Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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f ? AMATEUR s : NIGHT " i : J j I ~~ ! 5 By EDWARD W. GILBERT $ (Copyright.) Clarsie paused, tremblitig at the forbidding little stn.ee door of the London Theater, on the Bowery In New York. 1 Nuth hie but the memory of her landlady's last griiu words, "Tomorrow I want the room, or the rent," would have given her courage to enter. But a long sickness, dull times in the paper-box trade (making it impossible for her to get a job), and the end of her meager savings, had brought her to the problem of where to shelter on the morrow, and how to eat; her last meal having been the previous evening. < * j She had often seen the flaring post- j ers of the amateur nights at the London, setting forth the cash prizes to the best act, and a wild hope had grown in her mind that she might win, j not, perhaps, the first prize of five j dollars, but perlmps the second, and that would mean shelter for another week and enough food to keep her fluttering soul and frail body together, and so she stood hesitating on the threshold of her greatest venture. She might have lacked courage to enter, but the doorkeeper, happening ! to look nut. saw the wavering little fig- j lire and asked, not unkindly: "What d'ye want?" Ciarsie, murmured something in j which lie heard the word "amateur." "(lot your name down?" asked he. "All right, go on in. Jim, put this lady i wit* the nmatonrs." She found herself one of a line of people, mostly boys, standing with their hacks to the wall of a narrow passage. In front of her was a typical East Side boy, in little cap, green-red sweater, and depressed-looking canvas shoes. Along the line ran a buzz of conversation, rougli jokes, and Bowery slang. "This your first time, lady?" asked the lad ahead of her. "Yes," said Ciarsie faintly. "What's Jour act?singin'?" She not>led fainlty. "I'm but'k-daiicin'," said her new acquaintance. "This is my fourth time." A crash of music from the front, i and the chorus trooped past, off the stage, and scattered to the dressingrooms. Ciarsie heard dimly, as from an immense distance, a voice say: "Gentlemen, the amateurs will now perform. We have a large list tonight, and I think you will be much entertained." ' She opened her eyes and saw. standing at the entrance to the stage, a i gentleman with a tired and cynical expression, Beside him stood a figure which, to Clarsie's eyes, was the most magnificent she had ever seen. The lady was of great height and thinness. "Good night," said this apparition to the mafi in evening dross, nnd then, ! as her eye fell on the line, "Ah, the amateurs. What, a girl, too?" "Olt, we have them sometimes," said her companion. .? The white hussar shrugged her shoulders and walked past them, hut, just as -he passed, her eyes met those of Clarsie, and the look of fright, pain aiyl helplessness that she saw there startled her. She stopped suddenly. "Don't be so frightened, little girl," she said, "or you'll go up in the air." She gave her a rough, friendly slap on the shoulder, turned and stepped hack to the wings ju-t as the manager, with his list, stopped out on the stage. "We have first," came the voice, "Barney J moley. buck-dancer." "That's me," said the youth in the green-and-red sweater, as he ran on to the stage. A noise, like the roaring of the sea, greeted him. Cat-calls, hisses, hwnd< lapping and wild whoops were ining!t d ill a continued roar. "You here again?" "<?h! Barney, why don't you die." "Take It away, take it away." 1 Miring this Infernal concert, Barney gravely footed if. and, as a hail of small coin descended upon t lie stage, without losing a heat of his feet, he stooped and gathered them into hicap. "Take it away, take it away, take It away." "'Scu-'o me," said a man at Clarsie's elbow, pushing past her. In his hands *.?n- a ten-foot pole with a red iron hook on the end ; ml, while she looked with horror, he placed it around Barney's neck and dragged him from the stage, amid sounds like the roar of a menagerie. The manager, who had never changed his expression of weary indilTiTciieo, glymed at his list, tml -aid. ei.idiy: "We have next, Miss Oiars!e Bills, in song-." A cry greeted this announcement *Tih, t " irsh ! nli, ('larde!" "Come out lire, clarsie." * "We dare you. Clarsie." "Go nil." said the white hussar "J !