Evening star., 1941-12-07

and called in loud and convincing
tones that he hoped 1 drowned but
if I didn't to just keep going away
from there.
That was a distressing fall, but it
wasn't my first, nor my last. I've
been falling around, mostly into diff
ficulties, since an extremely early
period in life. 1t was, in fact, on my
10th birthday that I fell-literally-
into my first role as thespian. That
was with the medicine show.
The show set up for business in a
vacant lot in our town and I was
fascinated. Seeking out the doc
told him I'd like to join his enter
prise.
What can you do?" he asked.
looking me up and down from the
top of my red head to the soles Of
my large but ragged shoes.
II can play guitar and sing /
said.
Go ahead" he snapped, indicat-
ing the assembled throng.
But they, like the showboat cap
tain later. we're unappreciative.
All But Shakespeare.
my boy" said the doc. you've
misinformed me. Try selling med
icine"
He pushed load of bottles into
nv arms and I rushed through the
crowd. AS 1 scrambled back up the
steps to the little stage my feet
skidded and took a nose-dlve into
the dust. That brought applause,
and from it took my cue. I went
on falling for crowds.
The career which got away that
day to such a flying start of the
steps has taken me through most OF
the by-paths Of the entertainment
world medicine shows, showboats.
stock companies, minstrel shows,
burlesque. vaudeville, radio and the
movies and into some surprising
situations, both at work and at play.
I've done most everything but
Shakespeare and that. l fear, is an
ambition destined to go unfulhlled,
although Edna says = but that's
another story. Edna is. and what a
story! At least in my book she is.
But let's begin at the beginning,
as I understand they teach you
in school. I wouldn't know too
much about that, as school and l
hardly got on speaking terms. When
people ask me how far I went in
school I like to tell them that
was in the third grade so long that
George Washington, from his gilt
edged frame behind the teachers
desk. started looking down on me
with a sneer.
NV first job, at the age of 7 or 8,
was hawking the Vincennes sun
end the Indianapolis papers on the
streets of Vincennes, Ind. l was
successful newsboy, too, although
I must admit my business principles
left something to be desired. In
after years my customers told me
I was fresh, impudent, and even
insulting, and that they bought my |
wares to avoid embarrassment.
Medicine Show Called.
BuU SOOll lOullu d llcN NoSdtiOli
facking balls in Kramer & Schmidt's
poolroom. and this developed into
a nice sideline of trick playing
cards Kramer & Schmidt fed me
and bought me clothes. They also
gave me all the old decks of cards
which were thrown away by the
fummy players in the back room.
I'd cut and trim these cards. hitch
hike to nearby towns, like Bicknell,
Washington and Evansville. and sell
them at a fair profit, seeing as how
they didn't cost me anything. I'd
get from so to rs cents pack.
Then the entertainment world
called Id reached the gangling
age of 10 when Dr. R. E. Lewis
and his medicine show came to
town. The music and songs and
fun and laughter of the doc and his
troupe proved positively over
whelming lure. I felt that this was
my niche in life and I had to climb
into it.
As I've already related, the doc