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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1922)
THE OREGON SUNDAY I JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, . JUNE " 11, 1922; i. . 1 - V mm 7S QPJEED f 9 ii OPEED GALLAGHER won 34 games for the Gray Sox during the regular season. Then he pitched three straight shut-outs in the world series. After that he was more popular than a neighbor with "plenty of pre-war stuff, and as widely known as the president. So the K. and-L. people signed him up for 20 weeks in vaudeville. "What kind of stuff do I get to do?" Speed inquired after affixing his signa ture to the. contract that called for more money a week than many college pro fessors make in a year. The theatrical manager Jooked at him and sighed. "Let us worry about that, Speed," he suggested. "We'll frame up something for you." The theatrical manager then called in Danny Sleisher, a clever young product of Broadway, who "wrote plays in much the same way that a tailor makes suits. You showed Danny an actor , or someone who wanted to be an actor, and said: "Something to fit this, Danny; we want to start rehearsals tomorrow night." "I've signed up Speed Gallagher, Dan ny," the theatrical manager said. Danny nodded approval. "Good busi ness; he ought to draw. , "He ought to," the theatrical manager agreed. "God knows, he won't be able to do nothing else. Fix us up something for him, Danny. About 20 minutes; to close in one act." The act opened at Atlantic City. In it were Speed, his catcher Red Martin, and Marshall Kendrlck. 'Just do your stuff, kid," Martin ad vised Speed, reassuringly, as they stood shivering -in the wings, just 'before the curtain went up. "Never mind this hoofin' and singin' they've rung in-on you. You just stall through that any old how, and then, when you come to -burnin' 'em across to me, just do your stuff! That's all. Just do your stuff,' and we'll get by." The act went with a whoop. Fortu nately, Speed's hoofing and singing were so, bad that the audience of admiring fans rocked in their chairs and laughed until the tears came at sight of their gangly, raw-boned favorite trying to make his feet and throat behave. When, near the close of the act, they struck the set and Speed on the bare stage took a baseball in his big fist and began burning over curves and shoots to Red Martin, the roars of applause that answered his efforts had nothing of ridi cule In them. While the audience clapped and shouted approval of his illustrations of how to pitch three straight shut-outs in the world series, stumpy little bow legged Martin, crouching low, thumped his big mitt and shouted his customary chant of encouragement: "Do your stuff, kid! Atta boy! Do your stuff!" rpHB critics la New York were too sub tie for the suddenly stage-struck Gal lagher. They damned him with super lative burlesque praise, and he did not realize thatthey were kidding him. He knew only that his name was up In elec tric lights on Broadway and conspicuous on the billboards of the city; that at every performance he was cheered and cheered again; that he was getting more money for appearing on the stage for a, few minutes twice a day than he had ever made pitching his heart out on the diamond. He felt like the man who went to a horse race for the first time, cashed his initial bet at ten to one, and inquired: "How long has this been go ing on?" They played on the bill with 'Louise Clare for the first time in Chicago. Louise was as completely a part of the theatre as a back drop or a bunch light. Her father and mother had. been old fashioned circus and .song-and-dance people. She had been on the stage in a baby carriage when she was six months old and had made her entrance on her own feet within a year of the time she was able to standi on them unaided. At 22 she ;ould take an! audience in the hollow of her pink little palm and mold its mood to her will as a sculptor fashions clay. She could and did do most of the things that are done on a . vaudeville stage. The main feature - of her act wan her work on the tight rope, but she was also a comedienne of sorts and could even have stayed at the top of the theatrical heap on the strength of either her singing or her dancing. Ilrti mate acquaintance with life had made her thrifty ,to the point of miserliness with her money, her health and her friendship. She was a . wisej wholesome, . heart-hungry little soldier, who knew all the ways of the warfare that a girl on her own in the profession must fight, and who nursed a pathetically Intense longing for the peace of happy marriage, with love to stand guard. i She fell for Speed Gallagher; fell quick and hard. She was tired of smooth, flat little dancing men; pompous, strutting actors and posing acrobats.! Speed at tracted her because he was, rough and awkward, .bashful, deferential. To