Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA A gripping story of two chums, parted through the Great War, and how, after many horrors, they were united in Peace. Starring Ralph Forbes and Ralph Emerson. The War Menace. BRUCE GORDON' stood, his (\('s gill tcring with excite ment, watching the bi<; crowd which niillid abour thp bulletin board posted outside the cafe. Men were jostling ie]other, students the university to Bruce belonged climbing on each other's backs to read the latest news. Heavy black lettering read : "SERBIA REJECTS OUR ULTIMATUM ; and DECLARATION OF WAR IMMINENT!" Shouts sounded on the air, and sud- denly the struggling crowd quietened iis. through the uproar, there came the steady tramp of marching feet. A company of sokliers were passing the cafe gardens, and Bruce lea|x?d on to a barrel to watch tliein go. Bejond the moving men showed the grey, ancient stone walls of the University of Vienna, at which he was a student. They were breaking tip, to-day, and Bruce was duo soon to journey home to England for the holidays. Those old walls had seen knights in mail and armour riding to wars, now they looked on warriors of a later day. The afternoon sunshine caught the steely glitter of bayonets, and shone on the smooth barrels of rifles. The men wore full fighting equipment, overcoats roiled above their packs, pouches heavy with ammunition. They marched steadily, hobnails clumping the cobbled surface of the road, with crowds blocking the footways, cheering them towards the train which would rush them south to the frontier. Ahea<l, a band blared martial music, and the sound of it set the blood leaping in Bruce's VL-ins. "It'll bo war, Bruce!" A voice called below him, and a moment later, Ca.d Behrend leap'cd to the barrel-top an.l itood watching at bis side. Bruce and Carl were friends. Thi\v were the same size, broad-shouldered and clear-eyed. They were always to- gether, closer than brothers in their friendship. "Shall you have to go. if it is?" Bruce asked, as the last of the glitter- ing, grim bayonets passed. "Yes. of course!" Carl laughed, !iis eyes alight. "I'm an Austrian, and we"re all soldiers. If we really declare war, I"ll be called up. I'll have to fight—and that"ll be better than study- ing at the university !" "War, eh?" Bruce drova one fist into the palm of the other at the thought of it. "Gosh, I shall envy you ! If England went to war, I'd have io volunteer before I'd be accepted as a soldier." "And you'd voKuitccr, wouldn't you?" Carl asked. "You bet!" Bruce exclaimed "I say. if you have to go. couldn"t I soldier with you?" They dropped off the barrel, and stood looking at one another. "I mean, we've been friends so long." Bruce went on. "We might as well fight together, if there's to be any fighting." "That would be tine!" Carl reached for his hand, and they gripped . "B it we'll wait tiiitil I'm called up first and He broke olT. The students in the cafe gardens had returned from the street, and now they were grouping about the grey-haired figure of old Professor Arndt. the most popular in the university—and father of someone whom Bruce regarded as the prettiest girl in all Vienna. The professor mounted a box. Always before the class completely broke up, he made a little speech, wishing the fellows a good time during the holidays and thanking them for their expressions of goodwill. Bruce and Carl joined the crowd, pushing to the front, and heard the old professor saying : "Bo\i! we aie Iiv mg m exciting dav'a. .Hid thev say that uai will bo on lu lu .1 niattei ot bouts'. Will wai i5 a very du iflful thing and I iiu-t that its hoTOis ^vlll not touch any •>£ you or " That was about all that Bruce and Cart __ heard, because both -aw the piofessor's daughter, Pauli, sitting on another box near her father. She was very beautiful, with her hair caught in ringlets, wearing a frock that was all filmy—the kind of frock that only a captivating Viennese girl coidd wear. She smiled at the boys, and Bruce held her eyes. He .saw her lift one fing.T and motion gently, while her lipi formed the words : " The tree—now '" Bruce's heart jumped. He had been in love with Pauli for a long time— and he knew what she meant. She was saying that she would slip away to a. tree at the back of the grounds, and meet him there. He glanced at Carl. His friend was smiling as he looked at Pauli, and Bruce took his chance to ease back through the crowd. He had a glimpse of Pauli running in the direction of the tree. It was a big, sjjreading oak, with a circular seat round its base, and he came up to the seated girl on tip-toe. . He heard the distant band blaring as it escorted the company of soldiers io the war, and the cheering of the crowds that lined the streets. War and excite- ment was in the air, but it was not this which made his blood race now. He saw Pauli's hand resting on the edge of the scat, and she jumi)ed a little as his fingers clofed over it. She did not look up at him, but he saw the smile which curved her shapely lips, "Pauli!" he whispered. She turned her head quickly then. Her eyes widened and her smile died. "Oh-h—you?" she breathed.' "J meant " "Pauli, I saw j-ou beckon to me!" Bruce exclaimed. "You're wondcrfu;! I—Pauli, I love you! I've " He checked as she drew her hand away. "But—but I didn't meaa you, Bruce!" she said. "I wanted—Carl! Didn't you know, we've loved one anottier ever since we were kiddies? I didn't Febni.iry 15th, 1930.