< t tin-til buffalo you." 'J '- ti? -;i moment ( |;ir. io found herself i <-iritr n wl.'rlini; mass of tobacco smoke. '!'[ i- lender sb" >!: hfs how, the or< ):<-.in l-iayt !. ajv.l site sto< d dumb. Hit lip-* oj oiioti; nr" throat \vor!:< d convulsively. and >h" went thioiiirh tin* motions of v],i_;n/, hut was still (liuiib. She would liave run. hut she was anchored with friaht. Somelhinc: strucK Cinrsl* oti the eitee!. and fell tiliMiir. to the slfU". With the clearness o! sigh? *v: the dying are said to posses*. she saw that !! \v,s a .- liver coin. "(?' ! :rnel." she s; id, and rage 1.' ; I 'll I a .-! dr'WO Olft ; !! fear. | wi 1 ina" she thought. and sirl in'i-w 1' " I'll" ol. | it i it I and bravo. i voir > i o < and suaioil clcrn 11 aafi triuni|>liant over that sea of cruel faces. At the first words of the old sons, the noise broke out afresh, and some called insistently for the hook, but the high voice of the Dispenser of Doom in the gallery called, "Shut up; give her a show," and the noise died down. She was no longer frightened, and the golden voice rang through the theater: Saddle mv horses and call out nvv men. Open the west gate a*nd let me go free Where there's room for the bonnets of bonny Dundee. c At the end of the verse, n pause, and then came n crash of applause, repeated again and again. One malcontent called "Aw, the hook," but twenty voices roared, "Drop on yourself." She sang her song through, and at its close there came a whirl of handclapping, stamping, and the gallery , boy's whistle, high-pitched, and a rain ' of coins. Olarsie turned and walked blindly , toward the exit, but the manager stopped her. "On hack and how and take your encore," he said. "You've made good: ] don't you hoar them? Go back and pick up your money." Shaking with revulsion, fighting hard ! to keep down hysteria, she turned I again, bowed right and left, and sang ' again?and again the crash of hand- j clapping. "rick up your money," called friendly voices. "Pick it up. take your time, get it all; it's yours; it belongs to you ; don't bo bashful." She picked up the money till her hands were full, and.* taking a hint from poor Harney, she took off her shabby little sailor hat and poured the coins into it. Then, smiling and crying together, she bowed again and stumbled off. A strong hand caught her and she heard, all faint and far, the white hussar saying. "Oct a drink of water, j somebody. I>on't you see she's dying?" i "No, I'm not." said Clarsie. "I'll? ! I'll be all right soon." "Guess you will," said the other. ! "You're all right; first prize for you. All you wanted was to he woke tip. but you'd he there yet, planted, if I hadn't fired the quarter at yen and got you going. "Here," she continued, "let me tie your dough in your handkerchief." "Not?not?that quarter," stammer- j cd Qlnrsie; "I?I?want that to keep." J "Well." said the white hussar, "I'm \ going. Good night!" She gave her a strong handclasp, and swaggered off^ Clarsie turned to a boy in the line and asked, "Who Is that?" "What," said he, "don't you know? That's Lola Itivers. She owns the show ! that was playin' here tonight. She's i a bird; makes ten thousand dollars! a year with her show." Through the wet streets Clarsie stumbled homeward, in a dream. The hard bundle of coins she held tightly. First, at a little oyster-house, she ate, breaking a fourteen hours' fast. Then, to her room, where she counted her earnings. seven unuars and sixiy-nve cents, nwl five dollars first prize, not much to you, perhaps, who rend this, but to her the gift of life, of shelter and food for a nmjth to come. Next day, she met the dragon of the furni.