The Sauk Centre herald., 1939-01-26

ter i. 1. Never have heard a man who can stand
on his two feet, sway his gangling body come to a
halt with jerk. and order the personnel of the
English language around to do his will. Words
tumbled like water a cataract from that mar
rowing Lewis mouth in such hilarious rapidity they
seemed to dance-with such a sequence Of thought,
each adding to the other that sat enranced.
Marveling at the display
There is a sparkle about the man that makes
him Lewis and no one else. One wouldn't want him
anyone else Anyone else would be stold, dull; he's
animated, quick witty. His observations are
the superficial, but delved into the Underwriting
of ideas behind the obvious surface. 1t not
important that he nominated Harold Stassen as one
of the future presidents Of the United States.
No that wasn't the important thing. But it was
prime that he said of this 31-year-old executive
He has quiet eyes-the quiet eyes of composure.
The kind of quiet eyes that tell of a man who can
think straight and clearly" Who but a man who
has something of the turbulence of this life
offered in varied corners of the globe could point
to the sweep of a mans eyes the path to great
ness? Lewis did, Lewis didn't come out with
the surface observations about the party He didn't
abstractly look at the ceiling swell with emotion,
and say Its grand of you folks to come out to
me. 1 don't know what to say" No, he pointed
out first that homecomings were funny business"
Then launched into keener objective that home
comings foster a closer feeling of unity in this
nation. feeling need today above all others.
1t wasn't the vivacious, youthful Lewis who
wrote Main Street talking, though much of him still
remains; but now it was a mellower older Lewis,
whom piling years, had made more keen and sensi-
tive.
But the codness of print of ones ideas often
dim the real man behind them. The efforts to por-
tray the Lewis that night dim, too.
But If you could see the man Lewis talking you
would understand. He is brusque, oftimes jer1y
in his delivery long finger will sneak out from
the edge of his vest where he hangs his thumbs in
repose, and go sliding up long nose. A long
nose that, with other facial lines, embarks on tou
that somehow emerges into narrowing mouth. No
matter what pattern you draw, the lines converge
into that mouth. 1t breaks thny into quick smile;
as quickly is serious again. His movements are
mechanically precise. More than often his nose is
pointed down as he talks not at his audience but
under it, He sways from his hips to turn his head;
his neck seems scarcely ever to revolve His slim
chest rises now and again he talks and the long
legs elevate him high above those to whom he talks
When you him like that his slightly nasal
voice twanging the air like the string of good bow
carrying out the dictates of his mind-then eau
understand Lewis being brilliant light in the liter
airy world.
Perhaps poor reporter. I cannot look at
man with the wit of Lewis and be objective about
it. must have feelings-and if that is less than
being good newsman poor :. For
humbled. It's understandable, Martha Ostenso's
apparent and obvious breaking Into dther' in the
company of Mr.. Lewis. Since childhood I have been
taught that there certain rudiments of good
duct that make one personable opposed to being
rude and ungracous. 1 was taught not elegance;
Dut rather common sense approaches to manners
But when talked to Mr. Lewis, manners failed.
My mouth opened. I started to speak. 1 introduced
myself, not too intelgently-but coherently hope.
My voice sounded strangely unlike my own. He talk
ed, but it was swallowed up in whrl that captured
my reason. Had it not been for the producer
of the play, John Wildberg who graciousy prompt
ed me, I should have forgotten to say how much
1 did really enjoy Angela Is Twenty-Five"
Lewis is personable in his charm. He is neither
good looking nor even close to it. But I forgot
about it. His lean face that is over-proportioned
by protruding lobe the back of his head looks
out at you as if he were constantly peering his
spectacles Which he must wear to write read.
1t gives his head cooked tilt that to say
ne is about ready to spring. His almost skinny
lean frame seems even now not to fit his suits.
But the looseness about the of his clothes only
adds to the unganliness in the makeup of the long
framed man. No, he is not handsome.
Tailor Alex Benson will bear out in that.
Said he Il made his graduation suit for him. He
was hard to fit. Tall, thin, gangling - :" But
there is something in his hands. All night long my
eyes were drawn time and again from his face to
those hands Long, tapering, they seemingly are
thrust out of his coat sleeves full foot They make
him appear awkward in boyish sort of way-as if
he weren't quite what the darned things were
for, or where to put them. But even that hasty
impression is dispelled. He uses them sparingly
he talks Most often they will be in his pockets,
Jammed deep stretching his arms, or hooked loosely
from his vest by the thumbs. Always my eyes
pursued his hands-hands Of artist. They tapered
fully to be almost peaked at the finger tips.
The Lewis saw wasn't on parade. He was a
homely, down-to-earth character who seemed to be
having the time of his life. He seemed thrilled at
the thought of the old home town coming to him.
But most important he was himself. Perfectly OBJ
vious he seemed to the fetish that threw about
him that evening. 1mpressionable was Lewis
easiness. He is not the actor, yet he handles an
exacting role So the parade marches The
rise of red-headed Sauk Centreite who liked to
read" Observed his brother Fred he rode
down on the bus I'VE used to feel sorry for Harry.
He never hunted or fished He'd go out to NOW the
lawn, cut couple strips and then read under a
shade tree for half hour" So he was odd;
today he is odd. But individual. ..
Characters in the legitimate stage really come
to live their parts-ese they couldn't survive the
humdrum repetition Of day after day in stock.
1t born out when Mr. Lewis said, isn't DR.. Sage
a sweet little man." Not the name Of the actor
hut he he hea in he nlav Mr.