Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-03-21
Forgetting Old
Wounds
By LEETE STONE
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(Copyright)
a T A tiny corner cafe, half betting
"A the sidewalk and nearly in shadow
Of the Madeleine, sat Dean Harvey,
abstemiously slipping a cognac. He
had been In that little plaza, in action,
over decade ago. Dean gazed at the
headless saint in the corner alcove Of
the Madeleine. 1t stood there, erect
and mute in protest against the in,
satiate monster, War.
All, we'll; it was over-long since.
Each year now the pretty parks of
Paris were decorated with more babies
in their prim carriages. France was
coming back. And Dean was glad be-
cause he loved Paris. He had per-
suaded his dad to come over from
Hollywood with an adequate crew and
company, to establish a studio there.
Today Dean had secured all the
American haunts Of Paris looking for
an elderly western American type
which was needed for the next days
scene. Now he was resting momen-
tarily at the little cafe. !.
All at once Deans idly rowing eyes
caught the suggestion Of a swagger-
ing figure long way up the sun-lit
Rue de Seize. There is the swagger
Of the contented Frenchman and the
swagger Of the plainsman. The two
are different; one is cocky and one is
confident.
Having been nursed in the saddle
in his parents early, pioneering days,
Dean knew his West. This tall, lean
figure coming, with the straggly fringe
Of white straying from the Stetson had
been a two-gun man by the banks Of
the. Rio Grande cor I'm a
liari" =. Dean was on the alert.
This was just what he wanted. The
saunterer brushed by Deans table.
"Howdy, stranger; I'll set 'em up
If you'll sit DOWN." Dean spoke to
the gaunt old man whose eyes were
pinned on distance.
Well, stranger likewise; I've
heard that in Texas. Pm tired and
broke, an I'd be happy to drink with
yuh."
OO SlaAbC0 . ACAhAhAoNChS NOANA0'Os
Soon, from the old Westerner:
"Ever hear of Bill Tildman :.
no? Well, I was transforming
and showboating considerable in the
nineties our company went
fiat broke in Oklahoma City. l hap
pened to hear that a posse is bein'
organized to capture gang Of out
laws !. . dug down in my prop
erty trunk; got the boots 1 used for
playin' 'heavies' an went out to look
for the leader o that posse. That's
how met Bill Tildman.
$50 you're an actor he says to
me. Can yuh ride an use a gum
told him I was the first male child
borne in the Skeleton Mesa country;
that a saddle was my cradle; an I'd
cut my first tooth on a gun barrel. e :.
avail says he, 'ye're just the fell
low we're loolin' for"
The old Westerner paused with both
eyes full Of bygone dreams, twirled
his long gray moustachios proudly,
slipped his cognac
"Would yuh like to see the wounds
| got that trip? Ha-Ha
cant show 'em to yuh here. Three o.
them, all low on the. right hip
an say; I'll never forget that face O.
the low-down rascal that riddled me
..-.. peerin' from behind a patch O.
mesquite. All" happy sigh-"there
was shootin' in Skull Gully that day;
but we got 'em, stranger, we got 'em
ALL" An abrupt pause. Thanks,
stranger; I'll just be moseyin' on"
The old man rose slowly.
"Say, old-tlmer; need you" Dean
was eager and friendly. "Ive propo-
sitlon. You're an actor with a good
voice. How would a three months
contract at seyenty-ave week strike
you . in the talkies. Listen, I've
got one type. An honest to God
ranger from your country. I need
you to do lot of cow-country scenes
with him. You'll like him, too-thls
bird. He's your kind What do you
Aay?
"Son?" there was almost a culver
in the old mans voice, "Are you kid
din me? Or d'you know what
your say-so means to an old ham,
actor that doesn't eat regularf"
"Come on, cowboy" With a ges.
ture and sufficient centlmes Dean set
tied for the saucers under their
glasses. You can bunk In with Andy,
my other Texan"
Boulevardlers turned to look at
these two, stridlng along, so evidently
of different worlds. Finally their
omnibus dropped them on the Left
Bank and soon they entered the ram
bling structure Deans father had
transformed into talking picture
studio
"Now for Andy" said Dean guild.
ing his new friend to far corner Of
the cavernous interior. At q bunk
against the wall, close bent beneath
an electric bulb sat an old man in.
dustriously cleaning and ollIng worn
Colts slx-shOoter.
Brought pal for you, Andy"
Dean cried.
In the dlmness the two oldsters
stared at each other, heads thrust for.
ward.
"Pal HIP said the one
who had come In with Dean. The
cr0uched figure Strengthened and
sunny smile sought the gnarled fea-
lures. He laid aside the slx-shooter,
rose and walked over to Deans tall
friend with hand outstretched.
"Yes-I know give yuh them three
bullet holes In the hip, Jack Ran.
some but they're old wounds, pardner
old wounds. Let's shake, Jack; for.
get them holes o yours-an' 90 to
work, eh?"