-hed-room-house without shrinking. and paid her. She still felt weak ayd sick and remained indoors all day to rest. As dusk was falling there came a stat-'-Ty stop up the rickety stairs nnd a knock at her door. "Can I come in?" asked a voice that she knew well, though heard for the first time the night before. She opened the door, and, all tremulous with timid gratitude, she ushered I.ola Itivers into her room. If Lola had looked tail in her hussar dress, she looked taller in the little room. Her head seemed almost to touch tho ceiling. Her presence seemed to till the mean room with light and warmth. She was magnificent and arrayed like 1 ho lilies of Solomon. She s:it on 1 ho edge of the bed. looked long at Clarsie. and said: "Y<iu made good last night. You've got the voice, and know how to use it. i C.ood singing is always a paying act, and all you need is to b ar acting ; and dancing, and that I'll teach you myself. I'll take a chance on you, and take you out with ine, and pay you? ,\es?I'll pay you twenty-live a week this season, and if you don't get the swelled head and are willing to learn, illi'Il' > Ilii n.lM'll ?? i'.?? 'it i?U you shouldn't he on Ilroadway. All my yirls i;el there in time. Wlmt <lo you say?" e What did Clnrsie snv? If Mansfield said to a supe: "You shall support me next s.?nson." If Kiplini; said to you: "My lioy. Unit's a jroml story of yoars, j will you collaborate with mo?" Wlmt would bo 1I40 reply? Well, then, you know wlmt Clarsie said. That is all, except, that if you doubt this to he true, when next you go to see a certain voting star who has had a rapid and aina/.ina success, look at her elo-ely, and you will see that she wear* around her neck a fine pold ft ...1 .... .i-l.t/.l. fl.1.01.fro ,1 ullt-Of quarter. Money Buried With Body. Ail odd lUin ..I !ii dyili-r request n cii. red in S' n . \ : K? t Is. t noiri''\ !: d S-.M ' !i oint. (1 fi i< :ttl - that ill. . u.'i .i ii.id I. ....I in llie mattress on \ 'ii? i she ' i : - ii i of money. I'invi titration $2fi(l was found. I' was : ilyi'iir tv i.jmi's request that li i; Id v (tci| .ind a K 'Id piece I., l.uri'd wiT.it li . Il.datives wera a.I?:!>;. !? emission from l.ank'is In II i v e n: i.le in tli.- f!?'!d piere nid \v-! info in. d lint it was unlaw Mil ! > lit 1 11 1t tii<>tr y. \W are tmuh!<? t<? say wit"; her the money .I- |e?>- fare across pin- I liver Jordan" w is l.u'itd Willi In i' or ii"t. Seneca l-'itnn .V I'.utory. --The mist that obscures the sun o( a l.llfillt'T 11 : V is the pessimist. ypf Daddy's <m3b Eveixi rv^, Fairy Tale Oyj^A RY GRAHAM BONNER ??COfiiiCMT rr wii7[?n rnv.npu union??? " I SNAPPING TURTLES. ? "I nm n"': i ..ward," said Mr. Snapping Turtle. ' Neither am I," said Master Snappiny Turtle. "Some of our relations," said Mr. Snapping Turtle, "draw their heads into their shells when danger is near. But they aren't as strong as we are." "That is so," agreed Master Snapping Turtle, "and they must protect themselves as best they can. I do not blame them for the way they do. They are sensible to protect themselves. "But with stronger creatures, n<? we are, it would not be brave to withdraw our heads when danger is near." "If would not be brave at ail," said Mr. Snapping Turtle, "and as I said, I am not a coward. "And as 1 said," Master Snapping Turtle added, "I am not a co'.vardr i either." "When danger Is near," said Mr Snapping Turtle, "I fight the danger. ; I'm a great fighter when there is any- [ thing to fight about." "What I fight about is protection, i I must be protected, and I am pro- ! tected by myself.. '| *'I am my own general and colonel and major and lieutenant and sergeant and petty officer and army." "I am my own, too," said Master Snapping Turtle, "and so are all of the snapping turtles." "We have strong jaws," said Mr. I Snapping Turtle, "and strong jaws are a great help. We can light with our jaws. That Is why we do not draw I our jaws in our shells. We light with j them! "Water creatures fear us because of these strong Jaws. They know that we can tight them, and fight them pow-I erfully, and when 1 say we can fight ! them powerfully, I speak the truth." "You most certainly do," agreed J Master Snapping Turtle. "Of course, our family name shows that we can snap, and with our jaws we snap," said Mr. Snapping Turtle. ! 