... The Green Room Club Annual Dinner WMlt tmJSQuMAK. WHEN the credit manager of an American newspaper sent a bill reminder for an adver tisement to the proprietor of a fur store, an explanation came back that payment was delayed because of the help shortage. 44 You know, the letter concluded, 44 we get a little underhanded sometimes. A MAN who discovered the joys of fishing rather late in life ...

... YOUR husband says that when he is angry he always counts up to ten before he speaks, remarked one woman to another. 44 Yes, sighed the other, 44 1 do wish he '(1 stop it. Ever since this Government came in our home seems nothing but a class in arithmetic. 44 ET me some ballet dancers, ordered V_T Gregory Ratoff, the film director, after a frustrated morning shooting Woman of Desire. 44 ...

... Stories from Everywhere THERE was a slight commotion on the bus. The woman passenger had tendered for her fare a coin which, after a scrutiny, the conductor declined, pronouncing it to be foreign. Instead of producing another coin and per mitting the man to get on with his job, the woman proceeded to rail against having been imposed upon elsewhere and, indeed, attempted to work off some of her ...

... Stories From Everywhere A BISHOP had three sons in the Services. Two were army chaplains, the third was a naval officer. All spent their first leave at home. The bishop was standing in front of the dining- room fire when the first chaplain son came down and took his place by his father's side. Did yon have a good night? asked the bishop. Yes, replied the son. I dreamt I was in heaven. It was ...

... BUBBLE SQUEAK Stories trom Everywhere The politician was very pleased with himself although, actually, he had very little reason to be. His self-satisfaction annoyed many of his friends, and one of them decided to take a rise out of him one day. Ah, hello! said the friend, slapping the M.P. on the back. I knew you when your name was unknown. Sir, came the reply, in dignified accents, ...

... AS GOOD AS A FEAST* By CHARLOTTE HALDANE IF you are not interested in Food-- Food with a capital F-- you probably won't care for this story. For it 's the story of one man's great love, and that man, Monsieur Nicholas, cordon bleu and gastronome. It 's amazing, the amount of money a great gastronome can make. Like the late Marcel Boulestin, for instance, or M.Nicholas. But in the art of ...

... * By GEOFFREY COTTERELL. MR. EMERSON, a middle-aged and flourishing dental surgeon, had been looking for an assistant for several months. He wanted to find someone who shared his interest in dentistry, golf and bridge and would fit easily into the social life of his town, which was a small, refined seaside resort called Sorcombe. It seemed to be impossible. He had interviewed a dozen men and ...

... By A. J. RENTON. THAT evening in June, with the temperature well into the 80's, two friends sat drinking beer in my rooms in St. Sepulchre's College. Outside, late sunshine lapped the mellow stone. We seemed very far from Hiroshima. As College Chaplain, I have little or nothing to do with the new work on atomic fission, but it so happened that these two, my best friends both senior members of ...

... By JOHN DAVIES. THERE, said Dr. Miranti, pushing the small package across the desk-top, that should do the trick. Make a new man of you. Thank you, Doctor, said Mr. Brown. He fingered the package dubiously, pensively gazing at the blazing fire. And then, quite suddenly, he saw a flame-coloured, lizard-like creature dart from the hearth towards his feet. He drew back a little in alarm. ...

... By F. W. KENYON. MISS GERTRUDE ACTION was a voluble talker. You're a useless sort of man for a girl to be engaged to, Arthur. I've always said you have talent and I still say it, but, really, sometimes I despair for you-- and for our future. You have no push, not the tiniest bit. What are you doing with your life I '11 tell you. You spend your days on a stool in a printer's office, doing work ...

... * By RONALD COCKING. WILL that be all, Sir? the porter asked respectfully. Yes, thanks, Spike Cawdray answered. I'll unpack myself. He fumbled in his trousers pocket, took out two half-crowns, and dropped them in the man's hand. Five bob was just right, he thought; generous without being flashy. He'd start the way he meant to continue. He waited until the door closed, then dropped down ...

... By JANET REID. WILL you do one for me? he said, and looked into her eyes. It was a habit he had practised on his parishioners for years, for it seems that a young man who does not squint can obtain almost anything that way. But no roses or quaint little men, mind. It has to be worn with a dog collar, and he laughed very heartily. Millicent never saw jokes, and her sister Clare had a high ...