1958-11-15 — Page 5

THE CHINA" MAIL; SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1958.

Logan Gourlay's

Camels Sometimes Bite

Stamina,

YVONNE BUCKINGHAM

A Price

PAT HALPIN

an Hugh Kyang

BIOFFREY JONES

be the Duke of Rockwater

POCKET CARTOONS

by OSDERT LANCASTER

Photographed by KENNETH. DENYER

Directed by

RAYMOND HAWKEY '

12

THE

THIS is a new departure for the China Mail writer whose observations on show business are known for, their tingling (if not always too tender) truth. ... THIS is Logan Gourlay writing his first short novel:.:. THIS someone who is fiction,... but fiction coming from knows the subtlest shadings of the tricky world he moves

in. Title: "Camels Sometimes Bite."

E sturdy oak double bed creaked as Mrs Williumina Worthie, who was propped up in it, shuddered. She said:-

"I hate to tell you. But you said you wanted the truth-I always

ask first."

Miss Ann Price, who was aitting in a hard-backed chair beside the bed,

I can take it," interrupted sharply. "Stop stalling. Add tell me.

Not to me, anyhow. Look at "Well, if you insist. And remember the cards never lie. these spades. Very caminous. You'll have to stop making this fin you were talking about.

"Otherwise you'll come by a serious injury. Very serious, dear. Might disfigure you for

c. A scar on you lovely free.

Mrs Worthle shuddered agals

hig brute.

"You'll be bitten by something. Some kind of animal. A

For almost half a minute no sound escaped from Miss Price's mouth shaped by lipstick to a fullish bow Al 1 moment it was tout.

Then her pink tongue arrowrd brained, Hollywood leading man out and she sht. "You must with a conscience about his huge br razy. Anyway I can't stop earnings. In Press Interviews now. The movie's Bulf through. Miss Price, with a coyness that

I just become her, always More than half through. enn't walk out.

Jetty name him. everybody down.

I

"Besides, I've got a pereon!- The nge of this dama movie Brst time I've managed to get a percentage deal,

"You've got to be wrong. Nothing can happen to me.

"It's another of tune war ple- tures.

refurred

Somewhat reluctantly the slipped off the ring and handed to Mrs Worthie, who rolled round In her short, stubby fingers and guzed as it with

In her brown eyes that Toole was meant to be clairvoyant and was only a shatte coveious.

As Mrs Worthle waited for a

Price Miss Inessage, stared across at the pale green, contemporary wallper.

psychic I'm the only girt in t You've got me in such slate I've forgotten the title myself. Oasis, that's it. 'No Oasis.

Hideous

to the

She claimed that persistent attocks of arthritis obliged her to spend the days in bed, but they nevek prevented her from sailing forth each night small

in night club South Kensington where she discreet- ly told fortunes for the cus- tomers at 17s 6d a time.

them, even the Most of cheque-bouncing debs escorts. waved away the half-crown change from n

£.

Mise Price could not make up her mind about Mrs Worthie. Superstitious, like all members of her profession, she was more than ready to believe a fortune- teller. But mercenary, ilke more the than a fow members of her pro- Worthie fession, she could not forget her Netting percentage.

Three of the walls. small bedroom of the semi-basement at int Hill Gute were covered with

Yet the old

woman

had

to the this paper, just a shade lighter certainly been accurate in map- ping uul her past, Deadly

"They've already been desert 10 shout the locailon stuff, I do all my work in the studies. It couldn't be safer!

Worthie shock her head Mrs sombrely and the deep pouch of her double chin swayed like hammock in a sudden breeze.

always right. "The cards aro

21

I keep telling you. Besides, I've got one of my psychic feelings about this, denv. But for your sako I'll try to make doubly sure. Give me something close to you like that ring-and I'll nee if it tells me anything."

The ring wris d solitaire diumoud about the stze of a small wainut whirl Miss Price wore on the third inger of her left hand.

It had been presented amlable,

by an

گیری

than the cloth covering the card- table by the bedside.

