The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-05

The person thus addressed was
not George and never had been
George. His name was Harry and
it was a good name. He was very
harried man.
I'm in the cart" he said. My
next turn has gone phut and there's
going to be a gap. Boot and Slip
per-see 'em? Jack Boot and Mel
lie Slipper-pretty bad, but they've
been getting over here. He's been
run over on the promenade and
who's to substituted"
Nippy was near the door. Some
one with a charming voice was talk
ing Just outside. There was a des-
perate quiver in it which touched
a cord in his heart.
Whats to become of me? No
partner, no money, no career and
a black mark against the turn after
all my work. :" Familiar words,
indeed
Women and men in the crowd
meet and mingle, yet with itself
every soul stands single, max
ing its lonesome and low lamen-
tation, fighting it's terrible conflicts
alone. :"
He peered into the passage.
There, with her back towards him
stood the girl he longed to make
Mrs. Nicholas Legg . the anus
ing nose, the honest eyes, the cour-
ageous chin and the kind mouth, in
very great trouble now.
He turned and went to Harry.
There was chivalry and a CLINT of
triumph in his eyes. Here was the
chance to do a kind deed in a very
naughty world. Here was the
chance to be revenged for that cold
shoulder, that aloofness and the
Indifference to his immediate and
everlasting love. "Tn substitute" :"
he said.
Your What on earth can you
do that's any use to me?"
Much the same as Boots does
from all I've been told"
But how do l know-how can
risk"
II never wear wig, and all
shall want is bit Of putty for my
nose"
But have you ever been on the
professional stage before?"
Nippy removed his tie. "Fifty-one
weeks for four whole years, twice a
day." he said. Then Rosy Calf got
married."
The manager sprang to his feet.
Calf? You can't be :"
YES" said Nippy, "Legg. IT'S
kind of you to remember. The COM
bination of Legg and Calf will never
be seen again."
His voice broke but he undid the
rest of his shirt.
He went away to dress as the
band commenced to blare.
A shade under two minutes later
he was back in the office again.
He was not to be recognized. He
had redeemed his eyelids with
grease paint and put idiocy round
his mouth. The seat of his baggy
black trousers came almost down to
his knees and he had combed his
hair over his forehead In a fringe
Harry had brought in Nellie who
had made up her face again.
She said, How wonderful this
is Where In the world does he
come from?" And then she began a
gasp. 1t was Boot and it
wasn't Boot. There was genius in
those eyes, master In melancholy
all round that mouth.
"You are saving my life," she
said.
But before she could express her
gratitude further they stood in the
glare of the limelight in the middle
Of the stage.
The audience was cold.
Then followed that series Of fool
cries, of grimly earnest incompe-
tences, of solemn and painstaking
preparation fer break-neck deeds
never to be performed, which had
stirred huge audiences to roars of
beneficent mirth.
Nellie found it unnecessary to
feign spontaneous laughs. Her laugh
ter was genuine. 1t bubbled from
her lips. She simply had to laugh.
Indeed she almost died.
This was no mere Boot. This
was Boot with Uppers-a Patent
Leather Boot.
Never in the history of that ca
sino had there been such hearty
roars.
1t was an absolute riot.
1t was a good deed in a very
naughty world.
"What'll you take to stay in the
bill for couple of months?" asked
Harry, who was very grateful and
pleased.