The Washington herald., 1919-04-24


the girl with the wonderful legs. who
once had every New York Johnny at
her feet. is now selling cigarettes and
advertising In a Longacre store. She
works behind the counter In the morn
ing and in the afternoon she solicits
advertising.
To talk OF Frankie Bailey is to sing
song OF the flesh. A paean OF praise
to a pair OF legs-stralght legs, slim
ankled legs, firm. fine, rounded, fanc.-
full legs. Does all this talk of legs
shock the sensibilities? 1t should not.
The human body is a great. wonder
full, beautiful machine made by a mas
ter mechanic - and the reflection Of
Perfection.
Every part of 1t Is sacred. Only
the fslsely modest blush at mention
! OF legs. On, then, to legs. carriers
fof this mechanical masterpiece, the
I human body. And hail the one per-
feet pair. the legs OF Miss frankie
Bailey.
Miss Bailey's legs have been her
fame. her art, her fortune. They help
ed put the Great White Highway on
the map OF pleasure. Their presence
in Broadway production could make
or break show. Stars rose. glowed
for a while. passed. They had voices
or they had dramatic ability or they
had the humoresque twist. Miss Bal
ley had only legs-but she stayed on.
She was for years the highest-sal-
aried chorus girl in the world. And
all the while Time. the ruthless, was
! on watch. The hour struck. Time
caught Miss Bailey in its whirlpool.
She could no longer cavort through
sawdust. She became business
woman.
Now am9hG the friends who have
known her for years she sells cigar
cites and solicits advertising. For
years she was with Weber and Fields
| As long as Pete DAILY was with the
| organization. Daily used to joke with
! her on the stage. At one time Miss
| Bailey was drawing $500 a week while
appearing on Broadway.
! Julian Street recently wrote a short
story. called After Forty" for n
weekly publication. The story con-
cerned a love affair. or rather a flirta-
ticn, that ended in a hideous automo-
bile smashup. It was founded on a
true incident, not so long ago report
! ed in New York newspapers. Fifth
A"After Forty" fiirtations The women
are tall. straight and Junoesque. and
their clothes are fashioned by the
worlds best tailors. The men are the
heavy-set types who wear pink car
nations, heavilywaxed mustaches and
always spats. Sometimes-as they are
always married-they emerge from
these intriques unscathed. but gener-
ally 1t Is echoed in the press from
the divorce courts. Perhaps Q mere
bow may begin the liason which flits
from In front of Fifth avenue shop
to a dimlylighted tearoom. surround
ed by Oriental draperies and Chinese
! incense. Then. again. II takes a vio-
| lent turn to the deck of yacht on
| far-of sea. Younger people fiirta-
\ tiously inclined have affairs after af-
| fairs resulting from Fifth avenue
promenades. But after forty-it seems
| is a dangerous age to wax coquetish.
l New York Is the mecca of the vaude-
william, and so the opening of the Ma
/ tional Vaudeville Artists clubhouse IN
West Forty-sixth street recently was
a jazzy event in the theatrical world.
Every comfort has been provided for
the artists-a home where they can
! rest and study.
I Rennold Wolf tells a good story
about n couple of vaudeville acrobats
Just in Off the road-who breezed
around to the new clubhouse. They
stood out front admiring it for a min
ute or so and then in unison said:
This ia some stage set"
| And they walked into the building
on their hands.
There is a little cafe on Xth avenue
where / drop in now and then to un-
wind a hank of spaghetti. 1t is bet
ter there than most places. over the
. coat rack there is Il sign: '1f YOU
must steal - pick a good one. The
house has TO pay for II anyway"