The curtains

the singic window were iso green und also hideously contemporary in design. So wes the drapina round the small dressing-table.

had holsted

+

'I'm through with your lousy movie,' Ana told the producer

from an admirer, which was bot, she toolt herself and her mother to hor Mecca-Hollywood. There she spent her last 500 dollars en two operations.

took a lot of half-crowns to make up £500. Four thousand to be exact.

Miss Price swept into the res taurant foyer, followed by the duke. It was her favourite res taurant, not because she liked- the

food, but because the celebrities were numerous,

She

felt lt her duly to be among

them.

Tonight tho celobiles,. celebrity-seekers, and aspiring celebrities чисто

packed In Juxurious tightness like cavlar in a lin Their small-talk rose in waves to be absorbed, merel- fully, by the crimson wall drapingā.

Em through”

The Oliviera were dining with an American columnulst. Sir Lauréneo was just conceal- ing his boredom, Büft Lancaster was polishing his dark glassey. Laurence Harvey was discussing tho -temperature- of his Montrachet with the wine walter. Mrs Worthle poured herself a

and Misa Price Severnt other bigger parts

the duke, followed, and at least three straight gin unconcernedly. She who had no reservation, were know her, client would be back. phoney betrothals.

told they could only have a She acquired a modicuma Mils Price throw herself into table at the unfashionable back eting technique, a mountain of the back seat of the hired Rolls of the room, where no colebrity

should be seen even toying with, Frese cuttings, and a rating of which had been waiting for her "International movie star." in the narrow street.

n grape fruit,

She

out ngain, swept followed by the duke. At the revolving doorg she imped into Mr Hugh Evans, managing Ho director

ot Home and Hemi- sphere Films, who had brought libr to England for the film "No Oasis,"

of

Such was the career-of-Miss--

She told the driver to go to

One reduced the size of her hose, and the other added two plastic inches to hor-bust measurement, bringing from Anu Price to date, and such was the Caprice Restaurant with an ample 36in. to a surprising the career which had been de- 384 In But

followed called by Mrs Worthle as Success

cards had been turned over in bccupant of the back seat. slowly and reluctantly.

the small bedroom In Notting was the Duke of Rockwater, Hi Gate.

Her job

She was given a seven-year contract with yearly options by one of the smaller studios.

She found, however, that her im appearances were nomino1. Her real job was to provide congenionship and comfort for visiting V.1.P.s. - She would

have been

accurate.

Now that she herself to film stardom. Miss appalled If at this stage she had Price preferred that her

past been labelled a/call-girl.

the out

had even

Mrs Worthle dragged up her marriage which she preferred to forget,

She had met him in, Rome after the war. He had said he Was a G.I, on leave. She had married him hastily and entirely for the benefits of being on American's wife,

consulting the

Worthless

other

}

Mr Evans, who Red to be called H.E. by subordinates They had met fust after she (and who was not unmindful of Prived in England, when she the fact that the initials also had gone to make a personal stood for His Excellency), said: appearance at his stately home. "See you in the morning at the That afternoon he had made studios, Ana,"

the

two

almost as many bull-crowns as

"You won't see me," said the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Miss Price, just before she Abbey.

"I'm stepped into her Rolls. He had been her constant inrough with your lousy, movie." He had turned but to be a

gangster

companion ever since.

Mr Evans Insulted deported small-time Six months after the marriage

They drove to the West End, walters during dinner, hould be concealed in the But a call-girl she was, though he had been killed in a street without exchanging a word.

NEXT of she worked under the polite braw in Naples. Miss Price Miss Price knew that harmless. conforting cliches But the bed and the wardrobe the omcial biographies written euphemism of film extra, and had identified his dead body duke's, advice about the crisis

vintage, ware of Viclorlan

In her career would be worth- OS by the studios' publicity though she was paid a weekly thankfully..

loss. It was on most subjects. departments.

salary, But she received extra

He for his part was fully Was Mr Worthle herself.

occupied with his own worry. bonuses, of course, from the sluālos, for every satisfied

He had lost £500 on two horses V.I.P who usually added u

in the afternoon's racing. It 100-dollar bill from his genuine crocodile wallet.

