1959-04-11 — Page 15

DID IT HAPPEN?

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1959.

'Page: 15

JAW-ME-DEAD

i

- That's what they called, hin

because he never stopped talking,

Then

day he talked to

stop a murder

WHEN I was about eight years old, I had a governess who wore big flower-laden hats above a cold pink face, whom I despised,

She did not live with us in the tall dark old house in North London where my father practised as a doctor, but came in every morning from one of the more respectable districts farther out, and al- though she thought our neighbourhood a shocking place, I knew that she took a morbid, nervous in- terest in the very poor, rough people who came in the mornings and evenings to fetch their medicine, and get their few words from the doctors, in the surgery attached to our house.

He let us poss

"But that man, now, he has really rather a rehned face," the remarked one morning. We were just selikg off for our dally walk on Hampstead Hinth for it might have been Primrose H bod as we came out of the side door at which the slightly more prosperous patients were admitted, a tall. stender. man wearing shabby durk coat and carrying in one hand a battered bowler list,

Lúd politely aside to let us puss

"Ok," sald limportantly, that's Juw-me-dead." "What a very vulgar expression," my governess

incoln, repressive voice.

observed

But It's what the other patients call him, Miss Murray, It's

because he's always talking. beard-"

"How do you come to know nl this? Moggie, 1 suppore. Must I tell you again that you are not to gossly with the ser- Tants?"

مرادی

Yes, I thought, you must, But she'i obey you.

i liked Mangle,

Konor- mously buxon housemaid. She had found out that I beguiled the time between being sent to bed ut half-past six, und falling usleep sone hours later, by scrambling out of my winduw op to the roof of the surgery, and peering down through the skylight at the patients waiting in the guslit rooms below.

She swore that she wouldn't toll, and the didn't, and my nowest game, Spying on Th Palients, was given additional spice by the scraps of gossip about the collected by Mangle when she opened the front door

them.

Romantic

The man they called Jaw-me- dead cam from poor buL respectabic street (not like that there Cardwell

where the please don't dare to go down not unless there's two

And his friend, he's got a

came along with him, was being

treated.

For nearly a forinight, now, ; had studied them both, with keen interest as they sat, usual ly opposite to one another, in the little dim room 20 feet be. low the skylight.

How Jaw-me-dead did talk! On aud on went his mouth and

Ray Jackon

Clayman pulled out a great knife.,

I saw it flash terribly in the light,"

Jook haughty, and all the people one my father used to carve the In the waiting room would meat on Sundays; I saw it flash lough. But I thought they look terribly in the light.

ed rather nervously at Clayman, All the other people suddenly all the same, and I could stood, still. No one moved at all. understand why, because when I It was like looking down at a stared at his huge frame in its picture. worn velveteen clothes, with the straps under each knee and the white-spotted red handkerchief knotted round his thick neck I felt afraid too.

I had never seen his

eyes,

Stetta Gibbons was born, 55 yeaƒu sao ja North Landon where frer father was a dastor in a very psar disiripi, he was educated at the North Landon Gallerists School and University CQx庭, Londen

1 then, worked as Journallit for 10 years until har marriage in 1003.

has the author of many volumes at Gems, short stories and foyah. Best known Cold Comfort Farm, which won her the Pamina Vie Heureuse Prize.

Clayman WBS waving the knife, and I could hear the muffled noise of his shouting, and he was slowly moving to- wards Mr Ireland, who was standing against the door, quile

by

STELLA GIBBONS

It was unbearable.

chin, and his pale dirty-looking Those eyebrows thick, course still, with his face white hands waved about as if they clusters of red hair that grew paper. were keeping time.

༔ ་ ་

ing Mr Ireland, wasn't it?". I said at last, and was surprised 10. see grin creeping across Maggie's broad face.

the

"Oh, very kind I'm sure," she sald, beginning to clear nursery table, "and it was use- ful for him, 1oo. He didn't want 10 murder, and the coppera polding their posca into things and finding out who ClaymZI's wife had been going with."

"Why didn't he want it, Maggio?"

"Well-now don't you over say one single word about this, because I didn't ought to be telling you, and if your pa or Miss M. was to find out about it ;

I should lose my place.”

"I won't, Maggie. I promise." "They ray the one she went with was him. Jaw-me-dead.” -London Express Service,

Did It Really Happen?

YES

NO

(Answer on Back Page)

"You would 'ave to go and make a crack about their Easter bonnets, wouldn't

you?"

