The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-23
' 2 'H,, " V.7-" ln..1ew' York

New York, Sept. 23-Gene Fowler not the most sedate katzenjammer kid on the, literary world, has turn ed back to his first love, the nov- el. Between story conferences, Hol- lywood style, he has put out Salute to Yesterday" salty fiction of the Rocky Mountain West which will be on the bookstands shortly. Mean while the author has showed off for Europe on a reportoriai assignment.
 Flower jumped at this journalistic chance like a firemen going down the sliding pole during a three alarm. The Fourth Estate is where he halls from and of all habitats, he cherishes the city room. When his studio contract came up for re- newal last month, Daryl zanuck asked him what he thought he was worth $75 week to any news paper editor" the blunt Fowler re- piled, "$2,50O to you" ..a,
 Since he gave up chasing fire en- zines for the morning edition, he has waxed rich on, brain work. in film land. Occasionally, he was lur- ed out, by an adroits publisher to perpetuate his bizarre. literary style within the covers of a volume. Whenever he succumbed he usually travelled directly. from Hollywood to Fire Island, a gloomy strip of land near Manhattan, and conducted a hermitage while he fulfilled his writing obligations. Iii a Fire Island retreat, he'wrote "rhe Great Mouth piece" "Timberline, :" Father Goose" and Salute to Yesterday!s" ;s1,
 Not that he is reticent or, shy. By no means. When plots and .lifl- written pages are not preying on his mind, the, Algonquin set and the boys on the. lobster shift know Fowler as a quixotic prankster with the sky as a linait! s9 .s~s. '. a,,;' No Tair!, z. ',. Y" E'isSs3f ,.,$$5sT. s5., ss
 Where raconteurs 'foregather, they still relate with admiration and awe, the' Messrs. Fowler. and Mac Arthur's coup over Ia trolley. car. The scene was MT. Clemens, Mich; the night was dark and the reason both MT. P. and MT. M. happened to be, there was that they had drift ed willy-nilly out of their desk jobs in Chicago newspaper.
 The night was dark and the trust ing crew of Mt. Clemens lone trol- ley had deserted their electric orani- bus to warm themselves at the stove and take refreShment in a diner. They made two mistakes in doing SO. tD they didn't look around for cul- prits, (O they forgot to take the n.otormans handle. '. sNv -
 When Fowler and Macarthur happened by, the trolley stood as deserted as the sahara, 80 they ap- propriated it. Conductor Fowler shouted "Yoicks," pulled the bell cord twice and rang up i've in1agin- ary fares while Motornnan MacAr- thur sped them away into the night. Halfway down the block, 9 female customer waited forlornly at the curb for the rattlipg crate that ca reened along the tracks. Conductor Fowler signalled ''ore-bell." Motor man Macarthur brought the con. trapton to a frantic stop.
 And the lone fare boarded, mutt tering as she, did that trolleys didn't have to be inaneuyered along then route as If they were ,.psycopathic wards. She should have known better than to Ssquawk with those two servants of public utilities, For with little ado. Conductor Fowler accepted her nickel, showed her to the exit, calmly kicked her of, gave two bells to the inotorman who sig. nailed back and the embedded yeni- Cle was off They took 1t as far, by the Say as the car barn. x