Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-29

Tense to a. breach Of promise
suit brought by a young woman of
twenty-five. Quite plainly he inti-
mates that her affections cannot be
lacerated, nor her heart broken, be-
cause she is a chorus girl. The inn
plication is plain that chorus girl
cannot really love-has no heart to
love.
Miss Lavinia Mason, the niece and
nam esake Of the well-known actress,
Miss Lavinia Shannon, also ofIMiss
Winona shannon and of Giles Shine,
takes quite a different view. indeed.
there is a hundred thousand dollars
worth Of difference In their points
OF view.
Miss Mason says--in legal Ian
guage are her words recorded:
"That by reason Of such promises
made to her by the defendant. the
defendant has inflicted upon her
great bodily pain and suffering and
mental anguish and distress.
THAT by reason Of the defendants
failure to carry out his said promise
the plaintiff has become and now is.
and win remain for the balance Of
her life, in weakened condition of
health, for by reason of the de-
PENDANTS refusal as aforesaid the
plaintiffs nervous system has been
severely shocked and permanently
injured, and she has become and
row is and always will remain, ner-
yous and hysterical.
That by reason of the facts
and matters recited the plaintiff
has been damaged in the sum of one
hundred thousand dollars $780, 00)"
Because Of this wide difference of
opinion the courts of New York
have been called upon to determine
whether a chorus girl can love. The
lawyers will hot claim and the jury
will not be asked to believe that the
girls who trip the measures of mu-
steal comedy and who sing "Tra la
la In stated periods In the progress
OF the play, in cost umes much de-
tOllete above and abbreviated below.
have no physical hearts. The bright
ness of tn cir eyes and the rising and
fading color in their cheeks, without
the aid of rogue, proclaim their pos
session of the pumping station that
sends blood to all quarters of the
body. But whether their hearts are
attuned to love, can respond to it,
can be broken by its loss, is what
the New York courts must decide.
is there anything in the atmos-
phere of the stage that prevents a
heart fulfilling it's function Of loVe2
Does the abbreviated skirt chill the
heart as we'll as other parts of the
body? Do stage dlHughts chill the
affections? Does the chorus girl
dance so continuously about paint
ed and bewigged hero, in knicker-
bockers and laces, that mere bust
ness man in all-concealing tweeds
seems to her poor, plain creature
unworthy of love?
Can a chorus girl love or can she
not? And, if she cannot, why not?
Broadway, the great highway of
the m erry-meTries, unable to deter
mine the question, will be glad to
hear the answer of the courts. Upon
the answer will depend the solution
of many personal problems in which
the hectic stree has greatly con-
cerned itself.
no an oo,,,te oef, nracadants BROAD
way will be able to furnish interest
ing ones on both sides. Can
chorus girl lover OF course, she can,
Broadway will answer and cite the
case of Mae Murray. Miss Murray
was in the chorus of the Follies atop
the New York Theatre when William
Schwenker, Jr., wooed and won her.
Troubles followed They we're
many and sordid, and all caused by
Papa Schwenker's delay in giving
the nuptial blessing. There was
period Of furnished room life on Park
avenue, with the bride dancing
around gas stove instead of
handsome stage hero. The young
man was sued for a wedding break
fast at Rector's that cost 1891 and
Tor which obdurate papa refused to,
and which the young man couldn't,
pay.
"My wife is very economical"
boosted the young man, describing
their furnished-room housekeeping.
Who would not be happy with such
wife? And who could deny, despite
that matutinal gas stove exercise,
that chorus girls can love?
"And where. is a loyalty to com
pare with that Of Florence Huber?"
Broadway will query.
Thomas Manville, Jr., son Of the
asbestos king, met, fell in love with
and married Florence Huber In two
days. He married her in two States
to make the marriage doubly bind
ing. Instead of admiring his sons
I,ochinvar methods, His Majesty of