The Washington herald., 1919-11-08
NEW YORK CITY
By o. O. MeNTYRE

New York. Nov 7,-Sinister whis-
perings of a certain rendezvous for
drug orgies among the fast and
loose set that frequented the cafes
of Broadway before July 1 are
heard down among the white lights.
Liquor seems too difficult to secure
SO the thrill seekers are turning to
cocaine. morphine and opium smok-
Ing. A dark Cuban beauty, known
for her bizarre entertainments, 10
said to be the high priestess Of the
clique. E
The other members belong to that
queer brood OF pasty-faced wastrels
who live on excitement and staying
up all night-nowery fungus that
thrives and fattens on folly. Due
to some unusual mistake a smartfy
dressed young woman left a little
leather case In a hotel wash room.
As II happened tho maid knew her.
When the lady did not call the
case was opened-a complete opium
ontht was found-one of polished
amber and jade and wonderful gold
and platinum trimmings. The lady
denied that 1t was hers. so the story
6OCSs DuN tuC HeliIC "hO "CIc VAIL
ed in took the clue and she was
constantly shadowed.
Her late hour trips to q certain
stately mansion in an exclusive
neighborhood gave rise to the belief
that this was the rendezvous. Too,
early in the morning Chinese SER
wants were seen leaving the place
and the opium resorts invariably
IN ThfnA.A 80 hat
know how expertly to cook the
opium pills.
Still the place Is owned and ten
anted by q man so high up in the
social world that the police hesitate
as is always necessary in drug
places. The drug fiend is too cum
ming to allow an interloper to pass
the portals.
There Is a friendship and under
standing between drug fends that
alienists say is in reality a phase
of the drug mania and 1t ovtwits
the shrewdest. 1t is true that the
not around the caDarets anymore.
There is little excitement where
2.76 beer Is the chief stimulant.
II is strange how songbirds
choose their names. Emmy Des-
tim changing hers recently to Nine.
Emma Destinova, recalls to opera
fans many other odd twists art has
given cognomens. For despite the
perfumed stability of a rose by any
, other 0name, birds OF the operate
paradise have for years deemed It
essential to alter and alliterize. Wit
alize and vowelize the sobriquets
which won their bouquets from TIE
public. They knew full we'll the
psychological value of euphony in
advertising.
Nellie Melba was Helen Porter
Mitchell, but her home city. Mel
bourne. Australia, suggested her
operatic name. Albani. whose last
name is Lajeuesse, named herself
after Albany. n. Y. Nordica had the
desire to Italianize her name when
she changed it from Norton. Nearly
every singer has made a slight
change in name. About the only
actress know who has not is ALA
Nazimova. That is her maiden
name.
The women's campaign against
Boss Murphy by calling every voter
on the telephone and asking: why
Murphy" has reached the letter
writer's. In my mail today was this:
Dear sir: Yours of recent date at
hand. Why Murphy? In reply will
say that your garment has been de-
layed by strike. why Murphy? We
hope to deliver il not later than
Friday. Why Murphy: Sincerely.
etc"
''Blunch" is getting quite popular
in the large hotels. Blunch is the
combination of luncheon and break
fast-the IL o'clock meal. 1t is one
of the biggest meals of the day at
the Ritz. st. Regis, ,'Sherry's and the
more exclusive places where people
have money and don't care about
arising with the trading classes. 1t
is popular too in the theatrical CEN
ters and the Claridge features 1t on
its menu.