The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-02-28
AMATEUR
NIGHT
By EDWARD ". GILBERT
Copyright


Copyright
Clarsie paused. trembling at the for.
bidding little stage door Of the London
rheater. ON the Bowery in New York.
Nothing hut the memory of her land
iady's last grim words, Tomorrow |
want the room, or the rent" would
have given her courage to enter. But
% long sickness. dull times in the pa
per-boN trade Cmaking it impossible
for her to get a iob). and the end of
her meager savings. had brought her
to the problem of where to shelter
on the morrow. and how to eat; her
last meal having been the previous
evening.
She had often seen the tlaring post
ers of the amateur nights mt the Lon
don, setting forth the cash prizes to
me hest act. and a wild hope had
grown in her mind that she might win,
not, perhaps. the first prize of five
dollars. but perhaps the second, and
thar would mean shelter for another
week and enough food to keep her
tiutteriug soul and frail body together,
and So she stood h%esitating on the
threshold Of her greatest venture.
She might have lacked courage to
enter but the d"Oorkeeper. happening
TO look ont, saw the wavering little fig
urP and asked, not unkindly:
What dye want?"
Clarsie murmured something in
which he heard the word amateur
Got your name down." asked he.
"AIl right, go on in. Jim, put this lady
wiz the amatoors."
She found herself one Of a line of
people, mostly boys, standing with
their backs to the wall of a narrow
passage. In front Of her was a typical
East Side boy, in little cap, green-red
sweater, and depressed-loOking canvas
shoes. Along the line ran a buzz of con-
yerSation, rough jokes. and Bowery
slang.
This your first time, lady?' asked
The lad ahead Of her.
Yes said Clarsie family.
WHATS your act-singin'? ?"
She nodded family.
I'm buck-dancin'." said her new ac-
Quaiutance. This is my fourth time"
\ crash of music from the front,
and the chorus trooped past, off the
stage, and scattered to the dressing
rooms. Ciarsie heard dimly, as from an
immense distance. a voice say:
Gentlemen. the amateurs will now
perform. We have u large list tonight,
and I think you will be much enter
tained."
She opened her eyes and Jaw, stand
ing at the entrance to the stage, a
gentleman with a tired and cynical
expression. Beside him stood a figure
which, 10 Clarsie's eyes, was the most
magnificent she had ever seen. The
lady was Of great height and thinness.
The white hussar shrugged her
shoulders and walked past them, but.
just as she passed, her eyes met those
Of Clarsie, and the look of fright. pain
and helplessness that she saw there
startled her. She stopped suddenly.
Don't he so frightened, little girl. -
she said, 'Or you'll go up in the air"
She gave her a rough, friendly slap on
the shoulder, turned and stepped back
TO the wings just as the manager. with
his list, stepped out on the stage. I'VE
have first" came the voice, Barney
Dooley, huCk-dancer."
That's me-" said the youth in the
g~reen-and-red sweater, as he ran on to
the stage.
A noise, like the roaring of the sea.
greeted him. Cat-calls. Kisses, hand.
clapping and wild whoops were min,
gled in a continued roar.
You here again?" "Oh! Barney.
why don't you die" Take It away,
take it away"
During this Internal concert. Bar.
nev gravely footed it, and, as a hail
Of small coin descended upon the stage
without losing a beat of his feet, he
stopped and gathered them into his
cap.
Take it away, take it away take
IL away"
"Scuse me-" said a man at Clarsie's
elbow, pushing past her. In his hand,
was a ten-foOt pole with a red iror
hook on the end, and, while she looked
with horror, he placed it around Bar
ney's neck and dragged him from the
stage, amid sounds like the O a of :
menagerie.
The manager, who had never
changed his expression of weary In
difference. glanced at his list, anC
said, coldly I'VE have next, Miss Clar
sic Ellis. in songs"
A cry greeted this announcement.
"Oh, Clarsie oh, Clarsie!'
Come out here, Clarsie."
I'VE dare you, Clarsie."
go on" said the white hussar
Don't let them buffalo you"
The next moment ClarsIe found her
self facing a whirling mass of tobacco
smoke.
The leader shook his bow, the or
chestra played, and she stood dumb