South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-13
The Song and the Sergeant
By Sidney POr ter

Half a dozen people supping at
a table in one Of the upper Broad
way all-night restaurants were max
ing too much noise. Three times
the manager walked past them with
q politely warning glance. but their
argument had waved too warm TO be
aueiied by managers gaze. II was
midnight. and the restaurant was
filled with patrons from ;he theaters
or that district Some among the
dispersed audiences must have recog-
nized among the quarrelsome sextet
the faces OF the players belonging 20
the Carroll Comedy Co.
-Four OF the six made up the COM
pany. Another was the author Of
the comedietta. "a Gay Coquette,"
which the quartet or players had
been presenting with fair success at
several vaudeville houses IN tho city.
The sixth at the table was a person
inconsequent in the realm OF art. but
one az whose bidding many Holsters
had persisted.
Loudly the six maintained their
clamOrous debate. No one OF the
party was silent except when an
swers were stormed from him by the
excited ones. That was the coined
ian Of "A Gay COquette." He was
young man with a face even too
melancholy for mis- profession.
The oral warfare Of four immOd-
crate tongues was directed at Miss
Clarics Carroll. the twinkiing star OF
the small aggregation. Excepting
the doWncast comedian. all members
OF the party united in casting upon
her with vehemence the blame OF
some momentous misfortune. Fifty
times they tod her: 1T ia your
fault. Clarice-it IS you alone who
spoiIt the scene. It is only OF late
that you have acted this way. At
this rate the sketch will have TO be
taken Off"
Miss Carroll was n match for any
four. Gallo ancestry gave her a vi
vRcity that could easily mount 10
fury. Her large eyes flashed a
scorching denial at her accusers. Her
slender, eloquent arms constantly
naenaced the tableware. Her high,
clear soprano voice rose TO what
would have been a scream had II
not possessed so pure a musical
quality. She hurled back at the at
lacking four their denunciations in
tones sweet. but Of too great carry
ing power for a Broadway restaur-
ant.
Finally they exhausted her pa
thence both as a woman and an art
ist. She sprang up like a panther,
managed TO smash half a dozen
plates and glasses with one royal
sweep OF her arm, and defed her
critics They rose and wrangled
more loudly The comedian sighed
and looked a trifle sadder and dis
interested. The manager came trip
ping and suggested peace. He was
told TO go to the popular synonym
for war so promptly that the affair
might have happened at The Hague.
Thus was the manager angered
He made a sign with his hind and a
waiter slipped out OF the door. In
20 minutes the party of six was In
q police station facing a griZzled and
philosophical desk sergeant.
"Disorderly conduct in a restaur'
ant" said the policeman who had
brought the party in.
The author OF "a Gay Coquette'
stepped 10 the front. He wore nose
glasses and evening clothes, even 4
hts shoes had been tans before they
met the patent-lea ther-pOlish bot
lie.
Mr.. Sergeant" said ne, out OF hi
throat. like Actor Irving, Il would
ike TO protest against this arrest
The company OF actors who are per
forming in a little play that 1 have
written. in company with a frienC
and myself were having Il little sup
per We became deeply interested
in the discussion as 10 which one o
the cast is responsible for a scene II
the sketch that lately has fallen S,
flat that the piece is about to be
come a failure. We may have beer
rather noisy and intolerant OF inter
ruption by the restaurant people
but the matter was of considerable
Importance to all OF us. You Sc
that we are not the kind Of peopl
who desire to raise disturbances.
hope that the case will net be press
ed and that we may be allowed 4
go"
Who makes the charger" asket
the sergeant.
Me" said a white-aproned voic
An the rear. DE restaurant sent m
TO De sang was raisin' a rough
house and breakin' dishes"
The dishes were paid for" sal
the playwright. They were no
broken purpOsely. In her anger. be
cause we demonstrated with her 70
spelling the scene Miss"
Its not true. sergeant" cried tn
clear voice of Miss Clarice Carroll
In a long coat of tan silk and a red