"These

things came for you sald the afternoon train,"

parcels Tom Harris, handing over to father. "I should have

brought them out before, but the snow's been that thick couldn't get up the lane."

We unwrapped the parcels. There was

hoop a new

for William, which stood as high as box of painted wooden pure he did, a Fur Uncle Henry was one of silk cruvat with a jewelled pin, skittles for me, and for Eliza- The last of the actor-managers. another time

was a gold beth a wonderful wax doll that "My half-hunter watch which chimed cried mams. with He had a concert party.

long. falr he the bours, and once he arrived ringlets

soft white kli hand of strolling players" called it.

of

and

in a motor car. You've never button boots. For mother, there players indeed," see such

senn

commotion us it was a silk parasol of breath- "They're caused in our village.

taking loveliness, and some strumming

"Band

*nort father would nothing but rogues their way up and countryside,"

DU

down

119

It was large and red, and you gloves to keep her hands warm; the ellinbed up steps and sat on top. for father a pair of luxurious

11 had a long brake handle of leather silppers. brass, remember, and bright We knew they had come from polished headlamps.

Uncle Henry all right, but there Uncle Henry's car had solid was no letter from him, no rubber tyres with holes in them word of explanation. that

went right through. You "I expect he's got himself a engagement in one had to feed it constantly with Christmas

of those rowdy music halls," said father, aniing disdainfully. "Your brother has become too grand for us, too grand to spend

URING the summer, picture postcania would arrive from the seaside resorts where Uncle Henry was currently Ing (If fine, on the wet, in the pier pavilion).

water, especially on the hills. perform- "The old girl goes best in the

beach,

if winter," said Uncle Henry, Jerk-

Ing the starting handle. "In gr

We never had enough money summer she's the very devil. his Christmas in a simple coun- for a trip to the sca, but Uncle The engine gets too hot and we try vicarage. He's probably Henry would conjure up a pic have to keep stopping to let it drinking himself to a stupor in ture of it for us, os

sat cool down, but in the winter those gin palaces he frequents."

round the fire.

We

"You see the gentlemen out in we'll beat those bleyclists any

day."

their

striped

blazers and straw boaters promenading оп the

Bands," he would say.

"And there are the bathing

Mother said nothing, but I could sce she was upset, and later, when I went upstairs, I could hear her crying.

Christmas

cama und went, Uncle

machines which you wheel JNCLE Henry took mother out without any sign of our

motoring once. She wore her Henry, and mother never spoke

down to the water so the ladies

cun bathe in private,"

Sometimes

perform for us plece he had her face as well. But this didn't

But But

we

of him.

ON New Year's Day, father

over his

Sunday hat secured by a huge Henry would beekeeper's vell that covered

villagers. Father, composed himself, a mime called deceive the "Columbino's Dream," in which was extremely cross,

"You're a disgrace to the was reading the latest news" he played, for our benellt, the

Emily," he said. “A papers from- London when he parts of Harlequin, Columbine parish,

at some- wife should behave suddenly started up and Pierrot, all rolled in one curate's

saw there. Mother thing he We used to stuff

our hand with more decorum."

looked Mother said nothing. She put came and mouths ta kerchiefs into our stop ourselves giggling at the away her motoring vell and she shoulder, gave a little cry and sight of Uncle Henry cavorting never went out in the car again. hurried from the room.

suc They thought they had children went for parlour. about

the in

Ая cooded in burning the paper so.

Wo mother was so touched by his rides, and what rides!

should not that she

through often bowled

the country that we children performances cried a little.

Janes at the incredible speed of know, but by one of those tricks ten miles an hour, Uncle Henry of fate, the only page that did used to teach us comic songs. not go up in smoke Immediately

Shouting

"Why has a cow was the one which bore, în got four legs at the top of our small-type headline: Unemploy PUNCTUALLY on Christmas Voices, we used to whizz: across ed Actor sent to Gaol.

Evo, Tom Harris's horse the countryside, and we were: That was how Uncle Henry trap would jog up to the door still singing when we pushed had spent his Christmas-in-a and we would rush out to meet the car back up the hills again prison cell, for stealing a It.. Down would

step Uncle to home. It had no root, of doll, a parasol, and a pair of Henry, laden with presents and course, and if it rained we used, gloves, so that we should not go smelling distinctly of what

to poke our heads under Uncle without, th William called "Uncle's scent" Henry's ulster. but what father called "The demon drink."

Father foight many long and bitter battles against the demon

af

Wax

Father seemed more sad than angry about Uncle Henry,

KWe must: bend the" presenta bask" he told mother.

No Arthur mother sounded

drink, and in consequence he ONE Christmas, Uncle Henry determined, Henry would not Uncle. Henry, didn't arrive. There was no wish, that. He did it for us, so argued a lot with under holi word dot tire but we but not give to pionmoet ons yo this morning, Arthur Henry our paper chains de usual, waiting the price. Nothing we can would shout cheerly? Are ing for him to dress : the free do would help him. Copp they stoking them up for me Mother was awfully good, as we nover, saw Uncle Hendy

making decorations; she would lignin2993)

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LINKS

and DRESSING SETS

ETC.

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Gifts

Suggestions

FOR HER:

Cashmere Coatings.

Cashmere Dress Wool.

Wool Jersey.

French Angora Woollen,

Cashmere Suitings. Novelty Tweeds.

Silks.

Brocades.

Etc.

Etc.

GIVE THEM QUALITY GOODS FROM

A HOUSE OF QUALITY

FOR KIDDIES:

FOR HIM:

"Chilprufe" Underwears,

Viyella Socks.

Baby Blankets.

Worsted Sultings.

Tweeds.

Viyella Shirtings.

Tootal Scarves.

Wolsey Socks.

Pyramid Handkerchiefs,

Ties.

Etc...

Etc.

"Baims-Wear" Cardigans, Jumpers, Sults

Etc.

Etc.

ALL AT BARGAIN PRICES GIFT COUPONS ARE AVAILABLE

Käyim

Kayamally's

Camarvon Road. Grand Hotal),