1935-01-15 — Page 3

THE

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1935.

WHAT'S THIS THING CALLED CHARM?

THOMAS HARDY MÁY HAVE KNOWN SECRET OF NATURE

BY GILBERT FRANKAU ·

was one of Barrie's heroines granted only ʼn tolerable basis of

I who complained, very charm physical attraction, to crown bo

ingly, that whereas some women attempts with

nt least some

had charm for averybody and measure of auccess. most women had charm for some-- But sox-appeal seldom inspires body, she herself appeared to have men to great deeds, or womon to elarm for nobody.

great unselfishness. It is, at its best, a tawdry appeal.

And it was Thomas Hardy who wrote the poem which begins:

Nevar a caroworn wife but

ahows,

If a joy suffuse her, Something beautiful to those

Patient to peruse her; Somo one charm the world

unknows,

Whereas the charm-appeal is the precise opposite a call and a summons and a challenge to all that is noblest in a woman's nature and to all the poetry a man in capable of foeling towards what is still-however much certain women would have it to the con- trary-the weaker sex,

Precious to a muser,

When a man speaks of a girl or Haply what, are years were foes,

Moved her mate to chose her. a young woman as "charming," he But neither post nor playwright, does not necessarily imply that he you will observe, does much to intends to marry heror even that alucidate

He does not the mystory of aho wants to kiss her. characteristic which is neither al- necessarily mean that he finds her together mental, nor altogether either extremely spiritual, nor altogether physical, extremely clever, or

beautiful, or supremely

me

It is, in fact, a blend of all there. good.

What does he mean then? in One of the mont charming women I know, for Instanco, is n meaning, I think, in "This parti

woman makes little old lady who just remembers cular young the Indian Mutiny and with whom think better of women generally. one can only just hold a consecu-She Increases my admiration for human nature. She is a pleasure tive conversation.

As another example of thin mo in the same way that my charm in the aged I can mention favourite pieces of music or my you an aunt of mine who died favourite pictures or my favourite

books are a pleasure to me." years ago at the age seventy, and whone anlon is still

INSPIRATION

two

of

remembered regretfully by all of

us-and there were very many off Charm, in a woman of any age, us-who frequented it.

inspires hoth admiration and de-

These and similar instances of vetion. It inspires kindilness.

GROCER WHO BECAME KING

charm, I always imagine, are due It does not at first contact inspire, SYDNEY HOWARD'S

to the interest which the best though ft 'may subsequently| Lype of old people display towards inspire, that particular blend of

the young. In the company of the mental and physical emotions such women one feels that one's which we call, for want of own acts, or it may be only one's better name, love.

own feelings, are of paramount) Therefore in ninety cases out importance. This is of course, of every hundred when one hears supremely selfish,

the epithet "charming" one hears

But then most of us-only we it applied about a child!

The Princess Alaxis Mdivani, otherwise hairsen Barbara Hut- ton, smiles happily as she landa in New York after a long stay abroad that began with honeymoon trip to the Orient. However, Prints Mdivani wÀI not with her. She also left 42 pounde of surplus weight babind

affairs.

her.

DESCENDING SCALE

mer

MERRY ROLE

SAVES PLAY AT ALDWYCH

Dy M. WILLSON DISHER, As long as Mr. Sydney Howard

I have not so far dealt, excep is on the stage, "Half-a-Crown." cursorily, with the charm exercise over women. And not at which opened at the Aldwych re- all with the charm which both menently, is great fan.

Whenever he Is absent we and women exercise over their own

It is sex. But in all such cases, I am wonder at its utter silliness. certain, charm, is the same blend described as "a farce by Dougina play by of the mental, the spiritual and Furber, founded on a

Arnold Ridley." the physical.

Let the mere male, therefore, up his opinions ១ this peculiar quality of charm in the opposte sex by stating, as every mere male usually ends by stating, the particular attributes which he finds charming, and with which he Hiven the fabulous chance of the good fairy, would endow a "Princessing the torment of an elementary Charming" at her birth.

tim

Together these two experienced authors have supplied ploce which might pass as the work of u school-child. Yet it is made very amusing at moments by the sheer genius of Mr. Howard.

Fortunately he is on the stage most of the time. While undergo-

lesson in golf, he is invited to ascend the throne of Messonia,

It is a trap set by Count Povah, who incites-anarchists to bomb-the palace. The king is thankful to return alive to his village grocery

Atoro..

ORDINARY WOMAN "My princess in question, then, would not be dazzlingly beautiful of countenance. She would not possess one of those figures which send | dressmakers and moving picture di-

Very soon he is lured back to reciors into ecstasien. She would rescue an old friend. This time not be a great poetess, a great he is gently deposed by a dictator painter, a great musician, or even set up by the magenta ahirts, and a great actress. In fact there has to serve once more behind a would be nothing great about her at counter where his crown becomes a all.

trade mark for buiter, She would be just an ordinary young woman, ordinarily attractive in face and figure, ordinarily careful about her appearance, ordinarily in telligent, ordinarily healthy, and ordinarily capable of managing the ordinary everyday affairs,

Those who love laughter will tolerate the general imbecility for the sake of, seeing the yearning vanity in Mr.. Howard's owl-like gaze at this cherished relic of his former greatness.

