Evening star., 1932-09-04

"HE2E is never much excitement
IN Gslesyille, Md-nothing to
raise the blood pressure of the
Il residents to an alarming degree
The pretty little homes cluster
about the West River shore, where the
water laps softly against the wharf. A
strange cruiser comes into port once
in while, there may be an unusual
catch of hardheads or trout, or a sail
boat may become unruly and tip over,
but, aside from these goings-on, the
village just sort of sleeps away the
Summer and Autumn days. There are
no past glories to think about, no
future to dream of, and one "a hours
is pretty much like the span which
went before it, or which comes after.
But the show boat came to Gales
vile last week!
And, affairs dramatic having reached
the hecalmed stage in Washington, we
hitched Dobbin to the family carry-all
and journeyed out West River way, for
we know show beats of other days
show boats Of the Mississippi, the Ohio,
the Kanawha, the Licking and the
Wabash. We remembered, vivdly, the
cobblestone landing shore at Cincin-
natl, where the Blossom tied up and
loosed its calliope in ballad tunes for
a full hour before the show started
we recalled certain night in Summer
along the Louisville water front; that
girl with the blue dress who met the
boat in Pacucah, and an exciting in
cident at North Bend, where the Ohio
takes a sudden turn, as though it had
suddenly determined to change its
course and start overland through In
diana. Also came visions of stage
show boats and song-all to the sweet
ly soft music OF a current bearing us
onward and the timing thud of a stern
paddle wheel.
RUT this shall be story of disillusion.
~ It may be that we are growing
older. or that the eyes of youth are
fashioned to vision in larger, more
glamorous proportions. Or, again, it
may be that Chesapeake Bay show
boats are not like the old river ships,
or that we have been misled by the
late MIR. Ziegfeld and his stage pro-
duction.
Be that as it may, when we reached
Galesville there was the James Adams
Show Boat tied up to the pier-a box
like, matter-of-fact sort of boat. There
was no calliope. Jules Bludsoe was not
standing on the top deck and singing
ti1dt CIicSty Vi MAI IlDDST. CapL.
Andy Hawks was not ballyhooing for
the crowd of country folk who lined the
river shore. Gaylord Ravenel, proudly
bearing his ivory-handled cane, was
not struggling for the boxofice. Mag
nolia, the leading lady, and Julie, the
torch singer, were nowhere to be seen.
There were lights on the boat, to be
sure. but 1t was not glitter to warm
the heart. Dainty Southern bellies clad
in dimity or organdy Cor whatever it is
that Southern bellies wear) were not
laughing and chatting and casting shy
eyes toward the handsome and tickle
Gaylord.
Shades Of mummers and dreams of
the past! Where was the romance?
1t was all so surprisingly matter-of-
fact and businesslike that we searched
out Mr.. Adams or his manager-the
fellow who had charge of the show boat
and its affairs-and we found that run
ming a show boat nowadays was very |
much like running a delicatessen store |
or selling straw hats. The boxoffice is |
conducted just about as efficiently as |
Steve Cochran's boxofice at the Ma
tional. The days receipts are figured |
to penny, the seats are numbered and !
checked, the orchestra Is made up OF !