The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-18
CROUCH"
7 HEN is 2 groueh bod 2


 W Mir. Claude Gnlingwater. who plays so charmingly one of the trio of bachelors in ''s Wise Fools" the anus ing comedy of that name.
 Of course, you know this isn't my first acquaintance with Mir. Gillingwater,, be- cause I met him some five or six years ago. and fell" for him with dull thud." and yesterday I had a relapse.
 He really is a perfectly charming gen tleman, tall and slender and graceful with iron gray hair which grows won- derfully about his temples. and he has the keenest sort of comprehending eyes and he always looks the perfect Beau BrummeIl-well groomed. well dressed and debonnair.
 MT. Gillingwater, the Lord be praised, hasn't run to fat" since last saw him. l. remember how we talked about obesity and avoirdupois when we were "a-inter- viewing" before, and-but, then, I'm not writing story about fiat mem this time Still you know how Mighty and all am. and how hard it is for me to stay on the same track when there's such chance to 'ramble'-as fat man. O-o-o-h! some subject that" believe mel
 But any way as I was about to say, this story is about a real Gibson type Of man, thoroughbred, every inch of him, j and I firmly believe he promised some body-wife, sweetheart or friend-that he'd never, never grow stuffy and hump-y and puffy and dull and respec- 1 table and little fat like everybody else Yes honest-to-goodness, I do, and more than that he has lived up to his promise | Speaking of being respectable and all, do let rne tell you "bon mot" l heard the other day;
 Poor, stupid. ugly and good-the four cardinals of misery!
 l Isn't that delicious?
 But back to MT. Claude Gillingwater, Esq.
 I was waiting at the hotel (not at the chureh) for the delectable gentleman yes terday afternoon, and had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with nm 1 just few moments after he hao steppeu | out of taxi into the foyer of the Tut wiler and before he could iprimp' or | even register his very unusual name ! I was jabbering away for dear lie, asK- ing him 'steen dozen questions at tline' and he was answering in his dellgntlul' cordial manner, absolutely less ike lsgrouch, than anybody you can imagine. I Somehow it was the hardest posslDie ' thing for me to imagine him as the l crouch" even in a play, who swears' anu I @cusses and wrinkles up his face, ana tdisposition something awfui!
 ssYou know from past experience that I'm very poor subject when 1t comes to talking about myself, said MT. Gli- hngwater frankly. ,.,
 "Stlff and nonsense,n I exclaimed lus- itilv as he ran his long, graceful hngerr through the button holes of his we'll
 itting coat with a dexterity which was rather amusing, and which made me nlh' lthat pocket picking might be his me Ieven though he was the perfect geh'ie' mann
 odd. your mentioning that" said lar
 Gillingwater ''In my early career ioined a company of--they called then ghost companies then. Do you under
 stand2 Pantomime, 'sleight-of-nano'
 that sort of truck you know"
 Taking chicks out of silk hat, o' t wards and wards of ribbon out of tu1n
 bler" I said quickly. A
 That's the idea, MT GinlngWale 4 tsaid i've always been rather deNtrou
 with my long fingers, but as for bein , real pickpocket. I'm sure my con science wouldn't let me-"
 Are you really conscientious! . asked, "and an actor?' I He smiled and said: . You see I haven't always been l factor When I was a youngster, Jus y growing up, my parents wanted me be a"
 "Preacher," I interpolated. You loo
 the part-so honest and sincere an I clean shaven and ministerial r "No-a lawyer" he corrected. M l family had all been politicians and, . V course. I was supposed to follow tn : precedent"
 y .where'd you come from. anyway s I asked,
 d srm really from Missouri" he reat
 quietly. }. "Oh, we all are. as for that" pound : ed back Did you ever see anybod r who wasn't from the show me state I Are you just guying, or" S I'm really from Missouri" he repeat V ed, from Pike county. You see, I neye ,. had entertained the slightest intentio e of going on the stage. I'd never bee
 a prodigy in my own home town e never been the village cut-up or tn : leading man in private theatricals. bt r 1T had taken part in the school con I mencements and at the tender age of " I had played character part in t lcharade. I was the father, and l rt e member how I made my whiskers ot ] of some old corn combings--and m
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