Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-18
Daily Short Story
COMPLETE ~ rus ISSUE.
"RiGHT, LEFT, BALANCE,
KICK"
ny PHILLIP BIurrol.oM,r

distinctive steps. yet Gilbert sdg.nore
accomplished them all threu--n j,
simultaneously, but each IN TURN.
Into Washington society ne Was bonn
and when he WAS old enough he l.u
naturally into the cotillton e.',l,rsb,5
tncn followed (, series OF escapad.s
cannot chro9Icie here. a. they are noI
family read.nS. but they ended with
Father EdSmore disowning his son
ana casting MIN OH the word Tor sup
port.
Gilbert, taking the line Of least r..
sistance. made Tor tn. second phase
musical comedy, and WAS destined 10
9 ;A,,n YIN m NE VI. otAer men IN the
Casually he had mentioned his
fathers name one day The press
agent, ever ready TO get newspaper
manager and Gilbert VAS given the
end position and the author had 10
write in an extra line, which Gilbert
was to speak. while the morning news
papers cach announced from i've lines
to half Il column the fact that the son
OF one OF Washinstou's leading states
men would be with the Maid Of the
Mist when it opened.
M" dznsss wI He 'n Ma man Mho put
chap u about twenty-eight with curry
hair Ills features were sharp and
pert aud his manner owing 70 the
sudden success ne had attained over
bearing. Ills language. never profanc
VAS sarcastic ana very insulting IN It's
innuendo. lie loved to play the gem
lehman and his love FOR authority WAS
even greater. lie had never IN his
chorus had any one of such social
standing and he instinctivcly felt that
Gilbert saw through his own thin
veneer Of breeding and took a dislike
to aim from the first moment
There is big difference between
/ ballroom dancing and the rather diff
icult steps a chorus has to go through.
aud az the others We're experienced in
that line Matzoom put them through
their PAGES rapidly. so Gilbert did not
show to his best advantage
..~ no
chorus boys We're grouped around on
chairs, As the leading lady got up
! Gilbert instinctively rose
What are you trying TO do" Mat
zoom said sneerinGly, take the center
I 81 the stage? What do you mean by
/ Gilbert looked at him in surprise
] then answered:
Tina, IS wha, a gentleman would
! do under the circumstances"
Matzoom turned crimson and some
ten minutes later when they were going
/ through a rather difficult evolution or
/ dancing which Gilbert had not mas
\ tered. Matzoom very calmly fred him
As Gilbert was coming out of the
stage entrance he ran into tile press
Rehearsals over" the latter said
No, said Gilbert calmly 4 have
uies later. the press agent laid tho
mater before the manager. Gilbert
You can, ire 70 Sim @s'i he os sain wnv
10 can get US lot OF press work.
one OF the sunday papers promised
AFTER We have opened there are end
'esS li'tir things ! have mapped out"
ne manager was a shrewd man, He
SIMPLY NODDED and taking Gilbert with
hiih Went back to the stage and CALI
81 MaiZoom over to him. He didn't
see nj to lower his voice. but spoka SO
al h wv. VIVA. authority, Mr., Matzoom do
10Y ,d'scnArse people engage"
MatZoom hastily : :"
Weil that is what pay YOU Tor"
re"pI Lne ,h imInas gen. calmly 10 show these
other word he turned and dtsappc, rcd
IN the dark auditorium ~
sco m1L@G'm M swallowed his pride. He
Sraiity smile came into his face, :"
MI Edgmore" he said rolit.Iv-,,,,
10 s W.s .hoi y5n Sy,, hat cut i Vas
ne otH.rS Will give you ali ,nv.aI
IJs a,n,; and from that day on he
Right, left. bal nls ,'m Ei. to Gil6er,
hea r II even in his dreams '''oefe
/, c"t t raR m9 ore, This is not leading
nmt DOM despsir. viii give YOU mor mi
NY SPAR time until you gel i ~ 80
n ~, IN ana again the whole -umpa I,,u
m'IiS Mat%oom put Gilbert thro, u.ru
,hcc Faces. Even after he really knam
to do 'I ,h.,u ne wasn't spared. but had
:! any or the other men mall :, al"
tt,'Ne 'hey were never called down rs 70 ;.
an, see Mt Edgmore mas thrown vo,
~" ~ Matzoom ,wo ~ saw su you
n m"m'a you mind stepping OUT ana
ri snh ~, Milhsr, would go through ie fa
isut Gilbert was. no.
maize ms initial performance nn 70 70
broks n nor . JnSt about this time war
ne supplied himself with c,r,a ma'eh.
Snr ~ ION, where he went straiph +
TOT MS father i"iSh
,ne heen such fool but when : raa, :,
4 ne HcCiaraiion Of war and the lie, 81
,he ir!lows We been At school with
snat ! enlisted, realized il was ny ;"
us father looked at him search.
All right. boy" he said hsina
vinS:a Of Giiberts earnestness. II am
Gilbert turned to go, then suddenly
icmocrinG he stopped
\ By the way. dad, heres n nau,,
ticket for my watch. Ii was tho ON
way | could set here. You Might sht send send
ior IL ana keep il for me"
rms iAther nodded. stop nv tho iay
500 =, ne sara. trying TO hide his emo
l!oh' Tor he was proud Of his boy, and
IL charged 10 me"
And 50 a week later Gilbert was off
Tor lIattSbnrs, and entered INTO things
" 'tH SHtH .afncStntsS and seriousness
mat he was among the first 10 he rec
oinmended for commission His
whole p>1r life became SOFT of n
dream 10 hDn. for the JOY of doing
something that was really worth while
mad come TO him. Only one Thought
was disaGreeable to him. the rathcr
humi!iating fortunes Matzoom had nut
MIN drought. but even these were
soon forgotten. for he had found his
vocation.
lie was reconntir.~ his experiences in
musical comedy To one OF his friends
one day.
Il have only two ambitions in life
now he 81 ii. one is to lick the Ger
mans ana the other TO get even with
that little boundcr Matzoom'"
The first one hope you realize
the other officer said smilinSly. You
Viii get a chance soon."
Yes" SAID Gilbert. "and the other
one mast forget because never ex-
pcct 10 see that little skunk again"
Then came transcription and among.
various Plattsburg Offices assigned TO
drill the raw recruits WAS Gilbert.
After short visit home. and few
days spent with his father. who was
so proud now that II even affected
his walk Gilbert left for Camp Upton.
Next morning he was assigned TO his