Will the

elegant Alan

pip the field

to No. 10...?

ថន

A

more

BY GEORGE HUTCHINSON

BEAUTIFUL

three

ALAN

LENNOX- дого

royal it might have been supposed, bring out a chorus of blue Bentley, hood would out below his law forehead wanted not to look, but I had down, chauffeur at

support for Mr Lennox-Doyd's the decision. "What does he Talk about, were the most frightening thing to. I felt queer and sick. wheel, detective beside him, But no For at least

An acute Mangle?"

about him.

And then I saw Jaw-me-dend draws up to the kerb in rising members of the Govern shock to the "Oh, the old days when he "That. Clayman, he's working begin to talk,

ment, all younger than himself,

middle tier was on the stage, and all that up for something." Maggie said I saw his mouth moving, Chapel Street, Belgravia.

he's come down

ta

the one

evening, when elie had slowly at first and then

From the doorway of No, 34, have reason to feel put out.

They urc Mr Duncan succeed Lord Iveagh ot the

the For lo many an eye on world, he says. Used to keep brought my supper up to me as rapidly as the words began to Mr Alan Lennox-Boyd bounds

51 Sandys,

Minister of

the Guinness Government back benches, and not a hair out of place on his handsome head, the Secretary of Minister of Labour and Mr vengh'a

daughter, Lady say, the Colonial Secretary has Maudling, for the Colonies

42. Patricia. It is from State

is of Reginald

Guinness

mast

of the trappings of a Paymaster-General. again.

that their afuence derives. successful Tory leader. All these, but the first two His stride and bearing, his six

Mr Macmillan has He has wealth, vitality and of gay well-being, give out as especially, have high hopes of evidently"

Induced him do presence. He has great social always — an

of change Impression

of early advancement even

hin mind. How? charm. He is terror for work— unusual energyt

ultimato supremacy, in the Tory What has tempted Mr Lennox- and perhaps the most diligent Party.

kummit

of

But

Street his own carriage. But he was I lay in hed. "You watch him, paur out. He moved his hands, forward. Tali, tanned, elegant, Defence; Mr Ial Macleod, 45, business. He is married to Lord despite what his crlilcs may

too fond of and Maggie if he comes in tonight, And he was even smiling. Clayınan inted her elbow significantly,, I you'll see. He's got a nasty turned towards him as if he nodded. Drink. I was' sine temper, he has, And I bet I were listening. Then he turned

know thing that grown-ups dift.

she ...but

checked right round and Laced him, and in a minute I saw him nod, in nefhbour Clayman, the herself, man with the red beard, teemed "Oh, what? Do tell me, a hopeless kind of way. The to find Jaw-me-dead

please,"

dispenser began to edge his way, Juke. He often interrupted him,

But she wouldn't with the very slowly, towards the other and then Jaw-me-dend would result that that night I climbed door at the end of his room.

out of bed a good 20 minutes earlier than usual, hardly able

to

at 'em," said Maggie), and he was being treated for "being run-down."

This scomed Maggie and me more romantic than the stomach trouble for which his friend, the big navvy with the red beard who often

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SHEFA.

Swaying

Clayman's hand, with

It is a sight to stir the passer-

by, this almost theatrical picture

the

to wait to see Clayman "work knife in it, drooped slowly unit of high living in high office.

ing up for something."

Hidden

it hung at his side, and all the time Juw-me-dead Кері talking.

On

Mr Sandys or Mr. Macleod could undoubtedly further his

The reason, I suggest,

and far-travelled Colonial may Secretary ever to hold the office, And he is a demon in debate, Fluent, informed, hard hitting,

ambition if he were allowed be that in the Colonial Secretary the Prime Minister recognises

of well-heeled zest, of the joys

But it is one to alarm some of to replace Mr Selwyn Lloyd at

the old traditional stust of it la a delight to watch him the Minister's own colleagues in the Foreign Office, Either would Toryism, the stuff with which "dishing

It out" in' the the Government. For what will be overjoyed by the opportunity clothed in up-to-date forma Commons when he is roused by 11 was very dark on the leads..

