South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-31
The Improbable Servant

o. HENRY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE %
my dance. And the boards were an
inch deep in nickels and dimes and
quarters There wasn't but nine
penny pieces in the los."
II ought % tell YOU said Mac.
after two minutes Of pensiveness.
that Ny cousin CHI can beat me
dancing We've always been what
YOU might call pals. II you'd taken
him up instead OF me. now. IL might
be better. He's invented a lot OF
steps that I can't cut"
Forget IT," said Delano. Mon
days Wednesdays, Fridays and Sat
urdays Of every week from now Til
amateur night month off I'll coach
sou. I'll make you az good as
am. and nobody could do more for
you. Ny acts over every night at
1915. Half an hour later I'll take
you up and drill you till II. I'll put
you at the top OF the bunch, right
where 1 am. You've got talent.
You're styles bum; but you've got
the genius. You let me manage Il.
I'm from the West Side myself. and
I'd rather see one OF the same gang
win out before i would an East
slider, or any Of the Flatbush or
Iackensaok Meadow kind OF butt
iners. I'll see that Junius Rollins
is present on your Friday night: and
III he don't climb over the footlights
and offer YOU $50 a week as n start
or, I'll let you draw IL from my own
salary every Monday night. Now.
am L talking on the level or am 1
not?"
Amateur night at Creary's Eighth
fe rfrf f.rr -.
pattern as amateur nights elsewhere.
After the regular performance the
humblest talent may, by previous
arrangement with the management.
make its debut upon the public
stage. Ambitious. non-profession-
ais. mostly self-instructed, display
their skill and powers of entertain
Inent along the broadcast lines. They
may sing, dance, mimic, juggle. con-
tort, recite, or disport themselves
along any Of the ragged boundary
lines OF art. From the ranks OF these
anxious tyros are chosen the profess
SIGNALS that adorn or otherwise
make conspicuous the full-blown
stage. Press agents delight in re-
counting to open-mouthed and close
cared reporters stories of the
humble beginning OF the brilliant
Such and such a prima donna
(they will tell you) made her initial
bow to the public while turning
handsprings on an amateur night.
One great matinee favorite made
his debut on generous Friday
evening singing coon songs of his
own composition. A tragedian ia
\ nous on two continents and an
3lsland first attracted attention by an
amateur impersonation OF a newly
landed Scandinavian peasant girl.
one Broadway comedian that turns
EN- away got a booking on Friday
night by reciting { seriously the
graveyard scene in Hamlet"
Thus they get their chance. ANA
tsur night is n kindly boon. II is
charity Invested Of almsgiving. 1t is
"A brotherly hand reached down by
p 1tembers of the best united ban of
cOworkers in tho world TO raise up
less fortunate ones without labelling
them bsggars. II gives you the
chance, III you can grasp il, TO step
before some badly painted scenery
and. during the playing by the or
chestra OF some 10 or II bars OF
music. and while the sOles of your
shoes may be clearly holding TO the
uppers. TO secure a salary equal TO
a congressman's or any orthodox
minister's. Could an ambitious stu
dent of literature or financial me-
thodS get n chance like that by
spending 20 minutes in O. Carnegie
library L do not trow so.
But shall we look in at Creary's
Let US say that the specific Friday
night had arrived on which the
fortunate Mac MCGOWAN was To
Justify the flattering predictions of
his distinguished patron and. Incl
dentally. drop his silver talent into
the slit of the slot machines of fame
and fortune that gives up reputa-
ton and dough. i offer. sure of
your acquiescence. that we now for
swear hypocritical philosophy and
bigoted comment, permitting the
story 10 finish itself I'm the dress of
material allegations - medium
more worthy, when held to the line.
than the most laborious creations OF
the word miiliners- .
page OF manuscript missing here)
easily among the wing with his pa
tron. the great Del Delano. For.
whatever footlights shone in the
Ctty-That-Would-B e-A m u s d, the
freedom OF their unshaded side was
Del's. And II he should take up an
amateur seer and bring him
arcund-see? and. winking one Of
mis- cold blue eyes. say TO the man
ager: Take Il from inches got
the goods-see?" you wouldn't ex-
psct that amateur to sit on an un-
painted bench sudorifically awaiting
hts turn. would you? So Mac stroll
ed around largely with the non
pareil; and the seven waited, clam
lily, on the bench.