her he was a man from a fari country; a champion in a strange and thrilling game. ' j TACK REILLT, the house; manager 'in Chicago, introduced them after the show on the second night, i ew you in all of the games you pitched during th series last fall. Mr. Gallaaher." she said. "You certainly did have them eating out of your hand. "Aw, that was nothin much," Galla gher mumbled. "Have you watched me act yet.' She nodded. "I always come down In the wings when they strike the set and you start to pitch. she said. "Oh. that!. Speed exclaimed. h That's oothin. Have you seen the rest or it?" She admitted that she had not. r Id like ', to Tiave ' you watch It some ight Speed said.' TdIiket to have you tell me what you think of it. Seems - to bo going pretty well." TU watch It at the matinea tomor- to: j T?7ITHIN three weeks after starting " west from Chicago, Gallagher pro posed" and was accepted.; The engage ment was brief and stormy. It had scarcely had time to begin, in fact, be fore Gallagher said: "I'll cut out this baseball stuff for good now and "we'll do an act together, .eh? You and me?" "Oh but Speed, you mustn't give up baseball," she protested. , "Why not? Any roughneck can play baseball." ' . "But, Speed! That's your game!" "Well, actte's my game, tooain't It?" he said, resentfully. "I'm getting more money for actin than I ever got pr play in baseball With you and me to gether " " "But, Speed, you get paid so much for acting simply because you're such a won derful baseball- player." "Well, of course, I did at first he ad mitted, reluctantly. "Since I've learned the business like I .have, it's different. I'm going pretty good, ain't I?" "Why, yes," she agreed, hesitatingly. "You're going all right. Speed, but- ' "But what?" he demanded truculent ly. "Well, Speed, you're a baseball player; you're not an .actor. Baseball is your stuff, just the same as acting is mine. You've got to do your stuff." "Maybe you think "I ain't good enough to, do an act with you," he suggested, sullenly. s . "Well, Speed, you wouldn't think I was - good v enough to play baseball on your, team, would you?" ; The quarrel that -followed .was bitter and' final. ; Speed sought relief from: his mood in hard liquor, and Red Martin had . his.. work cut out. for. him the-next day to get the big pitchier sobered into shape for the matinee performance. After the show Red berated hlm in the dressing room. ."What the devil ails you?" he .de manded. "This actin thing gone to your head?- In all the,,time I've been roomin with you I never saw you drunk before." "Well, you seen me drunk last night, didn't' you? ' "I jsure did! And Til rtell the world you were one sloppy sight to see." "Well, I can get drunk if I want to, 'can't I?" j ' "You proved that all right! You keep on like this and you're goin to be in fine hape when you show up for spring traininV . . 'l , "Who said I was goin to show up for spring trainin ?" Red stared. "You ain't had a row with the club. have you?" "No. "I ain't had no row with the club, but . I'm of f of baseball. I'm through ! " Red showed real concern- "What's wrong?" s Av, what's the use of tellin you ?" Speed flamed. "You're like all the rest of .'em! You think all I can do la just play baseball. I'm goin to show you guys, the whole bunch of you!. I'm goin to keep on actin; (hat's . what I'm goin' to do; an make more money, at it than any of you birds, too. . Im goin to show all pfi you guys, an Louise Clarev too, . that-.. - U -; .-- : - t "Louise Clajrf," : Martin . .exclaimed. "What's she got to do with it?" " "Well, we" had Cght, Speed admit ted, grudgingly. . . ' - Martin nodded. "1 thought there was something. Come on, old kid; come dean. What's it alt about V CPEED , told him ' what had happened . the previous nighty . "Well. holy. high-jumping j Jehosha phat ! " Martin ; exclaimed. "You . been 4 holdin' something . out on me - all , these yearsj ; kid. I . always knew ; you were a 1 little, jbit fat from the wishbone up; but you never let nw' know befot-e that you were the world's champion mucker! One . of the nicest little girls in the world falls f or fu you ' bi farmer,; and ; before . you'd ' kissed her I twice you started fig urin on living easy off her big reputa tion. You were goin' to quit work and go kitin' around the country doin' noth ing and dragging down half of the big dough that she- makes." . "Where do you get that, stuff?" Speed muttered. "I. guess my reputation's- as big as hers, ain't it?" Red confronted him, his feet spread apart, his hands on his hips. ."Sayj- you big blob of ' home-grown cheese, you listen to me. I want to tell you some thing. If It hadn't been for baseball ' you wouldn't have had no more reputa tion than a second-hand car. Your dad was a blacksmith down in a little hick burg in Tennessee, that never had. enough Toobs in It at one time