San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-19
By Arthur Somers Roche
Illustrated by w. B. King


tainer who was billed, outside the
theater, as "An Added Attraction"
And at the moment of his entrance,
Pelham lost his boredom. For the
man happened to be the gentleman
who, two nights ago, had been so ex-
tremely interested, at the restaurant,
in the speech of Pelham and Tryon.
And on that billboard outside the
theater, beneath the name Of samuel
Bozell, the Worlds Greatest Ventrilo-
auist," had been the line Of invita-
ton: Some In and Hear Him Imi'
tate Your Voice" =.
Eagerly, from the first moment OF
recognition, Pelham watched the
mans act. 1t began with the
usual banalities between Bozell and
the dummy figure which he held
upon his knee. But it ended with
his offer to initiate the voice of any
one in the audience. Half a dozen
people accepted his challenge. I'm
mediately he would utter the words
that had just left their mouths witt
an uncanny stimulation of their voices.
Slim Dickinson was reading a
book entitled, "Memoirs of the Wick
eldest Court in Europe" by "Well-
known Nobleman," when his employer
burst into the apartment.
"Slim," began Pelham, "didn't you
tell ME the other day that an old
friend of yours, a Maine guide like
yourself, was doing an act in vaude-
ville?"
"Sure did. replied Slim. @Lem
| Higgins, from my own town OF Juno
He's playing at the Castle this week.
| Comes on the stage all rugged up in
the fanciest huntin' clothes ever i
see, and begins initiating the voices
and sounds of animals and birds.
Shows how to call a moose. Has n
real moose there that he's trained
Sure, l know him. Why?"
II went to the Mirror vaudeville
house tonight. A ventriloquist was
on the bill. Two nights ago Tryon
rebuked the man for trying to listen
to our conversation in a restaurant
a ventriloQuist, eh?" said Slim.
And little later, some one with a
voice just like Tryon's calls you up
on the phone"
Slim, you're the quickest man j
know. 1t doesn't sound crazy to
you?" asked Pelham.
There amt anything sounds fool
ish TO me if it has to do with the
Gray Ghost" Slim declared. But
what about Lem HigginsI"
go to see him tonight, II you
know where he lives. He must know
Bozell-that's the ventriloquist. Get
him to introduce you to Bozell.. After
that-well, / leave it to you"
Lem Higgins had finished his act
by the time that Slim arrived at the
Castle Theater, burt the stage door
keeper obligingly informed the ques-
toner that Mr.. Higgins could prob
iably be found at the Headliners' Club,
that modestly named association of
variety artists. The stage door-keeper
was correct; Lem Higgins was finish
ing n late supper when his old friend
sent in his name. He came out to
the hall, slapped his visitor on the
back, and almost dragged him. into the
dining room and to his table. But
Slim resisted Higgins insistent de-
sire to make Slim known to yaude-
ville's elite.
"There's only one guy in the world
that -ou can introduce me to, Lem, VI
he told the guide-actor. "Do you
know ventriloquist named Samuel
Bozell? He's playing at the Mirror
this week."
Higgins eyed his friend curiously,
Now what interest have you in Sam
Bozell?" he asked. "Your boss send
you?"
"what do you mean by that?" de
manded Slim.
Higgins weather-beaten face took
on n shrewd expression.
! "Well, Mr.. Pelham's detective and
Bozell's a crook. That amt putting
two and two together !; it's easier than
that; it's adding one and one.
Dickinson stared at his old friend
"Lem, you didn't use to be the CAB
best guide in Maine
81 can keep my mouth shut now, Il
that's what you mean," grinned Hig'
gins.
Il believe you," said Slim. you
just forget, after I've left, that 1 ever
mentioned Bozell. Now tell me what
you know about him."
at amt much" said Higgins. @Bu'
he has a reputation all ever the eli.
cult of being crooked. Gives bad
checks, trims his friends, you know
And lately he blossomed out with 9
new car, chauffeur and everything
Now you can't do that sort of thing
on the salary you get in the four-a'
day louses. He must have some phony
game"
Slim whistled. Il want to meet
him." he said.
"That'n be easy" stated Higgins
1t was easy; on the following day
Higgins introduced his friend to the
yentriloquist. Slim-he called hin
Mr.. Jonas Perkins-was State oi
Maine man like Higgins. Higgins sue
cess had made Mr.. Perkins DESTROYS Of
investing some Of the capital that HI
had laid away, in a few good vaude
vile acts. He was especially in
terested in building Up Bozelrs &C
until il became n complete evening:
entertainment. He had good sugges
tons, too, as to how this could b
accomplished.
1t took less than an hour to con
vince Bozell. always on the lookout 70
easy money, that Mr.. Jonas Perkins
was the most gullible backwoodsmai
that ever breathed. Even the Low
cunning that Mr.. Perkins showed. il
demanding that Bozell put up an eQua
amount in financing the new produc
ton, did not change the ventriloquist'
estimate of the mentality of his new
acquaintance. He agreed TO put u
the equal share demanded by Mr.. Per
kins. and to prove his ebility to d