The Washington herald., 1921-04-17
by Briggs

a oohNSA . OobhN " We ~ NS eSN-
self taught until you're almost
ruined, but not quite. What you
need is q trainer. I'll take you in
hand and put you at the top Of the
profession. There's room there for
the two of US. You may beat me-"
said the Master. casting upon him
cold. savage look combining SO
much rivalry, affection, Justice and
human hate that IL stamped him at
once as one Of the little great ones
Of the earth-"you may beat me;
but ! doubt II. I've got the start
and the pull. But at the top Is
where you belong. Your name! you
say, is Robinson
"McGowan." repeated the amateur.
Mac McGowane
TT don't matter said Delsno-
suppose you walk up to my hotel
with me. I'd like to talk to you.
Your footwork is the worst / ever
saw, Madigan-but-well, I'd like to
talk to you. You may not think SO,
but I'm not SO stuck up. / came of
of the West Side myself. That over
coat cost me $500; but the collar
amt so high but what l can see
over IL. l. taught myself to dance,
and put in most of nine years at ii
before / shook a foot in public. But
j had genius. l didn't go too far
wrong in teaching myself as you've
done. You've got the rottenest
method and style of anybody / ever
saw"
"oh. don't think much of the few
little steps I take" said Mac, with
hypocriticaI lightness.
Don't talk like a package of self
raising buckwheat -FOUR" said Del
Delano. You've had a talent handed
to you by the Proposition Higher Up;
and it's up to you to do the proper
thing with II. I'd like to have you
90 up to my hotel for talk. il you
will
In his rooms in the King Clovis
Hotel, Del Delano put on a scarlet
house coat bordered with bold braid
and set out Apollinsris and a box Of
Sweet crackers.
Macs eye wandered.
Forget II" said Del. Drink and
tobacco may be all right for a man
who makes his living with his
hands: but they won't do IL you're
depending on your head or your
feet. II one end Of you gets tangled
so does the other. That's why beer
and cigarettes don't hurt piano play
ers and picture painters. But you're
| got to- cut 'em out IL you want to
do mental or pedal work. Now, have
a cracker. and then we'll talk some. .
| IAN right" said Mac. Il take II
as an honor of course, for you &c
notice my hopping around. or course
Td-aike to do something in a profes-
esional line. OF course I can sing q
little 'and do card tricks and Irish
and German comedy stun, and OF
course I'm not so bad on the trapeze
and comic bicycle stunts and Hebrew
monologues and"
l h zone moment" interrupted De
Delano, before we begin. said you
couldn't dance. We'll, that WASH,
quite right. You've only got two OF
three bad tricks in your method
You're handy. with your feet, anc
you belong at the top, where I am.
| illls put there. I've got six weeks
ssntinuoussin New York. and in four
L can shape up your style till the
booking agents will fight one anoth-
er to get you. And I'll do it. too
I'm Of, from, and for the West Side
Del Delano' looks good on biIlboards
but the family names Crowley. Now
Macintosh = McGowan, mean
you've got your chance-fifty times
better one than / had.
"Td be a shine to turn II down" "
said Mac. And / hope you under.
stand ! appreciate it, Me and my
cousin Cliff MCGOWAN was thinking
of getting a tryout at Creary's or
smateur night a month from tomor-
row."
| a1S.s ..xu "a. Ds a.,
mine there. Junius T. Rollins, the
booker for Kuhn & Dooley, jumped
on the stage and engaged me after
my dance. And the boards were an
inch deep in nickels and dimes and
quarters. There wasn't but nine
I penny pieces found in the lot"
s"T ought to tell you" said Mac
after two minutes of pensiveness
that my cousin Cliff can beat me
dancing. We've always been wha,
you might cali pals. sIf you'd take
him ub instead of me, now, IL might
be better. He's invented a lot OF
steps that 1 can't cut.
Forget It." said Delano. Mon
da:s, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sat
urdays of every week from now till
amsteur night month of, I'll coach
you. I'll make you as good as I am;
and nobody could do more for you
My acts over every night at Ie:Is.
Half an hour later I'll take you up
and drill you till IL, I'll put you At
the top of the bunch, right where
am. You've got talent. You.re styles
bum: but you've got the genius
You let me manage II. I'm from
the West Side myself. and I'd rather
see one Of the same gang win ont