to even get its name on the map. You were a bum, that's all. Just a bum! If you hadn't . been such a - nut - about baseball, you might of worked hard, and some day got to be werth $40 a month as a farm hand, but you were a nut about baseball and so you weren't worth even $40 a month; to nobody in that little neck o the woods. Oh, your dad told me all about you .when he was visitin' you in Cincin nati last summer. "All right! You go ahead and jump. But I'm telling you this: You'll, land right back where, you started from, only when you ge there you won't be a kid any more and there won't be any game to pick you out of the ash heap and make a king of you again. Instead of being a dirtvt faced little kid, you'lFbe a good for nothin' no 'account, hulkin'. old tramp, .myochin quarters around pool rooms and trying to get nice clerks to listen t'o-you while you tell em .how. good you. was once. You an, actor! Why, say, if you had one. bad, year, in the. big league if your arm went back on you. for one season you couldn't get a contract at a dime an hoUr in a nickelodeon!. That's the truth and' you can take' It or leave it!" . ' . . , "You're a darned liar." said Speed. "If I am," said . Martin, his face sud denly white, "you ain't the man to tell me so .and get away with it!" It took five stagehands and a house manager, to pry the two apart. "I'm through!" Red canted as they dragged him away. "I'll work the week out. but after that you get somebody else to " - "You won't fork no week out!" Gal lagher roared. "You show up tonight and I'll knock youi block off; And they ain't goin to be nobody else, either. I'll show you guys. That baseball, part's out of this act. You hear me! Me and Ken drlck is "goin to db straight singin' and dancin' from now on and you watch how we go. You just watch! V AT 10 O'CLOCK that night Speed Gal lagher left, his dressing room on his way to his hotel. He was half way down the first" flight of stairs that led to the stage when he thought of the promise . he had made to the manager of the hotel to autograph t and igive him three base balls for his , three hero-worshiping young sons.- " ! " - " 1 He returned to his dressing room, took three baseballs' from his trunk, dropped them -into ' the aide pocket of his over-' coat and went his way. r As he. stepped out Che stage door be could hear Louise Clare singing a sprightly song. 'He passed: Red Martin standing - in - the alley. The two old friends did not speak. Speed, was. heart so re but -stubborn. .Til show 'em," he muttered to himself, as he trudged, along to his hotel. . "Think ' 'I can do nothin but play baseball, eh ? - - -I'll show 'em!' - TT WAS 10:30 '.when the clerk phoned up to. Speed ; Gallagher's room. The theatre's on j fire, Mr. Gallagher," he said, : 'excitedly. - "I thought you'd : want- to know. ' They say she's .; just blazi ng awayTi 'mm .V;ir'" "f VJ'f-Mini Speed threw . on - hi overcoat and . rushed out. " He' was thinking of hut trunk and clothes hanging in the dress ing room.-. . The; street was loud with the rumble and clang of fire apparatus; choked with .a noisy and curious crowd. "Speed Reached the fire lines and was nabbed by a burly cop. ' ' "I'm Speed Gallagher.," Speed panted. "You know; playin at . the Elite this' week. Let me through, will you ?" The name was magic. "Sure! That's all right. Speed," the cop said. "Go ahead. X don't reckon you can do much, though. They think they got everybody, out! She's burning like the very, devil." Speed rushed aro.und to the back of th theatre and stopped. " Flames were curling out of ther door, coiling high about the brick wall. Speed backed across the street and stood before the lighted show window of a hardware store, cowering away from the heat. There Red Martin found him. Red was screaming; with excitement and pointing upward. Speed looked up. An' icy agony of horror flooded through him. High up on the otherwise blank brick wall, just under the peak of the stage roof, there was a window, about a foot and a half square. Framed in the win dow was Louise Clare. Her face and head were clearly seen-in the 'glare from the flames below. "Do something!" Red Martin shouted frantically, beating his fists together. "Good God, Speed, what can we do? Nobody can get in there! That whole lower part's just a roaring hell."' Man, we got to do something!" . Speed acted with a celerity that legiti matized his name. With a side sweep of -his arm he smashed the plate glass win down of the hardware 'store, jumping quickly back to escape the falling frag-, ments of glass. He kicked the jagged pieces left ' in the frame out' of his way and stepped into the show window. From the hooks on whiph they were displayed he yanked down a ball of 'stout brown twine and a coll of quarterMnch manila rope. With these 'he jumped" back to the sidewalk. He raised hi, head