While stormed at with shot and But whatever she 'did

shell in Messonia, he is stricken princess would do with a smile, with grief over the bullet-hole in

my

Apart from the knock-about fun.

Half

the performance suggests that Mr Leslie Henson, the producer, has the leading parts are miscast. taken things top seriously.

In Mr. Ellot Makeham, as a grovelling shop assistant, Mr. Rob Curric, as a sergeant of the guard, and Mr. Malcolm Keen, as admirable fotla. villainous Povah, Mr. Howard has

the

are so afraid of admitting it-are Whatever she had to bear she would his hot-water-bottle or the loss of primarily concerned with our own bear-with-philosophy. And most apple, flung away for fear...

vital of all-whatever she thought might be a bomb. she would never think, "I am the Now let us descend the feminine only person in the world who mat- charm-scale a decade or so and tera." consider what we will call the For the only people who are quite middle-aged woman. Hore, too, I devoid of charm, whether men or fancy, charm springs mainly from women, are those who never smile, unselfishness.

who possess no philosophy, and who We may say about any middle-are entirely self-centred. Yet even aged woman that we like hör auch are worth observing--If only because she is always s0 well to enhance our own opinion of our turned out, or because she is so charming selves. intelligent, or because she has such a marvellous humour, or because she gives such wonderful partica, or merely be causa she is so well preserved., But what we actually mean is that. she goes out of her way-whether consciously or unconsciously-to make us feel happy when we are with her.

Renzo of

This again may sound a littló bit selfish; but it seems to me none the less correct for that.

TOWN'S GHOST LAID

MAN'S VOICE SENT THROUGH CHIMNEY

Madrid.

The voice of the so-called "ghost"

And now, finally, in so far a of Saragossa, which for some days the female sex is concerned, let a mystifled the occupants of a us consider this characteristic of block of flats, has not been heard charm in those who are younger.

of for the last three days-since, But whatever we do, do not let us in fact, the police set a permanent consider this particular charactor watch by day and night in the istle as having anything to de

"hnunted" flat.

The police have made no state.

with

that other characteristic ment other than that they think which the out-of-date nineteen-they have found a clue, but the twenties know as. "It."

For between sex-appeal charm-appeal thero is all difference in the world.

. SIMPLE MATTER

and received a letter from a man algn- Madrid police headquarters have the ing himself "Conrado Masnou,"

living at 116, Calle Pujadas, Barce- Jona, who claims to be the ghost. He says in his letter that he

I know many actressos, especial- has discovered a system which ly actresses for the films, who enables him to transmit hle voice apend hours and hours in the at-1from one house into another by tempt to cultivato the former ap-way of the chimneys. Provided he peal. Nor is it at all difficult, as is not harmed, he is willing to in- any sophisticated young woman will vite the police to attend a demon- tell you, for any young woman, istration of his invention.

All the romantic scenes, on the other hand, are bad.

The first magistrats of the United Kingdom, Lord Chie! Justin Howart, envied a sonik. tion" when he threatened to -auspand the courts of law, over

malansa, la the bill before-the- House of Lords 'modifying

supreme-court procedure

WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT CHEVROLET WILL BUILD THEM.

on

Public Works Department engineers are doing their best to eliminate Shanghai's flood mannaco. The top photo shows the improvement maďa Hankow Road and the new

·laval of the roadway, which is mvarias completion

b. rapidly seen. At the left men

are busy work.

On

can

reconstruction

PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP IS THE RESULT OF QUALITY." EVERY CHEVROLET OWNER IS PROUD OF THE CAR HE DRIVES

PROUD OF ITS SMART BEAUTY, ITS STERLING DEPENDABILITY AND ITS POWERFUL ENGINE, VIBRATIONLESS BEYOND BELIEF,

For demonstration please call

FAR EAST MOTORS

(The Far East Aviation Co., Ltd., Hongkong).

26, Nathan Road, Kowloon.

Telephone 59101.

Here, after their marriage ceremony, are Britain's rayal newly- weds, whose unlan marked the first introduction of a foreign princess into the British royal circle in this generation-the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

New photos of Sir Daıll⋅ Zakaroff show the "munitions king of the world,” who tries to aroid photographs, at his retreat on the Franch, Riviera. British and United States armaments in- vestigations have brought him into limelight as manipulater of governments and man. Bir Baill was knighted for aiding England-

POURING A

FLOOD OF

LIGHT OVER

THE WORLD

THE

BRANDY

THAT IS SERVED IN

EVERY

HOTEL

HENNESSY

BREWING

THE SMOOTHEST

and

MOST DELICIOUS

LIQUOR

OBTAINABLE: AT ALL LICENSED

WING

STORES

ON'S

NEW YEAR

Sale

R1117

ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, 16th JANUARY.

LAST 2 DAYS

NOTICE THE

4

FOLD

ADVANTAGES

1. EXCEPTIONALLY LOW PRICES

2. UNUSUAL DISCOUNTS

3. CREDIT COUPONS

GIVEN AT 5 CENTS TO EVERY DOLLAR OF CASH PURCHASES

4. 3 PRIZES IN GOODS $300.00

GIVEN TO WINNERS OF WEIGHT ESTIMATION CONTEST

THE WING ON CO., LTD.

Hongkong's Largest Department Store,