1 """H I "We Can Snap." i "And our name shows that we are tur- j ties, as indeed we are." "As indeed we are," said Master Knapping Turtle. "Snnp, snap, we are turtles, ami we can snap! "And," -Master Snapping Turtle con tinned, "we have big heads and long tails. "Of course we only have one head apiece. That is understood, I am sure." "I am sure that it is understood, and that it will be always understood," said Mr. Snapping Turtle. "Surely no one would ever think we had two heads. And I'm quite stiit?, too, that no one would ever think we had two tails apiece. "Hut when we speak of heads and of tails, we mean that we each have : one head and one tail apiece, and that | encli head and each tail is big and strong. "of course we can hold our tails closely to our shells. "To be sure, eaclt one of us can : do that with each one of our tails. "Oh dear, oh dear, I don't mean we can each do that ^itli each one of our 1 tails, for that does sound as though we had more than one tail apiece. "Hut I mean that each one of us can do that with our tali. That is what I mean. "The young snapping turtles arc strong, too, the precious dears; and they are also good fighters." "The precious dears, so they a-re," said Muster Snapping Turtle. "We have small eyes," said Mr. Snapping Turtle, "but wq can see well with our eyes. Oh, yes, it makes not u scrap of difference because our eyes are small; not a scrap. We can see .in^t as well as though we had great big eyes. "We like to dress In yellowish and brownish colors. We care for dark, quiet shades. We're not fond of guy ami bright colors, like the birds are, for example." "We're simple In our ways," suid Master Snapping 'lurtle. "Hut snapping in onr ways,".* chuckled Mr. Snapping 'lurtle; "yes, indeed, we are snapping, or snappy, ; in our ways!" ^ Born Talented. vtlow you do stutter, my p ior hoy! Have you e\'er attended a stammering school?" "X-n-n-no, I d-d-d-do this naturally." R'A Not Summer Heat. *Tu, \vli:it causes heat and cold?" "The janitor." -A theory is nan li like :i man. II j iit worth a da. n unless it will work, i ? 'J'lie country inielii profit also iiy a little more tial'lie <>n our jailfoads, 1 DIAL GETS RILED. Says Civil Service Examinations Arc Nothing But a Joke. Tnklner as his text tho recent complaint of Senator Elkir.s of West Virginia, to President Harding that Democrats were not being turned out of oftiee fast enough, Senator X. II. Dial today addressed the senate attacking the administration's methods of making appointments of postmasters, says a Washington special of Monday to the Charleston News and Courier. The South Carolina senator describ| ed as a "farce and a travesty" thes.vs torn 01 in Kins any one 01 me mree ! highest applicants certified by the civl il service commission, instead of the highest qualified applicant, as under the Wilson administration. He also said that there is nothin.tr in the president's order, jnst announced, that the civil service commission shall give preference to ex-soldicrs and their [ widows in postmnstership examina1 tions, as the law already requires this; land he further noted that talk of waving the age limit for veterans in these examinations is empty in view of the fact that no soldier of the recent war I could now he sixty-five years of age. Senator Dial said that the quota of South Carolina for general positions under the Federal civil service is 652, but that the Palmetto state'now has only 301 on the civil service rolls. Reverting, to the present administration of the appointive power as to postmasters in South Carolina, Senator Dial declared that the question of the civil service to this category of appointments is a practical nullity. He spoke of a case where a vacancyoccurred and an examination was ordered, >iii an acting postmaster was installed and the order for an examination cancelled and no examination date set since that time. The object of this, the senator said he suspected, was to permit a "practical outsider" to qualikJrOII Jforri#:: WMm jp V^' ' ^sPsPPij s~-~~ \ xlfcr > - -v--.; v.