and cupped his palms about his mouth. "Louise! Don't Jump," he bellowed. "Don't jump!" . .' f 4 GLASS transom over a woodert' door "V next to the hardware-store bore the inscription: "Rooms for ,Rejit.v s Speed spied the door. It was locked. He backed off several paces, hunched his right shoulder high against his head, and plunged into it. The door splintered and crashed, inward.. - Followed . by -Red Martin, Speed dashed into- the hallway and up the stairs. . On the third floor he ran - into a1 bewildered . man -throwing clothes Into a trunk. TThe roof! Speed shouted. "Which way to the roof?" "It aint on fire yet, is itr. The man chattered affrightedly.a "This house ain't on. fire yet? I) got most of my things packed now, and if it ain't on fire yet I can " ' - 7 , Speed grabbed him by the. throat and slapped his face with his open palm. "The roof P he shouted again, Which. way to the '."roof?" You -gabbling Idiot,, .tell me the way to the roof, or 'I'll tear your head of t you. The man gurgled." point- . ' ed to a narrow doorway in the halL : Speed tore through the opening, leaped . ; up a narrow ladder-like -flight of stairs. ' threw; open "the trap and scrambled out on the flat roof. He rushed to the edge of the roof and looked across. "The llttlo - - square - window in the back wall,- of the . theatre was almost on a level with him. " Louise . Clare - was still standing there. .,., ' "Don't Jump!" Speed bellowed at the ; top of his lungs. .: ""Louise!, Do you hear I me? "Here! Across ?the -street, on the . roof!" j Don't jump! ; r - - . The- girl In the tiny window- high tip . : above i the ' growings flames - heard and ' waved her answer to him. " .' " ; " Speed threw off .his overcoat and took ' one of the baseballs from his pocket. He flipped out -his jackknife, opened it : and made two slashes In the tough, horse hide cover of the ball about an inch and a half long and a half inch apart. With a point of the knife blade he threaded an end of the stout twine, looted from the hardware store window be'ow. under the half-inh strip of cover between the two slits and knotted it. Rapidly he un coiled a considerable length of the twine bo it - would run free. With the ball in his hand, he rose and shouted to the girl: i "Get back!" he roared, motioning to her. v'-'Get; back! One side! Lpok! The ball! See?" Through the window; . get back!", f . THE lrl understood and withdrew. The : small square aperture was empty. Ppeed stood erect on the roof, hitched up his breeches in a manner fa miliar to' him when he was in a tough spot on the diamond, -twitched his cap, and wound up.. He uncoiled with the snap of a released steel spring and, the' ball with : the brown twine tied to it flashed across and struck the. brick wall ah inch to the right of the opening, struck and fell to the street below! Speed Gallagher Thad missed. He had missed, and for the first time in his career panic -seized him.' He fell to trembling. "Oh, my God! What's the matter with me?" he prayed. "Good God! Red, I can't make it." He was frantically haul ing in on the string. "You try it. Red!' he begged. "My arm's gone, something's the matter with my eye! I can't do it: you try it." 1 It was no job for Red Martin, and Red Martin knew it. He could peg to second with the next one, but to hit that tiny window across the street .was a job for Speed Gallagher, who- had wasted his . boyhood pitching baseballs at a knot hole In a fence. And there on that roof the habit of the diamond stood Red Mar tin in stead; the habit of the veteran catcher mothering a rattled pitcher through a critical situation. He crouched down, thumping his right fist into his left palm, as though the latter were a padded mitt. ; "Come on, old-timer!" he barked, en couragingly. "This one's easy, kid. You know; the old eye. Steasdy, boy! You got all the stuff in the world today. Atta boy! Come on now, kid; do your stuff! Do your stuff!-" And under the effect of the familiar flow of encouraging chatter from his diamond mate. Speed Gallagher steadied as he had steadied many a time before in a bad spot; steadied and' tightened; grew calm and deliberate and menacing as he drew the ball up over the edge of the roof. Once more' he stood erect, hitched up his trousers and twitched his cap. Be side him Red Martin stood, squatting in the catcher's position, spanking his left palm with his right -fist, chanting his slangy line of encouragement. "Atta boy,' old kid! You could shaye a guy with that fast one today and never leave a- bruise; Right in the old spot, Speed! Come on! Do your stuff! And Speed Gallagher, himself once again, nerve - rackingly deliberate; as . sure as a bit of perfect machinery, wound up and threw. The ball sped straight, true as a bullet from a marksman's gun, ' through the tiny window. The girl's head appeared in the aper ture once