Evening star., 1928-01-08
HIS EMPTY SLEEVE
By Edgar F. Sullivan


In the first third Of the story the lead
ing man must be an Iowa farmer boy.
very much twOfisted. Sorry. but you'd
better report back to the studio
Whereat Naked Brain" smiled
bit more wistfully and made remark:
Perhaps I can watch yOu'all work
till YOU wire Mr. Goldberg.
"The wire has gone already, asking
for your substitute"
Director AL bowed him out. Then
he stood. amusedly watching the
breeze play tag with that empty
sleeve as Naked Brain Raymond
slumped off toward his tent.
In Hollywood kilograms move noun
ms, men and mummes. But not
the Mannes. Whatever their antece-
dents, the Mamie Goldbergs of Holly.
wood are immovabie and immutable
This Mamie Goldberg once may have
sold aging editions OF evening pa
pers along Park Row. and mayhap
once year enjoyed chicken. beef
borst and potato pancakes at Solo
mons. Then he might have compro-
missed, but today he was a millionaire
"fllum magnet" He might not wax
eloquent over balbriggans, Brahman.
ism. BOccaccio or Bach, but box
Office was his idea of an eight-tube
receiving set in any FINLAND base ball
league.
Which Director Al soon ascertained.
For Mamie remained adamant. lie
wired:
Would YOU wait till you climb the
Alps before you find out you left your
| suYpenders home? Your salary is big
| enough so YOU should see such little
| things as one arm before taking them
| in thousand lots to a desert TO live off
me. If Raymond's arm bothers the
script. change the script. What does
Josie think? MAMIE.
| No pitfaIl such as this ensnared Di.
rector Al. In all that telegram he
read one line. What does Josie
think" and frowneL and spat. and
cursed this seeming slight of his lead
| Crship.
I.aconically. Script changed" he
wired Mamie. then .brooded that he
knew so little of what Josie ever
thought.
| What had come over Mamie? The
| Wilhcombe world was strangely awry
| and in 4S hours the Willicombe tenn
per turned testy and lightning fiared
| in the skies anew.
THEY were shooting bayOnet scenes
with shrapnel background two
davs later. A hugle sounded Charge
| and from myriad trench holes 300
| grimy extras bellied forth to face the
foe. And one armed Naked Brain
led all the rest. On. on. on--squirm'
ing. sweating. cursing-dragging the
empty sleeve along 10 stem the stolid
| tide Of Huns. Heroic? Superlatively
! so. A hundred throats yelling. cheer
| ing above the battle din as onlookers
not in the scene paid vocal tribute to
rhe stellar artistry of all before the
camera.
on. on. on. they fought and fell.
till suddenly from the little dngout
where her nurses valor placed her.
rose Josie McCann--trapped between
TWO human packs out on the kill.
Twas at this mounting moment
Willicombe again struck. And when
the din had stilled he megaphon~d:
by God. Raymond. did YOU learn
acting in a stable or a sewer
And on the run he bore down.
ghost white in his rage.
II beg your pardon"
This from little Josie Mccain.
whittier than himself
MIR. Wi,l;comhe. you throw me off
my stride by such insipid Interrupt.
,iors," Low she said II. but In that
penetrating tone that sent II fiinging
far. "All Of uS learned acting. Al. in
| stables or in sewers. Remember? You
were there--iearning Manners
And Wiliicombe went livid at the
roar her sally brought.
What" he raved. YOUTH have
your contract broken. You standing
up for this Naked Brain
And those who glanced at Raymond
saw him start. then crince away. He
seemed To shrink up all at once~--cx-
cep, the shoulder OF his empty sleeve
and that just seemed 10 bulge and
shift and move the more as rage
ahopa In his eyes