"However, we had our compensations. Every foreigner was more oF ess king in those days, everybody knew everybody else, there was a spirit of cheerful' cordiality "which nobody could escape, and all lived more or Itss like the birds in the trees, except that we did not get up Jor go to bed quite so carly. Sports. of all Ieinds were very popular, and, in the absence of other attractions, everybody took an absorbing interest in them, "Of course, with whiskey very cheap and life rather dreary, 2 good deal of hard drinking was' indulged in, 'There is the story of the heavy foper who thought he "had them eom~ Ing on again' when, looking for 1 postage stamp he dropped when si ting at his desk one morning, he was horrified to sce it run along the floor. The explanation was perfectly natu the moistened stamp had dropped on a cockroach! Pardon? You have Your doubts that this really happened?) Well, it Is a good story, isn't it?
To relieve the monotony of our daily life, we had occasional smoking concerts, which generally ended only when everybody's back teeth wers awash, and inthe hot summer eve~ linings "we would goto. the Public Garden of The Bund and listen to Commander Vela's excellent Band, most of us sending coolies ahead witn Tong chairs Feels Quite Content that he achieved tv unusual dis: Uinetion for Briton of beeom-Ig President of that great, sport Institution—and it wes really" great those days—the Shanghai Recreation Club, nnd hig led that organ lation for many years. Nowadays he would find ita trifle dileul: to bend low over racing -handiekury and, though stilt a keen supporter" of all sports, his principal joy is to preside over A select coterie In hig special corner of the Race Club's grand slond, pick out hopeless runners, slate Fritz' the Younger for not being 3 true representative of the sporting. house, and slyly chuckle because he knows perfectly well that the you slot is, A. representative of the ""North-China Daily News" called on the veteran, who fave an interview thoroughly iypleal of himself.
Not So Good Then
years doubtless is a long time, but yes "forty said Mr, Fr, Retbor,
soniehow the years have Just slipped by, and I really don't know where they have gone. hal was rather est Tanded here, the wonderful place into which i: hag developed Ninee, 'There were no palatial hotels, cinemas, only two dance hatis, no motor ea or. busses, "and even the oad was' dark and deserted after' 9 o'clock at night. Any more dance halls would have bboen out of place anyhow, on account of the scarcity of women, the pro-Portion being about one "to twenty men, T would say, The few really beautiful women We had among us wore Tooke up to as queens, an when another fallly good-looking one arrived the greater part of Shan manhood went on ite Mees. before int swine before a pearl,' jo punster once deseribert Something about rayselt? Oh, well, Shanghai is quite a nice place to live in nowadays, and what with dear old wife—yes, old, the same os I—nice children all grown up, and charming grand-children (four "so. for, with power to add to. their number' as they sayin the Companies' Articles of Association) I feel quite content. Besides, I have many friends, T still enjoy good health, and my business provides all the work and worry, and Seeasional Joys, that go to mae life anybody knows of even more pleasant, he for himself, 1 don't need Mr, Reiber at present is President the Shanghai German Club, a Popular member of the Shanghai Race Club, and a life member of the Smites Clu,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.