more. " "Pull!" Speed bellowed across to her. "Pull on that string; there's a" rope tied to it. . Tie the rope to one of tnem girders in there. Full!" ; . - The girl ' began to draw on th ; string. Speed kneLt and quickly knotted It to an These three Gouraud'i prepa j " rations will, do this. Gburaud's Oriental j Cream " gives instantly an ; appearance, of wonderous beauty-' That smooth, delicate, refined complexion -it gives will render enchanting beauty even to; the most perfect of natural skinsJ Does not rub off or give that "made op look.' 80 years in use. Made in wTiitFkshBrunette. Gouraud'o Oriental Cold Cream i A delightfully scented Cream that cleanses the pore of . hidden "dust and dirt. Softens' and soothes rough-v ness and irritations. Stimulates and invigorates sluggish i skins and brings back the sort : youthful Beauty.' I Gouraud's Medicated Soap ' keeps awayvskin troubles... Itar use ? tvery essential to cleanse the skin before (applying Gouraud's Oriental Cream . to secure the best results. It gives a creamy, i lather and has A fragrant odor. . FotSaUMprug and Department Stores - Here is your -oppor--' ? Jtaaity to. pocaesa . this . lcombtntioii - f EowtT , l" Requisite. , Scad tu jour ... : MUM!, and j address trtta 25c and e wi'l scad roe Coarsad's Oriestal Cretm kite flei brunette. " " m. . tnbd trt - Conrsad's Oriental - Cold " Cream a4 a lar ck f Gvaraud's . Medicate Sf. . , i Tmrd. T. Hopkins & Sora, NewTertt -H'f- - :i ! end of tha ' manila rope. The girl rapidly pulled the rope across the, intervening space, drew it through the window and secured it about a girder. Red Mart.in and Speed Gallagher braced themselves and drew it ..taut. Louise crawled out through the window and surrendered herself to the line, making swift work pf crossing hand-over-hand. As she neared the roof on the opposite side and safety, the flames leaped suddenly- high along the. brick wall of the theatre. Speed groaned in an agony of apprehension, -for-leaping tongues of fire along the wall were licking dangerously near the rope. "You hold it, Red," he said, and, re leasing the' line, lay flat on the roof, leaning, over as far as he dared, reaching his arms toward the girl and shouting to her to hurry. He had one of her wrists in both of his hands when the rope ' burned through and parted. As the girl's weight sagged full on him ' he felt himself being drawn over the roof, slipping helplessly toward the pave ment below; felt himself being dragged to destruction, but he clung-tight to the girl's wrist. Then as he was pitching over the edge his ankles were encircled by hands that bit and held like Iron bands. As he hung face downward, clinging desperately to the dangling girl, he heard above him the grunted shout: "I got you. kid! Atta boy! Steady with it! Hang on. Help's coraln'. Do your stuff, old kid!" A moment later Speed felt other firm hands on his legs; heard other voices, .on the roof. .Slowly, carefully, he was drawn back toafety. The blood was pumping hard in his head. As they drew him up over the edge of the roof consciousness doserted him. but the will to save the endangered girl remained operative. It took the efforts of two men to pry, his locked fingers loose f rom her wrist. 'lYT'HEN Speed came to he was lying on a bed in one of the rooms below. Louise Clare was sponging his forehead. He sat up grinning weakly. ."I must of passed out," he muttered, apologetically. "What a crazy thing to do!" Louise Clare was on .her" knees before him, holding his big rigfyt hand. In hers. She was weeping happily. "Oh, Speed!" she cried. . "I'm- eosry I was mean to you. I didn't mean it. Speed. ' -Honest! You just go right ahead and quit base ball and we'll do an act together, you and I." Speed patted her shoulder and shook hi3 head. "Not for mine!" he said, firm ly. "Baseball's my stuff, 'nd that's what, I got to do. You come with me in the summer while I do my stuff, an' I'll go with you in the winter while you do your stuff, huh?" "Oh, Speed!" "Baseball's my stuff," Speed repeated, solmenlyoHe felt carefully of his right ttrm, flexing and straightening it- experi mentally. "'Gosh! I thought for a min ute up here on the roof the old wing had gone back on me. But I guess it's all right. J Feels better today. Baseball's my stuff. Frettjf good stuff at that." He took Louise Clare's upturned face in his big hands and Ianed reverently forward to kiss her. Red Martin backed tiptoe into the, hall. "Do your stuff!" Red Martin whis pered to himself, grinning. "Atta boy, kid! Do your stuff!" i Copyrisht. -t 'tiebU rwerred. Priatcd by sr xansemcnt with UetropoliUa Kewapaper Berric, New Tot.) - V:H- How YOU Can Secure A Beautiful earance Let us show you how Be-. witching and Fascinating your skin 'can be made; how pure and youthful it should t: healthy glow ot r5ni rii - i i w- m m s, - - Yj fvi - ' ' .