Mercenary

Was

The blographies said that she the daughter of n Norwegian Resistance leader and

and cratic extraction.

She had ubviously tried a mid-European lady of aristo to please the

younger, square-rat

the older, customers wizen decorating the bedroom where she gave audience during the day, supported by her new foam her own rubber inattress, and addle umple pneumatié lesh,

but

father

A British Crossword Puzzle

12

3

4

17

The

facts

The facts were the hybrid result

that she was

husband

.

She was now furious that Mrs Worthie should know so much. And She was also impressed. frightened

Mrs Worthic. opened her left hand, in which she had been clutching the solitaire diamond ring, gazing at her green walis in psychic abstraction.

There's

But for a middle-aged lending man, enjoying a between-mar- riage period, who took her to a premiere and back to his Malibu beach house, she might still have been adorning her profes of a feeling ston. ineeting between a Norwegian He gave her small part merchant seaman and a Hungarin his next independent produs lan refugee. The publicists had

tion in lieu of the 100-dollar bill. suid: "We'll tell the world

He suffered from the actor's you're illegitimate. It's fashion-

uccupational disease acute If Mles Price had possessed able. Look at Marilyn Monroe."

a sense of humour she might But Miss Price hud disclaimed

But it was illegitimacy.

ineanness,

2

"It's a camel, dear.

a camel in the Alm An ugly brute. It's the camel that'll blie you..... M

41

did

It was the part of a cali-dr. bave laughed. The blographies sold that she

Her performance was virginal quality she inelted completely. sald: "Camel? I never went to America as the winner in its ineptitude, but she was She of a European beauty com strikingly decorative, and she mentioned a camel.. How

of her oppor- you know there vas u camel in petition and was discovered by made the most

tunity. Hollywood talent scout out-

She told a Hollywood the Alm? columnist that she had become "You're uncanny But that side a cinema in New York.

docs 1. I wouldn't walk on that The facts were that she won engaged to the leading man.

The publicity department. sol again if they doubled, Prá through. possessor of the most were piqued that they had not percentage. beautiful body. Her nose at thought of it themselves, but be back to see you."

Jong for. they followed It. up gallantly, She rushed out of, the room Miss Price was in, the news, trailing her mini wrap, forget- With the prize money, which or what passes for the news, ling to pay the fee (£2 25. for was small, plus a contribution Hollywood,

a private consultation)..

a compelition in Hamburg as

19

10

12

13

the

114

15

16

17

18

19

that time was classical perfection.

too

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

29

131

ACROSS

1 A malch for Miss

(5).

4 Vehicle drivers (0). -

Sight indications (8);

10. Sellly, possibly (5).

12 'Some money back (0),

14 School In which learning

comes frat (7).

17 For technical

troops

'me the Sapperel (4),

19 Treachery with an

motive (7).

32

PARADE

the I'll

- A COLUMN OF THE UNUSUAL ABOUT PEOPLE AND PLACES AND THINGS-

*BARNYARD HANG-OVER: rack. At twilight every even- " Palmer, the town's school bus Alsatian farmer Christian ing they vanished without trace. driver and churchwarden, who Auguste, of Neufgange, near Molz, was horrifled to see his Then

hind thrown it away eleven days

i

مجھ

A few days Inter it was worth 50,000 dollars. It was an Irish Sweepalnico, ticket.

ono evening three carller. top milk-yleiding cow, Rasette, paratroopers found. fresh tracks, doing a kind of crazy cow-cow followed them up, and camo boogle,

upon a band of Aborigine war riors. She staggered atrdas tho

andk colimpsed, Fariner Auguste's feet.

Or first importance statisatyard, ricochetted off a tener friends were met will hostile,

Confused· confiléis (0),

DOWN

They?

1

enlly? (0).

2

A case for ascent (3),

3 War-time warding

to

be

vigilant (3),

5

Opera excerpt (4):

3 Kind of hut (0). >>

give

↑

Senta (7).