-' 5SP ' >-.^ . v--'" ' * A Romance o Red Ok, of the finest of novels. A story of life nature; told in the ch; absorbing qualities of is famous. ^ The sisters, Cherry ai arc also different in the contrasting chnracterist very human, captivatir and more lovable Alix cinating characters in i Watch These Columns for tl Delightj ! NOW'S THE TIME TO t \ WE HAVE A COMPLETE 3 BOTH SINGLE AND < \ SACRED LILLIES, TULIPS PHONE NO. 65. WE LL \ THE REXALL fJTTV VT\ * STORE ^1J-X X?1 Prompt and Accurate Servic r jm mwm <mn m'm niw'vi^inu j fy for the position of postmaster by [ acquiring two years of residence. "I j j enter my protest to any sneh proced- , ' lire," asserted the senator vehemently, j ' we are very glad down South to have j good people move amongst us, but we i think they should come for some other j purpose than to fill offices." It is un- j derstood that Spartanburg's postmastership is the one Senator Dial had In | mind in his illustration. i "Nuff Ced."?"To neglect advertising ! is like resolving1 never to travel by I steam or communicate by telegraph. 1 It in to clrr-'e one's eyes to the light | and live in perpetual darkness."?John Wanna maker. I IN OUR FACTORY ON THE PREMISES We design, make and furnish H for your individual eye needs H any kind, style or shape lcnsH j known to the optical world. I WE ARE SPECIALISTS IN EYE NEEDS FOR GLASSES. j Eyes examined?Glasses Fitted. H ( Broken Lenses Duplicated Whic'H You Wait. j H v I 8 Hampton Street ROCK HILL, 0. C. j| f the California woods all Mrs. Norris' splendid , love and the beauties of arming style and with the plot for which its author nd Alix. opposite in type, ir natures and furnish the ics upon which is built a lg tale. The plainer, saner , is one of the most fas ecent fiction. ie Opening Installment of This ful Serial! START YOUR BULBS I i LINE OF HYACINTHS? DOUELE?ALL COLORS; I ? ; AND NARCISSUS. HEAR YOU. | [ARMACY j- E. brison, Proprietor ? e CLOVER, S. C. tiyiHuiTummttfuinwruiimntwii ^namrv^ York Furniti I Phone 153 HARD drnrhp.rv. i Alumim GLASS ar I w< l| ,5417 Have? ]| See our Cal jj It's a Pleasure at i! weather. Let i> home and insta !; RED weal l| W YOl ! Store war wvwwvwtfimwwwww#yuww# IS. L. CO Sales ^ THE UNIV 48 S. Main St. ^1WMWWW>M?WWWWWWW^ j|X Automob I known by II Have von cv < > (> ;; LYS prcdom > < > , o grade or cars THOMPSON f L. G. THOMSPON YORK, & f NEW MODEL DODGE Best Car for the Money on the Market. I HAVE THE EXCLUSIVE Agency for this well known car on the Western side of the York County. AUTOMOBILE OWNERS generally Know what the DODGE Is ana an are agreed as to its SUPERIOR MERITS, THE NEW MODEL possesses some features that are well worth investigation. and I am in a position to enlighten all who may be interested. CALL OX OR WRITE ME. C. F. SHE RE R Hi) YORK, 8. C. 2Pt rw f?~^ 9 fl c i i t . r?t ? ? -!. . H o onginai not oiasr neater M , ed a positive guarantee, ^ill I-a 2?our fuel bill. Equipped vJitb >" j ^OLE'C | \ HOT BLAST O EL SAVING SYSTEM ? . E stion. v?KicK burns all Valuable 1 Clean and eas^ to operate. fuel. Cole's Hot Blast n ry the original here,/ , J ure Company -a- ^ J . -.rf >< I V--T Ifir* ,t IFff-1. tl = **************** . ,.i i ; - Phone 153 ! WARE 1 | rtW Enamel and im ware 'Vt-iflt P *? , I . < '-^a id PYREX *, < ... ' i ? ire I j ou got your irnace for winter? I ORlC Pipeless Furnace u/ Comfort in cold us measure your S 11 it before cold 1 ' ther sets in. *K HARD- I ECOMPANY I . . . ILIU 1fu MuuMi^wmuKuminiinMynymmtvm i URTNEY yncC Service 1 Ert$AL CAR. YORK, S. C. vmwiwAwwwwwMuwwiwrtrvw i w- 1 TV mmmmmmmammmmmmammm?ammmm ? > n lildHirc, like a man, is | L the company it keeps., < > cr noticed how KELlinate 011 the better . \ I ~ til' i i < I< I & FEWELL r W. J. FEWELL ? ' - - S. C. IJ . * I " 1.1.Ill, ammm SIMRILL OIL CO. YORK, S. C. 1 ALWAYS THE BEST QUALITY OF PRODUCTS, AND AT PRICES THAT ARE FAIR AND JUST. PROMPT AND EFFICIENT SERVICE ALWAYS. TELEPHONE No. 242 Let Us Have Your Orders by Mail or Tolephone, or See Our Drivers As ' Thov Paiss By. S1MR1LL OIL CO. FRANK M. SIMRILL, Manafler. ' ?fa? llll I