Suddenly Clayman let fall the ho be up to next? Nobody when the Prime Minister settles he might counter the influence the Opposlton, The Tories love Wrapped in my thick reefer Chymn waying a knows and quite a few bre upon a change.

it, of course, Cost, I was fuditen behind the title, and staring at Jaw-me--

Trammy apprehitrgive.

hould my mygif that tall framework of the skylight. death, and then there

Mesaro. Sondys, Macleod and I peered eagerly down. Yes,

kind of commation at the outer

Maudling have something to there was

WAS a

•

of Ministers,

of the Buller-Liberal element in tife party,

both in Direct Rival

Mr Sarlys now finds himselt

twill-MaLennox-Boyu now stond in their way, a rów Acuto Shock

competitor for the Foreign

True Blue Office? More than that,

will msgilly in the chule nearest the shouldered their way in slowly. Just

Clayman, slitindoor and thus burg palicaments Mr Lennox-Best Parlament of Judged by the frus Duce dispensary door. He was sit-

administered an acute enough to check their upward stick, Mr Bandys is probably 'all ting hunched forward, ith the between the cowering people shock to what might be called progress for a good time ahead? right, too.

They took hold of Clayman and the middle ter slip of white paper that was his

To both questions the unswer But otherwise, outside the up against a direct rival, an prescription held in both great led him away. He went quite He has announced that, con- seems to be Yes.

House of Lords, it is the Butler, equal and hands.

quietly, with his head hanging tra

in many respects a trary to expoctation, he For the last two years or school, exactly personifled, in similar figure. I saw more than one person, down. So I never did see his

means to remain in pailties. more it has been known that Mesars Macleod and Maudling, eyes.

'Macleod and Mr as the room began to fill up,

At this

might have Mr Lennox-Boyd was think that keeps gaining ground. "Went clean out of his mind,"

Maudling are competing with glance at him

thought to hear the sound of ing of giving up his sent-Mid- nervously, and Magale said to me with relish

Mr Lennox-Boyd's continued someone a different mould once when someone salt some the next day.

"They've taken nothing but

approval. Fond Bedfordshire,, with a shrunken presence in Parliament and his from themselves a mould more thing to him, he said something him to the "sylum and

memories of a long association, majority-at every-

the General activities in the Purly generally attractive to the Party's tradi- quickly in return and the man body says he won't never come the promise of collaboration to Election.

would undoubtedly slow down lonalists and perhaps того Jooked frightened.

that that process; and might even reassuring to them. presently reverse it.

you

out again. But that Jaw-me- come, the bonds that are said to The understanding was I had more than child's dead he's the caution. Fair unite the Cabinet....all these, he would foln and usual share of callousness, but I talked him out of murdering felt sorry for Clayman. Was his Mr Ireland." stomach aching, I wondered?

"But why did he want 10 Jaw-me-deud came in a le murder Mr Ireland?" I asked. later. He didn't look miserable. "He thought he was making He started talking at once, game of him about his wife. wawdag hin hands about and But I oughin't to be telling you sming that haughty smile of this, your pall -- hla. Everyone was listening to him except Clayman, who did not even look up.

Very kind

"Oh, do tell me. Was Mr Pruently the dispensary door Ireland making game?” opened and Mr Ireland, the dis- "Course not. Never meant penser, a mild man liked by nothing. But Clayman thought everyone, slood fooking enquir.... he did. And he Was

ingly round the room. Then he see."

upect,

going

said something to Clayman. A "Why was be upset?" Jake, I thought, because he "HIS wife had been smiled as he spoke and the other with another chap, they say. people smiled, too. But Clayman And he was clean mad. He, never moved. Then Mr lieland wanted to kill romebody, just suld something jokingly again. anybody. But Jaw-mo-dead Clayman jumped up wilk 'n stopped hm. 'Drop it my do-ab great roar. It was muffled, but chapple, he kept" on sayin?" I heard it and my stomach did (Maggie's voico attempted something strange, and then I' "mesher's" drawl); * 'what's the saw all the people standing up use of killing anybody? It's and storing Clayman, who, too late, and you'll never know was tearing off his cont. ·

who the chap was. And you'll

A

He looked as if he were fight- swing for... Eilling, the wrong ing with himself as he wrench- man. So what's, the use? ** | ed inal struggled With tho, il pondered this over the rice fastenings, and suddenly he pudding cooling on my blato, pulled something from inside: 11:29K was very:kkid of Jaw-sto It was a great knife, like the load to stop. Mr. Claymos ·KEL-

General falas Agapit tor Seesa

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PANOMA, UNGEN, TEAM TONE / 14347

Mr

-(London Express Service). ↑

you see SWISSAIR everywhere

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