11 Artint, possibly,

in

n

obvious

dimculty (8).

13

Fed-up feeling (7).

Khayyam's first name

(4),

10

Those who are

(0).

18

20 Afternoon performance (7). 15

22 Like an unwritten law? (4),

23 Press pundits (7),

Think logically (8).

20 Oliver's twitie? (6)..

30 Lucky number at the races

(d).

31 Speak evil of (0),

32 Changes Virection R

variety show (5),

FRIDAY'S

Othello? (4),

At first, he thought the pride

Thele signs that they come an

Dilence.

•

Then one of the soldiers took of his farmyard was dead. Then out a match and struck it. That Tho awful fritth dawned, did . The warriors, crowded Rosette, who had led a life of round to see the "magic, Lox." Fabriels and continence, had Soon they were joined by the

rest of the tribe been hitting the barrel."

A parley followed. The tribe,

ព

A quick check in the cowshed for years harried by Communiat revealed that 10 gallons of terrorists, kindly accepted formenting pent julco hnd dis- government offer to leave the speelat banished appeared.

Jungle and settle in a A cow doctor was called, an camp for Aboriginos Injection given, and Roselto How üle the tribo vanish at per-woke up, a very sick animal.

20 Epithet for a granze,

hapa (0);

21 It tells you what to

(0),

24 Unsultable (5).

30 Flim star's favourite

Friend? (0).

26 Over-antisies (8).

boy

1.

twilight?

Tat evening she was milked-

JUNGLE MEETING:

"Thank Heavens we have a well-arrange rúbbin ́dump," sighed Mr Folmer, who

latten the day of the race.

SO THAT'S THAT: Dr Thomca Cureton, head of the physical iness inboratory at the Univer- nity of Illiuhols, speaking at a Y.M.C.A. In Montreal.

"The contemporary male is on Almost hopeless example of utter degradation. And I am sorry in say the women are no belier."

ONE AND ONE MAKE TWO: A magistrate's court'in Montreal A government spokesman ex- ruled that midgets, count as full. pay na umial. But Farmer Augste plained; they always stoep it six adults,

George lala

nell the

Nador was fined 10 not

mikit troes. Quite often the para-

Intist have Been dollars for overlanding his taxi, froopers alcohol content was too high.

Karthing ground above which lie counted two midgets as one After cen Jubilo people were slope panenger: Dation! irncking ing peacefully."

BNEAKY PARKING! Brant- *paratroopers Tiritish found a lost tribe of Malayan LOST AND FOUND: The ford City Council in Ontario ze

of by townspdbpla

Millbrook, ordered lower anton on its Aborigines who make fire

the Bulomalle gay as you » enter rubbing two sticks together and Ontario rifled through

mi with blowpipes.

munichal rubbish dump, look parking lots because low-slung British sports, edrs have been For month the Aborigines, ing for a rerup at power. reported to every jungle telck When they fourul it, they sneaked under the barrier to

10-year-old., Ion avoid payment." to throw their pursuers off the gave it to

20 Tiny thing to see to in the months, of

morning (1).

Duty SOLUTION, ~Auros: 3 Bluebir (rev), 9 Slatsinry, '11. Troopers, 13 Lend...16 Investor, 16 Material, 10 Thou, 21 Big Bruins, 20 Baniltry, 20 Plug (gulp), 27 Tirasomd, Dowin i Ply 23, 4 Lule, 5 Eats, 6 Irate,, 7 Dry-ad, Spasm, 10 Argof, 12 Ranch, 14 Alarm, 18 Tacit, 17 (tendy, 19 Tibet, 20 Owner, 21 Dins, 22 Gelm, 23 Ugly, 24 Sage.

Have

WEEK:

A chase

to the sun

▼

Hand, finally; never forget that

every man carrier two volumes of memoirs, and a field. marshal's syndication rights in his knapsack 177

18

"I bet this courds, is going to take a beating-up

"Heavens, child, where on earth have. you been £2 Tommy Steele, or a Cons

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